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Soldados nigerianos abren fuego contra manifestantes; hay nueve muertos, afirman testigos

Por DYEPKAZAH SHIBAYAN

ABUYA, Nigeria (AP) — Soldados del Ejército de Nigeria abrieron fuego y mataron a nueve mujeres que protestaban por el manejo de las fuerzas armadas de los enfrentamientos comunales en el estado de Adamawa, en el noreste del país, informaron testigos y Amnistía Internacional a The Associated Press el martes.

Las mujeres se manifestaban el lunes a lo largo de una importante carretera en la localidad de Lamurde, cuando los soldados abrieron fuego luego de que se les bloqueó el paso, según relatos de testigos y familiares de las víctimas a la AP en detalles reportados por primera vez el martes. Diez personas más resultaron heridas en el tiroteo, dijeron los testigos.

El Ejército de Nigeria negó en un comunicado haber matado a alguien y culpó de las muertes a una milicia local que, según dijo, abrió fuego en la zona.

La oficina de Amnistía Internacional en Nigeria afirmó que la agencia confirmó que los soldados mataron a las nueve manifestantes, citando relatos de testigos y familiares de las víctimas.

“Esto demuestra que el ejército nigeriano no ha cambiado mucho debido a su historial de violaciones a los derechos humanos y desprecio por el estado de derecho”, afirmó Isa Sanusi, director de Amnistía Internacional en Nigeria.

The Associated Press no pudo verificar los señalamientos de manera independiente.

Este tipo de asesinatos son comunes en toda Nigeria, donde los soldados –a menudo desplegados en respuesta a protestas y enfrentamientos– suelen ser acusados de uso excesivo de la fuerza. Protestas contra la brutalidad policial en el centro económico de Nigeria, Lagos, en 2020, terminaron en lo que una investigación encargada por el gobierno describió como una masacre después de que los soldados abrieron fuego en el lugar de la protesta.

El más reciente incidente ocurrió en medio de un toque de queda que las autoridades impusieron en Lamurde después de los frecuentes enfrentamientos entre los grupos étnicos Bachama y Chobo por una prolongada disputa de tierras.

Los manifestantes estaban molestos porque las fuerzas de seguridad, incluidos los soldados, no estaban haciendo cumplir el toque de queda en las áreas afectadas, permitiendo así que los enfrentamientos continuaran, según Lawson Ignatius, concejal que representa a Lamurde en el parlamento local.

Gyele Kennedy, quien dijo que su hija fue una de las manifestantes asesinadas, lamentó con angustia que “no sabemos qué les pasó”.

“Estos soldados se estaban yendo del lugar donde ocurrió el conflicto y vinieron a pasar por este lugar. Llegaron y encontraron a las mujeres protestando cuando uno de los soldados disparó al aire. Después de eso, abrieron fuego contra las mujeres”, narró Kennedy.

Sin embargo, el Ejército de Nigeria negó las afirmaciones, diciendo que sus soldados sólo se enfrentaron a una milicia local en una parte diferente de la ciudad.

“Sin lugar a dudas, las bajas fueron causadas por el manejo no profesional de armas automáticas por parte de las milicias locales que no están entrenadas de manera competente para manejar este tipo de armas automáticas”, afirmó un portavoz del ejército.

Los asesinatos se producen en momentos en que el ejército nigeriano está bajo la lupa del presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, quien ha asegurado que los cristianos están siendo objeto de ataques como parte de la crisis de seguridad en Nigeria y que las fuerzas de seguridad no están haciendo lo suficiente para prevenir los asesinatos. Residentes han dicho a la AP que tanto cristianos como musulmanes se ven afectados por la violencia generalizada que asola a las aldeas nigerianas.

La oficina de Amnistía Internacional en Nigeria pidió que se investiguen los asesinatos y los responsables rindan cuentas.

___

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/soldados-nigerianos-abren-fuego-contra-manifestantes-hay-nueve-muertos-afirman-testigos/ 

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Trump Warns Of ‘Severe’ Tariffs On Canadian Fertilizer If Needed

Trump Warns Of ‘Severe’ Tariffs On Canadian Fertilizer If Needed

Authored by Jennifer Cowan via The Epoch Times,

U.S. President Donald Trump says he is considering “very severe” tariffs on fertilizer imports from Canada as the United States readies a $12 billion aid package for farmers grappling with the repercussions of the ongoing trade war.

