Category: News
Portage’s Christmas parade warms hearts despite the winter chill
The twilight Santa’s Parade of Toys in Portage received a warm reception despite Saturday’s cold temperature.
Danny and Alyssa Wilkinson, of Portage, brought their kids and a few of their friends to the parade. “I love that we have an opportunity to do this together,” Alyssa said.
“It’s a great parade to bring the city together,” Danny said. “It fosters a sense of community.”
“My daughter is thrilled about the firetruck. She wants to be a firefighter,” Alyssa said. At age 5, her daughter has plenty of time to change her mind, but Alyssa was glad to have the opportunity to introduce her daughter to the loud noise when it wasn’t caused by an emergency.
“Layers to stay warm,” Danny said, was his strategy while watching the parade.
Nancy Buza, of Valparaiso, wanted to share the excitement of Christmas with her family. “We try to do whatever we can find,” she said. As a free event, “that’s always a plus, especially when there’s a lot of us.”
Danny and Alyssa Wilkinson, of Portage, pose with the kids while waiting for Portage’s Christmas parade to start soon after sunset on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Doug Ross/for Post-Tribune)
Amanda McKee, of Chesterton, was attending the parade for the first time. “I’m excited, mainly because my daughter’s excited,” she said.
Alice McKee, 5, was hoping to get some of her favorite candy along the route. She’s also looking forward to Christmas. “I want to see that when it’s Christmas, I get lots of presents,” she said.
U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Jordan James rode on the Toys for Tots float, urging people to donate toys for kids who wouldn’t get as many gifts as Alice. It’s nice to give to kids who wouldn’t otherwise have a good Christmas, he said.
Lillian Schultz, of Portage, wore a reindeer costume while marching in the parade. “I feel like the people here are going to warm up” in response to the parade, she said.
Lillian Schultz, of Portage, dresses as a reindeer for Portage’s parade on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Doug Ross/for Post-Tribune)
“I love it. It’s awesome. It brings the city together,” Councilwoman Gina Giese-Hurst said. She marched with Councilmen Ferdinand Alvarez and Bob Parnell.
Alvarez was happy to see such a big turnout for such a cold night. “My only regret is I didn’t bring any candy to throw,” he said.
Jennamarie Aboudhosn, founder of Jennamarie’s Dance and Fitness Studio, brought the Nutcracker cast with her. “It’s actually an awesome experience” to participate in the parade, she said. “We’re trying to get into the Portage culture.”
Heather Minard, of Valparaiso, walked behind the Shepherd Insurance float. “We like partaking with the community stuff,” she said, but hadn’t since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Robert Shumake, of Lake Station, wasn’t in the parade, but he got plenty of attention regardless in his Grinch costume. “On my way here, I had many kids ask for high-fives and wanting to get their pictures taken,” he said.
Portage Mayor Austin Bonta holds his niece Tilly during the parade Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, while Bonta’s wife Meg looks on. “She told me she’s going to be the mayor and a nurse someday,” Austin said of his niece, 3. (Doug Ross/for Post-Tribune)
Mayor Austin Bonta and Santa lit the city’s Christmas tree at Founders Square afterward. “I think that we had a record number of entries,” he said. He was pleased with the turnout.
Some of his highlights from the parade were the Nutcracker cast and seeing the Grinch in a cage suspended from a tow truck. “I think the creativity was so awesome.”
“It’s a great experience for the families,” he said.
Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Portage’s Christmas parade warms hearts despite the winter chill
The twilight Santa’s Parade of Toys in Portage received a warm reception despite Saturday’s cold temperature.
Danny and Alyssa Wilkinson, of Portage, brought their kids and a few of their friends to the parade. “I love that we have an opportunity to do this together,” Alyssa said.
“It’s a great parade to bring the city together,” Danny said. “It fosters a sense of community.”
“My daughter is thrilled about the firetruck. She wants to be a firefighter,” Alyssa said. At age 5, her daughter has plenty of time to change her mind, but Alyssa was glad to have the opportunity to introduce her daughter to the loud noise when it wasn’t caused by an emergency.
“Layers to stay warm,” Danny said, was his strategy while watching the parade.
Nancy Buza, of Valparaiso, wanted to share the excitement of Christmas with her family. “We try to do whatever we can find,” she said. As a free event, “that’s always a plus, especially when there’s a lot of us.”
Danny and Alyssa Wilkinson, of Portage, pose with the kids while waiting for Portage’s Christmas parade to start soon after sunset on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Doug Ross/for Post-Tribune)
Amanda McKee, of Chesterton, was attending the parade for the first time. “I’m excited, mainly because my daughter’s excited,” she said.
Alice McKee, 5, was hoping to get some of her favorite candy along the route. She’s also looking forward to Christmas. “I want to see that when it’s Christmas, I get lots of presents,” she said.
U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Jordan James rode on the Toys for Tots float, urging people to donate toys for kids who wouldn’t get as many gifts as Alice. It’s nice to give to kids who wouldn’t otherwise have a good Christmas, he said.
