Taking Tech Giants to Task
2 GOOD MORNING
The San Juan Daily Star, the only paper with News Service in English in Puerto Rico, publishes 7 days a week, with a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday edition, along with a Weekend Edition to cover Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Puerto Rico to have new runway in Aguadilla, microgrid at military base
By THE STAR STAFF
Puerto Rico will get a new runway in Aguadilla and a $20 million power grid at the LTC Hernán G. Pesquera Army Reserve Center in Juana Díaz.
Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia announced on Thursday the commencement of a $265 million runway construction project at Aguadilla’s Rafael Hernández International Airport.
“This project is more than just asphalt and concrete; it symbolizes progress, employment opportunities, and heightened competitiveness for Puerto Rico,” Pierluisi said.
Funding for the project includes $141 million from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and $124 million from the Puerto Rico government, including the Ports Authority. The new runway, situated alongside the existing one -- the longest in the Caribbean at 11,700 feet -- will optimize airport operations as the current runway is converted into a high-capacity taxiway.
Ports Authority Director Joel Pizá Batiz emphasized the runway’s positive impact on regional economic development, while Transportation and Public Works Secretary Eileen Vélez Vega highlighted its potential to enhance tourism and bolster Puerto Rico’s competitiveness within the Caribbean.
Serving more than 840,000 passengers annually as the island’s second-largest airport, Rafael Hernández International Airport generates around 1,400 direct jobs and 6,000 indirect jobs, contributing some $1.5 billion to the local economy each year.
In addition to the runway project, Pierluisi revealed plans to allocate $100 million in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funds for passenger terminal expansion and runway connector construction, transforming the airport into a cutting-edge facility.
Led by Borinquen Airport Partners, a collaboration between Ferrovial Agroman and AECOM, the project is scheduled
The new runway, situated alongside the existing one -- the longest in the Caribbean at 11,700 feet -- will optimize airport operations as the current runway is converted into a high-capacity taxiway.
for completion in 2029 and signifies a critical step toward modernizing the airport and strengthening Puerto Rico’s infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Virginia-based Parsons Corp. announced this week that it was awarded the LTC Hernán G. Pesquera Army Reserve Center Microgrid contract by the United States Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District. The $20 million contract, including base plus options, to enhance energy resilience and sustainability for the Pesquera Army Reserve Center consists of 610 days of performance and is new work for the company.
Under the contract, Parsons will deliver critical infrastructure protection capabilities designed to enhance energy reliability, resilience, and sustainability for the Army Reserve Center in Juana Díaz, including installing security measures, generators, photovoltaic cells, a battery energy storage system, microgrid controllers, and all necessary cabling to ensure a robust and efficient microgrid system.
Police, ICF partner for complete training in forensic disciplines
By THE STAR STAFF
Institute of Forensic Sciences (ICF by its initials in Spanish)
Executive Director Dr. María Conte Miller and Police Commissioner Antonio López Figueroa announced Thursday that the new Technical Services Academy, which concludes in January, will have complete training in forensic disciplines for the investigation of crime scenes.
“The Institute of Forensic Sciences has expanded its collaborative efforts with the Police Bureau so that all police regions have highly trained personnel for scene investigations,” Conte Miller said. “The primary purpose is that the new agents who join this division comply with the protocols and quality standards, and learn about the new technologies that we apply in all the investigations of the cases we receive.”
López Figueroa added that “with this education and
technical training initiative, we seek to strengthen the investigative services performed by our agents with the purpose of standardizing investigative processes, accepting the [ICF] recommendations, and being in compliance with the standards of the National Policing Institute.”
The Puerto Rico Police Bureau’s technical services agents investigate crime scenes in the various police regions. Training is one of the initiatives that the two agencies conduct jointly to strengthen the investigation and solving of criminal cases.
The 33 officers who make up the Technical Services Academy will receive a complete training program in the disciplines of DNA, ballistics (firearms), forensic anthropology, forensic pathology and scene investigation. The educational program, which is divided into two groups, lasts three weeks, ending on Jan. 21.
Justice Dept. sues Instagram, META to stop deceptive practices that harm minors
Lawsuit also addresses ‘addictive technologies,’ unmoderated content
By THE STAR STAFF
The Puerto Rico Department of Justice filed a lawsuit on Thursday against Instagram LLC and META Platforms Inc., the companies that own the social media platforms Instagram and Facebook, to stop their abusive and deceptive practices, as well as their addictive technologies and dangerous content, that the suit says cause severe psychological damage and threaten the well-being and mental health of users on the island, especially minors. The companies claim that they have adequate and sufficient controls in place to regulate their platforms and the content of their posts. However, a rigorous and extensive investigation led by the Department of Justice’s Office of Monopoly Affairs confirmed that this is false, according to the lawsuit, and, worse still, they design their platforms with full knowledge that they lead teenagers to experience high levels of anxiety and depression. Furthermore, the companies are aware that predatory adults contact minors through their platforms and have failed to warn parents and effectively counter this problem, according to the lawsuit. In the case of Puerto Rico, the situation is worse, the lawsuit contends, since the companies’ regulation of Spanish-language content is minimal compared to the regulation of English-language content. The situation exposes children and young people on the island to a
greater risk of having access to content that threatens their well-being and mental health. Therefore, the Justice Department is demanding, among other things, a change in the two companies’ business practices and restitution for damages they have caused.
“The lawsuit filed constitutes a milestone in the execution of the Government of Puerto Rico’s policy aimed at ensuring that social media companies comply with all applicable legal parameters, including ensuring that their competition methods and practices are fair, do not use addictive technologies, do not violate the right to privacy, or expose our minors to content of a sexual or criminal nature due to the lack of adequate controls in the moderation of the content they disseminate,” Justice Secretary Domingo Emanuelli Hernández said.
As argued by the agency in the lawsuit for injunction and damages, the companies exploit the neurological vulnerabilities of minors, whom they direct toward compulsive and excessive use of their platforms, knowing that by doing so they contribute to a mental health epidemic.
Reports submitted to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta link excessive use of social networks with negative effects such as depression, anxiety and insomnia, as well as interference with young people’s education and daily life. In 2021, during the coronavirus pandemic, more than 36% of high school students on the island reported episodes of mental anguish. According to the information obtained throughout the Justice Department investigation, it was found that over two million Puerto Ricans, who
comprise 60% of the population, use the social network Facebook, and over 75.9% of Instagram users are minors.
“Our goal is to vindicate the rights of thousands of Puerto Ricans, particularly our youth, from the deceptive business practices employed by these social media companies that have profoundly altered the social and psychological reality of this generation through the excessive use of powerful technologies through which consumers are abused for economic gain,” Emanuelli Hernández said.
A lawsuit filed by the island Justice Department against two tech giants contends that the companies’ regulation of Spanish-language content on their social media platforms is minimal compared to the regulation of English-language content, exposing children and young people in Puerto Rico to a greater risk of having access to content that threatens their well-being and mental health.
UPR laments passing of first female neurologist, distinguished professor
By THE STAR STAFF
With great sorrow, the University of Puerto Rico’s (UPR) Medical Sciences Campus Chancellor, Myrna L. Quiñones Feliciano, mourned the passing of Dr. Ana Judith Román, Puerto Rico’s first female neurologist and a distinguished UPR professor.
Román, age 94, remained active as a physician and professor at the School of Medicine until her final days.
Román passed away at the University Hospital for Adults in the Medical Center after being admitted for several days. Her passing leaves a significant void in the field of health sciences in Puerto Rico, where she was a trailblazer and a source of inspiration for many.
In her statement, Quiñones Feliciano celebrated Román’s remarkable career and her unwavering dedication to medical education, patient care and neurology research.
“We offer our deepest condolences to her daughter, grandchildren, family, friends, and loved ones,” she added.
Román’s illustrious career has been widely recognized, with numerous tributes and accolades to her name. She was honored with the UPR Distinguished Professor distinction, a testament to her enduring legacy in the realm of medicine.
Born in Río Piedras in 1930, Román completed her bachelor’s degree in natural sciences at the UPR in Río Piedras before pursuing her medical studies in France. She later specialized in electroencephalography at Massachusetts General Hospital and honed her expertise at advanced encephalography centers across Europe.
Upon her return to Puerto Rico, she contributed to establishing the Medical Center’s first encephalography laboratory and has since held a professorship in neurology at the Medical Sciences Campus School of Medicine. Román’s influence extended beyond academia, as she was instrumental in founding several organizations dedicated to patient care and support, including the Parkinson’s Association and the Puerto Rican Patient Assistance Society.
Financial conditions for consumers are worsening, Estudios Técnicos says
By THE STAR STAFF
The Consumer Financial Fragility Index (IFFC by its initials in Spanish) compiled by economic research firm Estudios Técnicos Inc. (ETI) reveals a worsening in consumers’ financial condition beginning in the first quarter of 2023, as the index increased from 35% to 49% in the third quarter of 2024.
Economist Leslie Adames, director of ETI’s Economic Analysis and Policy Division, highlighted that “consumers in Puerto Rico transitioned from an environment of extreme financial fragility during 2000 to moderate financial fragility in recent years. The index peaked at 78% in the second quarter of 2020 but significantly improved in subsequent quarters, averaging 39% between the first quarter of 2021 and the third quarter of 2023.”
Adames attributed the decrease in consumer financial fragility over that period to the injection of over $16 billion in federal fiscal stimulus funds during the COVID-19 pandemic, labor market recovery, and the stabilization of consumer loan
delinquency rates. The latter was supported by channeling part of the non-recurring federal stimulus funds to pay off non-current debts.
The IFFC considers five variables in measuring consumers’ financial position: average delinquency rate on consumer loans, average delinquency rate on mortgage loans, unemployment rate, personal bankruptcies, and annual inflation-adjusted worker income. The index ranges from 0-25 (low financial fragility), 26-50 (moderate financial fragility), 51-75 (high financial fragility), and 76-100 (extreme financial fragility).
Adames noted that the IFFC has deteriorated in the past four quarters, exceeding the 40% average for the first quarter of 2021 to the third quarter of 2023. The index averaged 50% over the past four quarters, with the most recent value being 49% for the third quarter. The trend results from consumers facing difficulties repaying loans to local financial institutions.
Consumer loans (cards, personal loans and autos) in delinquency (30 to 89 days past due) at commercial banks rose from 2.74% in Q1 2024 to 3.12% in Q3 2024. Average delinquency rates for each loan type have surpassed pre-pan-
demic levels from Q4 2019. For instance, the consumer loan portfolio was at 3.33% in Q3 2024 versus 2.98% in Q4 2019, credit card loans at 2.51% versus 1.87%, and auto loans at 3.52% versus 3.00%. Additionally, accumulated bankruptcies climbed from 2,138 in the third quarter of 2023 to 2,777 during the same period in 2024.
Despite favorable labor market conditions and private sector worker income growth surpassing inflation, the observed trend in other index components remains concerning due to significant risks in 2025. The depletion of excess consumer liquidity from federal stimulus measures and rising indebtedness, particularly in credit cards, raise concerns. Considering the prevailing market interest rates, these factors may significantly impact consumer financial fragility.
Adames said “we must monitor developments in 2025 closely, including the rate increase policy proposed by President-elect Donald Trump, the potential approval of LUMA’s rate adjustment request, and the outcome of the Electric Power Authority’s debt restructuring, along with its implications for electricity costs.”
Ex-Supreme Court justices demand pension adjustments
By THE STAR STAFF
Five former Supreme Court justices have sued the Government and Judiciary Employees’ Retirement System seeking to have their pensions adjusted to match the salary hikes obtained under the recent review of the judicial branch’s salary scales.
Despite the fact that Act 101-2024 provided salary hikes to the chief justice and associate justices, retired Supreme Court justices have not yet seen any adjustment reflected in their pensions nor have they received the retroactive salary increase provided for by the aforementioned law, the former justices said in a request for mandamus (order) filed Tuesday in San Juan Superior Court.
The increase, the first since 2003, came after a court ordered it upon finding that the increase was already authorized in the approved budget.
The retired justices contend that, by virtue of a 1986 Superior Court ruling that was never appealed, pensions must
be adjusted to match the salary received by active Supreme Court justices.
The former justices in September demanded that the retirement system make the adjustment in accordance with the increase that went into effect retroactive to 2023, but the system has ignored the plea.
“The pension of these retired justices continues to be the one that corresponds to the entire salary for the respective positions of the incumbents, so it is not subject to a lower calculation or percentage for defined benefit as the one that applies to the other active and retired judges of the Judicial Branch,” the lawsuit says.
Only retired Supreme Court justices receive a pension equal to the salary of the active justices, a benefit that other judges do not receive.
The increase approved this year brought the salary of the chief justice to $164,275 and that of the associate justices to $153,519. The claimants’ pensions, therefore, would be those same amounts depending on whether their retirement occurred as an associate or chief justice.
Judiciary announces special hours for Christmas season
By THE STAR STAFF
Maritere Colón Domínguez, the interim administrative director of the island court system, announced Thursday the special operational plan for judicial branch dependencies between Dec. 23 and Jan. 6.
The measure includes closures, schedule adjustments and consolidated operations to address urgent matters.
The courts will be closed from Dec. 23 to Dec. 25 and again on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31, as well as Jan. 1 and Jan. 6. Closures include the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, the
Court Administration Office and the Notary Inspection Office. Court terms expiring on the aforementioned dates will be extended to the next business day.
From Dec. 23 to Dec. 25 and from Jan. 4 to Jan. 6, the investigation rooms in San Juan and Bayamón will operate on a consolidated
basis in the Bayamón Judicial Center from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Meanwhile, from Dec. 30 to Jan. 1, those operations will be moved to the San Juan Judicial Center during the same hours. Judicial regions such as Aguadilla, Mayagüez and Ponce will have specific hours for their investigation rooms on the designated days. In addition, the Virtual Municipal Room will be available to handle protection orders, involuntary admissions for mental health and other urgent matters, from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. every day. The San Juan
The Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, in San Juan, Aug. 6, 2019. (Erika P. Rodríguez/The New York Times)
Johnson grasps to avert shutdown after Trump tanks spending deal
By CATIE EDMONDSON
House Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday was toiling to find a way out of a shutdown after President-elect Donald Trump torpedoed the spending deal the speaker struck with Democrats this week, leaving Republicans without a strategy to fund the government past a Friday night deadline.
As Johnson met with his deputies Thursday morning in his office in the Capitol, lawmakers eager to return home before a scheduled winter recess were left in limbo with no clear solution to keep federal funds flowing past 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
“The situation is fluid,” Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota, the Republican whip, told reporters Thursday morning in what appeared to be a major understatement.
Johnson was caught between two seemingly untenable options. Trump has effectively killed the massive bipartisan deal, loaded with unrelated policy changes, that the speaker negotiated to fund the government through mid-March. That plan would have drawn substantial votes from Democrats, but a Republican revolt over it fueled by Trump and Elon Musk sapped it of even the modest GOP support it would have needed to pass the House.
What the president-elect demanded instead — that Republicans pair a stripped-down government funding bill with a measure raising the debt ceiling or getting rid of it altogether — is also likely to be opposed by a number of
Republicans. And it would be a tough sell to Democrats, who are furious that Republicans have jettisoned their agreement.
Johnson’s plan to avert a shutdown imploded Wednesday amid a backlash by GOP lawmakers that was driven in part by Musk, who spent much of the day trashing the measure on social media and threatening the political future of any Republican who supported it.
Then Trump weighed in, insisting that Republicans not only reject Johnson’s plan, which connected the government
funding measure with $100 billion in disaster aid and a slew of policy changes, but also raise or terminate the debt limit.
The borrowing limit is expected to be reached sometime in January — though many expect it could be stretched into the spring — and a failure to increase it would cause a default on the nation’s debt. Trump acknowledged that he did not want to shoulder the responsibility for doing so.
“Increasing the debt ceiling is not great,” Trump said in his statement, “but we’d rather do it on Biden’s watch.”
That demand has greatly complicated the path forward. Many Republicans strongly oppose raising the debt limit. Some have refused to do so at all, and others have agreed to raise it only after extracting steep spending cuts.
The blowup could not come at a worse time for Johnson, who is hoping to be reelected as speaker on Jan. 3. Trump on Wednesday night issued a veiled threat to him over the imperiled stopgap spending bill, telling Fox News Digital that the speaker will be “easily” reelected to the role next year if he does what Trump wants.
Asked in a telephone interview Thursday whether he still had confidence in Johnson, Trump told NBC News, “We’ll see,” adding that the spending deal he negotiated was “unacceptable.”
