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Caicedo ayuda al Madrid a vencer al Wolfsburgo en la Champions femenina, y Arsenal y Juventus ganan

LONDRES (AP) — La colombiana Linda Caicedo corrió desde la mitad del campo para anotar el martes el gol de la victoria del Real Madrid, por 2-0 sobre el Wolfsburgo en la Liga de Campeones Femenina, mientras que el campeón defensor Arsenal y la Juventus cosecharon también sendos triunfos.

En contraste, el Paris Saint-Germain sigue sin ganar después de cinco fechas tras un empate 0-0 con el OH Leuven, y ya quedó fuera de la fase de eliminación directa, con un partido restante.

Caicedo, de 20 años y considerada una de las mejores futbolistas jóvenes, firmó recientemente un contrato a largo plazo con el Madrid y demostró el porqué, al conseguir el segundo tanto ante el Wolfsburgo.

Asistida por Caroline Weir, la delantera colombiana superó a la última defensora después de partir desde su propia mitad del campo. Rodeó a la portera y definió a los 67 minutos.

Eso se sumó al tanto de María Méndez a los 19 para abrir el marcador con el Madrid, que terminó con nueve jugadoras.

Maëlle Lakrar recibió una segunda tarjeta amarilla en el descuento de la primera mitad, mientras que Iris Santiago recibió una tarjeta roja directa en la compensación de la segunda mitad.

Con la victoria, el Madrid superó al Wolfsburgo y se colocó en el tercer lugar, uno de los cuatro sitios de clasificación automática, y tiene asegurado al menos un lugar en la ronda siguiente.

Lo mismo ocurrió con el Arsenal después de una victoria en casa por 1-0 sobre el Twente, gracias al gol de Beth Mead a los 10 minutos.

Mientras tanto, la Juventus aplastó 5-0 al St. Pölten y subió al segundo lugar, con los mismos puntos que el Madrid y el Barcelona, que juega contra el Benfica este miércoles en su partido pendiente.

Cristiana Girelli anotó dos de los goles de la Juve, uno de ellos desde el punto de penalti.

El PSG, dos veces subcampeón y semifinalista hace apenas dos temporadas, ni siquiera llegará a los playoffs.

El empate en casa con el Leuven fue el primer punto de la campaña para el PSG y ya no le alcanza para colocarse entre los 12 primeros.

___

Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/09/caicedo-ayuda-al-madrid-a-vencer-al-wolfsburgo-en-la-champions-femenina-y-arsenal-y-juventus-ganan/ 

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Washington, DC Has The Highest Share Of Renters In America, Nearly Double National Average

Washington, DC Has The Highest Share Of Renters In America, Nearly Double National Average

About one in three U.S. households rents, a ratio that has stayed surprisingly steady over the past six decades.

But with mortgage rates soaring from 2.7% in 2020 to almost 7% today – and home prices continuing to climb – the share of renters has edged up.

Today, it takes $121,400 to afford a typical home, or 43% higher than the average salary.

This graphic, via Visual Capitalist’s Dorothy Neufeld, shows the share of Americans renting versus owning by state, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

A Closer Look at Renting vs. Owning in America

As the table below shows, states with the highest share of renters are found in states with high costs of living, led by Washington, D.C. and New York.

Despite residents of Washington, D.C. having the highest average hourly wages nationally— reaching $51.30 in real terms—the number of renters far surpasses that of homeowners.

As a result of limited housing supply, it has one of the most competitive rental markets in the country. High home prices, and an influx of out-of-state residents, notably New York City and Boston, are further putting strain on renters.

Meanwhile, 45.7% of people in New York rent, ranking in second. In the Big Apple, the average monthly rent is $4,100 for a one-bedroom apartment in 2025, rising 22% in the past five years.

California (44.2%), Nevada (39.9%), and North Dakota (38.8%) round out the top five states by share of renters.

In contrast, West Virginia has the smallest share of renters across states, at just 24.5%. Supporting home ownership is its affordability, with the median home sale price standing at $225,506 in Q2 2025, significantly lower than the national median of $410,800.

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on rent prices in America by state.

