Category: News
Escobar: How The BRICS+ ‘Unit’ Can Save Global Trade
Escobar: How The BRICS+ ‘Unit’ Can Save Global Trade
Authored by Pepe Escobar,
The Unit project, first revealed by Sputnik in 2024, is emerging as the most viable option for breaking the US dollar’s stranglehold on global trade and investment.
In his book co-written with top economist Sergey Bodrunov, Regulations of the Noonomy (international edition published this year by Sandro Teti Editore in Rome), leading Russian economist Sergey Glazyev stresses the need to “ensure a full-fledged switch to national currencies in mutual trade and investment within the EAEU and the CIS, and further – within the BRICS and SCO, the withdrawal of joint development institutions from the dollar zone, the development of their own independent payment systems and interbank information exchange systems.”
When it comes to financial innovation – compared to the current structure of the international financial system – The Unit is in a class of its own.
The Unit is essentially a benchmark token – or an index token; a post-stablecoin, digital monetary tool; totally decentralized; and with intrinsic value anchored in real assets: gold and sovereign currencies.
The Unit can be used either as part of a new digital infrastructure – what most of the Global South is striving for; or as part of a traditional banking setup.
When it comes to fulfilling traditional money functions, The Unit is – pardon the pun – right on the money. It’s meant to be used as a quite convenient medium of exchange in cross-border trade and investments – a key plank of the diversification actively pursued by BRICS+.
It should also be seen as an independent, reliable measure for value and pricing, as well as a better store of value than fiat money.
The Unit is academically validated – including by Glazyev himself – and properly governed by IRIAS (International Research Institute for Advanced Systems), set up in 1976 in accordance with the UN statute.
And crucial at this next step, The Unit is to be launched early next year on the Cardano blockchain, which uses the digital currency Ada.
Ada has a fascinating background – named after Ada Lovelace, a 19th-century mathematician, daughter of none other than Lord Byron, and recognized as the first computer programmer in History.
Anyone, anywhere can use Ada as a secure exchange of value; and very important, without the need to ask a third party to mediate the exchange.
That means every Ada transaction is permanently secured and recorded on the Cardano blockchain. That also means that every Ada holder also holds a stake in the Cardano network.
Cardano has been around for 10 years now – and is a quite popular blockchain. It’s backed by some quite big venture capital firms such as IOHK, Emurgo and the Cardano Foundation. Essentially, Cardano is an excellent option for regular payments because transactions are cheap and fast.
Neither a crypto nor a stablecoin
Enter The Unit.
The Unit is neither a cryptocurrency nor a stablecoin – as it’s shown here.
A concise definition of The Unit would be a resilient reserve of value – backed by a structure of 60% gold and 40% diversified BRICS+ currencies.
The major appeal for the Global South is that such a unique mix provides stability and protection against inflation, especially under the current global financial landscape of wobbly macroeconomics and widespread uncertainty.
Using Cardano, The Unit is bound to become accessible to everyone, via a combination of centralized and decentralized exchanges.
So to enter this new market, individuals and companies will be able to acquire The Unit directly with fiat through regulated banking partners. That means a bridge between traditional finance and emerging decentralized ecosystems – in favor of liquidity, accessibility and reliability, opening the door to full adoption by the Global South.
The Unit can even evolve into a new form of digital cash for emerging economies.
Following exactly the path delineated by BRICS even before the ground-breaking annual summit in Kazan in 2024, The Unit may be the best solution currently available for cross-border payments: a new form of international currency, issued in a de-centralized way, and then recognized and regulated at a national level.
And that brings us to the top conceptual strength of The Unit: it removes a direct dependency on the currency of other nations, and offers the Global South/Global Majority a new form of non-censored, apolitical money.
Better yet: apolitical money featuring an enormous potential for anchoring fair trade and multiple investments.
