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Anna's Daybreak News

_{Just facts, you think for yourself}

Wednesday, 5:23 AM

July 30, 2025

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

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Widespread Pacific Tsunami Alerts

An 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula at a shallow depth, the strongest since 1952. It triggered widespread Pacific tsunami alerts from Japan to the US West Coast, Hawaii, Mexico, and New Zealand.

In Kamchatka, a 3-4 meter tsunami flooded coastal areas, damaging buildings but causing no deaths; several injuries occurred during evacuations. Tsunami waves up to 60 cm appeared in Japan, leading to temporary nuclear plant shutdowns without damage.

Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast issued evacuations and warnings as waves ranged up to 1.5 meters. Officials warned of multiple waves over hours to days and possible aftershocks lasting up to a month.

Sources: Bloomberg, Archive, AP News, Reuters, WallStreetJournal.

UK’s Threat to Israel

The U.S. proposed creating Israel-run food centers in Gaza, but Congress and aid groups criticize the plan.

Four Israeli-backed food sites opened in May are located in military zones, linked to deadly incidents. The UK threatens to recognize a Palestinian state unless Israel halts fighting, allows UN aid, and commits to a ceasefire.

The UN warns Gaza may soon face famine conditions. Israel says it allowed 5,000 aid trucks recently and denies using starvation tactics, while accusing Hamas of aid diversion.

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

America’s First Transcontinental Railroad

Union Pacific plans to acquire Norfolk Southern for $85 billion, creating the first U.S. railroad spanning coast to coast with a 50,000-mile network covering 43 states and 43% of the rail freight market.

UP will pay $320 per share, an 18.6% premium, including $20 billion in cash and stock. The merger could save $3.75 billion annually in costs. Regulatory approval, expected within 16 months, faces union opposition over safety, jobs, and service concerns.

The deal may prompt rival mergers, reducing Class I railroads from six to four and increasing industry concentration. The transaction aims to close by early 2027 without planned layoffs.

Sources: Reuters, Up, AP News, NYTimes.

SEC Approves In-Kind Redemptions for Bitcoin

The SEC approved in-kind creations and redemptions for Bitcoin and Ether ETFs, allowing shares to be exchanged directly for cryptocurrencies instead of cash.

This aligns crypto ETFs with traditional commodity ETFs, reducing costs and operational friction while improving tax efficiency for investors. The SEC also greenlit mixed Bitcoin-Ether spot ETPs, options, and increased position limits for Bitcoin ETP options to 250,000 contracts.

Since early 2024, U.S. Bitcoin ETFs hold over 1.298 million BTC ($152.1 billion); BlackRock’s Ethereum ETF surpassed $10 billion in assets quickly. The move aims to boost liquidity, tighten spreads, attract institutional investors, and harmonize U.S. rules with international standards.

Sources: Reuters, Cryptonews, Cointelegraph, Coinjournal.

Nitazenes: The Silent Synthetic Opioid Sweeping the US and Europe

Nitazenes, synthetic opioids 40 to 500 times stronger than heroin or fentanyl, have surged in the US, Baltic states, and UK since 2019.

US law enforcement seized nitazenes in 4,300 cases; overdoses are rising, with Narcan often ineffective. Estonia saw overdose deaths triple recently, half linked to nitazenes mainly trafficked from Latvia.

In the UK, nitazene deaths rose 166% from 125 in 2023 to 333 in 2024. Variants like etonitazene contaminate heroin, oxycontin, and counterfeit pills. Authorities call for harm reduction measures including drug checking, naloxone distribution, and supervised overdose prevention sites to address this potent opioid crisis.

Sources: Talkingdrugs, Kfor, Lrt, BristolPost.

Light and Water Enable Low-Temperature Propane Conversion

Researchers developed a new propane-to-propylene conversion method operating at 50–80°C, significantly lower than traditional PDH’s 600°C.

The process uses a copper single-atom catalyst (Cu1/TiO2 SAC), light, and water vapor in a continuous-flow reactor, achieving a reaction rate of 1201 μmol/g catalyst/hour.

Water and light generate reactive hydrogen and hydroxyl species that selectively remove hydrogen from propane, producing propylene and water without consuming water.

This solar-driven approach also works for ethane and butane, offering a low-energy, sustainable alternative to conventional high-temperature methods for light alkane processing.

Sources: SciTechDaily.

“A little cunning is a necessary tool in a world so full of rascals, but a man oughtn't to be proud of it, any more than he's proud of needing a lock on his front door. The real trick is hiding your caution; if you let a man see that you don't trust him, you've just given him a powerful reason to prove you right.”

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 ❤️