At the same time, the speaker’s handling of the spending deal has left a number of conservatives openly mulling whether to support him in a vote on the House floor early next year, when he can afford only a few GOP defections to win the necessary majority to keep his gavel. At least one Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who led the charge to oust Johnson earlier this year, has said he will not vote for him for speaker.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said in a statement on the social platform X that “Johnson needs to stop the same failed pattern of making dirty swamp deals behind closed doors and keeping everyone in the dark. Republicans need to be working together to deliver the mandate. That requires big changes in behavior.”
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) avoids questions as he arrives at the House Speaker’s office at the Capitol in Washington, on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (Kent Nishimura/The New York Times)
By BENJAMIN WEISER
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan on Thursday leveled four charges against the suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, including a count of murder that could bring the death penalty.
The federal charges also include two stalking counts and a firearms offense. They come two days after the office of the Manhattan district attorney filed state murder charges against the suspect, Luigi Mangione, 26, in the killing of the executive, Brian Thompson. Thompson, 50, was gunned down on a Manhattan sidewalk this month.
The highest penalty Mangione could face if convicted in state court would be life in prison without parole. A spokesperson for the district attorney, Alvin Bragg, said Wednesday the state case would proceed in parallel with any federal prosecution.
The federal complaint accuses Mangione of traveling across state lines — from Atlanta to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York, where he arrived shortly after 10 p.m. on Nov. 24 — to stalk and ultimately kill Thompson, which would give the federal government jurisdiction to prosecute him.
Mangione was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday afternoon before a federal magistrate in Manhattan.
against Mangione
The new charges came just over two weeks after the predawn killing of Thompson on Dec. 4.
Surveillance footage showed an assailant approaching Thompson from behind outside a Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan, lifting a handgun fitted with a
suppressor, often referred to as a silencer, and firing at him several times before fleeing.
Authorities have said the suspect then fled uptown on an e-bike and soon left New York.
Mangione was arrested days later in
a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, as he was eating hash browns and looking at his laptop. A fellow customer had told a friend that he resembled the person in photos that police had shared widely, and an employee, overhearing the conversation, called police.
Thursday’s federal criminal complaint charging Mangione provides new details about a notebook found with him when he was arrested. The notebook, separate from a short note addressed to “feds” that authorities later described as a manifesto, expressed “hostility towards the health insurance industry and wealthy executives in particular” across several handwritten pages, the complaint said.
In an entry marked “8/15” — apparently written in August, months before the shooting — a notebook entry said “the details are finally coming together,” adding that the writer was glad to have procrastinated because it had left time to learn more about UnitedHealthcare, according to the complaint.
Two months later, on Oct. 22, another notebook entry described an upcoming investor conference as “a true windfall” — and went on to describe an intent to “wack” the CEO of an insurance company. The description in the entry corresponds with the date of the UnitedHealthcare investor meeting near which Thompson was killed.
Florida charges man suspected of Trump assassination plot
By PATRICIA MAZZEI
Florida officials filed charges earlier this week against the man accused of trying to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf course in September, defying federal prosecutors who had asked the state to suspend its investigation while their own moved forward.
The state charged Ryan W. Routh with attempted felony murder, citing injuries that a child sustained in a crash on Interstate 95 shortly after police officers shut down the highway in pursuit of Routh. He has pleaded not guilty to federal charges, including the attempted assassination of a presidential candidate.
Ashley Moody, the Florida attorney general, and Gov. Ron DeSantis, both Republicans, have repeatedly criticized the Biden Justice Department over its investigation of Routh, questioning federal prosecutors’ credibility because until recently, they were also prosecuting Trump.
DeSantis began the state’s parallel investigation two days after the shooting, saying the federal agencies could not be trusted. In October, Moody sued the Justice Department, asking a federal judge to stop the department from blocking the state’s investigation after federal authorities said theirs should proceed first.
Moody’s complaint said that among other things, federal officials did not want Florida to interview witnesses while the federal investigation was going on.
Having dueling federal and state investigations could complicate them both, especially because the federal system does not allow for depositions as the state system does, said David S. Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor in Miami who is now a defense lawyer. When a witness provides statements to multiple investigators, defense lawyers become more likely to find inconsistencies in the testimonies that could allow them to create reasonable doubt.
On Wednesday, Moody reiterated that Florida officials are “within our right” to pursue state charges against Routh.
“There were many questions surrounding the agency prosecuting the president-elect
and at the same time investigating his attempted murder,” Moody said of the Justice Department at a news conference in Stuart, near where Routh was stopped after fleeing the Trump International Golf Club on Sept. 15.
She and DeSantis acknowledged that once Trump takes office next month, their perspective on the federal investigation will change.
“The tide will turn on January 20th,” DeSantis wrote on the social media platform X. The governor had been scheduled to announce the arrest warrant in person, but could not because of bad weather in Tallahassee.
Federal prosecutors say that Routh appeared to have surveyed Trump’s golf course for about a month before Sept. 15. That day, he positioned himself outside a fence near the sixth hole. A Secret Service agent on a golf cart scouting the property one hole ahead of Trump saw the barrel of a semiautomatic rifle and fired.
Acting on witness testimony, officials identified the car in which the suspect fled and pulled over Routh heading north along Interstate 95 in neighboring Martin County.
According to the 18-page arrest warrant, five cars crashed about 4 miles south of where sheriff’s deputies had detained Routh. A 6-yearold girl suffered “life-threatening” injuries in the crash, the warrant says.
Moody said those injuries and Routh’s criminal conduct, “which we believe rises to the level of domestic terrorism,” justified the attempted felony murder charge.
Police outside the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., after an apparent attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president, Sept. 15, 2024. Florida officials filed charges on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, against the man accused of trying to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf course in September, defying federal prosecutors who had asked the state to suspend its investigation while their own moved forward. (Saul Martinez/The New York Times)
durante la época CUIDE SU AUDICI N NAVIDEÑA
• EVALUACIÓN AUDIOLÓGICA
• VENTA DE AUDÍFONOS
• SELECCIÓN, AJUSTE Y REPARACIÓN
• ABR- RESPUESTAS AUDITIVAS DE TALLO CEREBRAL
• VNG- EXAMEN DE BALANCE
• EPSDT- EVALUACIÓN DE PROCESAMIENTO AUDITIVO CENTRAL
• CERNIMIENTO AUDITIVO
• NEONATAL Y ESCOLAR
VARIEDAD DE AUDÍFONOS MODERNOS
The economy is finally stable. Is that about to change?
By BEN CASSELMAN
After five years of uncertainty and turmoil, the U.S. economy is ending 2024 in arguably its most stable condition since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Inflation has cooled. Unemployment is low. The Federal Reserve is cutting interest rates. The recession that many forecasters once warned was inevitable hasn’t materialized.
Yet the economic outlook for 2025 is as murky as ever, for one major reason: President-elect Donald Trump.
On the campaign trail and in the weeks since his election, Trump has proposed sweeping policy changes that could have profound — and complicated — implications for the economy.
He has proposed imposing steep new tariffs and deporting potentially millions of immigrants who are in the country illegally, which could lead to higher prices, slower growth or both, according to most economic models. At the same time, he has promised policies like tax cuts for individuals and businesses that could lead to faster economic growth but also bigger deficits.
And he has pledged to slash regulations, which could lift corporate profits and, possibly, overall productivity. But critics warn that such changes could increase worker injuries, cause environmental damage and make the financial system more prone to crises over the long run.
No one knows exactly which policies Trump will pursue, or in what order, or how much of his agenda he will get through Congress and the courts. As a result, no one knows what to expect for the economy in 2025 or beyond.
“It is a very uncertain outlook, and most of that uncertainty comes from potential changes in policy,” said Michael Gapen, chief U.S. economist for Morgan Stanley.
Many Americans, of course, would dispute that the economy was in good shape. Frustration with high prices, particularly for essentials like food and housing, is a big part
Obituary
President-elect Donald Trump’s proposals on tariffs, immigration, taxes and deregulation may have farreaching and contradictory effects, adding uncertainty to forecasts. (Nate Kitch/The New York Times)
of the reason that many people voted to return Trump to office. But consumer sentiment had begun to rebound even before the election, and has continued to improve, suggesting that the public, too, believed the economy was beginning to normalize.
Officially, Gapen and his colleagues are predicting that U.S. gross domestic product, adjusted for inflation, will grow a bit more than 2% next year, roughly in line with forecasts from other Wall Street analysts. That would be a modest slowdown from this year, when the economy grew more than 2.5% according to most estimates, and consistent with the recent cooling after a period of frenetic postpandemic growth.
But Gapen doesn’t put much stock in his own forecast this year.
“There’s a wide range of potential outcomes, and a baseline outlook isn’t quite as useful as it is in normal times,” he said.
Angel “Luis” Rivera Tirado
La Familia Rivera-Tirado notifica el fallecimiento de nuestro querido “Luis”, a sus 69 años de edad. Luis es hijo de Don Narciso Rivera y Silvia Tirado, natural del Bo. Calzada de Maunabo y residente en Hartford, CT.
“Dios te llamó a su lado para que desde ahí seas la luz que ilumine nuestro camino. Gracias por todo el amor y cariño que nos diste. Te recordaremos siempre mientras esperamos el momento en que nos podamos reunir de nuevo”.
En la partida de nuestro amado hermano y tío, lloramos tu partida. Recordamos tu sonrisa en el rostro y todos los hermosos recuerdos que nos brindaste, mientras estuviste con nosotros. Te extrañaremos con amor, tu madre Silvia y hermanos Aníbal, Alicia, Celia, Nitza (Maggie), Elodía (Didy), Carmencita, Diana, Maribel y tus sobrinos que te amamos.
En paz descanse tu alma tío Luis. • Familia Rivera-Tirado
risky gamble. On immigration policy, Trump has announced senior-level appointments — including Thomas Homan, his “border czar,” and Stephen Miller, his deputy chief of staff — that suggest he plans to take a hard-line stance. And despite the choice of Bessent, Trump has continued to talk about his plans for tariffs since the election. Last month, he announced on social media that he would put 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico unless they stopped drugs and migrants from entering the United States.
“Markets have a serenity about trade and immigration policy that I think is unwarranted,” said Michael Strain, an economist at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank. “Trade and immigration policy could be extremely disruptive to the economy.”
Strain outlined a worst-case outlook for the economy, in which steep new tariffs discourage investment, mass deportations limit employers’ ability to find workers and mounting deficits drive up borrowing costs. If that happens, Americans could face both rising prices and slowing growth — a form of the “stagflation” that the U.S. economy last experienced nearly a half-century ago.
“In this scenario, the price of imported goods, the price of groceries, the price of restaurant meals, the price of homes all shoot up dramatically,” Strain said.
All of that means that both consumers and policymakers are likely to be less tolerant of higher prices than they were during Trump’s first term. The Fed cut interest rates Wednesday for the third straight meeting, but many economists believe the central bank will be reluctant to lower rates further until it becomes clear what effect Trump’s policies are having. That could weigh on growth and possibly lead to higher unemployment.
Stocks have soared since the election, suggesting that many investors see a rosier picture, with fatter profits and faster growth. Many of them appear to be betting that Trump will focus on cutting taxes and regulations, while taking a moderate approach to trade and immigration policy. Investors particularly cheered his selection of Wall Street executives for key roles — particularly Scott Bessent, a hedge fund manager, as Treasury secretary — believing they will help dissuade Trump from imposing the most aggressive version of his proposed tariffs.
But that could be a
And while recession fears have faded this year, policymakers still face the central challenge: how to bring down inflation without large job losses. Inflation cooled rapidly in 2023 but has proved more stubborn this year. The unemployment rate, at 4.2% in November, is low but has edged up. It is taking longer for unemployed workers to find jobs — a sign that the job market could be weaker than it appears.
“If there’s one thing you want to be concerned about with the economy right now it’s around the labor market,” said Aditya Bhave, senior economist at Bank of America.
Yet forecasters have consistently underestimated the resilience of the U.S. economy in recent years. And there are good reasons for continued optimism. Households have comparatively little debt relative to their incomes, suggesting that consumers can keep spending. Productivity growth has been strong in recent years, and the spread of artificial intelligence could keep that momentum going. Most investors see the United States as a safe place to invest, especially compared with the rest of the world.
“This time last year, many expected the economy at some time this year to be in a recession or to have inflation have a very pronounced last-mile problem,” said Blerina Uruci, chief U.S. economist at T. Rowe Price. “We don’t worry as much about a recession now.”
Stocks end flat after Fed-induced selloff as early bounce fades
U.S. stocks ended little changed on Thursday, as an early rebound from a sharp drop in the prior session after the Federal Reserve forecast fewerthan-expected interest rate cuts and higher inflation next year.
Economic data was in sync with the Fed’s view, with weekly initial jobless claims falling more than expected while gross domestic product for the third quarter was revised to show a 3.1% increase from the previously reported 2.8% pace.
“It clearly sent a message that rates weren’t going to keep going down if inflation didn’t continue its decline, and we’ve seen inflation tick up a bit here, and that’s a concern to the Fed,” said Tim Ghriskey, senior portfolio strategist at Ingalls & Snyder in New York.
“Today you would have expected, given the sell-off and the sharpness of it, you’d see a bounce today, and we are seeing one, it just isn’t with a lot of conviction here.”
According to preliminary data, the S&P 500 (.SPX), opens new tab lost 5.08 points, or 0.09%, to end at 5,867.08 points, while the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC), opens new tab lost 23.12 points, or 0.12%, to 19,369.58. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI), opens new tab rose 14.41 points, or 0.03%, to 42,341.28.
The Dow and S&P 500 suffered their biggest oneday percentage drop since early August, while the Nasdaq suffered its biggest daily fall since July after the Fed on Wednesday said it expects to make just two 25 basis point cuts in 2025, half a percentage point less than its September forecast for the first year of the new Trump administration.
Traders now see just one quarter-point rate reduction by mid-2025, and see less than two cuts in total by the end of the year, compared with last week’s expectations of three rate cuts.
Longer-dated Treasury yields were higher after the economic data, with the benchmark 10-year note reach-
ing a near 7-month high of 4.594%.
The CBOE volatility index (.VIX), Wall Street’s fear
gauge, eased after hitting a 5-1/2-month high of 28.32 a day earlier.
What it looks like on an island steamrolled by a cyclone
By JOHN ELIGON, JULIE BOURDIN and AURELIEN BREEDEN
The hillsides surrounding the harbor of the tiny French territory of Mayotte have been transformed into barren mounds of leafless, uprooted trees. Sailboats lie on their sides, consumed by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.
Piles of twisted metal, bricks, insulation and other debris line the steep, narrow streets of Mamoudzou, the capital of this archipelago along the east coast of Africa. Amid all this destruction caused by Cyclone Chido, which struck last weekend, a few residents sat on the sidewalk in a downpour Thursday, setting out buckets to capture water, which has become a valuable commodity with taps dry since the storm.
“Tell Macron that God gave us water,” said a shirtless man, raising his arms, referring to French President Emmanuel Macron, who had just arrived to tour the devastation.
As residents pick through the wreckage where dozens have been confirmed dead and thousands may be missing, the deeply impoverished territory of Mayotte is attracting rare global attention and generating renewed debate over its treatment as part of France.
More than a century and a half after France colonized Mayotte, which mainly comprises two larger islands and a series of smaller ones with about 320,000 people, it is the poorest place in France and faces some of the greatest social challenges.
The poverty rate in Mayotte is nearly 80%, five times higher than on the mainland, according to official statistics. The unemployment rate is nearly 40%, compared with about 7% for the rest of France. Some people work in fishing and agriculture, or in an informal economy of small shops and businesses; others are employed by the state.
About 30% of residents do not have access to running water at home, a problem made worse by a drought last year.
Some aid workers and analysts have said the government has failed to keep up with a rapidly growing population and provide necessary services. Others suggest that the government has largely overlooked the island, which sits some 5,000 miles away from mainland France and is a 12-hour flight from Paris.
In the aftermath of the cyclone, Macron has vowed to support the devastated population.
At the airport and then at the hospital Thursday, Macron was greeted by scores of worried residents and exhausted doctors who told him about destroyed homes, power blackouts, low food and medicine stocks, empty gas stations — and worries of a terrible toll.
Macron, who wore a white shirt and a traditional local scarf, was also taken on a helicopter flyover of the devastation. He repeatedly promised that relief was arriving and said that a field hospital would be operational Friday.
For some people living in Mayotte, all the attention and talk of camaraderie coming from mainland France — and Macron’s visit — ring hollow after what they see as decades of discrimination and being cast aside like neglected stepchildren.
“It’s not going to do anything for us,” said Sarah Moilimo, 35, a teacher who is now accommodating about 25 people who lost their homes in her house in Mamoudzou, referring to Macron’s visit. “What we need is for him to act and to do something,” she added. “Over the last few months he’s sent many ministers to visit Mayotte and nothing ever changes.”
