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Anna's Daybreak News

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Wednesday, 5:12 AM

July 23, 2025

Good morning news friend! Explore today’s turning points as they shape the story of tomorrow. 📰🌟

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U.S.-Japan Trade Deal

President Trump and Japan agreed to reduce Japanese auto tariffs in the U.S. from 25% to 15%, averting new 25% tariffs set for August 1.

The deal includes a $550 billion investment package targeting U.S. pharmaceutical and semiconductor projects and increased Japanese purchases of U.S. agricultural goods. J

apan’s auto exports to the U.S. totaled $55 billion in 2024, with a $70 billion trade imbalance. U.S. automakers criticized the deal, citing lower tariffs on Japanese cars than on North American-made vehicles.

The agreement followed rising Japanese stocks and signals Trump’s broader trade strategy, including ongoing talks with the EU and other countries amid looming tariffs.

Sources: Bloomberg, Bloomberg, Reuters, AP News, NYTimes.

Chinese Hackers Breach US Nuclear Weapons Agency

Chinese state-backed hackers exploited Microsoft SharePoint flaws to breach over 100 servers across 60 organizations globally, including the US National Nuclear Security Administration.

Attackers from groups Linen Typhoon, Violet Typhoon, and Storm-2603 targeted institutions in sectors like energy, education, and government worldwide. Despite Microsoft releasing patches in early July 2025, hackers bypassed them, stealing credentials and installing persistent backdoors.

The US Energy Department noted limited impact due to cloud use. These attacks expose vulnerabilities in SharePoint, which integrates deeply with Microsoft services holding sensitive data. China denies involvement.

Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters, BS.

Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Reforms Reversed

Ukraine’s parliament passed a law on July 22, 2025, limiting the independence of anti-corruption bodies NABU and SAPO by placing them under the Prosecutor General, appointed by President Zelensky.

This allows the Prosecutor General to control corruption investigations. Thousands protested across major cities, fearing the law weakens anti-corruption efforts and reverses reforms since 2014. NABU staff face raids and accusations of Russian links, seen by critics as a crackdown on anti-corruption.

The EU condemned the law, linking it to halted aid and Ukraine’s EU accession prospects. Government bonds fell over 2%. Zelensky defended the law, citing the need to fight corruption free from Russian interference.

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

Morgan Stanley Under FINRA Microscope

Morgan Stanley is under FINRA investigation for client screening practices related to money laundering risks from October 2021 to September 2024.

The probe covers its wealth-management and trading units, including E*Trade, focusing on client risk rankings and risk-scoring tools. Initial reports to FINRA were incomplete, leading Morgan Stanley to submit additional data.

This follows a $10 million fine in 2018 for prior anti-money laundering lapses. The bank has invested heavily in improving vetting programs after concerns from the Federal Reserve about risk management.

Morgan Stanley faces ongoing federal investigations and potential fines as regulatory scrutiny of financial crime controls increases.

Sources: Reuters, Investing, Com, Bloomberg.

How Vitamin D Fights Cancer

The SDR42E1 gene enables vitamin D conversion into calcitriol, essential for bone, muscle, nerve, and immune health.

CRISPR/Cas9 inactivation of SDR42E1 in colorectal cancer cells reduced their viability by 53%, impacting over 4,600 genes involved in cancer growth, cholesterol metabolism, and cell signaling. Blocking SDR42E1 may inhibit tumor growth while sparing healthy cells.

Conversely, boosting SDR42E1 could aid autoimmune and metabolic disorders linked to vitamin D deficiency. The gene functions in vitamin D absorption in intestines and production in skin, conserved across species.

Targeting SDR42E1 offers potential for precise cancer and autoimmune therapies by modulating vitamin D metabolism, though long-term effects remain under study.

Sources: SciTechDaily, Biotecnika.

Fermented Stevia Shows Promise Against Pancreatic Cancer

Fermenting stevia leaf extract with Lactobacillus plantarum SN13T enhances its ability to kill pancreatic cancer cells (PANC-1) while sparing healthy kidney cells.

The active compound, chlorogenic acid methyl ester (CAME), forms during fermentation and induces stronger apoptosis than chlorogenic acid. Fermented stevia extract (FSLE) also exhibits 94% antioxidant free radical scavenging.

The fermentation process is optimized at 37°C for 72 hours anaerobically. Pancreatic cancer has a low survival rate and resists current treatments, highlighting the potential of FSLE as a natural therapy.

Next steps include testing FSLE in mice to assess systemic effects and dosage. Over 1,300 lactic acid bacteria strains were screened to identify this probiotic-based enhancement.

Sources: Medicalxpress, SciTechDaily, Indiatimes.

“Having folks admire your genius is like being a bolt of lightning—a grand spectacle, to be sure, but nobody wants to get too close to it. It is far better to have their goodwill, which you don't get with fancy talk, but by doing good with both hands.”

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:

• Cognitive Decline

• The American Healthcare System

• The Social Security Crisis - Anatomy of a Shortfall

Baked with love,

Anna Eisenberg ❤️