Category: News
House Lawmakers Press Shein Over Sale Of Childlike Sex Dolls In The US
House Lawmakers Press Shein Over Sale Of Childlike Sex Dolls In The US
Authored by Evgenia Filimianova via The Epoch Times,
House lawmakers have asked fast-fashion retailer Shein to explain how childlike sex dolls were allowed to appear on its e-commerce platform and whether any were sold to U.S. customers, escalating an international controversy that earlier this month led France to suspend the company’s online marketplace.
In a Nov. 20 letter to Shein CEO Xu Yangtian, Reps. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), joined by 32 other members of Congress, sought clarity on the retailer’s internal controls and whether U.S. consumers were exposed to illegal content.
Founded in China and now headquartered in Singapore, Shein is known for its low-cost, rapid-turnover fashion and for hosting thousands of independent vendors on its marketplace.
The lawmakers said the request follows reports earlier this month that access to Shein’s French site was temporarily blocked after authorities found dolls resembling children offered for sale by third-party vendors.
Buchanan, who is leading the bipartisan inquiry, said in a statement, “It is incredibly disappointing that a major global retailer allowed childlike sex dolls to be sold on its platform, products that are known to fuel pedophilia and endanger children.”
He added that companies that fail to stop such items “must be held fully accountable and prevented from ever enabling this kind of behavior again.”
Wasserman Schultz said the sexual exploitation of children cannot be stopped while such products continue to be made and sold, stressing that e-commerce companies must not allow their platforms to be used to distribute items that encourage abuse.
Letter Flags Breaches
In their letter, lawmakers said French authorities discovered on Oct. 31 that Shein’s website was selling sex dolls with a childlike appearance.
One listing described a product as a “sex doll … male [expletive] toy with erotic body …” and showed an image of a doll resembling a young girl holding a teddy bear.
Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) arrives for a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 13, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times
The lawmakers said a Shein representative confirmed that third-party vendors began selling childlike sex dolls on the platform on Oct. 16.
They noted this directly contradicts Shein’s policies, which ban illegal or restricted goods, including items that promote child abuse and exploitation.
They added that the listings raise concerns that similar items may have been available in the United States, including in states such as Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Utah, and Hawaii, where the sale of such dolls is explicitly banned.
The letter cites research warning that childlike sex dolls can have a “reinforcing effect” on pedophilic ideation.
Although the lawmakers acknowledged Shein’s later decision to ban all sex dolls and suspend its adult-product category, they said it was unacceptable that the dolls were ever allowed to be listed.
They asked the company to clarify by Dec. 20 whether the dolls were sold to U.S. customers, whether law enforcement was notified, how the company plans to recall any completed sales, and what measures it will adopt to prevent future violations.
The letter also urges Shein to commit to a permanent, global ban on childlike sex dolls, even in countries where such sales are not explicitly illegal.
The Epoch Times contacted Shein for comment but did not receive a reply by publication time.
Suspension in France
France said on Nov. 5 that it was suspending access to Shein’s online platform unless the retailer proves its content complies with French law.
The government’s announcement coincided with the opening of Shein’s first physical retail location, a pop-up inside Paris’s Bazar de l’Hotel de Ville (BHV) department store.
Under French law, regulators can require online platforms to remove clearly illegal content such as child pornography within 24 hours, and failure to comply can result in orders for internet providers and search engines to block or delist the site.
Arnaud Gallais (C), president of Mouv’Enfants, a movement fighting against all forms of violence against children, gestures next to Suzanne Frugier (R), general secretary of Mouv’Enfants, holding a placard which reads as “Protect children. Not Shein,” at the Bazar de l’Hotel de Ville (BHV) department store in Paris on Nov. 5, 2025. Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images
A day later, on Nov. 6, France’s finance and digital ministers asked the European Commission to launch an urgent investigation, calling the listings “serious breaches” of European regulations.
Shein told The Epoch Times on Nov. 6 that it had taken note of the government’s decision and was cooperating with authorities.
“We are committed to working with the French authorities to address any concerns swiftly as we have always done,” the company said.
It added that it had temporarily suspended listings from independent third-party vendors on its French marketplace while it reviews and strengthens oversight of their activity.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 11/21/2025 – 14:25
https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/house-lawmakers-press-shein-over-sale-childlike-sex-dolls-us
Libertyville autism clinic opens as vaccine debate intensifies
The same day a new Lake County therapy clinic for children with autism held its grand opening in Libertyville, the Centers for Disease Control updated its webpage, asserting a widely disputed connection between vaccines and autism, highlighting the challenges facing families, researchers and service providers even as autism awareness grows.
