Anna's Daybreak News

_{Just facts, you think for yourself}

Thursday, 5:14 AM

January 9, 2025

Good morning news friend! Dive into the stories redefining our world, as each moment unfolds. 📰🌟

Wildfires Rage in Los Angeles

Fierce wildfires are sweeping through Los Angeles. The Pacific Palisades fire has burned more than 3,000 acres, making it one of the most destructive in city history. Over 1,000 structures have been destroyed, with at least 5 fatalities reported.

Around 80,000 residents are under evacuation orders, facing severe air quality issues with an index over 300. Power outages have affected 400,000 residents. Many fire hydrants are running dry as demand reached four times the norm, exhausting three one-million-gallon tanks.

Firefighters are battling multiple blazes, including the Eaton fire, which has consumed over 16 square miles. Air support has been limited due to high winds, complicating firefighting efforts.

Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency, requesting federal assistance to tackle these aggressive fires. The potential losses are estimated to reach $10 billion.

Source: Read More

Jobless Claims Drop and Bond Markets

Weekly jobless claims in the U.S. hit an 11-month low, falling by 10,000 to 201,000. Continuing claims rose by 33,000 to 1.867 million. In December, private payrolls increased by 122,000 jobs.

Economists noted a low pace of layoffs, with job openings at 1.13 for every unemployed person. The Federal Reserve anticipates two rate cuts this year, down from four previously forecasted.

Meanwhile, US Treasury yields surged, reaching above 4.7%, the highest since April. The UK 10-year gilt yields also rose, hitting levels not seen since 2008. This selloff in bonds triggered fluctuations in currencies and stocks.

In corporate finance, $75 billion of new investment-grade bonds were issued in the first week of January. Analysts expect January issuance to total between $175 billion and $200 billion. This will be one of the busiest periods on record for bond offerings.

Source: Read More

Legal Battle Over Medical Debt Reporting

Two industry groups have filed a lawsuit against President Biden's new rule that bans medical debt from credit reports. The Consumer Data Industry Association and Cornerstone Credit Union League challenged this regulation in federal court.

The rule, finalized by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, aims to eliminate $49 billion in medical debts from about 15 million Americans' credit reports.

Proponents argue the ban will improve credit scores by an average of 20 points, leading to an estimated 22,000 additional low-cost mortgages issued annually.

The lawsuit claims that the rule violates the Fair Credit Reporting Act. It contends that only Congress can decide what information is included in credit reports. Critics say the ban could hinder lenders from assessing borrowers' creditworthiness effectively.

Source: Read More

Turmoil in China's Economy

Gao Shanwen, a prominent Chinese economist, raised concerns about the reliability of China's economic growth figures. At a Washington forum, he speculated that true GDP growth might be closer to 2% rather than the touted 5%.

This statement incited anger from President Xi Jinping, leading to an investigation and a public speaking ban for Gao. Beijing is intensifying efforts to suppress negative economic commentary.

The Securities Association of China warned financial analysts to provide only positive interpretations of government policies. China is facing an $18 trillion loss in household wealth and a debt nearing 300% of GDP.

In January, the CSI 300 index dropped 2.9%, marking the worst start for Chinese stocks to a trading year in nearly ten years. Analysts predict future growth rates in China may fall between 3% and 4%.

Source: Read More

One-Quarter of Freshwater Species at Risk of Extinction

Research revealed that 24% of over 23,000 assessed freshwater species face extinction risks. These include fish, dragonflies, and crustaceans. The study highlights that 4,294 species are classified as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered.

The leading threats to these species are pollution, especially from agriculture, and habitat degradation due to dam construction and water extraction.

54% of threatened species suffer from pollution, while 39% face risks from dams. Additionally, 30% of freshwater crabs and similar species are at risk, compared to 26% of freshwater fishes and 16% of dragonflies.

Surprisingly, high water stress and eutrophication do not correlate with higher numbers of threatened species, suggesting ineffective conservation indicators.

Source: Read More

The Microbiome Makes Its Case

A recent study examined the impact of dietary patterns on gut microbiomes among 21,561 participants. Participants identified as omnivores (19,817), vegetarians (1,088), or vegans (656).

The study identified microbial differences linked to these diets, achieving a mean area under the curve (AUC) of 0.85 in distinguishing between them.

For omnivores, red meat consumption was associated with an increased abundance of harmful microbes, such as Ruminococcus torques and Bilophila wadsworthia. Vegan microbes correlated with healthier cardiometabolic markers.

Gut diversity was greater in omnivores (217-299 species) than in vegans (209-266) and vegetarians (201-269). A total of 488 species-level genome bins (SGBs) differed in abundance between omnivores and vegans.

Source: Read More

“It is a curse to have ideas that people understand only when it is too late.”

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Baked with love,

Anna Eisenberg ❤️