America needs truckers and is paying big $$$ – National & International News – THU 14Oct2021

US needs truckers and is paying big. Merck wants Americans to pay $712 for COVID drug taxpayers helped develop. US, Israel “Plan B” for Iran nuke talks.

NATIONAL NEWS

America needs truckers and is paying big $$$

Yesterday, the Biden administration announced a deal it hopes will relieve supply chain bottlenecks on various consumer goods. Two major seaports in Los Angeles and Long Beach, CA, will be open for business 24/7 through the Christmas holidays. The same goes for overland transport operations by Wal-Mart, FedEx and UPS.

But industry leaders say that while expanding hours at these key chokepoints will help, it will not be enough to solve America’s supply chain woes. Skilled truckers for overland transport remain in short supply after many got out of the business during the pandemic.

Bruce Busada is president of the Diesel Drivers Academy in Shreveport, LA, and says suppliers and freight operators are desperate for fresh recruits. And, he says, they’re willing to pay. Busada says newly trained truckers in his area can make $60,000-$85,000 their first year. Before the pandemic, the average was around $40,000-$55,000.

Freight businesses have long offered competitive 401k and health insurance benefits. Now they are also offering hefty sign-on bonuses for new hires.

Busada says the industry has struggled to recruit young people and women because of misconceptions about trucking. Drivers are now home a lot more than they used to be. This is because companies are now favoring local and shorter routes over long hauls. 

Click here for the full story (opens in new tab).

More women truckers hitting the road, but barriers remain.

Pharma giant expects Americans to pay $712 for COVID drug US taxpayers helped develop

Merck Pharmaceuticals recently asked the FDA for emergency use authorization for its new COVID therapeutic molnupiravir. The antiviral pill is touted as a major advance in COVID treatment, cutting the risk of hospitalization or death from COVID in half.

A five-day course of the drug costs Merck about $17.74 to make. But Merck expects Americans to pay over 40 times that, or about $712. 

Adding insult to pocketbook injury, the federal government already paid millions to help subsidize the drug’s development. The drug was actually developed by Emory University in Georgia before Merck and co-distributor Ridgeback Pharmaceuticals purchased the rights for an undisclosed amount. In the last few years, Emory has received 10s of millions of dollars in research grants from various federal agencies.

Read more about Big Pharma’s price gouging here (opens in new tab).

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

U.S., Israel explore “Plan B” in stalled Iran nuclear talks

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid say they are looking at other ways to deter Iran from further nuclear development. So far, Iran’s new government has refused to set a date to resume talks for reinstating the 2015 nuclear deal.

Blinken said that the U.S. was exploring “other options” should Iran continue to refuse to return to the deal. He did not elaborate on what these “other options” were, but they could include anything from bigger sanctions to military intervention. Blinken said the U.S. would continue “consultations with allies and partners” in the region. This week, the U.S. is dispatching envoys to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. 

Lapid spoke more directly and implied that Israel would not rule out a unilateral military strike against Iran to protect its own interests.

Click here for the full story (opens in new tab).