All 10 drugs targeted for Medicare price negotiations will participate, the White House says

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:52:53 GMT

All 10 drugs targeted for Medicare price negotiations will participate, the White House says FILE - President Joe Biden speaks about his administration's plans to lower prescription drug costs and protect Social Security and Medicare, Nov. 5, 2022, in Joliet, Ill. The Biden administration says the manufacturers of all of the first 10 prescription drugs it selected for Medicare’s first price negotiations have agreed to participate. Tuesday's announcement clears the way for talks that could lower their costs in coming years and gives the White House a potential political win heading into next year’s presidential election. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)(AP/Patrick Semansky) FILE - President Joe Biden speaks about his administration's plans to lower prescription drug costs and protect Social Security and Medicare, Nov. 5, 2022, in Joliet, Ill. The Biden ad...

Dupont recovery on track but major hurdles ahead before playing at the Rugby World Cup

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:52:53 GMT

Dupont recovery on track but major hurdles ahead before playing at the Rugby World Cup LYON, France (AP) — France captain Antoine Dupont is training lightly with major hurdles still to clear before he can possibly play again at the Rugby World Cup.Dupont rejoined the squad on Sunday, 10 days after surgery to repair a facial fracture that has jeopardized any further participation in the tournament by the player widely regarded as the world’s best.The Rugby World Cup poster boy was injured in an illegal head-on-head tackle against Namibia. Dupont passed the last concussion protocols on Tuesday.His next step is a last checkup with his surgeon next Monday, meaning he won’t be available for France’s last pool game against Italy this Friday. Unbeaten France leads Pool A but it’s a must-win game for both teams to qualify for the quarterfinals.While team health manager Bruno Boussagol said on Tuesday that “everything is on track with Antoine,” he tempered expectations by adding Dupont had more important boxes to tick before becoming available for the q...

The Army is launching a sweeping overhaul of its recruiting to reverse enlistment shortfalls

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:52:53 GMT

The Army is launching a sweeping overhaul of its recruiting to reverse enlistment shortfalls FILE - Students in the new Army prep course stand at attention after physical training exercises at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C., Aug. 27, 2022. The Army is launching a sweeping overhaul of its recruiting to focus more on young people who have spent time in college or are job hunting early in their careers. The aim is to reverse years of enlistment shortfalls. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford, File)(AP/Sean Rayford) FILE - Students in the new Army prep course stand at attention after physical training exercises at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C., Aug. 27, 2022. The Army is launching a sweeping overhaul of its recruiting to focus more on young people who have spent time in college or are job hunting early in their careers. The aim is to reverse years of enlistment shortfall...

STORY REMOVED: EU–Migration-Britain-Unaccompanied Children

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:52:53 GMT

STORY REMOVED: EU–Migration-Britain-Unaccompanied Children LONDON (AP) — Please disregard EU–Migration-Britain-Unaccompanied Children, published on October 3, 2023, and datelined in LONDON. It was published on July 27 and inadvertently retransmitted today. Source

Limestone City Bluesfest wraps after 26 years, makes way for new musical traditions in 2025

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:52:53 GMT

Limestone City Bluesfest wraps after 26 years, makes way for new musical traditions in 2025 Just following the successful 26th year of the Limestone City Blues Festival, the Downtown Kingston Business Improvement Area (BIA) announced this week that the festival is drawing to a close.This year’s festival included many changes from years before, according to organizers, by drawing in a younger audience with popular local bands, mixing in new genres, and collaborating with other concurrent events. These changes came in response to a decline in turnout in the last few years, giving Kingston audiences a new experience. But it was announced that this innovative edition was actually the last.Just after wrapping this year’s festival, Artistic Director of the festival Jan Macdonald foreshadowed some big changes to the festival.In an interview with CFRC on Sept. 5, Macdonald stated, “We are having serious planning sessions this fall to look at the future of not only the Blues Festival but other festivals and events that we do. You know, everything has its time and its place. I’m cer...

Photos: $26 million house on the market in Evergreen

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:52:53 GMT

Photos: $26 million house on the market in Evergreen DENVER (KDVR) — With over 200 years of history, this multi-million dollar home, known as the Greystone Estate, is back on the market. The structure didn't go unnoticed throughout the years. In fact, many Hollywood actors enjoyed this house, including a stay from Frank Sinatra. Built in 1914, the estate has been around through many of Colorado's historic events including the establishment of Rocky Mountain as a national park in 1915, and the opening of ski resorts in Breckenridge, Steamboat and Vail in 1969. Could Taylor Swift come to Denver when the Chiefs are in town? Here are some pictures from the luxury estate.Inside of the Manor House (Photo credits: Victor of Valencia Photography).Inside of the Manor House (Photo credits: Victor of Valencia Photography).Outside of the Pool House(Photo credits: Victor of Valencia Photography).The Historic Cabin (Photo credits: Victor of Valencia Photography).The Guest House (Photo credits: Victor of Valencia Photography).The Guest House (Phot...

