Feb 28, 2017

Booker makes peace with Sanders on drug prices

Paul Sancya / AP

Cory Booker had a big political problem on his hands earlier this year after he voted against Bernie Sanders' measure allowing Americans to buy cheaper prescription drugs from Canada. It was only a symbolic vote, a non-binding budget amendment that wouldn't have done anything by itself. But by voting against it, Booker — who pretty much everyone expects to run for president in 2020 — put himself on the wrong side of a big issue for progressive Democratic voters.

Now, he's about to get back on the right side. Booker and Sanders, along with a group of other Democrats, will introduce a fully developed bill today to allow the drug imports. It will include the language Booker thought was missing last time — provisions to make sure the imported drugs are safe. Problem solved!

Go deeper

Axios
Updated 37 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 8:30 p.m. ET: 20,001,019 — Total deaths: 733,897 — Total recoveries — 12,209,074 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 8:30 p.m. ET: 5,085,821 — Total deaths: 163,370 — Total recoveries: 1,670,755 — Total tests: 62,513,174 — Map.
  3. Politics: Trump claims he would have not called for Obama to resign over 160,000 virus deaths — House will not hold votes until Sept. 14 unless stimulus deal is reached.
  4. Business: Richer Americans are more comfortable eating out.
  5. Public health: A dual coronavirus and flu threat is set to deliver a winter from hell — At least 48 local public health leaders have quit or been fired during pandemic.
  6. Sports: The cost of kids losing gym class — College football is on the brink.
  7. World: Europe's CDC recommends new restrictions amid "true resurgence in cases."
Go deeper (<1 min. read)Arrow
Dave Lawler
45 mins ago - World

Protests in Belarus turn deadly following sham election

An arrest today in Minsk. Photo: Natalia Fedosenko/TASS via Getty

Protesters and security forces are clashing across Belarus tonight, with at least one person dead, hundreds injured and thousands arrested.

Why it matters: Sunday’s rigged presidential elections have yielded political uncertainty unlike any seen in Aleksander Lukashenko’s 26-year tenure. After claiming an implausible 80% of the vote, Lukashenko is using every tool in the authoritarian arsenal to maintain his grip on power.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow
Axios
Updated 50 mins ago - Health

World coronavirus updates

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins; Map: Axios Visuals

The number of COVID-19 cases surpassed 20 million worldwide on Monday evening, Johns Hopkins data shows.

The big picture: World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual press conference as the world approached the milestone that 750,000 deaths were set to be recorded this week. "Behind these statistics is a great deal of pain and suffering. Every life lost matters," he said. "But I want to be clear: there are green shoots of hope and... it's never too late to turn the outbreak around."

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow