Category: News
Presidente de Perú admite cita con empresario chino que no fue registrada en actividades oficiales
Associated Press
LIMA (AP) — El presidente interino de Perú, José Jerí, admitió el lunes que en diciembre se reunió con un empresario chino en un restaurante de Lima en una actividad nocturna que no incluyó en su agenda oficial, como es obligatorio por ley, y a la que asistió vestido con una capucha, pero aseguró que en esa cita no hubo “nada irregular”.
La televisora local Latina mostró la víspera imágenes del 26 de diciembre donde se observa el auto presidencial y a Jerí, vestido con ropa deportiva y una sudadera cuya capucha le cubre la cabeza, entrando a un restaurante donde se reunió con Yang Zhihua, un empresario cercano al gobierno de su antecesora, la expresidenta Dina Boluarte (2022-2025).
En el pasado otros presidentes, incluido Pedro Castillo (2021-2022), fueron criticados e investigados por el Congreso por realizar actividades que no estaban publicadas en la agenda oficial presidencial.
La congresista opositora Ruth Luque, de la bancada Bloque Democrático Popular, dijo en sus redes sociales que “todas las actividades presidenciales se registran y deben ser puestas de forma pública” y que este “hecho flagrante” parece “no importarle” a las bancadas que lo apoyan (al presidente Jerí).
Jerí confirmó a la prensa que ese 26 de diciembre por la noche asistió a cenar a un restaurante de comida china con Yang Zhihua y hablaron sobre su participación en el Día de la Confraternidad Peruano–China, que se celebrará por segunda vez el próximo 1 de febrero, para fortalecer los vínculos con el principal socio comercial de Perú por más de una década.
“No hay nada irregular, no hay nada indebido, pero voy a reflexionar sobre ello y sí, es cierto que las cosas buenas que uno pueda hacer pueden tornarse a nivel de percepción malas, y eso es un mea culpa que tengo que hacer”, indicó Jerí durante una actividad pública.
Yang Zhihua es gerente de una empresa que en 2023 recibió una concesión para construir una hidroeléctrica en una zona de los Andes cercana a otra desde donde una minera exporta cobre a China. También viajó junto a una delegación peruana que acompañó en 2024 a la entonces presidenta Boluarte en una visita oficial a China.
El empresario chino, presidente de la Asociación de los Descendientes de la Provincia de Fujian, no ha realizado declaraciones durante la jornada.
Troubled West Pullman housing complex has new owners, and will get a complete rehab
A Far South Side affordable housing complex plagued by neglect and deteriorating conditions has been sold, and city officials say the new owner will launch much-needed renovations.
California-based Transcend Development Group bought the 180-unit property at 221 E. 121st St. in West Pullman in a $53 million deal, including about $23 million set aside to rehabilitate its aging infrastructure and upgrade the apartments, most of which have federal rent subsidies.
The previous owner purchased the property in 2017 for $16.5 million and was listed in county documents as the Sausage King of Chicago LLC, a jokey reference to the 1986 film ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.’ WBEZ Chicago identified the true owners as California investors Alan Smolinisky and Brian Chien-Chih Chen. Smolinisky didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
“We’re ecstatic that they’re gone,” said Ald. Anthony Beale, 9th. “We’ve had a bad ownership group that was reluctant to invest in the property and bring it up to code. It’s been a problem for years, but it came to a head about two years ago.”
The owner racked up a series of building code violations since 2022, including ones for missing smoke detectors, and faulty heating and plumbing systems, Beale said.
Transcend Development Group said they can begin tackling deferred maintenance issues and rehabilitating the three five-story buildings, built in 1971, this spring. Every unit will receive new kitchens and bathrooms, and new heating, cooling and electrical systems. Other improvements will include roof replacements, new windows and doors, security cameras and upgraded boilers.
Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, tax-exempt bonds, and other investments from the city of Chicago, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Huntington Bank will finance the rehabilitation project.
