Category: News
Brote de gripe aviar en elefantes marinos de California obliga a cancelar visitas turísticas
Por REBECCA BOONE
Siete crías de elefante marino han arrojado positivo a un virus de gripe aviar en el Parque Estatal Año Nuevo, en California, y varios ejemplares más muestran signos de la enfermedad, informaron los investigadores el miércoles. El brote obligó a las autoridades del parque a cancelar los populares recorridos turísticos durante el resto de la temporada de reproducción de focas.
Investigadores de la Universidad de California en Santa Cruz y de la Universidad de California en Davis destacaron que se trata del primer brote detectado del virus entre mamíferos marinos en California.
El brote mundial de gripe aviar que comenzó en 2020 ha provocado la muerte de millones de aves domésticas y se ha propagado a la fauna silvestre en todo el mundo, y las focas y los leones marinos parecen particularmente vulnerables a la enfermedad. El virus ha causado la muerte de miles de leones marinos en Chile y Perú, miles de elefantes marinos en Argentina y cientos de focas en Nueva Inglaterra en los últimos años.
El virus es considerado de bajo riesgo para el ser humano, pero las autoridades indicaron que la gente debe evitar acercarse a las focas y mantener a sus mascotas lejos de estos animales.
Cada invierno, miles de elefantes marinos llegan al Parque Estatal Año Nuevo, ubicado a unos 90 minutos al sur de San Francisco, para pelear, aparearse y dar a luz. El espectáculo anual atrae a turistas y observadores de fauna silvestre que desean ver a las focas más grandes del planeta. Algunos miran desde plataformas públicas de observación y otros se inscriben en caminatas guiadas por voluntarios a través de las zonas de reproducción, conocidas como colonias.
Pero por ahora, el área de observación está cerrada y los recorridos en Año Nuevo ya fueron cancelados “para extremar precauciones”, indicó Jordan Burgess, superintendente adjunta de distrito del Departamento de Parques y Recreación de California. Las autoridades esperan que la medida ayude a evitar cualquier propagación de la enfermedad que pueda ocurrir si las personas transitan por las colonias de elefantes marinos, explicó.
“Definitivamente no estamos entrando en pánico por la exposición humana en este momento”, más bien se busca garantizar la salud de las focas y de las personas en general.
Christine Johnson, directora del Instituto de Perspectivas sobre Pandemias en la Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria Weill de UC Davis, señaló que el brote no tardó en detectarse debido a que los investigadores han estado en alerta máxima en los últimos años, atentos a cualquier señal de la enfermedad.
Después del avistamiento de animales muertos y enfermos entre el 19 y 20 de febrero, los investigadores recolectaron muestras para su análisis en el Sistema de Laboratorios de Salud Animal y Seguridad Alimentaria de California. El cribado mostró que los ejemplares estaban infectados con el virus H5N1 de la influenza aviar altamente patógena (HPAI, por sus siglas en inglés).
Los resultados de los análisis de muestras de otros 30 ejemplares siguen pendientes, señaló Johnson.
Los investigadores de las universidades están trabajando con administradores de vida silvestre estatales y federales y con The West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network para dar seguimiento a los animales.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Illinois lawmakers approve Christopher Meister as state’s new auditor general
SPRINGFIELD — Illinois lawmakers approved the appointment Wednesday of a new leader of the state agency tasked with conducting audits of other departments that fall under state government.
Christopher Meister, the executive director of the Illinois Finance Authority, was approved 51-0 in the Senate and 97-1 in the House to succeed Frank Mautino, who is retiring as the state’s auditor general.
The legislative appointment begins May 1, when Meister will take over as auditor general, a constitutional office tasked with reviewing the use and management of public funds by state agencies from the Illinois Department of Corrections to the Illinois Department of Human Services. The office reviews financial records for agencies, as well as compliance with state and federal laws and program performance.
Under the leadership of Mautino, a former Democratic state representative from Spring Valley who has served as auditor general for a decade, the office last year uncovered how Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration vastly underestimated the cost and attraction of programs that have provided state-funded health insurance for immigrants who are not citizens. One of those programs, which provided Medicaid-style health care for middle-aged noncitizens, was cut by Pritzker last year to save the state hundreds of millions of dollars.
In 2024, Mautino’s office revealed that the Illinois Department of Employment Security, which is charged with distributing unemployment benefits, fell short in administering claims filed during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving auditors unable to determine if more than $6 million wound up in the appropriate hands. At the time, the audit drew more criticism of IDES after it had previously come under scrutiny for how it administered the distribution of unemployment benefits throughout the pandemic.
