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CNN —Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the anti-vaccine activist and environmental lawyer, described himself as a truth-teller who will “end the division” as he launched his bid for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination on Wednesday in Boston. Some Kennedy family members have denounced his views on vaccines. Kennedy lives in Los Angeles, but he chose Boston as a nod to his family’s deep political roots in the city, even though his father, Robert F. Kennedy, declared his presidential ambitions in the Senate Caucus Room on Capitol Hill in 1968, the same place his uncle, John F. Kennedy, launched his presidential campaign in 1960. “I’m a lifelong Democrat, but I will not be voting for Robert Kennedy Jr. because I cannot stomach the anti-vaccine thing,” said Tyson Humble of Portland, Oregon, who was visiting the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of former President Kennedy, is currently the US ambassador to Australia.

☆ North Carolina Democrat Changes Parties, Upending State Politics
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Jennifer Calfas | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

State Rep. Tricia Cotham announcing her decision to switch parties on Wednesday. A North Carolina lawmaker who was elected as a Democrat in November moved across the aisle, creating a Republican supermajority in the state legislature with the power to override the Democratic governor’s vetoes. State Rep. Tricia Cotham said Wednesday she was the subject of what amounted to bullying from her Democratic colleagues. She said she now finds the party unrecognizable.

☆ A North Carolina Democrat's shocking party switch may hand complete power over to the state's Republicans, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A North Carolina lawmaker is expected to switch parties in what would be a stunning turn of events. It would give the GOP a supermajority, meaning they could override the Dem governor's vetoes. As of March 2023, Cooper had issued 75 vetoes — more than all previous North Carolina governors combined — since taking office six years ago, according to The Assembly NC. From 2005 to 2009, Jerry Meek, whom Cotham married in late 2008, was the chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party. According to the North Carolina political blog Watauga Watch, Cotham and Meek are no longer married.

☆ What bear market? These stocks are trading at all-time highs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

As the market struggles to break out of its bear market, there are several stocks that have already soared to all-time highs this year. Here are the S & P 500 stocks that have broken out to all-time highs this year as the rest of the market stagnates. On Monday, Progressive traded at all-time highs dating back to its initial public offering in 1971. Meanwhile, on Monday, W.W. Grainger traded at all-time high levels back to when it began trading in 1967. Also on Monday, power management company Eaton hit all-time highs dating back to its July 1923initial public offering.

Chart showing the percentage cut the committee would make to each area of government spending to balance the budget over 10 years. 8 8 8 Deficit 6 6 6 4 4 4 Spending Spending Spending Revenue Revenue Revenue 2 2 2 2023 2033 2023 2033 2023 2033 Current projections Deficits are projected to grow to $2.7 trillion by 2033. 8 8 8 Deficit 6 6 6 4 4 4 Spending Spending Spending Revenue Revenue Revenue 2 2 2 2023 2033 2023 2033 2023 2033 Eliminate by increasing taxes Current projections Eliminate by cutting spending Deficits are projected to grow to $2.7 trillion by 2033. plan to balance budget 50% Projections 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 Current trajectory 200% of G.D.P. plan to balance budget 50% Projections 1930 1960 1990 2020 2050 Sources: Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget; Congressional Budget Office; Republican Study Committee Note: Both plans were released in 2022 and are based on outdated baseline projections; their debt reduction may differ modestly.

☆ Walmart says it charged Beauty Box subscribers nearly $700 instead of $6.98 due to a 'coding error'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Ben Tobin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Walmart Beauty Box products cost subscribers $6.98 without taxes every three months of the year. On Tuesday, customers took to social media to say that they were charged for 100 boxes, at $698. Some customers took to social media Tuesday to say that Walmart charged them for 100 Beauty Boxes instead of one, a grand total of $698 before taxes. Beyond the refunds, the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retail giant will also be giving customers $100 Walmart gift cards and complimentary spring and summer Beauty Boxes, according to Walmart. Are you a Walmart Beauty Box customer who was overcharged?

☆ Walmart says it charged Beauty Box subscribers for 100 boxes instead of one due to a 'coding error'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Ben Tobin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Walmart Beauty Box products cost subscribers $6.98 without taxes every three months of the year. On Tuesday, customers took to social media to say that they were charged for 100 boxes, at $698. Some customers took to social media Tuesday to say that Walmart charged them for 100 Beauty Boxes instead of one, a grand total of $698 beofre taxes. Beyond the refunds, the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retail giant will also be giving customers $100 Walmart gift cards and complimentary spring and summer Beauty Boxes, according to Walmart. Are you a Walmart Beauty Box customer who was overcharged?

☆ How 6 workers are using ChatGPT to make their jobs easier
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Madison Hoff | Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

"It's absolutely true that AI applications like ChatGPT can very much improve workers' lives," Mark Muro, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution previously told Insider. But if used correctly, ChatGPT can help some workers with tasks and save them time while doing so. Insider spoke with six workers in sectors that include education and real estate who are using ChatGPT to make their jobs easier. A realtor with eXp Realty also used ChatGPT for a listing in Iowa that was highlighted in a CNN post. Now two months later, LaRue told Insider she uses ChatGPT "everyday" to help write proposals, video scripts, and press releases.

