Category: News
3 takeaways as the Chicago Bulls drop a lifeless loss — on their longest skid since February 2020
The white flag came out early for the Chicago Bulls in their seventh consecutive loss.
Coach Billy Donovan sent in the end-of-bench players with four minutes and 21 seconds remaining in Sunday’s 123-91 loss to the Golden State Warriors at the United Center. It was a rare surrender formation for the Bulls, who have prided themselves on keeping losses close this season.
Barely seven minutes prior, the Bulls were clinging to a minuscule shred of hope. A fast break layup from Jevon Carter had cut a 24-point lead down to single digits. That should have been enough to spark a little life — or at least some desperation — into a team that spent the last three weeks preaching urgency.
Spoiler alert: it did not.
The Bulls melted, as they have been. The Warriors battered the defense with a 21-5 run to open the fourth quarter, squashing out that last little spark. It’s cold in Chicago — on defense, on offense, everywhere on the court. And whatever the Bulls needed to overcome their worst losing streak since February 2020, they didn’t have it.
This isn’t the version of the Warriors most teams are scared to face. No Steph Curry, no Draymond Green. It was clear that Jimmy Butler still relishes the opportunity to play his former team all these years later, cracking a small smile as he knocked down his second 3-pointer of the fourth quarter to knock the Bulls fully out of the game. Still, the Warriors were stretched thin on the second night of a road back-to-back.
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler dunks the ball in the first quarter during a game against the Chicago Bulls, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, at the United Center in Chicago. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)
This was another game that should have given the Bulls a chance to compete. But those appearances haven’t translated into reality for a team that can’t seem to stop the bleeding a quarter of the way into the season. Even Butler didn’t gloat after the latest episode in a saga of stagnant performances by the Bulls.
“They’ll figure it out,” Butler said. “The city deserves that. The city deserves to win, to be in the playoffs and compete.”
Here are three takeaways from the loss.
1. Begging for effort.
Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan gestures at his players in the second quarter during a game against the Golden State Warriors, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, at the United Center in Chicago. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)
For seven straight games, Donovan has bemoaned a lack of consistency in effort from every player on the roster. It’s unclear when — or how — the Bulls will fix this key aspect of their losing patterns.
It’s not the big picture. Shooting is an issue. Defensive personnel is a clear sticking point. But for the Bulls, the most lacking characteristic is an intentional effort to win the marginal aspects of the game. Every team meeting and film session focuses on this same weakness, yet nothing has changed.
Against the Warriors, the Bulls gave up 15 offensive rebounds and lost the second-chance point battle 23-14. They failed to fight for loose balls and gave up the game in transition. On paper, these statistics tally up to create a clear deficit in points. But in live action, they transform into something worse — a lifeless, disconnected style of play.
Photos: Golden State Warriors 123, Chicago Bulls 91
“I think this is a group that gets along very, very well,” Donovan said. “They all like each other. But (we can’t win) until they start to love each other enough to block out and then dive on the floor — and do that not for themselves but for the guy next to them. Because we don’t have the luxury of Jimmy Butler putting the game away on a 3 and a couple of drives. We have to do it together.”
2. The bench is no longer mobbing.
Chicago Bulls guard Jevon Carter (5) goes up for a layup in the fourth quarter during a game against the Golden State Warriors, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, at the United Center in Chicago. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)
The Bulls had no help from their bench in Sunday’s loss. Before the fourth quarter — in which bench players logged the majority of the minutes — the bench logged only 23 points of total scoring. The secondary unit ultimately finished with 32 points, 13 of which were scored by Jevon Carter, who knocked down three of the team’s 11 3-pointers.
The Bulls have prided themselves on the concept of their perceived depth, posting the second-highest bench scoring in the league (44.2 average) so far this season. But that production tumbled to 35 points per game in the last six losses as the Bulls offense continued to stall out.
Injuries clearly contribute to this steep drop-off. The Bulls had to rotate two-way players like rookie Lachlan Olbrich into the back end of the rotation in recent games to account for the dearth of available players. But Sunday’s bench rotation still struggled despite featuring mainstay second rotation players like Patrick Williams, Dalen Terry and Zach Collins.
