Category: News
Lanús y Atlético Mineiro buscan la corona de la Copa Sudamericana
Por JOSÉ MANUEL VALLADARES
Con el objetivo de sumar su segundo título y convertirse en uno de los equipos más ganadores de la Copa Sudamericana, Lanús se enfrentará el sábado en la final del torneo regional a Atlético Mineiro, que buscará alzar por primera vez el trofeo.
El conjunto argentino, campeón del certamen en 2013, intentará igualar en lo más alto del podio a Liga de Quito, Boca Juniors, Independiente, Athletico Paranaense e Independiente del Valle, que han conquistado la Sudamericana en dos ocasiones.
Atlético Mineiro irá por la revancha en la segunda competición de clubes de la CONMEBOL tras caer el año pasado ante Botafogo en la final de la Copa Libertadores.
Argentina lidera la clasificación de títulos por países con 10, incluyendo el éxito de Racing Club en 2024 luego de vencer a Cruzeiro en la definición.
Brasil es segundo en el listado con cinco conquistas y ha colocado al menos un finalista desde el pleno que logró en la final de 2021, en la que Athletico Paranaense se impuso a Bragantino.
En el estadio Defensores del Chaco, de Asunción, se espera una final con un gran marco y la asistencia de más de 20 mi hinchas de ambos clubes.
Lanús se plantó en su tercera final al superar a Universidad de Chile en una vibrante llave que dominó 3-2 en el resultado global. Antes también dejó en el camino a Fluminense (2-1) en cuartos de final — al que doblegó en el estadio Maracaná, de Río de Janeiro — y Central Córdoba por penales en octavos.
“Estamos a un paso, pero todavía no ganamos nada”, comentó el volante ofensivo Eduardo Salvio, quien volvió al Granate en 2024 tras jugar en Atlético de Madrid, Benfica, Boca Juniors y Pumas. “Confío en que este grupo tiene mucha hambre, y eso nos alimenta para vivir este partido”.
Por su parte, Atlético Mineiro avanzó a la instancia decisiva tras eliminar a Independiente del Valle (4-2), Bolívar (3-2) y Godoy Cruz (3-1).
“Es un partido decisivo, sin vuelta atrás, a vida o muerte”, reconoció Hulk, quien este mes llegó a 500 goles en su carrera. “Así que vamos a salir a la cancha con uñas y dientes y lo afrontaremos como si fuera el último partido de nuestras vidas”.
Las figuras son los equipos
Tanto Lanús como Mineiro disputarán la final con el estilo que los ha llevado hasta el último partido del torneo.
El Granate atraviesa un buen momento y solo ha perdido uno de sus últimos 13 encuentros, contando además su registro en el campeonato argentino, en el cual clasificó a los playoffs del Torneo Clausura.
Una de las figuras del elenco del sur de Buenos Aires es el delantero Rodrigo Castillo, autor de los tres tantos ante Universidad de Chile que sirvieron para clasificar a la final.
El equipo dirigido por Mauricio Pellegrino también se apoya en la creatividad del mediapunta Marcelino Moreno y la experiencia del zaguero Carlos Izquierdoz.
Atlético Mineiro logró recuperar su andadura en el segundo semestre del año desde la llegada del técnico argentino Jorge Sampaoli, quien asumió el banquillo en septiembre.
Sampaoli es el tercer estratega que llega a dos finales de la Sudamericana — lo había hecho con Universidad de Chile en 2011 — y ha igualado la marca de Luis Zubeldía y Reinaldo Rueda. El exseleccionador de Argentina y Chile buscará ser el primero en ganar dos veces la Sudamericana.
El ataque del Galo ha mejorado en los últimos meses y sus principales bazas ofensivas son el veterano Hulk, que firmó un gol y una asistencia en las semifinales ante Independiente del Valle.
El delantero Dudu es otro puntal en la última zona de la cancha, mientras Gustavo Scarpa, con cuatro asistencias en el torneo, pone la cuota de calidad con su golpeo con la pierna izquierda.
El campeón de la Sudamericana se clasificará para la fase de grupos de la Copa Libertadores de 2026 y se embolsará un premio de 6,5 millones de dólares. El subcampeón percibirá 2 millones de dólares.
Man accused of Blue Line arson attack ordered held on federal terrorism charge
A man facing a federal terrorism charge for allegedly dousing a 26-year-old woman with gasoline and lighting her on fire on a Blue Line train car was ordered detained while awaiting trial Friday.