☆ Hip-Hop, Still Fly at 50
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Guy Trebay | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“Everything is a flashback,” Syreeta Gates said last week. “That’s the way it always is with our culture. It was a dizzying convergence, musically and visually. Decades afterward, the rap scholar Tricia Rose would note in “Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America” how skeptical the mainstream initially was to music most thought was a fad. That is, until the indie producer Sylvia Robinson released the hit song “Rapper’s Delight” in 1979.

A provision in the Inflation Reduction Act that allows Medicare to negotiate prices on the costliest prescription drugs each year will likely save the U.S. billions of dollars — as long as the drug industry doesn't interfere, according to a study published Friday in JAMA Health Forum. They identified 40 drugs that would have been selected by Medicare for drug pricing negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act's provision. The researchers simulated negotiated prices by using a so-called ceiling price, which is at least 25% off the average price drug manufacturers charge to nongovernment entities, like private health insurance providers. The researchers found that the Medicare drug negotiation provision would have saved the U.S. $26.5 billion, or 5% of all drug spending, during those three years. It plans to release a list of the first 10 drugs it will target for drug pricing negotiation by September.

☆ House GOP study group is proposing changes to Medicare. Here's what you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

There also is Part D (prescription drug coverage) and Part C (Medicare Advantage Plans), both of which are offered by private insurers. The stakes in a debate like this are high, given the importance of Medicare. Tricia Neuman executive director for the Kaiser Family Foundation's program on Medicare policyRight now, Neuman said, the savings proposals are being described at a fairly high level. "The policy debate starts to get real when the specifics are laid out," she said. "The stakes in a debate like this are high, given the importance of Medicare [for] seniors and younger people with disabilities."

Financial experts highly recommend term life insurance for young families with dependents, especially when one spouse is a primary breadwinner. Having a life insurance policy on a non-working partner allows the other to outsource some of these domestic responsibilities. Too many Americans are underinsuredIn a study by the Life Insurance Marketing and Research Association, just 52% of Americans had life insurance in 2021, down from 63% in 2011. If the answer to either of these questions is yes, getting a term life insurance policy is worth considering. I'm thankful that my two friends were wiser than I was at 27 and got term life insurance to protect their young family.

☆ Most Alzheimer’s patients would pay up to $26,500 per year for new treatment Leqembi
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Few seniors with early Alzheimer's disease will have access to the new treatment Leqembi due to its high cost and very limited coverage by Medicare. "Even with Medicare coverage, beneficiaries would still be responsible for 20% coinsurance, and that's not a trivial amount." An investigation by lawmakers in the House concluded that the FDA approval process for Aduhelm was "rife with irregularities." "It's not going to be widely available even to people who are potentially eligible based on whether or not they have mild cognitive impairment related to Alzheimer's disease," Neuman said. CMS plans to provide broader coverage for Leqembi if the treatment receives full FDA approval under the traditional process, according to an agency statement.

Southwest finished first in economy and budget airline rankings published by the consumer research firm last May. Analysts say that Southwest's position among consumers remains strong despite the airline leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded over the Christmas holiday weekend. "People think you're getting great value for the money," said Michael Taylor, managing director for travel, hospitality and retail at J.D. On Tuesday, the airline said it would issue 25,000 rewards points to anyone whose flight was affected. Taylor at J.D.

☆ Meet the team behind CNN’s ‘New Year’s Eve Live’
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Tricia Escobedo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

ET as Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen co-host CNN’s “New Year’s Eve Live” from New York City’s Times Square. CNN —Every New Year’s Eve, Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen host four-and-a-half hours of live television, joined by celebrity guests and performers, as they count down to the new year. “New Year’s Eve Live” is created by “a patchwork team of CNN employees from different show teams, bureaus and units from around the globe,” Hall explained. Here’s what Doft and Hall told us about the live special and what we can look forward to Saturday night:This is the 20th year that Anderson Cooper has hosted ‘New Year’s Eve Live’ on CNN. In fact, it’s why he chooses to anchor “New Year’s Eve Live” — to make sure the audience has a place to go and to fill people with hope, laughter and love.

☆ Remains to be seen how long confidence in Anwar will last: Think tank
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailRemains to be seen how long confidence in Anwar's leadership will last: Think tankTricia Yeoh of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs discusses Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's winning of a confidence vote.

The number of pregnant women and new mothers dying from drug overdoses grew dramatically as the pandemic took hold, reaching a record high in 2020, a new study finds. "It goes to an ever higher level of stigma among pregnant women." She does not work with pregnant women or those with substance use disorder, but did crunch the numbers for the new research. "Overdose deaths in general have increased, and pregnant women aren't immune to the effects of addiction," Wright said. A Biden administration report, released in October, called for broader access to opioid treatment medication among pregnant women and de-stigmatize addiction treatment during pregnancy.

