Category: News
México y Canadá buscan acelerar alianzas en comercio y seguridad ante revisión del T-MEC
Associated Press
CIUDAD DE MÉXICO (AP) — México y Canadá se comprometieron en lunes a avanzar en el fortalecimiento de la cooperación en comercio y seguridad previo a la revisión este año del tratado que mantienen con Estados Unidos que se ha visto afectado por las amenazas de aranceles del presidente Donald Trump hacia sus principales socios comerciales.
Así se acordó al término de una reunión que sostuvieron el secretario mexicano de Economía, Marcelo Ebrard, con su par canadiense, Dominic LeBlanc, quien inició el lunes una visita a México acompañado de una delegación de varios cientos de empresarios.
La visita de LeBlanc se da a cinco meses del encuentro que tuvieron en la Ciudad de México la presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum con el primer ministro canadiense Mark Carney para definir un plan de acción de fortalecimiento de la cooperación bilateral.
México es el tercer socio comercial más grande de Canadá, después de Estados Unidos y China. Canadá fue el quinto socio comercial más grande de México en 2024. Pero el comercio con Estados Unidos sigue siendo primordial para ambos países y la continuidad del tratado comercial trilateral (el T-MEC) es un tema crucial para los gobiernos de Sheinbaum y Carney.
Durante el encuentro en la capital mexicana, el ministro de finanzas y comercio de Canadá afirmó que ambos países deben prepararse para los “momentos difíciles que nos depara el siglo XXI”, y agregó que “podemos hacer mucho más en comercio, en inversión y en seguridad”.
LeBlanc abogó por el fortalecimiento de la relación entre las agencias de seguridad y las organizaciones militares de ambos países para asegurar el intercambio de información. “Si queremos que las inversiones y los empresarios sigan creciendo, ellos necesitan ver al gobierno trabajando en prioridades como esa (la seguridad)”,
En ese sentido, Ebrard indicó que puede ser “sano” e “inteligente” que se incluya la seguridad en las discusiones entre los dos gobiernos, y recordó que la prioridad de México es frenar radicalmente el tráfico de armas.
La reunión entre los ministros y los empresarios de Canadá y México se da a pocas semanas del secuestro de diez mineros mexicanos que laboraban para la empresa canadiense Vizsla Silver en una mina del estado noroccidental de Sinaloa, donde impera desde septiembre del 2024 una cruenta guerra entre dos bandos del Cártel e Sinaloa. La semana pasada fueron localizados los cuerpos de cinco de los diez mineros.
Las autoridades de México y Canadá presentaron en septiembre pasado un plan de acción para 2025-2028, que contempla una mayor coordinación en el ámbito de la ciberseguridad y la colaboración para la ubicación, persecución y traslado de “objetivos prioritarios”, incluyendo los procesos de extradición.
Almost one year later, Lincoln-Way West’s Zoe Dempsey avenges state loss. With sectional pin. ‘A big effect.’
Lincoln-Way West senior Zoe Dempsey had nearly a full year to chart a different path forward.
A two-time state medalist, Dempsey learned the hard way about coping with loss and learning from past mistakes. But it’s also something that has made her into a better wrestler.
“The biggest difference between last year and this year is I’m wrestling more freely,” she said. “I’m having fun. Last year, I put so much pressure on myself, I think it cost me in some matches.
“This year, I’m just happier out there.”
Dempsey was as happy as could be Saturday at the Schaumburg Sectional, winning by pin in the second period over Crystal Lake South’s Annalee Aarseth in the 115-pound championship match.
The Lincoln-Way co-op program produced three finalists and seven state qualifiers in capturing the team title with 140 points.
Lincoln-Way Central’s Zoe Dempsey, right, and Crystal Lake South’s Annalee Aarseth battle in the 115-pound final of the Schaumburg Sectional on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (Michael Schmidt / Daily Southtown)
Dempsey now looks to improve on last season’s third-place finish at the individual state meet beginning on Feb. 27 at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.
According to Lincoln-Way West freshman Caleigh Nicholson, Dempsey has been the ideal role model for her gifted young teammates.
“You can tell that Zoe puts so much care and attention into everything that she does,” said Nicholson, who finished as the sectional runner-up at 125. “Her attitude and the way she approaches practice, for instance, shows why she is so successful.
“She has a great mindset for how she approaches competition.”
Lincoln-Way Central’s Zoe Dempsey, right, takes control against Crystal Lake South’s Annalee Aarseth in the 115-pound final of the Schaumburg Sectional on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (Michael Schmidt / Daily Southtown)
Dempsey (45-2) posted three falls in just 7:30 of mat time in the sectional. Her dominant performance was vindicating and erased a bittersweet moment from last season at state.