Mariah Carey is gifting us with a Christmas tour

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:52:53 GMT

Mariah Carey is gifting us with a Christmas tour (CNN) — This one is for those among us who are already itching to put up winter holiday decorations.The proclaimed “Queen of Christmas” is in the spirit as well.Mariah Carey has announced her “Merry Christmas One And All Tour.”“Yes, the actual defrosting has begun!,” Carey shared on social media. “Announcing the MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL Tour! On sale 10/6.”The tour is scheduled to kick off at California’s Yaamava Casino on Nov. 15, before making stops in other cities, including Los Angeles, Denver, Toronto, Chicago, Boston, Montreal, Philadelphia.The tour will conclude Dec. 17 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.Carey did a limited “Merry Christmas To All!” series of concerts last year, which also included a CBS and Paramount+ special.Tickets for the new tour go on presale Wednesday, with general sale to launch on Friday via Live Nation.

On ‘Mean Girls Day,’ Tina Fey auctions off an annotated script

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:52:53 GMT

On ‘Mean Girls Day,’ Tina Fey auctions off an annotated script (CNN) — Get in losers, we’re celebrating.Tuesday is, of course, “Mean Girls Day.”How did that day come to be, you might ask? Well, in the popular 2004 film there’s a scene where Aaron Samuels (played by Jonathan Bennett) turns to Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) in class and asks her what day it is.“It’s October 3,” she answers.Thus “Mean Girls Day” was born.The film has become a cult classic and even spurred a musical, which is also being made into a movie scheduled for release next year.Tina Fey, famous for her time as a star and writer on “Saturday Night Live” as well as “30 Rock” and other projects, is the creator of both the “Mean Girls” film and musical. She’s doing something special in honor of the “holiday.”Fey is auctioning the annotated script of “Mean Girls the Musical” and it comes “complete with her own handwritten notes and sketches in the margins, sharing her thoughts and ideas from the creation of both the original film and the musical.”Whoever buys the script will be trea...

EU Socialists urged to kick out Slovakia’s pro-Russian election winner Robert Fico

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:52:53 GMT

EU Socialists urged to kick out Slovakia’s pro-Russian election winner Robert Fico STRASBOURG — Europe’s Socialists are under mounting pressure to boot out Robert Fico, who is poised to return to power in Slovakia after his Smer party won last weekend’s election on an anti-Ukraine ticket.Fico, who is in poll position to form a coalition government, was booted out of government amid an anti-corruption uprising in 2018 but has now surged to victory by proposing to end military support to its neighbor Ukraine and criticizing the EU’s sanctions on Russia, setting off alarm bells in Kyiv and Brussels. European People’s Party leader Manfred Weber plunged the knife in at a press conference at the European Parliament on Tuesday, comparing the Slovak politician to Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, who took his MEPs out of Weber’s center-right group in 2021 as the EPP mulled expelling him.“Whenever we listen to Fico it sounds like Orbán,” Weber said, referring to the Slovak’s stance on Russia and “toward minorities” in his co...

Climate commissioners’ confirmation delayed as MEPs ask more questions

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:52:53 GMT

Climate commissioners’ confirmation delayed as MEPs ask more questions STRASBOURG — Lawmakers are asking the European Commission’s new climate leadership duo to answer additional questions before making a final decision on whether to back them on Wednesday.Wopke Hoekstra, the incoming climate action commissioner, faced a three-hour hearing in the European Parliament on Monday evening. Maroš Šefčovič, tapped to be the EU’s new Green Deal chief, faced a similar grilling Tuesday morning.Neither fully convinced members of the environment committee during their respective hearings, resulting in a decision to request responses to written questions by 7 a.m. on Wednesday, Peter Liese, environmental spokesperson for the European People’s Party, told POLITICO.Lawmakers will then convene again at 8:30 a.m. to make a final decision on both candidates.Two people with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed that the candidates will receive written questions.Commission President Ursula von der Leyen nominated Šefčovič and Hoekstra to replace F...