The unusual charge of terrorism against a mass transportation system filed against 50-year-old Lawrence Reed comes as President Donald Trump’s administration has repeatedly used violence on public transit as a political cudgel against blue cities. That includes Chicago, where the administration previously threatened to withhold federal funds from the CTA if it did not address crime and fare evasion to its satisfaction.
The CTA has repeatedly defended its safety practices. Mayor Brandon Johnson on Thursday declared the attack an “isolated incident” before describing it as an “absolute failure” of the criminal justice system and mental health institutions. Court records show that Reed’s mental health has been a factor in several of his 72 preceding arrests and U.S. Magistrate Judge Laura McNally ordered a mental and physical health evaluation for him as he awaits trial.
A Cook County pretrial monitoring report filed Thursday stated that Reed had violated the terms of his release five times between Nov. 19 and the day of the alleged attack. The crime occurred on a Monday, which was not on a list of days Reed was given more freedom of movement by the court.
Reed appeared at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in a yellow jumpsuit and considerably calmer than he had been at his first appearance Wednesday, when he had worn a white “spit guard” over his face. On Friday, his face uncovered, Reed declared for the second time that he would represent himself, despite several attempts by McNally to offer him a federal public defender. He also stated in court that he had not been taking his medication.
“There is a representative of the federal defender program here today who can jump in if you decide to change your mind,” McNally said.
“OK,” Reed replied. “I’m gonna represent myself.”
As Reed spoke, a woman in the second row of the courtroom started to cry. She raised her hand in the air.
Defendants have a constitutional right to represent themselves, a right that experts say nonetheless puts the accused at a disadvantage. It also poses challenges for judges and prosecutors.
Reed denied a pretrial services officer’s statement that he had not cooperated with officials’ attempts to interview him ahead of the appearance, and said he consented to detention while pending trial.
“I agree (with) me being detained,” he said. “It’s for my sake. For my safety. I’m a target. I don’t feel safe out there.”
He smiled and shook his head as Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Bond walked through an initial recitation of the charges against him. Bond called the alleged attack a “horrific and barbaric crime” and said Reed has been arrested 72 times over the last 30 years, per police records.
Of those arrests, 15 have led to convictions. One of those convictions was for a 2020 arson attempt in which he poured gasoline onto the Thompson Center and tried to light the building on fire.
Bond also noted that Reed had been on pretrial release with electronic monitoring for an aggravated battery against a social worker while he was hospitalized in Berwyn. A Cook County judge had ordered him released pending trial, records show, and later modified the order to allow him more freedom of movement.
Bond said Reed poured a bottle of gasoline he’d filled up at a West Side gas station over the head and body of the woman, who was sitting with her back to him. He then attempted to light it on fire.
Bond said the victim fought off Reed and ran to the front of the train car as Reed chased her and cornered her at the back of the train car. Reed watched the woman burn “as if nothing was happening,” Bond said.
Lawrence Reed, 50, faces a federal charge after he poured gasoline on a 26-year-old woman riding a CTA Blue Line train and set her on fire, authorities said. (U.S. District Court)
The victim was on fire for about a minute total, Bond said, and rolled around the floor of the train car and train platform trying to put out the flames before bystanders stepped in to help.
The attack victim remained hospitalized as of Friday morning, her family said in a statement. Aside from thanking the public for sending their well-wishes, the victim’s family declined to comment on the case or their daughter’s condition.
The Trump administration has repeatedly threatened the leaders of blue-city mass transit agencies that it could withhold their federal funding if they do not address crime to the administration’s satisfaction.
In September, President Donald Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wrote a letter to the CTA asking it to lay out its plans to reduce crime and fare evasion on the system — or risk losing funding.
The CTA’s acting president, Nora Leerhsen, defended the agency’s safety practices in a response to Duffy last month. In that letter, Leerhsen claimed crime on the Blue Line specifically had dropped 30% over last year. Crime on the system overall had dropped 12% since 2022, she said.
After the Blue Line attack, Duffy took to social media to renew his criticism of the agency’s approach to public safety.
“This horrific attack is EXACTLY why we need communities to take safety seriously. Blue cities cannot allow another Iryna Zarutska to happen,” Duffy wrote in a post on X, referring to a 23-year-old woman killed in an apparently random fatal stabbing attack on a commuter train in North Carolina. “My mission is to make public transit safe again!” he wrote.
Similar to Reed, the man accused of killing Zarutska is facing a federal charge.
