Syrian rebels find drug stockpile tying Assad regime to black market trade
Days after the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria, more information is coming out about how the regime used the sale of drugs, particularly one found on the black market. Syrian rebels discovered millions of pills of Captagon, a banned drug previously prescribed for ADHD and narcolepsy.
The drug, known for its effects on increasing focus and energy, is one of the most common illicit drugs in Syria and the Middle East region.
A fighter with Syria’s ruling Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group said the factory was linked to the former president’s brother and has been accused of being a kingpin in the black-market Captagon trade.
The drug was a huge part of Syria’s economy, bringing in billions for the fallen regime.
A 2022 investigation by the French outlet AFP found Syria to be the world’s largest narco state, with Captagon becoming its largest export, more so than all of its legal exports combined.
An HTS fighter said the rebels burned the supplies they found, citing the harm of the drug to the Syrian public.
However, experts on illicit drugs say even when authorities crack down on manufacturing, other ones pop up shortly thereafter. That means that the destruction of the newly discovered haul will probably only disrupt the market for Captagon for a short time.
Eli Lilly to test weight loss drug Zepbound to treat addiction
Eli Lilly, the maker of the popular weight loss injection Zepbound, is exploring other ways the drug can help people. In an interview with the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., this week, the company’s CEO, David Ricks, discussed the pharmaceutical giant’s plans for 2025.
“These medicines, we think, and we aim to prove, can be used for other things we don’t think about connected to weight,” Ricks said. “These are often called anti-hedonics, so they are reducing that desire cycle. So, next year you’ll see Lilly start large studies in alcohol abuse, in nicotine use, even in drug abuse.”
Zepbound is a GLP-1 drug. Those drugs work by mimicking hormones that make you feel satisfied after eating.
Researchers have known the mechanism in the brain that regulates food-seeking behaviors. They say it overlaps with the mechanism that regulates why some people develop addiction. However, Ricks said Eli Lilly’s upcoming study will be the first to test the use of these drugs specifically to treat addiction.
Zepbound started out under the name Mounjaro as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes. Eli Lilly later discovered patients could use Mounjaro’s active ingredient, tirzepatide, as an off-label prescription to encourage weight loss.
Shortly after, the Food and Drug Administration approved a version for weight loss purposes under the name Zepbound.
A new study by Loyola University released this week in the journal “Addiction,” found GLP-1 drugs show promise for treating drug and alcohol addiction.
Researchers found people addicted to alcohol who also had a prescription for a GLP-1 drug had a 50% lower rate of binging alcohol. They also discovered people with opioid use disorder had a 40% lower rate of overdose.
Annual drug overdose deaths decreased by greatest number in US history: CDC
Drug overdose deaths fell 17% between July 2023 and July 2024, according to a new report released on Wednesday, Dec. 11, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Although drug overdose death numbers won’t be added up until the end of the year, the CDC said the drop would represent the largest decrease in overdose-related deaths over a one-year period in U.S. history.
Still, since 2021, more than 100,000 people have reportedly died from drug overdoses each year. 2022 set a record for overdose deaths with more than 108,000 people who died. Overdose deaths went down in 2023 and continued to fall throughout 2024.
The White House credited the drop in deaths to its efforts like making Naloxone, a medicine designed to reverse opioid overdoses, available over the counter and cracking down on fentanyl production.
Most overdose deaths reportedly involve opioids, including fentanyl, and there has been a decrease in deaths associated with these drugs. However, a CBS News investigation previously found a rise in deaths involving other drugs like meth and cocaine.
Drug overdose survivor advocates also warn the Biden administration against taking a “premature victory lap.” They noted the fall in overdose deaths is good news but also acknowledged that the numbers overall remain much too high, especially among minorities.
Mental health and addiction experts also argued that the U.S. government still needs to invest in more recovery, treatment and prevention programs.
New charges filed in former One Direction Singer Liam Payne’s death
Two more individuals have been charged in connection with the death of former One Direction singer Liam Payne. The 31-year-old died on Oct. 16 after falling from a third-story hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
According to court documents obtained by Rolling Stone, the newly charged individuals include the hotel’s reception head and manager.
