Power last changed hands 18 years ago in the Democratic Republic of Congo, sub-Saharan Africa's largest country by area and third-largest by population, when Laurent Kabila was assassinated and his son Joseph took office at the age of 29. That was during the Second Congo War (1998-2003), the world's deadliest conflict since World War Two.
Flash forward: After two years of delay, national elections will be held on December 23. Kabila has said he'll respect constitutional term limits and step aside. He endorsed a loyalist to succeed him.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took some heat on Friday for approving Dsuvia, a new opioid painkiller that’s up to 10 times more powerful than therapeutic fentanyl.
What they’re saying: FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb acknowledged the criticism in a statement about the approval, and said it may be time for the agency to think differently about the standards for approving opioids.
The health insurance industry is lobbying yet again for a delay of the Affordable Care Act's tax on insurers, but experts say that wouldn't benefit consumers as much as it might seem.
Why it matters: Insurers argue the tax gets passed onto enrollees, and the threat of higher premiums has spurred Congress to suspend the fee twice already.
The Democrats' emphasis on health care may give them a modest, but not a decisive, advantage with seniors in Tuesday's elections.
Why it matters: Older voters are the one group that always turns out to vote in midterm elections. They vote at higher rates than younger adults in all elections, but especially in midterms. In 2014, for example, turnout was 55% among the 60-plus population compared to about 16% among 18-29 year-olds.
President Trump said in an exclusive interview with "Axios on HBO" that he'll reinstate protections for pre-existing conditions if a lawsuit — which his administration supports — guts the Affordable Care Act. But Republicans have never come up with a replacement plan that would offer the same level of protection as the ACA.
The intrigue: Trump also said Attorney General Jeff Sessions didn't give him a heads-up before urging a court to throw out the ACA's provisions on pre-existing conditions. But Sessions has said Trump signed off on the move.
