Category: News
EEUU sanciona a alto funcionario haitiano y lo acusa de apoyar a pandillas
Por DÁNICA COTO
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — El gobierno de Estados Unidos impuso restricciones de visa a Fritz Alphonse Jean, miembro del consejo presidencial de transición de Haití, acusándolo de apoyar a pandillas y otras organizaciones criminales, lo que podría profundizar la inestabilidad política del país.
Estados Unidos también acusó a Jean de obstruir la lucha de Haití contra las “pandillas terroristas”. Las pandillas controlan el 90% de la capital de Haití y extensas áreas en el centro del país, donde extorsionan a negocios, matan a civiles y luchan por territorio, utilizando armamento de grado militar.
Estados Unidos no nombró a la persona sancionada en su anuncio del lunes por la noche, pero Jean confirmó que se trataba de él, diciendo a The Associated Press el martes que rechazaba esas acusaciones.
Haití debe celebrar elecciones antes del 7 de febrero, cuando el consejo debe renunciar. Los críticos han dicho que algunos miembros del consejo buscan permanecer en el poder más allá de esa fecha y están buscando un nuevo primer ministro que apoye esos planes.
Jean desestimó esa crítica, diciendo que el consejo quiere luchar contra las pandillas y la corrupción.
“Una vez que comenzamos a revisar las posibilidades de cambiar al jefe de gobierno, los miembros del (consejo) comenzaron a recibir amenazas de cancelación de visas y otras sanciones del representante de la embajada de Estados Unidos y del embajador canadiense”, declaró Jean. Afirmó que los enviados estipularon claramente que “si no desistimos, enfrentaremos sanciones y cancelación de visas”.
“Nos mantenemos firmes en combatir la corrupción, la captura del Estado por unos pocos individuos y los operadores involucrados en el tráfico de drogas, la proliferación de armas y municiones”, expresó Jean.
Jean es un economista y exgobernador del banco central que una vez sirvió como presidente del consejo presidencial de transición. El consejo se formó después de que el primer ministro Ariel Henry renunciara el año pasado tras ataques generalizados de pandillas, dejando a Haití sin líder.
La oficina del actual primer ministro de Haití, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, no ha respondido a un mensaje para comentarios.
Fils-Aimé y el consejo presidencial de transición han estado bajo presión para celebrar elecciones generales antes de que expire el mandato del consejo. Pero la violencia de las pandillas ha hecho imposible cumplir con ese plazo.
Más de 4.300 personas, incluidos miembros de pandillas, han sido asesinadas de enero a septiembre en todo Haití, y la violencia persiste.
Una misión respaldada por la ONU liderada por la policía de Kenia ha luchado por contener la violencia, y ahora Haití espera una nueva fuerza de supresión de pandillas que tendría el poder de arrestar a sospechosos lo cual la fuerza actual no tiene.
En otro golpe para el país, Sunrise Airways, la única aerolínea que ofrece vuelos nacionales e internacionales a Haití, anunció el domingo que suspendía el servicio por razones de seguridad. La violencia de las pandillas ha obligado a cerrar el principal aeropuerto internacional de Haití varias veces desde el año pasado.
El Consejo Electoral Provisional de Haití ha fijado fechas tentativas para las elecciones en agosto y diciembre del próximo año.
El atribulado país no ha celebrado elecciones en casi una década, y nadie ha sido presidente desde que el entonces mandatario Jovenel Moïse fue asesinado a tiros en su residencia privada en julio de 2021.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Trump Ignites ‘Genesis Mission’: Manhattan Project-Scale AI Onslaught
Trump Ignites ‘Genesis Mission’: Manhattan Project-Scale AI Onslaught
Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,
President Trump signed a landmark executive order Monday, unleashing the “Genesis Mission”—a colossal, coordinated national crusade modelled after the Manhattan Project to turbocharge AI-driven scientific breakthroughs and cement U.S. technological hegemony.
The audacious blueprint seeks to harness the world’s largest federal data trove, supercomputers, and 40,000 elite scientists to obliterate global rivals, slash energy costs, boost jobs, and unlock healthier lives.
White House tech czar Michael Kratsios and Energy Secretary Chris Wright hailed it as America’s Apollo-moment moonshot.
The Genesis Mission is launched!
Big day for American Science and AI. pic.twitter.com/d30fJCAd15
— Director Michael Kratsios (@mkratsios47) November 24, 2025
Energy Secretary Chris Wright, wielding the signing pen, invoked wartime triumphs, noting “With this pen today, President Trump signed an historic mission. This is reminiscent of the Manhattan Project that brought World War II to an early and successful end, similar to the Apollo projects that put a man on the moon in 1969.”
