Category: News
Lincoln-Way Central’s Callie Barker, a swimmer and runner, signs with Indianapolis in triathlon. ‘Kind of fun.’
Over the past two years, while concentrating on her recruiting, Lincoln-Way Central senior Callie Barker pulled double duty by competing for the swimming and cross country teams.
There was a time that she wished she could do both in college but it didn’t appear in the cards.
“I originally wanted to go to college for swimming — it was my main sport since I was 7 years old,” Barker said. “I started running in the sixth grade.
“But I met with the swimming coach at Millikin who said I had a good running and swimming background and should try triathlons.”
Last summer, Barker embarked on her first effort in a triathlon.
“I was like, ‘Wait, this is actually kind of fun,’’’ she said.
She went on to do a few more, and that sport solved her decision on what to do in college for athletics. Barker signed a national letter of intent for Indianapolis to join the triathlon team.
Usatriathlon.org lists only 41 NCAA colleges offering the sport, so landing a spot on a team isn’t easy. Indianapolis’ program started in 2024, finishing 20th in the nation and eighth among Division II schools. This year, the Greyhounds were sixth in Division II.
Indianapolis coach Doug Robinson is looking to go even higher.
“He has some great goals for the team that I really like,” Barker said of Robinson. “He wants us on the podium at nationals, and I feel like I will be a great fit there.”
Barker also seems like a great fit for the sport. She hasn’t qualified for state in cross country or swimming, but the combination of her talents in the two sports makes her a natural in triathlons.
Running and swimming the past two fall seasons helped improve her stock.
“This was a unique opportunity for a unique person,” Lincoln-Way Central cross country coach Ryan Stapinski said of Barker. “We figured we would give it a try and see how it worked. It worked out really well.
“I think it actually helped Callie stay healthy. She had some injuries during the track season when she was just running. At the same time, it was helping her in swimming as well. It was a win-win.”
College distances are usually a 750-meter swim, roughly 12.4 miles of biking and a 3.1-mile run. This fall, Indianapolis competed in three regular-season events before regionals and nationals.
It’s going to take discipline to balance training and school work, but Stapinski doesn’t see that as a problem for Barker.
“Callie is so disciplined — she’s one of the hardest-working athletes I have coached,” he said. “She will do a morning swim before school or an afternoon run. She lifts on her own. She’s also disciplined in getting the proper amount of sleep.
“It’s incredible. It all works because of who Callie is.”
There’s still one area Barker needs work on, and that’s the cycling portion.
“It’s a lot of work,” she said. “But my coaches say it’s an easy sport to get better at. I’ve improved with it, but I haven’t had the time to bike. It’s hard to bike in the cold and snow.”
But that problem could be solved as she’s looking into obtaining an indoor bike trainer, which connects a regular bike to a stationary bike and would allow her to use her own bike to train.
Barker has tried other sports in her career, including tennis and cheerleading, but running and swimming won out.
“I love swimming because I can challenge myself,” she said. “I love to challenge myself and push myself to my limits and swimming is a great sport to do it.
“It’s the same with running. I can challenge myself to be my best.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Winnetka-based private equity firm reportedly nearing a deal to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins
A family-owned, Winnetka-based private equity firm is closing in on a deal to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins from Fenway Sports Group.
Multiple outlets, including Victory Sports and ESPN, citing anonymous sources, reported Wednesday that the Hoffmann Family of Companies is nearing the final stages of an agreement to purchase one of the league’s marquee franchises. Any purchase would need to be approved by the NHL’s Board of Governors, though that is often merely a formality.
The financial details have not been released, though the Penguins were valued at around $1.7 billion recently by Forbes.
The sale, if completed, would end FSG’s brief run as stewards of the five-time Stanley Cup-winning franchise. FSG, which owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox and Liverpool of the Premier League, agreed to purchase the Penguins from Ron Burkle and Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux in late 2021.
The terms of that sale were not announced, though the team was valued at around $845 million by Sportico at that time.
The Hoffmann Family, which counts the ECHL’s Florida Everblades among the many companies it runs, will pay considerably more than that to become the team’s third owner in a half-decade. The Hoffmann company has a primary office in Winnetka and has a headquarters in Naples, Fla.
The sale comes with the Penguins in a bit of a transitional period as the era defined by stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang nears its end. The trio — who are playing their 20th season together as teammates — have guided the club to three Stanley Cups (2009, 2016 and 2017), though Pittsburgh has not reached the playoffs since 2022 and hasn’t won a postseason series since 2018.
The Penguins are in the midst of an overhaul orchestrated by general manager Kyle Dubas. They parted ways with two-time Stanley Cup-winning coach Mike Sullivan last spring and are off to a better-than-expected start under first-year coach Dan Muse, though they are currently riding a six-game losing streak heading into a road trip that begins on Thursday at Ottawa.
Attendance has dipped since the club’s 633-game sellout streak ended in October 2021. The Penguins are currently playing to about 88% capacity this season at PPG Paints Arena, the third-lowest percentage in the league.
It’s expected that Lemieux will retain some financial stake in the club, as he did when the team was sold to FSG. Lemieux’s role during FSG’s tenure was nebulous, though he has been around more frequently of late as Crosby neared Lemieux’s franchise points record.
Crosby has 1,722 career points, one shy of Lemieux’s total of 1,723.
