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š¬ Daily Brief: Fake Ozempic
Good morning, Quartz readers!
Hereās what you need to know
The World Health Organization issued a warning about fake Ozempic. The agency said it found counterfeits in the U.K. and Brazil in October, and more in the U.S. in December.
Oil prices have gone up 10% in the last two weeks. A slight ding in supply and rising Middle East tensions are boosting the commodity.
Amazon is getting rid of plastic air pillows in its packaging. The company already has replaced 95% of its plastic air pillows in North American with paper filler.
McDonaldās is giving Free Fries Friday a shot. App users who spend a minimum of $1 on Fridays will receive free fries with their order in an effort to win back inflation-scorned customers.
Apple needs an OpenAI alternative in China
Apple unveiled its hotly anticipated generative AI plans earlier this month, including an integration partnership with OpenAI.
Thereās just one problem: OpenAIās ChatGPT, which Apple is putting in its newest iPhone, iPad, and Mac operating systems, is not available in China, along with other AI models developed outside the country.
Apple is going to need a plan to turn around rapidly declining numbers in the country, and this wonāt help. Case in point:
2nd: Where China ranks among Appleās biggest markets
15.7%: Appleās share of Chinaās smartphone market, down year over year from 19.7%
19%: How much Appleās iPhone sales in China have fallen in the first quarter of this year
2020: Last time Appleās iPhone sales in China were that bad
How do drugs get their wacky names?
Stelara, Comirnaty, Sronyx ā why are drug names often so strange? Itās actually primarily due to safety. Settling on a name can take a drug manufacturer up to four years and involves several regulatory agencies.
In the season premier of the Quartz Obsession podcast ā Drug Names: The machinations behind the monikers ā Quartz reporter Bruce Gil tells host Rocio Fabbro all about the art and science of drug naming.
š§ Listen now on Spotify | Apple | Pandora
š Or, read the transcript
Friday market haiku
Felony charges
werenāt kind to Trump Media.
Next up: All time low.
Trump Media stock has plunged 50% since Donald Trumpās conviction and is near an all-time low, with yesterday marking more losses.
More from Quartz
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š Gilead says its HIV prevention shot was 100% effective in a clinical trial
š āMega tech IPOsā could finally come in 2025, Nasdaq president says
š¤ New millionaires are more likely to give directly to charity than old money
šŗ Ozempic and other weight loss drugs could help alcoholics, too
šØ Distracted driving is accelerating as Gen Z takes the wheel
Surprising discoveries
Earthās core is indeed rotating slower. That could mean longer days, but we wouldnāt notice it much.
Saturn is also dealing with some orbital changes. Scientists found the planet has seasons of energy imbalance due to how it spins.
A theater in London was set to screen the world premiere of a movie written by ChatGPT4.0. The backlash was swift and the showing was halted.
Snapchat is being linked to an uptick in teen opioid overdoses. Users are meeting dealers on the app, and itās fueling addiction to the prescription painkillers.
Another shiny monolith column popped up in the middle of nowhere, this time in the desert near Las Vegas. Similar sightings have been reported in Utah and California since 2020.
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Our best wishes for a productive day. Send any news, comments, longer days (happy solstice!), and seasons of energy balance to talk@qz.com. Todayās Daily Brief was brought to you by Morgan Haefner.