Latest news with #PlanB
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Business Standard
a day ago
- Business
- Business Standard
15% tariff for 150 days: Trump admin prepares 'Plan B' after court ruling
The Trump administration is preparing a legal 'Plan B' to maintain its sweeping tariffs after a US court ruled that the president overstepped his authority by using emergency economic powers to impose them. The new approach would rely on provisions under the Trade Act of 1974, starting with a temporary 15 per cent tariff for 150 days, followed by more targeted duties using a separate clause aimed at unfair trade practices, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. The backup plan comes after a federal appeals court on Thursday allowed the existing tariffs to remain in place while the administration challenges the lower court's ruling. However, because the legal basis for the policy is uncertain, officials are now looking at other ways to protect the president's trade agenda. Trump admin's 'Plan B' follows a two-step approach To do this, the Trump administration would need to apply a two-step approach. The first move would involve invoking a never-before-used provision: Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. This Act permits short-term tariffs of up to 15 per cent for 150 days to address trade imbalances. This stopgap would buy time to implement a longer-term solution under Section 301, which requires a more detailed process but is seen as more legally sound. Officially, no new announcement on tariffs has been made; however, White House officials have confirmed that alternatives are being considered. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is weighing other legal avenues as it appeals the court's decision, though she did not elaborate. Peter Navarro, senior trade adviser, appeared to confirm the two-pronged approach and also suggested the administration could explore other trade laws, including the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 and provisions linked to national security. 15 per cent tariffs for 150 days possible under US law Legal experts confirmed to The Wall Street Journal that the proposed Plan B is more 'defensible' than the existing approach, which was based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a law never before used to impose tariffs. The US Court of International Trade on May 28 ruled that Trump's use of IEEPA to address trade deficits was unlawful. The court found that the law does not permit the president to levy wide-ranging import duties without congressional approval. However, on May 29, a federal appeals court allowed the tariffs to remain in place temporarily while the Trump administration appeals the decision. Despite the court setback, the administration believes shifting to other statutory tools could preserve tariff continuity and maintain leverage in ongoing trade negotiations. Some analysts say the court ruling might even open the door to a broader US–EU trade deal by removing one of the major points of tension.
Metro
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Brad Pitt breaks silence on finalising 8-year divorce battle with Angelina Jolie
Brad Pitt has finally broken his silence on the eight-year divorce battle with Angelina Jolie, which ended in December. After nearly a decade of legal wrangling and tabloid speculation, Pitt has finally responded to a question on the protracted and bitter divorce battle with Angelina Jolie that concluded in late 2023. In a revealing interview for the June issue of GQ magazine, as he promoted his new movie F1, the Oscar-winning actor addressed the finalization of the divorce with a surprising calmness. 'No, I don't think it was that major of a thing,' Pitt said when asked if he felt any relief after the court proceedings finally wrapped up. 'Just something coming to fruition. Legally.' That legal journey began back in 2016, when Jolie filed for divorce after two years of marriage and more than a decade together. What followed was a highly publicised and often acrimonious legal battle, encompassing custody disputes, property disagreements, and, more recently, a contentious fight over their jointly-owned French winery, Chateau Miraval. While the divorce was officially finalised in December 2023, many of the issues between the former couple continued to play out in court, casting a long shadow over both of their careers and public images. The legal proceedings were punctuated by allegations of abuse, which Pitt has denied. Against this backdrop, Pitt has maintained a relatively low profile in recent years, focusing on producing projects through his Plan B production company and working on a select few acting roles. His latest endeavor, F1, is a film in which he stars as a veteran driver mentoring a young rookie. Produced with the cooperation of Formula 1 and directed by Top Gun: Maverick filmmaker Joseph Kosinski, the movie is set to offer a cinematic deep-dive into the world of elite racing. Recently, Pitt appeared at the 2024 British Grand Prix with his new girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, marking their first public appearance as a couple. The timing – shortly after the finalization of his divorce and in the midst of promoting a movie about high-speed reinvention – did not go unnoticed. But Pitt was quick to dismiss the idea that their public debut was a calculated PR move. 'No, dude, it's not that calculated,' he said with a laugh. 