Tyler Durden
Tue, 12/09/2025 – 19:40

https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/washington-dc-has-highest-share-renters-america-nearly-double-national-average 

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Congreso colombiano rechaza reforma fiscal del gobierno para financiarse

Associated Press

BOGOTÁ (AP) — El Congreso colombiano hundió el martes la reforma fiscal que el gobierno necesitaba para financiar parte de su presupuesto del año próximo, en una nueva derrota para el gobierno del izquierdista Gustavo Petro en el Legislativo.

La Comisión Cuarta del Congreso, encargada de temas financieros y presupuestales, negó el proyecto con nueve votos negativos y cuatro positivos.

“El hundimiento de la ley financiera como era predecible, no es más que el desarrollo del odio político por encima del interés nacional”, reprochó Petro en la red social X. “Nadie cuerdo puede decir que ante un déficit no se debe obtener más recursos de una economía que está boyante y de unos megarricos que han duplicado sus utilidades gracias al encarecimiento de la deuda pública”, agregó.

Es la segunda vez que el Congreso niega una reforma fiscal al gobierno de Petro. En el 2024 rechazó un proyecto similar con el que también pretendía financiar parte del presupuesto general para las entidades estatales en 2025.

Un par de meses atrás el gobierno se mostró optimista con la propuesta de reforma fiscal, dado que el gobierno avaló el presupuesto general para el funcionamiento del Estado en el 2026, con conocimiento de que requerirá la posterior aprobación de la reforma fiscal para financiarlo en cerca de 4.200 millones de dólares.

El Ministerio de Hacienda justificó la búsqueda de recursos con una reforma fiscal asegurando que durante el 2024 hubo una caída inesperada en los ingresos totales de la nación por 2,2 puntos porcentuales del producto interno bruto.

La reforma fiscal incluía aumentar impuestos a los juegos de suerte online, combustibles, iglesias, licores, financieras, renta y patrimonios elevados. En algunos el gobierno cedió para viabilizar su aprobación, sin tener éxito.

“El recorte debe ser en el gasto que ha crecido profundamente. Para qué quieren 16 billones de pesos (4.000 millones de dólares), si a noviembre 30 tienen 75 billones de pesos (18.750 millones de dólares) que no han sido ejecutados, de los cuales 34.4 (8.600 millones de dólares) son de inversión”, aseguró el martes Efraín Cepeda, senador del opositor Partido Conservador.

Tras el fracaso de la reforma fiscal, el gobierno estudia si declarar o no una “emergencia económica”, usualmente utilizada para situaciones urgentes que permiten agilizar la respuesta estatal.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/09/congreso-colombiano-rechaza-reforma-fiscal-del-gobierno-para-financiarse/ 

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Illinois AFL-CIO withholds primary endorsements for Senate, comptroller and most open-seat races for Congress

The Illinois AFL-CIO, the umbrella organization representing most of the state’s organized labor, opted Tuesday not to make endorsements in several critical races for the March 17 primary, including competitive open-seat contests for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, state comptroller, and some congressional slots.

Tim Drea, the AFL-CIO president, said candidates were required to achieve two-thirds support of the union’s delegates — a high bar to meet in high-profile contests where labor, a significant part of the Democratic political apparatus, has many allies and doesn’t want to offend friends.

“We have a lot of friends with strong labor voting records in many of the districts. Others said they had worked with us in different capacities through the years. It’s kind of hard to choose a favorite when the fields are that strong,” Drea said after the voting of delegates in Countryside. “We will be there for these (nominees) next fall, but for the primary, you know, we just had too many friends.”

The union endorsement and the backing of more than 1.7 million labor households in Illinois are highly coveted by candidates across the ballot, including among some Republicans.

The AFL-CIO endorsed Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker in his bid for a third term, along with all other incumbent statewide officeholders seeking reelection. But no one secured the required backing for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat that Democrat Dick Durbin will be retiring from in January 2027.

Three leading candidates for the nomination, Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg and Robin Kelly of Lynwood, along with Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, each vied for the AFL-CIO endorsement at a special forum for union members last month.

While Krishnamoorthi touted a list of individual union endorsements, Stratton is backed by Pritzker, a strong ally of organized labor.