Lemieux, who led the team to a pair of Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992, remains beloved in Pittsburgh, where a statue of him sits outside one of the gates at PPG Paints Arena, which was built during his tenure as one of the club’s majority owners.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/17/pittsburgh-penguins-sale-hoffmann-family-winnetka/
One-Party-Rule Maryland Democrats Ignore Power Bill Crisis, Push Ahead With Slavery Reparations Study
One-Party-Rule Maryland Democrats Ignore Power Bill Crisis, Push Ahead With Slavery Reparations Study
Instead of addressing the state’s mounting crises, from fiscal mess, soaring power bills, and exodus of residents to violent crime and illegal aliens, unhinged Democrats in Annapolis spent their time on Tuesday overriding Gov. Wes Moore’s veto of Senate Bill 587, creating a reparations commission to study how Maryland should address slavery and racial discrimination.
What better way to spend precious time as the year winds down? Many thought the entire reparations and wealth-redistribution grift was over. Apparently, not in Maryland.
Democrats in the state still cannot read the tea leaves and remain hellbent on pushing a continued state-killing agenda that has unleashed mounting crises, such as the growing deficit crisis, continued exodus of residents to red states, and a power bill crisis.
All of this is happening under one-party left-wing rule, where accountability is nonexistent in what has effectively become a state run by Democratic kings.
Moore had vetoed the Senate Bill 587 in May, arguing that Maryland has already studied the legacy of slavery extensively and should focus on direct policies to reduce racial disparities rather than launching another commission.
“Democrats have launched another spending spree, starting with an unnecessary special session and then forcing through a misguided Reparations Commission,” conservative state representative Nino Mangione wrote on Facebook. “Even the big-spending Governor knew this was a bad idea. Voters should remember who supported this waste and hold them accountable at the ballot box.”
Conservative state representative Matthew Morgan stated, “This bill betrays the original intention, the unifying event of the civil rights movement. It’s immoral, and it’s fiscally ruinous to this state, and it sends a message to the generations out there now in Maryland that if you’re concerned about fairness, dignity, opportunity in this state, to flee Maryland.”
Today, the Maryland Freedom Caucus was in Annapolis for a Special Session to elect a new Speaker of the House and take up any vetoes from the governor. The most important of the day was SB587 – the Maryland Reparations Commission. This bill will divide Marylanders along racial… pic.twitter.com/o8nadR3q3v
— Maryland Freedom Caucus (@MDFreedomCaucus) December 17, 2025
The commission will study potential reparations, including apologies, direct payments, property tax rebates, childcare support, debt forgiveness, and higher-education tuition assistance. It will issue a preliminary report by January 1, 2027, a final report by November 1, 2027, and sunset in summer 2028.
The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland hailed the override in an X post.
LBCMD applauds the General Assembly’s override of the veto of the Maryland Reparations Commission (SB 587), which will now become law in our state. This landmark action establishes a rigorous & comprehensive plan for reparations and marks MD’s first-ever step toward reparations. pic.twitter.com/RL1ftjPeOD
— Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland (@BlackCaucusMD) December 16, 2025
Residents are fleeing the state (read report), as smart money recognizes that one-party Democratic rule has sent it what may be a terminal decline.
Tyler Durden
Wed, 12/17/2025 – 20:30
Column: As the Chicago Bulls’ struggle continues, Matas Buzelis learning how to cope with the ups and downs
It started out with a bang when the Chicago Bulls won their first five games for the first time since 1996-97.
Matas Buzelis was on a roll, Nikola Vučević looked like he’d found the fountain of youth, and with a productive bench and the imminent return of injured star Coby White, the future looked much brighter than anyone had anticipated.
But the season has since turned into a bust, and now the question of who will still be around after February’s trade deadline is being debated ad nauseam.
White and Vučević look like the two most likely departees, and the only one seemingly safe from the trade talk is Buzelis, who is still growing into his role as a starter but lacking the consistency he needs to be a prime-time player.
In last Sunday’s loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, Buzelis took only five shots in 23 1/2 minutes, finishing with 9 points as the Bulls fell for the eighth time in nine games. The Bulls need him to grow up quickly, but they understand that it’s all part of the growth process.
Coach Billy Donovan said he’s seen a lot of growth and development from Buzelis, though he believes some of it doesn’t register on the stat sheet.
Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis warms up for a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the United Center in Chicago on Dec. 17, 2025. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
“A lot of times you look at the performance or shooting percentage or how many points he scores, but I don’t really look at it that way,” Donovan said before Wednesday’s game at the United Center against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“He’s doing a lot more this year with the ball in his hands than he did a year ago, and is having to guard a totally different player, going against much, much better players guarding him than a year ago. Those are growth opportunities for him.”
Buzelis just turned 21 in October and only began getting minutes about halfway into his rookie season, following the trade of Zach LaVine. This is his first full season as a starter, and it’s not fair to judge him on the first 25 games.
But if the Bulls want fans to look at Buzelis as a core player who will lead the rebuild, he’ll need to become a more productive scorer and improve on his 3-point shooting, along with getting better on defense.
Entering Wednesday, he was averaging 13.6 points per game and shooting 32.4% from beyond the arc, despite taking the second-most 3 attempts (36-of-111) on the team behind Vučević (44-of-116). The Bulls are tied with the Cavs for 20th in 3-pointing shooting and 26th in points per game, so he’s obviously not the only one who needs to step up.