'If you're living—oh my God, how exhausting would that be? If you're living with making those kinds of calculations? No, life just evolves. Relationships evolve.' Still, the shadow of his relationship with Jolie looms large. The pair met on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith in 2004, a coupling that ignited a media frenzy and ultimately led to the dissolution of Pitt's marriage to Jennifer Aniston. For over a decade, 'Brangelina' was Hollywood royalty—gracing red carpets, engaging in humanitarian work, and raising a blended family of biological and adopted children. Their split stunned fans and quickly turned combative. Jolie accused Pitt of abusive behavior during a 2016 private flight, triggering investigations by the FBI and the Los Angeles Department of Child and Family Services. Pitt was not charged, but the accusations cast a long shadow and fueled a contentious custody battle. More recently, Jolie alleged that Pitt secretly maneuvered to take control of Château Miraval, an estate the two once shared, prompting further lawsuits. Through it all, Pitt has largely avoided public comment – until now. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Kings of Leon forced to cancel UK and European tour after 'freak accident' MORE: Lindsay Lohan quits Netflix rom-coms for good after 'manifesting' her next role MORE: Elon Musk's ex Grimes sparks concern with heartbreaking statement on family issues
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Health
- Miami Herald
Convenience stores eyed as way to provide morning-after pill
St. PAUL, Minn., May 27 (UPI) -- Women's health advocates say they want to expand the availability of morning-after pills to convenience stores as new state abortion laws sow confusion about their legality and pharmacies are closing nationwide. Emergency contraception deserts are arising in many areas of the United States where morning-after pills, although still legal everywhere, have become almost impossible to find due to a combination of misconceptions about their function and the ongoing drug store closures, healthcare experts told UPI. Some suggest that wider availability of morning-after pills for women at convenience stores and other non-traditional outlets, such as gas stations, grocery stores, corner delis, travel retailers and hotels, could ease the problem. Levonorgestrel, also known as "Plan B," or the morning-after pill, is a first-line oral emergency contraceptive pill approved from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization to prevent pregnancy. It is to be used within 72 hours of unprotected sexual intercourse or when a presumed contraceptive failure has occurred. It has an average cost about $40 to $50, with generics generally costing less at about $11 to $45. Approved in 2007 Levonorgestrel earned FDA approval to be sold over the counter without a prescription in 2007 after the agency deemed it to be safe following years of debate. Since then, it has been available without a prescription at drug stores alongside male contraceptives, such as condoms. But while condoms are widely available in many different settings, women's health advocates are warning that the lack of similar availability for Plan B pills outside traditional pharmacies has created emergency contraception deserts in many areas. Adding to the problem is confusion about how Plan B pills function and whether they're still legal in the wake of the Supreme Court's landmark 2022 Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision thatallowed states to enact local abortion bans. Uncertainty has arisen in states with the toughest abortion restrictions about whether the pills even remain legal as people confuse levonorgestrel, which prevents pregnancy, with mifepristone and misoprostol, which induce medical abortions, according to the women's health advocates. Polls indicate that as many as 73% of people incorrectly think morning-after pills can end a pregnancy in its early stages. In fact, the right to such contraception is currently protected by two other landmark Supreme Court decisions, Griswold vs. Connecticut (1965) and Eisenstadt vs. Baird (1972), but this confusion is believed to have led to declines in their use since Dobbs, they argue. Challenging economics They also point to the challenging economics of the retail pharmacy industry. Walgreens, for instance, announced in October that it will close roughly 1,200 of its stores through 2027 and seeks to close at least 500 stores by the end of 2025 alone. It says one-quarter of its roughly 8,700 U.S. store locations are unprofitable. About one-third of all U.S. pharmacies have closed since 2010 due to mergers of large pharmacy chains and the closure of stores deemed not profitable enough, according to a study published last year. As these factors accelerate, some 7,000 U.S. ZIP codes in both urban and rural areas now qualify as emergency contraception deserts in which "healthcare services are lacking and there are few or no drug stores to fulfill the needs of the approximately 23 million women of childbearing age who live there," according to Cadence OTC, an Oakland, Calif.