Category: News
Mark Cuban dice que la NBA debe aceptar el ‘tanking’, y critica castigos recientes a equipos
DALLAS (AP) — En un par de extensas publicaciones en las redes sociales, Mark Cuban escribió que la NBA debería aceptar el “tanking”, la práctica en que un equipo parece sufrir derrotas intencionales para mejorar sus posibilidades en el draft.
Cuban, dueño minoritario de los Mavericks de Dallas, criticó a la liga por castigar a los equipos que incurren en esa práctica.
Las publicaciones de Cuban en X llegaron el martes, tres días después de que el comisionado Adam Silver dijo que la NBA estaba considerando cambios en la lotería del draft y la posibilidad de revocar selecciones para castigar el “tanking”.
Al anunciar una multa de 500.000 dólares la semana pasada a Utah después de que el Jazz dejó en el banquillo a sus jugadores estelares Lauri Markkanen y Jaren Jackson Jr. durante el cuarto periodo de una derrota ante Orlando, Silver afirmó que la liga “respondería en consecuencia ante cualquier acción adicional que comprometa la integridad de los partidos”.
Los comentarios de Cuban fueron una especie de respuesta a las enérgicas palabras de Silver.
“Lo peor que transmite la NBA es que, si no les mientes a tus fanáticos sobre lo que estás haciendo, aunque para ellos sea obvio, te multan”, escribió Cuban. “Y te amenazan con quitarte selecciones”.
Kevin Pritchard, presidente de operaciones deportivas de Indiana, cuyos Pacers fueron multados con 100.000 dólares al mismo tiempo que el Jazz por decisiones de gestión de la plantilla, preguntó a sus aficionados en una publicación si estaban de acuerdo con Cuban. La mayoría lo estaba.
Los Pacers llegaron a las Finales de la NBA la temporada pasada, y cayeron ante Oklahoma City. Su mejor jugador, Tyrese Haliburton, se rompió el tendón de Aquiles en el séptimo partido, y se esperaba que se perdiera toda la temporada 2025-26.
Indiana perdió 12 de sus primeros 13 partidos y encadenó una racha de 13 derrotas para caer a 6-31, pero desde entonces tiene un registro de .500.
Los Mavericks están en una situación similar un año después de traspasar al superastro esloveno Luka Doncic a los Lakers de Los Ángeles por un paquete centrado en el pívot Anthony Davis, frecuentemente lesionado, apenas nueve meses después de que Dallas había llegado a las Finales de la NBA.
Davis se perdió más partidos de los que jugó con los Mavs antes de ser enviado a Washington en un acuerdo previo a la fecha límite de canjes de este año. Fue el paso final para dejar atrás un traspaso desafortunado. El primero llegó en noviembre, con el despido del gerente general Nico Harrison, quien orquestó el acuerdo por Doncic.
Dallas convirtió una probabilidad de apenas 1,8% en la lotería en el derecho a seleccionar como número 1 global al exastro de Duke Cooper Flagg el verano pasado.
Flagg es ahora el futuro de la franquicia, y los Mavs tienen que decidir, presumiblemente pronto, si Kyrie Irving jugará siquiera esta temporada. El astro nueve veces seleccionado al Juego de Estrellas se rompió el ligamento cruzado anterior en marzo pasado, y los Mavs llegaron al receso de mitad de temporada con una racha de nueve derrotas, la más larga en 28 años.
Aunque Cuban ya no ocupa un rol de toma de decisiones tras vender la participación mayoritaria de los Mavs, la liga lo multó con 600.000 dólares cuando aún estaba al mando, hacia el final de la temporada 2022-23, por admitir que Dallas estaba haciendo “tanking” para proteger una selección de primera ronda. Los Mavs terminaron obteniendo al pívot Dereck Lively II, un talento prometedor que ha estado afectado por lesiones.
El “tanking” es de nuevo un tema candente, Cuban inició su publicación con la pregunta de “¿por qué la NBA debería aceptar el tanking?”. Luego señaló que a los aficionados no les molesta el “tanking” porque quieren tener la esperanza de que el equipo pueda mejorar.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Un tiburón inesperado es grabado en video por primera vez en las gélidas profundidades antárticas
Por ROD McGUIRK
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Un voluminoso tiburón de aspecto torpe que avanzaba con languidez sobre un fondo marino yermo, demasiado profundo para que los rayos del sol lo iluminaran, fue una visión inesperada.
Muchos expertos habían pensado que no existían tiburones en las gélidas aguas de la Antártida antes de que este tiburón dormilón avanzara con cautela y brevemente hacia el foco de una cámara de video, señaló el investigador Alan Jamieson esta semana. El tiburón, grabado en enero de 2025, era un ejemplar considerable, con una longitud estimada de entre 3 y 4 metros (10 y 13 pies).
