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Ozempic may have another positive side effect... May 23, 2023 [View Online]( | [Sign Up]( | [Shop]( [Morning Brew]( TOGETHER WITH [LiquidPiston]( Good morning. Billionaire entrepreneur Jeffrey Bezos is reportedly engaged to his girlfriend of five years, the Emmy Award-winning journalist Lauren Sanchez. Bezos is said to have popped the question in Cannes, France, on his brand-new $500 million superyacht, Koru. Two things you should know about Koru: - It has a mermaid on its prow that resembles Sanchez. - It’s accompanied by a butler yacht, a 246-foot vessel called Abeona. Abeona carries “toys” like seaplanes, personal submarines, and sometimes helicopters, for when Koru’s passengers get bored with whatever diversions a $500 million superyacht provides, the NYT reported. Wait ’til the orcas find out about this… —Molly Liebergall, Sam Klebanov, Cassandra Cassidy, Neal Freyman, Abby Rubenstein MARKETS Nasdaq 12,720.78 +0.50% S&P 4,192.63 +0.02% Dow 33,286.58 -0.42% 10-Year 3.715% +0.0 bps Bitcoin $27,028.40 +1.41% Pfizer $38.75 +5.38% *Stock data as of market close, cryptocurrency data as of 4:00am ET. [Here's what these numbers mean.]( - Markets: Stocks were mixed yesterday, with the Nasdaq reaching its [highest]( since August as a bright spot. All eyes remained fixed on Washington, where negotiations over raising the debt ceiling continued. Pfizer jumped on news of a study showing that an oral diabetes drug it is developing caused as much weight loss as Ozempic injections.  ENVIRONMENT [Deal reached to keep the Colorado River wet, for now]( [The Colorado River's reservoirs are dangerously low]( Brian van der Brug/Getty Images Three states that rely on the Colorado River’s dangerously dwindling water supplies have agreed to cut back their usage, which officials hope will buy enough time to find a long-term solution to the depletion of one of the country’s most relied-upon water sources. Forty million people in Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, California, Arizona, and parts of Mexico rely on the Colorado River’s flow, which has suffered roughly a 33% decrease in recent years due to chronic overuse, population growth, and historic drought. Without the river’s water filling Lake Mead and Lake Powell, life wouldn’t be able to thrive in desert environments like Las Vegas and Phoenix. That’s why Nevada, Arizona, and California have [pledged to reduce]( their intake from the Colorado River by 13%—or 3 million football fields worth of water—over the next three years in exchange for $1.2 billion in federal payments. How close is the river to drying up? Officials have been working toward a deal since last summer when river levels dropped enough that the hydroelectric turbines at Lake Mead and Lake Powell risked shutting down. - Lake Mead is so empty (only one-third full) that any further drop means it could become a dead pool and stop flowing to the lower basin states of Nevada, Arizona, and California. - The West’s record rain and [snowfall]( this winter helped the river, and the seasonal spring runoff happening now is also a boost, but neither is enough to pull the region out of its worst drought in 1,200 years. Looking ahead…the governors of Nevada, Arizona, and California wrote in a [joint statement]( that they expect their agreement will protect the reservoirs until it expires in 2026. Long-planned renegotiations with the federal government over new guidelines for who gets how much water after 2026 begin next month.—ML   TOGETHER WITH LIQUIDPISTON [This is one ENGINE-ious family]( [LiquidPiston]( Nikolay and Alexander Shkolnik, the physics dad and MIT grad behind LiquidPiston, are delivering the first major innovation to the internal combustion engine in over 100 years. And guess what? For a limited time, they’re giving you the chance to [become a shareholder](. The $400b internal combustion engine market has taken notice of their newest engine, the XTS-201—a supercharged, liquid-cooled engine that delivers 5x greater power density and runs on a variety of fuels, including gasoline, propane, and even hydrogen (which emits near-zero carbon emissions). With $30m in grants and awards from the US government and 10k+ investors already on board, LiquidPiston is racing to the top of investors’ 2023 watchlist. Add some horsepower to your portfolio. [Invest in LiquidPiston](. WORLD [Tour de headlines](#) [Photo of Mark Zuckerberg looking concerned]Alex Wong/Getty Images Meta slapped with $1.3 billion fine over data transfers. The fine over Facebook sending European [user data]( to the US, announced by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission yesterday, is the largest ever meted out for violating the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (the law that requires all those cookies notifications). Meta has already said it will