Category: News
Jeff Kent elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, while Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens fall short again
ORLANDO, Fla. — Jeff Kent was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday by the contemporary era committee, while steroids-tainted stars Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were among seven players who fell short once again.
Kent appeared on 14 of 16 ballots, two more than the 12 ballots needed for the 75% minimum.
Carlos Delgado received nine votes, followed by Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy with six each.
Bonds, Clemens, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela each received fewer than five votes.
Kent will be inducted July 26 in Cooperstown, N.Y., along with anyone chosen by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, whose balloting will be announced Jan. 20.
A five-time All-Star second baseman, Kent batted .290 with 377 homers and 1,518 RBIs over 17 seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays (1992), New York Mets (1992-96), Cleveland (1996), San Francisco Giants (1997-2002), Houston Astros (2003-04) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2005-08).
His 351 home runs as a second baseman are the most by a player at that position.
Kent received 15.2% in his first BBWAA appearance in 2014 and a high of 46.5% in the last of his 10 times on the ballot in 2023.
The Hall in 2022 restructured its veterans committees for the third time in 12 years, setting up panels to consider the contemporary era from 1980 on, as well as the classic era. The contemporary baseball era holds separate ballots for players and another for managers, executives and umpires.
Each committee meets every three years. Contemporary managers, executives and umpires will be considered in December 2026, classic era candidates in December 2027 and contemporary era players again in December 2028.
Under a change announced by the Hall last March, candidates who received fewer than five votes are not eligible for that committee’s ballot during the next three-year cycle. A candidate who is dropped, later reappears on a ballot and again receives fewer than five votes would be barred from future ballot appearances.
Bonds and Clemens fell short in 2022 in their 10th and final appearances on the BBWAA ballot, when Bonds received 260 of 394 votes (66%) and Clemens 257 (65.2%). Sheffield received 63.9% in his final BBWAA vote in 2024, getting 246 votes and falling 43 shy.
Bonds denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs and Clemens maintains he never used PEDs. Sheffield said he was unaware that substances he used during training ahead of the 2002 season contained steroids.
A seven-time NL MVP and 14-time All-Star outfielder, Bonds set the career home run record with 762 and the season record with 73 in 2001.
A seven-time Cy Young Award winner, Clemens went 354-184 with a 3.12 ERA and 4,672 strikeouts, third behind Nolan Ryan (5,714) and Randy Johnson (4,875).
The December 2027 ballot is the first chance for Pete Rose to appear on a Hall ballot after baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred decided in May that Rose’s permanent suspension ended with his death in September 2024. The Hall prohibits anyone on the permanent ineligible list from appearing on a ballot.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/07/jeff-kent-baseball-hall-of-fame/
Neymar ayuda al Santos a evitar el descenso y anuncia que se someterá a cirugía de rodilla
SAO PAULO (AP) — El Santos de Neymar aseguró su permanencia en la Serie A de Brasil el domingo con una victoria de 3-0 sobre Cruzeiro, y el astro del fútbol de 33 años confirmó posteriormente que se someterá a una cirugía en su rodilla izquierda.
Jugando su último partido de liga de la temporada, Santos —que alcanzó un seguimiento global con el legendario Pelé— evitó lo que habría sido el segundo descenso del club en su historia. Santos descendió en 2023 por primera vez casi un año después de la muerte de Pelé.
Neymar luchó por recuperarse de un desgarro del ligamento cruzado anterior en octubre de 2023 durante un partido de clasificación para la Copa del Mundo contra Uruguay. Pero fue clave para Santos en su exitosa lucha por evitar el descenso en el campeonato brasileño tras su ascenso el año pasado.
Neymar, quien regresó a Santos en enero, fue decisivo para el club donde comenzó su carrera profesional. En las últimas tres jornadas de la liga, Neymar anotó un gol contra Sport Recife en una victoria de 3-0, logró un triplete contra Juventude el miércoles en otra victoria de 3-0, y el domingo fue un eficaz creador de juego.