Trump mentioned the increased levy on Canada while responding to reporters’ questions at a Dec. 8 White House roundtable where he announced the tariff relief fund for U.S. farmers, who have been paying more for agricultural products like seed and fertilizer due to Trump’s global trade policies.

“A lot of it does come in from Canada,” Trump said, referring to fertilizer. “And so we’ll end up putting very severe tariffs on that, if we have to, because that’s the way you want to bolster here.”

Trump said high import prices on Canadian fertilizer would encourage the United States to produce its own.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said her team is developing a strategy to bring fertilizer production back to the United States, while also instructing fertilizer manufacturers and other industrial entities to reduce their prices.

“The president has been very unequivocal in saying we have to figure out why all these input costs are skyrocketing and all of our farmers are struggling,” Rollins told reporters.

Trump said that it doesn’t make sense for the United States to rely on other countries for the products farmers need.

“All of a sudden, we don’t do it anymore [and] they start charging very high prices from other countries, whether it’s Canada or somebody else,” he told farmers at the roundtable event. “And we’re not going to let that happen.”

The Epoch Times contacted the Prime Minister’s Office for comment on Trump’s remarks but did not immediately hear back.

Many farmers in the United States depend on potash fertilizer from Saskatchewan to increase potassium levels in their soils. Saskatchewan is the only Canadian provider of potash, which is a group of minerals and chemicals that contains potassium. Potassium is an essential nutrient for plants and a key component in fertilizers.

Roughly 95 percent of the fertilizer produced in Canada is exported and the United States is the country’s largest market. It accounts for more than half of all total fertilizer exports each year, according to Fertilizer Canada.

The United States imported approximately 12.1 million tonnes of Saskatchewan potash in 2024, according to S&P Global. It also imported roughly 4.9 million tonnes in the first five months of 2025, representing more than 50 percent of Canada’s total potash exports during that timeframe.

The United States also imports Canadian nitrogen-based fertilizers, including ammonia, ammonium sulphate, urea, and urea ammonium nitrate.

More than 99 percent of Canadian urea and urea ammonium nitrate exports are directed toward its southern neighbour, while 69 percent of Canada’s ammonia and 49 percent of its ammonium sulphate are also sent there, according to 2023 figures from a World Bank platform.

Trump implemented a sweeping 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods this spring as well as sectoral tariffs, but reduced the tariff on fertilizer to 10 percent after receiving negative feedback from U.S. industry groups and Republican legislators in agricultural states. That tariff is applicable solely to fertilizer export quantities that surpass the thresholds established by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on free trade.

Canadian and U.S. farmers have said they are facing higher fertilizer bills because of Trump’s tariffs.

Then-Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said in March that Ottawa could use Canadian exports of fertilizer and other products such as energy or minerals as bargaining chips in negotiations with the United States, but said the country’s premiers would need to be on board.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe had previously spoken out against such a move, saying tariffs applied on either side of the border are “harmful to North America.”

“[We] are not supportive in any way of export tariffs, whether that be electricity coming out of Manitoba, Quebec into the U.S. or whether that be energy or potash products that are coming out of our province or Alberta,” he said at a February news conference.

Saskatchewan potash producer Nutrien recently announced tentative plans to construct a new export facility for global markets in Washington state, instead of British Columbia. The news was criticized by B.C. Premier David Eby who said he believes such a decision would place the fate of Saskatchewan potash “in the hands of Donald Trump.”

Federal Transportation Minister Steve MacKinnon told reporters last month that he was “hoping to persuade the company” to choose a Canadian port over one in the United States.

Farm Aid

The recent emphasis by the Trump administration on agriculture indicates a potential for further trade disruptions. The president said proceeds from tariffs will be allocated to support farmers.

“This relief will provide much-needed certainty to farmers as they get this year’s harvest to market and look ahead to next year’s crops, and it’ll help them continue their efforts to lower food prices for American families,” Trump told reporters during the Dec. 8 event.

Trump also provided aid to farmers during his first presidency amid trade disputes. He disbursed more than $22 billion in 2019 and nearly $46 billion in 2020, although the latter figure also included support related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rollins said US$11 billion from the new aid package will be allocated to row crop farmers and is expected to be distributed by Feb. 28. She noted that the White House will hold on to the remaining US$1 billion to finalize the funding allocation details for farmers of fruits, vegetables, and other crops.

The money is meant to offer certainty to farmers as they market the current harvest and make plans for next year’s yield, she said.

