Category: News
Former Burns Funeral Home secretary gets probation for stealing over $100k
A former Burns Funeral Home secretary in Hobart got 2.5 years probation Thursday in a plea deal after stealing $122,000 between January 2019 and April 2024.
Kathleen Farmer, 63, of Crown Point, pleaded guilty to theft, a level 6 felony.
Court records alleged she issued receipts and took the cash payments that customers made for funeral services.
During the investigation, she told police she didn’t know how much money she stole. When asked what she did with the money, Farmer told police she was “living on it.”
The funeral home discovered it as they started to go through their books starting in October 2023, with the intention of sending collection notices to families who hadn’t settled their accounts.
On Thursday, Patrick Burns, a company vice president, told the court that the family wanted to take the case to trial.
Deputy Prosecutor Jacob Brandewie said, while he was sympathetic, the punishment would have been similar had she gotten convicted. They suspected she may have stolen more money, but couldn’t prove it.
A forensic audit concluded $209,000 went missing, court documents show.
Defense lawyer Michael Campbell argued she would be a convicted felon and repay about $11,000 in restitution. An insurance settlement paid about $100,000, he said.
“They were very good to me and I violated that trust,” Farmer told the court.
Court records state she was hired in 2014 and had a $38,000 salary.
Bangladesh llora a activista caído mientras aumentan tensiones antes de elecciones
Por JULHAS ALAM
DACA, Bangladesh (AP) — Cientos de miles de personas asistieron el sábado al funeral de un destacado activista bangladesí que murió a causa de heridas de bala sufridas en un ataque en Daca a principios de este mes, mientras las tensiones políticas se apoderaban del país antes de las elecciones.
Sharif Osman Hadi, quien participó en el levantamiento político del año pasado que puso fin al gobierno de 15 años de la ex primera ministra Sheikh Hasina, murió en un hospital en Singapur el jueves después de haber sido baleado el 12 de diciembre en Daca.
La policía informó que había identificado a los sospechosos y que el tirador probablemente había huido a India, donde Hasina ha estado en el exilio. Ello provocó una nueva disputa diplomática con India y llevó a Nueva Delhi a convocar esta semana al enviado de Bangladesh. Bangladesh también convocó al enviado indio a Daca.
La seguridad fue estricta en Daca el sábado mientras se realizaban las oraciones fúnebres fuera del complejo del Parlamento de la nación.
El cuerpo de Hadi regresó el viernes por la noche, y el sábado fue declarado día de luto nacional.
Hadi era portavoz del grupo cultural Inqilab Moncho, que dijo que sería enterrado en el campus de la Universidad de Daca junto al poeta nacional del país, Kazi Nazrul Islam.
Los dolientes llevaban banderas de Bangladesh y coreaban consignas, como “Seremos Hadi, lucharemos década tras década” y “No dejaremos que la sangre de Hadi sea en vano”.
La noticia de su muerte el jueves por la noche desencadenó violencia, con grupos de manifestantes atacando e incendiando las oficinas de dos importantes diarios nacionales. El líder interino del país, el Nobel de la Paz Muhammad Yunus, ha instado a la gente a mantener la calma.
Hadi era un feroz crítico tanto de la vecina India como de Hasina, quien ha estado en el exilio desde el 5 de agosto de 2024, cuando huyó de Bangladesh. Hadi había planeado postularse como candidato independiente en una importante circunscripción en Daca en las próximas elecciones nacionales en febrero.
Bangladesh ha estado atravesando una transición crítica bajo Yunus en un intento por regresar a la democracia a través de las próximas elecciones. Pero el gobierno ha sido del partido Liga Awami de Hasina, que es uno de los dos principales partidos políticos.
El archirrival de Hasina, el Partido Nacionalista de Bangladesh de la ex primera ministra Khaleda Zia, es el otro partido clave, que espera formar el próximo gobierno. El partido Jamaat-e-Islami, el partido islamista más grande del país con una oscura historia relacionada con la guerra de independencia de la nación en 1971, lidera una alianza para abrirse un mayor espacio político en ausencia del partido de Hasina y sus aliados.
Hasina ha sido condenada a muerte por cargos de crímenes contra la humanidad, pero India no ha respondido a las repetidas solicitudes para su extradición.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Ataque con misiles rusos deja ocho muertos en Ucrania
KIEV (AP) — Un ataque con misiles rusos a la infraestructura portuaria en Odesa, en el sur de Ucrania, mató a ocho personas e hirió a 27, informó el servicio de emergencia de Ucrania el sábado, mientras un enviado del Kremlin se preparaba para viajar a Florida para conversaciones sobre un plan propuesto por Estados Unidos para poner fin a la guerra.
Las discusiones son parte del impulso de meses de la administración Trump por la paz, que también incluyó reuniones con funcionarios ucranianos y europeos en Berlín a principios de esta semana. El principal negociador de Ucrania dijo el viernes por la noche que su delegación había completado reuniones separadas en Estados Unidos con socios estadounidenses y europeos.
Mientras tanto, los líderes de la Unión Europea acordaron el viernes proporcionar un préstamo masivo sin intereses a Ucrania para satisfacer sus necesidades militares y económicas durante los próximos dos años.
