Photo: Science Photo Library RF
1 Alex Murdaugh's Trial Delivered Closing Arguments Yesterday
The prosecution in the Alex Murdaugh murder trial stated in their closing argument Murdaugh lied about his whereabouts the night his wife and son were killed and that lying about that proves his guilt. Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters called Murdaugh a liar. Waters played police videos where Murdaugh later admitted on the stand he was lying and said Murdaugh was forced into a corner when confronted with evidence. Waters also said some of Murdaugh’s law partners testified he was “not overly concerned” about figuring out what happened to his wife, Maggie, or son, Paul, or about any possible threats to his other son, Buster. “Why is there no threat to Buster?” Waters asked, “Because he was the threat to Maggie and Paul. He knows there is no vigilante out there, that’s why he was never concerned about it.” The once wealthy, high-profile lawyer admits he lied to police when he originally said he hadn't been at the scene of the 2021 crime. Murdaugh admitted that fact on the stand but blamed his drug addiction and fear of police for his deception. He faces 30 years to life in prison without parole if convicted. The trial ended shortly before 4 p.m. Wednesday. Court is now in recess until 8:30 a.m. on Thursday when the defense is expected to begin its closing argument.
2 Eli Lilly Will Now Cap Insulin Cost At $35
Eli Lilly has announced 70% price cuts on its most prescribed insulin. The move comes as Eli Lilly and other insulin makers face ongoing criticism about high prices driving some diabetics to ration the life-saving drug. Effective immediately, the company is capping out-of-pocket costs for its most popular insulin products at $35 per month. The cap automatically applies to people with private insurance. People without insurance will be eligible as long as they sign up for Eli Lilly’s copay assistance program. Beyond that, the price of a Humalog 100 units vial will be cut to $66, down from $274. That will start in October. Why is this significant? Eli Lilly and two foreign pharmaceutical companies - Novo Nordisk and Sanofi - control the entire insulin market. The White House is applauding the company for capping insulin costs. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said it's an important piece of progress toward lowering healthcare costs for all Americans. The price cut is something President Biden has been pushing pharmaceutical companies to do.
3 TikTok Limits Teens To One-Hour a Day
TikTok is making a move to encourage teenagers to spend less time on the app. Yesterday, they announced that every user under 18 will soon have a screen time limit of one hour a day. The platform will make this the default setting for teens’ accounts, and it will roll out in the coming weeks. But they’ll still be able to turn it off. When users 18 or younger reach the 60-minute limit, they’ll be prompted to enter a passcode to add more scrolling time. But TikTok hopes the disruption and requiring teens to make an active decision to stay on the app will help them be more intentional about the time they spend on it. Kids under 13 will also get a one-hour time limit on daily screen time, but they’ll need a parent or guardian to set or enter a passcode to give them an additional 30 minutes.