Soybeans and sorghum were hardest hit by Washington’s trade dispute with Beijing because more than half of those crops are exported each year with the majority going to China.

Trump met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea in October, where the president said they made a deal that China would buy at least 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans by the end of 2025, as well as 25 million metric tons a year in each of the next three years.

China bought more than 2.8 million metric tons of soybeans since Trump announced the agreement at the end of October, but the amount represents only one-fourth of what U.S. officials said the country had committed to purchasing.

Trump signed an executive order on the weekend directing the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to look at “anti-competitive behaviour” in food supply chains —including seed, fertilizer and equipment—and consider taking enforcement actions or developing new regulations.

Tyler Durden
Tue, 12/09/2025 – 18:25

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-warns-severe-tariffs-canadian-fertilizer-if-needed 

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Chicago Blackhawks assign Sam Rinzel to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs: ‘Get your swagger with the puck back’

The Chicago Blackhawks are looking to take a step forward from previous seasons. To do this, sometimes it requires a step back.

That’s what the Hawks are going through after back-to-back six-goal drubbings by the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks. The Hawks want to return to their early-season surge, including Sam Rinzel.

The defenseman was sent down to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs on Monday after seeing his ice time gradually decrease. It’s a move that may have come as a shock, given his high preseason praise.

“This is a hard league if you start to struggle to gain traction,” Hawks coach Jeff Blashill said. “So go down (and) get your swagger with the puck back.”

He started the season on the top power-play unit, setting up shots for Connor Bedard and company. His positioning on defense was a highlight as well, as he consistently cracked 20 minutes of ice time.

As the season pushed on, the 21-year-old’s confidence waned. He became indecisive with the puck, leading to giveaways and missed opportunities.

Blackhawks defenseman Sam Rinzel (6) keeps the puck away from Flames right wing Adam Klapka (43) during the second period, Nov. 18, 2025, at the United Center. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

He lost his place at the top of the first power-play unit and spent time as the seventh defenseman in the lineup. Rinzel’s ice time dwindled to as low as 9:30 in a Dec. 2 road game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Rinzel was a healthy scratch in the Hawks’ Nov. 15 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in an effort for the defenseman to bounce back as Artyom Levshunov did. This was not the case, as he averaged 14:36 of ice time with zero goals, five assists, a minus-2 rating, 16 penalty minutes and 15 giveaways through his last 11 games.

Patience ran thin within the coaching staff, leading to the Rockford assignment for Rinzel — and forward Landon Slaggert, who was averaging about 9 minutes of ice time in 10 games. Blashill doesn’t see it as a demotion, but rather a chance for Rinzel to find the player he knows he can be.

Chicago Blackhawks left wing Landon Slaggert (84) skates after the puck in the first period of a game against the New Jersey Devils at the United Center in Chicago on Nov. 12, 2025. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

“Hopefully (he) gets time on the power play, more than he was getting here,” Blashill said. “And then continue to improve defensively.

“He’s not the strongest guy, so he’s got to learn how to defend smart with a stick and not get into physical confrontations where he’s hugging. I think (Rockford’s) a great opportunity for him.”

Rinzel’s assignment means the Hawks will play in the traditional 12-6 lineups rather than the 11-7 Blashill has run for the majority of the year. Blashill doesn’t think the lineup changes will negatively affect how the team responds after two blowout losses.

“Does that help some other guys get some more minutes? Does it help their own personal development? Maybe, we’ll see,” Blashill said. “We’re hoping that this is a win-win for everybody.”

Practice notes

Forward Dominic Toninato was recalled from Rockford on Monday and practiced with the team. The center has 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 24 games played this year for the IceHogs and made some noise for the Hawks in the preseason.

The 31-year-old will be a veteran addition to the locker room, which should benefit younger skaters like Frank Nazar and Oliver Moore, his former IceHogs teammate.

“(I’ll) try to be somebody they can lean on and they can learn from on and off the ice,” Toninato said. “(I) met a bunch of these guys during camp and started developing connections, so good to be back and see everybody.”

He hasn’t had time to discuss his role with the team, but he’s not expected to be in the lineup Wednesday for the Hawks’ home game against the New York Rangers. He could be a good addition to the bottom six later on, in hopes of adding some offensive prowess to the fourth line.

“I can’t say that he’ll start in the lineup (against the Rangers), we’ll play that out,” Blashill said of Toninato. “He can give us some of those fourth-line minutes as a center (and) it gives us some flexibility.”

