Anna's Daybreak News

_{Just facts, you think for yourself}

Friday, 5:23 AM

April 11, 2025

Good morning news friend! Get closer to the stories that define today and set the tone for tomorrow.📰🌟

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NYC Helicopter Crash

A Bell 206 sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson River killing all six aboard, including a Spanish family of five and the pilot.

The victims included Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their three children.

The helicopter took off from Manhattan at 3 p.m. and crashed near Jersey City by 3:15 p.m. Witnesses saw debris fall after a loud noise, with video showing midair breakage.

Four died at the scene; two later at hospitals. The FAA and NTSB are investigating. Since 1977, 38 people have died in NYC helicopter accidents.

Sources: APNews, Reuters, Bloomberg, NYTimes, WallStreetJournal.

Treasuries Safe Haven Under Siege

The $29 trillion U.S. Treasury market faced turmoil. The 10-year yield jumped to 4.51% before easing to 4.27%.

Hedge funds began unwinding positions, and U.S. junk bond yields rose to 8.38%, up nearly 1% in a week. The 30-year mortgage rate also climbed, raising borrowing costs.

Global demand shifted to German bonds, while fears grew over China potentially selling U.S. Treasuries.

Analysts warn Treasuries may be losing their safe-haven status, with investors eyeing short-term bonds and fiscally stronger countries.

Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters, Fortune, GlobalCapital.

Pentagon’s Spring Cleaning

The Pentagon has canceled $5.1 billion in IT service contracts with firms including Accenture and Deloitte.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called the contracts non-essential and said Pentagon staff can manage the work internally. The move is expected to save nearly $4 billion and reflects a broader push to cut costs and reduce reliance on consultants.

Hegseth emphasized strengthening internal capabilities and improving fiscal responsibility. This is part of a larger effort to streamline operations and lower the Pentagon’s contract spending.

Sources: Reuters, BusinessInsider, GBF, Investing, BusinessWorld.

The Illegal Gambling Surge

In 2024, illegal online gambling in the U.S. captured 74% of the $90.1 billion market, earning about $67.1 billion—a 64% increase from the previous year.

Licensed operators earned $23 billion, growing 36%. The report, from the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, found 88% of online users regularly encounter illegal gambling content.

There are now 917 illegal operators and 668 affiliates promoting them, compared to just 95 licensed operators and far fewer legal affiliates. Events like the Super Bowl and March Madness boosted illegal activity.

Experts warn that without urgent action, illegal gambling could dominate the market by late 2025.

Sources: Bloomberg, RW, CBS, Casino.

Combo Therapy for Cholesterol Treatment

A meta-analysis of 108,353 patients across 14 studies found that starting high-risk patients on a combination of statin and ezetimibe immediately reduces all-cause mortality by 19% and cardiovascular deaths by 16%, compared to statins alone.

Major cardiovascular events fell by 18% and strokes by 17%. The combo lowered LDL cholesterol by an additional 13 mg/dL and raised the chance of meeting the LDL target (<70 mg/dL) by 85%.

A network analysis showed even stronger benefits, with a 49% drop in all-cause mortality. Experts estimate this approach could prevent 330,000 deaths globally each year, including 50,000 in the US.

Sources: SciTechDaily, MSN, MCP, MedicalXpress, UPI.

Postpartum Pill Depression Risk

A Danish study of over 600,000 first-time mothers found that starting hormonal contraceptives within a year of childbirth raised depression risk by 49%.

Pill users had a 1.54% depression risk, compared to 1.36% for non-users—a 0.18 percentage point increase. Combined oral contraceptives increased risk by 1.7 times, with earlier use linked to higher risk.

The progestogen-only pill showed lower early risk but increased risk later. The study did not adjust for prior mental health history.

Researchers caution that postpartum depression has many causes, but the findings suggest timing and type of contraception may influence risk.

Sources: ScienceAlert, 9News, MPT, HT.

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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 Longevity Race

• The Great Retirement Crisis

• Gene Editing

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Anna Eisenberg ❤️