July 22, 2019 5:39 pm
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first generic copies of a popular pill for nerve pain. The agency on Monday said it approved nine generic versions of Pfizer Inc.’s Lyrica. Lyrica, approved in 2004, is Pfizer’s second bestseller, with sales last year of $4.6 billion. While prices can vary widely, the heavily advertised drug costs about $460 to $720 per month without insurance, depending on the pharmacy. But, according to the drug price comparison website GoodRX, generic versions range from about $140 to $370 per month.
July 22, 2019 4:35 pm
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Police say a man has been charged with criminal homicide in the shooting death of an off-duty Pittsburgh police officer more than a week ago. Commander Victor Joseph of the major crimes unit said Monday the indictment against 30-year-old Christian Bey is sealed, so further details will not be provided. Officials said earlier that Bey was arrested last week on a parole violation. Thirty-five-year-old Officer Calvin Hall died Wednesday after being shot early July 14 during a street dispute as a party was going on. Officials have said the off-duty officer may have been “acting under the color of law.” The funeral of the slain officer is scheduled Tuesday. It was unclear whether Bey had an attorney; a number listed for him was out of service Monday.
July 22, 2019 9:52 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Equifax will pay up to $700 million to settle with the Federal Trade Commission and others over a 2017 data breach that exposed Social Security numbers and other private information of nearly 150 million people. The proposed settlement with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, if approved by the federal district court Northern District of Georgia, will provide up to $425 million in monetary relief to consumers, a $100 million civil money penalty, and other relief. The bureau coordinated its investigation with the Federal Trade Commission and attorneys general from across the U.S. The announcement Monday confirms a report by The Wall Street Journal that the credit reporting agency had reached a deal with the U.S.
July 22, 2019 9:14 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Authorities say a dispute between a landlord and tenant in a Pittsburgh neighborhood ended in a shooting that left one man dead and another being questioned by police. The shooting occurred shortly before 12:30 a.m. Monday. A preliminary investigation determined that a stun gun and a gun were used in the incident, but further details about the shooting were not disclosed. Authorities didn’t say what sparked the dispute. Authorities say a man found inside the house had been shot once in the chest and was pronounced dead there, but they didn’t say if he was the landlord or the tenant. His name also has not been released. It wasn’t clear if the other person was injured in the incident.
July 22, 2019 4:11 am
LONDON (AP) – British Prime Minister Theresa May will chair an emergency security session to discuss how to respond to Iran’s seizure of a British-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. The meeting of security ministers and officials on Monday will discuss how to secure shipping in the sensitive region, which is vital to the world’s oil supply. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt is also expected to brief Parliament on the Friday seizure of the Stena Impero tanker, now in a heavily guarded Iranian port. Britain is considering a number of options to raise the pressure on Iran but officials say military operations are not being considered at the moment. Britain is also seeking diplomatic and operational support from key European allies in an effort to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping.
July 22, 2019 4:10 am
HONG KONG (AP) – China has harshly criticized a demonstration in which eggs were thrown at its office in Hong Kong and messages spray-painted on the exterior walls. The official People’s Daily newspaper said Monday in a front-page commentary that the protesters’ actions were “intolerable.” The article headlined “Central Authority Cannot be Challenged” expanded on a strong condemnation issued the previous night by the government’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office. One group of protesters targeted China’s liaison office in Hong Kong on Sunday night after more than 100,000 people marched through the city to demand democracy and an investigation into the use of force by police to disperse crowds at earlier protests. Demonstrators fear an erosion of rights and freedoms in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.
July 22, 2019 4:09 am
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – President Donald Trump says he’s “the best thing that ever happened to Puerto Rico” and he’s renewing his attacks on the U.S. territory’s officials on a day when tens of thousands are marching on the island to demand the resignation of Gov. Ricardo Roselló. Trump didn’t respond directly Monday when asked if Rosselló should step down, but described him as “a terrible governor.” He aimed most of his fire at San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz, who has frequently derided him and complained about the federal response to 2017’s Hurricane Maria. Trump described her as “a horror show” and “grossly incompetent.” Trump said Congress has given Puerto Rico billions to recover from the hurricane and complained it’s “in the hands of incompetent people and very corrupt people.” The president called himself “the best thing that ever happened to Puerto Rico” and added, “We did a great job in Puerto Rico. They don’t like to give me the credit for it, but we did a great job. I have many Puerto Rican friends. I have a real understanding of Puerto Rico.”
July 22, 2019 4:08 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – House Republicans are pledging tough questioning of special counsel Robert Mueller when he testifies before Congress this week as Democrats plan to air evidence of wrongdoing by President Donald Trump in a potentially last-ditch bid to impeach him. Rep. Doug Collins, the top Republican on House Judiciary Committee, said the American public is growing weary of the Russia investigation three months after the release of the special counsel’s 448-page report. Both sides seemed to agree that Mueller’s testimony could be pivotal in shifting public opinion on the question of “holding the president accountable.” New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler, chairman of the Judiciary Committee said Mueller’s report lays out “very substantial evidence” that Trump is guilty of “high crimes and misdemeanors,” the constitutional standard for impeachment.
July 22, 2019 4:06 am
YORK, Pa. (AP) – Officials say nine firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion and six transported to a hospital for treatment while fighting a Pennsylvania house fire in sweltering conditions. The Strinestown Fire Company said all of the firefighters were released and were home recovering by the time Saturday’s Conewago Township blaze was extinguished. Fire crews were called to the scene at about 10:30 a.m. Saturday and didn’t leave the scene until 7:40 p.m. Saturday, the fire company said on its Facebook page. About 15 fire crews assisted. WPMT-TV reported that no one was home at the time of the fire, which left the York County home a complete loss.
July 22, 2019 4:04 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania taxpayers are paying nearly $10 million annually for lawmakers to get their story out through a small army of spokespeople. LNP reported Monday on the vast message machine that often produces news releases, TV shows and other content with a partisan message. The newspaper says it calculated the annual cost by reviewing spending records from 2013 through last year. The Legislature’s equipment includes at least three TV studios built to produce state-run, news-like programs that feature lawmakers. The four caucuses – Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate – have a combined public relations staff of about 130 people.