A CDC webpage posted on Nov. 19 says health authorities have “ignored” studies supporting a link between vaccines and autism, and that the statement “vaccines do not cause autism” is “not an evidence-based claim.”
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has reportedly launched a “comprehensive assessment” of the causes of autism,
On Nov. 19, Samantha Browne, clinic director for Caravel Autism Health in Libertyville, celebrated the new therapy clinic’s grand opening, promising a range of services for young children with autism.
Caravel is a provider of applied behavior analysis therapy, which aims to improve communication and social skills, particularly for young children in Caravel’s case. The clinic mimics a preschool, with classrooms, play spaces and an outdoor playground.
Browne said children will typically come in daily through the week, and specialists will help prepare them for school to require the least amount of support possible. Early access to therapy can mean big improvements for youngsters with autism, she said.
“I know that can be really scary, touching base with us and getting either a diagnosis or early intervention therapy,” she said. “All of that can only help.”
Mike Miller, CEO of Caravel Autism Health, said it has several locations in the region, and about 65 around the country. Children will spend anywhere from 15 to 25 hours a week at the center, getting prepared for school with their peers.
Miller described autism treatment as a “relatively new field” within healthcare, and said there has been a lack of access to care for many children. Perceptions around autism have changed “dramatically” in the last 20 years, he said.
“People are much more accepting of autism, and kids with autism are now assimilated in classrooms,” Miller said. “Families are much more accepted in their communities.”
Elizabeth Norton is an associate professor of communication sciences and disorders at Northwestern University, with a PhD in child study and human development, studying early identification of autism and other childhood language and reading disorders.
She said applied behavior analysis (ABA) is not the only approach available for autism therapy, and different approaches can be more effective depending on the specific child. But in general, identifying and supporting children with autism when they’re young is beneficial.
Toddlerhood and early childhood is a “very important time” for children to build their language and social interaction skills, Norton said.
“This is the time when children’s brains are most ready to learn language, especially through back-and-forth interactions with caregivers,” she said.
Identifying autism early gives parents the “broadest and most effective options for how they want to support their child,” Norton said, and supports or interventions are most effective with young children, when their brains are most malleable.
But getting those services or support isn’t always easy, she said, taking lots of time and energy from families, something that can be eased by more service providers close to families’ homes.
Having different therapy options available is also important, she said. Caravel’s ABA approach will be effective for some children, depending on their areas of strength and need, Norton said.
CDC webpage
Norton said awareness of autism, and the importance of identifying it early, have improved over the years. While child autism diagnoses have risen in recent decades, she said scientists attribute that to the greater awareness, rather than a change in factors that may cause autism.
Speaking as a researcher, Norton said she was concerned about the public receiving accurate, science-backed information on the causes of autism and ways to support people with autism. The change to the CDC’s stance on vaccines and autism — including the new webpage drawing a link between vaccines and autism — is concerning to her.
“For a long time, scientists and doctors have been fighting the misinformation that autism is caused by vaccines,” Norton said. “It isn’t.”
She warned against the current administration’s connection between Tylenol and autism, as well as the fast-tracking of leucovorin, a version of folic acid, as a drug for autism.
“Families should discuss these questions with their pediatricians, who have extensive experience and knowledge in these areas,” Norton said.
Despite national headlines and the political climate, Miller sees a silver lining, pointing to the growing awareness. Attention means more research dollars, finding new treatments and improving access.
“If it discourages families from pursuing treatment, that’s not a good thing,” Miller said. “But I’m generally optimistic.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/21/libertyville-caravel-autism-health/
Amb. Huckabee Under Fire For ‘Warm’ Meeting With Notorious Traitor & Spy Jonathan Pollard
Amb. Huckabee Under Fire For ‘Warm’ Meeting With Notorious Traitor & Spy Jonathan Pollard
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee is under fire and in the headlines after it was revealed he met with notorious traitor and spy Jonathan Pollard at the US Embassy in July. The former American intelligence analyst was convicted of espionage for Israel and sentenced to life in prison in 1987.
Pollard’s is widely viewed as one of the single most damaging spy cases in US intelligence history, as he passed along extensive classified information, including the NSA’s ten-volume guide to US signals-intelligence collection methods. He also directly put American intelligence agents and officials in danger, as he revealed the identities of thousands of individuals who had assisted US intelligence services.