Thaciano (a los 26 y 28 minutos) y João Schmidt (60) anotaron contra Cruzeiro en el Estadio Vila Belmiro mientras Santos terminó en el puesto 12 con 47 puntos.
Neymar jugó solo 19 de las 38 jornadas de la liga, que comenzó en abril. Anotó ocho goles.
“Vine para esto, para tratar de ayudar de la mejor manera que pueda. Estas han sido semanas difíciles para mí”, expresó Neymar después del partido. “Agradezco a quienes estuvieron conmigo para levantarme. Si no fuera por ellos, no habría jugado estos partidos debido a estas lesiones, este problema de rodilla. Necesito descansar y luego tendremos esta cirugía”.
Neymar no dio más detalles sobre la lesión de rodilla y la cirugía. Aún espera ser incluido en la lista final de Brasil para la Copa del Mundo de 2026, aunque el entrenador Carlo Ancelotti aún no ha elegido al ex capitán desde que asumió en mayo.
Flamengo ganó su noveno título de liga brasileña a mitad de semana tras una victoria en casa por 1-0 contra Ceará. El club de Río de Janeiro también ganó la Copa Libertadores el mes pasado.
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Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Even with loss to Packers, Bears fans celebrating a surprising winning season
With bated breath and a sense of cautious optimism, Bears fans braved the biting cold to descend on Chicago sports bars Sunday and see their team take on the Green Bay Packers — a match that would end in a loss of the division lead for the Bears but still leave them in a strong playoff position during a surprising first winning season since 2018.
Even after the Packers scored their second touchdown of the afternoon in the second quarter, Bears fan Rachelle Catayong wasn’t too worried. She sat at the bar at Murphy’s Bleachers in Wrigleyville, its walls covered in baseball memorabilia, ornaments and Christmas lights.
Declan Helm of Lakeview puts his hands on his head after the Packers caught a pass against the Bears on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. Helm was watching the game at Murphy’s Bleachers in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)
“The fourth quarter is the only quarter that matters,” she said. This season, the Bears have shown a knack for winning close games with last-minute plays that have clinched victories. On Sunday, they stayed somewhat true to that pattern, catching up to the Packers 21-21 in the final quarter, only to be beaten 21-28.
Catayong’s cousin, Chicago native Mario Catayong, remembers watching the Bears win the 1986 Super Bowl. He’s unsure whether he’ll see it happen again this season — but there is reason for hope.
“I feel more optimistic than most years,” he laughed.
Defense can be hit-or-miss, but offense has improved, he said, including quarterback Caleb Williams, in his second season with the Bears. Mario Catayong said he attributes the team’s successes to first-year head coach Ben Johnson, who has rallied a newfound excitement among fans for the team.
“It all comes down to coaching,” he said.
At Murphy’s, area native David Addison donned a Bears hat; next to him, his fiancee, Nicole Riegert, wore a Packers shirt. Their teams’ rivalry, however, has yet to come between them.
“She’s from Madison,” Addison said with a shrug, “so that’s her business.”
“We don’t beef,” the Wisconsinite said with a laugh. “The Bears have never been good.”
Addison said he has come to enjoy the wins but has no expectations.
“I feel like I’m playing with house money,” he said. Still, the stakes feel higher than normal as the team’s wins could earn it the NFC North title and a possible postseason run.
In the crowded sports bar, a couple of Packers fans stood out more than Riegert did as they donned head-to-toe green and yellow outfits. From the kitchen, a plate stacked with Italian beef sandwiches made its way to a table of Bears fans.
Across the room, a couple had been hunkered inside since noon. Kristin Hutson, a Presbyterian minister, had rushed from her Sunday morning service in Edgewater to the Wrigleyville bar with her husband so he could watch his team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, play the Baltimore Ravens earlier in the day.
