Category: News
“Most Dangerous Geopolitical Blitz Since Bretton Woods”: Trump Says Cuba’s Communist Regime Is Next To Fall
“Most Dangerous Geopolitical Blitz Since Bretton Woods”: Trump Says Cuba’s Communist Regime Is Next To Fall
“We’ve got plenty of time, but Cuba’s ready,” President Trump told CNN in an interview on Friday morning. The president told CNN reporter Dana Bash that Havana will “fall pretty soon” and that he will “place Marco over there.”
2/7 ON CUBA: President Trump said, “Cuba is gonna fall pretty soon.” He said he’s going to “put Marco over there” and “we’ve got plenty of time, but Cuba’s ready.”
— Dana Bash (@DanaBashCNN) March 6, 2026
The Trump administration has communicated for months about toppling the Communist regime in Havana as power blackouts across the Caribbean island nation worsen this week.
Trump’s fuel blockade on Cuba has led some analysts to warn that the Cuban government will exhaust all fuel reserves by mid- to late March, bringing the island into complete paralysis.
Marco Rubio looking forward to what March brings with Cuba. pic.twitter.com/tBYM7pyKU7
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) March 1, 2026
It’s clear that Trump has tasked Secretary of State Marco Rubio with leading the talks on a “friendly” takeover of the island.
“They want to make a deal so badly, you have no idea,” Trump said at the White House on Thursday.
Making sense of the world seemingly in a fiery mess is Graham Cooke, founder of Brava (brava.xyz), an automated stablecoin yield platform, who wrote on X, “Trump is running the most dangerous geopolitical blitz since Bretton Woods. And the endgame isn’t a trade war.”
Cooke continued, “There’s a theory circulating that Trump is running a far more ambitious play — one designed to collapse BRICS, force China’s hand, and lock in dollar dominance for decades.”
Trump is running the most dangerous geopolitical blitz since Bretton Woods.
And the endgame isn’t a trade war.
There’s a theory circulating that Trump is running a far more ambitious play — one designed to collapse BRICS, force China’s hand, and lock in dollar dominance for… pic.twitter.com/Z5IrGSrfzZ
— GC Cooke (@Gccooke) March 5, 2026
Over the last two months, the Trump administration has increased pressure on Beijing. The timeline is very notable: Maduro’s removal effectively shut Venezuelan crude flows to China; the U.S. then tightened Cuba’s fuel position to position the island towards collapse to rid the communists from Havana; Panama eliminated Chinese-linked ports at the canal; and now, nearly a week into Trump’s Operation Epic Fury against Iran, China’s access to cheap Iranian crude and gas has been severed. All of this comes before Trump heads to China later this month, holding multiple new leverage cards in one absolutely insane chess game to play in the midterm election cycle.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 03/06/2026 – 13:20
With some Oak Forest Hospital buildings demolished, Cook County seeks input on land use
With the first phase of the planned demolition of the 153-acre Oak Forest Hospital campus now complete, Cook County is seeking public input on what use the land should be put toward.
The Cook County Bureau of Asset Management will hold a public meeting on the property at 5:30 p.m. on April 8 at the Markham courthouse, 16501 Kedzie Ave., Markham.
The session will include a menu of ideas and invite people to participate in breakout sessions, the county said on its website.
“This meeting will include a ‘charette,’ which is an intensive and collaborative workshop, giving community members the opportunity to work together in a structured way to highlight their priorities and what they would like to see for the future of Oak Forest,” it states.
There will be a virtual option available, though participation in breakout activities will be limited for virtual participants. To access the meeting online, go to CookCountyMeet.org at the time of the meeting.
Demolition of the hospital buildings began in February 2025.
The first phase of the project, which is now complete, was to consist of the demolition of up to 11 buildings, including the abatement of hazardous building materials such as asbestos and lead, according to county documents.
The second phase, which is scheduled to be completed in 2028, will involve the abatement and demolition of up to 40 remaining buildings, according to county documents. Eventually, all but a few of the more than 50 buildings on the campus will be removed.
No explosives are being used, and water spraying is used to minimize dust, according to the county’s website. Air quality is monitored throughout the project, with results of air quality testing published online.
The campus is in unincorporated Cook County next to Oak Forest, southeast of Cicero Avenue and 159th Street. The campus is bordered by two Forest Preserves of Cook County properties, Oak Forest Heritage Preserve and Midlothian Meadows.
Three Oak Forest Hospital patients wait for a television program to start in 1951. 9Tribune archive photo /Chicago Tribune)
Early in its history, the property hosted a poor farm and a sanitarium for tuberculosis patients. Later, the campus transitioned into a full-service, 600-bed hospital. In addition to providing inpatient care, the hospital was a training ground for thousands of health care workers.
Oak Forest Hospital closed in 2011. It continued to offer outpatient care for several more years, but those services were eventually relocated to Blue Island.
Demolition had been scheduled to begin in September 2023, but was delayed.
