Photos provided by Miami Beach Fire show the moments firefighters freed a pooch that was stuck underneath a building, Thursday night.

Officials say the pup got stuck after his leash got tangled around plumbing. Firefighters carefully entered the crawl space and safely freed the dog.

The puppy was unharmed and has since been reunited with his owner.

The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said deputies were dispatched at about 10:15 a.m., Friday, to the 14100 block of Northwest Fifth Avenue after receiving reports of a domestic incident.

Investigators said the victim was able to escape the residence, while the subject — described as an adult male — barricaded himself inside the home.

Law enforcement secured the area and worked the scene for several hours as negotiations continued.

Residents who live nearby had to wait several hours to back back in their own homes as the standoff unfolded.

“I called my son and went to go look and see what’s happening, he sees the police and he doesn’t see anything else. Maybe the people are inside the house,” a local area resident said.

At around 3 p.m., the man was taken into custody and placed into a Miami-Dade Fire Rescue vehicle. No injuries were immediately reported.

Authorities have not released the identities of those involved or details about what led up to the incident.

The earthquake had a magnitude of 6.5 and its epicenter was near the town of San Marcos in the southern state of Guerrero near the Pacific coast resort of Acapulco, according to Mexico ’s national seismological agency. There were more than 500 aftershocks.

The state’s civil defense agency reported various landslides around Acapulco and on other highways in the state.

Residents and tourists in Mexico City and Acapulco rushed into the streets when the shaking began. Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada said that one person died after suffering an apparent medical emergency followed by a fall while evacuating a building.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake occurred at a depth of 21.7 miles (35 kilometers), 2.5 miles north-northwest of Rancho Viejo, Guerrero, which is in the mountains about 57 miles northeast of Acapulco.

Sheinbaum, who resumed her press briefing a short time later, said she spoke with Guerrero’s Gov. Evelyn Salgado, who told her there was no serious damage reported.

José Raymundo Díaz Taboada, a doctor and human rights defender who lives on one of the peaks ringing Acapulco, said he heard a strong rumble noise and all the neighborhood dogs began barking.

“In that moment the seismic alert went off on my cellphone,” he said, “and then the shaking began to feel strong with a lot of noise.”

He said the shaking was lighter than in some previous quakes and he had prepared a backpack of essentials to be ready to leave as the aftershocks continued.

He said he had been unable to reach some friends who live along the Costa Chica southeast of Acapulco because communications were cut.

Jamari Charles’ family told 7News life for all of them changed drastically, New Year’s Day.

“He’s so young. 14 years old, full of life,” said Talia Stewart, Charles’ aunt.

Charles was riding an ATV when he collided with a car near Southwest 220th Street and 118th Avenue as celebratory fireworks continued going off, Thursday night.

Charles had just received the ATV as a Christmas gift.

At first, his family had gotten some good news after he was taken to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital in critical but stable condition.

“He has no broken bones. There was no internal bleeding or anything like that,” said Stewart.

However, Charles wasn’t wearing a helmet at the time of the crash and has swelling on his brain as a result.

His doctors are keeping him sedated for the time being.

“He did sustain a head injury so right now we’re just trying to make sure that that is fine, but he is gonna be out of school for the rest of the year and he’s gonna be doing rehab and therapy,” said Stewart.

As an athlete and student at Arthur & Polly Mays 6-12 Conservatory of the Arts, his family described Charles as being passionate about football.

His family also said Charles is kind and loves his family.

“He’s a very respectful kid. We have a very big family, he’s very family-oriented,” said Stewart.

His family now sharing their love for him as he looks at several months to recover from the crash.

“We hate that it happened so young because the brain is still developing. We do believe that God can do anything, all things, God can do anything and God is a healer, so you know that he’ll make it out,” said Stewart.

For now, Charles’ family continues to pray that they receive more good news once he is no longer sedated.

The driver of the other vehicle was not injured in the crash and no charges have been filed.

The family has created a GoFundMe asking for assistance to cover Charles’ medical expenses. If you would like to donate, click here.

Christian Sturdivant was charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Investigators said he told an undercover FBI employee posing as a supportive confidant about his plans to attack people with knives and a hammer.

Worried Sturdivant might attempt violence before New Year’s Eve, the FBI placed him under constant surveillance for days, including on Christmas, U.S. Attorney for western North Carolina Russ Ferguson said.

Agents were prepared to arrest him earlier if he left his home with weapons, Ferguson said at a news conference. “At no point was the public in harm’s way.”

Sturdivant was arrested Wednesday and remained in custody after a federal court appearance Friday. An attorney representing him did not immediately respond to an email or phone message seeking comment. Another hearing was scheduled for Jan. 7.

The alleged attack would have taken place one year after 14 people were killed in New Orleans by a U.S. citizen and Army veteran who proclaimed support for IS on social media.

The FBI has foiled several alleged attacks through sting operations in which agents posed as terror supporters, supplying advice or equipment. Critics say the strategy can amount to entrapment of mentally vulnerable people who wouldn’t have the wherewithal to act alone.

Searches of Sturdivant’s home and phone uncovered what investigators described as a manifesto detailing plans for the attack, FBI Special Agent in Charge James Barnacle told reporters.

“He was willing to sacrifice himself,” Barnacle said.

A handwritten note found in a trashcan at Sturdivant’s home listed details of the planned attacks and the number of intended victims at a Burger King restaurant and unnamed grocery store, according to an FBI affidavit.

The note also said he would attack arriving officers and “hoped to die by the hands of police.”

Ferguson acknowledged that Sturdivant worked at a Burger King. It wasn’t clear if that was the same restaurant cited in the note. Ferguson declined to identify the targeted businesses, citing the ongoing investigation.

If convicted, Sturdivant faces up to 20 years in prison, according to court documents.

The fact that Sturdivant encountered two undercover officers while allegedly planning the attack should reassure the public, Ferguson said.

The affidavit says the investigation began last month after authorities linked Sturdivant to a social media account that posted content supportive of IS, including imagery that appeared to promote violence. The account’s display name referenced Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the former leader of the extremist group.

Some experts argue that IS is powerful today partly as a brand, inspiring both militant groups and individuals in attacks that the group itself may have no real role in.

The affidavit says Sturdivant had been on the FBI’s radar in January 2022, when he was a minor, after officials learned he’d been in contact with a suspected IS member in Europe, and received instructions to dress in black, knock on people’s doors and commit attacks with a hammer.

At that time, Sturdivant set out for a neighbor’s house armed with a hammer and a knife but was restrained by his grandfather, the affidavit says.

The FBI in Los Angeles last month announced the disruption of a separate New Year’s Eve plot, arresting members of an extremist anti-capitalist and anti-government group who federal officials said planned to bomb multiple sites in southern California.

Other IS-inspired attacks over the past decade include a 2015 shooting rampage by a husband-and-wife team who killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California, and a 2016 massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, by a gunman who fatally shot 49 people.

Before his visit to Trump International Golf Club, the president made a detour to Arc Stone & Tile, a stone importer near Mar-a-Lago that bills itself as an Italian marble specialist, where he planned to buy marble and onyx, according to a White House official.

The purchase, which the official said would be made at Trump’s personal expense, represents the latest sign of the president’s close involvement in a project that would dramatically alter the White House’s footprint — and put Trump’s permanent stamp on the nation’s most famous address.

The planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom, which has ballooned in size and cost since Trump first announced it last summer, has also embroiled the administration in a running court battle.

Trump initially estimated that the construction would cost $200 million and promised that it wouldn’t affect the existing White House structure. Yet a few months later, he opted to bulldoze the entire East Wing with little advance notice, making way for an expanded ballroom that he now estimates will cost up to $400 million in personal expenses and private donations.

“We’re donating a $400 million ballroom,” Trump said in December. “I think I’ll do it for less, but it’s 400. I should do it for less, I will do it for less. But just in case, I say 400.”

Since returning to office, Trump has overseen a range of major changes to the White House, including paving over the Rose Garden, redoing the Palm Room and redecorating the Oval Office. He’s often favored pricey white marble and gold accents, imitating the style found throughout his Mar-a-Lago club, where he’s been spending the past two weeks for the holidays.

But the ballroom is, by far, Trump’s biggest and most disruptive project to date.

The sudden demolition of the iconic East Wing in October prompted public outcry and immediate legal challenges over the administration’s effort to bypass planning commissions that have traditionally reviewed proposed additions to the White House and other government buildings. A judge has since ruled that Trump officials must begin “consultation processes” with the two planning commissions.

Yet Trump has brushed off criticism of his unilateral reshaping of the White House, as well as the extensive time and energy he’s personally devoted to it. The administration is now seeking to rapidly win those official approvals, laying out a timeline that could allow for ballroom construction to begin as early as this spring and finish by mid-2028, prior to the end of Trump’s term.

Trump officials are expected to hold a public information meeting in front of the National Capital Planning Commission on January 8, and then meet with the Commission of Fine Arts the week after that. Those sessions could then clear the way for final presentations to the two boards within the next couple of months.

That’s a far more aggressive timeline compared with past White House projects, which have taken several years to break ground. Planning for a new perimeter fence on the White House grounds that began in 2014, for example, was not formally approved until three years later. It then took until 2019 for construction on it to begin.

But Trump, who has held regular White House meetings to discuss minute details of the project and insisted on personally selecting materials, has sought to clear away procedural obstacles. He appointed Will Scharf, the White House staff secretary, to run the National Capital Planning Commission, and bypassed initial reviews that typically take place prior to breaking any ground.

The president in the meantime has excitedly shared progress updates and queried allies and foreign leaders about the designs, showing off renderings that envision a massive gold-and-white ballroom that may ultimately dwarf the rest of the White House.

“I’m doing a magnificent, big, beautiful ballroom that the country’s wanted, the White House has wanted for 150 years,” Trump said last month alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had traveled to Mar-a-Lago for a meeting on Middle East issues. “It’s a massive job.”

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.”

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.

According to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, 16-year-old Orlando Wedderburn was fatally shot outside of a home, just after 10 p.m. on Wednesday.

BSO also said a woman was grazed by a bullet but will be OK.

New details Friday morning revealed that the shooting was a domestic incident and that all parties involved knew each other, but the exact relationships are unknown at this time.

Investigators said the incident took place off of Northwest 71st Street.

Home surveillance footage captured the moments paramedics attempted to transport Wedderburn to the hospital, but the teen would not survive.

Detectives spent hours outside the home into Thursday, leaving no stone unturned.

“I just came outside, and it was just caution tape all around, sheriffs all around,” said neighbor Carlos Chirinos.

The shooter stayed to speak to detectives following the incident. Officials he was defending himself and was released after questioning.

Area residents said they’re not used to law enforcement activity and were left rattled.

“Something shocking for the whole neighborhood,” said Chirinos.

“Very quiet, very safe, this is a big shock for me. I’ve been living here 25 years; nothing like this has ever happened,” said another neighbor.

Officials have not shared further information and said that the case has been taken over by the Broward Counry State Attorney’s Office.

Water surrounded a block of homes and apartments in the area of A1A and Oklahoma Street, prompting crews to shut down two southbound lanes, Friday morning.

Drivers were forced to maneuver around the street closures as officials investigated the situation.