What the Global South really needs
A good next step for The Unit would also be to set up an Advisory Board, uniting world standard stars such as Prof. Michael Hudson, Jeffrey Sachs, Yannis Varoufakis and the co-founder of the NDB Paulo Nogueira Batista Jr. (here at the Global South Academic Forum in Shanghai) .
When it comes to BRICs-emphasized de-dollarization – done with a hefty degree of sophistication, without having to spell it out – The Unit will be key. It’s also key that The Unit is not a cryptocurrency.
Wall Street behemoths – especially BlackRock – are big on cryptocurrencies, an enormously unstable set up which eschewed individual holders to the profit of massive institutional players. For example, it’s BlackRock that essentially shapes Bitcoin’s market.
US stablecoins essentially perpetuate US dollar dominance – aiming their firepower directly against possible, future digital currencies offered by BRICS+.
The Unit is the stark opposite, offering a reliable digital monetary tool for the fast advancing Multipolar World. It’s an evolution in itself, bridging the fiat and the crypto worlds; and last but not least, it is a solid foundation for the emerging post-Bretton Woods economy.
Of course the challenges ahead are huge – and The Unit will be fought tooth and nail by the usual suspects as a new concept offering borderless financial resilience for the Global South/Global Majority.
And here may lie the key takeaway: the only way BRICS+ as well as the Global Majority may be strengthened is by developing closer and closer geoeconomic, financial ties. For that, the toxic power of Western speculative capital must be contained – to the benefit of more intra-Global South commodity trading, and more investable capital for productive, sustainable development.
The potential is limitless. The Unit may well be able to unlock it. Even JP Morgan admitted The Unit is “perhaps the most thoroughly fleshed-out of de-dollarization proposals that exist in the cross-border transactions space for BRICS+.”
And there’s no other similarly effective plan anywhere in the world.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 12/05/2025 – 23:25
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/escobar-how-brics-unit-can-save-global-trade
Durant alcanza 31.000 puntos en su carrera y Rockets dominan a Suns
HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant anotó 28 puntos para convertirse en el octavo jugador en la historia de la NBA en alcanzar los 31.000 puntos en su carrera, y los Rockets de Houston se impusieron el viernes 117-98 a los Rockets de Houston.
Fue el primer juego de Durant contra su antiguo equipo desde un intercambio de siete equipos que envió a Jalen Green y Dillon Brooks a los Suns. Durant se perdió la victoria de Houston 114-92 en Phoenix el 24 de noviembre por razones personales.
Amen Thompson anotó un máximo de la temporada con 31 tantos para ayudar a los Rockets a conseguir su quinta victoria en seis juegos.
Durant hizo dos tiros libres para sus primeros puntos de la noche y encestó un tiro a media distancia en el primer cuarto que le permitió alcanzar el histórico hito. Durant, quien no jugó el cuarto periodo tiene 31.024 puntos en su carrera.
Los Rockets estuvieron en desventaja por hasta nueve puntos al principio, pero utilizaron un segundo cuarto de 44 puntos, impulsado por 17 puntos de Durant, para tomar la delantera.
Houston estaba arriba por 11 con aproximadamente 7,5 minutos restantes en el tercer cuarto antes de que se fueran arriba 92-67 con una racha de 16-2 con unos dos minutos restantes en el cuarto. Thompson anotó seis puntos en ese tramo y tanto Durant como Reed Sheppard encestaron triples para Houston. Phoenix tuvo cinco pérdidas de balón durante la racha.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Photos: Indiana Pacers 120, Chicago Bulls 105
Photos from the Chicago Bulls’ 120-105 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center.