If you go
Where: Markham Courthouse, 16501 Kedzie Ave., Markham
Online option: CookCountyMeet.org
When: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on April 8
RSVP: www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4AA4A929ABFDC16-62459371-april#/
elewis@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/06/oak-forest-hospital-input-land-use/
Virginia Democrats Move To Require Teaching Jan. 6th As An “Insurrection”
Virginia Democrats Move To Require Teaching Jan. 6th As An “Insurrection”
Virginia Democrats are moving to require teachers to tell students that Jan. 6th was an “insurrection” and effectively bar them from referencing “peaceful protests” or election irregularities. The characterization of the riot as an insurrection is historically and legally false. However, any parents who want to send their children to Virginia public schools would have to accept this form of indoctrination as part of their children’s education.
In the last election, Democrats campaigned as moderates, including Abigail Spanberger.
Once in control of the Governor’s mansion and the legislature, however, they have moved quickly to the far left in a flurry of measures. Democratic legislators just voted themselves almost a 300% increase in salaries. They will need it. They are moving to increase taxes on ride shares, concerts, counseling, leaf blowers, Amazon deliveries, DoorDash, Uber Eats, ammunition, and other areas.
However, HB 333, drafted by Del. Dan I. Helmer of Fairfax, raises serious concerns over academic freedom and free speech.
The summary of the bill mandates “a program of instruction on or relating to the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the United States Capitol” and further:
“prohibits any such program of instruction, any accompanying curriculum or instructional materials, or any instruction provided by a teacher as a part of such program of instruction from (i) describing, portraying, or presenting as credible a description or portrayal of the actions precipitating or involved in the January 6, 2021, insurrection as peaceful protest or (ii) stating, suggesting, or presenting as credible a statement or suggestion that there was extensive election fraud that could have changed or actually changed the results of the 2020 presidential election. The bill requires any such program of instruction, any accompanying curriculum or instructional materials, or any instruction provided by a teacher as a part of such program of instruction to describe the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the United States Capitol as an unprecedented, violent attack on U.S. democratic institutions, infrastructure, and representatives for the purpose of overturning the results of the 2020 presidential election.”
Soon after Jan. 6th, I condemned the riot but rejected the argument that this was an insurrection. However, it soon became part of an orthodoxy in politics and academia despite the fact that the public rejected it. As former House Speaker Pelosi declared, “It is essential that we preserve the narrative of January 6th.”
Yet, “insurrection” and “sedition” are legal terms. They have a meaning. The FBI investigated thousands after January 6th and charged hundreds. Not one was charged with insurrection or conspiracy to overthrow the country. The vast majority are charged with relatively minor offenses of trespass or unlawful entry or property damage- the type of charges that are common in protests and riots.
Indeed, the Supreme Court effectively reduced many of the charges to mere trespass in later litigation, rejecting obstruction claims.
Faced with a collapsing historical and legal narrative, Democrats are now moving to simply indoctrinate students that this was an “insurrection.”
Notably, Helmer is running again for Congress after Democrats, with the support of Gov. Spanberger, moved to reduce Republicans in the state (which is divided down the middle between the parties) to just one of eleven districts through gerrymandering.
Helmer is running in one of the most notorious new districts, called the “lobster” or the “scorpion,” because it runs from the Potomac River in Arlington southwestward, then splits into two “claws” toward the West Virginia line near Rawley Springs and Goochland and Powhatan.
In my book, Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution, I discuss the radicalization of the American left. While many on the left advocate censoring “disinformation,” they are far less circumspect in promulgating their own disinformation.
Likewise, where Democrats have objected to the pressure put on universities for greater diversity of viewpoints as an attack on academic freedom, these Democrats see no problem in mandating the teaching of positions that are demonstrably false.
Here, Rep. Helmer and other Democrats are mandating the teaching of a false narrative to children rather than simply relying on public debate. The reason is that they are losing the debate over the characterization of this riot as an actual insurrection.
This, and other moves on the left, will only accelerate the exodus of families from public education. Notably, Fairfax County (which Helmer represents) has seen a sharp fall in enrollments in recent years.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 03/06/2026 – 13:00
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/virginia-democrats-move-require-teaching-jan-6th-insurrection
Informe de ONU: Fuerzas de Uganda ayudaron a Sudán del Sur a perpetrar bombardeos contra civiles
Por JOSEPH FALZETTA
NAIROBI, Kenia (AP) — Uganda ayudó a Sudán del Sur a llevar a cabo ataques aéreos que mataron y quemaron gravemente a civiles hace un año, según una investigación de la ONU.
Los bombardeos aéreos conjuntos de Sudán del Sur y Uganda “apuntaron contra zonas pobladas por civiles, afectando predominantemente a comunidades nuer en áreas vinculadas a la oposición”, señaló el informe de la Comisión de Naciones Unidas sobre Derechos Humanos en Sudán del Sur, en referencia al segundo grupo étnico más grande del país africano.
Tropas ugandesas están desplegadas en Sudán del Sur para ayudar al gobierno del presidente Salva Kiir a enfrentar a las fuerzas leales al dirigente opositor Riek Machar, quien fue suspendido como vicepresidente en septiembre luego de enfrentar cargos penales. Autoridades militares ugandesas afirman que las tropas están en Sudán del Sur por invitación del gobierno sursudanés y de conformidad con un acuerdo bilateral de seguridad.
Al tiempo que Machar está siendo juzgado por delitos que incluyen traición, los combates se han intensificado en zonas consideradas sus bastiones, donde las tropas gubernamentales intentan dispersar a los rebeldes.