In a statement earlier this week about the arson attack, the CTA said it had a “multi-pronged approach” to public safety and that it had been working closely with Chicago police to aid their investigation.
River-Racing y Boca-Talleres animan octavos de final de torneo Clausura de Argentina
Por DÉBORA REY
BUENOS AIRES (AP) — River Plate buscará revertir un presente adverso en la visita a Racing Club, mientras Boca Juniors recibirá a Talleres, dirigido por el ídolo boquense Carlos Tevez, en los octavos de final del torneo Clausura de Argentina que se disputarán este fin de semana.
Los ocho mejores equipos de cada una de las dos zonas se cruzarán entre sí a un solo partido en el estadio del rival que más puntos sumó en la fase regular que concluyó la semana pasada.
River llega a esta instancia de capa caída luego de tres partidos sin triunfos ni goles a favor, entre ellos la derrota 2-0 en el clásico ante Boca. La magra cosecha lo dejó fuera de los puestos de clasificación directa a la Copa Libertadores y puso bajo cuestionamiento a su multicampeón entrenador Marcelo Gallardo.
El conjunto millonario está obligado a ganar el trofeo para entrar a la próxima Libertadores o bien espetar que alguno de los equipos ya clasificados gane la liga y libere cupo.
Tras el traspié en semifinales de la Libertadores, Racing hilvanó una serie de resultados positivos para meterse en los octavos de final del torneo local y se perfila como uno de los candidatos para el choque del lunes, pese a la baja de varias de sus figuras por lesión.
Boca dejó atrás un primer semestre para el olvido y superó el impacto por la muerte de su entrenador Miguel Russo para terminar como el mejor equipo de su zona bajo el mando del interino Claudio Úbeda. También se aseguró su participación en la Libertadores después de dos años de ausencia.
Los boquenses parten como favoritos para el duelo ante Talleres el domingo en el estadio La Bombonera. La presencia en el banco rival del entrenador Tevez, exfutbolista surgido de la cantera boquense y luego multicampeón, le da un condimento especial al partido.
La definición del certamen estuvo precedida la controvertida consagración de Rosario Central el jueves como el mejor equipo de la temporada por haber sumado más puntos en la tabla anual que define la clasificación a torneos internacionales y los descensos de categoría.
La Asociación del Fútbol Argentino (AFA) bajo el mando de Claudio Tapia reglamentó el nuevo trofeo con la competencia en macha, lo cual generó una catarata de críticas.
Estudiantes La Plata emitió un comunicado en el que denunció que la decisión de AFA fue inconsulta con el resto de los clubes. La nota fue repostada por el presidente de la nación, Javier Milei, quien ha cuestionado públicamente la conducción del fútbol argentino.
Con este antecedente, Central, liderado por Ángel Di María, recibirá el domingo a Estudiantes.
Los octavos se completan con: Vélez Sarsfield-Argentinos y Central Córdoba-San Lorenzo (sábado); Deportivo Riestra-Barracas y Unión-Gimnasia (lunes) y Lanús-Tigre (miércoles).
En caso de igualdad al cabo de los 90 minutos, se recurrirá a un tiempo suplementario de 30 minutos (dos tiempos de 15) y de persistir la igualdad, se ejecutará una serie de tiros desde el punto penal.
5 things to watch in the Chicago Bears-Pittsburgh Steelers game — plus our Week 12 predictions
Could this finally be the last time the Chicago Bears have to deal with Aaron Rodgers?
This could be the last hurrah for Rodgers, who is on a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The four-time MVP quarterback turns 42 years old on Dec. 2.
Sunday’s matchup between the Bears and the Steelers at Soldier Field could be one final chapter in a rivalry that has spanned 15 seasons from when Rodgers became the starter in Green Bay in 2008 through his final season with the Packers in 2022. He is 24-5 all-time in his starts against the Bears — and 1-0 in the postseason.
He might be in a different uniform and there might be a few more shades of gray in his beard, but you can bet Bears fans want to beat Rodgers.
The Bears (7-3) will take on the Steelers (6-4) on Sunday at Soldier Field (noon, CBS-2). Here are five things to watch ahead of Week 12 – plus the Tribune’s predictions for the game.
1. Caleb Williams vs. one of his idols.
Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers gets up after being sacked during the first half against the Bengals on Nov. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has never been shy about who he modeled his game after as a kid, particularly when it comes to making throws on the run.
“Watching Aaron Rodgers – I know he’s a Green Bay guy – watching Aaron Rodgers and all his times these past 19, 20 years, he can do unbelievable things,” Williams said after his second NFL preseason game in August 2024. “Right. Left. Running straight. All these other things. Just practicing it over time. Perfecting it.”
