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The White House is threatening the patents of high-priced drugs developed with taxpayer dollars

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:33:10 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is putting pharmaceutical companies on notice, warning them that if the price of certain drugs is too high, the government might cancel their patent protection and allow rivals to make their own versions.Under a plan announced Thursday, the government would consider overriding the patent for high-priced drugs that have been developed with the help of taxpayer money and letting competitors make them in hopes of driving down the cost. In a 15-second video released to YouTube on Wednesday night, President Joe Biden promised the move would lower prices. “Today, we’re taking a very important step toward ending price gouging so you don’t have to pay more for the medicine you need,” he said.The administration did not immediately release details about how the process will work and how it will deem a drug costly enough to act. White House officials would not name drugs that might potentially be targeted.There will be a 60-day public comm...

Europe’s talks on world-leading AI rules paused after 22 hours and will start again Friday

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:33:10 GMT

LONDON (AP) — European Union talks on world-leading comprehensive artificial intelligence regulations were paused Thursday after 22 straight hours, with officials yet to hammer out a deal on a rulebook for the rapidly advancing technology behind popular services like ChatGPT. European Commissioner Thierry Breton tweeted that talks, which began Wednesday afternoon in Brussels and ran through the night, would resume on Friday morning. “Lots of progress made over past 22 hours” on the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act, he wrote. “Stay tuned!” Representatives of the bloc’s 27 member states, lawmakers and executive commissioners are under the gun to secure a political agreement for the flagship AI Act. They spent hours wrangling over controversial points such as generative AI and AI-powered police facial recognition. There was disagreement over whether and how to regulate foundation models, the advanced systems that underpin general purpose AI services like ChatGPT and Google’...

Powerful earthquake shakes South Pacific nation of Vanuatu; no tsunami threat

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:33:10 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A powerful earthquake shook the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu on Thursday evening, but countries in the region said there was no threat of a tsunami.The magnitude 7.1 earthquake was located 123 kilometers (76 miles) south of the town of Isangel on the island of Tanna, the U.S. Geological Agency said. It said the quake was centered at a depth of 48 kilometers (30 miles).The chance of fatalities and large economic losses in the sparsely populated area was low, it said.Vanuatu has a population of about 337,000, with about 1,200 living in Isangel.The area is part of the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes occur.A 7.7 magnitude earthquake in May created small tsunami waves in Vanuatu.The Associated Press

Cold turkey: Drivers spot something ‘fowl’ on Hwy. 401 during snowy morning rush

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:33:10 GMT

It wasn’t just the snow and slush disrupting the drive in the GTA on Thursday morning with some commuters in Toronto noticing something ‘fowl’ on a busy highway.Motorists reported a turkey blocking live lanes of the westbound Highway 401 off-ramp to Warden Avenue before 8 a.m. The bird was reportedly wandering on and off the roadway for around 40 minutes.Several callers to the CityNews 680 traffic centre were taken aback by the boldness of the large bird, saying the turkey was trotting right up to vehicles stopped on the Warden ramp.Watch out for a Turkey on the Warden ramp to the WB 401. The bird is pacing back and forth and some callers have reported it walking up to the cars. MTO have been notified. pic.twitter.com/idw8SVC6FV— CityNews Toronto Traffic & Weather (@citynews680) December 7, 2023Traffic cameras along the highway captured the bird pacing back and forth in the snow. CityNews 680 traffic reporter Jordan Kerr was tracking the turkey and says i...

4 in custody after armed robbery, police chase ends in crash in Brighton Park

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:33:10 GMT

CHICAGO -- Four people are in custody after an armed robbery that led to a police chase and ended in a crash in Brighton Park overnight. Police said the incident occurred near the 2000 block of West 38th Street around 12:30 a.m. near Damen Avenue where a black sedan jumped the curb and struck a gate before stopping. According to police, a chase ensued and within 20 minutes, all four individuals involved were taken into custody. Pedestrian struck and killed on sidewalk in River North One person was taken to the hospital after being bitten by a police dog. There were no other injuries reported.