Macron rejected suggestions that the French state had abandoned Mayotte and made sweeping promises of recovery during his visit. “We were able to rebuild our cathedral in five years,” Macron said, referring to the recent reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. “It would be a tragedy if we were unable to rebuild Mayotte.”
Even though Mayotte is a part of France, its inhabitants do not enjoy all the same benefits as mainland residents, and they are subject to some different laws.
In Mayotte, families are not entitled to certain grants for child birth and education that are accessible almost everywhere else in France.
Mayotte is one of only two French departments, the basic administrative units within regions, where state representatives can remove residents and destroy illegal housing without a court order. Although the law requires the government to provide suitable alternative accommodation, that often does not happen, according to aid groups.
The shantytowns that have been the focus of the local government’s demolition efforts have taken the hardest hit from the storm, with many wiped away. Many residents of the shantytowns are believed to be undocumented migrants.
The disparities that Mayotte faces are in some ways a legacy of the French colonial era.
Colonized in 1843, Mayotte only became a French department — which establishes a local authority to administer social services and infrastructure — in 2011. It’s the youngest department in the country, and some civil society activists say government officials are still struggling to catch the island up on services and infrastructure amid rapid population growth.
Moilimo, the teacher in Mamoudzou, said she moved to Mayotte about a year and a half ago after living in Marseille her entire life because she wanted to connect with her roots in Africa. She figured Mayotte would be a good landing spot because she could still have the salary and quality of life she had in France.
“It’s not like France at all,” she said, saying the disparities between Mayotte and the mainland were startling.
Even though salaries are much lower in Mayotte, prices are much higher, she said. The education system in Mayotte is so overwhelmed, she said, that many pupils perform far below their grade level. Some students only have the opportunity to go to school for half of the day because of a shortage of teachers.
Part of the reason that Mayotte may have lost so many lives is that cyclones are so rare there that residents often are not aware of the
proper precautions to take, said Eric Sam-Vah, the deputy head of the Piroi Center, a disaster management agency of the French Red Cross.
Even though French authorities have warned of a high death toll, residents have complained that government rescue and recovery efforts have been sluggish, and in some cases nonexistent. There was no sign of a government rescue effort during a walk Thursday through many stricken areas of the capital.
During his visit, Macron acknowledged that in many shantytowns there had not yet been searches to find victims, injured and dead, but said officials were ramping up efforts to find victims in these communities.
In many cases, Mayotte residents have had to turn to each other to survive.
After the roof of his two-story, detached villa was torn off by the cyclone, Mickael Damour, 47, was forced to squeeze into a bathroom cupboard to stay safe. He emerged to roads so clogged with debris that he and his neighbors could not leave and were forced to shelter in a school. Damour, a dialysis nurse, said he put his professional skills to work, treating neighbors who could not get to the hospital.
“I bandaged wounds for two days, nonstop,” he said. “We don’t see a lot of aid from the French state.”
San Juan Daily Star
Homes destroyed by Cyclone Chido in the Passamainty slum area outside the capital of Mamoudzou in the French territory of Mayotte on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. The deeply impoverished territory in the Indian Ocean is attracting rare global attention and sparking renewed debate over its treatment as part of France. (Sergey Ponomarev/ The New York Times)
Tiny coffins: Measles is killing thousands of children in Congo
By STEPHANIE NOLEN and ARLETTE BASHIZI
Werra Maulu Botey could not bear to close his daughter’s coffin. Waiting to bury her, he slid the rough wooden lid back, again and again, to adjust her small head and smooth the cloth that cradled it away from her cheeks.
Olive died of measles, at the age of 5, the evening before. She was the first child to die that weekend in an emergency measles treatment center in the town of Bikoro, in northwest Congo. The second was her cousin, a 1-year-old girl.
Measles is sweeping through the children of Bikoro, as it does every couple of years, creeping, then flaring, across this vast country.
It is on the rise in other parts of the world, too — including in some communities in the United States — though the measles vaccine has been in use since 1963 and is believed to have saved more lives than any other childhood immunization.
There were more than 311,000 reported cases of measles in Congo last year. Some 6,000 of them ended as Olive’s did: with a child buried in a small coffin days after first running a fever and breaking out in a red rash. This year, cases have been fewer — about 97,000 — but the virus has become more lethal, killing more than 2,100. It’s not clear why.
Globally, there were 20% more measles cases in 2023 than in the year before, according to the World Health Organization, for a total of 10.3 million, and more than 107,000 people died. Fifty-seven countries had “large or disruptive” outbreaks, the WHO said, nearly 60% more than in 2022.
There are more measles outbreaks in places such as Minnesota and New Brunswick because parents mistrust vaccines or don’t believe their children will be seriously affected if they catch the virus. In the United States, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for federal health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has fought vaccine mandates and said parents should have the right to choose not to vaccinate their children.
But many parents in places such as Congo never have the chance to vaccinate their children, however much they want to.
Olive lived about 28 miles from Bikoro, in a village called Ikoko Ipenge, where there is no health center. Her father worked in Bikoro, her mother far off in Mbandaka, the regional capital, so she stayed mostly with her grandmother. On Nov. 29, when her breathing turned to shallow gasps, her grandmother gathered her up at dawn and persuaded a neighbor to take them, balanced on the back of a bicycle, to a slightly bigger village. That took four hours. There she hired a motorbike driver to take them one more hour to Bikoro.
There, they reached a measles treatment center, which was set up by the international medical aid organization Doctors Without Borders a few months ago when the disease began to overwhelm the pediatric ward of the hospital next door.
The center was made of wood and tarpaulin. There were 10 children already admitted when Olive arrived; she was one of 18 more who came throughout the day.
She needed oxygen and a blood transfusion, but the hos-
pital had no blood bank, and so a donor had to be found.
Her aunt came to sit by her bedside, gently holding the child’s hands at her sides so that she could not pull out the tube from her nose.
By 7 p.m., Olive was dead.
Her mother, Gisele Mboyo Ekongo, arrived from Mbandaka the next morning, having traveled through the night. The cellphone network is so weak in the region that the first she heard of her child’s illness was news of her death.
She said she had done her best to have her children immunized, but it was difficult for people who farmed or traveled for work to seek out vaccines.
“The vaccines don’t come; the care is so far away,” she said.
Measles causes a high fever, vomiting and diarrhea, as well as a characteristic rash that is provoked by the immune system’s T cells trying to fight viral infection in skin cells.
It is a serious illness anywhere — 40% of children in the United States who catch measles are hospitalized. But it is particularly brutal for children who live in places with little or no medical care.
Measles causes “immune amnesia,” wiping out immunity to other infections that children may have built up and making them vulnerable to gastrointestinal and respiratory infections such as pneumonia — which seems to have been what killed Olive. Diarrhea can quickly kill a child who is already frail from undernutrition; an estimated 4.5 million Congolese children are acutely malnourished.
Severe cases of measles can also cause deafness, blindness and encephalitis. But those are seen less often in Congo, said Dr. Eric Mafuta, a professor at the school of public health at the University of Kinshasa, because a child such as Olive will succumb to what he called “the lethal cocktail” of pneumonia and diarrhea before the other conditions have time to develop.
Congo is one of four big, populous countries that have never managed to rein in measles (the others are Ethiopia, Ni-
geria and Pakistan). Stopping the disease requires vaccination coverage above 95%, far higher than Congo has achieved. (In the United States, coverage has slipped to 93%.)
UNICEF and the WHO estimate Congo’s measles vaccine coverage rate at 52%. Research based on analysis of children’s blood showed that in the most isolated or poorest provinces, as few as 13% of children had measles antibodies, either from vaccination or infection.
The measles vaccine costs less than a dollar and is given at no cost to families. Congo’s government is helped by Gavi, the international organization that buys vaccines for low-income countries, to purchase them, and by UNICEF to deliver them.
But many things stand in the way of delivering those vaccines to Congolese children.
The first is logistics: All vaccines sent to Congo enter through Kinshasa, the capital, but getting them beyond the cities to rural health posts is daunting. Congo is the size of Western Europe, yet the United Nations estimates that it has only about 1,800 miles of paved roads. In the lengthy rainy season, those roads often become impassable.
To be most effective, the measles vaccine must be kept chilled until it is used, which can be challenging in a country with a hot climate and a frail electrical grid.
Vaccination relies on nurses, and on outreach workers who visit communities, traveling on motorbikes with megaphones to tell parents to bring their children to a central point. But nurses rarely receive their nominal salaries, and outreach workers are not paid at all unless an aid agency gives them a stipend during an emergency vaccine campaign. So they are not always motivated to do the job, which can involve arduous travel, Mafuta said.
Congo has had civil conflicts within its borders for decades, and at least 7 million Congolese are internally displaced — 740,000 people have had to flee their homes this year alone. The ongoing fighting can put children beyond the reach of the health system, although aid organizations do targeted immunizations in camps where displaced people live.
Even when vaccines arrive and health workers are on hand, the inoculations still need to reach the children. Olive’s parents, agricultural laborers, leave home before dawn and return at dusk. If a worker passes through the village to vaccinate children, they won’t be there.
Mafuta, who leads annual surveys of Congo’s vaccination coverage, described arriving in villages to find only a handful of elderly people and small children. Infants are taken to the fields with their mothers; 6- and 7-year-olds are left in charge of toddlers.
The situation could improve. Rapid diagnostic tests for measles should be available in a year or two, helping countries identify outbreaks more quickly. Dr. Natasha Crowcroft, who leads the measles response at the WHO, said another significant shift would be the delivery of the vaccine in a patch, which would eliminate the refrigeration requirement and ease distribution. The patches are in clinical trials.
Mothers and children wait for the start of routine vaccinations at the Bikoro health center, in the Équateur Province of Congo, on Nov. 29, 2024. Problems with getting vaccines to families have left many children unvaccinated and in danger of contracting the virus. (Arlette Bashizi/The New York Times)
The once booming drug town going bust under Taliban rule
By AZAM AHMED
An oasis stretched far into the desert, a vast sea of emerald stalks and scarlet poppy flowers that grew to the horizon.
The Taliban operated openly, running a social experiment unlike anything in the country. Tens — then hundreds — of thousands of people flocked here to escape the war and grow poppy, fleeing the American efforts to wipe out the crop.
The Taliban opened a trauma hospital to treat their wounded and earned a fortune, not just from opium, but also from methamphetamine and taxes on goods moving in and out of Afghanistan, bringing them millions upon millions of dollars every month.
During the war, this remote district became a laboratory for a future Taliban state, providing money for the war and a sanctuary for the men fighting it.
All that has changed. The Taliban boom town is rapidly going bust.
The same insurgents who embraced opium to help finance their war have put an end to it, ordering a ban that has all but cleared Afghanistan of poppy and other illicit drugs.
to
of
labs processing opium into heroin and wild ephedra into meth, all permitted and taxed by the Taliban. Now the drug trade is forbidden again, but another factor had already taken a toll: the water is running out. (Bryan Denton/The New York Times)
It was also a drug war.
What the United States and its allies failed to do in two decades of war, the Taliban has managed in two years of peace. In an area where poppy once dominated the landscape, barely a stalk remains.
Hundreds of labs set up to process heroin and methamphetamine have been closed or destroyed. The drug bazaar that powered this part of southern Afghanistan has been all but emptied. And the nation, already reeling without international aid, has lost a sizable piece of its economy as a result.
On top of that, the Taliban government has stiffened its taxes, leaving residents bitter and angry. Many have moved away, except those too poor or invested to leave, like Abdul Khaliq.
“This is all coming to an end,” he said, waving his hand toward the emptying villages.
There was almost nothing in this district, Bakwa, when he arrived 25 years ago, just an empty desert plain. He built an empire out of sand, selling the pumps and solar panels that provided water for the opium boom, helping turn Bakwa into a frontier outpost for smugglers, traders and farmers.
Now his story, like Bakwa’s, has come full circle: the foreigners gone, the Taliban back in power, the earth stripped of poppy and the land returning to dust.
“It’s a matter of time,” he said.
The war in Afghanistan was many things: a mission to eliminate al-Qaida and oust the group that gave safe harbor to Osama bin Laden; an ambitious drive to build a new Afghanistan, where Western ideals ran headlong into local traditions; a seemingly endless entanglement, where winning sometimes mattered less than not losing.
The Americans and their allies tried again and again to sever the Taliban’s income and stop one of the world’s worst scourges: opium and heroin production.
The United States spent nearly $9 billion on heavyhanded eradication and interdiction, yet Afghanistan eclipsed its own records as the largest producer of illicit poppy in the world.
What did change was where that poppy was grown. Little by little, farmers flooded once empty deserts in southwestern Afghanistan, barren pockets of sand with almost no populations to speak of before.
At its height, the Taliban oversaw a narco-state here, a farm-to-table drug operation with hundreds of field labs processing opium into heroin and wild ephedra into methamphetamine for Europe, Asia and elsewhere. By the end of the war, Bakwa had become an entrepôt of the drug trade, home to the largest open-air drug market in the country.
The Taliban showed flexibility, too, both morally and financially. Despite banning poppy on religious grounds before the American invasion, the Taliban allowed farmers to grow as much of it as they wanted during the war.
And they taxed it loosely, often whatever farmers could afford, adopting a hearts-and-minds strategy. They also taxed smugglers, who were happy to help fund a Taliban war machine that didn’t interfere with business.
Bakwa soon became an incubator for governance. Taliban courts adjudicated all manner of disputes, while millions of dollars flowed monthly to help finance the Taliban mission beyond Bakwa and the southwest.
Western officials took aim at that money. They began with eradication, then tried persuading farmers to grow
legal crops, and ended with fighter jets bombing makeshift labs made of mud.
“At least $200 million of this opium industry goes into the Taliban’s bank accounts,” Gen. John Nicholson, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan in 2017, a year of peak poppy production, said at the time. “And this fuels — really pays for the insurgency.”
But the Taliban’s customs checkpoints were just as essential in Bakwa, or even more so, taxing goods to the tune of $10 million a month or more, according to Taliban officials.
“The money from agriculture, poppy included, funded the war” in these regions, said Haji Maulavi Asif, now the Taliban’s governor for Bakwa district. “But the money from the customs operation helped fund the entire movement.”
Now that poppy has been banned, the farmers the Taliban once relied on feel betrayed, while the Taliban is trying to govern without the money it brings.
“While economically, the decision to ban poppy costs a lot, politically it makes sense,” said Asif. “We are silencing the countries of the world who say we are growing poppy and participating in the global drug trade.”
The Americans withdrew for good in 2021 and the Taliban took over. Months later, the supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, declared that poppy cultivation was “absolutely prohibited in the whole country.”
The Taliban claimed to have arrested numerous traffickers, seized nearly 2,000 tons of drugs and raided hundreds of heroin labs. In 2023, the Taliban destroyed dozens of labs in Bakwa, setting them ablaze.
Where the Americans had cherry-picked from the sky, killing or injuring innocents along the way, the Taliban removed nearly every laboratory in Bakwa.
Farmers blame the Taliban for their misery. For nearly 15 years, their poppy — and the taxes the Taliban collected from it — supported the insurgents’ war to establish a government.
Now that the Taliban got what they wanted, they have forgotten the people of Bakwa who made it all possible, residents grumble. Farmers too poor to leave now send their sons to work on harvests elsewhere, renting them out as labor.
Like others, Khaliq holds the Taliban responsible. Like others, he knows some people are still hoarding opium reserves to sell at a high price, given the ban. Prices have more than quintupled since 2021, and some are still getting rich.
But everything he owns has lost value: his land and equipment, and hundreds of solar panels that sit in tidy rows, waiting for farmers who will never come back. The barren furrows of earth swirl like fingerprints over a monochromatic desert, a reminder of what was.
“This is life,” he says. “Everything ends. I will be done one day, too. But even if this ends, somewhere else will be beginning.”
Men pray on a small patch of grass in Shagai, in southwest Afghanistan’s arid Bakwa district, on Aug. 17, 2023. By the end of the American occupation, the once-empty Bakwa had become home
hundreds
field
The case for throwing stones from a glass house
By NICHOLAS KRISTOF
When she finally had the chance to confront her rapist in open court, she didn’t flinch. “What you did was bad,” she told the pastor. “Don’t do that to any other girl.”
And he won’t. At age 74, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for assaulting her and others. But the devastation lingers for the petite and fragile Kenyan girl in braids who was repeatedly raped by the pastor when she was just 7 years old.
“I trusted him because he said he was a man of God,” she told me. Now 13, she says she didn’t understand what he was doing to her. But she knew it hurt, and she was terrified when he warned, “If you tell your parents, I’ll kill you.”
Violence against women is a serious problem here in the United States, of course. But there has been some progress in America while in many countries a cloak of silence continues to enable such violence. This is one of the great moral struggles of our time, and we should exercise bipartisan American global leadership to address it. President-elect Donald Trump has talked a good game about prioritizing the fight against human trafficking and child exploitation, and here’s a chance to do so.