Lillian Schultz, of Portage, wore a reindeer costume while marching in the parade. “I feel like the people here are going to warm up” in response to the parade, she said.
Lillian Schultz, of Portage, dresses as a reindeer for Portage’s parade on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Doug Ross/for Post-Tribune)
“I love it. It’s awesome. It brings the city together,” Councilwoman Gina Giese-Hurst said. She marched with Councilmen Ferdinand Alvarez and Bob Parnell.
Alvarez was happy to see such a big turnout for such a cold night. “My only regret is I didn’t bring any candy to throw,” he said.
Jennamarie Aboudhosn, founder of Jennamarie’s Dance and Fitness Studio, brought the Nutcracker cast with her. “It’s actually an awesome experience” to participate in the parade, she said. “We’re trying to get into the Portage culture.”
Heather Minard, of Valparaiso, walked behind the Shepherd Insurance float. “We like partaking with the community stuff,” she said, but hadn’t since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Robert Shumake, of Lake Station, wasn’t in the parade, but he got plenty of attention regardless in his Grinch costume. “On my way here, I had many kids ask for high-fives and wanting to get their pictures taken,” he said.
Portage Mayor Austin Bonta holds his niece Tilly during the parade Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, while Bonta’s wife Meg looks on. “She told me she’s going to be the mayor and a nurse someday,” Austin said of his niece, 3. (Doug Ross/for Post-Tribune)
Mayor Austin Bonta and Santa lit the city’s Christmas tree at Founders Square afterward. “I think that we had a record number of entries,” he said. He was pleased with the turnout.
Some of his highlights from the parade were the Nutcracker cast and seeing the Grinch in a cage suspended from a tow truck. “I think the creativity was so awesome.”
“It’s a great experience for the families,” he said.
Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Calumet region celebrates progress in flood mitigation efforts funded by relief funds
Dozens of community members from six municipalities in the Calumet region came together Friday to celebrate progress on a collection of flood mitigation projects funded by American Rescue Plan funds, ranging from better stormwater diversion to retrofitting homes for flood resilience.
Miriam Savad, chief strategy and program officer for the Center for Neighborhood Technology, which created the flood preparedness plans now being put into action, said the goal was to center the needs and perspectives of residents.
“We know that you need an equitable process to end up with an equitable solution,” Savad said. “I think this is a project that really exemplifies that. We need community participation in communities that have been explicitly disinvested in.”
The six communities involved in the project are Dolton, Robbins, Blue Island, Calumet City, Calumet Park and Riverdale.
Each of the municipalities has its own steering committee made up of volunteer organizers, many of them seniors, who were tasked with determining the priorities for their towns.
“We chose our project. We chose what type of project it would be, all based on the input of these individuals,” said Val Williams, who works for the community and economic development department of Calumet City. “And it’s good, you know. They’re retired lawyers, retired doctors, retired health care professionals, retired caregivers. They’re all retired people of different perspectives that still have a lot to give back to the community.”
The project the Calumet City steering committee chose was to create stormwater bumpouts at Sibley Boulevard and Wentworth Avenue, creating a safer crossing for a nearby day care.
The Center for Neighborhood Technology developed the RainReady plan for the region about 10 years ago, Savad said, but there was no funding at the time to put the project into practice.
It wasn’t until rescue plan was signed into law in 2021, dispensing billions in funds for pandemic relief and infrastructure improvement, that the project was able to get moving. Cook County committed $6 million of funds it was allotted to making the center’s plan a reality.
“It’s climate resiliency. We know that we have more flooding. We also know we have more heat. And these are all ways, in a lot of ways, nature-based solutions, as well as infrastructural solutions, to address some of the biggest aspects of this,” said Suzanne Malec-McKenna, director of the Cook County Department of Environment and Sustainability.
Community volunteers who helped plan flood preparedness in the Calumet region talk during a community roundtable Friday in Dolton. (Evy Lewis/Daily Southtown)
The relief funds expire in November 2026, meaning that is the deadline for completion for the RainReady projects in progress. Malec-McKenna stressed there is still a lot of climate adaptation work to be done in the south suburbs, which will require finding more funding sources.
“A lot of people look at tree-planting and flowers as this nice additional thing, if you have the additional money or what have you,” said Malec-McKenna. “But instead, it’s some of the most important infrastructure we can put in, because they’re hard-working nature solutions. We know a tree does cooling. Oaks, which are being planted, support 600 species.”
Bo Kemp, vice chair of the Center for Neighborhood Technology and CEO of the Southland Development Authority, said he hoped the community input model of RainReady could set an example for the rest of the state.
“For decades, not just in this area but all throughout the region, there’s just been a lack of focus and infrastructure investment in, in particular, Black and brown communities,” Kemp said.
Kemp said the south suburbs were particularly vulnerable to flooding because of the geology.
“This area is a very unique geological area, because of all the snows, essentially, that melted to create the Great Lakes, it creates a really high water table,” Kemp said. “You can’t dig 4 feet before you hit water out here. And so a lot of what RainReady is about is addressing what should have been an obvious issue, but an issue that had not been appropriately invested to solve.”