Water service has been interrupted from Nebraska Street to Arthur Street between A1A & Surf Road due to the break, and City of Hollywood officials said water will remain off for customers in the area until repairs are completed.

Officials say the break has impacted nine homes.

Cell phone video from Thursday night captured water gushing out like a geyser.

A man who lives nearby told 7News he stepped outside to see the water spraying out.

“I came outside, I don’t remember what time but there was, like, a geyser in the middle of the road and shortly after that, we lost the water and it’s been off ever since,” he said.

Beyond just the impacted homes, some tourists are now unable to reach their hotel nearby with their cars, forcing them to pay to park elsewhere as crews continued to work on repairs, Friday afternoon.

“It is a very big inconvenience, yes. We can’t have access to the parking lot so I don’t know what’s gonna happen tonight,” said Patricia. “We’re leaving tomorrow morning anyways.”

Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy said there was no construction going on in the area at the time and that a broken valve triggered the break. He said the valve was previously installed decades ago with non-stainless steel bolts and corroded over time leading up to the burst.

While those repairs are made, the surrounding residents face a major inconvenience with no water for hours.

“Huge, ’cause we’re renting so we don’t even, I mean, we can’t even get ahold of the landlord and we’re just trying to figure out when it’s gonna come back on,” a local area resident said.

A Precautionary Boil Water Advisory has been issued directly to the nine impacted residential properties on A1A, meaning those customers should not consume water without boiling it first until further notice.

Officials advise that all water for consumption be brought to a boil and then left to continue boiling for one minute, and only boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, making coffee and for food preparation.

Levy said crews have installed a new valve have begun working on flushing and pressure testing the line. Disinfection will follow that to restore service.

The mayor and city officials have not given an estimate as to how long it will take for repairs to be made and water to be restored to the impacted properties.

Some animal advocates said that the sparsely filled out database leaves out some much-needed information.

Heidi Hardman, the president of Polka Dogz Pet Rescue, is working to find a perfect home for Coyote, the latest of 2,000 dogs her Polka Dogz team has rescued and rehomed since 2015.

The new law, Dexter’s Law, promised her a searchable statewide database of convicted animal abusers that she could use to check applications.

“We have no idea where they live in the state, nothing,” Hardman said.

The database that launched Wednesday is a list of 1,700 names, from John Smith to Timothy Brown, but it doesn’t include birthdays, photos or counties. So, in cases of people with the same name, like John Smith, there is no way to tell who is who.

Hardman and other rescue group leaders said it’s going to create a headache for the thousands of other John Smiths and commonly named people in Florida.

“And that’s going to make people more suspicious and make it harder,” Hardman said.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, however, appeared to publish exactly what the law demanded: a list of names.

“Is this just too loosely written?” Nick Papantonis, an Orlando-based reporter, asked animal rights activist Debbie Darino.

“They did a list. I’m not sure what they were thinking, but that’s not what it was supposed to be,” Darino said.

Darino pushed for the new state law to be modeled after the one she helped pass in Volusia County, which includes photos and dates of birth.

Darino said she’s already spoken to the law’s legislative sponsor who plans to reach out to FDLE and urge them to add more identifying details.

“I’m all over it, just like, if I was you, and my name was in there, that just can’t happen,” she said.

Only convictions that are made when the law went into effect will be listed in the database. Older animal abuse convictions will remain unpublished.

The S&P 500 rose 0.7%. The benchmark index is coming off a gain of more than 16% in 2025.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 42 points, or 0.1%, as of 10:03 a.m. Eastern. The Nasdaq composite rose 1.3%.

Markets in Europe and Asia also made strong gains. Indexes in Britain and South Korea hit records.

The gains are helping trim some of the broader weekly losses for the market, which is closing a shortened holiday week. Markets were closed Thursday for New Year’s Day.

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

Nvidia jumped 2.8% and was the biggest force pushing the market higher. Apple jumped 2% and Google’s parent company, Alphabet, rose 2%. They are among the most valuable companies in the world and their outsized valuations give them more influence on the market’s direction.

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.

Tesla rose 0.8% despite reporting falling sales for a second year in a row.

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 slipped. Prices for U.S. crude oil fell 1.2% to $56.73 per barrel. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, fell 1.2% to $60.13 per barrel.

Gold prices kicked off the new year with more gains. The price of gold rose 0.7%.

Treasury yields held steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.18% 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 steady at 3.48% from late Wednesday.

Marching bands, floats and throngs of spectators were soaked by one to two inches (2.5 to 5 centimeters) of New Year’s Day rain at the 137th Rose Parade in Pasadena. The mercury stood at a chilly 58 degrees Fahrenheit (14.4 degrees Celsius) at the 8 a.m. start of the parade.

Across the country, in New York City, hats and gloves were as necessary as noisemakers at the city’s New Year’s Eve ball drop, where temperatures near freezing appeared to be the coldest in 10 years.

Hundreds of thousands of people gather along the nearly six-mile (10-kilometer) route in Pasadena, where the two-hour parade kicked off. Millions more watch on national television. Organizers at the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the group that organizes the parade ahead of the Rose Bowl college football game, said they made only small changes to accommodate the weather, such as the tops being up on convertibles carrying grand marshal Earvin “Magic” Johnson and other VIPs.

Rain forecasts for the Rose Parade, which had been dry for 20 years, grew all week. On Thursday, the National Weather Service issued a flood watch for all California counties and a coastal flood advisory through Sunday afternoon along much of the Pacific Coast near San Francisco.

Meanwhile, residents in the areas hit hardest by last year’s devastating Los Angeles-area wildfires were under evacuation warnings.

In New York City, the sun came out ahead of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s inaugural celebration, but other areas of the Northeast and Midwest were hit by an Alberta clipper storm and trailing Arctic front that brought snow squalls and high winds.

Conditions varied widely — from snow showers to heavier squalls — from Wisconsin through northern Illinois and Michigan and into northern New Jersey, southeastern New York and New England.

About a quarter of flights were delayed out of both San Diego International Airport and Boston Logan, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.

The bodies of Spencer Tepe, 37, and his wife, Monique Tepe, 39, were found Tuesday after a welfare check at their home in the 1400 block of N. 4th Street, Columbus police said.

“Two small children were also found in the residence unharmed,” police said.

Officers found no obvious signs of forced entry, and no firearm was found at the scene, CNN affiliate WSYX reported. Police have not released any details about a possible suspect or motive and are asking the public for any information on the case.

Detectives are investigating the deaths as a double homicide, not as a murder-suicide. Their direction is not surprising, CNN Senior National Security Analyst Juliette Kayyem said.

“If there’s no gun, there would have been no way to do murder-suicide,” she said. “So that’s why they excluded that relatively quickly. The other clue is, of course, the children are left safe.”

Spencer Tepe worked at Athens Dental Depot. The owner of the practice, Dr. Mark Valrose, called 911 on Tuesday morning when Tepe uncharacteristically missed work.

“He is always on time, and he would contact us if there was any issues,” Valrose told dispatchers. “I don’t know how else to say this, but we are very, very concerned. This is very out of character for him. We can’t get in touch with his wife, which is probably the more concerning thing.”

An officer responded at 9:22 a.m., but did not get an answer, WSYX reported, citing police records.

Colleagues also drove to the Tepes’ home, and one friend heard children crying inside. But no one answered the door.

The friend called police around 9:56 a.m.

“I can hear kids inside, and I think I heard one yell,” the caller said, according to dispatch audio. “But we can’t get in.”

Around 10:03 a.m., an audibly distressed man called 911.

“There’s a body,” he said.

Either of two scenarios for how the crime unfolded seems to be most likely, Kayyem said: a “stranger at the door who just happens to kill this couple, or some narrative that might explain why they were targeted.”

To help zero in on a motive, investigators will examine forensics, the possible entry of the killer, whether anything was stolen and “the history of the family or the couple to determine whether … there’s any threat to the rest of the community,” she said.

Regardless of the motive, this type of crime is “exceptionally rare,” Kayyem said.

“Given the fact that this doesn’t happen often, and there was no signs of forced entry/burglary, you’re going to look at people who they may have known or people who knew where they lived, unfortunately, and begin there,” she said.

“Maybe this was random. But the … national data suggests both how uncommon this is as well as the likelihood that there may be someone who knew them who was involved with this.”

Athens Dental Depot announced its closure for the rest of this week.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share the sudden passing of our dear colleague and friend, Dr. Spencer Tepe, as well as his wife Monique,” the office posted Thursday on Facebook.

“He will be deeply missed by our team and the many patients he cared for over the years. Our thoughts and sincerest condolences are with their families and loved ones during this very difficult time.”

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.

For the fourth quarter, sales totaled 418,227, falling short of the 440,000 that analysts polled by FactSet expected. The sales total was impacted by the expiration of a $7,500 tax credit that was phased out by the Trump administration at the end of September.

Tesla stock was mostly unchanged at $450.27 in early trading Friday.

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 service 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 that plunging car sales don’t matter as much now because the future of the company lies more with his new driverless robotaxis service, the company’s energy storage business and building robots for the home and factory. To make his task worthwhile, Tesla’s directors awarded Musk a potentially enormous new pay package that shareholders backed at the annual meeting in November.

Musk, already the world’s richest man, 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.

Authorities planned to look into whether the material on the ceiling that was designed to muffle sound conformed with regulations.

The candles, which give off a stream of upward-shooting sparks, were the same type that is commonly available for parties, officials said.

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, authorities said.

An evening of celebration turns tragic

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.

Late Thursday, mourners left candles and flowers at 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 nearby 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.

“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.”

Waitresses arrived with burning sparklers

Clavier, the Parisian teenager, said he did not see the fire start, but did see waitresses arrive with Champagne bottles topped 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 the 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 don’t know what else would be worse than this,” Campolo told TF1.

The severity of the burns has made it difficult to identify bodies, requiring families to 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 Italy’s 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.

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

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 a major destination for international alpine skiing competitions. It’s also home to the European Masters each August.

Around 5,000 people jumped into the chilly waters near where Washington state borders Canada on New Year’s Day.

Participants braved the freezing water in an effort to break the Guinness World Record for the largest polar plunge ever recorded.

Norway currently holds the record with just over 3,000 participants.

The daring group is still waiting for confirmation from Guinness World Records as to whether or not they broke the record.

On New Year’s Eve, some employees received emails saying their positions “would not be renewed” and “therefore, your services will no longer be needed” after their contracts expire in the first days of January.

The cuts target FEMA’s Cadre of On-Call Response and Recovery (CORE) teams, which form the backbone of the agency’s operations during and after a disaster, and could be just the beginning of a larger effort by Secretary Kristi Noem and the Department of Homeland Security to shrink FEMA, potentially axing thousands of workers in the coming months who deploy during hurricanes, wildfires and other national emergencies.

According to two sources with knowledge of the terminations, which suddenly ousted roughly 50 CORE staff, the decision came from FEMA’s new acting chief Karen Evans — who was elevated to the role by DHS leadership after the embattled previous agency head resigned.

The notices stunned employees, who learned they would be let go within days. “Beyond cruel to be treated in such a way,” one of the workers said.