3. Warriors torch from outside.
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler makes a 3-point field goal over Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis in the fourth quarter, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, at the United Center in Chicago. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)
The Bulls made a mistake in their opening defensive strategy — showing up in a zone, as if daring the Warriors to sit back and sling it from the 3-point arc.
The Warriors eagerly welcomed that dare, knocking down a trio of 3s before they shook the Bulls out of their defensive scheme. This early flurry was enough to send Golden State ahead 11-2 in the opening 120 seconds of play.
The Bulls knew the arc would be a threat against Golden State, which still hasn’t strayed from the model that won this franchise its dynastic series of trophies. The Warriors take nearly half of their shots from long distance. They sank 22 shots on 47 attempts (46.8%) against the Bulls, replete with volume from youngsters Quinten Post (5-for-10) and Brandin Podziemski (5-for-9).
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/07/chicago-bulls-golden-state-warriors-lifeless-loss/
Águilas Cibaeñas blanquean a Toros del Este en la Liga Dominicana de Béisbol
Por The Associated Press
Los líderes Águilas Cibaeñas contaron este domingo con una sólida apertura de Drew Parrish para derrotar por 2-0 a los Toros del Este y ampliar su ventaja en la cima de la Liga Dominicana de Béisbol.
Parrish permitió apenas un imparable en cinco episodios en blanco para llevarse la victoria, mientras que a la ofensiva destacaron Corey Joyce, con un cuadrangular solitario, y Leody Taveras, con un triple remolcador.
En San Pedro de Macorís, Luis García aprovechó un lanzamiento descontrolado de Patrick Weiwel para descolgarse desde la tercera base con la carrera de la diferencia en la parte alta de la décima entrada, y los Gigantes del Cibao derrotaron por 8-7 a las Estrellas Orientales.
En Santo Domingo, Ronny Mauricio sacudió un cuadrangular de dos carreras en el fondo de la décima entrada para dejar en el terreno a los Leones del Escogido, y los Tigres del Licey escaparon con la victoria por 6-5.
Cangrejeros barren a Criollos y afianzan liderato en Puerto Rico
Los Cangrejeros de Santurce barrieron este domingo a los Criollos de Caguas en una doble cartelera de juegos recortados a siete episodios, para afianzarse en el liderato de la Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente.
En el primer juego de la tarde, Edwin Arroyo bateó de 5-2 con dos carreras producidas y Jack López se fue de 3-2 con un doble, tres anotadas y una remolcada, en el triunfo de Santurce por 9-3.
En el segundo encuentro, Roy Morales conectó un sencillo productor de dos anotaciones para coronar un ataque de tres carreras en el tercer capítulo, y los Cangrejeros se impusieron por 3-2.
En Ponce, los Gigantes de Carolina también lograron dos victorias en su doble cartelera frente a los Leones de Ponce.
En el primer duelo, Jonathan Rodríguez rompió un empate con un elevado de sacrificio en la parte alta del séptimo episodio, y los Gigantes se llevaron una apretada victoria por 4-3. Más tarde, Matt Givin lanzó siete potentes entradas en blanco de apenas tres imparables para guiar a Carolina a un cómodo triunfo por 6-0.
En San Juan, Senadores e Indios de Mayagüez dividieron triunfos.
En el primer juego, Alan Marrero remolcó una carrera con un doble y Narciso Crook añadió un sencillo productor, y los Senadores se impusieron por 3-1.
En el segundo, Martín Maldonado impulsó dos anotaciones con un doble en el cuarto episodio, y los Indios se desquitaron con una victoria por 2-1.
Cardenales se imponen a Águilas del Zulia en festival ofensivo
Los Cardenales de Lara atacaron con cuatro anotaciones en el fondo del octavo episodio para remontar y vencer por 13-10 a las Águilas del Zulia, en un juego lleno de ofensiva dentro de la Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional.
Luisángel Acuña bateó de 4-2 con un cuadrangular y cuatro carreras remolcadas, mientras que Danry Vázquez se fue de 5-2 con un jonrón y también cuatro empujadas para encabezar la poderosa ofensiva de Lara.
