Category: News
Broadview to consider zoning requirements for detention facilities following uproar around ICE processing center
After an ICE processing center located in west suburban Broadview became a flash point in protests against the Trump administration’s Operation Midway Blitz, village officials are moving to require that local prisons and detention centers allow for religious worship inside their walls.
Beyond the requirement that any prison or detention center operating within the village would not be able to prohibit religious worship inside the facility, a draft copy of the proposed changes to Broadview’s zoning code sets out a number of requirements around parking, distance between a prison or detention center and other institutions like schools, other places of worship, day care centers and public housing.
The proposal, set to come before the village zoning board Thursday night, comes on the heels of several attempts by clergy and other faith-based activists to celebrate Communion and provide other religious guidance to people being detained at the processing center during the Trump administration’s immigration operations in and around Chicago.
Broadview Police Chief Thomas Mills has occasionally acted as a mediator between the clergy and ICE facility administrators, who have refused the requests. Those refusals have created significant media attention and even prompted Pope Leo XIV to call for clergy access to the processing center, where detainees have reported inhumane conditions and treatment by federal authorities.
Mayor Katrina Thompson said the proposed changes were part of a routine update to village code, but acknowledged that these changes attracted significant attention “because of everything going on.”
“We’re doing our due diligence for the times that we’re in in the village of Broadview,” she said.
Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson is photographed in her office at Broadview Village Hall on Oct. 9, 2025. She is in her eighth year as mayor in the town of about 8,000 residents. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
As far as what power local authorities would have to enforce the requirements on a federally run building, Thompson said, “We don’t control federal operations.”
That said, she continued, “they still have to follow our local laws as they relate to zoning.”
Village spokesperson David Ormsby noted that the proposed ordinance coming before the board Thursday was still a draft and that other changes were possible. Ormsby said he couldn’t speak to what prompted the ordinance or how it would apply to the existing processing center, which has been located in Broadview for many years.
A marginal note in the draft copy states that the regulations “would also apply to the existing facility if they try to expand it or do anything other than interior repairs (or) remodeling.”
Activists had taken note of the proposal by Thursday afternoon, making plans to protest at the meeting on the suspicion that federal authorities planned to ask the village to expand its building there.
Rumors have circulated periodically over the fall that the federal government was considering expanding its footprint in Broadview. Videographers embedded with federal officials’ entourages have posted footage of them walking through buildings and discussing a possible expansion of holding space.
Neither Thompson nor Ormsby was aware of any moves by the federal government — or any other public body — to establish a new prison or detention center in Broadview.
The low-slung brick building with boarded-up windows has been in the tiny suburb for at least 20 years, Thompson said. While neighbors of the facility have grown used to periodic protests and activism around the site, Operation Midway Blitz brought regular clouds of tear gas and hailstorms of pepper balls to 1930 W. Beach St. as federal agents tried to subdue furious protesters outside. Illinois State Police and the Cook County sheriff’s office personnel have largely taken over law enforcement around the building alongside municipal police. The shift has forced politicians like Gov. JB Pritzker to walk a thin line between public safety needs and vociferous opposition to the administration of President Donald Trump and the tactics and mission of the immigration operation.
While protesters and advocacy groups have criticized the role state and local police agencies have played, Pritzker and others have countered that those agencies are working to protect protesters and curb the use of chemical crowd controls and other less-lethal ammunition that characterized the first weeks of demonstrations.
After several weeks of chaos outside the building and a legal battle with the feds over an illegally constructed fence on Beach Street, Thompson sought to curb protests with an executive order restricting when people may and may not demonstrate outside the building. On Dec. 3, she adjusted that order to permit gatherings of under 25 people from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and gatherings of more than 25 people from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Inside the processing center, detainees and their attorneys reported what one witness called “a human rights emergency:” filthy living conditions, overcrowding and abusive treatment by guards against people kept in the building far longer than it was designed for, according to a federal lawsuit filed in October. Attorneys have repeatedly attempted to get inside the facility to meet with their clients and been denied access, the lawsuit alleged.
If the ordinance clears the Broadview zoning board Thursday evening, it would be recommended for approval by the village board. The board’s next meeting is set for Jan. 5, 2026.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/18/broadview-zoning-ice-center/
Peak Wokeism & More: Doug Casey On 2025’s Defining Events And What Comes Next
Peak Wokeism & More: Doug Casey On 2025’s Defining Events And What Comes Next
International Man: As we step back and look at 2025—politically, economically, technologically, and culturally—which developments mattered the most?
Doug Casey: Politically, and in every other way, it’s all about Trump. As Shakespeare said of Julius Caesar, “he doth bestride the narrow world. Like a Colossus, and we petty men. Walk under his huge legs and peep about. To find ourselves dishonorable graves.”
Trump has his finger in everything, in all countries, all spheres of enterprise, everywhere. He’s a political phenomenon with authoritarian tendencies. Which is a natural consequence of an unstable “democracy.” In fact, Caesar rose to power because of the late Roman Republic’s chronic political instability—much of which he caused. Trump could be America’s answer to Caesar.
I made that observation to a friend who, like me, is prone to classical references. He countered that perhaps Trump sees himself as a Cincinnatus lookalike. Cincinnatus, you’ll recall, was a patrician citizen appointed dictator in about 458 BC to deal with a military emergency. He quickly did so. Instead of serving out the rest of his six-month term, he handed back his power and returned to his farm.