When the Steelers are not facing off against the Bears, David Coughlin also cheers for his wife’s team. Hutson, a season ticket holder since the 1980s, has a clause in her work contract for one Sunday off during the football season to attend a Bears game.
“It’s been super fun,” Hutson said of the current season.
“A lot better than last year,” Coughlin chimed in.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/07/bears-packers-fans-chicago/
Rams aplastan 45-17 a los Cardinals y siguen empatados en la cima de la NFC Oeste
Por DAVID BRANDT
GLENDALE, Arizona, EE.UU. (AP) — Matthew Stafford lanzó para 281 yardas y tres touchdowns, Puka Nacua y Blake Corum anotaron dos veces cada uno y los Rams de Los Ángeles superaron el domingo 45-17 a los Cardinals de Arizona para mantenerse empatados en el liderato de la NFC Oeste.
Los Rams (10-3) anotaron 35 puntos sin respuesta para recuperarse de la derrota de la semana pasada llena de pérdidas de balón ante los Panthers y ganar por séptima vez en ocho juegos. Están empatados con los Seahawks en la cima de la división, un juego por delante de los 49ers.
Los tambaleantes Cardinals (3-10) han perdido cinco seguidos y diez de sus últimos 11 después de comenzar la temporada con 2-0.
Los Ángeles cayó en un agujero temprano de 7-0 pero se recuperó para una ventaja de 24-diez al medio tiempo, anotando justo antes del descanso con un hermoso pase de 28 yardas por el centro de Stafford a Nacua, quien tuvo seis recepciones para 136 yardas en la primera mitad. Los Rams también anotaron touchdowns en un par de carreras de dos yardas, una de Kyren Williams y otra de Corum.
Los Ángeles acumuló 306 yardas en la primera mitad y tuvo 530 en el juego.
Los Rams han ganado 15 de sus últimos 18 enfrentamientos contra los Cardinals.
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Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Argentina: Racing de Avellaneda supera a Boca en La Bombonera y accede a la final
Por HERNÁN ALVAREZ
BUENOS AIRES (AP) — Con un tanto de su goleador Adrián Martínez, Racing venció por 1-0 a Boca Juniors en La Bombonera y accedió el domingo a la final del torneo Clausura del fútbol argentino.
La Academia jugará la final el sábado 13 en Santiago del Estero. El otro finalista se decidirá el lunes con el enfrentamiento entre Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata y Estudiantes de La Plata, clásicos rivales.
El único gol del encuentro fue conseguido por Adrián “Maravilla” Martínez a los 74 minutos.
El primer tiempo tuvo poca dinámica. Ambos equipos se esmeraron en cuidar su propio arco. Además, el ritmo fue bajo.
Recién a los 41 minutos, los visitantes tuvieron una chance clara con un remate de Juan Nardoni que pegó en la base del palo derecho del portero boquense, Agustín Marchesín.
La ocasión más favorable de los locales la tuvo Milton Giménez a los 45+3. Un desvío de Marco Di Cesare en el área chica pegó en el delantero. El balón finalmente se fue desviado tras el rebote en el jugador xeneize.
El segundo tiempo tampoco tuvo demasiadas incidencias. Racing aprovechó un ataque profundo para conseguir su gol. Gabriel Rojas desbordó por izquierda como un extremo, centró para Adrián Martínez que cabeceó a la red.
Boca se lanzó a buscar el empate, pero no lo consiguió pese a que intentó con centros y cambios desde el banco de suplentes.
“Contento porque los delanteros necesitan el gol”, dijo Adrián Martínez. “El gol es una circunstancia. Sabemos que el equipo no depende de mí. Dios te prepara. Hoy me toca disfrutar después de mucho tiempo”. Sobre su diana, comentó: “Me pegó en la cabeza y por suerte entró”.
Illinois and Northwestern are headed to bowl games. Here’s what to know.
Illinois and Northwestern each accepted bowl bids Sunday afternoon, among 12 Big Ten teams playing in the postseason.
