University of Montana program tackles counseling shortage in state's rural schools
DETROIT (AP) — If Donald Trump makes good on his threat to slap 25% tariffs on everything imported from Mexico and Canada, the price increases that could follow will collide with his campaign promise to give American families a break from inflation. Economists say companies would have little choice but to pass along the added costs, dramatically raising prices for food, clothing, automobiles, booze and other goods. The president-elect floated the tariff idea, including additional 10% taxes on goods from China, as a way to force the countries to halt the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs into the U.S. But his posts Monday on Truth Social threatening the tariffs on his first day in office could just be a negotiating ploy to get the countries to change behavior. High food prices were a major issue in voters picking Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris, but tariffs almost certainly would push those costs up even further. For instance, the Produce Distributors Association, a Washington trade group, said Tuesday that tariffs will raise prices for fresh fruit and vegetables and hurt U.S. farmers when other countries retaliate. “Tariffs distort the marketplace and will raise prices along the supply chain, resulting in the consumer paying more at the checkout line,” said Alan Siger, association president. Mexico and Canada are two of the biggest exporters of fresh fruit and vegetables to the U.S. In 2022, Mexico supplied 51% of fresh fruit and 69% of fresh vegetables imported by value into the U.S., while Canada supplied 2% of fresh fruit and 20% of fresh vegetables. Before the election, about 7 in 10 voters said they were very concerned about the cost of food, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters. “We’ll get them down,” Trump told shoppers during a September visit to a Pennsylvania grocery store. The U.S. is the largest importer of goods in the world, with Mexico, China and Canada its top three suppliers, according to the most recent U.S. Census data. People looking to buy a new vehicle likely would see big price increases as well, at a time when costs have gone up so much that they are out of reach for many. The average price of a new vehicle now runs around $48,000. About 15% of the 15.6 million new vehicles sold in the U.S. last year came from Mexico, while 8% crossed the border from Canada, according to Global Data. Much of the tariffs would get passed along to consumers, unless automakers can somehow quickly find productivity improvements to offset them, said C.J. Finn, U.S. automotive sector leader for PwC, a consulting firm. That means even more consumers “would potentially get priced out of the activity” of buying a new vehicle, Finn said. Hardest hit would be Volkswagen, Stellantis, General Motors and Ford, Bernstein analyst Daniel Roeska wrote Tuesday in a note to investors. Stellantis and VW import about 40% of the vehicles they sell from Canada and Mexico, while it's 30% for GM and 25% for Ford. GM and Stellantis import more than half of their high-profit pickup trucks from the two countries, according to Bernstein. If Trump does impose the tariffs in January, the auto industry would have little time to adjust, putting operating profits at risk for the automakers, Roeska said in an email. “A 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada would severely cripple the U.S. auto industry,” he said. The tariffs would hurt U.S. industrial production so much that “we expect this is unlikely to happen in practice,” Roeska said. The tariff threat hit the stocks of some companies that could be particularly hurt, such as auto manufacturers and Constellation Brands, which sells Modelo and other Mexican beer brands in the United States. But the overall market held relatively steady near records as investors saw Trump’s proposal as more of an opening position for negotiations rather than as a definitive policy. It's not clear how long the tariffs would last if they are implemented, but they could force auto executives to move production to the U.S., which could create more jobs in the long run. But Morningstar analyst David Whiston said in the short term automakers probably won't make any moves because they can't quickly change where they build vehicles. To move to the U.S., they would have to buy equipment and revamp their parts supply chain, which can take years. “I think everyone is going to be in a wait-and-see mode,” Whiston said. Millions of dollars worth of auto parts flow across the borders with Mexico and Canada, and that could raise prices for already costly automobile repairs, Finn said. The Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. said tariffs on tequila or Canadian whisky won’t boost American jobs because