Weight loss drugs, Iowa shooting, and a new dog breed.

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Big Stories

Eli Lilly to sell weight-loss drugs directly to patients

Eli Lilly is working to cut out the middlemen in drug distribution by selling medicine directly to consumers.

• Lilly said Thursday that it will launch a telehealth platform called LillyDirect that will fill prescriptions for patients with obesity, migraines, and diabetes. Shipping will be free and provided by a third party but patients will get the medicines directly from Lilly.

• Pharmaceutical companies aren’t usually in the business of selling their drugs directly to consumers, but the weight loss drug boom is lucrative enough to shake up the industry. Goldman Sachs estimates that the anti-obesity drug market could grow to $100 billion by 2030. Health researchers say customers may appreciate being able to go around their primary care physicians and get drugs directly from the manufacturer with a discrete prescription.

• Eli Lilly’s new endeavor comes as the FDA is investigating reports of suicidal thoughts and other side effects linked to obesity drugs. Drugmakers say they are working with the FDA and that all known risks are on their current labeling. The European Medicines Agency, which did its own inquiry, said there isn’t a connection to be drawn between drugs and thoughts of self-harm. They did say other issues need to be clarified though and plan on revisiting the matter in April.

Iowa high school shooting

A 17-year-old high school student in Perry, Iowa shot and killed a middle school student and injured five others before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

• Police were notified of an active shooter at Perry High School, outside of Des Moines, on Thursday just before the start of the school day. Officers arrived in minutes to find six victims including five students and one school administrator. During their search of the school, the police also found an improvised explosive that they disarmed.

• The suspect was a student at the high school and was found with a pump-action shotgun and a small-caliber handgun. He shared several post on social media around the time of the shooting. One post included a song that was infamously used on the website of Eric Harris, one of the shooters of the Columbine High School massacre.

• The shooting occurred just 11 days before the Iowa caucuses on Jan 15. GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy had a pre-scheduled event in Perry at 9 a.m. but canceled it to have a prayer and discussions with area residents. He said the shooting is a byproduct of “psychological sickness” in the country.

• As of July 2021, Iowa doesn’t require a permit to purchase a handgun or carry a firearm in public but does enforce a background check for a person buying a handgun without a permit.

IS claims responsibility for attack in Iran

The Islamic State Group claimed responsibility for Wednesday’s attack in Iran that killed more than 80 people.

• The attacks targeted a ceremony honoring Gen. Qasem Soleimani, who was the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force. He was killed in a U.S. drone strike four years ago. At least 84 people were killed and 284 were injured, making it the deadliest attack in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

• The IS claimed responsibility, identifying two men who used explosive vests to carry out the attack. The first bomb was detonated, followed by the second approximately 15 minutes later. The second bombing was deliberately staggered to target those who had fled the initial explosion.

• Iran initially blamed Israel and the U.S.; however, both countries denied any involvement. Middle East conflict experts also said that this isn’t the way Israel operates inside Iran. The Mossad, Israel’s spy agency, has almost always surgically targeted nuclear scientists or military figures, and killing mourning civilians wouldn’t be in the country’s best interest.

Little Stories

• A new study by USC suggests that using hearing aids could extend people's lives. The study tracked 1,900 adults with hearing loss. Those who use their hearing aids regularly had a 24% lower risk of mortality compared to those who never use them. Further research found restoring hearing with hearing aids may also slow cognitive decline among people at high risk. (More)

• A Cartel in Michoacán, Mexico created makeshift internet antennas, forcing locals to pay for WIFI by making death threats. The gang charged about 5,000 individuals higher monthly fees than commercial internet providers, making around $150,000 each month. Police have seized the equipment and shut the operation down. (More)

• In a Nevada courtroom, a defendant in a felony battery case jumped over a table and attacked Judge Mary Kay Holthus after sentencing wasn’t going his way. He now faces additional battery charges, and his next appearance is rescheduled for Jan. 9. The judge had minor injuries, while a courtroom marshal was hospitalized for a bleeding cut on his forehead and a dislocated shoulder. (More)

• New York City Mayor Eric Adam said that the city has filed a lawsuit against 17 charter bus companies hired by the state of Texas to transport migrants to the city. Since 2022, Texas has sent about 33,000 migrants to NYC as part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s plan to send migrants from the border to major cities across the country. (More)

• A recent Democratic House Oversight committee report revealed payments exceeding $7.8 million made by over 20 foreign governments, such as China, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, to businesses owned by then-President Trump during his presidential term. Accepting money from foreign governments is illegal for U.S. presidents. Ethics officials warned Trump to divest from his businesses before taking office, but he chose not to. (More)

Extra Credit

A 13-year-old became the first person to officially beat Tetris.

Snowflakes are wonders of geometry. 

Scientists finally solved the question that didn’t need solving: why is urine yellow?

The American Kennel Club has a new breed: the Lancashire heeler.