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Anna's Daybreak News

_{Just facts, you think for yourself}

Tuesday, 5:15 AM

May 13, 2025

Good morning news friend! Uncover the stories shaping the present and setting the pace for the future. 📰🌟

Click here to read the poll results and comments from our previous edition. Over 4,230 people gave their opinion about the tariff reduction with China, the American-Israeli hostage released by Hamas and more!

Can’t see all 6 articles in this email? Gmail sometimes crops our emails, click here to view full edition.

CORRECTION: In yesterday’s edition we incorrectly posted that US and Chinese tariffs had reduced to 10%. The correct information is that US goods will carry 10% tariffs and Chinese goods 30%.

Trump vs Pharma

President Trump signed an executive order requiring drugmakers to reduce U.S. prescription prices to match those in other countries within 30 days. Price cuts are targeted between 59% and 90%.

The order introduces a "most favored nation" pricing model and may impose tariffs on noncompliant companies. The Federal Trade Commission will investigate anti-competitive practices delaying generic drug entry.

While the pharmaceutical industry criticized the order's impact on research, Trump claims it could save "trillions." The order primarily affects drugs covered by Medicare and Medicaid, serving nearly 150 million Americans.

Sources: Reuters, AP News, NYTimes, CBS.

GOP Tax Plan

House Republicans have unveiled a tax plan extending Trump's 2017 tax cuts, raising the state-and-local tax deduction cap from $10,000 to $30,000, and introducing a 5% excise tax on foreign remittances.

The plan anticipates $4 trillion in new debt and increases child tax credits to $2,500 until 2028.

It includes $5 billion in tax-free donations for private school scholarships and significantly raises taxes on university endowments from 1.4% to 21%. The legislation also targets clean energy tax credits, phasing out incentives by 2031.

Moderate Republicans are concerned about cuts to Medicaid, potentially affecting 7.7 million individuals.

Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters, USAToday, WallStreetJournal.

U.S. Budget Surplus Surge

In April, the U.S. government reported a budget surplus of $258 billion, a 23% increase from April 2024. This surge was driven by strong tax receipts and record customs duties totaling $16 billion, a rise of $9 billion from the previous year.

President Trump's tariff policies, with rates on Chinese goods reaching 145%, contributed significantly to revenue. However, future customs income may drop due to a U.S.-China trade agreement reducing tariffs to 30% for Chinesse goods.

For the fiscal year to date, the budget deficit reached $1.049 trillion, with total receipts hitting $3.110 trillion against expenditures of $4.159 trillion.

Sources: Reuters, Reuters, Investing, TipRanks, AFR.

Google Unleashes AI Agent

Google is launching an AI agent aimed at transforming software development, assisting engineers with tasks such as management and documentation.

This initiative addresses investor pressure for returns on AI investments and follows scrutiny from antitrust regulators concerning Google's search and advertising sectors.

The company will also integrate the Gemini AI chatbot with Android XR glasses and headsets, expanding into new computing platforms.

Sources: BusinessWorld, Reuters, NewsBytes, TheInformation, BreakingTheNews.

Mushrooms and Parkinson’s

Recent studies highlight psilocybin and medicinal mushrooms as potential treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

A UCSF pilot study showed psilocybin therapy improved mood, cognitive function, and motor symptoms in 12 Parkinson’s patients, with effects lasting weeks after treatment. Parkinson’s affects around 1 million Americans, and traditional meds do not slow its progression.

Additionally, a review reveals medicinal mushrooms, such as Lion’s Mane and Reishi, can reduce neuroinflammation, enhance antioxidant defenses, and protect neuronal cells.

Researchers aim to standardize mushroom components and verify their long-term safety, suggesting these natural compounds may offer new therapeutic options for central nervous system disorders.

Sources: SciTechDaily, Science, SierraSunTimes.

Managing Migraine’s Prodromal Symptoms

Ubrogepant, a 100 mg treatment, showed efficacy in managing migraine prodromal symptoms in the phase 3 PRODROME trial involving 477 participants. It was administered 1-6 hours before headache onset.

Results indicated that 19.5% of users reported relief from photophobia at 2 hours, compared to 12.5% on placebo (OR 1.72). Users experienced reductions in fatigue (27.3%) and neck pain (28.9%) at 3 hours. At 4 hours, 50.7% reported no phonophobia, versus 35.8% on placebo (OR 1.97).

Lower rescue medication use was noted (21.7% vs. 39.4%). Adverse events occurred in 17% of users.

Sources: Nature, NewScientist, ScienceAlert, MedicalXpress.

“Ask ten people what ‘fairness’ means and you can get eleven different definitions. Expecting government to promote “fairness” is just giving politicians more arbitrary power.”

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:

• Rare Earths and National Security

• How Trade Wars are Reshaping the US Treasury Market

• The End of the Easy-Money Era

Baked with love,

Anna Eisenberg ❤️