Los ataques citados en el informe de la ONU implicaron un uso generalizado de “dispositivos incendiarios improvisados”, indicó.
Fuerzas ugandesas ingresaron a Sudán del Sur en marzo de 2025 con equipo militar, incluidos tanques y vehículos blindados. Eso ocurrió poco después que una milicia tomara por asalto una guarnición militar cerca de la frontera con Etiopía.
Semanas después, Machar fue puesto bajo arresto domiciliario por su presunto papel en la organización del ataque, acusaciones que él niega. Desde entonces, el gobierno ha recurrido a ataques aéreos para obtener ventaja en un conflicto en expansión con las fuerzas de Machar y otros grupos armados.
El presidente ugandés Yoweri Museveni envió a su ejército para intervenir en la guerra civil de Sudán del Sur de 2013 a 2018 en múltiples ocasiones en apoyo de las fuerzas de Kiir, lo que ayudó a inclinar la balanza a su favor.
Durante un ataque en marzo de 2025 en Wunaliet, a 15 kilómetros (9 millas) de la capital, Juba, las viviendas quedaron envueltas en llamas luego que aviones lanzaran “barriles de líquido que se encendía”, contaron testigos a la comisión de Naciones Unidas. Los sobrevivientes dijeron que vieron a “civiles ardiendo, incluido un niño quemado hasta quedar irreconocible”. También fue impactado un cuartel que albergaba a soldados de la oposición.
Un día después del ataque, el general Muhoozi Kainerugaba, hijo de Museveni y quien también se desempeña como el principal comandante militar, publicó en X que Uganda había bombardeado a las fuerzas de la oposición.
“Nuestra ofensiva aérea no se detendrá hasta que Riek Machar haga la paz con mi tío Afande Salva”, escribió Kainerugaba. Aunque Kiir no es en realidad tío de Kainerugaba, el término muestra la cercanía entre ambos gobiernos.
La publicación, que luego fue eliminada, iba acompañada de un video que parecía mostrar explosiones en llamas captadas desde una aeronave en vuelo.
Los datos de seguimiento de vuelos muestran que un avión turbohélice que sobrevoló en círculos la zona durante el bombardeo había llegado más temprano ese día desde Uganda y era operado por el ejército ugandés, indicó el informe de la ONU.
El informe no establece de manera concluyente en cuántas operaciones participó Uganda ni la naturaleza exacta de su participación; sólo señala que parecía haber “altos grados de planificación, integración operativa y autorización a nivel de mando”.
Uganda negó en noviembre haber participado en operaciones de combate en Sudán del Sur. También ha negado el uso de “armas químicas y bombas de barril” y aseveró que no ataca a civiles.
El año pasado, Amnistía Internacional afirmó que Uganda había violado un embargo de armas de la ONU de 2018 que prohíbe a los Estados miembros proporcionar la mayoría de las formas de asistencia militar a Sudán del Sur, incluidas armas y personal. Un panel de expertos de Naciones Unidas coincidió con esa evaluación en noviembre.
Los combates en curso amenazan un acuerdo de paz firmado en 2018. El ejército de Sudán del Sur ordenó a los cascos azules de la ONU desalojar Akobo en un plazo de 72 horas el viernes, cuando las tropas gubernamentales combatían contra fuerzas de la oposición.
También se ordenó abandonar la localidad a agencias de la ONU y organizaciones no gubernamentales, en el estado de Jonglei, el epicentro de los combates.
___ El periodista de The Associated Press Deng Machol contribuyó a este despacho desde Sudán del Sur.
___
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Court news: Thayer man back in prison for violating probation; pleas in shootings
GARY MAN FACES UP TO 18 1/2 YEARS FOR KILLING SON
A Gary man faces up to 18 ½ years in a plea deal for killing his son during a gas station robbery in August 2024 and later assaulting another inmate in jail.
Gregory Turner, 38, pleaded guilty March 3 to reckless homicide and aggravated battery. He also admitted to battery resulting in moderate bodily injury in the assault case.
If a judge accepts the deal, his sentencing is April 2.
Around 12:05 a.m. on Aug. 11, 2024, Gary Police responded to the Citgo gas station at 901 E. 5th Avenue for a report of a homicide, according to the probable cause affidavit. The deceased was identified at the scene as 17-year-old Jody Stallworth, Turner’s son, who sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the neck. Coroner’s investigators also recovered another bullet in his body from a previous gunshot wound on Feb. 4, court records state.
Video footage from the Citgo showed Stallworth and Turner parked at a gas pump in a white SUV. Stallworth exited the passenger side with a ski mask on and an AR pistol in his left hand, court records state. He approached a third man with the intent to rob him. Turner was nearby with an object visible in his waistband, records state. The man punched Stallworth and fought with him over the gun, which appeared to discharge at points. Turner then drew his gun and fired several shots at the man who was fighting with Stallworth, the affidavit states. Turner put his hand over his face in an attempt to shield himself from surveillance cameras right before Stallworth was shot by Turner. The robbery victim fled on foot while Turner dragged Stallworth into the white SUV and drove off, court records state.