In addition to playoff participants Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon, also headed to bowl games are Washington (LA Bowl vs. Boise State), Minnesota (Rate Bowl vs. New Mexico), Penn State (Pinstripe Bowl vs. Clemson), USC (Alamo Bowl vs. TCU), Iowa (ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Vanderbilt), Michigan (Citrus Bowl vs. Texas) and Nebraska (Las Vegas Bowl vs. Utah).
Here’s a look at where the Illini and Wildcats will finish their seasons.
Illinois (8-4, 5-4 Big Ten)
Illinois coach Bret Bielema checks his play sheet against Western Illinois on Aug. 29, 2025, in Champaign. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Music City Bowl vs. Tennessee (8-4, 4-4 SEC)
When: 4:30 p.m. Dec. 30, ESPN.
Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tenn.
Illinois outlook: A win against Tennessee — in the programs’ first meeting — would mark the first time in program history that Illinois recorded nine or more wins in back-to-back seasons.
The Illini had College Football Playoff hopes to start the season but lost to No. 1 Indiana, No. 2 Ohio State, Washington and Wisconsin. Their best wins came at home against No. 16 USC and Northwestern in the snow in the final regular-season game.
Now they’ll look to send their impactful class of seniors out on a high note, pending any opt-outs. That includes quarterback Luke Altmyer, an All-Big Ten honorable-mention selection who threw for 2,811 yards and 21 touchdowns with five interceptions this season.
Altmyer has led Illinois on six winning drives in the final minute or overtime in his three-year career in Champaign. He could join Nathan Scheelhaase as the only Illini starting QBs to win two bowl games.
Illinois coach Bret Bielema said he has had conversations with some players about whether they would participate and would share announcements at a later date.
Tennessee outlook: The Volunteers lost to No. 3 Georgia, No. 8 Oklahoma, No. 9 Alabama and No. 14 Vanderbilt.
They were led by quarterback Joey Aguilar, an Appalachian State transfer who threw for 3,444 yards and 24 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. Wide receiver Chris Brazzell had 62 catches for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns.
He said it: “Just the buzz and the energy around our program. Obviously the offseason last year, I had a lot more coming at me from people who were interested in doing stories on us about our guys. It takes people a while to get used to Illinois being good in football. Because of that, the more we can sustain it, that’s probably the biggest deal.” — Bielema on the value of playing in another bowl game after a win last year over South Carolina
Northwestern (6-6, 4-5 Big Ten)
Northwestern quarterback Preston Stone hands off to running back Caleb Komolafe against Nebraska on Oct. 25, 2025, in Lincoln, Neb. (AP Photo/Bonnie Ryan)
GameAbove Sports Bowl vs. Central Michigan (7-5, 5-3 MAC)
When: Noon Dec. 26, ESPN.
Where: Ford Field, Detroit.
Northwestern outlook: The Wildcats rode a strong defense to their second bowl appearance in three seasons under coach David Braun. After a four-game winning streak, they lost four of their last five games but eked out a victory over Minnesota on Nov. 22 at Wrigley Field to earn the bowl berth.
They had seven defensive players earn All-Big Ten mentions, including second-team safety Robert Fitzgerald and third-team linebacker Mac Uihlein.
Northwestern has won five straight bowl games: the 2016 Pinstripe Bowl, 2017 Music City Bowl, 2018 Holiday Bowl, 2021 Citrus Bowl and 2023 Las Vegas Bowl.
Central Michigan outlook: The Chippewas played one Big Ten opponent this year — Sept. 13 at Michigan — and lost 63-3. But they did enough in Mid-American Conference play to finish fifth.
This is Central Michigan’s first bowl game since 2021 and it comes under first-year coach Matt Drinkall. The Chippewas held opponents to fewer than 20 points in each of their seven wins and also forced at least one turnover in all 12 games.
