Latest news with #Monterrey
Al Jazeera
a day ago
- General
- Al Jazeera
Confusion and concern loom over Mexico's historic judicial election
Monterrey, Mexico – There will be more than 7,000 candidates. More than 2,600 open positions. And at least six ballots per person to weigh them all. On Sunday, Mexico embarks on an election believed to be the first of its kind: Voters will cast ballots for all of the country's judges, half now and half in 2027. Judges of all levels will be in the running. Some candidates are competing to serve on the Supreme Court. Others are aiming for federal district or circuit courts. Still more are competing for the thousands of open positions on the state and local levels. By one estimate, if a voter spent five minutes researching each federal candidate on their ballot, they would need more than 15 hours to complete the task. Therein lies the dilemma, according to many election experts. While the Mexican government has touted the election as a milestone in democratic participation, critics fear the vote could in fact be vulnerable to political manipulation or criminal groups. Julio Rios Figueroa, a law professor at the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico (ITAM), considers the election a step towards "democratic erosion". He fears the vote "will eliminate the judiciary as a countervailing factor" that balances other more overtly political branches of government, like the presidency and Congress. Then, of course, there's the sheer challenge of keeping track of all the candidates. 'For a citizen who has the time and the interest, it's a very difficult task," Ríos Figueroa said. "Now, there are many citizens who don't have the time or the interest."
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
USWNT and Portland Thorns' Sam Coffey has navigated major roster changes, leading with devotion
U.S. women's national team and Portland Thorns midfielder Sam Coffey's affinity for Squishmallows, a plush, pillow-like stuffed toy, has reached international status. The 26-year-old Thorns captain had just finished a press conference in Monterrey, Mexico, during the Concacaf W Champions League (in which the Thorns placed third) when a local reporter approached her on her way out, Coffey tells . And she came bearing gifts. Advertisement 'A really kind young woman came over and gave me two small, almost Mexican-themed Squishmallows. One was, like, a guacamole with a little chip.' The other, Coffey added, had a 'chicken al pastor vibe.' Coffey is aware of how niche and 'maybe childish' Squishmallows are, but her devotion to them never required an audience. Perhaps that's why the reporter's gift nearly moved her to tears, as have those of the supporters who shimmy down stadium steps after her games, offering the stuffed toys in exchange for an autograph. That seems to be part of Coffey's approach to this phase of her career, one in which she must lead for club and, increasingly, for country, as USWNT head coach Emma Hayes chips away at the national team pool looking for her core group. The team's next two fixtures against China on May 31 and Jamaica on June 3 are among the last matches before Hayes plans to define that core, and Coffey has consistently been a part of that. It helps that she's stepped into a leadership role with her club. Advertisement At first glance, the Thorns roster this season could be described just as accurately by who's not on it: Christine Sinclair and Becky Sauerbrunn, who've retired; Sophia Wilson, who is on parental leave; and Meghan Klingenberg, who left the club last year. Sinclair, Sauerbrunn and Klingenberg were experienced veterans Coffey knows can't be replaced, and rather than force herself into their boots, she's polishing off her own, tucking in her shirt and getting to work as her kind of leader. After a shaky, 1-2-2 start to the NWSL season, the Thorns turned a corner on April 22 with an emphatic 4-1 home victory over 2023 NWSL Champions Gotham FC. Each Thorns goalscorer netted their first for the club that night, and one of them, rookie Caiya Hanks, attributed the team's performance to Coffey's pregame motivational speech. Her transition from pseudoleader last season to captain this year has been smooth. 'It's interesting to hear that it looks seamless because it doesn't always feel that way,' she said. 'There are days I look around the locker room and I'm like, 'Wow, this is new.'' Advertisement They're all learning as they go, as the newer players settle into the club and Coffey more deeply into her new role. 'I think I was coming into that position alongside Becky and Sincy, and obviously I look up to them so much and it was just such a privilege to do that alongside them,' she said. 'I took so many of the lessons that they taught me and shared with the team. I'm now trying to adapt that into my own leadership style now without them.' For Coffey, this means two things. 'Servant leadership is something that's really important to me and that does draw back to my faith,' she said. 