Details from the 911 calls
The reception head called emergency services twice around Liam Payne’s death. He reported a guest who was allegedly intoxicated and “trashing the entire room.”
In the second call, the receptionist asked dispatchers if police were on their way. When informed that police and Argentina’s emergency medical services (SAME) were en route, he requested that only SAME respond.
Rolling Stone reports the hotel still employs the reception head.
Charges remain unclear
It’s still unclear what charges the reception head and manager face. They joined three others previously charged in the case.
The first three individuals, detained in November, include two other hotel staffers and an individual accused of abandonment of a person leading to death.
Toxicology report
After Liam Payne’s death, a toxicology report revealed he had alcohol, cocaine and a prescribed antidepressant in his system.
The coroner confirmed Payne’s death resulted from internal and external bleeding, as well as a cranial injury sustained during his fall.
In November, there was a private funeral for Liam Payne in England. His family, girlfriend and former One Direction bandmates attended.
What happens next?
All five individuals charged will face interrogations in the coming weeks. A judge will then decide whether there is enough evidence to prosecute, drop the charges or take no further action.
‘Microdosing’ is the new trend in weight loss, but is it safe?
In recent years both weight loss injections and “microdosing” have become increasingly popular — and now, so is combining the two. Injections originally intended to treat Type 2 diabetes, like Ozempic and Mounjaro, are proven to help people lose weight, but are often associated with side effects like gastrointestinal issues, which is why people have started microdosing these drugs.
Microdosing is when people take less than the prescribed or recommended amount to reap the drug’s benefits while avoiding its side effects. The concept has gained popularity in recent years with people microdosing psychedelics to help treat mental health disorders.
While there’s no official science behind it, people who have tried microdosing weight loss drugs say it’s been a game changer for them. However, health experts are issuing a warning over the new trend, as many people who jump on the bandwagon do so without talking to their doctor first.
Some doctors use microdosing to help those who have already reached their goal weight while using medication to keep that weight off. The practice has also been used to help people curb addictions to things like drugs and alcohol in addition to food as well. A study for the journal “Addiction” showed those on semaglutides were 40% to 50% less likely to binge drink or abuse opioids.
The trend has also heightened concerns that more people will turn to buying these drugs or compounded versions of their active ingredients online — something that’s already been an issue among people whose insurance doesn’t cover such treatments — which could lead to overdoses, infection or diseases because they’re not regulated.
Zepbound helps shed more weight than Wegovy, Eli Lilly study says
GLP-1 drugs are reshaping the way Americans look at weight loss now that the FDA has approved a few of them to help battle obesity. Now, a new study is shedding light on two of the most popular drugs people turn to to help them shed pounds.
Previous studies have shown Zepbound helped people lose more weight than Wegovy. That said, they’re not considered true comparisons of the drugs because the results were based on preexisting data.
This new trial had people who were overweight or obese use the drugs once a week for 72 weeks. The study found that those injected with Zepbound lost 20.2% of their body weight, or 50.3 pounds on average. Those injected with Wegovy lost an average of 13.7% of their body weight, or 33.1 pounds.
Eli Lilly says that means Zepbound is nearly twice as effective as Wegovy. Doctors say that despite the difference in results, both drugs are still highly effective at helping people lose weight.
In a statement, a Novo Nordisk spokesperson noted Wegovy had been linked to a reduced risk of heart issues like heart attack and stroke.
Another thing to note is that aside from their names, Zepbound and Wegovy are also different in their active ingredients. Zepbound uses tirzepatide to help you lose weight, while Wegovy is a semaglutide injection.
Both target GLP-1 receptors to make you feel less hungry. Still, unlike semaglutide, tirzepatide also targets GIP receptors, which reduces a person’s appetite more than just a GLP-1 drug alone.
Trump names campaign manager Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff
Donald Trump makes his first staffing announcement as president-elect, naming his White House chief of staff. And a federal judge in Texas makes a ruling concerning undocumented immigrants married to American citizens. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Nov. 8, 2024.