“The girl pinned me in the semifinals last year,” Dempsey said of Aarseth. “That match stayed with me. I probably thought about it every day and watched it at least once a week.
“It had a big effect on me — pushed me to work harder and not get complacent. It made me want this even more.”
Dempsey finished fifth in the state as a sophomore. Her past efforts have cut like a double-edged sword, though. She was simultaneously thrilled by the experience while also feeling unsatisfied.
Lincoln-Way Central’s Zoe Dempsey, top, works against Crystal Lake South’s Annalee Aarseth in the 115-pound final of the Schaumburg Sectional on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (Michael Schmidt / Daily Southtown)
“I feel like there’s a difference between being a state medalist and being a state champion,” Dempsey said. “But it’s not just about the title. It’s about developing, scoring points and enjoying what you’re doing.
“Looking back at my past results, being so close has helped me grow. It’s made me realize how badly I want to be on top this year. That’s how I want to finish my high school career.”
Lincoln-Way West’s Riley DePolo, a senior who finished second in the sectional at 170, noticed a subtle difference in Dempsey’s outlook.
“I definitely see a shift from last year, where she spent so much time with the boys and there’s definitely such a serious nature there,” DePolo said. “With the group of girls we have now, we have so many freshmen, Zoe is just more relaxed.
“She’s still looking professional and serious, but at the same time, she just has this positivity around her.”
Lincoln-Way Central’s Zoe Dempsey, front, finishes off a pin of Crystal Lake South’s Annalee Aarseth in the 115-pound final of the Schaumburg Sectional on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (Michael Schmidt / Daily Southtown)
Dempsey came to wrestling from judo, which she started at age 7. She has competed in international judo tournaments in Peru, Hong Kong and Rio de Janeiro.
Her judo training, combined with her freestyle training in wrestling last summer, has unlocked all sides. She also has the heart of an artist, with her background in singing and playing the piano.
She also loves to draw.
“I definitely have a creative side,” she said. “I’ve always been someone who gives 100% in whatever I’m doing, whether it’s school, art or sports.
“Wrestling gives me a place to put all of that energy. It’s where I can be myself. If I’ve had a rough day, I can go to practice and wrestle it off. Wrestling has done so much for me.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/16/zoe-dempsey-lincoln-way-west-wrestling/
A Venezuelan-Like Oil Blockade Against Iran Could Enable The US To Divide-And-Rule RIC
A Venezuelan-Like Oil Blockade Against Iran Could Enable The US To Divide-And-Rule RIC
The cascading consequences of such a blockade, which might not ultimately be imposed due it entailing a high risk of war with Iran, could simultaneously weaken Russia, India, and China.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump 2.0 is considering imposing a Venezuelan-like oil blockade against Iran. It hasn’t yet done so due to concerns that Iran might attack the US’ regional military assets and/or seize its Gulf allies’ oil tankers, with either scenario destabilizing the global oil market and spiking the risk of war, so it might never ultimately happen. If the US were to successfully impose such a blockade, however, then it might be able to adroitly divide-and-rule Russia, India, and China (RIC).
“The US Wants To Replicate The Venezuelan Model In Iran” by coercing Iran into subordinating itself and its energy industry to the US. The “Trump Doctrine”, which is shaped by Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby’s “Strategy of Denial”, seeks to deny strategic resources to the US’ rivals. Accordingly, it has an interest in cutting off China’s average import of 1.38 million barrels of Iranian oil per day last year, which could hit its economy hard if they’re not replaced (and that might be difficult).
These exports could then be redirected to India, thus enabling India to more than replace its average import of 1 million barrels per day of Russian oil last month, with the revenue placed in an escrow account per the Venezuelan precedent for release to Iran if it cuts a nuclear and missile deal with the US. Through these means, India could zero out its import of Russian oil while raising the US’ role over its energy security exactly as Trump 2.0 wants, with the end result dealing incredible harm to RIC.
Russia’s budgetary revenue from such sales would be reduced and could only realistically be replaced in part through more sales to China, though that might not be as easy as it sounds. The UK is preparing a campaign to seize Russia’s “shadow fleet” in the English Channel after being emboldened by the US’ seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker near its coast. If Russia doesn’t impose unacceptable costs on the UK, and it didn’t impose any on the US for doing this, then its Baltic Sea tankers might never reach China.
