U.S. stocks eked out small gains on Wall Street Friday in a wobbly day of trading to kick off the new year.

Markets were mostly quiet on the first trading day of 2026, with the influential technology sector driving much of the up-and-down action. The mostly minor moves also cap off a tepid and holiday-shortened week. Markets were closed on Thursday for New Year's day.

The S&P 500 rose 12.97 points, or 0.2%, to 6,858.47. The benchmark index is coming off a gain of more than 16% in 2025.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 319.10 points, or 0.7%, to 48,382.39.

The Nasdaq composite fell 6.36 points, or less than 0.1%, to 23,235.63. The index was weighed down by losses for Microsoft and Tesla.

Foreign markets fared better and benchmarks in Britain and South Korea hit records.

Technology stocks steered the market, especially companies with a focus on artificial intelligence, continuing the trend that pushed the broader market to records in 2025.

Nvidia jumped 1.3% and was the biggest force trying to push the market higher. But a 2.2% fall for Microsoft helped to check those gains.

Tesla also weighed on markets with a 2.6% drop after reporting falling sales for a second year in a row.

Nvidia, Microsoft and Tesla are among the most valuable companies in the world and their outsized valuations give them more influence on the stock market's direction. That includes sometimes pushing the market up and down from hour to hour.

Technology companies have been a major focus because of advancements in artificial intelligence technology and the potential for growth within the sector. Wall Street has been betting that demand for computer chips and other items needed for data centers will help justify the big investments from technology companies and their pricey stock values.

Furniture companies gained ground following President Donald Trump's move to delay increased tariffs on upholstered furniture. RH rose 8% and Wayfair rose 6.1%.

E-commerce giant Alibaba climbed 4.3% and Baidu, maker of the Ernie chatbot, jumped 9.4% in Hong Kong after it said it plans to spin off its AI computer chip unit Kunlunxin, which would list shares in Hong Kong early in 2027. The plan is subject to regulatory approvals.

Crude oil prices were mostly stable. Prices for U.S. crude oil fell 0.2% to $57.32 per barrel. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, fell 0.2% to $60.75 per barrel.

The price of gold fell 0.3%.

Treasury yields held steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.19% from 4.17% late Wednesday. The yield on the two-year Treasury, which moves more closely with expectations for what the Federal Reserve will do, held at 3.48% from late Wednesday.

Wall Street will move past the mostly quiet holiday season starting Monday. The first full week of the new year will include several closely watched economic updates. They will also be some of the last big updates the Fed sees before its next meeting at the end of January.

Next week will feature private reports on the status of the services sector, which is the largest part of the U.S. economy, along with consumer sentiment. Government reports on the job market will also be released. The hope is they'll help paint a clearer picture of how various parts of the U.S. economy closed out 2025 and where it might be headed in 2026.

The Fed has had a more difficult task because of the complex shifts within the economy. It cut interest rates three times toward the end of 2025, partly to help counter a weakening jobs market. But inflation remains above its target rate of 2% and cutting interest rates could add more fuel to rising prices. Consumers have already expressed more caution amid the squeeze from stubborn inflation and the U.S. trade war with much of the world has added more uncertainty.

The Fed has already signaled concern and caution. Wall Street is betting that the central bank will hold its benchmark interest rate steady at its January meeting.

On Sunday, January 4, Spotlight on the News look at the future of healthcare and U.S.-China relations. What impact might these two important topics have on Michigan, including its global automotive manufacturing industry? Join us for an in-depth conversation with Tom Watkins, President & CEO of TDW & Associates, and a longtime healthcare and U.S.-China business advisor.

Spotlight on the News, now in its 60th season, is Michigan's longest-running weekly news and public affairs television program. It airs every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. on WXYZ-TV/Channel 7 in Detroit, is streamed live on wxyz.com and broadcast at 11:30 a.m. on 23.1 WKAR-HD in East Lansing.

A yellow Labrador out for a walk with his owner in Rhode Island had to be rescued by firefighters on New Year's Day after he wandered onto a thin layer of ice covering a pond and fell through the center.

According to the Misquamicut Fire Department, volunteer firefighters and other emergency officials were dispatched early Thursday morning for a water rescue. Once on scene, firefighters saw a dog named Phoenix struggling and unable to move to shore in the slushy, icy water.