Team captain Nick Foligno spent some pre-practice time by himself on the ice Tuesday as he recovers from a hand/wrist injury suffered on Nov. 15 against Toronto. Blashill says he’s “getting closer,” but there’s no timetable for his return.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/09/chicago-blackhawks-sam-rinzel-rockford/ 

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Bolivia e Israel avanzan en la restauración de las releciones tras salida de gobiernos de izquierda

Associated Press

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — El gobierno boliviano del presidente conservador Rodrigo Paz anunció el martes que avanzará en la restauración de las relaciones diplomáticas con Israel, la señal más reciente de la reconfiguración geopolítica en un país sudamericano que alguna vez estuvo entre los críticos más vehementes de las políticas israelíes hacia los palestinos.

El canciller de Bolivia, Fernando Armayo, viajó a Estados Unidos, donde tiene previsto reunirse con su par de Israel, Gideon Saar, informó la cancillería de Bolivia. Hace una semana el gobierno de Paz eliminó las visas de ingreso a Bolivia a ciudadanos de Israel y de Estados Unidos que habían impuesto los expresidentes izquierdistas Evo Morales (2006-2019) y Luis Arce (2020-2025).

La cancillería explicó que el nuevo gobierno, que asumió las riendas de la nación andina hace un mes, busca dar una nueva imagen dando un giro respecto a las políticas de las dos anteriores administraciones del Movimiento Al Socialismo (MAS), el cual estuvo en el poder casi 20 años.

Paz emprende su política exterior de “abrir Bolivia al mundo y traer el mundo a Bolivia” y así conseguir inversiones y créditos internacionales para implementar su plan para sacar a la nación andina de la peor crisis en cuatro décadas, resaltó.

También reafirmó la voluntad del gobierno boliviano de “superar decisiones del pasado y de reconstruir vínculos que aporten oportunidades reales en tecnología, innovación, cooperación y seguridad” con Israel.

“Apreciamos la decisión del presidente de cancelar los requisitos de visa para los viajeros israelíes. ¡Mañana pretendemos renovar las relaciones entre nuestros países!”, escribió Saar el lunes en su cuenta de X.

Bolivia rompió relaciones con Israel durante el entonces gobierno de Morales e impuso la obligación del visado en rechazo a un ataque de ese país a los palestinos de Gaza.

La presidenta interina Jeanine Áñez (2019-2020) eliminó la exigencia a los dos países tras la dimisión de Morales, pero Arce —delfín del primer presidente indígena— repuso la medida posteriormente.

Otros países latinoamericanos de izquierda, como Chile y Colombia, pronto tomaron medidas similares, retirando a sus embajadores y sumándose a la demanda que presentó Sudáfrica contra Israel ante el máximo órgano judicial de las Naciones Unidas ante lo que llamó un genocidio por sus ataques a Gaza.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/09/bolivia-e-israel-avanzan-en-la-restauracin-de-las-releciones-tras-salida-de-gobiernos-de-izquierda/ 

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Tiroteo en universidad de Kentucky deja 1 muerto y 1 detenido

Associated Press

FRANKFORT, Kentucky, EE.UU. (AP) — Al menos una persona murió y otra resultó gravemente herida el martes en un tiroteo en la Universidad Estatal de Kentucky, y un sospechoso fue detenido, informó la policía.

La policía en Frankfort, la capital del estado, dijo que el campus estaba cerrado. Un video de WLKY-TV en Louisville mostró múltiples vehículos policiales fuera de un conjunto de dormitorios y cinta de escena del crimen en un patio.

Aún no está claro dónde ocurrió el tiroteo. La policía del campus y las autoridades de la escuela no habían comentado al respecto.

La policía de Frankfort dijo que respondió a un incidente que involucraba a “un agresor activo” y que el campus estaba asegurado. Las autoridades planeaban dar más información en una conferencia de prensa por la noche.

La oficina del gobernador confirmó que hubo un tiroteo.

“Compartiremos más información a medida que esté disponible”, dijo en X el gobernador Andy Beshear. “Las fuerzas del orden están en el lugar, y un sospechoso ha sido arrestado. Oremos por todos los afectados”.

Kentucky State es una universidad pública históricamente negra con aproximadamente 2.200 estudiantes. Legisladores autorizaron la creación de la escuela en 1886.

Se encuentra a 3,2 kilómetros (2 millas) al este de la sede del Congreso estatal.

