Good morning, and welcome back. In today’s edition:

• 🍽️ New food pyramid
• 🏛️ House approves ACA subsidies
• 🌎 Earth’s belly button

…and much more.

Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be a ~3.76-minute read (999 words).

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"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."

–Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)

The Trump administration announced new federal dietary guidelines yesterday that recommend Americans eat more protein and dairy, and formally advise against highly processed foods for the first time.

The once-every-five-year update replaces the US government’s previous MyPlate visual guide for what foods to eat, which recommended that Americans fill their plate with roughly equal parts grains, vegetables, protein, and fruit, plus a small portion of dairy.

A new food pyramid

Under the Trump admin’s guidelines, presented by Health Secretary RFK Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, an updated version of the food pyramid has returned. Proteins, full-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats (like olive oil) are lumped together at the top, with whole grains at the bottom.

• The new guidance particularly emphasizes protein at every meal, and encourages as much as 0.75 daily grams of protein per pound of body weight—twice the previous recommended amount.
• It also abandons previous daily recommended limits on alcohol (1 or 2 drinks/day, depending on gender), in favor of more general advice to “limit alcohol beverages” without suggesting a specific cap.

Outside experts react

The American Medical Association applauded the new guidance for spotlighting ultraprocessed foods, added sugars, and sodium, which it says fuel chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.

• The American Heart Association said it commends the emphasis on eating more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains while limiting consumption of added sugars, refined grains, highly processed foods, saturated fats, and sugary drinks.
• But the AHA also expressed concern that new guidance promoting red meat and salt seasoning could inadvertently cause people to exceed the recommended limits for sodium and saturated fat.

Looking ahead…The dietary guideline updates will be reflected in federal nutrition programs—including school meals and SNAP benefits—over the next two years, directly affecting ~1 in 4 Americans.

📊 Flash poll: In general, do you agree with the Trump admin’s changes to the federal dietary guidelines?

• Yes
• No
• Unsure/other

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Here are five stats from this past week that made our team go “whoa.” Hopefully you will, too.

📲🏫 US teens spend an average of 70 minutes on their phones during school hours, mostly on social media, per new research published in JAMA.

🏘️ Nearly 30 million households, or 54% of existing primary mortgage-holders, have mortgage rates at or below 4%.

🏬 US retail stores saw 8,200 closures in 2025, up ~12% compared to the previous year, per Coresight Research data.

🏙️ 41% of America’s top-100 major cities are unaffordable using the 30% rent-to-gross-income rule, per The Economist’s third annual “Carrie Bradshaw Index,” up from 38 cities the previous year.

♥️ Around 1 in 11 Americans have had a romantic or sexual relationship with their boss, per YouGov polling.

BUSINESS & MARKETS

• 🚗 GM reports a one-time earnings hit of $7.1 billion in Q4; $6 billion comes from recent reversals on EV investments, and the other $1.1 billion from restructuring in China.
• 🏘️ President Trump said he’s “instructing my Representatives” to buy $200 billion in mortgage bonds, a move he argues will drive mortgage rates and monthly housing payments down.
• 📉 US trade deficit shrank to $29.4 billion in October, down from $48.1 billion the previous month and its lowest level since 2009, per new Commerce Department data.

SPORTS, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

• 🏈 Miami Dolphins fire head coach Mike McDaniel after 35-32 record over four seasons; McDaniel is expected to receive head-coaching interest from other teams.
• ⚖️ The attorney representing Nick Reiner—who’s accused of killing his parents, legendary filmmaker Rob and photographer Michelle—unexpectedly withdrew from the case during what was supposed to be Nick’s arraignment; afterward, the attorney declared: "Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder”; TMZ reports Reiner had a “complete break from reality” amid a change in meds for schizoaffective disorder.
• 🏥 The Pitt is renewed for Season 3 at HBO Max, one day ahead of the Emmy-winning medical drama’s Season 2 premiere last night.

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SCIENCE, SPACE & EMERGING TECH

• 🛰️ NASA announced plans to bring its astronauts back to Earth from the International Space Station weeks earlier than planned due to an unspecified medical condition.
• 💉 People coming off weight-loss injections like Mounjaro or Wegovy can regain their lost weight ~4x faster compared to people who halt conventional dieting and exercise, new research suggests.
• 🤖 Google announced a slew of new AI features for Gmail, including an "AI Inbox" that plows through your e-mails to suggest tasks that need follow-up. | Google and startup Character.AI to settle lawsuits filed by families accusing the startup’s AI chatbots of harming minors, including contributing to a Florida teen’s suicide; analysts say it marks the tech industry’s first significant legal settlement over AI-related harm.

US, WORLD & POLITICS

• 🚨 Minnesota investigators say the federal gov’t has restricted their access to case materials and evidence in this week’s ICE shooting of a 37-year-old woman and US citizen who was in a vehicle that drove close to agents; President Trump, JD Vance, and other top GOP federal officials claim the shooting was justified, while local officials dispute their account. | Two people were injured in a shooting involving a federal agent in Portland, according to authorities; Department of Homeland Security said the shooting occurred while Border Patrol agents were conducting a "targeted" stop on a vehicle carrying two people allegedly affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang.
• 🎖️ President Trump asked Congress to increase the US defense budget from $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion, saying the larger sum would help keep America secure and allow it to build the “Dream Military.”
• 🏛️ Senate votes to block President Trump from taking further military action in Venezuela without congressional approval, with five Republicans joining all Democrats in voting for the measure. | House approves three-year renewal of expired Covid-era ACA subsidies, with 17 Republicans joining all Democrats in 230-196 vote.

☝️You’re looking at some of the winners of the 2025 Architecture Photography MasterPrize awards, which celebrate architectural excellence from around the globe. See more of the finalists here.

🤔 Did you know? Levi’s says you’re overwashing your jeans. Like…way over. The brand recommends only washing your jeans after ~10 wears, unless they’re visibly dirty or start to smell. Adding more wears between washes helps preserve the unique creases, fades, and fit that make denim special—and it’s also easier on the fabric.

📰 Worth a read: Why the concept of zero matters, according to neuroscience.

🖱️ What we’re clicking:

• The $160,000 mechanic job that Ford can’t fill
• Waves crash in a phenomenon described as Earth's belly button.
• Is it pop, soda, or coke?

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How well did you pay attention this week? Find out here.

How it works: We provide an incorrect stat. Your challenge is to guess whether the actual number is over or under the given value.

1. A jar contains 4 red marbles, 3 blue marbles, and 2 green marbles. If one marble is chosen at random, what is the probability that the marble is blue?
2. What is the value of x in the equation: 3(x + 4) = 2x + 22
3. A number is multiplied by 5 and then increased by 7. The final result is 42. What was the original number?

🐮 The Block Island Fire Department in Rhode Island recently sprang into action when a cow wandered out onto a frozen pond and fell through the ice. 

• Firefighters managed to pull off a successful rescue using specialized equipment to break through the ice, and lead the cow to dry land.

1. 1/3 (3 out of 9)
2. x = 10
3. 7

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