En Maracay, Lorenzo Cedrola bateó de 5-3 con un triple y dos producidas, y Alberth Martínez conectó de 5-3 con una anotada y una remolcada, para guiar a los Tigres de Aragua a un triunfo por 7-5 sobre los Tiburones de La Guaira.
En Porlamar, Víctor Bericoto bateó de 3-2 con dos carreras producidas para liderar la victoria de los Leones del Caracas por 5-2 sobre los Bravos de Margarita.
En Puerto La Cruz, el duelo programado entre los Navegantes del Magallanes y los Caribes de Anzoátegui fue suspendido por mal tiempo.
Yaquis frenan racha ganadora de Tomateros en la LMP
Los Yaquis de Ciudad Obregón evitaron la barrida en la serie de tres encuentros al derrotar este domingo por 5-2 a los Tomateros de Culiacán, quienes vieron cortada su racha de seis victorias consecutivas en la Liga Mexicana del Pacífico.
Sebastián Elizalde remolcó dos carreras con un doble y Juan Carlos Gamboa se fue de 4-2 con un doble y una producida, para encabezar el ataque ganador.
En Hermosillo, TT Bowens bateó de 4-1 con un cuadrangular y dos remolcadas para liderar el triunfo de los Naranjeros por 5-3 sobre los Charros de Jalisco.
En Los Mochis, Aaron Lugo conectó un sencillo productor de dos carreras en el fondo del octavo episodio para remontar, y los Cañeros derrotaron por 4-3 al Tucson Baseball Team.
En Nayarit, David Reyes lanzó cinco entradas de apenas una carrera y Yadir Drake bateó de 4-2 con un doble y una producida, en la victoria de las Águilas de Mexicali por 3-1 sobre los Jaguares de Nayarit.
En Mazatlán, un error del tercera base Carlos Arellano tras un toque de sacrificio permitió que Leo Germán anotara desde la segunda base la carrera de la victoria en el fondo del décimo episodio, y los Venados dejaron en el terreno a los Algodoneros de Guasave con un triunfo por 7-6.
Rick Armstrong’s high school boys basketball rankings and player of the week for the Aurora-Elgin area
Geneva, Jacobs, Aurora Christian and Yorkville make big moves, while Marmion joins rankings.
Top 10
With records through Sunday and previous rankings in parentheses.
1. Oswego East 5-0 (1)
Dshaun Bolden tallies 17 points and seven rebounds in a 62-28 rout of Plainfield North.
2. Geneva 5-0 (5)
Nathan Palmer, the Bob Schick Thanksgiving Tournament MVP, sparks Vikings as a senior.
3. Kaneland 4-0 (3)
Jeffrey Hassan remains double trouble with 14 points, 14 rebounds in 63-48 win over West Aurora.
4. Waubonsie Valley 4-1 (2)
Junior combo guard Kris Mporokoso steps up to fill leadership void early for the Warriors.
5. Jacobs 5-1 (9)
Freshman guard Malachi Bell, all-tournament at Lakes, bags 29-point game for Golden Eagles.
6. Aurora Christian 6-0 (8)
Jacob Baumann, Preston Morel each score 21 points as Eagles top JCA 65-57 for tourney title.
7. Yorkville 3-1 (10)
Senior guard Gabe Sanders is averaging 15.5 points a game to lead the young Foxes.
8. Oswego 3-2 (6)
Despite 29 points and nine rebounds from Ethan Vahl, Bolingbrook overwhelms Panthers 82-54.
9. Metea Valley 2-2 (7)
Tre Watkins posts double-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds in 48-46 loss to Waubonsie Valley.
10. Marmion 3-1 (NR)
Ali Tharwani averages 20 points at Batavia, then adds scholarship offer from Judson.
Player of the Week
Junior forward Dshaun Bolden averages team-high 21 points and 8.4 rebounds in five games for Oswego East. The 6-foot-5 forward adds 2.0 assists, 2.2 deflections and 1.0 steals.
1st-place Anaheim Ducks rout the road-weary Chicago Blackhawks 7-1
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Leo Carlsson scored two goals and rookie Beckett Sennecke had a goal and an assist in the Anaheim Ducks’ 7-1 victory over the road-weary Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night.
