Happy Monday Everyone! Today’s newsletter: 1,125 words…4.2 mins
🗞 Today’s Edition: US-EU deal, Silent Crow, Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire, PayPal goes crypto, Alibaba’s AI glasses… & much more!
📜THE HIGHLIGHT
One killer insight to stash in your back pocket
European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen and President Trump sign a U.S.-EU trade deal in Scotland
🇺🇸 🤝🇪🇺 The US-EU Trade Deal: Peace, Profits, and Pouting Parisians
The new trade pact between the U.S. and EU just dropped—and it’s equal parts tariff truce and power flex. The U.S. agreed to a 15% tariff on most EU goods (down from the threatened 30%)—but still way above pre-2025 levels.
💰 The EU pledged to:
Spend $750B on U.S. energy by 2027 (oil, LNG, nuclear fuel)
Buy hundreds of billions in U.S. military gear
Invest $600B in the U.S. private sector during Trump’s term
Winners:
US Treasury & Energy/Defense Sectors – Gains from tariffs and EU purchase pledges.
EU Pharma & Aerospace – Zero tariffs on drugs and aircraft parts reduce uncertainty.
Losers:
German Automakers – Despite tariffs falling from 27.5% to 15%, costs remain high.
US & EU Consumers – Higher prices on imports.
European Steel/Aluminum Industries – No relief from 50% US tariffs.
🗨️What They Said:
France led criticism, with PM François Bayrou calling it a "dark day" and "submission."
Germany & Italy cautiously welcomed the deal, emphasizing avoided escalation. German Industry: "The price is high—European companies are losing."
Hungary’s Orban mocked EU negotiators, claiming Trump "ate von der Leyen for breakfast."
📈 Markets liked the ceasefire—U.S. and EU stocks rallied. The dollar climbed while the Euro dipped slightly.
But beneath the relief is real risk: high costs, murky enforcement, and a growing rift within Europe.
🔍 Bottom line: It’s not a trade war—but it’s definitely not a love story.
♟️THE CHESSBOARD
Geopolitics Decoded In 3 Moves
Malaysia's PM Anwar Ibrahim (Center) smiles as Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet (left) and Thailand's acting PM Phumtham Wechayachai, right, shake hands after announcing a ceasefire, in Putrajaya, Malaysia.
🇹🇭 🇰🇭 Thailand & Cambodia Hit Pause—For Now
After five deadly days and 260K+ displaced, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to an immediate ceasefire starting midnight Monday. The truce halts Southeast Asia’s worst border clash in a decade.
Brokered in Putrajaya by ASEAN’s Malaysia, with U.S. and China watching closely, highlighting the global interest in Southeast Asian security and trade.
Cambodia’s PM Hun Manet praised the deal, while Thailand’s Acting PM Phumtham, doubted Cambodia’s sincerity. Civilians in evacuation camps pleaded: "Let us go home"
💡 Why it matters: A truce is not a treaty. It avoids escalation, but mistrust lingers and ASEAN’s diplomatic muscle faces its toughest test yet.
Aeroflot Grounded: Hackers Take Down Russia’s Flagship Airline ✈️
The pro-Ukraine group Silent Crow, alongside Belarusian hackers, launched a massive cyberattack on Aeroflot—Russia’s largest airline, saying they “destroyed” core infrastructure and stole passenger data.
📉 Russia confirmed 60+ grounded flights.
🛫 Screens from Moscow’s airports show total chaos.
💻 20TB of data and 7,000 servers destroyed
Why it matters: Russia may dominate the battlefield, but Ukraine’s digital strikes are showing the world how to punch up—and hit where it hurts. Ukraine’s asymmetric war strategy is rewriting the playbook on modern warfare.
Trump to Putin: You’ve Got 10 Days, Not 50 🕰️
Trump just slashed Russia’s deadline to end the war in Ukraine from 50 days to 10–12, saying, “There’s no reason to wait that long.”
He warned of secondary sanctions on Russian energy buyers like India and China if attacks don’t stop.
The move follows growing backlash from Ukraine and allies, who saw the original timeline as giving Russia a “license to kill.”
💡 Bottom line: Trump’s playing mediator with a stopwatch—and Ukraine’s counting the minutes in lives lost. Now either Putin folds—or Trump’s "fire and fury" moment arrives early.
🗽THE EMPIRE FILES
Political Drama From DC To NYC
Plaza Hotel; Inset: Frank Lloyd Wright; his former apartment at the iconic hotel
📂 Blue States Sue Over Trump’s SNAP Data Grab
20 Democratic-led states are suing the Trump admin, accusing the USDA of demanding private info—like Social Security numbers and addresses—from millions of SNAP (food stamp) recipients.
Critics say it’s a violation of privacy laws and a power grab targeting low-income families.
They fear the information could be used to enable mass deportations of illegal alien recipients.
Trump’s team states it’s about fighting fraud and stopping taxpayer funded benefits from going to illegal immigrants.
Why it matters: States refusing to fork up the data risk losing $1B+ in admin funds, potentially disrupting food aid for 42M Americans as the tussle between sanctuary states and the Trump administration continues.
🗽 Wright Price, Wright Time
Frank Lloyd Wright’s old NYC digs just sold for $18.9M, capping a nearly 70-year legacy tied to the Guggenheim Museum.
The four-bedroom suite at The Plaza, where Wright lived while building the iconic spiral landmark, includes 4,000 sq. ft., 13-ft ceilings, and sweeping Central Park views.
The buyer? A New Yorker, but not a city local—identity hidden behind a shell corp. Wright redesigned the unit himself while reshaping art history.
Why it matters: One of America’s most legendary architects lived—and created—here. Now, a piece of Guggenheim history is back in private hands.
🤖 CODES & POWER
Tech Wars, Crypto Chaos, and AI’s Black Mirror Moments
🕶️ Alibaba’s AI Glasses Take on Meta
Alibaba’s stepping into the smart glasses game with Quark AI Glasses, powered by its Qwen LLM and Quark assistant.
Will handle hands-free calls, live translation, meeting transcriptions, music, navigation, and even Alipay payments.
China launch is set for late 2025—Meta’s Ray-Bans might wanna watch their lenses.
Big question: Will Beijing’s AI regulations clip its wings—or fuel a tech cold war edge?
💸 PayPal Goes Full Crypto Mode
PayPal will now let U.S. merchants accept over 100+ cryptocurrencies—from Bitcoin to memecoins.
The “Pay with Crypto” option auto-converts payments into USD or PYUSD at checkout, dodging volatility.
Fees start at 0.99% (vs. credit cards’ 1.5%+) and 4% APY for holding PayPal’s PYUSD stablecoin.
Bottom Line: Global rollout TBD, but crypto bros can finally shop like normies.
📺 FUN FACTS & TRIVIA
Think you know the Princess of Wales?
Here are some lesser known facts about Catherine, Princess of Wales. See how many you already know.
Kate’s nickname at school (Marlborough College) was 'Princess-in-Waiting'.
Kate and William went to their final St Andrews May Ball dressed as Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler.
The Princess never signed a prenup.
At their wedding reception, Will and Kate performed a dance routine to 'You're The One That I Want' from Grease, including miming the words and pointing at each other.
The Princess of Wales is related to George Washington. They are cousins eight times removed.
Kate's favorite TV shows are Downton Abbey, The Apprentice, Homeland and Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
💀 THE ROAST
Because World Leaders Beg To Be Dragged
