NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-01-2026 10AM EST

Episode Date: January 1, 2026

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. Authorities say dozens of people are presumed dead after a fire broke out at a popular ski resort in Switzerland overnight. Terry Schultz reports more than 100 others suffered serious injuries. Swiss authorities say the fire broke out in a bar at the Cromontana ski resort in the heart of the Swiss Alps, about 1.30 a.m. during New Year's Eve festivities. Victims are believed to be from several different countries. In a press conference, officials downplayed early reports that an explosion had caused the tragedy and said it's too early to conclude whether appropriate fire safety measures were in place. Firefires and first responders were called in from around the region.

Local hospitals are completely full authorities, say, and patients are being transferred to nearby facilities. They're appealing to everyone in the area to be particularly careful to avoid accidents that would put more strain on medical and emergency services. For NPR News, I'm Terry Schultz. Legendary investor Warren Buffett is officially retired as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, NPR's Maria Aspen, has more. 60 years ago, Warren Buffett bought a struggling textile business. Today, Berkshire Hathaway is one of the largest companies in the world. It owns insurance companies, railroads, dairy queen.

And it's a major investor in other big companies, like Coca-Cola and American Express. Now, age 95, Buffett says he's going quiet, sort of. He's officially stepped down as CEO in favor of his deputy and hand-picked successor, Greg Abel. Berkshire investors are a little uncertain about the future. The company's shares are down since Buffett announced his retirement in May. But he's still the company's chairman and says he'll continue giving advice on business and life in his annual public letters. Maria Aspen, NPR News. Health insurance will skyrocket for millions of Americans who buy their coverage through the Affordable Care Act.

During the pandemic, Congress created additional subsidies to help keep coverage affordable, but those additional subsidies expired last night. Sarah Bowden reports people are now facing a hard choice. A lot of people were automatically re-enrolled in the same policy, but now have a higher premium, but they might not know that yet. so sticker shock is coming. It's estimated that 4.8 million people will drop their coverage because they can't pay for it. That's Sarah Bowden reporting. The U.S. Postal Service is changing how it handles postmarks this year and it could impact deadlines for taxes, bills, and ballots.

Until now, a postmark showed when mail was dropped off, but under a new rule, it will reflect when a letter is first scanned by a sorting machine, which could be days later. Critics warn it could lead to penalties if mail appears late, even if it was sent on time. This is NPR News in Washington. Starting today, five states are blocking SNAP recipients from using their benefits to buy soda, energy drinks, and other sugary beverages. Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, and West Virginia are rolling out new restrictions. Rules vary, but Iowa's are among the strictest, banning even some granola bars. The changes are. part of the Trump administration's push to limit process foods, reduce drug prices, and

rollback vaccine guidelines. But research is mixed on whether restricting snap purchases improves diet and health. Bourbon maker Jim Beam is halting production at its flagship plant in Kentucky for all of 2026. NPR's Ava Poochatch reports, industry analysts say tariffs and changes in people's drinking preferences influence the pause. Jim Beam says it will invest in site enhancements at the Claremont flagship facility during the production pods. The company will continue to distill it to other sites in Kentucky. Sierra Enloe is a Kentucky-based economic development consultant. She says there's uncertainty in the global market for bourbon and other distilleries have halted production intermittently because of that. Beam isn't unique. It truly is an industry

trend where we're seeing that this uncertainty is leading to a pause in economic activity. Americans are drinking less overall, and bourbon exports have faced a trade battle with some countries like Canada souring on the product altogether. Abe Pukatch, NPR News. This is NPR News in Washington.