Those from the Black Sea might not reach it either if the UK allies with Greece and Cyprus to cut off Russia’s “shadow fleet” from that vector too. Pipeline exports, which have limits to how much they can be scaled, would then be the only means for replacing part of Russia’s lost oil exports to India with China apart from relatively minimal tanker exports from the Far East. The resultant economic pressure on Russia and China might make them susceptible to lopsided deals with the US on Ukraine and trade.
As for India, it already entered into a partially lopsided deal with the US as regards the informal quid pro quo of it agreeing to zero out its import of Russian oil in exchange for their trade deal, and the US’ growing influence over India’s energy security could curtail its hard-earned strategic autonomy. This might then be leveraged for coercing a reduction in India’s purchase of Chinese goods and services so as to place more pressure on the People’s Republic to agree to its own lopsided trade deal with the US.
This worst-case scenario of the US’ dividing-and-ruling RIC can be averted by Iran deterring or breaking a US blockade on its oil in parallel with Russia doing the same with respect to any British one against its “shadow fleet”. These options require immense political will since they entail the potential cost of a hot war breaking out between Great Powers so it’s unclear whether they’ll be implemented, but likewise, so too might the US and UK ultimately back off from their possible blockades for the same reason.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 02/16/2026 – 20:05
World Curling da marcha atrás luego del drama olímpico y reduce la vigilancia arbitral
Por JULIA FRANKEL
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italia (AP) — El drama del curling en los Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno hizo que el organismo rector de este deporte se apresurara a abordar una controversia creciente y a frenar versiones contradictorias sobre infracciones al reglamento. Recularon menos de 24 horas después.
World Curling intensificó la vigilancia de los partidos y, un día después, dio marcha atrás, al señalar que los árbitros se replegarían y estarían disponibles a pedido, pero no de forma predeterminada.
La medida se produjo tras una reunión rápida entre las federaciones nacionales de curling y World Curling el domingo, en la que los jugadores manifestaron su descontento con el aumento de la supervisión. Los atletas querían menos vigilancia, no más.
¿Por qué los curlers olímpicos, que practican un deporte en el que unos pocos centímetros pueden marcar la diferencia entre una piedra ganadora y una perdedora, optarían por mandar lejos a los árbitros? La respuesta puede estar relacionada con el espíritu tradicional del juego, al que algunos atletas se aferran incluso mientras el deporte gana popularidad —y se profesionaliza—.
“Creo que hay mucho orgullo en intentar ser un deporte que, por así decirlo, se arbitra un poco a sí mismo”, comentó Nolan Thiessen, director ejecutivo de Curling Canada, cuyos equipos han estado en el centro del revuelo de los últimos días. “Creo que fue simplemente que todos respiraron hondo y dijeron: OK, terminemos estos Juegos Olímpicos de la manera en que sabemos que debe jugarse nuestro deporte”.
World Curling replantea el arbitraje La saga comenzó el viernes, cuando el sueco Oskar Eriksson acusó al canadiense Marc Kennedy de infringir las reglas al tocar la piedra otra vez después de haberla soltado inicialmente sobre la pista de hielo. El estallido de Kennedy, cargado de insultos, atrajo una amplia atención, al igual que el propio deporte, que suele pasar desapercibido fuera de los Juegos Olímpicos.
World Curling decidió que necesitaba redoblar la vigilancia de los partidos, aunque ya se encontraba a mitad de la competencia de todos contra todos masculina y femenina en los Juegos Olímpicos.
A partir de entonces, indicó la federación, dos árbitros saldrían de detrás de la mesa junto a la pista y observarían de cerca la “línea hog” —el punto en el que los jugadores deben soltar la piedra de granito sobre la pista de hielo—. De ese modo, podrían comprobar con mayor precisión si había dobles toques ilegales.
En apenas un día, los oficiales sancionaron dos infracciones por doble toque, cometidas por Rachel Homan, de Canadá, y Bobby Lammie, de Gran Bretaña, y retiraron sus piedras del juego.
Es raro que se retiren piedras de la competencia con tanta frecuencia.
Para la tarde del domingo, jugadores y entrenadores estaban hartos, y World Curling cambió su política tras la reunión.
“Cuando los jugadores empezaron a quejarse, los pone en una posición difícil porque quieren hacer su trabajo y escuchar a los jugadores que creen que hay un problema”, explicó Emma Miskew, de Canadá. “Estoy contenta con cómo fue la conversación y con la decisión a la que se llegó”.