-based public benefit company that makes and markets a brand of levonorgestrel called "Morning After Pill." Cadence officials say they have spent the last few years working hard to convince convenience retailers that stocking Morning After Pill benefits both their bottom lines and the health of their communities. They have so far succeeded in getting the product into 11,000 locations in 48 states after forging a partnership with Lil' Drug Store Products, the nation's top supplier of health and beauty care products to convenience stores. Sales in remote areas "A lot of college campuses and military bases are in remote areas and are filled with young people, so these are priorities for contraceptive access," the company said in a statement issued to UPI. "C-stores are in every neighborhood and they are open long hours." Stocking emergency contraceptives makes sense for convenience stores as a way to replace revenue lost as cigarette purchases decline, Cadence said, adding, "Urgent healthcare products are a logical expansion space for C-stores, and the profit margins are generally higher than food and soft drinks. "Ninety percent of C-stores already carry condoms, so it makes sense to offer female contraceptives. as well." The challenge "is to increase awareness among consumers to think of C-stores for these healthcare items," company officials said in a statement. "Many C-stores are excited about playing a more important role in serving young women, leaning into urgent OTC healthcare is a smart business strategy." Health benefit One gynecologist who has studied the availability of emergency contraception in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision said the push to get morning-after pills into convenience stores would provide a public health benefit. Dr. Frank "Will" Williams III, who specializes in treating complicated pregnancies for Ochsner Health in New Orleans, co-authored a 2023 study that found only 35% of locally owned, independent pharmacies in the city had emergency contraception in stock. They were also much more likely than chain stores to keep the product behind the counter, require identification and carry no brand that cost under $50. "The independent pharmacies are the ones who are not likely to have a gaggle of lawyers on retainer who can tell them, 'Yes, emergency contraception is fine, they're not discussed at all in any of the abortion legislation, you guys can keep going with this,'" Williams told UPI. "They didn't have that luxury, so when Dobbs came through, that's where we really saw an absence of access to contraception." Now with many chain-owned pharmacies closing as well, the push to expand emergency contraception into non-traditional retail venues is needed, he said. Greater accessibility "If I'm traveling and need ibuprofen, I can find it a grocery store or convenience store, so there's no reason why that can't also be true for emergency contraception," Williams said. "Whatever we can do to make sure that people have accessible options regarding their health seems like a win to me." Agreeing is Dima Mazen Qato, an associate professor at the University of Southern California's Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and a senior scholar at the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics. Qato has researched the causes behind the wave of pharmacy closures and their effects on socioeconomic and racial health disparities across the country. Getting emergency contraception into non-traditional venues "makes sense, although I don't know what the price point is for it to be affordable and to actually be used by those who need it," she told UPI. "It's important to make sure it's affordable at these different access points, and also that there's no ID required -- that's just available like anything else." She added it's "definitely a great way to distribute emergency contraception, especially in states that, since Dobbs, have banned or partially banned abortion care. I think any effort to expand access to emergency contraception is needed across the country." Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Convenience stores eyed as way to provide morning-after pill
St. PAUL, Minn., May 27 (UPI) -- Women's health advocates say they want to expand the availability of morning-after pills to convenience stores as new state abortion laws sow confusion about their legality and pharmacies are closing nationwide. Emergency contraception deserts are arising in many areas of the United States where morning-after pills, although still legal everywhere, have become almost impossible to find due to a combination of misconceptions about their function and the ongoing drug store closures, healthcare experts told UPI. Some suggest that wider availability of morning-after pills for women at convenience stores and other non-traditional outlets, such as gas stations, grocery stores, corner delis, travel retailers and hotels, could ease the problem. Levonorgestrel, also known as "Plan B," or the morning-after pill, is a first-line oral emergency contraceptive pill approved from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization to prevent pregnancy. It is to be used within 72 hours of unprotected sexual intercourse or when a presumed contraceptive failure has occurred. It has an average cost about $40 to $50, with generics generally costing less at about $11 to $45. Approved in 2007 Levonorgestrel earned FDA approval to be sold over the counter without a prescription in 2007 after the agency deemed it to be safe following years of debate. Since then, it has been available without a prescription at drug stores alongside male contraceptives, such as condoms. But while condoms are widely available in many different settings, women's health advocates are warning that the lack of similar availability for Plan B pills outside traditional pharmacies has created emergency contraception deserts in many areas. Adding to the problem is confusion about how Plan B pills function and whether they're still legal in the wake of the Supreme Court's landmark 2022 Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision that allowed states to enact local abortion bans. Uncertainty has arisen in