Category: News
Tre’von Moehrig de los Panthers suspendido uno partido por golpear a jugador de lso 49ers
NUEVA YORK (AP) — El safety de los Panthers de Carolina, Tre’von Moehrig, fue suspendido un partido sin sueldo por golpear en la ingle al receptor abierto de los 49ers de San Francisco, Jauan Jennings, durante el partido del lunes.
Moehrig puede apelar la suspensión bajo el Acuerdo Colectivo de la NFL. Una audiencia sería llevada a cabo por Derrick Brooks, Ramon Foster o Jordy Nelson, los oficiales de audiencia designados y compensados conjuntamente por la NFL y la NFLPA para decidir las apelaciones de la disciplina de los jugadores en el campo.
Moehrig será elegible para regresar al roster activo de los Panthers el próximo lunes.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Suburban legislators, advocates tout single-fare system, transit-oriented development after passage of mass transit funding bill
With a fiscal cliff for the Chicago region’s transit system in the rearview mirror, suburban riders could see a streamlined fare system, more frequent trains and more transit-oriented development, some suburban lawmakers and advocates say, following the recent passage of a $1.5 billion state funding bill for mass transit.
After months of transit talk and failed legislative proposals as the clock ticked to avert an impending fiscal cliff for mass transit in the Chicago region, Illinois lawmakers on Oct. 31 passed a plan that fills the funding gap, adds initiatives meant to bolster safety and prevent planned service cuts and layoffs and overhauls the Chicago region’s mass transit system by creating a new governing body to oversee the CTA, Metra and Pace.
That governing body, the Northern Illinois Transit Authority, or NITA, will replace the current Regional Transportation Authority, or RTA. NITA’s board would have 20 members — five each from the city of Chicago, Cook County government, collar counties and the governor. The CTA, Metra and Pace will continue to have their own boards, too.
The legislation, set to go into effect June 1, was sent to the Governor’s Office on Tuesday to be signed.
Before the $1.5 billion deal, initial proposals in the spring for a transit funding plan took some heat and generated significant discussion, including from representatives from the collar counties.
On Tuesday, however, a handful of suburban legislators and advocates gathered inside a Metra train depot in Geneva to express their support for the mass transit funding bill — and tout what they believe are the benefits suburban residents will see.
“For too long, suburban riders have been treated as an afterthought in a system that is essential to our economy and our way of life,” state Rep. Mary Beth Canty, D-Arlington Heights, said. “This legislation changes that by creating a single, coordinated regional authority. We are breaking down the barriers between Metra, Pace and CTA.”
State Rep. Mary Beth Canty, D-Arlington Heights, speaks at the Geneva Metra station on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025, about the recent mass transit funding bill as a train rolls by in the background. (Molly Morrow/The Beacon-News)
“Music to my ears,” Canty added on Tuesday as a train rolled by at the Geneva station.
State Rep. Matt Hanson, D-Aurora, referenced lawmakers’ failure to pass a funding bill for transit in the spring, but pointed to the future, saying that the “real journey is still ahead.”
“It’s a long-term, not solution, but a promise to the people in our state that we will have a state-of-the-art, world class (transportation) system,” Hanson said.
Advocates are optimistic the transit overhaul and the increased funding that will come with it will lead to more frequent trains and buses — both in and outside of the city of Chicago — and will streamline riders’ experience by integrating fares among the different agencies, explained Audrey Wennink, a senior director for the Metropolitan Planning Council who worked on the legislation.
“All the details aren’t figured out yet,” Wennink said about the plans to make it so riders pay a single fare to go anywhere in the region, “but it’ll just make it easier for people to ride.”
The intention is to streamline the process, she said, thereby making riding the system’s trains and buses easier for users.
“The goal is to move towards regional rail, which means that Metra will work better for people, even traveling between suburbs, you know, to make it frequent enough (that) they could go out to dinner in the next town,” Wennink said. “And it’s a viable option because there’s enough frequency that people aren’t worried about missing a train.”
For Dany Robles of the Illinois Environmental Council, moving to Chicago’s northern suburbs from Mexico put him in “culture shock” when it came to the public transit options. He too emphasized the legislation’s aim of expanding options for the suburbs.
“The more conveniently, efficiently and sustainably we move about this region, the closer we become to and the closer we become for one another,” Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns said at Tuesday’s event.