Bo Kemp, CEO of the Southland Development Authority, speaks Friday at the RainReady roundtable in Dolton. (Evy Lewis/Daily Southtown)
Many community representatives said they were driven to involve themselves with the project due to personal experiences with flooding. Alma Hill of the Calumet Park committee said her first experience with happened just six months after moving in.
“It was real bad. My whole basement was destroyed,” Hill said. “I sat there and I cried and cried and cried.”
Mary Carvlin of the Blue Island committee said involvement helped her to regain a sense of agency after her home was flooded.
“I have had up to 4 feet of water in my basement. I live at the bottom of the Blue Island ridge. It was a very crushing experience, as you can only imagine,” said Carvlin. “My involvement with CNT, I will say, has helped me to turn from being a victim to an advocate, and that’s the most important thing that’s happened to me personally. We’re not victims.”
JoAnn Rhodes of Robbins speaks on a panel of community organizers about why she got involved with the RainReady project. (Evy Lewis/Daily Southtown)
Carvlin said she’s looking forward to a plan underway with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District to create of a major water detention pond, a depression meant to hold excess stormwater and release it slowly into the ground.
“If that happens, I’m going to have waterfront property instead of water in my basement,” Carvlin said.
Lorée Washington, a community organizer in Riverdale, said once the RainReady projects were completed, she hoped to see the same level of local engagement sustained in future infrastructure work.
“These are singular projects, and they are wonderful projects, but they don’t address all the flooding issues,” Washington said. “What that means is there’s a lot of more work to do.”
elewis@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/08/calumet-region-flood-mitigation-relief-funds/
Calumet region celebrates progress in flood mitigation efforts funded by relief funds
Dozens of community members from six municipalities in the Calumet region came together Friday to celebrate progress on a collection of flood mitigation projects funded by American Rescue Plan funds, ranging from better stormwater diversion to retrofitting homes for flood resilience.
Miriam Savad, chief strategy and program officer for the Center for Neighborhood Technology, which created the flood preparedness plans now being put into action, said the goal was to center the needs and perspectives of residents.
“We know that you need an equitable process to end up with an equitable solution,” Savad said. “I think this is a project that really exemplifies that. We need community participation in communities that have been explicitly disinvested in.”
The six communities involved in the project are Dolton, Robbins, Blue Island, Calumet City, Calumet Park and Riverdale.
Each of the municipalities has its own steering committee made up of volunteer organizers, many of them seniors, who were tasked with determining the priorities for their towns.
“We chose our project. We chose what type of project it would be, all based on the input of these individuals,” said Val Williams, who works for the community and economic development department of Calumet City. “And it’s good, you know. They’re retired lawyers, retired doctors, retired health care professionals, retired caregivers. They’re all retired people of different perspectives that still have a lot to give back to the community.”
The project the Calumet City steering committee chose was to create stormwater bumpouts at Sibley Boulevard and Wentworth Avenue, creating a safer crossing for a nearby day care.
The Center for Neighborhood Technology developed the RainReady plan for the region about 10 years ago, Savad said, but there was no funding at the time to put the project into practice.
It wasn’t until rescue plan was signed into law in 2021, dispensing billions in funds for pandemic relief and infrastructure improvement, that the project was able to get moving. Cook County committed $6 million of funds it was allotted to making the center’s plan a reality.
“It’s climate resiliency. We know that we have more flooding. We also know we have more heat. And these are all ways, in a lot of ways, nature-based solutions, as well as infrastructural solutions, to address some of the biggest aspects of this,” said Suzanne Malec-McKenna, director of the Cook County Department of Environment and Sustainability.
Community volunteers who helped plan flood preparedness in the Calumet region talk during a community roundtable Friday in Dolton. (Evy Lewis/Daily Southtown)
The relief funds expire in November 2026, meaning that is the deadline for completion for the RainReady projects in progress. Malec-McKenna stressed there is still a lot of climate adaptation work to be done in the south suburbs, which will require finding more funding sources.
“A lot of people look at tree-planting and flowers as this nice additional thing, if you have the additional money or what have you,” said Malec-McKenna. “But instead, it’s some of the most important infrastructure we can put in, because they’re hard-working nature solutions. We know a tree does cooling. Oaks, which are being planted, support 600 species.”
Bo Kemp, vice chair of the Center for Neighborhood Technology and CEO of the Southland Development Authority, said he hoped the community input model of RainReady could set an example for the rest of the state.
“For decades, not just in this area but all throughout the region, there’s just been a lack of focus and infrastructure investment in, in particular, Black and brown communities,” Kemp said.
Kemp said the south suburbs were particularly vulnerable to flooding because of the geology.
“This area is a very unique geological area, because of all the snows, essentially, that melted to create the Great Lakes, it creates a really high water table,” Kemp said. “You can’t dig 4 feet before you hit water out here. And so a lot of what RainReady is about is addressing what should have been an obvious issue, but an issue that had not been appropriately invested to solve.”