Trump sees that the US is on the cusp of a cultural crisis, and wants to avert it. He’s certainly a cultural conservative who wants to return the country to the halcyon days of yesteryear, the way it was in “Leave it to Beaver” and “Father Knows Best.” But he’s also a narcissist and a megalomaniac, trying to reorder the world by signing hundreds of Executive Orders, creating chaos with his tariffs, subsidies, threats, attacks, and arbitrary blustering. At heart, Trump is a Caesar, not a Cincinnatus,
Economically, the U.S. is imitating Argentina. His actions are pretty much those of Perón, who was responsible for the destruction of the Argentine economy: tariffs to protect domestic industries, lots of arbitrary regulations, and government “partnerships” with corporations. Both Peron and Trump are reminiscent of Mussolini. It’s a slippery slope.
He’s surrounded himself with sycophants and lickspittles. His tariffs have an excellent chance of upending both the domestic and world economies. He claims that he will replace the income tax with tariffs, which sounds great. It’s true that tariffs paid for over 75% of government expenditures up to 1916. But that was when Federal spending was tiny, about 1.5% of GDP. Today, the only way to reduce taxes is to reduce spending—but Trump loves spending. DOGE is long forgotten. I predict he’ll outdo FDR by every measure in spending.
He claims to have ended eight wars around the world: Cambodia and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, the DRC and Rwanda, Pakistan and India, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Israel and Gaza. In each and every case, there’s been zero change in the fundamentals. Any ceasefires were the result of threats and bribery. By intervening, the US is likely to involve itself militarily in these places. Not to mention that he’s at the point of starting a war with Venezuela. Trump loves hyperbole, prevarication, and half-truths. His word is approaching zero value, both inside and outside the US.
There’s so much more. Will ICE ever be disbanded? Will it deport 30 million illegal aliens? Will tourism from advanced countries, worth about $250 billion a year, collapse with Trump’s new demands for vast amounts of personal data? Even though Zelensky can be shown to have personally looted several billion dollars, will he be reinstated as Ukraine’s president? What will the consequences be of Trump’s promiscuously granting pardons to friendly billionaires? Will he get away with the billion-dollar rug pull on his and Melania’s worthless cryptocoins?
We’re in a state of political chaos.
Financially, the destruction of the currency can only accelerate when Trump gets his new Fed chairman.
Technologically, we’re in an AI bubble. I don’t doubt that AI will enable huge scientific advances, but I wonder if the hundreds of billions going into AI will ever show an economic return. If not, the losses could result in real upset. The amounts are so large that—apart from the deleterious ways it can be used—they might cause a real drop in the general standard of living. Or at least catalyze a stock market collapse. The old saying “high-tech, big wreck” will likely once again prove true, even if AI changes the world for the better—which is not a certainty.
On the bright side, SpaceX can build giant rockets with large payloads and reuse them multiple times, cutting costs by a factor of 10 or 100. Bezos’ Blue Origin is doing the same. As are the Chinese. Technologically, 2025 was a great year, and in the long run, technology is what drives civilization. Loads of civilizations, governments, religions, and ideologies have risen and fallen in the 12,000 years since the end of the last Ice Age. The one thing that’s progressed on an accelerating curve, bringing mankind out of the mud, is technology.
There’s cause for long-term optimism, even if some bad things happen. However, technology needs more capital than ever. And if the economic, financial, political, and cultural problems—including Wokism and the resurgence of Islam—make it impossible to accumulate adequate capital, even the great flywheel of technology could slow down.
The biggest problem is cultural Wokeism.
Maybe the election of Trump signals peak Wokeism; many sensible people are reacting against it. But its underlying causes in the educational system, and the hive mind of Boobus americanus, are still there.
The optimist in me says that 2025 probably signals a turning point.
International Man: 2025 seemed to accelerate the delegitimization of major institutions—the media, academia, government, and even central banks.
Has the loss of trust reached the point of no return? What does that imply for the stability of the US and other countries going forward?
Doug Casey: Not so long ago, the electronic media meant CBS, NBC, and ABC. I’m not saying they were particularly truthful, but newsmen like Huntley and Brinkley, Edward R Murrow, and Walter Cronkite were thoughtful and independent. Their spoken words had more credibility than the writing in manipulative newspaper behemoths like those of Pulitzer and Hearst. Print publishers were replaced by electronic networks. Now, blow-dried lookalike corporate newscasters have lost credibility. They’ve been replaced by independent media, podcasts, and blogs. It’s true that the old institutions have been delegitimized. It’s much as Buckminster Fuller said: “You don’t change things by destroying the old order; you change the old order by making it irrelevant.”
The same thing is happening with academia. It’s become obvious to almost everybody that college is a negative value. Parents are aware that, starting in grade school, their kids are subjected to standardized indoctrination. Schools have become corrupt babysitters that enrich administrators while impoverishing their customers.
Let me draw your attention to a current series called The Chair about a totally woke mid-level Ivy League university on the edge of chaos. I mention it because I had trouble figuring out whether it was a spoof of the educational system or a semi-documentary description of it.
