Anna's Daybreak News

_{Just facts, you think for yourself}

Friday, 5:11 AM

August 22, 2025

Good morning news friend! Uncover today’s unfolding stories and the future they’re creating. 📰🌟

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Erik Menendez Denied Parole

Erik Menendez was denied parole after 35 years for murdering his parents in 1989. The parole board based its decision on his repeated prison infractions, including drug use, tax fraud involvement, and possession of contraband cellphones, rather than the original crime.

Erik admitted to an addiction and to contraband phones but showed little remorse for rule violations. He and his brother Lyle, who faces parole today, were resentenced to 50 years to life in May 2025, making them eligible for parole after serving half their terms.

Legal efforts continue with a pending habeas corpus petition citing new evidence of abuse. Erik can reapply for parole in three years.

Sources: Reuters, AP News, NYTimes, WallStreetJournal.

Alligator Alcatraz Halted

A federal judge ordered Florida to stop using Alligator Alcatraz, an Everglades detention center holding several hundred detainees and designed for 3,000. The ruling requires removal of fences, lighting, generators, and waste systems within 60 days.

The facility, costing over $200 million to build and up to $450 million annually to run, violated environmental laws by bypassing required impact studies.

Its lighting reduced Florida panther habitat by 2,000 acres, and runoff threatened wetlands while restricting the Miccosukee Tribe’s land access.

Governor DeSantis vowed to appeal. The ruling halts expansion and enforces environmental protections in the Everglades.

Sources: AXIOS, AP News, Reuters, Bloomberg, BBC.

Labor Market Slows

Initial jobless claims rose by 11,000 to 235,000 in mid-August, exceeding forecasts, while continuing claims hit the highest level since November 2021 at 1.972 million. The unemployment rate increased to 4.3%.

Job growth slowed to an average of 35,000 per month this summer amid trade policy uncertainty and rising tariffs.

Walmart reported Q2 revenue of $177.4 billion, beating expectations, but adjusted EPS missed at 68 cents due to margin pressure from higher inventory costs. Online sales surged 25%, supporting growth. Existing home sales rose 2% in July.

The Federal Reserve is expected to cut rates by 0.25 points to support the labor market, while inflation remains above target.

Sources: Reuters, Reuters, Globaltimes, Marketwatch.

Nvidia Halts H20 AI Chip Production

Nvidia has halted production of its H20 AI chip for China, instructing suppliers Amkor, Samsung, and Foxconn to pause work.

China urged companies like Tencent and Alibaba to stop purchasing the chip, citing security concerns over potential tracking or backdoors, which Nvidia denies.

Despite the U.S. issuing export licenses for H20 sales in April, Nvidia took a $4.5 billion writedown in May for unsold inventory and reported $2.5 billion lower revenue last quarter due to export restrictions.

The dispute highlights escalating U.S.-China tensions in AI hardware, with China pushing for chip self-sufficiency and resisting U.S. dominance in advanced technology sectors.

Sources: Theinformation, Reuters, Bloomberg, CNBC.

The End of LASIK Surgery

Researchers developed electromechanical reshaping (EMR), a non-surgical method to correct vision by applying electrical currents via platinum contact lenses to reshape the cornea in about one minute.

Tested on 12 rabbit eyes, including 10 simulating myopia, EMR improved focusing without damaging cells, using controlled pH changes to soften collagen tissue temporarily.

Unlike LASIK, which removes corneal tissue, EMR molds the cornea reversibly and may also treat corneal cloudiness, potentially reducing costs and risks. Further animal studies are planned to assess durability and address various vision problems.

Funding challenges remain, but EMR could offer a cheaper, simpler alternative to laser-based surgeries.

Sources: SciTechDaily, Sciencedaily, Futurism, The-Scientist.

Universal mRNA Vaccine Destroys Tumors

An experimental mRNA vaccine triggers a broad immune response against tumors, making them more vulnerable.

In mice, the vaccine alone eliminated some tumors and, combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors, shrank resistant tumors across melanoma, skin, bone, and brain cancers. It stimulates PD-L1 protein within tumors, enhancing their response to immunotherapy and activating dormant T cells to multiply and kill cancer cells.

Unlike traditional or personalized vaccines targeting specific tumor proteins, this approach offers a generalized, off-the-shelf cancer vaccine. Researchers plan human trials soon. If successful, it could work alone or with current immunotherapies to treat various resistant cancers.

Sources: SciTechDaily, Sciencedaily.

“There is a peculiar brand of fool who thinks he can prove he's a great woodsman by trying to chop down a tree with a butter knife; it's a kind of vanity that generally results in nothing but a bent knife. ”

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• AI & the Future of White-Collar Work

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Baked with love,

Anna Eisenberg ❤️