Another report from Mautino’s office, in 2022, reviewed a COVID outbreak that killed 36 elderly military veterans at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home in 2020, showing the state’s Public Health Department didn’t show up at the LaSalle home until 11 days after the outbreak began. The report blasted the agency for failing to “identify and respond to the seriousness of the outbreak.”
According to the Illinois Finance Authority’s website, Meister oversees financial products that include tax-exempt conduit bonds for nonprofits, industrial, commercial and agricultural sectors, and helps provide resources for economic development and climate energy-related projects.
As a self-funded agency that doesn’t rely on taxpayer funding, the agency since 2009 under Meister’s leadership has attracted more than $45 billion in private capital to issue bonds for various projects throughout the state, according to the website.
From 2016 to 2022, Meister served as a member of the Environmental Financial Advisory Board for the federal Environmental Protection Agency, and in 2012, he was chosen as a member of the inaugural Edgar Fellows program, which promotes bipartisan leadership in Illinois government and is named after its founder, the late Republican Gov. Jim Edgar.
Daily Horoscope for February 26, 2026
General Daily Insight for February 26, 2026
Soft focus helps us hear quiet truths. As the nurturing Moon enters Cancer, we lean toward comfort, choosing slower steps and kinder words in the early hours. Soon after, Mercury turns retrograde in Pisces at 1:48 am EST, asking us to review messages and renegotiate plans while intuition steadies tricky conversations. We can tidy calendars, revisit promises, and reply with patience, allowing knowledge to unfurl as we take the time to rewrite what no longer fits. Slow fixes today make future choices feel lighter.
Aries
March 21 – April 19
What stories do you tell yourself about your past? As adroit Mercury starts reversing through your contemplative 12th house, its retrograde invites you to press pause on the cosmic movie in favor of reviewing what’s already happened. Old issues can clutter your mind, making it tough to move forward. Protect the time you have to rest! If you must be busy, try to work on less immediately visible tasks or refine your next move. Quiet prep strengthens your courage for clearer starts.
Taurus
April 20 – May 20
Progress returns as you slow plans down. Your 11th House of Connected Communities calls for review as cerebral Mercury goes retrograde, so group efforts may stall around demands for clearer roles. Your steady nature helps people breathe while you confirm who does what (and when, and where). Don’t push through mixed signals — stop and clear them up! You could also revisit a long-range dream with an ally, because practical pacing protects the friendship’s shared goal. Choose patience to keep teamwork solid.
Gemini
May 21 – June 20
Thinking fast doesn’t always mean you make great decisions (not right now, at least). Mercury whirls retrograde in your 10th House of Purpose, pulling attention to your long-term goals and how you talk about them. Be wary of technology, especially if you’ve got big presentations to make. Ready yourself for some glitches! You may also need to accept a few edits, because otherwise you could write something that sounds clever to you, but confuses everyone else. Remember: measure twice, cut once!
Cancer
June 21 – July 22
This morning invites a thoughtful pause. Your 9th House of Growth receives the oft-muddled energy of Mercury Retrograde — travel plans, watch out! You’d be wise to spend this time planning a trip rather than actually booking or actively beginning one. When trying to learn something new, keep a careful eye on your sources to avoid accidentally memorizing false information. You can shine by helping others through this confusing time, particularly those who are learning or traveling at your side. Take your time.
Leo
July 23 – August 22
Shared truths grow when fertilized with trust and patience. This may look like nothing much is happening as clever Mercury goes retrograde in your 8th House of Mutual Bills, inviting you to review agreements and analyze trust. If a legal document looks off, don’t hesitate to get the details and ask respectful questions before you propose a fair fix. It’s okay to have personal rules about lending money or avoiding other, similar risks. Keep collaborating and communicating, and solutions will eventually come to light.
Virgo
August 23 – September 22
Limits are a universal factor in every connection at this time, but they don’t have to be painful. Partnership thrives when messages stay kind, even as mental Mercury goes retrograde in your 7th House of Partnerships. If a partner or a client misunderstands you, don’t let it go unacknowledged. Show them you get their concerns, then explain how you’d handle them. Your eye for detail becomes an even greater gift when you’re willing to improve your process. Choose transparency to strengthen shared plans.