Members from both the Misquamicut and Watch Hill fire departments donned ice rescue suits, which help protect the body from frigid temperatures, to enter the pond and successfully rescue Phoenix. The National Weather Service reported it was 26 degrees Fahrenheit around 9 a.m. on Thursday, with the wind chill dropping the temperature to 14 degrees.

"It was the chillest dog I've ever seen in my life," said Steve Howard, deputy chief of the Misquamicut Fire Department, in a phone interview on Friday. "The dog never made a sound. He was pretty chill."

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While the firefighters were evaluated for possible hypothermia, they did not require treatment. The fire departments described the incident as "a successful first call of 2026," in a statement posted on Facebook.

Phoenix was also declared free of injuries, but Howard made sure to check in with his owner later Thursday.

"He got a little bit of extra food last night," Howard said. "And he took a little nap."

The incident served as a reminder to treat all ice as potentially dangerous, particularly over bodies of water, the fire department warned.

"No ice is ever safe. Our firefighters train extensively for cold water and ice rescues, but these situations are extremely dangerous," the fire department said.

We're in for a celestial treat to start the new year. This weekend will be the first full moon and first supermoon of 2026.

The so-called Wolf Moon will reach peak illumination at 5:03 a.m. ET on Jan. 3, according to Space.com.

Being a supermoon means it will appear bigger and brighter than a regular full moon because it is closer to Earth.

RELATED STORY | The new Space Race: Satellites that track wildfires from orbit

The Wolf Moon got its name because of the howling of wolves often heard this time of year. According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, other names for the January full moon include Center Moon (Assiniboine), Cold Moon and Frost Exploding Moon (Cree), Freeze Up Moon (Algonquin) and Severe Moon or Hard Moon (Dakota).

Because of the bold brightness of the Wolf Moon, it will be harder to see the second special celestial event: the Quadrantid meteor shower.

The meteor shower will reach peak activity Saturday evening. Don't fret, though, astronomers say the shower will be active through Jan.16.

A woman was killed in a suspected mountain lion attack while she was hiking alone in the mountains of northern Colorado on Thursday, in what would be the first fatal attack by one of the predators in the state in more than 25 years, authorities said.

Wildlife officers later in the day located two mountain lions in the area and fatally shot the animals, said Kara Van Hoose with Colorado Parks and Wildlife

The attack occurred in the mountains south of the small community of Glen Haven, about 7 miles northeast of Estes Park and considered the gateway to the eastern entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Shortly before noon, two hikers encountered a mountain lion near the woman's body along a remote section of the Crosier Mountain trail, which is on a national forest.

The hikers threw rocks at the animal to scare it from the immediate area so they could try to help the woman, Van Hoose said. One of the hikers was a physician who attended to the victim and did not find a pulse, she said.

RELATED STORY | Triathlete killed in Northern California shark attack while wearing shark-deterrent device

Details on the woman's injuries and cause of death were not immediately released.

Van Hoose said the search for other mountain lions in the area was ongoing. She said circumstances would dictate whether any additional lions that are found are killed.

Sightings of mountain lions are common in the forested area where the suspected attack occurred, but there have not been any recent documented attacks on humans, Van Hoose said.

"This is a very common time of year to take mountain lion sightings and reports and especially in Larimer County, where this is very good mountain lion habitat," she said. "Trails in this area are in pretty remote land, so it's wooded, it's rocky, there's elevation gains and dips."

Mountain lion attacks are rare and Colorado's last suspected fatal attack was in 1999, when a 3-year-old was killed. Two years before that, a 10-year-old boy was killed by a lion and dragged away while hiking with family members in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Last year in Northern California two brothers were stalked and then attacked by a lion that they tried to fight off. One of the brothers was killed.

The animals, also known as cougars, catamounts and other names, can weigh 130 pounds (60 kilograms) and grow to more than six feet long. They eat primarily deer.

Colorado has an estimated 3,800-4,400 of the animals, which are classified as a big game species in the state and can be hunted.

Tesla lost its crown as the worlds bestselling electric vehicle maker on Friday as a customer revolt over Elon Musks right-wing politics, expiring U.S. tax breaks for buyers and stiff overseas competition pushed sales down for a second year in a row.

Tesla said that it delivered 1.64 million vehicles in 2025, down 9% from a year earlier.

Chinese rival BYD, which sold 2.26 million vehicles last year, is now the biggest EV maker.

It's a stunning reversal for a car company whose rise once seemed unstoppable as it overtook traditional automakers with far more resources and helped make Musk the world's richest man.