______

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/tiroteo-en-universidad-de-kentucky-deja-1-muerto-y-1-detenido/ 

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Federal judge rules Cook County tax sale system unconstitutional

Three years after a group of homeowners and community organizations filed suit claiming the county’s tax sale robbed them of their home equity, a federal judge has ruled the system unconstitutional.

Judge Matthew F. Kennelly found in a Monday ruling that the system violated both the 5th and 8th amendments of the Constitution related to unfair “takings” and excessive fines.

Still to be decided is whether Cook County government is on the hook to pay thousands of plaintiffs for the equity they lost.

The case, Bell v. Pappas, centered on how Cook County deals with delinquent taxes.

Property owners can see their delinquent property tax debt put up for sale if they don’t pay for 13 months. If the tax buyers who purchase that debt aren’t paid back within 30 months — sometimes up to three years — they can sell that person’s property and pocket whatever profits they make above the debt amount.

A homeowner might rack up $10,000 in tax-related debt on a property worth $100,000, for example. If they can’t pay the full debt — including interest — during the redemption period, the tax buyer can get the home’s title.

The original owner, the lawsuit argued, “receives nothing and loses as much as $90,000 in equity, while the tax buyer receives the windfall of a property worth $100,000 for which they paid $10,000.”

The suit is not over though. Kennelly did not rule on how the class of other homeowners should be made whole, nor who should be responsible for paying.

“It’s a clear ruling that the current system, insofar as it takes people’s home equity when they lose their house because of not paying taxes, that it violates the Constitution,” said the plaintiffs’ attorney, John Bouman. “The part that’s still a bit fuzzy is whether the county and Treasurer (Maria) Pappas can be held liable for that on the grounds that what they didn’t know what they were doing violates the Constitution.”

Pappas and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s office declined to comment, citing the ongoing nature of the litigation.

The suit was brought in 2022. The lead plaintiff, Michael Bell, inherited a home worth $115,000 on the city’s far South Side after his mother died in 2017.

He was unemployed, however, and failed to pay his 2018 property taxes, according to the lawsuit. Those taxes were eventually sold to the Lien Group. The delinquent charges added up over time to more than $11,000 and he was forced to cede ownership, the suit said.

Bell did not want the house back or fight his eviction but did want to be compensated for the rest of the value so he could afford to live somewhere else.

The other original plaintiffs included another homeowner and community activist organizations the Southwest Organizing Project and Palenque LSNA. Kennelly ruled those community groups had standing in the case.

Since that filing in 2022, the class has grown to some 2,500 homeowners, Bouman estimates, adding that the members should be entitled to roughly $60,000 each. He acknowledged, however, what they ultimately receive will depend on how the case proceeds and whether they reach a potential settlement with the county.

The Illinois Answers Project reported in 2022 that the main “indemnity” fund that typically pays people whose taxes were wrongfully sold or homes wrongfully lost was insolvent and years late in paying back families owed money.

What is certain, Bouman said, is that the Illinois General Assembly will need to reform state law regarding the tax sale or have to answer to the court.

The U.S. Supreme Court concluded in a recent and similar case, Tyler v. Hennepin County, that Minnesota’s tax sale was unconstitutional. Illinois is the lone holdout state that has not yet reformed their system.

Pappas’ office has been pushing lawmakers in the General Assembly to change the state’s law to comply with the ruling, including changing the system to host an auction that would ensure the original homeowner gets paid for the difference between the sale and debt balance.

But lawmakers, under pressure to pass a budget and broad transit reforms and facing lobbying efforts from both housing affordability advocates and the tax buyer industry, have so far failed to reach a consensus.

In the interim, Pappas’ office has helped usher through other reforms, including cutting down on interest costs for late bills, through Springfield.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/09/federal-judge-cook-county-tax-sale-unconstitutional/ 

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A.J. Hinch domina el arte de esquivar preguntas sobre Tarik Skubal

Por KRISTIE ACKERT

ORLANDO (AP) — A.J. Hinch ha dominado el arte de sonreír y esquivar la pregunta que más le hacen durante las reuniones de invierno de las Grandes Ligas.

El manager de los Tigres de Detroit no tiene interés en discutir la posibilidad de perder a su as, Tarik Skubal, este invierno.

En cambio, Hinch quiere hablar sobre la oportunidad de Skubal de perseguir otro Premio Cy Young.

