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Thursday, 5:11 AM

July 31, 2025

Good morning news friend! Step into today’s defining moments and see how they shape the future. 📰🌟

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Trump Slaps 15% Tariffs on South Korea, 25% on India

President Trump imposed a 15% tariff on South Korean autos and semiconductors, down from a threatened 25%, effective before August 1.

South Korea agreed to invest $350 billion in U.S. projects—$150 billion in shipbuilding and $200 billion in chips, nuclear power, batteries, and biotech—and to buy $100 billion in U.S. energy products over 3.5 years. Steel, aluminum, and copper tariffs at 50% remain.

South Korea kept rice and beef market protections. The country’s trade surplus with the U.S. hit $55.7 billion in 2023.

Trump also applied a 25% tariff on Indian imports, citing India’s tariffs and Russia trade, causing Indian markets to fall.

Sources: Reuters, Bloomberg, BBC, Ndtv, FinancialTimes.

Fed Holds Rates Steady

The Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate at about 4.3%, resisting pressure to cut amid uncertain inflation and tariff impacts. Chair Jerome Powell highlighted the need for caution as core inflation rose 2.7% year-over-year.

Two governors dissented, favoring a 0.25 percentage point cut—the first dual dissent in over 30 years. Job growth slowed to 74,000 in June, with unemployment near 4%. Q2 economic growth rebounded to 3%, but domestic demand slowed.

Market odds for a September rate cut fell from 70% to 45%, with economists now expecting possible cuts only in December. The Fed plans three more meetings this year as it balances inflation risks with job market concerns.

Sources: AP News, Reuters, Bloomberg, WallStreetJournal.

Big Tech’s AI Race

Meta raised 2025 capital expenditure to $66–72 billion, driven by AI investments and AI-powered ad growth. Q2 revenue reached $47.52 billion, beating estimates by $3 billion, with AI improving Instagram and Facebook ad conversions. Instagram Reels generates over half of U.S. ad revenue.

Microsoft projects a record $30 billion Q1 capital spend, up 27%, with Azure cloud revenue growing 39% to $75 billion annually, exceeding estimates. Microsoft expects 37% Azure growth next quarter.

Both companies invest heavily in AI infrastructure and talent, with Meta spending $14 billion on Scale AI and Microsoft serving over 100 million monthly AI tool users.

Sources: Reuters, Reuters, Bloomberg, Bloomberg, WallStreetJournal.

JPMorgan and Coinbase Team Up

JPMorgan Chase will enable its 80 million credit card holders to buy crypto on Coinbase starting fall 2025.

In 2026, customers can link bank accounts to Coinbase wallets and convert Chase Ultimate Rewards points into USDC stablecoins at a rate of 100 points per $1. This is the first major U.S. credit card rewards program to convert points to crypto.

Coinbase shares rose 3% after the announcement. JPMorgan, managing $4.6 trillion in assets, expands into digital assets despite past CEO skepticism. Coinbase’s market value is about $95 billion after a 50% gain this year.

The partnership aims to increase crypto adoption and lower entry barriers for mainstream customers.

Sources: Reuters, Businesswire, Coindesk, Cryptoslate.

Targeting Astrocytes to Erase PTSD

Researchers identified excess GABA production by astrocytes in the medial prefrontal cortex of PTSD patients, driven by increased MAOB enzyme and decreased GABA degradation.

This excess GABA impairs fear memory extinction and reduces blood flow, correlating with symptom severity. The drug KDS2010 selectively inhibits MAOB, lowering astrocytic GABA, restoring blood flow, and improving fear extinction in mice.

KDS2010 cleared Phase 1 safety trials and is in Phase 2 for humans, targeting patients unresponsive to serotonin-based treatments.

This work redefines astrocytes as active contributors to psychiatric disorders and suggests astrocyte-focused therapies may benefit PTSD, panic disorder, depression, and schizophrenia.

Sources: EurekAlert, SciTechDaily.

Plant Virus CPMV Kills Cancer Cells

The cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) activates immune cells to attack tumors without infecting human cells. In animal studies, CPMV injections recruited neutrophils, macrophages, natural killer cells, and activated B and T cells, generating long-term immune memory that targets primary and metastatic cancer. Unlike the related cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV), CPMV triggers type I, II, and III interferons and activates toll-like receptor 7, essential for anti-tumor immunity. CPMV’s RNA persists longer inside immune cells. It can be produced cheaply in plants using sunlight, soil, and water, unlike costly therapies. Researchers are preparing CPMV for clinical trials to confirm safety and efficacy as a low-cost cancer immunotherapy.

Sources: SciTechDaily, Sciencedaily, Iflscience, Tun.

“Taking an instant dislike to a man is a mighty efficient way to save yourself the trouble of thinking, but it generally costs you the chance of learning anything worth knowing.”

Did you know we also write in-depth deep dives? They are long, packed with insights, and have received rave reviews. If you’re up for a detailed, action-packed read, check them out:

• Surge in Fraud Cases in the Age of DeepFakes

• Cognitive Decline

• The American Healthcare System

Baked with love,

Anna Eisenberg ❤️