“Thanks to the dedication of our federal, city, and state partners — and, most importantly, the residents and community advocates of Indian Trails, who never stopped pushing for change — we will soon be delivering long-overdue, quality housing that builds better, healthier lives and a stronger, more vibrant West Pullman community,” said Nicholas Tufano, partner, Transcend Group, in a statement.
Beale tied the new investment to a decade-long effort to replace stretches of vacant land in Pullman with new businesses, restaurants, manufacturing operations and community centers. Nonprofit developer Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives led the effort, along with Hope Center Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Salem Baptist Church of Chicago, and Far South Community Development Corp., eventually bringing dozens of businesses to Pullman and adjoining areas. Nearly 8,000 jobs were created, according to one economic study.
“The 9th Ward has been going through a renaissance in the last 10 or 12 years and securing new owners for Indian Trails is a part of all the new stores and businesses we’ve brought in,” Beale said. “It’s another piece of the puzzle that has changed the quality of life for people in this community.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/12/west-pullman-indian-trail/
Szoboszlai, héroe y villano en victoria del Liverpool sobre Barnsley en la Copa FA
Associated Press
LIVERPOOL, Inglaterra (AP) — Dominik Szoboszlai fue héroe y villano para el Liverpool, ya que el equipo local derrotó el lunes por 4-1 a un animado Barnsley para asegurar un enfrentamiento en la cuarta ronda de la Copa FA contra el rival de la Liga Premier, Brighton.
El centrocampista húngaro le dio la ventaja al Liverpool después de ocho minutos cuando silenció a los aficionados visitantes con un impresionante disparo de 30 metros.
Jeremie Frimpong hizo el 2-0 cuando se internó desde la derecha y disparó con fuerza con el pie izquierdo.
Pero Szoboszlai ofreció a Barnsley una forma de volver al juego cinco minutos antes del descanso con un error calamitoso que aparecerá en los videos de bloopers durante años.
Su intento de taconazo a seis metros de su propia portería fue mal planificado y ejecutado de manera impactante, por lo que Adam Phillips solo tuvo que empujar el balón a la red vacía para hacer el 2-1.
“Lo siento por el equipo. Lo hice difícil para nosotros con un error fácil. El fútbol es así y seguimos adelante”, dijo Szoboszlai a TNT Sports.
El centrocampista también tuvo suerte de no conceder un penalti al inicio de la segunda mitad, ya que Barnsley se burló de su estatus de Liga 1.
El club de Yorkshire llevó el juego a su rival más histórico y, con el partido aún en equilibrio, el entrenador del Liverpool, Arne Slot, se vio obligado a llamar a sus grandes armas, introduciendo a Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké e Ibrahima Konate después de una hora.
Sin embargo, gran parte de la acción continuó girando en torno a Szoboszlai.
Despejó un disparo de Phillips en la línea en un extremo y luego asistió a Wirtz momentos después, solo para ver cómo este último enviaba el balón por encima del travesaño.
Wirtz se redimió a seis minutos del final cuando, con los niveles de energía del visitante cayendo, recibió un pase de Ekitiké y curvó un hermoso disparo al rincón lejano.
Ekitiké hizo el 4-1 en el tiempo de descuento cuando empujó a casa un centro de Wirtz.
Fue un final desafortunado para un equipo visitante que se comportó admirablemente contra un equipo 57 lugares por encima en la pirámide de la liga.
Aunque el marcador halagó al equipo local, el resultado fue el undécimo partido consecutivo del Liverpool sin derrota y una señal de su capacidad para obtener resultados. El Liverpool no ha perdido desde noviembre contra el Paris Saint-Germain en la Liga de Campeones.
Brighton vendrá a Anfield el fin de semana del 14 de febrero.
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Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Un grupo de monos escapa en San Luis, Missouri, y la IA complica su captura
Por HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH
Un puñado de monos escapó en San Luis, Missouri, y las imágenes generadas por inteligencia artificial han complicado las labores para localizarlos.
