Axios

Pfizer has filed a lawsuit against Metsera and Novo Nordisk, seeking to block Novo's rival takeover bid unveiled Thursday.

Why it matters: The fight over obesity startup Metsera is heating up and could be headed to court — a scenario that may stall the deal's completion for years.

President Trump on Friday said he's asking "the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible," after a federal judge in Rhode Island ordered his administration to continue funding the program during the shutdown.

Why it matters: Roughly 42 million Americans are set to lose their supplemental food benefits Saturday — and it's unclear if Friday's ruling will be enacted fast enough to guarantee recipients get their money in time.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy says the company's announcement of layoffs earlier this week wasn't about AI.

Why it matters: The cuts of 14,000 white-collar workers at the tech and retail giant have triggered fears of a growing AI job apocalypse, but labor market reality is more nuanced.

• The job market slump we're seeing right now is complicated by other factors. AI — though certainly disruptive — is lower down on the list.

The United Nations human rights chief on Friday condemned the Trump administration's military strikes against boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, calling for an investigation.

Why it matters: The administration's escalating campaign faces human rights violation accusations, alienates allies and provokes outrage at home, a collision of military might, international order and a president showing no signs of changing course.

Eli Lilly's GLP-1 sales are rising at an unexpectedly strong pace, prompting its arch rival to make a surprising bid for an upstart obesity drug maker that another pharmaceutical company had already agreed to acquire.

Why it matters: The dynamic competitive landscape in the weight-loss drugs space continues to shift.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem denied Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker's (D) request to suspend all federal immigration operations across the Chicago area over Halloween weekend.

Why it matters: Pritzker's request came after Chicago residents reported last weekend that federal immigration officers conducted a raid right before a children's Halloween parade.

House Democrats left a briefing on President Trump's strikes against alleged drug boats furious at the absence of lawyers to explain the administration's legal reasoning.

Why it matters: Lawmakers in both parties have for months been railing against the administration for not providing more evidence that the targets were indeed drug smugglers and that the strikes were legally justified.

Clocks "fall back" at 2am Sunday — but sleep experts say that doesn't mean you'll feel more rested.

Why it matters: The shift from daylight saving to standard time can disrupt circadian rhythms, leading to poorer sleep, even if you gain an hour.

Surgeon general nominee Casey Means' confirmation hearing has been postponed after she went into labor, a Senate health committee spokesperson said.

Why it matters: The Thursday morning hearing was expected to reopen battle lines over Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his "Make America Healthy Again" movement.

Driving the news: The nutrition influencer had been set to appear virtually because she was pregnant. The committee got word this morning that she is in labor.

• Means was trained as a physician at Stanford before dropping out of her residency program to focus on root causes of disease.
• She brings a focus on chronic disease, but also controversial doubts about vaccines.
• President Trump picked Means in May after withdrawing the nomination of Janette Nesheiwat.

"Everyone is happy for Dr. Means and her family," HHS spokesperson Emily Hilliard said. "This is one of the few times in life when it's easy to ask to move a Senate hearing."

Louisiana moms had the nation's highest maternal death rate in 2023, a new report shows.

Zoom in: The state's maternal mortality rate was 41.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to The Commonwealth Fund, a health care foundation.

The Trump administration's $100,000 fee for new H-1B visa applicants could exacerbate the shortage of doctors in poor and outlying areas and widen disparities in care, according to research published in JAMA on Wednesday.

Why it matters: More than 11,000 doctors — or roughly 1% of the U.S. physician workforce — were sponsored for H-1B visas last year. Visa holders were likelier than their domestic counterparts to fill critical gaps in health care, such as primary care and psychiatry.

The anticipated spike in Affordable Care Act premiums came into focus this week as previews of 2026 coverage options showed how customers could be on the hook for thousands more dollars in costs.

Why it matters: ACA open enrollment starts on Saturday, and people looking to re-up coverage could face both higher premiums and less assistance paying them if Congress doesn't extend enhanced pandemic-era subsidies.

The cost of hiring help to care for an elderly or a sick person at home is skyrocketing.

Why it matters: A labor shortage and surging demand from an aging population was already driving up prices, and now the White House's crackdown on immigration and funding cuts are making things worse.

Most of the U.S. will fall back to standard time Sunday — even as most of the country wants to sunset the biannual clock change.

Why it matters: 19 states have passed laws for permanent daylight saving time, but they can't act without Congress — and federal efforts have stalled.

Thursday's Senate confirmation hearing for surgeon general nominee Casey Means is due to reopen concerns from Democrats and some Republicans about Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the "Make America Healthy Again" movement.

Why it matters: Means is an ally of Kennedy and the MAHA movement, and if confirmed as the nation's top doctor would have the power to amplify his concerns about chronic disease and doubts about vaccines.