Small-business confidence in the U.S. rose in December, driven by a jump in those expecting better business conditions going forward.
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U.S. Small-Business Confidence Rises Amid Brighter Outlook Expectations
Sergei Fedorov regrets leaving Detroit as Wings retire jersey
DETROIT — The Detroit Red Wings retired Sergei Fedorov’s No. 91 jersey Monday night, honoring the Russian great more than a decade after he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
“Detroit is home, always been — no matter where I was,” he said.
Fedorov left the city in 2003, signing with the then-Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Five years earlier, as a restricted free agent, he signed an offer sheet to play for the Carolina Hurricanes, but the Red Wings matched the offer and he stayed in Detroit.
“Leaving Detroit when I did was a huge mistake,” the 56-year-old Fedorov said during a pregame ceremony before Detroit’s 4-3 overtime win against Carolina. “That is on me.”
The dynamic, two-way center became the ninth player to have his jersey retired by the Red Wings, joining, among other, Hall of Famers Gordie Howe, Nicklas Lidstrom and Steve Yzerman.
The Red Wings drafted Fedorov in the fourth round in 1989 and helped him defect from the Soviet Union in 1990 while he was in country for the Goodwill Games.
After Fedorov got off the team bus in Portland, Oregon, he saw Red Wings executive Jim Lites in the hotel lobby — reading a newspaper as planned — and they slipped out a side door, into a limousine and onto a private plane.
“I always admired the courage,” said Yzerman, a former teammate and the franchise’s current general manager.
Fedorov was part of the Red Wings’ “Russian Five,” which helped Detroit win Stanley Cups in 1997 and 1998. He was an All-Star six times in his 13 seasons with the franchise and won a third Stanley Cup with the team in 2002.
He became the first European to win the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP in 1994. He was the first Red Wing to win the award since Howe in 1963 — and is the most recent player to win it for the franchise.
“The rare combination of skill, speed and power made him one of the best all-around players in the game’s history,” Yzerman said.
Fedorov went on to play for the Ducks, Columbus and Washington, and had 483 goals and 1,179 points over his career.
Fedorov ended his career during the 2008-09 season with the Capitals, playing with fellow Russian and Olympic teammate Alex Ovechkin.
“One of the best players I’ve ever played with,” Ovechkin said in a video tribute.
Fedorov was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015, his first year of eligibility.
The Red Wings retired Yzerman’s and Lidstrom’s jerseys shortly after they retired, but team ownership was more deliberate about sealing Fedorov’s legacy with the franchise.
Fedorov said he was humbled to earn a place alongside “those legends” near the roof in Little Caesars Arena.
“It’s surreal — in the best way,” he said, choking up.
Albuquerque High parents upset after racial slur found on daughter's car
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Parents of an Albuquerque High School student are outraged after a racial slur was written on their daughter’s car. Before classes ended for winter break, LB Johnson and Tranette Martin said they got a call from their daughter in the parking lot of Albuquerque High School. “She said her cousin had came […]
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How simple semantics increased our AI citations by 642% [New results]
![How simple semantics increased our AI citations by 642% [New results]](https://1newsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Amanda20Sellers20MiM-768x768.png "How simple semantics increased our AI citations by 642% [New results]")
Like your weird uncle, nobody knows exactly how AI engines choose the sources they cite. But experiments are starting to point to ways you can get on their radar.
Supreme Court weighs state restrictions on transgender student-athletes
WASHINGTON — Diving into a contentious social issue, the Supreme Court on Tuesday considers whether states can ban transgender athletes from taking part in girls’ and women’s school and college sports.
The court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, will hear oral arguments in separate cases involving two transgender students, Becky Pepper-Jackson and Lindsay Hecox, who challenged state bans in West Virginia and Idaho, respectively.
Both won lower court injunctions that allowed them to continue to compete in sports.
Pepper-Jackson, a 15-year-old high school sophomore, has taken puberty blocking medication and estrogen and competed in cross-country, shot put and discus.
The West Virginia law would ban Pepper-Jackson from competing for her school “as the girl I am and the girl I’ve always known myself to be,” she said in a video message shared by her lawyers.
“I play for my school the same reason other kids on my track team do: to make friends, have fun and challenge myself through practice and teamwork. And all I’ve ever wanted is the same opportunities as my peers,” she added.