Algunos de los heridos en Odesa estaban en un autobús en el centro del ataque el viernes por la noche, informó el servicio de emergencia en una publicación de Telegram. Camiones se incendiaron en el estacionamiento y también se dañaron automóviles.
El puerto fue atacado con misiles balísticos, declaró Oleh Kiper, el jefe de la región de Odesa.
Moscú no reconoció los informes del ataque. El Ministerio de Defensa ruso indicó el sábado que el día anterior había atacado una “infraestructura de transporte y almacenamiento” no especificada utilizada por las fuerzas armadas ucranianas, junto con instalaciones energéticas y aquellas que abastecen el esfuerzo bélico de Kiev.
En otros lugares, drones ucranianos atacaron una plataforma petrolera rusa, el barco patrulla militar Okhotnik y otras instalaciones, señaló el Estado Mayor General de Ucrania en un comunicado el sábado. Añadió que el barco estaba patrullando en el Mar Caspio cerca de una plataforma de producción de petróleo y gas y que todavía se estaba aclarando el alcance del daño.
La plataforma de perforación en el campo de petróleo y gas Filanovsky también fue atacada. La instalación es operada por el gigante petrolero ruso Lukoil. Drones ucranianos también atacaron un sistema de radar en el área de Krasnosilske de Crimea, que Rusia anexó ilegalmente de Ucrania en 2014.
No hubo comentarios inmediatos del gobierno ruso o de Lukoil. La compañía es una de las dos principales petroleras rusas, junto con la estatal Gazprom, que han sido objeto de sanciones recientes de Estados Unidos que buscan privar a Moscú de ingresos por exportación de petróleo que ayudan a sostener la guerra.
Kiev ha utilizado argumentos similares para justificar meses de ataques de largo alcance a la infraestructura petrolera rusa, que dice que tanto financia como alimenta directamente la invasión total del Kremlin, que pronto entrará en su quinto año.
El impulso de paz de Trump continuará el sábado
El presidente estadounidense Donald Trump ha desatado un extenso impulso diplomático para poner fin a la guerra, pero sus esfuerzos se han encontrado con demandas fuertemente conflictivas por parte de Moscú y Kiev.
El presidente ruso Vladímir Putin ha señalado recientemente que está afianzándose en sus demandas maximalistas sobre Ucrania, mientras las tropas de Moscú avanzan lentamente en el campo de batalla a pesar de enormes pérdidas.
El viernes, Putin expresó su confianza en que el Kremlin lograría sus objetivos militarmente si Kiev no acepta las condiciones de Rusia en las conversaciones de paz.
Los líderes de la UE acordaron proporcionar 90.000 millones de euros (106.000 millones de dólares) a Ucrania para satisfacer sus necesidades militares y económicas durante los próximos dos años, aunque no lograron superar las diferencias con Bélgica que les habrían permitido usar activos rusos congelados para recaudar los fondos. En su lugar, se tomaron prestados en los mercados de capital.
Después de casi cuatro años de guerra, el Fondo Monetario Internacional estima que Ucrania necesitará 137.000 millones de euros (161.000 millones de dólares) en 2026 y 2027. El gobierno en Kiev está al borde de la bancarrota y necesita desesperadamente el dinero para la primavera.
Mientras tanto, Kirill Dmitriev, quien dirige el fondo soberano de Rusia, se reunirá con el enviado de Trump, Steve Witkoff, y el yerno de Trump, Jared Kushner, en Miami el sábado, según un funcionario estadounidense. El funcionario habló bajo condición de anonimato para adelantar una reunión que aún no ha sido anunciada públicamente.
El funcionario sostuvo que Witkoff y Kushner se sentarán con Dmitriev, después de reuniones con funcionarios ucranianos y europeos en Berlín para conversaciones sobre garantías de seguridad de Estados Unidos para Kiev , concesiones territoriales y otros aspectos del plan redactado por Estados Unidos.
El principal negociador de Ucrania, Rustem Umerov, aseguró el viernes por la noche que una delegación ucraniana se había reunido con socios norteamericanos y europeos en Estados Unidos. Dio pocos detalles, pero dijo que acordaron continuar con el “trabajo conjunto en el futuro cercano”.
Preguntado sobre la reunión en Miami, el portavoz del Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov, dijo el jueves que Moscú se estaba preparando para contactos con Estados Unidos para conocer los resultados de las reuniones en Berlín, pero no dio detalles.
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Contribuyeron a esta nota los corresponsales Matthew Lee en Washington e Illia Novikov en Kiev, Ucrania.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/20/ataque-con-misiles-rusos-deja-ocho-muertos-en-ucrania/
4 takeaways from Chicago White Sox finalizing Will Venable’s coaching staff, including striving for efficiency
Chris Denorfia wanted to take something off the table shortly after his friend and former San Diego Padres teammate Will Venable became the Chicago White Sox manager.
“‘I will never ask you for a job, I don’t want to put that strain on our friendship,’” Denorfia recalled relaying to Venable.
“I told him if you ever have a need for me, I will be there for you in a heartbeat but just know that I’m never going to ask you for a job. I just think that friendships are too rare, especially in baseball long term. I didn’t want to put that in jeopardy.”
A little more than a year later, the Sox came calling. And Denorfia accepted a position as a major-league field coordinator.
“Just excited to have a quality individual, a great human, who’s got a great track record of experience within the league and a great track record of being a great teammate,” Venable said. The two were teammates from 2010-14.