Police interviewed the man Stallworth fought with at the gas station. The man said he was waiting for a food pickup nearby when he heard someone call his name and saw a man in a mask with a gun, records state. The man in the mask said, “What you on? … what’s in those pockets,” with what he assumed was the intent to rob him. The man struck Stallworth and started fighting with him, gaining control of the gun, tried to return fire and fled the scene, the affidavit states.
The man said he was shot in the upper left side of his chest and in the jaw. The man’s jaw appeared to be broken and he had to put a suction tube in his mouth every few sections to remove blood from his mouth as a result of the wound, court records state.
In the other case, Turner admitted punching an inmate multiple times at the Lake County Jail in February 2025.
THAYER MAN HEADED BACK TO PRISON IN SONS’ DROWNING DEATHS
A Thayer man is headed back to prison for his sons’ 2018 Kankakee River drowning deaths after violating his probation.
Eric Patillo, 41, admitted he led police on a brief chase in Jasper County in May 2024.
In the boys’ deaths, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison in June 2021 after admitting he was on heroin when he picked up his two sons, Levi, 4, and Evan, 2, to fish at the Kankakee River on Aug. 21, 2018, after dropping their mother off at work.
Patillo was seen nodding off at the riverbank with the boys.
Defense lawyer Amishi Sanghvi said Thursday Patillo has about 8 years left to serve. Magistrate Kathleen Sullivan gave him the option to apply for Lake County Community Transition Court for the last two years of his sentence.
“It was a tragic thing,” she said. “Addiction is non-discriminatory.”
After their deaths, relatives told the Post-Tribune they suspected Levi was trying to protect his little brother, who loved water.
Judge Samuel Cappas gave Patillo the option to petition to modify his 16-year prison sentence after finishing a nine-month drug rehab program. He took it, successfully leaving prison in 2022 for probation.
However, in May 2024, he was charged in Jasper County with fleeing during a traffic stop. He signed a plea deal and has since served the latter sentence.
HAMMOND MAN FACES UP TO 2.5 YEARS AFTER DAUGHTER SHOT HERSELF
A Hammond man faces up to 2.5 years after his 3-year-old daughter found a loaded gun and shot herself in the heel.
Kendall Wilson, 26, pleaded guilty Feb. 27 to neglect of a dependent, a level 6 felony.
If a judge accepts the plea deal, his sentencing is April 17.
Hammond Police responded Feb. 11, 2025, just before noon, to the 1100 block of Logan Street.
Wilson had his arms wrapped around the girl, waiting for paramedics.
The girl’s mother said she was on the phone with a relative when she stopped watching the toddler for “a few seconds,” assuming she went into the living room. The girl must have been crouched down and gotten the gun.
She heard a “loud pop” she knew was a gunshot. The child was bleeding from her foot. A 6-month-old sibling was also in the house.
Cops found another gun in a headrest behind their sofa, the affidavit said.
Post-Tribune archives contributed; mcolias@post-trib.com
El técnico interino Igor Tudor busca respuestas para un Tottenham en caída libre
Por KEN MAGUIRE
LONDRES (AP) — Los resultados reflejan el aciago momento de Tottenham.
Una racha de cinco derrotas tiene a los Spurs apenas un punto por encima de la zona de descenso de la Liga Premier. Ninguna victoria doméstica en 2026. Han encajado nueve goles en tres partidos con su nuevo entrenador, Igor Tudor.
“Aún quedan nueve partidos por jugar”, dijo el técnico croata tras la derrota 3-1 ante Crystal Palace la noche del jueves.
Tudor afirma que “vio algo” en el rendimiento de su equipo que le da confianza para el resto de la temporada de la Premier. Sin embargo, muchos aficionados de los Spurs ya habían visto suficiente, ya que muchos se marcharon del estadio Tottenham Hotspur mucho antes del silbatazo final.
Los Spurs se pusieron en ventaja con un gol del delantero Dominic Solanke, pero se desmoronaron después de que el capitán Micky van de Ven fuera expulsado por derribar a Ismaila Sarr. Luego, el Palace anotó tres veces antes del descanso.
Tudor fue contratado el Día de San Valentín tras el despido de Thomas Frank, quien duró ocho meses en el cargo. A Tudor se le dio un contrato hasta el final de la temporada.
¿Haría la directiva de los Spurs otro cambio tan rápido?
“No pienso en esa dirección. Tengo mi trabajo que hacer y eso es todo”, replicó Tudor.
Al ser consultado sobre si volvería a estar en el banquillo como entrenador, respondió: “Sin comentarios sobre esa pregunta”.
El anuncio de Tottenham del 14 de febrero señaló que la tarea de Tudor era “mejorar el rendimiento, conseguir resultados y hacernos subir en la tabla de la Premier”.
La derrota del jueves amplió a 11 partidos la racha de los Spurs sin ganar en la liga ingelesa. También prolongó una racha personal no deseada para Tudor. Fue despedido por Juventus en octubre pasado tras tres derrotas consecutivas, como parte de una seguidilla de ocho partidos sin victorias.
Las únicas victorias de Tottenham (dos) en 2026 han sido en la Liga de Campeones, y ese será el escenario del próximo partido de los Spurs: ante el Atlético de Madrid, en la ida de los octavos de final el martes.
Su próximo partido de la Premier será en Liverpool el 15 de marzo.