“Bajamos allí sin esperar ver tiburones porque existe una regla general de que no hay tiburones en la Antártida”, comentó Jamieson. “Y ni siquiera es uno pequeño. Es un tiburón enorme. Estas cosas son como tanques”.
La cámara operada por el Minderoo-UWA Deep-Sea Research Centre, que investiga la vida en las partes más profundas de los océanos del mundo, se colocó frente a las islas Shetland del Sur, cerca de la península Antártica. Eso está pasados los límites del océano Antártico, también conocido como océano Austral, que se define como el área situada por debajo de la línea de los 60 grados de latitud sur.
El centro dio permiso el miércoles a The Associated Press para publicar las imágenes.
El tiburón estaba a 490 metros (1.608 pies) de profundidad, donde la temperatura del agua era de 1,27 grados Celsius (34,29 grados Fahrenheit), casi al punto de congelación.
En la imagen aparece una raya inmóvil sobre el lecho marino y aparentemente imperturbable ante el paso del tiburón. La raya, un pariente del tiburón que se parece a una mantarraya, no fue una sorpresa, ya que los científicos ya sabían que su distribución se extendía tan al sur.
Jamieson, director fundador del centro de investigación con sede en la Universidad de Australia Occidental, señaló que no ha podido encontrar registro de otro tiburón hallado en el océano Antártico.
Peter Kyne, biólogo de conservación de la Universidad Charles Darwin e independiente del centro de investigación, coincidió en que nunca antes se había documentado un tiburón tan al sur.
El cambio climático y el calentamiento de los océanos podrían estar empujando a los tiburones hacia las aguas más frías del hemisferio sur, pero había datos limitados sobre cambios de distribución cerca de la Antártida debido a lo remota que es la región, explicó Kyne.
Kyne indicó que los tiburones dormilones, de movimiento lento, podrían llevar mucho tiempo en la Antártida sin que nadie lo notara.
“Esto es genial”, comentó Kyne. “El tiburón estaba en el lugar correcto, la cámara estaba en el lugar correcto y obtuvieron estas imágenes estupendas. Es bastante significativo”.
La población de tiburones dormilones en el océano Antártico probablemente era escasa y difícil de detectar para los humanos, señaló Jamieson.
El tiburón fotografiado se mantenía a una profundidad de alrededor de 500 metros (1.640 pies) sobre un fondo marino que descendía hacia aguas mucho más profundas. Jamieson explicó que el tiburón se mantenía a esa profundidad porque era la capa más cálida entre varias capas de agua apiladas unas sobre otras hasta la superficie.
El Océano Antártico está fuertemente estratificado, es decir, tiene capas diferenciadas, hasta una profundidad de alrededor de 1.000 metros (3.280 pies) debido a propiedades contrapuestas, como por ejemplo que el agua más fría y densa de abajo no se mezcla con facilidad con el agua dulce que llega desde arriba por el deshielo.
Jamieson espera que otros tiburones antárticos vivan a la misma profundidad, alimentándose de los cadáveres de ballenas, calamares gigantes y otras criaturas marinas que mueren y se hunden hasta el fondo.
Hay pocas cámaras de investigación colocadas a esa profundidad específica en aguas antárticas. Las que existen solo pueden operar durante los meses de verano del hemisferio sur, de diciembre a febrero.
“El otro 75% del año, nadie está mirando en absoluto”, apuntó Jamieson. “Y por eso creo que, de vez en cuando, nos encontramos con estas sorpresas”.
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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.
Nawal Kaleel, who plans to give up sports to be a nurse, helps Andrew oust Sandburg. ‘Try to win every game.’
Senior guard Nawal Kaleel is going to squeeze every drop of fun she can playing for Andrew.
Kaleel, who plans on giving up sports to pursue a nursing degree in college, is in her fourth varsity season in basketball. She also played three years of soccer in the spring but isn’t this year.
Her goal right now? Just to enjoy the time she has left as a high school athlete.
“Do or die, we just have to try to win every game,” Kaleel said. “Basketball actually relates to nursing. You build relationships. My communication with my teammates will help me.
“We work as a team and basketball will help me in the future, even if basketball isn’t a part of it.”
Kaleel made sure she will have at least one more game, scoring 12 points Tuesday night to lift the Thunderbolts to a 64-47 win over the host Eagles in a Class 3A Sandburg Regional semifinal in Orland Park.
Andrew’s Nawal Kaleel (12) looks to pass as Sandburg’s Ellie Driscoll (4) defends during a Class 4A Sandburg Regional semifinal in Orland Park on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (James C. Svehla / Daily Southtown)
Ana Cisek led eighth-seeded Andrew (19-11) with 20 points and eight rebounds. Christa Olson had an unusual game. She was held scoreless until she got poked in the left eye with 1:22 left in the third quarter and then scored 11 points after that.
