game center

game center BRP Inc. executives said the Ski-Doo maker needs to stay calm in the face of tariffs proposed by U.S. president-elect Donald Trump — tariffs that could hurt a manufacturer that depends on Mexican production. "I don't think we should overreact right now," chief financial officer Sébastien Martel told analysts on a conference call Friday. "We should not speculate too much, because there are hundreds of different possibilities." Last month, the incoming president threw markets into turmoil when he threatened to slap a 25 per cent tariff on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico. Trump also proposed a 10 per cent tariff on Chinese imports. Some 70 per cent of BRP's production stems from Mexico, Martel said. The company also churns out Ski-Doo snowmobiles and some of its Can-Am three-wheeled motorcycles at a factory in Valcourt, Que. He stressed the advantage of Mexico's lower labour costs as well as its skilled workforce and the benefits of a North American free trade agreement. "We believe we would not be the same company had we not had that footprint in Mexico," Martel said. Roughly 10 per cent of BRP's goods are sourced from China, Martel noted, adding that those parts are "less technically complex." "There are parts that we could easily transfer to another supplier," he said. "Obviously, it would require work." Many observers have framed Trump's tariff threat as a gambit to gain negotiating leverage, rather than an announcement set in stone. "We are used to dealing with evolving trade agreements and have always succeeded in finding solutions to new tariffs," said CEO José Boisjoli. National Bank analyst Cameron Doerksen said the "uncertainty on this issue" remains a problem. "With the return of the Trump administration, the risk of tariffs on powersports imports into the U.S. market has risen materially, with BRP potentially vulnerable," he said in a note to investors. The uncertainty over tariffs could hardly come at a worse time for the company. BRP saw earnings plunge across all product lines amid dropping demand last quarter, capping off a tough year for the recreational vehicle manufacturer. Net income at the Sea-Doo maker fell 70 per cent year-over-year to $27.3 million in the quarter ended Oct. 31. Third-quarter revenue decreased 17 per cent to $1.96 billion. "Our retail performance was as anticipated, reflecting a challenging market dynamic due to soft industry trends," Boisjoli said, stating that discounts from competitors added to the company's woes. A slow start to the snowmobile season has not helped either. "The snow is a bit late, but now it’s catching up. And we expect good retail this season," Boisjoli said, adding that Ski-Doo sales over the next three months remain a "big question." After an urge for outdoor activity sparked a sales boom during the COVID-19 pandemic, buyers responded to inflation and interest rate hikes by pulling back from pricey recreational purchases. BRP's revenues have fallen year-over-year for eight straight quarters. Last month, the company laid off more than 120 employees in its home province of Quebec. The cuts followed some 1,150 layoffs across North America earlier this year, leaving it with roughly 20,000 workers globally. In October, BRP put its marine businesses up for sale as it looks to focus on powersports products and cut the cable to its money-losing boat brands. Nonetheless, its diluted earnings of $1.16 per share beat analysts' expectations of 69 cents, according to financial markets firm LSEG Data & Analytics. The performance boosted BRP's stock price seven per cent; it closed at $72.75 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Friday. The company forecast that sales of seasonal products such as Ski-Doos and Sea-Doos will fall by more than 30 per cent this year. The category accounted for a third of BRP revenues last quarter. It predicted sales of all-terrain vehicles and other year-round products — comprising more than half of revenue in the quarter — will drop by more than 20 per cent. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:DOO) Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian PressSevere Pollution Is Slowing Down Warming in Major CitiesNorth Carolina retaining its status as the nation's most prominent ticket-splitting state was the top political story for 2024 as determined by the Winston-Salem Journal. Voters supported putting Republican Donald Trump back in the White House, while delivering an overwhelming win for Democrat Attorney General Josh Stein over embattled Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson in the governor's race. North Carolinians also rejected Trump's MAGA acolytes for lieutenant governor, attorney general and state superintendent of Public Instruction. Speaking of Robinson, his GOP primary win over state Treasurer and Winston-Salem native Dale Folwell was the runner-up story. Third on the list was the national speculation that Gov. Roy Cooper could become Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate before removing his name from consideration. Fourth was the Republican supermajorities' successful override votes of 10 Cooper vetoes during the 2024 session, as well as the potential ending of the House supermajority in the 2025 session. Rounding out the top-five is the so-called "power grab" attempt by Republican legislative leaders of certain authorities of the Democratic-elect governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and state superintendent of Public Instructions. Both Trump and a Democratic governor candidate won North Carolina for the third consecutive general election. Trump carried North Carolina by a 50.95% to 47.56% margin over Harris. Trump received 2.87 million votes. Meanwhile, Stein defeated Robinson by 3.03 million to 2.22 million votes, or 54.8% to 40.1%. Stein not only was the largest vote-getter in the statewide races, but received 160,496 more votes than Trump. There were minimal, if any, Trump coattails for the other Republican MAGA acolytes running for lieutenant governor (Hal Weatherman), attorney general (U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop) and superintendent of Public Instruction (Michele Morrow). They were defeated by Lt. Gov.