Reunión de jugadores
Solanke dijo a los medios del club que los jugadores entienden la tarea.
“Hemos tenido una pequeña charla entre nosotros, y necesitamos entender que tenemos que mejorar, y tenemos que mejorar ahora”, manifestó tras la derrota el jueves. “Obviamente es difícil decirlo solo con palabras: tenemos que demostrarlo en el campo”.
“Tenemos que ver, obviamente, qué está saliendo mal en el campo, analizarlo y ver qué podemos cambiar, pero ahora mismo no estamos en posición de quedarnos dándole vueltas a nada”, añadió. “Tenemos que asegurarnos de que en el próximo partido vamos a estar a la altura, ver cómo podemos mejorar y ver qué podemos hacer para cambiar esta dinámica”.
___
Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Ventas minoristas en EEUU caen levemente en enero
Por ANNE D’INNOCENZIO y MATT OTT
Los consumidores estadounidenses redujeron su gasto al inicio de 2026, lo que prolongó el malestar en las ventas minoristas que comenzó a finales del año pasado.
Las ventas minoristas cayeron un 0,2% en enero, tras no registrar ninguna variación en diciembre, según el informe del Departamento de Comercio publicado el viernes. La cifra de enero quedó por debajo de los pronósticos de los economistas, que esperaban otra cifra sin cambios. El informe se retrasó debido al cierre del gobierno de 43 días.
Las ventas de enero se vieron lastradas por una caída en los concesionarios de vehículos motorizados y de autopartes. Las gasolineras también registraron una baja en la actividad, lo que reflejó una reducción de los precios de la gasolina en enero, aunque la intensificación de la guerra en Oriente Medio ha impulsado los precios al alza en los últimos días. El viernes, el precio promedio nacional de un galón de gasolina sin plomo es de 3,32 dólares; hace una semana era de 2,98 dólares, informó AAA.
Sin tener en cuenta la actividad de las gasolineras y los concesionarios de autos, las ventas minoristas subieron un 0,3% en enero, según el Departamento de Comercio.
Los economistas también piensan que el duro clima invernal en la mayor parte del país perjudicó las ventas, ya que los compradores no pudieron acudir a tiendas físicas. De hecho, los minoristas en línea disfrutaron de un aumento de ventas del 1,9% en enero.
Las tiendas de salud y cuidado personal fueron algunas de las que mostraron un peor desempeño, con una caída del 3% con respecto a diciembre. Y las ventas en las tiendas de ropa bajaron un 1,7% frente a diciembre. Los minoristas de electrónica de consumo y electrodomésticos también tuvieron dificultades, con descensos en las ventas.
Entre las categorías que registraron aumentos estuvieron los muebles para el hogar y los materiales de construcción, que incluyen suministros de paisajismo y jardinería.
Esta imagen ofrece solo una visión parcial del gasto de los consumidores y no incluye muchos servicios, entre ellos, los viajes y los alojamientos hoteleros. Pero la única categoría de servicios —los restaurantes— registró una baja del 0,2%.
El llamado “grupo de control” —que excluye las ventas de autos, gasolina, materiales de construcción y comidas en restaurantes, y que se utiliza para calcular el crecimiento económico— subió un 0,3%, según cálculos de economistas.
Tim Quinlan, economista de Wells Fargo, señaló en un informe que el gasto de enero fue más sólido de lo que sugieren los titulares. Indicó que febrero luce algo más débil, afectado por la continuidad del severo clima invernal. Espera que un aumento en los reembolsos de impuestos ayude a sostener el gasto en marzo, pero le preocupa el incremento de los precios de la gasolina.
“Una gran salvedad será la forma en que evolucionen los precios de la gasolina tras el conflicto en Irán, debido a que los hogares son sensibles al precio en el surtidor”, escribió Quinlan el viernes. “Los consumidores son bastante sensibles a los precios de la gasolina, y el precio promedio de un galón ya subió 25 centavos en la primera semana de marzo en comparación con el promedio registrado en febrero a nivel nacional”.
El experto apuntó que el aumento en los precios impulsará estas cifras nominales de ventas minoristas, pero se traduciría en un “menor consumo real, o ajustado por inflación”.
El informe gubernamental de ventas minoristas se da a conocer mientras los principales minoristas presentan sus reportes del cuarto trimestre fiscal y, hasta ahora, los resultados han sido dispares.
Walmart Inc. tuvo otro trimestre impresionante, ya que los precios más bajos y las entregas rápidas atrajeron a estadounidenses que van desde quienes están cortos de efectivo hasta los hogares con mayores ingresos. Pero su rival Target informó a principios de esta semana otra caída trimestral de ganancias y ventas durante el crucial período vacacional, mientras el minorista de descuentos lidia con sus propios errores de comercialización y se enfrenta a un consumidor que se concentra más en lo esencial.
Mientras tanto, el desempeño de Home Depot en el cuarto trimestre se vio moderado por la cautela persistente de los consumidores estadounidenses en un mercado de vivienda débil, pero los resultados del minorista de mejoras para el hogar superaron las expectativas de Wall Street.
Los minoristas se enfrentan a un cambiante panorama arancelario, lo que dificulta que tomen decisiones sobre contrataciones y pedidos de mercancía.
