Day: April 2, 2026

The agreement offers a rare moment of clarity in an increasingly fraught phase of the U.K.’s “special relationship” with the U.S., with President Donald Trump recently lashing out at Britain for refusing to join his war against Iran and threatening to pull the U.S. out of NATO, News.Az reports, citing Politico.
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Under the deal, announced last December, Britain agreed to increase the cost-effectiveness threshold used by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) by 25 percent, while slashing the maximum rebate the NHS can claw back from drugmakers to 15 percent.
In an announcement on Thursday, the government confirmed it had agreed a text with the U.S. that exempted the U.K. from tariffs on pharmaceuticals as well as mechtech for at least three years. It added that the countries had also agreed to work together towards mutual recognition of medical device approvals. The U.K. has also pledged to raise pharmaceutical spending to 0.6 percent of GDP by 2035. Industry figures see the text as a stepping stone to set out a credible timeline for reaching the 0.6 percent target.
The government’s oversight committee, led by Science Minister Patrick Vallance and Medicines Minister Zubir Ahmed, is currently mapping out how the spending increases will be delivered.
In a statement reflecting on the tariff deal, Vallance said: “Thanks to this partnership, patients right across the NHS will benefit from access to life changing new medicines that they previously would have been denied.
“Not only this, but as the first country in the world to benefit from a zero percent tariff on pharmaceuticals to the US, Britain’s life sciences sector will be further boosted.”
Earlier last month, the government laid secondary legislation to update rules around how NICE assesses the value of new drugs, lifting the cost-effectiveness threshold by £5000 to £25,000-£35,000 per quality-adjusted life year.

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The company said Codex-only seats will have no rate limits, with billing based on token consumption. This pricing structure aims to provide clearer cost tracking across budgets, workflows, and teams, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
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OpenAI reduced the annual price of ChatGPT Business from $25 to $20 per seat. Standard ChatGPT Business seats continue to include Codex usage limits for teams requiring broad ChatGPT access.
The company reported that Codex usage within ChatGPT Business and Enterprise teams has grown six times since January. More than 2 million builders use Codex weekly, according to OpenAI, with over 9 million paying business users relying on ChatGPT for work.
New features include Codex applications for macOS and Windows, along with plugins and automations designed to integrate with existing team systems. Eligible ChatGPT Business workspaces can receive $100 in credits for each new Codex-only team member, up to $500 per team, for a limited time.
Companies including Notion, Ramp, Braintrust, and Wasmer are using Codex in their engineering workflows, according to the announcement.

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On April 2, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian made a phone call to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
Masoud Pezeshkian expressed his gratitude to the head of state for the humanitarian aid Azerbaijan has provided to Iran, News.Az reports, citing AZERTAC.
President Ilham Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan’s humanitarian aid to Iran will continue and emphasized that the next shipment of humanitarian aid will be sent shortly.
Expressing his concern over the escalating situation in Iran, the head of state prayed for God’s mercy upon the Iranian citizens who lost their lives.
President Ilham Aliyev expressed his hope for a swift end to the confrontation.
During the telephone conversation, the parties emphased the necessity of achieving peace in the region as soon as possible.

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The Malaysian Tourism Federation said on Thursday that the cost pressures are creating significant challenges for businesses, particularly given the structure of the tourism market, News.az reports, citing BBC.
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Long lead contracts limit flexibility
According to federation president Sri Ganesh Michiel, the sector operates on a long lead business model, with travel packages negotiated months in advance under fixed contracts.
This leaves travel agencies unable to adjust prices when unexpected cost increases occur, squeezing margins and threatening profitability.
“Disruptions are creating new challenges for the sector,” he said, noting that companies are struggling to absorb rising operational expenses.
Transport costs drive domino effect
The impact is being felt across the tourism value chain, particularly among transport providers.
Many agencies depend on third party operators such as buses, boats, and ferries, which are now facing higher fuel costs. These operators, in turn, are finding it difficult to maintain services without passing on additional expenses.
The result is a cascading effect across the industry, increasing costs at multiple levels and placing additional strain on tour operators and service providers.
Calls for government intervention
The federation has urged the government to introduce immediate support measures to stabilise the sector.
Proposals include fuel subsidies for transport operators, temporary financial relief mechanisms for travel agencies, and broader short term policies aimed at cushioning the impact of rising costs.
Industry representatives argue that timely intervention is essential to prevent further disruption.
Concerns over competitiveness and demand
The federation warned that without support, Malaysia risks losing its competitive edge as a tourist destination.
Rising costs could lead to reduced service capacity, higher prices for travellers, and potential declines in demand.
There are also concerns that prolonged instability could erode international confidence in Malaysia’s tourism sector, particularly as global travellers become more price sensitive.
Analysts say the situation highlights the vulnerability of tourism dependent economies to external shocks, especially those linked to energy markets and geopolitical tensions.

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