“That fired me up,” Olson said.
“She is as tough as nails,” Kaleel said of Olson.
Andrew also dedicated the win to the wife of coach Bobby Matz. Michelle underwent successful surgery Thursday to remove a noncancerous tumor from her head.
Andrew’s Nawal Kaleel (12) tries to find an opening as Sandburg’s Zoe Trunk (12) defends during a Class 4A Sandburg Regional semifinal in Orland Park on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (James C. Svehla / Daily Southtown)
“I missed the Lincoln-Way East game because I was with her in the hospital,” Bobby Matz said of his wife. “Everything went well. She was losing sight in her left eye and they figured it out.
“We’re very blessed that she’s taken care of and the girls wanted to win this for her.”
Makaleigh Terry led ninth-seeded Sandburg (14-18) with 13 points, while Ellie Driscoll and Zoe Trunk each had 12.
Andrew advanced to play in the 6 p.m. Thursday championship game against top-seeded Mother McAuley (21-6), which rolled to a 61-29 win over Perspectives Leadership (11-7) in the other semifinal.
Andrew’s Nawal Kaleel (12) and Sandburg’s Makaleigh Terry (23) reach for a rebound during a Class 4A Sandburg Regional semifinal in Orland Park on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (James C. Svehla / Daily Southtown)
Kaleel, meanwhile, was steady in her scoring but made a Caleb Williams-like play in the closing minutes of the third quarter for an assist.
Although the 5-foot-5 Kaleel was double-teamed 80 feet away from the basket, she was able to heave the ball down the court to a wide-open Makalya Terry for an easy layup.
“She’s the kind of player you love to coach,” Matz said of Kaleel. “She’s little undersized and I feel like she’s always sold short.
“But when you coach her every day, you can see that she knows the game and is a player like a coach on the floor. The knows the plays to make and who to get the ball to.”
Andrew beat district rival Sandburg twice during the regular season, 67-57 and 52-45. So when the Eagles took a quick 8-1 lead to start the game, Kaleel realized it was time to step up.
“We knew we had to play better defense,” Kaleel said. “We made some adjustments and that helped fuel our offense.”
Andrew’s Ana Cisek (22) pushes the ball up the court as Sandburg’s Makaleigh Terry (23) during a Class 4A Sandburg Regional semifinal in Orland Park on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (James C. Svehla / Daily Southtown)
Kaleel pointed out that she started playing basketball in kindergarten when her mother, Shamsa, coached her at the Tinley Park-Park District Recreation Center. Kaleel eventually became AAU teammates with Olson playing for the Illinois Defenders.
They also played together with the Junior T-Bolts team, which was coached by Michelle Matz.
“I really enjoy the relationships I’ve built being on this team,” Kaleel said. “Honestly, it’s fun to win games because I am a competitor.
“But it’s so much more fun to win games when we are dying laughing and having so much fun together.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/nawal-kaleel-andrew-sandburg-girls-basketball/
Pacquiao vuelve al ring en Las Vegas el 18 de abril en una exhibición ante Provodnikov
Por MARK ANDERSON
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Manny Pacquiao aún no ha concluido su carrera en el boxeo y regresará al cuadrilátero el 18 de abril para enfrentar al excampeón mundial superligero Ruslan Provodnikov en una exhibición de peso wélter a 10 asaltos.
Pacquiao, de 47 años, peleó por última vez el 19 de julio contra el campeón wélter del Consejo Mundial de Boxeo, Mario Barrios, quien lo venció por decisión dividida. Dos de los jueces dictaminaron un empate y Max DeLuca le dio a Barrios la victoria por 115-113.
La derrota dejó el récord de Pacquiao en 62-9-2.
“Volver a Las Vegas significa muchísimo para mí, y me entusiasma trabajar con un equipo enfocado en crear una experiencia de clase mundial para los aficionados”, expresó el filipino en un comunicado. “Regreso para darles una gran pelea — y estoy listo”.
El combate será en el Thomas & Mack Center, que albergó varias peleas destacadas en la década de 1990 antes de la construcción del MGM Grand Garden Arena y, posteriormente, del T-Mobile Arena, que se convirtieron en las sedes principales de los mejores combates de Las Vegas.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Union offers WNBA new CBA proposal, slightly lowering revenue share numbers, AP source says
NEW YORK — The WNBA Players’ Association sent a counterproposal to the WNBA on Tuesday for a new collective bargaining agreement that included some concessions on revenue sharing and housing, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations.
The union is now asking for an average of 27.5% of the gross revenue — revenue before expenses — over the course of the CBA. That would include only 25% in the first year of the new deal. In its previous offer, the union had been asking for an average of more than 30%.