? BREAKING: President Trump just signed an executive order akin to the MANHATTAN PROJECT that will deploy 40,000 THOUSAND USA scientists and engineers for the rapid advancement of AI over our competitors
??????
SEC. CHRIS WRIGHT: “With this pen today, President Trump signed an… pic.twitter.com/V6mxQbARVR
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 24, 2025
The EO’s sweeping mandate notes “From the founding of our Republic, scientific discovery and technological innovation have driven American progress and prosperity. Today, America is in a race for frontier technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), an important frontier of scientific discovery and economic growth. To that end, my Administration has taken a number of actions to win that race, including recognizing the multiple needs to invest in AI-enabled scientific implementation to accelerate scientific advancement. In this pivotal moment, the challenges we face require a historic national effort, comparable in urgency and ambition to the Manhattan Project that was instrumental to our victory in World War II and was a critical basis for the foundation of the Department of Energy (DOE) and its national laboratories.”
It continues, “This order launches the ‘Genesis Mission’ as a dedicated, coordinated national effort to unleash a new age of AI-accelerated innovation and discovery that can solve the most challenging problems of this century. The Genesis Mission will build an integrated AI platform to harness Federal scientific datasets—the world’s largest collection of such datasets, developed over decades of Federal investments—to train scientific foundation models and create AI agents to test new hypotheses, automate research workflows, and accelerate scientific breakthroughs.”
“The Genesis Mission will bring together our Nation’s research and development resources—combining the efforts of brilliant American scientists, including those at our national laboratories, with pioneering American businesses; world-renowned universities; and existing research infrastructure, data repositories, production plants, and national security sites—to achieve dramatic acceleration in AI development and utilization,” the order further notes.
It adds, “We will harness for the benefit of our Nation the revolution underway in computing, and build on decades of innovation in semiconductors and high-performance computing. The Genesis Mission will dramatically accelerate scientific discovery, strengthen national security, secure energy dominance, enhance workforce productivity, and multiply the return on taxpayer investment into research and development, thereby furthering America’s technological dominance and global strategic leadership.”
White House AI and Crypto Czar Michael Kratsios framed the mission as a historic power surge, noting “It’s a huge opportunity for the United States to continue to outpace the world in scientific discovery and innovation… the largest marshaling of the federal government scientific apparatus since the Apollo Project.”
.@mkratsios47: “It’s a huge opportunity for the United States to continue to outpace the world in scientific discovery and innovation… the largest marshaling of the federal government scientific apparatus since the Apollo Project.” https://t.co/DsKLf9nxKA pic.twitter.com/BT5F4QzdJ3
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 25, 2025
Trump’s Genesis blitz—fusing DOE labs, Big Tech, and academia—aims to eclipse China’s AI sprint, weaponizing federal data lakes for breakthroughs in energy, security, and health. As Kratsios and Wright trumpet, this isn’t R&D—it’s a reckoning, propelling America to unchallenged dominance.
Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 11/25/2025 – 10:15
https://www.zerohedge.com/ai/trump-ignites-genesis-mission-manhattan-project-scale-ai-onslaught
Johnson Warns White House Against Extending Obamacare Subsidies
Johnson Warns White House Against Extending Obamacare Subsidies
House Speaker Mike Johnson has warned the Trump administration that House Republicans aren’t gonna go for an extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies – a plan which was leaked to the media before the White House backed off from announcing it yesterday.
According to the WSJ, Johnson held a Monday call with administration officials as Trump advisers were drafting a healthcare plan that would include an enhanced ACA extension for two years. Several Republicans objected to the taxpayer-funded subsidies continuing to fund healthcare plans that include abortions – a red line for many GOP lawmakers, according to the report.
The emerging White House plan would extend the subsidies temporarily, while imposing income caps for ACA enrollees to qualify, as well as measures to crack down on healthcare fraud, according to people familiar with the matter. Several Republicans want to pair the subsidy wind-down with the creation of health savings accounts, an approach Trump has praised. -WSJ
White House officials say the proposal hasn’t been finalized and did not have Trump’s final signoff.
“What we have said is, if there was going to be an extension of that, it would need massive reforms,” which would need to include income caps and other changes, Johnson told Fox News earlier this month.
Keep in mind that the extensions – passed by Democrats in 2021 – were always meant to be temporary relief during the pandemic. (and that COVID-19 kills less than 1% of those who get it, thus we never needed economy-killing lockdowns in the first place).