A new United Nations report estimates that 51,000 women and girls were killed last year around the world by their partners or family members — the equivalent of a good-size war. The highest number of these femicides, and the highest
rate per capita, was in Africa, the U.N. found.
Here in Nairobi, a survey found that the first sexual experience of a majority of women in the sprawling warren of alleys that make up the Kibera slum was rape. UNICEF reported this year a global survey finding that one-third of girls in Oceania had been sexually assaulted by the age of 18, along with 22% of girls in Africa; a smaller but still significant number of boys had been sexually assaulted.
It is awkward for us to talk about problems linked to other cultures. Are we hypocritical? Aren’t we a flawed messenger when our president-elect himself was found liable in court for sexual abuse? If I speak up, does that make me a white savior engaging in Western cultural imperialism?
My wife, Sheryl WuDunn, has a fitting answer when people accuse Americans of cultural imperialism. A Chinese American, Sheryl notes that her grandmother’s feet were bound and says, thank God Westerners spoke out about foot binding, imposing their values and sparing future generations of Chinese girls such a fate.
We need the humility to acknowledge that we haven’t come near to solving these issues in the United States. But at least we discuss them openly, shattering taboos — and throwing stones from a glass house is still preferable to silence as women and girls are murdered and assaulted in large numbers around the world.
Zaha Indimuli, an activist involved in organizing recent protests, at an event in Nairobi to promote awareness of femicide, in Nairobi, Dec. 9, 2024. A series of brutal murders in Kenya in recent months, documented by the police and human rights groups, has stunned a nation where anger over violence against women and girls has prompted nationwide protests. (Brian Otieno/The New York Times)
That’s the context in which I admire Kenyan groups like Kara Olmurani and Shining Hope for Communities (which works to empower slum residents in Nairobi, especially girls). Both groups support victims but also work with the police to send perpetrators to prison.
Even at a time when Americans are deeply divided, we should still be able to work together to end impunity for brutality toward women and girls. One model has been the successful and bipartisan effort to tackle human trafficking, bringing together liberal feminists and conservative evangelicals. Republicans and Democrats worked together over the past 25 years to reduce the number of girls sold into modern slavery in countries like Cambodia and the Philippines.
Dr. Ricardo Angulo Founder PO BOX 6537 Caguas PR 00726
Telephones: (787) 743-3346 • (787) 743-6537 (787) 743-5606 • Fax (787) 743-5100
At a shelter called Kara Olmurani in Nairobi, I interviewed the girl raped by the pastor. (The girls in this story asked that I not use their names, and I’ve obliged.) The shelter, a large, bustling house behind a high wall on the edge of town, is home to 18 girls who’ve been sexually abused and five young children who were the product of rape. A sign in the living room reads: I am a girl, smart, strong and beautiful. When I arrived, the girls were festive in masks and colored braids for their holiday party, their playfulness a tribute to human resilience.
Kara Olmurani was founded by Terry Gobanga, a Kenyan minister who had been kidnapped in Nairobi on the morning of her wedding day in 2004. The attackers gang-raped and stabbed her, then dumped her on the road from a moving car. As Gobanga’s friends gathered for her wedding, she was unconscious and fighting for her life in a hospital bed.
This was a humanitarian triumph — but Congress let the landmark anti-trafficking legislation lapse in 2021. It should promptly be revived.
Congress should also pass the long-stalled bipartisan International Violence Against Women Act, which would establish a State Department office for women’s issues and elevate issues of gender violence.
At Kara Olmurani, a slight girl in braids broke my heart. She was wearing a bracelet that read “joy,” but as she told me her story she was soon weeping.
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After recovering and marrying seven months later, Gobanga resolved to help others suffering from sexual violence and turned her house into a shelter. I wrote about Kara two years ago, and Times readers then donated $120,000, which allowed the organization to expand and start a branch in Malawi as well.
While speaking out is important, it can also create a resentful backlash that amplifies the problem (which has sometimes happened with denunciations of female genital mutilation). What works best is for Americans to support organizations pushing for change from within a culture and give them the microphones.
A man had attacked her in the fields when she was 12, and he raped her so brutally that she suffered an internal injury called a fistula, leaving her incontinent. She has required seven surgeries to repair the damage.
“Men should have self-control,” she said earnestly. “They should be trained not to attack children.”
She paused and gulped some air to steady herself. “And if he does something bad to a girl, he should be punished.”
I hope Congress is listening. One of the epic moral battles of this century is against human trafficking and violence against women, so why would Americans of any political stripe want to stay passive on the sidelines?
Juez paraliza liquidación de $399,000 al alcalde saliente de Villalba
POR CYBERNEWS
VILLALBA – El Tribunal de Primera Instancia de Ponce ordenó detener el desembolso de 399,000 dólares en liquidaciones al alcalde saliente de Villalba, Luis Javier Hernández Ortiz, tras una determinación del juez superior Rodney Ríos Medina emitida el miércoles.
La medida también cita a Hernández Ortiz y a los miembros de la Legislatura Municipal, controlada por el Partido Popular Democrático (PPD), a una vista el próximo 26 de diciembre para abordar la controversia.
“Ayer el Tribunal Superior de Ponce acogió nuestro pedido de ‘injunction’ ante lo que hubiese sido un golpe
mortal a las finanzas municipales de Villalba, las cuales ya enfrentan un déficit de más de 6 millones de dólares y una deuda acumulada de más de 53 millones de dólares”, expresó Hiram Torres Montalvo, miembro del Comité de Transición del alcalde electo, Dan Santiago, en declaraciones escritas.
Torres Montalvo denunció que el saliente alcalde pretendía adjudicarse una “jugosa liquidación” que incluye pagos por vacaciones, bono de navidad y días de enfermedad, sumando cerca de 399,000 dólares.
Entre las posibles violaciones de ley figura el Artículo 2.094 del Código Municipal de Puerto Rico, que prohíbe a las administraciones gastar más del 50 por ciento del
presupuesto en un año electoral. Según Torres Montalvo, la autorización del desembolso excede este límite para el presupuesto del año fiscal 2024-2025.
Departamento de la Vivienda lanza campaña educativa sobre el mantenimiento de sistemas
POR CYBERNEWS
SAN JUAN – El Departamento de la Vivienda anunció este jueves el inicio de una campaña educativa para orientar a las familias puertorriqueñas sobre el cuidado y mantenimiento de los sistemas de energía solar y baterías de almacenamiento.
Más de 10,000 familias ya han sido beneficiadas con la instalación de estos sistemas a través de los programas de la agencia.
“El mantenimiento de los sistemas de energía solar es clave para que siempre operen en óptimas condiciones. A menudo nos enfocamos en adquirir las placas solares, pero es igualmente importante considerar su cuidado continuo. Por esta razón hemos desarrollado esta campaña para llevar información valiosa y que toda la inversión realizada tenga mayor provecho”, indicó el secretario de la Vivienda, William Rodríguez Rodríguez, en declaraciones escritas.
Bajo el lema ¡Cuida tus placas solares y asegura la energía de tu hogar!, la iniciativa tiene como objetivo que los beneficiarios de los programas de Instalaciones Comunitarias para la Resiliencia Energética y de Abastecimiento de
Agua (CEWRI), así como propietarios de placas solares en general, estén informados sobre el correcto uso y mantenimiento de estos equipos.
de energía renovable
El esfuerzo incluye consejos sobre eficiencia energética, cuidado de los sistemas, técnicas de limpieza, monitoreo mediante aplicaciones y preparación en caso de mal tiempo. También educa sobre la selección de compañías instaladoras certificadas, las garantías disponibles y los estándares requeridos por los programas del Departamento de la Vivienda.
“Este esfuerzo busca empoderar a los nuevos dueños de sistemas y promover la sostenibilidad energética de la Isla”, añadió Rodríguez Rodríguez.
La campaña es parte de los programas Nueva Energía e Incentivo Solar, financiados con fondos CDBG-DR y CDBG-MIT. Estas iniciativas han sido fundamentales para impulsar la producción de energía renovable en Puerto Rico y fomentar la resiliencia energética en comunidades vulnerables.
El secretario subrayó que la adquisición de sistemas solares facilita la seguridad energética y mejora la calidad de vida de miles de familias. Además, destacó que el crecimiento de las alternativas de energía sostenible en la Isla ya suma más de 130,000 sistemas interconectados a la red eléctrica.
Empate en la semifinal de la COLICEBA busca romperse este fin de semana
rales abrirá por los locales, mientras que José Carlos Burgos subirá a la loma por los visitantes.
SAN JUAN – La semifinal nacional de la Confederación de la Liga Central de Béisbol Aficionado (COLICEBA) se reanuda este viernes a las 8:00 de la noche en los estadios de Orocovis y Juncos, donde las dos series, empatadas a una victoria por equipo, continúan al mejor de cinco juegos.
En el Estadio Iluminado “Lumín” Quiles de Orocovis, los Caciques serán los anfitriones de los bicampeones Ganduleros de Villalba. El lanzador Edgar Mo-
En el Estadio Mariano “Niní” Meaux de Juncos, los Guayacanes de Guayanilla se enfrentarán a los Mulos. Por Guayanilla, el veterano Omar “El Seco” Martínez será el lanzador abridor, mientras que Orlando Díaz hará lo propio por Juncos.
Ambas series continuarán este sábado a las 8:00 de la noche, trasladándose a Villalba y Guayanilla, respectivamente, para los cuartos partidos de estas semifinales.
Nuevo lente intraocular ajustable disponible en Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Eye Institute anuncia con entusiasmo la disponibilidad en la isla del primer y único lente intraocular ajustable tras cirugía de cataratas, The Light Adjustable Lens™. Este innovador lente es una opción revolucionaria para pacientes que buscan una visión personalizada y precisa después de la cirugía de cataratas. Además, tenemos citas disponibles inmediatamente para los pacientes interesados.
Puerto Rico Eye Institute, dirigido por un equipo de expertos en retina y médicos especialistas, incluyendo a la Dra. Stephanie C. Vale Dykyj, el Dr. Carlos J. Fernández Santos, la Dra. María G. Velázquez Lamela, y la Dra. Frances M. Matrero Barrera, se enorgullece de ser el primer centro en ofrecer esta tecnología avanzada en Puerto Rico. Decenas de pacientes ya se han operado con nuestros especialistas, obteniendo resultados que superan sus expectativas. A partir de enero de 2025, el Dr. Frank Abella, oftalmólogo, se unirá a nuestro equipo para seguir brindando la mejor atención oftalmológica en la isla.
El Light Adjustable Lens™ es el primer lente intraocular (IOL) que puede ajustarse tras la cirugía, permitiendo a los médicos optimizar la visión del paciente según sus necesidades individuales. Esta tecnología avanzada mejora significativamente la calidad visual y, en muchos casos, permite a los pacientes prescindir de gafas o lentes de contacto después de
la cirugía de cataratas. “Esta innovadora tecnología da a los pacientes la oportunidad de no depender de espejuelos de por vida tras la cirugía de cataratas, ofreciendo la precisión más avanzada y una personalización única para cada paciente. Esta opción es especialmente útil para aquellos que han tenido cirugía refractiva previamente, brindándoles la posibilidad de lograr una visión aún mejor”, comentó el Dr. Carlos J. Fernández Santos.
Los beneficios del Light Adjustable Lens™ incluyen la adaptación precisa de la visión postoperatoria, reduciendo la dependencia de espejuelos o lentes de contacto. Además, al ser ajustable, ofrece una solución personalizada que se adapta a las necesidades visuales específicas de cada paciente, mejorando la calidad de vida y garantizando resultados más satisfactorios.
“Los pacientes que son candidatos ideales para este lente son aquellos de 50 años o más, quienes comienzan a desarrollar cataratas, así como aquellos que anteriormente no eran aptos para otros lentes intraoculares premium, como los que han tenido cirugía refractiva previa, problemas con la córnea, glaucoma, o dificultades con los halos de otros lentes”, agregó la Dra. Vale.
El ajuste del lente se realiza mediante exposición controlada a luz ultravioleta, lo que permite que el lente cambie su forma y enfoque para adaptarse mejor a las necesidades del paciente. Este proceso puede realizarse en varias sesiones hasta obtener la visión deseada. El Light Adjustable Lens™ está fabricado con un material fotosensible especial que cam-
bia su forma y potencia al exponerse a la luz ultravioleta (UV). Este lente es el primero en ofrecer una combinación única de control, personalización y confiabilidad.
Este lente ha sido aprobado por la Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de los EE. UU. (FDA), destacando su seguridad y eficacia. La capacidad de personalizar el tratamiento postoperatorio es crucial, ya que permite a los médicos realizar ajustes con una precisión sin precedentes.
“Este nivel de personalización garantiza que cada paciente reciba el tratamiento preciso que necesita, mejorando significativamente los resultados visuales y la satisfacción general”, concluyeron los especialistas.
Para más información o para agendar una cita, Puerto Rico Eye Institute está ubicado en Plaza Bairoa, PR 1, Ave Sakura, Caguas, 00725 (Suite 245). Visítanos en www.preyeinstitute.com o llámanos al (787) 641-3030.
Sobre Puerto Rico Eye Institute: Establecido en 2020, Puerto Rico Eye Institute se ha destacado por ofrecer atención médica excepcional con amabilidad y empatía. Nos comprometemos a proporcionar a nuestros pacientes los servicios de salud visual más avanzados, siguiendo los estándares de calidad más rigurosos. Con nuestro equipo de especialistas, nos enfocamos no solo en el tratamiento de las condiciones existentes, sino también en maximizar las estrategias de prevención, mejorando así la calidad visual de nuestros pacientes.
‘Didi,’ ‘Janet Planet’ and the year’s great under-the-radar streaming films
By JASON BAILEY
In what has become an annual tradition, this month’s guide to the under-the-radar titles of your subscription services spotlights films from this calendar year — movies that may turn up on the year-end lists of your favorite critics, or as nominations and winners during awards season. Here are just a few of the year’s finest indies, documentaries and international selections, available to stream at this very minute: ‘Janet Planet’ (2024)
Playwright-turned-filmmaker Annie Baker makes an astonishing feature filmmaking debut with this evocative memory piece, set in the hyper-specific milieu of early-’90s New England, but easily transportable to the time and place of your choice. The focus is on 11-year-old Lacy (a delightfully ordinary Zoe Ziegler) and her acupuncturist mother, Janet (a spot-on Julianne Nicholson); other people drift in and out of focus, mostly Janet’s romantic partners, all of whom are clearly ill-advised for one reason or another. It’s less a plotdriven narrative than a collection of moments, accumulating
into a languid yet pivotal summer, captured in up-close, and sometimes off-kilter, compositions. (Stream it on Max.)
‘Didi’ (2024)
Like “Janet Planet,” Sean Wang’s coming-of-age movie dodges many of the traps and tropes of the form — primarily by spotlighting an imperfect protagonist, the soon-to-bemiddle schooler Chris Wang (Izaac Wang), who can be quite the little jerk when he wants to be. Wang sets Chris’ story in the summer of 2008, and is uncommonly perceptive in replicating the details of being a kid online during that time: communication via AOL Instant Messenger, self-expression via YouTube, and social media via Myspace, where a punting from the “top friends” list was the most emotionally devastating act imaginable. The director is similarly adroit at capturing the nervousness of first crushes and the sound and fury of teen sibling arguments, but the most tender scenes involve Chris’ difficult relationship with his mother, played with depth and melancholy by the wonderful Joan Chen. (Stream it on Peacock.)
‘The Taste of Things’ (2024)
Tran Anh Hung’s story of a gourmand (Benoît Magimel) and the cook he loves (Juliette Binoche) falls in the great tradition of food movies, with scene after sumptuous scene of preparation and consumption, often rendered in hushed and respectful silence. And like the best food movies, it’s a love story, recognizing cooking as an act of intimacy rivaled only by lovemaking itself (and, for some, surpassing it). The central couple’s long-standing romantic arrangement — they work together, they sometimes spend the night together, but she refuses his offers of marriage — gets extra juice from the actors, who were romantically involved decades ago and bring that subtext into the pair’s loaded interactions. It’s a lovely, elegant movie, as delicate as a delicious soufflé. (Stream it on Hulu.)
‘Power’ (2024)
“This film requires curiosity, or at least suspicion,” explains director Yance Ford, in the voice-over that begins this documentary meditation on policing in the United States. His narration is quiet and searching, the voice of a man who would not presume to know the solution to our current predicament, but knows we’re in one. With the help of editor Ian Olds, Ford examines the origins of municipal policing, challenging assumptions both social and historical, and digging into the systemic issues that prevent effective
law enforcement and hinder accountability for those who abuse it. Artfully manipulating archival footage and sound, with pointed juxtapositions and a haunting score, “Power” is a thought-provoking picture whose conclusions have grown even grimmer in the half-year since its release. (Stream it on Netflix.)
