Category: News
Summers deja la junta de OpenAI tras correos sobre Epstein
The Associated Press
El exsecretario del Tesoro estadounidense Larry Summers renunció al consejo de administración de OpenAI, el creador de ChatGPT, informaron el miércoles tanto la empresa como su oficina.
Su salida se produce tras la divulgación de correos electrónicos que muestran que mantuvo una relación amistosa con Jeffrey Epstein mucho después de que el financiero se declarara culpable de solicitar prostitución de una menor en 2008.
“Larry ha decidido renunciar al Consejo de Administración de OpenAI, y respetamos su decisión”, declaró el consejo en un comunicado.
“Apreciamos sus numerosas contribuciones y la perspectiva que aportó al Consejo”, agregó.
El anuncio llegó un día después de que Summers manifestara que se está retirando de sus compromisos públicos.
“En línea con mi anuncio de alejarme de mis compromisos públicos, también he decidido renunciar al consejo de OpenAI”, indicó Summers en un comunicado separado emitido por su portavoz, Kelly Friendly.
“Estoy agradecido por la oportunidad de haber servido, emocionado por el potencial de la empresa y espero seguir su progreso”.
Summers, quien también es expresidente de la Universidad de Harvard, se unió al consejo de OpenAI en noviembre de 2023, como parte de un esfuerzo por restaurar la estabilidad en la organización sin fines de lucro y traer de vuelta a su CEO Sam Altman después de que sus anteriores miembros del consejo despidieran a Altman días antes.
Epstein, quien murió por suicidio hace varios años, era un delincuente sexual convicto infame por sus conexiones con personas ricas y poderosas, lo que lo convirtió en un foco de indignación y teorías de conspiración sobre irregularidades entre las élites estadounidenses.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
First Home Depot, Now Target Reports Soft Demand
First Home Depot, Now Target Reports Soft Demand
At the start of the week, Goldman’s top consumer specialist Scott Feiler pointed out this would be a “very important week” for earnings across the consumer sector. Home Depot set the tone on Tuesday by cutting its full-year outlook as big-ticket spending and home-renovation demand continue to fade. Now, the next major earnings report just hit the tape, and it’s delivering another clear signal of softening trends.
Target slashed the top end of its 2025 profit outlook amid softening demand, heavy markdowns, and uneven traffic, which continue to plague its turnaround strategy.
Adjusted EPS is now forecasted at $7 to $8 for the year, trimming the prior $7 to $9 range. The Bloomberg Consensus estimate stood at $7.29.
Full-Year Outlook Adjusted
EPS: $7–$8 (prior: $7–$9; BBG Consensus: $7.29)
Q3 Takeaway: Results reflected consumer softness, weaker comps, declining traffic, margin pressure, and elevated costs. While EPS printed slightly ahead of consensus, the key retail metric of comparable sales fell more sharply than expected.
Q3 Highlights
Comparable sales: -2.7% (consensus: -2.06%; prior year: +0.3%)
Digital comps: +2.4% (consensus: +3.43%; prior year: +10.8%)
Net sales: $25.27B (vs. est. $25.33B)
Gross margin: 28.2%
EBIT: $974M, -19% y/y
EBITDA: $1.75B, -10% y/y (est. $1.89B)
Operating income: $948M, -19% y/y (est. $1.12B)
Operating margin: 3.8% (prior: 4.6%; est. 4.34%)
Q3 Customer Metrics
Transactions: -2.2% y/y (prior: +2.4%)
Avg. ticket: -0.5% (est. -0.79%; prior: -2%)
Digital share of sales: 19.3% (prior: 18.5%)
Stores originated sales: 80.7% (prior: 81.5%)
Q3 Footprint & Costs Total stores
1,995 (+0.9%; est. 1,988)
SG&A: $5.54B, +1.4% (est. $5.48B)
Store comps: -3.8% (est. -3.33%; prior: -1.9%)
Q3 Bottom Line
Total stores: 1,995 (+0.9%; est. 1,988)
SG&A: $5.54B, +1.4% (est. $5.48B)
Store comps: -3.8% (est. -3.33%; prior: -1.9%)
“We are relentless in our pursuit of returning to growth and not satisfied with our current results,” Chief Operating Officer Michael Fiddelke said on a call with analysts. Fiddelke is set to become CEO in February.
In New York, the stock fell about 2% in premarket trading, deepening its mutli-year bear market. As of Tuesday’s close, shares were already down roughly 34.5% year-to-date.
Shares are trading at mid-2019 lows.
Target’s uninspiring earnings report and the continuation of a low- to mid-income squeeze build on a similar story from Home Depot’s earnings report on Tuesday.
Goldman’s Feiler laid out the key earnings across the consumer sector this week (read here). Once earnings are finished this week, investors should have better visibility into spending behavior, particularly the mounting pressure on low- and middle-income consumers (read here). That backdrop helps explain the Trump administration’s renewed “operation affordability” push ahead of the midterm election cycle.
Tyler Durden
Wed, 11/19/2025 – 08:05
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/first-home-depot-now-target-reports-soft-demand
Indonesia eleva alerta tras erupciones de volcán Monte Semeru
YAKARTA (AP) — Las autoridades indonesias elevaron el miércoles la alerta para el volcán Monte Semeru al nivel más alto después de una serie de erupciones. El volcán se encuentra en la isla más densamente poblada del país.