The CIA still considers Pollard a dangerous traitor to the nation. He had passed thousands of secret documents – enough to fill a large room-full, to Israeli intelligence in exchange for money and gifts. His defense after getting caught red-handed, which included video footage showing him stealing documents, was that the US government was withholding crucial information from its close Mideast ally.
Pollard had actually been arrested while trying gain asylum at the Israeli Embassy in Washington. Later, in prison, he was granted Israeli citizenship, also amid an Israeli lobbying campaign to see him go free.
He was released from prison in 2015 during the Obama years, in his mid-60s and after serving 30 years of his sentence. After a strictly monitored five-year period of parole, he fully gained his freedom and immediately moved to Israel in 2020, where he received a “hero’s welcome” from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The New York Times reports this week:
The highly unusual meeting caught some U.S. officials by surprise, and appeared to be a sharp break with years of precedent for American diplomats.
The New York Times learned of the meeting from three U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information. When The Times asked Mr. Pollard about the meeting, he confirmed it.
Mr. Pollard said it was the first time that a U.S. official had hosted him at an American government office since his release a decade ago.
The same report indicated this alarmed and angered the CIA, but which hasn’t issued official public comment on the matter. “The meeting with Mr. Pollard, a former naval intelligence analyst, was kept off Mr. Huckabee’s official schedule, two of the U.S. officials said. The fact that it occurred alarmed the Central Intelligence Agency’s station chief in Israel, three of the officials said,” The Times continued.
Netanyahu demanded Bill Clinton release convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard after telling Clinton Israel knew of the tapes between him and Lewinsky, according to multiple reports. Clinton did not do it after George Tenet threatened to resign as CIA chief if he did so.
Obama… https://t.co/9lWf6JgHno
— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) November 20, 2025
However, the White House defended the ambassador, saying simply “The White House was not aware of that meeting” and that “The president stands by Ambassador Huckabee and the work he is doing for both the United States and Israel.”
Pollard has openly described the Huckabee discussion as warm and said he used the opportunity to thank Huckabee for helping advocate for his release from prison, and for looking after his family while he was serving time in federal custody.
In the ‘80s, there was a lot of Zionist influence in the USG, but the security services were genuinely pissed after the Pollard scandal. Tenet threatened to resign as DCI if Clinton bowed to Netanyahu’s blackmail and freed him. Today Israel just does whatever it wants, no brakes. https://t.co/fOUSWqaiVl
— Martyr Made (@martyrmade) November 20, 2025
Huckabee has previously come under criticism from the MAGA movement for being ‘Israel first’ and not in truth America first. He has long maintained of Washington relations with Israel that “It’s a relationship unlike any other.”
Tyler Durden
Fri, 11/21/2025 – 14:05
Patrick Z. McGavin’s top 10 boys wrestling teams and 25 wrestlers to watch in Aurora-Elgin for 2025-26 season
With boatload of returnees, Marmion appears to be primed to defend its dual-team state title.
Top 10 Teams
1. Marmion (19-2)
The Cadets return nine individual state qualifiers from last season’s Class 3A dual-team state champions. Senior Nicholas Garcia (126 pounds), a two-time defending state champion, anchors a lineup that also features senior standout Zach Stewart (144), a two-time state finalist. Three other third-place finishers power the attack in seniors Demetrios Carrera (138) and Ashton Hobson (150) and junior Preston Morrison (113).
2. St. Charles East (17-5)
The Saints return five state qualifiers and are led by senior Dom Munaretto (120), who pursues his third state title. He’s joined by juniors Kaden Potter (126), Declan Sons (132) and Gavin Woodmancy (144) and seniors Liam Aye (138) and Cooper Murray (215).
3. Yorkville (22-4)
Junior Donovan Rosauer, fourth at 150 pounds last season, leads a deep and talented roster. Also look out for seniors Liam Fenoglio (120), Nathan Craft (132), Caleb Viscogliosi (175).
4. West Aurora (17-3)
The Blackhawks feature superb high-end talent with four returning state qualifiers. Senior Dayne Serio went 46-5 and was sixth at 165. Others who can make an impact are seniors Alfonso Aguilar (285) and Evan Matkovich (150) and junior Marcus Quintana (165).
5. Yorkville Christian (24-2)
The Mustangs return to Class 1A and should contend for a state trophy. Junior Ryan Festerling (120) and senior Jackson Allen (215) are returning state qualifiers. Senior twins Adrian Wadas-Luis (144) and Austin Wadas-Luis (150) each won more than 30 matches last season. Also keep an eye on junior Ryan Alaimo (132).