FEMA’s CORE employees are among the first federal boots on the ground during a disaster, working shoulder-to-shoulder with local officials, helping survivors and managing the crucial aid and grants that fuel recovery and rebuilding.

“FEMA can’t do disaster response and recovery without CORE employees,” a former senior FEMA official told CNN. “The regional offices are almost entirely CORE staff, so the first FEMA people who are usually onsite won’t be there. The impact is states are on their own.”

So far, DHS, which oversees FEMA, hasn’t given the agency much guidance about what comes next, leaving employees anxious about more cuts.

A DHS spokesperson denied that the department has implemented any new policy for these workers and did not address questions about this week’s abrupt terminations or the department’s broader plans to downsize the agency.

“The CORE program consists of term-limited positions that are designed to fluctuate based on disaster activity, operational need, and available funding,” the spokesperson said in a statement to CNN. “CORE appointments have always been subject to end-of-term decisions consistent with that structure and there has been no change to policy.”

Several sources told CNN that DHS has been considering letting more contracts expire as part of a push to downsize the agency, though officials have wavered on how deep the cuts will go.

CORE employees make up about 40% of FEMA’s workforce — over 8,000 people — working full-time hours on temporary contracts. Several thousand of these workers will see their contracts end in 2026.

Traditionally, CORE workers have served on two-to-four-year contracts that were almost always renewed. In 2025, DHS limited FEMA to renewing these contracts for just 180 days at a time while they considered a long-term plan to shrink the agency.

As of January 1, DHS revoked FEMA’s authority to renew those employees without approval from Homeland Security officials, according to internal documents obtained by CNN.

Now, DHS is instructing FEMA to let at least some of those contracts lapse, forcing employees to depart as their terms expire.

Under President Donald Trump’s second administration, DHS has argued for the past year that FEMA is bloated, despite a 2023 Government Accountability Office report that found the agency was facing a staffing shortfall of more than 6,000 employees—about 35% below its target level. Thousands of FEMA’s staff of about 25,000 left in 2025 due to layoffs and buyouts, deepening the shortage.

The latest cuts to CORE are part of a broader Trump administration effort to overhaul FEMA, shrink its footprint and shift more responsibility for disaster response to the states. A task force appointed by the administration – known as the FEMA Review Council – is expected to soon release sweeping recommendations, including a proposal to cut the agency’s workforce in half.

But after CNN exclusively obtained a draft of the recommendations this month, the White House abruptly postponed the task force’s final meeting, leaving FEMA’s future in limbo.

Inside FEMA and across the country, officials are sounding the alarm about the administration’s plan, warning that most states simply aren’t equipped to handle major disasters on their own.

Billions in federal funding for communities nationwide remain stuck in FEMA’s backlog, largely because of bureaucratic hurdles imposed by Trump’s DHS. With the future of federal funding up in the air, some states are already tightening their own budgets and laying off local emergency management staff whose departments rely on money from FEMA to brace for the impact.

The FEMA Review Council is expected to recommend moving some agency staff out of Washington, DC, and into other parts of the country — a move that could help fill some gaps if the CORE workforce is slashed.

Still, it likely means fewer federal boots on the ground when disaster strikes, leaving states with more responsibility for supporting survivors and navigating access to the federal resources that are still available — a bureaucratic process the Trump administration has vowed to improve.

Trump initially wrote on his Truth Social platform, warning Iran that if it “violently kills peaceful protesters,” the United States “will come to their rescue.” At least seven people have been killed so far in violence surrounding the demonstrations, sparked in part by the collapse of Iran’s rial currency.

“We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” Trump wrote, without elaborating.

Shortly after, Ali Larijani, a former parliament speaker who serves as the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, alleged on the social platform X that Israel and the U.S. were stoking the demonstrations. He offered no evidence to support the allegation, which Iranian officials have repeatedly made during years of protests sweeping the country.

“Trump should know that intervention by the U.S. in the domestic problem corresponds to chaos in the entire region and the destruction of the U.S. interests,” Larijani wrote on X, which the Iranian government blocks. “The people of the U.S. should know that Trump began the adventurism. They should take care of their own soldiers.”

Larijani’s remarks likely referenced America’s wide military footprint in the region. Iran in June attacked Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar after the U.S. strikes on three nuclear sites during Israel’s 12-day war on the Islamic Republic.

Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who previously was the council’s secretary for years, warned that “any interventionist hand that gets too close to the security of Iran will be cut.”

“The people of Iran properly know the experience of ‘being rescued’ by Americans: from Iraq and Afghanistan to Gaza,” he added on X.

The current protests, now in their sixth day, have become the biggest in Iran since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody triggered nationwide demonstrations. However, the demonstrations have yet to be countrywide and have not been as intense as those surrounding the death of Amini, who was detained over not wearing her hijab, or headscarf, to the liking of authorities.

Iran’s civilian government under reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian has been trying to signal it wants to negotiate with protesters. However, Pezeshkian has acknowledged there is not much he can do as Iran’s rial has rapidly depreciated, with $1 now costing some 1.4 million rials. That sparked the initial protests.

The protests, taking root in economic issues, have heard demonstrators chant against Iran’s theocracy as well.

Months after the war, Iran said it was no longer enriching uranium at any site in the country, trying to signal to the West that it remains open to potential negotiations over its atomic program to ease sanctions. However, those talks have yet to happen as Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have warned Tehran against reconstituting its atomic program.

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.”

“The U.S. government knows, because we’ve told many of their spokespeople, that if they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, we’re 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 world’s largest proven oil reserves.

The interview was taped on New Year’s 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 Venezuela’s Caribbean coast and later expanded to the eastern Pacific Ocean.

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 administration’s 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.”

For many young dancers, ballet dreams fade with age. But one local ballet company is proving it’s never too late to return to the barre.

Nicola Riettie: “Fifty-seven.”

Heather Walker: “Fifty-seven?”

Nicola Riettie: “Yes, ma’am.”

Heather Walker: “And at 57, you decided to start ballet.”

Nicola Riettie: “I know. It’s crazy, right?”

Nicki Riettie is not alone. This entire class is made up of adult dancers — some stepping into a ballet studio for the first time.

Ballet student 1: “I’m 45.”

Heather Walker: “And this is your first time doing ballet.”

[Ballet student 1 nods.]

Heather Walker: “Amazing.”

Ballet student 1: “I’ve always wanted to do ballet.”

Others are getting back to what they loved as little girls.

Ballet student 2: “I missed those days, and this really brought it back.”

It all started with Isabella Picinic, a lifelong dancer who couldn’t find an adult ballet class after moving to South Florida.

Isabella Picinic: “I just feel like there’s not a big space for adult dancers anymore. Even if there are studios that offer it, it’s maybe one class a week, and there’s just – you know, we’re adults, we don’t have time; if that class doesn’t work for us, then we can’t make it.”

So she decided to teach her own classes under the company named Precious Pace.

Isabella Picinic: “I made a post on Facebook, and it blew up. It got like 100 comments, so many people were interested.”

What started with 10 women has grown to nearly 50 dancers in less than a year.

Isabella Picinic: “The energy is just so uplifting when I come to teach. I love seeing these ladies push through class. Even when I know they are struggling, they are still pushing through.”

The leaps and turns have gotten harder with age, but at the same time, the rewards have gotten sweeter.

Nicola Riettie: “I love it, and it’s doable, that’s the other thing, honestly. Although it’s challenging, it’s challenging in a good way. It’s forcing you to use parts of your body, strength and focus in a way that you may not – certainly not if you are just sitting on the couch every evening.”

It’s a workout for their bodies and their minds, but it’s also me time.

Ballet student 3: “Just being a mom and a teacher working full time, and just giving to everyone constantly. It’s my thing, it’s my time.”

Because at this age, ballet isn’t about perfection — it’s about possibility.

Ballet student 4: “I decided, once I saw this, that I was going to give myself the chance to not be perfect, to not be super skinny, and try and see, and see what happens. It’s so rewarding to see yourself and like what you see, and realize that the kid in me, who thought, ‘You are not good enough,’ yes, you are. And not just me, but anybody can do it, you know?”

And they are — stepping onto the stage with more confidence than ever before.

Isabella Picinic: “You’re never too old to dance.”

Nicola Riettie: “It’s never too late, nope, mm-mmm. That’s a fact.”

Because sometimes the dream doesn’t end — it just waits for the right moment to begin again.

Heather Walker, 7News.

If you know of a person, place or group that you think we should highlight, email us at 7spotlight@wsvn.com.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units were dispatched to reports of a fire in the area of Northwest 22nd Avenue and 183rd Street, at approximately 4:15 p.m., Thursday.

Crews found the truck on fire upon arrival.

The blaze was quickly extinguished.

Officials said it started after a box of fireworks caught fire in the bed of the truck .

No injuries were reported.

In a statement posted on X, MDSO said deputy Leonard Cantave is showing significant signs of improvement after undergoing surgery. He has been extubated and is breathing on his own. They say he is now awake and alert and able to recognize his loved ones.

Cantave was hospitalized after being struck by a driver while assisting FHP troopers who were responding to a traffic crash on Florida’s Turnpike near Northwest 58th Street, Dec. 27.

Investigators identified the driver as 28-year-old Lonnel Brinson.

According to the arrest report, Brinson had admitted to consuming alcohol and marijuana before the crash. He had also been driving with a suspended license.

He’s accused of not slowing down as he passed FHP and MDSO cruisers. Brinson reportedly swerved to avoid the crash and struck Cantave.

Brinson faces a felony charge for reckless driving that caused a serious injury.

He has since bonded out of jail and is expected to appear back in court sometime in February.

According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, the crash unfolded near Southwest 220th Street and 118th Avenue, just after 6 p.m., Thursday.

The teen was reportedly riding a four-wheeler he had recently received as a gift for Christmas when he collided with a vehicle.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews transported the teen to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital in critical but stable condition.

The condition of the driver of the other vehicle involved is unknown.

7News cameras were rolling as crews loaded the ATV onto a trailer.

The circumstances that led up to the crash remain under investigation.

Florida City Police and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to reports of a shooting along the 500 block of Northwest 15th Street, just before 5 p.m., Thursday.

Investigators were seen searching for clues in the cordoned-off intersection, where several evidence markers and bullet casings were spotted scattered across the road.

The victim was taken to Jackson South Medical Center in unknown condition.

Margate Fire Rescue units responded to reports of a traffic crash along the 800 block of Northwest 66th Avenue, at approximately 2:45 p.m. on Thursday.

Upon arrival, crews found a vehicle that had barreled through a fence before crashing through the concrete wall and coming to a stop inside the kitchen.

One of the homeowners told 7News she was in the living room with her wife and children when it happened.

“The house just shook, and the kids were screaming, and there was a blaring horn,” she said. “We didn’t know what happened, maybe something fell, and I ran, and I looked into the kitchen, and there was a car there.”

Officials said nobody was hurt, but the damage to the home caused a gas leak, and hazmat teams were called in to make repairs.

“They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart,” Trump, 79, said of why he takes a larger dose. “I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?”

“They’d rather have me take the smaller one,” Trump added. “I take the larger one, but I’ve done it for years, and what it does do is it causes bruising.”