El Monte Semeru, en la provincia de Java Oriental, desató avalanchas de nubes ardientes de ceniza caliente y una mezcla de rocas, lava y gas que viajaron hasta 7 kilómetros (4,3 millas) por sus laderas varias veces desde el mediodía hasta el anochecer, mientras una columna de nubes calientes se elevó 2 kilómetros (1,2 millas) en el aire, informó la Agencia de Geología de Indonesia en un comunicado.
La erupción a lo largo del día cubrió varias aldeas con ceniza caída y obligó a las autoridades a elevar el nivel de alerta del volcán dos veces, del tercer nivel más alto al más alto, según la agencia. No se han reportado víctimas.
El Semeru, también conocido como Mahameru, ha entrado en erupción numerosas veces en los últimos 200 años. Sin embargo, como ocurre con muchos de los 129 volcanes activos en Indonesia, decenas de miles de personas continúan viviendo en sus fértiles laderas.
Indonesia, un archipiélago de más de 270 millones de habitantes, se encuentra a lo largo del “Anillo de Fuego” del Pacífico, una serie de fallas en forma de herradura, y es propensa a terremotos y actividad volcánica.
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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.
Dutch Retreat: Beijing Wins Control Fight Over Nexperia After Chip Shipments Squeezed
Dutch Retreat: Beijing Wins Control Fight Over Nexperia After Chip Shipments Squeezed
The Dutch government has fully withdrawn its emergency powers over chipmaker Nexperia, returning control to Chinese parent Wingtech and ending the tense standoff that had led Beijing to halt key automotive-chip shipments, Bloomberg reported. If tensions persisted, this would’ve sparked snarled automotive supply chains worldwide. The reversal marks a clear de-escalation and comes just weeks after the Trump-Xi meeting in South Korea helped cool broader trade tensions.
The powers were initially invoked in September under a Cold War-era law, prompting Beijing to retaliate with export restrictions on chips from Nexperia’s Guangdong plant, sparking shipment delays that hit automakers including Honda and Volkswagen.
Some of the first evidence of cooling tensions between the Netherlands and China emerged last Friday when Dutch Economy Minister Vincent Karremans stated that he expects chip supplies to Nexperia’s customers in Europe and elsewhere to be resolved “in the coming days.”
Earlier on X, Economic Affairs Minister Vincent Karremans said the Netherlands is suspending its emergency order over Nexperia after constructive talks with Chinese officials and coordination with European and international partners. He noted that China has already taken steps to ensure chip supplies to Europe and beyond.
In light of recent developments, I consider it the right moment to take a constructive step by suspending my order under the Goods Availability Act regarding Nexperia, in close consultation with our European and international partners.
Full statement ⤵️https://t.co/i0zzqsYahA pic.twitter.com/aR2lajS1CY
— Vincent Karremans (@MinisterEZ) November 19, 2025
Nexperia timeline (via BBG):
Our reporting:
Nexperia-Linked Chip Shortages Ripple Through Global Auto Supply Chain, From Germany To Japan
Chipmaker Nexperia’s China Arm Tells Staff To Ignore Dutch HQ, Deepening Semiconductor Split
White House Unveils Details Of U.S.-China Deal, Including Resolution To Nexperia Auto Chip Crisis
Nexperia Chip Crisis Defused? Dutch Minister “Trusts” China To Resume Chip Exports Next Week
Karremans’ statement suggests that the Dutch miscalculated their trade spat with Beijing. This underscored how little leverage Europe actually has – and how quickly China can squeeze the fragile continent’s already-failing automotive sector.
Tyler Durden
Wed, 11/19/2025 – 07:45
Round Lake’s Kaleigh Skowronski learns the game from her dad. ‘He inspired me.’ So do Luka Dončić highlights.
Kaleigh Skowronski was a fifth grader when Round Lake girls basketball coach Molly Hennig first met her.
Skowronski was no-nonsense back then, Hennig recalls. The 5-foot-10 senior forward hasn’t changed.
“She was very serious,” Hennig said. “She’s always been very serious and taken basketball very seriously. Her love for basketball was evident.”
Skowronski credits her father, Martin, for her serious approach to the sport. He played basketball at Grand Valley State.
“It’s mostly because of my dad,” Skowronski said. “I grew up watching basketball with him. He inspired me. I wanted to be just like my dad.
“I wanted to take the commitment just as he did, and I felt that if I took it seriously, I would be able to be just as great as him. I love my dad very much.”
Skowronski’s father routinely sends her videos that she considers instructive. Highlights of Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić are a particular favorite.
“Luka knows what he’s doing and when to do it,” Skowronski said.
Knowing those things is critical, she said.
“I feel like IQ in basketball is also a very important factor because if you don’t know the sport mentally, then you can’t perform physically,” she said. “If you mess up, it’s just a matter of keeping your head up and not letting anything take you down.”
Morton’s Rilley Smith, left, tries to block out Round Lake’s Kaleigh Skowronski for a rebound during an Elk Grove Thanksgiving Tournament game in Elk Grove Village on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025. (James C. Svehla / News-Sun)
With that mindset, Skowronski has been named one of three captains for the Panthers, who are looking to improve upon their 10-23 record last season and be more competitive in the Northern Lake County Conference.
“I felt very honored,” Skowronski said. “Now I have to take that authority to show underclassmen what it means to be a varsity player.”
Skowronski was prepared for that responsibility. She had been watching.
“Even at a younger age, she was trying to understand what some of our seniors were doing,” Round Lake assistant Jeff Robinson said.