“I’m really excited to add the person to the group,” Venable said.
Denorfia, 45, was one of five additions to Venable’s 2026 staff announced Wednesday, along with assistant pitching coach Bobby Hearn, first-base/outfield coach José Leger, bullpen catcher Bennett Markinson and major-league assistant Tony Medina.
Denorfia and Leger discussed their roles in videoconference calls with reporters Thursday. Venable shared his thoughts on the entire staff Friday. Here are four takeaways from the sessions.
1. The Sox kept efficiency in mind.
The Sox looked to hit the reset button on the efficiency of their staff.
“We thought that it was important to find the right fits,” Venable said. “And I think even beyond the fits, really just starting with — what is the structure that we find the most beneficial, the flows of communication, the responsibilities and how we’re going to split those up, who’s doing what and when throughout the day?”
Take, for example, Medina. He’ll be assisting hitting coach Derek Shomon and assistant hitting coach Joel McKeithan.
“He’ll do a lot of the game planning, assisting with that, taking the bulk of that off the plate of Joel and Sho and letting those guys have the bandwidth to make sure they’re coaching and doing all the things they need to do to make our hitters at their best,” Venable said.
Venable said the Sox wanted to make sure they were as efficient as possible.
“And so as we reimagined some of these roles and kind of put those things into place, we were then able to kind of follow up and say, OK, these will be the types of people that can carry this structure, that can carry this program, and really bring it to life.”
2. Leger stresses anticipation on the bases and in the outfield.
In addition to the work with the outfielders and in the first-base box, Leger’s duties will include coaching baserunning.
“I think the first step and first reaction is very important both in the outfield and on the basepaths,” Leger said. “Anticipation is the key here. Just good positioning when you’re talking about outfielders. That first step, first direction, angles, all those are important and we’re going to hammer that during drills during spring training. We’re going to continue that during the season to make sure we’re really efficient with our routes.
“On the basepaths, same thing. It’s anticipating, it’s understanding tips and tells from the opposition. It’s learning what the situation is bringing to them.”
Venable said it will take a collaborative effort to find some of those small things that can make a big difference.
“We’ll have a number of people diving in and doing all the research to find every edge we can and to help our baserunners out there,” Venable said.
3. Denorfia is prepared for a broad role.
Denorfia knows the field-coordinator position varies from organization to organization.
“There’s going to be a lot of practice design and scheduling for the players to make sure that they have everything they need on an individual basis to keep improving,” he said.
Venable said Denorfia will have a “broad role.”
“He’s going to make sure that all of these systems are running right,” Venable said.
Denorfia will be ready for any adjustments as the year progresses.
“There could be some video work to it with pitch tipping or any tips I can get,” Denorfia said. “I like to say once you start viewing the game through the lens of that manner when you start looking at these little tells that players are giving you, whether it’s a pitcher or catcher, it really kind of changed the way I view the game.
“So maybe just a different set of eyes with a different focus could give us a little edge on the day-to-day and the game planning and how we go about winning every day.”
4. Additions — on and off the field — kept coming.
Tristan Peters has some defensive highlights, whether it’s leaping at the wall to rob a player of a home run or diving to make a catch. The Sox on Thursday acquired the outfielder in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations.
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Peters, 25, spent most of 2025 with Triple-A Durham, slashing .266/.355/.429 with 28 doubles, 15 home runs and 76 RBIs in 136 games. He went 0-for-12 in four games with the Rays.
“Obviously some performance offensively, but I think defensively really interesting,” Venable said. “Any time you can get a plus defender up the middle, it’s really exciting.”
The Sox added to their front office Friday by hiring Carlos Rodriguez as an assistant general manager. Rodriguez joins the Sox after 16 seasons (2010-25) with the Rays. He was promoted to vice president/assistant general manager in Nov. 2022 after serving as vice president of baseball operations in 2022 and vice president of player development and international scouting from 2019-21.
“I’ve known Carlos for many years and have followed his career and impact within the Rays organization,” Sox general manager Chris Getz said in a statement. “He is an intelligent, thoughtful and experienced leader who has contributed meaningfully across nearly every area of baseball operations.
“From major-league season support and research and development to international operations and the execution of a new stadium build, Carlos brings a broad, operationally diverse perspective that will strengthen the White Sox at every level.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/20/chicago-white-sox-coaching-staff-takeaways/
Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers: Everything you need to know about the Week 16 game before kickoff
The 10-4 Chicago Bears will play the 9-4-1 Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field in a Week 16 matchup. Here’s what you need to know before kickoff (7:20 p.m., Fox-32).
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5 things to watch — plus our Week 16 predictions
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams winds up to throw in the first quarter against the Packers on Dec. 7, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Saturday night’s rematch between the Bears and Packers feels like a heavyweight bout, but it also feels like a heavy weight on the Bears.
A prime-time showdown? Huge playoff implications? And a rematch against your archrival — who beat you two weeks ago? Feels like a lot of pressure for a team that a year ago finished its fourth straight losing season. Read more here.
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Fans cheer during the third quarter of the Bears-Browns game Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)
The playoff scenarios are getting real. With three weeks remaining in the regular season, the Bears have positioned themselves well — but they haven’t clinched anything yet.