El primer avistamiento de los monos Vervet fue el jueves cerca de un parque en la parte norte de la ciudad, lo que provocó “rumor tras rumor”, dijo el portavoz del Departamento de Salud de la ciudad, Willie Springer. De momento se desconoce a quién pertenecen los animales, cómo escaparon o exactamente cuántos son.
Algunas personas han informado haber capturado a los monos, incluso publicando fotos falsas en línea para respaldar sus afirmaciones. Pero hasta el lunes, los animales continuaban sueltos, explicó Springer.
“Ha habido mucho en cuanto a la IA y lo que es genuino y lo que no”, comentó Springer. “La gente sólo se divierte. No creo que alguien tenga malas intenciones”.
El mayor número de monos avistados es de cuatro, destacó Springer. La posesión de este tipo de animales en la ciudad está prohibida, por lo que Springer duda que alguien se presente para reclamarlos.
Por ahora, personal de control de animales trabaja en colaboración con expertos en primates del Zoológico de San Luis para localizar a los monos.
Los monos Vervet son originarios del África subsahariana, donde están muy extendidos. Con un peso de entre 3,1 y 7,7 kilos (entre siete y 17 libras), a veces se les conoce como monos verdes debido a la coloración de su pelaje.
Las autoridades han hecho un llamado a los residentes a mantenerse alejados de los monos y a pedir ayuda en caso de algún avistamiento. Un comunicado de prensa indicó que son inteligentes y sociales, pero pueden ser impredecibles o agresivos bajo estrés.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Google’s corporate parent joins $4 trillion club as investors continue to bet on AI breakthroughs
Google parent Alphabet Inc. on Monday became the fourth Big Tech powerhouse to be valued at $4 trillion, a once seemingly unfathomable milestone that’s become more like a rite of passage amid an artificial intelligence arms race.
Alphabet reached the threshold just four months after Google dodged the U.S. government’s attempt to break up its internet empire following a ruling last year that branded its ubiquitous search engine an illegal monopoly.
In an effort to prevent further abuses, a federal judge overseeing the case ordered a shake-up that investors widely interpreted as a slap on the wrist, resulting in a 57% increase in Alphabet’s stock price since then that has created an additional $1.4 trillion in shareholder wealth.
The rapid run-up thrust Alphabet into a $4 trillion club that has previously welcomed computer chipmaker Nvidia, which became the first to cross the barrier in July. Both Apple and Microsoft also surpassed market values of $4 trillion last year, but they have fallen back mid worries that the spending spree on AI will turn into a bubble that bursts.
Nvidia’s market value briefly topped $5 trillion in late October, before backtracking as the AI bubble fears also exacted a toll on its stock price because its chipsets are needed to power the technology.
Meanwhile, Amazon is currently valued at $2.6 trillion, in part because of its AI ambitions, and Facebook parent Meta Platforms is valued at $1.6 trillion for some of the same reasons. Electric automaker Tesla also is betting heavily on AI, a gambit that prompted the company — now valued at $1.5 trillion — to approve a compensation package t hat would pay CEO Elon Musk $1 trillion if several targets are hit, including reaching a market value of more than $8.5 trillion.
Alphabet joined the $4 trillion club on the same day that Apple announced it will rely on Google’s AI technology to help smarten up its virtual assistant Siri after coming up short in its own efforts to bring more advanced features to the iPhone.
Google is well positioned to become one of the big winners in the AI battle because it is deploying the technology to transform its search engine into more of a conversational answer engine to compete against the likes of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Perplexity.
The next generation of the Gemini model underlying Google’s AI technology has been winning rave reviews since its recent release, helping to drive up Alphabet’s stock price while the shares of other AI-driven companies have dipped with ongoing bubble worries. Google’s Cloud division that sells AI tools to corporate customers and government agencies has emerged as Alphabet’s fastest growing segment during the past three years while AI technology has enabled its Waymo robotaxi division to dispatch more self-driving vehicles in cities across the U.S.