Even so, Hennig discussed leadership with Skowronski during the summer, outlining what would be expected of her. Of course, Skowronski took it seriously.
“Kaleigh is one of the hardest workers in practice every day,” Hennig said. “She’s definitely coming into her own as a vocal leader too.
“She’s built really good friendships, and her leadership in the program has really evolved from being the little kid looking up to the older kids. Now the younger kids are looking up to her.”
Round Lake’s Kaleigh Skowronski, left, shoots the ball during an Elk Grove Thanksgiving Tournament game against Morton in Elk Grove Village on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025. (James C. Svehla / News-Sun)
The older Skowronski is noticeably stronger too. She started weightlifting halfway through her sophomore year. Since then, she has set three team records in the weight room: 125 pounds on the bench press, 130 pounds on the power clean and 130 pounds on the split jerk.
“I’m hoping to break 135 in all three by the end of my senior year,” she said.
Skowronski’s weight training has paid dividends on the court.
“With that work, she’s really become a better rebounder this year,” Hennig said. “We see it in her strength going up for rebounds and in playing in the post against taller opponents. But now she’s stronger than them and can finish at the rim through contact.”
But Skowronski, who averaged 4.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.6 steals last season, has expended her game further.
“She’s turned into a complete player,” Robinson said. “We used to look at her as just a post player, but now she’s able to help out in the backcourt too.”
Skowronski also plays flag football. Hennig is the coach of that team, which debuted last year.
“She persuaded me to join,” Skowronski said. “I was like, ‘Why not give it a shot?’”
At first, Skowronski viewed flag football as a chance to improve her conditioning for basketball and have some fun. But she has made a big impact. She had 32 catches for 529 yards and six touchdowns this past season.
“We were like, ‘Wow, we didn’t know you were so fast,’” Hennig said. “Sometimes, she’d just leak out from the center spot and get a big touchdown when we needed it. She went from just doing it to have fun to becoming a viable offensive option.”
Round Lake’s Kaleigh Skowronski (14) shoots the ball over Zion-Benton’s London Davis during a nonconference game in Zion on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (Mark Ukena / News-Sun)
Skowronski earned all-conference honors and helped the Panthers win a regional title.
“I genuinely started to enjoy flag football for what it is, instead of thinking of it as preparation for basketball,” she said.
But it has better prepared Skowronski for basketball. As the season begins, she can focus on the finer details, like free-throw shooting.
“They’re free points,” she said. “I should not be missing them. I’ve always had a bit of trouble with free throws, especially when it’s a close game.
“As a varsity player and captain, I need to show that I can get the easy points. I try to do things not just for myself, but also to be an example to everyone this year.”
Sam Brief is a freelance reporter.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/19/basketball-round-lake-kaleigh-skowronski/
Daywatch: EPA moves to cut wetlands protections
Good morning, Chicago.
After the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it is redefining the scope of the nation’s bedrock clean water law to limit the wetlands it protects from pollution and destruction, environmental groups are urging Illinois legislators to establish safeguards. The state has already lost 90% of its original wetlands to urban development and agriculture.
The Trump administration’s action builds on a 2023 Supreme Court ruling in Sackett v. EPA that sharply limited the U.S. government’s authority to regulate water pollution in certain wetlands, effectively stripping 72% of remaining wetlands in Illinois — more than 700,000 acres — of federal protections and leaving them vulnerable to “catastrophic” loss, according to a September analysis by University of Illinois researchers.
Read the full story from the Tribune’s Adriana Pérez.
Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including the latest on the Epstein files, why the House admonished Rep. Jesús ‘Chuy’ García and the ‘Wizard of Oz’ collection goes on display at the Driehaus museum.
Today’s eNewspaper edition | Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., center, is joined from left by House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., and Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., to talk to reporters about the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Congress acts swiftly to force release of Epstein files, sending bill to Trump
Both the House and Senate acted decisively to pass a bill to force the Justice Department to publicly release its files on the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a remarkable display of approval for an effort that had struggled for months to overcome opposition from President Donald Trump and Republican leadership.
U.S. Border Patrol Commander at large Gregory Bovino looks on, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)
DHS plans to deploy 250 border agents to Louisiana in major immigration sweep, sources say
Around 250 federal border agents are set to descend on New Orleans in the coming weeks for a two-month immigration crackdown dubbed “Swamp Sweep” that aims to arrest roughly 5,000 people across southeast Louisiana and into Mississippi, according to documents obtained and three people familiar with the operation.
More immigration coverage:
Pope Leo strongly backs US bishops in blasting Trump immigration crackdown, urges humane treatment
Plea negotiations underway with Wisconsin judge accused of helping immigrant dodge agents
U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García, 4th, speaks during the American Legion Veterans Day ceremony, Nov. 11, 2025, at Manuel Perez Jr. Memorial Plaza in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
House admonishes Rep. Jesús ‘Chuy’ García over ballot maneuver as most Democrats defend Chicago congressman
Twenty-three congressional Democrats — including two fellow members from Illinois — joined with Republicans on Tuesday in favor of a resolution admonishing U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García for using old-school tactics to clear the way for his own House successor.