For the fourth quarter, sales totaled 418,227, falling short of even the much-reduced 440,000 target that analysts recently polled by FactSet had expected. Sales were hit hard by the expiration of a $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicle purchases that was phased out by the Trump administration at the end of September.

Tesla stock was down nearly 2% at $441.15 in early afternoon trading Friday.

RELATED STORY | Musk could become history's first trillionaire as Tesla shareholders approve giant pay package

Even with multiple issues buffeting the company, investors are betting that Tesla CEO Musk can deliver on his ambitions to make Tesla a leader in robotaxi services and get consumers to embrace humanoid robots that can perform basic tasks in homes and offices. Reflecting that optimism, the stock finished 2025 with a gain of approximately 11%.

The latest quarter was the first with sales of stripped-down versions of the Model Y and Model 3 that Musk unveiled in early October as part of an effort to revive sales. The new Model Y costs just under $40,000 while customers can buy the cheaper Model 3 for under $37,000. Those versions are expected to help Tesla compete with Chinese models in Europe and Asia.

For fourth-quarter earnings coming out in late January, analysts are expecting the company to post a 3% drop in sales and a nearly 40% drop in earnings per share, according to FactSet. Analysts expect the downward trend in sales and profits to eventually reverse itself as 2026 rolls along.

Investors have largely shrugged off the falling numbers, choosing to focus on Musk's pivot to different parts of business. He has been saying the future of the company lies with its driverless robotaxis service, its energy storage business and building robots for the home and factory and much less with car sales.

Tesla started rolling out its robotaxi service in Austin earlier this year, first with safety monitors in the cars to take over in case of trouble, then testing without them. The company hopes to roll out the service in several cities this year.

RELATED STORY | Jury awards $329 million in case that blamed Tesla's Autopilot for deadly crash

To do that successfully, it needs to take on rival Waymo, which has been operating autonomous taxis for years and has far more customers. It also will also have to contend with regulatory challenges. The company is under several federal safety investigations and other probes. In California, Tesla is at risk of temporarily losing its license to sell cars in the state after a judge there ruled it had misled customers about their safety.

Regulatory is going to be a big issue, said Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives, a well-known bull on the stock. We're dealing with people's lives.

Still, Ives said he expects Tesla's autonomous offerings will soon overcome any setbacks.

Musk has said he hopes software updates to his cars will enable hundreds of thousands of Tesla vehicles to operate autonomously with zero human intervention by the end of this year. The company is also planning to begin production of its AI-powered Cybercab with no steering wheel or pedals in 2026.

To keep Musk focused on the company, Teslas directors awarded Musk a potentially enormous new pay package that shareholders backed at the annual meeting in November.

Musk scored another huge windfall two weeks ago when the Delaware Supreme Court reversed a decision that deprived him of a $55 billion pay package that Tesla doled out in 2018.

Musk could become the world's first trillionaire later this year when he sells shares of his rocket company SpaceX to the public for the first time in what analysts expect would be a blockbuster initial public offering.

A quiet Milford community is reeling after a 26-year-old man was found murdered inside his apartment on Wednesday afternoon, with police saying this was no random crime.

Watch Randy Wimbley's video report: Milford man killed in 'violent attack' on New Year's Eve; suspect in custody

Milford Police Chief Scott Tarasiewicz said the attack was targeted, not random violence that has shaken the typically peaceful neighborhood.

"One thing I wanted to get out is this was not random. This was more something of a targeted attack," Tarasiewicz said.

The investigation began when the victim's girlfriend called police requesting a welfare check. She hadn't heard from her boyfriend in quite some time and grew concerned when she couldn't reach him at his apartment.

"The girlfriend hadn't heard from her boyfriend in quite a long time, and she was concerned. She went out to the apartment and couldn't get a hold of him. Called us to come and do a welfare check. We noticed that his phone was still in the residence based on it ringing," Tarasiewicz said.

Milford police, with help from the fire department, forced entry into the man's apartment and discovered his body with clear signs of foul play.

"It was obvious, obviously a quite violent attack, and it was readily apparent that this was not self-inflicted, this was not natural, this was a homicide," Tarasiewicz said.

The news struck neighbors hard in what they describe as a very quiet community.

"It's unbelievable, really. Surprising. We live in a very quiet place here. And to hear something that my neighbor is gone, that he was killed. Unbelievable," said Kirk Calvin, a neighbor.

