Category: News
Starmer y Xi piden estrechar lazos entre Reino Unido y China mientras Trump altera alianzas globales
Por KEN MORITSUGU
BEIJING (AP) — Los líderes de Reino Unido y China pidieron el jueves una “asociación estratégica integral” para ampliar los lazos entre ambas naciones en un momento de creciente incertidumbre global.
Ninguno de los dos mencionó públicamente a Donald Trump, pero los desafíos del presidente de Estados Unidos al orden posterior a la Guerra Fría estaban claramente en sus mentes.
“Creo que trabajar juntos en temas como el cambio climático y la estabilidad global durante tiempos difíciles para el mundo es precisamente lo que deberíamos estar haciendo mientras construimos esta relación de la manera que he descrito”, dijo Starmer le dijo a Xi en sus declaraciones iniciales.
Los dos mandatarios se reunieron en el Gran Salón del Pueblo, en el centro de Beijing, mientras sus naciones tratan de mejorar las relaciones tras años de acritud. Sus lazos se deteriorado por las acusaciones de espionaje chino en suelo británico, el apoyo de China a Rusia en la guerra de Ucrania y la represión de las libertades en Hong Kong, una antigua colonia británica que devuelta a China en 1997. La de Starmer es la primera visita de un primer ministro de Reino Unido en ocho años.
“Las relaciones entre China y Reino Unido sufrieron reveses en años anteriores, lo cual no benefició a los intereses de ninguno de los dos países”, manifestó Xi. “En la compleja y cambiante situación internacional actual (…) China y Reino Unido necesitan fortalecer el diálogo y la cooperación para mantener la paz y la estabilidad mundial”.
Xi también pareció reconocer las críticas que ha enfrentado Starmer por acercarse a Beijing a pesar de las preocupaciones en materia de seguridad nacional y derechos humanos. Reino Unido aprobó recientemente un polémico proyecto para la construcción de una enorme embajada china en Londres, lo que eliminó un punto de fricción en las relaciones bilaterales al tiempo que ignoró los temores a que la “mega-embajada” facilitaría el espionaje y la intimidación a disidentes por parte de China.
“Las cosas buenas suelen venir acompañadas de dificultades”, dijo Xi. “Mientras sea lo correcto de acuerdo con los intereses fundamentales del país y su pueblo, los líderes no rehuirán las dificultades y seguirán hacia adelante con valentía”.
Starmer, que asumió como primer ministro en julio de 2024, ha dicho que protegerá la seguridad nacional mientras mantiene el diálogo diplomático y la cooperación económica con China. Le dijo a Xi que había “pasado demasiado tiempo” desde la última visita de un premier británico.
“Hice la promesa hace 18 meses, cuando fuimos elegidos para el gobierno, de que haría que Reino Unido volviese a mirar al exterior”, afirmó el líder del Partido Laborista de centroizquierda. “Porque, como todos sabemos, los acontecimientos en el extranjero afectan a todo lo que sucede en nuestros países, desde los precios en los supermercados hasta cómo de seguros nos sentimos”.
Su gobierno ha tenido problemas para cumplir con su promesa de crecimiento económico y para aliviar una crisis del costo de vida que afecta a millones de hogares.
Más de 50 altos ejecutivos de empresas acompañan a Starmer en el viaje, además de los líderes de algunas organizaciones culturales, en un intento de ampliar las oportunidades para las compañías británicas en el gigante asiático.
Las perturbaciones en el comercio global desde el regreso de Trump a la Casa Blanca han hecho que ampliar el comercio y la inversión sea más urgente para muchos gobiernos. Starmer es el cuarto líder de un aliado de Estados Unidos que visita Beijing este mes, tras los de Corea del Sur, Canadá y Finlandia. Se espera que el canciller de Alemania lo haga en febrero.
El líder británico se reunió antes el jueves con Zhao Leji, presidente de la legislatura china, el Congreso Nacional del Pueblo. Se espera que Londres y Beijing firmen una serie de acuerdos más tarde en el día.
Uno intentará frenar el comercio de motores de barco chinos utilizados por los contrabandistas de personas para trasladar a migrantes a suelo británico a través del canal de la Mancha. Más de la mitad de los motores provienen de China, de acuerdo con el gobierno de Reino Unido. Según ese pacto, las agencias seguridad británicas trabajarán con las autoridades y fabricantes chinos para evitar que los motores terminen en manos de bandas criminales.
___
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
LeBron James, entre lágrimas durante homenaje, dice no saber si volverá a jugar en Cleveland
Por JOE REEDY
CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James no sabe si la noche del miércoles marcó su último viaje a Cleveland como jugador.
Si James no regresa, los Cavaliers y sus fanáticos continuaron haciéndole saber cuánto significa para ellos.
James se emocionó durante un homenaje en video que se reprodujo durante una pausa en el primer cuarto. El astro originario de la cercana localidad de Akron, de 41 años, se secó los ojos con una toalla después de que se reprodujo el video.
“Definitivamente me afectó un poco, seguro. Creo que esto se deriva de estar presente aquí. No fueron los momentos destacados. Fue simplemente estar presente. Estoy tratando de vivir el momento porque no sé si es mi última vez aquí”, reconoció James después de la derrota de los Lakers de Los Ángeles por 129-99 ante los Cavaliers.
“En cada arena visitante en la que he estado, estoy tratando de aprovechar cada momento porque muy bien podría ser la última vez. Y obviamente, significa un poco más para mí personalmente porque crecí a 35 minutos al sur de aquí”.
