Tracy Mumford: From the New York Times, it's the headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. Today's January 2nd, 2026. Here's what we're covering.

Tracy Mumford: Authorities in Switzerland are calling the New Year's Eve fire that ripped through a pack bar in a ski resort one of the worst tragedies the country has ever experienced. About 40 people were killed and 115 injured, many of them seriously. The country's burn units have been overwhelmed to the point that some victims have been sent to other countries. Officials say it's too early to comment on the cause of the fire, but the blaze set off a flashover when surfaces in an enclosed space become hot enough to ignite almost simultaneously, spreading flames with lethal speed. At least one explosion followed.

>>: I met a young man who was inside when it happened. He rushed out when he saw the smoke, so he was not harmed. But he told me that his friend stayed inside and was injured and she was at the main hospital in the area and it's where he waited all day to find out how she was, but they didn't let him see her.

>>: My colleague Segalin Lustradik is reporting from the town Kron Matana, which draws people for skiing and its views of the Alps. She went to the site of the fire. The streets around had been cordoned off by police officers. And then on one of these streets, there was a little table where people from the town came and placed flowers and candles. And I talked to some of them. They were mostly young people because as we found out from talking to people here, it was a bar where mostly 18-year-old, 20 year olds would go to. I talked to this group of four. They were all 17 and they were supposed to be at the bar. They arrived a little bit late and when they got there, the police and firemen were already there. People were rushing out. They said that, you know, people were trampling each other, that it was total panic.

>>: I think now there's going to be a lot of attention on understanding exactly what happened because from what I found out talking to people and I think some of the videos and photos that are being posted on social media, it seems like there was only one exit and there's a feeling that people were dropped downstairs. So I think there's going to be a lot of attention now on accountability, safety measures at the bar and how it could just go up in flames so quickly.

Tracy Mumford: President Trump has announced that he will abandon efforts to deploy the National Guard in three major cities, Chicago, LA, and Portland. The move marks a significant retreat from one of his most high-profile attempts to test the limits of his power. On the ground, though, residents may not see much of a change. Amid multiple legal challenges, the troops in Portland and Chicago already had almost no public presence. And in LA, the White House had already begun backing away from attempts to keep control of National Guard soldiers there. Trump's announcement came about a week after the Supreme Court issued a preliminary ruling blocking the administration from deploying National Guard troops in Chicago, where state and local officials had objected to it. Notably, Trump is not pulling back troops from Washington DC or from Memphis and New Orleans, cities in Republicanled states where the governors haven't challenged the deployments. Writing on social media, Trump said he would not hesitate to redeploy troops in the future. Quote, "We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again, only a question of time.

Tracy Mumford: Starting this month, millions of Americans are now facing much higher costs for their Obamacare plans after efforts in Congress to extend enhanced health care subsidies failed. The Times talked with people affected by the price hikes, including a family of four in California whose plan has gone from $1,300 a month to 4,000. and a couple in North Carolina who are looking at a jump from roughly $600 a month to 3,000. As a result, people say they're making hard choices. Some are deciding to go without health insurance, like a 58-year-old woman in Oregon who told the Times she decided to keep coverage for her husband but drop it for herself. Others are choosing plans that have a lower premium but require them to pay thousands of dollars more in out-ofpocket costs. and still others say they're planning to limit the amount of money they make this year so they can try and qualify for subsidies still available to those at lower income levels. Lawmakers could still decide to extend the enhanced subsidies sometime this year, but there's been infighting in the Republican party, which controls Congress, about whether or not to do so.