He said it: “The reality around college football right now is there are so many other things going on, it can be really easy to become distracted. And this senior group, this veteran group, this leadership group won’t allow that to happen. This is an opportunity that we’re excited about. We honor by the way we prep. And ultimately we’re prioritizing making sure we’re at our absolute best to make sure we’re prepared for a really good CMU team and finish this season off the right way with a win.
“It was shown in the way those guys modeled themselves this past week in practice. We didn’t even know who our opponent was. We didn’t know where we were going. But this is something this program takes seriously, our players take seriously.” — Braun on his veterans preparing for the game
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/07/illinois-northwestern-bowl-games/
La intercepción decisiva de Nixon ayuda a Packers a ganar 28-21 a Bears y liderar la NFC Norte
Por STEVE MEGARGEE
GREEN BAY, Wisconsin, EE.UU. (AP) — Keisean Nixon interceptó un pase de Caleb Williams en la zona de anotación con 22 segundos restantes para asegurar la victoria de Green Bay por 28-21 sobre los Bears de Chicago el domingo, lo que colocó a los Packers en el primer lugar de la división Norte de la NFC.
Los Bears enfrentaban una cuarta y una desde la yarda 14 de Green Bay cuando Williams fingió una entrega y rodó hacia su izquierda. El ala cerrada Cole Kmet se había adelantado a Nixon en la zona de anotación, pero el defensivo hizo una atrapada en salto del pase que quedó corto.
Josh Jacobs anotó el touchdown que rompió el empate con una carrera de dos yardas con 3:32 restantes, mientras que los Packers (9-3-1) ganaron su cuarto partido consecutivo y rompieron una racha de cinco victorias de los Bears (9-4).
El entrenador de los Packers, Matt LaFleur, mejoró su récord contra los Bears a 12-1, con la única derrota en la última semana de la temporada regular de 2024. Fue su primer enfrentamiento directo con el entrenador novato de los Bears, Ben Johnson.
Durante su conferencia de prensa de presentación, Johnson dijo: “para ser bastante franco contigo, disfruté un poco vencer a Matt LaFleur dos veces al año”. Johnson fue el coordinador ofensivo de Detroit la temporada pasada cuando los Lions barrieron a los Packers.
LaFleur se negó a comentar sobre esa declaración antes del juego del domingo, pero el coordinador ofensivo de los Packers, Adam Stenavich, dijo: “lo tomas de manera personal, sin duda. Lo dejaré así”.
Jordan Love de Green Bay completó 17 de 25 pases para 234 yardas con tres touchdowns —dos a Christian Watson y uno a Bo Melton— y una intercepción. Williams completó 19 de 35 pases para 186 yardas con dos touchdowns y la intercepción.
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Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
President Donald Trump says Zelenskyy ‘isn’t ready’ yet to accept US-authored proposal to end Russia-Ukraine war
KYIV, Ukraine — President Donald Trump on Sunday claimed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “isn’t ready” to sign off on a U.S-authored peace proposal aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
Trump was critical of Zelenskyy after U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators completed three days of talks on Saturday aimed at trying to narrow differences on the U.S. administration’s proposal. But in an exchange with reporters on Sunday night, Trump suggested that the Ukrainian leader is holding up the talks from moving forward.
“I’m a little bit disappointed that President Zelenskyy hasn’t yet read the proposal, that was as of a few hours ago. His people love it, but he hasn’t,” Trump claimed in an exchange with reporters before taking part in the Kennedy Center Honors. The president added, “Russia is, I believe, fine with it, but I’m not sure that Zelenskyy’s fine with it. His people love it it. But he isn’t ready.”
To be certain, Russian President Vladimir Putin hasn’t publicly expressed approval for the White House plan. In fact, Putin last week had said that aspects of Trump’s proposal were unworkable, even though the original draft heavily favored Moscow.
Trump has had a hot-and-cold relationship with Zelenskyy since riding into a second White House term insisting that the war was a waste of U.S. taxpayer money. Trump has also repeatedly urged the Ukrainians to cede land to Russia to bring an end to a now nearly four-year conflict he says has cost far too many lives.