St Charles East’s Dom Munaretto, left, breaks free from Schaumburg’s Brady Phelps in the 120-pound final of the Class 3A state meet at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Saturday Feb. 22, 2025. (Rob Dicker / The Beacon-News)
6. Oswego (14-10)
The Panthers have two foundational pieces and gifted returnees with two sectional qualifiers in seniors Aiden Ortiz (132) and Dillon Griffin (150).
7. Dundee-Crown (12-10)
The Chargers feature a strong core of returnees and an influx of promising youngsters. Seniors Aiden Healey (106) and Teigen Moreno (215) anchor the lineup. Seniors Jadon Wheatley (150) and Zach Anderson (215) also will be keys. Freshmen Brendan Hayes (113), Juan Lopez (157) and Royce Stinson (126) are poised to contribute immediately.
8. Sandwich (26-9)
The Indians, who are led by two-time state finalist Cooper Corder (144), should contend for a regional title in Class 2A. Corder placed fifth last season. Senior Kai Kern (190) and sophomores Jaxon Blanchard (150) and Joshua Kotalik (175) provide quality depth.
9. Hampshire (10-6)
Junior Carter Hintz (215) leads a versatile roster that’s well represented in the middle and upper weights. Senior Mikey Brannigan (157), junior Uriah Beamon (190) and sophomore Knox Homola (285) are the other top returnees.
10. South Elgin (10-14)
Sophomore Nick Dilallo (126) went 35-3 and qualified for state as a freshman last season. Other wrestlers to watch are seniors Evan Hamilton (120), Dane Henson (157) and Alejandro Facio (285). Senior Logan Dilallo (150) is the top newcomer.
Marmion’s Ashton Hobson, top, wrestles against Sandburg’s Vince Gutierrez at 157 pounds during the Class 3A Yorkville Dual-Team Sectional on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. (Troy Stolt / The Beacon-News)
The 25 Wrestlers to Watch
Alfonso Aguilar, West Aurora, senior, 285 pounds.
Jackson Allen, Yorkville Christian, senior, 215.
Demetrios Carrera, Marmion, senior, 138.
Cooper Corder, Sandwich, junior, 144.
Nathan Craft, Yorkville, senior, 132.
Nick Dilallo, South Elgin, sophomore, 126.
Kai Enos, Batavia, sophomore, 120.
Joey Favia, Marmion, senior, 215.
Liam Fenoglio, Yorkville, senior, 120.
Nicholas Garcia, Marmion, senior, 132.
Dillon Griffin, Oswego, senior, 150.
Carter Hintz, Hampshire, junior, 215.
Ashton Hobson, Marmion, senior, 150.
Evan Matkovich, West Aurora, senior, 150.
Matthew Medina, St. Charles East, senior, 285.
Teigen Moreno, Dundee-Crown, senior, 215.
Dom Munaretto, St. Charles East, senior, 120.
Cooper Murray, St. Charles East, senior, 215.
Aiden Ortiz, Oswego, senior, 132.
Marcus Quintana, West Aurora, junior, 165.
Donovan Rosauer, Yorkville, junior, 150.
Dayne Serio, West Aurora, senior, 175.
Zach Stewart, Marmion, senior, 144.
Eduardo Vences, Burlington Central, junior, 120.
Caleb Viscogliosi, Yorkville, senior, 175.
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
El zurdo Ryan Yarbrough y los Yankees cierran contrato de 2,5 millones por un año
Associated Press
NUEVA YORK (AP) — El zurdo Ryan Yarbrough y los Yankees de Nueva York finalizaron su contrato de un año por 2,5 millones el viernes.
Yarbrough puede ganar 250,000 dólares adicionales en bonos por rendimiento: 50,000 por 75 entradas y cada diez adicionales hasta 115. Ofrece a los Yankees un posible abridor para unirse a Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil y Will Warren en la rotación al inicio de la temporada mientras Gerrit Cole y Carlos Rodón se recuperan de la cirugía.
Yarbrough, quien cumplirá 34 años el 31 de diciembre, acordó en marzo un contrato de un año por 2 millones, un día después de ser liberado de un acuerdo de ligas menores con Toronto, y ganó 150,000 en bonos por rendimiento basados en entradas.
