Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,060 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Sugar substitute could harm the brain

• Malta’s “golden passport” scheme

• How soap keeps you clean

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Big Story

Amazon’s Satellite Internet Project

Amazon successfully deployed its first 27 Kuiper satellites from Cape Canaveral to begin its massive internet constellation project.

• The satellites, now orbiting 280 miles above Earth, are communicating properly with ground systems and are the first step in Amazon's ambitious plan to create a competitor to SpaceX's Starlink. Amazon expects to begin offering "high-speed, low-latency" satellite internet service to customers later this year.

• The $10 billion Project Kuiper plan faces a tight timeline, with the FCC requiring Amazon to deploy 1,618 satellites (half its planned 3,236-satellite constellation) by mid-2026. Meanwhile, SpaceX has already launched over 7,200 Starlink satellites and has regulatory approval to expand to 34,400.

• The increasingly crowded low-Earth orbit now hosts multiple companies competing in the satellite internet market, including France's Eutelsat and China's Spacesail.

Big Story

Trump Eases Auto Tariffs

President Trump announced tariff relief for automakers on Tuesday.

• The executive orders provide relief from 25% tariffs on imported autos and auto parts, offering a 15% rebate to manufacturers this year and 10% next year.

• Trump framed this as a short-term transition measure: "We just wanted to help them during this little transition, short term. We didn't want to penalize them." Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent explained that the goal is to enable automakers to create more domestic manufacturing jobs.

• The rebates will be available to both domestic and foreign companies with US plants, giving them time to relocate parts production to America. A Commerce Department official said automakers would announce additional worker shifts, new hires, and new facilities in the coming month.

• The auto industry has been reeling since Trump's original 25% tariff on imported vehicles took effect on April 3. Analysis showed the import fee could cost US automakers up to $108 billion in 2025 alone, potentially raising vehicle prices by $2,000-$4,000 and reducing annual sales by millions of units.

Big Story

Popular Sugar Substitute Bad for the Brain?

New research shows that erythritol, a widely used sugar substitute marketed as "healthy," appears to damage brain blood vessels.

• Erythritol is common in sugar-free products like energy drinks, snack foods, and protein bars because it doesn't spike blood glucose or insulin levels like regular sugar does.

• The study found that it damages the circulatory channels by increasing cellular stress and reducing nitric oxide production, a critical compound that helps blood vessels dilate. When researchers exposed human brain blood vessel cells to the amount of erythritol found in just one beverage serving, they observed these effects.

• This isn't the first red flag raised on the artificial sweetener. Previous research has already linked erythritol consumption to a higher risk of stroke and other cardiac events. An NIH study found that people consuming the highest erythritol levels (top 25%) were twice as likely to have a cardiovascular event over three years than those consuming the lowest (bottom 25%).

Quick Stories

US News

• The all-Black, female "Six Triple Eight" battalion, which processed 17 million mail pieces in WWII Europe, received Congress's highest civilian honor Tuesday, with 300+ family members attending the Capitol ceremony. (More)

• Mexico and the US reached a water-sharing deal where Mexico will immediately transfer water from international reservoirs to Texas farmers and increase the US share from six Rio Grande tributaries. (More)

• A Pittsburgh funeral home owner faces charges for allegedly disposing of thousands of pets instead of cremating them, giving owners random ashes while collecting over $650,000 for services never performed between 2021-2024. (More)

World

• The EU's top court ruled Malta's "golden passport" scheme - which lets foreigners buy citizenship for €600,000 plus property and charity donations - violates European law by turning nationality into a "commercial transaction." (More)

• Pakistan's information minister claims they have intelligence that India plans a military strike within 36 hours, following Modi's authorization to respond to an attack that killed 26 Hindu tourists in Kashmir. (More)

• Cardinal Becciu, convicted of embezzlement and fraud, won't join the conclave to choose Pope Francis' successor. Though appealing his 5.5-year sentence, he's following Francis' order to surrender cardinal privileges. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed higher on Tuesday (S&P +0.58%, Nasdaq +0.55%, Dow +0.75%). The S&P and Dow posted their sixth straight positive day on news of a major trade deal being close to done. (More)

• Port of LA expects China-to-US shipments to drop over 35% next week compared to 2024, as Trump's tariffs cause many major American retailers to halt Chinese imports completely. (More)

• GM is recalling nearly 600,000 vehicles across Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC due to engine components with manufacturing defects that could cause damage or complete engine failure. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• The Pacers stunned the Bucks, eliminating them 4-1 to advance to the second round. Haliburton's clutch shot with 1.3 seconds left capped a comeback from 20 down in regulation and 7 points with just 40 seconds left in OT. (More)

• Spurs guard Stephon Castle won NBA Rookie of the Year, making San Antonio the first team since the 2014-16 Timberwolves to have back-to-back winners after Wembanyama last season. (More)

• San Francisco 49ers' tight end George Kittle signed a four-year extension worth $76.4 million with $40 million guaranteed, keeping him with the team through 2029. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• Bolivia's "zombie" volcano Uturuncu hasn't erupted in 250,000 years but shows signs of activity - gas emissions, earthquakes, and ground deformation - but scientists say imminent eruption is unlikely. (More)

• Novo Nordisk announced that weight loss drug Wegovy will soon be available through telehealth companies Ro, Hims, and LifeMD for $499 monthly without insurance, using the same auto-injector pens (More)

• New blood tests could revolutionize Alzheimer's detection, with research showing 91% diagnostic accuracy. Currently, doctors use expensive PET scans or spinal taps, but simpler blood tests would make early diagnosis more accessible. (More)

Extra Credit

🦘 A runaway kangaroo shuts down an Alabama interstate.

📽️ Here are fifteen movies to watch in theaters this summer.

🧼 The science of how soap keeps you clean.

👝 Where did the duffel bag get its name?