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NOAA reported western U.S. snow cover fell to its lowest levels since satellite records began in 2001, with about 90,646 square miles covered as of Dec. 7; several mountain regions are below half their median snow levels, and officials say a single early-season storm can still change snowpack.

California's DMV delayed cancellation of about 17,000 migrant commercial driver's licenses for 60 days and said those drivers may retake the state driving test; Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned $160 million in federal funding could be withheld and the matter is the subject of litigation.

U.S. forces captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife; they are in federal custody in Brooklyn awaiting trial on narcoterrorism charges, and Venezuela’s leadership is reported as uncertain.

Aboard Air Force One, President Trump said Cuba could soon collapse and warned Colombia's president; he also reiterated U.S. interest in acquiring Greenland.

Worst Cooks in America: Reality Check, hosted by Jeff Mauro and Tiffany Derry, premiered on Jan. 4 as the show's first season following Anne Burrell’s death in June. The season features celebrity contestants and will stream on HBO Max the day after its Food Network broadcast.

SwitchBot unveiled the Onero H1 household robot at CES 2026, describing it as a 22-degrees-of-freedom machine with an on-device OmniSense VLA model. The company says the robot can grasp, push, open, and organize objects, and the H1 will be offered for pre-order with pricing and a launch date not announced.

Gold and silver climbed as investors moved toward safe-haven assets after reports that US forces captured Venezuela's leader Nicolás Maduro; oil slipped amid questions about crude flows from the country.

Oil and precious metals rose and major Asian stock indexes climbed after reports of the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Josh Charles and showrunner Liz Tuccillo discussed the Best Medicine premiere, which follows Dr. Martin Best returning to Port Wenn and revealing a blood phobia after freezing in an operating room. The episode ends with Martin deciding to stay in town and sets up Louisa and Mark's breakup and other relationships.

A magnitude 6.5 earthquake was reported near Acapulco, Mexico, and officials reported landslides, structural damage and at least two deaths.

The article introduces a weeklong Brain Health Challenge led by reporter Dana Smith that highlights everyday habits—like sleep, diet and exercise—that support cognition, and includes a quiz activity for readers to try and share.

A three-generation American family attended Shen Yun's Jan. 3 matinee in San Francisco and praised the show's presentation of traditional Chinese culture and storytelling.

Pizzerias have fallen from the second-most common U.S. restaurant type and now trail coffee shops and Mexican-inspired eateries, and pizza-chain sales growth has lagged the broader fast-food market.

Carlton Cruse said clips from season two of Jack Ryan trended after U.S. strikes on Venezuela, and he described the 2019 storyline as plausible fiction grounded in real geopolitical dynamics.

U.S. officials reported that American forces captured Venezuela's president Nicolás Maduro. Regional leaders issued strong reactions and further actions are undetermined at this time.

MTA fare and toll increases took effect Sunday across the LIRR, Nassau buses, city subways and bridge/tunnel crossings. The MTA says the additional revenue will support safe, fair and reliable service.

Mui Lab says the Mui Board Gen 2 will work with millimeter-wave sensors to track sleep without wearables and that add-on mmWave sensors will enable gesture control; support is planned to roll out later this year.

The 31st Critics Choice Awards were held on Jan. 4, 2026 at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, hosted by Chelsea Handler; Ryan Coogler’s Sinners led film nominations with 17 while Adolescence led TV with six.

Authorities say a Paulsboro man shot and killed a woman and wounded a child at a home; he was charged with first-degree murder and related counts. The child was taken to a hospital and the suspect faces a possible 30-years-to-life sentence if convicted.

Oil futures fell less than 1% in early New York trading, dipping below $57 a barrel, while Brent also traded lower; U.S. stock futures edged up and S&P 500 contracts gained about 0.1%.

Chartdata announced that Taylor Swift was the best-selling artist in the U.S. in 2025 with 14.1 million total album units sold, a notice that ran during the Chiefs-Raiders Week 18 matchup. The article also reports that Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, playing his 192nd career game, faces a possible retirement decision while his contract expires at the end of the 2025–26 season.

Asia's equity markets raised $262.7 billion in 2025, and Hong Kong listings may raise as much as $45 billion in 2026, according to reported estimates.

Miley Cyrus attended the Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Awards with her mother, Tish Cyrus-Purcell, on January 3, 2026, and the pair wore near-matching black suits. Cyrus received the Outstanding Artistic Achievement Award for her end-credits song "Dream As One" from Avatar: Fire and Ash.

Sony Music will release the Stranger Things Season 5 soundtrack on Jan. 30 on four physical formats — a yellow marble LP, standard LP, cassette and CD — and the collection features 13 tracks, including Michael Jackson's "Rockin' Robin" and Iron Maiden's "The Trooper."

The article reports that the crypto market cap fell from about $3.5 trillion at the start of 2025 to just above $3 trillion by early 2026, and investor Anthony Di Pizio warns that both XRP and Shiba Inu could decline by 50% or more this year.

Jelly Roll told Men's Health he lost about 275 pounds over five years and that his renewed sex drive has improved intimacy with his wife.

Oil prices fell toward about $60 a barrel as markets assessed the reported capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by US forces and OPEC+ said it would pause planned supply hikes in the first quarter amid a global glut.

Eva Schloss, who survived Auschwitz and co-founded the Anne Frank Trust UK, died in London aged 96, the charity announced. UK King Charles paid tribute to her decades of work in Holocaust education.

At a Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve event, President Donald Trump auctioned a painting of Jesus Christ that sold for $2.75 million. The article reports the proceeds are earmarked for St. Jude's Hospital and the local sheriff's office.

Jordan Stolz, pre-qualified for Milano Cortina in his individual events, skipped the 1,500m at U.S. trials after a slower 500m race that he still won. He has locked the 1,000m spot, plans to race the mass start Monday, and will decide later about a second 500m.