Related:
US Rep. Jesús ‘Chuy’ García defends insider move that cleared path for top staffer to enter Congress
A five-bedroom, 6,671-square-foot, contemporary-style mansion in Oak Brook sold in mid-Oct. for $5.3 million — the highest sale price in Oak Brook in 16 years and the west suburban village’s third highest-priced sale ever. (Michael LaFido)
Oak Brook mansion sells for $5.3M, the highest sale price in that village in 16 years
Built in 2016 and set on wooded lot measuring just over an acre in Oak Brook’s guard-gated Hunter Trails subdivision, the mansion is made of wood, stone, glass and steel. It has 7 1/2 bathrooms, a glass paneled front door, an open floor plan, new European white oak floors, sculptural wood and stone accents and a brand-new kitchen with Gabana Quartzite slabs, custom cabinetry and a triple-width hood.
Mercedes Wells, center, cries during a press conference in Chicago on Nov. 18, 2025. Mercedes Wells was told to leave Franciscan Health Crown Point’s hospital after being in labor for about six hours. (Maya Wilkins/Post-Tribune)
Dolton woman turned away by Crown Point hospital while in labor speaks out
As she was told to leave Franciscan Health Crown Point and had to give birth in her car, Mercedes Wells said she felt less than human.
Now, she wants the hospital staff to be held accountable for their actions.
Investigators and police supervisors stand in an alley behind the 5600 block of South Michigan Avenue after a police-involved shooting on Nov. 18, 2025, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Man wounded by police in Washington Park shooting
Chicago police said they shot a man while attempting to question a man they said had a firearm in the Washington Park neighborhood yesterday.
More Crime and Public Safety coverage:
A ‘Loop puncher’ sentenced to seven years in prison for aggravated battery, burglary
Person of interest questioned after woman set on fire on CTA train, police said
Cubs starter Shota Imanaga heads to the dugout after the first inning against the White Sox on July 25, 2025, at Rate Field. Imanaga gave up three runs in the inning. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Shota Imanaga accepts his qualifying offer to stay with the Chicago Cubs, while Kyle Tucker rejects his
Shota Imanaga is staying with the Chicago Cubs for at least one more season.
Imanaga accepted the Cubs’ qualifying offer ahead of yesterday’s 3 p.m. deadline, a source confirmed to the Tribune. Kyle Tucker declined his qualifying offer as expected, which will net the Cubs draft-pick compensation if the 28-year-old right fielder signs elsewhere.
Mo’ne Davis autographs baseballs during the fourth day of tryouts for the Women’s Professional Baseball League, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, at Nationals Park in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Women’s Pro Baseball League will play its inaugural season in Springfield
The Women’s Pro Baseball League will play its inaugural season at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield.
A bottlenose dolphin nicknamed “Mimmo” leaps out the water with an acrobatic flip in St. Mark’s Basin, in Venice, Monday Oct. 20, 2025. (Venice Luxury Boat di Penzo Gianluca Via AP)
Venice’s newest marvel is a wild, acrobatic dolphin. His refusal to leave puts him in danger.
Venice has been charmed by a recent visitor: An acrobatic, wild dolphin. The feeling appears to be mutual — he so far refuses to leave — but proximity to humans has put him in danger.
Replica of Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers, 1989, Leather sequins, bugle beads, and rhinestones, from the Richard H. Driehaus collection, on display at the Land of Oz: Beyond the Page exhibit at the Richard H. Driehaus Museum in Chicago, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)
‘Wizard of Oz’ collection goes on display at the Driehaus museum
Richard H. Driehaus began buying “Oz” items at auction in 1990 and this is the first time the collection is on view to the public.
Jake Potashnick is the owner and chef at Feld restaurant in Chicago on Dec. 18, 2024. (Tess Crowley/Chicago Tribune)
Michelin announces 2025 awards, and Chicago has new one-star and two-star restaurants
The Michelin Guide Northeast ceremony in Philadelphia last night saw Chicago add a new one-star restaurant and a two-star restaurant to its repertoire. The ceremony featured restaurants from Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Boston.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/19/daywatch-epa-moves-to-cut-wetlands-protections/
Indonesia eleva la alerta para el volcán Monte Semeru al nivel más alto tras una serie de erupciones
YAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia eleva la alerta para el volcán Monte Semeru al nivel más alto tras una serie de erupciones.
‘Europe Is Persecuting Christians’
‘Europe Is Persecuting Christians’
Free speech is under serious attack all across Europe. To criticise the sacred cows of the progressive worldview – from transgenderism to immigration and even Islam – is to invite a knock on the door from the thought police. The recent, harrowing trial of a Finnish parliamentarian reveals how it is often Christians who find themselves in the firing line. Päivi Räsänen has spent the past six years fighting a ‘hate speech’ prosecution, simply for quoting passages from the Bible and defending traditional marriage.
Paul Coleman – executive director of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International – joined Brendan O’Neill on his podcast, The Brendan O’Neill Show, to discuss Räsänen’s case as well as the broader assault on free expression in Europe. What follows is an edited version of that conversation. You can watch the whole thing here.
Brendan O’Neill: Tell us about the case of Finnish MP Päivi Räsänen. Why is it so important to the cause of free speech?
Paul Coleman: It’s always hard for me to convince people that this case really happened as it did. They say ‘come on, Paul, there must be something more to it’, because it really does sound so far-fetched.
Päivi Räsänen is Finland’s former minister of interior, the equivalent of the British home secretary. She’s the longest serving female member of parliament. Things took a turn for her in 2019, when the Lutheran Church in Finland became an official sponsor of the Helsinki Pride parade. As a member of the church (and wife of a pastor), Päivi was highly critical of the decision, and considered it to be out of line with her understanding of the Bible. For saying as much, she was investigated by the police.