Guard Coby White (0) walks away after greeting Pacers center Tony Bradley after a 120-105 Bulls loss Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls forward Emanuel Miller (2) and center Lachlan Olbrich briefly enter the final seconds of a 120-105 loss to the Pacers on Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls guard Josh Giddey sends up a shot against the Pacers in the fourth quarter Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls center Nikola Vučević (9) is defended by Pacers center Jay Huff in the fourth quarter Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls forward Patrick Williams is defended by the Pacers in the fourth quarter Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls forward Patrick Williams, center, loses the ball to Pacers forward Pascal Siakam, right, in the fourth quarter Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Fans cheer after Bulls forward Matas Buzelis draws a foul on a basket in the fourth quarter against the Pacers on Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (00) is fouled by Bulls forward Zach Collins in the fourth quarter Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) grabs a rebound off his knee as Pacers center Jay Huff defends in the first quarter on Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) blocks a shot attempt from Pacers forward Pascal Siakam in the first quarter Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls coach Billy Donovan throws the ball to an official in the first quarter against the Pacers on Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle yells to players in the first quarter against the Bulls on Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls guard Josh Giddey looks to inbound the ball as guard Coby White falls to the floor in the first quarter against the Pacers on Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard dunks in the first quarter against the Bulls on Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) creates a turnover off of Bulls forward Matas Buzelis in the first quarter Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls forward Dalen Terry (7) leaps while defending Pacers forward Isaiah Jackson in the first quarter Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls guard Jevon Carter aims for the net against the Pacers in the first quarter Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu, third from right, sits with teammates on the bench in the first quarter against the Pacers on Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls forward Zach Collins leaps to defend Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin in the first quarter Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls forward Emanuel Miller (2) is late to retrieve a pass in the second quarter against the Pacers on Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls center Nikola Vučević (9) passes to forward Emanuel Miller in the second quarter against the Pacers on Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls forward Matas Buzelis, left, and Pacers guard Ethan Thompson reach for a loose ball in the second quarter Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls coach Billy Donovan talks with guard Josh Giddey during a timeout in the second quarter against the Pacers on Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls forward Matas Buzelis, left, looks to pass against Pacers guard Ethan Thompson in the second quarter Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Fans watch a video-board cartoon race in the third quarter of a Bulls-Pacers game Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls guard Coby White, right, is defended by Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard in the third quarter Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls guard Coby White drives to the basket against Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard in the third quarter Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls forward Patrick Williams has his shot blocked by Pacers center Jay Huff (32) in the third quarter Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) and guard Coby White head to the bench during a timeout in the third quarter against the Pacers on Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) passes to forward Isaiah Jackson as Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) and forward Zach Collins defend in the third quarter Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls forward Dalen Terry reaches for the ball as it goes out of bounds in the third quarter against the Pacers on Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls forward Dalen Terry falls to the court with the ball as Pacers forward Isaiah Jackson defends in the third quarter Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls guard Coby White (0) puts up a shot over Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard in the third quarter Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls coach Billy Donovan greets Pacers guard T.J. McConnell during warmups Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bulls forward Patrick Williams waves to teammate Jevon Carter’s daughter after warming up for a game against the Pacers on Dec. 5, 2025, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/05/photos-chicago-bulls-indiana-pacers-united-center/
Novato Cedric Howard logra 23 puntos y 14 rebotes en victoria de Grizzlies 107-98 sobre Clippers
El novato Cedric Coward anotó 23 puntos y consiguió 14 rebotes, siendo parte de cinco jugadores de Memphis que alcanzaron cifras dobles, y los Grizzlies vencieron 107-98 a los Clippers de Los Ángeles el viernes por la noche.
Cam Spencer y Jaylen Wells anotaron 17 unidades cada uno y Jaren Jackson Jr. terminó con 13 tantos para que Memphis ganara por sexta vez en ocho juegos. Zach Edey aportó diez puntos y ocho rebotes.
Kawhi Leonard lideró a los Clippers con 24 puntos y ocho rebotes. James Harden tuvo 18 tantos y siete asistencias, y John Collins anotó 16. Los Ángeles perdió por novena vez en 11 juegos.