Canty also pointed out the legislation’s provisions surrounding housing developments near public transportation, saying the bill would make it “easier to build vibrant, walkable communities that attract young families and employers and keep seniors in their communities even longer.”
The funding bill enables transit agencies to develop property near transit options, explained Wennink, but it does not overrule local zoning. The legislation includes a carve-out stating that the provision “does not exempt” those agencies “from complying with land use regulations applicable to the property involved in a transit-supportive development or trail-supportive development.”
Drew Mitchell, representing real estate firm Holladay Properties, also spoke on Tuesday about the portion of the bill generally prohibiting minimum vehicle parking requirements for development projects near public transit, saying that eliminating that requirement would enable more transit-oriented developments as well as increase ridership.
“Let’s reopen these nucleases near our trains,” Mitchell said on Tuesday. “Let’s reactivate our Metra stations throughout Chicago. How exciting is that?”
The portion of the bill related to transit agencies’ ability to develop near transit options was a chief concern for Burns, he explained on Tuesday, suggesting that the original language could have been construed as giving NITA control over those projects. He requested that stakeholders continue to engage local mayors across the region.
And it remains to be seen how the new governing body, NITA, will affect the transit agencies and public transportation in the Chicago region. That was a sticking point in the suburbs when the original legislation was being discussed, including in Kane County.
“The concern was that, with the governor and Cook County and Chicago having so many votes … that the collar counties would not have a fair say,” Kane County Board member Mavis Bates said at Tuesday’s event. Kane County officials previously expressed concern with a possible governance structure overhaul just before the state’s spending plan was passed in the spring.
Wennink, however, said the suburbs have “the same representation” with NITA as they did on the RTA board, in that each collar county gets a representative.
“We argued the governance issue,” Burns told The Beacon-News of the suburbs’ concerns with a changed governing structure, “and we didn’t come out on top in that regard. But we’re still going to keep an eye on things, as this process matures.”
mmorrow@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/25/suburban-legislators-advocates-transit-funding-bill/
A criminal probe tied to Chicago woman’s shooting by Border Patrol agent continues, feds say
A federal prosecutor revealed in court Tuesday that despite assault charges being dismissed, a separate criminal investigation remains ongoing into an incident in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood last month where a woman was shot by a Border Patrol agent.
The exact nature of the probe was not revealed, though it seems to center on the agent involved in the shooting of Marimar Martinez on Oct. 4 after her car collided with the agent’s vehicle in what became one of the highest-profile incidents of Operation Midway Blitz.
Martinez, who was wounded seven times in the shooting, had been accused of intentionally ramming the agents’ vehicle. But the U.S. attorney’s office dismissed all charges against her last week after it was revealed the agent, Charles Exum, bragged about his marksmanship in text messages to his agent buddies, including one that said, “I fired 5 shots and she had 7 holes. Put that in your book boys.”
Media outlets including the Tribune have since requested the release of Exum’s unredacted text messages as well as footage from his body camera showing what led up to the crash.
During a hearing on that request Tuesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald DeWald confirmed that Martinez’s car was still being held by federal investigators due to a pending investigation, which he characterized as criminal in nature.
He said the investigation had been referred to another U.S. attorney’s office in a different district due to his office’s involvement in the Martinez probe — a standard protection against any conflicts of interest.
DeWald told the judge there was no other information he could share “at this time.”
But Martinez’s attorney, Christopher Parente, said “to the extent it’s a criminal investigation, it’s not into Mrs. Martinez. So that part is clear.”
“I’ve received a lot of calls wondering if some other office is investigating Ms. Martinez,” Parente said. “I just want to be clear they’re not. This is a criminal investigation of someone other than Mrs. Martinez. I don’t know who it is. I’m trying to get information. It’s the South Bend U.S. attorney’s office I’ve been told.”
Parente said that based on his limited knowledge of what’s going on behind the scenes, they would not be demanding Martinez’s vehicle back while the probe was pending “because we support it.”
Marimar Martinez, right, enters the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago with attorney Christopher Parente on Nov. 20, 2025, after federal prosecutors abruptly moved to dismiss all charges against her. Martinez was shot by a federal agent after she allegedly rammed a vehicle in Brighton Park during Operation Midway Blitz. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
He also said the agent’s text messages “are probably going to be potentially pertinent in that other investigation if it’s the investigation I suspect it might be.”