Libra
September 23 – October 22
Where can simplicity bring harmony back? Small fixes prevent messes as information-gathering Mercury turns retrograde in your 6th House of Wellness, nudging you to refine routines and rest your body and mind. Be wary of double-booking yourself (or your entire group)! You may need to rework your schedule and send out a few apologies for missed commitments. Small adjustments brighten the day and let you enjoy working as a team without unfair stressors. Handle all details with care to support a continued steady peace.
Scorpio
October 23 – November 21
Welcome honesty as soon as it knocks. Mischievous Mercury spins retrograde in your 5th House of Charm, which makes this a better time for second drafts and continued efforts rather than fresh starts or totally new ideas. Be wary of the temptation to read between the lines — even if someone isn’t saying everything, it’ll be extra tough to tell what, exactly, they do mean. Your depth helps you swim through confusion into a rich pool of connection. Don’t settle for half-truths; seek meaningful joy.
Sagittarius
November 22 – December 21
You love possibilities, so retrace your steps to find some extra ones. You may be in and out the door all day long with Mercury reversing course through your family-centric 4th house. Factor in excess time for deliveries or errands, because you never know when you’ll have to adjust your timeline during Mercury Retrograde. You can still dream big while you tidy your base camp, because a lighter home makes room for fresh adventures. Organize first to help freedom feel more spacious.
Capricorn
December 22 – January 19
Clear structure returns as you review messages. Your 3rd House of Day-tripping needs buffers as chatty Mercury goes retrograde, insisting upon all sorts of edits to plans you once thought were solid. Don’t take it too hard — just avoid making any particularly time-sensitive plans for this evening. Do your best to keep moving and stay level-headed. Your careful planning turns complex detours into smooth reroutes because you know the reliability of patience over speed today. Double-check directions to protect your responsible reputation.
Aquarius
January 20 – February 18
Morning checks help money choices stay clear. Your 2nd House of Self-Worth requests a review as studious Mercury twirls retrograde, prompting checks on prices and subscriptions while you choose what deserves your hard-won resources. If a charge looks odd, contact support and keep screenshots to prove your point. Be willing to pause a purchase until the details line up! Search for smarter ways to save or share with style without losing your spark. Spend with intention to feel grounded and free.
Pisces
February 19 – March 20
Your voice strengthens as you turn inward. Mercury is moving retrograde in your sign, shifting attention to how others perceive you in varying circumstances. You may feel unusually sensitive, so do your best to find time to recharge your social batteries as necessary. Otherwise, you risk running on empty in a very visible way! Practice a script that protects your needs and honors your generous spirit. Gaining this space should let you be a social butterfly and get the rest your heart needs.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/25/daily-horoscope-for-february-26-2026/
In Critical Minerals, US Transitions From Lender To Market-Maker
In Critical Minerals, US Transitions From Lender To Market-Maker
A 13-page report from FTI Consulting is providing some insight on how the U.S. government has rewritten the rules for critical minerals.
Our readers have been ahead of this curve for months. We have covered the accelerating U.S. push extensively, including our heads up way back in July to keep an eye on MP Materials and USA Rare Earth Corp. Our article was immediately followed by the Pentagon investing in MP Materials and eventually the U.S. government investing in USA Rare Earth. We even noted some abnormal call buying in USAR just before the market closed the trading day prior to the government investment announcement.
USA Rare Earth (USAR) gamma squeeze (or just takeover bet): more than 8k of June $43 calls were bought for up to ~$3
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) January 22, 2026
We’ve been repeatedly pounding the table on the other domestic developments in the critical mineral and rare earth element base with additional coverage of Trump’s Section 232 Proclamation and Project Vault.
With China already $57 billion deep in investments with their domestic copper, cobalt, nickel, lithium, and rare earth mines and processing facilities through 2021, the U.S. is grossly behind with barely $5 billion invested in similar markets so far.
Here’s what FTI calls the new playbook for critical minerals…
Long-tenor debt & guarantees: DOE’s $2.3 billion loan to Lithium Americas’ Thacker Pass, restructured with warrants delivering equity upside. Multi-hundred-million EXIM letters of interest for projects like Ivanhoe Electric’s Santa Cruz copper play.
Direct equity & quasi-equity: Office of Strategic Capital’s $150M deal with MP Materials that included a 15% government stake plus long-term price floor. 10% direct stake in USA Rare Earth as part of a $1.6 billion package. Golden shares and board influence are now potential asks.
Market-shaping mechanisms: Government offtakes with price floors, the proposed $2.5 billion Strategic Resilience Reserve, and Project Vault’s $12 billion stockpile operation. Billions more via DFC into allied production in Brazil and Africa to reroute supply chains away from Beijing.