As for government, I suppose people are genetically programmed to want leaders. Just in my lifetime, governments have become vastly more powerful and coercive. On the other hand, the concepts of libertarianism and anarcho-capitalism have gone from things that nobody had even heard of to being widely discussed. And people are even starting to understand how central banks create fiat money, and that an increase in the money supply is what causes inflation. Even that meme is getting traction.
So there’s some cause for optimism regarding the delegitimization of corrupt old institutions. But if trust collapses too far, and everywhere, that implies bad things for the stability of society.
The U.S. used to be a high-trust culture with shared values and long-term time preferences. But now, with the mass immigration of vastly different cultures with conflicting values and very short-term time preferences, that’s changing—and not for the better. The new migrants sense that traditional American institutions in the U.S. are washing away, and they’re taking advantage of it.
International Man: Economically, 2025 was a paradox: financial markets hit new highs while the average household struggled under rising debt and falling real wages.
What does this divergence tell you about the underlying state of the economy—and where does it lead from here?
Doug Casey: The health and direction of the stock market and the economy are two different things. The massive money creation that’s gone on in the U.S. for decades, but especially over the last 10 years, has found its way into the stock market as a place to hide, out of self-preservation. I think both the stock market and the economy are riding for a fall.
International Man: It seems to many that the US is approaching a period of major political, social, and institutional upheaval. Do you think the country is at the beginning of a broader historical shift?
Doug Casey: Strauss and Howe’s book, The Fourth Turning, predicted a major upset would occur about now. But they didn’t predict who would win. I agree. My only prediction is that the US will be a different place in 10 years. Whether it will be “better” or “worse” is an open question.
* * *
Doug Casey’s candid assessment of 2025 makes one thing clear: we’re living through a historic inflection point—politically, economically, and culturally. But this conversation only scratches the surface. In a new free special report, Doug Casey’s Top 7 Predictions, Doug goes a step further, laying out the key trends he believes will define the decade—and what they mean for your wealth, freedom, and future. Learn how to position yourself to not just survive, but thrive, in today’s volatile economic and political environment. Click here to get it now.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 12/18/2025 – 19:15
Burgos de segunda división soprende a Getafe, Athletic y Betis avanzan en Copa del Rey
Por TALES AZZONI
MADRID (AP) — Getafe se convirtió en el último club de primera división en ser eliminado en la ronda de 32 de la Copa del Rey, al perder el jueves 3-1 contra el Burgos, equipo de segunda división.
Otros cuatro clubes de primera división no lograron superar a equipos de divisiones inferiores esta semana. El Athletic Bilbao necesitó tiempo extra para vencer al Ourense de tercera división 1-0 el jueves.
El miércoles, Villarreal, Celta Vigo y Levante fueron eliminados por equipos de divisiones inferiores. El Sevilla perdió contra el club de primera división Alavés. El martes, el Mallorca perdió contra el club de segunda división Deportivo La Coruña. El Oviedo no pudo avanzar más allá de la primera ronda, mientras que el Girona fue eliminado en la segunda ronda.
Getafe tomó la delantera con Álex Sancris en el minuto 32, pero los anfitriones se recuperaron con David González convirtiendo un penalti en el tiempo de descuento de la primera mitad e Íñigo Córdoba sumando un par de goles en la segunda mitad.
Fue la tercera derrota consecutiva para Getafe, que se encuentra en el décimo lugar en la liga española. El Burgos es sexto en la tabla de la segunda división.
El Athletic necesitó un gol de Mikel Jauregizar justo antes del descanso en el tiempo extra para vencer al Ourense.
El Real Betis superó al club de tercera división Real Murcia al anotar un gol en cada mitad para una victoria de 2-0.
Esta fue la primera ronda en la que participaron Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético de Madrid y Athletic Bilbao, quienes disfrutaron de pases directos debido a su participación en la Supercopa de España.
Kylian Mbappé anotó dos veces mientras el Real Madrid vencía al club de tercera división Talavera 3-2 el miércoles, mientras que el Atlético de Madrid eliminó al equipo de cuarta división Atlético Baleares 3-2 El martes, el Barcelona derrotó al club de tercera división Guadalajara 2-0.
El último puesto en los octavos de final se decidirá el seis de enero cuando el Granada reciba al Rayo Vallecano.
___
Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
2025 Chicagoans of the Year
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/18/chicagoans-of-the-year/
Daily Horoscope for December 19, 2025
General Daily Insight for December 19, 2025
New paths open as we breathe and begin again. The Sun and Uranus will disagree, so we may need to pivot plans and adjust expectations without losing heart. Thankfully, the Sagittarius New Moon at 08:43 PM EST nurtures our optimism and initiative, inviting us to plant intentions for a better future. Finally, Luna slides into steady Capricorn, helping us turn inspiration into real action. Whether we’re taking notes in the moment or setting up digital calendar reminders for the future, we can reliably keep our promises.
Aries
March 21 – April 19
Look ahead before you start your journey. Keeping your eyes locked on solely the next step can blind you to the future’s potential, particularly as your 9th House of Outstretched Imagination hosts tonight’s New Moon. Consider enrolling in a local course — even if you don’t have the time or money for traditional classes, an online lecture could be amazingly enriching. If travel also isn’t practical, watching a documentary can widen your perspective on the world. Stretching your mind is extremely valuable under this lunation.
