Category: News
Países en desarrollo exigen acciones climáticas y alivio de deuda en cumbre del G20 en Sudáfrica
Por MOGOMOTSI MAGOME y MICHELLE GUMEDE
JOHANNESBURGO (AP) — Las naciones más pobres que asistieron a la cumbre del Grupo de los 20 en Sudáfrica han utilizado la reunión para presionar a los líderes de las principales economías del mundo sobre la acción climática y los altos niveles de deuda, temas que afectan directamente al mundo en desarrollo.
También han buscado posicionarse como socios económicos con mucho que ofrecer en sectores como la minería, la tecnología y la inteligencia artificial, entre otros.
Muchos elogiaron a Sudáfrica, que entrega la presidencia rotativa del G20 a Estados Unidos, por promover una agenda inclusiva que prioriza las necesidades de las naciones más pobres al centrarse en la desigualdad global. Estados Unidos boicoteó la reunión de Johannesburgo destinada a reunir a naciones ricas y en desarrollo debido a las afirmaciones del presidente Donald Trump de que Sudáfrica persigue violentamente a su minoría blanca afrikáner.
Además de los países del G20, la Unión Africana y la Unión Europea, muchas naciones en desarrollo fueron invitadas como invitadas, como Zimbabue, Namibia, Jamaica y Malasia.
“No estamos aquí para hablar de desesperación, estamos aquí para hablar de posibilidades y responsabilidades compartidas”, señaló el primer ministro etíope Abiy Ahmed a los delegados.
Subrayó que el alivio de la deuda debe traducirse en inversiones que beneficien a las personas.
“En Etiopía, hemos aprendido que la inclusividad no es caridad, es eficiencia”, agregó.
La presidenta de Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, pidió condiciones de financiamiento justas para las naciones en desarrollo. Dijo que su país había pagado recientemente su bono de 750 millones de dólares a tiempo.
“Sin embargo, quienes toman las decisiones nos consideran un país riesgoso. Necesitamos instituciones financieras internacionales justas”, indicó.
El primer ministro de Jamaica, Andrew Michael Holness, reflexionó sobre los desastres naturales impulsados por el clima y su impacto en las naciones en desarrollo, como el huracán Melissa que devastó a su país.
“Un shock externo puede deshacer años de progreso”, comentó.
La directora general de la Organización Mundial del Comercio (OMC), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, instó el domingo a los gobernantes africanos a pensar cuidadosamente sobre el futuro del comercio con otros países al adoptar políticas.
“Cómo nos posicionamos depende de nosotros y de nuestros responsables políticos. Así que si continuamos exportando, y vemos que el 60% de nuestras exportaciones son materias primas y materiales en bruto, entonces las cosas no cambiarán”, señaló. “Podemos pasar de materias primas a producto terminado creando cadenas de valor subregionales y regionales”.
Nabil Ahmed, director de justicia económica y racial en el grupo de expertos Oxfam, dijo que era la primera vez que una agenda del G20 tenía la desigualdad como uno de sus pilares centrales.
“El mundo reconoce que tenemos una emergencia climática. Ahora es el momento de reconocer que también tenemos una emergencia de desigualdad”, afirmó.
“Una cosa que Sudáfrica logró hacer como el primer anfitrión de una reunión del G20 en suelo africano fue priorizar los intereses de las naciones africanas y los intereses de las naciones del sur global”, sostuvo.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Tinley Park tree lighting brightens Harmony Plaza’s inaugural Christmas season
Despite a bit of rain earlier in the evening, crowds came out Friday for the Tinley Park tree lighting night in Harmony Square.
The event capped off a big year for the village’s downtown area as Harmony Square, opened in July, was a $38 million project and is the keystone to an ambitious downtown development.
Tinley Park Mayor Michael Glotz speaks Friday night at the Harmony Square tree lighting ceremony. (Jesse Wright/for the Daily Southtown)
Crowds applaud as the Tinley Park Christmas tree is lit for the season Nov. 21, 2025 in Harmony Square. (Jesse Wright/for the Daily Southtown)
Harmony Square includes retail, restaurants, residential, a concert venue and, as of Friday, both a Christmas tree and an ice-skating rink. All of that was on full display at the tree lighting, plus food trucks.