-elect Rachel Hunt, Attorney General-elect Jeff Jackson and superintendent-elect Maurice “Mo” Green, the former Guilford County Schools superintendent. Bishop and Morrow both drew about 180,000 fewer votes than Trump, while Weatherman was about 230,000 votes shy of Trump. What is different about the 2024 statewide races is that “voters generally cast party-line votes and aligned their Council of State votes with their presidential preference," said John Dinan, a Wake Forest University political science professor who is considered a national expert on state legislatures. “But in cases where one party’s candidate was able to portray the other party’s candidate as outside the mainstream, especially in open-seat races, this led some voters to engage in ticket-splitting." Folwell built his governor's campaign in March 2023 on the pillars of being the top statewide race vote-getter in 2016 and 2020, and that he offered stability, experience and maturity as “the best governor that money can’t buy.” Folwell did not hold back his questioning of Robinson’s qualifications to be governor given Robinson’s statements about racism, gender identity and women’s role in society. Yet, once Trump full-throatedly endorsed Robinson, calling him “Martin Luther King on steroids," that was enough to push Robinson to a decisive win over Folwell and Bill Graham. Among the criticisms of Folwell’s candidacy was that he was too prickly, too boring and didn’t display the same fiery campaign rhetoric as Robinson. Trump, however, chose to ostracize Robinson from his presidential campaign following the controversial Sept. 19 CNN report, as well as several Southeast Republican governors withdrawing their support. The CNN report included that Robinson wrote that he was a “Black Nazi” and that he not only supported a return of slavery but that he also wanted to own slaves. The story also said Robinson wrote that he liked to watch transgender porn. The comments were made on the porn website Nude Africa between 2008 and 2012. Robinson has denied making the comments and has filed a lawsuit against CNN. Folwell pulled no punches in the aftermath of the bombshell CNN report, calling Robinson a “counterfeit conservative” and “always playing the victim.” “In the end, North Carolina voters decided they wanted a government that would be more moderate because that is how North Carolinians see themselves," said Zagros Madjd-Sadjadi, an economics professor at Winston-Salem State University. Saying “It’s not the right time for North Carolina or for me to be on a national ticket,” Cooper pulled on July 30 his name from consideration as a vice presidential candidate for Harris . Being a popular two-term Democratic governor in a center-right Southern state was viewed by political analysts as a viable ticket-balancing option as Democrats attempting to shift N.C. back into the win column. CNN reported that Cooper, at 67, was the oldest potential vice president under consideration. “After all, only one person can be chosen for the vice president nominee, and there are at least a handful of strong candidates who come from swing states and who would provide some ideological balance to the ticket in the way that Cooper would have done," Dinan said. Another factor: Political analysts cited Robinson as being a potential deterrent for Cooper pursuing the vice president nominee. Robinson could potentially have issued executive orders as acting governor while Cooper was campaigning out of the state. As Cooper bowed out of VP consideration, speculation continued to swirl that Cooper is at the top of the list for Democratic challengers for two-term Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis in 2026. John Quinterno, principal with South by North Strategies Ltd. of Chapel Hill, said that given Cooper’s accomplishments as governor and his long career in public service, he “would be a strong candidate” to take on Tillis. Stein will enter office Jan. 1 with a viable, but razor-thin, veto power since House Democrats were successful in gaining a 49th seat, thus breaking the Republican super-majority after two years. A super-majority exists when Democrats or Republicans control two-thirds of a chamber's seats. Since Republican legislators regained supermajority status in April 2023 after Mecklenburg County Rep. Tricia Cotham switched from Democrat, they overrode 29 Cooper vetoes during the 2023 and 2024 sessions. Stein said that in the governor's race, North Carolinians "chose hope over hate, competence over chaos, decency over division.” Although Stein registered “a clear win,” John Locke Foundation senior political analyst Mitch Kokai cautioned that "he ought to be careful not to view that victory as an overwhelming mandate for his policy prescriptions." Meanwhile, Rep. Cecil Brockman, D-Guilford, continues to embrace his role as a potential supporter of certain GOP legislation, telling the News & Record that "you need me. I don't need you ." That's even though four other eastern N.C. House Democrats have been identified as potentially playing the same flipping role. The Republican-controlled legislature completed Dec. 11 the passing of controversial Senate Bill 382 that curtails or ends certain authorities of four Democratic Council of State seats, as well as making the State Highway Patrol commander post a non-elected Cabinet position appointed by the legislature. The N.C. House overrode Cooper’s veto by a 72-46 vote along party lines on Dec. 11. Cooper vetoed the bill Nov. 26, calling it “a sham” and a “cruel blow.” Cooper and Stein needed just a day to file on Dec. 12 a lawsuit in Wake County Superior Court challenging the constitutionality of SB382 with the foremost focus on the SHP commander legislation. SB382 also moves the State Board of Elections to the State Auditor’s Office, prevents the attorney general from undermining state law, and allows the state Treasurer to appoint a member to the Utilities Commission. SB382 appropriates an additional $227 million in Hurricane Helene disaster relief funding, but doesn’t immediately disperse it. "The people of western North Carolina are desperate for help from their state government. Yet, this bill is a power grab, not hurricane relief,” Stein said in a statement. Rep. Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, and House speaker for the 2025-26 sessions, said the disaster relief funding in SB382 “has been framed incorrectly" and “this body is entirely committed to helping folks in this state with storm relief." The Republican supermajorities overrode a Cooper veto to make school vouchers to private and religious schools available to all parents no matter their household income , as well as enforcing that urban Democratic sheriffs cooperate with federal ICE agents. About $460 million is now available for the state’s Opportunity Scholarship program for the 2024-25 school year. Funding for the waitlist is retroactive, with eligible families qualifying for a tuition reimbursement from their schools. There are more than 72,000 voucher applications for this school year, but only about 16,000 students were approved before the money ran out. Sen. Michael Lee, R-New Hanover, said there have been 27,256 applicants in Tier 1, which includes the lowest-income household, as well as 13,060 in Tier 2, 25,750 in Tier 3 and 12,228 in Tier 4, which Lee said half of which come from Mecklenburg and Wake counties. All North Carolina sheriffs began Dec. 1 being required to cooperate with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers for offenses committed on or after that date. Several metro sheriffs — including Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough of Forsyth County and Sheriff Danny Rogers of Guilford County — have limited their cooperation. “No longer will sheriffs in our most populated counties get away with ignoring federal immigration detainers issued by ICE," according to a joint statement from Republican Senate Judiciary Committee chairmen Danny Britt Jr. of Robeson County, Warren Daniel of Burke County and Buck Newton of Wilson County. "With House Bill 10 finally becoming law, and the Trump administration taking over in Washington, we’re on the path toward a stronger border and safer United States.” Another potential casualty within SB382 is the loss of the Forsyth County Superior Court 31-D seat , held by Democrat Todd Burke. The seat would be eliminated in 2029, along with a seat in Wake County also held by a Democrat. In their place, the legislature would create two Superior Court seats, one appointed by the Senate leader and the other by the House speaker. Both judges would serve an eight-year term. Their districts would be identified when the nominees are submitted for appointment. Rep. Robert Reives, D-Chatham, and House minority leader, said Burke’s seat is being eliminated because he took legal stances opposed by Republican legislative leadership and not because of the quality of his overall work or the lack of need for the seat. A primary example came in 2017 when Burke was part of a three-judge panel that ruled it was unconstitutional for the Republican supermajority at that time to revamp the state elections board and ethics commission weeks before Cooper was sworn in to his first term as governor. Sen. Dan Blue, D-Wake, and Senate minority leader, called part of the intent of SB328 to allow Republican legislative leaders to be able to turn to favorable Superior Court judges that they appoint, rather than go before judges that may hold them accountable to the constitutionality of their actions. Yet another successful GOP veto override in House Bill 237 loosened campaign-financing laws and significantly restricted public mask wearing for health and safety reasons. The insertion of state campaign finance law changes into HB237 has been pitched as either leveling the playing field on corporate and union donations, or opening another floodgate for out-of-state dark money into high-profile 2024 election races. HB237 became law amid predictions that the Stein-Robinson governor's race would be among the costliest in the country. “This legislation creates a gaping loophole for secret, unlimited campaign money in the middle of an election year,” Cooper said in a statement. “The legislation also removes protections and threatens criminal charges for people who want to protect their health by wearing a mask." Rep. Sarah Crawford, D-Wake, said the number of North Carolinians affected by the masking part of HB237 could reach 2 million when counting immunocompromised individuals, those that assist them, and workers who require masking to perform their jobs outdoors. A compromise reached between House and Senate Republican leadership narrowly defined exemptions as allowing individuals ages 16 and older to wear a medical or surgical grade mask for the purpose of preventing the spread of contagious disease — with the condition of removing it upon request by law enforcement. “Bad actors have been using masks to conceal their identity when they commit crimes and intimidate the innocent,” said Sen. Danny Britt, R-Scotland, and Senate sponsor of HB237. “Instead of helping put an end to this threatening behavior, the governor wants