“The U.S. Government is therefore no longer just de-risking projects. It is increasingly shaping markets, prices and industrial outcomes.”
Private capital is rushing in behind the federal anchor. JPMorgan has earmarked $10 billion “to help select companies primarily in the United States enhance their growth, spur innovation, and accelerate strategic manufacturing”. The Office of Strategic Capital has already deployed over $4.5 billion. EXIM and DFC balance sheets have been weaponized. For project developers and miners, the shortest path to a bankable Final Investment Decision now runs through Washington.
This is a novel industrial policy, a sort of American-ized state capitalism. It may be necessary to counter China’s dumping and supply weaponization. But it also hands bureaucrats enormous power to pick winners, puts taxpayer capital at risk on the cap table, dilutes shareholders, and opens the door wide to cronyism and execution risk on top of the usual permitting nightmares.
Tyler Durden
Wed, 02/25/2026 – 18:10
https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/us-transitions-lender-market-maker
Sheriff’s department investigating suspicious package sent to judge
The Lake County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a suspicious package sent to a Lake County Judge Tuesday afternoon.
Officers, including a K-9, on February 24 were called to the mailroom for the package, according to a release issued by the department. The Lake County Hazardous Materials team determined the package wasn’t incendiary nor contained dangerous materials, though the post office labeled it “hazardous,” the release said.
The incident is under investigation, and no further details are being released.
Indiana bill militarizing the National Guard passes Senate
A bill that would allow for the militarization of the Indiana National Guard passed the Senate Tuesday, after seven Democratic amendments failed Monday.
House Bill 1343, authored by State Rep. Steve Bartels, allows the Indiana National Guard’s leader, the adjutant general, to establish a “military police force” that could make arrests, conduct searches and seizures, carry firearms and exercise other police powers.
The bill outlines that to become a member of the Indiana National Guard military police force, the adjutant general will make sure the members have security clearance and no felony convictions. Anyone appointed to the military police force has to complete army or air military police occupational training, according to the bill.
The governor may deploy the military police force “to exercise police powers throughout Indiana” during times of war, disaster, or “at any other time the governor considers necessary.” The governor would have to provide reasonable notice to local law enforcement agencies in the area, according to the bill.
Bartels, R-Eckerty, previously said the military police force will merge six different units that exist within the Indiana National Guard.
If a governor chose to send the military police force into a community, the mayor there wouldn’t have a way to stop the action, Bartels previously said. The bill also doesn’t give a timeframe for how long the military police force could be deployed, he said.
“I think this is very proactive. I think it helps us deal with situations that are unpredictable. It’s probably past due, in my opinion,” Bartels previously said.
On Monday, State Sen. Fady Qaddoura, D-Indianapolis, presented an amendment to remove the militarization of the Indiana National Guard from the bill. He also filed an amendment to state that the Indiana National Guard military police force could respond at the request of local law enforcement or a local government body.
State Sen. Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, presented an amendment to state that the general of the military police force has to meet or exceed the minimum standards of the law enforcement training board. She also filed an amendment that no later than 60 days after a deployment of the military police force, the adjutant general should submit an after-action report to the legislative council.
Yoder also filed an amendment to a portion of the bill addressing the military family relief fund to state that an applicant qualifies if he or she demonstrates difficulty in paying for transportation, communication, child-related expenses, debt payments and bills.
Yoder filed another amendment to change that if the applicants’ and applicants’ spouses’ combined federal gross income exceeds four times the poverty guideline, they would qualify for the military family relief fund. The bill language states that the combined income exceeds two times the poverty guideline.
All the presented amendments failed.
From the Senate floor Tuesday, Yoder said House Bill 1343 “is being presented as a public safety bill” that addresses Indiana National Guard powers, cyber units, imitation firearms, and armories and boats. But the bill has a “quite rewrite” of the military family relief fund, she said.
The military family relief fund isn’t a life-long benefit, but offers a one-time emergency grant so that a veteran or military family can pay for housing or utilities in the event of hardship after returning from deployment or combat injuries flare up and impact employment, Yoder said.
“We can do better than treating basic support for veterans as something that’s laced with shame,” Yoder said. “We have to stop saying that we already do a lot for our veterans when the language in 1343 simply does not do a lot.”
State Sen. Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville, said she’s concerned about the bill, given the recent federal agent response in Minnesota as part of President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement.