‘Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World’ (2024)
Romanian director Radu Jude makes vexing satires of contemporary life, and his latest is a rude, bitter, buckshotscattering takedown of grind culture, corporate doublespeak, public relations and living online. His protagonist is Angela (Ilinca Manolache), an overworked production assistant for an industrial video company, who spends a typical day running her boss’s errands and conducting interviews, while picking up passengers for a few extra bucks and making vulgar TikTok videos for a few extra laughs. Jude’s movies are an overflowing stew, the pot perpetually boiling over with stray ideas and provocations, so there’s more to discover; the results are messy, and occasionally stamina-testing, but sharp and scathing all the same. (Stream it on Mubi.)
‘Hundreds of Beavers’ (2024)
The current media ecosystem isn’t conducive to cult movies anymore, but occasionally one breaks through, an out-of-nowhere slice of outsider cinema that astounds and baffles viewers in equal measure. That’s the case with this refreshingly unconventional frontier comedy from director Mike Cheslik, a black-and-white, dialogue-free romp filled with surrealist slapstick and actors in oversized animal costumes. Ryland Brickson Cole Tews stars as a fumbling fur trapper who must catch and kill the titular quantity of animals to win the hand of his lady love, but that’s just a clothesline on which to hang a seemingly inexhaustible supply of clever comic bits. Its low-budget chintziness becomes its charm, with Cheslik drawing inspiration from everything, whether it’s Chaplin or Nintendo. It’s just the darnedest thing — and that’s a compliment. (Stream it on Amazon Prime Video.)
‘ The Truth vs. Alex Jones’ (2024)
The Onion’s recent bid to purchase the bankrupt Infowars, the digital brand of noted conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, gives Dan Reed’s excellent documentary about Jones’ fall from grace a bit of an extra kick. Reed interviews Jones’ former staff members to detail how he came to fame. He also talks to several parents of children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012 to show how Jones’ relentless insistence that the mass shooting was a hoax turned into a yearslong campaign of digital and personal harassment. The families started filing lawsuits in 2018, culminating in the largest verdict for a defamation case in U.S. history. There is some satisfaction and schadenfreude in that outcome, but this isn’t just a courtroom blow-byblow; Reed gets into the weeds of how this business worked, and how Jones’ paranoia was so profitable. It’s a vital examination of the warped American psyche — of the man who made these claims, and the people who believed them. (Stream it on Max.)
“Janet Planet” (2024)
“ The Truth vs. Alex Jones” (2024)
ADHD diagnoses are surging among older Americans
By CHRISTINA CARON
Over her life, Tanya Murphy had become accustomed to hiding her depression. In the Christian social circles in Georgia where she raised her three children, this was the rule — not the exception, she said.
“God forbid you have a mental health issue,” said Murphy, 56, who now lives in Arlington, Virginia. “And if you do? Girl, all you have to do is fast and pray.”
But by the time she reached her late 40s, she knew she couldn’t mask her problems any longer.
Murphy had developed anxiety and started having thoughts of ending her life. She knew she was smart but she didn’t feel that way. Her difficulty focusing — as a child, her teachers called her a daydreamer — had translated into spending thousands of dollars on entrepreneurial projects that she later lost interest in and abandoned.
After researching her symptoms online, Murphy realized that she might have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disorder that typically involves inattention, disorganization, hyperactivity and impulsivity. She was finally diagnosed, at age 53, by a psychiatric nurse practitioner. After she began taking the non-stimulant ADHD medication Strattera, attending regular therapy sessions and meditating, her ability to focus improved and the anxiety and the depression faded away.
“I cried with joy,” she said. “I knew that I wasn’t crazy. I knew that I wasn’t broken. I wasn’t a failure. I wasn’t lazy like I had been told for most of my life. I wasn’t stupid.”
Over the past 20 years, clinicians have increasingly recognized that ADHD symptoms, which begin in childhood, can linger into adulthood, and that some groups — like women and people of color — are more likely to be underdiagnosed early in life. Now, with the rise of telemedicine, increased awareness of ADHD and changing attitudes about mental health treatment, new ADHD diagnoses are surging among older Americans.
An analysis by Truveta, a health care data and analytics company, shows that the rate of first-time ADHD diagnoses has been on the rise since 2021, but the increase has occurred only among people 30 and ol-
der. From January 2021 to October 2024, the rate of first-time diagnoses rose about 61% among those ages 30 to 44 and 64% among those ages 45 to 64.
As a result, about 31% of first-time diagnoses are now among people ages 30 to 44, the largest proportion of any age group. (In 2018, younger adults took the top spot.)
The analysis, which was done at the request of The New York Times, drew on Truveta’s database of 30 health systems, which included more than 1 million people who had received first-time ADHD diagnoses.
A survey conducted in August by the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that 25% of adults believed they had undiagnosed ADHD. But among U.S. adults, the disorder is thought to occur in only 6% of the population. Experts believe that the array of social media videos about the disorder is partly to blame for the increase in self-diagnosis. On TikTok alone, there are 3.7 million posts with the hashtag #ADHD.
“All these people who have been walking around, never diagnosed before, are now saying, ‘Wow, these symptoms resonate with me,’” said Dr. David W. Goodman, an assistant professor of psychiatry and be-
havioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
This is especially true of women. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that 61% of women with ADHD are diagnosed with the disorder in adulthood compared with 40% of men. Research also suggests that ADHD symptoms can worsen or even appear for the first time around menopause.
Outside stressors, such as the pandemic, may have added gasoline to the fire for people with “long-simmering difficulties,” said Russell Ramsay, a psychologist who treats adult ADHD.
In 2020, Kyle Lampe, 37, who lives in Norfolk, Massachusetts, had to pivot from event production to a job in health care. Then, in 2022, he and his wife had their first child and bought a house, after having put both off during the pandemic. The following year he was promoted at work.
With his busier schedule, he lost the periods of respite that he had relied upon to have enough energy to focus on the tasks ahead of him and organize his day.
Lampe began watching videos about ADHD on social media and related to concepts like the “wall of awful,” or a seemingly insurmountable task that needs to get
done. He recognized ADHD symptoms in his younger self, too.
After he was finally diagnosed in August, he wondered if he might have maintained more of his friendships, or whether his career might have taken a different path, had he known about his ADHD all along.
Both Lampe and Murphy opted to undergo in-person neuropsychological testing — Murphy paid $2,500 out of pocket while Lampe’s testing was largely covered by insurance. But others go online — to companies like ADHD Online, Amwell or Lifestance. And still others are diagnosed by a general practitioner or a psychiatrist. The lack of U.S. clinical guidelines for diagnosing ADHD in adults means that there isn’t a consistent way that everyone goes about it.
Much of the surge in new diagnoses is “legit,” said Stephen P. Hinshaw, a professor of psychology and an expert in ADHD at the University of California, Berkeley. But, he added, the pull of social media and the “still-too-easy diagnoses” available online “with a few self-report questions and no corroboration” are an unfortunate flip side. In the case of Dolores Brown, 46, who lives in Milwaukee, it was a new therapist who floated the possibility of ADHD. Her counselor believed that Brown’s earlier diagnosis of bipolar disorder, made by another provider years ago, was incorrect.
When she was diagnosed with ADHD in 2023, Brown felt relieved. Up until that point, she added, she had become convinced that she was “just crazy” and that nobody knew how to help.
As a child, she said, she had been identified as academically gifted — and while she always had a lot of ideas, she struggled to focus and complete tasks. In college, she fell asleep in class if she wasn’t engaged. She flunked three courses and, in other cases, barely scraped by with a C or a D. Doing a load of laundry felt impossible, so when she ran out of clean clothes she would go out and buy more.
This summer she began taking the stimulant medication Vyvanse for her symptoms and was finally able to focus on the things that had eluded her in the past. She is now thriving in a new job that requires autonomy and organization.
Maybe, she realized, she wasn’t a “screw-up” after all.
“I was really hard on myself for so long,” she said. “Now I forgive myself.”
Kyle Lampe, 37, at home in Norfolk, Mass., Dec. 10, 2024. When Lampe looks back at his school days, he realizes how much his undiagnosed ADHD symptoms affected his academic performance and how teachers perceived him. (Cassandra Klos/The New York Times)
December 20-22, 2024 18 Puerto Rico
Iala’s 1st anniversary celebration
By JUDY GORDON-CONDE and JENNIFER CONDE-POWERS
Iala Puerto Rico, an architectural and culinary gem nestled in the Mall of San Juan, recently celebrated its first anniversary. It marks a year of redefining fine dining on the island under the expertise of Executive Chef Guillermo López Folch, a Michelin-starred chef at top restaurants in New York, including Le Bernardin, and General Manager Daniel Vitiello.
At the ultra-exclusive event, guests enjoyed a curated menu by Chef López Folch that captured his culinary expertise with bites such as hamachi sashimi al pastor, beef tartare with crispy nori, foie gras toast, and more delicacies with global touches and local Puerto Rican ingredients paired with innovative cocktails. While the DJ played a hot music playlist, the elegant attendees mixed and mingled, joining extravagant VIP experiences, from a unique speakeasy to an onsite fashionable boutique environment to a relaxing garden oasis at lala’s terrace.
The fabulous event continued to underscore lala’s commitment to culinary artistry and elevated experiences in Puerto Rico.
Jorge Vidal, Jean Paul Polo, Xiomara Rodríguez, Jennifer Conde and Sammy Rodríguez
From left, Kiara Rivera Escudero, Francisco Guzmán, Grace-Lee García and Stephanie Chaloka
Joe Monsanto and Jomarie Arturet, vice president, sales & marketing, BluHost Puerto Rico
Daniel Vitiello, general manager, lala Puerto Rico; Jeanette Avilés; and Bernardo Medina
Victoria Leandra, Xiomara Rodríguez and David Díaz
Chef Raúl Correa, BACOA, and Chef Guillermo López Folch, lala Puerto Rico
Javier Santiago; Valeria Nuñez; Daniel Vitiello, general manager, lala Puerto Rico; and Edwin Cruz
The San Juan Daily Star
Amanda Hoyo, Jomarie Arturet and Lilliana Currie
The San Juan Daily Star
December 20-22, 2024 19
A local’s guide to celebrating the holidays in New York
By JULIE BESONEN
In December, New Yorkers like to indulge in frothy hot chocolate and other traditional Yuletide treats as much as the city’s holiday visitors do, but facing crushing throngs and high prices, particularly at home, can be as offputting as a rock-hard bagel.
Locals have learned some hacks to enjoy New York’s holiday hoopla hassle-free. From visiting perennial favorites off-hours to holiday shopping off the beaten path, here’s how residents and visitors alike can celebrate Christmastime in the city with a minimum of stress.
The best free spectacles to get you in the holiday spirit
While the well-known, over-the-top light show at Saks was canceled this year, other New York retailers have continued the tradition of lavishly decorating their windows and buildings to celebrate the holidays.
The display windows at Bergdorf Goodman are always wildly creative, and this year’s lights are inspired by the 200th anniversary of the official opening of Fifth Avenue. One tableau dramatizes the New York Public Library, cramming together madcap likenesses of typewriters, famous writers and the main building’s iconic marble lions. To avoid a jostling wall of heads blocking your view, go early in the morning or near midnight (same for viewing the always mobbed tree in Rockefeller Center).
Also worth viewing this year: the Louis Vuitton flagship store, at 57th Street. Its entire facade is “gift-wrapped” in the brand’s signature travel trunks, stupefyingly stacked to the sky.
Brightly lit Christmas trees in neighborhood parks are smaller in scale, but just as heartwarming. The East Village’s Tompkins Square Park tree was lit earlier this month, as were the trees in the Dumbo district in Brooklyn and in Washington Square Park in the West Village. On Christmas Eve, from 5 to 6 p.m., the Rob Susman Brass Quartet will perform in Washington Square Park, and caroling there is a 100-year-old tradition. The crowds can be intense, but everyone is in such a jolly mood it’s hard to be bah humbug about it.
City marvels worth the price
Traditional holiday shows across the city can be taken in for less if you go at quieter times.
At the Bronx’s New York Botanical Garden, book off-peak tickets (adults, $35; children, $25) for the captivating Holiday Train Show, where multiple toy train displays explore the city in miniature. Brooklyn Botanic Gar-
den’s Lightscape (adults, off-peak $36; children, $18) has sumptuous new art-light installations ideal for holiday selfies. Timed entries gives you the space to angle for the right pose.
On Friday and Saturday evenings, the crowds simmer down at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which stays open until 9 p.m. Stroll around the Christmas tree and Neapolitan baroque crèche in the Medieval Sculpture Hall, which is ringed by arresting vignettes of the procession to the nativity scene (adults, $30 admission; seniors, $22; students, $17; paywhat-you-wish for New York state residents and students from New Jersey and Connecticut).
The Museum of the City of New York rarely gets congested, even for the delightful Gingerbread NYC: The Great Borough BakeOff. Sugar- and spice-scented architectural fabrications, from Coney Island’s Wonder Wheel to the famed Dakota building, are on view until Jan. 12 (admission: adults, $23; seniors, $18; students, $14). Pastry chefs from each of the five boroughs are depending on your vote.
Another lesser-known museum that’s elegantly embellished for the holidays is the Merchant’s House on East Fourth Street. Actor John Kevin Jones annually wows audiences in the double parlor, performing “A Christmas Carol” as Charles Dickens (through Dec. 29; tickets $50$130). Tip: Peruse the museum’s tiny gift shop for donated china, glassware and vintage jewelry.
If “George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker,” at New York City Ballet doesn’t entice, the Metropolitan Opera’s family-friendly “The Magic Flute,” directed by Julie Taymor, is another enchanting classic at Lincoln Center and cheap seats start at $35.
Several stunning churches throughout Manhattan offer seasonal music programs, some free, some not. There’s always St. Patrick’s Cathedral, of course, but also look into the calendars at St. Thomas on Fifth Avenue, Trinity Church Wall Street, the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine and the Church of St. Francis of Assisi. And tickets are on sale for the amazing Lucia concert on Dec. 14, presented by Svenska Kyrkan (Church of Sweden); this year it’s held at St. Bartholomew’s Church, on Park Avenue.
Festive drink spots without the crowds
Rolf’s, the German restaurant near Gramercy Park overstuffed to a bonkers level of holiday adornment, is already booked through Christmas, but the circa-1864 Pete’s Tavern is close by, also elaborately festooned, and serves eggnog spiked with bourbon ($20). To imbibe, try your luck walking in when it opens (11 a.m. on weekends, noon Monday through Friday).
Among the commercial buildings celebrating the holidays this year with creative decor is the Louis Vuitton flagship store in midtown Manhattan, pictured on Dec. 5, 2024. Its entire facade is “gift-wrapped” in the brand’s signature travel trunks. (Katherine Marks/The New York Times)
At the storied Bemelmans Bar, in the Carlyle Hotel, it’s first come first served. But to savor a classic martini ($25) without a frustrating wait or crowds, arrive well before 4 p.m. (it opens at noon).
Warming drinks certainly do not need alcohol — just flavor — and for those hot chocolate lovers, there are two must-haves in the city.
At Frenchette Bakery at the Whitney, a spoon could almost stand upright in its cup of dark, thick, creamy hot chocolate, which is topped with a marshmallow wedge torched to a golden luster ($10). In SoHo, chef Dominique Ansel, who also invented the Cronut, serves a masterpiece of a concoction at his namesake bakery. In his silky, rich drink ($11), the marshmallow unfolds like flower petals when it hits the warm liquid.
Other hot chocolate drinks that stand out can be found at Jacques Torres, in Dumbo, where the “wicked” brew is spiked with chipotle (small $4; large $5.50), and at MarieBelle, whose sweet tearoom in SoHo serves a chocolaty blend of chilies, cinnamon and nutmeg in a china cup ($8). Finally, the hot chocolate at Angelina, a Parisian-style cafe near Bryant Park, is a fusion of three varieties of chocolate ($8.90 with a scoop of whipped cream). MarieBelle and Angelina get an avalanche of afternoon visitors, so go before noon.
Another local tip: There’s rarely a line — but there should be — at Roni-Sue’s Chocolates, a shop on the Lower East Side producing exquisite confections and frothy hot chocolate ($5), made with 65% Dominican cacao and steamed whole milk (oat milk is an option).
