Category: News
Trump And House GOP Are Headed For A Clash Over Obamacare Subsidies
Trump And House GOP Are Headed For A Clash Over Obamacare Subsidies
Obamacare subsidies expire at the end of December, and it now looks like the big battle over their future won’t be between Democrats and the GOP, but between the White House and House Republicans.
Trump has said that while he doesn’t want to make the subsidies permanent, that “some kind of an extension may be necessary to get something else done because the unaffordable care act has been a disaster. It’s a disaster.”
The White House proposal caps eligibility at 700% of the federal poverty line and kills off zero-premium plans that have become a magnet for fraud. But House Speaker Mike Johnson has made it clear this idea hits a wall with the GOP. Even with these anti-fraud provisions attached, Trump’s plan still pours billions into the same broken system, and does nothing to address the key problem created by Obamacare: the skyrocketing costs of subsidies.
The obvious problem here going into midterms is optics… with millions of Americans – including a ton of lower income red state residents, forced to suddenly come up with potentially thousands of dollars more per month after already adjusting to the inflationary ‘new normal’ thanks to the egregious overreaction to the economy-killing pandemic shutdown that never should have happened in the first place.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Johnson “cautioned the White House that most House Republicans don’t have an appetite for extending enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, according to people familiar with the matter, showing how hard it will be politically to stave off sharp increases in healthcare costs next year for many Americans.”
The message from Johnson, in a phone call with administration officials, came as President Trump’s advisers were drafting a healthcare plan that extended the subsidies for two years.
The warning underscores the hurdles facing any deal in coming weeks. Lawmakers have a mid-December deadline for healthcare votes promised as a condition for Democrats voting to end the government shutdown earlier this month. The enhanced subsidies expire at the end of the year, affecting more than 20 million people who benefit from the tax credits.
While the White House and GOP leadership circle each other, a bipartisan group of lawmakers has worked out a separate solution. However, their proposal still relies on extending the subsidies.
The Bipartisan Healthcare Optimization Protection Extension (HOPE) Act extends the enhanced premium tax credit for two years. It includes a lower income cap for enrollees, about $200,000 for a family of four, and phases out for those making above that (currently the subsidy is capped based on what percent of a family’s income it spends on health care). The bill would also try to crack down on fraud.
“We don’t want to see premiums skyrocket, but we probably need a deeper plan for the longer term to deal with the high cost of healthcare,” said Rep. Don Bacon (R-Nebr.). “What we’re proposing is a bridge. Let’s help keep people’s premiums down — that’s important — and it’ll give us time to work on it, maybe something better over the next year or two.”
“People are freaking out. I mean, I get phone calls from people about seeing their premiums go up by a thousand dollars a month,” Rep. Tom Suozzi, a New York Democrat, said. “That’s why we felt it was very important for us to get together as a bipartisan team to say, let’s work together and let’s force something to happen here that we can try and build consensus on.”
These solutions don’t solve the problem for millions who never qualified for subsidies, who will see their premiums soar regardless. Extending subsidies deepens the distortion and accelerates the problem.
The subsidy fight puts Republicans in a tough spot. Johnson has already shown he will not bless another round of Obamacare cash, and most of the conference stands with him. Trump’s team is floating the idea of a temporary extension, and that puts the party on a collision course as January approaches. The CR runs out at the end of January, and nothing suggests the White House and House Republicans will bridge this gap before then.
Meanwhile, Democrats see an easy opening. They are unified, they want this fight, and they know the GOP’s internal split hands them the leverage they lacked during the last shutdown. Washington is drifting toward another stalemate, and the setup looks far worse for Republicans this time around. The stage is set for a January showdown that could break wide open once the subsidies expire.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 11/28/2025 – 11:45
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-and-house-gop-are-headed-clash-over-obamacare-subsidies
Cole Palmer reaparecerá con Chelsea para el duelo ante Arsenal en la Liga Premier
LONDRES (AP) — Cole Palmer se recuperó de una dolencia y podrá jugar en el enfrentamiento entre los dos primeros de la Liga Premier cuando su Chelsea reciba el domingo al líder Arsenal.
El volante ofensivo estará disponible antes de lo esperado tras una lesión en el dedo del pie tras lo que se describió como un accidente en casa.
Enzo Maresca, el técnico de Chelsea, confirmó que Palmer está en condiciones para ser titular en Stamford Bridge ante los Gunners.
“Tener a Cole de vuelta es una buena noticia y todos están contentos”, afirmó Maresca. “Puede ayudarnos mucho. Es, sin duda, nuestro mejor jugador y estamos felices de que haya regresado. Ahora tenemos que darle tiempo para que esté al 100% en forma. Ha hecho cosas fantásticas en el pasado y no hay duda de que va a hacer cosas muy buenas para este club en el futuro”.
Chelsea se encuentra segundo en la clasificación y puede reducir la diferencia con el Arsenal a tres puntos con una victoria.
Palmer no juega desde septiembre debido una lesión en la ingle. Estaba por volver cuando se lastimó el pie, lo que lo dejó fuera de las victorias contra Burnley el fin de semana pasado y Barcelona el martes en la Liga de Campeones.
Lesiones de Arsenal
Leandro Trossard se someterá a pruebas para determinar si el delantero estará disponible para jugar con Arsenal después de ser sustituido en la primera mitad de la victoria a mitad de semana contra el Bayern Múnich.
El defensor brasileño Gabriel Magalhães aún se está recuperando después de sufrir una lesión no especificada para Brasil a principios de este mes.
“Estoy bastante confiado, especialmente por la forma en que Gabi enfrenta cada lesión y la manera en que va a motivar a todos, que no va a ser por mucho tiempo”, manifestó el técnico Mikel Arteta.