Bears fans can forgive Williams, a rookie then, for not knowing that he’s not supposed to say nice things about the Packers.
Rodgers, 41, has always been one of the first quarterbacks Williams, 24, mentions when asked about his idols growing up. The arm strength and the mobility from Rodgers’ younger years was something Williams admired.
Now, Williams will find himself squaring off against Rodgers this weekend. Or, at least, that’s the hope. Rodgers has a fractured left wrist (his non-throwing hand), which puts his status in doubt.
Williams has said he always wants to play against the best, so he’s hoping Rodgers will play. Rodgers isn’t necessarily the same player he was 10 years ago, but it could still be a cool moment for Williams.
“There are probably a couple quarterbacks in the world that have been able to spin the ball the way that he does,” Williams said. “Growing up as a kid, when you find and realize how hard it is to play this position, you admire some of the things he’s been able to do over this long career he’s had.”
Rodgers was a limited participant in practice on Thursday. He wore a brace on his left wrist. The Steelers will release their final injury report with Rodgers’ game status on Friday.
2. Player in the spotlight
Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt enters the field before a game against the Bengals on Nov. 16, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt
If the Steelers are going to make life hard on Williams and the Bears offense, the Pittsburgh defensive line will likely play a big part in that.
Three Steelers edge rushers have more than five sacks: Nick Herbig (6 ½ sacks), T.J. Watt (6 sacks) and Alex Highsmith (5 ½ sacks). The Steelers also have seven-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Cameron Heyward working on the inside.
This should be yet another tough test for the Bears offensive line. Bears coach Ben Johnson said what makes the Steelers so lethal is their quick first step off the edge.
“They got some werewolves on the outside,” Johnson said. “Between (Highsmith) and (Watt), I mean some of the best first steps I think you’ll see in this league.”
That speed puts an extra emphasis this week on Williams not dropping too deep on passing plays. Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle explained that when the QB drops deeper, it becomes more challenging for the offensive tackles, who have their backs turned to the quarterback.
“They’re always trying to put themselves between the rusher and the ball, and so the deeper you get, the harder that becomes on those tackles,” Doyle said.
Left tackle Theo Benedet and right tackle Darnell Wright will have their hands full on Sunday.
The Bears have faced Watt just once since he entered the league in 2017. In a 2021 matchup on “Monday Night Football” in Pittsburgh, Watt totaled three sacks against Justin Fields and the Bears. A seven-time Pro Bowler, Watt is as dangerous as they come off the edge. He primarily lines up on the left side of the defensive formation, squaring off with the offense’s right tackle.
3. Can the Bears keep the turnovers coming?
Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson celebrates after recovering a fumble in the first quarter against the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sept. 28, 2025. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson said if he grabs an interception from Rodgers this weekend, it’s going to the top of his trophy case.
One thing that might thwart that plan, though, is Rodgers’ health. With a veteran like Rodgers – who has played in 258 NFL games – it’s easy to assume that an injury to his non-throwing hand is unimportant. But Rodgers’ status remains very much in doubt. If he doesn’t play Sunday, the Bears could see backup Mason Rudolph.
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“Really it doesn’t matter who throws the ball,” Stevenson said. “The best thing I can do is put myself in position to go catch it when I see it.”
The Bears have been doing a lot of that lately. They had another two interceptions last week against the Vikings. They lead the NFL with 22 total takeaways and with a plus-16 turnover margin.
Safety Kevin Byard currently leads all NFL players with five interceptions.
“I just think it’s the (opportunities),” Byard said. “Honestly, even last year I feel like I dropped two. I felt like I should have had multi-interceptions last year as well. Just getting the (opportunities) and taking advantage of those. … It’s been a very fun year. It’s fun to do it while we’re winning.”
Those takeaways are a big reason why the Bears are winning games right now. Statistically, the Bears defense ranks 27th in yards allowed per game. A lot of times this year it feels boom or bust based on whether the defense has a turnover or not.
Rudolph, if he plays, has thrown 20 interceptions in 32 career appearances (including 18 starts). If Rodgers does play, it’s another story. He historically takes care of the football better than any quarterback in history — and his 1.4% interception rate is tied for the best ever (with journeyman veteran Jacoby Brissett).
“I want to play against him,” Byard said. “You want to play against the best quarterback, especially him.”
