Daily Briefing: 'Austin walking free'

The mother of Austin Tice, the American journalist missing in Syria, is hopeful that upheaval in the war-battered nation will lead to his release. Hundreds − or even thousands − of people are feared dead after a devastating cyclone struck the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte. When's the best and worst time to travel for Christmas and New Year? We break it down.

👋🏾 I'm Jane, Daily Briefing author. This house from "Home Alone" is for sale. No, not that one.

Mother of Austin Tice sees hope for his release from Syria

The mother of American journalist Austin Tice, who was taken captive during a reporting trip to Syria in 2012, voiced hope on Sunday that upheaval in Syria will lead to freedom for her son. Debra Tice's children woke her up when images of Missouri resident Travis Timmerman began circulating on social media, misidentifying him as Tice. Asked if that was a moment of false hope, Debra Tice said it was a moment of joy. "It was almost like having a rehearsal … an inkling of what it's really going to feel like when it is Austin walking free," she told NBC's "Meet the Press." Read more

Thousands feared dead after cyclone hits French territory of Mayotte

Emergency workers raced on Monday to find survivors and restore services to the French overseas territory of Mayotte, where hundreds or even thousands are feared dead from the worst cyclone to hit the Indian Ocean islands in nearly a century. Parts of the islands, which were struck by Cyclone Chido over the weekend with winds of more than 124 mph, remained inaccessible to rescue workers on Monday, said French civil security spokesperson Alexandre Jouassard. Mayotte has a population of about 321,000 and is made up of two main islands over an area about twice the size of Washington, D.C. Read more

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What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

US deploys resources following drone sightings

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has requested that the Department of Homeland Security deploy "special detection systems" in New York and New Jersey after recent drone sightings fueled anxiety among residents in the region. It came after a series of reported drone sightings in the Northeast over the last month, including ones that caused a New York airport to shut down on Friday. Earlier Sunday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the federal government is "deploying additional resources" to address the aerial drones. Read more

The best, worst times to drive (or fly) for Christmas and New Year's

Holiday travelers, get ready. This year, an unprecedented number of people are set to hit the roads and skies for their year-end celebrations.

This year, AAA predicts 119.3 million people will be traveling more than 50 miles starting from Dec. 21 to Jan. 1. Nearly 90% of these travelers will be driving to their destinations, although the 7.85 million air passengers are also record-breaking.

• "This year, with Christmas Day falling on a Wednesday, we’re anticipating record-breaking travel numbers the weekend before and the weekend after the holiday,” said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel.
• Between Monday, Dec. 23, and New Year's Day, 32.5 million seats are scheduled to depart from U.S. airports, a 2.4% increase from last year, according to Hopper's Christmas Outlook.
• Travelers can avoid the worst crowds if they fly on Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's Eve and New Year's.

Today's talkers

• Jamie Foxx addresses altercation that left him needing stitches: "Too blessed to be stressed."
• Martha Stewart, "Queer Eye" and more backstage at the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball.
• Food poisoning is extremely common. But that doesn't mean it's unavoidable.
• How to avoid shopping scams during the holidays with tips from the FBI.

Early contenders for 2025 Heisman Trophy

Each of the four Heisman Trophy finalists, including Colorado's Travis Hunter Jr., who won the award, will either exhaust their eligibility or head to the NFL after the 2024 college football season. So, there should be a whole new batch of top contenders for the Heisman in 2025. There are a number of talented players either coming into larger roles or transfers headed to bigger schools next season. There are also many talented freshmen who showed flashes in 2024 and are hoping to build on their first college football season. Here are the way-too-early Heisman Trophy contenders for the 2025 season.

Photo of the day: Travis Hunter wins coveted college football award

Travis Hunter, a dynamic two-way player who helped Colorado win five more games in 2024 than the previous year while playing nearly 1,400 snaps on offense and defense, won the Heisman Memorial Trophy as college football's most outstanding player on Saturday night. Hunter is Colorado's second Heisman winner, following running back Rashaan Salaam, who won it in 1994. Check out our gallery of Heisman Trophy winners through the years.

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