to continue encouraging these thugs by giving them more time to hide from the consequences of their actions." The Triad will be represented by two new-blood Republican U.S. House candidates in newcomers Pat Harrigan and Addison McDowell . Both cruised to comfortable victories in their respective 10th and 6th district races considering they were all but ordained once they won their primaries in March given their districts were gerrymandered into safe Republican seats during the 2023 redrawing of the state’s congressional map. The redrawn map produced what political analysts had projected: a shift from North Carolina’s 14 congressional seats being split at 7-7 to a 10-4 Republican majority. Their victories were pivotal to U.S. House Republicans holding on to bare majority of seats for the 2025-26 sessions. Democratic-leaning Winston-Salem is in the new 10th, along with Republican-leaning western Forsyth County suburbs and solidly conservative counties Catawba, Iredell, Lincoln and Yadkin. The 6th District is the most Triad-centric of the four U.S. House districts in the region. The new map includes Kernersville, Walkertown and the southern Forsyth border — all Republican strongholds. In Guilford County, the 6th District portion forms a loop shaped like a backward C around the county’s suburban communities and High Point. Also included are all of Davidson, Davie and Rowan counties, and about 20% of Cabarrus County. A bipartisan and controversial N.C. Senate medical marijuana bill cleared the chamber in June for the second time during the 2023-24 sessions. However, Republican House leadership quickly shelved the revamped House Bill 563 without receiving a committee hearing. Outgoing House speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, told legislative media outlets that for a medical marijuana bill to clear the House, there would need to be “reasonable controls,” and a balance to have enough distributors to prescribe and avoid a monopoly. Still, a block of House Republicans has opposed any medical marijuana language out of concern that it could serve as a gateway to legalized recreational marijuana use. They also claim that medical research isn’t definitive that it benefits users. The bill also contains language that would: place Tianeptine, Xylazine and Kratom on the state’s controlled substance schedules; create criminal penalties for criminal possession and unlawful sale of embalming fluid; and create penalties for exposing a minor to a controlled substance. HB563 would permit the use of medical marijuana — prescribed only by licensed physician — for individuals with ALS, cancer, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder and other ailments, but not for those experiencing chronic pain. Importantly, the bill does not allow recreational marijuana usage or the marketing of medical marijuana to anyone under age 21. rcraver@wsjournal.com 336-727-7376 @rcraverWSJ Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

Lopsided loss sinks the reeling Saints further into evaluation mode

Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreams

‘Today’: Hoda Kotb Reveals Former Boss Told Her to ‘Get on The Treadmill’ (VIDEO)

Dana Hull | (TNS) Bloomberg News Jared Birchall, Elon Musk’s money manager and the head of his family office, is listed as the chief executive officer. Jehn Balajadia, a longtime Musk aide who has worked at SpaceX and the Boring Co., is named as an official contact. Related Articles National Politics | Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’ National Politics | Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus National Politics | Biden vetoes once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal judgeships, citing ‘hurried’ House action National Politics | A history of the Panama Canal — and why Trump can’t take it back on his own National Politics | President-elect Trump wants to again rename North America’s tallest peak But they’re not connected to Musk’s new technology venture, or the political operation that’s endeared him to Donald Trump. Instead, they’re tied to the billionaire’s new Montessori school outside Bastrop, Texas, called Ad Astra, according to documents filed with state authorities and obtained via a Texas Public Information Act request. The world’s richest person oversees an overlapping empire of six companies — or seven, if you include his political action committee. Alongside rockets, electric cars, brain implants, social media and the next Trump administration, he is increasingly focused on education, spanning preschool to college. One part of his endeavor was revealed last year, when Bloomberg News reported that his foundation had set aside roughly $100 million to create a technology-focused primary and secondary school in Austin, with eventual plans for a university. An additional $137 million in cash and stock was allotted last year, according to the most recent tax filing for the Musk Foundation. Ad Astra is closer to fruition. The state documents show Texas authorities issued an initial permit last month, clearing the way for the center to operate with as many as 21 pupils. Ad Astra’s website says it’s “currently open to all children ages 3 to 9.” The school’s account on X includes job postings for an assistant teacher for preschool and kindergarten and an assistant teacher for students ages 6 to 9. To run the school, Ad Astra is partnering with a company that has experience with billionaires: Xplor Education, which developed Hala Kahiki Montessori school in Lanai, Hawaii, the island 98% owned by Oracle Corp. founder Larry Ellison. Ad Astra sits on a highway outside Bastrop, a bedroom community about 30 miles from Austin and part of a region that’s home to several of Musk’s businesses. On a visit during a recent weekday morning, there was a single