- Trump further injects himself into New York City mayoral race
- Tuesday’s election could shape the image of the Democrats
- Mamdani leads polls ahead of Cuomo and a Republican candidate
- U.S. provides $7.4 billion a year to NYC, or 6.4% of its budget
World
Use of Wegovy and other weight-loss drugs soars among kids and young adults
At 17, Israel McKenzie was so burdened by obesity that he stopped going to high school in person and was embarrassed to speak to people at his restaurant job.
“I was in a really dark place,” says McKenzie, whose weight had climbed to 335 pounds on his 6-foot-1 frame, despite repeated efforts to diet and exercise. “I had given up hope.”
But last year, the weight-loss drug Wegovy helped him shed 110 pounds in nine months, making the rural Tennessee teen part of a surge of adolescents and young adults using diabetes and obesity medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, new research shows.
Even as millions of older adults clamor for drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy, monthly use of the medications soared in people aged 12 to 25. That’s according to the new analysis of dispensing records from nearly 94% of U.S. retail pharmacies from 2020 to 2023.
The report, published in the journal JAMA on Wednesday, used the IQVIA prescription database to compile the first look at the national uptake of GLP-1 drugs among that age group. Nearly 31,000 children aged 12 to 17 and more than 162,000 people aged 18 to 25 used the medications in 2023 alone, said Dr. Joyce Lee, a University of Michigan pediatrician and diabetes expert who led the research.
“What it’s suggesting is that it’s one of the tools in the toolbox and there are more providers prescribing this medication for the population,” she said.
The report shows that the number of 12- to 25-year-olds using any GLP-1 drug — including older medications first approved to treat diabetes in 2005 and for weight loss in 2014 — climbed from about 8,700 a month in 2020 to more than 60,000 a month in 2023, a nearly 600% increase. The rise occurred even as prescriptions of other drugs among those patients fell by about 3%.
Those who received the drugs were just a fraction of young people who struggle with obesity, Lee noted. About 20% of U.S. children and adolescents and about 42% of adults have the chronic disease, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In early 2023, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that children and teens with obesity be evaluated early and treated aggressively, including with surgery and medication if warranted.
McKenzie, the Tennessee teen, said he began gaining weight five years ago, during puberty.
“I started turning to food for all of my problems,” he said.
The extra weight made his asthma worse and put him in danger of developing diabetes, his doctor said. He tried to follow medical advice by cutting out sugary soda and snack foods and exercising more, but the efforts failed to make a difference.
“My old doctor told me there was nothing he could do,” he said. “He told me it was my fault.”
In early 2023, McKenzie connected with Dr. Joani Jack, a pediatric obesity specialist at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger in Chattanooga, Tennessee, who regularly prescribes GLP-1 drugs for kids.
“I told him I’ve seen 10 other people just like you today and we have lots of tools and treatment options,” Jack said. Those typically include intensive behavioral and nutrition interventions combined with medication, if necessary.
In McKenzie’s case, Jack prescribed the weight-loss drug Wegovy, which in late 2022 was approved for use in U.S. children over age 12. More than 6,000 kids in that age group received Wegovy in 2023, the new data show. More than 7,600 received Ozempic, which is approved to treat diabetes in adults, but can be used off-label in adolescents. Others received older GLP-1 drugs such as Saxenda and Trulicity.
McKenzie said he had no notable side effects from the medication, but Lee noted that some young people report nausea, vomiting or constipation, including symptoms so serious that they stop the drugs.
It’s important to understand the surging use of these medications in young people, Lee said. The drugs are meant for continuing use, so “we really need to think about the long-term safety and effectiveness of these medications for this population,” she said.
In addition, the drugs are expensive and often difficult to obtain, either because of supply problems or because they’re not covered by insurance.
Notably, government-run Medicaid plans paid for nearly half of the GLP-1 drugs prescribed to 12- to 17-year-olds and about a quarter of those used by people aged 18 to 25, the research found. Commercial insurance covered care for nearly 44% of the younger kids and about two-thirds of those who were older.
Today, McKenzie says his asthma is better and he looks forward to interacting with co-workers and friends.
“I have a lot of self-confidence now, a lot more than I used to,” he said. “It has changed everything.”
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Continue Reading
World
Trump backs Cuomo, threatens to cut funds for New York City if Mamdani wins mayoral race
WASHINGTON, Nov 3 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for mayor of New York City on Monday and threatened to hold back federal funds to the city if Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the mayoral election on Tuesday.