Tuvo un récord de 3-1 con una efectividad de 4.36 en ocho aperturas y 11 apariciones como relevista, ponchando a 55 y otorgando 19 bases por bolas en 64 entradas. Yarbrough no lanzó para los Yankees entre el 18 de junio y el 5 de septiembre debido a una distensión en el oblicuo derecho. Fue dejado fuera del roster para las series de postemporada contra Boston y Toronto.
Con ocho años de experiencia en las grandes ligas, Yarbrough tiene un récord de 56-41 con una efectividad de 4.22 en 76 aperturas y 139 apariciones como relevista para Tampa Bay (2018-22), Kansas City (2023), los Dodgers de Los Ángeles (2023-24), Toronto (2024) y los Yankees.
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Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Vuelven lluvias torrenciales a sur de California; lanzan advertencia por inundaciones y aludes
Associated Press
LOS ÁNGELES (AP) — Lluvias torrenciales empaparon partes del sur de California el viernes, lo que llevó a nuevas advertencias de inundaciones repentinas en una región que está cerca de establecer un récord de precipitaciones para noviembre, informó el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional.
Antes del amanecer del viernes, se advirtió a los residentes sobre inundaciones repentinas en calles, arroyos y riachuelos, así como posibles deslizamientos de tierra en varias partes de los condados Los Ángeles y Orange. En la costa de Huntington Beach, la lluvia fluía por algunas calles como un arroyo.
Las advertencias más recientes de inundaciones repentinas del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional cubrieron áreas que se extienden desde el centro de Los Ángeles y Santa Mónica hasta Mission Viejo en el condado Orange. Algunos vehículos quedaron atrapados en aguas de inundación cerca de Culver City antes del amanecer del viernes, indicó el servicio meteorológico.
En Huntington Beach, la anegación prácticamente había desaparecido para la mañana del viernes. Un vecindario permaneció inundado después que un estanque local se desbordara, derramando agua en las calles y dejando varados a autos estacionados.
Una serie de tormentas que comenzó el 13 de noviembre ha desatado cantidades copiosas de lluvia, más de cuatro veces la cantidad normal que típicamente cae en noviembre en el centro de Los Ángeles, según informes del servicio meteorológico.
En un noviembre normal, el centro de Los Ángeles suele recibir dos centímetros (0,78 pulgadas) de lluvia, pero ya ha visto alrededor de 8,9 centímetros (3,5 pulgadas) este mes.
El condado Santa Bárbara ha sido un imán para la humedad. En partes de las montañas de Santa Ynez se han registrado más de 38 centímetros (15 pulgadas) de lluvia este mes, resaltó el servicio meteorológico.
Las autoridades culpan a un potente río atmosférico de causar al menos media docena de muertes a principios de este mes cuando atravesaba gran parte de California. Las lluvias intensas también traen la amenaza de deslizamientos de tierra en áreas que fueron recientemente devastadas por incendios forestales.
Los ríos atmosféricos son bandas largas y relativamente estrechas de vapor de agua que se forman sobre un océano y fluyen a través del cielo, transportando gran parte de la humedad desde los trópicos hasta las latitudes del norte.
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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.
FIFA vuelve a sancionar al líder del fútbol de Panamá tras comentario sobre el peso
Associated Press
ZURICH (AP) — Días después de que Panamá se clasificara para la Copa Mundial de 2026, la FIFA restringió al presidente de la federación de fútbol del país por no respetar una sanción previa impuesta por avergonzar a una estrella del equipo nacional femenino por su peso.
La FIFA afirmó que Manuel Arias fue “suspendido de toda actividad relacionada con el fútbol por seis meses”, lo cual expirará aproximadamente cuatro semanas antes de que comience la Copa Mundial en Estados Unidos, México y Canadá.
Arias fue excluido de asistir al sorteo de la Copa Mundial el cinco de diciembre en Washington, D.C., al cual se espera que asista el presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump.
La FIFA indicó que sus jueces disciplinarios también impusieron una multa de 20.000 francos suizos (25.000 dólares) al funcionario panameño por no cumplir con el fallo anterior de su comité de ética que lo suspendió por seis meses hasta julio. No se dieron detalles de cómo violó la prohibición.
Arias sugirió que Marta Cox estaba “gorda” después de que ella hiciera comentarios críticos sobre la organización del equipo nacional, que se clasificó para la Copa Mundial Femenina de 2023.
Él reconoció sus comentarios “desafortunados” en marzo de 2024.
Durante su primera suspensión de seis meses, Arias debería haber estado excluido de dos partidos de clasificación para la Copa Mundial en junio y de la Copa Oro en Estados Unidos que se extendió hasta julio.