Among the evidence gleaned from Martinez’s car in the days after the shooting was the trajectory of bullets fired by Exum, as well as paint scrapes and other damage done in the collision, which Martinez’s legal team has previously claimed was actually caused by Exum sideswiping Martinez.
Alexakis asked DeWald to respond in writing to the motion for the release of body camera footage by Dec. 5.
The Tribune could not immediately reach anyone at the South Bend U.S. attorney’s office for comment.
Martinez was part of a convoy of civilians who were documenting the actions of immigration agents when the collision with Exum’s vehicle occurred near 39th Street and Kedzie Avenue, prompting Exum to jump out of his Chevrolet Tahoe and fire five shots, wounding Martinez seven times.
Marimar Martinez, center, is greeted by her family after being released from the Metropolitan Correctional Center on Oct. 6, 2025, after being shot by immigration agents and charged with assaulting federal officers in an incident in Brighton Park. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)
Martinez’s attorneys argued it was Exum who sideswiped Martinez and that his extreme use of force was completely unjustified. They’ve also alleged evidence tampering, saying Exum was inexplicably allowed to drive the Tahoe more than 1,000 miles back to his home base in Maine, where a Border Patrol mechanic attempted to “wipe off” some of the scuff marks from the crash.
In a bombshell hearing earlier this month, it was revealed that after the shooting, as news of the incident was making national headlines, Exum texted a group of other agents that he was “up for another round of “f––– around and find out.”
In his court testimony Nov. 5, Exum described the circle of fellow agents he chatted with as a sort of support group for “relieving stress.”
“And what did you mean by ‘Read it. 5 shots?’” asked Parente. “Why are you pointing that fact out?”
“I’m a firearms instructor,” Exum answered. “And I take pride in my shooting skills.”
“You take pride in your shooting skills?” Parente clarified.
“That is correct,” Exum said.
Exum also testified the shooting was well within departmental guidelines on use of force, and that he’d not been disciplined in any way.
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/25/criminal-probe-shooting-border-agent/
DOJ Renews Bid To Have Court Unseal Epstein, Maxwell Grand Jury Materials
DOJ Renews Bid To Have Court Unseal Epstein, Maxwell Grand Jury Materials
Authored by Aldgra Fredly via The Epoch Times,
The Department of Justice (DOJ) renewed its request on Nov. 24 to unseal grand jury materials related to the case of deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, following the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act last week.
In a motion filed to a U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York, the DOJ said the Epstein Files Transparency Act—which President Donald Trump signed into law on Nov. 19—reflects the congressional intent to override grand jury secrecy.
“In the light of the Act’s clear mandate, the Court should authorize the Department of Justice to release the grand jury transcripts and exhibits and modify any preexisting protective orders that would otherwise prevent public disclosure by the Government of materials of which is required by the Act,” it stated.
The DOJ said it would make appropriate redactions to protect victims’ identities and other personal information. The law requires that any redactions be accompanied by a written explanation, which must be published in the Federal Register and submitted to Congress.
It requested that the court issue an expedited ruling, as the Act requires the DOJ to release all unclassified records and investigative materials related to the case within 30 days.
In August, U.S. District Judge Richard Berman denied the DOJ’s bid to unseal the grand jury materials, ruling that officials had failed to provide sufficient justification for unsealing the files and citing potential safety risks to victims.
U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer on Aug. 11 denied a similar motion in Maxwell’s case, finding that granting the motion “would bloat the ‘special circumstances’ doctrine, which to date has warranted disclosure in only a tiny number of cases, all involving unique testimony by firsthand witnesses to events of obvious public or historical moment.”
After the Epstein files bill cleared the Senate, the DOJ filed a renewed motion on Nov. 21 to a U.S. District Court in Florida to unseal the grand jury materials, followed by a second filing in the Southern District of New York on Nov. 24.
Grand jury materials are typically kept private. Exceptions outlined in federal rules allow the unsealing of materials, and special circumstances, including public interest, can permit unsealing outside those exceptions.
Epstein was convicted in 2008 in a Florida state court for procuring a child for prostitution and soliciting a prostitute after pleading guilty. He was later arrested in 2019 on sex trafficking charges.
His former girlfriend and associate, Maxwell, was sentenced in 2022 after she was found guilty of child sex trafficking and other offenses. In August 2019, Epstein was found dead in his New York jail cell in what was ruled a suicide.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 11/25/2025 – 17:00
Man killed when vehicle falls off lift, crushing him
A man was killed Wednesday when a vehicle came off a lift and crushed him, Wauconda police said.