Zelenskyy said Saturday he had a “substantive phone call” with the American officials engaged in the talks with a Ukrainian delegation in Florida. He said he had been given an update over the phone by U.S. and Ukrainian officials at the talks.
“Ukraine is determined to keep working in good faith with the American side to genuinely achieve peace,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media.
Trump’s criticism of Zelenskyy came as Russia on Sunday welcomed the Trump administration’s new national security strategy in comments by the Kremlin spokesman published by Russia’s Tass news agency.
Dmitry Peskov said the updated strategic document, which spells out the administration’s core foreign policy interests, was largely in line with Moscow’s vision.
“There are statements there against confrontation and in favor of dialogue and building good relations,” he said, adding that Russia hopes this would lead to “further constructive cooperation with Washington on the Ukrainian settlement.”
The document released Friday by the White House said the U.S. wants to improve its relationship with Russia after years of Moscow being treated as a global pariah and that ending the war is a core U.S. interest to “reestablish strategic stability with Russia.”
Speaking on Saturday at the Reagan National Defense Forum, Trump’s outgoing Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, said efforts to end the war were in “the last 10 meters.”
He said a deal depended on the two outstanding issues of “terrain, primarily the Donbas,” and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
Russia controls most of Donbas, its name for the Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk regions, which, along with two southern regions, it illegally annexed three years ago. The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is in an area that has been under Russian control since early in Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and is not in service. It needs reliable power to cool its six shutdown reactors and spent fuel, to avoid any catastrophic nuclear incidents.
Kellogg, who is due to leave his post in January, was not present at the talks in Florida.
Separately, officials said the leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Germany would participate in a meeting with Zelenskyy in London on Monday.
As the three days of talks wrapped up, Russian missile, drone and shelling attacks overnight and Sunday killed at least four people in Ukraine.
A man was killed in a drone attack on Ukraine’s northern Chernihiv region Saturday night, local officials said, while a combined missile and drone attack on infrastructure in the central city of Kremenchuk caused power and water outages. Kremenchuk is home to one of Ukraine’s biggest oil refineries and is an industrial hub.
Kyiv and its Western allies say Russia is trying to cripple the Ukrainian power grid and deny civilians access to heat, light and running water for a fourth consecutive winter, in what Ukrainian officials call “weaponizing” the cold.
Three people were killed and 10 others wounded Sunday in shelling by Russian troops in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, according to the regional prosecutor’s office.
AP writers Darlene Superville and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed reporting.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/07/trump-zelenskyy-russia-ukraine-war/
Broncos vencen 24-17 a Raiders y extienden racha a diez juegos; Geno Smith salió lesionado
Por MARK ANDERSON
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Bo Nix pasó para 212 yardas y corrió para un touchdown, y los Broncos de Denver no quedaron atrás por primera vez esta temporada al derrotar 24-17 a los Raiders de Las Vegas el domingo.
Los Raiders perdieron al quarterback Geno Smith, quien se lesionó la mano derecha y el hombro en el tercer cuarto y fue reemplazado por Kenny Pickett.
Los Broncos (11-2) parecen estar a punto de terminar con el reinado de nueve años de Kansas City en la división Oeste de la AFC, y empataron con Nueva Inglaterra, que descansó esta semana, por el primer puesto en la Conferencia Americana. Denver posee el desempate debido a su récord de 6-0 contra oponentes comunes; los Patriots perdieron contra los Raiders.
Al extender su racha ganadora a diez juegos, los Broncos también terminaron su récord de la NFL de remontar para nueve victorias consecutivas. Denver tiene su mejor marca en 13 juegos desde 2013.
Los Raiders (2-11) han perdido siete seguidos y 11 de 12. Las Vegas también ha perdido 11 juegos divisionales consecutivos, la racha activa más larga de la liga.