Arias puede apelar las últimas sanciones de la FIFA.
Panamá aseguró su lugar en la Copa Mundial masculina al vencer a El Salvador 3-0 el martes, mientras que el anterior líder del grupo, Surinam, perdió en Guatemala 3-1.
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Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Federal gun charges unsealed against man arrested after alleged shots at immigration agents in Little Village
Federal gun charges have been unsealed against a man who allegedly aimed a gun at a woman in a Little Village restaurant parking lot the same day federal immigration agents said that someone shot at them as they ran enforcement raids near the restaurant and surrounding neighborhood.
Hector Gómez, 45, was charged in a criminal complaint made public Thursday with possession of a weapon by a person in the country illegally. He is scheduled to be taken from Cook County Jail for an initial appearance at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on Dec. 10, records show.
The Tribune first reported earlier this month that Gómez had been arrested by Chicago police with a gun in a black Jeep Wrangler near the intersection of West 26th Street and South Kedzie Avenue.
A few hours before Gómez’s arrest, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents had called 911 to report that someone in a black Jeep had fired at them one block to the north.
Law enforcement sources said the 9mm pistol Gómez had on his lap at the time of his arrest was being analyzed to see if it matched shell casings found on the street near that shooting.
As of Friday, neither the federal complaint nor similar charges lodged in Cook County criminal court on Nov. 8 allege Gómez fired any shots at agents.
His lawyer, Michael Monaco, declined to comment. Gómez’s next court date in his county case is Dec. 2.
Gómez’s initial arrest took place toward the end of a chaotic morning of immigration raids in Little Village in which a Chicago police officer was hit by a car and a baby girl and her family were pepper-sprayed while trying to get groceries. During the Border Patrol raids, incensed residents pursued carloads of federal agents as they wound their way through the neighborhood, arresting people and deploying chemical crowd controls.
At one point, agents called Chicago police to report that someone had fired shots from a black Jeep Wrangler at one of their vehicles near 25th and Kedzie, though no one was hit, according to police.
According to police reports, officers who arrived at that intersection in response to the call didn’t get to question the Border Patrol agents further “due to a large hostile crowd that was beginning to escalate and throw bricks.”
The Ogden (10th) district commander personally located two 9 mm shell casings on the 2500 block of South Kedzie Avenue, the reports stated.
Around 2:15 p.m. that day, police arrived at Aguascalientes for a 911 call of a person with a gun. People in the restaurant’s parking lot, on the 3100 block of West 26th Street, pointed them toward a black 2018 Jeep Wrangler. A man was sitting in the car with a gun in his lap, authorities said.
The man, later identified as Gómez, had allegedly approached a woman with the gun in his hand, laughing and pointing it at her, authorities said. The arrest report states that the Jeep matched the description federal agents had given a few hours earlier but doesn’t draw any other connection between Gómez and agents’ report of shots fired.
At Gómez’s first court appearance Nov. 9, Cook County Judge Deidre Dyer ordered him held pending trial, noting that he had a prior felony conviction for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and that he’d “brandished the gun at civil public protesters” on the public way in the middle of the day.
The federal complaint, meanwhile, alleged that Gómez is an illegal immigrant from Mexico with a criminal history that includes two weapons convictions, most recently earlier this year.
Gómez first entered the U.S. in 2008 using a fake name and has since been removed from the country several times, according to the federal charges.
In an interview with law enforcement after his Nov. 8 arrest, Gómez said he “has crossed the border illegally approximately 30 times since he was 17 years old,” the complaint stated.
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/21/federal-gun-charges-unsealed-little-village/
CapEx Spending On AI Is Masking Economic Weakness
CapEx Spending On AI Is Masking Economic Weakness
Authored by Lance Roberts via RealInvestmentAdvice.com,
The U.S. economy’s recent growth has a distinctive engine: large‑scale capital expenditures (capex) tied to artificial intelligence (AI). Firms such as Microsoft, Alphabet (Google), Meta Platforms, and Amazon have announced massive investments in data centers, servers, networking equipment, and AI infrastructure.
As noted by Investing.com:
“Artificial intelligence is consuming capital faster than investors can recalibrate. Bank of America now sees global hyperscale spending rising 67% in 2025 and another 31% in 2026, with total outlays climbing to $611 billion. That is a $145 billion increase in just one month’s estimates.