The Bears finish the season by hosting the Packers on Saturday night, visiting the 49ers in a Week 17 Sunday night game and hosting the Lions in Week 18. All three opponents are in the playoff hunt.
Here’s a look at the race for the postseason in the NFC. Read more here.
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Bears tight end Colston Loveland makes a reception against Browns linebacker Mohamoud Diabate in the first quarter on Dec. 14, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
For a player the team has said has “uncommon” or “rare” intangibles since he was drafted with the No. 10 pick in April, Colston Loveland has been pushing himself the entire way, even through an offseason in which he couldn’t do anything on the field as he recovered from January surgery to repair an AC joint injury in his right shoulder.
Entering Saturday’s game, Loveland needs one reception to break a tie with Greg Olsen for the second-most by a rookie tight end in franchise history. Read more here.
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Illinois lawmakers skeptical about Bears moving to Indiana, while Hoosier leaders tee up the football
Traffic moves along I-80/I-94 on Dec. 17, 2025, near the Indiana border in Lansing. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois lawmakers appeared unmoved by the Bears’ decision to consider building a new stadium in Indiana, expressing skepticism about the move and downplaying it as the organization’s latest attempt to gain leverage in tense negotiations.
Indiana officials, meanwhile, celebrated the idea of luring the Monsters of the Midway from their home state.
The Tribune first reported Wednesday that the team was looking at possible locations outside Cook County, including northwest Indiana, after Illinois lawmakers indicated a new Chicago-area football stadium wouldn’t be a legislative priority in 2026. Read more here.
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About last week
Coach Ben Johnson said this past week that the Bears “desperately” needed a win against the Browns. His team took care of business Sunday at Soldier Field.
The Bears handled the Browns easily, winning 31-3 in front of 54,051 fans in one of the coldest games ever played at Soldier Field. The temperature at kickoff was 8 degrees.
The Browns offense might’ve been colder. Cleveland had only one first down in the first half and failed to find the end zone in the game. The Browns finished with just 197 total yards. Read more here.
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/20/chicago-bears-green-bay-packers-week-16/
Chicago Bears ‘know what’s at stake’ in rematch with Green Bay Packers: The NFC North hangs in the balance
Cornerback Jaylon Johnson has been waiting a long time for this. As one of the longest-tenured members of the Chicago Bears, he has been waiting for meaningful games in December.
The 2020 second-round draft pick tasted it as a rookie, when the Bears went 8-8 and landed a wild-card spot as the No. 7 seed in the NFC. But Johnson suffered a shoulder injury and missed the final three regular-season games and the wild-card-round loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Since then, the Bears have played few games with much at stake late in the season.
“It’s a great feeling,” Johnson said this week. “To just have motivation behind playing and not just playing.”
The Bears will have a rematch against the rival Green Bay Packers at 7:20 p.m. Saturday at Soldier Field. It’s shaping up to be the franchise’s biggest regular-season game since — well, in quite a while.
In 2020, the Bears played the Packers at Soldier Field in the final week of the regular season with a playoff spot on the line. The Packers won 35-16, but the Bears squeaked into the playoffs because the Arizona Cardinals lost to the Los Angeles Rams that same day. It was an anticlimactic ending to a season with no fans in the stands at Soldier Field. The Saints breezed past the Bears fairly easily a week later.
This time, a win Saturday at Soldier Field could turn into a raucous celebration of the new era that first-year coach Ben Johnson has brought to Chicago seemingly overnight. Alternatively, a loss at the hands of their biggest rival would be a major disappointment, albeit not a crushing blow to their playoff chances.
Either way, this game should be anything but boring.
The 10-4 Bears are in the driver’s seat in the NFC North. Plenty of playoff scenarios remain, but a win Saturday against the 9-4-1 Packers would put the Bears in firm control of the division with two games remaining.
Ben Johnson has galvanized the fan base. Winning will do that. More than 54,000 fans showed up at Soldier Field on Sunday, when the temperature at kickoff was 8 degrees, to watch the Bears take on the three-win Cleveland Browns. A freezing-cold December game against a hapless last-place team should be a recipe for a half-empty stadium.
It wasn’t. Again, winning changes things.
It’s a near certainty that Soldier Field will be near capacity for Saturday night’s showdown.
“This is what you play football for,” veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett said. “This is what you dream about — the opportunity to play prime-time football, a rivalry game, playoff implications, seeding implications. You got two prime QBs, two really good defenses. You can’t ask for a better moment.”
Forget the lifeless, empty stadiums of 2020. That year’s version of the Bears never felt like it had what it takes to make any noise in the postseason, even when it did eventually get in.
“This does feel a little different,” said tight end Cole Kmet, who was drafted the same day as Jaylon Johnson in 2020. “Feels like we’ve got a lot of things going on right now that can carry over throughout the rest of the year.”
This is probably the most-hyped game at Soldier Field since the infamous double-doink playoff game in January 2019. Or if the discussion is about regular-season games only, throw in the 2018 win over the Rams on “Sunday Night Football.”
Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright hugs cornerback Jaylon Johnson (1) after Johnson made an interception during the third quarter against the Browns on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)
About that Browns game last week, the one sandwiched between two Packers matchups, Ben Johnson said ahead of the contest that the Bears couldn’t afford to let it become a trap game.