“Rara vez tienes la oportunidad de prepararte para un triplete en el Cy Young”, afirmó el martes Hinch. “Él está concentrado en lo que está haciendo en su casa. Yo estoy concentrado en esperar que lance para nosotros. Si eso cambia, recibiré una llamada y reaccionaremos en consecuencia. Pero no estoy enfocado en eso”.

Skubal, de 29 años, iniciará el último año de su contrato y los Tigres no han descartado la posibilidad de un intercambio. Su agente, Scott Boras, dijo que está abierto a escuchar ofertas de extensión de Detroit, pero también pintó un panorama sombrío del club sin su as.

“Él es verdaderamente un Tigre dientes de sable”, comentó Boras. “Cuando miras la cola del Tigre sin Skoob, son una máquina de misterio”.

Es una dura realidad para una franquicia que no ha declarado a ningún jugador intocable este invierno.

El desempeño de Skubal explica por qué su futuro está acaparando la atención. En 2025, tuvo un récord de 13–6 con una efectividad de 2.21, líder en la liga, ponchó a 241 y registró un WHIP de 0.89 en 195 1/tres entradas.

En seis temporadas en las Grandes Ligas, el dos veces All-Star tiene un récord de 54–37 con una efectividad de 3.08 y 889 ponches en 766 2/3 entradas. Su dominio en métricas tradicionales y avanzadas lo ha convertido en uno de los lanzadores más codiciados.

Hinch dijo que ha visto a Skubal crecer en ese papel y aceptar el escrutinio que viene con la grandeza.

“Hay tanta presión sobre él, tantas expectativas, tantos estándares altos. Y él prospera en eso”, expresó Hinch. “Eso es lo que mejor hace Tarik, además de sacar a los bateadores: prepararse para sacar a los bateadores”.

Hinch no tiene deseos de imaginar una rotación sin él.

“La razón por la que todo esto es un tema tan grande es porque tenemos al mejor lanzador del béisbol”, manifestó Hinch. “Y me encanta que sea un Tigre”.

___

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

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/09/a-j-hinch-domina-el-arte-de-esquivar-preguntas-sobre-tarik-skubal/ 

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Abuelas juegan al balonmano a más de 4.000 metros de altura en Bolivia para mantenerse activas

Por PAOLA FLORES

EL ALTO, Bolivia (AP) — A sus 73 años Rosa Cañaviri hizo vibrar a todo el público al anotar con ambas manos su segundo gol en una cancha a más 4.000 metros de altura en la ciudad boliviana de El Alto.

Cañaviri, que tiene 12 hijos, 30 nietos y un bisnieto, es la goleadora de un campeonato de balonmano en el que participan más de 80 abuelitas, en su mayoría aymaras, que han encontrado en este deporte —poco popular en Bolivia— un refugio para mantenerse activas.

“Jugar balonmano nos hace sentir vivas y queridas por nuestras familias, que son nuestro apoyo”, dijo a The Associated Press Cañaviri, una de las cinco integrantes de Kantutitas, el equipo que es el actual bicampeón del torneo de adultas mayores en El Alto.

El secreto de Kantutitas —que proviene de “kantuta”, la flor símbolo de Bolivia— es la disciplina y el compromiso que tienen con el balonmano. Cada lunes las mujeres, de entre 70 y 80 años, entrenan durante tres horas. “Es un equipo bien estructurado”, explicó Luis Calle, responsable del programa de salud integral y vejez activa de la alcaldía de El Alto.

El martes Kantutitas goleó 4-2 al equipo 1 de Mayo en un partido que tenía sabor a final en una cancha de césped sintético del mismo nombre del club perdedor, en un barrio cerca del centro de El Alto.

Las jugadoras de Kantutitas usaron polleras doradas, típicas de las mujeres indígenas de la región andina de Bolivia, que combinaron con camisetas rayadas en azul y amarillo. Pero para jugar, las cholitas —como se llama popularmente a las mujeres andinas— cambiaron sus clásicos zapatos planos por zapatillas deportivas.

Sus rivales del martes usaron un buzo deportivo con camisetas naranjas.

Cañaviri aprovechó la distracción que causaba el movimiento de su pollera para vacilar al equipo contrario y al marcar su segundo gol festejó con una amplia sonrisa. Otros dos fueron anulados por malos movimientos.

“De joven qué iba a pensar en jugar, mi función era mantener y atender a mi familia. Ahora ya son grandes y puedo jugar este deporte que me gusta”, agregó la mujer de 1,70 metros que habla poco español y prefiere su lengua materna, el aymara.