Los curlers olímpicos dicen que el doble toque no es para tanto Varios curlers olímpicos señalaron que el doble toque no necesariamente revelaba un deseo malicioso de hacer trampa, y que penalizar un roce rápido y accidental del granito podría ser excesivo.
“Si cometes una infracción en la línea hog, no es hacer trampa”, afirmó Homan el lunes.
Miskew añadió que era raro escuchar esa acusación, al menos en el curling femenino, mientras que Alina Paetz, de Suiza, coincidió con Homan en que se trata de una infracción menor.
“Si lo haces, no está permitido, pero creo que lo exageraron un poco, así que se convirtió en algo más grande de lo que realmente es”, sostuvo Paetz. “Son los Juegos Olímpicos, hay emoción. No creo que sea realmente para tanto”.
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AP Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Tom Pritzker, citing Epstein connection, steps down as Hyatt’s executive chair
Thomas J. Pritzker, a billionaire heir to the Hyatt Hotels fortune, stepped down from his role Monday as executive chair of the Hyatt Hotels Corp., becoming the latest person felled by an association with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Pritzker, 75, cousin to Illinois Gov. JB Prtizker, said in a letter to the Hyatt board that he was retiring, effective immediately, adding: “Good stewardship also means protecting Hyatt, particularly in the context of my association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell which I deeply regret.”
Tom Pritzker, cousin of Gov. JB Pritzker, named in latest release of Epstein documents
He added that he “exercised terrible judgment in maintaining contact with them, and there is no excuse for failing to distance myself sooner.”
Recently released files revealed that Pritzker was in regular contact with Epstein in the years following Epstein’s 2008 plea deal on sex crimes charges, with the two frequently corresponding to confirm meals and appointments, including at Epstein’s New York City town house.
In one email exchange from 2018, Epstein asked Pritzker to help his girlfriend, Karyna Shuliak, arrange a trip to Southeast Asia. Pritzker agreed, and asked what she planned to do there.
Shuliak responded: “Going to try to find a new girlfriend for Jeffrey.”
Pritzker replied with a smiley-face emoticon and said “May the Force be with you.”
In another exchange, from 2015, as the two made arrangements to meet, Epstein joked to Pritzker about combining their plans: “would you find it amusing to have dali lama meet woody allen for lunch on sat = could be a memorable event.”
The two men also conferred about invitations to the ceremony for the Pritzker Prizes — a major international architecture award — in Beijing.
A representative for the Pritzker Organization did not respond to a request for comment Monday.
In addition to retiring as chair, Pritzker said he would not seek reelection to Hyatt’s board at the annual stockholders meeting in May. The board appointed Hyatt’s president, Mark S. Hoplamazian, to the chair’s role.
“Tom’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping Hyatt’s strategy and long-term growth, and we thank him for his service and dedication to Hyatt,” said Richard Tuttle, chair of the board’s nominating and corporate governance committee, in a release.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/16/tom-pritzker-epstein-hyatt-executive-chair/
Mike Trout prefiere volver al jardín central con los Angelinos al sentirse más seguro
TEMPE, Arizona, EE.UU. (AP) — Mike Trout afirmó que preferiría volver a jugar en el jardín central con los Angelinos de Los Ángeles, y el toletero estrella comentó que no participará en el Clásico Mundial de Béisbol por problemas de seguro.
El 11 veces All-Star, que ha estado aquejado por lesiones desde 2021, considera que su posición habitual no es tan exigente físicamente como las esquinas de los jardines, contrario a lo que se piensa tradicionalmente.
Trout disputó la temporada pasada su mayor cantidad de juegos desde 2019, al terminar con 130. El tres veces Jugador Más Valioso de la Liga Americana inició 22 de sus primeros 29 partidos en el jardín derecho antes de que una lesión de rodilla lo dejara fuera durante un mes. El jugador de 34 años fue exclusivamente bateador designado cuando regresó a finales de mayo.
Trout conectó 26 jonrones, pero bateó apenas para .232, por mucho el peor promedio de su carrera en una temporada en la que tuvo al menos 400 turnos al bate.
Pasó tiempo en el jardín izquierdo al inicio de su carrera, pero fue jardinero central durante 11 temporadas consecutivas antes del cambio al derecho. Las lesiones limitaron a Trout a 111 juegos en los dos años anteriores.
Trout indicó que las conversaciones con el manager novato Kurt Suzuki han incluido la idea de un regreso al jardín central.
“Siento que estoy en mi mejor nivel cuando estoy en el central. Si tengo que ir a la esquina, iré a la esquina”, les dijo Trout a los reporteros en las instalaciones de entrenamiento de primavera del club el lunes.