The 37-year-old was pinned under the front end of the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
His identity has not yet been released.
The accident happened at 8:52 a.m. at 398 Liberty St., authorities said.
Police said the man was beneath the vehicle, which was about five feet off the ground, when the rear apparently slipped off the lift. The man was unable to exit and was crushed when the front of the vehicle slid off.
The incident remains under investigation by the police and the Lake County Coroner’s Office.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/25/wauconda-accident-crushed/
Around the Southland: Macs with Mercy team up on cornbread kits, Stagg principal honored, more
‘Macs with Mercy’ team up for cornbread kits
November’s Macs with Mercy project joined Mother McAuley High School students in the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society and Catherine McAuley Scholars with residents of Mercy Circle in Chicago to fill mason jars with dry ingredients to make cornbread.
More than three dozen jars will be given to families served by Pat’s Pantry, along with ingredients that need to be refrigerated.
Nineteenth Ward Alderman Matt O’Shea formed Macs with Mercy in 2022 to bring together younger people and older people living in Mercy Circle, a retirement community.
Stagg associate principal honored by state association
The Illinois Principals Association has named Michelle Augustyniak, associate principal of instruction at Stagg High School, as the 2025 South Cook Assistant Principal of the Year, and she’ll be honored with a plaque at the Education Leaders annual conference.
Augustyniak, who has a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of St. Francis has been in her role since 2021. Before that, she spent a year as director of guidance at Sandburg High School and as division chairman for physical education, health and driver education from 2014 to 2020 at Stagg.
Anita Huffman, assistant superintendent of instructional services, praised her leadership. “Her work building professional Learning Communities centered on teacher growth directly improved student outcomes, driving a 6A% increase in Freshmen On Track in one year and placing over 95% of students on track for success,” she shared in a news release.
Light Stroll, book highlighted Dec. 5 in Oak Lawn
The Oak Lawn Park District hosts its annual Light Stroll from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 5 at Lake Shore Park, 9610 E. Shore Drive.
The fee is $5 per child, which allows families to stroll through the park while reading the homemade Christmas story “Duke Mallard’s Quacktastic Christmas Quest” while drinking hot chocolate. Children can color pictures of Duke Mallard, write letters to Santa and take photos with Duke Mallard and other guests.
Businesses can sponsor a 6-foot tree to decorate, which can display the company’s logo and name. Advance registration is required at www.olparks.com or 708-857-2225.
Andrew students experiment with Japanese technique
Jeff Cassidy, teacher at Andrew High School in Tinley Park, supervises students using fire to preserve wood, a technique used in Japan for centuries, often for roofing or siding. (District 230)
Students in Woods 2 at Andrew High School in Tinley Park recently had a hands-on lesson in Shou Sugi Ban, a technique used in Japan for centuries to preserve and treat wood.
Fire preserves wood by sealing it to prevent damage from the elements and bugs, first burning the top layer into what looks like charred snake skin. Students then used a wire brush to remove the layer, revealing a beautiful grain pattern underneath. When the wood is wet, dried and sealed, it creates a beautiful and functional finish.
Woods teacher Jeff Cassidy ran across the technique while working on a sandbox for his son. “I stumbled upon this method and thought it would be fun to try,” he shared via a news release.
The students were into the project. “Can I burn more? That was cool,” senior Othman Alaieh shared via the release.
Dolton library retires its US flag with ceremony
Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller recently participated in a flag retirement ceremony at the Dolton Public Library.
The ceremony included a full flag retirement and raising presentation led by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 311 – Benjamin O. Davis. Other attendees included Dolton Library Board President Louise Copeland, Dolton Library Director Shilrey James, Dolton LIbrary Board trees and Mia Carter from the office of Rep. Robin Kelly, D-2nd, who helped secure a new US flag for the library.
Tinley Park Historical Society sets open house
Area residents are invited to the TInley Park Historical Society’s open house, set for noon to 9 p.m. Dec. 6 and noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 7 at The Landmark Chapel, 6727 W. 174th St., just south of the Oak Park train station.
Museum tours, free hot chocolate and popcorn and the chance to create letters and grooming packages for soldiers assembled by children are available both days. The Tinley Park District children’s choir performs 5 to 6 p.m. Dec. 6 and Lou the Blues Man Band plays at 6 p.m. Dec. 6.