Under the proposal sent nearly two weeks ago, the league slightly increased its revenue sharing offer which would give players more than 70% of net revenue. That would be their take of the profits after expenses are paid. Those expenses would include upgraded facilities, charter flights, five-star hotels, medical services, security and arenas.
“The Players Association’s latest proposal remains unrealistic and would cause hundreds of millions of dollars of losses for our teams,” the WNBA said in a statement.
“We still need to complete two drafts and free agency before the start of training camp and are running out of time. We believe the WNBA’s proposal would result in a huge win for current players and generations to come.”
The person said that the union also offered a counter on housing to the WNBA’s previous proposal. Teams would continue to pay for housing for players in the first few years of the new agreement, but in the last two years of the deal the franchises would no longer have to pay for housing for players who are making near the maximum salary.
The league had offered housing to players for three years who were on minimum salary contracts as well as rookies in their first season. They would receive one-bedroom apartments paid for by the team. That would last for the first three years of the new CBA. After that players would have to pay for their housing.
Players who were traded during the season would have their housing taken care of as well. The two developmental players who teams would add this year would get studio apartments paid for by the team.
ESPN was the first to report the new offer.
In an interview earlier this month, union president Nneka Ogwumike discussed how important housing was to the players.
“Housing is a really, really big one. It’s a matter of safety, efficiency — being able to get from home to the practice facility to the arena,” she said. “Being able to know where all the players are. It’s something that has always been provided. To be honest, I think that it’s probably the largest benefit that we’ve had as professional athletes.”
Ogwumike said that the union has offered ways to have the cost of the housing paid for by the players share of revenue.
Over the weekend, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had called on the WNBA and the union to increase their urgency to get a labor deal done in time for the new season to begin on schedule in early May.
“I’m encouraged there has been more back and forth over the past few weeks,” Silver said. “I think there’s been more direct engagement from players and team owners. I have not been at the table, but I’m very involved behind the scenes. I want to play whatever role would be most productive in getting a deal done. But again, I think we need to now move toward the next level sense of urgency and not lose momentum in terms of the amazing amount of progress we’ve seen in women’s basketball.”
If a new CBA isn’t agreed upon soon, it could delay the start of the 2026 season. It’s already delayed the expansion draft for Toronto and Portland.
The previous CBA was announced in the middle of January 2020, a month after it had been agreed to. It could easily take two months from when a new CBA is reached to get to the start of free agency, which was supposed to begin last month. With a massive salary raise expected in a new CBA, 80% of players in the league are free agents this offseason, which makes this the biggest opportunity for player movement in the history of the WNBA.
A delay would hurt both sides. The season is supposed to start May 8 and every game that is missed, revenue would be lost, as would be sponsorships, television money and fan support.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/wnba-union-cba-counterproposal/
With heart bigger than height, Gary Manso helps Oak Forest stun Hillcrest for conference share. ‘Feels great.’
As a slender 5-foot-8 senior guard, Oak Forest’s Gary Manso is almost always the smallest player on the basketball court.
But Manso consistently pulls rebounds away from taller players, scores inside and makes plays that amaze his teammates. And he believes the secret to his success is simple.
“It’s all about heart,” Manso said. “It’s all about putting in the effort. I’m scrappy and I’ve got a lot of heart.”
His heart and hustle led the Bengals to one of the biggest wins in program history Tuesday night. Manso scored 10 points and host Oak Forest secured a share of the South Suburban Blue title by holding off Hillcrest 49-46.
Neiko LeFlore scored 14 points to pace the Bengals (21-9, 12-1), who won the program’s first conference title since 2019-20 and only the second since 1987.
Hayden Noha added nine points and seven rebounds, while Enoch Olukolade tallied seven points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots for Oak Forest, which finished just 14-17 last season.
Oak Forest’s Gary Manso (0) drives to the basket as Hillcrest’s Jamir Ratliff (1) defends during a South Suburban Blue game in Oak Forest on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2026. (Troy Stolt / Daily Southtown)
“I’m so excited, man,” Manso said. “After coming from a long year last year, coming back and winning conference this year, I love it. It feels great.”
Jamir Ratliff scored 15 points to lead Hillcrest (19-8, 12-1). Ja’Sean Greene contributed 11 points and Jamari Thomas followed with eight. Terrence Richardson totaled eight points and 14 rebounds.
Manso, though, had to watch the frantic finish from the bench after fouling out with 14 seconds left.
The Bengals thought they had won as the clock ran out after Hillcrest missed a 3-pointer. The student section was starting to storm the floor before referees ruled the ball had gone out of bounds off Oak Forest with two seconds left, giving the Hawks the ball on the baseline.