And perhaps Bulls fans may have gotten too excited over his 27-point night against the Sacramento Kings in the fourth game of the season, when the team was still riding its early-season wave. LaVine basically passed him the torch, saying: “Matas, this is just the trajectory he’s going to be on. The athleticism and the mindset were already there.”
But he’s been up and down since, and over his last 11 games entering Wednesday, Buzelis was shooting 22.4% from 3-point range and averaging 12.2 points.
Donovan isn’t concerned about Buzelis’s confidence, which has never waned.
“I think he’s handled things very, very well because of what’s been thrown at him, and there’s been a lot thrown at him,” Donovan said.
The ability to fight through the struggles is nothing new for a young NBA player, even for first-round draft picks like Buzelis, who came in with the label “project,” like so many of executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas’s first-rounders.
Related Articles
Las Vegas and Seattle are the front-runners if NBA expansion to 32 teams happens
Is it time for the Chicago Bulls to move Coby White? Is there still a market for Nikola Vučević?
Chicago basketball report: Angel Reese on ‘young and turnt’ Team USA — and Bulls’ numbers tell a bleak story
3 takeaways from the Chicago Bulls’ latest loss, including dueling bigs and a quiet night from Matas Buzelis
Could Nikola Vučević lose his starting job with the struggling Chicago Bulls? ‘We all have a part in this.’
Donovan compared Buzelis’s up-and-down start to the beginning of Joakim Noah’s college career at Florida, when Donovan was Noah’s coach.
“I saw Joakim Noah go through an amazing and incredible struggle his freshman year — really, really rough,” Donovan said. “And I’ve never seen a player go through that and then come back the next year and go from where he was as a freshman to maybe being the No. 1 player in the draft (before) electing to come back.
”It’s definitely about these (learning) experiences. I’ve said this for him before the season started — it’s going to be this (way) for him. It’s just him. To me, it’s all how he internalizes it and comes out of it. If he doesn’t come out of this better, then (the struggles) were for nothing.”
Donovan said Buzelis is a smart player and looks at things the right way, which is what matters most. Last year, Buzelis was averaging 5.3 points per game over his first 25 games and playing only 13 minutes off the bench as Donovan treated him with kid gloves.
One year later, the Bulls need Buzelis to grow up in a hurry or else face the likelihood of a long and grueling rebuild.
“I always say there’s a bull’s-eye on the problem, and you have to really address it,” Donovan said. “If you can address the problem correctly, you can really grow from that, and I do feel from my conversations he’s really internalizing a lot of stuff … It’s a lot for him, and I give him a lot of credit for what he’s had to handle these first 25 games, and he probably realizes how hard it is from where he was a year ago to where he is now.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/17/chicago-bulls-matas-buzelis-learning-to-cope/
67% Of Canadians Say Cost Of Living In Their Region Is Worst They’ve Seen
67% Of Canadians Say Cost Of Living In Their Region Is Worst They’ve Seen
Authored by Jennifer Cowan via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
Nearly seven in every 10 Canadians are identifying the cost of living in their area as a major issue, according to a newly released survey.
An Abacus Data poll found that 67 percent of the 1,500 people surveyed earlier this month said the cost of living in their area is the worst they can ever remember it being. Another 21 percent say the cost of living is bad where they live, although they can recall periods when it was even more challenging.
Only 11 percent say the cost of living is not bad, the survey said.
A recent poll in the United States found that 46 percent of Americans say the cost of living is the most challenging they can recall, which suggests that Canadians are experiencing this pressure even more intensely, Abacus Data CEO David Coletto said in the survey report.
Canadians polled also said the cost of living should be the federal government’s top priority. Sixty-two percent of people polled identified it as one of their top three issues compared to health care at 40 percent, and economic growth at 34 percent.
Housing affordability was fourth on the list at 25 percent, followed by immigration and the Canada-U.S. trade relationship at 24 percent.
Food and Housing Prices Top Concerns
The cost of groceries play a major role in the cost of living and Canadians largely cited food prices as a contributing factor to the rising cost of living, Coletto said.
“The most widely cited concern is grocery prices, selected by 81 percent of Canadians,” he wrote. “Food prices are the most universal and emotionally resonant cost because they are unavoidable and visible every week.”
He noted that the concern rises sharply with age, from 61 percent of those in the 18 to 29 age group to 93 percent of those who are 60 and older.
The survey results were released the same day as new data from Statistics Canada indicated an increase in food prices in November, following a similar rise in October.
Food prices from stores experienced a year-over-year increase of 4.7 percent in November following a rise of 3.4 percent the previous month, StatCan said.
Housing expenses, such as rent, mortgage payments, and property prices, was the second most-frequently cited cost-of-living issue, accounting for 50 percent overall.
“Here the generational divide is clearer,” Coletto said. “Six in 10 Canadians under 30 cite housing as a major pressure, compared with fewer than four in 10 among those aged 60 and over.”
While other costs were mentioned as a concern by those surveyed, they held less significance than food or housing costs. Still, utility bills, household item prices, health-care costs, transportation costs, insurance bills, and debt repayments are all on Canadians’ radar, the poll found.
“While affordability is a shared concern, what people mean by affordability varies by life stage,” Coletto said. “Messages that treat the cost of living as a single problem risk missing the specific pressure points that different audiences feel most acutely.”
Political Impact
The increasing cost of living has been identified as the primary concern nationwide; however, this issue is especially pronounced in Atlantic Canada and Ontario, according to the poll’s findings.