This is the first year the Christmas tree lighting has been held at Harmony Square. In years past it was across the street at Zabrocki Plaza.
“It isn’t just the talk of the town, but the whole region,” Mayor Michael Glotz said before the ceremony.
Glotz was surrounded by city staff and family on the new performance stage. Nearby, diners enjoyed pizza and burgers in heated igloos on Durbin’s patio and high up on the balcony, overlooking the whole scene.
The ice-skating rink served as a centerpiece. Still wet and pockmarked by puddles from a recent rain, the rink twinkled under Christmas lights while families strolled about displays and loitered by surrounding firepits.
“It’s really nice,” said Mary McCann, who said this was her first time attending the Tinley Park tree lighting. “It’s really, really nice.”
The ice rink experience, which offers skate rentals, will be open from 5-9 p.m. Tuesdays to Thursdays; 5-10 p.m. Fridays; 4-10 p.m. Saturdays; and 4-9 p.m. Sundays through Feb. 15, except on holidays. A holiday light show is scheduled to begin in early December in the plaza.
“It’s going to provide fun for families for years to come,” Glotz said.
Abby Nabavarrete with Reina del Pozole hands out hot plates of food. Crowds lined up for the food trucks and Durbins, a restaurant on Harmony Square, had a two-hour wait time early in the evening. (Jesse Wright/for the Daily Southtown)
Harmony Square hit the right notes for some.
“I love this,” said Iveth Flores, who’s no stranger to past tree lightings. “I love the ice-skating rink and the firepits. In the winter you can feel so trapped inside, so I’m looking forward for stuff like this to do. This is going to be very popular.”
Those who didn’t get a chance to make it out will have more chances this season to see the tree and get a taste of Harmony Square.
The village’s Holiday Happenings will run from noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6 and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at Harmony Square, featuring live music, Santa Claus, carriage rides, a parade of lights and, of course, skating.
Jesse Wright is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/23/tinley-park-tree-lighting-harmony-square/
Trump: Democrats Urging Military To “Disobey My Orders” Have Committed A “Serious Crime”
Trump: Democrats Urging Military To “Disobey My Orders” Have Committed A “Serious Crime”
President Trump issued new comments overnight about a group of unhinged left-wing lawmakers, including Reps. Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Chris DeLuzio (D-Pa.), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), as well as Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), who told members of the military and intelligence community last week, “You can refuse illegal orders,” stressing, “You must refuse illegal orders.”
“THE TRAITORS THAT TOLD THE MILITARY TO DISOBEY MY ORDERS SHOULD BE IN JAIL RIGHT NOW, NOT ROAMING THE FAKE NEWS NETWORKS TRYING TO EXPLAIN THAT WHAT THEY SAID WAS OK,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump continued, “IT WASN’T, AND NEVER WILL BE! IT WAS SEDITION AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, AND SEDITION IS A MAJOR CRIME. THERE CAN BE NO OTHER INTERPRETATION OF WHAT THEY SAID!”
In a separate post, Trump noted, “MANY GREAT LEGAL SCHOLARS AGREE THAT THE DEMOCRAT TRAITORS THAT TOLD THE MILITARY TO DISOBEY MY ORDERS, AS PRESIDENT, HAVE COMMITTED A CRIME OF SERIOUS PROPORTION!”
The Democratic lawmakers didn’t specify any specific orders from the administration. Meanwhile, a handful of issues related to military and intelligence operations have flared up recently, including the Trump administration’s National Guard deployment to crime-ridden sanctuary cities controlled by far-left Democrats. Some of these cities include Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland, Oregon.
“Don’t give up the ship,” the Democratic lawmakers declared at the end of their video. But former CIA targeting officer Sarah Adams blasted the crazed leftists on X, writing, “You guys literally let in 10,000 foreign Islamist terrorists over the southern border — is this a fucking joke?!“
You guys literally let in 10,000 foreign Islamist terrorists over the southern border—is this a fucking joke!?
— Sarah Adams (@TPASarah) November 19, 2025
Last week, Trump accused the six lawmakers of “seditious behaviour, punishable by death” following the video’s release.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said “the words that the president chose are not the ones that I would use”, and defended Trump, saying he was simply “defining the crime of sedition”.