Oak Forest’s Enoch Olukolade (21) protects the ball before making a pass against Hillcrest during a South Suburban Blue game in Oak Forest on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2026. (Troy Stolt / Daily Southtown)
Ratliff got a good look at a game-tying 3-pointer but it rimmed out and the Bengals’ celebration was on for real.
“It was nerve-racking,” Manso said. “I was a little scared at first, but we sealed the deal and that’s all that matters.”
Not only is the conference title historic for the Bengals, Oak Forest coach Tyshaun Cobbs pointed out another rarity.
“They told me we hadn’t beaten Hillcrest since 1987,” Cobbs said. “When I got here, it was one of my goals to end that streak.”
Oak Forest’s Gary Manso (0) looks for an opening against Hillcrest during a South Suburban Blue game in Oak Forest on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2026. (Troy Stolt / Daily Southtown)
Manso did many things to help the Bengals do it.
A highlight came early in the third quarter when an Oak Forest player missed a shot and the whole team, aside from Manso, started running back on defense. A Hillcrest rebound appeared to be inevitable.
Instead, Manso ripped the ball away from a player nearly a foot taller than him and scored on a putback.
“That play right there sums up Gary Manso,” Cobbs said. “His whole career. It doesn’t matter how tall you are or how much weight you have over him. He’s just really crafty. He’s a special player.
“It’s a running joke here that if Gary was 6-foot-2, he’d be an all-state basketball player.”
LeFlore confirmed he’s never surprised when Manso does something spectacular.
“Gary does a lot of unhuman things, I’m not going to lie,” LeFlore said. “He’s just so tough.”
Oak Forest’s Gary Manso (0) pushes the ball up the court against Hillcrest during a South Suburban Blue game in Oak Forest on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2026. (Troy Stolt / Daily Southtown)
And so were all of the Bengals, who fought back from a 25-21 halftime deficit, built a 41-36 lead after three quarters and weathered a late flurry from the Hawks.
“This win means a lot,” Manso said. “It shows how much pride we have, especially this year. We believe.”
The Bengals head into the playoffs as the second seed in the Class 3A Hinsdale South Sectional, looking to make more history.
Cobbs knows his point guard is the team’s heart and soul — and yes, it’s a big heart.
“Gary Manso’s been in the program for four years,” Cobbs said. “He’s watched the bad days. He was coming into the summer camps with coach (Matt) Manzke before I got the job.
“I’m just glad he’s able to put a conference championship up on that banner and be a legend.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/gary-manso-oak-forest-hillcrest-basketball/
La bandera y el himno rusos volverán a los Paralímpicos el próximo mes tras 10 años de ausencia
Por DANIELLA MATAR
MILÁN (AP) — Los deportistas de Rusia competirán bajo su propia bandera en los Juegos Paralímpicos de invierno por primera vez en más de una década, y el himno nacional del país sonará para honrar a cualquier ganador ruso de una medalla de oro.
El anuncio del martes es otro indicio de que Rusia y su identidad nacional quedarán plenamente restauradas en los círculos olímpicos con mucha antelación a los Juegos de verano de Los Ángeles 2028.
En un comunicado, el Comité Paralímpico Internacional señaló que a Rusia se le habían asignado seis plazas para los próximos Juegos invernales de Milán-Cortina.
Será la primera vez que ondee una bandera rusa en los Paralímpicos desde los Juegos de 2014, precisamente en Sochi, Rusia. Los deportistas rusos fueron vetados inicialmente por un programa de dopaje patrocinado por el Estado, y las sanciones contra Rusia han continuado desde su invasión a Ucrania en 2022.
Si un atleta paralímpico gana el oro, será la primera vez que el himno ruso suene en el escenario de un gran evento deportivo mundial desde la invasión.
Bielorrusia, estrecha aliada de Rusia, también ha estado vetada desde 2022, pero contará con cuatro plazas en Milán-Cortina.
“El Comité Paralímpico Internacional puede confirmar que al Comité Paralímpico Nacional de Rusia se le han asignado un total de seis plazas: dos en esquí alpino paralímpico (una masculina, una femenina), dos en esquí de fondo paralímpico (una masculina, una femenina) y dos en snowboard paralímpico (ambas masculinas)”, indicó el comunicado.
“Al Comité Paralímpico de Bielorrusia se le han asignado cuatro plazas en total, todas en esquí de fondo (una masculina y tres femeninas)”.
El Comité Paralímpico Internacional votó en septiembre para levantar parcialmente las suspensiones de Rusia y Bielorrusia.
Sin embargo, el presidente del organismo, Andrew Parsons, le comentó a The Associated Press en noviembre que no habría deportistas de esos países en los Juegos Olímpicos invernales de Milán-Cortina porque los organismos rectores de esos deportes habían mantenido sus vetos.