Con 7:46 minutos restantes en el primer cuarto, los Cavaliers mostraron momentos destacados de James, anotando 25 puntos consecutivos durante el quinto partido de las Finales de la Conferencia Este de 2007 contra los Pistons de Detroit.
Los Cavaliers ganaron ese duelo por 109-107 en doble tiempo extra para tomar la delantera en la serie. James terminó con 48 puntos, nueve rebotes y siete asistencias.
En el siguiente duelo, los Cavs vencieron a los Pistons en Cleveland para avanzar a las Finales de la NBA por primera vez.
“No esperaba eso, pero obviamente hay muchos recuerdos aquí, mucha historia. Recuerdo ese momento como si fuera ayer. Fue un momento genial”, dijo James.
Fue la primera vez que los Cavaliers honraron a James reproduciendo momentos destacados de ese partido. Usualmente han mostrado videos del séptimo partido de las Finales de la NBA de 2016, cuando Cleveland ganó su primer campeonato, o cuando el astro de Akron fue la primera selección general en el draft de 2003.
James pasó 11 temporadas en dos periodos con los Cavs. Se fue como agente libre en 2018 para unirse a los Lakers.
“Es un juego emotivo en general. Durante el video-homenaje se podía ver que regresar aquí es importante para él. Hay un elemento humano en todo esto”, dijo el entrenador de los Lakers, JJ Redick.
El resto del encuentro terminó siendo una pesadilla para James y los Lakers.
James sumó apenas 11 puntos, la primera vez en sus 13 visitas a Cleveland como jugador contrario que ha sido mantenido por debajo de los 20. Atinó sólo tres de 10 tiros de campo y ninguno de sus tres triples en 27 minutos.
Fue la peor derrota de James en Cleveland como jugador visitante. Tiene un récord de 10-3, pero ha estado en el lado perdedor en sus dos últimas visitas.
“Cada vez es especial y te recuerda lo que está tratando de hacer por la ciudad y ver el amor que recibió”, dijo el base de los Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell, quien totalizó 25 puntos.
El único momento destacado para James en la segunda mitad fue ver a su hijo, Bronny James, jugar los últimos ocho minutos. El joven James, quien anotó su primera canasta en la NBA en Cleveland la temporada pasada, sumó ocho puntos, incluyendo un par de triples.
“Fue un momento bastante genial para él y para nuestra familia. Y mi mamá está aquí viendo a su hijo y a su nieto”, dijo LeBron James. “Es genial y surrealista que mi mamá pueda ver a su hijo y a su nieto jugar en la NBA”.
Bien entrado en una temporada récord número 23, James ha reiterado que no sabe qué depara el futuro, pero espera al menos un viaje más a Cleveland.
“No he pensado ni siquiera en una gira de despedida. Creo que eso vendrá después (de la temporada)”, dijo. “Hace ocho años, cuando me fui a Los Ángeles, si me hubieras preguntado si todavía estaría jugando en el ’26, habría dicho que no.
“Sigo jugando este deporte a un alto nivel y todavía amo el proceso. Se trata de cuánto jugo puedo exprimir de esta naranja. Estoy en una batalla con el Padre Tiempo y lo estoy tomando un poco personal”.
_____
Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
La esperanza de vida en EEUU alcanzó su máximo histórico en 2024, según CDC
Por MIKE STOBBE
NUEVA YORK (AP) — La esperanza de vida en Estados Unidos aumentó a 79 años en 2024, la cifra más alta en la historia del país.
Es el resultado no solo de la desaparición de la pandemia del COVID-19, sino también de la disminución de las tasas de mortalidad de todas las principales causas de muerte en el país, incluidas las enfermedades cardíacas, el cáncer y las sobredosis de drogas.
Además, las estadísticas preliminares sugieren que la mejora continuará en 2025.
“Es una buena noticia en todos los aspectos”, dijo Robert Anderson, del Centro Nacional de Estadísticas de Salud de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC, por sus siglas en inglés), que publicó los datos de 2024 el jueves.
La esperanza de vida, una variable fundamental para calibrar la salud de una población, es una estimación de la media de años que un bebé nacido en un año determinado podría esperar vivir, teniendo en cuenta las tasas de mortalidad en ese momento.
Durante décadas, la esperanza de vida en Estados Unidos aumentó al menos un poco casi cada año gracias a los avances médicos y las medidas de salud pública. Alcanzó su punto máximo en 2014, cuando se situó algo por debajo de los 79 años.
Se mantuvo relativamente estable durante varios años antes de caer en picado cuando la pandemia del COVID-19 mató a más de 1,2 millones de estadounidenses. En 2021, la esperanza de vida bajó a poco menos de 76 años y medio. Desde entonces, ha ido en aumento.
Los datos reflejan no solo un cambio radical con respecto a la pandemia, sino también una mejora duradera en la epidemia de sobredosis por drogas, señaló Andrew Stokes, investigador de la Universidad de Boston.
La mala noticia es que Estados Unidos todavía se encuentra por debajo de docenas de países, agregó.
“Queda mucho más por hacer”, manifestó Stokes.
En 2024 fallecieron alrededor de 3,07 millones de residentes en Estados Unidos, aproximadamente 18.000 menos que el año anterior. Las tasas de mortalidad disminuyeron en todos los grupos raciales y étnicos, y tanto en hombres como en mujeres.
Las enfermedades cardíacas siguieron siendo la principal causa de muerte en el país, pero causaron un 3% menos de decesos por segundo año consecutivo. Es probable que hayan influido una combinación de factores, como los avances en tratamientos médicos y el control del peso, dijo la doctora Sadiya Khan, que trata y estudia este tipo de patologías en la Universidad Northwestern.