The police dug up almost three decades worth of material. They found a booklet that she wrote in 2004 – a little church pamphlet on the Christian view of marriage and sexuality – as well as one minute of an hour-long radio debate she once took part in. They used these to file three criminal charges against her for hate speech. The bishop who published her pamphlet in 2004 was also charged. One of the most significant things to note here is that the law Päivi was being charged under didn’t even exist until 2011 – she was essentially prosecuted back in time.
What they put her through was, essentially, a modern-day heresy trial. I sat there in court while a prosecutor asked an MP and a bishop about their interpretations of the Bible. We won a unanimous victory for Päivi in a district court back in 2022. But in Finland, a prosecutor can appeal not-guilty verdicts, and that’s what happened in this case. So it went to the Court of Appeal in 2023, where we won another unanimous victory. The prosecutor then filed an appeal to the Supreme Court of Finland, which is, at the time we’re speaking, where the case currently sits.
In total, it has been a six-and-a-half year process, involving 13 hours of police interrogation, 12 judges, four criminal charges and three courts. In hate-speech cases, the process is the punishment – and that’s exactly what Päivi’s case exemplifies.
O’Neill: After two unanimous victories, why won’t the prosecution simply drop the case?
Coleman: Across Europe, hate-speech laws are upheld by going after very high profile people as a deliberate strategy. It is a way to warn everyone else that this could happen to them, too. The amount of speech that is produced each day, especially in the digital age, is clearly ungovernable – no matter how big our state becomes, or how zealously it pursues censorship. The answer to that, therefore, is to make an example out of public figures every once in a while. It encourages self-censorship. The average person doesn’t want the police knocking at their door for things they’ve tweeted, so they think, ‘I’d better just shut up’.
O’Neill: How risky is it to be a traditional Christian in 21st-century Europe?
Coleman: We have seen similar cases cropping up all over Europe, from Germany and Spain to the Balkans. Many don’t necessarily go all the way to the Supreme Court of their respective countries, but the facts of the cases are often interchangeable. They often come about when Christians hold to some of the moral teachings of the Bible that are out of step with 21st-century Europe, or what those in power consider to be acceptable. It usually comes down to three issues: human sexuality, unborn life and Islam. If you’re a Christian and you want to speak about these three things, then you run the risk of the state coming crashing down on you.
O’Neill: Do you think there’s a two-tier approach to religious people in Europe when it comes to hate speech?
Coleman: You are in complete denial if you don’t accept there is at least some form of two-tier policing taking place in the UK. There are just too many examples at this point to try and pretend otherwise. It’s really down to the vagueness of the laws, which allow for arbitrary enforcement. When you have so much discretionary power given to the state and the police, they begin choosing to clamp down on some things and while letting others go.
Ostensibly, the police are trying to maintain public order. It is not that Christians are going out of their way to provoke inter-religious disputes. It’s just that both Christianity and Islam – all monotheistic religions, in fact – have a claim to exclusivity in regard to their beliefs. Neither religion accepts that they can both be correct. What it really comes down to for Christians is that the fundamental claim of Christianity, as spoken by Jesus, is ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ That’s an exclusive claim. And it’s an offensive claim to non-Christians. The way the law reacts to that is to avoid public disorder by preventing Christians, particularly street preachers, from saying things that others might be provoked by. In legal terms, it’s like a heckler’s veto – the idea that because other people might react strongly to what you say, you ought to be censored.
O’Neill: You defend both the rights of religious people to express their views, as well as the right of secular people to mock them. How do you feel about increasing talk of ‘Islamophobia’?
Coleman: There’s been a movement at the United Nations for over 15 years for a ban on ‘defamation of religion’. It was essentially a repackaging of blasphemy laws, and was blocked by countries like the US, and – at the time – other Western nations. But from the ashes, new attempts were made to institutionalise censorship on religion. One such attempt is this idea of ‘Islamophobia’.
We have a case in the Nigerian Supreme Court right now, involving a Sufi Muslim musician called Yahaya Sheriff-Aminu who is on death row for blasphemy for a private WhatsApp message containing some song lyrics about Muhammad. If the prosecutor is successful, Sheriff-Aminu will be hanged. This is Nigeria in 2025. And so we have very clear modern day examples of how these blasphemy laws play out. Of course, everyone will say that this is never going to happen here in Europe. Well, it’s not going to happen here tomorrow. But that’s the direction of travel. The idea that insulting religion is so inherently offensive that it is punishable by law is exceptionally dangerous.
Brendan O’Neill was talking to Paul Coleman. Watch the full conversation here:
(consider supporting Spiked here // h/t Capital.news)
Tyler Durden
Wed, 11/19/2025 – 07:20
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/europe-persecuting-christians
Funcionario británico advierte a Rusia que responderán a incursiones tras avistar barco espía
Associated Press
LONDRES (AP) — Reino Unido advirtió el miércoles a Rusia que estaba preparado para enfrentar cualquier incursión en su territorio después de que se detectara al barco espía Yantar en el límite de las aguas territoriales británicas al norte de Escocia.
El secretario británico de Defensa, John Healey, afirmó que el buque ruso apuntó con láseres a los pilotos de aviones de vigilancia que monitoreaban su actividad.
“Mi mensaje para Rusia y para Putin es este: Os vemos. Sabemos lo que están haciendo”, afirmó Healey en una reunión informativa en Londres. “Y si el Yantar viaja hacia el sur esta semana, estamos preparados”.