In-the-know places to pick up presents Shopping for those less naughty on your list? The garlanded Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s
One of the sumptuous new art-light installations, ideal for holiday selfies, at the Lightscape holiday display at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens in New York on Dec. 7, 2024. Traditional holiday shows across the city can be taken in for less if you go at quieter times. (Clark Hodgin/The New York Times)
tend to be jam-packed, so head to the lesserknown shop Delphinium Home in Hell’s Kitchen. The retailer stocks tree ornaments of Broadway legends like Chita Rivera and Billy Porter, and also sells a host of quirky bath and body products, throw pillows and oven mitts that might have raunchy sayings (“Oops, I’m Drunk” and “I’ve Got a Knife” are among the tamer ones).
For another unusual shopping experience, venture to the Bronx’s Arthur Avenue Retail Market, a year-round jumble of Italian meats, cheeses and hard-to-find pasta shapes. In its center is La Casa Grande, where Spanishspeaking cigar rollers ply their craft in public. If you’re passing through Grand Central Terminal to get there, poke around the Grand Central Holiday Fair, but other outdoor holiday markets can be found in Manhattan as well, with national and local vendors selling wares in Columbus Circle, Bryant Park and Union Square. Two other stores with fun, local curiosities are Fishs Eddy, near Union Square, chock-full of mix-and-match dishware, bagel ornaments and animal-themed kitchen towels, and Exit 9 Gift Emporium, in the East Village. They carry a reminder that the rat is to New York what the lobster is to Maine — who wouldn’t want a felted pizza rat ornament? Brooklyn-made candles, street art coloring books and an “unofficial” Dolly Parton crochet kit make other swell gifts. On the Lower East Side, visit the Tenement Museum’s gift shop, even if you’re not taking a tour, for Gotham-themed histories and cookbooks, subway map wrapping paper and a Staten Island Ferry toy replica. The nearby Economy Candy, in business since 1937, is a wonderland of nostalgic novelties, from weird Pop Rocks flavors to candy bars you thought no longer existed (5th Avenue bar?). To save time, place your order online and schedule a pickup. Whoops, now that these secrets are out, it could ruin it for everybody. Oh, well, the holidays are all about giving, right?
de la tasa pactada de 4.00% de cualquier pago que esté en mora por más de quince (15) días desde la fecha de su vencimiento y los que se continúen acumulando hasta su total y completo pago. Más una suma estipulada para costas, gastos y honorarios de abogado de $8,789.30, más cualquier otra suma que resulte por cualesquiera otros adelantos que se hayan hecho la demandante, en virtud de las disposiciones de la escritura de hipoteca y del Pagaré hipotecario. Para más información, a las personas interesadas se les notifica que los autos y todos los documentos correspondientes al procedimiento incoado, estarán de manifiesto en la Secretaría del Tribunal, durante las horas laborables. Este EDICTO DE SUBASTA, se publicará en los lugares públicos correspondientes y en un periódico de circulación general en la jurisdicción de Puerto Rico. Se entenderá que todo licitador acepta como bastante la titularidad y que las cargas y gravámenes anteriores y los referentes, si los hubiere, al crédito del ejecutante continuarán subsistentes. Se entenderá, que el rematante los acepta y queda subrogado en la responsabilidad de los mismos, sin destinarse a su extinción el precio del remate. Se procederá a otorgar la correspondiente Escritura de Venta Judicial y el Alguacil pondrá en posesión judicial al nuevo dueño, si así se lo solicita dentro del término de veinte (20) días, de conformidad con las disposiciones de Ley. Si transcurren los referidos veinte (20) días, el tribunal podrá ordenar, sin necesidad de ulterior procedimiento, que se lleve a efecto el desalojo o lanzamiento del ocupante u ocupantes de la finca o de todos los que por orden o tolerancia del deudor la ocupen. Se informa que la propiedad objeto de ejecución se adquiere libre de cargas y gravámenes posteriores. Expedido en Carolina, Puerto Rico, a 26 de noviembre de 2024. HÉCTOR L. PEÑA RODRÍGUEZ, ALGUACIL PLACA #278. ***
LEGAL NOTICE
ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA CENTRO JUDICIAL DE SAN JUAN SALA SUPERIOR DE SAN JUAN BANCO POPULAR DE PUERTO RICO
Demandante V. CRT MARINE, INC. Y OTROS
Demandado(a)
Caso Núm.: SJ2024CV04845. (Salón: 905 CIVIL). Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO - ORDINARIO. NOTIFICACIÓN DE SENTENCIA POR EDICTO. JEAN PAUL JULIÁ DÍAZJPJULIA@RMMELAW.COM.
A: GEORGE
VÉLEZ VÉLEZ.
(Nombre de las partes que se le notifican la sentencia por edicto)
EL SECRETARIO(A) que suscribe le notifica a usted que el 11 de diciembre de 2024, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debidamente registrada y archivada en autos donde podrá usted enterarse detalladamente de los términos de la misma. Esta notificación se publicará una sola vez en un periódico de circulación general en la Isla de Puerto Rico, dentro de los 10 días siguientes a su notificación. Y, siendo o representando usted una parte en el procedimiento sujeta a los términos de la Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución, de la cual puede establecerse recurso de revisión o apelación dentro del término de 30 días contados a partir de la publicación por edicto de esta notificación, dirijo a usted esta notificación que se considerará hecha en la fecha de la publicación de este edicto. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archivada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 17 de diciembre de 2024. En San Juan, Puerto Rico, el 17 de diciembre de 2024. GRISELDA RODRÍGUEZ COLLADO, SECRETARIA. MARÍA DE JESÚS
RAMOS, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR DEL TRIBUNAL.
LEGAL NOTICE
ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA
SALA SUPERIOR DE JUANA DÍAZ
BANCO POPULAR DE PUERTO RICO
Demandante Vs. CARLOS LUIS LEÓN CARRASQUILLO
Demandado
Civil Núm.: JD2024CV00557. Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO. EMPLAZAMIENTO POR EDICTO. ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA, EL PRESIDENTE DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS, EL ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO, SS. A: CARLOS LUIS LEÓN CARRASQUILLO.
Por la presente se le notifica que ha sido presentada en este Tribunal una Demanda en su contra en el pleito de epígrafe. El abogado de la parte demandante es el Lcdo. Jean Paul Juliá Díaz, Rivera-Munich & Hernández Law Offices, P.S.C.; P.O. Box 364908, San Juan, PR 00936-4908; Tel. (787) 6222323 / Fax (787) 622-2320. Se le advierte que este Edicto se publicará en un (1) periódico de circulación general una (1) sola vez y que si no comparece a contestar dicha Demanda radicando el original de la misma a través del Sistema Unificado de Manejo y Administración de Casos (SUMAC), al cual puede acceder utilizando la siguiente dirección electrónica: https://www.poderjudicial.pr/
index.php/tribunal-electronico/, salvo que se represente por derecho propio, en cuyo caso deberá presentar su alegación responsiva en la secretaría del Tribunal Superior, Sala de Juana Díaz, con copia al abogado de la parte demandante, dentro del término de treinta (30) días contados a partir de la publicación del Edicto, se le anotará la rebeldía y se dictará sentencia en su contra concediendo el remedio solicitado en la Demanda sin más citarle ni oírle. En un término de diez (10) días a partir de la publicación de este Edicto, la parte demandante le notificará por correo certificado con acuse de recibo copias del Emplazamiento por Edicto y de la Demanda a su última dirección postal conocida: Urb. Camino Real, 17 Calle Palma Real, Juana Díaz, PR 00795. Expedido bajo mi firma y sello de este Tribunal, Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico, a 17 de diciembre de 2024. CARMEN G. TIRÚ QUIÑONES, SECRETARIA. VANESSA RODRÍGUEZ MALDONADO, SUB-SECRETARIA.
LEGAL NOTICE
ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA CENTRO JUDICIAL DE PONCE SALA SUPERIOR DE PONCE BANCO POPULAR DE PUERTO RICO POR SI Y EN REPRESENTACION DE WANDA IVONNE PACHECO RODRIGUEZ
T/C/C WANDA PACHECO RODRIGUEZ
Demandante V. ORIENTAL BANK COMO SUCESOR EN DERECHO DE SCOTIABANK DE PUERTO RICO ANTES RG MORTGAGE CORPORATION Y OTROS
Demandado(a)
Caso Núm.: PO2024CV03142.
(Salón: 602 CIVIL SUPERIOR). Sobre: CANCELACIÓN O RESTITUCIÓN DE PAGARÉ EXTRAVIADO. NOTIFICACIÓN DE SENTENCIA POR EDICTO.
ANTONIO A. HERNÁNDEZ ALMODÓVAR - AHERNANDEZ@ RMMELAW.COM. A: ORIENTAL BANK COMO SUCESOR EN DERECHO DE SCOTIABANK DE PUERTO RICO ANTES RG MORTGAGE CORPORATION, JOHN DOE Y RICHARD DOE, PARA SER NOTIFICADO POR EDICTO.
(Nombre de las partes que se le notifican la sentencia por edicto)
EL SECRETARIO(A) que suscribe le notifica a usted que el 17 de diciembre de 2024, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debidamente registrada y archivada en autos donde podrá usted
enterarse detalladamente de los términos de la misma. Esta notificación se publicará una sola vez en un periódico de circulación general en la Isla de Puerto Rico, dentro de los 10 días siguientes a su notificación. Y, siendo o representando usted una parte en el procedimiento sujeta a los términos de la Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución, de la cual puede establecerse recurso de revisión o apelación dentro del término de 30 días contados a partir de la publicación por edicto de esta notificación, dirijo a usted esta notificación que se considerará hecha en la fecha de la publicación de este edicto. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archivada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 17 de diciembre de 2024. En Ponce, Puerto Rico, el 17 de diciembre de 2024. CARMEN G. TIRÚ QUIÑONES, SECRETARIA. LOYDA TORRES IRIZARRY, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR DEL TRIBUNAL.
LEGAL NOTICE
ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA CENTRO JUDICIAL DE SAN JUAN SALA SUPERIOR DE SAN JUAN FEDERICO
MONTAÑEZ DELERME
Demandante V. EMILIA MONTAÑEZ MEDINA Y OTROS
Demandado(a)
Caso Núm.: SJ2023CV09944. (Salón: 1003 EXPROPIACIONES). Sobre: DIVISIÓN O LIQUIDACIÓN DE LA COMUNIDAD DE BIENES HEREDITARIOS. NOTIFICACIÓN DE SENTENCIA POR EDICTO. FEDERICO MONTAÑEZ DELERME - MONTANEZDELERME@HOTMAIL. COM. LUIS G. ESTATES RODRÍGUEZLUISESTADES@HOTMAIL.COM. A: MARISOL DÍAZ
MONTAÑEZ, MARIO ENRIQUE DÍAZ
MONTAÑEZ, EDNA IVETTE DÍAZ MONTAÑEZ, NORBERTO GONZÁLEZ
MONTAÑEZ, CARLOS HIRAM SANTIAGO
MONTAÑEZ, ÓSCAR MEJÍA MONTAÑEZ; HEREDEROS DE LA FALLECIDA EMILIA MONTAÑEZ MEDINA; MARTA MONTAÑEZ
MEDINA; FEDERICO MONTAÑEZ MEDINA; HÉCTOR GABRIEL
MONTAÑEZ LÓPEZ, CARMEN LILLIAM
MONTAÑEZ LÓPEZ; JOSE
MANUEL MONTAÑEZ
LÓPEZ, ELIZABETH
MONTAÑEZ MENDEZ, MARTA MONTAÑEZ
MÉNDEZ: HEREDEROS DEL FALLECIDO
GABRIEL MONTAÑEZ
MEDINA; TANIA ENID
SANTOS MONTAÑEZ, RAFAEL SANTOS MONTAÑEZ, TAYRA
SANTOS MONTAÑEZ, MARÍA ELENA
RODILLO MONTAÑEZ, MARÍA ELENA
SÁNCHEZ MONTAÑEZ: HEREDEROS DE LA FALLECIDA ELIZABETH MONTAÑEZ MEDINA; RAYMOND MONTAÑEZ MEDINA; PAULA REGINA MONTAÑEZ TORRES; FRANKLIN MONTAÑEZ HERNÁNDEZ, EMILIO MONTAÑEZ HERNÁNDEZ, FREDERIK MONTAÑEZ HERNÁNDEZ, JOHANNA MONTAÑEZ CLAUDIO, RICARDO MONTAÑEZ
ALVARADO: HEREDEROS DEL FALLECIDO FRANKLIN MONTAÑEZ
DELERME: JOHN DOE Y JANE DOE. (Nombre de las partes que se le notifican la sentencia por edicto)
EL SECRETARIO(A) que suscribe le notifica a usted que el 11 de diciembre de 2024, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debidamente registrada y archivada en autos donde podrá usted enterarse detalladamente de los términos de la misma. Esta notificación se publicará una sola vez en un periódico de circulación general en la Isla de Puerto Rico, dentro de los 10 días siguientes a su notificación. Y, siendo o representando usted una parte en el procedimiento sujeta a los términos de la Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución, de la cual puede establecerse recurso de revisión o apelación dentro del término de 30 días contados a partir de la publicación por edicto de esta notificación, dirijo a usted esta notificación que se considerará hecha en la fecha de la publicación de este edicto. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archivada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 11 de diciembre de 2024. En San Juan, Puerto Rico, el 11 de diciembre de 2024. GRISELDA RODRÍGUEZ COLLADO, SECRETARIA. VANESSA NIEVES MORALES, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR DEL TRIBUNAL.
LEGAL NOTICE
ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA
SALA SUPERIOR DE SAN JUAN
BANCO POPULAR DE PUERTO RICO
Parte Demandante Vs. AGRIPINA IRIZARRY; ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA
Parte Demandada Civil Núm.: SJ2024CV07589. (604). Sobre: EJECUCIÓN DE HIPOTECA. EMPLAZAMIENTO POR EDICTO. ESTADOS
UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA, EL PRESIDENTE DE LOS EE. UU., ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE P.R., SS. A: FULANO(A) DE TAL Y SUTANO(A) DE TAL; como herederos desconocidos de la SUCESIÓN DE CLODOALDO QUEIPO NAVARRO T/C/C CLODOALDO QUIEPO NAVARRO
DIRECCIÓN: 1807 AVE. PONCE DE LEÓN, COBIÁN PLAZA, APTO. 1807, SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO 00909-1839
Queda emplazado y notificado de que en este Tribunal se ha radicado una demanda de EJECUCIÓN DE HIPOTECA en su contra. Se le notifica que deberá presentar su alegación responsiva a través del Sistema Unificado de Manejo y Administración de Casos (SUMAC), al cual puede acceder utilizando la siguiente dirección electrónica: https://unired.ramajudicial. pr, salvo que se represente por derecho propio, en cuyo caso deberá presentar su alegación responsiva en la Secretaría del Tribunal Superior de Puerto Rico, Sala de San Juan y enviando copia a la parte demandante:
MONSERRATE, SIMONET & GIERBOLINI
101 Ave. San Patricio Suite 1120 Guaynabo, PR 00968 Tel.: (787) 620-5300 Fax: (787) 620-5305
Lcdo. Fernando J. Gierbolini RUA 11375 fgierbolini@msglawpr.com Se le apercibe y notifica que si no contesta la demanda radicada en su contra dentro del término de treinta (30) días de la publicación de este edicto, se le anotará la rebeldía y se dictará sentencia concediendo el remedio solicitado en la demanda, sin más citárseles, ni oírseles. Expedido bajo mi firma y sello del Tribunal, a 22 de noviembre de 2024. GRISELDA RODRÍGUEZ COLLADO, SECRETARIA. LUZ ENID FERNÁNDEZ DEL VALLE, SECRETARIA DE SERVICIOS A SALA. LEGAL NOTICE
ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA DE HUMACAO ISLAND PORTFOLIO SERVICES, LLC, COMO AGENTE DE FAIRWAY ACQUISITIONS FUND, LLC.
Demandante Vs. NACHALY GARCIA SERRANO
Demandado Civil Núm.: LP2024CV00119. Salón: 205. Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO - R.60. EMPLAZAMIENTO POR EDICTO. ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA, EL PRESIDENTE DE LOS ES-
TADOS UNIDOS, EL ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO, SS. A: NACHALY GARCIA SERRANO - HC 3 BOX 77801, LAS PIEDRAS, PR 00771; 913 CENTRAL AVE APT 9, SEVIERVILLE, TN, 37862.