Johnson’s warning highlights hurdles facing the deal in coming weeks – with a mid-December deadline for a healthcare vote which was promised to Democrats in exchange for reopening the government earlier this month. The enhanced subsidies are set to expire at the end of the year, which will affect over 20 million people who have acclimated to lower healthcare costs amid soaring inflation. Oh and then there’s the 38 million student loans that kicked back in during Q4 2023 – with over 6 million borrowers at risk of having their wages garnished six months ago.
And while we certainly aren’t advocating for or against ACA extensions, which were always supposed to be temporary, we – and several banks, and WSJ, and FT, have been noticing that consumers aren’t doing so great.
A Tale Of Two Consumer Worlds – Captured In A Survey
A Tale Of Two Consumer Worlds – Captured In A Single Chart
Early Warning Indicator Signals Sharp Sentiment Deterioration Among Low-Income Consumers, Gen Z
“Worst Consumer Sentiment In Decades”: Goldman Goes Defcon 1 On Imploding US Consumer
To that end, recent polling from KFF shows that nearly 75% of Americans support extending the ACA tax credit, including 50% of Republicans.
Another factor that could possibly be influencing House Republicans is yesterday’s report by Punchbowl News that several House Republicans say the Trump admin is treating them ‘like garbage,’ and a few may follow in MTG’s footsteps to retire.
That said, centrist House Democrats may provide necessary votes on the two-year plan.
“If the reports are true and the president is considering coming to the table in good faith, I believe we can find a path forward that can earn broad bipartisan support in Congress,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).
Let’s not forget why we’re here in the first place…
Let’s not forget how badly John McCain hurt our country, by publicly reneging on his promise to repeal the ACA. All due to his emotional tantrum just to spite Trump: pic.twitter.com/kk5cbk8PKb
— Erich Hartmann (@erichhartmann) November 21, 2025
Tyler Durden
Tue, 11/25/2025 – 10:15
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/johnson-warns-white-house-against-extending-obamacare-subsidies
“Todo está empapado”: Lluvias invernales en Gaza traen nueva miseria para los palestinos
Por WAFAA SHURAFA y MEGAN JANETSKY
DEIR AL-BALAH, Franja de Gaza (AP) — Niños y familias en Gaza sacaron agua lodosa de sus tiendas el martes, tratando de proteger las pocas pertenencias que quedan después de dos años de guerra.
Las fuertes lluvias invernales han dejado a los palestinos desplazados chapoteando en agua que les llega a los tobillos, y culpando tanto a Israel como a Hamás por la miseria que persiste a pesar del cese del fuego.
“Todas las tiendas fueron destruidas”, afirmó Assmaa Fayad en Deir al-Balah, en el centro de Gaza, cuyo refugio fue dañado en el último aguacero del martes. “¿Dónde está Hamás? ¿Dónde están las personas para ver esta lluvia y cómo nuestros niños se están ahogando?”.
“Todos los esfuerzos del mundo para aliviar el desastre han fracasado debido al asedio israelí”, dijo por su parte en Telegram el portavoz de Hamás, Hazem Qassem.
Las organizaciones de ayuda temen que los lluviosos meses de invierno empeoren la situación, mientras persiste la escasez de suministros humanitarios. Están batallando para mitigar las inundaciones y restaurar la infraestructura devastada por los combates.
Casi todos los más de 2 millones de habitantes de Gaza se vieron obligados a abandonar sus hogares durante la guerra. La mayoría ha estado viviendo en tiendas o refugios, algunos de ellos construidos sobre casas destruidas, sin instalaciones de saneamiento adecuadas. Para los baños, dependen de fosas de aguas negras cavadas cerca de las tiendas que se desbordan con las fuertes lluvias.
Colchones empapados por la lluvia
Reham al-Hilu fue una de las personas que evaluó los daños en Deir al-Balah, una de las áreas más afectadas por las lluvias. Su refugio de madera y metal colapsó durante la noche, y dijo que resultó herida en la cabeza.
“El agua de lluvia inundó los colchones”, expresó. “Como pueden ver, todo está empapado: la ropa, todo, y mis hijos están todos mojados”.
La oficina humanitaria de las Naciones Unidas dijo la semana pasada que las lluvias han dañado al menos 13.000 tiendas como la de al-Hilu, y “destruyeron el poco refugio y pertenencias que miles de palestinos en Gaza tenían”.
La oficina dijo que las organizaciones de ayuda habían comenzado a prepararse para el invierno en octubre, cuando entró en vigor el alto el fuego entre Israel y Hamás, transportando materiales como tiendas de campaña invernales a Gaza.