Los fallecimientos por lesiones no intencionales, una categoría que incluye las sobredosis, fueron los que más bajaron, disminuyendo más del 14% en 2024. El COVID-19, que hace solo unos años era la tercera causa de muerte en el país, salió de las 10 primeras en 2024.
La desaparición de la pandemia de los primeros puestos supuso la entrada del suicidio en ese tramo de la clasificación, aunque en 2024 también se redujeron. Los homicidios cayeron ese año, de acuerdo con el reporte publicado esta semana.
Las estadísticas de decesos en 2025 aún no son definitivas, pero los datos preliminares sugieren que se han registrado alrededor de 3,05 millones. La cifra puede aumentar a medida que se recopilen y analicen más certificados de defunción, pero Anderson dijo que espera que el año pasado termine con al menos una ligera mejora respecto a 2024.
___
El Departamento de Salud y Ciencia de Associated Press recibe apoyo del Departamento de Educación Científica del Instituto Médico Howard Hughes y de la Fundación Robert Wood Johnson. La AP es la única responsable de todo el contenido.
___
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Basketball and local scores for the Southland, Aurora, Elgin, Naperville and Lake County
High school and local college results and highlights from the Southland, Aurora, Elgin, Naperville and Lake County coverage areas.
Email Daily Southtown results to southtownsports@gmail.com, Beacon-News, Courier-News and Naperville Sun results to tribwestsports@gmail.com and News-Sun results to newssunsports@gmail.com.
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS
HIGH SCHOOLS
BOYS BASKETBALL
Ag. Science 71, Hansberry 45
Ag. Science (4-16): Bobby White 25 points.
Grayslake Central 46, Grayslake North 35
Grayslake Central (16-7, 7-1 Northern Lake County): Alex Granville 16 points. Carson Woods 12 points.
Grayslake North (9-13, 2-6): Jared Von Donselaar 14 points.
Lemont 54, T.F. South 41
Lemont (14-8, 8-1 SSC Blue): Ryan Crane 18 points.
Naperville Central 65, St. Charles East 45
T.F. North 83, Hammond Central (Ind.) 79 (OT)
T.F. North (9-10): Chris Pulliams 35 points, 13 rebounds. Kahari Ali 17 points, 14 rebounds.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Ag. Science 45, Kelly 5
Aurora Christian 38, Somonauk 36
Burlington Central 55, McHenry 21
Burlington Central (15-8, 9-2 Fox Valley): Audrey LaFleur 13 points.
Grant 43, Antioch 41
Grayslake Central 62, North Chicago 11
Hampshire 57, Prairie Ridge 21
Hampshire (11-12, 6-5 Fox Valley): Veronica Dumoulin 14 points.
Joliet Catholic 50, St. Viator 47
Lake Forest 67, Zion-Benton 30
Lake Zurich 50, Libertyville 28
Lake Zurich (17-8, 10-1 North Suburban): Leah Gilbertston 17 points. Addy Leonard 16 points.
Libertyville (18-5, 9-1): Lily Fisher 14 points.
Lakes 27, Round Lake 24
Marengo 46, Plano 26
Marist 38, Marian Catholic 33
Morgan Park 50, Carver 9
Morgan Park Academy 86, Illinois Lutheran 19
Mundelein 43, Stevenson 39
Nazareth 44, Benet 37
Benet (20-3, 8-1 ESCC): Lucy Tierney 9 points.
Ottawa 33, Kaneland 30
Regina 43, Deerfield 22
St. Charles East 66, Wheaton North 58
St. Charles East (15-9, 8-2 DuKane): Brooklyn Schilb 26 points.
St. Charles North 32, Batavia 18
Thornwood 39, Proviso East 33
Wauconda 67, Grayslake North 41
Wauconda (20-1, 10-0 Northern Lake County): Kelsey Funkhouser 16 points, 5 rebounds. Ashley Maxwell 15 points, 5 rebounds.
Waukegan 59, Warren 29
LOCAL COLLEGES
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Aurora University 94, Benedictine 59
TUESDAY’S RESULTS
HIGH SCHOOLS
BOYS BASKETBALL
Aurora Central Catholic 49, IMSA 42
Batavia 50. South Elgin 25
Bremen 59, Tinley Park 48
Bremen (10-15, 5-4 SSC Blue): Kishawn Gantt 20 points. Carter Luster 16 points.
Brother Rice 58, Wheaton St. Francis 46
Brother Rice (15-8, 3-3 CCL Blue): Zach Grabowski 14 points. Joe Niego 13 points.
Burlington Central 59, McHenry 42
Burlington Central (14-7, 9-2 Fox Valley): Ryan Carpenter 15 points.
Christ the King 80, St. Edward 31
Crystal Lake South 61, Dundee-Crown 48
De La Salle 71, Providence-St. Mel 42
Geneva 68, Larkin 46
Glenbard East 86, Yorkville Christian 78
Yorkville Christian (13-8): Jayden Riley 29 points.
Grant 69, Round Lake 54
Grant (9-10, 5-3 Northern Lake County): Charles Schlicht 20 points. D.J. Stitts 15 points.
Hersey 54, Carmel 50 (OT)
Hoffman Estates 80, Streamwood 28
Hope 63, Aurora Christian 60 (OT)
Indian Creek 64, Parkview Christian 54
Indian Creek (14-5): Parker Murry 16 points.
Jacobs 50, Cary-Grove 46
Jacobs (11-10, 4-6 Fox Valley): Elijah Bell 19 points. Malachi Bell 17 points.