___
Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Golpe de timón en la fiscalía mexicana: Sheinbaum quiere que sea “más transparente” y dé resultados
Por MARÍA VERZA
CIUDAD DE MÉXICO (AP) — La presidenta mexicana Claudia Sheinbaum dijo el viernes que aspira a que la salida de Alejandro Gertz Manero de la Fiscalía General suponga un golpe de timón en la procuración de justicia para que sea “más transparente”, fortalezca la estrategia de seguridad del gobierno y dé resultados.
“Pienso, es una opinión personal, que la Fiscalía requiere también de una transformación para el bien de México”, indicó la mandataria en su conferencia matutina y dejó entrever que podría haber temas que investigar sobre el funcionamiento de la institución durante su mandato.
“No se trata de que ahora pues nos pongamos a investigar o se ponga a investigar la fiscalía… a ver qué pasó y cuáles son los temas, sino un compromiso con el pueblo de México de avanzar en la seguridad de la paz y la cero impunidad ”, agregó Sheinbaum.
Justo antes de que dejara la fiscalía, Gertz Manero designó a una de las personas más cercanas a Sheinbaum, Ernestina Godoy, consejera jurídica de la presidencia y exfiscal de Ciudad de México, para hacerse cargo de la institución hasta que el Senado nombre a un nuevo titular.
La presidenta confió en que en la nueva etapa se logre más coordinación con la Secretaría de Seguridad Pública, la Guardia Nacional y las fiscalías estatales para fortalecer las investigaciones y mencionó dos temas específicos: el contrabando de combustible, un caso en el que están implicados altos mando de la Marina, y la investigación por la desaparición de los 43 estudiantes de magisterio en 2014, el conocido como “caso Ayotzinapa”, donde también hay militares procesados y que se bloqueó en la administración de Andrés Manuel López Obrador (2018-2024) por falta de colaboración de las Fuerzas Armadas.
Gertz Manero, el polémico y veterano abogado de 86 años que ejerció como fiscal general de México desde hace casi siete años —su mandato era de nueve—, recibió numerosas críticas por haber utilizado supuestamente la institución para fines políticos y personales y protagonizó muchas tensiones con Estados Unidos.
Dejó su cargo el jueves para convertirse en embajador de México aunque se desconoce aún en qué país se establecerá. La presidenta confirmó que le pidió que aceptara ese nuevo puesto.
El Senado, de mayoría oficialista, ya inició el proceso para elegir a un nuevo titular de la Fiscalía General de la República, pero Sheinbaum dejó clara su preferencia: “Ernestina (Godoy) es una mujer extraordinaria, de principios, honesta, de muchas convicciones y demostró sus resultados cuando fue fiscal de la Ciudad de México”.
Que México logre investigaciones más eficaces como parte de la estrategia contra el crimen organizado ha sido una insistencia de Estados Unidos y fue uno de los puntos destacados durante la visita del secretario de Estado, Marco Rubio, a México en septiembre.
Chesterton postpones parade, holiday market in advance of snowstorm
The town of Chesterton and the Duneland Chamber of Commerce announced on social media that the annual Twilight Holiday Parade, scheduled for Saturday evening, has been postponed due to weather and safety concerns.
Northwest Indiana and the Chicago area will be under a winter storm warning from 3 a.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday, per the National Weather Service, with a possibility of more than 6 inches of snow.
The greatest impact of the storm, according to the weather service, could be Saturday afternoon, with snowfall up to 1 inch per hour.
The parade has been rescheduled for 5:15 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5. Likewise, Chesterton’s Mistletoe Market for Saturday has been canceled, though the market on Saturday, Dec. 6, takes place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“Based on the guidance of the Town of Chesterton’s Police and Street departments, it’s been determined that the expected conditions will prevent them from providing the staffing and support required to safely facilitate the event,” the Chamber said in a Facebook post.
The Chamber extended its gratitude to all parade participants, businesses, and community partners for their understanding and flexibility.
For additional updates, follow the town’s Facebook page.
Bradshaw: Who really reads your college application?
Every fall, anxious parents and high-school seniors imagine the admissions offices at America’s elite universities as secret chambers of alumni zealots guarding the gates of privilege.
It’s a persistent myth — that Harvard only hires Harvard graduates, and that other top colleges fill their committees with loyal insiders who perpetuate an old network of influence. It’s a comforting illusion for some and a discouraging one for others.
But it isn’t true.
The reality is both less conspiratorial and far more professional. At these schools, the people who read and vote on applications come from wildly different backgrounds. They are trained admissions officers, faculty members, and deans who evaluate thousands of files each year according to precise, methodical procedures.
Harvard’s operation is vast. About forty people serve on its Admissions Committee. Applications are first read regionally by officers who specialize in particular parts of the country or world. Then subcommittees — usually five to eight members — meet to discuss each candidate before forwarding recommendations to the full committee.
The image of an old Harvardian cabal fades quickly when you look at the staff directory. Several admissions officers hold degrees from Boston College, Carleton, and other universities. What matters most is experience — the ability to judge transcripts, essays, and recommendations with speed and fairness — not which crest hangs above the desk.
Stanford runs a similar machine. Every application is read at least once, sometimes twice, before a decision committee meets to weigh academic strength, leadership, and the elusive quality of “fit.” Nothing in Stanford’s process or public statements suggests the committee is composed exclusively of alumni.
Yale is even more transparent. Each decision, the school says, is made by a five-person committee — three admissions officers, a faculty member, and a dean. Their own podcast, “Inside the Yale Admissions Office,” reminds listeners that no single person decides a student’s fate. “Members of the Yale community” may include alumni, but certainly not only alumni.
Public universities tell the same story.
At the University of Michigan, the review process is described as “individualized and comprehensive.” Each application is examined in its entirety, and nowhere does the school hint that only Michigan graduates hold those jobs.