Pero la oficina dijo que los esfuerzos se han visto obstaculizados por la lenta entrada de ayuda. Indicó que las entregas al territorio siguen “severamente restringidas por las autoridades israelíes en cuanto a la entrada de suministros de refugio”.
El organismo de defensa israelí responsable de la entrada de ayuda, COGAT, ha dicho que está trabajando para traer más suministros de invierno. No hizo comentarios el martes.
A pesar de eso, los grupos de ayuda pudieron distribuir más de 3.600 tiendas, 129.000 lonas y 87.000 mantas a principios de este mes, informó la oficina de la ONU.
Carreteras se convierten en ríos
Las carreteras en Deir al-Balah se convirtieron en ríos poco profundos de agua turbia. Un hombre cruzó cargando a una hija pequeña en cada brazo.
Algunas familias se arrodillaron en el suelo, tratando de absorber el agua con trozos de tela.
Aunque los combates diarios han cesado en Gaza, Israel continúa atacando partes del territorio en respuesta a lo que dice son violaciones por parte de Hamás. Ambas partes se han acusado mutuamente de violar las condiciones del alto el fuego.
Y muchos palestinos desplazados permanecen hacinados en la mitad áspera del territorio de Gaza que las fuerzas israelíes no controlan.
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Janetsky informó desde Jerusalén.
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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.
US Consumer Confidence Tumbles To Worst Since Liberation Day
US Consumer Confidence Tumbles To Worst Since Liberation Day
Following the collapse in Current Conditions sentiment among Americans surveyed by UMich, The Conference Board confirms the collapse in confidence this morning with the headline print dropping to 88.7 in November (well below the 93.3 exp) following a small upward revision for October. The slump was led by Expectations (which plunged to 63.2 from 71.8) but the Present situation gauge also fell to 126.9 from 131.2.
Source: Bloomberg
That is the lowest headline sentiment since April (Liberation Day).
“Consumer confidence tumbled in November to its second lowest level since April after moving sideways for several months,” said Dana M Peterson, Chief Economist, The Conference Board.
“All five components of the overall index flagged or remained weak. The Present Situation Index dipped as consumers were less sanguine about current business and labor market conditions. All three components of the Expectations Index deteriorated in November.
Consumers were notably more pessimistic about business conditions six months from now. Mid-2026 expectations for labor market conditions remained decidedly negative, and expectations for increased household incomes shrunk dramatically, after six months of strongly positive readings.”
Under the hood, The Conference Board survey shows the trend of a weaker labor market continues…
Source: Bloomberg
Inflation expectations were flat (but elevated)…
Among demographic groups, confidence continued to improve for consumers under 35 years old, but confidence for consumers age 35 and older dipped, with respondents 55 and over remaining the most downbeat this year.
“Consumers’ write-in responses pertaining to factors affecting the economy continued to be led by references to prices and inflation, tariffs and trade, and politics, with increased mentions of the federal government shutdown. Mentions of the labor market eased somewhat but still stood out among all other frequent themes not already cited. The overall tone from November write-ins was slightly more negative than in October.”
By income, confidence fell for nearly all cohorts after several months of increasing confidence for most groups.
Consumers earning less than $15K was the only income bracket in which confidence improved in November but remained the least optimistic among all income groups.
Confidence fell among consumers of all political stripes, with the sharpest retreat among independent voters.
The K-Shaped economy continues with stocks near record highs and sentiment near lows.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 11/25/2025 – 10:11
https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/us-consumer-confidence-tumbles-worst-liberation-day
Aumentan ventas minoristas en EEUU a pesar de efectos de aranceles
Por ANNE D’INNOCENZIO
NUEVA YORK (AP) — Las ventas minoristas aumentaron a un ritmo mejor de lo esperado en agosto respecto a julio ayudados por las compras escolares, incluso cuando los aranceles del presidente Donald Trump comienzan a afectar el mercado laboral y a provocar aumentos de precios.
Las ventas minoristas aumentaron un 0,6% el mes pasado respecto a julio, cuando las ventas subieron un 0,6% revisado, según el informe del Departamento de Comercio. En junio, las ventas minoristas aumentaron un 0,9%, indicó la agencia gubernamental.
El desempeño de agosto, anunciado el martes, probablemente también fue ayudado por los continuos esfuerzos de los estadounidenses por comprar cosas antes de los efectos anticipados de los aranceles.
Los aumentos en las ventas siguieron a dos meses consecutivos de disminuciones en el gasto en abril y mayo.
Excluyendo las ventas de automóviles, que han sido volátiles desde que Trump impuso aranceles a muchos autos fabricados en el extranjero, las ventas minoristas aumentaron un 0,7% en agosto. Las ventas en concesionarios de vehículos y repuestos aumentaron un 0,5%.