The surge shows how cloud giants are doubling down. Google raised its 2025 capital budget to $92 billion, Microsoft plans even faster growth into fiscal 2026, and Meta now expects spending of about $100 billion in 2026. Amazon’s data center capacity is on track to double by 2027. None show intent to slow down, even as capex intensity approaches 30% of sales, roughly triple historic norms.
That level of investment is extraordinary. At its peak, the 5G telecom buildout consumed about 70% of operating cash flow, AI infrastructure is now approaching the same strain.
While we can certainly discuss the magnitude of those investments and the risks associated with repeating another “Dot.com” overbuild, the point I want to address with you today is how those capital expenditures are masking broader economic weakness.
For example, a recent estimate places U.S. AI‑related capex for fiscal 2025 at about 1.2% of GDP. (The chart below uses the Atlanta Fed GDP Now estimate for Q3 of 4% nominal GDP growth and assumes the same in Q4.) If we subtract out the AI-related Capex spending, growth is significantly weaker than advertised.
In raw terms, the global AI investment by key players already exceeds hundreds of billions of dollars. Analysts forecast global AI spend at around US $360 billion in 2025 with growth into 2026 and beyond. For instance, data center capex is projected to grow at a 21% CAGR to reach US$1.2 trillion globally by 2029. Such figures highlight real spending momentum, and that momentum has helped the U.S. economy avoid a steeper decline in growth. But this growth is highly concentrated. Only a handful of large tech firms comprise the bulk of the capex. Therefore, the headline numbers require deeper interpretation. Investors must recognize that, while the impact on economic growth is real, spending will eventually slow down.
Still, the rise of AI-driven investment is significant for the economy and for investors alike. It signals a shift in the composition of growth from consumption and broad business investment toward heavy‑asset, tech‑centric investment. Recognizing how that shift works is critical for understanding risks and opportunities.
What the Boom Masks – Underlying Weakness in the Economy
Although the surge in AI investment is impressive, it masks several structural weaknesses in the broader U.S. economy. First, the AI‑capex boom is concentrated among a small number of firms and sectors rather than being broadly diffused across all industries or geographies. The bulk of spending is going into servers, data‑centers, and networks. While those assets are capital‑intensive, they are not labor‑intensive in the way large manufacturing or services growth might be. As noted above, while analysts estimate that AI-capex may be 1.2% of GDP in 2025 under a standard multiplier, the real economic benefits in productivity or employment outside of the tech sector remain limited so far. We observe that in the dispersion of expected 2026 earnings growth between the largest market-capitalization-weighted stocks in the S&P 500 index and the rest.
In other words, if AI capex spending reached a broad swath of the economy, the earnings expectations for the bottom 493 companies would not be negative. It is also crucial to note that forward earnings estimates are ALWAYS overly optimistic, so the results are likely to be worse in the future.
Second, much of that investment relies on imported equipment, components, and technologies, which means the domestic multiplier of the spending is weaker than the headline number suggests. Although AI-capex is large, much of it is still classified as intermediate goods, which aren’t fully captured in GDP statistics. However, while AI capex spending is robust, spending by the rest of the economy remains muted.
Third, when you look beyond the tech sector, the traditional engine blocks of growth are weaker. Residential investment is under pressure as housing affordability remains an issue. As noted above, since business investment outside the large tech players remains muted, that is weighing on employment growth, which continues to show signs of softening.
Fourth, while AI capital expenditures (capex) are high, the economic payoff has not yet been fully proven. Productivity gains, revenue gains, and sustainable earnings from this wave of infrastructure spend have not been fully realized. One Vanguard analysis notes that to move U.S. growth above trend via AI alone would require approximately US$1 trillion in AI-related spending, which lies ahead, not behind.
Thus, the underlying condition of the economy is more fragile than the capital‑spend numbers imply. The risk is that when the tech‑capex boom slows or fails to deliver a broad spill‑over, the rest of the economy will feel the weakness more sharply.
Therefore, as an investor, the risk of assuming broad-based resilience may be critical to consider when developing your investment thesis.
Implications for Investors
For investors, the mixed nature of this growth wave presents both opportunity and risk. The current opportunity for investors is to invest directly in firms closely tied to AI infrastructure, such as chip manufacturers, data center operators, and cloud services companies, all of which are likely to benefit. Their growth trajectories may outpace the broader economy because they are at the heart of the capital expenditure surge. But these opportunities come with important caveats.