Taurus
April 20 – May 20
You deserve privacy, Taurus! Even shared possessions need instructions about who gets what when. Fights could arise as the willful Sun in your sharing zone grumbles at unpredictable Uranus in your sign. The identity shifts of this transit may induce restlessness, but the New Moon guides you to move forward with trust in yourself. Pick what matters most, then make an effort to compromise on the rest. For instance, perhaps you’ll set a monthly spending cap for a joint account. Clarity keeps connections warm.
Gemini
May 21 – June 20
Communication requires equal give-and-take among all participants. This New Moon unites the Sun and Moon in your alliance-focused 7th house, highlighting the value of flexible agreements and mutually-beneficial promises with trusted peers. These connections may not be easy to navigate, but you’re capable of cutting through any confusion to find the best path forward. Pay attention to what people say AND what they don’t say — that could offer insight as to what’s really bothering a loved one. Curiosity can open fascinating doors.
Cancer
June 21 – July 22
Today favors gentle adjustments, especially at work. Your 6th House of Health gets more than a bit of a nudge with this New Moon, kicking off a cycle of self-care — the real kind. You don’t have to buy any spa supplies or change your whole diet. Just make an effort to get enough sleep and eat food that makes your body and mind feel good. Worries may still spike, but fortunately, a brief walk around the block should reset your mood.
Leo
July 23 – August 22
Your sparkle wants room to play! This emotional New Moon soothes your 5th House of Creation, making the process of getting started less intimidating. Make a point of moving without thought to how you’re being perceived. This could be literal movement, whether you’re dancing or going on errands. It could also represent other forms of artistic play — don’t be afraid to play a game without skill or doodle without taking art classes. Your free spirit can brighten the days of everyone around you!
Virgo
August 23 – September 22
Home rhythms can currently benefit from gentle, caring edits. Fresh comfort grows as the New Moon activates your 4th House of Nesting, showing you how to analyze and refresh your domestic routines. You might reorganize a drawer to prioritize your morning routine, which subtly reduces stress and helps everyone feel genuinely cared for. Even if you’re already content, you could be thriving even more magnificently by making a minor update to your daily systems. Create comfort now, so tomorrow’s tasks feel lighter and friendlier.
Libra
September 23 – October 22
Your words are spectacularly powerful at this time. Your 3rd House of Communication hums as a temperamental New Moon lands there, sparkling with conversational inspiration. Think about the last time you called your loved ones — yes, called, not just texted. If it’s been a while for anyone, it’s likely time to call again! Your diplomatic nature shines when you balance honesty with kindness, so you can repair any misunderstandings without sacrificing your voice. Speak with grace, because gentle truth invites lasting cooperation.
Scorpio
October 23 – November 21
Your priorities deserve honest, steady attention. The intuitive New Moon stirs your 2nd House of Internal & External Worth, inviting a reset around pricing that honors your time and talent. You might revise an invoice so its numbers reflect the effort you put into the process. Don’t let cheapskates cheat you out of your just desserts! You’re sharp enough to cut through the noise and protect your resources without being aggressive toward others. Prioritize fairness, since it should create opportunities for warmth and care.
Sagittarius
November 22 – December 21
This evening brings a brave inner renewal. Fresh momentum rises as the New Moon in your sign refreshes your sense of self. After choosing your desired direction, you can present it with a clear heart. Translation? Talk to your friends about your goals! Let your visible choices match the person you are becoming. Being hopeful is a skill all its own, one that grows as you practice it. Stay honest about what you want and what you’re doing to get there.
Capricorn
December 22 – January 19
Craving space to breathe and reset? So is the universe! Thankfully, the New Moon in your quiet 12th house should provide that. You may need to turn in early tonight, though — think of it as an investment in your future energy levels. By honoring the limits of your body and mind, you conserve your fire for the commitments you truly value. If you have unavoidable commitments tonight, try to fulfill them without exhausting yourself. Take plenty of breaks and keep snacks close at hand!
Aquarius
January 20 – February 18
When change meets habit, flexibility wins. This New Moon will show you the necessity of bending before you break, especially when it comes to your social sphere. Home pressures and community goals might be at odds. Try to look for simple solutions that won’t clash with each other. For example, if it’s a question of effort among a team, divide and conquer to get as much done as possible. You could offer a creative workaround to avoid overloading anyone. Let adaptability take the lead.
Pisces
February 19 – March 20
Expectations must be managed with grace. Tonight, the New Moon invigorates your 10th House of Reputation. Major boosts are on offer, but they could collide with shifting expectations from an authority figure. Step back and look at the big picture to figure out what needs to be done next. If plans change, try offering a more realistic timeline (along with a brief explanation as to why it’s necessary). Being genuine about your motivations should keep trust and goodwill well-nourished and growing nicely.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/18/daily-horoscope-for-december-19-2025/
Dan Bongino to Resign As FBI Deputy Director
Dan Bongino to Resign As FBI Deputy Director
After less than a year on the job, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino announced his resignation.
“I will be leaving my position with the FBI in January,” he said in a Wednesday post on X.