Los equipos intercambiaron liderazgos durante el cuarto período y estaban empatados a 98 con 3:40 restantes cuando Harden encestó un par de tiros libres, sus únicos puntos de la segunda mitad. En ese momento, se habían registrado diez cambios de liderazgo y nueve empates. Ningún equipo lideró por más de ocho.
Memphis cerró el juego con nueve puntos consecutivos.
Los Grizzlies derrotaron a los Clippers en Los Ángeles 112-107 hace una semana.
En sus próximos partidos, los Clippers visitarán Minnesota el sábado por la noche y los Grizzlies reciben a Portland el domingo por la noche.
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Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Gran noche de los suplentes ayuda a los 76ers a vencer 116-101 a los Bucks
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Quentin Grimes anotó 22 puntos para liderar una actuación productiva desde el banquillo de Filadelfia, y los 76ers vencieron el viernes 116-101 a los Bucks de Milwaukee.
Paul George añadió 20 unidades y Jabari Walker logró un máximo de temporada de 18 desde el banquillo, y los 76ers ganaron por segunda noche consecutiva tras vencer el jueves 99-98 a los Warriors de Golden State.
Los suplentes de Filadelfia anotaron 61 puntos para compensar el hecho de que Milwaukee limitó a Tyrese Maxey a un mínimo de temporada de 12 tantos.
Ninguno de los equipos tuvo a su exMVPs en la cancha.
Giannis Antetokounmpo de Milwaukee estuvo fuera tras sufrir una distensión en la pantorrilla derecha en los primeros minutos de una victoria 113-109 sobre Detroit el miércoles. Y los 76ers decidieron darle descanso a Joel Embiid en la segunda noche de juegos en días seguidos.
El entrenador de los Bucks, Doc Rivers, dijo antes del partido del viernes que anticipa que Antetokounmpo se pierda unas cuatro semanas.
AJ Green de Milwaukee salió con un hombro magullado en el segundo cuarto.
Bobby Portis anotó 22 puntos, Kevin Porter Jr. 20 y Myles Turner 19 para los Bucks.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
NY Times Sues Department Of War Over New Media Rules
NY Times Sues Department Of War Over New Media Rules
The New York Times on Friday sued the Department of War over new rules for media outlets which restrict reporters’ movements around the Pentagon, require ID badges, and restrict the solicitation of “criminal acts” (encouraging someone to leak).
The Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, on March 3, 2022. Joshua Roberts/Reuters
“The policy, in violation of the First Amendment, seeks to restrict journalists’ ability to do what journalists have always done—ask questions of government employees and gather information to report stories that take the public beyond official pronouncements,” the NYT wrote in its lawsuit which was filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia.
The new rules state that soliciting nonpublic information from department personnel or encouraging employees to break the law “falls outside the scope of protected newsgathering activities.”
Journalists will also be denied press passes if they pose a safety or security risk.
The Times and several other outlets took issue with a request from the Department of War to sign papers acknowledging that they had received, read and understood the rules – and that while they may not agree with the policies, signing the paper did not waive any legal rights.
After some outlets declined to sign the acknowledgement, the Pentagon required them to hand over their press passes, resulting in some reporters ceasing to report from the DoW.
Meanwhile, several in the media were later granted passes who had not had them before, including National Pulse EIC Raheem Kassam.
“Legacy media chose to self-deport from this building,” said Pentagon spokeswoman Kingsley Wilson during a Wednesday press briefing, adding ‘we’re welcoming new media outlets that actually reach Americans, ask real questions, and don’t pursue a biased agenda.“
According to the NY Times complaint, “These developments place the purpose and effect of the Policy in stark relief: to fundamentally restrict coverage of the Pentagon by independent journalists and news organizations, either by limiting what kind of information they can obtain and publish without incurring punishment, or by driving them out of the Pentagon with an unconstitutional Policy.