'I want to be a leader who puts the team and those around me before myself and pours into those around me, whether that's someone who's playing 90 minutes or someone who doesn't make a game-day roster. I think as a leader, you are in such a unique position to pour into people in a really powerful way that transcends sport.' Advertisement The other is more easily ascertained on the pitch: setting the standard and driving the team toward its highest potential. The Thorns' nouveau-veteran trio of Coffey, Olivia Moultrie, and Japan international Hina Sugita has proven a sturdy midfield option, especially with the fresher-faced attack of Hanks, Deyna Castellanos, Mimi Alidou, Payton Linnehan, Pietra Tordin and Reilyn Turner. Outside of their 2-0 loss to Tigres UANL in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal, the Thorns are unbeaten in their last five league matches and are fifth in the NWSL table. 'We always will uphold the legacy and cherish so deeply the likes of the Sincys and Klings and Beckys (who) have quite literally laid the foundation for us to be where we are. And we don't ever take that lightly,' Coffey said. 'It is really exciting to be now writing this new chapter in their honor and hopefully making them proud.' Meanwhile, as the U.S. prepares for the international window, Hayes continues to make Coffey a consistent factor in her midfield plans. Her 33 appearances are second-most in the midfield after Lindsey Heaps, who's made 165 appearances. After that is 17-year-old Lily Yohannes with six, 19-year-olds Moultrie and Claire Hutton with five and two, and Lo'eau LaBonta, who earned her first national camp invitation at 32. Intergenerational as they may be, and varying widely in national team experience, Coffey is 'always passionate' about the USWNT's midfield. Advertisement 'I think we have ballers in this position, and I think that's only going to continue to unfold and to be witnessed as we continue to learn about each other and grow and develop new partnerships,' she said. With Hayes at the helm, she thinks players have a better shot at thriving than they have before. 'In the past, I think players have been put in positions maybe they weren't prepared for. Emma is one of, if not the most, methodical person I've ever met. There is a rhyme and a reason to everything. And I think she's all about preparation and putting players in the best position to succeed. And at first, that might mean putting them in a position that's uncomfortable,' she said, referring to the USWNT's 2-1 loss to Brazil in the second leg of friendlies between the two teams last month, in which Hutton, Yohannes and Korbin Albert started in midfield. 'But,' Coffey maintained, 'those are the experiences you need to have that ultimately prepare you for the likes of 2027 (World Cup) and 2028 (Olympics). We obviously never want to give up winning and that will never not be our priority. But at the same time, how do we kind of hold in tandem the necessity to develop and to kind of, like, fail upward?' Advertisement Looking ahead to China and Jamaica — who will be without the likes of star striker Bunny Shaw, midfield stalwart Drew Spence and goalkeeper Becky Spencer — the games won't likely offer the same possibilities for upward failure as Olympic silver medalists Brazil, but with just under 13 months to prepare for the World Cup, these games are also about the competition within the squad. Coffey is devoted to the process. 'I'm super excited about our young talent, like Lily and Claire and others,' she said. 'It's been such a joy to have them in the environment. I think they're so talented and, again, to be able to slowly but surely create those partnerships, I think by the time we get to the likes of 2027, that it's gonna be something to behold.' This article originally appeared in The Athletic. US Women's national team, Portland Thorns, NWSL 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
a day ago
- General
- New York Times
USWNT and Portland Thorns' Sam Coffey has navigated major roster changes, leading with devotion
U.S. women's national team and Portland Thorns midfielder Sam Coffey's affinity for Squishmallows, a plush, pillow-like stuffed toy, has reached international status. The 26-year-old Thorns captain had just finished a press conference in Monterrey, Mexico, during the Concacaf W Champions League (in which the Thorns placed third) when a local reporter approached her on her way out, Coffey tells The Athletic. And she came bearing gifts. Advertisement 'A really kind young woman came over and gave me two small, almost Mexican-themed Squishmallows. One was, like, a guacamole with a little chip.' The other, Coffey added, had a 'chicken al pastor vibe.' Coffey is aware of how niche and 'maybe childish' Squishmallows are, but her devotion to them never required an audience. Perhaps that's why the reporter's gift nearly moved her to tears, as have those of the supporters who shimmy down stadium steps after her games, offering the stuffed toys in exchange for an autograph. That seems to be part of Coffey's approach to this phase of her career, one in which she must lead for club and, increasingly, for country, as USWNT head coach Emma Hayes chips away at the national team pool looking for her core group. The team's next two fixtures against China on May 31 and Jamaica on June 3 are among the last matches before Hayes plans to define that core, and Coffey has consistently been a part of that. It helps that she's stepped into a leadership role with her club. At first glance, the Thorns roster this season could be described just as accurately by who's not on it: Christine Sinclair and Becky Sauerbrunn, who've retired; Sophia Wilson, who is on parental leave; and Meghan Klingenberg, who left the club last year. Sinclair, Sauerbrunn and Klingenberg were experienced veterans Coffey knows can't be replaced, and rather than force herself into their boots, she's polishing off her own, tucking in her shirt and getting to work as her kind of leader. After a shaky, 1-2-2 start to the NWSL season, the Thorns turned a corner on April 22 with an emphatic 4-1 home victory over 2023 NWSL Champions Gotham FC. Each Thorns goalscorer netted their first for the club that night, and one of them, rookie Caiya Hanks, attributed the team's performance to Coffey's pregame motivational speech. Advertisement Her transition from pseudoleader last season to captain this year has been smooth. 