Trout considera que volver al central será bueno para su salud.
“Cuando estaba en el central, era menos para mi cuerpo que las esquinas. Para ser honesto, en el jardín derecho sentía que estaba corriendo mucho. He hablado con otros jardineros y dicen que a veces sienten lo mismo: el central exige menos a las piernas. Simplemente me siento… seguro en el central”, explicó Trout.
Trout, quien jugó su único Clásico Mundial de Béisbol hace tres años, había dicho que le interesaba volver a participar antes de que surgieran los problemas de seguro.
“Es decepcionante. Quería repetirlo con todos los muchachos”, lamentó Trout.
___
Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Pelosi Appears To Have Picked Their Candidate For President In 2028
Pelosi Appears To Have Picked Their Candidate For President In 2028
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) may be retiring from Congress at the end of this term, but she’s not done trying to shape presidential races. The 85-year-old former House speaker has turned into what one former aide calls “a Gavin fan-girl,” deploying her legendary donor network and political capital to boost California Gov. Gavin Newsom as a 2028 White House contender. The move lands as a calculated slight to Kamala Harris, who polls ahead of Newsom nationally but appears to have lost Pelosi’s confidence after the 2024 debacle.
According to a report from Axios, Pelosi has spent months publicly and privately vouching for Newsom.
“From the standpoint of leadership, vision, and values, knowledge of the issues, strategic thinking about how to get things done, he’s masterful,” she told The New Yorker. She told Vogue earlier this month, “I’ve seen him grow politically, I’ve also seen him have this beautiful family, and for all of us who love him, seeing him evolve has been wonderful to behold.”
She’s even trying to help Newsom shed the perception of coming from privilege, telling The Atlantic, “Everybody thinks of Gavin and a silver spoon. But that isn’t right. He was a very hard worker in everything that he did, whether it was personally, professionally, and then civically.”
This week, Pelosi told Politico that Newsom “would make a great president,” though she added Democrats have many strong potential candidates.
The hedge shouldn’t fool anyone.
Pelosi isn’t likely to gush unless she’s decided. Former aides say she’s been eager to publicly vouch for Newsom whenever asked and has privately admired how he’s navigated Trump “with a combination of defiance and charm.” One former staffer said Pelosi “doesn’t crush on many people” and added, “She’s hardly ever wrong. When she says she sees something, it’s a real thing.”
Of course, Pelosi’s connection to Newsom isn’t limited to politics. Her brother-in-law was married to Newsom’s aunt, and Pelosi frequently says she knew Newsom before he was born. Politically, they’ve been connected for years, as she’s mentored him since his days as San Francisco mayor, watching him rise through California politics like a puppet master or a kingmaker.
While Pelosi is reportedly focused on helping Democrats retake the House in November and making Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaker, she’s clearly looking to the future and sees Newsom as the next leader of the party who will bring Democrats to the White House. This may be a significant vote of confidence for Newsom, but it’s also an undeniable betrayal of another California Democrat, Kamala Harris.
Pelosi endorsed Harris quickly after Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race, reportedly frustrating Barack Obama, who wanted a more open process.
“The Obamas were not happy,” a Pelosi confidant told ABC’s Jonathan Karl for his book Retribution. ‘This person summed up Obama’s message to Pelosi as, essentially, “What the f*** did you just do?”‘
Harris lost badly to Trump, spending more than a billion dollars in the process, leaving many major donors deeply disillusioned with her. Pelosi’s support would have gone a long way to repair the damage, but Pelosi appears to have moved on.
Harris leads the 2028 field with a 27.5 percent national polling average, according to Race to the White House, while Newsom trails at 22.7%. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez sits at 9%, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 8.7%, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro at 4.9%, and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker at 3.4%.
Neither Newsom nor Harris has publicly announced their intent to seek the presidency, but both are reportedly considering, which makes Pelosi’s public courtship of Newsom a calculated snub. Pelosi’s endorsements carry weight with the donor class and party elites who decide primaries long before voters cast ballots. By elevating Newsom now, she’s signaling to those constituencies where the smart money should flow.
Whether Pelosi’s bet pays off depends on factors beyond her control. Newsom has baggage from California’s struggles with homelessness, crime, and out-migration on his watch. Harris, meanwhile, carries the weight of a failed campaign but has name recognition and institutional support, and isn’t a white male — a huge plus for a party that has gone all in on identity politics.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 02/16/2026 – 19:30
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/pelosi-appears-have-picked-their-candidate-president-2028
Riku Miura y Ryuichi Kihara ganan el primer oro olímpico de parejas de Japón con récord mundial
Por DAVE SKRETTA
MILÁN (AP) — Riku Miura y Ryuichi Kihara pensaron que sus posibilidades de ganar el oro olímpico se habían esfumado cuando los patinadores japoneses cometieron un desliz poco habitual durante su programa corto en los Juegos de Milán-Cortina.