The competitive threats posed by rising AI stars such as OpenAI and Perplexity is one of the reasons that U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta rebuffed the U.S. Justice Department’s proposal to force Google to sell its industry-leading Chrome web browser. The judge reasoned the technological advances unleashed by AI already have been forcing significant changes in online search.
Alphabet’s market value could plunge if investor sentiment about the company’s exposure to a potential AI bubble suddenly shift. Even Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai conceded that some market “irrationality” is contributing to the skyrocketing market values of Big Tech companies during a November interview with the BBC.
“I think no company is going to be immune, including us,” Pichai said if the AI-driven euphoria suddenly evaporates.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/12/google-corporate-parent-4-trillion-club/
Evanston community protests death of Minnesota woman at hands of ICE
Evanston-area residents turned out Sunday afternoon for what organizers promoted as an emergency protest called “Evanston-ICE Out For Good” at the Unitarian Church of Evanston.
The Jan. 11 event was planned to protest the Minneapolis shooting death of motorist Renee Nicole Good, 37, on Jan. 7 during a confrontation with ICE agents.
Retiring U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky on left listens to Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss before the Evanston-ICE Out For Good event on a Sunday mid afternoon at the Unitarian Church of Evanston (1330 Ridge Ave.) on Jan. 11, 2026. (Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press)
The Evanston church was packed and people in the overflow crowd were asked to watch the program in standing-room-only fashion via a screen in the atrium. Many people went outside to watch or listen to the livestream on their phones in sunny 33 degree weather.
Candace Davis, an Evanston resident since 1987, has served as co-leader of Indivisible Evanston for several years.
Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss addresses the audience at the Evanston-ICE Out For Good event at the Unitarian Church of Evanston on Jan. 11, 2026. (Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press)
“We are planning this protest to object to the increasing intrusion of ICE into our communities and their increasingly outrageous actions as evidenced by the murder of a U.S. citizen, Renee Good, in Minneapolis,” Davis indicated in a statement to the Evanston Review.
“We are gathering to mourn her loss and the loss of the 32 or more people that died at the hands of ICE last year and to demand accountability,” Davis stated.
Protesters gather along Ridge Avenue during the Evanston-ICE Out For Good event at the Unitarian Church of Evanston on Jan. 11, 2026. (Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press)
Retiring U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky sat next to Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, whom she has endorsed in this year’s Congressional election to succeed her, during the program.
Biss offered remarks at the lectern about ICE agents and the emerging situation.
“They are more scared of us than we are of them,” Biss said to applause.
“That horrifying crime, that murder, that execution, that nightmare that happened on Wednesday in Minneapolis, followed by those shootings that happened in Portland on Thursday, are a reaction to the fact that they know that when we all stand up, they cannot be successful,” Biss said.
“And so we grieve and we will continue to grieve, though we’re going to stand up,” Biss said.
“We will stand up in peace, we will stand up with love, we will stand up with an ethic of deescalation, we will stand up.”
While the program continued inside with more podium remarks and live music, people assembled outside to protest with signage along Ridge Avenue. There were chants and eventually a march around the block as motorists honked.
Protesters gather along Ridge Avenue during the Evanston-ICE Out For Good event at the Unitarian Church of Evanston on Jan. 11, 2026. (Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press)
Michael James of Evanston, an author and community activist, played hand drums on the sidewalk to a beat along Ridge Avenue.
“I am giving support to people that continue to be terrorized,” James said. “It is wrong, it is wrong and it could be us next.
“It is wrong to treat people like this.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/12/evanston-protests-death-minnesota-woman-ice/
Australia Joins The Rare Earth Reserve Rush
Australia Joins The Rare Earth Reserve Rush
Australia will begin purchasing and storing key minerals for defense and high-tech industries from local miners as part of a A$1.2 billion ($802 million) national reserve aimed at strengthening global supply chains, according to a new report from Bloomberg.