Toyota Prius in the parking lot and no one answered the door at the white building with a gray metal roof. The school’s main entrance was blocked by a gate, and there was no sign of any children on the grounds. But what information there is about Ad Astra makes it sound like a fairly typical, if high-end, Montessori preschool. The proposed schedule includes “thematic, STEM-based activities and projects” as well as outdoor play and nap time. A sample snack calendar features carrots and hummus. While Birchall’s and Balajadia’s names appear in the application, it isn’t clear that they’ll have substantive roles at the school once it’s operational. Musk, Birchall and Balajadia didn’t respond to emailed questions. A phone call and email to the school went unanswered. Access to high quality, affordable childcare is a huge issue for working parents across the country, and tends to be an especially vexing problem in rural areas like Bastrop. Many families live in “childcare deserts” where there is either not a facility or there isn’t an available slot. Opening Ad Astra gives Musk a chance to showcase his vision for education, and his support for the hands-on learning and problem solving that are a hallmark of his industrial companies. His public comments about learning frequently overlap with cultural concerns popular among conservatives and the Make America Great Again crowd, often focusing on what he sees as young minds being indoctrinated by teachers spewing left-wing propaganda. He has railed against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and in August posted that “a lot of schools are teaching white boys to hate themselves.” Musk’s educational interests dovetail with his new role as Trump’s “first buddy.” The billionaire has pitched a role for himself that he — and now the incoming Trump administration — call “DOGE,” or the Department of Government Efficiency. Though it’s not an actual department, DOGE now posts on X, the social media platform that Musk owns. “The Department of Education spent over $1 billion promoting DEI in America’s schools,” the account posted Dec. 12. Back in Texas, Bastrop is quickly becoming a key Musk point of interest. The Boring Co., his tunneling venture, is based in an unincorporated area there. Across the road, SpaceX produces Starlink satellites at a 500,000-square-foot (46,000-square-meter) facility. Nearby, X is constructing a building for trust and safety workers. Musk employees, as well as the general public, can grab snacks at the Boring Bodega, a convenience store housed within Musk’s Hyperloop Plaza, which also contains a bar, candy shop and hair salon. Ad Astra is just a five-minute drive away. It seems to have been designed with the children of Musk’s employees — if not Musk’s own offspring — in mind. Musk has fathered at least 12 children, six of them in the last five years. “Ad Astra’s mission is to foster curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking in the next generation of problem solvers and builders,” reads the school’s website. A job posting on the website of the Montessori Institute of North Texas says “While their parents support the breakthroughs that expand the realm of human possibility, their children will grow into the next generation of innovators in a way that only authentic Montessori can provide.” The school has hired an executive director, according to documents Bloomberg obtained from Texas Health and Human Services. Ad Astra is located on 40 acres of land, according to the documents, which said a 4,000-square-foot house would be remodeled for the preschool. It isn’t uncommon for entrepreneurs to take an interest in education, according to Bill Gormley, a professor emeritus at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University who studies early childhood education. Charles Butt, the chairman of the Texas-based H-E-B grocery chain, has made public education a focus of his philanthropy. Along with other business and community leaders, Butt founded “Raise Your Hand Texas,” which advocates on school funding, teacher workforce and retention issues and fully funding pre-kindergarten. “Musk is not the only entrepreneur to recognize the value of preschool for Texas workers,” Gormley said. “A lot of politicians and business people get enthusiastic about education in general — and preschool in particular — because they salivate at the prospect of a better workforce.” Musk spent much of October actively campaigning for Trump’s presidential effort, becoming the most prolific donor of the election cycle. He poured at least $274 million into political groups in 2024, including $238 million to America PAC, the political action committee he founded. While the vast majority of money raised by America PAC came from Musk himself, it also had support from other donors. Betsy DeVos, who served as education secretary in Trump’s first term, donated $250,000, federal filings show. The Department of Education is already in the new administration’s cross hairs. Trump campaigned on the idea of disbanding the department and dismantling diversity initiatives, and he has also taken aim at transgender rights. “Rather than indoctrinating young people with inappropriate racial, sexual, and political material, which is what we’re doing now, our schools must be totally refocused to prepare our children to succeed in the world of work,” Trump wrote in Agenda 47, his campaign platform. Musk has three children with the musician Grimes and three with Shivon Zilis, who in the past was actively involved at Neuralink, his brain machine interface company. All are under the age of five. Musk took X, his son with Grimes, with him on a recent trip to Capitol Hill. After his visit, he shared a graphic that showed the growth of administrators in America’s public schools since 2000. Musk