A significant majority across all age demographics said affordability should be a primary focus for the federal government, Coletto said. Younger Canadians tend to associate this issue with housing affordability, whereas older Canadians are more inclined to connect it with health care and Canada’s trade relationship with the United States.
Many Canadians see affordability as a structural and global issue rather than merely the consequence of a single government’s choices, which mitigates blame, despite ongoing high levels of frustration, Coletto said. But he warned that could change over time.
“For now, the cost of living remains a warning light rather than a red light for the Carney government,” he wrote. “But the intensity of feeling, combined with seasonal pressures and fragile household finances, means the issue is unlikely to fade quietly into the background.”
Tyler Durden
Wed, 12/17/2025 – 20:05
Lexi Kyros, who commits to Michigan in the fall, is raring to go for Marist in the spring. ‘My dream school.’
If you ask her, junior catcher Lexi Kyros will tell you just how excited she is for spring and the start of another softball season for Marist.
She might even shout it out.
The Michigan recruit let Marist coach Colleen Phelan know all about it in a text she sent while riding home from Normal after watching the RedHawks win the Class 4A girls volleyball state title.
“Hi, Coach Biebel. Sorry this is a late text, but after witnessing state volleyball just win it, I want it bad. We need it. Whatever the team needs, I’m there. Have a good night.”
Oh, yeah. She’s ready.
“Ha-ha… I was talking to Mary Fortner (who was driving) and I was on the phone with Ellie Holmstrom,” Kyros said. “Coach Biebel is going to lead us and she’s going to get us there. I texted her because I wanted her to know that I’m her leader.
Marist’s Lexi Kyros (19) frames a pitch against Joliet Catholic during an East Suburban Catholic Conference game in Chicago on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
“I was super excited for the volleyball players. They are all amazing people and some of them are my good friends. They’ve lit a fire under us. I want to experience that.”
It has already been an exciting school year for Kyros, who committed to Michigan in the fall. It came after a sophomore season where she hit .390 with nine doubles, seven home runs and 39 RBIs while throwing out eight base runners.
Her next picture on the Michigan softball field, meanwhile, won’t be her first.
That happened back in eighth grade, when she and Fortner were competing in a basketball tournament at the school’s rec center.
Marist’s Lexi Kyros (19) swings at a pitch before a nonconference game against Lincoln-Way West in Chicago on Monday, March 31, 2025. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
“Me and Mary also played softball, so we were like, ‘Let’s go to the softball field,’” Kryos said. “It was full of snow, but they had a door open, so we were able to get onto the field for a picture.
“Michigan was actually my dream school. When I was in fifth or sixth grade, my dad was a big Michigan fan. Going into freshman year, I went to my first softball camp there. I just really liked everything it stood for when I was younger. I just thought it was a cool place.”
There’s also a unique story about Kyros’ start at Marist. As a freshman, she not only took over the position from Caroline O’Brien, the East Suburban Catholic Conference’s player of the year in 2023, she did it while O’Brien was still there.
Phelan, whose maiden name was Biebel, moved O’Brien to shortstop for her senior season and put Kyros behind the plate. It was a win-win for everybody involved.
Marist’s Lexi Kyros (19) connects on a pitch before a nonconference game against Lincoln-Way West in Chicago on Monday, March 31, 2025. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
“I wouldn’t say we thought Lexi was a better catcher than Caroline that year,” Phelan said. “We just needed Caroline’s athleticism somewhere else. So Caroline wound up being Lexi’s assistant coach that season.”
Kyros responded in a big way, hitting .351 with seven doubles, three homers and 22 RBIs. She had a great debut behind the plate, posting a .985 fielding percentage and throwing out 11 base runners.
“It was pretty crazy,” Kyros said. “I was kind of hoping for it. I worked so hard for the opportunity.”
After proving her worth as a freshman, Kryos further established herself as a top-shelf catcher once O’Brien moved on to Notre Dame.
“I had met Caroline through summer camps,” Kyros said. “She was such a super-nice person. I definitely looked up to her. Before my freshman season, Caroline was such a good friend. She drove me to all of the preseason stuff.
“We got really close, really fast. She took me under her wing and mentored me as a little sister and a friend. She’s still a really good friend of mine.”
Marist’s Lexi Kyros (19) takes a break in the dugout before a nonconference game against Lincoln-Way West in Chicago on Monday, March 31, 2025. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
Kyros has made her own impact on the RedHawks around her. Just ask Fortner. She’ll tell you all about it.
She might even shout it out.
“Lexi is just awesome to be around,” Fortner said. “She’s so intense. She’s fun before the game listening to hype music and during the game when she’s in the dugout. But she’s all business behind the plate. Other teams are scared to run on her.
“I’m so happy for her going to Michigan. It’s always been her dream school. She deserves it.”
Tony Baranek is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/17/lexi-kyros-marist-ihsa-softball-michigan-recruit/
Trump exige a Venezuela devolver activos estadounidenses y defiende el “bloqueo” a petroleros
Por DAVID KLEPPER y AAMER MADHANI
WASHINGTON (AP) — El presidente Donald Trump exigió el miércoles que Venezuela devuelva los activos que incautó a compañías petroleras de Estados Unidos hace años, justificando nuevamente su anuncio de un “bloqueo” contra los buques con crudo que viajan hacia o desde el país sudamericano y enfrentan sanciones estadounidenses.