Al mes siguiente, una apelación de Rusia llevó al Tribunal de Arbitraje Deportivo (TAS) a revocar una prohibición general impuesta por la Federación Internacional de Esquí y Snowboard, lo que allanó el camino para que los rusos compitan como atletas neutrales en los Juegos Olímpicos de 2026 y, con su propia bandera e himno, en los Paralímpicos.
El Comité Olímpico Ruso ha estado suspendido desde 2023 por el Comité Olímpico Internacional, tras violar la Carta Olímpica al utilizar una apropiación administrativa de territorio para incorporar organismos deportivos regionales en el este ocupado de Ucrania.
Esa decisión está bajo una revisión legal del COI después de que el organismo olímpico ruso modificó sus estatutos. Podría ser revocada en cuestión de meses.
Siguiendo un sistema utilizado en París en 2024, los rusos compiten en los Juegos Olímpicos actuales como atletas neutrales individuales — usando el acrónimo francés AIN — y sin su bandera, himno ni colores de equipo.
Los medios rusos informaron que Aleksey Bugaev, tres veces campeón paralímpico en esquí alpino, es uno de los atletas a los que se les ha asignado una plaza, junto con los esquiadores de fondo Ivan Golubkov y Anastasiia Bagiian, quienes han ganado medallas en campeonatos mundiales.
Los tres regresaron a la competición el mes pasado, y desde entonces tanto Bugaev como Bagiian han ganado títulos de la Copa del Mundo.
Los Juegos Paralímpicos de Milán-Cortina se celebran del 6 al 15 de marzo.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
EU Investigates Shein Over ‘Addictive Designs’ And Sales Of Childlike Sex Dolls
EU Investigates Shein Over ‘Addictive Designs’ And Sales Of Childlike Sex Dolls
Authored by Bill Pan via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
The European Union has opened an in-depth investigation into online fashion retailer Shein over the sale of illegal items and what it calls the Chinese-owned platform’s “addictive design.”
A Shein pop-up store at a mall in Singapore, on April 4, 2024. Edgar Su/Reuters
The probe, announced on Feb. 16 by the European Commission, marks the bloc’s first formal proceeding against the company under the Digital Services Act (DSA), a set of sweeping online regulations that governs nearly all corners of the digital ecosystem, from e-commerce platforms to social media networks.
Brussels said it is investigating the sale of illegal products “including child sexual abuse material,” citing in particular child-like sex dolls that were found on Shein’s marketplace. The company came under scrutiny in France in late 2025 after authorities discovered lifelike sex dolls resembling young girls on the site, along with illegal weapons. The French government moved to suspend access to Shein’s website, but a court blocked the move and instead asked Brussels to step in under the DSA.
The controversy, EU officials said, exposed broader concerns about whether Shein poses “a systemic risk for consumers across the entire European Union.” They have asked the company to provide information on how it ensures that minors are not exposed to age-inappropriate content, as well as how it prevents the circulation of illegal products on its platform.
Investigators will also look into Shein’s “addictive design,” including the use of gamified features such as points, rewards, and other incentives for frequent engagement. EU officials have said that such designs may encourage excessive use, particularly among younger users, and undermine consumer protection and users’ mental well-being.
Another focus of the inquiry will be the alleged “lack of transparency” around the algorithms Shein uses to recommend content and products to users. Under the DSA, “very large platforms,” defined as those with over 45 million users in the EU, must disclose the main parameters of their recommender systems and offer at least one easily accessible option that is not based on profiling.
A spokesperson for Shein said the company takes its “obligations under the DSA seriously” and will cooperate with investigators.
“Over the last few months, we have continued to invest significantly in measures to strengthen our compliance with the DSA. These include comprehensive systemic-risk assessments and mitigation frameworks, enhanced protections for younger users, and ongoing work to design our services in ways that promote a safe and trusted user experience,” the spokesperson said in a statement to The Epoch Times.
The investigation is the latest in a series of actions the EU has taken that affect Chinese-owned tech and e-commerce firms.
From July 1, 2026, Brussels will begin collecting a flat 3-euro (about $3.55) charge on each low-value item in small parcels worth under 150 euros (about $178) sent directly from non-EU countries to consumers in the bloc, a measure widely seen as aimed at platforms such as Shein, Temu, and AliExpress. According to official figures, about 4.6 billion such parcels entered the EU in 2024, an overwhelming 91 percent of them from China.
Temu is also under DSA investigation over alleged “addictive design” and the sale of unsafe or illegal goods. A separate probe into AliExpress, owned by China-based e-commerce giant Alibaba, produced preliminary findings that the platform is “in breach of its obligation to assess and mitigate risks related to the dissemination of illegal products under the DSA.”