Delphi murder suspect Richard Allen moved to new facility

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:33:10 GMT

DELPHI, Ind. – Delphi murder suspect Richard Allen has been moved from Westville Correctional Facility to another prison in the state.According to court documents, Allen has been transferred to Wabash Valley Correctional Facility in Carlisle, Indiana. That’s in Sullivan County.The order to move Allen was signed by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and is dated Dec. 6, 2023. Trial for Delphi murder suspect Richard Allen pushed back to October 2024 "The Indiana Department of Correction anticipates continuity of services and care provided to Mr. Allen at Wabash Valley Correctional Facility," the order said.Allen is charged with two counts of murder in the February 2017 deaths of Abby Williams and Libby German near the Monon High Bridge in Delphi.His case has been working its way through the court system for more than a year following his arrest in October 2022. His trial is currently scheduled for October 2024.Allen's previous defense attorneys, who are fighting to stay on the cas...

CosMc's: McDonald's reveals menu, first test locations for new restaurant concept

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:33:10 GMT

CHICAGO, Ill. (KTVI/NEXSTAR) – CosMc’s, the new restaurant concept from McDonald’s, is seemingly aiming to attract coffee-drinkers and beverage enthusiasts who might otherwise spend their money at Starbucks or Dunkin’.On Wednesday, McDonald’s formally announced the menu at its CosMc’s test locations, with offerings ranging from coffee and tea drinks to frappes and slushies. There’s also a line of “Signature Galactic Boosts,” or fruity drinks that appear to feature either a caffeinated element, kombucha powder, or a vitamin “shot,” among other ingredients.The menu also includes breakfast sandwiches, savory and sweet snacks, and ice cream. McDonald’s making several big changes to Big Macs, other burgers McDonald’s, however, is pushing its more fanciful CosMc’s beverages — which, like other national beverage shops, will be customizable.“You’ll see a range of specialty lemonades and teas, indulgent blended beverages and cold coffee – think Sour Cherry Energy Slush, Tropical Spiceade a...

Dean's Interviews: Mark Ruffolo in 'Poor Things'

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:33:10 GMT

Check out Dean's A-List Interview with Mark Ruffalo as he stars in the new Yorgos Lanthimos film, 'Poor Things.'Get Dean's reviews and A-List interviews delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for Dean's Downloads weekly newsletter. You'll also get his Dean Cooks recipes too!

Centenarian survivors of Pearl Harbor attack return to honor those who died 82 years ago

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:33:10 GMT

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) — Ira “Ike” Schab had just showered, put on a clean sailor's uniform and closed his locker aboard the USS Dobbin when he heard a call for a fire rescue party.He went topside to see the USS Utah capsizing and Japanese planes in the air. He scurried back below deck to grab boxes of ammunition and joined a daisy chain of sailors feeding shells to an anti-aircraft gun up above. He remembers being only 140 pounds as a 21-year-old, but somehow finding the strength to lift boxes weighing almost twice that.FILE - Ira Schab, right, who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor as a sailor on the USS Dobbin, talks with reporters while sitting next to his son, retired Navy Cmdr. Karl Schab, on Dec. 7, 2022, in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Eighty-two years later, Schab plans to return to Pearl Harbor on the anniversary of the attack to remember the more than 2,300 servicemen killed. He's expected to be one of just six survivors at the ceremony commemorating the event that propelled...

Families of spree shooting victims mourn outside south Austin home

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:33:10 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Sobs of grief could be heard outside the south Austin home where two people were shot and killed Tuesday. Their respective family members came together to pray and reflect just 24 hours after those fatal shots rang out. 6 people dead after shooting spree in Austin, double homicide in Bexar County A man and woman were fatally shot outside the home on the 1700 block of Shadywood Drive on Tuesday, according to the Austin Police Department.On Wednesday, police identified the man as Emmanuel Pop Ba, 32. The woman was identified as Sabrina Rahman, 24.On Wednesday, police said Shane James, 34, was the suspect in this homicide, a double homicide in Bexar County, as well as the shootings of an Austin Independent School District officer and an APD officer.After Tuesday's fatal double shooting in South Austin, families of the deceased visited the site where their loved ones were injured. Among prayers and tears, all clung to one another for support. | Frank Martinez/KXAN News...