Johnson called the Democrats’ video “wildly inappropriate” and “very dangerous”.
“They are literally saying to 1.3 million active duty service members to defy the chain of command, not to follow lawful orders,” Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, added. “It perhaps is punishable by law.”
The video makes it clear that Democrats are inciting revolt and resistance against lawful authority. This is part of their broader strategy to wage a full-blown, color-revolution-style operation through their dark billionaire-funded NGO sphere with a single objective: regime change.
🧵🚨 MAJOR BREAKING: International actors are involved in the State Department led color revolution 🚨🚨
This is not speculation; it’s straight from a recorded call.
Ex-USAID employees describe how, before January 20, they moved internal groups off government systems and into… pic.twitter.com/XtinGt306o
— DataRepublican (small r) (@DataRepublican) November 9, 2025
What’s clear is that globalist Democrats have no guiding principle beyond removing Trump from power and derailing the entire America First agenda. Let that sink in.
Tyler Durden
Sun, 11/23/2025 – 08:45
Japón “cruzó línea roja” con comentarios sobre intervención militar en Taiwán, dice canciller chino
Por SIMINA MISTREANU
TAIPÉI, Taiwán (AP) — Japón “cruzó una línea roja” con los comentarios de su nueva mandataria que sugieren una posible intervención militar sobre Taiwán, afirmó el domingo el ministro de Relaciones Exteriores de China, Wang Yi.
Las declaraciones hechas por la primera ministra japonesa Sanae Takaichi a principios de este mes, de que un bloqueo naval chino u otra acción contra Taiwán podría ser motivo para una respuesta militar japonesa fueron “impactantes”, señaló Wang en un comunicado publicado en el sitio web del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de China.
“Es impactante que los líderes actuales de Japón hayan enviado públicamente la señal equivocada de intentar una intervención militar en el asunto de Taiwán, hayan dicho cosas que no deberían haber dicho y cruzado una línea roja que no debería haberse tocado”, dijo Wang.
Wang, el funcionario chino de mayor rango en abordar las tensiones hasta ahora, añadió que China debe “responder de manera resuelta” a las acciones de Japón y que todos los países tienen la responsabilidad de “prevenir el resurgimiento del militarismo japonés”.
Las declaraciones de Takaichi han generado un aumento de las tensiones entre los dos países en las últimas semanas. Beijing envió el viernes una carta al secretario general de la ONU, Antonio Guterres, criticando la “grave violación del derecho internacional” y de las normas diplomáticas por parte de Takaichi.
“Si Japón se atreve a intentar una intervención armada en la situación del estrecho, será un acto de agresión”, escribió el embajador de China ante la ONU, Fu Cong, en la carta. “China ejercerá resueltamente su derecho a la autodefensa bajo la Carta de la ONU y el derecho internacional y defenderá firmemente su soberanía e integridad territorial”.
Beijing considera a Taiwán, autogobernado y antigua colonia japonesa, como su propio territorio, que debe ser anexado por la fuerza si es necesario. China se opone a la participación de otros países en Taiwán, especialmente de Estados Unidos, que es el principal proveedor de armas de la isla, así como a los aliados estadounidenses en Asia, incluyendo Japón y Filipinas.
La postura de Takaichi se considera más contundente que la de los primeros ministros japoneses anteriores, quienes habían expresado preocupación por la amenaza de China a Taiwán, pero no abordaron públicamente cómo respondería Japón.
La primera ministra se negó posteriormente a retractarse de sus comentarios, pero dijo que evitará hablar de escenarios específicos en el futuro.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
‘Almost Every German City Is Now On The Verge Of Bankruptcy’
‘Almost Every German City Is Now On The Verge Of Bankruptcy’
Germany’s cities are on the verge of a massive financial crisis, with the mayor of Essen warning that the data shows that almost every single city in the country is nearly bankrupt.
Currently, the total deficit for all German cities in 2025 is €30 billion, which jumped from last year’s deficit of €24 billion.
Essen’s Mayor Thomas Kufen (CDU), who is also a member of the CDU federal executive board, is sounding the alarm: “Almost every German city is now on the verge of bankruptcy.”
In North Rhine-Westphalia alone, only 10 out of 396 cities and municipalities can present a balanced budget, and these alarming figures from Germany’s largest federal state can be applied to the “entire country,” he said.