they are distinctive products that can only be made in their country of origin. In 2023, the U.S. imported $4.6 billion worth of tequila and $108 million worth of mezcal from Mexico and $537 million worth of spirits from Canada, the council said. “At the end of the day, tariffs on spirits products from our neighbors to the north and south are going to hurt U.S. consumers and lead to job losses across the U.S. hospitality industry just as these businesses continue their long recovery from the pandemic,” the council said in a statement. Electronics retailer Best Buy said on its third-quarter earnings conference call that it runs on thin profit margins, so while vendors and the company will shoulder some increases, Best Buy will have to pass tariffs on to customers. “These are goods that people need, and higher prices are not helpful,” CEO Corie Barry said. Walmart also warned this week that tariffs could force it to raise prices, as did Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who talked with Trump after his call for tariffs, said they had a good conversation about how the countries can work together on the challenges they face. "This is something that we can do, laying out the facts and moving forward in constructive ways. This is a relationship that we know takes a certain amount of working on and that’s what we’ll do,” Trudeau said. Trump's transition team wouldn't comment on the call. Also Monday, Trump turned his ire to China, saying he has “had many talks with China about the massive amounts of drugs, in particular Fentanyl, being sent into the United States – But to no avail.” The Chinese Embassy in Washington cautioned on Monday that there will be losers on all sides if there is a trade war. Trump's threats come as arrests for illegally crossing the border from Mexico have been falling . The most recent U.S. numbers for October show arrests remain near four-year lows. But arrests for illegally crossing the border from Canada have been rising over the past two years. Much of America’s fentanyl is smuggled from Mexico. Border seizures of the drug rose sharply under President Joe Biden. The tariffs would also throw into doubt the reliability of the 2020 trade deal brokered in large part by Trump with Canada and Mexico, the USMCA, which replaced NAFTA and is up for review in 2026. Trump transition team officials did not immediately respond to questions about what authority he would use, what he would need to see to prevent the tariffs from being implemented and how they would impact prices in the U.S. Mexico’s Foreign Relations Department and Economy Department also had no immediate reaction to Trump’s statements. ___ Rugaber reported from Washington. AP reporters Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit, Stan Choe and Anne D'Innocenzio in New York, and Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report.
Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump wants to turn the lights out on daylight saving time. In a post on his social media site Friday, Trump said his party would try to end the practice when he returns to office. Jill Colvin, The Associated Press Dec 13, 2024 12:55 PM Dec 13, 2024 1:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a Time magazine Person of the Year event at the New York Stock Exchange, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump wants to turn the lights out on daylight saving time. In a post on his social media site Friday, Trump said his party would try to end the practice when he returns to office. “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation,” he wrote. Setting clocks forward one hour in the spring and back an hour in the fall is intended to maximize daylight during summer months, but has long been subject to scrutiny. Daylight saving time was first adopted as a wartime measure in 1942. Lawmakers have occasionally proposed getting rid of the time change altogether. The most prominent recent attempt, a now-stalled bipartisan bill named the Sunshine Protection Act , had proposed making daylight saving time permanent. The measure was sponsored by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio , whom Trump has tapped to helm the State Department. “Changing the clock twice a year is outdated and unnecessary,” Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida said as the Senate voted in favor of the measure. Health experts have said that lawmakers have it backward and that standard time should be made permanent. Some health groups , including the American Medical Association and American Academy of Sleep Medicine, have said that it’s time to do away with time switches and that sticking with standard time aligns better with the sun — and human biology. Most countries do not observe daylight saving time. For those that do, the date that clocks are changed varies, creating a complicated tapestry of changing time differences. Arizona and Hawaii don't change their clocks at all. Jill Colvin, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Health Texas' abortion pill lawsuit against New York doctor marks new challenge to interstate telemedicine Dec 13, 2024 1:16 PM North Carolina justices rule for restaurants in COVID-19 claims but against a clothing chain Dec 13, 2024 12:49 PM B.C. NDP government, Greens reach 'shared priorities' agreement Dec 13, 2024 12:14 PM
