What to Know
- A gunman acted alone when he shot and wounded a top House Republican and four others on a northern Virginia baseball field, the FBI says
- The flu vaccine did a poor job protecting older Americans last winter, even though the vaccine was well-matched to the flu bugs going around
- George Clooney is selling his tequila company Casamigos to Diageo for $1 billion, a source familiar with the situation told CNBC
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Gunman Acted Alone in Shooting of Congressman, FBI Says
A gunman acted alone when he shot and wounded a top House Republican and four other people on a northern Virginia baseball field, the FBI said. James T. Hodgkinson did not have any ties to terrorism, Tim Slater, the special agent in charge of the Washington FBI office, said during a news conference. Rep. Steve Scalise, the House majority whip, was gravely wounded in the shooting last week. He has undergone several surgeries and remains hospitalized. His condition has been upgraded to fair. Scalise and other congressional Republicans were practicing for their annual charity baseball game against Democrats when a gunman started shooting. U.S. Capitol Police and other officers returned fire and killed Hodgkinson, who the FBI says was under "financial and mental" stress and held a deep animus toward President Donald Trump and other Republicans.
Trump Calls for Stricter Limits on Welfare for Immigrants
President Trump said he'll pursue legislation that would bar immigrants from being eligible for welfare for at least five years — though most already are. Trump said at a rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, that "the time has come" for "new immigration rules" that would require those seeking admission to the country to be able to support themselves financially and would bar the use of welfare for a period of at least five years. He said his administration would be "putting in legislation to that effect very shortly." It is unclear, however, how Trump's proposal would change the current situation.
Flu Vaccine Ineffective for People 65 and Older Last Winter
Local
The flu vaccine did a poor job protecting older Americans against the illness last winter, even though the vaccine was well-matched to the flu bugs going around. U.S. health officials released new vaccine data showing it did a so-so job overall. The vaccine was about 42 percent effective in preventing illness severe enough to send a patient to the doctor's office. But it was essentially ineffective protecting some age groups. That includes people 65 and older — the group that's hardest hit by flu, suffering the most deaths and hospitalizations. The flu season that just ended was a long one that peaked in February and was considered moderately severe. But the flu-related hospitalization rate for older adults was the highest it's been since the severe 2014-2015 flu season. Like that season, last winter was dominated by a kind of flu — Type A H3N2 — that tends to cause more deaths and serious illnesses than other seasonal flu viruses.
FDA Wants to Stop Pharmaceuticals From “Gaming” Generic Drug System
The Food and Drug Administration is trying to stop pharmaceutical companies from "gaming" the system by blocking or delaying generic competition, Reuters reported. The agency plans a public meeting on July 18 to help it search for ways pharmaceutical companies are using its rules to block generic competition, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a blog post. "We know that sometimes our regulatory rules might be 'gamed' in ways that may delay generic drug approvals beyond the time frame the law intended, in order to reduce competition," he said in the blog post. "We are actively looking at ways our rules are being used and, in some cases, misused." President Trump and lawmakers in Congress are searching for ways to lower prescription costs.
George Clooney Is Selling His Tequila Business for $1 Billion
George Clooney is selling his tequila company Casamigos to Diageo for $1 billion, a source familiar with the situation told CNBC. Clooney, Rande Gerber and Michael Meldman, who own Casamigos together, are expected to stay with the company after its acquisition. "If you asked us four years ago if we had a billion dollar company, I don't think we would have said yes," Clooney told CNBC via email. Diageo said it will initially pay $700 million, with the potential for another $300 million based on the tequila's performance over 10 years. The transaction is expected to close during the second half of 2017. Diageo doesn't expect the deal to add to its earnings until its fourth year. In the first three years, the brand will not have any impact on earnings.
Burger King Shakes Up Menu with Lucky Charms Beverage, Fast Food Chain Says
They're magically delicious — and now, they're in a milkshake. Lucky Charms cereal will appear in a limited-edition shake at select Burger King locations, the fast-food chain announced. At $2.99, the Lucky Charms shake features 740 calories' worth of ice cream, syrup, and crushed pieces of the sugary marshmallow cereal. "The mashup of our velvety vanilla-flavored soft serve and one of America’s classic breakfast cereals is something we think our guests are going to love," Alex Macedo, the president of Burger King North America, said in a statement. The Lucky Charms concoction follows the release of other Burger King mashup beverages like an Oreo shake and a Froot Loops shake, the latter of which was added to menus in April.
