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Earthquake victims say aid is too slow · Apple News Today

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  Shumita Basu, Narrating: Good morning! It's Thursday, February 9th. I'm Shumita Basu. This is "Apple News Today." On today's show, an innovative new way to cut insulin prices. Inside the political protest that's closed Machu Picchu. And two brothers going head-to-head in this weekend's Super Bowl.
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  But first… Families who have lost homes and loved ones in Turkey and Syria are getting frustrated at the slow pace of aid following the deadly earthquakes. The numbers keep climbing. Close to 20,000 people have been killed. Thousands more are injured, and waves of people are now homeless in winter weather. And search teams are still trying to find people who may be alive under the rubble. Turkey is a NATO member that's gotten international support and aid. But Syrians say they're being left out. The civil war, damaged roads, and Western sanctions have combined to make it hard to get supplies and rescue workers in. "Reuters" spoke to a man named Yusef in Aleppo. He's been waiting for days for someone to rescue his family from a collapsed building.
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  Yusef: [SPEAKING THROUGH TRANSLATOR]
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  Translator: I talked to them and heard their voice, but unfortunately as you can see here, they're very slow at work and they don't have enough equipment.
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  Getting aid to Syria requires navigating complications of the civil war. As we mentioned yesterday, part of the affected area is controlled by the Assad regime, and part by the opposition. For years, Assad's government has been under heavy sanctions. Now the regime is insisting that all aid, including for opposition areas, must first go to Damascus, the capital that Assad controls. Aid workers say this is slowing down the process and will keep aid from people who need it. The United Nations said yesterday that very little aid has gotten into Syria. The UN's Muhannad Hadi says they're expecting a key road that was damaged by the earthquake will become passable today, which could mean more supplies will start reaching Syrians.
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  Muhannad Hadi: I think we have a glimpse of hope there, that the road is accessible and we can reach the people.
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  There is a lot of focus on the dead and the missing, but many, many people are severely injured. Doctors in Syria say they desperately need supplies to handle the influx of patients. Some say they can't last more than a week without critically-needed medicine and equipment.
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  During his State of the Union address, President Biden singled out the high cost of insulin, the essential drug for millions of Americans living with diabetes.
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  President Joe Biden: It costs the drug companies roughly $10 a vial to make that insulin. Packaging and all, and you may get up to $13. But Big Pharma has been unfairly charging people hundreds of dollars, $400 to $500 a month, making record profits. Not anymore. Not anymore.
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  It's a financial burden that Clayton McCook knows well. His 14-year-old daughter Lily has Type 1 diabetes. He told "NPR" the family spends thousands of dollars out of pocket each year on insulin.
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  Clayton McCook: I could go to Canada right now and get my daughter's insulin, the same exact drug, for $35 to $40 a vial because the Canadian government says, "This is it. This is the most you can charge." They're still making a profit at that price. They're still making a handsome profit. This is a very visceral thing for me. Without insulin, my daughter will die.
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  [END CLAYTON MCCOOK CLIP FROM NPR]
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  New legislation will soon cap insulin costs at $35 a month for Medicare patients. But that's no help for half of Americans, who have private insurance. The cost can lead to terrible tradeoffs. One in six Americans with diabetes say they have to ration their insulin supply. And this issue is getting more important as the number of Americans with diabetes is expected to keep growing, from about 37 million now to 55 million by the end of the decade. Vox looks at how some states are trying to save their people money by getting into the business of making insulin. California is leading the effort, with plans to manufacture and sell insulin for about what it costs to make it. California lawmakers approved a bill setting aside $100 million for the program. The short-term plan is to pay manufacturers to make generic insulin. The long-term plan is to make it in a government-run factory. One reason insulin is so expensive is because drug manufacturers have been able to extend their patents, often by making minor chemical changes. That makes it harder for cheaper generics to get into the business. And only three manufacturers dominate the insulin market, so there's not a lot of competition to drive down prices. If California succeeds in saving residents money, there could be big national implications. Other states may follow it into the generic drug business. Washington and Maine are already taking steps, and Michigan lawmakers are interested in doing the same.
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  Let's look now at a developing story abroad, where a bitter political dispute is tearing the country apart, with an important cultural site caught in the middle. It's happening in Peru, home to Machu Picchu. Anti-government protesters have forced the site to close for weeks. Demonstrators are betting that cutting off a place that's vital to the country's tourism industry will draw attention to their cause. Now, understanding their cause is complicated, so here's a very quick version. These protestors support the former president Pedro Castillo. He was impeached and arrested in December, charged with rebellion for attempting to dissolve the parliament and rule by decree. His vice president Dina Boluarte took over. She's in the same left-wing party as him, but Castillo supporters still want her out, with new elections. They've held massive demonstrations criticizing her.
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  Dozens of people have died in weeks of protests. People who live around Machu Picchu blocked roads and train tracks around the famous ruins. "Washington Post" reporter Samantha Schmidt wanted to get the perspective of the people there. And it wasn't easy with transportation blocked. For much of the journey, the only way in was to hike on foot. But Schmidt told us, when she finally got there, people said they are fighting to be heard.
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  Samantha Schmidt: There's always been, you know, in different communities frustrations with a government that they see as indifferent to the poor, as corrupt, basically having forgotten a lot of the rural, indigenous, poor people of Peru. And there's always been this kind of big divide between Lima and the rest of the country.
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  Cutting off tourists was no small decision. They drive the economy, so right now hotel and restaurant workers are losing a lot of money. The tourism industry estimates that the political crisis has cost the country $6.2 million. But Schmidt said protesters are standing firm.
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  Schmidt: They're basically giving up their livelihoods in order to send a message to the government. But they think that this is, you know, one, an important way to kind of stand in solidarity with protests across the country, especially those in the southern part of Peru, where the majority of the deaths have taken place. They feel they have a responsibility to stand with them, especially in a place that has the attention of the country and of the world.
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  Political analysts don't see a quick end to this crisis. President Boluarte refuses to step down. It's not clear how long the protesters around Machu Picchu will hold their ground. Train service partially resumed yesterday, but the historic citadel remains closed.
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  Super Bowl weekend is approaching. The Philadelphia Eagles play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. And while this time of year is always exciting for NFL fans, there's one person out there who's gonna feel proud no matter what happens.
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  Donna Kelce: So, this is gonna be just pure joy. I mean, we're gonna really enjoy this, have a great time.
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  That's Donna Kelce. She is the first mom to have two sons playing against each other in the Super Bowl. Jason Kelce plays center for the Eagles. Travis Kelce is tight end for the Chiefs. Because they're both on offense, they won't be on the field at the same time. Donna told NBC that makes it easier to cheer for both of them.
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  Donna Kelce: Obviously, there's gonna be somebody that's gonna go home heartbroken, but they won't have the, you know, bragging rights at the Thanksgiving table. You know, this is gonna be an awesome event and I'm really looking forward to it.
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  Donna's schedule sent her criss-crossing the country to watch her sons play, but this year she'll watch both of them comfortably from the stadium in Arizona. And to be perfectly fair, she'll be rocking her custom split jersey, half Chiefs, half Eagles, with the family's last name on the back.
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  You can find all these stories and more in the Apple News app. And if you're already listening in the News app right now, stick around. We've got a narrated article coming up next from "The New Yorker." It looks at how imposter syndrome went from being an obscure academic idea to a topic lots of people are discussing. So sit back, enjoy listening to that, and I'll be back with the news tomorrow.
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