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign approaches things much the same way: every applicant is read holistically, considering academics, program fit, and context. And at the University of Virginia, officers emphasize that no algorithm or formula dictates outcomes. Every decision, they insist, is human.
So why does the myth persist?
Because myths are simpler. They travel well in conversation. “They only hire their own” sounds plausible in an age of clubby elites and private networks.
Part of the confusion comes from alumni interview programs. These volunteers — often successful, articulate, and proud — are the most visible faces of the process. Families meet them in cafés or Zoom calls and assume they hold real power. They don’t. Their reports are advisory, not decisive.
Culture feeds the illusion too. Elite schools nurture strong alumni identities, and some graduates do return to work there. But the modern admissions office is not a gentleman’s club. It’s a professional bureaucracy running on databases, deadlines, and caffeine. Staff are hired for competence, not pedigree. They fly across continents, read hundreds of essays a week, and balance judgment against institutional goals.
For students, this should come as a relief. Your application isn’t being judged by insiders guarding a private gate. It’s being evaluated by professionals who look for intellectual spark, character, and coherence—the traits that make a person interesting, not just accomplished.
Different readers notice different things. One might see the subtle pattern in your coursework, another might respond to an essay that reveals humor or humility. That variety is a safeguard against bias, not a symptom of it.
What truly matters is how well you tell your story. A strong academic record helps, but coherence matters more — showing that your ambitions and achievements form a pattern. The best applications sound like a person thinking out loud.
Today’s admissions officer is less a gatekeeper than an analyst. They read, compare, and deliberate. They balance merit with institutional need: geography, diversity, intended major, and financial aid. It’s an intricate process, rarely perfect, but far more transparent than folklore suggests.
So when someone insists that “Harvard only hires Harvard grads,” or that Stanford and Yale keep admissions “in the family,” smile politely. They’re repeating a rumor from another century.
The real story is one of professionalization, holistic review, and relentless work—people trained to find promise in a flood of paper.
And that’s the truth worth knowing long before a student hits “submit.”
Gerald Bradshaw is an international college admissions consultant with Bradshaw College Consulting in Crown Point.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/bradshaw-who-really-reads-your-college-application/
Holiday lights around Chicago: Our top 10 seasonal displays, from Chicago Botanic Garden to the Cantigny estate
Holiday light displays are opening around the Chicago area, including impressive glow-ups at the Chicago Botanic Garden and Morton Arboretum. Others, some off the beaten path, imbue holiday cheer on foot, in the car and even on horseback.
Lightscape at Chicago Botanic Garden
Twenty-five miles north of Chicago, the Chicago Botanic Gardens’ Lightscape was among the region’s first light shows to open this year. Some dates are already sold out — and for good reason. Even if you know the gardens well, this 1.3-mile loop ventures through the Japanese, heritage, English walled and sensory gardens, which are barely recognizable when awash in color — produced by the U.K. firm Culture Creative with trail design by Chicagoans Lee Fiskness, Travis Shupe and Christopher Wren. The experience sounds really good, too, thanks to a partnership with Sony Music, seamlessly transitioning guests between areas that lean all the way into Christmas and others that are more atmospheric.
New this year, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on hand for meet-and-greets on designated Jingle Jam Family Nights, taking place Dec. 16-18. Dec. 4 and Jan. 2 are reserved for the grown-ups, with specialty cocktails and mocktails on tap at concession stands along the path and a centralized disco-themed bar and dance floor about halfway through the journey.
In fact, nearly all of Lightscape’s displays change every year, according to garden spokesperson Jodi Zombolo. The trail switched directions for 2025, veering left from the welcome center, and it stays entirely on the main island after a few years of venturing further.
“We want to give people a reason to come back,” Zombolo said. “It’s a family tradition for a lot of people to come. It’s not going to be the same thing you saw last year.”
Near the entrance, an interactive shadow wall draws visitors onto the trail, which winds past five towering conifers drenched in a half mile of LED lights choreographed to pulse with holiday choral music. It’s called Singing Trees, designed by U.K.-based ITHACA Studio, and one of just two displays repeated from previous years. Some sort of fire-garden is also repeated, this year on a relatively blank canvas, placed in tree-shaped towers beside companion fire-hued light trees in an open glade.
Visitors walk through a light installation titled “Winter Cathedral,” at Lightscape at the Chicago Botanic Garden in 2022, in Glencoe. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Artists from seven countries have contributed installations, including OGE Design Group from Israel, whose luminescent dandelion puffs are suspended over a wooden path. Taiwan-based UxU Studio’s domain is a portion of the lagoon, which is lit up with a striking, moving geometric pattern viewable on the water’s surface for nearly half the journey. And U.K. artist Squidsoup, who produced last year’s One the Tide from the Serpentine Bridge, has this year created a spectacular three-dimensional orb called Singularity. Also new: a whimsical batch of fairies placed in nooks and crannies of the waterfall garden, and lit planters designed by CBG’s horticulture team strategically placed on the conifer steps.
“The trail designer is a horticulturist by trade,” Zombolo said. “She really plays off the landscape. You’ll notice areas where there are blue bonnets and floral installations. We go into the sensory garden, which is wooded, and installations are overhead and immersed in all of that.”
The trail is monitored by directional guides and accessible for wheelchairs and strollers, with some gentle inclines, a few dark patches and select spots of pea gravel. Most areas are paved and well lit. And the one-way path can get crowded when Lightscape is sold to capacity. Timed entries aim to keep traffic flowing through the experience, which takes about 90 minutes.
One display has become a non-negotiable mainstay: a twinkling canopy of white, daffodil-shaped bulbs called the Winter Cathedral. It’s the show’s signature encore, positioned near the bridge to the welcome center at the tail end of the journey.
“I don’t think we could ever not have that,” Zombolo said. “It’s kind of our iconic look. People just love it so much.”