Funcionarios británicos dijeron que el Yantar forma parte de la Armada del Kremlin y está diseñado para realizar labores vigilancia en tiempos de paz y de sabotaje durante tiempos de guerra. Por este motivo, Londres y sus aliados monitorean su actividad y trabajan para impedir sus operaciones cada vez que se acerca a aguas territoriales británicas.
“Forma parte de una flota rusa diseñada para poner en riesgo nuestra infraestructura submarina y la de nuestros aliados”, apuntó Healey, en referencia a los ataques a oleoductos y cables submarinos registrados en el mar Báltico a principios de año.
Esta no es la primera vez que el Yantar pone a prueba las defensas británicas, según Healey. Después de una advertencia el año pasado, la embarcación dejó las aguas territoriales d Reino Unido rumbo al Mediterráneo. Cuando en enero navegó por el canal de la Mancha, fue seguido por la HMS Somerset, una fragata que patrulla en las aguas que rodean al país.
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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.
Chicago Bears Q&A: How is this season different from Matt Nagy’s ‘fluky’ NFC North title in 2018?
The first-place Chicago Bears — that might take some getting used to — will seek their eighth win in nine games Sunday when the Pittsburgh Steelers, with or without Aaron Rodgers, visit Soldier Field.
Is all this early success in coach Ben Johnson’s first season sustainable? Remember, the Bears won a division title seven years ago in another first-time head coach’s debut season. Brad Biggs’ weekly Bears mailbag begins there.
How is this season different than Matt Nagy’s fluky first season? Tell us fans this is different and why. — Dhana M., Peoria
I don’t know that the Bears’ success in 2018 was a fluke because that implies there was an element of luck or pure happenstance to it. That team had a dominant defense led by coordinator Vic Fangio. It was the best unit the Bears have fielded since the height of the Lovie Smith era.
Consider their rankings in key defensive metrics:
Scoring: 1st (17.7 ppg)
Total defense: 3rd (299.7 ypg)
Rushing defense: 1st (80.1 ypg)
Passing defense: 7th (219.7 ypg)
Opponent passer rating: 1st (72.9)
Third down: 4th (34.3%)
Red zone: T-5th (50%)
Takeaways: 1st (36)
The team’s success that season wasn’t fueled by luck. It was driven by a great defense that held 10 of 16 opponents to 17 or fewer points. Fangio departed to become the Denver Broncos head coach after the season ended with the “double doink” playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The issue — and I think what you’re really getting at here — is how can the success the team is enjoying under Ben Johnson (7-3 and first place in the NFC North entering Week 12) be sustainable when the organization was unable to build on what the Bears did in 2018?
The Bears really thought they had something cooking when the 2019 season began. It was the 100th year of the franchise. There was talk of a Super Bowl run. The NFL put the Bears and Green Bay Packers in the Thursday prime-time slot to open the season, and Nagy’s offense, with quarterback Mitch Trubisky starting Year 3, fell flat in a 10-3 loss. It was a sign of offensive struggles to come.
Meanwhile, the defense didn’t maintain its lofty status with Fangio out of the picture. Nagy went 8-8 in Year 2 and followed that with another 8-8 season in which the Bears snagged a wild-card spot. It was all downhill from there.
What’s the difference this time around? Well, there are a lot of them. The Bears don’t have a singularly dominant unit. Quarterback Caleb Williams will be going into Year 3 in 2026 and has had a better start to his career than Trubisky. There’s better infrastructure around the position than there was when Nagy was getting started. It’s unlikely defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will be departing anytime soon, so Johnson shouldn’t have to handle that kind of staff turnover.
This is an interesting topic worth exploring down the road because people will want to know if the Bears are putting together the kind of season that can be a launching pad to further success. The 2010 Bears couldn’t build off their success after coming within one game of the Super Bowl, and the 2018 Bears missed a golden opportunity. The franchise last had consecutive winning seasons in 2005 and 2006.
A ton of football remains to be played — seven games. So we’ll have a much better idea of who the 2025 Bears are in two months, and that in theory will make it easier to project into the future. Johnson has put down a good foundation to this point, and the remainder of the season will be very interesting. Let’s see how it plays out before we start looking too far ahead.
Monday’s article referenced the Bears’ strength of victory and you mentioned that Ben Johnson didn’t select the schedule. Absolutely true. Please make sure you advocate that the Bears had the second-toughest schedule coming into the season. People don’t remember that. You play who is in front of you. I’m tired of hearing people ask who they beat. — Rob M.
You make a valid point. The Bears’ 2025 opponents had a .571 winning percentage in 2024, tied with the Detroit Lions and just behind the New York Giants (.574). As you know, the landscape can change pretty quickly in the NFL, and the slate of games the Bears have played to this point certainly doesn’t present as one of the more difficult schedules in the league. Strength of schedule based on the previous season can be used as a reference point during the offseason, but once things get rolling, that changes.
Entering Week 12, 19 teams have at least five wins. Of those 19, the Bears’ strength of victory (the winning percentage of the opponents they’ve defeated) is the lowest at .285. That’s because they count wins over the Las Vegas Raiders (2-8), New Orleans Saints (2-8), Cincinnati Bengals (3-7) and Giants (2-9), among others.