4. Keep an eye on …
Steelers’ Darnell Washington stiff arms the Bengals’ Barrett Carter during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium on Nov. 16, 2025 in Pittsburgh. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
The Steelers’ 300-pound tight end.
Well, allegedly 300 pounds.
Darnell Washington officially is listed at 264 pounds, but that number isn’t fooling anybody. Washington went viral last week when he brutally stiff-armed a Bengals defender and head-butted another on the same play. The size difference between Washington and the Bengals defenders in that viral clip was comical, like Shaquille O’Neal playing pickup basketball with middle schoolers.
After much speculation, Washington revealed on a podcast this week that his actual weight is 311 pounds – which legitimately makes him heavier than some offensive linemen in the NFL. The Steelers are using that to their advantage because Washington can still move at that size. He has been much more involved in the Steelers offense lately, with nine catches over the last three weeks.
Stevenson, the Bears cornerback, played with Washington when both were at Georgia in 2020. Stevenson said Washington has always been a freak athlete.
“It was shocking at Georgia when he was doing it,” Stevenson said of Washington’s athleticism. “To see that he’s honed in on it and now he’s hurdling people, it’s crazy. Definitely excited to go against him.”
As for how you tackle a behemoth like Washington?
“You gotta want to,” Stevenson said.
There’s no strategy against a monster like that, other than holding on for dear life.
5. Injury updates.
Bears linebacker Noah Sewell tackles Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson in the first quarter on Sept. 21, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
Both teams will release their final injury reports after practice Friday.
Rodgers is the biggest name to watch. He was limited with the left wrist injury Thursday after sitting out practice a day earlier on Wednesday.
For the Bears, linebackers Tremaine Edmunds (groin), T.J. Edwards (hand/hamstring) and Noah Sewell (elbow) have yet to practice this week.
Offensive tackles Theo Benedet (quad) and Darnell Wright (pectoral/back) have been limited by injuries in practice, as has center Drew Dalman (knee) and corner Tyrique Stevenson (hip/calf).
Cornerbacks Kyler Gordon (calf) and Jaylon Johnson (groin) returned to practice but will need to be activated off injured reserve if they’re going to play. Johnson was a full participant on Thursday, while Gordon was limited. When Gordon and Johnson return, the Bears might have too many starting-caliber cornerbacks on the roster – but that’s a good problem to have.
Week 12 predictions
Brad Biggs (7-3)
Ben Johnson has alluded to the kind of identity he’s been working to shape with his football team since arriving. He wants to be known for a physical brand of ball across all three phases. This clash with the Steelers promises to be a pretty good measuring stick for how rough and tumble the Bears are. They’ve been on a roll when it comes to winning games in dramatic fashion late in the fourth quarter. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has found ways to succeed with key parts missing every week. If it’s going to be a real tussle decided in the trenches, the Bears rate the edge because they’ve been able to run the ball with terrific success since the bye week.
Bears 27, Steelers 20
Sean Hammond (8-2)
The Bears keep finding ways to win, and I think they will again. Aaron Rodgers or no Aaron Rodgers, the Bears are capable of winning this game. They handled a formidable Giants defensive front two weeks ago and face another good one in the Steelers. Pittsburgh is allowing a league-worst 261.7 passing yards per game. The Bears are still going to lean on their run game, but don’t be surprised if Caleb Williams puts together a decent performance on Sunday.
Bears 20, Steelers 17
Phil Thompson (7-3)
Injuries on both sides make this a really tough call. Of course, Aaron Rodgers teased his return by practicing Thursday despite a left wrist injury. The Rodgers factor weighs heavily into whether he’ll still “own the Bears” – just in black and gold instead of green and gold. If it’s Mason Rudolph behind center (who was once behind Mitch Trubisky on the depth chart), that feels a little less daunting. But if Rodgers is just slightly impaired, this sad script writes itself.
Steelers 24, Bears 23
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/21/chicago-bears-pittsburgh-steelers-predictions/
Did Wendy’s Just Lose The QSR War
Did Wendy’s Just Lose The QSR War
Fast-food chains are locked in a fierce multi-year battle for low- and middle-income consumers, rolling out value meals and discounts to protect market share. But as budget-conscious customers pull back on spending, one apparent casualty of this fight has emerged: Wendy’s.
Wendy’s third-quarter results showed net sales down 4.4%, with same-restaurant sales falling 4.7%, driven by weaker foot traffic and higher labor costs.
Interim CEO/CFO Ken Cook told investors that the fast-food chain with 6,000 US stores faces “urgency” to return to growth.