Through Jan. 4, 2026, at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe; digital tickets $26-$29 for adults and $14-$16 for kids 3-12, plus parking. Children under 3 are free. More information at chicagobotanicgarden.org/lightscape
Illumination at Morton Arboretum
You can get through Morton Arboretum’s 20 light displays in about an hour. But it’s nicer to take two or three, lingering at each spot, toasting s’mores at one of the bonfires along this mile-long loop, or hugging a tree. Really! A little patch near a festive refreshment tent, strategically placed halfway through the Arboretum’s light show called Illumination, has tummy-height buttons on a trio of tree trunks which, when pressed, change overhead lights to a new color.
Related Articles
Lakeshore Public TV gets $126K donation amid federal, state funding cuts
Catching up with Steve Albini’s Closet, the endless online yard sale of the late Chicago music legend’s estate
Moraine Valley’s DeCaprio Art Gallery ramping up for 2026 season at ‘cultural gem right in our backyard’
Today in History: Grand Ole Opry debuts on radio station WSM
The Kitchn: I make brisket chili every fall just for the leftovers
Illumination is not explicitly a Christmas display. Frequently, it’s a contemplative walk and celebration of winter that leans heavily on the Arboretum’s greatest asset: trees! About 1,000 are prominently featured in the show. Instead of wrapping trunks and branches with string lights, designer John Featherstone from the firm Lightswitch primarily bathes the grounds’ deciduous trees with washes of light from below. Bushy conifers are used as a striking projection surface. And this summer’s vibrant art installation, “Vivid Creatures” by artists Heather and Fez BeGaetz, looks completely different saturated in color-changing hues. The Golden Glade installation prominently features Vivid Creatures’ white-tailed deer, for example, visible through a field of twinkly strands whose millions of bulbs resemble glowing dew drops.
In fact, the one-way loop is a succinct and spectacular way to glimpse about 50 of the Arboretum’s 1,700 acres, stunningly lit from the top, bottom and sides. The trail concludes with a stroll along Meadow Lake’s shoreline. Light “trees” emerging from the water like synchronized swimmers cast radiant beams skyward and onto the lake’s surface, creating reflections timed to elegant selections of classical music.
The path is paved and fully accessible, though there are a few gentle inclines and dark patches. And while Illumination is a rain, shine or snow event — arguably best seen with flakes falling — there’s a new flexible ticket option that allows rebooking up until your reservation time. Dec. 5, 12 and 19 are just for the grown-ups, swapping the contemplative tunes for DJ-ed theme nights: a Gen Xer’s dream night of MTV hits, pop divas and house music, respectively. Dog-friendly Wednesdays take place Dec. 3, 10 and 17 for an additional $10 per pup.
5:30-8 p.m. nightly through Jan. 3, 2026, (closed select dates, including Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) at Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle; tickets start at $18.50 at mortonarb.org/illumination
Christmas at Cantigny
Just three years old, Christmas at Cantigny tucks lights into nearly every nook and cranny of Col. Robert R. McCormick’s Wheaton estate, with choreographed displays set to festive music along a half-mile walking trail. Two cocoa stops are positioned along the way, sold from a cute Cocoa Cabin and a dashingly decked-out Airstream. Each sells s’mores kits to roast at nearby staff-tended fire pits.
The tour begins with a field of color-changing light tubes fashioned as trees seen from the grounds’ well-lit paved path, leading up to a nearly 30-foot Christmas tree in the next plaza. It’s a good place to stop for a while, if you can resist a glowing red and white tunnel taunting guests toward a stunning vista view of the McCormick mansion, aglow with projections of leaves and holly and other merry things.
New this year, a Northern Lights-themed display in the rose garden uses twinkle bulbs, metal cutouts and informational plaques imparting Nordic stories of how the aurora borealis came to be. Timed entrances keep the crowds at bay so you can wander at your own pace and step right up to the show’s various festive attractions.
Perhaps most distinctive to Christmas at Cantigny is the mansion itself, which is open for self-guided tours (or with a guide, for an extra cost). The house is spectacularly decorated for the holidays. And for the kids (and kids at heart), tiny plush mice are hidden throughout the first-floor rooms — think elf on a shelf, but mice. Ample docents and volunteers are on hand to guide guests through the experience and can offer interesting tidbits about the abode that once belonged to a newspaper dynasty, if you linger a bit and look curious. The Art Deco bar behind a hidden door in the front room is open and serving. And with reservations, an upstairs café called Noel serves small plates, wine and craft cocktails.
On Sunday nights through Dec. 14, the show swaps its Christmasy vibe for a “Wicked”-themed display. Also new this year, a blockbuster movie theme replaces much of the holiday fare after Christmas. And soon, they’ll have ice skating and rink-side cabanas available for an upcharge. Estate-grown poinsettias are available for purchase as a souvenir.
4:30-8:30 p.m. Wed.-Sun. through Jan. 4, 2026, (Christmas theme ends Dec. 23) at Cantigny, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton; tickets $12-$25 (kids under 3 are free) at cantigny.org
Vintage Holidays in Long Grove
The village of Long Grove is like stepping onto the set of a Hallmark Christmas movie, with copious twinkle lights and boughs of holly adorning this already quaint community 35 miles northwest of Chicago. On weekends, Santa will be on hand for pictures from 12-4 p.m., and horse-drawn rides on a 10-seat sleigh will take visitors through the historic downtown district. On Dec. 6, 13, 14 and 21, carolers in Victorian garb wander the town singing holiday tunes. And this picture-perfect, highly Instagrammable place has many lovely shops, cafes and watering holes to provide respite from the cold (and unique holiday shopping). Be sure to stop in the Sock Monkey Museum and the Village Tavern, the latter Illinois’ oldest operating bar and grill, founded in 1847.