Working with the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, Milford police were able to identify a suspect within hours of finding the victim's body. They apprehended the suspect about 30 miles away in Royal Oak.

"The individual that was apprehended was in Royal Oak at a bar," Tarasiewicz said.

The suspect, a 29-year-old man from Sterling Heights, is being held in the Oakland County Jail. His name has not been released because he has not yet been charged, which is expected to happen in the coming days.

Police say they believe the victim knew his attacker, making this a targeted crime rather than random violence.

"We completely feel for the family. We understand that they are devastated. I think this is awful. I couldn't imagine being in their shoes right now, and we're trying to support them in any way we can," Tarasiewicz said.

The victim's family was too shaken to speak about the tragedy.

Police continue investigating and ask anyone with information about what happened to call Milford police.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Iran, threatening U.S. military intervention if the country kills peaceful protesters amid ongoing demonstrations over economic concerns.

Trump wrote on Truth Social that "if Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go."

The threat comes as protesters in Iran have demonstrated over economic concerns in their country. It also follows Trump's suggestion earlier this week that the U.S. could strike Iran if it rebuilt its missile or nuclear programs and could offer backing to Israel, as he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago before New Year's.

Iranian officials responded swiftly to Trump's comments with their own verbal warnings.

RELATED STORY | Trump, Netanyahu meet on Gaza war, warn Iran over nuclear ambitions

Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, called Trump's comments "reckless and dangerous" and said they would reject any interference.

Ali Larijani, the secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council stated that "Trump must realize that U.S. intervention in this internal matter will lead to destabilizing the entire region and destroying American interests."

Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that "all American centers and forces across the entire region will be legitimate targets for us in response to any potential adventurism."

The exchange marks a significant escalation in rhetoric between the two nations as Trump has increased his warnings toward Iran this week, particularly regarding protests.

RELATED STORY | Afghanistan, Iran among nations facing new Trump immigration pause

Trump is scheduled to receive his regular intelligence briefing later this evening.

The DOJ and FBI said they foiled an alleged plot to attack a grocery store and fast food restaurant on New Year's Eve, arresting 18-year-old Christian Sturdivant.

Sturdivant allegedly planned to use knives and hammers in a deadly, ISIS-inspired attack at a fast food restaurant and grocery store. Officials said Sturdivant is a resident of Mint Hill, North Carolina.

FBI and DOJ officials claim that Sturdivant began consuming ISIS propaganda videos on social media and pledged his allegiance to ISIS, detailing his plans to undercover officers.

RELATED STORY | 4 charged with plotting New Year's Eve attacks in Southern California, prosecutors say

Officials said that he planned the attack for about a year in support of ISIS.

After serving a search warrant on his residence, officials said that investigators also found handwritten notes plotting the attacks. The notes had a goal of stabbing as many people as possible, the FBI said.

Christian Sturdivant allegedly swore allegiance to an international terrorist organization and plotted deadly attacks in its name, said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. But the New York City Police Department has a long reach, and our undercover cybersecurity investigators once again identified threats of extremist behavior and thwarted them before they could be carried out. Public safety knows no borders, and we will continue to work with all our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorneys Office to pursue and hold accountable anyone who seeks to spread fear and violence.

He has been charged with producing material support to a terrorist organization.

Swiss investigators said Friday that they believe sparkling flares atop Champagne bottles ignited the fatal fire at a ski resort when they came too close to a crowded bars ceiling.

Forty people were killed and another 119 injured in the blaze as it ripped through the busy Le Constellation bar at the ski resort of Crans-Montana while revelers were celebrating New Year's Eve, authorities said.

Among the crowd was Axel Clavier, a 16-year-old from Paris, who said he felt as if he was suffocating inside the Swiss Alpine bar where moments before he had been ringing in the new year with friends and dozens of other people.

The teenager escaped the inferno, which broke out early Thursday, by forcing a window open with a table. But about 40 other partygoers died, including one of Clavier's friends, falling victim to one of the worst tragedies in Switzerland's history.

Many of the wounded were in their teens to mid-20s, police said.

Clavier told The Associated Press that two or three of his friends remained missing hours after the disaster.

RELATED STORY | About 40 people dead and 115 injured in fire at Swiss Alpine bar during New Year's celebration

Late Thursday, mourners left candles and flowers in an impromptu memorial near the bar. Hundreds of others prayed for the victims at the nearby Church of Montana-Station.