Jacob Trouba, Mason McTavish, Alex Killorn and Frank Vatrano also scored for the Pacific Division-leading Ducks, who have won three of four. Anaheim took charge with a four-goal second period that featured a franchise-record 27 shots on Chicago’s net, capped by Carlsson’s 15th goal on a fluttering deflection for a 5-0 lead.
Ville Husso made 19 saves for the Ducks, who beat the Hawks for the first time in three tries this season. Ryan Strome, Cutter Gauthier and Chris Kreider had two assists apiece.
Arvid Söderblom stopped 46 shots — 39 in the first two periods — in a standout effort for the struggling Hawks, who will be eager to get out of Southern California after losing 6-0 at Los Angeles on Saturday. Tyler Bertuzzi scored for the Hawks, who have lost eight of 10 after a 10-5-4 start to the season.
Connor Bedard had an assist for his 40th point in 29 games. Carlsson, drafted one pick after Bedard in 2023, has 38 points in 29 games.
Trouba opened the scoring in the first period with an undefended slap shot after an egregious Hawks turnover. The veteran defenseman has five goals in his last 23 games — which is more than he scored in his previous 165 games over parts of four seasons with the Rangers and Ducks.
Sennecke set up McTavish’s power-play goal to open the second period before scoring his eighth goal on a beautiful dangle. The 19-year-old forward — who wasn’t a sure thing to make the Ducks’ roster in October — has played his way into the Calder Trophy race with nine goals and 15 assists in his first 29 games.
Anaheim’s 27 shots in the second surpassed the club record set Jan. 1, 1994.
The Hawks avoided a second straight shutout with Bertuzzi’s goal on a power play moments later. Bertuzzi has scored 12 of his 15 goals on the road.
Up next
Hawks: Host New York Rangers on Wednesday.
Ducks: At Pittsburgh on Tuesday to open a five-game trip.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/07/chicago-blackhawks-anaheim-ducks-road-trip/
Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears’ 2nd-half turnaround was too little, too late: ‘We need to start faster’
GREEN BAY — If only the Chicago Bears could’ve bottled up whatever moxy they showed in the second half and used some during a dreadful first half.
The Bears were outgained 207-71 yards and outscored 14-3 in the first half, but they found a spark in the second that led to a 244-130 edge in yardage and a 20:13 to 9:47 advantage in time of possession.
It amounted to too little, too late — the Green Bay Packers still won 28-21 — and after the game, the Bears weren’t in the mood for moral victories. Just lessons.
“We’re a prideful group,” said Ben Johnson, who called the offense in his first game against the Packers as Bears head coach. “We weren’t happy, we weren’t pleased with our first-half performance on offense. Sometimes it’s just coming in and catching your breath for a second, (which) allows you to hit that reset button. And our guys responded the right way.”
The Bears scored 18 points in the second half and were driving for a game-tying score when Caleb Williams looked to tight end Cole Kmet in the end zone — drawn up identically to the touchdown play that helped beat the Philadelphia Eagles — but Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon snagged an interception in front of Kmet to seal the win.
On fourth-and-1 with 27 seconds left, there was no margin for error.
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams winds up to throw in the first quarter against the Packers at Lambeau Field on Dec. 7, 2025, in Green Bay. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bears players felt like they left a lot of points on the board in the first half, where Williams threw for just 32 yards on 6 of 14 passing.
And the running game couldn’t bail him out — just 48 yards in the first half.
“We need to start faster. I need to start faster,” Williams said. “I think that will do us well as a team and as an offense, especially. That’s something that they did better than us today. And they made plays at the end of the day, a few more plays than us.”
It was tough to sustain drives.
Williams missed his first five pass attempts and the Bears went 1 for 7 on third down (14.3%).
“It’s just like first- and second-down efficiency,” receiver Olamide Zaccheaus said. “We weren’t able to consistently get that first down in the first half. I think we had one good drive and it ended up just resulting in three points.”
Kmet added, “When you’re behind the stick the way we were, it’s hard to get a rhythm going.”
Even when you get a break.
Bears defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson intercepted Jordan Love in the first quarter and returned it 28 yards to the Green Bay 36-yard line, but the Bears couldn’t do anything with that gift.