Resulta que solo estaban haciéndolo más dramático.
Los campeones mundiales defensores por dos veces se repusieron el lunes por la noche con un programa libre de récord mundial bajo el sistema de puntuación actual, lo que los elevó del quinto puesto hasta lo más alto del podio y le dio a su país la primera medalla olímpica en la prueba de parejas.
Miura y Kihara cayeron de rodillas en un abrazo entre lágrimas cuando se dieron cuenta de que habían ganado el oro.
“Mi mensaje principal para ellos hoy fue: sean los mejores del mundo. No se preocupen por lo de ayer. Les dije que no se había terminado. Antes de que salieran al hielo, solo les dije: ‘Sean ustedes mismos’”, explicó su entrenador de muchos años, Bruno Marcotte.
Y fueron la mejor versión de sí mismos.
Miura y Kihara sumaron 158,13 puntos en el programa libre y un total de 231,24, el mejor de sus carreras, para colgarse el oro, que se suma a la plata que ayudaron a que el equipo japonés ganara la semana pasada. Anastasiia Metelkina y Luka Berulava lograron la primera medalla para Georgia en unos Juegos de Invierno con su plata, y Minerva Fabienne Hase y Nikita Volodin, de Alemania, se llevaron el bronce.
“Es un momento increíble para mi país. Estoy en shock”, manifestó Berulava.
Hase y Volodin, que lideraban tras el programa corto, cometieron varios errores en su programa libre y cayeron al tercer lugar. Pero, en lugar de quedarse en el fracaso de no ganar el oro, Hase prefirió ver lo positivo: “Ganamos una medalla olímpica. No es nada malo”, comentó.
Hase añadió: “Es una medalla en los Juegos Olímpicos. No creo que importe el color. Un bronce en nuestros primeros Juegos Olímpicos es increíble”.
El caótico programa corto del domingo por la noche había dejado a algunos de los mejores del mundo patinando temprano y fuera de la pelea.
Deanna Stellato-Dudek y Maxime Deschamps, los campeones mundiales de 2024 de Canadá, se costaron unos 10 puntos cuando ella se cayó de manera inexplicable al bajar de una elevación. Stellato-Dudek también sufrió una fuerte caída durante el calentamiento para el programa libre el lunes por la noche, deslizándose contra una de las barreras acolchadas y luego flexionando el hombro cuando se levantó.
La Stellato-Dudek de 42 años, nacida en el área de Chicago, sin duda imaginaba un debut olímpico muy distinto. La pareja canadiense terminó con 192,61 puntos, lo que los ubicó 11mos entre los 16 equipos que llegaron al programa libre.
“Solo estar aquí y patinar sobre el hielo fue un privilegio y realmente increíble”, señaló Deschamps.
Emily Chan y Spencer Akira Howe, soldado de primera clase del Ejército de Estados Unidos, tomaron la delantera al convertirse en el primer equipo en superar la barrera de los 200 puntos. Sara Conti y Niccolo Macii, de Italia, los bajaron rápidamente de ese lugar pese a un programa libre desordenado.
Pero los aspirantes al podio apenas estaban empezando a salir al hielo.
Sui Wenjing y Han Cong, los campeones olímpicos defensores, se recuperaron de la caída de Sui en su triple loop de apertura en el programa corto, que los había dejado en el sexto lugar. Aun así tuvieron problemas en el programa libre, al convertir un triple salchow en un doble, pero su puntuación de 208,64 puntos los colocó en el primer lugar cuando quedaban cinco parejas por patinar; terminaron quintos.
No fue una mala actuación de Sui y Han, considerando que apenas iniciaron su regreso en junio pasado tras un retiro de dos años.
“Para mí, estos son mis últimos Juegos Olímpicos”, dijo después Han.
Miura y Kihara salieron a continuación —y lograron una puntuación que resultó imposible de superar.
Fueron impecables en una secuencia de triple toe–doble axel–doble axel para abrir su programa, con música de las películas de “Gladiator”, mientras Miura aterrizó con gracia y elegancia en su lanzamiento de triple loop. Y mientras otros equipos batallaban con sus salchows, los de Miura y Kihara fueron limpios, con su lanzamiento de triple loop poniendo el broche final al programa.