La Corte Suprema anuló los aranceles más grandes y audaces del presidente Donald Trump, aunque el mandatario los está reemplazando por otros nuevos. El mercado laboral sigue bajo presión, ya que la incertidumbre en torno a los aranceles y la economía ha vuelto cautelosos a los empleadores a la hora de contratar.
Los empleadores estadounidenses recortaron inesperadamente 92.000 puestos de trabajo el mes pasado, según el informe del Departamento de Trabajo publicado el viernes. La tasa de desempleo subió a 4,4%. La contratación se deterioró frente a enero, cuando empresas, organizaciones sin fines de lucro y agencias gubernamentales sumaron unos sólidos 126.000 empleos. Los economistas habían anticipado 60.000 nuevos puestos de trabajo en febrero.
___
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/06/ventas-minoristas-en-eeuu-caen-levemente-en-enero/
Review: ‘Hamilton’ tour is now telling his story for a next generation
Ten years have passed since Chicago became the first city outside New York where you could see Lin-Manuel Miranda’s extraordinary musical about the life of a former secretary of the treasury. Now “Hamilton,” a musical that not only gestated in the Obama White House, thanks to Miranda’s familial connection, but came to embody its values, has made yet another reprise return to the CIBC Theatre, having walked proudly away from a planned Kennedy Center gig in Washington, D.C., for obvious reasons. I’d venture a guess that some of the cast in this touring production were still in high school on that first Chicago opening night.
I’ve seen “Hamilton” 11 times by now, for work, not fandom, and I cannot think of a 21st century musical I admire more. I witnessed its New York beginnings, its long Chicago stand with the deeply moving Miguel Cervantes in the title role (he went on to own the role on Broadway), and the incomparable Joshua Henry as Aaron Burr. I flew down in 2019 to see it in San Juan, with that Puerto Rican premiere still being my favorite “Hamilton” memory. That experience also offered up the longest standing ovation I’ve ever seen for a Broadway production. All Miranda had to do was make an entrance; I thought they would struggle to even be able to continue the show with one of the island’s most beloved sons.
But I had not seen the U.S. tour (now the only tour, there once were three) for nearly three years until Thursday and, unlike the experience in 2023, this now feels like something of the passing of the shot, so to speak, to the next generation of performers.
Just to be clear, this still is the same “Hamilton” tour; nothing has changed except for the passage of time and the people in the roles. There’s been no diminishment or transition to nonunion performers or anything like that. “Hamilton” remains massively popular (there were lines down Monroe Street, which I found remarkably comforting, given the recent fortunes of the Loop), and the physical production looks identical. The audience is almost as psyched, too. On Thursday, the sounds coming from right behind me, both cheers and sobs, were of an equal volume to what could be heard on the stage. And, yes, the prices remain high. Although not as high.
These days, there are so many skilled actors in the “Hamilton” family that they can be interchanged with ease. The performance I saw had three understudies, as will likely be your experience. There are no stars like Leslie Odom Jr. on the current tour, and clearly not everyone is doing every show. It felt like I was watching a tour that had been around a long time and could have used a big name to raise everyone’s game. Seems to me the show’s legacy deserves one.
That said, I thought two of the excellent actors in less prominent roles really brought things I’d not seen before to these parts. Nathan Haydel, who has the John Laurens/son Phillip track, is exceptionally moving, not least because he makes far bolder and less sentimental physical choices than typical in this part, and the superb Lily Soto, who carries the Peggy Schuyler/Maria double, has the kind of precision and curiosity about her that recalls the original cast. I like my Burrs knowing and quizzical and Jimmie J.J. Jeter had those qualities. I thought Tyler Fauntleroy, who plays the title role and took a while to assert himself, was most at home in the more melancholy second act, which is the one that matters most. King George matters too, of course, and Matt Bittner is as deliciously petulant as any I’ve seen. He comes closest to the original experience and he certainly had the intermission buzz to himself.
“Hamilton,” if you never have had the pleasure (and there always are young people who have not), to my mind became a phenomenon for the following reasons, as I have noted before. (I also wrote a book about the show’s influence.)
It aligned itself with American identity by stripping the cobwebs off the founding fathers (a term implying dignity and age) and reminded us that the American Revolution actually was fought and won by the young, the energetic and the intensely radical, men with complicated lives, intramural rivalries and no preexisting blueprint for their nation-building. But at least a couple of them were immigrants who got the job done. The show was so admiring of America’s foundation, everyone from Obama to several actual treasury secretaries to (infamously) Mike Pence, went to the show, demonstrative of a whole new audience for a musical.
But at the same time, Miranda, steeped in Broadway traditions, built on the lessons of Stephen Sondheim and “Les Miserables” and painted Hamilton as a good but not perfect man, an Icarus who flew too close to the sun, and who saw his professional triumph eclipsed by personal tragedy. This remarkable American artist actually was musing already on his own legacy in the show, as we all do, even though, as we age, we gain a better understanding of our lack of control over who lives, who dies, who tells our story.
‘Hamilton’ timeline: From Miranda’s ‘joke’ to Broadway smash to a return to Chicago
Most important of all, though, “Hamilton” actually is a musical not just about the founding of a great nation, but a meditation on the importance of work-life balance, on how people of ambition and achievement can end up compromising their relationships with those they love the most.