No endorsement was issued in the state comptroller race, where incumbent Democrat Susana Mendoza is leaving at the end of her term in 2027, potentially for a run for Chicago mayor. State Reps. Margaret Croke and Stephanie Kifowit, state Sen. Karina Villa, Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim and Champaign County Auditor George Danos are vying for the Democratic nomination.

The labor organization also made no endorsements among the myriad candidates running for the Democratic congressional nomination in the 2nd and 8th Congressional Districts, where Kelly and Krishnamoorthi are giving up their seats to run for U.S. Senate, and the 7th Congressional District, where veteran congressman Danny Davis is retiring.

But it did endorse Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss for the 9th Congressional District Democratic nomination amid a large field of candidates seeking to represent the district that includes parts of Chicago’s North Side, the North Shore and northwest suburbs.

“Fixing our rigged economy and rebuilding a government that truly works for the people will require a strong, united labor movement at the table,” Biss, a former state lawmaker, said in a statement.

Patty García, chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García, at Las Carnitas Uruapan in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, Nov. 14, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

“I’m proud to stand with the Illinois AFL-CIO, its affiliates, and its members, and I look forward to partnering with them to win this election and deliver real results for workers in Congress.”

The state AFL-CIO also endorsed Patty García, who is running to succeed U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García in the 4th Congressional District. Patty García is the former chief of staff to the congressman, who has said he intends to drop out of the race and has quietly helped orchestrate that she is the only Democrat on the ballot in the heavily blue district.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/09/illinois-afl-cio-withholds-primary-endorsements-for-senate-comptroller-and-most-open-seat-races-for-congress/ 

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Chargers lograron victoria épica sobre Eagles, impulsados por más heroísmo de Justin Herbert

Por DAN GREENSPAN

EL SEGUNDO, California, EE.UU. (AP) — La victoria en tiempo extra obtenida por los Chargers de Los Ángeles, 22-19 sobre los Eagles de Filadelfia, perdurará seguramente más que las implicaciones reales de ese resultado.

Sí, el mariscal de campo Justin Herbert jugó ocho días después de romperse la mano con la que no lanza el balón, y una semana después de someterse a una cirugía para fijar un hueso en esa mano izquierda lesionada. Sí, la defensa forzó cinco pérdidas de balón del mariscal de campo de los Eagles, Jalen Hurts, dos de ellas en una jugada particularmente absurda. Y sí, los Chargers (9-4) dieron un paso importante hacia un puesto en los playoffs.

Pero necesitaron la mayor cantidad de pérdidas de balón en la carrera de Hurts, un plan de juego sorprendentemente desequilibrado de los Eagles que hizo que Hurts lanzara 40 veces frente a 20 acarreos de un resurgente Saquon Barkley, y un gol de campo fallido de 48 yardas entre numerosos factores que contribuyeron a que los Chargers lograran la victoria el lunes por la noche.

Sin embargo, los Chargers tuvieron la resiliencia para aprovechar esas circunstancias, algo que nunca estuvo garantizado antes de que el entrenador en jefe Jim Harbaugh asumiera el cargo de cara a la temporada 2024.

“¡Qué equipo tenemos!” exclamó Harbaugh en su conferencia de prensa posterior al duelo. “Ésa es mi reacción. ¡Qué equipo tenemos!. Se niegan a perder. Simplemente tengo una gran, gran sensación de ganar, una maravillosa, maravillosa sensación de victoria, una gran emoción de victoria.”

Los mayores elogios de Harbaugh fueron para Herbert. Habiendo pasado dos años resaltando todos los aspectos del juego de su mariscal de campo, incluso Harbaugh tuvo problemas para ocultar su incredulidad después de ver cómo Herbert se lanzó al acarrear el balón cinco veces en la serie que empató el juego al final del cuarto periodo y para preparar el gol de campo de 54 yardas de Cameron Dicker en tiempo extra que resultó ser la diferencia.

Incluso, Herbert usó su mano izquierda, entre algodones, para defenderse de los rivales.