Hecox, a 25-year-old college student, has received testosterone suppression and estrogen treatments. She unsuccessfully tried out for track and cross-country teams in college and has since participated in running and club soccer.
An additional wrinkle in Hecox’s case is that she is no longer competing in any sports covered by the ban and wants to drop out of the case, in part, because of the public scrutiny.
The court is tackling two related legal questions: whether such laws violate the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which requires that the law apply equally to everyone, or Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits sex discrimination in education.
The eventual ruling is likely to have nationwide implications, not just for the 25 other states with similar bans, but potentially for other policies that affect transgender people, such as restroom access.
The states argue that the laws do not discriminate on the basis of transgender status but are instead a legitimate “sex-based classification” that is allowed under Title IX to protect girls and women.
It reflects the fact that, as Idaho’s lawyers put it in court papers, “men are faster, stronger, bigger, more muscular, and have more explosive power than women.”
In response, Pepper-Jackson’s lawyers argued in court papers that because she transitioned early and never experienced male puberty, there’s no evidence she gained a physical advantage in sports. Pepper-Jackson is also the only student in the entire state that the law is thought to currently apply to, they added.
The court’s conservative majority delivered a major blow to transgender rights last year when it upheld a Tennessee law that bans gender transition care for minors.
It also delivered further losses by allowing President Donald Trump this term to bar transgender people from the military and restrict gender designations on passports.
Earlier, in 2020, the court surprisingly ruled that Title VII, the federal law prohibiting discrimination in employment, applies to gender identity as well as sexual orientation.
One of the key issues heading into Tuesday’s oral argument is whether two conservative justices in the majority in that Title VII case — Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Neil Gorsuch — feel the same way about the similar language in Title IX.
Some sports organizations, including the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, have already imposed new restrictions on transgender athletes.
Trump, an outspoken opponent of transgender rights, issued an executive order soon after taking office last year titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” and his administration has sided with the states in the Supreme Court case.
“I think people have come to understand the danger to women’s sports that not acting in the way that our Legislature did poses,” West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey, a Republican, said in an interview.
“For us, the thrust and focus of the arguments is that both Title IX and the equal protection clause and common sense dictate that this is a law that is constitutional and legal, and that it is well within the legislatures of this country’s purview to regulate sports based on immutable physical biological characteristics,” he added.
The West Virginia law, enacted in 2021, says gender is “based solely on the individual’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” As such, it says, a female is a person “whose biological sex determined at birth as female.”
The Idaho law, passed a year earlier, states that sports “designated for females, women, or girls should not be open to students of the male sex.”
Kid Rock + Jason Aldean Lead 2026 Rock the Country Tour
Kid Rock is back for more as he heads up the 2026 edition of the Rock the Country festival that will bring some of rock and country’s biggest names to eight U.S. cities in 2026.
This year, the multi-city festival will be saluting America’s 250th anniversary through music, patriotism and community. Each city will host a two-day music event with a rotating lineup of artists.
READ MORE: Kid Rock Wants Pearl Jam + Others to ‘Step Up’ in Ticketing Fight
“It’s this simple. Rock The Country isn’t just a music festival; it’s a movement,” says Kid Rock. “In 2026, as America celebrates its 250th anniversary, this is a place for hard-working, God-fearing patriots to gather as one and celebrate freedom, music and the party of the year”.
Who Is Playing the Rock the Country Festival in 2026?
As stated, the eight-city run will feature some of the bigger names of both rock and country. In addition to the country-rock hybrid of Kid Rock, other rockers include Creed, Shinedown, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Uncle Kracker and Asking Alexandria frontman Danny Worsnop. Aaron Lewis, who is known for fronting Staind, will also be on hand with his country-leaning band The Stateliners.
Among the major country acts playing Rock the Country will be Jelly Roll, Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Brooks & Dunn, Riley Green, Miranda Lambert, Hank Williams Jr., Ella Langley Brantley Gilbert and more.
In addition, veteran rappers Ludacris and Nelly will also play on select shows. A full listing of participating artists can be seen in the festival admat below. The lineup for each specific show can be found through the Rock the Country website.
Where Is Rock the Country Taking Place in 2026?
The festival will kick things off on the weekend of May 1-2 in Bellville, Texas with two nights of music at the Austin County Fairgrounds. Shows will continue to take place throughout the summer with everything coming to a conclusion on Sept. 11-12 at the Erie County Fairgrounds in Hamburg, N.Y.