Pope Leo sent a telegram Friday to the bishop of Sion to express condolences and pray that "the Lord will welcome the deceased into His abode of peace and light, and will sustain the courage of those who suffer in their hearts or in their bodies.

On Instagram, an account filled up with photos of people who remained unaccounted for, with their friends and relatives begging for tips about the whereabouts of the missing.

Fire's cause remains under investigation

We have numerous accounts of heroic actions, one could say, of very strong solidarity in the moment, Valais regional government head Mathias Reynard told RTS radio Friday. He lauded the work of emergency officials on the day after the fire but added "in the first minutes it was citizens and in large part young people who saved lives with their courage.

An evening of celebration turns tragic

Clavier, the Parisian teenager, said he didnt see the fire start, but did see waitresses arrive with Champagne bottles with burning sparklers.

Two women told French broadcaster BFMTV they were inside when they saw a male bartender lifting a female bartender on his shoulders as she held a lit candle in a bottle. The flames spread, collapsing the wooden ceiling, they told the broadcaster.

One of the women described a crowd surge as people frantically tried to escape from a basement nightclub up a flight of stairs and through a narrow door.

Another witness speaking to BFMTV described people smashing windows to escape the blaze, some gravely injured, and panicked parents rushing to the scene in cars to see whether their children were trapped inside.

Gianni Campolo, a Swiss 19-year-old who was in Crans-Montana on vacation, rushed to the bar to help first responders after receiving a call from a friend who escaped the inferno. He described a scene of people trapped on the ground, severely injured and burned.

I have seen horror and I dont know what else would be worse than this, Campolo told TF1.

The severity of the burns has made it very difficult to identify bodies, bringing fresh agony for families who now must hand over DNA samples to authorities. In some cases, wallets and any ID documents inside turned to ash in the flames.

Emanuele Galeppini, a promising 17-year-old Italian golfer who competed internationally, is officially listed as one of Italys missing nationals. His uncle Sebastiano Galeppini told Italian news agency ANSA that their family is awaiting the DNA checks, though the Italian Golf Federation on its website announced that he had died.

Italys Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said 13 Italian citizens were injured and six remained missing by midday Friday. Galeppinis name was on the missing persons list.

Resort town sits in the heart of the Alps

In a region busy with tourists skiing on the slopes, the authorities have called on the local population to show caution in the coming days to avoid accidents that could further strain the area's already overwhelmed medical resources.

With high-altitude ski runs rising around 3,000 meters (nearly 9,850 feet) in the heart of the Valais region's snowy peaks and pine forests, Crans-Montana is one of the top venues on the World Cup circuit. The resort will host the best mens and womens downhill racers, including Lindsey Vonn, for their final events before the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February. The town's Crans-sur-Sierre golf club stages the European Masters each August on a picturesque course.

President Donald Trump defended his energy and health in an interview with The Wall Street Journal and disclosed that he had a CT scan, not an MRI scan, during an October examination about which he and the White House delayed offering details.

Trump, in the interview published Thursday, said he regretted undergoing the advanced imaging on his heart and abdomen during an October visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center because it raised public questions about his health. His physician said in a memo the White House released in December that he had advanced imaging as a preventative screening for a man his age.

RELATED STORY | Doctor explains why Trump underwent MRI during annual physical

Trump had initially described it as an MRI but said he didn't know what part of his body he had scanned. A CT scan is a quicker form of diagnostic imaging than an MRI but offers less detail about differences in tissue.

The president's doctor, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, said in a statement released Thursday by the White House that Trump underwent the exam in October because he planned to be at Walter Reed to meet people working there. Trump had already undergone an annual physical in April.

President Trump agreed to meet with the staff and soldiers at Walter Reed Medical Hospital in October. In order to make the most of the Presidents time at the hospital, we recommended he undergo another routine physical evaluation to ensure continued optimal health, Barbabella said.

Barbabella said he asked the president to undergo either a CT scan or MRI to definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues and the results were "perfectly normal and revealed absolutely no abnormalities."

RELATED STORY | Trump says he'll release MRI results but doesn't know what part of his body was scanned

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement Thursday that the presidents doctors and the White House have always maintained the President received advanced imaging but said that additional details on the imaging have been disclosed by the President himself because he has nothing to hide.

In retrospect, its too bad I took it because it gave them a little ammunition, Trump said in the interview with The Wall Street Journal. I would have been a lot better off if they didnt, because the fact that I took it said, Oh gee, is something wrong? Well, nothings wrong.