Details are at tinleyparkhistoricalsociety.org or 708-429-4210.
Orland Park fest includes tree lighting, parade, Santa
The holiday season in Orland Park kicks off with the village’s annual Christmas parade, tree lighting and festival from 4 to 7 p.m. Nov. 30 at the Orland Park Village Center, 14700 S. Ravinia Ave.
This year’s event adds new interactive elements, such as live reindeer, bounce houses and meeting costumed characters. The parade, featuring 50 businesses and organizations, including the Sandburg High School Marching Eagles and Santa Claus, starts at 4 p.m. down Travinia Avenue from 151st Street to the village Christmas tree at Village Hall.
Sandburg’s Chamber Singers will sing carols about 5 p.m. before Mayor Jim Dodge lights the tree. Afterward, visitors can sip hot chocolate or other refreshments and head inside Village hall to take photos with Santa. While supplies last, children will receive a plush item. Other free activities take place in the Civic Center, and holiday- and kid-friendly vendors will sell treats. Information is at orlandpark.org/christmasfest or by calling 708-403-5000.
Send news to communitynews@southtownstar.com.
Indiana legislature to meet in December to take up mid-census redistricting
The Indiana legislature plans to reconvene in early December to vote on mid-census redistricting, leaders for both legislative chambers said Tuesday, marking a reversal from last week.
Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, said in a statement Tuesday that House Republicans will gavel in on Dec. 1, reconvening the 2026 regular session, to consider all legislative business “including redrawing the state’s congressional map.”
FILE – Indiana Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray speaks in the Senate chamber at the Statehouse in Indianapolis, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/AJ Mast, File)
The Indiana Senate will reconvene Dec. 8 to “resolve” the issue of mid-census redistricting, Senate Pro Tem Rodric Bray, R-Martinsville, announced Tuesday, just days after at least seven Republican Senators received swatting calls and other threats.
“The issue of redrawing Indiana’s congressional maps mid-cycle has received a lot of attention and is causing strife here in our state,” Bray said. “To resolve this issue, the Senate intends to reconvene as part of the regular 2026 session on Dec. 8 and make a final decision that week on any redistricting proposal sent from the House.”
Bray and Huston both said that because the 2026 session is starting in December, the 2026 legislative session will conclude by the end of February. Typically, the legislative session ends in late March in non-budget years.
Gov. Mike Braun said Tuesday he’s grateful that the legislature will convene “to vote on fair maps.”
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun speaks at the Gary/Chicago International Airport, Oct. 30, 2025. He has called a special session to redraw the state’s House map. (Michael Gard/for the Post-Tribune)
“Hoosiers deserve to have fair representation in Washington and now the General Assembly needs to deliver a 9-0 map which will help level the playing field,” Braun said.
Redistricting typically occurs every 10 years after the release of census data. In Indiana, any piece of legislation, including new Congressional maps, has to be passed by the House and Senate before heading to the governor’s desk.
Indiana was last redistricted in 2021, which left Congressional Republicans with seven seats to the Democrats’ two seats. The Democratic seats are Northwest Indiana’s First District, held by U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan of Highland, and the Seventh District, held by U.S. Rep. André Carson of Indianapolis, which encompasses most of Indianapolis and Marion County.
The Senate’s announcement is a sharp shift from Bray’s stance that the chamber wouldn’t meet to discuss mid-census redistricting because it doesn’t have the votes to pass the measure.
U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, speaks during a press conference in the Indiana Statehouse rotunda following a visit by Vice President JD Vance in Indianapolis, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
A spokeswoman for Bray did not immediately respond when asked if the Senate had the votes, as of Tuesday, to pass new Congressional maps.
Chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus State Rep. Earl Harris, D-East Chicago, said in a statement that Hoosiers haven’t reached out to legislators with sentiments of support for mid-census redistricting.
“Hoosiers don’t want redistricting; they want a better quality of life. Instead of working to make life more affordable for Hoosiers, Indiana Republicans are focusing their efforts on appeasing Washington D.C.,” Harris said. “If the state were to pass new congressional maps, the move would cause chaos for county clerks and local governments and unnecessary confusion for voters.”
Senate Democratic Leader Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, said Republicans have decided to move forward with mid-census redistricting to appease Trump.
“Our democracy does not survive when fear becomes policy. It does not survive when a state abandons its own people to serve the ambitions of one man. It does not survive when politicians cheat to win, cutting voters completely out of the process,” Yoder said.