Bloomberg reports that the initial stockpile will target rare earths, antimony and gallium, according to Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Resources Minister Madeleine King and Trade Minister Don Farrell. As one of the largest rare-earth producers outside China, Australia hopes the move will reduce Beijing’s leverage over critical resources.
Critical minerals have become a flashpoint in global trade disputes, particularly after China used its market dominance during trade tensions with the US. That has driven other nations to see local production and reserves as strategic priorities.
“Developing the Strategic Reserve is another important step in Australia leading on critical minerals globally,” Chalmers said. The stockpile will ensure “Australia is at the center of efforts to build stable and reliable supply chains for our international partners.”
Mining stocks rose on the news, with Lynas Rare Earths climbing up to 6.5% and Larvotto Resources jumping 8.8%. Larvotto, which is developing one of the world’s largest antimony projects, welcomed the move.
“The federal government is leading from the front on this, and we’re extremely happy antimony is one of the focuses,” said CEO Ron Meeks. “We will produce 7% of the world’s antimony, so we will be one of the largest suppliers. We’ll start production in August.”
The strategy follows China’s recent rare-earth export restrictions on Japan and builds on last year’s US-Australia agreement to expand American access to critical minerals, a deal covering roughly A$13 billion in projects. Officials also say the reserve could help stabilize prices and shield producers from future market downturns driven by cheap Chinese supply.
Rare earths are vital for permanent magnets used in defense and medical systems, while antimony supports electronics and flame retardants, and gallium is essential for advanced semiconductors in radar and communications.
Of course, we have been documenting the “rare earth revolution” since summer of last year, when we wrote that China’s export controls on key rare earth elements—especially the “heavy” ones used in high-performance permanent magnets—were creating shortages and price distortions outside China, exposing how dependent the world is on China for mined, refined, and magnet-ready material.
We noted that this mattered because rare earth magnets are foundational to today’s EVs, electronics, wind power, and defense systems, and they’re expected to be even more important for future robotics/humanoids.
With supply security viewed as a national-security issue, we correctly noted that governments and customers were prioritizing “ex-China” supply chains even if costs rise, and that shift is likely to support higher rare earth pricing and premium economics for the limited number of existing non-China players.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 01/12/2026 – 17:40
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/australia-joins-rare-earth-reserve-rush
Woman critically injured after struck by car on 159th Street in Orland Park
A 49-year-old woman remained in critical condition Monday after being struck by a car while crossing 159th Street Thursday night, an Orland Park spokesperson said Monday.
The spokesperson said rainy weather caused low visibility, and the woman was struck by a vehicle being driven by a 39-year-old man near the intersection of 159th Street and 94th Avenue. Police did not name the driver nor the woman who was hit.
Orland Park police provided CPR to the woman on the scene before firefighters transported her to Advocate Christ Medical Center, the spokesperson said.
Officers closed the intersection for several hours to completed accident reconstruction. The driver was also taken to a nearby hospital as part of standard protocol.
ostevens@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/12/woman-critically-injured-orland-park/
Weather brings snow-globe conditions to Gurnee’s Frosty Fest: ‘It makes it more magical’
Visitors to this year’s Frosty Fest on Saturday at Viking Park in Gurnee found themselves in a snow-globe-like situation.
It was snowing lightly when the celebration began, and the snow became significantly heavier as the event continued.
“Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow,” said Mary Lester, supervisor of community programming and events for the Gurnee Park District. “We got lucky. We’ve got Frosty Fest, and it’s frosty.”
Melissa Marsh, the Park District’s director of recreation, said of the falling snow, “It makes it more magical.”
Several hundred people attended this year’s Frosty Fest, which offered horse-drawn sleigh rides, games, crafts and a hot cocoa bar.