Joliet Catholic 74, St. Ignatius 70
JCA (13-7): Jayden Armstrong 35 points, 5 rebounds. Danny Cervantes 16 points, 5 rebounds.
Joliet West 61, Oswego East 59
Oswego East (14-8, 7-3 Southwest Prairie West): Mason Lockett 22 points. Dshaun Bolden 14 points.
Kaneland 75, Evergreen Park 32
Kaneland (21-0): Marshawn Cocroft 22 points. Connor Kimme 18 points.
Kankakee 67, Bloom 48
Bloom (11-10, 3-4 Southland): Troy Garner 24 points, 10 rebounds.
Lake Forest 60, Zion-Benton 47
Lake Forest (8-13, 2-6 North Suburban): Dominic Mordini 16 points. John White 13 points, 6 rebounds.
Lake Forest Academy 75, Highland Park 43
Leo 69, St. Rita 43
Leo (17-4, 5-0 CCL White): Brian Kizer 14 points. Elon Henderson 14 points.
St. Rita (10-15, 2-3): Eze Nwagwu 15 points.
Libertyville 36, Lake Zurich 32
Libertyville (11-7, 5-2 North Suburban): Jack Cenar 11 points.
Lincoln-Way Central 55, Lincoln-Way West 45
Lincoln-Way East 59, Sandburg 52
Sandburg (14-10, 5-6 SWSC): Will Johnson 22 points.
Lockport 60, Homewood-Flossmoor 48
Marian Catholic 67, Hammond Tech (Ind.) 7
Marmion 53, DeKalb 49
Marmion (13-9): Joey Kramer 16 points, 7 rebounds.
Neuqua Valley 70, Barrington 59
North Chicago 48, Antioch 37
Oak Forest 55, T.F. South 48
Oak Forest (16-7, 8-1 SSC Blue): Neiko LeFlore 20 points, 5 assists.
Oak Lawn 66, Argo 43
Oak Lawn (17-6, 7-2 SSC Red): Marc Harvey 22 points. Jack Dempsey 16 points.
Argo (5-17, 2-7): Darron Greer Jr. 13 points.
Oswego 59, Romeoville 46
Oswego (15-8, 7-4 Southwest Prairie West): Ethan Vahl 23 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals.
Plano 58, Sandwich 47
Plano (12-10, 6-2 Kishwaukee River): Eric Nunez 17 points. Ethan Taxis 14 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists.
Sandwich (7-16, 3-5): Griffin Somock 13 points.
Prairie Ridge 51, Hampshire 35
Hampshire (5-16, 1-9 Fox Valley): Trey Simmons 16 points.
Rich Township 61, Thornwood 59 (OT)
Rich Township (12-11, 5-3 Southland): Kavon Ammons 19 points.
Richards 68, Reavis 55
Richards (12-9, 6-3 SSC Red): Travon Gourdine 17 points. Messiah Horton 16 points.
St. Charles North 82, Bartlett 59
St. Patrick 72, Marist 61
Marist (19-4, 2-1 ESCC): Chuck Barnes 27 points.
Shepard 64, Eisenhower 45
Shepard (12-12, 5-4 SSC Red): Amari Williams 15 points, 7 rebounds. Brendin Thomas 12 rebounds.
Stevenson 65, Mundelein 34
Stevenson (16-6, 5-2 North Suburban): Rocco Pagliocca 18 points, 6 rebounds. Donny Williams 15 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds.
T.F. North 56, Lemont 49
T.F. North (8-10, 4-4 SSC Blue): Chris Pulliams 19 points, 17 rebounds.
Lemont (13-8, 7-1): Ryan Crane 14 points.
Thornton 60, Thornridge 51
Thornton (10-10, 6-2 Southland): Dakari Nesbitt 19 points.
Vernon Hills 61, Buffalo Grove 51
Vernon Hills (16-7): Jeremy Zamost 18 points. Daniel Odhiambo 17 points.
Warren 72, Waukegan 59
Warren (18-2, 8-0 North Suburban): Avonn King 18 points. Jaxson Davis 17 points. Braylon Walker 17 points.
Waukegan (16-6, 6-2): Carter Newsome 26 points.
Wauconda 69, Lakes 44
Wauconda (17-5, 8-0 Northern Lake County): Alex Ortega 25 points. Tony Salemi 20 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals.
Yorkville 63, Joliet Central 48
Yorkville (11-9, 8-3 Southwest Prairie West): Joey Jakstys 22 points. Nate Kubin 14 points.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Dundee-Crown 41, Crystal Lake Central 33
Evanston 65, St. Laurence 39
Evergreen Park 41, Morton 28
Evergreen (19-6): Tatum Haris 17 points.
Glenbard West 56, St. Charles East 41
Harvest-Westminster 61, Walther Christian 28
Homewood-Flossmoor 54, Lockport 42
Joliet Central 56, Yorkville 53
Yorkville (10-12, 4-6 Southwest Prairie West): Sydney McCabe 16 points. Aubrey Spychalski 16 points.
Lincoln-Way East 41, Sandburg 29
Lincoln-Way East (15-10, 5-5 SWSC): Olivia King 16 points.
Sandburg (11-15, 4-8): Ellie Driscoll 13 points.
Mendota 35, Hinckley-Big Rock 17
Oak Lawn 61, Argo 37
Oak Lawn (15-10, 5-4 SSC Red): Bianca Fleitas 13 points. Liv Perry 12 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists.
Oswego 46, Romeoville 28
Parkview Christian 55, Indian Creek 32
Plano 54, Newark 23
Reavis 64, Richards 32
Reavis (13-9): Emily Grochola 22 points, 12 rebounds. Delly Arocho 16 points.