Trump gave the Journal an impromptu interview after learning that the publication was doing a story on his health. The interview appeared to be one of the most extensive conversations Trump has had with journalists on his health, as scrutiny has intensified this year over his age, fitness for office and whether he’s being sufficiently transparent with his medical information.

Trump has long had bruising on his right hand, which CNN has reported predated his return to the White House. But it drew more attention after he began trying to cover it with heavy makeup and bandages and shield it from cameras with his other hand. Observers have also raised concerns about swelling in his legs and his appearing to doze during public events.

The president took to Truth Social on Friday to again comment on his health following the publication of the interview, saying White House doctors have deemed him to be in “PERFECT HEALTH.”

The interview with the Journal, and the subsequent social media post, underscore how invested the president is in defending his health after he spent much of the 2024 presidential election campaign attacking his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, for his own health issues.

Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Barbabella, told the Journal that the president takes 325 milligrams of aspirin daily. According to Mayo Clinic, a low dose of aspirin, which “can help prevent heart attack or stroke,” ranges from 75 to 100 milligrams and 81 milligrams is commonly recommended. The Mayo Clinic also says that for aspirin therapy, the daily dose “is usually between” 75 to 325 milligrams.

Aspirin helps thin the blood, which can prevent clots from forming, but it also comes with the risk of excessive bleeding. In recent years, medical guidelines stopped recommending daily aspirin for many adults because the risks outweigh the benefits, and some suggest halting aspirin therapy entirely when patients are in their 70s.

Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a professor at George Washington University’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences who was a longtime cardiologist for former Vice President Dick Cheney, said the latest updates from Trump and his team raise more questions than they answer.

“It’s uncommon to see that kind of bruising with one aspirin a day,” Reiner said. “My question is, ‘Does the president take any medications that have not been disclosed by the White House?’”

Barbabella said Thursday that Trump “remains in exceptional health.”

“President Trump’s medical evaluations and laboratory results continue to show excellent metabolic health, and have revealed his cardiovascular health puts him 14 years younger than his age. Overall, the President remains in exceptional health and perfectly suited to execute his duties as Commander in Chief,” he said in a statement to CNN.

Across a series of events last week, Trump — who last year became the oldest president to take the oath of office — appeared with discoloration or light bruising on the back of his left hand, in addition to the more persistent bruise on his right hand that has been visible for months.

The White House has previously explained that the bruising on his right hand is due to constant handshaking along with a regular regimen of aspirin that can make such discoloration more common.

Reiner said 325 milligrams of aspirin each day is not a very high dose, but there’s no medical reason to take that much on a daily basis. When someone sprains an ankle, he said, they might get a 325 milligrams of aspirin every four hours, which would be considered a high dose.

“Aspirin has been studied in varied doses, and the reason why 81 milligrams is given to people is that’s the dose which appears to have the best combination of protection from clotting events and bleeding caused by the drug,” Reiner said. “In other words, 325 milligrams increases the bleeding risk but doesn’t increase the efficacy. So we never use that.”

“The big issue here is transparency. All of these issues just highlight how opaque The White House has been about the president’s health,” he added.

In the interview, Trump also discussed a scan he underwent in October, which he previously described to reporters as an MRI. At the time, the president gave little detail around the procedure or what physicians were seeking to explore, telling reporters they should ask his doctors.

When asked about the scan by the Journal, Trump said it wasn’t an MRI but rather a CT scan. “It wasn’t an MRI,” Trump said. “It was less than that. It was a scan.”

Barbabella said Thursday the CT scan was done “to definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues.” Last month, Barbabella released a memo saying the October medical imaging was of Trump’s cardiovascular and abdominal systems and that both showed “perfectly normal” results. In 2018, Trump had a coronary CT scan that did show some abnormalities — a steady build-up of plaque in his blood vessels, indicating moderate heart disease.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration’s transparency about testing Trump’s received, saying in a Thursday statement, “The President’s physicians and the White House have always maintained the President received advanced imaging.”

“Additional details on the imaging have been disclosed by the President himself, because he continues to be the most transparent and open president in history and has nothing to hide,” she added, while criticizing Biden.

Trump also addressed steps he has taken to treat other conditions, including swelling in his lower legs that the White House announced in July was due to chronic venous insufficiency — a common condition frequently found in older people.

Trump told the Journal he tried compression socks but “didn’t like them.” He also suggested he was not interested in taking up regular exercise.

“I just don’t like it. It’s boring,” Trump said. “To walk on a treadmill or run on a treadmill for hours and hours like some people do, that’s not for me.”

The Journal also asked the president about his appearing to doze off at recent public events and about his hearing. Trump defended himself on both scores.

During a Cabinet meeting last month, Trump closed his eyes for several seconds at a time. Similarly, during a November 6 event in the Oval Office, the president appeared to close his eyes or struggle to keep them open. But Trump told the Journal he didn’t actually fall asleep.

“I’ll just close. It’s very relaxing to me,” he said of his eyes being shut. “Sometimes they’ll take a picture of me blinking, blinking, and they’ll catch me with the blink.”

Of his hearing, Trump said he only struggled “when there’s a lot of people talking,” but otherwise downplayed any concerns.

Before and after his election, Trump questioned his predecessor’s fitness to serve, even alleging Biden was unaware of actions signed in his name using the autopen, which Biden denies. Biden dropped out of the 2024 race following a disastrous debate performance that further fueled concerns and criticism over his health and ability to serve.

Evacuation warnings were issued ahead of Thursday’s storm in parts of Los Angeles County over fears of debris flows and flash flooding like what happened during a destructive Christmas-week storm.

Though Southern California had so far avoided major problems, with just flooding on some major roads, the warnings remained in place.

Flooding was most widespread on roads in the San Diego area on Thursday morning, including on parts of interstates 5 and 8. Rescue teams with the San Diego Fire Department also had to rescue people trapped in their cars in the floodwater.

Farther north, flooding closed a part of the Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach, according to Caltrans.

Flooded roads could become a familiar scene in the coming days with the state locked in a soggy pattern into early next week.

The next atmospheric river fueled-storm arrives in California late Friday into Saturday. Two more systems could then crash into the coast, one on Sunday and then another Monday into Tuesday.

Localized flooding from these storms is possible in much of the state, but more serious flooding is possible in a couple of areas.

One of those is northwest California, where a flood watch is in effect from Friday afternoon through Sunday. Southern California isn’t out of the woods either. There’s a Level 2 of 4 flooding rain threat from near Los Angeles northward to the Santa Barbara area this weekend, according to the Weather Prediction Center.

Colder air brought in by these storms will also allow snow to fall below major pass levels this weekend, including Interstate 80 through Donner Pass.

Over a foot of snow is likely at Sierra Nevada ski resorts, though exact totals remain uncertain and could make mountain travel hazardous. Some locations could see totals up to 3 or 4 feet through the weekend.

An avalanche last Friday killed a ski patroller and left another patroller injured at the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in the eastern Sierra, according to the resort. It happened after feet of snow buried the mountain range last week.

The circumstances of the individual cases vary, and some could have been involved in drug smuggling, the official said. US officials are still collecting information about what the Americans were doing in Venezuela and at the time of their detention, the official added.

Trump administration officials believe that the Maduro regime is detaining the Americans to build leverage against the US, the official said, as the pressure campaign against the Venezuelan leader — including the US strikes on drug boats, a CIA strike on Venezuelan port facility and recent oil blockade — has intensified in recent months.

The tactic mirrors that of Russia, Venezuela’s longtime ally, which has detained numerous Americans on Russian soil in recent years to use as leverage in Moscow’s tense relations with the US.

The New York Times was first to report on the recently detained Americans.

The State Department did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The White House did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Trump administration officials have resisted saying that they are actively seeking regime change in Venezuela but have accused Maduro of being illegitimate and a narco-trafficker. The administration has been increasing pressure on Maduro, including the “blockade” of sanctioned oil vessels and other financial tactics.

In December the State Department announced two sets of sanctions against Maduro’s family members, targeting three of Maduro’s nephews, his sister-in-law and other relatives.

Also in December, the US conducted its first strike on a land target in Venezuela, hitting a port facility in a CIA drone strike, CNN reported.

“It is clear that the current status quo with the current Venezuelan regime is intolerable for the United States,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during a December press conference when asked about comments from the White House chief of staff that Trump “wants to keep on blowing boats up until Maduro cries uncle.”

Venezuela holds hundreds of people as political prisoners, according to human rights activists, some of whom were detained in the aftermath of a 2024 election in which Maduro claimed victory but that independent observers said was undemocratic.

Dozens of people were released from a Venezuelan prison on Thursday, Venezuelan rights groups said.

None of them are American, according to Alfredo Romero, the head of rights group Foro Penal.

Mamdani, a Democrat, was sworn in at a decommissioned subway station below City Hall just after midnight, placing his hand on a Quran as he took his oath as the city’s first Muslim mayor.

After working part of the night in his new office, Mamdani returned to City Hall in a taxi cab around midday Thursday for a grander public inauguration where U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of the mayor’s political heroes, administered the oath for a second time.

“Beginning today, we will govern expansively and audaciously. We may not always succeed, but never will we be accused of lacking the courage to try,” Mamdani told a cheering crowd.

“To those who insist that the era of big government is over, hear me when I say this: No longer will City Hall hesitate to use its power to improve New Yorkers’ lives,” he said.

Throngs turned out in the frigid cold for an inauguration viewing party just south of City Hall on a stretch of Broadway known as the “Canyon of Heroes,” famous for its ticker-tape parades.

Mamdani wasted little time getting to work after the event.

He revoked multiple executive orders issued by the previous administration since Sept. 26, 2024, the date federal authorities announced former Mayor Eric Adams had been indicted on corruption charges, which were later dismissed following intervention by the Trump administration.

Then he visited an apartment building in Brooklyn to announce he is revitalizing a city office dedicated to protecting tenants and creating two task forces focused on housing construction.

‘I will govern as a democratic socialist’

Throughout the daytime ceremony, Mamdani and other speakers hit on the theme that carried him to victory in the election: Using government power to lift up the millions of people who struggle with the city’s high cost of living.

Mamdani peppered his remarks with references to those New Yorkers, citing workers in steel-toed boots, halal cart vendors “whose knees ache from working all day” and cooks “wielding a thousand spices.”

“I was elected as a democratic socialist and I will govern as a democratic socialist,” Mamdani said. “I will not abandon my principles for fear of being deemed ‘radical.’”

Before administering the oath, Sanders told the crowd that most of the things Mamdani wants to do — including raising taxes on the rich — aren’t radical at all.

“In the richest country in the history of the world, making sure that people can live in affordable housing is not radical,” he told the crowd. “It is the right and decent thing to do.”

Mamdani was accompanied on stage by his wife, Rama Duwaji. Adams was also in attendance, sitting near another former mayor, Bill de Blasio.

Actor Mandy Patinkin, who recently hosted Mamdani to celebrate Hannukah, sang “Over the Rainbow” with children from an elementary school chorus. The invocation was given by Imam Khalid Latif, the director of the Islamic Center of New York City. Poet Cornelius Eady read an original poem called “Proof.”