Bo Kemp, CEO of the Southland Development Authority, speaks Friday at the RainReady roundtable in Dolton. (Evy Lewis/Daily Southtown)
Many community representatives said they were driven to involve themselves with the project due to personal experiences with flooding. Alma Hill of the Calumet Park committee said her first experience with happened just six months after moving in.
“It was real bad. My whole basement was destroyed,” Hill said. “I sat there and I cried and cried and cried.”
Mary Carvlin of the Blue Island committee said involvement helped her to regain a sense of agency after her home was flooded.
“I have had up to 4 feet of water in my basement. I live at the bottom of the Blue Island ridge. It was a very crushing experience, as you can only imagine,” said Carvlin. “My involvement with CNT, I will say, has helped me to turn from being a victim to an advocate, and that’s the most important thing that’s happened to me personally. We’re not victims.”
JoAnn Rhodes of Robbins speaks on a panel of community organizers about why she got involved with the RainReady project. (Evy Lewis/Daily Southtown)
Carvlin said she’s looking forward to a plan underway with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District to create of a major water detention pond, a depression meant to hold excess stormwater and release it slowly into the ground.
“If that happens, I’m going to have waterfront property instead of water in my basement,” Carvlin said.
Lorée Washington, a community organizer in Riverdale, said once the RainReady projects were completed, she hoped to see the same level of local engagement sustained in future infrastructure work.
“These are singular projects, and they are wonderful projects, but they don’t address all the flooding issues,” Washington said. “What that means is there’s a lot of more work to do.”
elewis@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/08/calumet-region-flood-mitigation-relief-funds/
Esta semana se deciden los cuartos de final de la Copa NBA
Por TIM REYNOLDS
Todos los ocho equipos que quedan en la contienda por la Copa NBA se juegan la oportunidad de viajar a Las Vegas para las semifinales del torneo, junto con la posibilidad de ganar más de 500.000 por jugador como recompensa por reclamar el título.
Y para el Thunder de Oklahoma City, hay algo más: la historia está en juego.
Los partidos de cuartos de final de la Copa NBA —Miami en Orlando, Nueva York en Toronto, Phoenix en Oklahoma City y San Antonio visitando a los Lakers de Los Ángeles— están programados para el martes y miércoles. Los ganadores se dirigirán a Las Vegas para las semifinales este fin de semana.
Si el Thunder vence a los Suns, mejorarán a una foja de 24-1 esta temporada y empatarán el récord de Golden State al mejor inicio de temporada en la historia de la NBA después de 25 partidos.
También hay incentivos en efectivo: Los jugadores de los equipos que disputan los cuartos ya se han asegurado 53.093 dólares cada uno como bono, y los jugadores con contratos de dos vías recibiendo la mitad de esa cantidad. Un viaje a la ronda de semifinales duplica el pago a 106.187.
Una victoria en semifinales garantiza a los jugadores 212.373 dólares en dinero de bonificación, y los jugadores con contratos estándar en el equipo ganador de la Copa recibirán 530.933 cada uno. Nuevamente, los jugadores de dos vías reciben la mitad de la cantidad del bono.
Miami vs Orlando
Martes, 6 p.m. ET
Registros: Heat 14-10, Magic 14-10
Serie de la temporada: Magic lidera 2-0 (Magic 125, Heat 121 en Orlando el 22 de octubre; Magic 106, Heat 105 en Orlando el cinco de diciembre).
Historia de la Copa NBA: Heat tiene un récord de 7-5 en juegos de Copa y disputa los cuartos de final por primera vez, se clasificó para la etapa de eliminación este año ganando el comodín de la Conferencia Este con 3-1. Magic tiene un récord de 10-3 en juegos de Copa y está en cuartos de final por segundo año consecutivo, ganó el Grupo B del Este este año con 4-0, buscando su primera aparición en semifinales.
Perspectiva: Será el tercero de cinco encuentros entre los rivales del Florida esta temporada, y los dos primeros fueron emocionantes hasta el último momento en Orlando. El Heat ha perdido tres seguidos por primera vez esta temporada y el Magic acaba de recuperar a Paolo Banchero de una lesión, antes de quedarse sin Franz Wagner por lesión en la derrota en Nueva York el domingo.
Knicks vs. Raptors
Martes, 8:30 p.m. ET
Registros: Knicks 16-7, Raptors 15-10
Serie de la temporada: Knicks lidera 1-0 (Knicks 116, Raptors 94 en Nueva York el 30 de noviembre).
Historia de la Copa NBA: Knicks tiene un récord de 10-4 en juegos de Copa, es el único equipo en la NBA que ha llegado a los cuartos de final de la Copa en los tres años del evento, ganó el Grupo C del Este con un récord de 3-1 y buscan su primera aparición en semifinales. Los Raptors tiene un récord de 6-6 en juegos de Copa y están en cuartos de final por primera vez, tras ganar el Grupo A del Este este año con 4-0.