“We have goals and we know what’s out in front of us,” the coach said last week. “It’s just that awareness that every game matters. That’s where this week, you go from an emotional rivalry game like we just played, this week is equally important. We need this win. We desperately need this win.”
He wasn’t wrong. Good teams need to take care of business against bad teams, especially late in the season. That’s exactly what the Bears did, cruising to a 31-3 win.
This week, no such declaration is necessary. What’s the message to the players?
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“There doesn’t need to be much of a message here this week,” Ben Johnson said Tuesday. “They know. They know what’s at stake.”
Everybody knows. Bears fans are reacquainting themselves with the idea that December games come with stakes. Inside Halas Hall, there’s a quiet determination to flip the narrative in the NFC North.
The Bears felt it this week on the practice field.
“Everyone knows how important this is for the organization,” rookie left tackle Ozzy Trapilo said.
Added safety Jaquan Brisker: “It’s just time for us to step up and not do too much talking.”
The Bears were one pass away from potentially beating the Packers just 13 days ago in Green Bay. Quarterback Caleb Williams threw an interception in the end zone on fourth-and-1 in the final minute to seal a 28-21 Packers win, but it easily could’ve gone the other way.
If anything, that game proved that this Bears team could hang with the Packers. But the Bears already believed that themselves.
“We ain’t got no pressure,” Jaylon Johnson said. “Everybody else was telling us we’re not supposed to be here. So I mean, for us, it’s just sticking true to what we know we can do.”
Ben Johnson said he was having a conversation this week with veteran defensive tackle Andrew Billings about enjoying moments like this. Billings has played for six teams since entering the league in 2016 but has never appeared in a playoff game. DJ Moore is in a similar situation. Moore never won more than seven games before this season.
“Some people might take it for granted,” Billings said. “I don’t think we do. I think we really take it serious. It’s a good responsibility to have.”
Billings said the Bears will lean on the veterans who have been there before. Guard Joe Thuney has won four Super Bowls. Cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson won a Super Bowl last year. Safety Kevin Byard III was on the Titans when they were perennial playoff contenders.
The Bears have everything in front of them. Winning this game won’t clinch the NFC North, but it would put them in control.
Eleven months ago, Ben Johnson showed up at Halas Hall and said the goal was to win now.
Bears coach Ben Johnson stands on the sideline in the first quarter against the Packers on Dec. 7, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
“Our mission, starting this spring, is to win and to win now,” he said during his introductory news conference in January.
Every coach wants to win now. It makes for a great clip at a news conference. Not every coach can make it happen in Year 1.
The Bears have worked all season for an opportunity like this one.
“You want to take advantage of the opportunity,” Ben Johnson said. “You just don’t know when it’s going to happen again. That’s the nature of the NFL.”
That echoed the postgame comment Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell, one of Ben Johnson’s coaching mentors, told his team in the aftermath of a brutal loss in the NFC championship game in January 2024. Campbell dropped some reality on his team that night, saying “this may have been our only shot.”
The Bears have a chance, in the here and now, to win the NFC North. It’s all on the line Saturday in the 212th meeting between the Bears and Packers.
“This is what you put all the work in for,” Kmet said. “These types of games.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/20/chicago-bears-green-bay-packers-high-stakes/
‘Bully’ ball for Chicago Bears? How a play using 2 tight ends in the backfield can stymie a defense.
The Chicago Bears recently have been using a play named “bully,” and it first became noticeable because it worked against the Green Bay Packers — but not how it was designed.
It happened in the third quarter of the Bears’ 28-21 loss at Lambeau Field in Week 14, when quarterback Caleb Williams threw a sideline lob to Cole Kmet — another one of Williams’ patented “wow” plays with a low completion probability.
In this instance, it took Williams’ improvisational skills to pull it off. But more on that later.
The Bears also used bully on a touchdown run and an explosive pass play during their 31-3 blowout of the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, and the Bears may use it again Saturday night during their prime-time showdown against the Packers at Soldier Field.
The formation is simple: Williams stands 4 to 5 yards behind of the line of scrimmage with tight ends flanked to either side of him and a running back 3 yards in back of him.
The Baltimore Ravens used bully — they also called it the pistol-diamond formation — during quarterback Lamar Jackson’s MVP season in 2019. The heavy-formation play also can be used with a fullback on one of the flanks.
Bears coach Ben Johnson explained why he started using his version: “The origin was going against Green Bay the first time and having those edge rushers. We had both those guys (tight ends Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet) in the backfield to deliberately look to chip those edges and slow down those D-ends. That was the starting point.
“We’ve only done it for a couple weeks now. Like I said, each week is its own story. Whether we use that again this week or we want to go a different direction remains to be seen.”
Kmet said after the Browns game: “We’ve run it the past few weeks mainly because we’ve gone up against some pretty elite pass rushers. So you got (the Browns’) Myles (Garrett) this week, and obviously (the Packers’) Micah (Parsons) last week, so it really just kind of helps ensure some protection and then get out on our routes.”
Loveland said the play design incorporates a lot of versatility too.
“We can run so much stuff out of it … maybe we’re chipping, maybe we’re running the ball, we’re pulling or maybe we’re just getting out on a route,” he said. “So it’s just really messing with the defense, being able to do a lot of things out of that formation.”