Mayor Kufen stressed that the crisis is universal, affecting municipalities regardless of their location: “What’s new is that all cities have their backs against the wall,” he told Bild newspaper.
He warned that “budget freezes would now have to be imposed everywhere,” including in many cities previously considered wealthy.
Kufen emphasized the need for a national discussion on affordability: “We have to talk about what we can do so that our welfare state itself does not become a social case. This means: What do we want to afford and what else can we afford?”
However, he noted that cities cannot make these crucial decisions themselves; only the federal government can
Kufen illustrated the crisis with figures from his own city, Essen, which has a population of nearly 600,000. The city had planned a balanced budget for 2025. “But instead of a slight increase of €1.7 million, we currently have a deficit of €123 million,” he calculated.
Once again, refugee accommodation and integration are near the top of the list for reasons why the city is seeing a budget shortfall. Far from being a solution to Germany’s budget and pension crisis, they have become a massive financial burden for the country, costing at least €50 billion a year in social integration, housing, and benefits.
WATCH: 🇩🇪🇪🇺 Mass immigration is fueling the West’s housing crisis.
Here’s how it’s happening in Germany.
In a powerful speech in the German Bundestag, @AfD politician Carolin Bachmann slams the ruling government for allowing 2 million migrants into the country while families… pic.twitter.com/DMEqiV316S
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) February 15, 2024
However, there are also many more hidden costs to mass immigration, including rising housing prices, healthcare costs, education costs for an increasingly foreign student population, and housing a huge number of foreigners in German prisons and psychiatric institutions. Just like Essen, even major cities like Berlin are seeing “spiraling costs” due to mass immigration, leading to large-scale debt required to keep the cities running.
Some research studies have indicated that the overall cost of immigration has already cost Germany trillions and could reach €20 trillion if migration numbers do not fall.
Kufen points to education and social spending as burdens on his city as well, and in many ways, foreigners here also account for huge costs.
For example, official statistics from Essen indicate there are approximately 22,730 primary school students enrolled in Essen, and out of these, about 5,565 are classified as “Not German,” making up roughly 24.5 percent of primary school students in the city. If this definition is expanded to those with an “immigration background,” then the figure increases to 35 percent.
As with states and cities across the country, the non-German student population has, in general, been a massive budget burden, as these students need extra integration courses and more money per student to compensate for educational deficits.
When it comes to social spending, approximately 63 percent of all welfare recipients in Germany are foreigners or have a foreign background, despite being a much smaller share of the population.
In regard to Essen, there are also increased personnel costs due to a public sector tariff increase.
As a consequence, Kufen had to impose “restrictive household management” in Essen. This means the city is essentially only paying what is legally required, such as social assistance and wages. For all other expenses over €5,000, “you need an extra permit from the treasurer.”
Summarizing the situation, Kufen said, “There’s not much left.”
Addressing the federal government’s gigantic debt package intended to help cities, Kufen explained that Essen will receive €335 million over the next 12 years, equating to “just 28 million per year.”
He argued this is insufficient because the funding is primarily intended to finance construction projects. In Essen, that would “with luck be enough for two and a half schools,” Kufen said, noting that “costs have exploded, especially when it comes to construction.”
Kufen made it clear he doesn’t want to sound “ungrateful.”
“We’re happy to take the money. But if someone thinks that Berlin or Düsseldorf will solve all my problems, all I can say is: It will help alleviate them, but we still have a lot to struggle with.”
The mayor stressed that what cities truly need is “not just the money for investments, but simply less bureaucracy, easier awards, fewer requirements so that I can end up doing more with the little money.”
He also warned that if the state cannot function, then democracy is under threat, saying: “Because that’s where citizens find out whether the state works. Whether I can get a daycare place or whether the street lamps come on at night. If you can no longer do all of this, the people who pay taxes get the impression that politicians are not dealing with it properly. And that’s dangerous.”
It is not just the government either, with data showing that residents in Essen are taking on more and more personal debt due to rising rents, electricity, and even food prices, which have risen further in recent months.
The number of people who have taken on so much debt that they cannot pay it back has risen for the first time in six years as well, reaching 5.7 million people who are defined as “over-indebted.” The report also warns that this trend is expected to worsen due to rising unemployment.