Rock The Country is making a major investment in the fan experience, introducing meaningful upgrades across the festival grounds designed to keep fans comfortable, energized and fully immersed all weekend long.
New additions include expanded shade and cooling throughout the site, a newly built fan zone featuring a second stage presented by Raised Rowdy and a dedicated food zone showcasing elevated offerings from five or more local food trucks, complete with shaded seating areas for fans to relax and recharge between sets.
The full itinerary can be viewed below.
May 1-2 – Bellville, Texas @ Austin County Fairgrounds
May 29-30 – Bloomingdale, Ga. @Ottawa Farms
June 27-28 – Sioux Falls, S.D. @ W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds
July 10-11 – Ashland, Ky. @ Boyd County Fairgrounds
July 25-26 – Anderson, S.C. @ Anderson Sports & Ent Center
Aug. 8-9 – Hastings, Mich. @ Barry Expo Center
Aug. 28-29 – Ocala, Fla. @ Florida Horse Park
Sept 11-12 – Hamburg, N.Y. @ Erie County Fairgrounds
How Do I Get Tickets?
In addition to Front Porch and VIP offerings, Rock The Country will offer single-day and weekend General Admission tickets, GA+ passes providing closest access to the stage, hotel packages and camping options.
Presale tickets begin Friday, Jan. 16 at 10AM local, starting at just $2.50 down on layaway. Fans can register in advance for presale access at rockthecountry.com. Public on-sale begins Friday, Jan. 16 at 2PM local time, with single day ticket prices starting at $89.99 plus fees or $149.99 plus fees for both days. For all other questions, check the Rock the Country website.
See some of the other festival and cruise options for 2026 below.
2026 Rock + Metal Festival + Cruise Guide
What will be your rock and metal adventure in 2026? See all the rock and metal festival and cruise options.
Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire
European Gas Prices Climb on Heating Demand, Iran Risks
European natural-gas prices extended gains on higher heating demand due to colder temperatures across parts of Europe and concerns over growing unrest in Iran.
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NFL divisional round schedule: Matchups, bracket, odds, TV channel and previews
We are one step closer to Super Bowl LX. The NFL playoffs kicked off with a bang during a frantic Wild Card Weekend that featured several photo finishes. No matter where you looked, playoff games were coming down to the wire across the opening slate. In all, there were four comeback wins in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter — the most ever in a single postseason.
Now, there are just eight teams left standing, hoping to punch their ticket to Santa Clara for Super Bowl LX. As we embark on the divisional round this weekend, the No. 1 seeds in both conferences, the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks, emerge from their first-round bye weeks and enter the fray, adding even more firepower to the playoff bracket.
As we gear up for more action, let’s take our first look at the divisional round matchups, along with the odds and a quick preview of each contest.
AFC
- Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS (Stream on Paramount+)
We don’t have to look far back to find the last time these teams met in the postseason, squaring off just last year in the wild card round. Buffalo throttled the Broncos at Highmark Stadium, 31-7. Denver scored on the opening drive, then was shut out the rest of the way.
This matchup, however, should be different. For starters, it will be played at Mile High after Denver secured the No. 1 seed. The Broncos also boast one of the NFL’s top defenses, allowing just 18.3 points per game during the regular season. They’ll need that elite level of play again to keep Josh Allen — who scored three touchdowns last week — in check.
The Bills quarterback is coming off his first career road playoff win after beating the Jaguars in Jacksonville and is looking to add to his postseason résumé, entering this matchup as a road favorite.
NFL wild card overreactions: Josh Allen is the biggest X factor of playoffs; A.J. Brown done in Philly?
Tyler Sullivan
- Sunday, 3 p.m. ET on ESPN (Stream: Fubo — try for free)
This will be the first meeting between these two teams since the 2016 divisional round, which New England won on its way to a Super Bowl title. They last met in Week 6 of last season, when Houston rolled to a 41-21 victory, but both teams look very different now.
Both quarterbacks are also looking to bounce back from uneven wild-card performances. Drake Maye threw two interceptions in a win over the Chargers, while C.J. Stroud is coming off a three-turnover outing against Pittsburgh. Houston still boasts one of the NFL’s top defenses and showed it again Monday night against the Steelers.
New England isn’t usually grouped among the league’s elite units, but it looked the part after sacking Justin Herbert six times on Sunday night, setting the stage for what could be a defensive showdown.