Chris Jones is a Tribune critic
cjones5@chicagotribune.com
Review: “Hamilton” (3.5 stars)
When: Through April 26
Where: CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe St.
Running time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Tickets: $63-$208 at 312-977-1700 and broadwayinchicago.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/06/review-hamilton-chicago-2026/
Donna Vickroy: Survival guide for when the grandkids spend the night
What is unconditional love?
A bear hug from a grandchild after a long weekend of fun, mess and chaos.
We recently had back-to-back sleepovers with our grandchildren. We hosted the oldest two on one weekend and the youngest two the following weekend.
Though all four children are very different, we came away with some observations that are likely universal truths. I’m curious to know if you agree.
Grandchildren don’t care if your hair is graying. They don’t care if you have wrinkles. They don’t care if your clothes are dowdy. In fact, they’re fascinated to know the history behind that Mickey Mouse sweatshirt you bought at Disney World back in the ’90s. And they certainly don’t mind if your end tables are dusty — all the better for drawing smiley faces with their fingers.
They won’t notice the ’90s shade of golden oak in the kitchen but they may have questions about the hi-fi stereo and vinyl record collection in the living room. Old people often have old things and to a young person, that can be fascinating.
Depending on their age, grandchildren are often intrigued by their grandparents’ stuff — whether it’s old DVD boxes, elegant tea cups or artwork created by their parents when they were little.
So don’t worry that your grandchildren won’t appreciate that your home and lifestyle are of a different era. It’s the undivided attention they’re after most.
How to best enjoy an extended stay:
Make sure you are able to wrestle 32 pounds of resistance into a high chair and that you can run with a 45-pound jousting knight on your back.
Before they arrive, stretch and have BioFreeze at the ready. It’ll take the sting out of those leg-kicking, torso twisting, rage-screaming diaper-changes.
Be sure to have access to a three-year supply of berries, Goldfish and bananas.
Be cup savvy. Are they ready for a straw? Are you ready for the challenge of matching straws to cups? Also, older kids love tumblers. Be cool, get some.
Have extra clothing, in case of spills or accidents. In a pinch, a Cinderella costume or a Doc McStuffins lab coat or that faded Grand Canyon T-shirt will suffice while you do laundry.
Wow them by knowing the difference between an ankylosaurus and a spinosaurus. Can you readily name Sonic’s friends and Super Mario’s enemies? And are willing to commit to a Wicked favorite — “Elphaba or Glinda? You can only pick one.”
They know you’re not young and hip. Still, they will expect you to be able to call up the soundtrack for “KPOP Demon Hunters” on your phone. If you really want to impress, learn the words to “Golden.”
Have a decent supply of food coloring, glitter, baking soda, vinegar and old towels at the ready so they can explode colorful volcanoes.
It takes decorum to maintain interest and express genuine concern for the “Frozen” sisters, even though you think they’re embroiled in the dumbest plot to hit the screen. You can do it.
Have a stash of funny stories about their mom or dad to share. With photos, please.
Be ready to be grilled about the details of the older children’s most recent birthday party. And make sure you have ideas for themes for their upcoming birthday party, even if it’s 10 months away.
Reminder: Poop, farts, spit and phlegm are not just gross, they’re hilarious. So is slime. Steel yourself.
One from the vault: Just like your kids when they were little, grandchildren prefer their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to be made with such engineering finesse that they don’t drip onto their shirts or cement their mouths shut. Practice, if necessary.
Be willing to move furniture so they can realize their vision of your family room becoming a Harry Potter-ish “deep, dark forbidding forest” or a movie theater with ticket booth, concessions and all front-row seating.
Of course, you appreciate that they’re all different, with varied needs and interests. While one child enjoys gathering and arranging rocks, another will tell you they “need” to bake blueberry muffins “right now.”
They’re willing to do chores, especially if it means replicating the “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” broom scene or filling the sink with bubbles so they can wash the dishes, which includes inadvertently soaking the walls, floors, windows and you. Afterwards, of course, they’ll want to change clothes because they’re wet and cold.
Bedtime is a process that begins with you reading three or four books, followed by them reading three or four books, followed by a long discussion on what they were like as babies, followed by discussion on what their parents were like as babies, followed by a checklist of things all of you will do when they awake in the morning, followed by a sip of water, followed by a bunch of kisses and, at last, followed by a final, “sweet dreams,” as you close the door and exhale.
When it’s time for them to go home you’ll be exhausted, your house may be unrecognizable and your food supply will be depleted. Nevertheless, you will hug them dearly and say, “I can’t wait to do this again,” to which they’ll reply, “How about next weekend?”