The Senate held a rare vote on Organization Day, Nov. 18, to return on Jan. 5, 2026, which effectively ended any chance of passing new Congressional maps, which President Donald Trump and his administration have been pressuring Indiana to do since August.
After Organization Day, Bray said the Senate would rather support a Republican candidate in the First Congressional District to “give President Trump another Republican in Congress” as opposed to mid-census redistricting.
“We don’t believe the choice to redistrict is a binary choice where we will either keep a 7-2 map or draw one that automatically becomes 9-0,” Bray said. “I’ve had the honor to speak with the President on this issue, and I have expressed to him that our caucus is supportive of him and wants to maintain Republican control of the House, which is why we believe pursuing Congressional District 1 is the best way forward.”
Braun called for a special legislative session to “consider altering the boundaries of Indiana’s congressional districts” and federal and state tax compliance beginning Nov. 3, according to a news release. The Indiana Senate announced Nov. 14 that it canceled a two-week session to discuss mid-census redistricting because of a lack of votes.
Two days after the cancellation announcement, Trump issued a statement on his social media site Truth Social calling out “RINO” Bray and (Greg) Goode “for not wanting to redistrict their state, allowing the United States Congress to perhaps gain two more Republican seats.”
Bray, Goode and other Republican Senators “should DO THEIR JOB, AND DO IT NOW! If not, let’s get them out of office ASAP,” Trump wrote.
Hours after Trump posted his comment, Goode received a false swatting call. After Organization Day, when the Senate voted to reconvene in January, seven more State Senators – Dan Dernulc, Spencer Deery, Rick Niemeyer, Kyle Walker, Greg Walker, Linda Rogers and Andy Zay – received swatting calls as of Friday afternoon.
Braun, in a Friday statement condemning the swatting calls, said he and his family have been threatened as well.
akukulka@post-trib.com
Altos mandos militares de EEUU visitan a líderes caribeños mientras Trump evalúa próximos pasos
Por KONSTANTIN TOROPIN
WASHINGTON (AP) — Altos funcionarios militares de Estados Unidos se están reuniendo con mandatarios de naciones caribeñas esta semana, luego de que el gobierno de Donald Trump incrementó su presencia naval en la región como parte de lo que llama una campaña contra el narcotráfico.
El secretario de Defensa estadounidense, Pete Hegseth, viajará a Santo Domingo, República Dominicana, y se reunirá el miércoles con los principales líderes del país, incluido el presidente Luis Abinader, el ministro de Defensa, teniente general Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre, y otros funcionarios, informó el Pentágono el martes.
El anuncio se produjo el mismo día en que el general Dan Caine, jefe del Estado Mayor Conjunto y principal asesor militar de Trump, se reunió con la primera ministra de Trinidad y Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Según un resumen publicado por la oficina de Caine, “intercambiaron puntos de vista sobre los desafíos que afectan a la región del Caribe, incluidos los efectos desestabilizadores de los narcóticos ilícitos, el tráfico de armas y personas, y las actividades de organizaciones criminales transnacionales”.
El ejército de Estados Unidos ha desplegado su mayor presencia en la región en generaciones, y desde principios de septiembre ha estado atacando lanchas que según dice son usadas para el contrabando de drogas. Hasta la fecha, el ejército estadounidense, bajo el mando de Hegseth, ha atacado a 21 de dichas embarcaciones y matado al menos a 83 personas.
Las acciones son vistas por muchos como una táctica de presión para que el presidente venezolano Nicolás Maduro renuncie. Las visitas de Hegseth y Caine esta semana se producen mientras Trump evalúa si tomar acción militar contra Venezuela, lo cual no ha descartado a pesar de haber planteado la posibilidad de conversaciones con Maduro, quien ha sido acusado de narcoterrorismo por Estados Unidos.
El gobierno de Trump añadió más presión el lunes al designar oficialmente al Cártel de los Soles como una organización terrorista extranjera, aunque la entidad que Estados Unidos alega está liderada por Maduro no es un cártel per se.
Si bien la mayoría de los gobiernos caribeños han mantenido una respuesta moderada a los ataques contra lanchas que supuestamente transportan drogas, y han instado a la paz y al diálogo, Persad-Bissessar se ha destacado por elogiar públicamente los mortales ataques.