More recently, on Feb. 6, the commission warned popular video-sharing platform TikTok that it must overhaul its “addictive design” to comply with the DSA. The service, whose European operations are owned by Chinese firm ByteDance, could face a fine of up to 6 percent of its global revenue if it fails to address those concerns.
“In the EU, illegal products are prohibited—whether they are on a store shelf or on an online marketplace. The Digital Services Act keeps shoppers safe, protects their well-being and empowers them with information about the algorithms they are interacting with,” Henna Virkkunen, the EU tech commissioner, said on Feb. 17.
Chinese authorities have been critical of EU efforts to tighten digital regulations. In January, the Chinese Foreign Ministry accused the EU of “blatant protectionism” and “political manipulation” after the bloc, citing risks of cyberattacks, recommended that all member states remove Huawei and ZTE from their telecom networks within the next three years.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 02/17/2026 – 23:25
Dolton presents plans to pay $33.5 million judgment from fatal 2016 police chase
Dolton officials presented a plan Tuesday for how the village will pay for a $33.5 million judgment from a police chase lawsuit, fearing judicial action this week that would force property tax increases.
An Illinois Appellate Court in June 2024 affirmed the verdict on behalf of John Kyles, who died following a 2016 police chase in Dolton and Duane Dunlap, who was left severely injured. The Illinois Supreme Court denied Dolton’s appeal of the appellate court decision in March 2025.
The village has yet to make payments on the $33.5 million, which has accrued 6% per year through interest, or $2.1 million per year per the a lawsuit petition. As of Feb. 20, the total amount owed is $40.6 million.
Attorneys for the administrator for Kyles and a guardian for Dunlap are looking to secure payment from the village through a municipal bond, which would place the burden on the taxpayers, Dolton attorney Michael McGrath said Tuesday.
McGrath and Dolton Mayor Jason House urged residents to attend a remote court hearing in the case at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, as the bond decision is up to Cook County Judge William Sullivan.
“I’m asking everyone to join the Zoom that we will provide, so that way when attorney McGrath makes the statements and arguments, there are a lot of faces that demonstrate how interested we are and the impact that can have on us,” House said.
To incentivize the village to take out a bond by March 1, attorneys for the plaintiffs offered a potential 5% discount on a 10-year bond. The first payment on the bond would be due Jan. 1, 2027.
McGrath said issuing a $40 million bond would cost property owners a minimum $655 per year, which would likely increase as collection rates decreased.
Another option McGrath presented is asking Gov. JB Pritzker to establish a financial planning and supervision commission to help the village develop a plan to alleviate its financial crisis, freezing all debts for up to two years.
Village attorneys blame its insurers for Dolton’s inability to pay the judgment and wrote in court filings that forcing the village to acquiesce would have devastating financial effects on residents.
McGrath said Tuesday the village and the plaintiffs of the police chase lawsuit joined together to hire an outside law firm to sue Dolton’s insurers for acting in bad faith. McGrath said the company refused to settle before and during the trial, leading to the $33.5 million judgment.
McGrath said attorneys hope to recover as much as $100 million from the insurance company.
Dolton resident Leah Grinnage said after Tuesday’s meeting she hopes the village is able to receive help from the state to alleviate the debt from the police chase lawsuit.
“We need a lifeline,” Grinnage said.
She said if a bond is imposed on the taxpayers, “people are going to leave in droves.”
The 2016 Dolton police chase stemmed from a traffic violation after the men’s car skidded through a stop sign. Police chased the vehicle for about a mile until the vehicle crashed into a building.
Kyles died while Dunlap was left with “severe, catastrophic and permanent injuries,” according to the wrongful death lawsuit filed in November 2019. The ruling from the Appellate Court in Illinois’ 1st Judicial District said attorneys claimed the police vehicle had a dashboard camera with footage that, despite a court order, the village never produced.
When the jury award was announced in August 2022, attorneys from Loevy & Loevy said they believed it to be one of the largest police misconduct cases in Illinois history.
“This is a case (the village) should have settled,” said Jon Loevy, an attorney representing the administrator for Kyles and a guardian for Dunlap. “They could have settled for a fraction of this.”
Despite Dolton’s appeal, the village never sought a stay on the payment and it was considered “present and due” when attorneys filed a petition on behalf of a guardian and administrator of the two men in January 2024, according to the petition.
The petition expressed concerns about the village’s ability to pay the judgment due to “a breakdown of governance” and insufficient insurance coverage. They detailed allegations of former Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s spending woes, such as repeatedly misappropriating funds and refusing to disclose details of the village’s spending.
“Plaintiffs have reason to fear that Dolton, if not ordered to take affirmative steps to marshal assets to satisfy the judgment, will continue to fail to pay and that Dolton will dissipate and divert assets that might be otherwise be available to satisfy the judgment,” the petition said.