In addition to being the city’s first Muslim mayor, Mamdani is also its first of South Asian descent and the first to be born in Africa. At 34, Mamdani is also the city’s youngest mayor in generations.

Free child care and bus rides

At the watch party on Broadway, onlookers stood shoulder to shoulder gazing up at several jumbotrons and singing and dancing to stave off the cold, with some passing out hot cocoa and hand warmers. Many described feeling as though they were witnessing history.

Among them was Ariel Segura, a 16-year-old Bronx resident, who had arrived five hours earlier to secure a place near the front of the crowd.

“I’m out here fan-girling a politician, it’s kind of crazy,” he said, wiping away tears as Mamdani concluded his speech. “Now it’s time to hold him accountable.”

In a campaign that helped make “affordability” a buzzword across the political spectrum, Mamdani ran on a focused platform that included promises of free child care, free buses, a rent freeze for about 1 million households and a pilot of city-run grocery stores.

Mamdani insisted in his inaugural address that he will not squander his opportunity to implement those policies.

“A moment like this comes rarely. Seldom do we hold such an opportunity to transform and reinvent. Rarer still is it the people themselves whose hands are on the levers of change. And yet we know that too often in our past, moments of great possibility have been promptly surrendered to small imagination and smaller ambition,” he said.

But he will also have to face the everyday responsibilities of running America’s largest city: handling trash and snow and rats, while getting blamed for subway delays and potholes.

In his speech, Mamdani acknowledged the task ahead, saying he knows many will be watching to see whether he can succeed.

“They want to know if the left can govern. They want to know if the struggles that afflict them can be solved. They want to know if it is right to hope again,” he said. “So, standing together with the wind of purpose at our backs, we will do something that New Yorkers do better than anyone else: We will set an example for the world.”

Quick rise to power

Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, the son of filmmaker Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani, an academic and author. His family moved to New York City when he was 7, with Mamdani growing up in a post-9/11 city where Muslims didn’t always feel welcome. He became an American citizen in 2018.

He worked on political campaigns for Democratic candidates in the city before he sought public office himself, winning a state Assembly seat in 2020 to represent a section of Queens.

Now that he has taken office, Mamdani and his wife will depart their one-bedroom, rent stabilized apartment in the outer-borough to take up residence in the stately mayoral residence in Manhattan.

The new mayor inherits a city on the upswing, after years of slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Violent crime has dropped to pre-pandemic lows. Tourists are back. Unemployment, which soared during the pandemic years, is also back to pre-COVID levels.

Yet deep concerns remain about high prices and rising rents.

In opening remarks to the crowd, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez praised New Yorkers for choosing “courage over fear.”

“We have chosen prosperity for the many over spoils for the few,” she said.

Dealing with Trump

During the mayoral race, President Donald Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from the city if Mamdani won and mused about sending National Guard troops to the city.

But Trump surprised supporters and foes alike by inviting the Democrat to the White House for what ended up being a cordial meeting in November.

“I want him to do a great job and will help him do a great job,” Trump said.

Still, tensions between the two leaders are almost certain to resurface, given their deep policy disagreements, particularly over immigration.

Several speakers at Thursday’s inauguration criticized the Trump administration’s move to deport more immigrants and expressed hope that Mamdani’s City Hall would be an ally to those the president has targeted.

Mamdani also faces skepticism and opposition from some members of the city’s Jewish community over his criticisms of Israel’s government.

Still, Mamdani supporters in Thursday’s crowd expressed optimism he’d be a unifying force.

“There are moments where everyone in New York comes together, like when the Mets won the World Series in ’86,” said Mary Hammann, 64, a musician with the Metropolitan Opera. “This feels like that — just colder.”

Hundreds of sea cows were spotted keeping close at Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River on New Year’s Eve.

Temperatures there dipped down into the 30s as visitors snapped photos of the manatees huddled together in the water.

Southwest Florida Water Management officials say a project that improved water quality in the area has made it a good spot for manatees to stay warm during the winter.

The families rang in the new year with their newborns coming into the world at the perfect time, shortly after midnight struck, to begin 2026.

At Memorial Regional Hospital, the countdown ended with a cry of joy as baby Isaiah made his grand entrance at exactly 12:16 a.m., Thursday morning.

Isaiah weighs just over 6 pounds and stretched out at 19 inches, making a special entrance for first-time parents Donnica Haynes and Shamar Williams.

“He didn’t want to come on the 31st. He wanted to be special and come Jan. 1. So yeah, this is our New Year’s baby,” said Haynes.

It was a special moment to begin the year, already turning 2026 into something different for the young family.

“It’s good. It’s pretty much good right now,” said Williams.

The couple said they’re looking forward to baby Isaiah’s presence in their home.

“Just having his presence and, you know, to fill the house with joy,” said Haynes.

Just a few miles away, at HCA Florida Mercy Hospital, another midnight miracle occurred.

Baby Eden Skye Garrido was born at 12:14 a.m. to join the family of five for the new Year.

“We’re exhausted, but we’re excited, we’re ecstatic. Best way to ring in the New Year,” said mother Megan Garrido.

She said the newborn’s name has a special meaning.

“Eden Skye means a new beginning, like the Garden of Eden. We’re blessed to ring in the new year with baby Eden,” said Megan.

At South Miami Hospital, baby Sienna joined the New Year’s Day celebration at 12:41 a.m., weighing in at 8 pounds, 2 ounces.

And at Broward Health Medical Center, baby Iris Derilus arrived later in the morning at 7:26 a.m., weighing in at 8 pounds and 6 ounces.

Four babies born to four different families, at four different hospitals across South Florida, now sharing the start of their lives right after the start of a new year.

Photos provided by the Coast Guard show crews rescuing four boaters after their 28-foot vessel started sinking.

All four boaters are expected to be OK.

According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to reports of a shooting outside of a home along the 7900 block of Northwesr 71st Avenue, at approximately 10 p.m. on Wednesday.

Upon arrival, deputies found the 16-year-old victim, later identified as Orlando Wedderburn, suffering from a gunshot wound.

Surveillance footage from a nearby home captured paramedics preparing Wedderburn to be transported to the hospital.

He was airlifted to Broward Health Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Residents in the area told 7News the neighborhood is normally quiet.

“Very quiet, very safe. This is a big shock for me,” said an area resident. “I’ve been living here for 25 years; nothing like this has ever happened.”

A woman was also grazed by a bullet. She was treated by paramedics at the scene.

Authorities detained a man for questioning, who told investigators he was just defending himself.

After answering questions, the man was released by deputies.

The shooting remains under investigation and is expected to reach the Broward County State Attorney’s Office.

The city hosted the Soup Joumou Celebration at the Joe Celestin Community Center, Thursday morning.

The dish — a point of pride for the Haitian community — consists of a stew of beef, vegetables and squad, which symbolizes freedom and independence.

The annual event commemorates Haiti’s independence in 1804 and is meant to foster pride and unity across the community.

Officials say a fire broke out at a home located near Northwest 182nd Street, Wednesday.

The flames caused extensive damage to the home and the family’s belongings, with authorities determining the structure to be unlivable.

The Red Cross is assisting the family of five find a temporary place to live.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee released on Wednesday a transcript and video of a closed-door interview Smith gave about two investigations of Trump. The document shows how Smith during the course of a daylong deposition repeatedly defended the basis for pursuing indictments against Trump and vigorously rejected Republican suggestions that his investigations were politically motivated.

“The evidence here made clear that President Trump was by a large measure the most culpable and most responsible person in this conspiracy. These crimes were committed for his benefit. The attack that happened at the Capitol, part of this case, does not happen without him. The other co-conspirators were doing this for his benefit,” Smith said, bristling at a question about whether his investigations were meant to prevent Trump from reclaiming the presidency in 2024.

“So in terms of why we would pursue a case against him, I entirely disagree with any characterization that our work was in any way meant to hamper him in the presidential election,” he added.

The Dec. 17 deposition was conducted privately despite Smith’s request to testify publicly. The release of the transcript and video of the interview, so far Smith’s only appearance on Capitol Hill since leaving his special counsel position last January, adds to the public understanding of the decision-making behind two of the most consequential Justice Department investigations in recent history.

Trump was indicted on charges of conspiring to undo the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden, and of willfully retaining classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Both cases were abandoned after Trump’s 2024 election win, with Smith citing Justice Department policy against the indictment of a sitting president.

Smith repeatedly made clear his belief that the evidence gathered against Trump was strong enough to sustain a conviction. Part of the strength of the Jan. 6 case, Smith said, was the extent to which it relied on the testimony of Trump allies and supporters who cooperated with the investigation.

“We had an elector in Pennsylvania who is a former congressman, who was going to be an elector for President Trump, who said that what they were trying to do was an attempt to overthrow the government and illegal,” Smith said. “Our case was built on, frankly, Republicans who put their allegiance to the country before the party.”

Accounts from Republicans willing to stand up against the falsehood that the election had been stolen “even though it could mean trouble for them” created what Smith described as the “most powerful” evidence against Trump.

When it came to the Capitol riot itself, Smith said, the evidence showed that Trump “caused it and that he exploited it and that it was foreseeable to him.”

Asked whether there was evidence that Trump had instructed supporters to riot at the Capitol, Smith said that Trump in the weeks leading to the insurrection got “people to believe fraud claims that weren’t true.”

“He made false statements to state legislatures, to his supporters in all sorts of contexts and was aware in the days leading up to Jan. 6th that his supporters were angry when he invited them and then he directed them to the Capitol,” Smith said.

“Now, once they were at the Capitol and once the attack on the Capitol happened, he refused to stop it. He instead issued a tweet that without question in my mind endangered the life of his own vice president,” he added. “And when the violence was going on, he had to be pushed repeatedly by his staff members to do anything to quell it.”

Some of the deposition focused on Republican anger at revelations that the Smith team had obtained, and analyzed, phone records of GOP lawmakers who were in contact with Trump on Jan. 6. Smith defended the maneuver as lawful and by-the-book, and suggested that outrage over the tactic should be directed at Trump and not his team of prosecutors.

“Well, I think who should be accountable for this is Donald Trump. These records are people, in the case of the senators, Donald Trump directed his co-conspirators to call these people to further delay the proceedings. He chose to do that,” Smith said. “If Donald Trump had chosen to call a number of Democratic senators, we would have gotten toll records for Democratic senators.”

The communications between Trump and Republican supporters in Congress were an important component of the case, Smith said. He cited an interview his office did with Mark Meadows in which Trump’s former chief of staff referenced that Rep. Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican and current chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, had been in touch with the White House on the afternoon of the riot.

“And what I recall was Meadows stating that ‘I’ve never seen Jim Jordan scared of anything,’ and the fact that we were in this different situation now where people were scared really made it clear that what was going on at the Capitol could not be mistaken for anything other than what it was,” Smith said.

Smith was also asked whether his team evaluated former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson’s explosive claim that Trump that grabbed at the steering wheel of the presidential SUV when the Secret Service refused to let him go to the Capitol after a rally at the Ellipse on Jan. 6, 2021.

Smith told lawmakers that investigators interviewed the officer who was in the car, “who said that President Trump was very angry and wanted to go to the Capitol,” but the officer’s version of events “was not the same as what Cassidy Hutchinson said she heard from somebody secondhand.”