A principios de septiembre, la mandataria dijo que no sentía compasión por los narcotraficantes y que “el ejército de Estados Unidos debería matarlos a todos violentamente”. Sus comentarios y apoyo a los ataques han sido condenados por algunos líderes de la oposición y por funcionarios regionales.
Amery Browne, exministro de Asuntos Exteriores de Trinidad, dijo al periódico local Newsday que la postura de Persad-Bissessar es “imprudente” y que se ha aislado del Caricom, un bloque comercial regional.
Según el Pentágono, el viaje de Hegseth a la República Dominicana tendrá como objetivo “fortalecer las relaciones de defensa y reafirmar el compromiso de Estados Unidos de defender la patria”.
Mientras tanto, Caine también aprovechó su tiempo en la región para visitar a las tropas estadounidenses en Puerto Rico y en un barco de la Marina de Estados Unidos, donde agradeció a los militares por su servicio y sacrificio durante el feriado de Acción de Gracias, informó el Pentágono.
Caine y Hegseth también visitaron la región en septiembre, yendo a Puerto Rico después de que barcos con cientos de marines estadounidenses llegaron para lo que los funcionarios dijeron que era un ejercicio de entrenamiento.
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La periodista de The Associated Press, Dánica Coto, en San Juan, Puerto Rico, contribuyó a este despacho.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Housing Market Winter Deepens As Delistings Soar To Eight-Year High
Housing Market Winter Deepens As Delistings Soar To Eight-Year High
Building on our earlier housing-market note that “current conditions point to more persistent headwinds” across major metro areas, we now turn to new Redfin data showing a surge in delistings – a clear sign the market is slipping into year-end paralysis.
According to Redfin’s report, roughly 85,000 U.S. homes were pulled off the market in September – a 28% jump from last year and the highest September total in eight years. Redfin classifies a home as delisted when it’s removed for more than 31 days without selling.
Redfin points to a set of underlying market dynamics fueling the rapid rise in delistings:
Stale listings dominate: 70% of all listings in September had been on the market 60+ days. The median delisted home sat 100 days before being pulled. Markets remain oversupplied, with roughly 500,000 more sellers than buyers.
Demand is very weak: High rates, high prices, and broad economic uncertainty are sidelining buyers.
Sellers refuse to take losses: 15% of delisted homes were at risk of selling at a loss—the highest in five years—leading many owners to withdraw rather than accept lower bids.
Turn to renting: Many would-be sellers prefer to rent out the property and wait for better conditions.
Delistings accounted for 5.5% of all September transactions (vs. 4.8% a year earlier), the highest share for that month since tracking began in 2016.
Redfin economists say the jump is more serious than it appears because sellers “give up” after long periods without offers.
“That increase is bigger than it looks on paper; it represents a fairly significant jump in delistings from last year,” Redfin senior economist Asad Khan stated, adding, “More sellers are giving up because their homes have been sitting on the market for a long time, and they don’t want to or can’t afford to settle on accepting a low price.”
Redfin data showed that 20% of the homes delisted in summer were relisted within three months – this is typically a pricing reset tactic and also to show up on the top feeds of popular online real estate marketplaces.
Wonder how many of those are Airbnbs?
On a geographic basis, these are the metros experiencing the most delistings in September:
Virginia Beach +74.5%
Washington, D.C. +53.9%
San Jose +53.3%
Dallas +52.1%
Houston +49.6%
Highest delisting share of all listings:
Miami 7.8%
Fort Lauderdale 7.7%
Dallas 7.5%
Philadelphia 7.5%
West Palm Beach 7.5%
The latest Case-Shiller data shows U.S. home prices in the 20 largest cities rose 0.13% MoM in September (very slightly better than the 0.1% rise expected) and are up for the second month in a row (after falling for five straight months before). This MoM rise left the average prices up just 1.36% YoY – the lowest since July 2023…
Declining mortgage rates suggest a looming rebound in aggregate prices…
Home Prices are now falling (YoY) in a majority (11/20) of America’s largest cities…
Additionally, new listings remain stagnant because many homeowners are opting not to list. That’s because they’re locked in ultra-low mortgage rates (2020–2022) and won’t give them up unless they get a premium.
The latest weekly data from Bright MLS shows cancellations running at above-trend levels across its Mid-Atlantic coverage area.
