For Wednesday, January 7th, 2026
>>Dow Closes Above 49,000 As Stocks Extend Rally
(New York, NY) -- The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 49-thousand for the first time ever Tuesday as stocks extended a post-Venezuela attack rally. The S&P 500 also hit a fresh all-time high as Amazon and other A-I-related shares boosted the broader market. Energy stocks also added lift. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 484 points to 49-462. The S&P 500 rose 42 points to 69-44. The Nasdaq climbed 151 points to 23-547.
>>Hilton Removing Hotel That Sparked DHS Accusations
(Minneapolis, MN) -- Hilton has dissolved its relationship with a Minnesota hotel accused of denying federal immigration agents from booking accommodations. According to the Department of Homeland Security, "Hilton Hotels maliciously canceled their reservations" when officers attempted to book rooms using their government emails. Hilton issued a statement on X explaining that the independent hotel owner assured the company the problem was "fixed," but cited new video that "clearly raises concerns" over the location's ability to meet its operating standards. The hotel chain said it would reach out to other owners to "reinforce the standards" to help "ensure this does not happen again."
>>Trump Says Venezuela Turning Over 30 To 50 Million Barrels Of Oil To US
(Washington, DC) -- President Trump says Venezuela is turning over 30 to 50 million barrels of oil to the U.S. Trump took to Truth Social to say the oil will be sold at market value, with the money controlled by the U.S. He added that he asked Energy Secretary Chris Wright to get things going immediately. Trump has said he's effectively running Venezuela and is focused on boosting oil production in the South American country.
>>American Airlines Launching Free High-Speed Wi-Fi
(Fort Worth, TX) - American Airlines is launching free high-speed wi-fi for customers beginning this month. According to an announcement from the airline, AAdvantage members will be able to stay connected, stream and share on more aircraft than any other carrier in the world. The rollout is expected to happen in phases starting with Wi-Fi being offered across 100 percent of the airline's narrowbody and dual-class regional fleets. American Airlines plans to make the service available on nearly every flight by early Spring.
>>Data Shows More Moving Into TX
(Undated) -- Newly released data shows that once again, more people moved to Texas than any other state last year. That's according to U-Haul which released data on the number of one-way movers in each state. The Lone Star State was followed by Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee and South Carolina. The top five states people are moving out of are California, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts.
>>Wegmans In NYC Are Storing Customers Facial Scans
(New York, NY) -- Wegmans supermarkets in New York City say they're scanning their customers' faces and storing the data. It's to fight back against theft and to enhance safety and now there are signs at some Wegmans, one in Manhattan and another in Brooklyn, warning customers about their biometric data initiative. It includes facial recognition, eye scans and voiceprints that can be used to identify shoppers. Wegmans is apparently late to the game. Crain's New York Business reports that Fairway Market, Westside Market and Walgreens have been doing this for several years.
>>NFL Attendance Drops Slightly In 2025
(New York, NY) -- NFL crowd sizes are down slightly for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. Sports Business Journal reports the average crowd size in the 2025 season dipped a little less than one-percent. The teams who saw the biggest drops were the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets and Tennessee Titans. A dozen of the league's 32 teams sold 100-percent or more of their capacity. The league's average crowd size remains well above its down years from 2017 through 2019.