Fort Lauderdale Police units responded to a call of a possible shooting late Wednesday night at 17 South Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard, at around 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Upon their arrival, officers located the victim suffering from a gunshot wound.

Officers secured the scene, and tactical medical aid was immediately given to the teen, who was later identified as Joshua Gipson Jr.

Cellphone video captured the moment panic spread, as witnesses ran for cover.

“That’s real deal, better get down,” a man is heard saying in the video.

Jeff Saylor told 7News he heard gunshots ring out.

“I heard another shot, a couple of shots, I believe about five total,” said Saylor.

Investigators said someone began shooting outside the CVS pharmacy in the Beach Place complex.

Some witnesses recognized that the popping sounds weren’t fireworks going off in the sky.

“And I said, ‘That’s not fireworks,'” said Bob McDonald, another witness. “It scared the heck out of me.”

Guests at a nearby hotel even received a text message from the building’s management warning them to stay indoors.

“It was alarming, right, because you don’t know what’s going on, you know. In this day and age, you don’t know what it is or what it could be,” said Chris Pate.

Paramedics with Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue promptly transported Gipson, who had just turned 17, as a trauma alert to Broward Health Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries.

The teen’s grieving father, Joshua Gipson Sr., said his son was out with friends when he believes the teen was caught in the crossfire.

“He was doing the right thing, he didn’t have no problems,” he said. “An innocent bystander. Some people were arguing when the shooting started and he got shot.”

One witness who did not wish to be identified told 7News the shooting appeared to happen after two people got into an argument, but authorities have not made any conclusions.

“A guy, he just passed away right there, he just got shot,” said the witness. “I’m 18 years old, and I saw him, he was 17 years old, and it just broke my heart seeing that.”

“I just hate it happened,” said a longtime friend of the teen who did not wish to be identified.

The elder Gipson said his son was a football player for several South Florida high school teams and planned to attend Virginia Tech.

“He made good choices in life, you know what I’m saying? He wasn’t making anything bad,” he said.

A lifelong friend of Gipson, who asked not to be identified or show his face on camera, said the two had known each other since they were kids who played football together.

“He was funny, he was fun to be around, he was always a happy soul. He was a good person,” he said.

Detectives have not shared many details but said they believe this to be an isolated incident.

Gipson’s death comes a few days after, police said, five people were hurt in a shooting just a few miles away, in downtown Fort Lauderdale’s Himmarshee Village district.

Detectives said someone started shooting outside Dicey Riley’s Irish Pub on Southwest Second Street, off Third Avenue, at around 2 a.m. on Sunday.

The FBI has since joined forces with local police, as they work to track down who was behind this overnight shooting.

As for Gipson’s loved ones, they are still trying to make sense of it all.

“I went blank. I don’t know how to – it’s just crazy,” said his friend. “I mean, I expected a lot on New Year’s night, but when it’s one of your peoples, or one of your old friends or somebody you grew up with, you don’t know what to think.”

The victim’s mother described him as the kind of kid that younger children looked up to and that he was fearless.

The incident remains under investigation.

A GoFundMe has been created to assist the family with funeral expenses. If you would like to donate, click here.

If you have additional information regarding this shooting or the gunman’s whereabouts, please contact Detective J. Sanchez of the homicide unit at 954-828-4900 or call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

Michael Dority Gee is facing multiple charges, including a felony charge for leaving the scene of a crime that had caused injury.

“Yo, yo, yo, are you okay? Are you okay?” a man can be heard yelling to the boat as it spun out of control, as seen in Ring camera footage.

People eating at a restaurant by the Boynton Beach Inlet on Sunday evening were shocked as they saw the boat spin by, some taking video of the scene. One person can be heard saying that they believed the driver was unconscious.

Moments later, according to officials, the customers watched it slam right into Woolbright Bridge, then into a private dock.

Investigators with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission said two people on board the boat were thrown into the water. Crews airlifted the driver and passenger to Delray Medical Center. The female passenger sustained head and back injuries.

The crash was so loud it set off someone’s doorbell camera. A neighbor shared what she knows about that night.

“My parents said that they had just heard something like an explosion. It was very loud. It was alarming,” the woman said.

Boynton Beach Fire Rescue said Gee somehow managed to climb back onto the moving boat and drive away.

According to the FWC, two other boaters tried to catch him and eventually did when his boat started to sink near the George Bush Boulevard Bridge.

As investigators took him into custody, a dive team pulled the woman and dog from the water.

Gee remains in a West Palm Beach jail as of Thursday afternoon on the charges of leaving the scene of a crash that caused injury and property damage.

Mamdani, a Democrat, was sworn in as the first Muslim leader of America’s biggest city, placing his hand on a Quran as he took his oath.

“This is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime,” Mamdani said in a brief speech.

The private ceremony, administered by New York Attorney General Letitia James, a political ally, took place at the old City Hall station, one of the city’s original subway stops that is known for its stunning arched ceilings.

In Mamdani’s first remarks as mayor, he said the old subway station was a “testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health and the legacy of our city” as he announced the appointment of his new Department of Transportation commissioner, Mike Flynn.

The new mayor then closed: “Thank you all so much, now I will see you later,” he said with a smile before heading up a flight of stairs.

Mamdani will be sworn in again, in grander style, in a public ceremony at City Hall at 1 p.m. by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of the mayor’s political heroes. That will be followed by what his office is billing as a public block party on a stretch of Broadway known as the “Canyon of Heroes,” famous for its ticker-tape parades.

Mamdani now begins one of the most unrelenting jobs in American politics as one of the country’s most-watched politicians.

In addition to being the city’s first Muslim mayor, Mamdani is also its first of South Asian descent and the first to be born in Africa. At 34, Mamdani is also the city’s youngest mayor in generations.

In a campaign that helped make “affordability” a buzzword across the political spectrum, the democratic socialist promised to bring transformative change with policies intended to lower the cost of living in one of the world’s most expensive cities. His platform included free child care, free buses, a rent freeze for about 1 million households, and a pilot of city-run grocery stores.

But he will also have to face other responsibilities: handling trash and snow and rats, while getting blamed for subway delays and potholes.

Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, the son of filmmaker Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani, an academic and author. His family moved to New York City when he was 7, with Mamdani growing up in a post-9/11 city where Muslims didn’t always feel welcome. He became an American citizen in 2018.

He worked on political campaigns for Democratic candidates in the city before he sought public office himself, winning a state Assembly seat in 2020 to represent a section of Queens.

Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, will depart their one-bedroom, rent stabilized apartment in the outer-borough to take up residence in the stately mayoral residence in Manhattan.

Mamdani inherits a city on the upswing, after years of slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Violent crime has dropped to pre-pandemic lows. Tourists are back. Unemployment, which soared during the pandemic years, is also back to pre-COVID levels.

Yet deep concerns remain about high prices and rising rents in the city.

He’ll also have to deal with Republican President Donald Trump.

During the mayoral race, Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from the city if Mamdani won and mused about sending National Guard troops to the city.

But Trump surprised supporters and foes alike by inviting the Democrat to the White House for what ended up being a cordial meeting in November.

“I want him to do a great job and will help him do a great job,” Trump said.

Still, tensions between the two leaders are almost certain to resurface, given their deep policy disagreements, particularly over immigration.

Mamdani also faces skepticism and opposition from some members of the city’s Jewish community over his criticisms of Israel’s government.

The new mayor and his team have spent the weeks since his election victory preparing for the transition, surrounding Mamdani with seasoned hands who have worked inside or alongside city government.

That included persuading the city’s police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, to remain in her position — a move that helped calm fears in the business community that the administration might be planning radical changes in policing strategy.

According to officials, around 6 a.m. on Wednesday, the Hialeah Police Department responded to a call from a concerned citizen about a potential kidnapping.

Surveillance footage, that corroborates the witness’s account, shows the suspicious situation on New Year’s Eve morning at West 27th Avenue and 52nd Street.

At some point, the man can be seen appearing to pull the woman toward the truck, according to detectives.

Police believe the woman and man seen in the footage know each other.

As of Thursday morning, no missing persons report has been filed matching the woman’s description. This is why police are asking for the public’s help in identifying her.

She was wearing a gray sweatshirt, khaki sweatpants, black sandals and has long black hair.

The man is about 5 feet, 7 inches, was wearing all black clothing and a blue hat, and was driving a modified white Ford F-150 Platinum Edition with distinct black rims.

Officers say their primary concern is the woman’s immediate well-being and are working quickly to locate her and verify her safety.

If you recognize the male subject, the female victim, or the vehicle involved, please contact the Hialeah Police Department immediately at (305) 687-2525.

This means that millions of Americans will likely have to shell out more — in some cases, a lot more — for coverage in 2026 or go uninsured. They could also try to find less expensive policies, though those usually involve tradeoffs.

Extending the beefed-up subsidies has been at the center of several battles on Capitol Hill in recent months. Democratic lawmakers refused to fund the federal government last fall unless the subsidies were renewed, leading to a record-long shutdown that only ended in mid-November with an agreement to hold a vote in the Senate on the matter. Both Democratic and Republican health care bills failed to pass the chamber in mid-December.

Moderate House Republicans fought with their leadership last month over temporarily extending the more generous assistance. Four of them ultimately decided to go nuclear and back the Democrats’ proposal.

Here’s what you need to know now:

Did all premium assistance disappear?

No! Only the enhanced premium subsidies enacted by the Biden administration as part of a 2021 Covid-19 relief package have expired.

The original subsidies, which are in the 2010 landmark health reform law, continue to be available. They limit monthly payments for the benchmark plan to no more than about 10% of enrollees’ household income for those earning less than 400% of the federal poverty level, or about $62,600 for an individual and $128,600 for a family of four.

But the enhanced subsidies made Obamacare coverage much more affordable, which helped draw a record 24.3 million people to sign up for 2025 policies. Lower-income Americans were able to enroll in policies with $0 or near $0 monthly premiums, while those in the middle class became eligible for help for the first time. Four out of five consumers were able to find 2025 plans for $10 or less a month.

Some Americans may also qualify for extra help from their states. Ten states provide eligible residents with additional state-funded subsidies that could blunt some of this year’s premium increase.

California, for instance, has allocated $190 million to replace the enhanced subsidies for many of its lowest income enrollees for 2026, said Jessica Altman, executive director of Covered California, the state-run exchange. However, that doesn’t come close to the $2.5 billion in federal enhanced subsidies that Golden State enrollees received in 2025.

In Massachusetts, residents with incomes below 400% of the federal poverty level qualify for longstanding state subsidies that will provide some additional aid, though most enrollees will still see their premiums rise, said Audrey Morse Gasteier, executive director of the Massachusetts Health Connector.

Nationwide, enrollees’ annual premium payments are expected to spike by more than $1,000 — or 114% — due to the lapsing of the enhanced subsidies, according to KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research group.

What should consumers do if they want 2026 coverage?

Shop!

Many Affordable Care Act enrollees allow themselves to be automatically renewed into the same plan year after year. But it’s more important than ever for consumers to log onto their exchange, update their estimated income and check out available plans. They can also get in touch with an enrollment navigator, insurance broker or agent to discuss their medical needs and budget to see what policies might work for them.