The 79-year-old became the oldest person to take the oath of office when he was sworn in as president last year and has been sensitive to questions about his health, particularly as he has repeatedly questioned his predecessor Joe Biden's fitness for office.

Biden, who turned 82 in the last year of his presidency, was dogged by scrutiny of his age and mental acuity at the end of his tenure and during his abandoned attempt to seek reelection.

But questions have also swirled around Trump's health this year as he's been seen with bruising on the back of his right hand that has been conspicuous despite a slathering of makeup on top, along with noticeable swelling at his ankles.

The White House this summer said the president had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition among older adults. The condition happens when veins in the legs cant properly carry blood back to the heart and it pools in the lower legs.

In the interview, Trump said he briefly tried wearing compression socks to address the swelling but stopped because he didn't like them.

The bruising on Trump's hand, according to Leavitt, is from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which Trump takes regularly to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

He said he takes more aspirin than his doctors recommend but said he has resisted taking less because hes been taking it for 25 years and said he is a little superstitious. Trump takes 325 milligrams of aspirin daily, according to Barbabella.

They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I dont want thick blood pouring through my heart, Trump said. I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?

Trump, in the interview, denied he has fallen asleep during White House meetings when cameras have caught him with his eyes closed, instead insisting he was resting his eyes or blinking.

Ill just close. Its very relaxing to me, he said. Sometimes theyll take a picture of me blinking, blinking, and theyll catch me with the blink.

He said that he's never slept much at night, a habit he also described during his first term, and said he starts his day early in the White House residence before moving to the Oval Office around 10 a.m. and working until 7 p.m. or 8 p.m.

The president dismissed questions about his hearing, saying he only struggled to hear when theres a lot of people talking," and said he has plenty of energy, which he credited to his genes.

Genetics are very important, he said. And I have very good genetics.

While we may be deep in the heart of winter and early in 2026, the days are getting longer, which means more sunlight and less dark and gray.

When the calendar flipped to Jan. 1, our sunrise in Detroit was at 8:01 a.m. and the sunset was at 5:10 p.m. We had just over 9 hours and 9 minutes of daylight.

By the end of January, however, our sunrise will be at 7:46 a.m. and sunset at 5:45 p.m. That totals nearly 10 hours of daylight.

In all, we gain 49 minutes and 24 seconds of daylight in January.

By February, we're gaining even more daylight, and throughout the month, we'll gain 1 hour and 11 minutes of daylight.

In March, we also spring forward on March 8, and by the end of the month, we'll have gained nearly 1 hour and 26 minutes of daylight.

Michigan will be well-represented on the ice at the 2026 Olympics, as USA Hockey announced the rosters for the men's and women's hockey team on Friday.

Two women from Michigan will be on the women's team.

Megan Keller, who is the captain of the Boston Fleet in the PWHL, will play in her third Olympics. She won gold with Team USA in the 2018 Olympics and silver in 2022. She's a Farmington Hills native.

Kirssten Simms, who is from Plymouth, will make her Olympic debut next month for Team USA. She currently plays for the University of Wisconsin, scoring the game-tying and then game-winning goal in the women's championship game earlier this year for the Badgers.

On the men's side, Dylan Larkin will be on Team USA. Other Michiganders include Kyle Connor, Conner Hellebuyck, Jack Hughes, Quinn Hughes and Zach Werenski.

Team USA announced the rosters for the men's and women's Olympic ice hockey teams, taking place next month.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin made the team, but forward Alex DeBrincat was not named.

In 42 games this season, Larkin has 21 goals and 17 assists. DeBrincat has 21 goals and 20 assists.

This will be the first Olympics for Larkin. He's competed with Team USA at several IIHF World Championships and also last year at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

After the loss in the championship to Canada, Larin said, "I think we've had a tough time with USA Hockey getting guys to play in the World Championships. I think guys are at home watching this, and I hope they are wanting a piece of this."

The full men's roster for the Olympics includes:

Matt Boldy Kyle DConnor Jack Eichel Jack Guentzel Noah Hanifin Connor Hellebuyck Jack Hughes Quinn Hughes Seth Jones Clayon Keller Dylan Larkin Auston Matthews Charlie McAvoy J.T. Miller Brock Nelson Jake Oettinger Jaccob Slavin Jeremy Swayman Tage Thompson Brady Tkachuk Matthew Tkachuk Vincent Trocheck Zach Werenski Jake Sanderson Brock Faber

Two women from Michigan were also named to the U.S. Olympic women's hockey team, including Megan Keller from the Boston Fleet, who is from Farmington Hills, and Kirsten Simms, who is from Plymouth and plays at the University of Wisconsin.