“I want to thank President Trump, [Attorney General Pam] Bondi, and [FBI] Director [Kash] Patel for the opportunity to serve with purpose,” he continued. “Most importantly, I want to thank you, my fellow Americans, for the privilege to serve you.”
“God bless America, and all those who defend Her.”
I will be leaving my position with the FBI in January.
I want to thank President Trump, AG Bondi, and Director Patel for the opportunity to serve with purpose.
Most importantly, I want to thank you, my fellow Americans, for the privilege to serve you.
God bless America, and…
— Dan Bongino (@FBIDDBongino) December 17, 2025
Hours before the announcement President Donald Trump signaled that Bongino was out.
“Dan did a great job,” he told reporters at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland earlier yesterday, adding “I think he wants to go back to his show.”
Bongino, meanwhile, told Fox News “I gave up everything for this. My wife is struggling. I’m not a victim. It’s fine. I’m proud I did this. But if you think we’re there for tea and crumpets…we’re there all day,” adding “I stare at these 4 walls all day separated from my wife in DC.”
🚨:#DANBONGINO: “I gave up everything for this. My wife is struggling. I’m not a victim. It’s fine. I’m proud I did this. But if you think we’re there for tea and crumpets…we’re there all day.”
“I stare at these 4 walls all day separated from my wife in DC.” FAMILY MAN.… pic.twitter.com/YGVAZaLxW8
— Brandon Tatum (@TheOfficerTatum) December 18, 2025
As the Epoch Times notes further, Bongino, who started his career as an officer for the New York Police Department and special agent for the U.S. Secret Service, was most known for being a political commentator on Fox News since 2013 and for hosting The Dan Bongino show on Rumble, before he joined the FBI in February 2025.
Social media users, including current and former Fox News contributors such as Nicole Saphier and Trish Regan, commended Bongino for his work. Regan said she looked forward to seeing him broadcast again.
The Epoch Times contacted Fox News for comment on whether Bongino would return, but did not receive an immediate response.
Bongino did not have prior experience in the FBI before he was tapped for the No. 2 position under Patel.
“Dan is the best partner I could’ve asked for in helping restore this FBI,” Patel posted on X Wednesday night.
“He brought critical reforms to make the organization more efficient, led the successful Summer Heat op, served as the people’s voice for transparency, and delivered major breakthroughs in long unsolved cases like the pipe bomb investigation. And that’s only a small part of the work he went about every single day delivering for America.”
The FBI has not yet named a replacement for the position, which does not require Senate confirmation.
During Bongino’s brief tenure, he clashed with the Justice Department over the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files after he spent years on his podcast demanding answers about the financier and sex offender’s 2019 death and high-profile connections.
Despite the reported disagreements over handling of the files, Trump said in July that their relationship remained close in July, calling Bongino “a very good guy.”
Tyler Durden
Thu, 12/18/2025 – 18:50
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/dan-bongino-resign-fbi-deputy-director
Vistazo a la fuerza militar inusualmente grande de EEUU cerca de Venezuela
Por KONSTANTIN TOROPIN
WASHINGTON (AP) — Las fuerzas armadas de Estados Unidos han acumulado una fuerza inusualmente grande en el mar Caribe y las aguas frente a la costa de Venezuela desde mediados de año, cuando el gobierno del presidente Donald Trump comenzó a trasladar activos a la región como parte de sus operaciones contra el narcotráfico.
En total, el Comando Sur estadounidense dice que hay unos 15.000 efectivos operando en el área, en el mayor despliegue militar en la zona en generaciones.
Forma parte de la creciente campaña de presión del gobierno de Trump sobre el presidente venezolano Nicolás Maduro, quien ha sido acusado en Estados Unidos de narcoterrorismo, e incluye una serie de ataques a presuntas embarcaciones de narcotraficantes en los que han muerto casi 100 personas desde septiembre.
Este es un vistazo a los barcos, aviones y soldados en la región:
Barcos
La Armada tiene 11 buques de guerra en la zona: el portaaviones más grande del país, el Gerald R. Ford, así como cinco destructores, tres buques de asalto anfibio y dos cruceros.
Los tres buques de asalto anfibio conforman un grupo de presteza para operaciones anfibias y transportan una unidad expedicionaria de la Infantería de Marina. A consecuencia de ello, esos barcos también llevan a bordo diversos helicópteros de la Armada, aviones de rotor basculante Osprey y aviones Harrier que tienen la capacidad de transportar grandes cantidades de infantes de Marina o atacar blancos en tierra y mar.
El portaaviones Ford cuenta con varios escuadrones de aviones de combate, así como otros aviones y helicópteros.
Aunque las autoridades no han ofrecido cifras específicas, los destructores y cruceros suelen desplegarse con una carga de misiles que incluye misiles de crucero Tomahawk, los cuales pueden alcanzar objetivos a cientos de kilómetros desde su punto de lanzamiento.
Un submarino de la Armada estadounidense también está operando en un área más amplia de América del Sur, y es capaz de transportar y lanzar misiles de crucero.
Aviones y drones
Un escuadrón de avanzados cazas F-35B Lightning II del Cuerpo de la Infantería de Marina ha sido enviado a una pista de aterrizaje en Puerto Rico. Los aviones fueron vistos por primera vez aterrizando en el territorio insular a mediados de septiembre.