Bumper cars outside along the parking lot were popular, as were the numerous campfire pits placed around the site to warm hands and melt chocolate used for freshly made s’mores.
People were seen using bubble umbrellas to take cover in what was a snow globe setting at Frosty Fest in Gurnee on Jan. 10, 2026 at Viking Park. (Karie Angell Luc/Lake County News-Sun)
“This free event is a wonderful way for families and friends to enjoy the magic of winter,” Gurnee Park District Mike Szpylman said. “Frosty Fest offers something special for everyone.”
Steve and Susan Furmanski of Gurnee, brought four grandchildren to the festival.
“The kids have been very excited to come because Grandma and Grandpa have told them that we’re coming,” Steve Furmanski said. “We came to see Frosty. We’ll do s’mores. All the kids kind of love to do art, so this is a really nice event.”
Also making s’mores were Eric and Julie Titus of Gages Lake, and their young son Max.
One of two horse-drawn carriages returns to the boarding stop at Frosty Fest in Gurnee on Jan. 10, 2026 at Viking Park. (Karie Angell Luc/Lake County News-Sun)
“We like trying new things, and the Park District does a good job,” Julie Titus said.
Steve and Ester DaMore of Fox Lake accompanied their grandchildren, the DaMore siblings of Spring Grove, Levi, 8, and Gigi, 4.
Gigi was seen trying to catch snowflakes.
“It truly is a Frosty Fest,” Ester DaMore quipped.
Jack Furmanski, 5, of Libertyville, has a s’mores treat made over the campfire with the help of grandparent Steve Furmanski of Gurnee at Frosty Fest in Gurnee on Jan. 10, 2026 at Viking Park. (Karie Angell Luc/Lake County News-Sun)
Inside, where hot chocolate was being served amid photo booth and community sponsor table opportunities, was Haleigh Butler, 2, of Lake Villa, who was dressed in light blue as Elsa from the popular Disney franchise “Frozen.”
In her long dress, Haleigh kept twirling and coming back for princess visits with costumed Elsa and Anna. The two famous Disney characters strolled among tables to greet visitors, also posing for numerous photos.
“She’s (Haleigh) obsessed with Elsa,” Haleigh’s mother Jessica said. “She has been in her Elsa costume since October. She’s been calling Frosty Fest Elsa Fest because she knew (Elsa would) be here. We’ve been chasing her (Elsa) down this entire time.”
Right, admiring Anna and Elsa (unseen), characters from the Disney’s “Frozen” franchise is also dressed as Elsa, Haleigh Butler, 2, of Lake Villa, at Frosty Fest in Gurnee on Jan. 10, 2026 at Viking Park. (Karie Angell Luc/Lake County News-Sun)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/12/frosty-fest-gurnee/
Indian Prairie District 204 community invited to meet incoming superintendent John Price at event Thursday
Members of the Indian Prairie District 204 community will be able to meet incoming superintendent John Price at an event on Thursday, according to the district.
The district will be holding a welcome reception for Price from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday at the district’s Crouse Education Center at 780 Shoreline Drive in Aurora, according to a message on the district’s website.
Price, who is currently the superintendent of North Chicago School District 187, was approved as District 204’s next superintendent after a unanimous vote by the district’s school board in December. He was selected after a monthslong search that began after current Indian Prairie Superintendent Adrian Talley announced last April that he would not be renewing his contract with the district.
Price is set to take over as superintendent starting July 1, when Talley’s contract expires.
Price began his teaching career at a Catholic school in Chicago, went on to spend much of his career in Chicago Public Schools and then landed at North Chicago District 187 as its superintendent in 2017. He was recognized as Lake County’s superintendent of the year in 2023.
His contract with Indian Prairie extends from July 1, 2026, until June 30, 2029, and he will receive a salary of $335,000 for the 2026-27 school year.
mmorrow@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/12/district-204-event-new-superintendent/