In fact, they lost five yards on Colston Loveland’s false start and went three-and-out.
“It’s frustration, just because we shot ourselves in the foot more than anything,” Williams said.
“We had a great shot early in the game with the interception, defense doing a good job, and then we kind of let them get going. They put up some points on the board. We had to try and rally and it’s not always going to work in our favor.”
The Bears committed to the running game in the second half, and it started to pop.
“I do know our backs were running hard, I did feel that,” Johnson said. “I feel like we kind of picked it up as the game went.
“The first half, we weren’t hitting at the same clip, we were probably more 2s and 3s (yards per carry) than we were those 5s and 6s” in the second half.
Running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai combined for 43 yards in the first half, but combined for 77 yards in the second.
The run game, along with Williams finding his stride, gave the offense a foundation to sustain drives.
“We just started wearing them down a little bit. It wasn’t anything crazy,” Kmet said. The Bears backs running downhill effectively began to tire Green Bay’s defenders, he said, and that opened up the play-action pass.
In the third quarter, after Chicago’s defense forced Green Bay to punt, Williams led a 10-play, 64-yard touchdown drive.
During that march, Williams made another patented “wow” play — a 26-yard rope to Kmet along the right sideline.
“Just saw Cole do a good job being aggressive and trying to make a play for the team,” Williams said. “He got in front of and stacked the defender and (I) just gave him a shot.”
Williams capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Zaccheaus, and Monangai scored on a 2-point conversion to pull the Bears within three.
“Caleb was rolling out and he gave me a chance and I made a play,” Zaccheaus said. “We talked about that, just being able to make a play when everything may not be there.”
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The Bears defense didn’t fare much better in the second half than they did in the first, still giving up explosive plays and 14 points in each half.
The Packers answered the Bears’ drive on Christian Watson’s 41-yard catch-and-run for a score, with Gardner-Johnson trailing him the whole way.
The Bears still made it a game.
In the fourth quarter, they marched 83 yards on 17 plays, with Williams finding Loveland for a 1-yard scoring reception after the tackle-eligible play designed for Theo Benedet — “Big Man,” as Johnson called the play — broke down.
But the Packers mounted a 65-yard campaign of their own to go up 28-21 on Josh Jacobs’ 2-yard plunge. About three minutes later, Nixon intercepted Williams.
The Bears were missing one of their top weapons on offense: wide receiver Rome Odunze, who was out with a foot injury.
Johnson said, “I don’t think we necessarily missed a beat, but yet Rome is such a vital part of what we do.
“In a lot of ways, for Caleb, it’s his blankie. They’ve got such a great natural rapport that when a guy like that’s out, other guys have got to step up. But he is a big part of what we’re doing.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/07/chicago-bears-caleb-williams-turnaround/
Thunder mejora a 23-1 con su 15ª victoria consecutiva derrotando 131-101 a Jazz
Associated Press
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Chet Holmgren y Jalen Williams anotaron 25 puntos cada uno y el campeón defensor Thunder de Oklahoma City mejoró a 23-1 con su 15ª victoria consecutiva, aplastando la noche del domingo 131-101 al Jazz de Utah.
Holmgren añadió nueve rebotes, y Williams tuvo ocho asistencias. Aaron Wiggins anotó 19 puntos, mientras que Branden Carlson logró un máximo de la temporada con 13 puntos.
Oklahoma City lanzó con un 58% de efectividad desde el campo y encestó 21 triples. El Thunder anotó 27 puntos a partir de 17 pérdidas de balón de Utah.
Kyle Filipkowski lideró al Jazz con 21 puntos y diez rebotes. Walter Clayton Jr. y Taylor Hendricks añadieron 20 puntos cada uno. Clayton tuvo nueve asistencias.
Ambos equipos jugaron sin sus máximos anotadores. La estrella del Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, estuvo fuera debido a bursitis en el codo izquierdo. Lauri Markkanen de Utah no jugó por una enfermedad no revelada.
El Jazz ha permitido 86 puntos en los primeros cuartos de sus últimos dos juegos.
