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Pfizer more than doubles price of lifesaving Covid-19 medication Paxlovid as US transitions out of pandemic phase

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 14:14:16 GMT

(CNN) — The price of the lifesaving Covid-19 antiviral medication Paxlovid will more than double as the United States transitions out of the emergency phase of the pandemic, drugmaker Pfizer said Wednesday.The list price, before insurance, will be $1,390 for a five-day course, Pfizer said in a statement. That’s 2.6 times higher than the $530-per-course price paid by the US government, which provided Paxlovid free to patients during the pandemic. The Wall Street Journal first reported the new price.Pfizer noted that the list price “does not necessarily reflect the price a patient will pay” and said it’s working to secure health insurance arrangements that would come with low out-of-pocket costs to patients. The company also said it would offer assistance with copays for people who qualify, which could bring their out-of-pocket costs to nothing.People with Medicare or Medicaid or who are uninsured will be able to get Paxlovid for free through 2024 via a patient assistance program...

Costco’s longtime CEO steps down

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 14:14:16 GMT

New York (CNN) — Longtime Costco chief executive Craig Jelinek will step down at the end of the year, the company said Wednesday.Ron Vachris, Costco’s president and chief operating officer who started at the company 40 years ago driving forklifts, will replace him.Costco’s stock was little changed during after hours trading Wednesday, a sign investors were unfazed.“This is the culmination of the long-standing succession plan that Craig has discussed with the Board,” the company said in a statement.Jelinek, 71, has been Costco’s CEO since 2012, taking over for one of Costco’s co-founders. The company’s stock has increased five-fold during his tenure.Costco’s business boomed during the pandemic as customers rushed to stores to load up on groceries and household staples such as toilet paper.They made fewer trips to stores to minimize potential exposure to the virus, but loaded up when they were inside and spent more.Millions of customers signed up for club memberships for the firs...

Mary Lou Retton experiences ‘scary setback’ in her fight against a rare form of pneumonia, daughter says

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 14:14:16 GMT

(CNN) — Retired Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Mary Lou Retton experienced a “scary setback” in her fight against a rare form of pneumonia this week, after showing remarkable progress towards recovery just days ago, her daughter said Wednesday night.Retton is still in the intensive care unit and is “really exhausted” after the setback, her daughter Shayla Kelley Schrepfer said in a video posted to Instagram.“At the beginning of this week, we were going on the up and up. We were so excited, seeing so much progress, and then yesterday we had a pretty scary setback,” Schrepfer said. “She is still in ICU, and we’re just working through some things as far as her setback goes.”This month, Retton’s family announced the 55-year-old had a rare form of pneumonia that left her fighting for her life. Her daughter McKenna Kelley started an online fundraiser on behalf of Retton’s four daughters to help support the medical costs, noting that Retton is uninsured.Earlier...

Offshore Power Arrival Delayed, One Turbine Erected

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 14:14:16 GMT

One down, 61 to go.The Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners joint venture announced Wednesday that the installation of the first of 62 turbine generators that will make up the Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind project has been completed about 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard, but project officials also backed off of a prior pledge that the project’s first power would begin flowing onto the grid this month.The completed turbine setup includes the tower, three blades, and one nacelle, the housing that contains a GE Haliade-X turbine. Fully assembled, it is “the largest turbine in the western world, with a nameplate capacity of 13 Megawatts, capable of providing power to more than 6,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts,” the company’s said.“This is a monumental achievement and a proud day for offshore wind in the United States that proves this industry is real and demonstrates Avangrid’s steadfast commitment to helping the Northe...

Woman killed in Mission Bay crash

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 14:14:16 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A driver was killed after crashing into a tree in Mission Bay Wednesday night, authorities said.According to the San Diego Police Department, a 32-year-old woman was driving northbound on Ingraham Street in a black 2010 Chevy SUV around 9:08 p.m. One person arrested after ‘suspicious device’ prompts evacuations in Coronado Police say she was pulling a small camper trailer while making a right turn onto the on-ramp to West Mission Bay Drive. She was reportedly driving too fast for the turn and drove off the roadway. SDPD says the woman ultimately struck a tree and died at the scene from her injuries. There were no passengers in the vehicle or camper trailer. New home construction to be accelerated in San Diego with SANDAG funds It's unknown if alcohol was a factor at this time. SDPD's Traffic Division officers responded to the scene and are investigating the collision.Anyone with information related to the crash is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