states with the toughest abortion restrictions about whether the pills even remain legal as people confuse levonorgestrel, which prevents pregnancy, with mifepristone and misoprostol, which induce medical abortions, according to the women's health advocates. Polls indicate that as many as 73% of people incorrectly think morning-after pills can end a pregnancy in its early stages. In fact, the right to such contraception is currently protected by two other landmark Supreme Court decisions, Griswold vs. Connecticut (1965) and Eisenstadt vs. Baird (1972), but this confusion is believed to have led to declines in their use since Dobbs, they argue. Challenging economics They also point to the challenging economics of the retail pharmacy industry. Walgreens, for instance, announced in October that it will close roughly 1,200 of its stores through 2027 and seeks to close at least 500 stores by the end of 2025 alone. It says one-quarter of its roughly 8,700 U.S. store locations are unprofitable. About one-third of all U.S. pharmacies have closed since 2010 due to mergers of large pharmacy chains and the closure of stores deemed not profitable enough, according to a study published last year. As these factors accelerate, some 7,000 U.S. ZIP codes in both urban and rural areas now qualify as emergency contraception deserts in which "healthcare services are lacking and there are few or no drug stores to fulfill the needs of the approximately 23 million women of childbearing age who live there," according to Cadence OTC, an Oakland, Calif.-based public benefit company that makes and markets a brand of levonorgestrel called "Morning After Pill." Cadence officials say they have spent the last few years working hard to convince convenience retailers that stocking Morning After Pill benefits both their bottom lines and the health of their communities. They have so far succeeded in getting the product into 11,000 locations in 48 states after forging a partnership with Lil' Drug Store Products, the nation's top supplier of health and beauty care products to convenience stores. Sales in remote areas "A lot of college campuses and military bases are in remote areas and are filled with young people, so these are priorities for contraceptive access," the company said in a statement issued to UPI. "C-stores are in every neighborhood and they are open long hours." Stocking emergency contraceptives makes sense for convenience stores as a way to replace revenue lost as cigarette purchases decline, Cadence said, adding, "Urgent healthcare products are a logical expansion space for C-stores, and the profit margins are generally higher than food and soft drinks. "Ninety percent of C-stores already carry condoms, so it makes sense to offer female contraceptives. as well." The challenge "is to increase awareness among consumers to think of C-stores for these healthcare items," company officials said in a statement. "Many C-stores are excited about playing a more important role in serving young women, leaning into urgent OTC healthcare is a smart business strategy." Health benefit One gynecologist who has studied the availability of emergency contraception in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision said the push to get morning-after pills into convenience stores would provide a public health benefit. Dr. Frank "Will" Williams III, who specializes in treating complicated pregnancies for Ochsner Health in New Orleans, co-authored a 2023 study that found only 35% of locally owned, independent pharmacies in the city had emergency contraception in stock. They were also much more likely than chain stores to keep the product behind the counter, require identification and carry no brand that cost under $50. "The independent pharmacies are the ones who are not likely to have a gaggle of lawyers on retainer who can tell them, 'Yes, emergency contraception is fine, they're not discussed at all in any of the abortion legislation, you guys can keep going with this,'" Williams told UPI. "They didn't have that luxury, so when Dobbs came through, that's where we really saw an absence of access to contraception." Now with many chain-owned pharmacies closing as well, the push to expand emergency contraception into non-traditional retail venues is needed, he said. Greater accessibility "If I'm traveling and need ibuprofen, I can find it a grocery store or convenience store, so there's no reason why that can't also be true for emergency contraception," Williams said. "Whatever we can do to make sure that people have accessible options regarding their health seems like a win to me." Agreeing is Dima Mazen Qato, an associate professor at the University of Southern California's Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and a senior scholar at the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics. Qato has researched the causes behind the wave of pharmacy closures and their effects on socioeconomic and racial health disparities across the country. Getting emergency contraception into non-traditional venues "makes sense, although I don't know what the price point is for it to be affordable and to actually be used by those who need it," she told UPI. "It's important to make sure it's affordable at these different access points, and also that there's no ID required -- that's just available like anything else." She added it's "definitely a great way to distribute emergency contraception, especially in states that, since Dobbs, have banned or partially banned abortion care. I think any effort to expand access to emergency contraception is needed across the country."