Through Dec. 24 in downtown Long Grove, 145 Old McHenry Road, Long Grove; more information at www.longgrove.org
ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo
People take pictures in front of a bear at ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo, Nov. 15, 2024, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Lincoln Park Zoo’s landmark holiday display, now in its 31st year, remains one of the city’s most affordable options for holiday magic. More than 3 million bulbs illuminate the grounds and its furry friends, some of which only come out to play at night. On Sundays through Dec. 21, carolers stroll the park singing. And on Fridays and Saturdays, ice artisans carve animal-themed sculptures in real time. For a warm-up, the zoo sells hot cocoa, warm churros and make-your-own s’mores. For a small extra fee, you can ride the carousel, tiny train and ferris wheel, too, which hit differently in the cold months with twinkly lights all around.
Nightly through Jan. 4, 2026, at Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St.; tickets $7-$20 plus parking, with select Mondays free at lpzoo.org
Holiday Magic at Brookfield Zoo
Visitors stand for pictures under an illuminated gingerbread house at Brookfield Zoo’s Holiday Magic lights display in 2023, in Brookfield. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
There is a lot that’s new in Brookfield Zoo’s four-decade-old holiday show, including a giant light-up maze, interactive displays and custom dolphin show. Several of the zoo’s animal buildings will be open to warm up in, including Dolphin Bay, the Australia habitat, the Play Zoo and Wild Encounters (including reindeer!) plus the Gorilla Conservation Center, which will have free crafting activities from 4:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursdays through Sundays.
3-9 p.m. select dates through Jan. 4; tickets $30-$35 plus parking, with additional fees for certain attractions, more at brookfieldzoo.org
Christmas Around the World at Griffin MSI
People attend the tree lighting and opening of MSI’s Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light exhibit at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago on Nov. 16, 2024. (Tess Crowley/Chicago Tribune)
For an indoor option, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry boasts more than 50 trees decorated by volunteers as part of its long-running seasonal tradition. The display celebrates a multiplicity of light-filled holidays: Christmas, Kwanzaa, Diwali and Hanukkah. And every half hour, it “snows” in the North Court, where the piece de resistance is a four-story-tall Christmas tree.
Through Jan. 5, 2026, at Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive; included with $10-$26 admission at www.griffinmsi.org
City of Chicago Christmas Tree
Fireworks erupt over Chicago’s 112th official Christmas tree at the lighting ceremony, Nov. 21, 2025, in Millennium Park. The 68-foot Norway spruce was felled from a Glenview family’s front yard. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
Don’t miss Chicago’s very large tree, plus lights on the Magnificent Mile. End a southbound stroll down Michigan Avenue in Millennium Park, where there’s ice skating and ample space to bask in the glow of Chicago’s tree — this year a 68-foot Norway spruce sourced from a Glenview family’s front yard. The Magnificent Mile (more at themagnificentmile.com) is aglow with a million bulbs on more than 200 trees between Oak Street and the Chicago River. The Art Institute’s bronze lions will be dressed in their giant evergreen wreaths on Friday. And on select dates, choral groups will lead holiday sing-alongs at Cloud Gate. The tree, adorned with more than 39,000 feet of stringed twinkle bulbs, will stay lit until Jan. 11, 2026, but you can ice skate in Millennium Park until February.
Through Jan. 11, 2026, in Millennium Park at Michigan Avenue and Washington St.; more information at chicago.gov
Light of Christmas Drive-Thru at Rate Field
A million bulbs are synchronized to festive holiday music in this in-car experience winding a path through the Rate Field parking lot. You can upgrade to a trolley tour that makes additional stops downtown at Christkindlmarket and Light Up the Lake on Navy Pier. Or, pair the drive-thru with a drive-in by adding on movie tickets at the Chitown Drive-In in Pilsen.
5-9 p.m. through Jan. 4, 2026, at Rate Field, 3326 S. Wentworth Ave.; tickets $30-$100 at lightofchristmas.com
Celebration of Lights in LaSalle
For another drive-thru experience, head to Rotary Park in LaSalle, which is aglow with more than 400 displays — the biggest in north central Illinois. It’s a point of pride for the city, which is accessible via Interstates 80 and 39 and steps from Starved Rock State Park. Local businesses sponsor each display, most of them cute, quirky and animated. The whole thing is installed and staffed by volunteers, who hand out candy canes and dog treats at the entrance each night. Plus, you never have to get out of your toasty, warm car, which can be tuned to a Christmas radio station.
5-9 p.m. nightly through Jan. 1, 2026, at Rotary Park, 2837 E. 5th Road in LaSalle; free with donations accepted, more information at liveituplasalle.com
Lauren Warnecke is a freelance writer.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/holiday-lights-top-10-seasonal-displays/
Milei declina ir a EEUU para el sorteo del Mundial en medio de tensiones con federación argentina
BUENOS AIRES (AP) — El presidente argentino Javier Milei no acudirá al sorteo de la Copa Mundial 2026 en Washington en medio de crecientes tensiones con la dirigencia de la Asociación de Fútbol Argentino.
La decisión de Milei fue confirmada por su jefe de gabinete, Manuel Adorni, en un mensaje publicado el jueves en la red social X: “El Presidente de la Nación ha decidido no realizar el viaje previsto para presenciar sorteo del mundial de fútbol a realizarse el próximo 5 de diciembre en Washington”, escribió Adorni.
No se brindó una explicación sobre lo que motivó que Milei no viaje a Estados Unidos para presenciar el sorteo que se efectuará en el Centro John F. Kennedy para las Artes Escénicas.
En el sorteo se definirán los grupos de la primera fase del torneo que se disputará entre el 11 de junio y 19 de julio en Estados Unidos, México y Canadá. Argentina es la campeona defensora
Milei hubiera coincidido en Washington con el presidente de la AFA, Claudio Tapia, con quien mantiene un enfrentamiento por su negativa a autorizar el ingreso de las sociedades anónimas deportivas (SAD) al fútbol argentino, en el cual los clubes se rigen bajo la modalidad de asociaciones civiles sin fines de lucro.