POR LA PRESENTE se le emplaza y requiere para que conteste la demanda dentro de los treinta (30) días siguientes a la publicación de este Edicto. Usted deberá presentar su alegación responsiva a través del Sistema Unificado de Manejo y Administración de Casos (SUMAC), la cual puede acceder utilizando la siguiente dirección electrónica: https://www.poderjudicial.pr/index.php/tribunalelectronico/, salvo que se represente por derecho propio, en cuyo caso deberá presentar su alegación responsiva en la secretaría del tribunal. Si usted deja de presentar su alegación responsiva dentro del referido término, el tribunal podrá dictar sentencia en rebeldía en su contra y conceder el remedio solicitado en la demanda o cualquier otro sin más citarle ni oírle, si el tribunal en el ejercicio de su sana discreción, lo entiende procedente. El sistema SUMAC notificará copia a los abogados de la parte demandante, el Lcdo. Jan Miguel Otero Martínez cuyas direcciones son: P.O. Box 71418 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936-8518, teléfono (787) 993-3731 a la dirección jan.otero@orf-law.com y a la dirección notificaciones@orflaw.com. EXTENDIDO BAJO MI FIRMA y el sello del Tribunal, en Humacao, Puerto Rico, hoy día 30 de agosto de 2024. En Humacao, Puerto Rico, el 30 de agosto de 2024. EVELYN FÉLIX VÁZQUEZ, SECRETARIA. LISA M. FIGUEROA RUIZ, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR.
LEGAL NOTICE
ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA DE BAYAMÓN LIME HOMES LTD. Parte Demandante Vs. SUCESION DE WILFREDO LAUREANO CARRION T/C/C WILFREDO LAUREANO CARRION, JOHN DOE Y RICHARD ROE COMO POSIBLES HEREDEROS DESCONOCIDOS; AUREA ESTHER FONTANEZ REYES, ADMINISTRACION PARA SUSTENTOA MENORES Y CENTRO RECAUDACION DE INGRESOS MUNICIPALES
Parte Demandada Civil Núm.: BY2023CV03102. Sobre: EJECUCIÓN DE HIPOTECA POR LA VÍA ORDINARIA Y COBRO DE DINERO. EDICTO DE SUBASTA. El suscribiente, Alguacil del Tribunal de
Primera Instancia de Puerto Rico, Sala de Bayamón, a los demandados de epígrafe y al público en general hace saber que los autos y documentos del caso de epígrafe estarán de manifiesto en la Secretaría del Tribunal durante horas laborables y que venderá en pública subasta al mejor postor, en moneda de curso legal de los Estados Unidos de América en efectivo, cheque certificado, o giro postal a nombre del Alguacil del Tribunal de Primera Instancia, en mi oficina en el Centro Judicial de Bayamón, Sala 410, Cuarto Piso, Bayamón, Puerto Rico, el derecho que tenga la parte demandada en el inmueble que se relaciona más adelante para pagar la SENTENCIA por $146,309.24 de balance principal, el cual se compone de $137,114.52 de primer principal y la suma de $9,194.72 de balance diferido, más los intereses sobre la suma de $137,114.52, y computados al 5.50% anual hasta su total pago y completo pago; más el 5% computado sobre cada mensualidad; cargos por demora devengados, más la suma estipulada para honorarios de abogado, pactada en la escritura de hipoteca; y cualesquiera otras sumas que por cualesquiera concepto legal se devenguen hasta el día de la subasta. La propiedad a venderse en pública subasta se describe como sigue: URBANA: Solar marcado con el número siete (7) del bloque V de la urbanización Reparto Teresita, radicado en el Barrio Hato Tejas de Bayamón, con un área superficial de doscientos treinta y cinco punto sesenta y cuatro (235.64) metros cuadrados y colinda por el Norte, en una distancia de veinticuatro punto cincuenta uno (24.51) metros, con el solar número ocho (8); por el Sur, en una distancia de veintitrés punto setenta (23.70) metros, con el solar número seis; por el Este, en una distancia de nueve punto noventa (9.90) metros, con la calle número veintiuno (21); y por el Oeste, en una distancia de cinco punto veinte metros, con Flora González y en cuatro punto setenta y nueve (4.79) metros, con propiedad de Eusebio Prados. Enclava casa. Inscrita al folio doscientos noventa (doscientos noventa) del Tomo dieciséis (16) de Bayamón Norte, finca número cuatrocientos ochenta y seis (486), Registro de la Propiedad de Bayamón, Sección III. Dirección Física: Urb. Reparto Teresita, V-7 Calle 21, Bayamón, PR 0091. La PRIMERA SUBASTA se llevará a cabo el día 14 DE ENERO DE 2025, A LAS 10:45 DE LA MAÑANA, y servirá de tipo mínimo para la misma la suma de $117,000.00 sin admitirse oferta inferior. En el caso de que el inmueble a ser subastado no fuera adjudicado en la primera subasta, se celebrará una SEGUNDA SUBASTA el día 21 DE ENERO
en Bayamón, Puerto Rico, hoy día 08 de noviembre de 2024. CARMEN G. TIRÚ QUIÑONES, SECRETARIA DEL TRIBUNAL. GISELLE BERNARD MARCUCCI, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR.
LEGAL NOTICE
ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA
CENTRO JUDICIAL DE BAYAMÓN SALA SUPERIOR DE BAYAMÓN
BANCO POPULAR DE PUERTO RICO
Demandante V. JOSE MANUEL MENDEZ MARRERO COMO MIEMBRO DE LA SLG Y OTROS
Demandado(a)
Caso Núm.: BY2024CV05260. (Salón: 702). Sobre: CANCELACIÓN O RESTITUCIÓN DE PAGARÉ EXTRAVIADO. NOTIFICACIÓN DE SENTENCIA POR EDICTO. REGGIE DÍAZ HERNÁNDEZRDIAZ@BDPRLAW.COM.
A: NEWCO MORTGAGE
HOLDING CORP., H/N/C/ LEVITT MORTGAGE, JOHN DOE.
(Nombre de las partes que se le notifican la sentencia por edicto)
EL SECRETARIO(A) que suscribe le notifica a usted que el 12 de diciembre de 2024, este Tribunal ha dictado Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución en este caso, que ha sido debidamente registrada y archivada en autos donde podrá usted enterarse detalladamente de los términos de la misma. Esta notificación se publicará una sola vez en un periódico de circulación general en la Isla de Puerto Rico, dentro de los 10 días siguientes a su notificación. Y, siendo o representando usted una parte en el procedimiento sujeta a los términos de la Sentencia, Sentencia Parcial o Resolución, de la cual puede establecerse recurso de revisión o apelación dentro del término de 30 días contados a partir de la publicación por edicto de esta notificación, dirijo a usted esta notificación que se considerará hecha en la fecha de la publicación de este edicto. Copia de esta notificación ha sido archivada en los autos de este caso, con fecha de 13 de diciembre de 2024. En Bayamón, Puerto Rico, el 13 de diciembre de 2024. ALICIA AYALA SANJURJO, SECRETARIA. MIRCIENID GONZÁLEZ TORRES, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR DEL TRIBUNAL.
LEGAL NOTICE
ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA DE CAGUAS ISLAND PORTFOLIO SERVICES, LLC, COMO AGENTE DE FAIRWAY ACQUISITIONS FUND, LLC.
Demandante Vs. MITCHELLE MARTINEZ PABON
Demandado
Civil Núm.: JU2024CV00165. Salón: 802. Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO - R.60. EMPLAZAMIENTO POR EDICTO. ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA, EL PRESIDENTE DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS, EL ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO, SS. A: MITCHELLE MARTINEZ PABON - PO BOX 3346 JUNCOS, PR 00777. POR LA PRESENTE se le emplaza y requiere para que conteste la demanda dentro de los treinta (30) días siguientes a la publicación de este Edicto. Usted deberá presentar su alegación responsiva a través del Sistema Unificado de Manejo y Administración de Casos (SUMAC), la cual puede acceder utilizando la siguiente dirección electrónica: https://wwwpoderjudiciaI.pr/index.php/tribunalelectronico/, salvo que se represente por derecho propio, en cuyo caso deberá presentar su alegación responsiva en la secretaría del tribunal. Si usted deja de presentar su alegación responsiva dentro del referido término, el tribunal podrá dictar sentencia en rebeldía en su contra y conceder el remedio solicitado en la demanda o cualquier otro sin más citarle ni oírle, si el tribunal en el ejercicio de su sana discreción, lo entiende procedente. El sistema SUMAC notificará copia a los abogados de la parte demandante, el Lcdo. Jan Miguel Otero Martínez cuyas direcciones son: P.O. Box 71418 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936-8518, teléfono (787) 993-3731 a la dirección jan.otero@orf-law.com y a la dirección notificaciones@orflaw.com. EXTENDIDO BAJO MI FIRMA y el sello del Tribunal, en Caguas, Puerto Rico, hoy día 25 de octubre de 2024. En Caguas, Puerto Rico, el 25 de octubre de 2024. IRASEMIS DÍAZ SÁNCHEZ, SECRETARIA. ZAIDA AGUAYO ÁLAMO, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR.
LEGAL NOTICE
ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA SUPERIOR DE LARES ISLAND PORTFOLIO SERVICES, LLC, COMO AGENTE DE: FAIRWAY ACQUISITIONS FUND, LLC
Demandante Vs. MOISES GONZALEZ MERCADO
Demandado
Civil Núm.: LR2024CV00223. Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO. EMPLAZAMIENTO POR EDICTO. ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA, EL PRESIDENTE DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS, EL ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO. A. MOISES GONZALEZ
MERCADO - PO BOX 633, LARES, PR 00669-9514. El Tribunal Superior de Puerto Rico, Sala Superior de Utuado, dictó la siguiente providencia: Vista la Demanda y la solicitud de que se autorice el emplazamiento por edicto al amparo de la Regla 4.6 de Procedimiento Civil, de las cuales surge que Moisés González Mercado es parte necesaria y legítima en el pleito, y que existe contra este una reclamación que justifica la concesión de un remedio, se ordena su emplazamiento mediante la publicación de edicto. Dicho edicto se publicará una (1) sola vez en un periódico de circulación general en el Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico. Se dispone que se le envíe a la parte demandada previamente mencionada copia de esta orden, el emplazamiento y la demanda presentada, dentro de los diez (10) días de la fecha de la publicación del edicto, a su última dirección conocida mediante correo certificado con acuse de recibo. Se ordena a la Secretaría del Tribunal expedir el emplazamiento por edicto correspondiente. Se le emplaza y se le requiere que presente su alegación responsiva a la Demanda presentada, dentro de los treinta (30) días siguientes a la publicación de este edicto, que se publicará una (1) vez en un periódico de circulación general del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, por Orden del Tribunal Superior de Puerto Rico, Sala de Utuado, Puerto Rico, notificando copia de la misma al abogado de la Parte Demandante o a ésta, de no tener representación legal. Usted deberá presentar su alegación responsiva a través del Sistema Unificado de Administración y Manejo de Casos (SUMAC), al cual puede acceder utilizando la siguiente dirección electrónica: https://unired.ramajudicial. pr, salvo que se represente por derecho propio, en cuyo caso deberá presentar su alegación responsiva en la secretaría del tribunal. Si usted deja de presentar su alegación responsiva dentro del referido término, el tribunal podrá dictar sentencia en rebeldía en su contra, ello sin más citarle ni oírle. La Parte Demandante está siendo representada por el Lcdo. Jan Miguel Otero Martínez, cuya dirección es la siguiente: P.O. Box 71418 San Juan, Puerto Rico 009368518. Número de teléfono: (787) 993-3731. Direcciones de correo electrónico: jan.otero@ orf-law.com y notificaciones@ orf-law.com. Expedido bajo mi firma y el sello del Tribunal para su publicación, en Lares, Puerto Rico, hoy día 28 de octubre de 2024. DIANE ÁLVAREZ VILLANUEVA, SECRETARIA REGIONAL. ESTHERVINA CRUZ VÉLEZ, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR DEL TRIBUNAL.
LEGAL NOTICE ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO
DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA DE SABANA GRANDE ISLAND PORTFOLIO SERVICES, LLC, COMO AGENTE DE FAIRWAY ACQUISITIONS FUND, LLC. Demandante Vs. AARON H MARTIN KING Demandado Civil Núm.: GU2024CV00037. Salón: 1. Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO ORDINARIO. EMPLAZAMEENTO POR EDICTO. ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA, EL PRESIDENTE DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS, EL ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO, SS. A: AARON H MARTIN KING - URB PLAZA EL BATEY, 23 SAN JOSE ENSENADA, PR 00647; 15449 GINGER COVE DR APT H, TAMPA, FL, 33634. POR LA PRESENTE se le emplaza y requiere para que conteste la demanda dentro de los treinta (30) días siguientes a la publicación de este Edicto. Usted deberá presentar su alegación responsiva a través del Sistema Unificado de Manejo y Administración de Casos (SUMAC), la cual puede acceder utilizando la siguiente dirección electrónica: https:// www.poderjudicial.pr/index. php/tribunal-electronico/, salvo que se represente por derecho propio, en cuyo caso deberá presentar su alegación responsiva en la secretaría del tribunal. Si usted deja de presentar su alegación responsiva dentro del referido término, el tribunal podrá dictar sentencia en rebeldía en su contra y conceder el remedio solicitado en la demanda o cualquier otro sin más citarle ni oírle, si el tribunal en el ejercicio de su sana discreción, lo entiende procedente. El sistema SUMAC notificará copia a los abogados de la parte demandante, el Lcdo. Jan Miguel Otero Martínez cuyas direcciones son: P.O. Box 71418 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936-8518, teléfono (787) 993-3737 a la dirección jan.otero@orf-law. com y a la dirección notificaciones@orf-law.com. EXTENDIDO BAJO MI FIRMA y el sello del Tribunal, en Yauco, Puerto Rico, hoy día 28 de octubre de 2024. En Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico, el 28 de octubre de 2024. CARMEN G. TIRÚ QUIÑONES, SECRETARIA REGIONAL. DELIA APONTE VELÁZQUEZ, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR.
LEGAL NOTICE
ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA DE GUAYAMA ISLAND PORTFOLIO SERVICES, LLC, COMO AGENTE DE FAIRWAY ACQUISITIONS FUND, LLC. Demandante Vs.
DEAILICY RIVERA ROLON
Demandado
Civil Núm.: GM2024CV00524. Salón: 306. Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO ORDINARIO. EMPLAZAMIENTO POR EDICTO. ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA, EL PRESIDENTE DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS, EL ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO, SS. A: DEAILICY RIVERA ROLON - HC 2 BOX 4342, GUAYAMA, PR 007858599.
POR LA PRESENTE se le emplaza y requiere para que conteste la demanda dentro de los treinta (30) días siguientes a la publicación de este Edicto. Usted deberá presentar su alegación responsiva a través del Sistema Unificado de Manejo y Administración de Casos (SUMAC) , la cual puede acceder utilizando la siguiente dirección electrónica: https:// www.poderjudicial.pr/index. php/tribunal-electronico/, salvo que se represente por derecho propio, en cuyo caso deberá presentar su alegación responsiva en la secretaría del tribunal. Si usted deja de presentar su alegación responsiva dentro del referido término, el tribunal podrá dictar sentencia en rebeldía en su contra y conceder el remedio solicitado en la demanda o cualquier otro sin más citarle ni oírle, si el tribunal en el ejercicio de su sana discreción, lo entiende procedente. El sistema SUMAC notificará copia a las abogados de la parte demandante, el Lcdo. Jan Miguel Otero Martínez cuyas direcciones son: P.O. Box 71418 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936-8518, teléfono (787) 993-3731 a la dirección jan.otero.@orf-law.com y a la dirección notificaciones@ orf-law.com. EXTENDIDO BAJO MI FIRMA y el sello del Tribunal, en Guayama, Puerto Rico, hoy día 07 de noviembre de 2024. En Guayama, Puerto Rico, el 07 de noviembre de 2024. MARISOL ROSADO RODRÍGUEZ, SECRETARIA REGIONAL. LUZ M. GUZMÁN SANTIAGO, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR DEL TRIBUNAL I. LEGAL NOTICE
ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA DE PATILLAS ISLAND PORTFOLIO SERVICES, LLC COMO AGENTE DE ACE ONE FUNDING, LLC
Parte Demandante Vs. YOVANY
ROLDAN TORRES
Parte Demandada Civil Núm.: PA2024CV00184. Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO. EMPLAZAMIENTO POR EDICTO. ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA, EL PRESIDENTE DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS, EL ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO, SS.