Oklahoma City mantuvo una ventaja de dos dígitos durante los últimos tres cuartos, liderando por 42 puntos en la segunda mitad.
___
Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Steve Millar’s high school boys basketball rankings and player of the week for the Daily Southtown
H-F takes over top spot from Marist, while Thornwood, Leo and Brother Rice enter the rankings.
Top 10
With records through Sunday and previous rankings in parentheses.
1. Homewood-Flossmoor 5-0 (2)
Darrius Hawkins Jr. leads Vikings to huge 55-50 win over Bolingbrook at Chicago Elite Classic.
2. Marist 4-1 (1)
Charles Barnes sparks RedHawks, whose only loss is to Washington, D.C. power Sidwell Friends.
3. St. Laurence 6-0 (3)
Sophomore guard Noah Corro steps up with 21 points as Vikings edge Rich Township 57-55.
4. Lockport 6-0 (5)
Junior guard Nathan Munson grows into a steady floor general for the Porters.
5. Rich Township 4-1 (8)
Senior guard Kavon Ammons looks ready to take on a starring role for the Raptors.
6. Thornwood 7-0 (NR)
Sophomore guard Lester Watson is quickly rising as a superstar for the Thunderbirds.
7. Bloom 3-2 (6)
Freshman guard Keiwon Gulley is already holding his own against the area’s top teams.
8. Hillcrest 4-1 (4)
Senior guard Jamir Ratliff is no longer in older brothers’ shadows. It’s his time to shine.
9. Leo 5-0 (NR)
Win over downstate power Edwardsville highlights a fast start for Brian Kizer and the Lions.
10. Brother Rice 4-1 (NR)
Senior guard Charlie Wizgird steps up for new-look Crusaders and first-year coach Rick Romeli.
Player of the Week
Junior guard Nedas Venckus delivers back-to-back 23-point performances for Lockport in a 61-44 win over Thornridge and a 64-50 victory over Lincoln-Way West.
Over 20,000 Pounds Of Cocaine Seized By US Coast Guard
Over 20,000 Pounds Of Cocaine Seized By US Coast Guard
More than 20,000 pounds of cocaine were seized by the crew of USCGC Cutter Munro, the “largest at-sea interdiction in 18+ years,” the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) said in a Dec. 5 post on X.
“Through #OperationPacificViper, @USCG has accelerated counter-narcotics operations across the Eastern Pacific and delivered historic results in the fight against narco-terrorists,” the post stated.
“Our maritime fighting force is leading America’s drug interdiction operations, protecting the Homeland, and keeping deadly drugs out of American communities.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a Dec. 5 post on X that 20,000 pounds of cocaine was enough to create over 7.5 million potentially lethal doses of the drug.
Naveen Athrappully reports for The Epoch Times that Operation Pacific Viper directs U.S. forces to the Eastern Pacific region to counter criminal and cartel organizations, essentially cutting off drug and human smuggling activities before they reach U.S. shores, the DHS said in a statement on Aug. 20.
At the time, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said that “80 percent of illicit drug seizures occur at sea.”
Another major drug seizure this week took place on Dec. 2 when a Coast Guard Station Miami Beach law enforcement boat crew seized roughly 3,715 pounds of cocaine, estimated to be worth $28 million, from a vessel suspected to be used for drug smuggling, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a Dec. 5 statement.
“Disrupting maritime narcotics smuggling like this demonstrates the power of teamwork in safeguarding our nation and holding criminals accountable,” said Andy Blanco, executive director of CBP Air and Marine Operations Southeast Region.
“Smugglers should be warned that our whole-of-government team is watching, and they will be caught.”
Lt. Matthew Ross, Coast Guard Station Miami Beach commanding officer, said this was the “largest USCG Small boat station cocaine seizure since 1995.”
Crackdown on Drug Trafficking
Under the Trump administration, military activity against alleged drug traffickers has intensified. Strikes against suspected drug trafficking boats began in the sea around Venezuela, and have expanded into the eastern Pacific Ocean near the Colombian coastline.
One of the recent strikes was carried out on Dec. 4 against a drug trafficking boat in the Eastern Pacific. The action was taken after Secretary of War Pete Hegseth ordered a “lethal kinetic strike” on the boat, the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said in a Dec. 4 post on X.