Las estadísticas apuntaban a un posible desajuste con los Broncos trayendo una defensa entre las cinco mejores contra una ofensiva de los Raiders que está en o cerca del fondo de varias categorías estadísticas. Denver mantuvo el balón durante 39:03 y ganó 356 yardas con 27 primeros intentos. Los Raiders tuvieron 229 yardas y 16 primeros intentos.
Nix fue altamente eficiente, completando 31 de 38 pases.
Nik Bonitto registró dos capturas, dándole 12,5 en la temporada. Es el primer jugador de Denver con capturas de doble dígito en temporadas consecutivas desde que Von Miller lo hizo cinco veces seguidas de 2014 a 2018.
Smith completó 13 de 21 para 116 yardas y un touchdown. Pickett completó ocho de 11 pases para 96 yardas y un TD.
China Successfully Operates World’s First Thorium Molten Salt Reactor
China Successfully Operates World’s First Thorium Molten Salt Reactor
By Haley Zaremba of OilPrice.com
An experimental Chinese nuclear plant reportedly just crossed a historic threshold, successfully operating the world’s first thorium-based molten salt reactor (TMSR). The Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics has broken a major scientific barrier by successfully converting thorium to uranium in a historic first.
The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reports that the breakthrough, which took place at an experimental reactor out in the Gobi Desert, is “poised to reshape the future of clean sustainable nuclear energy.”
The process works by using a “precise sequence of nuclear reactions” in which naturally occurring thorium-232 absorbs a neutron, becoming thorium-233. Through a decay process, that isotope breaks down into protactinium-233 and then finally into uranium-233, a potent form of nuclear fuel that can sustain chain reactions for nuclear fission.
While this breakthrough was just publicized this month by a report by Science and Technology Daily, the TMSR has apparently been operational for years. Li Qingnuan, Communist Party secretary and deputy director at the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, told the outlet that “since achieving first criticality on October 11, 2023, the thorium molten salt reactor has been steadily generating heat through nuclear fission”.
If the reports are true, this breakthrough would signal an incredible leap forward in a nuclear technology race that China is already winning handily. Although the United States is still the world’s biggest producer of nuclear energy, that status won’t last much longer. In the same time period that the United States built the overdue and over-budget Plant Vogtle, China built 13 reactors of similar scale, and has 33 more on the way. Beijing is also making major forays into the nuclear sectors of emerging economies, with particularly concerted efforts in Africa.
“The Chinese are moving very, very fast,” Mark Hibbs, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and expert on the Chinese nuclear sector, told the New York Times. “They are very keen to show the world that their program is unstoppable.”
But while China has invested huge sums of money and manpower into becoming a global nuclear energy innovator and superpower, the nation lacks sufficient uranium to power its lofty goals. While nuclear power production growth is dominated by China, uranium supply chains are dominated by Russia, which is home to nearly half (approximately 44 percent) of all global uranium enrichment capacity.
China has been buying up more and more of Russia’s uranium, but reliance on exports is both risky and antithetical to China’s ethos of domestic energy independence and international energy dominance. Russia’s outsized presence in the nuclear fuel supply chain has resulted in some degree of risk and market volatility, as the Kremlin has shown that it is not afraid to use enriched uranium for political leverage.
“The nuclear energy supply chain sits atop the clean technology risk pyramid,” warned a recent article from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “Beyond standard supply chain considerations, nuclear exports are subject to a suite of safety and security concerns, and overreliance on a single technology or fuel provider can create significant dependencies given the limited number of suppliers and distinct intellectual property (IP).”
By sidestepping the uranium supply chain issue by using thorium instead, China is leaping over a critical hurdle and straight over the finish line for global nuclear power sector domination. Thorium is much more accessible and abundant than uranium, and could theoretically solve all of China’s nuclear fuel problems. According to the South China Morning Post, just one mining site in Inner Mongolia “ is estimated to hold enough of the element to power China entirely for more than 1,000 years.”
Tyler Durden
Sun, 12/07/2025 – 19:50