Tyler Durden
Sun, 11/23/2025 – 08:10
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/almost-every-german-city-now-verge-bankruptcy
What It Takes To Be Rich In Europe
What It Takes To Be Rich In Europe
The income threshold for being considered rich in Europe varies considerably from country to country.
In Luxembourg, wealth begins for a three-person household with an annual net income of 175,000€, while in Turkey, even less than 20,000€ is enough to cross the threshold (higher pane below).
Germany ranks in the upper mid-range.
It is also interesting to see how the figures change after adjustment for the cost of living (lower pane below).
Although the gap remains, the income differences even out when you take into account what the income can actually buy locally.
Tyler Durden
Sun, 11/23/2025 – 07:35
https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/what-it-takes-be-rich-europe
El número de muertos por inundaciones en Vietnam alcanza los 90
The Associated Press
Al menos 90 personas han muerto ahora en inundaciones y deslizamientos de tierra en el centro de Vietnam provocados por fuertes lluvias a principios de esta semana, informó el domingo la prensa estatal, citando a la agencia de prevención de desastres del país.
Las inundaciones causaron una destrucción generalizada en una región ya golpeada semanas atrás por inundaciones debido a lluvias récord y el poderoso tifón Kalmaegi.
Las lluvias provocaron múltiples deslizamientos de tierra en rutas principales en las Tierras Altas Centrales de Vietnam. Las líneas ferroviarias y carreteras quedaron sumergidas, dejando a miles de personas varadas.
Vietnam es uno de los países más propensos a inundaciones en el mundo, con casi la mitad de su población viviendo en áreas de alto riesgo. Los científicos advierten que un clima en calentamiento está intensificando las tormentas y las lluvias en el sudeste asiático, haciendo que las inundaciones y los deslizamientos de tierra sean cada vez más destructivos y frecuentes.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Column: New affordable housing project in Aurora is building on Hesed House founder’s legacy
As groundbreakings go, the one that took place Nov. 14 at the old St. Paul Lutheran School in Aurora was extra special.
For one thing, this 20-unit development, which will provide affordable housing for those with disabilities, is called Las Rosas, named after Sister Rose Marie Lorentzen, the founder of Hesed House homeless shelter in Aurora who passed away almost a year ago.
All three executive directors of the Aurora area’s three nonprofits who came together to make Las Rosas a reality were certainly thinking of the beloved Catholic nun as those ceremonial shovels went into the ground at 550 Second Ave.
“She lived the Gospel, particularly Matthew 25:40, which says ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me,’” Hesed House Executive Director Joe Jackson told the large crowd that included U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville; state Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora; Kane County Board Chair Corinne Pierog; Aurora Mayor John Laesch and some city staff; Aurora Ald. Juany Garza, 2nd Ward, and other City Council members; and congregants of Iglesia Luterana San Pablo Parish, which owned this former school next to their church.
“Rose Marie took on naysayers and opposition, the likes of which I could never imagine, in her passionate fight to bring hope and dignity to the most vulnerable,” Jackson said.
Jackson, along with Rick Guzman, executive director of The Neighbor Project, and Lore Baker, executive director of Association for Individual Development, admit their emotions were all over the place on this red letter day made possible after years of a unique collaboration.
Baker was of course “incredibly excited … elated even,” as the ceremony took place. But she also was “crossing my fingers behind my back” because she knew that $3 million of the project’s $15.4 million in funding is coming from the federal government.
“And you never know what’s happening from one minute to the next there,” she said.
Taking on a project such as this “is always a gamble,” as so much is also needed from state and local governments, Baker noted, adding that nonprofits don’t “have a lot of money sitting on the back burner, so if one thing goes wrong, you lose future opportunities.”
Still, the “inherent risk is worth it” with “the need for affordable housing so high,” she said.
Which is why, back in the spring of 2022, these three nonprofit leaders met with Foster about an idea they had formed years earlier: to join forces on a housing project because, as Guzman put it, “we believe in doing more together than the sum of our individual efforts.”
There were lots of variables that had to come together for this groundbreaking to occur, he pointed out. That included the cooperation of city departments and the patience of the San Pablo sellers who, along with their pastor, the Rev. Alex Merlo, believed in the project even when hurdles were thrown their way.
