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Biden administration targets diabetes drug, blood thinner, others for Medicare price negotiations

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:32:17 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A popular diabetes treatment and the blood thinner Eliquis are among the first drugs that will be targeted for price negotiations in effort to cut Medicare costs.President Joe Biden’s administration on Tuesday released a list of 10 drugs for which the federal government will take a first-ever step: negotiating drug prices directly with the manufacturer.The move is expected to cut costs for some patients but faces litigation from the drugmakers and heavy criticism from Republican lawmakers. It’s also a centerpiece of the Democratic president’s reelection pitch as he seeks a second term in office by touting his work to lower costs for Americans at a time when the country has struggled with inflation. The diabetes treatment Jardiance from Eli Lilly and Co. made the list, along with Amgen’s autoimmune disease treatment Enbrel. Other drugs include Entresto from Novartis, which is used to treat heart failure. Medicare spent about $10 billion in 2020 on Eliquis, acc...

Ontario could return some land to Greenbelt after developers tried to sell: Ford government

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:32:17 GMT

Two parcels of land could soon be returned to the Greenbelt after the property owners listed the land for sale, the Ford government says.A statement from Premier Doug Ford alleges two sites in Ajax were put up for sale and the government has immediately started the process of putting the land back into the Greenbelt. The property was chosen as part of a land swap that the province says will bring tens of thousands of new homes to Ontario.“At no point was the intention to sell disclosed to the government’s facilitator during active and ongoing discussions,” reads Ford’s statement. “This behaviour goes against everything that our government is doing to bring home ownership into reach for more people.”Ford says other property owners involved are being put on notice and their land could also be returned if they don’t meet the government’s conditions, “including showing real progress by the end of the year to get shovels into the ground by 2025.&...

3 activists are acquitted of defaming a Thai poultry company accused of violating labor laws

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:32:17 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — Three human rights activists were acquitted Tuesday of criminally defaming a Thai poultry company with social media posts that supported other activists who had accused it of abusive labor practices, according to the defendants and their lawyer. They were charged under a law that could have led to a 42-year prison sentence if convicted. The company, Thammakaset, said the defendants’ social media comments linked indirectly to what it called a defamatory video produced by a human rights group, Fortify Rights, containing an interview with a worker who claimed abusive working conditions. In total, the case involved 30 counts of criminal defamation.The company’s representative, Chanchai Pheamphon, did not answer telephone calls seeking comment and did not reply to text messages. Several Asian countries have criminal defamation laws. Critics say such defamation cases are often used by companies and politicians to silence and intimidate critics. Since 2016, Thammakaset...

A German woman who belonged to IS is imprisoned for allowing a 5-year-old child slave to die in Iraq

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:32:17 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — A Munich court on Tuesday sentenced a German woman who was a member of the Islamic State group to 14 years in prison for allowing a 5-year-old Yazidi girl she and her husband kept as a slave in Iraq to die of thirst in the sun. The decision replaced an earlier prison sentence of 10 years. A German appeals court had ordered a new sentencing hearing for the woman, who has been identified only as Jennifer W. in line with German privacy rules, after the country’s Federal Court of Justice threw out an appeal by the defendant but partly approved an appeal by prosecutors. It overturned the sentence, though not the rest of the verdict, and sent the case back to the Munich state court for a new decision.The Munich state court convicted the 32-year-old of, among other things, enslavement resulting in death, and accused her of acting out of contempt for human life, German news agency dpa reported.The woman from Lohne in Lower Saxony had previously confessed to watching the ...

Scotiabank reports Q3 profit down, provision for credit losses up

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:32:17 GMT

TORONTO — Scotiabank reported its third-quarter profit fell compared with a year ago as its provision for credit losses nearly doubled.The bank says its net income amounted to $2.21 billion or $1.72 per diluted share for the quarter ended July 31, down from $2.59 billion or $2.09 per diluted share a year earlier.Revenue for the quarter totalled $8.09 billion, up from $7.80 billion.Scotiabank’s provision for credit losses totalled $819 million in its latest quarter, up from $412 million in the same quarter last year.On an adjusted basis, the bank says it earned $1.73 per diluted share, down from an adjusted profit of $2.10 per diluted share a year ago.Analysts on average had expected an adjusted profit of $1.74 per share, according to estimates compiled by financial markets data firm Refinitiv.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:BNS)The Canadian Press