Venezuela is open to negotiating an agreement with the United States to combat drug trafficking, the South American countrys President Nicols Maduro said in a pretaped interview aired Thursday on state television, but he declined to comment on a CIA-led strike last week at a Venezuelan docking area that the Trump administration believed was used by cartels.

Maduro, in an interview with Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet, reiterated that the U.S. wants to force a government change in Venezuela and gain access to its vast oil reserves through the monthslong pressure campaign that began with a massive military deployment to the Caribbean Sea in August.

What are they seeking? It is clear that they seek to impose themselves through threats, intimidation and force, Maduro said, later adding that it is time for both nations to start talking seriously, with data in hand.

RELATED STORY | Trump suggests Venezuelan dock explosion linked to smuggling crackdown

The U.S. government knows, because weve told many of their spokespeople, that if they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, were ready, he said. If they want oil, Venezuela is ready for U.S. investment, like with Chevron, whenever they want it, wherever they want it and however they want it.

Chevron Corp. is the only major oil company exporting Venezuelan crude to the U.S. Venezuela has the worlds largest proven oil reserves.

The interview was taped on New Years Eve, the same day the U.S. military announced strikes against five alleged drug-smuggling boats. The latest attacks bring the total number of known boat strikes to 35 and the number of people killed to at least 115, according to numbers announced by the Trump administration. Venezuelans are among the victims.

President Donald Trump has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and asserted that the U.S. is engaged in an armed conflict with drug cartels. The strikes began off Venezuelas Caribbean coast and later expanded to the eastern Pacific Ocean.

RELATED STORY | Trump says U.S. strike hit Venezuelan dock used to load boats with drugs

Meanwhile, the CIA was behind a drone strike last week at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels, according to two people familiar with details of the operation who requested anonymity to discuss the classified matter. It was the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the boat strikes began, a significant escalation in the administrations pressure campaign on Maduro, who has been charged with narco-terrorism in the U.S.

Asked about the operation on Venezuelan soil, Maduro said he could talk about it in a few days.

Millions of Americans are now facing higher healthcare premiums or may abandon their plans altogether after expanded premium tax credits officially expired at the start of 2026.

The lapse in subsidies is setting up a major political battle on Capitol Hill as lawmakers return from their holiday break with healthcare affordability taking center stage ahead of the midterm elections.

Democrats are positioning themselves to force Republicans to confront their longstanding struggle to unite around a comprehensive healthcare plan. President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

RELATED STORY | Millions face higher healthcare costs as ACA subsidies end January 1

Republicans floated numerous proposals at the end of 2025 but failed to reach consensus on any potential solution before leaving Washington for the holidays.

"We have time constraints. We have different philosophies. There are different ideas, you know, Senator Crapo and Cassidy have a plan. Senator Paul has a plan. Marsha Blackburn has a plan. Susan Collins and Bernie Moreno have a plan, and that's just on the Senate side," Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyoming, said.

For Democrats, the Republican inaction creates potential political opportunity in the midterms.

"Well, it's everything is always a campaign issue around here, but this is so heartbreaking because people who had no control over these premium increases are going to suffer," Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, said.

While the healthcare subsidy deadline has passed, lawmakers face another critical deadline with government funding set to expire on January 30. Without action to pass another stopgap measure or the remaining nine government funding bills, the government could face a partial shutdown on January 31.

Congress also has proposals to ban stock trading for members on their agenda, an issue that has drawn bipartisan support.

RELATED STORY | Trump issues first vetoes of second term, targeting bills backed by GOP allies

Republicans may attempt to pass another reconciliation bill, which would allow them to make changes to taxes or government spending without Democratic support, similar to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

However, lawmakers will have limited time to accomplish their goals. In addition to the annual August recess, they are scheduled to be on break for nearly the full month of October to campaign for the 2026 midterm elections.

Lake Superior State University has released its annual list of banished words, celebrating the 50th anniversary in 2026.

According to the university in Sault Ste. Marie, this year's list features 10 different words.

It all started in 1976 when former public relations director W.T. (Bill) Rabe showcased the first words because of misuse, maluse, overuse or general uselessness.

This year's words are below.