NFL Week 14 could be the turning point for this year's playoff race. Just look at the standings as the 2024 regular season reaches its stretch run , and then glance at the schedule. It's littered with games that could decide division races , wild card spots and postseason tiebreakers. That starts Thursday night when the Detroit Lions host the Green Bay Packers in a matchup of NFC North contenders. Sunday's action includes a matchup to decide first place the NFC West ( Seahawks vs. Cardinals ), two teams in the middle of the logjam atop the NFC North and NFC South ( Falcons vs. Vikings ) and "Sunday Night Football" featuring the two best teams in the AFC West ( Chargers vs. Chiefs ). There's a whole lot at stake. After this week, when six teams are on a bye, every team in the league will have only four games left in the regular season. The playoffs aren't far off anymore , and analysts are already weighing in on what might happen next. Here is an early look at picks and predictions for every game on the Week 14 schedule : NFL Week 14 game predictions, picks Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Monday, Dec. 2 NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more. Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions ∎ BetMGM : Packers cover with Lions ailing "Aidan Hutchinson, Alex Anzalone and now Malcolm Rodriguez. Those are the glaring absentees for Detroit (on defense), which also has Marcus Davenport on IR and Carlton Davis sidelined. The quality of Detroit’s offense may be enough to overcome those absences from an outright standpoint, but will they really cover this big a number?" ∎ Arizona Republic : Lions 28, Packers 24 "Can the Packers upset the Lions in Detroit? Sure they can. Will they? We don't think so after the Lions got a bit of a wake-up call against the Bears on Thanksgiving." New York Jets at Miami Dolphins ∎ Betting Pros : Dolphins win big "This is a good spot for the Dolphins to get back on track. ... New York’s offense continues to struggle, and its defense has also been an issue. With Miami at home, the offense should be able to cruise to a lopsided win and keep their slim playoff hopes alive." ∎ Pro Football Network : Dolphins 24, Jets 17 "The metrics tell you that the Dolphins are the superior team here offensively, while they are essentially even defensively. Throw in home-field advantage, and it makes a lot of sense that Miami is favored." Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings ∎ BetMGM : Take the points with Atlanta "Atlanta’s 17-13 defeat against the Chargers is slightly misleading. (Kirk) Cousins threw four interceptions, including one in the end zone, and had a pick returned for a touchdown. But the Falcons offense dominated the line of scrimmage and produced a strong offensive performance. Atlanta outgained the Chargers, 350-187." ∎ Bookies.com : Vikings get a 'must' win "Kirk Cousins returns to Minnesota. The Vikings have moved on just fine without him, going 10-2 in their first dozen games with Sam Darnold at QB. ... They're just one game behind Detroit in the race for the NFC North and the (slim) possibility for a first-round bye and home field. This one is a must. The Falcons have begun their late-season descent in the NFC South." New Orleans Saints at New York Giants ∎ Arizona Republic : Saints 21, Giants 13 "If the Giants want to get a win at home this season, this might be their best opportunity. Still, we don't like New York's chances." ∎ Pro Football Network : Saints 20, Giants 17 "It is uncomfortable to lay five points with this Saints team on the road. They are 1-4 on the road this year, with their only win coming indoors against the Dallas Cowboys back in Week 2, meaning they’re 0-3 outdoors this season." Carolina Panthers at Philadelphia Eagles ∎ Bookies.com : Eagles win, Panthers cover "The Panthers have covered in 4 straight games, including their lone two wins of the season in early November. ... Philly has won 8 straight and has also covered in its past 4 games. But this number is the largest the Eagles have faced all season as favorites. Philly wants to run the ball and the clock here. Bryce Young and the Panthers' defense can deliver the back door cover here." ∎ Arizona Republic : Eagles 30, Panthers 16 "The Eagles are the biggest favorite of the week and for good reason. This team is rolling (eight straight wins). Jalen Hurts and company will make it nine straight after this game." Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers ∎ Betting Pros : Steelers get revenge "The Steelers were upset by the Browns (in Week 12) in a game that was significantly impacted by weather. However, Pittsburgh plays much better at home, and the offense has come to life under Russell Wilson. Expect the Steelers offense to score and for the defense to get after Jameis Winston." ∎ Pro Football Network : Steelers 20, Browns 17 "It’s hard to project which version of the (Jameis) Winston experience you’re going to get. Defensively, they are essentially even, so the edge goes to the Steelers." Las Vegas Raiders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers ∎ Bookies.com : Lay the points in Tampa "Baker Mayfield has the Bucs cooking just in time for the NFC South and NFC playoff race. Tampa Bay is getting healthier each week. The Bucs offense at home against a Mountain/West team with an early kickoff should over perform." ∎ Arizona Republic : Buccaneers 24, Raiders 14 "We wrote off Tampa Bay a few weeks ago. We were wrong. The Buccaneers are now tied for the NFC South lead and should at least be in that same position after this week." Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans ∎ BetMGM : Fade Will Levis and the Titans "Lost in the Jaguars ’ loss to the Texans is the fact their offense excelled behind Mac Jones ... But the crux of this play is fading Will Levis as a market favorite. Levis is 1-3 against the spread as a market favorite for his career. It’s also the first time Brian Callahan will play a game as a favorite with Levis. With Mason Rudolph, he’s 0-3 against the spread." ∎ Pro Football Network : Titans 23, Jaguars 20 "Can you really lay 4.5 points with Will Levis and a Titans’ defense that is seemingly crumbling? Equally, can you trust Mac Jones, who led his team to 13 points in two starts (albeit against very good defenses)?" Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals ∎ Arizona Republic : Cardinals 27, Seahawks 20 "The Cardinals really need to win this game to help their chances to win the NFC West after two-straight losses on the road. Luckily for Arizona, this game is at home, where the Bird Gang will help Arizona rise." ∎ Bookies.com : Seattle has the Cardinals' number "The Seahawks kept Kyler Murray’s offense out of the end zone in their 16-6 win over the Cardinals in Seattle two weeks ago. ... The Seahawks have beaten the Cardinals six-straight times." Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Rams ∎ Pro Football Network : Bills 30, Rams 20 "The Buffalo Bills are on a tear right now. They’ve won seven in a row, with five being by more than one score. Buffalo’s struggles, however, have come on the road. ... The Bills have a chance to fix that narrative in the next two weeks, and the first step comes against the Los Angeles Rams ." ∎ Arizona Republic : Bills 30, Rams 20 "The Rams are fighting for their playoff lives, but the Bills are just playing at an elite level right now. Matthew Stafford and company won't be able to keep up." Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers ∎ Pro Football Network : 49ers 23, Bears 20 "What a fascinating matchup this is between a team that has fired its head coach and another that is reeling from injury issues and coming off two humiliating road losses in cold-weather games." ∎ Bookies.com : Bet on the Bears "The 4-8 Bears have lost seven-straight on the road, but the Niners have failed to cover in four-straight. Chicago is primed for the interim-coach bounce back cover - if not win." Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs ∎ ESPN : Chargers cover in a close game "The Chiefs are riding a four-game win streak but haven't had a victory of more than 3.5 points ... The Chargers have also won five of their last six games. But their scoring margin in those six games is +49 compared to the Chiefs' margin of +11 over the same stretch. Los Angeles is playing much better than they were the last time these two teams met. And even if the Chiefs pull it out, it is likely that it's going to be a really close, last-second victory." ∎ Pro Football Focus : Bet on Chiefs' luck to run out "The Chargers have hit their stride in recent weeks, producing a better expected points added margin than Kansas City since Week 7. Their defense, especially, has been an elite unit and should be able to pressure Patrick Mahomes." Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys ∎ Arizona Republic : Bengals 24, Cowboys 17 "Two of the most disappointing teams in the NFL this season. We have more faith in Joe Burrow and the Bengals' ability to put points on the scoreboard." ∎ Pro Football Network : Bengals 30, Cowboys 24 "The Bengals have been involved in several shootouts this year, but I question whether Cooper Rush can go toe-to-toe in one against Joe Burrow and that offense. ... Cincinnati is 2-4 this year when scoring over 30 points, demonstrating just how bad the defense is." 