Donna Vickroy is an award-winning reporter, editor and columnist who worked for the Daily Southtown for 38 years. She can be reached at donnavickroy4@gmail.com.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/06/vickroy-column-grandkids-grandparents-survival/
Anthropic CEO Apologizes For ‘Dictator Trump’ Meltdown Memo, Downplays ‘Supply Chain Risk’ Designation, And Is Going To Sue
Anthropic CEO Apologizes For ‘Dictator Trump’ Meltdown Memo, Downplays ‘Supply Chain Risk’ Designation, And Is Going To Sue
As Anthropic attempts to salvage their relationship with the Trump administration, CEO Dario Amodei publicly apologized Thursday for the inflammatory tone of his leaked internal memo that accused the White House of targeting his company because it hadn’t offered “dictator-style praise” to President Trump. The apology came in his first major interview since the Pentagon’s Department of War (DoW) formally designated Anthropic a supply chain risk to national security – effective immediately – marking the first time such a label has been applied to a U.S. company.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei. Photos: Getty Images
The March 5 designation, confirmed in a letter to Anthropic leadership, stems from weeks of failed negotiations over Claude AI’s military applications. Anthropic refused to drop strict red lines prohibiting the model’s use for mass domestic surveillance of Americans or fully autonomous lethal weapons, insisting on meaningful safeguards rather than what Amodei previously called “safety theater” in rival deals like OpenAI’s. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had threatened broad restrictions, including barring defense contractors from any commercial activity with Anthropic, but the company clarified the scope appears narrower: it primarily affects direct DoW-related work, with partners like Microsoft confirming continued availability for non-defense uses.
Last Friday, the Trump administration ‘fired’ the company after a bruising dispute with the Pentagon came to a head over ethical concerns surrounding Claude’s military use. The Pentagon demanded to use ClaudeAI for “any lawful purpose” with no guardrails – or having to allegedly ask permission in a life-or-death scenario.
In the interview with The Economist Amodei described the crisis as one of the most “disorienting” in Anthropic’s history. He attributed the leaked memo – written hastily on Slack amid rapid-fire events including Trump’s announcements and OpenAI snaking their contract – to confusion and panic from a “difficult day.”
“It does not reflect my careful or considered views,” he said, downplaying it as a casual internal message rather than a formal memo. He said he’d apologized to DoW personnel and signaled openness to further dialogue with administration figures, though he sidestepped a direct personal apology to Trump.
Dario Amodei says he is sorry. In his first interview since the Pentagon labelled Anthropic a supply-chain risk—the first American company to receive that designation—the firm’s boss offered a mea culpa for the way he handled a crisis that he described as one of the most… pic.twitter.com/VueK528Yqj
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) March 6, 2026
Amodei’s Thursday mea culpa was accompanied with a blog post titled: “Where things stand with the Department of War,” where he emphasized shared interests with the military, offered Claude at nominal cost plus engineer support for warfighters, and highlighted ongoing “productive conversations” despite the label.
I also want to apologize directly for a post internal to the company that was leaked to the press yesterday. Anthropic did not leak this post nor direct anyone else to do so—it is not in our interest to escalate this situation. That particular post was written within a few hours of the President’s Truth Social post announcing Anthropic would be removed from all federal systems, the Secretary of War’s X post announcing the supply chain risk designation, and the announcement of a deal between the Pentagon and OpenAI, which even OpenAI later characterized as confusing. It was a difficult day for the company, and I apologize for the tone of the post. It does not reflect my careful or considered views. It was also written six days ago, and is an out-of-date assessment of the current situation.
He also refuted a claim from an anonymous Pentagon official cited in the Washington Post that the Pentagon would have to call Anthropic before making life-or-death decisions in the field, writing:
As we stated last Friday, we do not believe, and have never believed, that it is the role of Anthropic or any private company to be involved in operational decision-making—that is the role of the military. Our only concerns have been our exceptions on fully autonomous weapons and mass domestic surveillance, which relate to high-level usage areas, and not operational decision-making.
The letter also reiterates a Friday comment that Anthropic will sue to challenge the supply-chain risk designation, calling it “not legally sound” and warning of a “chilling” effect on AI innovation and business if it stands. “We see no choice but to challenge it in court,” he wrote, while reiterating Anthropic’s desire to continue equipping U.S. forces amid operations (like against Iran via tools including Palantir’s Maven). The dual track – apology plus litigation – reflects heavy investor pressure from backers like Amazon and Nvidia to salvage the $380 billion valuation amid revenue momentum nearing a $20 billion annual run rate.
The company also suggested that the supply chain risk designation isn’t that bad anyway, and won’t affect their customers who deal with the government outside the Department of War;
The language used by the Department of War in the letter (even supposing it was legally sound) matches our statement on Friday that the vast majority of our customers are unaffected by a supply chain risk designation. With respect to our customers, it plainly applies only to the use of Claude by customers as a direct part of contracts with the Department of War, not all use of Claude by customers who have such contracts.
The Department’s letter has a narrow scope, and this is because the relevant statute (10 USC 3252) is narrow, too. It exists to protect the government rather than to punish a supplier; in fact, the law requires the Secretary of War to use the least restrictive means necessary to accomplish the goal of protecting the supply chain. Even for Department of War contractors, the supply chain risk designation doesn’t (and can’t) limit uses of Claude or business relationships with Anthropic if those are unrelated to their specific Department of War contracts.
The situation underscores major issues that will persist with Silicon Valley’s AI-defense nexus: ethical red lines versus unrestricted “any lawful purpose” access, with OpenAI positioned as the compliant alternative. As talks continue and a courtroom battle looms, Anthropic’s future hangs on whether Amodei’s contrition buys enough goodwill to avert broader fallout—or if the “supply chain risk” label becomes a permanent scar on one of AI’s most principled players.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 03/06/2026 – 12:40