Perspectiva: Knicks ha ganado siete de sus últimos ocho juegos y 14 de sus últimos 18. Los Knicks tiene un récord de 0-2 en juegos de cuartos de final en la Copa, perdiendo por un total de 32 puntos. Los Raptors ha tenido altibajos salvajes esta temporada. Comenzaron con marca de 1-4, luego se mantuvieron invictos en cuatro juegos de la fase de grupos en la Copa durante un período en el que fueron 13-1. El problema es que están 1-5 desde ese período.
Suns vs. Thunder
Miércoles, 7:30 p.m. ET
Registros: Suns 13-10, Thunder 23-1
Serie de la temporada: Thunder lidera 1-0 (Thunder 123, Suns 119 en Oklahoma City el 28 de noviembre).
Historia de la Copa NBA: Suns tiene un récord de 9-4 en juegos de Copa y es la segunda ocasión que disputa los cuartos de final (2023), buscando su primera aparición en semifinales, se clasificó para la etapa de eliminación directa este año ganando el comodín de la Conferencia Oeste con 3-1. El Thunder tiene un récord de 10-5 en juegos de Copa y está en cuartos de final por segundo año consecutivo tras perder la final del año pasado ante Milwaukee. Ganó el Grupo A del Oeste este año con foja de 4-0.
Perspectiva: Oklahoma City necesita una victoria para igualar el mejor inicio de Golden State (24-uno en 2015-16). El base del Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, ha anotado 445 puntos en juegos de Copa, la segunda mayor cantidad en el torneo detrás de Giannis Antetokounmpo de Milwaukee (453). Phoenix tiene un récord de 10-0 cuando mantiene a los equipos con 113 puntos o menos, 3-10 de lo contrario.
Spurs vs. Lakers
Miércoles, 10 p.m. ET
Registros: Spurs 15-7, Lakers 17-6
Serie de la temporada: Lakers 1-0 (Lakers 118, Spurs 116 en Los Ángeles el cinco de noviembre).
Historia de la Copa NBA: Spurs tiene un récord de 5-7 en juegos de Copa, están en cuartos de final por primera vez y ganaron el Grupo B del Oeste esta temporada con marca de 3-1. Los Lakers tienen el mejor récord de la NBA con 13-2 en juegos de Copa, están en cuartos de final por segunda vez, ganaron el Grupo C del Oeste esta temporada con 4-0. Los Ángeles ganó el torneo inaugural en 2023 cuando se llamaba el Torneo de Temporada.
Perspectiva: El base de los Lakers, Austin Reaves, está teniendo una temporada destacada y se ve mucho como un jugador All-NBA, además ha aparecido en más victorias de juegos de Copa (13 victorias en 15 partidos) que cualquier otro jugador que aún esté en el torneo de este año. LeBron James viene de anotar un máximo de temporada de 29 puntos en la victoria de los Lakers en Filadelfia el domingo. Los Spurs tienen un récord de 8-4 con Victor Wembanyama en la alineación —y han mantenido más que bien desde que se lesionó la pantorrilla, con un récord de 7-3 en su ausencia.
___
Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Esta semana se deciden los cuartos de final de la Copa NBA
Por TIM REYNOLDS
Todos los ocho equipos que quedan en la contienda por la Copa NBA se juegan la oportunidad de viajar a Las Vegas para las semifinales del torneo, junto con la posibilidad de ganar más de 500.000 por jugador como recompensa por reclamar el título.
Y para el Thunder de Oklahoma City, hay algo más: la historia está en juego.
Los partidos de cuartos de final de la Copa NBA —Miami en Orlando, Nueva York en Toronto, Phoenix en Oklahoma City y San Antonio visitando a los Lakers de Los Ángeles— están programados para el martes y miércoles. Los ganadores se dirigirán a Las Vegas para las semifinales este fin de semana.
Si el Thunder vence a los Suns, mejorarán a una foja de 24-1 esta temporada y empatarán el récord de Golden State al mejor inicio de temporada en la historia de la NBA después de 25 partidos.
También hay incentivos en efectivo: Los jugadores de los equipos que disputan los cuartos ya se han asegurado 53.093 dólares cada uno como bono, y los jugadores con contratos de dos vías recibiendo la mitad de esa cantidad. Un viaje a la ronda de semifinales duplica el pago a 106.187.
Una victoria en semifinales garantiza a los jugadores 212.373 dólares en dinero de bonificación, y los jugadores con contratos estándar en el equipo ganador de la Copa recibirán 530.933 cada uno. Nuevamente, los jugadores de dos vías reciben la mitad de la cantidad del bono.
Miami vs Orlando
Martes, 6 p.m. ET
Registros: Heat 14-10, Magic 14-10
Serie de la temporada: Magic lidera 2-0 (Magic 125, Heat 121 en Orlando el 22 de octubre; Magic 106, Heat 105 en Orlando el cinco de diciembre).
Historia de la Copa NBA: Heat tiene un récord de 7-5 en juegos de Copa y disputa los cuartos de final por primera vez, se clasificó para la etapa de eliminación este año ganando el comodín de la Conferencia Este con 3-1. Magic tiene un récord de 10-3 en juegos de Copa y está en cuartos de final por segundo año consecutivo, ganó el Grupo B del Este este año con 4-0, buscando su primera aparición en semifinales.