Los datos mostraron un gasto sólido en otras varias categorías. Los negocios en tiendas de electrónica y electrodomésticos aumentaron un 0,3%, mientras que los minoristas en línea vieron un aumento del 2%. Los negocios en tiendas de ropa y accesorios aumentaron un 1%.
El consumo en restaurantes, el único componente de servicios dentro del informe de la Oficina del Censo y un barómetro del gasto discrecional, aumentó un 0,7%. Los negocios en tiendas de muebles y artículos para el hogar disminuyeron un 0,3%.
Una categoría de ventas que excluye sectores volátiles como el gas, los automóviles y los restaurantes aumentó el mes pasado un 0,7% respecto al mes anterior. La cifra alimenta la estimación de consumo de la Oficina de Análisis Económico y es una señal de que los consumidores todavía están gastando en algunos artículos discrecionales.
“Esta es una evidencia adicional de que no deberíamos subestimar la fortaleza del consumidor”, escribió Ted Rossman, analista senior de la industria en Bankrate. “Las compras escolares fueron un tema clave en agosto, como lo demuestran las fuertes ventas de ropa y electrónica”.
Los datos minoristas del gobierno no están ajustados por inflación, que aumentó un 0,4% de julio a agosto, según el último informe del gobierno. Eso fue más rápido que el ritmo del 0,2% del mes anterior. Así que eso también podría haber inflado las cifras de ventas.
Los precios al consumidor aumentaron un 2,9% en agosto respecto al año anterior, dijo el Departamento de Trabajo la semana pasada, frente al 2,7% del mes anterior y el mayor salto desde enero. Excluyendo las categorías volátiles de alimentos y energía, los precios básicos aumentaron un 3,1%, el mismo que en julio. Ambas cifras están por encima del objetivo del 2% de la Reserva Federal.
Las ventas minoristas junto con una inflación más alta, así como el aumento en las solicitudes de ayuda por desempleo, crean un panorama complicado de la economía. Dichos datos ponen a la Reserva Federal en una posición cada vez más difícil mientras se prepara para recortar las tasas en su reunión de esta semana, declararon economistas.
A principios de este mes, el Departamento de Trabajo informó que los empleadores en Estados Unidos —empresas, agencias gubernamentales y organizaciones sin fines de lucro— agregaron 22.000 empleos el mes pasado, por debajo de los 79.000 en julio y muy por debajo de los 80.000 que los economistas esperaban.
Carl B. Weinberg, economista jefe de High Frequency Economics, señaló que el aumento en las ventas minoristas “no será suficiente sorpresa para impedirle a la Fed recortar las tasas esta semana, pero le da razón al mensaje agresivo del presidente de esa institución de que un recorte de tasas adicional no está asegurado”.
Grandes minoristas, incluidos Walmart, Macy’s y Best Buy, informaron recientemente sus resultados trimestrales, subrayando que la gente sigue comprando, pero es más selectiva. Algunos han aumentado los precios, pero muchos han descrito los aumentos como modestos.
Aún así, hasta ahora, los compradores no han sentido el gran impacto que algunos economistas predijeron a principios de año, ya que muchos minoristas ordenaron productos antes de los aranceles y absorbieron gran parte de los costos a medida que llegaban, preocupados por trasladar cualquier aumento de precios.
Los aumentos de precios también han sido lo suficientemente graduales como para amortiguar los cambios en el comportamiento del consumidor, dijo el mes pasado el CEO de Walmart, Doug McMillon, a los analistas.
Pero Walmart y otros dijeron que esperan ver un aumento en los costos a medida que reponen inventario a niveles posteriores a los aranceles.
El fabricante de joyas Pandora no ha anunciado aumentos de precios específicos, pero el CEO Alexander Lacik señaló en una llamada con analistas el mes pasado que la compañía está monitoreando el escenario.
Señaló que “el consumidor en Estados Unidos eventualmente tendrá que soportar el peso de estos aranceles”, pero agregó, “no es solo en joyería, es en muchas categorías de productos. Así que la gran incógnita es qué pasa con la inflación en Estados Unidos, las tasas de desempleo, todo tipo de otros impulsores macroeconómicos, y creo que esto está por venir”.
Matt Priest, presidente y CEO del grupo comercial Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America, dijo a los periodistas el lunes que los miembros están comenzando a trasladar los aumentos de precios a los compradores. Sus miembros habían pagado previamente un total de 3.000 millones de dólares en aranceles anualmente durante años; ese número ahora está en camino de alcanzar los 5.000 millones para fin de año. Advirtió que los zapatos de mujer serán los primeros en verse afectados.