“Without granting the mandamus and other relief requested in this complaint, plaintiffs have a dim chance of being paid the judgment because there has been a complete breakdown of the village of Dolton’s accounting internal controls, and checks and balances, endangering plaintiffs’ judgment,” it said.
ostevens@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/dolton-plan-33-5-million-judgment/
Three games after her sister, Addie Schilb scores 1,000 career point for St. Charles East. ‘A huge milestone.’
St. Charles East’s Addie Schilb knew she had a shot to score her 1,000th career point.
The only problem was, her shots weren’t falling for most of the game Tuesday night.
Fortunately for her, the senior guard got hot late and was able to reach that milestone.
“It’s very nice to accomplish that,” Schilb said. “The last few years, it’s been so fun playing varsity basketball. To end my career with that accomplishment just means a lot.”
With 5:40 left in the fourth quarter of a Class 4A St. Charles East Regional semifinal against West Chicago, Schilb battled for a layup and was fouled to set off a celebration.
The 5-foot-7 Schilb finished with a game-high 24 points as the Saints picked up a 55-28 win to advance to Thursday’s regional final against DuKane Conference rival Batavia.
St. Charles East’s Addie Schilb (13) makes a move to slip past the defense against West Chicago during a Class 4A St. Charles East Regional semifinal game on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (Jeremy Toney / The Beacon-News)
Addie Schilb added seven rebounds, four assists and two steals for St. Charles East (19-11). Brooklyn Schilb, Addie’s sister, scored 19 points. Kathlyn Bainbridge filled up the stat sheet with six points, nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals.
McKenzie Hanrahan and Alexis Leszczewicz scored 10 points each for West Chicago (18-13).
Brooklyn Schilb, a sophomore guard, picked up her 1,000th career point three games ago. On Tuesday, she got to celebrate her sister accomplishing the same feat.
“It was super fun,” Brooklyn said. “This is our last year together, so it’s a unique experience that we both have been able to experience this. It’s just great being able to do this with each other and have each other as teammates. I’m just so proud of her.”
St. Charles East’s Brooklyn Schilb (5) lines up a 3-point shot against West Chicago during a Class 4A St. Charles East Regional semifinal game on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (Jeremy Toney / The Beacon-News)
Anticipation was building going into the fourth quarter despite the Saints having a big lead.
Addie Schilb inched closed by finally getting a 3-pointer to fall. After Schilb hit a layup, St. Charles East coach Katie Claussner called a timeout and banners and balloons were brought to the court.
“It’s a huge milestone,” Claussner said. “We wanted to celebrate her. I’m glad she got it (Tuesday) — got it out of the way before the reginal championship game.”
The scoring is nice from Addie Schilb, but there’s more to her arsenal. The Milwaukee School of Engineering recruit is the engine that drives the Saints. That’s not lost on Claussner.
St. Charles East’s Addie Schilb (13) focuses on a free throw to complete a 3-point play against West Chicago during a Class 4A St. Charles East Regional semifinal game on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (Jeremy Toney / The Beacon-News)
“She just battles every possession,” Claussner said. “We’re the team we are because of her. We’ve had games where Addie was in foul trouble and she was out. You could see our energy and momentum go down. It’s important to have her on the floor.”
It’s something Schilb has taken pride in as a Saint.
“Sometimes, the stuff that isn’t on the stat sheet is really important,” she said. “The stat sheet doesn’t cover everything. Sometimes. the small things that aren’t on the stat sheet do mean a lot on the court.”
Brooklyn Schilb, the team’s leading scorer this season, knows how vital her sister is to the style of play employed by the Saints. They advanced to play Batavia (10-21), a 39-37 semifinal winner.
“She’s such an important piece,” Brooklyn said of Addie. “Without her, we wouldn’t be able to get to this point.”
St. Charles East’s Addie Schib (13) brings the ball up the court against West Chicago against West Chicago during a Class 4A St. Charles East Regional semifinal game on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (Jeremy Toney / The Beacon-News)
Down the road, Brooklyn Schilb has her sights set on the program scoring record set by Sara Rosenfeldt and a run at 2,000 career points. For now, though, she’s trying to soak it all in.
“Being able to play together is amazing,” Brooklyn said of her older sister. “We’re just trying to play every game like it’s our last.”
Addie Schilb, meanwhile, is also taking that to heart. Her next game from here on out could be her last for St. Charles East and with her sister as a teammate.
“Not many people can say that your younger sister and your older sister both got 1,000 points in the same season,” Addie said. “It’s cool to be here with my sister.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/addie-schilb-st-charles-east-basketball/