Perspectiva: Será el tercero de cinco encuentros entre los rivales del Florida esta temporada, y los dos primeros fueron emocionantes hasta el último momento en Orlando. El Heat ha perdido tres seguidos por primera vez esta temporada y el Magic acaba de recuperar a Paolo Banchero de una lesión, antes de quedarse sin Franz Wagner por lesión en la derrota en Nueva York el domingo.
Knicks vs. Raptors
Martes, 8:30 p.m. ET
Registros: Knicks 16-7, Raptors 15-10
Serie de la temporada: Knicks lidera 1-0 (Knicks 116, Raptors 94 en Nueva York el 30 de noviembre).
Historia de la Copa NBA: Knicks tiene un récord de 10-4 en juegos de Copa, es el único equipo en la NBA que ha llegado a los cuartos de final de la Copa en los tres años del evento, ganó el Grupo C del Este con un récord de 3-1 y buscan su primera aparición en semifinales. Los Raptors tiene un récord de 6-6 en juegos de Copa y están en cuartos de final por primera vez, tras ganar el Grupo A del Este este año con 4-0.
Perspectiva: Knicks ha ganado siete de sus últimos ocho juegos y 14 de sus últimos 18. Los Knicks tiene un récord de 0-2 en juegos de cuartos de final en la Copa, perdiendo por un total de 32 puntos. Los Raptors ha tenido altibajos salvajes esta temporada. Comenzaron con marca de 1-4, luego se mantuvieron invictos en cuatro juegos de la fase de grupos en la Copa durante un período en el que fueron 13-1. El problema es que están 1-5 desde ese período.
Suns vs. Thunder
Miércoles, 7:30 p.m. ET
Registros: Suns 13-10, Thunder 23-1
Serie de la temporada: Thunder lidera 1-0 (Thunder 123, Suns 119 en Oklahoma City el 28 de noviembre).
Historia de la Copa NBA: Suns tiene un récord de 9-4 en juegos de Copa y es la segunda ocasión que disputa los cuartos de final (2023), buscando su primera aparición en semifinales, se clasificó para la etapa de eliminación directa este año ganando el comodín de la Conferencia Oeste con 3-1. El Thunder tiene un récord de 10-5 en juegos de Copa y está en cuartos de final por segundo año consecutivo tras perder la final del año pasado ante Milwaukee. Ganó el Grupo A del Oeste este año con foja de 4-0.
Perspectiva: Oklahoma City necesita una victoria para igualar el mejor inicio de Golden State (24-uno en 2015-16). El base del Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, ha anotado 445 puntos en juegos de Copa, la segunda mayor cantidad en el torneo detrás de Giannis Antetokounmpo de Milwaukee (453). Phoenix tiene un récord de 10-0 cuando mantiene a los equipos con 113 puntos o menos, 3-10 de lo contrario.
Spurs vs. Lakers
Miércoles, 10 p.m. ET
Registros: Spurs 15-7, Lakers 17-6
Serie de la temporada: Lakers 1-0 (Lakers 118, Spurs 116 en Los Ángeles el cinco de noviembre).
Historia de la Copa NBA: Spurs tiene un récord de 5-7 en juegos de Copa, están en cuartos de final por primera vez y ganaron el Grupo B del Oeste esta temporada con marca de 3-1. Los Lakers tienen el mejor récord de la NBA con 13-2 en juegos de Copa, están en cuartos de final por segunda vez, ganaron el Grupo C del Oeste esta temporada con 4-0. Los Ángeles ganó el torneo inaugural en 2023 cuando se llamaba el Torneo de Temporada.
Perspectiva: El base de los Lakers, Austin Reaves, está teniendo una temporada destacada y se ve mucho como un jugador All-NBA, además ha aparecido en más victorias de juegos de Copa (13 victorias en 15 partidos) que cualquier otro jugador que aún esté en el torneo de este año. LeBron James viene de anotar un máximo de temporada de 29 puntos en la victoria de los Lakers en Filadelfia el domingo. Los Spurs tienen un récord de 8-4 con Victor Wembanyama en la alineación —y han mantenido más que bien desde que se lesionó la pantorrilla, con un récord de 7-3 en su ausencia.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Ataque aéreo militar en Myanmar a una casa de té deja 18 muertos
Por GRANT PECK
BANGKOK (AP) — Un ataque aéreo del ejército de Myanmar en una casa de té en la región centro-norte de Sagaing del país la semana pasada mató al menos a 18 civiles e hirió a otros 20, dijo el lunes un aldeano local y medios de comunicación independientes.
El ataque es el último de una serie de frecuentes bombardeos dirigidos a fuerzas armadas pro-democracia mientras el país se acerca a las elecciones de finales de este mes. Los ataques a menudo causan bajas civiles.