“Los zapatos de mujer están más orientados a la moda”, sostuvo Priest. “Nuestra capacidad para anticipar productos de mujer basados en tendencias de moda fue limitada, y por eso estamos viendo que esos aumentos comienzan a afectar a los consumidores primero”.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
‘Truly elite,’ Grayslake Central’s Ivan Sereno is the 2025 News-Sun Boys Soccer Player of the Year
Grayslake Central’s Ivan Sereno was thrust into the spotlight early in his career.
As a freshman, Ivan Sereno carved out playing time on a team that made its second consecutive appearance in the Class 2A state semifinals and included his brother, then-senior Raymond Sereno, and his cousin, then-freshman Damian Sereno.
“We had a great season, and it was so special starting my career playing alongside my brother and cousin,” Ivan Sereno said. “I got to start in the state third-place game.”
Ivan Sereno did more than that. He scored two goals — on his only two shots — during the Rams’ 4-0 victory over Solorio in the third-place game.
Grayslake Central’s Ivan Sereno celebrates after scoring a goal against Solorio during the Class 2A third-place game in Hoffman Estates on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022. (Mark Ukena / News-Sun)
“It motivated me because it was the first time in history that we placed in the top three,” he said. “I knew I had three more years left and to make the best out of it. I wanted to make my own mark at our school.”
Ivan Sereno did that, too, compiling 98 goals and 82 assists over four seasons.
The 2025 News-Sun Boys Soccer Player of the Year, Ivan Sereno finished his high school career by scoring a program-record 33 goals, recording 14 assists and leading the Rams (15-6) to the Northern Lake County Conference title and a sectional title as a senior.
“Ivan always had the tools to become a top-level player,” Grayslake Central coach Keith Andersson said. “But early on he was missing one key element — he rarely used his left foot. We talked to him about it, emphasized how important it would be to unlock his full potential, and you could immediately see how seriously he took that feedback.
“He put in a tremendous amount of work, and over time he developed into a true dual-threat player confident and effective with both his left and right foot.”
Andersson has coached numerous elite players, including former Grayslake Central stars Danik Marynevych and Alan Alonso. Ivan Sereno, who also is the conference player of the year, compares favorably.
“Ivan’s technical ability is truly elite, starting with his exceptional first touch,” Andersson said. “Whether he’s bringing down a 60-yard service from Damian or controlling a keeper’s punt, he has an uncanny ability to check his shoulder, gauge the defender’s position, create space and cushion the ball to the ground with either foot.”
But Andersson noted Ivan Sereno’s success isn’t all about technical skill.
“His soccer IQ is equally impressive,” Andersson said. “Ivan reads the game multiple steps ahead. He often sees the play developing before the pass is even made.
“His ability to take on three or four defenders, beat them and then calmly lay off the simple pass for a tap-in shows just how advanced his decision-making is. He makes incredibly difficult moments look effortless.”
Grayslake Central’s Ivan Sereno (10) tries to move the ball past Streamwood’s Chris Cardenas during the Class 2A Streamwood Supersectional on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. (James C. Svehla / News-Sun)
Ivan Sereno also got faster and stronger during the offseason.
“I gained more speed, started working more on my lower body and conditioning,” he said. “I made sure to take care of my ankles, abs and knees to prevent injuries, and that helped me to be faster on the pitch. I had more upper-body strength and didn’t let people push me off the ball.”
Ivan Sereno, who has a 3.7 GPA, said his father, Raymundo, steered him toward soccer when he was 3 years old, and his mother, Yenevit, has stressed the importance of academics and being a role model.
“I’m always talking to him about responsibilities and priorities and not following bad examples and asking him to always give his best,” Yenevit Sereno said.
Ivan Sereno is hopeful that his best will open more doors.
“I really want to reach my dream of playing Division I soccer,” he said.
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.
Drew Brees, Philip Rivers and Larry Fitzgerald lead Pro Football Hall of Fame modern era semifinalists
Quarterbacks Drew Brees and Philip Rivers, along with wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, tight end Jason Witten and running back Frank Gore made it to the semifinal stage in their first year of eligibility for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The five newcomers are among the 26 modern era candidates who advanced to this stage in voting conducted by the full 50-member selection committee for the class of 2026.
The selection committee will next reduce the list to 15 finalists, who will be voted on before the Super Bowl in February.
Four players have already guaranteed themselves spots in the final 15 after making it down to the final seven players in the 2025 class, with Willie Anderson, Torry Holt, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri taking those spots.
