Tropical Storm Helene formed in the Caribbean and is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane moving north towards the U.S., prompting hurricane watches in parts of Cuba, Mexico, and Florida. Residents in Florida began evacuating and preparing for potential flooding, as President Joe Biden declared an emergency in the state. (AP)
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden sent inquiries to hospitals regarding care denial for pregnant patients and the influence of state abortion bans. This initiative aims to highlight the impact of abortion restrictions on women’s access to critical medical care, prompting debates between Democrats and Republicans on the implications of such laws. (AP)
The Justice Department has sued Visa for alleged antitrust violations, claiming the company has a monopoly in the debit card market, resulting in billions of dollars in losses for consumers and businesses. Visa is accused of penalizing those who don’t use its payment processing technology, allowing it to charge over $7 billion in fees annually. (ABC News)
Senator Bernie Sanders pressed Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen to lower the prices of blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy during a Senate hearing. Jørgensen blamed pharmacy benefits managers for high prices, but committed to working with the committee and PBMs to make the drugs more affordable for patients. (NBC News)
FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker testified before a House committee about Boeing’s aircraft safety, citing progress but emphasizing the need for improvement following a door plug blowout incident in January. The FAA has heightened oversight of Boeing’s aircraft production and supplier parts, aiming for a shift in the company’s safety culture and sustained long-term changes. (UPI)