“I know that’s not the intent, but it happened. Two people were killed that shouldn’t have been,” Becker said.
Becker said she received a lot of communication from constituents opposing the bill. A sheriff in her district also reached out to her to express his opposition to the bill, she said.
The sheriff told Becker there’s a reason there’s a separation between the military and police because one unit fights the enemies of the state and the other serves and protects people, she said. When the military becomes both, then the enemies of the state tend to become the people, the sheriff told her.
“I think that’s something we should think about,” Becker said, as she encouraged the senators to join her in voting against the bill.
State Sen. Scott Baldwin, R-Noblesville, who sponsored the bill in the Senate, said he disagreed with the characterization that the military family relief fund portion of the bill was hidden because the bill has been publicly available and discussed publicly throughout the session.
“This is just good, responsible, fiduciary control of the state’s funding. This isn’t an attempt to try to make things hard on military families,” Baldwin said.
In response to the comment about “people killed who shouldn’t have been killed,” Baldwin said he would like to reject that conversation because it didn’t happen in Indiana and “happened under a completely different set of circumstances.”
“We can debate whether that should’ve happened or shouldn’t have happened, but this is Indiana. This bill was contrived before any of this media attention was drawn to National Guard presence in states,” Baldwin said. “We thought about getting better before any of that happened.”
The Indiana constitution allows the governor to deploy the state police and National Guard “nearly broadly,” Baldwin said. The bill allows that deployment to be “professionalized” with training on how to respond in situations that require a police response.
“The basics of this bill, they stand. We want to get better,” Baldwin said. “On Indiana’s worst day, the National Guard is going to be there to protect Indiana, alongside the state police and local law enforcement. This legislation is nothing other than preparing Indiana for its worst day.”
The bill passed the Senate 38-10, with Becker voting with all Democrats present against the bill.
akukulka@post-trib.com
Roki Sasaki permite tres carreras en su primera salida de primavera con los Dodgers
Por DAVID BRANDT
SCOTTSDALE, Arizona, EE.UU. (AP) — El lanzador derecho de los Dodgers de Los Ángeles Roki Sasaki recibió muchos batazos y tuvo dificultades para encontrar la zona de strike en su primera salida de los entrenamientos de primavera el miércoles, al permitir tres carreras, tres hits y otorgar dos bases por bolas en una entrada y un tercio de labor contra los Diamondbacks de Arizona.
El lanzador japonés, de potente recta, intenta ganarse un lugar en la rotación tras una actuación destacada como relevista en la postemporada del año pasado, cuando ayudó a los Dodgers a ganar una segunda Serie Mundial consecutiva.
Sasaki mostró su habitual recta poderosa el miércoles —ponchó a tres—, pero solo 17 de sus 36 lanzamientos fueron strikes.
Sasaki permitió un sencillo de fuerte contacto al primer bate Geraldo Perdomo, y Tim Tawa recibió base por bolas. Con un out, Nolan Arenado conectó un doble de línea al jardín izquierdo que impulsó a Perdomo. El venezolano Ildemaro Vargas siguió con otro doble, que remolcó a Tawa y Arenado para poner la pizarra 3-0.
Tras una visita al montículo del coach de pitcheo Mark Prior, Sasaki ponchó a Jordan Lawlar y Ryan Waldschmidt para terminar la entrada.
Sasaki abanicó a Druw Jones abriendo la segunda, luego dio base por bolas a Aramis Garcia y fue retirado del juego. Su recta alcanzó un máximo de 98,6 mph.
El espigado lanzador de 24 años llegó a su año de novato con mucha expectativa en 2025, pero no lanzó mucho durante la temporada regular, y terminó 1-1 con efectividad de 4,46 en 36 entradas y un tercio erráticas. Apareció en 10 juegos, abrió ocho, y se perdió más de cuatro meses por un pinzamiento en el hombro derecho.
Sasaki regresó en septiembre y se convirtió en una pieza clave del bullpen durante la postemporada, al permitir apenas una carrera limpia en 10 entradas y dos tercios y consiguió tres salvamentos.
Sasaki acordó un contrato de ligas menores con un bono por firmar de 6,5 millones de dólares la temporada baja pasada, convirtiéndose en el 13er jugador japonés en unirse a la franquicia.
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Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Watch: Congressional Testimony Abruptly Cut Off After Covert Iran Ops Revealed
Watch: Congressional Testimony Abruptly Cut Off After Covert Iran Ops Revealed
Damon Wilson, the head of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), was interrupted by a member of Congress during a House oversight hearing on Tuesday after revealing that his agency “began supporting the deployment [and] operation of about 200 Starlinks early on” amid the violence which swept through Iran last month.