The boat was traversing international waters and was being operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization, SOUTHCOM said, which oversees military operations in the Caribbean and near Latin America.
“Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was carrying illicit narcotics and transiting along a known narco-trafficking route in the Eastern Pacific. Four male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed,” according to SOUTHCOM.
On Dec. 2, President Donald Trump said that land strikes in Venezuela against drug trafficking groups were under consideration.
“We’re going to start doing those strikes on land too,” Trump said. “We know where they live. We know where the bad ones live, and we’re going to start that very soon.”
Criticism has been raised against the Trump administration’s strikes on suspected drug boats. On Dec. 4, Congress held classified briefings regarding a deadly strike on an alleged drug boat in September in the South Caribbean that killed two people.
Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), the leading Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told reporters that the video he saw during the briefing was “one of the most troubling things” he’s seen while in public service.
“You have two individuals in clear distress without any means of locomotion, with a destroyed vessel, killed by the United States,” Himes said.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who also attended the briefing, said he “didn’t see anything disturbing” about the video.
“What’s disturbing to me is that millions of Americans have died from drugs being run to America by these cartels,” Cotton said.
Meanwhile, drug seizures hit a record in November, according to a Dec. 4 statement from the CBP. Nationwide, 54,947 pounds of drugs were seized last month, up by 33 percent from October.
Methamphetamine seizures totaled 21,935 pounds, up by 118 percent, with cocaine seizures jumping 40 percent to 8,240 pounds.
Authorities seized 1,543 pounds of fentanyl, a 59 percent jump from October and the “highest monthly total since last October,” CBP said.
Tyler Durden
Sun, 12/07/2025 – 22:45
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/over-20000-pounds-cocaine-seized-us-coast-guard
Chicago Bears’ NFC lead was short-lived. Now they need more wins — ‘probably at least 2’ — to make playoffs.
GREEN BAY — For, oh, so brief a moment, the Chicago Bears were atop the NFC. At 9-3 entering Sunday’s game against the rival Green Bay Packers, they had the best record in both the conference and the North division.
The Bears, though, knew it never would be so easy.
“We haven’t accomplished anything yet,” coach Ben Johnson said a week ago in the aftermath of a surprising win over the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
The Bears gave themselves a shot during Sunday’s 28-21 loss to the Packers at Lambeau Field. Johnson’s offense drove to the 14-yard line, needing a touchdown to tie, when it faced a crucial fourth-and-1.
Week 14 photos: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers
The Bears could’ve gone in any number of directions with the play, but Johnson elected to put the ball in his quarterback’s hands. Caleb Williams faked a handoff and rolled out to his left. Johnson later said Williams had multiple options on the play, and if all else failed they liked his chances in a footrace to the sticks.
Williams lofted a ball for tight end Cole Kmet, who had his man beat in the back of the end zone. The throw, however, came up short and landed in the arms of Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon for an interception that all but ended the game.
“Just got to give Cole a better shot at it,” Williams said. “Next time, just extend him a little bit more and kind of lead him.”
And just like that, the Bears are in for a dogfight. The loss dropped them to 9-4, second place behind the Packers in the NFC North and seventh overall in the conference.
If the season ended today, the Bears would be in the playoffs — but just barely. Nobody understands how thin that margin is better than their first-year coach.
“We’ll be a playoff team once we earn enough wins to become a playoff team,” Johnson said after Sunday’s game. “Right now we’re a nine-win team, and I don’t think nine wins is going to get you in this year. So we’ve got to do what we can to find a way to get enough wins to get in the tournament.”
The Packers (9-3-1) jumped to the No. 2 seed in the NFC, with the Los Angeles Rams (10-3) back atop the conference. The Detroit Lions (8-5) are lurking just behind the Bears for that last wild-card spot.
The fact Bears fans even are looking at NFC playoff positioning speaks to how quickly Johnson has turned around the franchise’s fortunes. The Bears have been the fun, plucky team with the shirtless coach who wasn’t afraid to call out Packers coach Matt LaFleur during his introductory news conference in January.