Más recientemente, jets de guerra electrónica EA-18G “Growler” de la Armada fueron fotografiados despegando desde esa isla caribeña.
Por otro lado, satélites comerciales y observadores militares, al igual que fotoperiodistas, han visto drones MQ-9 Reaper de la Fuerza Aérea —capaces de volar largas distancias y transportar hasta ocho misiles guiados por láser— operando desde Puerto Rico, aproximadamente en la misma época en septiembre.
Se ha informado ampliamente que la Armada también está operando aviones de patrulla marítima P-8 Poseidon desde la región.
En octubre, las fuerzas armadas publicaron una foto de un AC-130J Ghostrider de la Fuerza Aérea —un avión fuertemente armado capaz de disparar sus grandes cañones con precisión sobre objetivos en tierra— estacionado en una pista en Puerto Rico.
Diversos aviones militares más han volado temporalmente a través de la región, parte de las operaciones militares allí.
La Fuerza Aérea ha trasladado repetidamente bombarderos B-52 Stratofortress y B-1 Lancer a la zona, en lo que el Pentágono ha dicho que eran vuelos de entrenamiento. Sin embargo, al menos uno de esos vuelos fue denominado una “demostración de ataque de bombardero” en fotos en línea.
Recientemente, las fuerzas armadas de Estados Unidos también enviaron un par de aviones de combate F/A-18 sobre el Golfo de Venezuela, en lo que parece ser lo más cerca que aviones de guerra estadounidenses han estado del espacio aéreo del país sudamericano desde que comenzó la campaña.
El golfo se encuentra en el territorio de Venezuela y sólo tiene unos 240 kilómetros (150 millas) de longitud en su punto más ancho. Los aviones pasaron más de 30 minutos volando en el área.
Soldados
En total, hay unos 15.000 efectivos en la región, de los cuales casi 10.000 son los marineros y los infantes de Marina a bordo de los buques de guerra. El Comando Sur de Estados Unidos se negó a ofrecer un desglose formal de la cifra total, citando razones de seguridad operativa.
El teniente coronel Emanuel Ortiz, portavoz del Comando Sur, indicó en un correo electrónico que la cifra total “incluye todos los servicios militares y civiles del gobierno en apoyo de esta misión”.
El Pentágono no ha ofrecido cifras específicas sobre cuántos drones, aviones o personal de tierra hay en la región, por lo que se desconoce cuál es su impacto sobre esa cifra más amplia.
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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.
America’s Rapidly Growing Happiness Deficit
America’s Rapidly Growing Happiness Deficit
We possess technology that would have been unimaginable to people living 100 years ago, we have access to more entertainment than any other generation in human history, and we have been enjoying an artificially-inflated standard of living that has been fueled by an unprecedented debt binge for decades. So why are so many of us so miserable? One out of every eight Americans is taking an antidepressant, more than 48 million Americans have a substance use disorder, the suicide rate has been trending in the wrong direction for years, and according to Gallup the percentage of U.S. adults that are currently dealing with depression has nearly doubled since 2015…
The percentage of U.S. adults who report currently having or being treated for depression has exceeded 18% in both 2024 and 2025, up about eight percentage points since the initial measurement in 2015. The current rate of 18.3% measured so far in 2025 projects to an estimated 47.8 million Americans suffering from depression.
We like to think that we are smarter than all of the generations that have come before us.
If that is true, then why can’t we figure out how to be happy?
What we are doing now is clearly not working, and this is particularly true for our young people.
One study found that approximately 42 percent of Americans that belong to Generation Z have been diagnosed with “anxiety, depression, ADHD, PTSD” or some other mental health condition…
In fact, an estimated 42% of Gen Zers have been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, ADHD, PTSD or other mental health condition, with a staggering 60% reportedly taking medication to manage their mental health, according to a study on the respected Psychiatrist.com website.
Nobody can deny that we have failed our young people, and now we have a colossal mess on our hands.
We have never seen a group of young adults that is as unhappy as Generation Z is, and without a doubt they are feeling an enormous amount of pressure from many different directions…
Analysts point to a host of difficult, anxiety-producing issues facing Gen Z, including widespread financial worries – with college costs in the stratosphere, food more expensive than ever, home ownership out of reach for most, and two jobs often needed just to pay the rent.
Then there’s the disconcerting reality that many Gen Zers are not dating or getting married and having families – partly due to economic pressures, high anxiety and insecurity about the future, disillusionment with marriage due to the high level of divorce in their parents’ generation, and widespread reliance on dating apps. But also because they are spending so much time living in a virtual world where they can plug into and commune with every imaginable – and unimaginable – type of individual, cause, “influencer” and community on earth, all recruiting 24/7.
I think that all of the reasons mentioned in the quote above are valid.
But I think that there is another that is more important than any of them.
Over the years, Gallup has found that there is a very close link between loneliness and depression…
Gallup research has shown a strong link between depression and loneliness, as one-third of those who had experienced loneliness the day before were also currently suffering from depression, compared with 13% among those who had not.
After declining from pandemic-era highs of 25% to a range of 17% to 18% through much of 2022 and 2023, reports of individuals experiencing significant loneliness “a lot of the day yesterday” have inched upward again since the latter half of 2024 to 21%.
Even though we are more “connected” to one another through the Internet in this day and age, the truth is that we are more isolated than ever.