Encinitas speed limit to change with new ordinance

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 14:14:16 GMT

ECINITAS, Calif. -- A new proposal to slow traffic along Highway 101 has been approved by the city council of Encinitas. The ordinance will take the speed limit from 30 mph to 25 mph, and is expected to take roughly two months to implement. The business district from D Street to J Street will be affected.“Whether it’s a motorist on a motorist, whether it’s a motorist on a bicyclist, or a motorist on a pedestrian -- it makes it much more survivable, said Tony Kranz, the Mayor of Encinitas. "All the data says the slower the vehicles are going, the more survivable the crashes are." City of Escondido approves water rate increases for five years The plan is to eventually identify all dangerous streets in the city and implement reduced speeds to help combat fatal accidents. Some residential streets could see their 25 mph reduced to 20mph.Not everyone is happy to reimagine the speed of cars rolling through. “People need to get to work,” said Scott Campbell, a local resident. “It could go...

Honda to produce Civic Hybrid in Ontario and Indiana starting next year

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 14:14:16 GMT

ALLISTON, Ont. — Japanese automaker Honda says it will start producing the Civic Hybrid next year at its plant in Alliston, Ont.The company says the Ontario plant will produce the sedan version of the car.The hatchback version of the Civic Hybrid will be manufactured at a plant in Indiana, according to the automaker.Honda already produces the hybrid version of its CR-V sport utility vehicle in Alliston and at the plant in Indiana.The company says the Civic Hybrid is a key step in its electrification strategy, which includes equipping its core models with hybrid-electric systems.It says it expects Civic Hybrid sales to represent more than 40 per cent of Civic sales in North America.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2023.The Canadian Press

FBI: Thousands of remote IT workers sent wages to North Korea to help fund weapons program

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 14:14:16 GMT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Thousands of information technology workers contracting with U.S. companies have for years secretly sent millions of dollars of their wages to North Korea for use in its ballistic missile program, FBI and Department of Justice officials said.The Justice Department said Wednesday that IT workers dispatched and contracted by North Korea to work remotely with companies in St. Louis and elsewhere in the U.S. have been using false identities to get the jobs. The money they earned was funneled to the North Korean weapons program, FBI leaders said at a news conference in St. Louis.Federal authorities announced the seizure of $1.5 million and 17 domain names as part of the investigation, which is ongoing.Jay Greenberg, special agent in charge of the St. Louis FBI office, said any company that hired freelance IT workers “more than likely” hired someone participating in the scheme.“This scheme is so prevalent that companies must be vigilant to verify whom they’re hiring,̶...

Hollywood’s actors strike is nearing its 100th day. Why hasn’t a deal been reached and what’s next?

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 14:14:16 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — While screenwriters are busy back at work, film and TV actors remain on picket lines, with the longest strike in their history set to hit 100 days on Saturday after talks broke off with studios. Here’s a look at where things stand, how their stretched-out standoff compares to past strikes, and what happens next.INSIDE THE ACTORS-STUDIO TALKS THAT FAILEDHopes were high and leaders of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists were cautiously optimistic when they resumed negotiations on Oct. 2 for the first time since the strike began 2 1/2 months earlier.The same group of chief executives from the biggest studios had made a major deal just over a week earlier with striking writers, whose leaders celebrated their gains on many issues actors are also fighting for: long-term pay, consistency of employment and control over the use of artificial intelligence.But the actors’ talks were tepid, with days off between sessions and...

Financial investigators probing suspected contracts descend again on HQ of Paris Olympic organizers

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 14:14:16 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Organizers of next year’s Paris Olympics said their headquarters have again been visited by French financial prosecutors who are investigating suspicions of favoritism, conflicts of interest and misuse of funds in the awarding of contracts.The Paris organizing committee said Thursday in a short statement that the national financial prosecution service visited its north Paris offices on Wednesday “and obtained all the information it requested.”“Paris 2024 is cooperating fully with the investigation, as it has always done,” the statement said.The headquarters were first searched in June.Financial investigators have been zeroing in on 20 or so of the many hundreds of business contracts that Olympic organizers have signed as they race to prepare the French capital for 10,500 athletes and millions of spectators.In an Associated Press interview, Paris organizing committee president Tony Estanguet previously vigorously defended colleagues whose homes also have been searc...