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Wednesday, 5:21 AM

February 19, 2025

Good morning news friend! See the bigger picture as today’s events shape the world of tomorrow. 📰🌟

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US-Russia Talks in Riyadh

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Riyadh. This meeting was the highest-profile dialogue between the US and Russia since the onset of the Ukraine war in February 2022.

The talks aimed to reset US-Russia relations and establish a roadmap to end the ongoing war, which has resulted in over a million casualties. Both nations agreed to form high-level teams to pursue a sustainable peace solution in Ukraine.

US officials, including National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, emphasized that future negotiations would include Ukrainian input but exclude European representatives.

Russia's Foreign Ministry reiterated its stance against territorial concessions and opposed NATO's involvement in Ukraine.

Sources: FinancialTimes, WallStreetJournal, Reuters, State.gov, Euractiv, BBC.

Trump Signs EO to Increase IVF Access

President Trump signed an executive order aimed at expanding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and reducing its costs.

The order directs the Domestic Policy Council to submit policy recommendations within 90 days to lower the cost of IVF treatments. IVF costs around $20,000 per cycle.

According to a 2024 report, patients may pay over $40,000 out-of-pocket in states with no insurance coverage. The initiative follows Trump’s calls for universal IVF coverage.

The order responds to the Alabama Supreme Court's ruling classifying frozen embryos as children, which led to restrictions affecting IVF access.

Sources: APNews, Bloomberg, CBS, FOX5, NBC, USNews.

Vanguard ETF Becomes World's Largest Fund

Vanguard's S&P 500 ETF, known as VOO, has officially surpassed State Street's SPDR S&P 500 ETF, commonly referred to as SPY, to become the world's largest ETF by assets.

VOO holds $632 billion in assets, while SPY has $630 billion. SPY had dominated the market for over 30 years.

In January 2025, VOO attracted $21.3 billion in inflows, capturing 12.9% of all US equity ETF inflows. During the same period, SPY experienced $19.4 billion in outflows, accounting for 25.7% of total US equity ETF outflows.

Vanguard's low net expense ratio of 0.03% contrasts with SPY's 0.0945%. Additionally, the iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) is a close competitor, holding $609 billion and charging the same low fee as VOO’s.

Sources: FinancialTimes, Reuters, Finimize, MarketWatch, ETFTrends.

AI's 'Hallucinations' Cause Turmoil in Courtrooms

A federal judge in Minnesota ruled an AI expert's report unreliable due to three non-existent citations.

In another case involving Walmart, two lawyers from Morgan & Morgan faced potential sanctions after submitting fictitious case citations created by their AI tool. A Manhattan judge fined lawyers $5,000 for citing non-existent cases.

At least seven court cases in the last year are facing scrutiny over fabricated information from AI. Surveys indicate that 63% of lawyers have used AI, but many lack the expertise to vet AI outputs.

Judges nationwide emphasize the importance of attorney oversight, warning that relying solely on AI risks disciplinary action.

Sources: JDSupra, CNA, MarketScreener, Reuters, 404Media, Futurism.

The Ferocious Winds of Tylos

Tylos (WASP-121b) is an extreme exoplanet located 900 light-years from Earth. This "ultra-hot Jupiter" orbits its star in just 30 Earth hours, leading to temperatures of around 3,320°F (1,800°C).

Researchers reconstructed Tylos' complex atmosphere in 3D. They identified multiple atmospheric layers, with winds carrying elements like iron, sodium, hydrogen, and titanium.

A jet stream, measuring an astonishing 26.8 kilometers (16.7 miles) per second, is the fastest atmospheric wind ever recorded.

The temperature difference of around 950 Kelvin (1,250°F ) between the planet's day and night sides contributes to aggressive wind patterns, unlike anything observed in our Solar System.

Sources: ScienceAlert, Space, TechExplorist, TheTimes, DiscoverMagazine.

Why Humans Speak

Research has linked a unique gene variant, NOVA1 (I197V), to the origins of spoken language in humans. This discovery may explain why Homo sapiens communicate in complex ways compared to extinct relatives like Neanderthals and Denisovans.

The study found that NOVA1 is crucial for brain development and is exclusive to modern humans. Researchers used CRISPR technology to replace the mouse version of NOVA1 with the human variant.

This led to altered vocalizations in mice, indicating a role in speech. The study analyzed over 650,000 human genomes, revealing that all but six individuals possess the I197V variant.

Researchers believe this protein change may have contributed to advancements in human communication.

Sources: Nature, APNews, TheAlbertan, MirageNews, Phys, UNN.

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Anna Eisenberg ❤️