Apenas asumió en 2023, Milei firmó un decreto que autorizaba a los clubes a convertirse en SAD. Sin embargo, la AFA recurrió a la justicia y dejó sin efecto la medida presidencial.
Esta misma semana, Milei aprovechó la visita del canciller israelí Gideon Sa’ar para tomar partido a favor de Estudiantes de La Plata, club que se ha convertido en un símbolo de resistencia contra la conducción de la AFA. Milei recibió a Sa’ar en su despacho luciendo la camiseta de Estudiantes apoyada sobre el sillón presidencial.
El mandatario expresó abiertamente su apoyo al club platense en la pulseada que mantiene contra la AFA por negarse a reconocer a Rosario Central como flamante campeón de la Liga 2025, un título que la entidad concibió recién la semana pasada para reconocer al club que más puntos suma durante el año.
Estudiantes, presidido por el exfutbolista Juan Sebastián Verón, fue el único equipo que alzó la voz para rechazar la controvertida decisión y denunció que la medida no se sometió a votación, como determinan los reglamentos.
Posteriormente, los jugadores de Estudiantes le dieron las espaldas al flamante campeón en el tradicional pasillo cuando se enfrentaron el domingo por los octavos de final de la liga, un gesto sin antecedentes en el fútbol argentino. El Pincha finalmente se impuso 1-0 y se clasificó a los cuartos de final.
La AFA castigó a los 11 titulares de Estudiantes que participaron en el desagravio con dos partidos de suspensión, castigo que deberán cumplir en el torneo Apertura 2026. También impuso una suspensión de seis. Además, Verón quedó inhabilitado por seis meses para ejercer cualquier actividad futbolística.
___
Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
“Oh!…K”
“Oh!…K”
By Michael Every of Rabobank
As Bloomberg puts it, the latest Fed Beige Book underlined a ‘deepening K-shaped split’. The very wealthy are still spending; everyone else is struggling. That split is now evident all over. AI firms are booming; most aren’t. Moreover, a day after the Financial Times spoke of people looking for “crumbs” in parts of the US, it happily reports ‘Megadeals hit new record as Wall Street’s animal spirits roar back.’ That will please the crumb-seekers.
It’s there in budgets too. Brussels just rebuked Finland for breaching EU budget rules: if even the Scandies are naughty, as they rearm aggressively, then who isn’t? The UK saw what the Telegraph calls ‘A Budget of chaos, contradiction and falsehoods’, as the Guardian noted “Rachel Reeves targets UK’s wealthiest in £26bn tax-raising budget”, and the FT said it ”raises the UK tax take to an all-time high.” Our Stefan Koopman argues it has little aimed at boosting growth, encouraging investment, restoring confidence, or reforming the tax system, and is instead “a Survival Budget instead of a Growth Budget, crafted to appease both backbench MPs and financial markets.” Yet fiddling with CPI may be enough for a divided BOE to cut a little more.
A K-shape is evident in the Fed as well. Miran makes clear he wants to do things very differently. So does Bessent. Cook’s fate is in the balance. Powell’s Miran-esque replacement may be named in weeks. This goes beyond Fed Funds. Potentially, it’s also about US (geo)political economy.
Even the FT just had to admit global trade is also now a ‘K’. Its op-ed , ‘China is making trade impossible’, argues, “There is nothing that China wants to import, nothing it does not believe it can make better and cheaper, nothing for which it wants to rely on foreigners a single day longer than it has to.” It adds what China imports, because it must, it also intends to make soon and dominate global supply of. In short, Ricardian comparative advantage is gone; China makes ‘port’ and ‘cloth’, and China will eventually dominate all key global industries. Those who read Ricardo, Chinese history, Marxism-Leninism, and neomercantilism warned about this years ago, and how it would lead to the collapse of the (neo)liberal world order – as a US commission warns China seeks an “alternative world order.” Yet ‘because markets’ types were all ‘O’-shaped: mouths agape, intellectually in a closed loop. So, here we are.
The FT op-ed concludes the EU must embrace protectionism if it wants to retain any industry as, “Europe has nothing to offer and difficult decisions to make”. It’s already heading in that direction slowly, grudgingly, blaming Trump, and still thinking it will be able to remain a net exporter as it happens, which it likely won’t. It goes without saying that Europe is K-shaped on that key front, within lobby groups in each member state, and between them – and Brussels.
In other geoeconomics, Nikkei Asia reports ‘Japan Inc.’ is trying to reduce reliance on China; the US is negotiating a trade deal with Taiwan that could help train US workers; pro-‘free-trade’ Canada announced further limits on steel imports and promised more money for its lumber mills; the Israeli army is moving away from Chinese cars to avoid tech spying; and Trump won’t invite South Africa to the Miami G-20 – maybe that global institution is at a fork in the road too.
The ECB also has a plan ‘to boost Europe’s global influence’ – making the Euro available for those worried about access to dollars. Yet the Euro’s global role is small, commodities are priced in dollars, Russia’s pushing for barter, China for CNY-invoicing, and US stablecoins about to be unleashed: so, some worry about the ECB’s access to dollars more than others’ access to Euros.
In the political realm things are always K-shaped – but now it’s a huge capital letter. The Georgia election interference case against Trump was just dropped, as was the court case against its instigator, Letitia James, on a legal technicality; but Axios notes, ‘Supreme Court poised to reshape next 3 election cycles.’ That may matter more than what it says on tariffs ahead.