appeal what it described as a “dangerous precedent.” The EU and the US are trying to hammer out a new deal to allow such transfers again despite the EU’s concerns that US spy agencies are given access to Europeans’ data in the States. Talks were “productive,” but no debt ceiling deal yet. As the US careens toward a June 1 deadline to avoid default, President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy met last night and [failed]( to reach an agreement to prevent economic chaos. Still, McCarthy called their discussion “productive” and “professional,” saying the tone was “better than any other time we’ve had discussions.” Before the meeting, McCarthy acknowledged that a deal must be struck this week in order to get it through Congress prior to the deadline, but the two sides remain far apart on the Republican’s demands for spending cuts. There was no explosion at the Pentagon. But if you were on Twitter yesterday morning, you could be forgiven for thinking there was: An apparently [AI-generated image]( showing one circulated widely before being debunked. The hoax image first appeared on Facebook before spreading to the bird app, where several accounts with paid-for blue checkmarks shared it—including one calling itself Bloomberg Feed (with no relation to the actual news site) and the Russian state news outlet RT. The misinformation temporarily caused the stock market to dip, according to the actual Bloomberg. HEALTH [Ozempic could be an addiction cure]( [Beaker with medicinal mixture and ozempic injection]( Hannah Minn The diabetes drug Ozempic, which has stirred up Real Housewives drama and won praise from celebrities for helping them lose weight, could have another welcome side effect. Some patients say it quelled their appetite for drinking, smoking, and other addictive habits, according to recent [reporting]( by The Atlantic. It’s the latest outlet to report that some people describe simply not getting the same thrill from the activities they used to crave after starting semaglutide (the generic name of Ozempic and its ilk). One patient told Insider in October he went from habitually drinking eight to 10 beers at social gatherings to losing interest in alcohol beyond a couple drinks. Meanwhile, The Atlantic heard from people who found themselves kicking habits like excessive shopping, compulsively biting nails, and picking at skin. How does it work? - Scientists say drugs similar to semaglutide could be rewiring the reward pathways in the brain, potentially reducing the dopamine release from consuming addictive substances. - In a recent study, researchers found that reward centers in the brains of people with alcohol use disorder who took a similar drug lit up less on fMRI scans when they saw pictures of alcohol (some of those researchers previously received funding from the company that makes Ozempic). But for now, much of the evidence is still anecdotal. Looking ahead…clinical trials are underway to see if semaglutide can officially be called an effective addiction cure.—SK   TOGETHER WITH M1 FINANCE [M1 Finance]( Interested in interest? The rates attached to traditional savings accounts don’t cut it. (Talk about low numbers.) Not so at M1: [Their high-yield savings account]( offers 5.00% APY with M1 Plus, no minimum deposit, and FDIC insurance up to $5 million. (That’s 20x the coverage offered by most banks.) Click the box to start earning. SOCIAL MEDIA [What would you do for a blue bubble couch?]( [Illustration of a tattered blue bubble couch with a yellow "FREE" sign sitting on it]( Francis Scialabba It’s been a while since Spitgate, so this weekend the internet found a new drama to focus on: a used sofa. On Saturday, content creator Amanda Joy posted a [TikTok]( of her journey finding a blue couch on the street, cleaning it, and getting it into her apartment. Joy claims it’s the discovery of the century—the couch is allegedly a Roche Bobois “Bubble” sofa, which retails for $8,000 (though some folks believe it’s a knock-off based on its fabric). Despite the sofa’s dubious provenance, the video of its rescue from the sidewalk has amassed 50 million views since it was posted. But not everyone is jumping for Joy: There are more than 23,000 comments on the video, most warning that the sofa could be ground zero for a bedbug infestation. In an informal Twitter poll with 13,766 votes, [47.8%]( of people said they would not have picked up that couch off the street, and not for nothing: New York City ranks second in the US on Orkin’s Top 50 BedBug Cities list. Joy posted a second video on Sunday addressing people’s concerns about the sofa, but the internet still isn’t convinced that it’s not home to insidious critters, or at least, the [ghost of a Victorian child](   GRAB BAG [Key performance indicators](#) [A hand holding Argentina's currency, the peso]Louise Morgan/Getty Images Stat: If you think