St. Edward 45, Wheaton Academy 18
Shepard 67, Eisenhower 25
Shepard (10-9, 5-4 SSC Red): Jessica Manley 19 points. Savannah Conrad 13 points.
South Elgin 38, West Aurora 29
T.F. North 64, Lemont 24
T.F. North (16-7, 7-1 SSC Blue): Lauryn Jackson 31 points, 16 rebounds.
T.F. South 59, Oak Forest 50
Oak Forest (17-9, 5-5 SSC Blue): Maddie Martinez 25 points.
Vernon Hills 68, Highland Park 48
Vernon Hills (18-5, 8-0 Central Suburban North): Keira Thomas 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals.
Waubonsie Valley 65, DeKalb 53
Yorkville Christian 54, IMSA 21
Compiled by Josh Krockey.
Asking Eric: I want more from life
Dear Eric: I’m in my early 30s and seeing a really great guy. He checks a lot of boxes for me and I’m happy with him. My boyfriend and I said “I love you” to each other a few weeks ago. He said it first, and I said it back. We’ve been dating for about six weeks, so this feels normal. This isn’t my first relationship, but it’s moving more slowly than my other relationships have in the past. I’m OK with that for the most part.
But he won’t ask me to be his girlfriend. We’ve talked about it and he’ll say things like, “that’s definitely where we’re heading.” But that’s it. I’m getting frustrated about it. What can I do?
– Not the Girlfriend
Dear Girlfriend: You can ask him to be your boyfriend. Or, if you don’t want to be that direct, you can tell him that you are interested in taking the relationship to the next level and you want to know what he’s interested in.
If he feels you’re heading toward a committed relationship, it’s fair to ask questions like, how long is this road to a relationship? Are there any obstacles that you see? How fast are we traveling? Is it possible to step on the gas pedal?
Your relationship belongs to both of you, so don’t be afraid to ask for what you want or need. And don’t be afraid to tell him when something isn’t working for you. Love is communication. It’s not just saying “I love you,” it’s also saying “let’s talk about this” and “can you help me understand” and “wow, this one thing is not working for me but this thing between us definitely does work for me and so I’m excited to figure out how to work it all out together with you.”
Dear Eric: I have a loving and attentive husband, two adult children who stay in touch, lots of relatives (many of whom live near me and with whom I have monthly contact.) I am in my late 70s and know well enough that travel, hobbies, classes, causes, work and helping others are ways to get connected. I do these things, but they do not satisfy me.
Most of my closer friends have died or moved away, and I don’t see that attrition changing. I long to have a few close friends that I can call or visit to share daily chitchat and deeper communication. Instead, I have to do all the reaching out, and do not feel that my efforts are returned.
I am aware of “all the lonely people” around me. But I am most aware of my own loneliness. It is profound and raw and unabated.
What is wrong with me? What can I do about this? I think I am caring and considerate, and show interest in others. Why do I not have any close friends at this stage of my life, after being committed to my family and community for so many decades?
– In Search of Connection
Dear Connection: Sometimes when I get into a tough place emotionally, I ask myself “what is real and what do I feel?” Often, the Venn diagram of the two is one solid circle. At other times, there’s some distance. The distance doesn’t make either less valid. Feelings aren’t facts, but it is a fact that I feel and it’s important to honor that. However, feelings and facts often have different remedies.
In your letter, the facts are that you’ve experienced profound loss of some of your foundational connections. This is a part of life, but it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t hurt. It also doesn’t mean that you won’t grieve these friendships and all the things they brought into your life. It’s possible that your grief process is making it even harder to feel connected to the loving husband you mentioned, or your hobbies or your other family members.
So, one thing you can do is talk to a therapist about what has happened and how you feel about it. Sometimes the remedy to loneliness is signing up for a class or introducing oneself to a stranger. But at other times, the remedy comes from deeper, slower internal work with a professional. I encourage you to see if that feels right for you.
This work can also help you figure out what parts of this stage of your life need to be accepted, and what can be pushed back on and changed.
Related Articles
Asking Eric: Look into couple’s counseling
Asking Eric: My time is really important to me
Asking Eric: Should I just back off?
Asking Eric: We can’t afford to tip
Asking Eric: Am I so easily forgettable
Your first question was “what is wrong with me?” Although I don’t know you, I know that you’re not alone in feeling this way. And it’s highly unlikely that you’re to blame for your loneliness. Unfortunately, it’s not an easy fix, but by reaching out and processing what you’re feeling, you can experience a change.
(Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/asking-eric-i-want-more-from-life/
Vietnam y UE refuerzan sus lazos mientras aranceles de Trump transforman el comercio global
Associated Press
HANÓI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam y la Unión Europea elevaron el jueves sus relaciones a una asociación estratégica integral, el nivel diplomático más alto en Vietnam, mientras ambos recalibran el comercio en medio de las perturbaciones financieras globales impulsadas por la presión arancelaria de Estados Unidos.
La revisión coloca a la UE al mismo nivel diplomático que Estados Unidos, China y Rusia, y se anunció durante la visita a Hanói del presidente del Consejo Europeo, António Costa.
“En un momento en que el orden internacional basado en normas se ve amenazado desde múltiples frentes, debemos permanecer unidos como socios fiables y predecibles”, dijo Costa, agregando que la asociación tiene como objetivo “desarrollar esferas de prosperidad compartida”.
El presidente de Vietnam, Luong Cuong, calificó la iniciativa como un “hito histórico”.
Las dos partes firmaron un acuerdo de libre comercio en 2020.