Trump names campaign manager Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) November 7, 2024
She will become the first woman to hold the job of chief of staff when Trump takes office on Jan. 20. It is a position considered to be the second most powerful job in Washington — behind the presidency.
Wiles, the daughter of the late NFL broadcaster Pat Summerall, also ran Trump’s campaign in the state of Florida during the 2016 and 2020 elections. Her political career dates back to Ronald Reagan’s years, when she worked as a campaign scheduler for his 1980 presidential bid.
In a statement, Trump said, “Susie Wiles just helped me achieve one of the greatest political victories in American history and was an integral part of both my 2016 and 2020 successful campaigns. Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to make America great again.”
In the coming days, the president-elect is set to begin reviewing other names to build out his team, including filling cabinet positions. His son Donald Trump Jr. told Fox News the key factor each candidate must have is delivering on his father’s message and not someone who “thinks they know better.”
The GOP picked up a seat in Pennsylvania with several media outlets projecting Dave McCormick defeated Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey. Republicans now hold 53 seats in the chamber with two races, one in Nevada and one in Arizona, still to be called.
California governor calls special session to protect liberal policies
California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has called a special legislative session to protect the state’s liberal policies ahead of a second Trump presidency. Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Thursday they’re preparing to “protect California values” against the incoming administration.
California is ready to fight.
I just called an emergency special session to help bolster our legal resources and protect our state against any unlawful actions by the incoming Trump Administration.
Whether it be our fundamental civil rights, reproductive freedom, or climate… pic.twitter.com/fIBPKsehot
“We know to take Trump at his word when he says he’ll roll back environmental protections, go after our immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities, attack our civil rights and restrict access to essential reproductive care,” Bonta said. “Mr. Trump repeatedly overstepped his authority between 2016 and 2020. There’s no reason to think he won’t do it again. We checked him and we stopped him, and we pushed him back into his box when he tried to step out of it.”
The California special session is scheduled to start Dec. 2. Newsom is also calling on the state legislature to give the attorney general’s office more funding to battle federal challenges.
In his ruling on Thursday, U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker — who was appointed by President-elect Trump during his first term — said Congress has not given the executive branch the authority to implement such a policy. Campbell Barker had previously put an administrative hold on the regulation as he considered the lawsuit, which was brought by Texas and 15 other states.
The policy, which the Biden administration called “Keeping Families Together,” would have applied to spouses who have been living in the country for 10 years, as well as stepchildren. It could have affected between 750,000 and 800,000 people.
3 arrested in former ‘One Direction’ singer Liam Payne’s death
In a press release, Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office said authorities had arrested an employee at the hotel where Payne fell to his death last month, an alleged drug dealer, and a person who “accompanied the artist daily during his stay in the city of Buenos Aires.”
Officials said at least four supplies of narcotics were “conclusively proven” to have been addressed to Payne during his stay at the Casa Sur hotel between Oct. 13 and 16. Payne fell from a third-floor balcony of the hotel on Oct. 16.
Thursday’s report revealed that in the 72 hours before he died, Payne had alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription anti-depressant in his system.
The hotel employee and alleged dealer are both charged with providing narcotics while the third person is charged with providing narcotics and abandonment of a person followed by death.
Man behind AOL’S iconic ‘you’ve got mail’ dies at 74
An iconic voice that defined a generation in technology has died.
Elwood Edwards, endearingly known as AOL’s “You’ve got mail” guy, died Tuesday. Nov. 5, at the age of 74 after suffering from a “long illness,” according to an announcement by local news station WKYC-TV in Cleveland, Ohio.
Edwards worked there as a graphics and camera operator, among other roles. According to the announcement, made Thursday, he died one day before his 75th birthday.
FDA approves new drug for schizophrenia, promises few side effects
The FDA has approved a new kind of drug to treat schizophrenia that touts fewer side effects than current options, after seeing encouraging results from trials by the drug’s maker. The FDA approved Bristol Myers Squibb’s new treatment, Cobenfy, in September, after getting positive results from two of the company’s five-week trials of the drug.