'It's interesting to hear that it looks seamless because it doesn't always feel that way,' she said. 'There are days I look around the locker room and I'm like, 'Wow, this is new.'' They're all learning as they go, as the newer players settle into the club and Coffey more deeply into her new role. 'I think I was coming into that position alongside Becky and Sincy, and obviously I look up to them so much and it was just such a privilege to do that alongside them,' she said. 'I took so many of the lessons that they taught me and shared with the team. I'm now trying to adapt that into my own leadership style now without them.' For Coffey, this means two things. 'Servant leadership is something that's really important to me and that does draw back to my faith,' she said. 'I want to be a leader who puts the team and those around me before myself and pours into those around me, whether that's someone who's playing 90 minutes or someone who doesn't make a game-day roster. I think as a leader, you are in such a unique position to pour into people in a really powerful way that transcends sport.' The other is more easily ascertained on the pitch: setting the standard and driving the team toward its highest potential. The Thorns' nouveau-veteran trio of Coffey, Olivia Moultrie, and Japan international Hina Sugita has proven a sturdy midfield option, especially with the fresher-faced attack of Hanks, Deyna Castellanos, Mimi Alidou, Payton Linnehan, Pietra Tordin and Reilyn Turner. Outside of their 2-0 loss to Tigres UANL in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal, the Thorns are unbeaten in their last five league matches and are fifth in the NWSL table. 'We always will uphold the legacy and cherish so deeply the likes of the Sincys and Klings and Beckys (who) have quite literally laid the foundation for us to be where we are. And we don't ever take that lightly,' Coffey said. 'It is really exciting to be now writing this new chapter in their honor and hopefully making them proud.' Advertisement Meanwhile, as the U.S. prepares for the international window, Hayes continues to make Coffey a consistent factor in her midfield plans. Her 33 appearances are second-most in the midfield after Lindsey Heaps, who's made 165 appearances. After that is 17-year-old Lily Yohannes with six, 19-year-olds Moultrie and Claire Hutton with five and two, and Lo'eau LaBonta, who earned her first national camp invitation at 32. Intergenerational as they may be, and varying widely in national team experience, Coffey is 'always passionate' about the USWNT's midfield. 'I think we have ballers in this position, and I think that's only going to continue to unfold and to be witnessed as we continue to learn about each other and grow and develop new partnerships,' she said. With Hayes at the helm, she thinks players have a better shot at thriving than they have before. 'In the past, I think players have been put in positions maybe they weren't prepared for. Emma is one of, if not the most, methodical person I've ever met. There is a rhyme and a reason to everything. And I think she's all about preparation and putting players in the best position to succeed. And at first, that might mean putting them in a position that's uncomfortable,' she said, referring to the USWNT's 2-1 loss to Brazil in the second leg of friendlies between the two teams last month, in which Hutton, Yohannes and Korbin Albert started in midfield. 'But,' Coffey maintained, 'those are the experiences you need to have that ultimately prepare you for the likes of 2027 (World Cup) and 2028 (Olympics). We obviously never want to give up winning and that will never not be our priority. But at the same time, how do we kind of hold in tandem the necessity to develop and to kind of, like, fail upward?' Looking ahead to China and Jamaica — who will be without the likes of star striker Bunny Shaw, midfield stalwart Drew Spence and goalkeeper Becky Spencer — the games won't likely offer the same possibilities for upward failure as Olympic silver medalists Brazil, but with just under 13 months to prepare for the World Cup, these games are also about the competition within the squad. Advertisement Coffey is devoted to the process. 'I'm super excited about our young talent, like Lily and Claire and others,' she said. 'It's been such a joy to have them in the environment. I think they're so talented and, again, to be able to slowly but surely create those partnerships, I think by the time we get to the likes of 2027, that it's gonna be something to behold.'