Trump citó las inversiones estadounidenses perdidas en Venezuela cuando se le preguntó sobre su nueva táctica —parte de una campaña de presión de meses contra el presidente Nicolás Maduro—, planteando que las acciones de su gobierno para confrontar a los líderes en Caracas están, al menos en parte, motivadas por disputas sobre inversiones petroleras, junto con acusaciones de narcotráfico. Algunos petroleros sancionados ya están evitando ir a Venezuela.
“No vamos a permitir que pase nadie que no debería pasar”, les dijo Trump a los periodistas sobre su exhortación a un bloqueo. “Recuerden que se llevaron todos nuestros derechos energéticos. Se llevaron todo nuestro petróleo no hace mucho tiempo. Y lo queremos de vuelta. Lo tomaron, lo tomaron ilegalmente”.
Las compañías petroleras estadounidenses dominaron la industria petrolera de Venezuela hasta que los gobernantes del país se movilizaron para nacionalizar el sector, primero en la década de 1970 y nuevamente en el siglo XXI bajo Maduro y su predecesor, Hugo Chávez. La compensación ofrecida por Venezuela se consideró insuficiente, y en 2014 un panel de arbitraje internacional ordenó al gobierno socialista del país pagar 1.600 millones de dólares a ExxonMobil.
Aunque desde hace tiempo el petróleo de Venezuela ha predominado en las relaciones con Washington, el gobierno de Trump se ha centrado en los vínculos de Maduro con los narcotraficantes, acusando a su gobierno de facilitar el envío de drogas peligrosas a Estados Unidos. En su publicación en redes sociales el martes por la noche, Trump dijo que Venezuela estaba utilizando el petróleo para financiar el tráfico de drogas y otros crímenes.
La semana pasada, fuerzas estadounidenses incautaron un buque petrolero frente a la costa de Venezuela, en medio de una acumulación militar estadounidense masiva que incluye el portaaviones más avanzado de la Armada. El gobierno de Trump también ha llevado a cabo una serie de ataques a barcos sospechosos de tráfico de drogas en el Caribe y el océano Pacífico oriental, en los que han muerto al menos 95 personas en total, ante lo cual legisladores y expertos jurídicos han planteado preguntas sobre la justificación jurídica de los ataques. Trump también ha dicho que está sopesando efectuar ataques en tierra.
Los comentarios de Trump sobre los “activos robados”
Stephen Miller, subjefe de personal de Trump, comparó la medida de Venezuela para nacionalizar su industria petrolera con un robo.
“El sudor, el ingenio y la labor estadounidenses crearon la industria petrolera en Venezuela”, escribió Miller en redes sociales el miércoles. “Su expropiación tiránica fue el mayor robo registrado de riqueza y propiedad estadounidense. Posteriormente estos activos saqueados se utilizaron para financiar el terrorismo e inundar nuestras calles con asesinos, mercenarios y drogas”.
En un principio Venezuela se movilizó para nacionalizar su industria petrolera en la década de 1970, un proceso que se expandió bajo Chávez, quien nacionalizó cientos de negocios privados y activos de propiedad extranjera, incluidos proyectos petroleros dirigidos por ExxonMobil y ConocoPhillips. Eso derivó en la orden del panel de arbitraje en 2014.
“Se puede argumentar que Venezuela le debe este dinero a Exxon. No creo que se haya pagado nunca”, manifestó el economista Philip Verleger.
Trump culpó a sus predecesores por no adoptar una posición más dura ante Venezuela ante las incautaciones de activos.
“Nos lo quitaron porque teníamos un presidente que tal vez no estaba prestando atención”, declaró Trump el miércoles. “Pero no van a volver a hacerlo. Lo queremos de vuelta. Nos quitaron nuestros derechos petroleros; teníamos mucho petróleo allí. Como saben, echaron a nuestras compañías, y lo queremos de vuelta”.
Chevron tiene una exención del gobierno de Estados Unidos para continuar produciendo petróleo en Venezuela, y el gigante con sede en Texas dice que sus operaciones no han sido interrumpidas.
La deuda de Venezuela con Chevron “ha disminuido sustancialmente” desde que se le otorgó por primera vez a la compañía una licencia para reanudar la exportación de petróleo venezolano a Estados Unidos en 2022, señaló Francisco Monaldi, experto en petróleo venezolano de la Universidad Rice en Houston. Dijo que el monto no ha sido dado a conocer.
¿Una nueva designación para el gobierno de Maduro?
No hubo cambios el miércoles en la lista estadounidense de organizaciones terroristas extranjeras después de que Trump dijera en su publicación que se ha designado que el “régimen venezolano” es una de ellas.
A los funcionarios de varias agencias de seguridad nacional se les dijo que no tomaran al pie de la letra los comentarios de Trump sobre la designación, sino que deberían considerarse una figura retórica, según un funcionario estadounidense involucrado en las conversaciones.
Ese funcionario, que habló a condición de guardar el anonimato para describir las comunicaciones internas interinstitucionales, también enfatizó que el “bloqueo” anunciado por Trump se aplica sólo a los buques previamente sancionados contra los cuales ya se autorizaron ciertas acciones, tales como la incautación de la semana pasada.
El Departamento de Estado —que supervisa la lista sobre organizaciones terroristas extranjeras— no respondió a las solicitudes de aclaración.