☆ Popular Medicare Advantage plans have 'clear cases of overpayments and improper billing of US taxpayers,' advocates and analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Jason Lalljee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The original Medicare program is offered directly through the federal government. "There hasn't been enough of an indictment of Medicare Advantage plans," Mary Johnson, a Social Security and Medicare policy analyst at the Senior Citizens League, told Insider. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the share of all Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans will grow to 61% by 2032. The politics of Medicare AdvantagePoliticians, primarily Republicans, have done their part to promote Medicare Advantage over the original Medicare plans since President George W. Bush overhauled the program in 2003. Johnson said Medicare Advantage was so popular among conservatives because it shifted financial responsibility from the government to patients.

☆ Remembering Gary Strieker, who helped establish CNN's presence in Africa
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Tricia Escobedo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —Gary Strieker had every reason to be a pessimist. Gary Strieker, who passed away in July 2022, helped establish CNN's presence in Africa. Courtesy Strieker family Born in the tiny Illinois farm town of Breese in 1944, Gary Gerard Strieker moved to San Diego, California at a young age. Courtesy Strieker family Strieker is remembered by his family and colleagues as a quiet, humble man who never lost his optimistic spirit or tireless energy for making the world a better place. Courtesy Strieker family Strieker was the network's only correspondent on the African continent for some time, covering the AIDs epidemic in the 1980s and other major moments in history, including the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

☆ Reaction to Anwar Ibrahim's appointment as Malaysian prime minister
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Malaysia's king appointed long-time opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister on Thursday, ending five days of unprecedented post-election crisis after inconclusive polls. Anwar's appointment caps a three-decade long political journey from a protege of veteran leader Mahathir Mohamad to protest leader, to a prisoner convicted of sodomy, to opposition leader and, finally, prime minister. The former finance minister and deputy prime minister will have to address soaring inflation and slowing growth, while calming ethnic tension that has flared since a Saturday election. ADIB ZALKAPLI, DIRECTOR AT POLITICAL RISK CONSULTANCY BOWERGROUPASIA:"With the appointment of Anwar as the 10th prime minister, this is a closure to the longest-running political crisis in Malaysia that began 24 years ago when he was sacked by the prime minister Mahathir Mohamad .... So it's an important closure, Anwar has been the longest-serving potential prime minister candidate.

☆ Reporters are seething over being shut out of Naomi Biden’s wedding, which drew inspiration from Time magazine images of past White House nuptials
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Naomi Biden and Peter Neal's White House wedding was closed to the news media. The White House says no media outlets were granted access to the events on Saturday. But her White House wedding to Peter Neal was closed to the news media, frustrating White House reporters whose complaints grew louder on Tuesday when Vogue magazine's exclusive pre-wedding coverage was posted online. But she said the Biden White House has waived Post reporters off correct reporting on his Supreme Court pick, attendees in private meetings and his Egypt trip. Naomi Biden is the daughter of Hunter Biden and Kathleen Buhle, who divorced in 2017.

☆ Malaysia election: This is the end of a dominant political party, says analyst
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMalaysia election: This is the end of a dominant political party, says analystTricia Yeoh of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs discusses Malaysia's general election and says tight political competition in the country is here to stay.

☆ Biden’s granddaughter Naomi ties knot in White House wedding
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

It’s the first White House wedding with a president’s granddaughter as the bride, and the first one ever on the South Lawn. Naomi Biden walks to the White House in Washington, D.C. with first lady Jill Biden and President Joe Biden on Oct. 11, 2021. The couple, who have been living at the White House, was set up by a mutual friend about four years ago in New York City and have been together ever since, the White House said. The White House announced the wedding in a statement following the small, private wedding in the Rose Garden. The White House Correspondents Association, which advocates for press access to the White House and the president, said it was “deeply disappointed” that the White House declined its request for press coverage of Naomi Biden’s wedding.

☆ ‘Here comes the bride’: White House to host its 19th wedding
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

WASHINGTON — “Here Comes the Bride” will be heard at the White House very soon. Stewart McLaurin, president of the historical association, said special occasions at the White House aren’t soon forgotten. “It’s like being part of the American fabric.”A White House wedding is no guarantee of a lasting marriage. Lynda Johnson Robb said she never thought about a White House wedding, but circumstances practically dictated that she and Marine Capt. Red is her signature color and December nuptials meant the White House was already decorated for Christmas.

"That announcement was making it appear like he was throwing a bone to the oil industry," said Tricia Curtis, CEO of consultancy PetroNerds, who dismissed the offer. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"What if oil does not fall to that price: Do we just keep our reserves low?" U.S. oil prices hit $120 per barrel this year and did not trigger a production boom because of shortages and high costs for labor and equipment, said Hunter Kornfeind, oil market analyst at Rapidan Energy Group. Rebecca Babin, senior energy trader at CIBC Private Wealth, said tight oil supplies have pushed up price expectations into 2024. If the Biden administration wants to boost oil supplies, it "should change its policies around producing more oil and gas in the United States," said Frank Macchiarola, a senior vice president at trade group American Petroleum Institute.

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