Myanmar está en crisis desde el golpe de Estado al gobierno electo de Aung San Suu Kyi el 1 de febrero de 2021, que desencadenó una oposición popular generalizada. Después de que las manifestaciones pacíficas fueron reprimidas con fuerza letal, muchos opositores al régimen militar tomaron las armas, y grandes partes del país están ahora envueltas en conflicto.
El nuevo ataque ocurrió el 5 de diciembre, poco después de las 8 de la noche en la aldea de Mayakan en el municipio de Tabayin, dijo un residente. La aldea, a unos 120 kilómetros (75 millas) al noroeste de Mandalay, la segunda ciudad más grande del país, es más conocida por su antiguo nombre de Depayin.
El aldeano, que se apresuró al lugar del ataque para ayudar a las víctimas, dijo a The Associated Press que un niño de 5 años y dos maestros de escuela estaban entre los muertos en el ataque en la casa de té donde decenas de personas se reunieron para ver el torneo de fútbol de Myanmar contra Filipinas en televisión.
Las casas de té en Myanmar son el equivalente a las cafeterías de barrio en Occidente, donde la gente se queda tomando tazas de té dulce, se reúne para hablar, comer y conectar con la vida comunitaria.
El aldeano, que habló bajo condición de anonimato porque teme ser arrestado por el ejército, dijo que dos bombas lanzadas por un avión de combate explotaron poco después de que sonaron las sirenas de ataque aéreo, matando a muchas personas en la casa de té que no tuvieron tiempo de buscar refugio. Más de 20 casas cerca de la tienda resultaron dañadas.
También dijo que no había habido combates recientes en el área, aunque Sagaing es un bastión de la resistencia contra el régimen. El gobierno militar ha intensificado los ataques aéreos contra la Fuerza de Defensa del Pueblo, grupo armado prodemocracia, y las milicias étnicas para recuperar territorio antes de las elecciones del 28 de diciembre. Las fuerzas de resistencia no tienen defensa contra los ataques aéreos.
El ejército no anunció ningún ataque en el área.
Algunos residentes huyeron de la aldea después del funeral de las víctimas el sábado, mientras que los que permanecieron estaban cavando refugios antiaéreos, dijo el aldeano.
Medios de comunicación independientes en línea, incluido el servicio de noticias Myanmar Now, publicaron imágenes y videos que supuestamente muestran los escombros del ataque aéreo.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Ataque aéreo militar en Myanmar a una casa de té deja 18 muertos
Por GRANT PECK
BANGKOK (AP) — Un ataque aéreo del ejército de Myanmar en una casa de té en la región centro-norte de Sagaing del país la semana pasada mató al menos a 18 civiles e hirió a otros 20, dijo el lunes un aldeano local y medios de comunicación independientes.
El ataque es el último de una serie de frecuentes bombardeos dirigidos a fuerzas armadas pro-democracia mientras el país se acerca a las elecciones de finales de este mes. Los ataques a menudo causan bajas civiles.
Myanmar está en crisis desde el golpe de Estado al gobierno electo de Aung San Suu Kyi el 1 de febrero de 2021, que desencadenó una oposición popular generalizada. Después de que las manifestaciones pacíficas fueron reprimidas con fuerza letal, muchos opositores al régimen militar tomaron las armas, y grandes partes del país están ahora envueltas en conflicto.
El nuevo ataque ocurrió el 5 de diciembre, poco después de las 8 de la noche en la aldea de Mayakan en el municipio de Tabayin, dijo un residente. La aldea, a unos 120 kilómetros (75 millas) al noroeste de Mandalay, la segunda ciudad más grande del país, es más conocida por su antiguo nombre de Depayin.
El aldeano, que se apresuró al lugar del ataque para ayudar a las víctimas, dijo a The Associated Press que un niño de 5 años y dos maestros de escuela estaban entre los muertos en el ataque en la casa de té donde decenas de personas se reunieron para ver el torneo de fútbol de Myanmar contra Filipinas en televisión.
Las casas de té en Myanmar son el equivalente a las cafeterías de barrio en Occidente, donde la gente se queda tomando tazas de té dulce, se reúne para hablar, comer y conectar con la vida comunitaria.
El aldeano, que habló bajo condición de anonimato porque teme ser arrestado por el ejército, dijo que dos bombas lanzadas por un avión de combate explotaron poco después de que sonaron las sirenas de ataque aéreo, matando a muchas personas en la casa de té que no tuvieron tiempo de buscar refugio. Más de 20 casas cerca de la tienda resultaron dañadas.
También dijo que no había habido combates recientes en el área, aunque Sagaing es un bastión de la resistencia contra el régimen. El gobierno militar ha intensificado los ataques aéreos contra la Fuerza de Defensa del Pueblo, grupo armado prodemocracia, y las milicias étnicas para recuperar territorio antes de las elecciones del 28 de diciembre. Las fuerzas de resistencia no tienen defensa contra los ataques aéreos.
El ejército no anunció ningún ataque en el área.
Algunos residentes huyeron de la aldea después del funeral de las víctimas el sábado, mientras que los que permanecieron estaban cavando refugios antiaéreos, dijo el aldeano.