“It’s rare, even nearly impossible,” said Jackson, for so many people “to come together to work on behalf of the most vulnerable.”
Certainly he and his partners felt tremendous relief Las Rosas officially broke ground. And that, in turn, is giving them hope this kind of project, which they insist represents what is desperately needed locally and nationally, can be repeated.
Roughly half of all affordable housing developments involve for-profit entities, and Jackson believes Las Rosas is the first in the state that is a collaborative effort with multiple nonprofits providing on-site services.
Having done it once makes it easier to do again, he insisted, adding that study after study shows the most effective way to reduce homelessness is by expanding permanent supportive housing.
An artist’s rendering of the Las Rosas affordable housing development planned at the old St. Paul Lutheran School site in Aurora. (WJW Architects)
The project consists of the renovation of the 31,000-square-foot former school – including the basement that contains a still frequently used eight-lane bowling alley – and a new addition that will add another 10,800 square feet.
When completed it will offer 14 one-bedroom and six two-bedroom units, 59 parking spaces and a community room that features a half-court gymnasium with the original St. Paul floor logo and an elevator connecting the old to the new sections.
The goal is to have Las Rosas completed around this time next year.
“I remember the day I called Rose Marie and told her about this project and it being named after her,” Jackson told those who attended this groundbreaking, many of whom played a role in making it possible.
“Shame on me, I suppose, as I should’ve known better than to expect something along the lines of ‘I am honored, thank you so much, or how nice,’” he added.
Instead, Sister Rose Marie responded by asking “how many units and how soon can you move people in,” Jackson recalled. Then she quickly reminded him, “You know, there’s a lot of people out there who need affordable housing.”
While Rose Marie’s time on Earth ended last December, her legacy “will live on forever,” concluded Jackson, not only as the namesake of this building but “through each and every one of us here fighting to make this world a better place and achieve her vision of ending homelessness – one person, one family at a time.”
dcrosby@tribpub.com
Minnesota Vikings need 3rd straight road win over Green Bay Packers to boost their fading playoff hopes
The slumping Minnesota Vikings don’t have much time to rejuvenate their fading hopes for a second straight postseason berth.
The Vikings (4-6) have lost four of their last five games. Their next shot to turn things around comes Sunday at Lambeau Field, which has been surprisingly friendly territory for them lately.
The Vikings have won in Green Bay each of the last two seasons. A victory Sunday would give the Vikings three straight road wins over the Packers (6-3-1) for the first time since 1991-93, a streak that included two games in Green Bay and one in Milwaukee.
“The atmosphere and the environment’s fun,” Vikings safety Josh Metellus said. “Anytime you can go to a place and feel like it’s you against the world, as a competitor, it lights something up in you.”
The Vikings swept their two regular-season matchups with the Packers last season, winning 31-29 in Green Bay and 27-25 at home. That gives the Packers plenty of incentive. As center Sean Rhyan said, “we owe them.”
“We’re a new team this year,” Rhyan said. “We’re going to go out there, play four quarters, and leave it all out there.”
The Vikings also are a new team in at least one respect. J.J. McCarthy has taken over as quarterback for Sam Darnold, who left for the Seattle Seahawks after throwing for 652 yards and six touchdowns with two interceptions in the Vikings’ two wins over the Packers last season.
McCarthy has completed just 52.9% of his passes with eight interceptions and six touchdowns, though he also has run for two scores.
“I kind of make the analogy of a cork about to come off a bottle, just understanding that it’s one to three little things that I need to change about my game that is going to make a huge difference in the outcome of every single drive in every game,” McCarthy said. “I feel like it’s really close, but it all comes down to the consistency of the fundamentals in my game.”
This game starts a critical stretch for the Packers.
They beat the defending NFC North champion Detroit Lions on the season’s opening Sunday, but they haven’t played a divisional game since. The Packers’ next three games are against NFC North foes.
They went 1-5 in divisional games last season.
“We lost to Minnesota twice last year,” Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon said. “We lost to Detroit twice last year and then split with Chicago. We’re 1-0 against Detroit. We’re ready to go 1-0 against Minnesota and then 1-0 against Chicago. Division games are the biggest games. It’s playoff atmosphere.”