It’s also meant to confuse the defense.
“As much window dressing and stuff you can do, it’s always good,” he said.
Here’s a breakdown of three times the Bears used bully.
Dec. 7 at Packers
Bears tight end Cole Kmet gets up after making a reception in the third quarter against the Packers at Lambeau Field on Dec. 7, 2025, in Green Bay. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
Situation: Third quarter, first-and-10 at the Packers 37.
Result: 26-yard reception by Kmet.
Breakdown: Loveland lined up to the left of Williams and Kmet to the right.
Both tight ends tried to chip their edge rushers (Loveland on defensive Kingsley Enagbare and Kmet on Parsons), then ran flat routes in opposite directions.
Williams appeared to be looking for Loveland to turn his head around right away, but Loveland kept on his route, and Edgerrin Cooper picked him up in coverage.
Running back D’Andre Swift tried to pick up blitzing safety Xavier McKinney, but McKinney powered through his block and chased Williams out of the pocket toward the right sideline.
Kmet ran up the sideline on a scramble drill and contorted his body to reel in Williams’ pass over the head of linebacker Isaiah McDuffie for a 26-yard gain.
Four plays later, Williams connected with Olamide Zaccheaus on a 1-yard touchdown pass to pull the Bears within 14-11 after a successful two-point conversion.
Sunday vs. the Browns
Bears running back D’Andre Swift scores a touchdown ahead of Browns cornerback Myles Harden (26) in the first quarter Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
Situation: First quarter, first-and-goal at the Browns 6.
Result: 6-yard touchdown run by D’Andre Swift.
Breakdown: Loveland lined up left, Kmet right. Loveland ran a route and was wide open for a touchdown pass, and Kmet ran left and blocked safety Grant Delpit on a run blitz.
Williams handed off to Swift, who cut right and beat defenders to the edge and hopped into the end zone. The Bears took a 7-0 lead.
Sunday vs. the Browns
Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (10) makes a reception ahead of Browns defenders in the first quarter Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
Situation: First quarter, first-and-10 at the Browns 48.
Result: 40-yard catch by Luther Burden III.
Breakdown: This time, tight end Durham Smythe lined up left and Kmet right.
Smythe and Kmet ran out routes, and Burden ran a post opposite DJ Moore’s deep crosser.
A couple of Browns defensive backs appeared to be confused by the cross-traffic, allowing Burden to get free up the middle for Williams’ strike. Burden slipped Myles Harden’s tackle and ran to the Browns 8-yard line.
Three plays later, Williams threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Moore, and the Bears took a 14-0 lead.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/20/chicago-bears-green-bay-packers-bully/
EU “Russia Confiscation” Summit Ends In Failure As Brussels Quietly Paves Way For Eurobonds
EU “Russia Confiscation” Summit Ends In Failure As Brussels Quietly Paves Way For Eurobonds
Submitted By Thomas Kolbe
The EU summit held in Brussels on December 18–19 was supposed to deliver two fundamental decisions. First, it was meant to address the expropriation of frozen Russian assets held at Euroclear. Second, it was expected to ratify the Mercosur trade agreement. In both cases, the EU’s bureaucratic elite around Ursula von der Leyen failed—paralyzed by its own dysfunction and ultimately by a lack of real power.
What had been grandly announced as a “summit of decisions” ended in a fiasco for Brussels. Neither was the Mercosur agreement approved, nor did the EU manage to convert the Russian central bank assets held at Euroclear into a substantial loan to extend Ukraine financing.
Let us first examine the Euroclear affair. That the EU bowed to growing pressure from several member states such as Belgium, Hungary, and Slovakia—as well as from the U.S. government—is telling. Despite all its ambitions, the EU remains a paper tiger in the global power struggle.
A Typical EU Solution
The solution to Ukraine’s massive financing gap looks as follows: the European Union will provide Kyiv with an interest-free loan of €90 billion for the next two years. Repayment will only be required if Russia pays reparations—which it will not. In that case, the EU plans to fall back on frozen Russian assets to cover the deficit.
That immediate expropriation did not occur is largely due to Belgium’s insistence—given that Euroclear is legally domiciled there—on a collective assumption of liability risks. As so often when consequences might arise from its own actions, Brussels opted for a diluted compromise.
Through the back door, this effectively introduces Eurobonds—a joint debt issuance—without explicitly saying so.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hailed the construct as a major success. National budgets would not be burdened, he argued, since the financing would be handled entirely at the EU level. Moreover, the loan would be secured by Russian assets. What Merz conveniently omitted is that EU member states ultimately remain liable for Brussels’ maneuvers.
In reality, Brussels achieved one thing above all: the politically and legally explosive issue of expropriating the Russian central bank was postponed. At the same time, the EU once again used the opportunity to cleverly circumvent its own rules—specifically the prohibition of joint debt issuance.
Enormous Financial Needs
Ukraine’s financial requirements are immense. In view of the war of attrition in the Donbas, the European Commission expects roughly €81 billion to be needed next year alone to close Ukraine’s budget gap, which currently stands at 18.5 percent of GDP. The newly approved EU loan will be supplemented by national contributions.
Germany alone will finance €11.5 billion for Ukraine’s military equipment from its federal budget—funded through new debt and charged to the taxpayer, who, needless to say, has no say in the matter.