Millennial Money: How to manage caregiving costs for parents while raising kids

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:32:17 GMT

Nearly a quarter of millennials are caregivers for an adult, according to a 2020 AARP survey. And a 2020 report from insurance marketplace GoHealth found that 1 in 3 millennials are supporting their parents financially, and more than a quarter help manage their parents’ health care.This means that in addition to caring for young children, many millennials are also managing the needs of parents, grandparents or other loved ones. That can take a toll: Eighty-two percent of millennials worry about having enough money to support both their parents and themselves, according to GoHealth.While there are many resources available that can help with costs, it’s hard to know where to look. Here are some starting points.ASK ABOUT THEIR RESOURCESDoes your loved one have long-term care insurance? This coverage can help with in-home care costs or assisted living or nursing home expenses. “I’ve talked to a lot of caregivers who didn’t even know their loved ones had long-term care policies,” says Am...

Tracking Idalia: Storm strengthens into Category 1 hurricane, expected to rapidly intensify

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:32:17 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Idalia strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane early Tuesday and is expected to rapidly intensify in the Gulf of Mexico.The National Hurricane Center said Idalia is about 370 miles south-southwest of Tampa. The storm's winds increased to 75 mph.Idalia is forecast to make landfall along the northwest Gulf Coast of Florida some time on Wednesday as a Category 3 major hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center. As of the 5 a.m. update, Idalia was over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, moving north at 14 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. The NHC shifted Idalia's track slightly west. Do I need to evacuate? Orders issued for several counties ahead of Idalia Storm surge remains the biggest threat with Idalia, with some areas north of Tampa Bay expected to see 8 to 12 feet of storm surge, with 4 to 9 feet in the Tampa Bay area and 3 to 7 feet south of Tampa Bay. The storm surge threat is increased thanks to higher-than-normal high tides due t...

Tuesday Forecast: Temps in mid 80s with afternoon t-storm

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:32:17 GMT

CHICAGO — Temperatures in the mid 80s Tuesday with increasing clouds. A 40 percent chance of thunderstorms are expected. Winds: N 10-15 G20. High: 84. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Partly cloudy tonight. Winds: NNE 10-15 G20. Low: 60.Wednesday Forecast: Morning clouds, decreasing clouds. Winds: NNE 10-15 G20. High: 71/68.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

Fans rush field, accost Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr.

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:32:17 GMT

DENVER (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr. fended off two fans, including one who made contact with him in right field, while sparking the Atlanta Braves to a 14-4 rout of the Colorado Rockies on Monday night.One fan got his arms against Acuña during the middle of the seventh inning, just after Atlanta scored four runs to open a 9-4 lead. Two security people quickly grabbed the fan and, as they tried to drag him away, a third security person approached.Fiueld guards carry away one of two fans who approached Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. as Acuna took the field for the bottom of the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Monday, Aug. 28, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)Field guards haul away one of two fans who approached Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) before the bottom of the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Monday, Aug. 28, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)Field guards hold onto a...

Water well runs dry at Bastrop homeless shelter

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:32:17 GMT

BASTROP, Texas (KXAN) — As we all endure this heat, a homeless shelter and soup kitchen in Bastrop is struggling to stay open.For the last 10 days, the In the Streets-Hands Up High Ministry hasn’t had any water. Its well went dry and now, it’s in need of a costly $25,000 repair.Without water, the ministry is unable to serve food from its soup kitchen. On average, the local nonprofit dishes out 100-175 free meals a day. Bastrop nonprofit opens emergency cooling shelter, hosts Saturday fan drive Its homeless shelter for families is currently at max capacity, with 35 people living within its doors.Pastor Roland Nava says times have been tough.“I had to sit with the families to let them know that we didn't have any water,” he said. “When some of the children found out, some started to cry because they didn't know where they were going to go.”Several churches, nonprofits and local leaders have helped out the ministry, donating plenty of pallets of water, a portable pump, a portable sho...