The phones have been ringing off the hook at the Covering Florida navigator program this enrollment season, said director Xonjenese Jacobs. It had already received more than 1,750 calls by mid-December, compared to around 500 to 750 calls at that time in 2024.

Those whose premiums have skyrocketed beyond affordable levels could explore whether other insurers offer less expensive options or whether plans with higher deductibles and out-of-pocket costs have more reasonable premiums. They can check whether policies with narrower doctor networks or more restrictive HMO plans would reduce their monthly tab.

If consumers can’t afford any Obamacare policies, Covering Florida navigators also help them review alternatives to Affordable Care Act policies, such as short-term plans. But the navigators want to make sure that people consider plans that meet their medical needs since these alternatives typically don’t offer the comprehensive benefits and protections available in ACA policies.

More clients, however, are saying they have to forgo coverage for 2026 because of the higher premiums. In these cases, the navigators point them to federally qualified health centers that have sliding scale prices, Jacobs said.

“People are talking to you in real time while they’re literally trying to figure out what their next steps are going to be for their life,” she said.

“They’re saying, ‘I have to have this coverage.’ Or in some instances, they’re like, ‘I feel like it’s important for me to have health insurance, but I can’t afford this, so I need to figure out how I can make sure I continue to take care of my health care needs,’” Jacobs continued.

Covered California sent enrollees notices that included details about their current policy and subsidy amount but also listed another plan on the exchange with a lower premium so they could see that they have options, Altman said.

“Most people in Covered California … have plans available to them that cost less than the plan they have today,” she said.

While consumers should seek help if they feel they need it, they should also be aware of scams, said Devon Trolley, executive director of Pennie, Pennsylvania’s Affordable Care Act marketplace. Aware that people are concerned about premium hikes, fraudsters may try to push skimpier plans or fake coverage.

How is enrollment being affected?

The lapse of the subsidies is already taking a toll, say state exchange leaders. More people had been waiting to explore their options and to pick a plan in the hope that Congress would act before year’s end.

Several directors told CNN that new enrollment is down, terminations are up and more people are switching to less expensive plans, particularly bronze plans, which have lower premiums but higher deductibles and out-of-pocket costs. (Obamacare plans typically have four metal tiers, ranging from bronze to platinum.)

At Your Health Idaho, the number of new customers fell 22% from 2024, while twice as many customers terminated their coverage, Pat Kelly, executive director of the state-run exchange, told CNN in mid-December. People who disenrolled cited affordability at three times the rate of prior years.

Also, about 59% of enrollees selected bronze plans for 2026, compared to about 49% for 2025.

“Any time you see a shift in the metal tiers, from gold and silver to bronze, it’s a pretty good indicator of affordability concerns,” Kelly said, noting that open enrollment ended on Monday.

In New York, consumers are flocking to the New York State of Health website, call center and navigators, but a smaller share are actually selecting plans, Danielle Holahan, executive director of New York State of Health, the state’s exchange, said. In 2024, 70% of those found eligible for coverage went on to enroll. Last year, the figure was 64%.

“There’s a lot of shopping and there’s less enrolling,” she said.

New sign-ups are also down considerably in Pennsylvania and California. Overall, the 21 state-based exchanges have seen an 18% decrease in new customers to 210,500 through November 22, according to data released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The federal exchange, healthcare.gov, which handles enrollment for 30 states, has experienced a slight uptick in such consumers to 739,000 through November 29, according to CMS, which did not respond to a request for comment.

Exchange leaders consider new enrollments a better indicator than returning consumers or total sign ups, in part because many states saw big jumps in enrollment for 2025 so they expect to see a larger number of returning customers.

Also, existing customers who are automatically reenrolled into 2026 policies may opt to end their coverage by not making premium payments. Those who actively enrolled may try to make some initial payments but find they can’t afford it and drop their policies.

Already, the share of Pennsylvania enrollees effectuating their 2026 coverage by making their first month’s payment was 10 percentage points lower than a year earlier, Trolley said in December.

Several exchange directors told CNN they won’t have a good handle on 2026 enrollment — and the impact of the subsidy lapse — until April at the earliest. (Consumers who stop paying their premiums remain covered for three months before their policy is terminated.)

“There’s going to be a lot of coming and going,” Morse Gasteier said. “Particularly with respect to terminations, that may not be a clear picture right away.”

What if Congress extends the subsidies this year?

The leaders of state-based exchanges told CNN that they will be able to update their systems if Congress acts in January, though it may take time. A straightforward extension of the enhanced subsidies would be the quickest to implement. But if lawmakers make changes — such as setting an income limit or requiring minimum premium payments — it could take more time.

The state exchanges would let consumers know about the enhanced subsidy renewal and allow them to come back to sign up for coverage or to switch plans, leaders told CNN.

Massachusetts’ exchange could update its systems and notify consumers in about 15 days if Congress extends the enhanced subsidies with no changes in January, Morse Gasteier said, noting it has a “plan on a shelf.” The marketplace had to make changes to premiums and subsidies in 2021, when the enhanced subsidies were enacted.

Similarly, it would only take New York a week or two to adjust premiums and issue notices if the enhanced subsidies were simply extended, Holahan said. But the bigger challenge would be convincing those who terminated their coverage or opted not to sign up because of the premium spike to return to the exchange to look again.

“If we’ve lost them … getting them back, telling them that things have changed, it will be an uphill climb,” she said. “But we will do everything we can to outreach to them.”

The Miami Hurricanes: underdogs, underestimated and unstoppable.

“What a moment for the city, the alums, the program,” a commentator said after UM’s winning play. “Man. They deserve it.”

The Canes were invited into the college football playoffs out of 12 teams. The top conference teams advanced automatically, and the Canes were chosen to advance by a selection committee.

“Be fast, physical, violent and relentless. Whatever it takes,” UM’s head coach Mario Cristobal said.

UM hasn’t won a conference championship since moving into the ACC in 2003. Their five national championships in the 80s and 90s, however, ranks them as one of the best programs ever.

One of the team’s former coaches in the 80s, Jimmy Johnson, was in the stands Wednesday night showing support for the U. Cristobal, the current head coach, was one of Johnson’s players.

“Our guys have really worked hard at being a physical, violent bunch. And you know what? Coach Johnson!” Cristobal yelled to Johnson. “There you go, brother! There you go! Green Tree practice field! Let’s go. Wait for me. Don’t leave. Don’t leave. Don’t leave.”

They leaned on their foundation to beat the Texas A&M Aggies on Dec. 20. Wednesday night was no different. From the first quarter to the second, and from the start of the second half, all the way to the final few seconds, the program has proven they can do it all over again.

“Hey man, hard fought battle today, I don’t know what’s on my face, but man, oh man,” UM’s quarterback Carson Beck said. “It feels good to be a Hurricane, baby. Go Canes, let’s go.”

The win was a great start to 2026 for all Canes fans. The team is expected back home at the Coral Gables’ campus around 2 p.m. on Thursday. While the campus was calm early in the morning, 7News is expecting it to be another celebration when the team arrives.

Authorities said the blaze broke out in the early hours of New Year’s Day at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, one of Switzerland’s most exclusive locales.

Here’s what we know.

What happened?

Gaetan Lathion, spokesperson for police in the canton of Valais, said the “fire broke out around 1:30 a.m. at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana.” He said about 100 people were inside at the time.

The venue lies at the very heart of the luxury ski resort, just a short walk from the bottom station of the lift that takes skiers up into the mountains. It has two bars, a dedicated shisha smoking area and a capacity of 300 people, with terrace space for 40, according to its website. Photos from inside the venue show a dark, cavernous space with a large, brightly lit bar at its center. It was not immediately clear which part of the bar was affected by the fire.

While the investigation is in its early stages, police have ruled out a terror attack, saying the tragedy is being treated as a fire.

Prosecutor Béatrice Pilloud said at a press briefing Thursday morning that it was too soon to determine its cause and that the investigation would “take a lot of time.”

Two witnesses told CNN affiliate BFMTV that the devastating fire was caused by sparklers placed in champagne bottles.

“There were waitresses carrying champagne bottles with sparklers on them, and they carried them close to the ceiling, which caused it to catch fire,” one eyewitness said.

“One waitress was standing on another waiter’s shoulders, and the bottle and the flames were just a few centimeters away from the ceiling,” the other reveler added.

“Once the ceiling was on fire, within about 10 seconds the entire nightclub was on fire,” the first eyewitness said. “We all ran out screaming and when we turned back, there were flames.”

Both witnesses said there were at least 200 people inside the establishment.

Another eyewitness recalled hearing people shouting as the fire tore through the bar. “There were people screaming, and then people lying on the ground, probably dead. They had jackets over their faces,” local resident Samuel Rapp told Reuters.

He continued: “Then I received videos where people were trying to get out, but they were trampling over each other, so it was hard to get out through the exit. And there were people shouting, saying, ‘Help me. Please help us.’”

People present initially described the fire as an “explosion,” a state council member said earlier Thursday during the press briefing.

Valais State Council member Stephane Ganzer, identified as a former firefighter, said: “The fire spread and, as it developed, caused a widespread explosion.”

Police have released footage from inside the venue after the fire, which appears to show the terrace area of Le Constellation. Chairs and benches can be seen in disarray, suggesting the panic of partygoers as they attempted to flee the blaze.

Large crews from the emergency services immediately responded. Operations are ongoing and the area has been closed off, with a no-fly zone in place over Crans-Montana, police said.

How many people lost their lives?

Swiss authorities have not yet given an exact number for those killed, saying it was “too early.” Police said in the press briefing Thursday morning that “dozens” were presumed dead and that the victims were likely of different nationalities.

Italy’s foreign ministry said approximately 40 people died in the blaze, citing Swiss police. The foreign ministry added in a statement that the victims could not be immediately identified due to severe burns.

Video from Reuters showed red and white police tape blocking access to the scene on Thursday. White forensic tents can be seen outside the bar as investigations into the fire continue.

President of the Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin said the incident represented a “tragic loss that touches the whole country and far beyond,” as he offered his condolences to the victims and their families.

New Year’s Day was the first day of Parmelin’s one-year term as head of state; he postponed a traditional address to the nation out of respect for the victims of the fire.

French President Emmanuel Macron also offered his condolences to the bereaved, saying Switzerland has “the full solidarity of France and our fraternal support.”

Where are the injured being treated?

The huge number of people injured in the tragedy has overwhelmed the local medical system in the Valais canton, with patients being transported to hospitals across the country and abroad.

Speaking earlier on Thursday, State Council president Mathias Reynard said that the intensive care unit and the operating room at the Valais hospital were full.

Swiss public service broadcasters have reported that patients have been transported to hospitals in Geneva, Zurich, Lausanne and other major cities.

Switzerland has two specialized centers that treat patients suffering from major burns – one in Lausanne and one in Zurich, according to official information.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that the Niguarda Hospital in Milan was set to receive several patients as well.

Italy’s foreign ministry said Thursday afternoon that 15 Italian nationals were in hospital after being injured in the fire. It added that “as many” Italians remain unaccounted for following the disaster.

France’s foreign ministry said two French nationals were among the injured and had been “immediately taken into care by emergency services.”