“Se sentía como si estuviéramos en una película donde el mariscal de campo está haciendo estas cosas, y llegas a un punto donde dices, ‘bueno, esto se está volviendo un poco irreal’, ¿sabes?” dijo Harbaugh.

Tampoco sería repetible, no con los cuatro partidos restantes en su calendario contra equipos que están en los puestos de playoffs o que luchan por éstos, incluidas las feroces defensas de Houston y Denver para cerrar la temporada regular. No es que a los Chargers les importara algo más que ganar el partido que tenían frente a ellos.

“Es salir ahí y competir, y hacer lo mejor que puedas por cualquier medio, y asegurarte de que nos vayamos con una victoria”, dijo Herbert. “Creo que las tres unidades del equipo hicieron lo mejor que pudieron hoy.”

Qué funciona

La interacción entre la presión al pasador de Los Ángeles y la cobertura fue excelente en los momentos cruciales, encontrando constantemente formas de forzar a que Hurts hiciera malos pases e impusiera un récord personal de cuatro intercepciones. Aunque sólo pudieron capturar a Hurts una vez, hubo suficiente presión de la línea defensiva para mantenerlo nervioso, y la secundaria fue lo suficientemente pegajosa como para limitar a los Eagles a cuatro de 13 en tercer intento (30,8%).

Qué falta

La línea ofensiva, que sufrió otro golpe cuando el tackle derecho Trey Pipkins III salió con una lesión en el tobillo, permitió que Herbert fuera capturado siete veces, un récord personal. Y una buena parte de los 10 acarreos de Herbert para 66 yardas vino después de que tuvo que escapar del bolsillo y salir corriendo. Sin una mejor protección, el ya maltrecho Herbert podría no terminar la temporada de pie.

_____

Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/09/chargers-lograron-victoria-pica-sobre-eagles-impulsados-por-ms-herosmo-de-justin-herbert/ 

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Aussie Data Centers Could Swallow 40 Million Litres Of Water Per Day, That’s About 80,000 Households

Aussie Data Centers Could Swallow 40 Million Litres Of Water Per Day, That’s About 80,000 Households

Authored by Jerry Zhu via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Australia’s utility industry warns the country’s current water supply is not enough to accommodate the explosive growth of data centres and artificial intelligence (AI).

A photo of the Global Switch data centre in Ultimo of Sydney, Australia taken on May 9, 2025. Courtesy of Kevin Lee

The Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA), the nation’s peak water body, says data centre developers are seeking about 5 to 40 million litres of water per day to cool down their facilities.

That’s the equivalent of 70,000 to 80,000 households or 16 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Data centres, which store information for governments to businesses, cycle water through their facilities to cool down servers and prevent overheating.

However, the development of AI, which has much higher computational power, storage, as well as electricity needs, is also driving up the base requirements of data centres.

In fact, the WSAA estimates that by 2030, data centres in Sydney alone are estimated to use 10.5 billion litres a year (1.9 percent of Sydney Water’s supply).

By 2035, this is expected to balloon to 90 billion litres a year, the equivalent of 15 to 20 percent of supply.

Sydney is arguably the tech capital of Australia with 90 data centres currently in the state of New South Wales (NSW), followed by 40 in Victoria. Future data centre developments could be much larger and energy-intensive, the report says.

Adam Lovell, executive director of WSAA, stressed the need for Australia to plan its water use carefully.

“Australia is well positioned to become a global data centre hub, and that needn’t be at the expense of our water resources,” Lovell said.

“The key is to help the sector become smart water users.

“We have a history in Australia of developing innovative solutions to make sure industrial users through to residential consumers have reliable access to water supplies.”

The report contained five recommendations, including implementing efficiency standards, recycling water, more transparency by publishing metric on water and energy use, early collaboration between data centres and water utilities, and creating new frameworks for developments.

Greens MP Airs Concerns About Data Centre Water Needs

Abigail Boyd, Greens MP of the NSW Legislative Council, raised concerns about data centre water use in late November.

“The latest Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal [IPART] determination for Sydney water prices notes that Sydney Water estimates that the water needs of data centres may be up to 250 megalitres per day by 2035 to fuel the explosion of artificial intelligence products,” she said during Question Time in NSW Parliament.