Before he could finish the sentence, he was cut off by the ranking member of the House Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, Rep. Lois Frankel, who told Wilson: “You know what, I’m going to interrupt you – we’d better not talk about it.”
Wilson’s comments had been prompted by a question from Frankel, who requested details of what appears to be a new and apparently secret initiative by the State Department to provide Starlink terminals to Iranians.
Wilson appeared to take credit for both the recent unrest and Iran and subsequent media framing of the chaos. “What we’re seeing today, the Endowment has been making investments over years that have ensured that there have been secure communications, including Starlinks… that allowed information to go both in and out of the country,” he stated.
According to the New York Times, the Elon Musk-produced internet systems had been smuggled into the country by a “ragtag network of activists, developers and engineers [who] pierced Iran’s digital barricades.” It is clear now that the NED was at least partly responsible for funding and coordinating that network.
With Starlink emerging as a key weapon in the information war waged against Iran, it’s unclear how anti-government actors have managed to smuggle the devices into the country. But a recent incident in which a senior Dutch diplomat was caught trying to sneak multiple Starlink units and satellite phones through security at Iran’s Imam Khomeini Airport gives a hint.
The National Endowment for Democracy was founded in 1982 under the auspices of then-CIA Director William Casey to topple socialist and independent governments through the direct sponsorship of NGO’s, media organizations and political parties. “A lot of what we do today was done covertly 25 years ago by the CIA,” NED co-founder Allen Weinstein said of the Endowment’s work in 1991.
Despite its mission of promoting transparency and “fundamental freedoms” abroad, the NED is now a dark money group which conceals the names of its local partners under a “duty of care” policy announced in 2025. During his congressional testimony this February, Wilson insisted the policy was necessary for the security of grantees on the ground.
The NED’s work to smuggle Starlink terminals into Iran is therefore a covert operation aimed at promoting unrest. And according to Wilson, it is now a key part of the Endowment’s most aggressive initiative.
Iran “has been a huge priority for the Endowment. Iran has been, since I arrived at the Endowment, our fastest-growing program,” Wilson told Frankel. “It’s now one of our largest programs globally, that involves both direct partners – Iranian groups – as well as our core institutes.”
Watch: “I’m going to interrupt you…”
National Endowment for Democracy leader cut off in Congress after boasting of ‘deploying’ 200 Starlinks to Iran amid violence
The US intel cutout’s president said Iran was his group’s top target
Full report from @MaxBlumenthal & @wyattreed13 here: https://t.co/zaA52ugnFn pic.twitter.com/ifkzMgw4Uy
— The Grayzone (@TheGrayzoneNews) February 24, 2026
Wilson said his organization was instrumental in bringing about the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, which saw Iranians initially mobilize against the Islamic Republic’s mandatory hijab law before the protests deteriorated into violent riots.
“If you think about the impact of our work in Iran, the reason the Women, Life, Freedom movement began with a simple headscarf – that story of Mahsa Amini could have been lost as a regional story in Iran. But NED partners helped cover that story, get it out to the world, and get it back into Iran,” Wilson said, referring to the Iranian Kurdish woman who died in police custody from an apparent medical condition after being detained for violating the mandatory hijab law.
Violent regime change riots erupted again this January 8 and 9 across Iran, resulting in the burning of police stations, hundreds of mosques and worship sites, government buildings, marketplaces and lethal mob assaults on unarmed guards as well as police officers. The violence only stopped when Iranian security services imposed an internet blackout and neutralized thousands of Starlink terminals.
The Iranian government has provided the names and identification numbers of over 3000 citizens who were killed during the two days of rioting. But as The Grayzone reported, the NED-funded NGO, Human Rights Activists in Iran, initially claimed the death toll was over twice as high.
Now, as mainstream outlets like The Guardian cite dubious monarchist sources to exaggerate the death toll even further, the NED’s Wilson has revealed that his organization is working with “human rights networks” to “provide international media and other credible sources of what’s happened.”
These US-funded groups were involved in “documenting 17,000 deaths,” Wilson claimed, adding that “upwards, potentially of 30,000, remain under review by our partners right now.” As The Grayzone reported, the claim that Iran killed 30,000 people in just two nights originated with an opposition activist closely tied to the self-styled ‘crown prince’ Reza Pahlavi, heir to Iran’s ousted yet still CIA-tied monarchy.