The next-lowest is the Kansas City Chiefs at .346. There are other teams with good records and low strengths of victory:
Broncos (9-2): .357
Patriots (9-2): .359
Colts (8-2): .361
Packers (6-3-1): .371
But as you can see, there’s a pretty good gap between those teams and the Bears. I’ve always said you can look at the list of quarterbacks a team has faced to get a decent handle on how challenging the schedule has been. That list hasn’t been overwhelming this season.
No one is taking anything away from the Bears’ 7-3 record and position atop the NFC North. They’ve handled adversity with some key injuries to their defense. They’ve adjusted quickly to new schemes on both sides of the ball and shown time and again they have the moxie to close out close games in the final minutes. You can only beat the teams on your schedule, and that’s what the Bears have done since an 0-2 start.
What is your assessment of Ben Johnson’s play calling from Sunday’s game against the Vikings? I found at least a handful of calls utterly confusing and detrimental. For example, end of the first half, third-and-1, and he didn’t run it. That failed conversion allowed Minnesota another possession and eliminated the opportunity to score before halftime. That’s just one example off the top of my head. I know we all praise Ben Johnson for his creativity — but sometimes I wonder if he misses the obvious and boring calls in an attempt to out-think the defensive coordinator. — Brian G.
Johnson is pretty transparent postgame and the day after games when he talks about calls he’d like to have back. This week was no different. I can’t imagine the play you’re referring to is one of them.
It was third-and-1 and the Bears were on their 29-yard line with 25 seconds remaining in the half. The offense needed a chunk play if it was going to have a chance for points before halftime. A deep pass to Rome Odunze didn’t connect, and the Bears punted. Minnesota took over on its 39 with 10 seconds remaining. Did the Vikings have a chance to score? Sure. But the odds were extremely low and their lateral play went nowhere.
The Bears are fourth in the league in total offense at 373.8 yards per game. They’re No. 2 in rushing. They’re eighth in scoring at 25.8 points per game and tied for second with only six turnovers. A ton is going right for this offense, and more times than not, Johnson is making a good call.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s impact vs. Kyler Gordon’s availability. Who gets more snaps? — @the1calledcj
Bears nickel back C.J. Gardner-Johnson (35) celebrates with safety Jaquan Brisker (9) after sacking Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart on Nov. 9, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
That’s something the Bears will have to sort through in the near future, provided Gordon returns healthy to the 53-man roster. It’s possible they could open the 21-day return-to-practice window for Gordon on Wednesday. Ben Johnson has said all along the team expected Gordon’s stay on injured reserve to be on the shorter side, and he now has missed the minimum four games.
For the sake of discussion, let’s say Gordon is back on the practice field this week. In that scenario, how much practice time is required before the team feels comfortable restoring him to the roster and using him in a game? He has missed an awful lot of time (eight of 10 games) dating back to the first week of August, when he was initially injured. My hunch is the team would want to see him ramped up for two weeks in practice before considering using him in a game, but every player and every injury situation is unique.
When Gordon is in the mix, then the question becomes appropriate: What does defensive coordinator Dennis Allen do? I would expect Gordon to be the starting nickel cornerback. The Bears made him the league’s highest-paid player at that position in the offseason. It’s not like Gardner-Johnson is going to Wally Pipp him.
There are a variety of ways Allen could incorporate Gardner-Johnson when Gordon is back. The first that comes to mind is the dime package. The Bears have used dime (six defensive backs) for 48 snaps this season, 8.2%. That ranks 19th in the league. Allen could expand on the dime package versus certain opponents. It’s also possible he gets creative and maybe uses Gardner-Johnson as a safety in certain situations. Just spitballing. Could he remove Jaquan Brisker in certain looks and use Gardner-Johnson?
“There’s probably a lot of things we could do,” secondary coach Al Harris said last week when I asked how things could shake out. “But that’s just a bridge we’ve got to cross when we get there.”
Assuming the Bears give Darnell Wright his fifth-year option or an extension, what do you see as the plan for their other players in that draft class and eligible for a second contract? — @greggisp
Based on how he’s playing, the likeliest scenario for Wright is the team exercising the fifth-year option in his contract and then looking to hammer out a multiyear extension that could be finalized in the spring or over the summer. There won’t be any rush to strike a new deal, but the team can save a little money by doing a deal before the season starts, and Wright can lock up security.
You’re probably looking at a big deal too. It’s premature to speculate on numbers with seven games remaining, but just know there are six right tackles with an average annual salary of $20 million or more.
Wright’s contract situation will be the biggest piece of business for general manager Ryan Poles. After that, I’m not sure there is another player the team will want to pay. The remainder of the season could drive a decision one way or the other with a couple of players.
Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. (99) celebrates after he and defensive end Montez Sweat (98) sacked Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart on Nov. 9, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
Defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. has four sacks. I’m curious how the team views him. His playing time has dipped a little recently. In the last three games, he was on the field between 51.5% and 57.5% of the snaps. Through the first seven games, that figure was hovering around 66%, but the Bears have been using nose tackle Andrew Billings and working in Grady Jarrett more after he returned from his right knee injury.
Dexter is a big guy with a ton of talent. He’s sort of a tweener. He’s not an ideal three-technique and he’s not exactly what you’re seeking in a nose tackle. But he can play both and he’s strong. Suffice to say, Dexter has a lot to play for in the remaining seven games.
Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson has been better this season, but has his play risen to the level that the team would want to explore extension discussions? The Bears could bring back Stevenson next year and have him play in a contract season before making a decision.