“That would be almost 20 percent of Sydney Water’s total water usage being consumed by data centres …” she said (pdf).

“What is the minister doing to advocate for a more responsible approach to artificial intelligence and data centre development so that new infrastructure, like water connections, is appropriately prioritised towards housing and is not fuelling the latest tech bubble?”

In response, Rose Jackson, Labor minister of water and housing, said Sydney Water had not prioritised capital investment for data centres and that housing targets were the priority.

“The government is having collaborative conversations with Sydney Water and energy providers because some of the pressures that the member has identified in relation to water also relate to energy and ensuring that New South Wales is open for business and supporting the future economic needs of the tech sector,” Jackson said.

“We want New South Wales to be a place where investment occurs so that we are at the cutting edge of emergent technology, and we can take advantage of it,” she added.

Sydney Water is exploring a number of innovative opportunities to ensure that data centre development can be supported without putting pressure on the prioritised capital delivery for housing,” the minister said, noting that the water needs of data centres could also change as technology improves.

Federal and state ministers are expected to discuss the country’s growing water demands in Brisbane on Dec. 12 amid the government’s newly released artificial intelligence plan.

Tyler Durden
Tue, 12/09/2025 – 19:15

https://www.zerohedge.com/ai/aussie-data-centers-could-swallow-40-million-litres-water-day-thats-about-80000-households 

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Embajadora de Canadá en EEUU renunciará antes de la revisión del acuerdo de libre comercio

Por ROB GILLIES

TORONTO (AP) — La embajadora de Canadá en Estados Unidos durante los últimos seis años, Kirsten Hillman, anunció el martes que renunciará a su cargo el próximo año mientras ambas naciones se disponen a revisar su tratado de libre comercio.

Hillman afirmó en una carta que es el momento adecuado para nombrar a alguien que supervise las conversaciones sobre el Acuerdo Estados Unidos-México-Canadá (T-MEC), el cual está programado para revisión en 2026.

El primer ministro canadiense, Mark Carney, señaló que Hillman “preparó las bases para Canadá en la próxima revisión” del acuerdo.

Carney destacó que Hillman es una de las embajadoras con más años de servicio en Estados Unidos en la historia de Canadá.

El ex primer ministro canadiense Justin Trudeau nombró a Hillman en 2017. Fue la primera mujer designada para el cargo.

Hillman ayudó a encabezar las negociaciones comerciales durante el primer mandato del presidente estadounidense Donald Trump y trabajó con funcionarios estadounidenses y chinos para lograr la liberación de dos canadienses detenidos en China.

Dominic LeBlanc, el ministro responsable del comercio entre Canadá y Estados Unidos, y Hillman habían estado liderando las conversaciones comerciales con el secretario de Comercio de Estados Unidos, Howard Lutnick, y el representante comercial de Estados Unidos, Jamieson Greer.

Trump puso fin a las conversaciones comerciales con Carney en octubre, después de que el gobierno de la provincia de Ontario publicó una pauta publicitaria criticando los aranceles de Estados Unidos, desatando la molestia del mandatario estadounidense. Esto luego de la insistencia de Trump de que Canadá debería convertirse en el estado número 51 de Estados Unidos.

Al preguntarle esta semana sobre cuándo se reanudarían las conversaciones comerciales, Trump respondió: “veremos”.

Canadá es uno de los países más dependientes del comercio en el mundo, y más del 75% de sus exportaciones van a Estados Unidos. La mayoría de las exportaciones a Estados Unidos están exentas por el T-MEC.

Carney tiene como objetivo duplicar el comercio no estadounidense en la próxima década.

Aproximadamente el 60% de las importaciones de petróleo crudo de Estados Unidos provienen de Canadá, al igual que el 85% de las importaciones de electricidad de Estados Unidos.

Canadá también es el mayor proveedor extranjero de acero, aluminio y uranio para Estados Unidos y cuenta con 34 minerales y metales críticos que el Pentágono está ansioso por obtener e invertir en ellos por razones de seguridad nacional.