It’s not just courts: every US institution is K-shaped, even the army. The White House is floating sedition charges against six Democratic politicians, including Senator Kelly, for calling for the armed forces not to obey illegal orders –without stating which ones are– as social media shows billboards encouraging troops to do so. It’s also floated on MSNBC that anyone helping that legal process would face Nuremberg-style charges if Republicans lose the 2028 election. That’s the backdrop to two US national guard soldiers being shot near the White House, following two assassination attempts against President Trump and the murder of Charlie Kirk.
Naturally, international relations are not OK, just ‘K’. China is demanding clarity from Japan on its one-China principle as the Wall Street Journal’s Ling Ling Wei reports following the Trump-Xi call, the White House told Japan to “lower the volume” on Taiwan, which Tokyo “found worrying.” Yet media are always K-shaped, so in no (Ling Ling) way does that mean this is gospel, just a view. Meanwhile, Taiwan pledged to boost defence spending by $40bn to “defend democracy” – and whom will it buying those arms from?
Regarding Russia-Ukraine, on one hand Moscow is pursuing a deal on its terms and called the leak of a Witkoff call with its team “hybrid warfare”: true, but it takes one to know one. Moreover, the US is reportedly demanding Kyiv signs a peace deal before it underlines the details of its security guarantees for it – talk about caveat emptor! On the other hand, Europe is trying to find a plan B for Kyiv if they can’t agree on using Moscow’s frozen state assets – which could blow up any peace deal; France and the UK are LARPing the 1950s, forgetting in 1956 the US was already showing them who did and didn’t have ‘strategic autonomy’ in the Suez Crisis; and the EU’s top diplomat, Kallas, is saying a peace deal should insist the Russian military’s size is capped – worryingly, there seems a K-shaped divergence between that idea and a nuclear-armed reality.
In the Middle East, ‘Scions of Iran’s revolution call for reset with the world’, claims the FT, as a “New generation of political elites seek overhaul of ties with west and Arab states.” Then again, there also intel reports that Iran is considering a major strike against Israel, which runs the other way.
And in Africa, Nigeria’s President has declared a security emergency and ordered the mass recruitment of police and army, having been warned by Trump about the need to protect the country’s Christian communities. So, over to a US military focus on Venezuela then? Newsweek has it that ‘Defiant Maduro rallies Venezuela for US war.’
The important point here is that the average of any K-shape looks like Ͱ rather than a letter of the alphabet: it has no meaning. In the same way, there is no useful mean to the conflating developments above, just uncomfortable up- or -down-legs. Nor is there a comfortable median to assume some kind of return to.
“Oh!…K” indeed.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 11/28/2025 – 11:20
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff resigns as corruption investigations widen
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Friday the resignation of his powerful chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, whose residence was searched earlier in the day by anti-corruption investigators.
Yermak has been Ukraine’s lead negotiator in peace talks with Russia and the United States. He has also been a trusted confidante of Zelenskyy’s for years.
The unprecedented searches at the heart of Ukraine’s government come at a time when Kyiv is under intense U.S. pressure to sign a peace deal nearly four years after Russia invaded.
Two national agencies fighting entrenched corruption in Ukraine said their searches targeted Yermak. Oleksii Tkachuk, a spokesperson for Yermak, said the anti-graft agencies had not served Yermak a notice of suspicion, meaning he was not a suspect in an investigation. Tkachuk added that Yermak had not been told what the searches related to.
Yermak, a powerful figure in Ukraine and a key participant in talks with the United States, confirmed they searched his apartment inside the presidential compound in downtown Kyiv, where checkpoints limit public access. Media reports said Yermak’s office was also searched, but investigators declined to comment on that.
It was not clear where Zelenskyy or Yermak were at the time of the morning raid.
“The investigators are facing no obstacles,” Yermak wrote on the messaging app Telegram. He added that he was cooperating fully with them and his lawyers were present.
Energy sector
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office are Ukrainian anti-corruption watchdogs. They are currently leading a major investigation into a $100 million energy sector corruption scandal involving top Ukrainian officials which has dominated domestic headlines in recent weeks.
It was not clear if the searches were connected to the case and a spokesperson for the NABU, Anton Tatarnikov, declined to comment, citing legal restrictions on revealing details on an ongoing probe.
A spokesperson for the European commission, Guillaume Mercier, told Ukrainian local news, Radio Svoboda, on Friday that they were following developments closely and that the searches showed that Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies were working. He added that fighting corruption was central to the country’s European Union accession.
Investigators suspect that Tymur Mindich, a one-time business partner of Zelenskyy, was the plot’s mastermind. Mindich has fled the country, with any criminal proceedings against him likely to be carried out in absentia. Two top government ministers have resigned in the scandal.
Two of Yermak’s former deputies — Oleh Tatarov and Rostyslav Shurma — left the government in 2024 after watchdogs investigated them for financial wrongdoing. A third deputy, Andrii Smyrnov, was investigated for bribes and other wrongdoing but still works for Yermak.
Political turmoil
The scandal has heaped more problems on Zelenskyy as he seeks continued support from Western countries for Ukraine’s war effort and tries to ensure continued foreign funding. The European Union, which Ukraine wants to join, has told Zelenskyy he must crack down on graft.
Zelenskyy faced an unprecedented rebellion from his own lawmakers earlier this month after investigators published details of their energy sector investigation.
Although Yermak was not accused of any wrongdoing, several senior lawmakers in Zelenskyy’s party said Yermak should take responsibility for the debacle in order to restore public trust. Some said that if Zelenskyy didn’t fire him, the party could split, threatening the president’s parliamentary majority. But Zelenskyy defied them.
Zelenskyy urged Ukrainians to unite and “stop the political games” in light of the U.S. pressure to reach a settlement with Russia.
Yermak met Zelenskyy over 15 years ago when he was a lawyer venturing into the TV production business and Zelenskyy was a famous Ukrainian comedian and actor.
He oversaw foreign affairs as part of Zelenskyy’s first presidential team and was promoted to chief of staff in February 2020.