NFC
- Saturday, 8 p.m. ET on Fox (Stream: Fubo — try for free)
We have ourselves a rubber match between two NFC West rivals. The Seahawks and 49ers split the regular-season series, with San Francisco winning in Week 1 before Seattle returned the favor with a 13–3 victory in Week 18 to clinch the No. 1 seed and the division title. Oddly enough, both games were won by the road team, but the 49ers will have to overcome some significant injury issues to keep that trend alive here.
San Francisco has been hit hard by injuries all season and is coming off a playoff win over Philadelphia in which star tight end George Kittle suffered a season-ending Achilles tear. That leaves Brock Purdy without one of his primary weapons as he faces an elite Seattle defense. The Seahawks ranked No. 1 in scoring defense this season, allowing just 17.2 points per game, and also led the league on third down and in yards per rush allowed.
That defensive dominance, along with Sam Darnold‘s strong play at quarterback, helped Seattle win 11 of its final 12 games to close the regular season. This is the fourth time the Seahawks have earned the No. 1 seed, and each of the previous three resulted in a trip to the Super Bowl.
- Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC
Both teams pulled off late wins on Wild Card Weekend. Los Angeles avoided a road upset against the Carolina Panthers after Matthew Stafford led a seven-play, 71-yard, game-winning touchdown drive in the final two minutes of regulation.
Chicago, meanwhile, staged a miraculous second-half comeback against the Green Bay Packers, erasing an 18-point deficit. Caleb Williams and the offense erupted late, outscoring Green Bay 25–6 in the fourth quarter.
The last time these teams met came during the 2024 regular season, when Chicago earned a 24–18 win. In that game, D’Andre Swift piled up 165 yards from scrimmage, while Stafford threw no touchdowns and committed two turnovers.
Padre Guilherme’s rave in Beirut draws cheers and controversy
Ravers danced and swayed to the loud bass at a popular night club in the heart of the city of Beirut. It was another sold-out Saturday in the party capital of the Middle East.What was different this time was the DJ at the helm. Before putting on his headphones, he had been leading a Mass at a Lebanese Catholic university.Guilherme Peixoto, better known as Padre Guilherme, is a priest from a village in northern Portugal who preaches by day and parties at night.To the 52-year-old, DJing is a way to express his faith, send a message of peace and coexistence, and connect with the youth.”The Psalm asks us to praise the lord with all instruments, so now you have this new instrument that came that is electronic music,” he said before holding Mass at the Saint Joseph University of Kaslik.Padre Guilherme has been a global sensation for months, performing around the world to large audiences and amassing a following of 2.6 million on Instagram. The priest broke onto the global stage after his performances at World Youth Day in 2023 before Pope Francis’ open-air Mass, and another featuring Pope Leo in 2025. What started as a way to fundraise for local churches has become a vital new way to evangelize.Lebanon was in many ways a natural stop on his tour. Christians make up around a third of Lebanon’s 5 million people, giving the small nation on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean the largest percentage of Christians in the Middle East. Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group.Pope Leo XIV visited Lebanon as part of his first official trip abroad in November.The priest’s first show in the tiny Mediterranean country was not without controversy, however. Eighteen people, including Christian religious officials, sent a petition to the country’s judiciary calling for his show to be cancelled, calling it an insult to the faith. The petition was rejected by a judge, and the club where he performed said the venue will have security presence and no religious symbols would be displayed, to avoid offending anyone.”For those that are objecting, if I, for them, I’m kind of scandal for them, I (am) sorry of course. And I only can ask (them) to pray for me,” Peixoto said.Before his performance, Padre Guilherme donned the traditional white robe of a priest and delivered a sermon alongside a Lebanese priest at the university in a jam-packed auditorium filled with youth and older people.The reactions to Peixoto’s visit were split on social media.”We who were raised to respect the word of God and the sanctity of the message in all its forms cannot accept turning faith into an entertainment show presented on a table of alcohol,” said one Lebanese X user. “I do not believe that God intended for His message to be … reduced to a musical show with scenes of alcohol and smoke.”Others praised the priest for finding modern ways to get the youth closer to religion”The people attacking him just don’t understand how powerful and needed his work is,” said another X user.By night time, Padre Guilherme walked onto the stage at AHM nightclub to the cheers and applause of hundreds of people. As he played his music and swayed to the beats, images of the late Pope Francis, Pope John Paul II, and white doves were projected onto huge screens behind him. The DJ also played a song for Lebanon and waved a Lebanese flag to the cheering crowd. Unlike his usual DJing garb, the priest did not wear his cassock, the traditional clerical coat worn by priests, as part of the agreement with organizers after complaints about his performance.Lebanon for years has faced crisis and conflict, both among its quarreling political groups and sects, and externally in the region. Many fear a new escalation between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group. Pope Leo, during his visit in November, called for peace and dialogue in the country and the Mideast, a message largely welcomed by the country’s youth.On Saturday, Padre Guilherme sent a similar message but in his own way”The message is always: look to the dance floor, you see respect, you see something always beautiful … if this is possible for people with different race (and) clothes dancing together, why we cannot live like that in the world?” Peixoto said.
