Anna's Daybreak News

_{Just facts, you think for yourself}

Thursday, 5:09 AM

January 15, 2026

Good morning news friend! Discover today’s defining stories and the future they set in motion. 📰🌟

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War Powers Resolution

The Senate voted 51-50, with Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie, to block a resolution limiting President Trump’s military authority in Venezuela.

Five Republicans initially supported the resolution, but two switched after White House pressure. The administration confirmed no U.S. ground troops are deployed and promised Congressional approval before major military actions.

The resolution sought to require explicit authorization following the January 3 capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces. Republicans argued the War Powers Act doesn’t apply due to lack of active hostilities.

Trump threatened veto and criticized dissenting senators. The vote underscores deep Congressional divisions over executive war powers and oversight of U.S. involvement in Venezuela.

Sources: WallStreetJournal, Bloomberg, Reuters, AXIOS

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U.S. Suspends Immigrant Visa Processing for 75 Countries

The U.S. State Department will indefinitely suspend immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries starting January 21, targeting family, marriage, and work-sponsored permanent visas.

Tourist and temporary work visas remain unaffected. The policy expands visa vetting to assess applicants’ age, health, finances, education, skills, and English proficiency to exclude those likely to use public benefits.

Since 2017, over 100,000 visas were revoked under tightened scrutiny. The suspension could block about 315,000 legal immigrants yearly, nearly half of all legal immigration.

Non-immigrant visa demand is expected to rise ahead of the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics as the government aims to prevent public benefits abuse and protect taxpayers.

Sources: WallStreetJournal, Reuters, AP News.

Loans Surge and Credit Caps

U.S. banks ended 2025 with loan growth: Bank of America (+8%), JPMorgan Chase (+9%), Citigroup (+7%), Wells Fargo (+12% in commercial loans). S&P Global projects 5.3% loan growth into 2026.

Demand is driven by consumer and business borrowing in a growing economy. President Trump’s proposed 10% cap on credit card interest rates could reduce lending and credit availability, possibly slowing spending and growth.

Citigroup and Wells Fargo say the impact is unclear due to vague policy details. Concerns about Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s independence have increased amid investigations, with bank leaders stressing central bank stability is crucial for market confidence.

Sources: Reuters, Finimize, Devdiscourse

X Restricts Grok AI Image

X has restricted its AI chatbot Grok’s ability to generate sexualized deepfake images of real people to paid users and banned such content in regions where it’s illegal.

Over 50% of 20,000 analyzed Grok images depicted individuals in minimal clothing, with 2% involving minors. This sparked investigations in California, the UK, EU, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and South Korea.

California’s AG launched probes into potential violations of laws against non-consensual sexual imagery and child exploitation. Despite new limits, Grok still produces sexualized images from user-uploaded photos.

Malaysia and Indonesia banned Grok. X enforces a “zero tolerance” policy on abuse but faces criticism for delayed safeguards and unclear enforcement amid rising global regulatory scrutiny.

Sources: Reuters, BBC, Dw, Decrypt.

Scientists Unveil a Rare Sugar

Researchers engineered E. coli bacteria with a slime mold enzyme to convert glucose into tagatose, a rare sugar naturally found in trace amounts in fruits and milk.

This method achieves up to 95% yield, surpassing traditional 40-77% yields, reducing production costs. Tagatose tastes like sugar but has about 60% fewer calories and causes smaller blood glucose and insulin spikes.

It is “generally recognized as safe” by the FDA. Partially absorbed, it ferments in the colon, potentially benefiting gut and oral health by inhibiting cavity-causing bacteria.

Tagatose browns and adds bulk in cooking, unlike high-intensity sweeteners. This advancement could enable cheaper, healthier sugar substitutes and boost rare sugar production.

Sources: SciTechDaily.

The Real Cure for Joint Pain

Osteoarthritis affects over 595 million people worldwide and may near one billion by 2050 due to aging, inactivity, and obesity.

Less than half of patients are referred to exercise or physiotherapy; over 60% receive non-recommended treatments, and 40% see surgeons before trying non-surgical options.

Exercise protects cartilage by promoting nutrient absorption and strengthens muscles, improves joint stability, and retrains nerves. It also reduces inflammation and slows disease progression, addressing obesity-related damage.

No drugs halt osteoarthritis progression; surgery carries risks. Movement-based therapies like GLA:D® provide pain relief and improved function lasting up to a year. Experts advise prioritizing exercise before and throughout all disease stages.

Sources: Sciencealert

“Just because a fellow is good company over a bottle doesn't mean he'll stick by you when the bottle is empty. Most friends are friends of your dinner table, not your soul.”

Baked with love,

Anna Eisenberg ❤️