___
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
4 takeaways from No. 2 UCLA’s win over Illinois, including Bruins’ Betts duo and Illini freshmen taking charge
When UCLA coach Cori Close opened her postgame news conference Wednesday night at State Farm Center, she praised a young Illinois team.
Yes, the No. 2 Bruins beat the unranked Illini 80-67. But Close thought the opponents showed composure, aggression and confidence.
“They gave us all we could handle,” she said.
The game pitted a senior-led UCLA team that looks like a national title contender against an up-and-coming Illinois team that started two freshmen, two sophomores and a junior. The Bruins entered the game with a plus-30.9 scoring margin and a 13-game winning streak.
The Illini did their best not to fold, pulling within five points in the third quarter and seven in the fourth before UCLA closed it out.
Here are four takeaways from the game.
1. UCLA’s bench picked up the slack for a quarter without senior center Lauren Betts, but she came up big in the second half.
From the left: Illinois Fighting Illini players Lety Vasconcelos (35) and Cearah Parchment (30) battle UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts (51) for a rebound in the first quarter at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Betts, UCLA’s 6-foot-7 preseason All-American, said she wasn’t happy with herself when she went to the bench with her third foul late in the first quarter.
She was called for a personal foul against Jasmine Brown-Hagger, her second, and then bounced the ball hard in frustration. Officials gave her a technical foul, and suddenly the Bruins had to go without their best player.
Betts sat out the entire second quarter, but she watched with pride as her younger sister, 6-foot-4 freshman Sienna Betts, filled in. Sienna Betts had all 10 of her points and five of her six rebounds in the first half as UCLA built a 45-31 halftime lead.
“I am really proud of Sienna,” Lauren said. “I think freshman year is extremely hard, and especially coming to a program where you’re up against a lot of amazing seniors who are WNBA prospects. She continues to work hard every day, trust her process, get better and ask great questions. I told her to be confident regardless of what happens.”
Lauren Betts returned to do her damage in the second half, scoring 18 of her 23 points. She also had nine rebounds.
Illinois’ defensive plan coming in was to not double-team her because they felt it gave UCLA too much of an opportunity from 3-point range. Illinois coach Shauna Green instead started 6-foot-7 sophomore center Lety Vasconcelos to try to slow her down.
It worked in one regard. The Bruins made just 1 of 10 3-point shots in the game. But Betts helped the Bruins pull away.
“She’s a generational player,” Green said. “She’s the best post player in the country and one of the best to ever play the game. It was good for our young guys to experience that. But we wanted to play her one-on-one. We weren’t going to double. And that allowed us to hold them to one 3. She is an elite passer, and the more you double her, she’s just going to pick you apart to get kick-out 3s.”
2. As UCLA limited Illinois leading scorer Berry Wallace, two Illini freshmen rose to the challenge.
Illinois Fighting Illini forward Cearah Parchment (30) gets a steal and goes in for a lay-p in the second half against the UCLA Bruins at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Wallace, a sophomore forward, has stepped up this season to average 19.8 points per game. But UCLA made her night difficult, holding her to 11 points on 3-for-17 shooting.
“They do so many great actions, and we decided we were going to top block her whenever we could and not even let her get to her spots where she’s able to get into rhythm shots,” Close said. “And they like to bring her off a lot of zoom action or have her be a screener coming off a flare, and we just tried to make her back cut. And we were going to try to help from other places and make her touches more difficult.”
With Wallace struggling to find a rhythm, freshman forward Cearah Parchment had 26 points and seven rebounds, and freshman guard Destiny Jackson added 15 points and six assists.
Parchment and Jackson scored all of Illinois’ 18 points in the third quarter.
Parchment’s 3-pointer and jumper, followed by Jackson’s jumper, made up a 7-0 run that cut UCLA’s run to 51-46. The Illini trailed 56-49 heading into the final quarter.
“They were faceguarding Berry pretty much the whole game,” Parchment said. “She couldn’t get anything. She’s such a huge key to our team. I feel like she’s had a lot of pressure the last couple of games. We haven’t been helping her out. … So the pressure shouldn’t just be on one person’s shoulders to score all the points.”
3. Close gave some advice to a young Illini group.
Close used her team as an example of what can happen when players stay in one place for a few years, as Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice and others have over the last few seasons.
And Close suggested that perhaps the developing Illinois group should think about following suit.
Photos: No. 2 UCLA 80, Illinois 67
“I could not be prouder of the loyalty and the trusting of the process of our core group. It’s almost unheard of anymore,” Close said. “I would say to this young core group at Illinois that if they can stay together and through the ups and downs fight the urge to choose themselves or look elsewhere. I always say, ‘The grass isn’t greener on the other side. The grass is greener where you water.’
“We are where we are because we’ve had a core group of people that have been willing to stay committed even when it’s really hard. If they will choose that, they can be in a really special place.”
It’s not the only lesson the Illini players will take from the game.
“Just how aggressive they play,” Jackson said. “They made everything we did hard, even like an entry pass…The biggest thing we can take from them is playing hard every single possession and making everything tough no matter what part of the game it is.”
4. Two former Illinois Ms. Basketball winners made an impact.
Illinois Fighting Illini guard Destiny Jackson (2) gets an off-balance shot off in the first half against the UCLA Bruins at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Jackson, the 2025 Ms. Basketball winner out of Whitney Young, and Parchment impressed Close with their play down the stretch.
“I mean, goodness gracious, there’s not many guards that have been able to go around and finish over Lauren Betts, and I’m talking across the country,” Close said. “She’s the national defensive player of the year. A couple of those buckets she got at the end of the game, credit to them.”