Kihara se mostró impasible tras el programa corto, pero estalló con un rugido cuando se anunció la puntuación de su programa libre.
Luego, en silencio, cayó de rodillas y abrazó a Miura cuando supo que habían ganado el oro.
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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Autogol elimina al matagigantes Macclesfield y Brentford avanza a 5ta ronda de la Copa FA
MACCLESFIELD, Inglaterra (AP) — Brentford se enfrentará a West Ham en la quinta ronda de la Copa FA después de despachar a Macclesfield 1-0 el lunes, con un autogol que puso fin a la racha de cuento de hadas del matagigantes de sexta división.
Los semiprofesionales de Macclesfield eliminaron al vigente campeón de copa, Crystal Palace, en la ronda anterior y fueron elogiados por protagonizar una de las mayores sorpresas en la larga historia de la competición.
Pero no pudieron igualar a Brentford, que avanzó gracias a un autogol de Sam Heathcote a los 70 minutos.
El corpulento defensa se lanzó para anticiparse a un centro de Aaron Hickey, pero en su lugar desvió el balón y venció a su propio guardameta.
Fue un desenlace cruel para Macclesfield, que contuvo al club de la Liga Premier durante un primer tiempo equilibrado antes de quedarse sin fuerzas en los segundos 45 minutos.
“No podría estar más orgulloso. Los chicos estuvieron sobresalientes y el planteamiento fue realmente bueno. Entrenamos dos veces por semana y hemos ofrecido esa actuación contra un equipo de la Liga Premier”, declaró John Rooney, el entrenador de Macclesfield, a TNT Sports.
El partido de la quinta ronda se disputará en el Estadio Olímpico de West Ham el fin de semana del 7-8 de marzo.
Brentford nunca ha superado los cuartos de final del torneo.
“Mérito de Macclesfield. Nos lo pusieron extremadamente difícil. Plantaron una gran batalla”, reconoció el capitán de Brentford, Nathan Collins.
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Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Why Your Personal Data Are Floating Around On The Darknet, Which Just Keeps Growing
Why Your Personal Data Are Floating Around On The Darknet, Which Just Keeps Growing
Authored by Chris Summers via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
In June 2025, police in Europe shut down a darknet marketplace for drugs called Archetyp Market, which had more than 600,000 users, and the following month the FBI announced that Operation Grayskull had led to the sentencing of 18 offenders to a total of 300 years for offenses relating to child sexual abuse material on the darknet.
The FBI maintains a Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement team, and in May 2025 it announced that 270 people had been arrested globally as part of Operation RapTor and that hundreds of pounds of fentanyl had been seized as part of an operation targeting drug traffickers on darknet websites.
But experts say the darknet—sometimes known as the dark web—keeps growing and is home to millions of megabytes of personal data, which are used by cybercriminals and ransomware gangs.
“You would be amazed how much personal data is drifting around on the darknet just from breach notifications,” Bob Erdman, associate vice president of research and development at cybersecurity company Fortra, based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, told The Epoch Times.
“It seems like every month you get a new breach notification from some company or website you’ve interacted with, and all those little pieces keep getting assembled to build a profile of you, and then get resold to someone who’s either going to try [to] attack you or try and use you to attack somebody else,” Erdman said.
Darknet Generation Gap
“When I speak with older Americans, many are shocked by the types of data on the darknet and how often it’s exposed or traded,” Chris Nyhuis, CEO at Vigilant, an Ohio-based cybersecurity firm and a human trafficking investigator, told The Epoch Times in an email.
“For younger more technical generations there is … often a sense of resignation,” Nyhuis said. “They’ve grown up with breaches, so data exposure feels almost inevitable to them.”
“Data released on the darknet is not a darknet problem, it just makes distributing data easier,” Nyhuis said.
He said he believes that companies are still not protecting data well enough.
Erdman said criminals were always trying to get access to logins and passwords, bitcoin addresses, and other data, which they would sell in darknet marketplaces that trade in stolen identities and compromised databases.
So how does the darknet work?
Nyhuis said the darknet is almost a “mirror image” of the internet most of us know, and that it even has its own search engines.
But it can only be accessed through the Tor browser, which provides secrecy and anonymity by passing messages through a network of connected Tor relays, which are specially configured computers.
Nyhuis said a simple way of understanding the darknet is imagining each Tor node as a house with numerous doors opening off of it, which are not visible.
“So if you walk in that house, and if someone’s monitoring that first door and you walk out a different one, then they’re not going to see you,” he said.
Silk Road Showed the Way
In the early days of the darknet, sites such as Silk Road began to operate and enable illicit marketplaces for narcotics and other illegal products and services.
Silk Road operated between January 2011 and October 2013. In May 2015, its 31-year-old founder, Ross Ulbricht, aka “Dread Pirate Roberts,” was jailed for life and ordered to forfeit $183 million.
Ulbricht created the blueprint that made such darknet marketplaces so successful, Brian Townsend, a retired Drug Enforcement Administration special agent who runs courses on the darknet, told The Epoch Times by email.
There is a myth that the darknet is hard to use, according to Missouri-based Townsend.
“In reality, the learning curve is very low, and it is quite easy to get on the dark web,” Townsend said. “With relative ease, people can buy and sell drugs, stolen credit cards, fake identities, child pornography, or pretty much anything else you can think of.”
In September 2022, Reed Churchill, 27, from Fayetteville, Arkansas, became a victim of the darknet when he took pills containing fentanyl that he had bought from a darknet website, thinking that they were oxycodone.
Since then, Churchill’s father, David Churchill, has been attempting to warn others.
“These are not good people you’re talking to on the darknet, whether it’s about drugs or pornography or whatever is on there,” he told the FBI. “Nobody on that side of the computer has any good intentions for you.”
In October 2024. Rajiv Srinivasan, 37, from Houston was jailed for 19 years and Michael Ta, 25, from Westminster, California, was jailed for 21 years for supplying the counterfeit M30 oxycodone pills containing fentanyl that killed Reed on a darknet website called Dark0de.
Nyhuis said there are people using the darknet for good reasons such as investigative journalism or the exposure of human rights abuses in totalitarian states.
“On the [darknet] there are people who say ‘I’m trying to be anonymous because I’m trying to fight evil’ and then there are the bad parts where ‘I’m trying to be anonymous because I want to do evil,’” he said. “Those are the two paths.”
‘Fighting Evil, or Doing Evil’
“The majority [of] uses of it are either fighting evil, or doing evil,” said Nyhuis, who said more darknet users have bad motives than have good ones.
Nyhuis said he has a theory that a lot of people who had time on their hands during the COVID-19 pandemic learned a lot about the darknet.
“Now people are setting up nodes left and right, and you have a much more anonymous environment,” he said.
According to him, it is now possible to use ChatGPT to create a Tor node.
“It will walk you through the exact steps to do that, even give you the code that you need to copy and paste, and you can turn up a Tor node,” Nyhuis said.
There are an estimated 1.3 billion websites in the world. Delaware-based cybersecurity company DeepStrike estimates that only 0.01 percent of those are on the darknet but that Tor traffic rose to 3 million users per day in 2025.
So why can we not just ban Tor browsers and switch off the darknet?
China has tried to use its Great Firewall to block the darknet, but with limited success.
“China has tried blocking known Tor nodes to try to throttle traffic,” Nyhuis said. “But it’s really a cat-and-mouse game. There’s no main kill switch.”
So rather than try to kill off the darknet—which appears to be impossible—intelligence services and law enforcement are learning to live with it and deal with the threats within it.
“I can assure you that law enforcement is active on these [darknet] marketplaces,” Townsend said. “We aren’t just watching from the sidelines.”
“Investigators are embedded in these communities, often operating undercover to identify the players behind the screen,” he said.
“The international law enforcement community also works incredibly well together, sharing intelligence across borders to combat these global criminal networks,” Townsend said. “Because the darknet doesn’t recognize national boundaries, our response has to be just as seamless.”
Last year, ransomware negotiator Mark Lance told The Epoch Times that attackers usually leave ransom notes within a targeted information technology system, which will usually advise the victim to download a Tor browser, go to a website on the darknet, and initiate communications with the attackers.
But even when law enforcement learns about these darknet websites, closing them down is not necessarily the solution.
“Shutting down one darknet communication channel rarely solves the problem because hackers can quickly bring another one online, either from backups or [by] simply moving to another platform,” Nyhuis said.
“The darknet is just a tool and even if a specific site is taken offline criminals can spin up another one quickly.”
Erdman said he does not see the darknet going away as long as there is a market for drugs, stolen data, and child sexual abuse images.
“Even if Tor was ripped down tomorrow, something would be built back up in its place,” he said.
“It’s a lot of work for governments to crack down,” Erdman said. “You can try and limit it, you can try and block the traffic … but users will find a way to get around it.”
Tyler Durden
Mon, 02/16/2026 – 18:55