“I am pleased by the strong performance as we continue to prioritize accelerating international expansion. In our U.S. business, sales remain under pressure,” Cook told investors on a recent earnings call.
He noted, “And we are acting with urgency to return U.S. comp sales to growth. We are making meaningful progress on key actions to enhance the customer experience, and we are seeing this payoff in our U.S. company-operated restaurants, which significantly outperformed the overall system in the third quarter.”
Expanding on the traffic slowdown, Goldman analysts led by Christine Cho cite Placer.ai location data showing that Wendy’s foot traffic sharply deteriorated since mid-summer and collapsed this fall. This data is based on anonymized real-world mobile-device signals.
Data from Bloomberg Second Measure of sales and average transaction value growth also showed rapid deceleration.
Bloomberg data also showed web traffic growth imploded. The analysts noted the decline “lapped the SpongeBob SquarePants collaboration.”
QSR Wars
Cook told investors that a “comprehensive turnaround plan” called Project Fresh is underway to drive profitable growth and long-term value across the U.S. market, though whether it delivers remains to be seen.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 11/21/2025 – 12:45
Berrettini da ventaja a Italia ante Bélgica en semifinal de la Copa Davis
Associated Press
BOLONIA, Italia (AP) — Matteo Berrettini venció a Raphael Collignon 6-3, 6-4 para darle a Italia, campeona defensora en dos ocasiones, la ventaja contra Bélgica el viernes en su semifinal de la Copa Davis.
El número 56 del ranking, Berrettini, subcampeón de Wimbledon en 2021 con diez títulos individuales en el circuito, aseguró el primer set con su servicio contra el número 86, Collignon.
Collignon perdió su servicio inicial del segundo set, pero recuperó el quiebre para igualar 2-2. Berrettini resistió los tiros agresivos para romper el servicio y ponerse 4-3, y ganó en su primer punto de partido con un juego en blanco.
Más tarde el viernes, el número 22 Flavio Cobolli se enfrentó al número 43 Zizou Bergs en el segundo partido individual en la ciudad italiana de Bolonia. Ninguno de los belgas ha ganado un título individual en el circuito masculino.
Italia o Bélgica se enfrentará al ganador de la semifinal del sábado entre Alemania y España.
Sin Sinner ni Alcaraz
Italia estuvo sin Jannik Sinner, número dos del ranking. El campeón de cuatro Grand Slam, quien llevó a Italia a los títulos en 2023 y 2024, optó por no participar. Retuvo el título de las Finales ATP el domingo, venciendo al número 1 Carlos Alcaraz en la final.
Alcaraz, ganador de seis grandes torneos, sufrió una lesión en el tendón de la corva derecha en ese partido y luego se retiró de la acción de la Copa Davis.
La Final ocho de la Copa Davis es la sexta edición del evento renovado que decide al campeón en un sitio neutral.
___
Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Montañas olímpicas de Milán-Cortina están cubiertas de nieve tras primera gran tormenta
Por ANDREW DAMPF
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italia (AP) — Las montañas que albergarán los próximos Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno de Milán-Cortina han sido golpeadas por su primera tormenta de nieve significativa de la temporada.
En las secciones superiores del recorrido Olympia delle Tofane en Cortina, donde se disputará el esquí alpino femenino para los Juegos del 6 al 22 de febrero, hasta 20 centímetros (casi ocho pulgadas) de nieve habían caído para la mañana del viernes.
Todavía había algo de hierba larga asomando por la nieve en algunos lugares, pero la pista, y las áreas circundantes, ahora están de un blanco invernal.
“Tenemos en la cima 20 centímetros de nieve realmente fresca, nieve ligera, y (en la meta) tenemos 15 (seis pulgadas)”, dijo Matteo Gobbo, el gerente deportivo del lugar del comité organizador local para el esquí femenino. “Esto debería ser una buena base para mejorar la producción de nieve con la nieve artificial.
“Nuestro objetivo es tener entre 80 centímetros (más de dos ½ pies) y un metro (tres pies) de nieve en el recorrido”, añadió Gobbo en una entrevista con The Associated Press en el área de llegada de Tofane.
Eso es un poco más de la cantidad de nieve con la que Gobbo y su equipo suelen trabajar para las carreras anuales de la Copa del Mundo en Cortina. Pero para los Juegos Olímpicos, se requiere más nieve porque hay más carreras, más competidores y, en general, muchas más personas en la pendiente.