Tracy Mumford: In the past several months, a push by the tech giants of Silicon Valley to embed artificial intelligence in classrooms has been picking up steam. It's happening around the world, Thailand, Iceland, India. Microsoft has signed a deal to bring AI tools to schools in the UAE. In El Salvador, Elon Musk's AI company is developing a tutoring system using the Grock chatbot. And in the US, some of the country's biggest school systems have introduced their own collaborations with tech giants. The companies argue that their technology can be a boon for learning and teaching, quickly creating quizzes, breaking down complex topics, and helping to write lesson plans. And some teachers in the pilot programs say that since many of their students are already using AI on their own, bringing it into the classroom gives them a chance to teach kids how to use it responsibly and not just blindly trust what chatbots say. But some health groups warned that the rapid spread of AI in schools could pose risks. One recent study found that popular chat bots may diminish critical thinking. And a digital policy expert at UNICEF recently said he was concerned that without proper guidance, the global push could quote actively deskill students and teachers.

Tracy Mumford: And finally, startups are always ushering in new office trends. We have lived through the days of companies offering yoga breaks, bean bags for chairs, beer on tap, or bring your dog to work. Now, some startups are going no shoes. The trend is spreading in small tech offices. One AI startup the Times talked with offers all visitors custom slippers to slide on at the door instead of their street shoes. The CEO said it makes it feel like home and quote, "Disarms you in a positive way." and she considers it in keeping with how she grew up with people taking off their shoes at home and in temples. An economist who studies how people work called it pajama culture in action. Basically, people who developed some cozy work from home habits during the pandemic are now bringing those back to the office with them. He said it also speaks to just how many hours people may be working at those startups. If you're going to be there for 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, you might as well be comfortable.

Tracy Mumford: This actually isn't tech's first goaround with showing your toes. The Times checked in with a few Silicon Valley companies who went no shoes a decade ago or more. Since then, they seem to have largely rembraced footwear.

Tracy Mumford: Those are the headlines. If you'd like to play the Friday news quiz, stick around. It's just after these credits. This show is made by Will Jarvis, Yan Stewart, and me, Tracy Mumford. Original theme by Dan Powell. Special thanks to Isabella Anderson, Lissa Anderson, Zoe Murphy, and Paula Schuman.

Tracy Mumford: Now, time for the quiz. Little New Year's theme here. We have a few questions about three big winners of 2025 who are poised to be major players in 2026. Here we go.

>>: Please repeat after me. Raise your right hand. I

>>: I

>>: Zoranwami.

>>: This week, Zoran Mandani was sworn in as the mayor of New York City after a meteoric rise from a virtual unknown to one of the most prominent figures in American politics.

Zoran Mandani: So help me God.

>>: So help me God.

>>: Congratulations, Mr. Mayor.

>>: He picked an out of the way spot in the city to take the oath of office. Your question, where was he sworn in? The answer. Mandani's inauguration ceremony was held in an old subway station below city hall. The station, which has been closed since 1945, is famous for its tiled arches, vated ceilings, and chandeliers. Mdani said it was a symbol of a quote city that dared to be both beautiful and build great things that would transform working people's lives.

>>: Moving on to the next question.

>>: It just continues to go higher and there's nobody that's near them. On Wall Street, one company spent all last year smashing stock market records, becoming the first publicly traded company to ever be worth $4 trillion, then $5 trillion, and it is still at the top. What company is it? It's multiple choice. A. Amazon. B. Open AAI, C. Nvidia, D. Bergkshire Hathaway, Amazon, OpenAI, Nvidia, Berkshire Hathaway.

>>: The answer, Nvidia. The company has a near total lock on the market for the chips that power AI and has become a driving force behind the entire US economy. Quick bonus question here. Nvidia comes from the Latin word Nvidia. What does it mean? The answer, envy, which seems fitting.

>>: And last question. In the streaming wars, YouTube has been dominating the competition, capturing a bigger and bigger share of Americans attention. Recent data shows the platform accounts for about 13% of all viewing time. The runner up is Netflix with just eight. Your question, which YouTube channel has the most subscribers heading into 2026? Here's a hint.

>>: I don't care how long this takes. Whichever one of you leaves last wins half a million dollars.

>>: The answer is Mr. Beast, who has racked up 457 million subscribers. That is more than the entire population of the United States.

>>: Hit the button. You can be in a video.

Tracy Mumford: That is it for the news quiz. I'm Tracy Mumford. The headlines will be back on Monday.