Within EU budget planning, grants of up to €50 billion are earmarked for next year. According to plans by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, this amount is to be expanded to €135.7 billion over the following two years. This bottomless pit threatens to plunge economically weakening EU states—with already ballooning deficits—into severe turbulence unless the course is changed swiftly.
Restoring Military Striking Power
So what is the concrete alternative now that the raid on Euroclear’s balance sheet is temporarily blocked? EU and UK officials have repeatedly made clear in recent months that they intend to restore their military capabilities by 2028.
The signal to Russia is unmistakable: this is neither about lasting peace nor a genuine resolution of the conflict. A ceasefire—something Russia learned during the Minsk Agreement episode—would merely serve military consolidation.
When Friedrich Merz claims that Ukraine financing over the next two years serves exclusively to equip the Ukrainian army and not to prolong the war, this statement reveals one thing above all: a deliberate semantic separation of what is politically and militarily inseparable. Anyone who rhetorically decouples arms deliveries from war prolongation is not informing the public—but pacifying it.
Eurobonds or War Bonds
Brussels will now seize the moment to push ahead with a rapid expansion of Eurobonds. During the COVID lockdowns, the European Commission already ventured into this forbidden territory by issuing several hundred billion euros under the “NextGenerationEU” bond program.
The procedure is now being repeated. The Commission will issue bonds officially secured by Russian assets, but for which all member states ultimately bear proportional liability. Put differently: the EU is concealing yet another gigantic debt program, for which taxpayers will be on the hook in the end.
A large portion of this money will flow back into the European and American military-industrial sectors.
We are witnessing a classic EU solution: the existing rulebook is systematically undermined, while the representatives of the so-called “rules-based order” continue their erosion campaign—until even the last residue of trust in the integrity of EU institutions is ground down.
From Ukraine Conflict to Credit Accelerator
Regardless of one’s view of the historical background of the Ukraine conflict—of the 2014 Maidan coup or the years-long Donbas conflict—the principle of neutrality beyond humanitarian aid has been systematically abandoned.
Once it became clear that the Ukraine conflict could be turned into a credit accelerator, state-backed banks such as the European Investment Bank were heavily integrated into the process.
What has long been evident about Brussels hardliners is now plain to see: megalomania combined with personal career ambition. In the cases of Ursula von der Leyen and Friedrich Merz, this toxic mix produces political strategies and outcomes that drag the EU and its member states ever deeper into a spiral of fiscal obligations and looming military escalation.
Mercosur Postponed
The European Union’s historic task was to create and legally safeguard a competitive internal market. This attempt at limited competence transfer has now definitively failed.
On Thursday, the EU summit also failed to ratify the Mercosur agreement with South America. At the insistence of France and Italy, the decision was postponed by one month.
Negotiations have stalled for a quarter century. A finalized draft is on the table, providing for a phased tariff reduction over 15 years and covering Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. With 780 million people, a significant integrated market could emerge.
The agreement aims to boost European exports in automobiles and mechanical engineering while reducing tariffs on agricultural imports from South America—blocked primarily by the French farm lobby. Once again, the EU refuses to ease regulatory burdens on domestic farmers in order to balance competing interests.
What Remains?
In sum, the European Union keeps its debt machinery alive for another two years—while remaining incapable of making substantive moves on the international stage. The politics of postponement, and the costs of delayed decision-making, will ultimately be passed on to European taxpayers.
Tyler Durden
Sat, 12/20/2025 – 07:00
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/eu-summit-ends-failure-brussels-quietly-paves-way-eurobonds
ONU insta a Ruanda a salir del este de República Democrática del y extiende misión de paz por un año
Por JEAN YVES KAMALE, EDITH M. LEDERER y MARK BANCHEREAU
KINSASA, República Democrática del Congo (AP) — El Consejo de Seguridad de Naciones Unidas instó a Ruanda a retirar sus fuerzas del este de la República Democrática del Congo y extendió por un año la misión de mantenimiento de la paz de la ONU en el Congo, conocida como MONUSCO, ya que los combates en la región se intensificaron a pesar de un acuerdo de paz mediado por Estados Unidos.
El órgano más poderoso de la ONU condenó el viernes una ofensiva del M23, respaldado por Ruanda, y exigió que Ruanda deje de apoyar a los rebeldes y retire sus tropas. El Consejo de Seguridad también renovó el mandato de los cascos azules, manteniendo alrededor de 11.500 efectivos militares en el país, en una resolución adoptada por unanimidad.
La resolución se produce cuando el M23 afirmó el miércoles haber retirado sus fuerzas de Uvira, una ciudad estratégica en el este de la República Democrática del Congo que capturó la semana pasada, tras la presión de Estados Unidos. El gobierno del Congo afirmó que la retirada fue “simulada” y que los rebeldes aún estaban en la ciudad.
La embajadora adjunta de Estados Unidos, Jennifer Locetta, dijo al Consejo de Seguridad el viernes que el M23 debe retirarse inmediatamente al menos 75 kilómetros (47 millas) de Uvira.
El M23 tomó el control de la ciudad la semana pasada en una ofensiva mortal que se produjo a pesar de un acuerdo de paz mediado por Estados Unidos firmado a principios de este mes por los presidentes de de la República Democrática del Congo y Ruanda en Washington.