The other returning finalists are Eli Manning, Fred Taylor, Steve Smith Sr., Reggie Wayne, Jahri Evans, Marshall Yanda, Terrell Suggs and Darren Woodson.
Offensive lineman Lomas Brown and defensive lineman Kevin Williams were the other two candidates who reached the semifinal stage for the first time. The other semifinalists are Hines Ward, Richmond Webb, Steve Wisniewski, Rodney Harrison, Earl Thomas, Vince Wilfork and Robert Mathis.
In addition to the 15 modern era finalists, the selection committee will consider three seniors, one coach and one contributor for the class of 2026. Between four and eight new members will be elected in the second year of this current format.
Only four people got in last year for the smallest class in 20 years.
Brees and Fitzgerald are the top new candidates this year.
Brees is second all time to Tom Brady with 80,358 yards passing and 571 touchdown passes. He spent the first five seasons of his career with the San Diego Chargers before signing as a free agent with the Saints in 2006, where his career took off as he helped lift a city still recovering from Hurricane Katrina.
Brees delivered to New Orleans its first Super Bowl title following the 2009 season, when he won MVP of the game after beating Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. Brees made the Pro Bowl 13 times in his career, won AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2008 and 2011, was an All-Pro in 2006 and was a second-team All-Pro four times.
Fitzgerald spent his entire career with the Arizona Cardinals after being drafted third overall in 2004. His 1,432 catches and 17,492 yards receiving in 17 seasons rank second all time to Jerry Rice.
Fitzgerald topped 1,000 yards receiving nine times — tied for the fourth most ever — and helped the Cardinals reach their only Super Bowl following the 2008 season. Fitzgerald set single-season records that postseason with 546 yards receiving and seven TD catches, including a go-ahead 64-yard score with 2:37 to play in the Super Bowl before Pittsburgh rallied for a 27-23 win over Arizona.
Rivers ranks seventh all time with 63,440 yards passing in a career spent mostly with the Chargers. He made eight Pro Bowls and won the 2013 AP Comeback Player of the Year.
Witten was one of the most prolific tight ends ever with his 1,228 catches and 13,046 yards ranking second best all time. Witten was a two-time All-Pro for Dallas and was a second-team All-Pro two other times.
Gore ranks third all time with 16,000 yards rushing with nine 1,000-yard seasons and five Pro Bowl honors.
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Kuechly’s career was brief but impactful. The first-round pick by Carolina in 2012 was an All-Pro five times, with seven Pro Bowl nods and a Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
Over his eight-year career, Kuechly led all linebackers in the NFL in tackles (1,090), takeaways (26), interceptions (18) and passes defensed (66).
Vinatieri was one of the most clutch kickers in NFL history, making the game-winning field goals in the first two Super Bowl victories during New England’s dynasty.
He helped launch the run with one of the game’s greatest kicks — a 45-yarder in the snow to force overtime in the “Tuck Rule” game against the Raiders in the 2001 divisional round. He made the game-winning kick in OT to win that game and then hit a 48-yarder on the final play of a 20-17 win in the Super Bowl against the Rams.
Vinatieri is the NFL’s career leader in points (2,673) and made field goals (599) over a 24-year career with New England and Indianapolis. He also leads all players with 56 field goals and 238 points in the postseason.
Holt was a key part of the Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf,” helping the team win the Super Bowl in his rookie season in 1999 and getting back there two years later. Holt led the NFL in yards receiving in 2000 and in catches and yards in 2003 when he made his only All-Pro team.
Holt finished his career with 920 catches for 13,382 yards and 74 TDs.
Anderson was considered one of the top right tackles in his era after being a first-round pick by Cincinnati in 1996. He spent nearly his entire career with the Bengals and made three straight All-Pro teams from 2004-06.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/25/pro-football-hall-of-fame-semifinalists/
Turkey pardons offer holiday ritual during precarious moment for Trump
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump plans to bestow ceremonial pardons on two turkeys and fly to his private Florida resort on Tuesday to celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday interlude during what has been a turbulent and uncertain chapter of his second term.
Waddle and Gobble, the two birds that will be spared from the dinner table, enjoyed luxury hotel accommodations ahead of their White House visit. The turkey pardon is a presidential tradition dating back years.
However, Thanksgiving may not provide Trump with much political respite after Democrats won sweeping victories in New Jersey, Virginia and elsewhere earlier this month. Some research indicates that holiday meals could cost more this year, despite the president’s insistence otherwise, a reminder of persistent frustration with elevated prices.
