In the news today: President Joe Biden on Monday signed into law a defense bill despite his objections to its transgender healthcare provisions; what a Honda-Nissan merger could mean for the auto industry and consumers; and changes are coming to the cold and cough aisle of your pharmacy. Also, it’s eggnog season.
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President Joe Biden speaks at the Department of Labor in Washington on Dec. 16. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) |
Biden signs defense bill despite objections to ban on transgender health care for military children
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President Joe Biden on Monday signed into law a defense bill that authorizes significant pay raises for junior enlisted service members, aims to counter China’s growing power and boosts overall military spending to $895 billion, despite his objections to language stripping coverage of transgender medical treatments for children in military families. Read more.
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Biden said his administration strongly opposes the provision because it targets a group based on gender identity and “interferes with parents’ roles to determine the best care for their children.” He said it also undermines the all-volunteer military’s ability to recruit and retain talent.
The annual defense authorization bill, which directs Pentagon policy, provides a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others. The legislation also directs resources toward a more confrontational approach to China, including establishing a fund that could send military resources to Taiwan in much the same way that the U.S. has backed Ukraine. It also invests in new military technologies, including artificial intelligence, and bolsters the U.S. production of ammunition.
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What a merger between Nissan and Honda means for the industry
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Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan will attempt to merge and create the world’s third-largest automaker by sales as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors also had agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses. Read more.
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The ascent of Chinese automakers is rattling the industry at a time when manufacturers are struggling to shift from fossil fuel-driven vehicles to electrics. Relatively inexpensive EVs from China’s BYD, Great Wall and Nio are eating into the market shares of U.S. and Japanese car companies in China and elsewhere. Japanese automakers have lagged behind big rivals in EVs and are now trying to cut costs and make up for lost time.
All the global automakers are facing potential shocks if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on threats to raise or impose tariffs on imports of foreign products, even from allies like Japan and neighboring countries like Canada and Mexico.
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Analysts say there is an “affordability shift” taking place across the industry, led by people who feel they cannot afford to pay nearly $50,000 for a new vehicle. In America, a vital market for companies like Nissan, Honda and Toyota, that’s forcing automakers to consider lower pricing, which will eat further into industry profits.
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FDA says decongestant in many cold medicines doesn’t work. So what does?
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Changes are coming to the cold and cough aisle of your local pharmacy: U.S. officials are moving to phase out the leading decongestant found in hundreds of over-the-counter medicines, concluding that it doesn’t actually relieve nasal congestion. Read more. |
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Phenylephrine is used in popular versions of Sudafed, Dayquil and other medications, but experts have long questioned its effectiveness. It’s a win for skeptical academics, including researchers at the University of Florida who petitioned the FDA to revisit the drug’s use in 2007 and again in 2015.
For consumers it will likely mean switching to alternatives, including an older decongestant that was moved behind the pharmacy counter nearly 20 years ago. Other options are over-the-counter nasal sprays or solutions. Saline drops and rinses are a quick way to clear mucus from the nose. For long-term relief from seasonal stuffiness, itching and sneezing, many doctors recommend nasal steroids, sold as Flonase, Nasacort and Rhinocort.
- Doctors say Americans will be better off without phenylephrine. “People walk into the drugstore today and see 55,000 medicines on the shelf and they pick one that is definitely not going to work,” said Dr. Brian Schroer of the Cleveland Clinic. “You take away that option and it will be easier for them to self-direct toward products that really will help them.”
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White chocolate peppermint eggnog in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead) |
It’s eggnog season. The boozy beverage dates back to medieval England
Eggnog’s roots date back to medieval times and a drink called “posset,” which included hot milk or cream, alcohol, and spices. Recipes have evolved in the centuries since then, and non-dairy and alcohol-free options abound in recent years. |
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