Medios de comunicación independientes en línea, incluido el servicio de noticias Myanmar Now, publicaron imágenes y videos que supuestamente muestran los escombros del ataque aéreo.
_______
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Ukraine Claims It Can Intercept Conversations Of Kremlin Officials
Ukraine Claims It Can Intercept Conversations Of Kremlin Officials
The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency has boasted of being capable of intercepting conversations of senior Russian officials. He made the big claim in a fresh local media interview, but didn’t back it up by proof or any specifics.
“Yes, we can. We get paid for this,” stated the agency’s chief, Kyrylo Budanov, to RBC-Ukraine on Sunday. He had specifically been asked whether Ukrainian intelligence can eavesdrop on Kremlin officials.
The remarks come after recent leaks hit Western press related to Trump officials negotiating with Kremlin officials over the future of the Ukraine war and Trump’s peace plan.
But Kiev has obviously not been happy with the White House plan, which offers Russia significant territorial concessions in the Donbas and Crimea, and along with European leaders has been actively trying to thwart it. Thus Ukraine has motive to try and leak as much as possible of interactions between the US and Russia.
In late November, Bloomberg reported that the 28-point peace proposal was drafted by Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff together with Russian lawmaker Kirill Dmitriev during a meeting in Miami in October. As a result, Ukrainian and EU officials tried to smear it as ultimately a ‘Russian-desired plan’.
The outlet later released two transcripts of conversations involving Russian and US officials. They purported to reveal Witkoff advising the Russian side on how to best pitch the Kremlin’s ideas to Trump.
Spy chief Budanov in touting Ukraine’s eavesdropping capabilities seems to be hinting at involvement; however, these leaks could have just as easily come from the Russian side, or even someone within the a delegation.
After all, the Kremlin has benefited from courting Witkoff and Kushner, while being in the driver’s seat militarily on the battlefield. It is enjoying projecting to the world it is not so ‘isolated’, and is calling many of the shots with Washington because it has real leverage.
On Monday, President Zelensky is in London meeting with Europeans, where they are working on what they call a more ‘fair’ and ‘just’ ceasefire plan.
The president and the pretender. Zaluzhny greets Zelensky in London. pic.twitter.com/JEGO58lffp
— Leonid Ragozin (@leonidragozin) December 8, 2025
The European outline so far makes no mention of giving up territory, and even leaves the door open for Ukraine’s future path to NATO membership. These things are of course a non-starter for Moscow, and that might be the point.
President Putin has already long said that any plan which refuses territorial concessions or to rule out NATO membership would be dead on arrival, and could never be accepted by Russia.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 12/08/2025 – 13:40
Ukraine Claims It Can Intercept Conversations Of Kremlin Officials
Ukraine Claims It Can Intercept Conversations Of Kremlin Officials
The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency has boasted of being capable of intercepting conversations of senior Russian officials. He made the big claim in a fresh local media interview, but didn’t back it up by proof or any specifics.
“Yes, we can. We get paid for this,” stated the agency’s chief, Kyrylo Budanov, to RBC-Ukraine on Sunday. He had specifically been asked whether Ukrainian intelligence can eavesdrop on Kremlin officials.
The remarks come after recent leaks hit Western press related to Trump officials negotiating with Kremlin officials over the future of the Ukraine war and Trump’s peace plan.
But Kiev has obviously not been happy with the White House plan, which offers Russia significant territorial concessions in the Donbas and Crimea, and along with European leaders has been actively trying to thwart it. Thus Ukraine has motive to try and leak as much as possible of interactions between the US and Russia.
In late November, Bloomberg reported that the 28-point peace proposal was drafted by Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff together with Russian lawmaker Kirill Dmitriev during a meeting in Miami in October. As a result, Ukrainian and EU officials tried to smear it as ultimately a ‘Russian-desired plan’.
The outlet later released two transcripts of conversations involving Russian and US officials. They purported to reveal Witkoff advising the Russian side on how to best pitch the Kremlin’s ideas to Trump.
Spy chief Budanov in touting Ukraine’s eavesdropping capabilities seems to be hinting at involvement; however, these leaks could have just as easily come from the Russian side, or even someone within the a delegation.
After all, the Kremlin has benefited from courting Witkoff and Kushner, while being in the driver’s seat militarily on the battlefield. It is enjoying projecting to the world it is not so ‘isolated’, and is calling many of the shots with Washington because it has real leverage.
On Monday, President Zelensky is in London meeting with Europeans, where they are working on what they call a more ‘fair’ and ‘just’ ceasefire plan.
The president and the pretender. Zaluzhny greets Zelensky in London. pic.twitter.com/JEGO58lffp
— Leonid Ragozin (@leonidragozin) December 8, 2025
The European outline so far makes no mention of giving up territory, and even leaves the door open for Ukraine’s future path to NATO membership. These things are of course a non-starter for Moscow, and that might be the point.
President Putin has already long said that any plan which refuses territorial concessions or to rule out NATO membership would be dead on arrival, and could never be accepted by Russia.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 12/08/2025 – 13:40