6-7 Demure Cooked Massive Incentivize Full stop Perfect Gift/gifted (as a verb) My Bad Reach Out

Also, in honor of the 50th anniversary, LSSU went back and looked at repeat offenders that received multiple banishments.

They are:

Absolutely (1996, 2023) At the End of the Day (1999, 2022, 2024) Awesome (1984, 2007 Game Changer (2009, 2025) Hot Water Heater (1982, 2018)

Michigan's minimum wage jumped from $12.48 to $13.73 per hour on Jan. 1, marking a significant increase that has workers celebrating while some restaurant owners express concerns about rising operational costs.

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Michigan minimum wage increases to $13.73/hour, sparking mixed reactions from workers and businesses

The wage increase affects thousands of workers across the state, with tipped employees also seeing their base pay rise to $5.49 per hour, representing 40% of the minimum wage.

"I think we definitely need to be compensated for all of our hard work, our efforts," said Janelle Washington, a cashier at Kerby's Koney Island in Southfield. "It's a lot, it really is. It seems minute until you do it, you really won't understand, unless you actually do a server or a carry out job for a time, you won't understand."

For workers supporting families, the increase provides much-needed relief amid rising living costs.

"I have a big family, I have a family of five. Kids are expensive, I'm expensive by myself so, even when you're trying to budget and cut down stuff is still expensive so, yeah it helps," said Halisa Brown, a server at the restaurant.

Michael Greiner, an associate professor of business at Oakland University, views the wage increase as beneficial for both workers and the broader economy.

"This is something though that actually will put money in the pockets of people, it will be money that people tend to spend, because people who are at or around the minimum wage they tend to have not a lot of discretionary income so they tend to spend everything that they get," Greiner said.

However, the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association warns the increased minimum wage will strain the restaurant industry.

"The minimum wage taking effect January 1 will hit restaurant operators with a 30% increase in the standard minimum wage and a 37% increase in the tipped minimum wage from last January, while restaurant industry revenue is projected to be flat in 2026. For many, the reality is setting in that they will be forced to either cut labor or raise menu prices to keep their doors open, knowing full well that affordability is the number one concern on the mind of most consumers right now."

Not all restaurant owners share this outlook. Mauro Queiro, owner of Mangiabevi Urban Italian in Sterling Heights, believes flexibility is key to managing the change.

"Some prices are going to go up and in my point of view if you're a good restaurant owner, a good chef, you can try to change a few things in the menu to make it more affordable, change the protein you put in the menu," Queiro said.

The wage increase is part of Michigan's plan to gradually raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027.

"It's being increased very gradually because of the fact that they don't want to have it be too dramatic of an impact on the employers and kind of hurt their ability to hire new employees," Greiner said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

The Trump administration is facing a new legal complaint from a group of government employees who are affected by a new policy going into effect Thursday that eliminates coverage for gender-affirming care in federal health insurance programs.

The complaint, filed Thursday on the employees' behalf by the Human Rights Campaign, is in response to an August announcement from the Office of Personnel Management that it would no longer cover "chemical and surgical modification of an individual's sex traits through medical interventions" in health insurance programs for federal employees and U.S. Postal Service workers.

The complaint argues that denying coverage of gender-affirming care is sex-based discrimination and asks the personnel office to rescind the policy.

RELATED STORY | Trump administration seeks nationwide ban on gender-affirming care for minors

"This policy is not about cost or care it is about driving transgender people and people with transgender spouses, children, and dependents out of the federal workforce," Human Rights Campaign Foundation President Kelley Robinson said in a statement announcing the move.

The complaint, filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, includes testimonies from four current federal workers at the State Department, Health and Human Services and the Postal Service who would be directly affected by the elimination of coverage.

For instance, the Postal Service employee has a daughter whose doctors recommended that she get puberty blockers and potentially hormone replacement therapy for her diagnosed gender dysphoria, which would not be covered under the new OPM policy, according to the complaint.

The complaint notes that the workers are making the claim on behalf of themselves and a "class of similarly situated federal employees."

RELATED STORY | Democrat-led states sue HHS over a move to block youth gender-affirming care

The Trump administration has taken other steps to restrict care for transgender Americans, particularly minors. In December, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released proposals that would block gender-affirming care to minors, including a policy that would bar Medicare and Medicaid dollars to hospitals that provide such care to children.

Senior Trump officials, such as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., call gender-affirming care "malpractice" for minors. But such restrictions go against recommendations from major medical groups such as the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.