Asked by Frankel whether he had any recommendations about “hard power” options for the US against Iran, Wilson insisted that his role was not to provide policy advice. He was much more comfortable boasting about NED’s role in shaping anti-Iran media narratives, such as the one blaming the country’s leadership for persistent drought conditions:
“Part of what we see manifesting is a response that our partners have helped tell the Iranian people the story, that the regime has squandered their own resources on supporting proxies throughout the Middle East, to the point where they cannot manage their own water supplies for Tehran. And these stories have not just emerged, they are ones that have been covered, documented, and shared with the Iranian people consistently through our work.”
Elsewhere in his testimony, Wilson appeared to take credit for the election of a right-wing government in Bolivia – and that his NED did so to ensure US control over the country’s mineral wealth: “In Bolivia,” he declared, “our partners prevented lithium from falling under Moscow’s control.”
Wilson also revealed that NED is funding and training media in Nicaragua with an eye on undermining the country’s socialist-oriented Sandinista government. “We have an incredible suite of Nicaraguan journalists with coverage networks inside the country,” he boasted.
Rep. Frankel closed the session by suggesting that the US government was mirroring many of the repressive tactics the NED condemned abroad: “Political enemies being imprisoned by autocratic leaders. Masked men going into homes and terrorizing people. Certainly can understand why so many people are fleeing their countries. Unfortunately, it sounds very sad, because it sounds like the story that’s going on here.”
Tyler Durden
Wed, 02/25/2026 – 17:50
Corte Suprema de EEUU falla contra empresa privada de prisiones en demanda por trabajos forzados
Por LINDSAY WHITEHURST
WASHINGTON (AP) — La Corte Suprema de Estados Unidos falló el miércoles en contra de una empresa privada de prisiones como parte de una demanda que asegura que los inmigrantes detenidos en una instalación de Colorado eran obligados a trabajar a cambio de un pago de un dólar diario.
El fallo unánime supone una derrota procesal para GEO Group, pero no es una decisión definitiva. La empresa impugna una demanda de 2014 que sostiene que los detenidos en Aurora tenían que realizar labores de limpieza sin goce de sueldo y llevar a cabo otros trabajos a cambio de una remuneración mínima para complementar sus escasas comidas.
La compañía defendió sus prácticas y argumentó que el caso debía desestimarse debido a que, como contratista del gobierno, tiene inmunidad contra demandas.
Después de que un juez discrepó, GEO Group solicitó que la Corte Suprema le permitiera apelar rápidamente la decisión. Pero los magistrados se negaron.
“De ser encontrado responsable en última instancia, sin duda que GEO puede apelar… pero GEO debe esperar hasta entonces”, escribió la jueza Elena Kagan. Los nueve magistrados coincidieron con el resultado, pero dos de los jueces, Clarence Thomas y Samuel Alito, discreparon con los motivos.
Una abogada que argumentó a nombre de los detenidos en Colorado celebró el fallo. “La decisión unánime de la Corte Suprema reafirma una regla sencilla: contratistas del gobierno como GEO no son elegibles para la inmunidad soberana y deben seguir el mismo principio de ‘un caso, una apelación’ que rige a cualquier otro litigante”, subrayó Jennifer Bennett.
GEO Group, con sede en Florida, es uno de los principales proveedores de detención privada en el país y administra o posee alrededor de 77.000 camas en 98 instalaciones. Sus contratos incluyen el nuevo centro federal de detención migratoria en el que el alcalde de Newark, Nueva Jersey, Ras Baraka, fue arrestado durante una protesta en mayo de 2025, antes de que se retirara el caso.
Se han presentado demandas similares a nombre de inmigrantes detenidos en otros lugares, incluido un caso en el estado de Washington, donde a la empresa se le ordenó pagar más de 23 millones de dólares.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
‘Terrifying and tortuous’: Former Oswego High School students sue district for allegedly failing to stop sexual harassment by teacher
When Jillian Lake was a student at Oswego High School she followed a routine. She woke up in the morning, got dressed and drove through the community she’d grown up in.
But inside she was consumed by fear. She worried she would be ostracized if anyone found out she’d reported harassment to the school district that she said she faced from a popular teacher. So she forced herself to put on a brave face when she walked into the building.
“Going to school every day was terrifying, not only for the sheer fact of the teacher being at that school but also the fact of anyone finding out that I had come forward in the first place,” Lake said Wednesday at a downtown news conference. “It was just absolutely terrifying and torturous.”