Consular teams were in contact with Swiss authorities in case other French nationals were affected, the statement added.

Where is Crans-Montana?

The Crans-Montana resort is popular with foreign tourists. According to its official website, it welcomes around 3 million visitors a year, with roughly a fifth coming from abroad – most from France, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States.

It is famed for its year-round sunshine, which it owes to its position on a south-facing plateau in the Rhone Valley. The area – 1,500 meters above sea level – offers sweeping Alpine vistas stretching from the Matterhorn to Mont Blanc, one of Europe’s highest peaks.

Tourists are drawn by its understated glamor, with high-end shopping and fine dining as well as extensive ski slopes and a lively apres-ski scene.

With a small population of around 15,000, the area is said to have a close-knit community as well as being a low-key place for celebrities to go skiing, golfing and dining.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

They certainly were excited, as were a Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver and a former coach who won national championships with the Hurricanes.

Scott picked off a screen pass by Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin, Carson Beck threw a touchdown pass and 10th-ranked Miami shocked the Buckeyes 24-14 on Wednesday night at the Cotton Bowl in the first College Football Playoff quarterfinal.

“I was full of emotions. … That was a pretty cool moment,” said Scott, who has TD returns on both of his interceptions this season. “Just having fun. … That’s what this team relies on, man, just going out there playing free and just having fun.”

The Hurricanes (12-2, CFP No. 10 seed) have won two playoff games to get into football’s final four after needing an at-large berth to make the 12-team field, after not even playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. One more win and they will get to play for a national championship in their home stadium.

Next for Miami in coach Mario Cristobal’s fourth season is a CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8 against No. 3 seed Georgia or No. 6 seed Ole Miss, the SEC teams in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday night.

There hasn’t been a national title for “The U” since 2001, when Cristobal was a standout offensive tackle for the Hurricanes and part of his second championship there. The Hurricanes were denied a repeat the following season with a double-overtime loss in the Fiesta Bowl to Ohio State, the only other time the teams met in a bowl — and the last Miami played in that game.

“It is 100% not about me. I’m part of their team, I’m a part of that family,” Cristobal said. “It is my obligation as a former Miami Hurricane player and all the things that Miami did for my brother and I to do my best to try to provide these guys with even better opportunities so they can fulfill all the great things they are destined for.”

Before receiver Michael Irvin and coach Jimmy Johnson were Super Bowl champions with the Dallas Cowboys, they were part of the Hurricanes’ 1987 national championship. Irvin excitedly ran down the sideline while Scott was scoring for a 14-0 lead, and Johnson was nearby when acknowledged by Cristobal during the on-field trophy presentation.

Now it’s third-ranked Ohio State (12-2, CFP No. 2 seed), which went into the game as a 9 1/2-point favorite according to BetMGM Sportsbook, that can’t win back-to-back national titles for the first time in program history.

The Buckeyes hadn’t played since a 13-10 loss to now-No. 1 Indiana in a Big Ten championship game matchup of undefeated teams on Dec. 6. They still got a first-round bye, then lost just like all four teams that went directly to the quarterfinal round in the inaugural 12-team playoff last season.

“We worked really hard during the last three weeks leading up to this game to come out of the gates and win the first quarter, win the first half, be ready to go,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said. “I think the guys bought into it. But at the end of the day, we didn’t get it done.”

Scott’s interception return came only 1:42 after Beck’s quick pass to Mark Fletcher Jr. out of the backfield for a 9-yard score.

Beck, who was part of Georgia’s national titles in 2021 and 2022 when Stetson Bennett was the starter, completed 19 of 26 passes for 138 yards.

When asked what stood out to him about these Hurricanes, Beck said, “Just the way that this team has responded to adversity. We knew coming into today that it wasn’t going to be easy.”

The TD throw to Fletcher, who also ran 19 times for 90 yards and was the game’s offensive MVP, was the seventh of 13 consecutive completions for Beck. That set a record in the Cotton Bowl, which was played for the 90th time.

Sayin, a freshman backup behind Will Howard for Ohio State’s championship run last season, was 22 of 35 for 287 yards with two interceptions and a TD to Jeremiah Smith. Sayin was sacked five times.

AP All-America receiver Smith, the Miami native, caught seven of those passes for 157 yards, including a 14-yard TD on a fourth down in the fourth quarter.

Carter Davis added a 49-yard field goal in the third quarter and ChaMar Brown ran for a 5-yard TD in the game’s final minute for the Hurricanes, whose 24 points were the most Ohio State gave up this season.

The takeaway

Miami: The Hurricanes have won six games in a row since an overtime loss Nov. 1 at SMU, less than 25 miles from AT&T Stadium, where the Cotton Bowl is played. They also made their CFP debut in the Lone Star State, winning 10-3 at No. 7 Texas A&M in the first round on Dec. 20.

Ohio State: All-America safety Caleb Downs, who started in the CFP for the third season in a row, became the first player to force two fumbles in a CFP game. … The Buckeyes had gone four consecutive quarters — the equivalent of a full game — until Bo Jackson’s 1-yard TD run to cap its opening drive of the second half.

Up next

Miami waits to see who it will play in the Fiesta Bowl. Ohio State is scheduled to open the the 2026 season at home against Ball State on Sept. 5.

U.S. Southern Command, which oversees South America, did not reveal where the attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday occurred. Previous attacks have been in the Caribbean Sea and in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

A video of Tuesday’s attack posted by Southern Command on social media shows three boats traveling in a close formation, which is unusual, and the military said they were in a convoy along known narco-trafficking routes and “had transferred narcotics between the three vessels prior to the strikes.” The military did not provide evidence to back up the claim.

The military said three people were killed when the first boat was struck, while people in the other two boats jumped overboard and distanced themselves from the vessels before they were attacked. Southern Command said it immediately notified the U.S. Coast Guard to activate search and rescue efforts.

Southern Command’s statement did not say whether those who jumped off the boats were rescued.

Calling in the Coast Guard is notable because the U.S. military drew heavy scrutiny after U.S. forces killed the survivors of an attack in early September with a follow-up strike to their disabled boat. Some Democratic lawmakers and legal experts said the military committed a crime, while the Trump administration and some Republican lawmakers say the follow-up strike was legal.

U.S. forces attacked two more boats on Wednesday, killing five people who were allegedly smuggling drugs along known trafficking routes, Southern Command said in a separate statement. It did not provide evidence of the alleged trafficking or reveal the body of water in which the attacks occurred. Videos posted with the statement on social media showed a boat in the water and explosions.

The latest attacks bring the total number of known boat strikes to 35 and the number of people killed to at least 115 since early September, according to numbers announced by the Trump administration.

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.

Along with the strikes, the Trump administration has built up military forces in the region as part of an escalating pressure campaign on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has been charged with narco-terrorism in the United States.

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 U.S. began strikes in September, a significant escalation in the administration’s pressure campaign on Maduro’s government.

It’s cold — by South Florida standards — and residents, including the little ones, made sure to bundle up as they braved the elements.

“Like it used to be so hot, I didn’t want to go outside, but now it’s super cold,” said Michael Lalo.

In Fort Lauderdale, Fletcher Schrodt and his neighbors invested in a fire pit to stay warm for the evening.

“We use the fire pit a little bit just for fun, but tonight, we’re gonna use the fire pit to stay warm,” said Schrodt.

For most of the year, the investment would be a novelty, but on this New Year’s Eve, it’s a necessity.

“We sit out here every night. It started to get chilly so we decided to buy the fire pit and now it’s like a neighborhood staple, it’s like moths to a light, everybody comes over here,” said area resident Mike Altieri.

Meantime, along Las Olas Boulevard, residents came prepared for the weather with their best winter fits.

“Because we’re going to a fancy restaurant and I can’t wear a sweater, got to wear something cute, you know?” said one resident.

Some people who are visiting South Florida for the New Year said they loved the brisk weather compared to back home.

“We love Florida. So we come down very often, might be a bit cold but for us, it’s a lot warmer than what it is at home so we’re good,” said a tourist.

The chilly temperatures are expected to carry through the rest of the week before starting to warm up over the weekend.

Authorities say Donna Baxter, 71, was last seen near the 50 block of West Sample Road at approximately 9:05 a.m. on Dec. 23.

Baxter stands at 5 feet, 4 inches and weighs around 150 pounds.

Officials urge anyone with information on Baxter’s whereabouts to contact the Broward Sheriff’s Office at 954-321-4274 or 911.

Volunteers from both teams, cheerleaders and their mascots came together to assist the Green Haven Project with some gardening near 1160 Northwest Second Avenue as part of the Orange Bowl community service project.

It’s one of several Orange Bowl community service activities taking place in South Florida ahead of the big game between the Ducks and Red Raiders at Hard Rock Stadium, Thursday.

“The Orange Bowl committee does so much great work to make this event festive, but it’s also part of our DNA to try and give back and be part of the community, so it’s an honor to be able to have that opportunity,” said University of Oregon president Karl Scholz.

“This is exciting, too, to be able to get engaged and involved in the local community, and we really appreciate the University of Oregon’s invitation, this is a tradition that they began,” said Curt Langford, the senior vice president of the Texas Tech Alumni Association.

The Green Haven Project works to create community gardens and sustainable ecosystems in neighborhoods that lack access to fresh food.

Chris Eriksen returned home from New York to find the unexpected sight behind his house on Northeast 12th Court and Northeast 3rd Terrace, where a home is under construction.

“I did not know when you knocked on my door and told me there was something in the canal. I had no idea what you were talking about,” Eriksen said.

The truck belonged to Yaky Trucking Company and was working close to the seawall. An employee with the company explained the truck had to make multiple turns to navigate the tight space.

When the driver attempted to brake, the compressed air system failed to respond properly, causing the truck to roll into the water.

“A year ago, it was an empty lot. They started building that house probably mid summer, and so you watch it, you know, as it progresses. And you know, it’s a big house, we watch the pool go in and all, and this is a major curve ball,” Eriksen said.

Despite the unusual morning surprise, Eriksen found humor in the situation.

“I saw the truck in the water and just chuckled. I wished I had seen it go in, but I missed that. You don’t see this every day,” Eriksen said.

Three tow trucks eventually removed the construction vehicle from the canal. Eriksen documented the incident with photos and videos to share with family members.

“I got it on camera. I took pictures. I’m going to send them up north. My wife is up north, still with our grandchildren, and she’s laughing. My son is laughing,” Eriksen said.

The worker at the “Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular” at the Disney’s Hollywood Studios park was knocked to the ground by the 400-pound (181-kilogram) prop boulder after it moved off its track on Tuesday and started rolling toward audience members. Another worker stopped the boulder before it reached the spectators.

Disney on Wednesday wouldn’t disclose the worker’s injuries, citing privacy reasons.

One of the attraction’s scheduled shows was canceled Tuesday after the accident, and Wednesday’s shows were modified to exclude the prop boulder. Disney said it was reviewing why the prop rolled off the track.

“We’re focused on supporting our cast member, who is recovering,” Disney said in a statement. “Safety is at the heart of what we do, and that element of the show will be modified as our safety team completes a review of what happened.”

The show is based on the Indiana Jones films and recreates an early scene in the first film, “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”