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NEW YORK (AP) — Free agent pitchers Luis Gabriel Moreno and Alejandro Crisostomo were suspended for 80 games each by Major League Baseball on Friday following positive tests for performance-enhancing substances under the minor league drug program. Moreno tested positive for Nandrolone, and Crisostomo tested positive for Boldenone and Nandrolone, the commissioner’s office said. A 26-year-old right-hander, Moreno was released by the New York Mets’ Class A Brooklyn Cyclones on Tuesday. He was 5-1 with a 5.33 ERA in 12 relief appearances this season for Brooklyn after spending 2016-23 in the San Francisco Giants organization. Crisostomo, a 24-year-old right-hander, was released by Minnesota on Aug. 24 after going 0-1 with a 7.13 ERA this year with the Florida Complex League Twins. He signed with Boston in 2017, spent 2018 in the Dominican Summer League with the Red Sox, then signed with Minnesota and spent 2023 with the Twins DSL team. Nineteen players have been suspended this year for positive drug tests, including eight under the minor league program and nine under the new program for minor league players assigned outside the United States and Canada. Two players have been suspended this year under the major league drug program. Noelvi Marté , a 22-year-old infielder who is the Cincinnati Reds’ top prospect, missed the first 80 games following a positive test for boldenone. Toronto Blue Jays infielder Orelvis Martínez was suspended for 80 games on June 23 following a positive test for the performance-enhancing drug clomiphene, an announcement made two days after his major league debut . AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
AAA: Record Number of People Expected to Travel for ThanksgivingBarring a market meltdown in the second half of December, it looks like 2024 will be a very successful year for the Mickleboro ASX share portfolio. As things stand, I am poised to record a return of over 40% for the 12 months. How did I get here? My exposure to high-quality companies in the tech, retail, and healthcare sectors helped my portfolio outperform this year. The star of the show was undoubtedly my overweight position in ( ). At the time of writing, the location technology company's shares are up 200% year to date. The now departed also gave me significant funds to reallocate elsewhere after being taken over by Renesas this year. I didn't stick around to see the takeover complete. Instead, I locked in the gains in April and reinvested them back into the tech sector through ( ) and ( ). Both of these ASX tech stocks have rocketed in value since then, compounding the funds even further. I like to buy high-quality companies when an opportunity presents itself. This proved successful with ( ) and ( ) last year. ResMed's shares were down heavily because of weight loss wonder drug concerns. They have returned approximately 50% this year. Whereas doom and gloom in the retail sector dragged youth fashion retailer Universal Store to very inviting levels. Its shares are up approximately 85% in 2024. Also contributing to the good performance were ASX share portfolio holdings such as ( ) and ( ), ( ), and the ( ). I also took advantage of a sharp pullback in the ( ) share price. This high-quality company's shares have rallied over 30% since then. It's not all sunshine and rainbows I would love to say that all portfolio holdings performed well in 2024, but that isn't the case. And will almost never be the case. This is why is so important. I was let down by ( ) and ( ), and ( ) underperformed the market. Nevertheless, I believe the quality of these companies remains high (certainly CSL!) and I expect them to perform better in 2025. I may even take advantage of this weakness to add to positions in 2025. There were also plenty of missed opportunities. ( ) and ( ) shares are two that I planned to buy and never did. They are up in the region of 45% to 70% in 2024. Another one I missed was ( ). I had intended to purchase the coffee chain giant's beaten down shares the same day I bought Disney shares. But the announcement of a new CEO that day saw Starbucks rocket 30% before I could and left me wondering what could've been. What's the plan in 2025? I'm confident in my ASX share portfolio as we head into 2025. But as always, I will look for opportunities to buy high-quality companies when they are trading at fair (or cheap) prices. I will also continue to stay clear of speculative stocks that promise the world and deliver nothing but losses. After all, it's just as important to avoid bad stocks as it is to buy great ones.