Many ‘young people’ killed in Swiss Alps fire; Trump underwent CT scan, not MRI
The death toll rises from the New Year’s inferno at a bar in the Swiss Alps. Also, what witnesses say they saw regarding sparklers and partying.
Plus, President Donald Trump issued a firm warning to Iran regarding street protests, outlining how the United States will respond if the Islamic Republic violently suppresses the demonstrations.
And then there were four. College football is down to the semifinals. Some big names, including Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State, were defeated, meaning there will be a new champion this year.
These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, January 2, 2026.
Police say many killed in Swiss Alps bar fire were ‘young people’
Swiss investigators are working to figure out what caused a bar packed with New Year’s Eve revelers to go up in flames while also trying to identify dozens of people who were killed in the inferno.
Police say at least 40 people are dead and 115 are injured after the fire ripped through the crowded Le Constellation bar at a ski resort in the Swiss Alps early Thursday morning as people celebrated the new year.
At a news conference on Thursday afternoon, the police commander there said, “The priority will be to identify those who lost their lives” and noted that many of the victims were young people in their late teens and 20s.
They include not only Swiss residents but tourists as well.
French and Italian officials have said their nationals are among the missing.
Witnesses have told French broadcasters that bar staff were lighting candles and that sparklers were coming from bottles of champagne.
Once the fire broke out, as many as 200 partygoers on the basement level tried frantically to exit through a narrow staircase, causing chaos.
The European Union is providing medical assistance.
Some of the survivors have been transferred to hospitals in France.
A criminal investigation into the fire is underway, but officials say they have ruled out the possibility of a terror attack. Instead, some reports indicate the flames started in the wooden ceiling of the bar’s basement and rose from there.
Protests turn deadly in Iran as Trump says US could step in
Massive protests in the streets of Iran over economic conditions such as high inflation and currency depreciation have now turned deadly. Overnight, President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to the Islamic Republic that governs the country.
The demonstrations began days ago in the capital of Tehran and have now spread to Iran’s rural provinces.
Two people were killed on Wednesday, and another five on Thursday in areas that are home to Iran’s Lur ethnic group.
Analysts believe the deaths could mark the beginning of a crackdown on the protesters by Iran’s ruling party.
They are the largest demonstrations in the streets since 2022.
Dr. J. Michael Waller of the Center for Security Policy told Straight Arrow News, “A pro-democracy revolution is unfolding in Iran.” Waller continued:
“This revolution of the Iranian people has been a long time in the making. It is their revolution. Most of the people are friends of America. Obama tried to snuff them out when they rose up during his presidency. The Islamic Republic, the ayatollahs, and the Revolutionary Guard have American blood on their hands. As the French supported us 250 years ago, we anticipate that President Trump will provide them with all the support they need to win.”
Trump weighed in with a warning on Truth Social, writing, “If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”
Mamdani promises ‘new era’ for New York, pledging to govern ‘expansively and audaciously’
It’s a “new era” for New York, according to the newly inaugurated mayor, Zohran Mamdani.
During his public inauguration ceremony on Thursday, Mamdani placed his hand on a quran as he took his oath as the city’s first Muslim mayor. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, who is one of Mamdani’s political heroes, administered the swearing-in.
Thousands of New Yorkers braved the frigid weather to watch the historic event.
In his first address as the city’s leader, Mandani made a promise for his administration:
“The only expectation I seek to reset is that of small expectations. 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. 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.”
— Zohran Mamdani, mayor, New York City
And in his first hours as the 112th mayor of the nation’s most populous city, Mamdani announced three new executive orders aimed at making housing more available and affordable to New Yorkers.
During his campaign, Mamdani promised to freeze rent, eliminate bus fares and provide universal child care.
This was actually his second inauguration. He was officially sworn into office just after midnight on Thursday by New York Attorney General Letitia James at a decommissioned subway station below City Hall.
Affordable Care Act subsidies expire, health care costs spike for millions
Enhanced tax credits, which kept insurance premiums low for many Americans, have now officially expired.
After months of fighting and multiple attempts to reach a bipartisan compromise, the Affordable Care Act subsidies have expired, causing rates to skyrocket for millions of Americans.
Democrats forced a 43-day government shutdown over the issue in October.
In December, the House of Representatives advanced a Republican healthcare bill that would not renew the tax credit. Instead, many Republicans, including the president, favor deposits into people’s health savings accounts.
Democrats pushed their own plan to extend the tax credits for another three years, but House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would not schedule that vote until the first week of January, when Congress returns from recess.
That vote has not yet been scheduled.
Trump underwent CT scan — not MRI — to check for heart issues
New information about Trump’s health has come to light months after his medical checkup at Walter Reed Medical Center in October. It has been confirmed that the president underwent a CT scan during his visit, not an MRI as previously reported.
For months, the president confirmed that his hospital appointment included a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test as part of a physical exam. An MRI uses a big magnet and radio waves.
Throughout, Trump maintained that the results were “perfect.” The White House later released the imaging results, stating they were normal.
However, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal earlier this week, the president said it was not an MRI. In his words, “It was less than that. It was a scan.”
His doctor confirmed it was a CT scan, which uses X-rays. In this case, it was used to rule out any cardiovascular issues. The doctor reported that the scan showed no abnormalities.
Trump also told The Journal that he takes a hefty dose of aspirin every day, which has thinned his blood and made him bruise easily. He said he has refused to follow his doctor’s advice to lower the dosage.
Final four set for College Football Playoff
The college football semifinals are set, and the final four will feature a rematch between two Big Ten teams and two other programs that pulled off upsets.
The Oregon Ducks and the top-seeded Indiana Hoosiers are set to play in the Peach Bowl next Friday after Indiana crushed Alabama yesterday in the Rose Bowl, 38-3. Oregon defeated Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl earlier in the day, 23-0.
When they met in October 2025, Indiana defeated the Ducks 30-20, one of the Hoosiers’ most impressive victories of the year.
On the side, Miami and Ole Miss will play in the semifinal.
The sixth-seeded Rebels, minus their former coach Lane Kiffin, who left for LSU, rallied from nine points down at halftime and stunned Georgia 39-34 Thursday in last night’s Sugar Bowl.
One night earlier, Miami, a team many said should not be in the playoffs, upset the defending champion Ohio State 24-14 in dominating fashion in the Cotton Bowl.
The national title game is Monday, January 19th, in Miami, and there will be a new champion this year.
More from Straight Arrow News:
Why a growing number of American women say they want to move abroad
The number of young American women hoping to move to another country is skyrocketing. Four out of 10 women between the ages of 15 and 44 said they would consider leaving the U.S. in a recent Gallup poll — slightly more than double the rate for men in the same age range.
It’s the highest share and the widest gender gap reported since Gallup began asking the question in 2007. And the reasons behind the shift are both political and personal. Read the full story now>
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