But the mood shifted Sunday. The Bears hung in there against the Packers, rallying from a 14-3 deficit to make it a game. And they’ll have another crack at them in two weeks at Soldier Field.
Bears safety Jaquan Brisker said after the game he felt the Packers fans were quieter than usual. Perhaps that’s because, for the first time in several years, real tension was hanging in the air at a Bears-Packers game.
Bears fans cheer after the national anthem before a game against the Packers on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
A nervous energy coursed through the historic stadium as the Bears drove down the field with a chance to tie in the final minutes. Yes, the Bears snapped their 11-game losing streak against Green Bay last January, but that game was relatively meaningless for a Packers team that already had locked up a playoff spot.
Sunday’s game was not.
“We knew it was going to be a tough challenge and it was exactly that,” LaFleur said. “It took a full 60 minutes and we’re fortunate that we made a play when we needed to at the end of the game.”
This was the first time since 2001 that these teams met in a December or January regular-season game when both were at least five games over .500.
Sunday’s game had high stakes. The rematch on Dec. 20 will too.
“This is my seventh year in the division, and I do think there’s some aura that comes with playing here and competing here,” Johnson said of Lambeau. “I love it for our guys. This is what the football gods made football to be: cold weather in December like this.
“Green Bay, Chicago, I think that’s outstanding. It’s awesome to have this rivalry alive and well right now, and we’ll get another chance at it here in two weeks.”
As for that comment about LaFleur in January — when Johnson said he liked beating LaFleur twice a year when Johnson was in Detroit — LaFleur has downplayed it every chance he gets.
But the Packers coach had the last laugh Sunday and gave his counterpart the quickest of postgame handshakes. Asked yet again about the nearly year-old comment and if there was any personal satisfaction in beating Johnson, LaFleur said, “Absolutely not.”
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“It’s Packers-Bears,” LaFleur said. “It’s a great rivalry and certainly with what was at stake in regards to positioning in the NFC North, that’s the only thing that matters.”
A year ago, the Bears were wondering if their interim coach could bring any juice to a team mired in an extended losing streak. On Sunday they walked into Lambeau Field and had the Cheeseheads holding their collective breath in the final seconds.
“You love being in these games,” Williams said.
But the Bears came up short. The work is not done. Nothing is guaranteed. The Bears have four games remaining, and as Johnson said, they need more wins.
“We probably need at least two to feel good about where we’re at,” Kmet echoed.
The Bears take on the Cleveland Browns next week at Soldier Field before their rematch with Green Bay.
“I know one goal we always have is you don’t lose two in a row,” cornerback Jaylon Johnson said. “For us it’s just resetting our mind, getting our bodies right and then just attacking the Cleveland week and trying to get to win No. 10.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/07/chicago-bears-green-bay-packers-playoffs-nfc/
Podziemski anota 21 y Warriors vencen 123-91 a Bulls en la séptima derrota al hilo de Chicago
CHICAGO (AP) — Brandin Podziemski anotó 21 puntos saliendo de la banca, Jimmy Butler sumó 19 unidades en su regreso a la alineación y los Warriors de Golden State, mermados por las lesiones, vencieron 123-91 a los Bulls de Chicago el domingo por la noche para extender la racha de derrotas más larga activa en la NBA.
Los Bulls han perdido siete seguidos, su mayor cantidad desde una seguidilla de ocho descalabros en la temporada 2019-20.
Quinten Post también anotó 19 tantos para los Warriors.
Golden State lanzó 22 de 47 desde más allá del arco con siete jugadores conectando desde larga distancia. Post y Podziemski encestaron cinco triples cada uno.
Josh Giddey anotó 18 puntos y Matas Buzelis agregó 16 para los Bulls, que lanzaron un 36% desde el campo y fueron superados en rebotes 51-38.
Los Warriors mantuvieron a un oponente por debajo de los 100 puntos por tercer juego consecutivo y limitaron a Chicago a su menor cantidad de puntos en un juego esta temporada.
Butler comenzó después de perderse dos juegos (rodilla izquierda), pero Golden State siguió sin Stephen Curry, Draymond Green y Al Horford. El entrenador Steve Kerr dijo que el trío podría regresar el viernes contra Minnesota.
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Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