is a fan of hands-on education. During a Tesla earnings call in 2018, he talked about the need for more electricians as the electric-car maker scaled up the energy side of its business. On the Joe Rogan podcast in 2020, Musk said that “too many smart people go into finance and law.” “I have a lot of respect for people who work with their hands and we need electricians and plumbers and carpenters,” Musk said while campaigning for Trump in Pennsylvania in October. “That’s a lot more important than having incremental political science majors.” Ad Astra’s website says the cost of tuition will be initially subsidized, but in future years “tuition will be in line with local private schools that include an extended day program.” “I do think we need significant reform in education,” Musk said at a separate Trump campaign event. “The priority should be to teach kids skills that they will find useful later in life, and to leave any sort of social propaganda out of the classroom.” With assistance from Sophie Alexander and Kara Carlson. ©2024 Bloomberg News. Visit at bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Washington — The family of Austin Tice , the freelance journalist who was kidnapped in Syria more than 12 years ago, said they have been told that he is alive and well, and they're frustrated with the U.S. government's inability to bring him home. "We have from a significant source that has already been vetted all over our government, Austin Tice is alive, Austin Tice is treated well. And there is no doubt about that," Debra Tice, his mother, said at a news conference on Friday at the National Press Club. She said her son "is being cared for and he is well." Tice, a Marine veteran and journalist who worked with several news organizations including CBS News, the Washington Post and McClatchy, disappeared on Aug. 14, 2012, while he was reporting on the Syrian civil war. A short video that appeared weeks later on YouTube and Facebook showed a distressed Tice blindfolded with his apparent captors. It was the last time he was seen. No one has ever claimed responsibility for his disappearance, but President Biden has said the U.S. knows "with certainty that he has been held by the Syrian regime." The family said the U.S. government is preventing the release of information about the source of Austin Tice's well-being. But asked whether her son is being held by the Syrian government, Debra Tice said, "We've always known that." Marc Tice, his father, said the new information "is very different" from past leads. "We are confident that this information is fresh. It indicates as late as earlier this year that Austin is alive and being cared for," he said. Debra Tice added that the information is credible because "almost every entity in the United States government regarding security has verified it." The missing journalist's parents and siblings traveled to Washington for meetings with government officials this week as a Syrian rebel offensive challenges Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime. The family said the meeting has been in the works since July and was not prompted by the situation in Syria. They met with the National Security Council, including Mr. Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan, on Friday before their news conference. They met with the State Department on Thursday. The family said they asked whether the offensive in Syria could be leveraged in the journalist's favor and implored Sullivan for a commitment that Mr. Biden would reach out directly to Assad. But the family did not receive any assurances, they said. "There just seems to be a massive disconnect between what President Biden has dictated for Austin in terms of doing everything that we can to bring him home, and then the actions and the behavior of the people that sit just below him," his brother Simon Tice said. Debra Tice expressed optimism about the impact President-elect Donald Trump could have on the case when he takes office in January. She said Trump, during his first term, "had an obsession" with her son and getting him home, but members of his administration put up roadblocks. "Mike Pompeo and John Bolton did all they could to keep that from happening," she said of Trump's CIA director-turned-secretary of state and national security adviser. Syria Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at CBSNews.com, based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation.With its creative Proof of Mobile (PoM) consensus mechanism, NOWChain, seamlessly integrated with mobiNODE, is set to revolutionize blockchain technology. Experience this cutting-edge technology firsthand through the NOWChain app, now available on the Apple App Store. 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Technology stocks pulled Wall Street to another record amid mixed trading. The S&P 500 rose 0.2% Monday after closing November at an all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 1%. Super Micro Computer, a stock that’s been on an AI-driven roller coaster, soared after saying an investigation found no evidence of misconduct by its management or the company’s board. Retailers were mixed coming off Black Friday and heading into what’s expected to be the best Cyber Monday on record. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. On Monday: The S&P 500 rose 14.77 points, or 0.2%, to 6,047.15. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 128.65 points, or 0.3%, to 44,782. The Nasdaq composite rose 185.78 points, or 1%, to 19,403.95. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 0.59 points, or less than 0.1%, to 2,434.14. For the year: The S&P 500 is up 1,277.32 points, or 26.8%. The Dow is up 7,092.46 points, or 18.8%. The Nasdaq is up 4,392.60 points, or 29.3%. The Russell 2000 is up 407.06 points, or 20.1%.