“While Plaintiffs’ enterprising reporting on the military will continue, the Pentagon’s Policy ensures the suppression of certain newsworthy information—information, for instance, gathered by directly questioning officials at press conferences or through routine unplanned interactions between journalists and Pentagon personnel on Pentagon grounds,” the outlet continued.
Pentagon chief spox Sean Parnell told the Epoch Times; “We are aware of the New York Times lawsuit and look forward to addressing these arguments in court.”
Tyler Durden
Fri, 12/05/2025 – 23:00
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/ny-times-sues-department-war-over-new-media-rules
Kon Knueppel anota cinco triples y 21 puntos y Hornets vencen 111-86 a Raptors
TORONTO (AP) — Kon Knueppel encestó cinco triples y anotó 21 puntos, y los Hornets de Charlotte vencieron el viernes 111-86 a los Raptors de Toronto para poner fin a una racha de dos derrotas consecutivas.
Knueppel añadió ocho asistencias, y Miles Bridges tuvo 15 unidades y nueve rebotes.
El base de los Hornets, LaMelo Ball, tuvo 11 puntos, dos rebotes y tres asistencias en 12 minutos antes de abandonar el juego por molestias en el tobillo izquierdo.
Immanuel Quickley anotó un máximo de temporada de 31 unidades para Toronto después de que perdieron la noche anterior en casa 123-120 ante los Lakers de Los Ángeles.
Scottie Barnes tuvo 13 puntos y cinco asistencias. El ala-pívot suplente de los Raptors, Jamison Battle, abandonó el juego a 11 minutos del final del encuentro tras torcerse el tobillo izquierdo.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
What to know as lawmakers disclose vivid new details of US boat strikes in international waters
WASHINGTON — The U.S. military opened fire on two people clinging to the wreckage of a boat allegedly carrying drugs, congressional lawmakers learned this week as they seek more answers about the attack and the legal underpinnings of President Donald Trump’s military campaign in international waters near Venezuela.
The Sept. 2 strikes on an alleged drug boat were the first foray by the U.S. military into blowing up vessels allegedly carrying drugs. But this particular attack and the broader military campaign, which so far has destroyed more than 20 boats and killed more than 80 people, is now under intense scrutiny. Lawmakers who oversee national security committees heard this past week from the Navy admiral who ordered the initial strikes, including the follow-up that killed the two survivors.
While Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley stated clearly that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not issue a “kill them all” order on the survivors, Democratic lawmakers say the scope of the mission was clear — to destroy the drugs and kill the 11 people on board. It’s a deadly new tactic the Trump administration says is intended to deter the flow of drugs to the U.S. The lawmakers and military experts say the sequence of events is alarming, potentially violating the laws of armed conflict that safeguard human rights and protect American troops.
Late Friday, the AP confirmed that lawmakers were told the boat was headed to link up with another vessel bound for Suriname, according to a person familiar with the situation who agreed to discuss it on the condition of anonymity. The information was first reported by CNN. Another person said it was heading south when it was struck.
A timeline of the US military’s buildup near Venezuela and attacks on alleged drug boats
What lawmakers learn in the weeks ahead, and how far they are willing to press the administration for answers, presents a defining moment for the U.S. military under Trump’s second-term command. It is testing the scope of laws that have long governed soldiers on the battlefield and will almost certainly influence the course of the tense standoff between Trump’s White House and the government of Venezuela.
Here’s what’s known about the boat strikes and what other information lawmakers are still pursuing.
What lawmakers have learned
Bradley told lawmakers that he ordered a second attack on the wreckage of a boat that was carrying cocaine because it was believed that bales of the drug were still in the hull of the boat, according to a person with knowledge of the briefing who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it.
For several minutes, two people, shirtless and at one point waving, had climbed on the piece of the boat that was still floating.
They were “drifting in the water — until the missiles come and kill them,” said Rep. Adam Smith, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, adding that their slaying was “deeply concerning.”