As a result, much of the population is desperately lonely.
We were designed to love others and to be loved by others, and if we want to turn our mental health crisis around we need to rediscover the importance of making real human connections.
But instead, many Americans are turning to drugs and alcohol to ease the emotional pain that they are feeling.
A report that was put out two years ago by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration revealed that 48.5 million Americans have a substance abuse disorder…
According to a 2023 report by the federal agency Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 48.5 million Americans aged 12 and above have a substance use disorder.
This is a national epidemic that is getting worse every single year.
It has been estimated that substance use disorders are now costing the U.S. economy more than 90 billion dollars annually…
A new study has found that substance use disorders (SUD) cost the U.S. economy just under $93 billion in 2023 from a combination of missed work, reduced work productivity and lost household productivity.
The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine on December 8, was conducted by a team at the Division of Injury Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Needless to say, drugs and alcohol are not the answer.
So a lot of people that go down that road end up giving up completely.
For decades, the suicide rate in this country has been steadily moving higher…
Since the 1950s, the suicide rate in the United States has been significantly higher among men than women. In 2022, the suicide rate among men was almost four times higher than that of women. However, the rate of suicide for both men and women has increased gradually over the past couple of decades.
This breaks my heart.
So many people are needlessly ending their own lives.
According to the CDC, an American now dies by suicide every 11 minutes…
The level of suicides among our young adults is particularly alarming.
It is being reported that the suicide rate for young adults in the 18 to 27-year-old age bracket jumped by almost 20 percent from 2014 to 2024…
The suicide rate for U.S. adults aged 18-27 increased nearly 20% between 2014 and 2024, rising from 13.8 per 100,000 people to 16.4, per a new analysis of CDC data from Stateline, a nonprofit newsroom.
We have failed our young people.
Here we are at what many believe to be “the happiest time of the year”, and yet much of the population is soul-crushingly miserable.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Previous generations of Americans were much happier, and today there are lots of people that are living lives that are absolutely teeming with joy.
So if you are feeling depressed right now, I want you to know that there is hope.
You may not realize it yet, but you are greatly loved.
Once you learn how to respond to God’s love and the love that others have for you, everything will start to change.
Michael’s new book entitled “10 Prophetic Events That Are Coming Next” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 12/18/2025 – 18:25
https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/americas-rapidly-growing-happiness-deficit
TikTok signs deal to sell US unit to American investors
SAN FRANCISCO — TikTok has signed a deal to sell its U.S. business to three American investors — Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX — ensuring the popular social video platform can continue operating in the United States.
The deal is expected to close on Jan. 22, according to an internal memo seen by The Associated Press. CEO Shou Zi Chew said in the memo that ByteDance and TikTok have signed binding agreements with the three investors.
The new TikTok U.S. joint venture will be 50% held by a consortium of new investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX with 15% each. Another 30.1% will be held by affiliates of existing ByteDance investors and 19.9% will be retained by ByteDance, according to the memo.
Chicago remains alert, even as Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino and his agents sweep in and out of town
It was almost as if they never left.
When Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino and a throng of masked federal agents returned to Chicago in a flash on Tuesday, residents across the city — armed with whistles, smartphone cameras and chat networks on encrypted texting channels — were just as quick to greet them.
“For our team, we never stopped preparing, being ready,” said Torrence Gardner, a cofounder of the community group Protect Rogers Park.
Sources told the Tribune that Bovino had once again left the city on Thursday. It’s unclear whether his agents would remain behind or how many. Indeed, his apparent departure was followed by a noticeable decrease in immigration enforcement activity Thursday.
But this week’s immigration enforcement surge showed Bovino can “pop in with intensity at any point in time,” Gardner said, illustrating why the activists remained focused even after his first departure.
“Just because he left doesn’t mean the feeling of being victimized, of your neighborhood being targeted, that feeling does not leave you,” Gardner said. “That feeling sits with everyone.”
During the two-month Operation Midway Blitz this fall, Bovino and his agents terrorized Chicago neighborhoods and suburbs in their often discriminatory hunt for immigrants without legal documentation. But after the first snowfall of the season, Bovino and many of his agents left for operations in other states. Though immigration enforcement has never stopped, the daily onslaught against the region’s immigrant communities slowed down, allowing struggling businesses and tired residents to regain their balance.
But they didn’t let their guard down.
“We keep doing what we’ve been doing,” Gardner said. “We’ve got people watching at our schools. We’ve got verifiers. We’ve got people helping other neighborhoods.”
The ability of rapid responders and community activists to answer the call quickly after Bovino’s return this week is rooted in practice and a greater visibility of immigration issues brought by the Trump administration, said Brandon Lee, communications director for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
Some rapid response teams formed nearly a decade ago, while others are newer. But the Trump administration’s “escalation throughout this year brought the issue to everyday people across the state of Illinois to join rapid response teams and form their own teams.”
“They know to record. They know to share ‘know-your-rights’ information. They know to share the hotline,” Lee said. “It’s almost like it’s a muscle some folks have developed over time.”
Though the Border Patrol’s activities this week appeared to have detained fewer immigrants than previous rounds, the operation still left behind significant controversy and pain.