Yermak has accompanied Zelenskyy on every trip abroad since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, and the president’s trust in him has made Yermak’s power appear almost untouchable.
Domestically, officials describe Yermak as Zelenskyy’s gatekeeper, and he is widely believed to have chosen all top government appointees, including prime ministers and ministers.
Individuals connected to Yermak and the president’s office have come under investigation before.
Introducing the 2025 Naperville Sun Football All-Area Team
The team includes 10 players each from Naperville North and Neuqua Valley and nine players from Naperville Central.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Andrew Barkley, Neuqua Valley, senior, running back: Ran for 1,057 yards and 12 TDs. All-conference.
Finn Bretag, Naperville North, senior, tight end: Made 37 catches for 337 yards and one TD. All-conference. Committed to Illinois State.
William Eloe, Naperville North, senior, running back: Ran for 1,198 yards and 14 TDs on 223 carries. All-conference.
Colin Ford, Waubonsie Valley, senior, tight end: Started season as quarterback but switched positions after suffering shoulder injury. Ran for 237 yards and seven TDs, had 130 yards receiving and two TDs, and threw two TD passes. All-conference. Committed to Wyoming.
William Harvey, Naperville North, senior, offensive lineman: Blocked for offense that totaled 3,200 yards. All-conference.
Charlie Larson, Metea Valley, junior, quarterback: Team’s offensive MVP threw for 1,520 yards and 10 TDs and rushed for 642 yards and eight TDs.
Gabe Lofton, Neuqua Valley, sophomore, offensive lineman: Was 92% effective on blocks. All-conference.
Gage Mills, Naperville Central, senior, offensive lineman: Left tackle was team’s offensive MVP. All-Conference.
Max Schueneman, Neuqua Valley, junior, offensive lineman: Was 87% effective on blocks. All-conference.
Naperville North’s Leo Taylor (27) prepares to kick an extra point against Neuqua Valley during a Southwest Valley Blue Conference game in Naperville on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (Jeremy Toney / Naperville Sun)
Leo Taylor, Naperville North, senior, kicker: Made all 22 PAT attempts and two field goals, and 32 of 36 kickoffs went for touchbacks.
Mark Williams, Naperville Central, sophomore, receiver: Made 36 catches for 403 yards and three TDs.
Jack Zitko, Naperville North, junior, receiver: Made 36 catches for 454 yards and five TDs.
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Gavin Ellison, Naperville Central, senior, defensive back/kicker/punter: Made 51 tackles, all of his PAT attempts and 4 of 5 field-goal attempts, and 80% of kickoffs went for touchbacks.
Matthew Guerin, Naperville Central, senior, linebacker: Had 80 tackles, two sacks, one interception and one forced fumble. All-conference.
Gabriel Hill, Naperville North, senior, defensive lineman: Had 52 tackles, 20 for loss, eight pass breakups, five sacks, two fumble recoveries, two blocked PATs, a blocked punt, a forced fumble and an interception. All-state and all-conference. Committed to Indiana.
Leo Hobson, Waubonsie Valley, senior, defensive lineman: Had 40 tackles, nine for loss, five hurries, four sacks and three blocked kicks. All-conference.
Andrew Hoffmann, Neuqua Valley, senior, defensive back: Had 52 tackles. Also made nine catches for 124 yards. All-conference.
Eron Kennedy, Naperville Central, sophomore, defensive back: Team defensive MVP had 16 tackles, three pass breakups and one interception. All-conference.
Griffin Jurjovec, Naperville North, senior, defensive back: Had 25 tackles, four pass breakups and one interception. All-conference.
Drew Murphy, Naperville North, senior, linebacker: Had 50 tackles, two pass breakups and one interception. All-conference.
Paul Peradotti, Naperville Central, senior, defensive lineman: Had 62 tackles, three sacks and two blocked kicks. All-conference.
Zoelen Terry, Metea Valley, senior, linebacker: Had 32 tackles and one sack. Also made 34 catches for 325 yards, ran for 120 yards and scored four TDs.
William Tracy, Waubonsie Valley, senior, linebacker: Had 94 tackles, eight for loss, four forced fumbles, three sacks, two pass breakups and two hurries. All-conference. Committed to Carroll.
Neuqua Valley’s Pierce Stevens (8) reacts after making an interception during a game against Waubonsie Valley in Aurora on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. (Jon Cunningham / Naperville Sun)
HONORABLE MENTION
Joey Clermont, Naperville Central, senior, defensive lineman
Michael Creedon, Neuqua Valley, senior, kicker
Andrew DeLuca, Benet, senior, linebacker
Luke Doyle, Benet, senior, receiver
Ishmaiah Elliott, Waubonsie Valley, senior, running back
Gianni Fonash, Naperville North, junior, defensive lineman
AJ Forst, Waubonsie Valley, junior, offensive lineman
Josiah Griffin, Waubonsie Valley, junior, defensive back
Bradyn Hostetler, Waubonsie Valley, junior, linebacker
Chris Jordan, Metea Valley, senior, tight end/safety
John Lyons, Naperville North, junior, linebacker
Alex MacDiarmid, Benet, senior, offensive lineman
Colton Maita, Neuqua Valley, senior, defensive back
Stilian Pavlov, Waubonsie Valley, senior, offensive lineman
Caden Phillips, Metea Valley, senior, linebacker
Joshua Repmann, Neuqua Valley, junior, tight end
Jack Sciortino, Benet, senior, offensive lineman
Justin Skryd, Naperville Central, junior, linebacker
Benjamin Stefanski, Neuqua Valley, senior, receiver
Pierce Stevens, Neuqua Valley, junior, linebacker
Tommy Westrom, Neuqua Valley, senior, defensive back
Caelon Young, Naperville Central, senior, fullback
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/2025-naperville-sun-football-all-area-team/