However, Sen. Tom Cotton, the Republican chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he believed the video shows the two people trying to flip over the piece of the boat. For him, that was enough of an indication that the survivors were trying to “stay in the fight” and were therefore still justifiable targets.
Bradley told the lawmakers that the rationale for the second strike was to ensure that the cocaine in the boat could not be picked up later by cartel members. Lawmakers previously had been told the second strike was ordered to sink the boat.
That rationale grows out of the legal opinion that the Department of Defense is using as the entire basis for its military operation against drug cartels, especially because Congress has not explicitly authorized the Trump administration to conduct the campaign.
Under the Trump administration’s legal opinion, drugs and drug smugglers en route to the U.S. are essentially viewed as terrorist threats and can be targeted with the same rules that apply to the global war on terror.
That’s a dramatic shift from traditional practice that views drug running as a serious criminal activity, but one to be handled typically by law enforcement, usually the Department of Homeland Security’s Coast Guard, rather than the military.
“The people in the boat, as a matter of the law of armed conflict, are not fighters,” said Michael Schmitt, a former Air Force lawyer and professor emeritus at the U.S. Naval War College. “All they are is transporting drugs.”
Democrats say the conclusions of the Trump administration’s legal argument are troublesome. “That incredibly broad definition, I think, is what sets in motion all of these problems about using lethal force and using the military,” Smith said.
That’s led lawmakers to call for the public release of the legal argument that undergirds the military campaign, a roughly 40-page opinion from the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel.
“This briefing confirmed my worst fears about the nature of the Trump administration’s military activities,” Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Armed Services committee, said in a statement. “This must and will be only the beginning of our investigation into this incident.”
What lawmakers are trying to find out
The Office of Legal Counsel’s opinion, which has been classified by the Trump administration and was only made available to lawmakers in November, was signed on Sept. 5, according to lawmakers who have reviewed it. The attack in question, however, was conducted three days before, on Sept. 2.
Lawmakers want to know under what orders and instructions the operation was conducted.
Bradley told lawmakers this week that he had not personally read through the entire legal opinion, according to the person with knowledge of the briefing. And while Hegseth has said that military lawyers, known as judge advocate generals or JAGs, were kept in the loop on the operation, lawmakers found out Thursday that the JAGs for special operations command and southern command, the two command posts for the operation, did not have access to the legal opinion until mid-November.
Bradley also told lawmakers that the orders did not contain a directive to kill all the boat occupants, and Cotton pointed out that the military was still operating under the same orders when it picked up the survivors of a later, separate attack.
Lawmakers on the armed services committees are requesting the written execute order for the operation, which would include the rules of engagement that soldiers were expected to follow. Democratic lawmakers also want to understand what Hegseth communicated verbally to military officials, either by reviewing a transcript of his remarks or interviewing those involved.
The armed services committees also want to hear from Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, who is retiring as the commander of U.S. forces in Central and South America. He had been commanding the overall campaign, but Hegseth announced last month that Holsey would be retiring early.
Lawmakers also want to find out why Hegseth was not in the operation room when the second strike was carried out. He has said he stepped out for other business after the first strike.
So far, Hegseth has been defiant in the face of criticism from Capitol Hill. Just after the briefings concluded Thursday, the military announced that it had struck another boat that it believed was carrying drugs, killing four people. That latest strike, the 22nd of the campaign, brought the death toll to at least 87 people.
Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Ben Finley in Washington contributed.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/05/us-boat-strikes-congressional-probe-explainer/
Ethan Jackson, who transfers to Leo as a junior, returns to be the senior leader for H-F. ‘Love being back.’
Ethan Jackson is back home. And home looks a lot different.
Jackson played at Homewood-Flossmoor his freshman and sophomore years, then transferred to Leo as a junior. The senior guard is back this season with the Vikings.
“I love being back,” he said. “I’m playing with a new group of guys. It’s a younger team and I like taking the role as a leader. I’m glad I am back to finish with the team and community as a whole.”