Queensland State of Origin great Corey Parker has questioned whether NSW would have been wiser to go with a younger coach with recent experience in the environment. The on Monday, bringing back the NSW legend after he previously served in the role from 2013 to 2017. Part of Daley's appeal was the fact he could , and the NSWRL board went with the Canberra Raiders legend ahead of Blues assistant coach Matt King. Many had predicted King would get the gig to replace Michael Maguire after he served as Madge's main assistant in 2024 and helped mastermind the Blues' series victory. But by bringing back Daley the NSWRL board have gone with a coach with little experience this decade. King has worked with the NSW team for the last few seasons, and has been an assistant at the Sydney Roosters since 2017. And according to Parker, the Blues might have made a huge mistake in not appointing someone like King or Michael Ennis. “I was a little surprised,” Parker said on SEN radio on Tuesday about Daley's selection. “He was up against a really formidable Queensland during that (first stint) and it was during eight consecutive series wins for Queensland. He’s a terrific guy and I know him well (but) he’s left-field for me. He’s been there and done that and I guess it suits the powers above. "I thought there was a real opportunity to go with someone like Matt King, Michael Ennis or Brett White. One of these younger guys who have been inside systems week in and week out of NRL sides. “You just have to look at Billy Slater and his innovative ideas and what he’s been able to provide Queensland over the past few seasons...Billy had no head coach (experience) and he handled (Queensland) beautifully. “I think Michael Ennis would be a terrific appointment but they’ve gone back in time to Laurie. I just thought it was a strange call from NSW. If I’m being fair, I was just really surprised.” If I am being brutally honest, I was a little surprised." However Parker did admit the Bellamy factor is a big win for NSW. "[Daley] brings great passion and great belief in the Blues jersey, but from a coaching perspective he has been out of the loop for some time," Parker added. "That is why you need someone like a Craig Bellamy. "X and O's do play a part, but it is what is between the ears. It is about harnessing what that is all about...collectively as a unit you need people to believe in the Blues jersey. Don't underestimate what Bellamy does for this team. While Daley is the head coach, Bellamy will command respect." Speaking on SEN in Sydney, leading commentator Andrew Voss admitted it was a concern that Daley has been out of the coaching game for so long. "By the time Origin rolls around in 2025 it will have been eight years since Laurie last coached," Voss said. "It's impossible to escape the fact he was sacked, and he hasn't done any coaching since then. That's the unusual aspect of it. He hasn't actually gone away and coached anywhere." Despite not coaching for so long, Daley is confident he has what it takes. Many remember Daley as the man who broke Queensland's eight-year streak, but he lost three in a row after that. "I'd like to think I am a better coach and I've learned a lot," Daley said on Monday. "The thing about rugby league people is you never lose the love or the passion for the game. You watch it a lot. "The position I have in radio, people are always asking you about that. And you are giving an opinion on what you see is happening. Even as a person who just sits and watches rugby league, if I see something I'll write it down, or I'll record it. I have it in my own memory bank. I think I am always trying to stay relevant and up to speed with the game."Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreams

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern California quarterback Miller Moss is entering the transfer portal after losing the Trojans’ starting job last month. Moss made his announcement on social media Monday. Moss started ’ bowl victory last season and their first nine games this season before coach Lincoln Riley replaced him with Jayden Maiava in early November. “Being a USC Trojan was a lifelong dream of mine,” Moss wrote. “Putting on the cardinal and gold and competing on behalf of my teammates and school is something I will forever take pride in. I poured everything I have into this — body, heart, mind and soul — and am humbled by and proud of what my teammates and I accomplished.” Moss, who was born in Los Angeles and went to high school in the San Fernando Valley, signed with USC before Riley arrived at the school. Moss also stayed with the Trojans after Caleb Williams transferred from Oklahoma to rejoin Riley, and he served as Williams’ backup for two seasons before getting his chance to play with six touchdown passes in last year’s Holiday Bowl. Moss completed 64.4% of his passes this season for 2,555 yards with 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions. After a spectacular 378-yard performance to beat LSU in the Trojans’ season opener, Moss didn’t play poorly as a starter, but he also wasn’t a difference-maker while USC stumbled to a 4-5 record. Moss threw seven interceptions in his final five starts before losing the job to Maiava. The Trojans went 1-4 in that stretch under Moss, who plays as a more traditional pocket passer while Maiava has the mobility usually favored for quarterbacks in Riley’s spread offense. “Looking towards the future, I’m unwaveringly committed to becoming an even better quarterback and leader, and to achieving this at the next level,” Moss wrote. Moss has already graduated from USC, putting him in the portal as a graduate student. USC (6-6) is headed to a lower-tier bowl game again to finish this season, its third under Riley. ___ AP college football: andLOS ANGELES—As California lawmakers in Sacramento held an emergency session to “Trump-proof” their state against a perceived threat to “California values”—namely with a proposed $25 million litigation fund to fend off federal overreach—Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger urged a different approach to a second Trump term. Barger, a Republican who nonetheless frequently votes in agreement with her four progressive counterparts, was newly sworn in on Dec. 3 as chair of the Board of Supervisors. She has served on the board since 2016. Last month, she cast a lone dissenting vote against a motion to support Newsom’s efforts to defend the state’s progressive gains on civil rights, climate policy, immigration, and abortion access against changes anticipated under the Trump administration. “For me, it’s frustrating because we’re assuming the worst,” Barger said on Dec. 4 in an interview with The Epoch Times. “And yet we are writing a letter to the Trump administration asking them to release $3.2 billion for the Olympics. My mom always said you get more bees with honey than you do with vinegar.” L.A. transit officials recently asked the