Packers’ RB situation
Josh Jacobs left the Packers’ 27-20 victory over the New York Giants with a knee bruise, leaving his status uncertain for Sunday’s game. Jacobs, who earned his third Pro Bowl selection last season, has rushed for 11 touchdowns this year to rank second in the NFL to the 15 from the Indianapolis Colts’ Jonathan Taylor.
Emanuel Wilson likely would get the bulk of the carries with help from Chris Brooks if Jacobs is unable to play. Wilson rushed for 40 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries against the Giants.
Watson’s emergence
Packers quarterback Jordan Love is missing a couple of his favorite targets, as tight end Tucker Kraft’s season is over because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament and Jayden Reed hasn’t returned after surgeries on his shoulder and foot in September.
Christian Watson has picked up the slack since recovering from a torn ACL. In his fourth game back, Watson caught two touchdown passes against the Giants, including the winner with 4:02 remaining.
Wilson’s return to Green Bay
Last year’s game at Lambeau Field marked a homecoming for Vikings running back Aaron Jones, who had rushed for 5,940 yards with the Packers from 2017-23.
This time it will be Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson making his Lambeau Field return. Wilson began his career in Minnesota from 2017-20 but spent the last three seasons in Green Bay. He rejoined the Vikings this year and has a team-high 63 tackles.
Turnover troubles
Neither the Packers nor Vikings are generating as many takeaways as they did last season.
The Vikings forced 33 turnovers to tie for the NFL lead last season but they have just nine takeaways this season. They have picked off three passes to rank next-to-last in the NFL after having a league-high 24 in 2024.
“We’ll continue to emphasize it,” defensive coordinator Brian Flores said. “I think people say they come in bunches at times. I don’t necessarily believe in that. We’ve just got to continue to work at it.”
The Packers have forced eight turnovers, including Evan Williams’ last-minute interception in the end zone to seal the win over the Giants. The Packers had 31 takeaways last season.
This game could represent an opportunity for their defense in that regard. The Vikings have committed 18 turnovers for the league’s second-highest total, behind only the Seattle Seahawks’ 20.
AP reporter Dave Campbell contributed.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/23/minnesota-vikings-green-bay-packers-lambeau-field/
Column: Chicago Cubs, Northwestern and a golden goose make 2025 a year to remember at Wrigley Field
The Chicago Cubs opened the gates of Wrigley Field on April 4 with a 7-1 win over the San Diego Padres, kicking off what would be a wild season on the North Side.
The Northwestern Wildcats closed those gates Saturday with a nail-biting 38-35 win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers, shutting the doors on the old ballpark one last time until the Cubs home opener March 26 against the Washington Nationals.
Turn out the lights. This party is over.
A year in the life of Wrigley Field is filled with sights and sounds that many will remember for a lifetime, even if some are moments they’d just as soon forget.
I witnessed quite a few of those moments in ’25, though my personal favorite was the arrival of a goose that decided in April to nest in a planter box under the old scoreboard in center field. The Cubs roped off an area to give the goose “her space,” saying in a statement “our featured guest is our top priority.”
Unfortunately the city’s most famous goose since Garfield flew the coop and never returned, much to my chagrin. Hopefully it won’t turn into a 20-year exile from Wrigley like the one Sammy Sosa ended in 2025, and perhaps Eddie Vedder and Cindy Crawford can even meet the goose in the bleachers some day down the road, as they famously did in September with Anthony Rizzo’s return as a Cubs ambassador.
The Cubs’ five playoff games at Wrigley provided some enduring moments for fans, making the press box shake for the first time since the Rizzo-Kris Bryant-Javier Báez era. The electricity from a pop-up concert by DJ John Summit at Gallagher Way before Game 3 of the NL Division Series was better than some of the summer concerts.
But the journey to October itself was also mesmerizing, albeit spliced with some misery in the second half. No one will forget the eight-home-run afternoon against St. Louis, including three by Michael Busch, in a Fourth of July shellacking of the Cardinals, or a walk-off shot against the Baltimore Orioles on Aug. 3 by Justin Turner in what turned out to be his only Wrigley home run.