En 2020, el Departamento de Justicia de Trump acusó a Maduro de cargos de narcoterrorismo, y las autoridades estadounidenses han alegado que los gobernantes de Venezuela han saqueado el país y se han beneficiado del tráfico de drogas. El mes pasado, el gobierno de Trump designó a un grupo vinculado a Maduro —el Cártel de los Soles— como una organización terrorista.
Venezuela denuncia la “piratería” estadounidense
Maduro llamó el miércoles al secretario general de Naciones Unidas, António Guterres, para una conversación “sobre las tensiones actuales en la región”, señaló Farhan Haq, portavoz adjunto de la ONU.
“Durante la llamada, el secretario general reafirmó la posición de Naciones Unidas sobre la necesidad de que los Estados miembros respeten el derecho internacional, particularmente la Carta de Naciones Unidas, ejerzan moderación y reduzcan las tensiones para preservar la estabilidad regional”, expresó Haq.
El ministro de Relaciones Exteriores de Venezuela, Yván Gil, exigió en una carta al Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU —la cual fue obtenida por The Associated Press— que Estados Unidos libere de inmediato a la tripulación “secuestrada” y devuelva el petróleo confiscado ilegalmente en alta mar.
Además de instar al Consejo de Seguridad a condenar la toma del petrolero, Gil instó al órgano más poderoso de la ONU a emitir una declaración escrita que indique que no ha autorizado acciones contra Venezuela ni contra la comercialización internacional de su petróleo.
Aunque los ataques a los supuestos barcos de drogas han generado interrogantes sobre el uso de la fuerza militar, la incautación del petrolero por parte de Trump y otras acciones contra entidades sancionadas coinciden con la política estadounidense pasada, dijo el vicealmirante estadounidense retirado Robert Murrett, ahora profesor en la Universidad de Syracuse.
Indicó también que, desde un punto de vista militar, incautar petroleros sancionados e imponer un bloqueo son cosas mucho menos arriesgadas que una confrontación militar directa.
“La política de Estados Unidos apoya una transición pacífica y democrática en Venezuela”, señaló Murrett. “Si Maduro acepta renunciar mañana y tener elecciones libres y abiertas, creo que tanto demócratas como republicanos estaríamos encantados”.
___
Los periodistas de The Associated Press Matthew Lee en Washington, Regina García Cano en Caracas, Cathy Bussewitz en Nueva York y Edith M. Lederer en Naciones Unidas contribuyeron a este despacho.
___
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Muere en ataque armado futbolista Mario Pineida del club Barcelona de Ecuador
Associated Press
QUITO (AP) — El futbolista ecuatoriano Mario Pineida, quien militaba en el club de primera división local Barcelona, murió el miércoles a consecuencia de un ataque armado en la ciudad costera de Guayaqil, informó la policía, en medio de una ascendente ola de violencia al cierre del año en Ecuador.
Sin dar más detalles, la policía informó que Pineida fue una de las dos personas que murieron en el ataque, mientras que otra resultó herida. El ministerio del Interior tampoco precisó las circunstancias en un chat de periodistas, pero indicó que el hecho es investigado por una dependencia policial, la Dirección de Investigación de Delitos Contra la Vida.
Pineida de 33 años, jugaba como lateral en Barcelona Sporting Club, uno de los icónicos equipos de la costa ecuatoriana en la serie A, que lo contrató desde 2016. En ese año se coronó campeón nacional, hazaña que repitió en 2020 con la misma escuadra.
Lateral por ambas bandas, Pineida llegó a militar en 2021 con Fluminense de Brasil, y disputó nueve partidos con la camiseta de la selección ecuatoriana —el último en la Copa América de ese mismo año.
En un comunicado el club ecuatoriano informó que “ha sido notificado de manera oficial sobre el fallecimiento” de Pineida “tras un atentado en su contra”. El conjunto, que no explicó por qué consideraba que el hecho era un atentado, manifestó que el hecho enluta a la escuadra y que dará a conocer más adelante los detalles sobre las honras fúnebres.
Otros clubes ecuatorianos, como Liga de Quito e Independiente del Valle -en el que también militó Pineida- expresaron sus condolencias en la red social X.
Según reportes de medios ecuatorianos, las dos personas murieron en el barrio Samanes, en el norte de Guayaquil, 265 kilómetros al suroeste de la capital, Quito.
Ecuador se apresta a cerrar 2025 como el año más violento de su historia con más de 9.000 homicidios según el Observatorio Ecuatoriano del Crimen Organizado y otros índices de criminalidad global. La cifra supera las 7.063 muertes violentas registradas en 2024 e inclusive el récord anterior de 2023 con 8.248.
El gobierno del presidente Daniel Noboa ha defendido la lucha para combatir a organizaciones criminales que han expandido sus operaciones en territorio ecuatoriano en vinculación con cárteles internacionales de la droga.
No es la primera muerte de un futbolista en medio de la ola de violencia que azota a Ecuador desde hace casi cinco años. En noviembre, un jugador de 16 años del Independiente de Valle, falleció por una bala perdida también en Guayaquil. En septiembre perecieron también por impactos de bala Maicol Valencia y Leandro Yépez, ambos de Exapromo Costa, y Jonathan González, de 22 de Junio, dos clubes en el Ascenso Nacional, la segunda categoría del fútbol ecuatoriano.