Lake is one of four former students suing the Oswego Community Unit School District 308 for allegedly showing a “reckless disregard for student safety” and failing to properly investigate grooming and sexual misconduct they say they experienced at the hands of Sean Staffeldt, a former teacher and coach for football, wrestling and track.
“The fact that this was allowed to go on this long and was minimized repeatedly by the district, frankly, it’s outrageous,” said attorney Cass Casper of Disparti Law Group.
When reached by phone by a Tribune reporter, Staffeldt said he hadn’t heard about the lawsuit, which was filed Wednesday in Kendall County Circuit Court. However, he said, “No, that’s wrong,” in reference to the allegations of sexual harassment and abuse. He said he would need to talk to his attorney.
According to the lawsuit, Lake first met Staffeldt in a driver’s education class in 2018 during her sophomore year. Lake and the other women were minors when most of the alleged abuse took place, from roughly 2012 to 2020.
In that class, Staffeldt allegedly showed “favoritism” by having Lake sit next to his desk and made sexually inappropriate comments such as, “You better not wear those short shorts around (the football players) that you wear around me because it would be like throwing meat to a pack of dogs,” the suit said.
The suit said Staffeldt recommended Lake for the position of football manager, where she stayed until November 2019. He allegedly asked her during football practice if she and her high school boyfriend had sex, and when she declined to answer, according to the suit, he responded, “I have to watch a lot of porn.” He also regularly rubbed her shoulders and said she was “tense” or “tight” around her lower back and butt area, the suit alleged.
During her senior year, he allegedly kissed her on the outer corner of her lips after asking her to come into a secluded coach’s office, the suit said.
Theresa Komitas, a spokesperson for District 308, said in a statement that as of Wednesday afternoon the district hadn’t been formally served with the lawsuit and that it wouldn’t provide further comment until the district “has reviewed the official documentation.” She didn’t respond to follow-up questions asking about Staffeldt’s employment history.
According to the lawsuit, Staffeldt worked at the district for 12 years until he resigned in 2020 after students and staff members came forward with reports of sexual harassment. However, in 2017, the suit said, the district issued Staffeldt a written warning directing him to “maintain professionalism” and prohibiting him from hugging and touching students.
Casper said the district “took no meaningful action” to prevent abuse moving forward. He said that, to his knowledge, there’s been no criminal investigation into Staffeldt’s alleged actions.
“Despite all these red flags and warnings, the district allowed Staffeldt to continue teaching and coaching with unfettered access to female students for years,” Casper said.
Even after students reported harassment, Casper said they still didn’t get proper support from the district. Lake, for example, didn’t receive a follow-up from a counselor or social worker, he said. Another plaintiff was pressured to finish the year online or switch schools after reporting harassment, Casper alleged.
Natalie Grimm said she was diagnosed with anxiety and depression after what happened to her. She moved out of Oswego, and her parents also moved because Staffeldt lived nearby.
“Every day I’d have to drive home and pass his house,” she said. “I was terrified to go home every day.”
Anne Marie Fish, a former student at Oswego High School, speaks about the filing of a lawsuit against Oswego Community Unit School District 308 on behalf of herself and three other former students on Feb. 25, 2026. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)
According to the lawsuit, when she was babysitting for Staffeldt in 2019, she allegedly walked in on him watching pornography and masturbating, at which point he stared at her. The suit said she had warned him she was coming over. Staffeldt allegedly then tried to hug Grimm and asked her if she ever masturbates, the suit said.
She said she struggled with the idea of speaking up but felt empowered when she learned about other women’s experiences. Mostly, she’s frustrated that the district hasn’t reached out to the victims or made a robust public statement.
Anne Marie Fish, another plaintiff, said she’s choosing “truth” because the district didn’t do its job to protect girls.
During the 2013-14 school year, Fish said she received frequent emails from Staffeldt, allegedly using affectionate language such as “Love you Fish,” the suit said. He also allegedly instructed her to meet in a private equipment closet because he didn’t want anyone “spying on him.”
The women said they want the district to put policies in place to protect students, such as mandatory training and enforcement on grooming behaviors. They also said they want more support for victims who come forward.
“We are refusing to let it be minimized. We are refusing to let it be forgotten,” Fish said. “You (the district) protected a reputation. We are protecting students. You avoided accountability. We are demanding it. This is what courage looks like. This is what leadership looks like. If you won’t lead, we will.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/25/oswego-students-lawsuit-sexual-harassment/
