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Tuesday, 5:13 AM

April 22, 2025

Good morning news friend! Step into the now with stories that define today and drive tomorrow. 📰🌟

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U.S. Tariffs on Southeast Asian Solar

The U.S. Commerce Department plans to impose tariffs up to 3,521% on solar panels from Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam after a year-long investigation into alleged unfair practices.

Tariffs vary by country and manufacturer, with Cambodia facing the highest rates. Accusations include receiving subsidies from China and dumping cheap products on the U.S. market.

The tariffs aim to protect U.S. solar manufacturers but could increase costs for consumers.

While some industry representatives support the tariffs, concerns exist about potential negative impacts on U.S. manufacturers relying on imported cells.

Sources: BBC, France24, Solarquarter, Bloomberg.

US Pushes for E-Commerce Market in India

The Trump administration is negotiating with India for full access to its $125 billion e-commerce market for companies like Amazon and Walmart.

Current restrictions limit foreign firms to marketplace operations, unlike local companies that can sell directly. These negotiations, which cover various sectors, may boost bilateral trade to $500 billion.

A potential failure could lead to a 26% tariff on Indian exports to the U.S. Recent data shows Amazon has under 40 million daily active users, while Flipkart has 50 million.

Sources: Reuters, FinancialTimes, BS, BusinessToday, HindustanTimes.

Student Loan Collections Resume

The U.S. Department of Education will restart collections on defaulted student loans on May 5, ending a five-year pause from the COVID-19 pandemic.

About 5.3 million borrowers are in default, and another 4 million are late on payments. Collections will use the Treasury Offset Program, including tax refund withholdings and wage garnishments after a 30-day notice.

Less than 40% of borrowers are current on payments. Education Secretary Linda McMahon emphasized the importance of transitioning borrowers back to repayment for economic stability.

Over 5 million borrowers have received $183.6 billion in debt relief under previous administration programs.

Sources: AP News, Reuters, AXIOS, NBC, CBS.

FTC Takes Action Against Uber

The FTC has sued Uber Technologies Inc. for allegedly misleading subscribers of its Uber One service, which costs $9.99 monthly.

The lawsuit claims Uber enrolled customers without consent and charged some individuals without accounts. The FTC also alleges Uber misrepresented potential savings and complicated the cancellation process.

Uber disputes these claims, asserting customers are charged only with consent and cancellations are quick.

This lawsuit represents the FTC's first major action against a tech company under the Trump administration, following Uber's previous $20 million settlement in 2018 for misleading driver recruitment practices.

Sources: Reuters, BBC, TechinAsia, SiliconAngle, PYMNTS.

Reversing Retinal Damage

Researchers at KAIST have halted the PROX1 protein to regenerate damaged retinas in mice, restoring vision for the first time in mammals.

PROX1 accumulates in damaged retinal cells of mice but is absent in fish. They demonstrated that PROX1 is taken up from surrounding neurons, not produced within the Müller glia themselves.

This breakthrough offers hope for over 300 million people at risk of retinal diseases. The team developed a method using an antibody to neutralize PROX1, enhancing the regenerative capabilities of Müller glia.

With clinical trials expected by 2028, the research could provide solutions for patients facing blindness.

Sources: SciTechDaily, Nature, News-Medical, MedicalXpress

Two Phases of T-Cell Activation

A study identifies two phases of T-cell activation crucial for immune responses and cancer therapy.

In the first phase, T-cells interact with dendritic cells (DC) in lymph nodes for about 24 hours, leading to activation and proliferation. The second phase spans two to three days, involving desensitization and further interaction with DCs, refining the immune response.

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is essential for T-cell proliferation.

These findings may improve cancer immunotherapies, particularly CAR T-cell treatments, by enhancing the selection and expansion of effective T-cells against pathogens.

Sources: SciTechDaily, Science, Scienceblog

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Anna Eisenberg ❤️