Thanks in part to Jackson’s play, the visiting Vikings were able to finish off what was a tight game for three quarters Friday night with a 52-40 win over Lincoln-Way Central in a SouthWest Suburban Conference opener in New Lenox.
The 5-foot-10 Jackson scored five points and came up with a steal during an 8-2 run to help H-F (4-0, 1-0) take a 42-32 lead. The Vikings had held a slim 34-30 advantage after three quarters.
Jackson ended up with 10 points and two steals. The Vikings featured a balanced scoring attack as Darrius Hawkins Jr. and Danny Ruffin led the way with 11 points apiece.
Homewood-Flossmoor’s Darrius Hawkins Jr. (4) and Ethan Jackson (3) greet Lincoln-Way Central’s Nolan Morrill (1) in a SouthWest Suburban Conference game in New Lenox on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Steve Johnston / Daily Southtown)
Micah Evans paced Lincoln-Way Central (3-2, 0-1) with 16 points and 12 rebounds, including nine rebounds in the first half. Nick Brzezniak added 11 points, six rebounds and two blocks. Drew Woodburn scored 10 points.
Jackson, meanwhile, has been a pleasant surprise for Brandin Brown, a 2007 graduate who’s in his first year as H-F’s coach. Brown also is glad to be back home and happy that Jackson decided to come back home as well.
“That would be an understatement, right?” Brown said. “For him, the experience that he has with our group being inexperienced … what he brings to us is priceless.
“His ability to shoot the ball is second to none to any of the guys I have coached before. I like his toughness. He fights for every possession, and that’s something you can’t put a price tag on.”
Homewood-Flossmoor’s Danny Ruffin (5) drives to the basket against Lincoln-Way Central’s Micah Evans (33) during a SouthWest Suburban Conference game in New Lenox on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Steve Johnston / Daily Southtown)
Hawkins, a sophomore guard whose seven points in the second quarter helped give H-F a 21-20 halftime lead, is also pleased with Jackson’s decision to return to the program.
“He’s a wonderful teammate to have – especially being a senior,” Hawkins said of Jackson. “He’s someone I look up to on a day-to-day basis, especially in practice and the weight room.
“We get our work in together and it’s amazing to have him as a teammate. I’m able to trust him shooting in the corner. Just to be able to find him and see him, I know he’s going to knock it down.”
Jackson finds himself in a different situation for his homecoming.
Lincoln-Way Central’s Nick Brzezniak (22) and Homewood-Flossmoor’s John Brown IV (14) go after the ball during a SouthWest Suburban Conference game in New Lenox on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Steve Johnston / Daily Southtown)
When he was a sophomore, Jackson was on the junior varsity when H-F made history by winning the Class 4A state championship.
He was in the crowd at State Farm Center in Champaign, cheering on the Vikings when players Gianni Cobb and Bryce Heard were the stars of the show.
Now?
Jackson wouldn’t mind being a leader on a team that wins another title.
Homewood-Flossmoor’s Ethan Jackson (3) puts a shot up over Lincoln-Way Central’s Drew Woodburn (4) during a SouthWest Suburban Conference game in New Lenox on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Steve Johnston / Daily Southtown)
“Of course it’s in the back of my head,” Jackson said of a state championship. “I’m a competitive person and I always want to win. In my heart, I believe anything is possible.
“A state run is definitely possible with the coaching staff and the players and the game plan.”
Jackson was a self-starter when it came to basketball. When he was 4 years old, he got hooked on the sport he saw on TV.
“I watched Derrick Rose,” Jackson said. “I saw basketball on TV as a young one and I got into it. I always stuck to it and I’ve always been interested and I wanted to put the work in more and more.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Matt Campbell hired as Penn State coach, ending search for James Franklin’s successor
Matt Campbell was hired as Penn State’s coach Friday night, ending a two-month search by the Nittany Lions to find James Franklin’s successor.