Now, the results of two yearlong studies have been released as well. While most of the participants who signed up for the trials dropped out because of side effects — which doctors say is common for schizophrenia drug trials — those who stayed in showed significant improvement.
One study focused on severely ill patients while the other looked at people who were considered more stable over the course of a year.
Among the severely ill patients, 78% dropped out of the study, leaving only 35 participants.
Just over half of participants (51%) in the more stable group study didn’t finish the trial, leaving 283 people who did take the drug for a full year.
Of those in the severely ill group who did finish the trial, 69% showed meaningful improvement in their symptoms after a year. Nearly a third (30%) of those in the more stable group improved as well.
This drug could represent a breakthrough in treating schizophrenia, which has been notoriously hard to consistently treat because many people feel the side effects outweigh the benefits.
The new drug works differently from traditional antipsychotics. Instead of blocking dopamine receptors, Cobenfy’s main ingredient targets a different receptor that indirectly blocks dopamine release.
One of its other main ingredients blocks some of the common side effects that come with schizophrenia meds, like nausea, vomiting and indigestion, and has been associated with slight weight loss instead of weight gain.
Still, it’s not clear what side effects led participants to drop out of the trial. One doctor who was not part of the study told The Associated Press that we’ll understand more as doctors start prescribing the drug.
Another concern is cost. Cobenfy goes for about $22,500 a year, compared to $540 for a generic antipsychotic. Some doctors are concerned insurance companies will require schizophrenia patients to try other, less expensive drugs before they can move on to Cobenfy.
Currently, there is one cheaper generic that is widely considered one of the best treatments for schizophrenia, clozapine. However, it’s not used as often because it requires blood testing to watch for the risk of severe neutropenia, a condition that causes the body to have a low number of white blood cells which are essential for fighting infections.
Patients have reported relapses in symptoms when that medication was delayed over testing requirements.
FDA, DEA struggle to take down rogue pharmacy websites
The FDA has issued a warning about the growing presence of fake online pharmacies selling drugs like oxycodone and Xanax through Google, exploiting search engine loopholes to mimic legitimate pharmacies. These rogue sites are targeting consumers with illegal drugs, often without requiring prescriptions, raising concerns about safety and abuse.
Kubapharm.com, one such site flagged by the FDA in 2022, continues to operate today. The website allows customers to buy fentanyl-laced pills without prescription verification.
Getty Images
A recent video by The Washington Examiner demonstrated the ease of finding such dangerous sites through Google search results.
The video showed one person searching the internet for cocaine by looking up “buy cocaine.” The search showed a misleading .gov site for disaster assistance. However, that site had a link to another website that had contact information for a drug dealer.
Google’s algorithms block over 40 billion spam pages daily. However, an update in 2022 made it easier for malicious sites to create fake pages within reputable government domains. The tech company advises organizations to block internal search pages from appearing in results, yet loopholes allow some fake pharmacies to slip through.
Experts warn these trends put consumers at serious risk, potentially leading them to bypass traditional pharmacies entirely. Officials urge anyone seeking medication online to verify sites carefully, consult with a doctor and only buy from reputable, certified pharmacies.
Texas AG sues doctor for providing gender-affirming care to minors
Texas is suing a Dallas doctor who is accused of providing gender-affirming care to minors. The lawsuit, announced by the state’s Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton Thursday, Oct. 17, alleges Dr. May Lau provided hormones to more than 20 minors in violation of a Texas ban that took effect last year.
This marks one of the first times any state has taken legal action to enforce a ban of this kind. Texas law bans transgender people under 18 from accessing hormone therapies, puberty blockers and transition surgeries.
The lawsuit accuses Lau of “falsifying medical records, prescriptions, and billing records to represent that her testosterone prescriptions are for something other than transitioning a child’s biological sex or affirming a child’s belief that their gender identity is inconsistent with their biological sex.”
Paxton is asking the court for an injunction against Lau and for her to be fined as much as $10,000 per violation.