UPI
4 days ago
- Health
- UPI
Convenience stores eyed as way to provide morning-after pill
St. PAUL, Minn., May 27 (UPI) -- Women's health advocates say they want to expand the availability of morning-after pills to convenience stores as new state abortion laws sow confusion about their legality and pharmacies are closing nationwide. Emergency contraception deserts are arising in many areas of the United States where morning-after pills, although still legal everywhere, have become almost impossible to find due to a combination of misconceptions about their function and the ongoing drug store closures, healthcare experts told UPI. Some suggest that wider availability of morning-after pills for women at convenience stores and other non-traditional outlets, such as gas stations, grocery stores, corner delis, travel retailers and hotels, could ease the problem. Levonorgestrel, also known as "Plan B," or the morning-after pill, is a first-line oral emergency contraceptive pill approved from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization to prevent pregnancy. It is to be used within 72 hours of unprotected sexual intercourse or when a presumed contraceptive failure has occurred. It has an average cost about $40 to $50, with generics generally costing less at about $11 to $45. Approved in 2007 Levonorgestrel earned FDA approval to be sold over the counter without a prescription in 2007 after the agency deemed it to be safe following years of debate. Since then, it has been available without a prescription at drug stores alongside male contraceptives, such as condoms. But while condoms are widely available in many different settings, women's health advocates are warning that the lack of similar availability for Plan B pills outside traditional pharmacies has created emergency contraception deserts in many areas. Adding to the problem is confusion about how Plan B pills function and whether they're still legal in the wake of the Supreme Court's landmark 2022 Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision that allowed states to enact local abortion bans. Uncertainty has arisen in states with the toughest abortion restrictions about whether the pills even remain legal as people confuse levonorgestrel, which prevents pregnancy, with mifepristone and misoprostol, which induce medical abortions, according to the women's health advocates. Polls indicate that as many as 73% of people incorrectly think morning-after pills can end a pregnancy in its early stages. In fact, the right to such contraception is currently protected by two other landmark Supreme Court decisions, Griswold vs. Connecticut (1965) and Eisenstadt vs. Baird (1972), but this confusion is believed to have led to declines in their use since Dobbs, they argue. Challenging economics They also point to the challenging economics of the retail pharmacy industry. Walgreens, for instance, announced in October that it will close roughly 1,200 of its stores through 2027 and seeks to close at least 500 stores by the end of 2025 alone. It says one-quarter of its roughly 8,700 U.S. store locations are unprofitable. About one-third of all U.S. pharmacies have closed since 2010 due to mergers of large pharmacy chains and the closure of stores deemed not profitable enough, according to a study published last year. As these factors accelerate, some 7,000 U.S. ZIP codes in both urban and rural areas now qualify as emergency contraception deserts in which "healthcare services are lacking and there are few or no drug stores to fulfill the needs of the approximately 23 million women of childbearing age who live there," according to Cadence OTC, an Oakland, Calif.-based public benefit company that makes and markets a brand of levonorgestrel called "Morning After Pill." Cadence officials say they have spent the last few years working hard to convince convenience retailers that stocking Morning After Pill benefits both their bottom lines and the health of their communities. They have so far succeeded in getting the product into 11,000 locations in 48 states after forging a partnership with Lil' Drug Store Products, the nation's top supplier of health and beauty care products to convenience stores. Sales in remote areas "A lot of college campuses and military bases are in remote areas and are filled with young people, so these are priorities for contraceptive access," the company said in a statement issued to UPI. "C-stores are in every neighborhood and they are open long hours." Stocking emergency contraceptives makes sense for convenience stores as a way to replace revenue lost as cigarette purchases decline, Cadence said, adding, "Urgent healthcare products are a logical expansion space for C-stores, and the profit margins are generally higher than food and soft drinks. "Ninety percent of C-stores already carry condoms, so it makes sense to offer female contraceptives. as well." The challenge "is to increase awareness among consumers to think of C-stores for these healthcare items," company officials said in a statement. "Many C-stores are excited about playing a more important role in serving young women, leaning into urgent OTC healthcare is a smart business strategy." Health benefit One gynecologist who has studied the availability of emergency contraception in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision said the push to get morning-after pills into convenience stores would provide a public health benefit. Dr. Frank "Will" Williams III, who specializes in treating complicated pregnancies for Ochsner Health in New Orleans, co-authored a 2023 study that found only 35% of locally owned, independent pharmacies in the city had emergency contraception in stock. They were also much more likely than chain stores to keep the product behind the counter, require identification and carry no brand that cost under $50. "The independent pharmacies are the ones who are not likely to have a gaggle of lawyers on retainer who can tell them, 'Yes, emergency contraception is fine, they're not discussed at all in any of the abortion legislation, you guys can keep going with this,'" Williams told UPI. "They didn't have that luxury, so when Dobbs came through, that's where we really saw an absence of access to contraception." Now with many chain-owned pharmacies closing as well, the push to expand emergency contraception into non-traditional retail venues is needed, he said. Greater accessibility "If I'm traveling and need ibuprofen, I can find it a grocery store or convenience store, so there's no reason why that can't also be true for emergency contraception," Williams said. "Whatever we can do to make sure that people have accessible options regarding their health seems like a win to me." Agreeing is Dima Mazen Qato, an associate professor at the University of Southern California's Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and a senior scholar at the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics. Qato has researched the causes behind the wave of pharmacy closures and their effects on socioeconomic and racial health disparities across the country. Getting emergency contraception into non-traditional venues "makes sense, although I don't know what the price point is for it to be affordable and to actually be used by those who need it," she told UPI. "It's important to make sure it's affordable at these different access points, and also that there's no ID required -- that's just available like anything else." She added it's "definitely a great way to distribute emergency contraception, especially in states that, since Dobbs, have banned or partially banned abortion care. I think any effort to expand access to emergency contraception is needed across the country."