Meanwhile, UCLA graduate forward Angela Dugalic was the 2020 Illinois Ms. Basketball winner out of Maine West. She played her first season at Oregon and has been at UCLA since.
Dugalic scored 12 points and had two assists off the bench.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/28/ucla-illinois-womens-basketball/
Photos: No. 2 UCLA 80, Illinois 67
Photos from the game as the No. 2 UCLA Bruins defeated the Illinois Fighting Illini 80-67 in Champaign, Ill.
Illinois Fighting Illini forward Cearah Parchment (30) shoots a 3-pointer in the second half against the UCLA Bruins at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois Fighting Illini forward Berry Wallace (23) shoots in the second half during a game against the UCLA Bruins at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois Fighting Illini guard Maddie Webber (34) and UCLA Bruins forward Gabriela Jaquez (11) battle for a loose ball in the second half of a game at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois Fighting Illini guard Maddie Webber (34) drives past UCLA Bruins forward Angela Dugalić (32) as she goes up for a shot in the first half during at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois Fighting Illini forward Cearah Parchment (30) gets a steal and goes in for a layup in the second half during a game against the UCLA Bruins at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois Fighting Illini forward Cearah Parchment (30) gets a steal and goes in for a layup in the second half against the UCLA Bruins at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois Fighting Illini forward Cearah Parchment (30) goes in for a layup in the first half against the UCLA Bruins at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois Fighting Illini forward Cearah Parchment (30) shoots a 3-pointer in the second half against the UCLA Bruins at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts (51) towers over Illinois Fighting Illini forward Berry Wallace (23) as she drives to the basket in the second half at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois Fighting Illini guard Destiny Jackson (2) drives to the basket past UCLA Bruins forward Sienna Betts (16) in the first half at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois Fighting Illini guard Destiny Jackson (2) goes up for a layup in the first half of a game against the UCLA Bruins at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
UCLA Bruins guard Gianna Kneepkens (8), left, and UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts (51), right, challenge Illinois Fighting Illini guard Jasmine Brown-Hagger (8) as she shoots in the second half at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois Fighting Illini forward Naomi Benson (21) pulls down a rebound in the first half against the UCLA Bruins at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois Fighting Illini guard Destiny Jackson (2) gets an off-balance shot off in the first half during a game against the UCLA Bruins at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
UCLA Bruins forward Sienna Betts (16) and Illinois Fighting Illini center Lety Vasconcelos (35) battle for a rebound in the first half at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois Fighting Illini guard Destiny Jackson (2) drives past UCLA Bruins guard Charlisse Leger-Walker (5) in the second half of a game at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign, IL. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
UCLA Bruins guard Kiki Rice (1) goes up for a shot over Illinois Fighting Illini center Lety Vasconcelos (35) in the first half at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
From the left: Illinois Fighting Illini players Lety Vasconcelos (35) and Cearah Parchment (30) battle UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts (51) for a rebound in the first quarter of the game at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois Fighting Illini forward Naomi Benson (21) pulls down a rebound in the first half during a game against the UCLA Bruins at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois Fighting Illini guard Maddie Webber (34) shoots over the top of UCLA Bruins guard Kiki Rice (1) in the first half at State Farm Center on Jan. 28, 2026, in Champaign. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/28/photos-ucla-illinois-basketball/
Banchero y Black guían a Magic hacia victoria 133-124 sobre Heat, para romper racha de 4 derrotas
MIAMI (AP) — Paolo Banchero anotó 31 puntos y consiguió 12 rebotes, Anthony Black sumó 26 unidades y el Magic de Orlando venció el miércoles 133-124 al Heat de Miami para romper una racha de cuatro tropiezos consecutivos.
Desmond Bane terminó con 23 puntos al atinar 10 de 16 disparos, en tanto que Jalen Suggs añadió 16 tantos a la causa del Magic, que tiene un récord de 3-0 contra el Heat esta temporada.
Simone Fontecchio anotó 23 puntos en 19 minutos por el Heat. Norman Powell añadió 22 tantos y Bam Adebayo sumó 21.
Franz Wagner (esguince en el tobillo izquierdo) se perdió su cuarto partido consecutivo por el Magic, mientras que Miami no contó con Tyler Herro (lesión de costillas) y Davion Mitchell (hombro).
El inicio del encuentro se retrasó siete minutos porque uno de los aros estaba desnivelado.
El Magic montó una racha de 14-0 en el cuarto periodo y tomó una delantera de 121-104 con 5:47 minutos restantes antes de que el Heat se recuperara y se acercara a 128-122 por medio de una jugada de tres puntos de Powell con 1:25 por jugar. Banchero y Suggs convirtieron dos tiros libres cada uno en el último minuto para asegurar la victoria.
Orlando terminó con 36 asistencias y atinó 16 de 38 disparos desde la línea de tres puntos.
_____
Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Why The US Was Right To Leave The WHO
Why The US Was Right To Leave The WHO
Authored by Jeffrey A. Tucker via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
Commentary
The United States has pulled its membership in the World Health Organization (WHO), and many other nations are rethinking their participation. Of course, this could change with some future administration. The institution itself is not going anywhere. This is why it is crucial to understand the case for why the United States needed to pull out and cut all funding.
Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock
Get out and stay out.
It’s also critically important that other nations join us and leave this organization. To top it all off, the WHO has become a pillar of duplicity even now.
Over the weekend, WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “While WHO recommended the use of masks, physical distancing and vaccines, WHO did not recommend governments to mandate the use of masks or vaccines and never recommended lockdowns.”
This claim is easily refuted.
