Anna's Daybreak News

_{Just facts, you think for yourself}

Monday, 5:13 AM

June 30, 2025

Good morning news friend! Discover the stories making headlines today—and shaping the future ahead. 📰🌟

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Deadly Ambush on Idaho Firefighters

A gunman ambushed firefighters responding to a wildfire near Canfield Mountain, Idaho, killing two and wounding a third. The attacker started the fire around 1:30 p.m. and fired with a high-powered rifle about 40 minutes later.

Law enforcement engaged in a standoff before finding the deceased suspect near the scene. Over 300 officers, including FBI teams and helicopter snipers, responded. The fire grew to 20 acres and remained active.

Authorities lifted a shelter-in-place order but kept a no-fly zone. Officials believe the suspect acted alone.

Sources: Reuters, AP News, USAtoday, WallStreetJournal.

Canada Drops Digital Tax

Canada canceled its 3% Digital Services Tax on U.S. tech firms, effective before its Monday implementation, reversing a measure that would have retroactively imposed $2 billion in costs for 2022.

The tax targeted revenue from Canadian users exceeding $20 million and applied to companies like Amazon, Google, Meta, Apple, Uber, and Airbnb. U.S. President Trump condemned the tax, halting trade talks.

Following a call between leaders, negotiations resumed aiming for a new trade deal by July 21. Canada is the U.S.’s second-largest trading partner, with ongoing tariff disputes on steel, aluminum, autos, and other goods.

The tax cancellation aims to advance economic and security discussions amid rising trade tensions.

Sources: AP News, Reuters, Bloomberg, WallStreetJournal.

Ukraine Under Siege

Russian forces are within 12 miles of Sumy, northern Ukraine, with about 50,000 troops outnumbering Ukrainian defenders 3 to 1.

On June 29, Russia launched over 537 drones and missiles in a single night, including 477 drones and 60 cruise, ballistic, and glide bombs. Ukraine intercepted 90% of drones but only two-thirds of missiles, with limited success against ballistic missiles.

The strike damaged infrastructure across several regions and injured 12 civilians. A Ukrainian F-16 pilot died after downing seven targets, marking Ukraine’s third F-16 loss.

Ukraine announced plans to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention due to Russia’s extensive use of anti-personnel mines. President Zelenskiy called for increased Western air defense support.

Sources: Reuters, NYTimes, Euractiv, WallStreetJournal.

TikTok Finds Buyer

President Trump announced a group of undisclosed wealthy buyers ready to purchase TikTok’s U.S. operations, pending China’s approval.

The sale deadline for ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. business was extended to September 17, 2025, after new U.S. law requires the sale or shutdown over national security concerns.

Previous attempts to spin off TikTok faced Chinese opposition and trade tensions. Potential buyers include Larry Ellison and AppLovin. TikTok briefly went offline before the original deadline but resumed after extensions.

The sale must comply with U.S. law (PAFACA), upheld by the Supreme Court.

Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters, CNBC, BBC.

Ticagrelor Under Fire

Clinical trials supporting ticagrelor, AstraZeneca’s heart drug, show serious data issues. The PLATO trial, key for FDA approval, had problems, and new investigations reveal misreported endpoints in ONSET/OFFSET and RESPOND trials. RESPOND’s primary endpoint shifted from nonsignificant to significant without disclosure.

ONSET/OFFSET excluded patients yet claimed an intention-to-treat analysis, with questionable data transformations. Over 60 platelet test results were missing, indicating higher platelet activity and safety risks. Critics warn ticagrelor causes dangerous platelet rebound, raising thrombosis and bleeding risks. Authorship and investigator involvement are disputed.

Despite concerns, AstraZeneca and the journal haven’t responded. Calls grow for FDA to reassess ticagrelor’s approval as generic versions near market entry in 2025.

Sources: SciTechDaily, Medscape, BMJgroup.

Psilocybin’s Power to Reset Depression

A single 25 mg dose of psilocybin, combined with therapy, reduced depression and anxiety symptoms for months to years. In a phase 2 trial of 28 cancer patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), 53.6% saw over 50% symptom reduction after two years; 50% achieved remission.

A larger trial with 104 MDD patients showed psilocybin lowered depression scores by 12.3 points more than placebo at day 43, with 42% sustaining response versus 11% for placebo. Benefits appeared within 8 days, lasting six weeks, with no serious adverse events but common mild side effects.

Psilocybin activates serotonin 2A receptors, promoting neuroplasticity and brain rewiring.

Sources: SciTechDaily, Researchgate, Medscape.

“An uncontrolled imagination is a private tyrant, either paralyzing you with fictitious risks or luring you to ruin with blissful delusions. The master harnesses its power for foresight but brutally corrects its tendency to invent noise, for without this leash, it will hijack reason itself.”

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:

• The Stablecoin Trilemma - Bridging Digital Finance, Monetary Policy, and Systemic Risk

• Deconstructing the $66 Billion Citiadel Enigma

• The U.S. Debt Trajectory, Assessing the Risks of a $36 Trillion Liability

• Private Equity, Unpacking the Engine Room of Modern Capitalism

Baked with love,

Anna Eisenberg ❤️