IOL News
2 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Ellis demands more despite Banyana's winning start in Tri-Nations series
Gabriela Salgado Banyana's Gabriela Salgado clears the ball away from Botswana's Senwelo Leungo in Atteridgeville on Wednesday. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix Desiree Ellis welcomed a winning start to Banyana Banyana's Tri-Nations Series campaign but admitted her side made things difficult for themselves in a nervy 3–2 victory over Botswana at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Wednesday. South Africa will now shift their focus to Zambia, whom they face at the same venue (kick-off 3pm) on Tuesday in their second clash of the tournament. The Tri-Series serves as preparation for the upcoming Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco this July. Banyana made a blistering start, storming to a 3–0 lead inside the opening 36 minutes. Jermaine Seopesenwe, who plays her club football for Monterrey in Mexico, bagged a brace to complement Adriette Mibe's early opener. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Given the short preparation period, Ellis and her technical staff would have been encouraged by the flying start, especially considering their recent mixed record against Botswana. Despite holding a higher ranking, South Africa have not always found it easy against their southern neighbours. In the last four encounters, the two nations have traded friendly victories. Botswana notably edged South Africa in the 2019 CAF Women's Olympic Qualifiers, winning 3–2 on penalties after a goalless two-legged tie. With a comfortable 3–0 advantage and just minutes left before half-time, Banyana eased off the throttle — allowing Botswana a route back into the game. The visitors accepted the invitation, nearly pulling off a dramatic turnaround. Reflecting on the match, Ellis pinpointed moments where her side gave away the early advantage and hopes for a better showing in their upcoming match against Zambia. 'With the first goal, we knew they were going to play the ball long, and we didn't react to that. The second goal that we gave away — we had said we needed to be patient on the ball, and yet we played it into traffic when we could have played wide. So there was a little lapse in concentration.' Ellis expressed concern over the second-half display, particularly the manner in which the goals were conceded — especially as they were situations the team had anticipated. 'The tempo went down a bit. In the first half, it was very high and we moved the ball around, but in the second half we didn't move ourselves or the ball — and that played in their favour,' Ellis continued. Seoposenwe gets her brace in the 35th minute — Banyana_Banyana (@Banyana_Banyana) May 28, 2025
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
‘Possibly hundreds' of mail pieces found scattered on busy downtown St. Louis street
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis radio personality found 'possibly hundreds' of pieces of mail scattered across a busy downtown street early Tuesday morning during her commute to work. Debbie Monterrey, a longtime KMOX radio host, came across the scene around 4 a.m. Tuesday on 14th Street near its intersection with Clark Avenue, just steps from the Enterprise Center. Monterrey shared a 15-second video clip of her experience with FOX 2, a news partner of KMOX, and reflected on the odd discovery Wednesday during 'The Chris and Amy Show' on KMOX. 'I'm just driving in how I do. And I get towards the light and I'm like 'What?,'' said Monterrey. 'At first I thought somebody knocked over a garbage can, but then I realized, this is mail. Then, as I started looking around, there was tons of it. And those bins, the sort of white corrugated bins they use for the mail, there were a couple of them smashed in the street and just some piles. Pretty significant piles and then just mail scattered everywhere.' The video shows letters and parcels of various sizes, some in piles, spread out over several car lengths. Monterrey estimated there may have been hundreds of pieces of mail. 'I didn't know what to do because you can't call the post office at 4 in the morning. No one is answering the phone,' said Monterrey. 'I called 911 and no one answered the phone. I thought I don't know if I should call police, but someone needs to get the mail off and it's not my job. What am I going to do?' Monterrey then headed to her office, and another co-worker who showed up shortly after informed her that someone, believed to be a mail worker, was cleaning up the mess. So how did it get there? That remains unclear. It's worth noting the U.S. Postal Service has a major St. Louis processing facility less than a mile away at 1720 Market Street. 'My theory here is it probably fell off a truck because it didn't look like stuff that was being delivered by a postal carrier,' said Monterrey. 'It looked like stuff that was being trucked somewhere else.' FOX 2 reached out to a USPS spokesperson for comment, who provided this brief statement, but nothing more: 'We're making every effort to ensure all mail has been recovered and delivered timely.' It's unclear how many pieces of mail may have been scattered or whether any deliveries were damaged or delayed. FOX 2 will update if new information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