El acuerdo no incluyó al grupo rebelde, que está negociando por separado con el gobierno congoleño y acordó a principios de este año un alto el fuego que ambas partes acusan a la otra de violar. Sin embargo, el acuerdo obliga a Ruanda a detener el apoyo a grupos armados como el M23 y a trabajar para poner fin a las hostilidades.
La República Democrática del Congo, Estados Unidos y expertos de la ONU acusan a Ruanda de respaldar al M23, que ha crecido de cientos de miembros en 2021 a alrededor de 6.500 combatientes, según la Naciones Unidas.
Más de 100 grupos armados están compitiendo por un punto de apoyo en el este del Congo, rico en minerales, cerca de la frontera con Ruanda, siendo el M23 el más destacado. El conflicto ha creado una de las crisis humanitarias más significativas del mundo, con más de siete millones de personas desplazadas, según la agencia de refugiados de la ONU.
La fuerza de MONUSCO llegó a la República Democrática del Congo en 2010, luego de asumir el control de una misión de mantenimiento de la paz de la ONU anterior para proteger a los civiles y al personal humanitario y apoyar al gobierno congoleño en sus esfuerzos de estabilización y consolidación de la paz.
Sin embargo, los congoleños frustrados han dicho que nadie los está protegiendo de los ataques rebeldes, lo que ha llevado a protestas contra la misión de la ONU y otras que a veces se han vuelto mortales.
En 2023, a petición de la República Democrática del Congo, el Consejo de Seguridad de Naciones Unidas votó por unanimidad para reducir la fuerza de mantenimiento de la paz y transferir gradualmente sus responsabilidades de seguridad al gobierno congoleño.
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Lederer reportó desde Naciones Unidas, y Banchereau desde Dakar, Senegal.
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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.
Oak Park-based cellist and composer making sound waves worldwide
Oak Park resident Andrea Casarrubios is earning recognition for playing music, and for creating it. She is an in-demand cello soloist and an acclaimed composer, who has created commissioned works for world-class orchestras and ensembles.
The title work from her album “Seven” was nominated for a 2025 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition. That album featured Casarrubios as cellist and composer, performing seven of her most recent works.
As a guest soloist with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra in North Carolina, Casarrubios performed the world premiere of “Mirage,” her large-scale concerto for cello and orchestra.
The cellist has won numerous performing awards and received high praise from critics. The New York Times highlighted the cellist’s “gorgeous tone and an edge-of-seat intensity.”
“I am extremely grateful for all of the recognition,” she said.
The native of Spain moved to the United States in 2007, when she was 18, to attend the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. After that, she studied at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. When she completed her studies there, Casarrubios moved to New York before relocating to Oak Park in 2022.
“My parents-in-law live close by and so I knew this area pretty well and loved it,” she said of settling in Oak Park. When she spends time there, she unwinds by taking walks and doing hot yoga.
Casarrubios began her musical training long before she moved to the United States.
“I started with piano when I was two years old,” she said. “Basically, the lessons consisted in climbing up the piano bench and playing a few notes. But I loved it so much.”
When she was five, Casarrubios began studying the cello in addition to the piano. “My brother used to play the violin and I loved that he could play with a bow,” she said, admitting that she chose the cello so she could also play with a bow. She and her brother would play duets but he unfortunately passed away after a car accident two-and-a-half years ago.
Casarrubios began composing early in her musical studies. “At the same time that I was learning the instruments, I was very fortunate to have a piano teacher back in the small town where I grew up who used to encourage me to improvise at the end of each lesson,” Casarrubios explained.
The teacher, who Casarrubios said was a wonderful composer, would give her student a theme at the end of each lesson to which she would compose music.
“It started as a game,” she said, but it turned out to be very valuable lessons. “I learned to play with sound. I learned to be creative early on.” She noted that one of her composing goals is “to create an experience through the music that feels very relevant.” The composer observed that, in relation to the musicians who perform her music, “I want to honor each voice onstage.”
That creativity has been recognized by orchestras across the country. Her compositions have been performed at Carnegie Hall as well as by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and the National Philharmonic. They have been broadcast on radio stations in Argentina, Brazil, France, Sweden, Australia and Spain.
Despite a very busy performing schedule, Casarrubios is generally working on several commissions at once. She said that she reserves time to compose, sometimes taking two or three months where she doesn’t perform to completely devote to composing.
“Performing was my main focus for so many years,” she said. “I traveled all the time. I was still writing music but it didn’t occur to me that I could do this as a career.”
Casarrubios still performs but she is delighted that orchestras and ensembles often ask her to play her own pieces now. “I love doing that,” she declared.
Despite her busy schedule, Casarrubios has taught master classes across the United States as well as in Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Spain and China. “I love to help others make their journey a little bit easier than mine,” she explained.
Casarrubios is currently writing a double-cello and percussion concerto that she will be premiering in New York City in June. She is also writing another cello concerto for her first teacher in the United States, Amit Peled, to perform. In addition, she is composing a piece for guitar and strings for a Spanish guitarist, Pablo Sainz Villegas, to perform in Texas and Spain.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the people who have supported my voice and believed in it — especially the commissions — because it’s thanks to them that I’m definitely more of a composer now,” she said.
Myrna Petlicki is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/20/oak-park-cellist-andrea-casarrubios/