___

Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/09/embajadora-de-canad-en-eeuu-renunciar-antes-de-la-revisin-del-acuerdo-de-libre-comercio/ 

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Arlington Heights police file suit challenging new village ordinance that prevents sergeants from forming a union

A police union and a group of Arlington Heights police officers filed suit Tuesday against the village, claiming that officials are violating state law by preventing officers from forming a union for sergeants.

At issue is a state constitutional amendment that guarantees the right to unionize, and a subsequent change in Arlington Heights’ method of promoting officers to the rank of sergeant.

The change to the state constitution, called the Illinois Workers’ Rights Amendment, approved by voters in 2022, states, “Employees shall have the fundamental right to organize and to bargain collectively. … No law shall be passed that interferes with, negates, or diminishes” those rights.

Supervisors generally are prohibited from joining a union of workers they supervise, to avoid conflicts of interest. But a new state law approved in August and effective July 1, 2026, states that police officers who take a written test for their rank are not classified as supervisors, and are therefore eligible to form a union.

Until recently, Arlington Heights village code had required promotion of sergeants by written tests and appointment by the independent Fire & Police Commission.

But on Nov. 17, the Arlington Heights Village Board approved a new ordinance, to take effect Jan. 1, to end the written test requirement and transfer authority for promotions to the village manager, as is already done for the commander, chief and deputy chief.

The change means, in effect, that sergeants are supervisors and ineligible to unionize.

The Metropolitan Alliance of Police (MAP), a union which represents more than 5,000 officers statewide, along with three Arlington Heights police officers, filed suit claiming that a memo from police Chief Nicholas Pecora Jr., shows the change was made to keep sergeants as supervisors, in effect preventing them from forming a union.

In a statement, union President Keith George called it “a blatant union-busting tactic.”

“Manipulating the promotion system to strip officers of their constitutional rights is both unlawful and unacceptable,” he said. “Through this lawsuit, we intend to make clear that no municipality has the authority to undermine the constitution or retaliate against officers who choose to organize.”

The union and officers asked the Cook County Circuit Court to declare the ordinance invalid, and restore the previous system of promotions.

Arlington Heights officials declined to comment. But in a memo to all sworn personnel Nov. 5, Pecora wrote that the change was meant to reflect best practice and administrative efficiency, adding, “The change is intended to be commensurate with the long-standing view of Arlington Heights Police Sergeants as supervisors, whose responsibilities and authorities match the historical definition and interpretation.”

The plaintiffs in the case include Arlington Heights police Officer Daniel Bell, Sgt. Brandi Romag and Detective Christopher Tatum.

Employers’ groups, including the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and Illinois Municipal League, had opposed the pro-union amendment, arguing it would hurt businesses’ and municipalities’ ability to negotiate contracts, thereby raising labor costs and increasing property taxes.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/09/arlington-heights-police-file-suit-challenging-new-village-ordinance-that-prevents-sergeants-from-forming-a-union/ 

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“Godless Demons”: Teen Commits Suicide After “Sextortion” As International Crime Ring Targets American Children

“Godless Demons”: Teen Commits Suicide After “Sextortion” As International Crime Ring Targets American Children

Federal authorities are investigating the death of a 15-year-old West Virginia boy as part of a broader examination into sextortion networks that have increasingly targeted American teenagers, resulting in what experts describe as a national crisis of online predation, the New York Post reported.

Bryce Tate, 15

Bryce Tate, a student at Nitro High School in Cross Lanes, was discovered dead in his home on November 6 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The tragedy unfolded roughly three hours after he began communicating with someone who contacted him via text message around 4:30 p.m.

His father, Adam Tate, has concluded that his son fell victim to a sophisticated extortion operation. Details shared with the Post indicate that the scheme began with photographs that were not artificially generated but rather appeared to show an actual girl who had previously been victimized herself.

Such schemes follow a well-established pattern, where criminals solicit explicit images from their targets, then threaten to share those images with the victim’s social circle unless a ransom is paid.

The extortionists demanded $500 from Bryce, according to his father.

“My son had 30 freaking dollars and he’s like, ‘Sir, I’ll give you my last $30.’ And these cowards wouldn’t take it,” Tate told The Post.