Campbell, 46, heads to Happy Valley after going 72-55 in 10 seasons at Iowa State to become the winningest coach in the history of that program.
Terms of Campbell’s contract were not released, pending approval by a committee of the school’s Board of Trustees. That committee is scheduled to meet Monday, after which Campbell will be introduced.
“Coach Campbell is, without a doubt, the right leader at the right time for Penn State football,” athletic director Pat Kraft said in a statement. “He is a stellar coach with a proven track record of success and his values, character and approach to leading student-athletes to success on and off the field align perfectly with the traditions and values of Penn State.”
Penn State advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals last season and began this season ranked No. 2 in the AP poll, but Franklin was fired Oct. 12 after the Nittany Lions started 0-3 in Big Ten play.
Before Campbell’s arrival at Iowa State in 2016, the Cyclones had a record of 489-622-45 with just three bowl wins in their 133-year history. His 10-year tenure in Ames included eight winning seasons, three bowl wins and the program’s only 11-win campaign last year, when Iowa State reached the Big 12 championship game.
Iowa State went 8-4 this season and awaits a bowl bid. Washington State coach Jimmy Rogers was named as Campbell’s replacement on Friday.
Campbell spent five years as Toledo’s coach before joining the Cyclones and is 107-70 overall. He signed a contract extension at Iowa State in August worth $5 million per year until 2032, with a buyout of $2 million.
An Ohio native, Campbell becomes Penn State’s 17th full-time coach. He takes over a program that missed big during the early-signing period that began Wednesday.
Penn State, the second Power Four program to fire its coach this season, signed only two players toward its 2026 recruiting class this week. The Nittany Lions have no commitments in the 2027 class.
Many of those who had previously committed to Penn State flipped to Virginia Tech, where Franklin was hired last month. In addition to last year’s CFP run, Franklin won a Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl during his 11-plus seasons in Happy Valley.
Franklin, however, struggled to win big games, going 4-21 against teams ranked in the top 10.
Now, current Nittany Lions players will have to decide whether to stick around and play for Campbell, who’s done a lot with a little in Ames while reportedly passing on other job offers, including overtures from the NFL.
Numerous names were linked to the Penn State opening, and some potential candidates signed extensions at their current schools, including BYU’s Kalani Sitake.
Penn State went 3-3 this season under interim coach Terry Smith, winning its final three games to finish 6-6 and become bowl eligible.
As Kraft conducted his search without the aid of a search committee, a large contingent of players campaigned for the blunt-talking Smith to be named the permanent coach.
After the Nittany Lions’ win over Nebraska on Nov. 22, players held up “HIRE TERRY SMITH!” signs on the sidelines. A handful flashed the signs to Kraft, who walked off the field with an arm around Smith, a Penn State alum who played for Joe Paterno and is a veteran of Franklin’s staff.
Campbell already has one staff member in place. Kraft confirmed Friday that Smith is sticking with the program.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to coach Terry Smith for stepping up when we needed him the most and for rallying our team to finish this season with three straight wins,” Kraft said. “Coach Smith bleeds blue and white and pours his entire heart and soul into Penn State football. I’m deeply grateful for his commitment to our university, and I am excited that he will continue to be a part of this program.”
A fan base and athletic department accustomed to seeing the same coach roaming the Penn State sideline for 46 years as Paterno did has never gone this long without a gridiron leader.
The search to find Paterno’s permanent successor during the most tumultuous season in program history took 40 days in 2011. Paterno was fired on Nov. 9 of that year, shortly after the arrest of his longtime assistant Jerry Sandusky on child sexual abuse charges. Then-acting athletic director Dave Joyner announced a six-person search committee on Nov. 28, and the program introduced Bill O’Brien on Jan. 7.
Two years later, O’Brien informed Penn State that he was taking the Houston Texans job, and Penn State introduced Franklin nine days later.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/05/penn-state-matt-campbell-football-coach/
