Food Pyramid Returns, Corporate Homebuying Ban, & Literate Animals

News without the noise

Adam Rogers
January 08, 2026

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The Trump administration released updated US dietary guidelines on Wednesday, bringing back a food pyramid to replace the MyPlate visual guide. The new guidelines encourage Americans to eat more protein and full-fat dairy while cutting ultra-processed foods and added sugars.
The guidelines recommend eating up to twice the previous protein allowance and promote full-fat dairy instead of low-fat versions. However, saturated fat remains capped at less than 10% of daily calories. Whole grains are de-emphasized. The changes will phase into school lunches, military meals, and federal food programs over two years.
The American Medical Association applauded the focus on ultra-processed foods, while NYU nutrition professor Marion Nestle called the protein emphasis scientifically unjustified, noting "Americans eat plenty" of protein already.

The US seized two oil tankers on Wednesday in coordinated predawn operations, including the Russian-flagged Marinera in the North Atlantic and the Sophia in the Caribbean. Both vessels are suspected of being part of Russia's "shadow fleet," aging tankers Moscow uses to evade international sanctions.
The Marinera had evaded a US blockade in December while flying a Panamanian flag. The vessel was reflagged as Russian on December 31. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the blockade of Venezuelan oil “remains in FULL EFFECT—anywhere in the world.
The Trump administration plans to oversee Venezuela’s oil sales indefinitely, with Trump saying the US is “in charge” of the country. At the same time, interim President Delcy Rodríguez insisted Venezuela remains in control.

President Trump announced Wednesday he plans to ban large institutional investors from buying single-family homes, arguing corporate ownership has pushed housing out of reach for Americans. "People live in homes, not corporations," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Private equity firms, real estate investment trusts, and other large investors have amassed significant portfolios of single-family rental homes over the past decade. Trump blamed them for reducing housing supply and driving up prices.
Trump provided no implementation details but said he will call on Congress to pass legislation codifying the ban. Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, said Wednesday he will introduce a bill making it harder for large investors to purchase single-family homes.
Average US home prices hit a record high of $435,300 this summer before falling to $426,800 in the third quarter of 2025.

President Trump proposed raising US military spending to $1.5 trillion by 2027, up from the current $901 billion, citing "troubled and dangerous times." (More)

An ICE officer fatally shot a Minneapolis driver who pulled forward after being ordered from her vehicle. Federal officials claimed self-defense. (More)

Aldrich Ames, the CIA agent who sold secrets to the Soviets for cash and caused at least 10 US intelligence sources to be killed, died at 84 in federal prison. (More)

Heavy snow from Storm Goretti grounded hundreds of flights at major European airports, suspended Eurostar services, stranded over 1,000 travelers overnight, and killed at least seven people in ice-related crashes. (More)

Papua New Guinea shut down Starlink in December for lacking a license, leaving thousands in remote areas without internet as businesses and health providers struggle. (More)

Yemen separatists say their 50-member delegation disappeared after arriving in Saudi Arabia for peace talks, then went silent as Saudi jets bombed their forces back home. (More)

US stock markets closed mixed on Wednesday (S&P -0.34%, Nasdaq +0.16%, Dow -0.94%). The S&P and Dow reached intraday record highs before selloffs in the energy and financial space pulled them down. (More)

Claude AI maker Anthropic raised $10 billion at a $350 billion valuation, though it still trails rival OpenAI's $500 billion value. (More)

Warner Bros rejected Paramount's $77.9 billion takeover bid and told shareholders to back Netflix's $72 billion offer for its streaming and studio business instead. (More)

The Atlanta Hawks traded four-time All-Star Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, ending his seven-year run as the franchise's face. (More)

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, projected as a top NFL draft pick, announced he's skipping his senior year to turn pro. (More)

A judge delayed the arraignment of Nick Reiner, accused of stabbing his parents Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner to death, after his high-profile lawyer withdrew from the case. (More)

Bones long believed to be mammoth fossils were revealed by DNA testing to be whale remains found 250 miles from Alaska’s coast. (More)

Stanford created an AI that predicts risk for 130 diseases by analyzing one night's sleep, achieving up to 85% accuracy years before diagnosis appears. (More)

Scientists created synthetic skin inspired by octopus camouflage that changes both color and texture in 20 seconds, with potential uses in robotics, displays, and even creating invisibility-like technology. (More)

U-Haul stats found Texas was the most-moved-to state in 2025.

…and which states took the crown for most tornadoes.

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