_____
Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Conrad Black: China’s Expanding Influence Rekindles US Engagement In Latin America
Conrad Black: China’s Expanding Influence Rekindles US Engagement In Latin America
Authored by Conrad Black via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
Venezuela has followed a sharply sloping descent from being the most prosperous country in Latin America 50 years ago, based on its ample oil resources, to a catastrophic condition today. With the election of Marxist Hugo Chavez in 1999, and the succession of Nicolas Maduro as president in 2013 after Chavez’s death, approximately 20 percent of the population of Venezuela (8 million people) has fled the country and its GDP has declined by about 70 percent. It is by many yardsticks the most chronically under-performing country in the world.
Maduro is closely associated with the crime syndicate Tren de Aragua, and he is routinely declared by the U.S. government to be leading a narco-terrorist state whose chief occupation is trafficking slaves and the most dangerous narcotics into the United States and other countries in the Americas. The American contention is that Maduro’s conduct has been unconstitutional and he has no basis in popular support, and he is not in fact the legitimate head of the Venezuelan state. His principal occupation is held to be as an importer and exporter of narcotics and a trafficker in human lives of extraordinary barbarity. The United States has announced a reward of $50 million for the capture of Maduro, and it recognizes Venezuela’s president to be the opposition leader María Machado, who was recently awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace, having with difficulty escaped from Venezuela.
For much of Latin American history, the U.S. government was largely influenced in its policy towards Latin American countries by the perceived corporate economic interest of the United States. The flamboyant and partially unbalanced Marine General Smedley Butler claimed that the U.S. Marine Corps in Latin America was, for many decades, deployed at the whim of the United Fruit Company to extract the maximum possible profit from the countries where it operated. There was some truth in this, and a number of Latin American leftist politicians, particularly Juan Peron in Argentina and Victoriano Huerta, Pancho Villa, and to some extent Plutarco Elias Calles in Mexico, opposed the United States with socialistic measures, including nationalization of foreign economic assets.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the United States to what he called the Good Neighbor Policy, which was sincere and widely appreciated. He took a relatively relaxed view of Mexican nationalization of the oil industry—mainly from Americans, provided a modest compensation was paid—and relations between the United States and Latin America were reasonably composed in the early post-war years, especially after Peron was overthrown as president of Argentina in 1955.
The rise of the Latin American communists, in particular Fidel Castro, who seized control in Havana in 1959, introduced a new era of competition in Latin America between the U.S. interest and the international communist challengers. President Kennedy founded the Alliance for Progress, and it did make some progress. Castro’s celebrated sidekick, Che Guevara, was killed by Bolivian authorities while attempting to promote land reform in 1967. And the dapper communist Salvador Allende was accused by Congress and the Supreme Court of Chile of radically violating the constitution, and died in the coup conducted by the commander of the Chilean army, General Augusto Pinochet, who stepped down as president of Chile after 17 years in 1990.
The end of the Cold War in 1991, with the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the collapse of international communism, was a heavy blow to the Latin American left, and for some decades the United States was effectively uninterested in Latin American politics, no matter how hostile to the United States some of the region’s countries became. The United States viewed Chavez in Venezuela, the semi-communist Bolivian Eva Morales, the returning Sandinistas in Nicaragua, the communist Chilean president Gabriel Boric, and Brazil’s veteran leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva with indifference.
With the rise of China as a meddlesome country and the emphasis on strategic minerals and other vital supplies, including oil, the United States has snapped out of its torpor about what it considers to be the profoundly boring and frequently juvenile political antics of Latin America. It has been encouraged in this by the victory of the tremendously colorful libertarian capitalist Javier Milei as president of Argentina. The young president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, has also attracted its interest, as has the new conservative president of Chile, José Kast, and as did the immediate former president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro.
The United States has made it clear that it will not tolerate the installation of foreign military bases in Latin America, nor a policy that withholds from Washington access to any natural resources it considers to be essential. The Organization of American States (OAS) has often had a leftist majority, but the United States itself has made it clear that it does not consider ostensible Latin American political leaders who are in fact chiefly preoccupied in their vocations as narco-terrorists and slave traffickers to be worthy of any protections set up for them by international organizations. The U.S. government demonstrated when they seized the president of Panama, Manuel Noriega, in 1989 and ultimately imprisoned him as an industrial-level narcotics importer into the United States, that they weren’t much interested in what the OAS thought about it.
The United States has tired of attempting to see the Latin American countries in a nation-building role, although the current administration is strongly supporting President Milei in Argentina now. But the U.S. government under both major parties has made clear that those South American political leaders who antagonize the United States by joining forces with the chief terrorist and narcotics organizations can count on rather unsportsmanlike responses from Washington.
In the current circumstances between the United States and Venezuela, there can be little doubt that President Trump will intervene to assist the majority of Venezuelans who are opposed to the government, and will continue to treat the regime as a criminal enterprise. Maduro is unlikely to last long and will not be much lamented, least of all in Venezuela.
Tyler Durden
Wed, 12/17/2025 – 19:15
Daily Horoscope for December 18, 2025
General Daily Insight for December 18, 2025
Soft words are likely to land better than bombastic arguments. A meet-up between the emotional Moon and cerebral Mercury, both in loquacious Sagittarius, helps us talk through feelings. With romantic Venus trining healing Chiron at 4:17 pm EST, we may find that kindness repairs old aches as we name needs honestly. As Venus goes on to engage with extravagant Jupiter, perhaps adjusting our sense of fairness will be necessary to move forward. When compassion replaces defensiveness, we can solve problems without shutting down.
