An influential aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that the West and the U.S.-led NATO alliance was directly involved in planning Ukraine's surprise attack on Russia’s Kursk region. The US has negotiated down the prices of 10 top-selling prescription drugs used by Medicare by as much as 79%, hoping to save $6 billion in the first year. It is part of Democrat attempts to ease anger about high prices ahead of November elections as Kamala Harris and Donald Trump go head-to-head over the economy. In India, doctors have called for more than a million colleagues to provide only essential services on Saturday, in a protest over the brutal rape and murder of a medic. Find our recommended read here. Sign up for the Reuters Econ World newsletter here. Listen to the Reuters Econ World podcast here. Find the Recommended Read here. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also visit megaphone.fm/adchoices to opt out of targeted advertising. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.