The evidence that WHO backed lockdowns begins on Jan. 29, 2020, when Tedros praised the Chinese Communist Party and Xi Jinping in particular to the skies for its “amazing” response to COVID-19, which included welding people inside their homes and arresting and likely killing people for disobeying the authorities.
Nothing like this had happened in the modern era in any country. The WHO was completely on board.
A few weeks following this celebratory news conference, the WHO organized a trip to Wuhan and several other cities in China. This junket involved the UK, EU, and the United States. This trip included Clifford Lane, a top aide to Dr. Anthony Fauci, and several other Americans. On the way back from this multi-city trip, they drafted the report that praised China’s response to the virus in terms that contradict every principle of public health.
This is before there were any lockdowns in the United States or the UK.
This Feb. 28, 2020, report, is still on the WHO website:
“Achieving China’s exceptional coverage with and adherence to these containment measures has only been possible due to the deep commitment of the Chinese people to collective action in the face of this common threat. At a community level this is reflected in the remarkable solidarity of provinces and cities in support of the most vulnerable populations and communities.”
It goes on:
“At the individual level, the Chinese people have reacted to this outbreak with courage and conviction. They have accepted and adhered to the starkest of containment measures—whether the suspension of public gatherings, the month-long ‘stay at home’ advisories or prohibitions on travel. Throughout an intensive 9-days of site visits across China, in frank discussions from the level of local community mobilizers and frontline health care providers to top scientists, the Joint Mission was struck by the sincerity and dedication that each brings to this COVID-19 response.”
Or as WHO spokesman Dr. Bruce Aylward said following his Wuhan mission in February 2020, “Copy China’s response to Covid!” This exhortation was praised by the Chinese Communist Party. Incredibly, the WHO was so influential on the world that 194 nations followed the model and did exactly that. They issued stay-at-home orders and shut business, churches, and schools.
Not only did the WHO support lockdowns, it urged them on the entire world in the name of public health, as a method of following the Chinese plan. Indeed, this report was the basis of the lockdowns that came to the United States and UK. It provided the cover necessary for imposing this unprecedented violation of rights.
When the lockdowns next came to Northern Italy, the WHO celebrated those, too. A spokesman for the WHO and director of WHO Europe, Hans Kluge expressed his “full support for the measures adopted by Italy to address the novel coronavirus emergency and the World Health Organization’s willingness to offer every means of full cooperation!”
The lockdowns came to the United States and most nations in mid-March 2020. Already the disaster was unfolding all around us within a week or two. A month later, the WHO urged nations not to open up too soon. They sent out communications demanding universal track-and-trace policies with testing, full protective equipment, social distancing, and a massive propaganda campaign of fear and loathing.
In other words, while the WHO recognized that people were going crazy in lockdowns and would not stand much more of this, it refused to recognize the need for freedom but rather doubled down on tyranny, surveillance, and control as the right way to manage a virus.
A month later, the WHO warned against lifting lockdowns because this would only result in more infections and danger. It posted on social media: “Further guidance was published that outlines the key questions countries should ask prior to the lifting of lockdowns: Is the epidemic under control? Is the health system able to cope with a resurgence of cases that may arise after relaxing certain measures?”
Later that month, the WHO said lockdowns are actually wonderful because they address the problem of climate change. “The pandemic has given us a glimpse of what our world could look like if we took the bold steps that are needed to curb #ClimateChange and #AirPollution,” it quoted Tedros as saying, in a social media post.
By mid-summer, the WHO said that lockdowns were great but not enough, and that all government should be engaged in universal contract tracing to control the virus that everyone would get anyway.
By October 2020 and following the Great Barrington Declaration, the WHO once again endorsed lockdowns. “We recognize that at certain points, some countries have had no choice but to issue Stay-At-Home orders and other lockdown measures, to buy time,” the WHO posted, quoting Tedros, on Oct. 12, 2020.
This was not accidental messaging, but rather stated WHO policy throughout.
The moment that the vaccine was rolled out, following the November 2020 election, the WHO actually changed its definition of herd immunity to exclude the possibility of natural immunity. It previously said that herd immunity is reached through vaccination or exposure from infection. The WHO suddenly eliminated the second point and said that vaccines are the only path.
What this note at the World Health Organization did was delete what amounts to the entire million-year history of humankind in its delicate dance with pathogens. You could only gather from this that all of us are nothing but blank and unimprovable slates on which the pharmaceutical industry writes its signature.
In addition, the editorial change at WHO ignored and even wiped out a century of medical advances in virology, immunology, and epidemiology. It was thoroughly unscientific—shilling for the vaccine industry in exactly the way that the conspiracy theorists say that the WHO has been doing since the beginning.
By the time that the virus weakened to become no more dangerous than a cold, the WHO was still at it. “We’re concerned that a narrative has taken hold in some countries that because of the vaccine, and because of Omicron’s high transmissibility and lower severity, preventing transmission is no longer possible, and no longer necessary. Nothing could be further from the truth,” it stated.
This was worse than bad health and policy advice. The WHO allowed itself to be used as a handmaiden of totalitarian controls across the globe. Many nations had trusted this organization and followed advice. This was a disaster for health and for freedom. The United States simply cannot be a member of such an organization.
The WHO once served a valuable function, and those functions are still necessary. That said, each nation alone needs to embrace its own health sovereignty based on its own needs. There is, in short, no such thing as global or world health. This is why every nation should leave the WHO, which proved itself to be completely compromised by its celebration of the CCP and then its promotion of a dangerous product. It has no credibility remaining to its name.
Tyler Durden
Wed, 01/28/2026 – 23:25
https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/why-us-was-right-leave-who