“Y esto consume la nieve y reduce la superficie durante los Juegos Olímpicos y luego los Paralímpicos”, dijo Gobbo.
La cobertura mínima de nieve requerida para las carreras de la Copa del Mundo es de 35 centímetros (un poco más de un pie).
“No queremos tener un recorrido fácil, sino un buen recorrido para todos, porque en los Juegos Olímpicos, esperamos a los mejores atletas pero también a todos los otros atletas que puedan (calificar)”, dijo Gobbo. “Queremos evitar tener lesiones, caídas y demás. Queremos simplemente tener un espectáculo realmente, realmente bueno”.
Las gradas portátiles para los espectadores aún necesitan ser erigidas en el área de llegada, que todavía está a mitad de camino de la montaña.
El plan actual es tener una capacidad de espectadores de 3.500, pero Gobbo dijo que los organizadores están considerando agregar otras 1.000 personas si pueden erigir una nueva góndola temporal desde el centro de la ciudad.
La construcción de la nueva góndola cerca del área de llegada ha generado preocupaciones ambientales después de que se desarrollaran sumideros en medio de las pistas de esquí recreativas.
“Es un problema”, dijo Gobbo sobre cómo llevar a tanta gente a la montaña, con la opción principal de un solo camino estrecho, empinado y ventoso.
También nevó en el centro de Cortina y en Bormio, donde se llevará a cabo el esquí alpino masculino en los Juegos Olímpicos.
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Andrew Dampf está en https://x.com/AndrewDampf
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Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
The New Bubble: How AI And Passive Investing Have Turned The Market Into A Powder Keg
The New Bubble: How AI And Passive Investing Have Turned The Market Into A Powder Keg
Authored by Chris Macintosh via InternationalMan.com,
The US equity market is a bubble.
Here is why:
In my mind, to be defined as a “bubble” the potential for a sudden “pop” needs to be there.
No matter how you define it, the probability of an extremely large drawdown in the S&P 500 has exponentially increased in the past few years.
This doesn’t mean it is a high probability — it just means the tail has gotten much fatter.
The main reason for this is index concentration is now being coupled with earnings concentration.
Firstly, passive investing has clearly contributed to the top market caps consistently outperforming over the past decade.
Passive is inherently pro-momentum. As these stocks were rewarded, it became easier for the companies to use their balance sheet for buying up competitors, seeking top talent, cheap access to debt so they could buy back more shares, etc.
It has been a snowball of positive forces for the big tech space in the past 15 years and FLOWS have been a big part of it.
However, what has notably changed in the past few years is that their actual earnings have become much more correlated.
Yes, Google and Meta at the end of the day are ad companies. Those ads are seen on the screen of an iPhone. They feed Amazon orders. And all of that runs on the cloud behind the scenes.
So in a way they have always had very correlated earnings growth, but now they are intertwining even more.
Headlines from the past 12 months to give a taste:
NVDA to invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI in AI infrastructure tie-up
MSFT, NVDA among backers as OpenAI closes $6.6 billion funding round
AMZN pumps additional $4 billion into Anthropic
META makes $14.3 billion bet on Scale
META to spend “hundreds of billions” on AI data centers
Apple, Nvidia in talks to join new OpenAI funding round
Oracle, OpenAI, SoftBank partner on “Stargate” AI infrastructure JV
The Mag 7’s earnings as a percentage of the overall index has surged higher. That is because they are feeding each other’s growth now. Their balance sheets are becoming more and more intertwined while their market caps have become fueled by similar hopes.
The point here is this: passive investing led to an increase in correlation of these stocks and contributed to their outperformance. But now, AI has led to a further increase in correlation at the fundamental level.
To me, this is now what defines this market as a bubble. It is not about all-time high valuations. It is the fact that the stocks are all being pushed higher by similar forces (passive flows and buybacks) while at the fundamental level they are becoming more intertwined by the OBVIOUSLY permeable, flammable, and house-of-cards AI euphoria.
Speaking of nuts…
Things You Don’t See at Bottoms
We have just had 27 leveraged 3x and 5x single stock ETFs filed by Volatility Shares.
3x AMD ETF
3x AMZN ETF
3x COIN ETF
3x CRCL ETF
3x GOOGL ETF
3x MSTR ETF
3x NVDA ETF
3x PLTR ETF
3x TSLA ETF
3x Bitcoin ETF
3x Ether ETF
3x Solana ETF
3x XRP ETF
3x VIX ETF
5x AMD ETF
5x AMZN ETF
5x COIN ETF
5x CRCL ETF
5x GOOGL ETF
5x MSTR ETF
5x NVDA ETF
5x PLTR ETF
5x TSLA ETF
5x Bitcoin ETF
5x Ether ETF
5x Solana ETF
5x XRP ETF
From a broader perspective…
These “5x bullish” ETFs are scheduled to be listed towards the end of the year.