BEIRUT —
Ravers danced and swayed to the loud bass at a popular night club in the heart of the city of Beirut. It was another sold-out Saturday in the party capital of the Middle East.
What was different this time was the DJ at the helm. Before putting on his headphones, he had been leading a Mass at a Lebanese Catholic university.
Guilherme Peixoto, better known as Padre Guilherme, is a priest from a village in northern Portugal who preaches by day and parties at night.
To the 52-year-old, DJing is a way to express his faith, send a message of peace and coexistence, and connect with the youth.
“The Psalm asks us to praise the lord with all instruments, so now you have this new instrument that came that is electronic music,” he said before holding Mass at the Saint Joseph University of Kaslik.
Padre Guilherme has been a global sensation for months, performing around the world to large audiences and amassing a following of 2.6 million on Instagram.
The priest broke onto the global stage after his performances at World Youth Day in 2023 before Pope Francis’ open-air Mass, and another featuring Pope Leo in 2025. What started as a way to fundraise for local churches has become a vital new way to evangelize.
Lebanon was in many ways a natural stop on his tour.
Christians make up around a third of Lebanon’s 5 million people, giving the small nation on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean the largest percentage of Christians in the Middle East. Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group.
Pope Leo XIV visited Lebanon as part of his first official trip abroad in November.
The priest’s first show in the tiny Mediterranean country was not without controversy, however. Eighteen people, including Christian religious officials, sent a petition to the country’s judiciary calling for his show to be cancelled, calling it an insult to the faith. The petition was rejected by a judge, and the club where he performed said the venue will have security presence and no religious symbols would be displayed, to avoid offending anyone.
“For those that are objecting, if I, for them, I’m kind of scandal for them, I (am) sorry of course. And I only can ask (them) to pray for me,” Peixoto said.
Before his performance, Padre Guilherme donned the traditional white robe of a priest and delivered a sermon alongside a Lebanese priest at the university in a jam-packed auditorium filled with youth and older people.
The reactions to Peixoto’s visit were split on social media.
“We who were raised to respect the word of God and the sanctity of the message in all its forms cannot accept turning faith into an entertainment show presented on a table of alcohol,” said one Lebanese X user. “I do not believe that God intended for His message to be … reduced to a musical show with scenes of alcohol and smoke.”
Others praised the priest for finding modern ways to get the youth closer to religion
“The people attacking him just don’t understand how powerful and needed his work is,” said another X user.
By night time, Padre Guilherme walked onto the stage at AHM nightclub to the cheers and applause of hundreds of people. As he played his music and swayed to the beats, images of the late Pope Francis, Pope John Paul II, and white doves were projected onto huge screens behind him.
The DJ also played a song for Lebanon and waved a Lebanese flag to the cheering crowd. Unlike his usual DJing garb, the priest did not wear his cassock, the traditional clerical coat worn by priests, as part of the agreement with organizers after complaints about his performance.
Lebanon for years has faced crisis and conflict, both among its quarreling political groups and sects, and externally in the region. Many fear a new escalation between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group. Pope Leo, during his visit in November, called for peace and dialogue in the country and the Mideast, a message largely welcomed by the country’s youth.
On Saturday, Padre Guilherme sent a similar message but in his own way
“The message is always: look to the dance floor, you see respect, you see something always beautiful … if this is possible for people with different race (and) clothes dancing together, why we cannot live like that in the world?” Peixoto said.
Violent mass protests continue in Iran as Trump weighs military intervention
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