Trump, a Republican who has offered frequent commentary on the New York mayoral election, injected himself further into the race by crossing party lines to support Cuomo over Mamdani and the Republican candidate, Curtis Sliwa, who trails badly in public opinion polls in the heavily Democratic city.
Sign up here.
Cuomo, a longtime stalwart in the Democratic Party, is running as an independent after losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary.
Tuesday’s New York City election has been closely watched nationally as one that could help shape the image of the Democratic Party as it seeks its identity in opposition to Trump. Mamdani, 34, a self-described democratic socialist who is leading Cuomo in the polls, has energized younger and more progressive voters, but he has also alarmed more moderate Democrats who fear a shift too far to the left may backfire.
Republicans have attacked Mamdani’s candidacy throughout the campaign, with Trump casting him as a communist.
“Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job. He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Trump said a vote for Sliwa would only help Mamdani.
“If Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the Election for Mayor of New York City, it is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required, to my beloved first home,” said Trump, a native New Yorker.
Item 1 of 4 Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani, looks on as he holds a campaign rally on the eve of election day, in the Queens borough of New York City, U.S., November 3, 2025. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
[1/4]Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani, looks on as he holds a campaign rally on the eve of election day, in the Queens borough of New York City, U.S., November 3, 2025. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton Purchase Licensing Rights
The U.S. federal government is providing $7.4 billion to New York City in fiscal year 2026, or about 6.4% of the city’s total spending, according to a report from the New York State Comptroller.
Trump has threatened federal funding cuts throughout his second term in office over climate initiatives, transgender policies, pro-Palestinian protests against Israel’s war in Gaza and diversity, equity and inclusion practices.
Mamdani, a Uganda-born state assembly member, shocked political observers on June 24 with a convincing victory in the primary.
Mamdani has used his campaign to rally New Yorkers against establishment candidates like Cuomo, who was elected governor of New York three times but resigned in 2021 following a report from the New York Attorney General that concluded he had sexually harassed 11 women, including state employees. A U.S. Justice Department investigation later concluded Cuomo subjected at least 13 female state employees to a “sexually hostile work environment.”
“The MAGA movement’s embrace of Andrew Cuomo is reflective of Donald Trump’s understanding that this would be the best mayor for him,” Mamdani said at a campaign event following Trump’s endorsement of Cuomo.
“They (Trump and Cuomo) share the same donors, they share the same small vision, they share the same sense of impunity,” Mamdani said.
Mamdani’s policies include hiking taxes on New York City’s wealthiest, raising the corporation tax rate, freezing stabilized apartment rental rates and increasing publicly subsidized housing.
His rise presents both risks and rewards for the national Democratic Party, which acknowledges the need to appeal to young voters but is wary of Republican attacks over Mamdani’s criticism of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and his democratic socialism, which has concerned New York’s finance community.
Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington and Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California; Editing by Costas Pitas, Caitlin Webber and Stephen Coates
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
World
Avalanche in Nepal kills 7 climbers on Mount Yalung Ri
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
An avalanche on Monday swept through a camp in Nepal, killing five foreign climbers and two Nepali guides, officials said.
Five foreigners were injured at the base camp on Mount Yalung Ri, located at 16,070 feet. Their nationalities and identities have not been disclosed.
A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the agency was aware of the avalanche and was working to gather information.
“The U.S. Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens,” the spokesperson said. “We are closely monitoring the situation and stand ready to provide consular assistance.”
DAREDEVIL MOUNTAINEER MAKES HISTORY SKIING DOWN MOUNT EVEREST THROUGH DEATH ZONE WITHOUT OXYGEN
Mount Everest is shown in Nepal. On Monday, seven people died at the base camp on Mount Yalung Ri, also in Nepal. (Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)
Rescue crews were reaching the site on foot. A rescue helicopter attempted to reach the site, but bad weather forced it to turn back. Nepal’s Armed Police Force spokesperson Shailendra Thapa said it will try again Tuesday at dawn.
BLIZZARD TRAPS HUNDREDS ON MOUNT EVEREST AS RESCUE TEAMS RACE TO SAVE LIVES
Mount Yalung Ri is an 18,370-foot peak. It’s considered suitable for beginners with no previous experience climbing high mountains.
Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 14 tallest mountains, including Mount Everest.
Earlier this month, a South Korean climber died after getting caught in a powerful storm while attempting to summit a Himalayan peak just south of Mount Everest.

Villagers ascend the mountain during rescue efforts to reach hundreds of hikers trapped by heavy snow at tourist campsites on a slope of Mount Everest. (Lingsuiye via AP)
In the autumn months, climbers often scale smaller peaks before the rainy season and winter months.
World
Two dead as Typhoon Kalmaegi brings massive flooding in central Philippines
Residents seek refuge on rooftops, and cars float through flooded streets on the island of Cebu.
Published On 4 Nov 2025
Rain-soaked residents sought refuge on rooftops, and cars floated through flooded streets as Typhoon Kalmaegi battered central Philippines, killing at least two people, according to the national disaster agency and media reports.
Hundreds of thousands have been displaced by the powerful storm across the Visayas region as well as parts of southern Luzon and northern Mindanao, as Kalmaegi made landfall shortly before midnight.
list of 3 itemsend of listRecommended Stories
By noon local time (04:00 GMT) on Tuesday, Kalmaegi was moving westwards across the islands of Cebu, Negros and Panay with winds of 150km/h (93mph) and gusts of 185km/h, toppling trees and downing power lines.
A video published by DZRH radio’s Facebook page showed homes in Talisay City in Cebu completely submerged, with only rooftops visible.
Similar scenes in other parts of Cebu City, where vehicles and streets were underwater, circulated on social media. In some of the videos, people were heard pleading to be rescued.
A road in the town of Tabuelan, also in Cebu province, was rendered impassable following a landslide.
On the island of Bohol, one person was reported killed after he was pinned down by a fallen tree, according to radio station DYMA.
WATCH: Several individuals called for help at Barangay Dumlog, Talisay City, Cebu on Tuesday morning.
“We cannot cross the roofs,” said uploader Godfrey Senecio.
Cebu Governor Pam Baricuatro is now on her way to Talisay to assess the situation.
“It’s the flooding that placed… pic.twitter.com/KLX2Oz5v4n
— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) November 4, 2025
An elderly person drowned after being trapped in his residence on the island of Leyte, according to radio station DZMM.
State weather agency PAGASA said the combination of Kalmaegi and a shear line had brought heavy rain and strong winds across the Visayas and nearby areas.
“Due to interaction with the terrain, Tino may slightly weaken while crossing Visayas. However, it is expected to remain at typhoon intensity throughout its passage over the country,” PAGASA said in a morning bulletin.
More than 160 flights to and from affected areas have been cancelled, while those at sea were advised to head to the nearest safe harbour immediately and to stay in port.
PAGASA warned of a high risk of “life-threatening and damaging storm surges” that could reach more than 3-metre (10-foot) height along coastal and low-lying communities in the central Philippines, including parts of Mindanao.
On Monday, the country’s Office of Civil Defense reported that some 156,000 individuals had been preemptively evacuated.
Kalmaegi comes as the Philippines, which is hit by an average of 20 tropical storms each year, is recovering from a run of disasters, including earthquakes and severe weather events, in recent months.
In September, Super Typhoon Ragasa swept across northern Luzon, killing at least 10 people and forcing government work and classes to shut down as it brought fierce winds and torrential rain.
State weather service specialist Charmagne Varilla told the AFP news agency that at least “three to five more” storms were expected by December’s end.
Scientists warn that storms are becoming more frequent and more powerful due to human-driven climate change.
-
Milwaukee, WI7 days agoLongtime anchor Shannon Sims is leaving Milwaukee’s WTMJ-TV (Channel 4)
-
News1 week agoWith food stamps set to dry up Nov. 1, SNAP recipients say they fear what’s next
-
Alabama1 week agoHow did former Alabama basketball star Mark Sears do in NBA debut with Milwaukee Bucks?
-
News1 week ago1 dead, 6 injured in shooting at Lincoln University homecoming festivities
-
Austin, TX1 week agoDia De Los Muertos Austin: Parades, Altars & Events
-
Culture1 week agoVideo: Tyler Mitchell Breaks Down Three Photos From His New Book
-
Culture5 days agoVideo: Dissecting Three Stephen King Adaptations
-
Seattle, WA7 days agoFOX 13’s Aaron Levine wins back-to-back Jeopardy! episodes
