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Good morning,

Oh what a night. Seven Republican presidential candidates faced off in the second, somewhat chaotic, primary debate. This time, they were at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. And once again, Donald Trump was a no-show.

On stage: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

Both DeSantis and Christie took shots at Trump for not showing up. DeSantis said he “is missing in action… He should be on this stage tonight. He owes it to you to defend his record where they added $7.8 trillion to the debt that set the stage for the inflation that we have now.”

As for Trump, the heavy favorite, he headed to the Detroit suburbs where he be spoke at a non-union auto supplier.

We have a lot more on the @mosheh Instagram account.

See ya there!
Jill & Leila

Mo News Podcast: A daily conversation about the news that matters.

🗞 OZEMPIC CRAZE CONTINUES

Healthcare providers in the US wrote more than nine million prescriptions for Ozempic, Wegovy and similar obesity and diabetes drugs during the last three months of 2022 alone. According to a new study, prescriptions increased 300% in just the past three years.

• Ozempic accounted for more than 2/3 of the total prescriptions as of the end of last year, and was primarily prescribed off-label for its ability to help patients lose weight.

• The Trilliant analysis doesn’t take into account people who pay out-of-pocket for the drugs, which can retail for about $1,000 a month.

WHAT ARE OZEMPIC AND WEGOVY
Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro are all GLP1 medications. They basically mimic a naturally occurring hormone—

• As those hormone levels rise, the molecules go to your brain, telling it you're full.

• It also slows digestion by increasing the time it takes for food to leave the body. So you eat less and are full for longer.

WHY ARE THEY SO POPULAR?

The drugs, used most often for diabetes, have become popular with celebrities like Elon Musk and others because of they also cause rapid weight loss.

As for WHERE their popularity is exploding, it varies across the country and might be surprising. During the first year after Wegovy's approval, prescriptions skyrocketed by 481% in Cleveland and 351% in Seattle, but just 48% in Minneapolis and 79% in Boston.

SIDE EFFECTS
Despite the popularity of these drugs, they do have potentially concerning side effects. On Wednesday, the FDA updated the label for the diabetes drug Ozempic. The label now acknowledges reports of blocked intestines following the use of the medication.

• The drugs also have side effects like nausea, vomiting, and tiredness. On top of that, stopping the drugs can lead to rapid weight gain.

RIPPLE EFFECTS
And then there’s the problem that comes when a drug gets too popular— shortages, which have made it difficult for people with Type 2 diabetes to get it.

Novo Nordisk, the maker of Wegovy and Ozempic, admitted in a statement last month demand for Wegovy “continues to outpace our increasing production” and it anticipates an “ongoing supply disruption.”

⏳ SPEED READ

🚨NATION

📌 U.S. sues Amazon in a monopoly case that could be existential for the retail giant (NPR)

📌 Menendez due for first court appearance after bribery indictment (CBS)

📌 Judge rules Trump committed fraud, stripping control of key properties (NYT)

📌Almost half of US adults plan to get new COVID-19 vaccine, survey finds (ABC)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌Britain approves huge, controversial oil and gas field in the North Sea (CNN)

📌 Inside the vast digital campaign by Hindu nationalists to inflame India (WAPO)

📌 US admits Israel into visa waiver program (REUTERS)

📌 US soldier who crossed into North Korea 2 months ago is in American custody, US officials say (AP)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 60% of Americans are still living paycheck to paycheck as inflation hits workers’ wages (CNBC)

📌 This Ford vs. GM feud could shape the future of EVs in America (WSJ)

📌 Climate change: Six young people take 32 countries to court (BBC)

📌 NASA astronaut Frank Rubio returns from record-setting mission in space (CNN)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Shrek’s ‘swamp’ now available to rent on Airbnb (CNN)

📌 13-year-old Chinese skateboarder wins gold at the Asian Games and now eyes the Paris Olympics (AP)

📌SAG-AFTRA & studios could meet within days (DEADLINE)

📌'Dancing With the Stars' dives into Scandoval with Ariana Madix: 'Scandal does not define me' (USA TODAY)

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🗓 ON THIS DAY: SEPTEMBER 28

• 1542: Explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, known as the “discoverer” of California, landed near what is now San Diego and became the first European to set foot on the west coast of what would become the United States.
  

• 2008: SpaceX successfully launched Falcon 1, becoming the first privately owned company to send a liquid-fueled rocket into orbit.
  

• 2012: The musical comedy Pitch Perfect premieres in theaters, sparking an a cappella revival.
  

• 2018: The Arctic shipping lane opens, made possible because of ice melt. The successful voyage was a landmark moment for the international shipping industry, as well as a sobering reminder of the extent to which the Earth's ice caps had melted.