you’ve had it rough with inflation because your diner omelet got expensive, consider Argentina, where inflation of over 100% a year means you need a fat stack of bills to pay for anything in cash. To try and make it easier to carry currency, the country introduced a new [2,000 peso note]( yesterday—the largest denomination it’s ever minted. But thanks to that same soaring inflation, that big bill is worth just $4 at widely used exchange rates, according to Bloomberg. Even at the official rate, which is considered overvalued, it would fetch about $8.50. Quote: “Pay your writers!” At its commencement ceremony this weekend, Boston University’s Class of 2023 came to graduate and to [heckle]( Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav on behalf of striking Hollywood writers. Students booed and chanted slogans throughout the executive’s speech advising them to follow their passion. Their interruptions showed support for members of the Writers Guild of America who walked off the job earlier this month. It’s unclear if the speech would have been better received if it had been penned by a pro. Read: How much does it cost to live like this? Crunching the numbers on NYC dream lifestyles. ([Curbed]( NEWS [What else is brewing](#) - [Max’s]( time has come. As of today, HBO Max has morphed into just Max, with new content from Discovery+, but your account should still be working. - [Uber]( has suspended its diversity chief after she oversaw “Don’t Call Me Karen” events about the experiences of white women. - [TikTok]( sued Montana over the state’s ban on the app, saying it infringes on the First Amendment. - [WhatsApp]( will let you edit messages if you catch that embarrassing typo within 15 minutes of hitting send. - [Carmelo Anthony]( is retiring from the NBA after 19 seasons. The Hall of Famer is the league’s ninth-highest scorer. RECS Yours for $6,000 a scoop: The world’s most expensive ice cream [tastes like fungus](. They showed some movies at Cannes: Here’s what [everyone wore](. It’s a wild world: A list of some of the most [unusual places on Earth](. Berry season is upon us: And there are so many delicious things to [make with them](. Pod rec: Listen to [The Prof G Pod]( for a unique blend of personal narrative and provocative business insights from the one and only Scott Galloway.+ Mascara that mimics the look of extensions: [This award-winning mascara]( gives you that salon-perfect look without any of the hassles. Plus, it lasts all day and doesn’t flake or smudge. [Get 20% off your first order]( *This is sponsored advertising content. +This content is from an editorial partner. GAMES [The puzzle section](#) Brew Mini: Put on your headphones, cue the chill beats, and see if you can beat Neal’s time of 35 seconds for solving today’s Mini. [Play it here](. Name the movie franchise Last weekend, a film franchise hit $1 billion at the global box office. We’ll give you a few clues about this franchise—see if you can name it. - There are four installments. - The first movie was released in 2014. - The protagonist was born in Belarus. - Actors who’ve appeared in at least one of the movies include Willem Dafoe, Halle Berry, and Common. - A spinoff film named Ballerina is set to be released in 2024. AROUND THE BREW [How does Duolingo do hiring?]( [How does Duolingo do hiring?]( Ready to up your recruiting game? HR Brew connected with experts to discuss strategies for optimal hiring. [Watch on demand today](. Once you’ve landed the best candidate for the job, how do you keep them happy? Hint: It’s in the data. [Check it out](. Kick off your long weekend with some Morning Brew merch. Don’t miss sales up to 75% off. [Shop now](. SHARE THE BREW [Share Morning Brew]( with your friends, acquire free Brew swag, and then acquire more friends as a result of your fresh Brew swag. We’re saying we’ll give you free stuff and more friends if you share a link. One link. Your referral count: 0 [Click to Share]( Or copy & paste your referral link to others: [morningbrew.com/daily/r/?kid=4904f90a]( ANSWER John Wick ✳︎ A Note From M1 Finance Terms and Conditions Apply. Learn more at [(. Written by [Neal Freyman]( [Molly Liebergall]( Sam Klebanov, [Cassandra Cassidy]( and [Abigail Rubenstein]( Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up [here](. Take The Brew to work - Marketers: [Marketing Brew]( - Corporate: [CFO Brew](  [HR Brew]( - Tech: [IT Brew](  [Tech Brew]( - Retailers: [Retail Brew]( - Healthcare: [Healthcare Brew]( Get smarter in just 5 minutes - Money & Career: [Money Scoop](  [Money With Katie](  [Raise]( Business education without the BS - Programs in [Business Essentials]( [Analytics]( and [Leadership]( Interested in podcasts? - Check out ours [here]( [ADVERTISE]( // [CAREERS]( // [SHOP]( // [FAQ]( Update your email preferences or unsubscribe [here](. 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