The seventh-inning-stretch performers in ’25 included a slew of C-list celebrities and podcasters whose names you had to google, including Alex Cooper. The podcaster was booed by almost everyone of the 40,319 in attendance for her purposely off-key rendition in July that disrespected a tradition that was meant to honor Harry Caray, not promote someone’s podcast.
With an announced attendance of 15,323, Wrigley was less than half-filled Saturday for the final NU home game on Senior Day, in stark contrast to last week’s packed house and raucous atmosphere, courtesy of Michigan’s strong fan base.
The Gophers fans I spoke with blamed the relatively sparse crowd on the opening of deer-hunting season in Minnesota, which obviously takes precedence over the Gophers, dontcha know. I’m not sure why Northwestern fans blew it off on such a gorgeous fall afternoon at the iconic ballpark, but malaise is as good a theory as any.
Ricky Ahumaraeze and Northwestern celebrate a 38-35 win over Minnesota on Nov. 22, 2025, at Wrigley Field. (Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)
The Wildcats, 0-7 in their Wrigley Field games heading into the finale, jumped out to a 10-0 second-quarter lead before falling behind 28-13 in the third. They scored 22 unanswered points to take a 35-28 lead, promptly gave it up, took the lead on Jack Olsen’s field goal with 53 second left, then let Minnesota march straight downfield with a chance to tie or win.
But a missed 40-yard field-goal attempt by Brady Denaburg as the clock expired ended it, getting Northwestern off the schneid. Preston Stone was 25-for-30 for 305 yards and two touchdowns, and Caleb Komolafe finished with 129 yards on 22 attempts, including a 46-yard TD run.
The Wildcats finish the regular season at Illinois on Saturday and move into the new Ryan Field next fall, ending their Wrigley Field saga for now.
The Cubs should probably thank NU for the memories, then bring in a new host school for future games. Notre Dame is the obvious choice, but Indiana wouldn’t be a bad idea. An Indiana-Purdue game at Wrigley would be a natural now that the traditionally bottom-feeding Hoosiers are a national power. Northwestern has never been in Indiana’s shoes, and probably never will be without a Curt Cignetti-type of coach running the program.
As for the ballpark itself, Wrigley will remain dormant for the next four months, though the skating rink and Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville at Gallagher Way will be busy for the holidays. The field will be ripped up for drainage improvements, but otherwise, the Cubs have announced no offseason renovations.
Like the Cubs, Wrigleyville now shifts into winter mode. Bars and restaurants try to make due with smaller crowds, and assuredly some won’t be back when the Cubs begin their 2026 campaign at the end of March.
Cubs outfielders Kyle Tucker, right, and Pete Crow-Armstrong sit in the dugout in the ninth inning of a loss to the Reds on Aug. 5, 2025, at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Neither will some of the Cubs, probably including Kyle Tucker, whose one season in Chicago was full of ups and downs. Cubs fans wanted to keep him forever, but the relationship was likely doomed from the start. Even when he was hitting well, Tucker never had the charisma that made Pete Crow-Armstrong a fan favorite. If Tucker leaves, his departure won’t be mourned like Kyle Schwarber was after the slugger was nontendered five years ago.
Meanwhile, Shota Imanaga went from being a beloved starter to being bypassed in a do-or-die playoff start to having his option declined to declining his own option to getting the $22.025 million qualifying offer to accepting that qualifying offer and remaining a Cub. Fewer than 1-in-10 players have accepted the qualifying offer since the system began in 2012, so Imanaga’s decision was surprising. Either he needs to rebuild his reputation or is fearful of a work stoppage after 2026.
As the offseason drama continues, the 111th year of Wrigley Field as an entertainment venue is officially over. This year saw the arrow pointing up for the current owners, who have turned Wrigley into their golden goose with some college football, Upper Deck Golf and assorted concerts to supplement the massive revenue from Cubs games.
No matter your opinion of Chairman Tom Ricketts or his siblings, there’s no question they know how to make money and have monetized the ballpark in ways the former owners, Tribune Co., never dreamed of doing. Future White Sox “steward” Justin Ishbia is no doubt taking notes.
We don’t know what the future holds for the Cubs, Northwestern or the goose.
But we can rest assured Wrigley will rival the Bean as Chicago’s favorite tourist trap in 2026, same as it ever was.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/23/chicago-cubs-northwestern-wrigley-field/