Meanwhile, Trump is struggling to advance a plan to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine after an earlier version faced swift criticism from European allies and even some Republicans. The U.S. military is also poised to target Venezuela with military strikes, part of an anti-drug operation that could ultimately destabilize the country’s leadership.
In Washington, Trump faces the possibility of a splintering Republican coalition ahead of next year’s midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress. Some members of his party already took the rare step of crossing the president by successfully pushing legislation to force the Justice Department to release more documents about the Jeffrey Epstein case.
Trump faced a setback in court this week when a federal judge tossed cases against James Comey and Letitia James, two targets of the president’s retribution campaign.
Comey, a former FBI director whom Trump fired during his first term, was charged with making a false statement and obstructing Congress. James, the New York attorney general who investigated the president between his two terms, was charged with mortgage fraud.
Both pleaded not guilty and said the prosecutions were politically motivated, pointing to Trump’s public demands for the Justice Department to punish his enemies.
The judge said the interim U.S. attorney, a former member of Trump’s personal legal team, who obtained the indictments was illegally appointed. However, the decision was made without prejudice, so the Justice Department could try again to charge Comey and James.
All of the latest developments contribute to a moment of frenetic activity for the White House, which would normally be settling in for a quiet and festive holiday season.
However, despite the traditional arrival of a Christmas tree on Monday, the presidential residence will be much different this year. Although holiday tours are expected to continue, Trump’s decision to demolish the building’s East Wing to make room for a new ballroom has turned part of the White House grounds into a construction site.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/25/turkey-pardons-trump/
Six Dead As Russian Missiles Pummel Kiev, Even As Trump’s Peace Deal Advances
Six Dead As Russian Missiles Pummel Kiev, Even As Trump’s Peace Deal Advances
The Ukrainian capital was once again pummeled overnight, as Russia unleashed a barrage of at least 22 missiles on the city, in what the Ukrainian minister of energy called a “massive” attack on energy infrastructure.
Accompanying this at least 460 drones were sent against various areas of Ukraine, with several reportedly breaching either Moldova or Romania, according to a statement from President Zelensky. By morning, authorities reported at least six killed and another 13 injured in the attacks.
“Last night, Russia launched another attack — at a time when Ukraine, together with America, Europe, and many others around the world, are working virtually around the clock to stop the bloodshed,” Zelensky announce on social media.
Ukrainian officials expressed frustration and outrage that these major attacks are continuing even as peace negotiations overseen by the United States make progress. We earlier detailed that US officials are optimistic at this point, as the 28-point plan gets condensed to 19 points.
“And so this night we spend in bomb shelters, listening how the missiles rain down on Kyiv,” Kira Rudik, a member of Ukrainian parliament, stated. “This is Russia’s response to peace negotiations.”
During the overnight attack, drones reportedly violated European airspace, resulting in Romanian F-16 jets being scrambled as a precaution:
Six Russian drones violated Moldovan airspace during Moscow’s massive overnight attack on Tuesday against Ukraine, with one crashing into a residential home, according to the Moldovan Defense Ministry.
According to the ministry, the first drone was detected over the Vinogradovka-Vulcănești area before moving toward the Romanian border at an altitude of roughly 1,500 meters (5,000 feet).
Shortly afterward, surveillance systems tracked five additional drones crossing the airspace over Dondușeni, Orhei, Bender, Vadul-lui-Vodă and Florești.
One of these drones reportedly crashed on the roof of a Moldovan house, with photos of the still intact drone circulating on social media and in local news reports.
The attacks went the other way as well. Ukraine has continued sending drones into Russia, with at least three people killed in a major drone attack on the southern Rostov region.
Ukrainian drones continued to target Russian energy sites and defense infrastructure. Speaking of damage and fires in the city of Taganrog, Moscow Times reports, “Residents reported a fire at a site that Telegram news channels later claimed was an airstrip owned by Beriev Aircraft Company, which manufactures military aircraft. The company’s facilities were reportedly targeted in previous Ukrainian strikes, including twice in 2024 and in July this year.”
russia: “We’ll take Donbas in days”
Ukraine: “We’ll take your refineries in nights” pic.twitter.com/pOQXeM5ZJc
— Angelica Shalagina🇺🇦 (@angelshalagina) November 24, 2025
“Ukraine’s military said later on Tuesday that it targeted the Beriev Aircraft Company, while also claiming it had struck the Atlant-Aero drone plant in Taganrog,” the report continues.
There are reports that more oil refineries and energy sites in Russia were hit in Ukraine’s overnight cross-border drone attack. Small drones have proven able to slip past Russia’s anti-air defenses time and again.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 11/25/2025 – 09:45
