The Midwest may not have oceans or mountains, but there's plenty to enjoy outdoors here in the summertime.
Driving the news: We put together a list of camping gems around the Midwest (and beyond) that will have you bragging to your East and West Coast friends.
Olympic triathlon athletes swam in Paris' River Seine on Wednesday after officials determined the water to be safe following days of delays stemming from pollution concerns, per a statement from the sport's governing body.
Why it matters: The Seine was polluted for decades and underwent a $1.5 billion cleanup before the Olympics so it could be used for triathlon and marathon events.
Boar's Head Provisions Co., Inc. is recalling approximately 7 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products for possible listeria contamination.
Why it matters: There's a multi-state outbreak of listeria infections linked to meats sliced at delis, according to the recall notice on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service website.
The Biden administration on Tuesday said it signed off on a plan under which North Carolina will give hospitals additional Medicaid funds if they forgive the medical debt of approximately 2 million residents.
Why it matters: It's the latest administration move on an issue closely linked to Americans' broader economic concerns and comes on the heels of a separate proposal unveiled last month to wipe medical debt from 15 million people's credit reports.
The summer's COVID-19 wave is continuing, with the latest wastewater surveillance data detecting "high" virus activity levels across the majority of the U.S. and "very high" levels in 19 states, per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
Why it matters: The virus is especially prevalent across the western U.S. and the South, in particular a region that includes New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, where test positivity topped 23%, per agency data.
As drugmakers continue to try to overturn Medicare drug price negotiations in courts, they're telling Wall Street the negotiations won't materially affect their bottom lines in the short run.
Why it matters: Talks on the first 10 drugs will conclude by Thursday, and Medicare must release final negotiated prices by Sept. 1, though patients won't see lower price tags until 2026.
The quintessential summer pastime of going to the county fair could carry some risk this year with the threat of bird flu hanging over livestock exhibits and throngs of visitors, experts say.
Why it matters: The mingling of animals, people and equipment at 4-H competitions, milking demonstrations and petting farms creates the conditions for potential transmission to humans.
