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Merck sues federal government, calling plan to negotiate Medicare drug prices extortion

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:50 GMT

Merck is suing the federal government over a plan to negotiate Medicare drug prices, calling the program a sham equivalent to extortion.The drugmaker is seeking to halt the program, which was laid out in the Inflation Reduction Act and is expected to save taxpayers billions of dollars in the coming years.Merck said in a complaint filed Tuesday that the program does not involve genuine negotiation. Instead, it said the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services selects drugs to be included and then dictates the price, threatening drugmakers with “a ruinous daily excise tax” if they decline to agree.“It is tantamount to extortion,” the drugmaker said in the complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.The Rahway, New Jersey-based drugmaker added that it expects its diabetes treatment Januvia to be part of “the IRA’s scheme” starting later this year.Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a prepared statement that they plan to ...

Missing woman found dead inside apartment a block away from her Logan Square home, brother says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:50 GMT

CHICAGO — A woman missing from the Logan Square neighborhood since last Friday was found dead inside an apartment just a block from her home, according to her brother.According to police, a person is in custody and charges are pending.WGN spoke to AJ Battaglia Tuesday, who is the brother of 33-year-old Brittany Battaglia. He says his parents are on their way from Galena to officially identify her body.Police were seen going in and out of an apartment on the 2000 block of North Kimball in Logan Square Monday night, collecting evidence after a woman's body was discovered.AJ confirms that police said the body found in the Logan Square apartment was his sister, Brittany.“Never think your sister is going to be taken from you so soon,” AJ told WGN.Officials have not announced the identity of the person, but did declare her death a homicide. ‘It’s really odd’: Family pleads for information about missing Logan Square woman (Family photo: 33-year-old Brittany Battaglia)Brittany Battaglia r...

Apple will stop autocorrecting swear word to 'ducking'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:50 GMT

(The Hill) - Apple will stop autocorrecting swear words, including the expletive that has often been replaced with ‘ducking’ much to the frustration of users, with new machine learning technology.“In those moments where you just want to type a ducking word, well, the keyboard will learn it, too,” Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, said at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday.Autocorrect has previously relied on machine learning. However, Federighi said the keyboard will use a "state-of-the-art" transformer language model in a new software update.In iOS 17, which is set to be released in September, the keyboard will learn users’ habits and preferences, including when to correct certain words and when to leave others alone. An additional feature will also allow users to tap a word that has been autocorrected and quickly revert back to the original version, Federighi said.He added that the update also aims to improve autocorr...

100-year-old 'Papa Jake' survived D-Day on Omaha Beach, now he's a TikTok star

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:50 GMT

COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, France (AP) — World War II veteran Jake Larson, a 100-year-old American best known on social media under the name “Papa Jake," enjoyed giving hugs to the many fans he met during his trip to Normandy for D-Day commemorations.Larson, who has more than 600,000 followers on TikTok, attended a ceremony on Tuesday at the American Cemetery marking the 79th anniversary of the assault that led to the liberation of France and Western Europe from Nazi control.“I got in on the planning of D-Day ... I’m just a country boy. Now I’m a star on TikTok," he told The Associated Press with enthusiasm. "You can see me all over: ‘Papa Jake.’ I’m a legend! I didn’t plan this, it came about.”World War II veterans Jake Larson attends a ceremony to mark the 79th anniversary of the assault that led to the liberation of France and Western Europe from Nazi control, at the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France, Tuesday, June 6, 2023. The American Cemete...

Body found at Zilker Park near volleyball courts Monday evening

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:50 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for June 5, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A body was found at Zilker Park Monday evening, according to paramedics. Austin-Travis County EMS confirmed that medics responded to 2200 Lou Neff Road shortly before 6 p.m. That area is near the Zilker Park volleyball courts. Medics pronounced the person dead on the scene. KXAN received a viewer-submitted email Tuesday morning that said a volleyball league discovered the body while setting up for a game and called 911. It's not clear how the person died. KXAN has reached out to the Austin Police Department and will update this story if we receive more information.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Austin's Blues on the Green returns for 32nd season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin City Limit Radio's Blues on the Green summer concert series will kick off its 32nd season next month, officials announced in a Tuesday release.The free music series is slated to run July 18-19 at Zilker Park, with music performances from 6-10 p.m. each day. The concert series originally began in the early 1990s as a small gathering at the Arboretum before expanding into the present day, multi-day series.Food and non-alcoholic beverages from local restaurants and businesses will be available on-site. Those over the age of 21 can purchase alcohol from a bar located at the front of the stage.Attendees are welcome to bring lawn chairs, their leashed dogs and children to the concert.More details on the event are available online.

Schenectady man arrested after stolen credit card investigation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:50 GMT

EAST GREENBUSH, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A Schenectady man was arrested following an interagency investigation into stolen credit cards. Kobe J. Richmond, 22, was charged with grand larceny in the fourth degree and three counts of criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! On March 22, the Massachusetts Law Enforcement Agency contacted New York State Police about credit cards stolen from a vehicle in Lenox, MA. Police say the cards were being used in East Greenbush, NY.Investigations determined that Richmond possessed the multiple stolen credit cards and had used them to make purchases at Target in East Greenbush. The purchases totaled over $1,000.Richmond surrendered himself to the police. He was released with a ticket to appear in East Greenbush Town Court on June 22.

Albany man arrested for DWI, drug possession

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:50 GMT

WESTERLO, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- On Sunday evening, an Albany man was taken into custody following a welfare check at the Basic Creek Reservoir. According to the police, Deweyun D. Mccall, 39, was found slumped over and lethargic in the driver's seat of a vehicle. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Police say Mccall was uncooperative and tried to consume and destroy a controlled substance. EMS evaluated Mccall before he was transported to police barracks for processing. Mccall recorded a 0.19% BAC.Mccall was charged with Tampering with Physical Evidence, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree, Obstructing Governmental Administration in the Second Degree, Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated, and other Vehicle and Traffic Law violations. He was arraigned at the Westerlo Town Court and remanded to the Albany County Correctional Facility without bail.

Albany Dutchmen down Dragons 13-2

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:50 GMT

ALTAMONT, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League season is underway. The Albany Dutchmen (2-2) and Glens Falls Dragons (1-1) entered their meeting on Monday with .500 records in the young season. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The Dragons struck first in the top of the first after an RBI base hit from Mechanicville native Jack Griffin. The Dutchmen responded in the bottom of the frame. The Dutchmen scored their first 4 runs without a hit thanks to walks, an error, and three batters hit by pitches. A two-RBI double from Mike Talavera made it 6-1 Albany after one. The Dutchmen ran away with it from there, winning 13-2 to improve to 3-2 on the season. The Dragons dropped to 1-2 on the year.

Cardinals dead last in NL again, a spot they haven't finished in a century-plus

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:50 GMT

ARLINGTON, Tex. - The St. Louis Cardinals once again find themselves in the basement of the National League. The Cardinals fell to 25-36 on Monday after their fourth consecutive loss and their seventh defeat in their last nine games. The Cardinals briefly escaped the misfortune of the National League's worst record in mid-May, but dug themselves into that hole again after being swept by the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. A walkoff loss Monday to the Texas Rangers set them back even more. With more than one-third of the Major League Baseball season complete, only the Kansas City Royals (18-42) and the Oakland Athletics (12-50) has worse records in all of baseball. Missouri governor denies clemency for man facing execution today Throughout franchise history, it's not too often the Cardinals find themselves at the bottom of the National League this deep into a season. It's even rarer that it leads to the Cardinals finishing a campaign dead last in the NL. The Cardinals are risking s...