Four picks from the 2022 draft will be coming out of contract: Safety Jaquan Brisker, left tackle Braxton Jones, defensive end Dominique Robinson and safety Elijah Hicks. Aside from Wright, five players from the 2023 draft will have one year remaining and be eligible for an extension: Dexter, Stevenson, running back Roschon Johnson, linebacker Noah Sewell and cornerback Terell Smith.
Given Brisker’s history of concussions, my guess is the Bears will look to rebuild at safety and consider re-signing Kevin Byard III, who leads the NFL with five interceptions. Maybe they like the idea of Robinson and/or Hicks returning on a modest one-year contract. As far as the other 2023 picks, they’ll probably be back in a position where they have to compete for a spot in 2026 in the final year of their contracts.
I don’t know what the numbers say and frankly don’t care about the rankings of the Bears special teams. I know they periodically make good plays like the Devin Duvernay return at Minnesota but mostly seem average at best. It seems like they return kickoffs to the 26- or 27-yard line and give up returns between the 35 and 40. The punt teams aren’t any better. Am I wrong? Is Richard Hightower doing a good job? Did Ben Johnson bring him back because he thinks he’s good or was there just no one out there that was better? — Dave K., Albuquerque, N.M.
The Bears had one disastrous game on special teams this season in Cincinnati, and they overcame a series of major errors — including a kickoff return for a touchdown and a blocked field goal — to win 47-42. They’ve also won two games largely because of special teams at the end: the Week 4 game in Las Vegas with Josh Blackwell’s blocked field goal and Sunday’s win in Minnesota when Duvernay’s 56-yard kickoff return set up Cairo Santos’ 48-yard field goal on the final play.
What you’re overlooking is that Hightower set up that final return by showing the Vikings one look — and Blackwell nearly broke a kickoff return all the way — and then giving a different look at the end with Duvernay. There’s nuanced strategy that goes into this.
The Bears are tied for ninth in the league with an average starting field position of the 30.9-yard line on kickoffs. They’re 23rd in opponents’ starting field position (31.3), a figure that would be much better if not for the touchdown by the Bengals.
Punt coverage hasn’t been great, and the Vikings hit the Bears for a big one Sunday. Kickoff coverage needs to be tightened up, but it was good this past week and Santos executed some really good kicks that resulted in an average starting point of the 23-yard line for the Vikings on five kickoffs.
We can find a play or two every week on special teams that needs to be better. That’s the nature of that phase. No different than offense and defense. But this unit has come up big in some big moments, and Hightower and his players have responded since Cincinnati.
Hightower gave Johnson one advantage when he retained him in that he was familiar with players on the roster. The group has evolved a little bit. If we’re going to discuss the shortcomings this season — and there have been some — we need to dive into what has gone right as well.
How would you assess the job Tory Taylor has done so far this season? — Mike F., Chicago
Bears holder Tory Taylor jumps to celebrate a game-winning field goal by kicker Jake Moody to defeat the Commanders on Oct. 13, 2025, at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
We have a smaller sample size to work with this season, and that’s a very good thing, right? Taylor has been good — and he was really good as a holder, handling the switch to Jake Moody when Cairo Santos was sidelined and making that situation seamless. His gross average of 48.1 yards is 12th in the league, and the net average of 39.5 ranks 22nd.
The latter figure took a hit in the fourth quarter Sunday when Vikings rookie Myles Price had a 43-yard return, the longest the Bears have allowed this season. While Taylor has given up some return yardage in a few instances this season when he outkicked his coverage, that wasn’t the case on this play. So a punter’s net average is closely tied to the performance of the coverage team.
While Taylor has only 11 punts inside the 20-yard line, his 35 total punts rank near the bottom of the league, and Ben Johnson isn’t turning to special teams a whole lot when the offense is around midfield. I think Taylor is just scratching the surface too. He has a wealth of talent, a variety of kicks and the leg strength to absolutely crush the ball in the specific instances when special teams coordinator Richard Hightower wants that. If the Bears cover well the rest of the season, that net average should climb back above 40.
Looking ahead, can you compare the amount of say this coaching staff will have in free agency and the draft with how much of a say the previous coaching staff had? — @0ccamsrazorburn
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Ben Johnson’s opinion carries a ton of weight in the building. He’s the top-paid person in the football operation, and he has justified his hiring with how the team has performed to this point. It’s fair to imagine he has more sway in personnel decisions than his predecessor, Matt Eberflus, did. Any major decision is going to run through him. But that’s natural. General manager Ryan Poles doesn’t want to saddle his coach — whether it’s Johnson, Eberflus or whoever — with a player he doesn’t deem as a fit.
The Bears don’t want to get into a situation, though, where the coaching staff is dictating every personnel move. There have been plenty of examples around the league in which coaches gained too much control in those situations (based on a lot of success) and eventually things unraveled.
Poles has a scouting staff that spends the entire year evaluating the college and pro sides. The best teams lean on their scouting departments to do their job before it reaches the point of making a decision. The scouts vet the makeup of players and do the exhaustive legwork required to give a complete picture. Johnson and his coaches simply don’t have the time to do that. They will get involved in that aspect of the process after the season ends. They will meet draft prospects and provide valuable input. But the scouting staff has to do its job first.
The short answer is, yes, I think Johnson has more say than Eberflus did and maybe more than Matt Nagy had before him. That’s probably a good thing because he has a unique way of viewing players, their strengths and how they fit the vision. But the Bears still have to lean into the work their scouts do.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/19/chicago-bears-mailbag-ben-johnson-matt-nagy/
