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McDonald’s sued over Latino scholarships after backing off some DEI practices

CBS News – McDonald's is being sued over its long-running program offering scholarships to Latino and Hispanic students. The lawsuit filed in Nashville on Sunday by the American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER), a group opposed to affirmative action, came days after McDonald's added its voice to a chorus of corporations rolling back or ditching diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, citing a "shifting legal landscape." But the burger giant's efforts are not sufficient, according to...

Giant ‘Darth Vader’ sea bug discovered off the coast of Vietnam

Supergiant sea bugs, including B. vaderi, are members of the isopod family, characterized by their hard, protective exoskeleton and seven pairs of legs.

Biden Will Commute Sentences of Nearly 2,500 Drug Offenders

THE NEW YORK TIMES – The action, aimed at inmates who received harsher sentences based on old disparities in drug laws, will be the broadest commutation of individual sentences ever issued by a U.S. president. President Biden announced on Friday that he would commute the sentences of nearly 2,500 inmates serving long prison terms for nonviolent drug offenses, the broadest commutation of individual sentences ever issued by a U.S. president. The commutations are for offenders who...

What to Expect in Your 70s

Is This Normal? The way you grow older is specific to you. Lifestyle, among other things, can play a role in the process. But some changes in your 70s are universal, because they’re the result of the way your body works. Experts sometimes call this “pure aging.” These shifts happen in everyone who lives long enough. You can’t avoid them, but you can prepare if you know what to expect. Your Mind Parts of your brain shrink...

Wildfires can contaminate drinking water systems with harmful chemicals − here’s what Los Angeles needs to know

When water is depleted, the system is vulnerable to chemical contamination.

Skin disease patients show response to targeted treatment

MAYO CLINIC NEWS NETWORK – Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a targeted therapy that could bring relief to people living with lichen planus, a chronic inflammatory skin condition of the skin, hair, nails, mouth and genitals. They described their findings in a study recently published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation that described their first-in-human, phase 2 clinical trial. The researchers identified unique molecular and cellular changes in the skin with lichen planus, particularly an overactive immune response...

Osteoporosis screening guidelines updated: Do you need a bone scan?

Women 65 years and older should have a bone density scan to screen for osteoporosis, updated guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend.

‘Nicest judge in the world’ finds time to help others as he fights pancreatic cancer

Caprio just turned 88 on Nov. 23, and has a new book coming out in February, detailing his life lessons, called "Compassion in the Court: Life-changing stories from America's Nicest Judge."

Mayo Clinic Q and A: Leg pain? It may be your arteries

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I'm 52 years old and enjoy long walks with my husband and our dog. I recently started to experience pain in my left calf during our walks. The leg pain goes away when I rest. Because I have a history of high blood pressure, I went to see my primary care physician and was diagnosed with peripheral artery disease. What is this condition, and what treatments are available? Will I need surgery? ANSWER: Peripheral artery...

FDA moves to cut nicotine from cigarettes, in plan first floated under Trump

CBS News – The Food and Drug Administration is moving to cut out addictive nicotine from cigarettes, according to a long-awaited proposed regulation released Wednesday. The rule aims to force the nearly 12% of Americans still using combustible tobacco products to switch to less dangerous alternatives, like vaping electronic cigarettes or using nicotine lozenges, or quit altogether while ending rates of youth starting to smoke traditional cigarettes. "The proposed product standard would limit the addictiveness of...

FDA Wants Easier-To-See Nutrition Labels On Most Packaged Foods, Drinks

NPR: The FDA Calls For At-A-Glance Nutrition Labels On The Front Of Packaged Foods The Food and Drug Administration wants to change how packaged food is sold in the U.S. In the waning days of the Biden administration, the agency has proposed requiring a new label on the front of most packaged food and drinks aimed at helping Americans make healthier food choices. The proposed labels would flag whether a packaged food or drink contains low,...

So Many Days Lost at the Doctor’s Office

"The understanding that medical care can become a wearying treadmill for older patients has led researchers to look more closely at the consequences of so-called burdens of treatment."

Drugmakers hiked prices for hundreds of drugs in early January

Heard on All Things Considered – Drugmakers raised the list prices on 575 name-brand drugs in just the first two days of the new year, according to drug price research firm 46brooklyn. Drugs for diabetes, HIV, cancer saw price hikes, among others. For years a 10% annual price hike was fairly normal, but they've started coming down in recent years. This year's median price hike so far is only 4%, says Antonio Ciaccia, CEO of 46brooklyn. "While...