Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,063 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Blue Cross settlement payouts

• NYC Mayor Adams’ corruption charges dropped

• Cockatoos like to dip their food in sauce too

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Big Story

Doctors Cool on Weight Loss Drugs

Doctors are becoming more cautious about weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic.

• While these medications have shown promising results for treating obesity and potentially reducing risks of serious health problems like heart attacks and Alzheimer's, there are increasing worries about their downsides.

• These medications are very expensive, costing around $1,000 or more per month, and many insurance plans don't cover them. Studies show that most patients stop taking the drugs within two years, often because of the high cost, drug shortages, or side effects like severe stomach problems and pancreatitis.

• There are several health concerns when people stop taking these drugs. When patients go off the medication, they usually gain back the weight they lost. The drugs can also cause loss of muscle mass, and when weight returns, it comes back mainly as fat. This can leave people with weaker muscles, lower bone density, and a harder time losing weight in the future.

Big Story

Russia Releases American Prisoner

American teacher Marc Fogel landed on US soil after being freed from a Russian prison camp where he had been detained since 2021.

• President Trump and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff negotiated the release. The White House described it as a show of good faith from Russia that could help end the war in Ukraine.

• Fogel was arrested at a Moscow airport in August 2021 while working as a teacher at the Anglo-American School. He was accused of trying to bring in marijuana and hash oil, leading to a 14-year prison sentence. His family claimed the charges were unfair, and in October 2024, the US officially declared him "wrongfully detained."

• The US had tried to include Fogel in an earlier prisoner swap in August 2024 that freed journalist Evan Gershkovich and former Marine Paul Whelan but was unsuccessful. The details of who Fogel was exchanged for remain unknown.

Big Story

Blue Cross Settlement

Blue Cross Blue Shield will soon begin paying $2.67 billion to settle a lawsuit from 2013.

• Customers claimed the company broke laws by limiting competition, which they say led to higher prices and fewer choices. While Blue Cross Blue Shield denied doing anything wrong, they agreed to settle the case instead of going to trial.

• Only customers who filed a claim by November 5, 2021, will receive payment. This includes people who had Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance between February 2008 and October 2020. Both individual customers and groups who were insured qualify. Self-funded accounts from September 2015 to October 2020 were also eligible to file claims.

• About six million people filed claims by the deadline. After paying legal fees and other costs, $1.9 billion is left to divide among claimants. This means that each person who filed a claim should receive around $333. BCBS is now sending claim notices to customers through email on a rolling basis.

Quick Stories

US News

• Twenty-six religious organizations are suing the federal government over Trump's policy allowing immigration arrests at places of worship. They claim this violates religious freedom and has scared away congregation members. (More)

• Acting US Deputy AG Emil Bove ordered New York prosecutors to drop corruption charges against Mayor Eric Adams. The dismissal is "without prejudice," meaning charges could be refiled later. (More)

• The Army base Fort Liberty, previously named for Confederate general Braxton Bragg, will become Fort Roland L. Bragg. The new namesake is a World War II hero who earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart during the Battle of the Bulge. (More)

World

• Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu threatened to end Gaza's ceasefire and resume fighting if Hamas doesn't release hostages by Saturday at noon. Hamas responded by accusing Israel of endangering the truce. (More)

• King Abdullah II of Jordan has offered to accept 2,000 sick Palestinian children from Gaza. This comes after Trump's proposal to resettle Gaza residents. Trump praised the offer and suggested Egypt might help too. (More)

• Chinese marriages dropped 20% in 2023, hitting a record low despite government efforts to boost weddings and births. Only 6.1 million couples married, as young people cite high childcare costs and economic uncertainty as reasons to delay marriage. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed mixed on Tuesday (S&P +0.03%, Nasdaq -0.36%, Dow +0.28%). (More)

• Tesla's stock fell 6% Tuesday as Chinese competitor BYD revealed plans to develop self-driving tech with DeepSeek and expand its driver assistance system. Tesla shares have dropped 17% over five days to $328.50, losing $200 billion in market value. (More)

• Anduril Industries, a defense technology company, will manage Microsoft's Army augmented reality headset program. Anduril will oversee the production, development, and delivery of the $22 billion project. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• Shopify removed Ye's (Kanye West) website for violating platform rules after it sold shirts with swastikas. The ecommerce company said the merchant didn't follow authentic commerce practices, and the site is now unavailable. (More)

• The Super Bowl set a TV record with 127.7 million viewers, up from last year’s record of 123 million. The Tubi app attracted 14.5 million viewers in its big game debut. (More)

• Brandon Ingram has signed a three-year, $120 million contract extension with the Raptors. New Orleans traded him to Toronto just before the trade deadline. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• Scientists created new light-activated chemicals for cancer treatment that gather in cancer cells. When exposed to light, these chemicals kill tumors with few side effects. In tests, the treatment eliminated aggressive breast cancer in mice. (More)

• A team of international authorities shut down the 8Base ransomware group's dark web sites. The group allegedly used Phobos ransomware to attack 17 Swiss companies and earned $16 million from over 1,000 global victims. (More)

• NASA will use the Webb telescope to study asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a 2.1% chance of hitting Earth in December 2032. While impact is unlikely, it's currently the only large asteroid with over 1% impact probability. (More)

Extra Credit

🏈 Where does the Super Bowl loser’s merch go?

🌈 Why Hawaii is the rainbow capital of the world.

🍟 Cockatoos like to dip their food in sauces.

🐘 US zoo will send an elephant pooping video to your ex.