En el balonmano o handball —en el que no se puede tocar el balón con los pies con excepción del arquero— los goles se marcan con las manos y cada equipo está integrado por cinco jugadores.

En medio del público estaban familiares y otros adultos mayores que participan de un programa que promueve la salud integral y la vejez activa a través del deporte y la recreación que comenzó hace más de 10 años.

El premio del torneo en El Alto, del que participan mujeres mayores de 60 años, consiste en un trofeo, medallas e incentivos como fideos y camisetas.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/09/abuelas-juegan-al-balonmano-a-ms-de-4-000-metros-de-altura-en-bolivia-para-mantenerse-activas/ 

Posted in News

US Army Looks To Build Small Refineries For Critical Minerals

US Army Looks To Build Small Refineries For Critical Minerals

By Tsvetana Paraskova of OilPrice.com

The U.S. Army will develop small-scale refineries to ensure domestic supply of critical minerals for defense and military purposes as the United States and the Western allies look to reduce their dependence on China. 

“We need to come up with a way to ‌make our own (critical minerals) domestically that we can actually monitor and control within our borders,” Mark Mezger, a munitions procurement adviser for the U.S. Army, told Reuters

The Army is currently developing a project with the Idaho National Laboratory and gold mining company Perpetua Resources to process antimony.  

In September, the U.S. Army’s Joint Program Executive Office Armaments and Ammunition (JPEO A&A) joined Perpetua Resources Inc. to launch the Stibnite Gold Project in central Idaho. The project seeks to redevelop an abandoned mine site in Stibnite for gold and antimony sulfide, a critical component used in ammunition production. The U.S. previously obtained antimony sulfide from foreign sources until 2021 when that supply ended.

“The Stibnite project currently holds the largest identified reserve of antimony in the U.S. At an estimated 148 million lbs., it is one of the largest antimony reserves outside of foreign control,” said Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, Joint Program Executive Officer Armaments & Ammunition and Picatinny Arsenal Commanding General.  

The project is “in keeping with the Army’s ongoing ‘Ground-to-Round’ assured munitions strategy to locate and engage with domestic sources for critical materials as we modernize and fortify the Arsenal of Democracy,” Reim added. 

The Trump Administration is ensuring funding through buying minority stakes in North American rare earth and lithium companies and projects, while companies in the U.S. and Europe are setting up alliances with miners and refiners to have magnet supply chains outside and independent of China.

The global rare earth supply chain is among the most highly concentrated across all stages of the value chain, analysts at the International Energy Agency (IEA) wrote in a commentary in October.  

Tyler Durden
Tue, 12/09/2025 – 17:40

https://www.zerohedge.com/commodities/us-army-looks-build-small-refineries-critical-minerals 

Posted in News

Lake County Councilman wife’s death ruled ‘undetermined’: coroner

The Lake County Coroner’s Office officially ruled a Lake County Councilman’s wife’s cause of death as “undetermined” on Tuesday.

Nicole Mabon-Brewer, 47, of Gary was found dead Sept. 3. Gary Police Department officers were dispatched to the 2300 block of 20th Place shortly before 11:25 a.m.

“This case is still open and awaiting further results through lead investigation unit of the Indiana State Police,” Lake County Coroner David Pastrick said in a release. “There is not sufficient evidence or justification as to whether the death was an accident, suicide, or homicide at this time.”

Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield, an agency spokesman, did not immediately return a request for comment on the investigation’s status.

Mabon-Brewer’s husband, Lake County Councilman Ron Brewer declined comment by phone.

“It’s just been a really stressful time for myself and my family,” he said, adding her death was a very “sad situation.”

An autopsy performed Sept. 4 determined the cause of death was a gunshot wound, according to a Lake County Coroner’s Office release.

Lake County Prosecutor Bernie Carter asked for the appointment of a special prosecutor in September.

At the request of the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office, Indiana State Police “has assumed full responsibility for leading the inquiry,” according to a release issued shortly after her death.

“This step reflects a shared commitment by both the Gary Police Department and the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office to ensure transparency, impartiality and the avoidance of any potential conflicts of interest in handling this sensitive matter,” according to the release.

Mabon-Brewer had filed for divorce in August, according to county court records.

Post-Tribune staff writer Alex Kukulka contributed.

mcolias@post-trib.com

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/09/lake-county-councilman-wifes-death-ruled-undetermined-coroner/