Translation: housing-market paralysis has deepened, which is why President Trump proposed a 50-year mortgage to break the ice.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 11/25/2025 – 16:40
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/housing-market-winter-deepens-delistings-soar-eight-year-high
Slender Man attacker won’t fight extradition to Wisconsin after fleeing group home
MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin woman who won release from a mental institution after almost killing her sixth grade classmate in the name of horror villain Slender Man only to flee the state weeks later won’t fight extradition from Illinois.
Morgan Geyser agreed not to contest her transfer from jail in Cook County, Illinois, to Wisconsin during a hearing Tuesday, a court spokesperson said. Wisconsin authorities now have 30 days to pick her up.
Wisconsin health officials could revoke Geyser’s conditional release and send her back to the facility where she spent most of the past eight years. She also could face new charges in connection with her escape.
Escape to Illinois
According to police, Geyser cut off her GPS monitoring bracelet on Saturday evening and fled her Madison group home with a 43-year-old companion. Police found them Sunday evening sleeping on a sidewalk outside a truck stop in Posen, Illinois, a village of 5,300 people about 25 miles south of Chicago, and arrested them.
Police have identified Geyser’s friend as male, but Geyser can be heard on officers’ body camera footage during their arrests saying that the individual is transgender and refers to the person as “she.”
Her friend has been charged with trespassing and obstruction, but The Associated Press isn’t naming the companion because the person hasn’t been charged with aiding Geyser’s escape. The AP’s attempts to contact that person have been unsuccessful.
The companion did call WKOW-TV on Monday, however, saying the two became friends at church and had seen each other daily for the past month. Geyser decided to flee because she was afraid her group home would no longer allow them to see each other, the person said.
“She ran because of me,” the friend told the television station.
‘You’re not wanted for murder, right?’
Geyser and her companion took a bus overnight into Illinois, the friend said. The Posen officers’ body camera footage shows Geyser and her friend shivering in the cold outside the truck stop as officers try to ascertain their names and where they’re from. Geyser does most of the talking while her friend gathers their belongings and places them in a backpack, saying only “south” when asked where they’re from and giving officers a fake name. Her companion initially refused to give a name.
As officers threaten to arrest them, Geyser clutches a stuffed dog toy and clings to her companion’s arm. When officers separate them, she insists that her friend doesn’t know Geyser’s name or what she’s done.
When Geyser refuses to give her real name, an officer asks her: “You’re not wanted for murder, right?”
Geyser repeatedly begs the officers to let her companion go. Pressed by officers, Geyser says: “I did something really wrong.”
Geyser finally writes her real name on an officer’s notepad. As they’re running her for warrants, she tries to go to her friend, but an officer pushes her back.
“Let me say goodbye, please,” Geyser says. “I’ll never see her again.”
After they’re led into squad cars, one of the officers remarks: “I hope she didn’t commit a homicide. The way she’s talking, she’s saying it’s really, really bad.”
The footage shows another officer discovering a notebook in the couple’s bags entitled “Homeless Couples Guidebook.”
Companion: Geyser trying to move beyond Slender Man attack
Geyser’s friend told WKOW that they understand each other and communicate in a “really good, healthy way” and she had explained her past.
“I was like, ‘I don’t hate you. I think you’re clearly not that person anymore. You’re trying very hard to move away from it. That much is obvious,’” the companion said, adding later that Geyser was going to flee the group home with or without the friend and the person chose to go with her because Geyser wasn’t going to make it on her own.
Stabbing meant to please horror character
Geyser and her friend, Anissa Weier, lured one of their classmates, Payton Leutner, to a Waukesha park in 2014. Geyser stabbed Leutner 19 times, narrowly missing her heart, while Weier cheered her on. All three girls were 12 years old at the time. Leutner barely survived.
Geyser and Weier later told investigators they attacked Leutner in hopes of impressing Slender Man and becoming his servants. They said they were afraid Slender Man would hurt their families if they didn’t carry out the attack.
Slender Man was created online by Eric Knudson in 2009 as a mysterious figure photo-edited into everyday images of children at play. He grew into a popular boogeyman, appearing in video games, online stories and a 2018 movie.
Both Geyser and Weier were ultimately committed to a state mental institution — Geyser for 40 years and Weier for 25. Wisconsin law allows people committed to state institutions to petition for release. Weier earned conditional release in 2021. Geyser, now 23, won conditional release this past September after four requests and was placed in the group home.
Associated Press reporter Scott Bauer contributed to this report.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/25/slender-man-attacker/