Aries
March 21 – April 19
Perspective could now open doors that felt closed. Relational Venus in your 9th House of Travel and Big Ideas trines healing Chiron in your 1st House of Identity, inviting a brave conversation that widens understanding across different backgrounds. A teacher, student, or faraway friend may open up about a sore spot. Your straightforward support helps both of you release old judgment. It’s not wrong to want clarity, but choose humility over being right. Your courage invites the answers you’ve been seeking.
Taurus
April 20 – May 20
Healing a shared worry is possible now. Trust deepens as sensual Venus in your intimacy zone trines therapeutic Chiron in your 12th House of Closure, helping you address tender boundaries without blame. You may revisit holiday expenses or repay a favor as a private fear surfaces. Your ability to be vulnerable while remaining basically calm could also help someone else feel safe enough to soften. Although painful memories might be easy to access, forgiving the past frees energy for honest closeness.
Gemini
May 21 – June 20
A promise deserves careful words. You’re potentially on the hunt for harmony as appeasing Venus in your partnership sector trines wounded healer Chiron. It’s not a bad thing to want agreement with someone important in your daily world, but your quick mind can race too far ahead. Slow down to check shared assumptions, and you’ll avoid crossed wires that cause unnecessary second-guessing. Although your social network might offer helpful feedback, let one voice matter most so the plan actually moves forward.
Cancer
June 21 – July 22
Gentle course corrections have the potential to make your day. Venus, the planet of self-worth, in your 6th House of Work and Wellness collaborates with therapeutic Chiron, calling for patient routines that are kinder to your body. You can still care about results, but consistent fixes build the reputation you want at home and at work. When you model calm accountability rather than reacting with protection or blame, you’ll likely find others willing to own their part and do what they can to support you.
Leo
July 23 – August 22
When care meets courage, play returns. Loving Venus in your 5th House of Romance and Creativity trines wounded healer Chiron in your adventurous 9th house, urging you to share a heartfelt idea or invite someone out with confidence. Your companion may hesitate, yet your enthusiasm draws them in because you keep it playful while honoring real feelings. One bold step close to home can rekindle joy and prime the pump for bigger journeys. Lead with warmth so creativity flows toward connection.
Virgo
August 23 – September 22
Your domestic sphere can feel lighter when truth is front and center. An honest check-in soothes tensions as connection-craving Venus in your vulnerable 8th house aligns with tender Chiron in your 4th House of Home and Family, inviting repairs to patterns learned long ago. Someone at home may finally tell the story behind a bothersome habit. Careful listening helps everyone choose kinder routines. Although you’ll probably have to work around certain quirks or insecurities, clear agreements about chores or expenses are necessary to move forward.
Libra
September 23 – October 22
Ready to talk and really listen? As relationship planet Venus in your communication sector reaches out to tender Chiron in your 7th House of One-on-One Bonds, a significant person may be ready to move a discussion toward understanding. You value fairness, Libra, so restate what you hear before sharing your view, and watch a defensive posture relax into something closer to partnership. There may still be legitimate differences between the two of you, but naming any shared goals should point you toward workable next steps.
Scorpio
October 23 – November 21
Scorpio, your values speak softly yet with strength. Financial calm grows as lavish Venus in your 2nd House of Money and Self-Worth reins in anxious Chiron in your practical 6th house, encouraging a realistic plan that honors both generosity and limits. You might renegotiate shared bills with a partner or map out a fresh budget for gifts. Once you start looking, you’ll likely find ways to protect your savings without draining joy from meaningful moments. Follow your heart, but keep the numbers true.
Sagittarius
November 22 – December 21
Warm confidence hums beneath every choice. Venus, planet of pleasure, spotlights your 1st House of Identity, but that doesn’t necessarily make you shallow. Wise Chiron weighing in from your self-expression sector gives you an informed perspective. When you know what’s not worth worrying about anymore, you can convincingly convey an openhearted ease that inspires others to meet you halfway. Use this window to reintroduce yourself in the spaces that matter to you. Your natural optimism is likely to carry your message further than you expect!
Capricorn
December 22 – January 19
A quiet, thoughtful pause can nourish you now. A release begins as Venus, planet of values, in your 12th House of Solitude and Closure brings perspective to moody Chiron in your private 4th house. You may write a letter you never send or sort keepsakes that you’re finally ready to let go of. Although there may be other people involved in a situation that you’re chewing on, some forgiveness rituals might be just for you. Let calm acceptance replace any harsh self-critique.
Aquarius
January 20 – February 18
Connecting with friends and acquaintances could inspire you today. Your 11th House of Social Networks brightens as free-loving Venus there trines thoughtful Chiron, offering opportunities for deep growth. In turn, perhaps you’ll help a group project or community effort regain spirit and momentum. Reach out to someone who often feels overlooked, and you may discover a brilliant workaround when their differing perspective refreshes the team’s stuck pattern. The answers you need are available if you’re willing to seek them out!
Pisces
February 19 – March 20
Broadening your reputation could help you now. As harmonious Venus in your 10th House of Career and Status trines world-weary Chiron in your self-worth sector, adding a human touch to your public messages and reviews has the potential to make them more relatable and convincing. No matter what your role, you can share a mistake you learned from, and people will see your integrity more clearly. You may still have your sore spots, but give yourself credit for growth over time.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/17/daily-horoscope-for-december-18-2025/