One risk is concentration. If a narrow subset of companies or sectors is driving the growth story, then portfolios that lack diversification towards non‑tech may expose investors to sharper corrections. If the tech-capex wave slows, valuations tied to presumed growth may reverse quickly, especially among firms with aggressive capital expenditures and uncertain near-term returns. For example, analysts at Goldman Sachs warn that the current contributions of AI to GDP are likely understated; however, the actual economic benefit remains modest, and future risks remain high.
Secondly, as we saw during the dot-com bubble, not all companies that jumped into the internet market survived. Those failures also included some of the largest companies at the time, such as Enron, World.com, and Lucent, among others. The current AI cycle will likely be the same; there will be some big long-term winners, but there will also be quite a few companies that are mainly trading on “hope” for future results that are far from guaranteed.
Another investor implication concerns earnings quality. Heavy capital expenditures do not guarantee near-term earnings improvement or productivity gains. Some firms may carry high depreciation, amortization, and idle capacity risk. A report notes that capital spending growth now may generate returns only years down the road. This remains one of our primary concerns, as expectations for future earnings growth are incredibly elevated. This leaves an enormous amount of room for disappointment when combined with already high valuation multiples, making the downside risk not inconsequential.
(The chart shows the current deviation of earnings growth from its long-term exponential growth trend versus the trailing P/E ratio, which is inverted. When the “E” reverses, valuations will skyrocket as they did during the Dot.com bust, the Financial crisis, and the Pandemic shutdown.)
Third, investors should monitor the masking effect. The fact that AI‑capex is propping up headline growth means the rest of the economy remains vulnerable. As shown, the economically weighted ISM index (70% services/30% manufacturing) remains in expansion territory, but just barely. If consumption or non‑tech business investment falters, the broader weakness may surface suddenly. Portfolios built only around tech optimism may lack cushions from areas less tied to the boom.
Fourth, valuations need discipline. As noted above, investors are currently pricing in the most optimistic of future outcomes. That exponentially increases the risk of disappointment at some point in the future. The correction potential rises if growth disappoints, returns are delayed, or macro weakness intensifies. Investors should consider whether the current growth base is sufficiently broad to support the expected outcomes. Are earnings projections realistic? How much is the stock’s valuation already assuming perfect execution?
In short, you must not assume that because one part of the economy is booming, everything else is strong. Please recognize that the growth narrative is narrow; therefore, as investors, we should consider some practical steps to manage future risks.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 11/21/2025 – 13:45
https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/capex-spending-ai-masking-economic-weakness
Clarendon Hills appoints trustee to seat that’s now changed hands 3 times since 2022
Clarendon Hills has appointed Liz O’Connell to fill the Village Board vacancy created by the October resignation of Denise Kavuliak, who left after serving for eight months.
Kavuliak was appointed to replace Steve Tuttle, who was appointed in mid-2022 and ran in the 2023 election unopposed. O’Connell’s term expires in 2027.
Village President Eric Tech said seven people reached out about the open board seat. Tech contacted all seven and interviewed four.
“Every one of the individuals I spoke to was outstanding, and I encourage each of them to reach out to the caucus for potential opportunities in the future, as I would be pleased to serve with any of them,” he said.
Tech said he recommended O’Connell for multiple reasons.
“She is relatively new to town, but is also married to someone who grew up nearby, thus proving both fresh eyes and a sense of our history,” he said. “She has impressive professional credentials and also a volunteer history. She is motivated by wanting to give her time and talents to her new hometown. She also brings an open mind and is committed to working with our board.”
Clarendon Hills has appointed Liz O’Connell to fill a Village Board vacancy. (Village of Clarendon Hills)
O’Connell is a managing director and partner at AArete, a global management and technology consulting firm specializing in driving profitability improvement, digital transformation, and strategy & change. She also is co-leader of AArete’s healthcare consulting practice, which has served 120-plus health plans and provider organizations across all U.S. markets and lines of business.
C’Connell is a founding Executive Sponsor of AArete’s Women’s Initiative Network, established in 2018; a member of Women Business Leaders of the U.S. Health Care Industry Foundation and was named a 2022 Top 50 Leader in Healthcare Consulting by The Consulting Report, a 2024 Women Leaders in Consulting by Consulting Magazine for Excellence in Leadership, and a 2025 Top 25 Leader in Healthcare Consulting by The Consulting Report.
In her spare time, O’Connell supports the non-profit organization, Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, serving on their Board of Regents. She holds an MBA from DePaul University and a BA in Marketing from Loyola University Chicago.
Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