The scammers appear to have done their homework, compiling detailed information about the teenager’s daily life to create a convincing facade.

They acted like a local 17-year-old girl. They knew which gym he worked out at, they knew a couple of his best friends and name-dropped them. They knew he played basketball for Nitro High School,” Tate explained. “They built his trust to where he believed that this was truly somebody in this area.”

Tate also rejects the characterization of his son’s death as simply a suicide.

“They say it’s suicide, but in my book it is 100% murder,” he said. “They’re godless demons, in my opinion. Just cowards, awful individuals, worse than criminals.”

During the last 20 minutes of his life, Bryce was bombarded with roughly 120 messages. Law enforcement officials explained to his father that this tactic creates “tunnel vision to where you can’t set your phone down,” trapping victims in a spiral of panic and fear.

Bradford Arick, a public affairs specialist with the FBI, told The Post that “The FBI has seen a huge increase in the number of sextortion cases involving children and teens being threatened and coerced into sending explicit images online.”

According to a representative from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children who spoke with the Post, the organization logged more than 33,000 sextortion reports involving children in 2024 alone. The first half of 2025 has seen comparable numbers.

While the FBI would not discuss the particulars of Bryce’s case, citing an active investigation, the messages he received bear the hallmarks of a criminal enterprise known as 764—an international operation with tentacles reaching into Russia, Europe, Africa and the United States.

Earlier this month, the Department of Justice announced indictments against five individuals in the United States connected to Greggy’s Cult, a 764 affiliate. Among those charged was an active-duty member of the Navy.

The FBI previously characterized 764 as a “violent online network that seeks to destroy civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, which often include minors.”

In April, Attorney General Pam Bondi minced no words in describing the organization, calling it “one of the most heinous online child exploitation enterprises we have ever encountered — a network built on terror, abuse and the deliberate targeting of children.”

Tyler Durden
Tue, 12/09/2025 – 18:50

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/godless-demons-teen-commits-suicide-after-sextortion-international-crime-ring-targets 

Posted in News

Chicago White Sox win the 2026 MLB draft lottery, will have the No. 1 pick for the first time in 49 years

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Chicago White Sox are on the clock.

The Sox received the No. 1 pick for the 2026 Major League Baseball draft after winning Tuesday’s draft lottery, held during the annual winter meetings.

“It’s a significant event for us,” Sox general manager Chris Getz said. “And it can’t be understated how important it is. We’ve been hard at work at bringing talent into the organization in different ways and obviously the amateur draft is an obvious avenue. And now to be able to get a chance at the top talent in the draft is really exciting and just gives us a greater boost.”

It’s the first time the team will pick first since 1977, when they selected Harold Baines. The Hall of Famer was in attendance at Tuesday’s lottery ceremony, representing the Sox.

“It’s exciting to be here,” Baines said. “I’m happy for the organization.”

The draft will be held July 11-12 in Philadelphia as part of MLB All-Star week festivities.

The Sox entered Tuesday with the best odds for the No. 1 pick (27.73%). They had the second-worst record in the majors in 2025, going 60-102. The Colorado Rockies went 43-119, but were not eligible for this year’s lottery after receiving lottery picks in the 2024 and 2025 drafts.

Top prospects for the 2026 draft, according to MLB.com, include UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky.

Cholowsky’s father, Dan Cholowsky, was a first-round draft pick by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1991. He played eight professional seasons as an infielder and catcher, including parts of two seasons in the Chicago Cubs organization, but never made the major leagues.

Baines became a six-time All-Star and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019. The Sox selected first baseman Danny Goodwin with their only other top pick in 1971, and he played in parts of seven major league seasons.

The Tampa Bay Rays will pick second, followed by Minnesota, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Baltimore, the Athletics, Atlanta and Colorado.

The Cubs, not eligible for the lottery after making the 2025 postseason, will select No. 23 in the draft.

MLB and the players’ association established the lottery in the March 2022 collective bargaining agreement. The union pushed for the innovation to encourage teams to compete for wins rather than trade off players at the deadline in an attempt to get a higher draft choice.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/09/chicago-white-sox-mlb-draft-lottery-first-pick/