On Wednesday, agents once again swept up ride-share drivers near O’Hare International Airport, arresting 15 people, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Bovino bragged about the arrests in a post on X Wednesday, and another post that evening vowed agents would return to O’Hare “soon.”
About 90 people have been detained in O’Hare parking lot raids since Oct. 10.
Ride-share drivers at the airport wait for ride assignments in designated staging lots. Throughout October, Border Patrol agents repeatedly descended on those parking lots to arrest drivers, despite unsuccessful efforts by the city to stop them.
Although the broader activist community remained focused on the possibility of new large-scale raids, the Border Patrol’s return surprised some ride-share drivers.
“I don’t think people were expecting them to come back,” said Lori Simmons, an organizer with the Chicago Gig Alliance, an advocacy group for ride-share drivers.
Most drivers, Simmons said, are “horrified and scared.” A smaller minority think the arrests could be good for them by driving up fares, she said.
The ride-share lots are owned by the city of Chicago, but efforts by the city to prevent immigration raids there have proved futile, despite an executive order by Mayor Brandon Johnson that bars the use of city property for federal immigration enforcement.
A spokesperson for the city’s Department of Aviation did not respond to a question Thursday about whether the department was taking any steps in response to Bovino’s vow to return to O’Hare soon.
The Tribune previously reported that the department had been warned that the ride-share lots could be targeted for immigration raids in September — weeks before federal agents first conducted raids there. The city appeared to ignore that warning until the first raid took place. Afterward, the city posted signage and security in the lots in an attempt to dissuade federal agents from making arrests there.
Uber and Lyft have remained silent on the targeting of ride-share drivers in Chicago and did not return messages on Thursday seeking comment.
Meanwhile, leaders in the City Council’s Latino Caucus said federal agents need to see more consequences following the latest flurry of immigration enforcement in Chicago.
The footage of Chicago police officers pulling over a driver who was filming immigration activity Wednesday before releasing him and tailing vehicles that appeared to be occupied by federal agents on the North Side deeply concerned Ald. Andre Vásquez, he said.
At the same time, Vásquez, 40th, acknowledged “it’s uncharted territory” given there have been at least three instances now of Chicago police catching flak after DHS made emergency calls for help.
“I would argue confidently, there has never been a situation that’s occurred where they actively needed backup,” Vásquez, co-chair of the Latino Caucus, said. “They’re their own law enforcement. If I’m being cynical, I can see the federal agents using it to create that kind of spectacle. Like, Bovino then puts out a tweet that says, ‘Thank you to the officers.’ For all you know, they’re intentionally trying to cause that division.”
Vásquez stopped short of saying the sanctuary city ordinance needs to be revised to account for these situations, due to concerns that more conservative aldermen might take the opening to water it down.
Asked about the video of Chicago police cars apparently following federal agents along Sheridan Road and Hollywood Avenue on Wednesday, a department spokesperson said “we did not provide them an escort.” Rather, officers “pulled over the vehicle” occupied by a federal agent who, in a 911 call, said another driver was trying to ram them. But the agent said he didn’t want to “pursue enforcement.”
Chicago police units get between a whistleblower and a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol caravan on North Sheridan Road just off the DuSable Lake Shore Drive exit on Dec. 17, 2025. (Omar Luna)
On Thursday, the mayor gave credence to Vásquez’s theory that federal agents were using 911 calls to bait Chicago Police Department officers in order to score political points. He said the city will “absolutely” have to look at “creative ways” to mitigate such requests for CPD backup under dubious grounds.
“It is possible that Donald Trump is using Greg Bovino to lure in local law enforcement to carry out his terror,” Johnson said. “As our Police Department assesses situations, as they did that one, they realized that ‘Here we go again. Another fabricated, exaggerated claim that is ultimately putting people’s lives in danger.’ We’ve already seen that over and over again.”
Ald. Jessie Fuentes, who introduced an ordinance that would require the Civilian Office of Police Accountability to investigate Chicago police for violating the Welcoming City ordinance, said, “We have not heard exactly why CPD was sort of clearing traffic in the way that they did. I look forward to the response, because the public deserves one.”
She added that federal agents who make what she described as unfounded calls for help should be prosecuted for wasting local police resources.
“We would charge anyone or fine anyone who makes a false 911 report, and I think that shouldn’t fall on the wayside because these are federal agents,” Fuentes, 26th, said. “They should not be exempt from responsibility.”
Fuentes was one of several progressive aldermen caught in a violent protest outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in the South Loop on June 4 and questioned whether Chicago police officers were aiding federal agents that day. The department denied that.
Chicago police Superintendent Larry Snelling has sought to walk a fine line throughout this year, saying the department must remain politically neutral and “we don’t make the laws, we uphold them.”
Meanwhile, with the ongoing raids at O’Hare’s ride-share lot, Ald. Mike Rodríguez called on the city to go after the federal government in the courts for continuing to violate Johnson’s executive order banning immigration agents from city property.
“Absolutely, I’m in favor of suing the hell out of these guys,” Rodríguez, chair of the Workforce Development Committee, said. “What they’re doing is wrong, and we’ve got to leverage every opportunity we have to go after them.”
Chicago Tribune’s Jason Meisner and Laura Rodriguez Presa contributed.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/18/chicago-border-patrol-immigration-prepared/