A: YOVANY ROLDAN TORRES - BDA RECIO PARC NUEVAS CARR 3 K114 H8 INT, PATILLAS PR 00723; HC 64 BOX 8238, PATILLAS PR 00723. POR LA PRESENTE se le emplaza y requiere para que conteste la demanda dentro de los treinta (30) días siguientes a la publicación de este Edicto. Usted deberá presentar su alegación responsiva a través del Sistema Unificado de Manejo y Administración de Casos (SUMAC), la cual puede acceder utilizando la siguiente dirección electrónica: https:///www.poderjudicial.pr/ index.php/tribunal-electronico, salvo que se represente por derecho propio, en cuyo caso deberá presentar su alegación responsiva en la secretaría del tribunal. Si usted deja de presentar su alegación responsiva dentro del referido término, el tribunal podrá dictar sentencia en rebeldía en su contra y conceder el remedio solicitado en la demanda o cualquier otro sin más citarle ni oírle, si el tribunal en el ejercicio de su sana discreción, lo entiende procedente. El sistema SUMAC notificará copia al abogado de la parte demandante, Osvaldo L. Rodríguez Fernández cuya dirección es: P.O. Box 71418 San Juan, Puerto Rico 009368518, teléfono (787) 993-3731 a la dirección notificaciones@ orf-law.com. EXTENDIDO BAJO MI FIRMA y el sello del Tribunal, en PATILLAS, Puerto Rico, hoy día 2 de noviembre de 2024. MARISOL ROSADO RODRÍGUEZ, SECRETARIA. MARÍA M. COTTO AMARO, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR.
LEGAL NOTICE
ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA DE ARROYO ISLAND PORTFOLIO SERVICES, LLC, COMO AGENTE DE FAIRWAY ACQUISITIONS FUND, LLC.
Demandante Vs. CARLOS MORALES VELEZ
Demandado
Civil Núm.: AY2024CV00038. Salón: 306. Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO ORDINARIO. EMPLAZAMIENTO POR EDICTO. ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA, EL PRESIDENTE DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS, EL ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO, SS. A: CARLOS MORALES VELEZ - 4 BATEY MUNOZ RIVERA, ARROYO, PR 00714.
POR LA PRESENTE se le emplaza y requiere para que conteste la demanda dentro de los treinta (30) días siguientes a la publicación de este Edicto. Usted deberá presentar su alegación responsiva a través
del Sistema Unificado de Manejo y Administración de Casos (SUMAC), la cual puede acceder utilizando la siguiente dirección electrónica: https:// www.poderjudicial.pr/index. php/tribunal-electronico/, salvo que se represente por derecho propio, en cuyo caso deberá presentar su alegación responsiva en la secretaría del tribunal. Si usted deja de presentar su alegación responsiva dentro del referido término, el tribunal podrá dictar sentencia en rebeldía en su contra y conceder el remedio solicitado en la demanda o cualquier otro sin más citarle ni oírle, si el tribunal en el ejercicio de su sana discreción, lo entiende procedente. El sistema SUMAC notificará copia a los abogados de la parte demandante, el Lcdo. Jan Miguel Otero Martínez cuyas direcciones son: P.O. Box 71418 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936-8518, teléfono (787) 993-3731 a la dirección jan.otero@orf-law.com y a la dirección notificaciones@orf-law.com.
EXTENDIDO BAJO MI FIRMA y el sello del Tribunal, en Guayama, Puerto Rico, hoy día 24 de octubre de 2024. En Patillas, Puerto Rico, el 24 de octubre de 2024. MARISOL ROSADO RODRÍGUEZ, SECRETARIA. GLORIVEE GARCÍA GONZÁLEZ, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR. LEGAL NOTICE
ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO TRIBUNAL DE PRIMERA INSTANCIA SALA DE PATILLAS ISLAND PORTFOLIO SERVICES, LLC, COMO AGENTE DE ACE ONE FUNDING, LLC.
Parte Demandante Vs. ENRIQUE J. DIAZ ALVAREZ
Parte Demandada Civil Núm.: PA2024CV00182. Salón: 306. Sobre: COBRO DE DINERO. EMPLAZAMIENTO POR EDICTO. ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA, EL PRESIDENTE DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS, EL ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO, SS. A: ENRIQUE J. DÍAZ ALVAREZ - HC 64 BOX 8207 PATILLAS PR 00723 Y BO GUARDARRAYA SECTOR RECIO, CALLE VISTA ALEGRE NUM 207A PATILLAS PR 00723.
POR LA PRESENTE se le emplaza y requiere para que conteste la demanda dentro de los treinta (30) días siguientes a la publicación de este Edicto. Usted deberá presentar su alegación responsiva a través del Sistema Unificado de Manejo y Administración de Casos (SUMAC), la cual puede acceder utilizando la siguiente dirección electrónica: https://www.poderjudicial.pr/index.php/tribunalelectronico/, salvo que se represente por derecho propio, en cuyo caso deberá presentar
su alegación responsiva en la secretaría del tribunal. Si usted deja de presentar su alegación responsiva dentro del referido término, el tribunal podrá dictar sentencia en rebeldía en su contra y conceder el remedio solicitado en la demanda o cualquier otro sin más citarle ni oírle, si el tribunal en el ejercicio de su sana discreción, lo entiende procedente. El sistema SUMAC notificará copia a los abogados de la parte demandante, el Lcdo. Juan Antonio Ruiz Robles cuyas direcciones son: P.O. Box 71418 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936-8518, teléfono (787) 993-3731 a la dirección juan.ruiz@orf-law.com y a la dirección notificaciones@orflaw.com. EXTENDIDO BAJO MI FIRMA y el sello del Tribunal, en Patillas, Puerto Rico, hoy día 20 de noviembre de 2024. En Patillas, Puerto Rico, el 20 de noviembre de 2024. MARISOL ROSADO RODRÍGUEZ, SECRETARIA. MARÍA M. COTTO AMARO, SECRETARIA AUXILIAR.
LEGAL NOTICE
“Blue Sky Towers Caribe, LLC would like to place on notice the proposed construction of the following installations: 1) a 160’ (170’ including all appurtenances) monopole tower known as Flores Carraizo located at 18°20’41.34” north latitude and 66°0’52.84” west longitude near State Road PR-843, Km 0.9, Barrio Carraizo, Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico 00976 and 2) a 145.5’ (150’ including all appurtenances) monopole tower known as Celada located at 18°16’43.48” north latitude and 65°58’3.42” west longitude near Calle Sector los Ortiz, Barrio Celada, Gurabo County, Puerto Rico 00778. If you have any concerns regarding historic properties that may be affected by this proposed undertaking, please contact: DeAnna Anglin, Lotis Environmental, LLC, at Legals@TheLotisGroup.com or (417) 840-5008. In your response, please include the proposed undertaking’s location and a list of the historic resources that you believe to be affected along with their respective addresses or approximate locations.”
A fiery coach preaches ‘no friends on the floor’
every relevant category before his arrival in 2023 to “top six,” Udoka said, in his first season with the team.
The message, in essence, was that they needed to get even better on that end if they were going to become a perennial playoff contender. But to get there, it would require a commitment to the motto that Udoka constantly preaches — “No friends on the floor” — and that was on full display in those fiery moments.
ton improved to 41 wins from 22.
Udoka had a soft spot for VanVleet, in part because of the similarities in their stories. Both were undrafted before making it in the NBA, with VanVleet going on to become an All-Star and champion (with the 2018-19 Toronto Raptors). Brooks’ playing style and prickly personality, made famous during his Memphis Grizzlies tenure, were also perfect for what Udoka had in mind.
The ripple effect has been real.
year with our second year of them not having to learn the schemes or terminology and what we’re expecting, you expect it to take somewhat of a jump.”
By SAM AMICK / THE ATHLETIC
Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka saved the best highlights for last.
After nearly 45 minutes of analysis, with players soaking in his messages at the team’s practice facility ahead of training camp, the montage of mayhem began.
First, it was a video clip from Dec. 2, 2023, in which Udoka told LeBron James and the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers to stop whining, leading to the coach’s ejection. Then came a clip of a dust-up in Milwaukee on Dec. 17, 2023, when Dillon Brooks and Udoka were ejected in the final minute for aggressively disputing a late call. The string of 15 separate altercations from the Rockets’ previous season kept running from there, entertaining them all.
“It’s his personality,” Rockets guard Fred VanVleet said of the presentation and Udoka’s role in it. “He’s a confrontational guy, a fighter, so it was funny to watch them all in order and see the buildup. But it’s about building that identity as a group and as a team. We’re built on toughness.”
Udoka had gone into great detail in the presentation about the defensive improvements that had been made, how the Rockets went from among the NBA’s worst teams in
“We started to look at the frequency and the dates, and there was something every week from January on,” Udoka said recently in an interview. “The broadcasters would say: ‘Here goes another dust-up with Houston. It’s becoming an every game thing now.’ So that mentality had changed. And I told the guys, You have to earn the respect of the league and not take a back seat to anybody.”
Meet the all-gas, no-brakes Rockets, who are as feisty and unapologetic a team as the NBA has seen in quite some time.
After losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Cup semifinals on Saturday in Las Vegas, the Rockets are 17-9, which is one of the top four records in the Western Conference, and they are winning with their defense.
Defense was Udoka’s primary strength during his playing days, when he went undrafted out of Portland State before spending parts of seven seasons in the NBA and playing overseas.
His beliefs were buoyed during his first coaching job alongside the Spurs’ Gregg Popovich from 2012 to 2019, then put into action when he led the Boston Celtics to the NBA finals in 2022. (The Celtics’ defense went from 13th in defensive rating the year before his hiring to No. 1.) And for all the success the Rockets enjoyed under Mike D’Antoni as coach and James Harden at guard, they were never known as defense-first, intimidating types.
Two summers ago, the Rockets considered bringing Harden back. It was the most obvious way to return to relevance. But even beyond Udoka’s vision for the defense, Rockets officials were concerned the development of their two most important young players — the big man Alperen Sengun and guard Jalen Green — would be stymied if they added veteran standouts who were not truly compatible with their young core.
Enter veteran guards VanVleet and Brooks, who joined the team in the summer of 2023 and shined in their new roles as Hous-
After finishing no higher than 27th in defensive rating during three seasons under Stephen Silas, when the rebuild was in full effect and they won just 59 times in 222 tries, Udoka’s Rockets, who were 10th in defense last season, are now second. Considering the origin story of Udoka’s hiring, how team owner Tilman Fertitta and general manager Rafael Stone decided to prioritize a defensive mindset above all else, they could not ask for much more than this.
“When we were bringing Ime in, it wasn’t ‘best coach available,’” said Stone, 52, who has been with the organization since 2005 and was elevated to general manager in October 2020. “It was like, ‘We need somebody who can really impact defense for us.’ I do think he was the best coach available, so that ended up being nice, but that was a big focal area for us in terms of the type of coach we were going to hire.”
Last week, the Golden State Warriors felt Houston’s defensive dominance firsthand when they tied their season low in scoring while seeing their streak of 15 consecutive wins over Houston come to an end. The first quarter was a clinic, with the Rockets forcing six turnovers while holding Golden State to 18 points.
VanVleet, Brooks and the third-year big man Jabari Smith Jr. (the third pick in 2022) are the defensive leaders in the starting lineup, with Sengun (18.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 5.3 assists per game) and Green (19.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists) the featured offensive threats. VanVleet (15.6 points, 5.9 assists) and Brooks (12.6 points) are key contributors on that end as well.
It is the bench tandem of the swingman Amen Thompson (fourth pick in 2023) and forward Tari Eason (17th pick in 2022), though, that has been so entertaining on the defensive end. Fans call them the Terror Twins, for their ability to wreck opposing offenses together.
“We saw growth within all our guys last year,” Udoka said. “And so to come into this
To hear the Rockets’ locker room leaders tell it, it is Udoka’s direct nature that makes it all work. If you ever see him covering his mouth for the cameras during a break in the action, he is probably ripping a Rockets player for a defensive mistake that simply cannot be tolerated. His candor can be caustic during postgame news conferences, too, like the Dec. 5 session in San Francisco where he said his team looked “soft or scared” after a 99-93 loss to Golden State that was avenged six days later.
“It’s very rare in the NBA,” VanVleet said. “Most coaches have to dance around the egos and the fragile personalities that the NBA can bring. We’re all high-strung, emotional, egotistical, highly paid guys, so to have a coach who really just says it straight and blunt is refreshing for me, honestly. That’s the way I grew up, and that’s the way I’ve always had most of my coaches throughout my life before the NBA.”
The goal from here, of course, is to build on this early momentum and be a true contender by the time the postseason rolls around.
“Nobody’s really going to want to see us coming,” VanVleet said. Praising Udoka for the team’s improvement, he added, “To be able to turn it around that quick, Coach definitely deserves a lot of credit for that.”
Not long before Houston tipped off against the Kings in Sacramento on Dec. 3, as Stone spoke and laughed about Udoka’s preseason presentation, which spoke volumes about the coach’s intense personality, the general manager unwittingly jinxed the night ahead.
“It’s been pretty quiet this year,” he said.
A few hours later, after a no-call against Sengun that infuriated Udoka, the coach was ejected for his profanity-laced pursuit of referee John Goble late in the loss. Sengun was ejected, too. Eason, who heard a heckler on his way off the floor, started to run up a nearby ramp toward the stands before he was stopped by security. Udoka kept the chaos going in his postgame news conference, relaying how he had told Goble to get some eyeglasses. League fines ensued.
But Stone, when asked about the events of that evening days later, was unbothered. Amused, even.
Just another day with these rowdy Rockets.
Coach Ime Udoka’s Houston Rockets, who were 10th in the NBA in defense last season, are now second. (Wikipedia)
Sudoku
How to Play:
Fill in the empty fields with the numbers from 1 through 9.
Sudoku Rules:
Every row must contain the numbers from 1 through 9
Every column must contain the numbers from 1 through 9
Every 3x3 square must contain the numbers from 1 through 9
Crossword
Wordsearch
Aries (Mar 21-April 20)
Nothing is simple where your family is concerned. If you’ve forgotten that, don’t worry. Today will remind you. You may have to deal with some of your lingering problems with certain family members. You will find you have all the energy you need in order to find the solutions to the conflicts that have been eating at you for a while.
Taurus (April 21-May 21)
You like to give people advice and help them find direction in their lives - sometimes when they haven’t even asked. But now it’s your turn to feel a little lost. You may need to get away from it all to get some perspective on your life. What about taking a trip to some faraway land? Today is a good day to make your future vacation plans.
Gemini (May 22-June 21)
Gemini, you may put your integrity under the microscope today. We all have deep convictions that we would never let go of. But society pressures us, and it isn’t always easy to live in perfect harmony with our ideals. The question to ask yourself today is just how willing are you to change your most heartfelt beliefs in order to live in society? Do you have the courage of your convictions?
Cancer (June 22-July 23)
Your freedom is more important to you than anything else in your life. It’s often very difficult for you to get involved, whether personally or professionally. Nevertheless, today you may have to think about it. Could it be that your thirst for freedom is just an escape? You may need to ponder this question. Who knows? You could decide to take the leap!
Leo (July 24-Aug 23)
Certain very narrow-minded people may get on your nerves. You’re lucky enough to be an open, tolerant person, Leo. You take people and situations just as they come. Today you may find yourself in the middle of negotiations between two people with opposite views. Help them open their eyes to each other’s point of view.
Virgo (Aug 24-Sep 23)
Today you will be able to explore the power of your emotions. Don’t try and fight what you call your “oversensitivity.” A force from childhood will permeate you and help you to find out what your real needs are. Shouldn’t you think about staying away from people who influence you a little too much? Think about it and go with your emotions.
Libra
(Sep 24-Oct 23)
Libra, you feel secure in the warmth and depth of your emotions. Today you will have the opportunity to reenergize and regenerate yourself from the inside out. Take advantage of the energies at play to deepen your relationships with the people you love. Get to know them even better. Your powers of seduction will mesmerize them..
Scorpio
(Oct 24-Nov 22)
The atmosphere may seem a bit oppressive today, Scorpio. You like to be free to do what you want to do, and it may bother you that the people around you don’t make themselves available to you. They seem preoccupied by their own business. This could bring out some old wounds that haven’t completely healed.
Sagittarius
(Nov 23-Dec 21)
You may feel a bit tied down today. It won’t necessarily be a bad day, but you may wonder about certain aspects of your family life. Don’t try and kid yourself. You should think hard about what you want for your family for the next few years and how you intend to go about getting it.
Capricorn
(Dec 22-Jan 20)
There are days when you should take everything with a grain of salt. Today you may realize how important it is to gain the appreciation and respect of a certain person. It isn’t worth getting worked up about. You will only make things worse. You may just need to do something that puts the fire back into your emotions.
Aquarius
(Jan 21-Feb 19)
Aquarius, you shouldn’t even try to find a reasonable explanation for what goes on around you today. There isn’t one. Be carried by the tides of emotions from the past that run through your body and soul. There’s no use trying to control them - they need to come out. Instead, take the time to revitalize yourself in the intimacy of your home or at a friend’s, if possible.
Pisces
(Feb 20-Mar 20)
Today you may ask yourself if you’re satisfied. How is your personal life? Do people live up to your standards or are you always left feeling dissatisfied? It may be time to make some important decisions in your life. What do you really want out of life? You might find some of the answers today.
Answers to the Sudoku and Crossword on page 29