We believe this may accurately coincide with a top in the market. Great caution is now warranted… if you’ve been with us for some time you will know that we shy away from bombastic sensationalist type of commentary and so we do not say this lightly. This is the most apprehensive we have been since the GFC for the Nasdaq and S&P 500 at least!
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As markets levitate on the same narrow set of names and the feedback loop tightens, investors would do well to step back and consider what happens when the momentum finally breaks. In our special report, Clash of the Systems: Thoughts on Investing at a Unique Point in Time, we take a hard look at the structural imbalances shaping this moment — and how to navigate the risks and opportunities they create. Read the full report here for free.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 11/21/2025 – 12:25
DNC Pulls $15 Million Loan As A Lifeline Amid Rudderless Party
DNC Pulls $15 Million Loan As A Lifeline Amid Rudderless Party
The Democratic National Committee quietly took out a $15 million loan in October to replenish its depleted accounts, according to The New York Times, citing Federal Election Commission filings.
“While it is true that party committees often take out loans and lines of credit, it is relatively rare for the D.N.C. to do so at this early point in an election cycle,” the NYT noted.
This early-cycle borrowing is unusual and underscores the party’s financial strain, and as many on X suggested:
When USAID was stopped , the GRIFT was shutdown! Bravo🙌🏼🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Z8To3ebGiW
— Trader Joe (@Manager_of_Risk) November 21, 2025
Entering November, the DNC reported $18.3 million on hand, of which $15 million came from the loan. Across party lines, the GOP reported in the FEC filings that it had $91.2 million in cash and no debt.
DNC Chairman Ken Martin told the outlet that the move to “invest early” is to expand staff back to 250, boosting state-party funding by up to 50% and ramping up organizing efforts that trained 17,000 volunteers and made millions of voter contacts.
Mega donors are still furious with the DNC after Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign plundered the DNC’s coffers by spending $1.5 billion in 15 weeks that only ended in an embarrassing presidential election loss.
Meanwhile, the party is being overrun by anti-American Democratic Socialists of America, who plan to plunder the nation’s inheritance on socialist policies, with many on the radical left catering to illegal aliens rather than native born Americans. The party is rudderless with guardrails off, and some Democrats are openly embracing Marxism.
The Democrats’ Marxist agenda for New York is Communism 101, but the disastrous consequences will be felt across our entire nation.
A government big enough to give you everything “for free,” is also big enough to take it all away! Say GOODBYE to your freedom.
As President… https://t.co/RsDFA5eDk4
— Mike Johnson (@MikeJohnson) October 28, 2025
Also, the Democratic Party’s billionaire-funded network of NGOs is under intense scrutiny after financing and supporting civil disobedience nationwide. The globalists’ ongoing color-revolution-style operation against President Trump – and to derail the America First agenda – is being carried out through the dark universe of the nonprofit world. The clock is ticking for the White House to “dismantle” these dark networks that sow chaos.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 11/21/2025 – 12:05
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/dnc-pulls-15-million-loan-lifeline-amid-rudderless-party
Pontifical secret revealed: Pope Leo XIV changes his Wordle start word each day
ROME — Pope Leo XIV opened a virtual meeting with American Catholic young people Friday by revealing a closely held pontifical secret: He uses a different Wordle start word each day.
Leo divulged his strategy playing the popular New York Times online game before fielding questions via videoconference about artificial intelligence, social media and the future of the Catholic Church.
Leo was hooked up from the Vatican to speak remotely to the National Catholic Youth Conference, an annual Catholic rally held this year in Indianapolis, via a feed from U.S. Catholic broadcaster EWTN.
Gov. JB Pritzker meets pope in Rome, discussing Trump’s Chicago immigration crackdown
After Leo’s election in May, his brother John Prevost revealed that Leo plays Wordle every day and that the brothers compare notes, as many friends and family do.
Leo was asked about his strategy at the start of Friday’s Q&A, which was otherwise somewhat scripted. Playing along, Leo revealed “I use a different word for Wordle every day, so there’s no set starting word.”
The simple, free online puzzle lets players guess a five-letter word in six tries with no hints and has millions of daily players around the world.