president-elect for funds to bolster the city’s transportation infrastructure in preparation for the 2028 summer games. Barger said she’s looking for common ground with the new administration, on which the county will depend for billions of dollars in discretionary funds—money that goes toward things such as food assistance benefits, transportation, and mental health infrastructure. “By isolating ourselves and assuming the worst, we’re setting ourselves up for failure,” Barger said, worrying that such an approach risks disenfranchising county residents. California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the state Legislature’s emergency session, convened on Dec. 2, following a weeks-long, bellicose media volley with the president-elect. Looking toward what he called “litigation preparation,” he asked lawmakers for an additional $25 million in funding. However, Newsom has since tempered his tone slightly, saying in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, “It’s not a resistance brand” but rather a pragmatic response. Barger said the governor’s softened approach is a sign that state officials recognize no one knows exactly what the new Trump administration will do. “What we saw in 2016, it may not be what we’re going to see in 2024. The only way you can find out is by communicating and working together,” said Barger. Days earlier, Bonta in a statement noted that, “as a father of two incredible young women, who have fewer rights than their mother and grandmother, I see the concern in their eyes as they navigate a world that is chipping away at their reproductive rights.” The right to abortion and contraception is already enshrined in California’s constitution. However, there is a question as to whether Californians still prioritize the fights outlined by Bonta, Newsom, and local Democrats. The November general election revealed increasing political diversity among California’s electorate, with Trump gaining support generally as well as with key demographics, including Latinos, relative to 2020. Republicans flipped several key legislative seats, and voters reinstated harsher criminal penalties for retail and drug crimes and ousted two progressive, reformist district attorneys. Economic issues and illegal immigration helped deliver Trump’s sweeping victory, and resonate especially in California, which shoulders a disproportionate burden of the illegal immigration crisis and is home to some of the highest living costs in the country. “The outcome of this election—it was about the economy. It was about immigration. And people are sick and tired of working hard and not being able to afford a home and not being able to live the American Dream,” Barger said. In a Dec. 4 interview, Los Angeles Police Department’s new chief, Jim McDonnell, outlined a plan to protect illegal immigrants ahead of Trump’s plans for mass deportations, reiterating that LAPD does not enforce immigration laws. Barger said it’s not up to local governments to fix the country’s “broken” immigration system—“that’s up to Congress.” However, she said there’s a need to communicate with federal officials and address the impact on Los Angeles County residents. For example, she suggested, why not reach out to Tom Homan, Trump’s pick for border czar, and “have a dialogue, maybe educate him about how we go about providing services.” Barger points to a recent trip down to Skid Row—one of the densest concentration of homeless encampments in the country and just blocks from the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, where the Board of Supervisors meets. She talked to people who had come up through San Diego. “There are going to be things that are blamed on this [new] administration that quite frankly have been occurring for years,” Barger said. “We are the ones that are holding the bag as it relates to the impact this is having on L.A. County, but also on the individuals that are living on the street.” She also made the distinction between immigrants who go through a legal process to gain citizenship and those who come here illegally. Regarding the incoming administration’s focus on illegal immigrants who commit crimes, she said: “I have yet to talk to anyone that has a concern with that. Because at the end of the day, if you’re coming into this country and not following the laws and are arrested, especially for a violent crime, [you] should be held accountable and be deported.” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has signaled a willingness to work with the Trump administration on homelessness, which has consumed her tenure and will likely define her legacy, despite disagreements over policy direction. Bass told the Los Angeles Times last month that she thinks she can find common ground with Trump on housing the city’s homeless population. Barger, similarly, said: “I think what I’m hearing is a different tone coming out of this president. More thoughtful and more strategic in terms of how he wants to go about the next four years. “And I’m hoping reasonable minds will take a step back and realize people are sick and tired of the partisan politics. They pay their taxes, whether they’re Democrat or Republican.”

Blanton also had six rebounds for the Colonels (4-2). Mayar Wol scored 14 points while going 4 of 11 from the floor, including 3 for 7 from 3-point range, and 3 for 4 from the line and added five rebounds. George Kimble III had 13 points and shot 4 for 12 (2 for 5 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line. Ali Abdou Dibba led the Salukis (2-5) in scoring, finishing with 26 points. Southern Illinois also got 21 points, seven rebounds and two steals from Kennard Davis. Drew Steffe also had 10 points. Eastern Kentucky went into halftime leading Southern Illinois 48-22. Kimble scored 12 points in the half. Eastern Kentucky turned an 11-point second-half lead into an 18-point advantage with an 8-1 run to make it a 65-47 lead. Montavious Myrick scored nine second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

ESTERO, Fla. (AP) — Devontae Blanton scored 17 points as Eastern Kentucky beat Southern Illinois 77-72 on Tuesday. Blanton also had six rebounds for the Colonels (4-2). Mayar Wol scored 14 points while going 4 of 11 from the floor, including 3 for 7 from 3-point range, and 3 for 4 from the line and added five rebounds. George Kimble III had 13 points and shot 4 for 12 (2 for 5 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line. Ali Abdou Dibba led the Salukis (2-5) in scoring, finishing with 26 points. Southern Illinois also got 21 points, seven rebounds and two steals from Kennard Davis. Drew Steffe also had 10 points. Eastern Kentucky went into halftime leading Southern Illinois 48-22. Kimble scored 12 points in the half. Eastern Kentucky turned an 11-point second-half lead into an 18-point advantage with an 8-1 run to make it a 65-47 lead. Montavious Myrick scored nine second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .