Category: News
UCLA’s Roch Cholowsky embraces his status as projected No. 1 MLB draft pick — which Chicago White Sox own
He has been called the best shortstop to come through college baseball in at least two decades. He’s the centerpiece of a loaded UCLA squad that has all the makings of a team capable of winning the national championship. He long has been projected to be the No. 1 pick in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft in July.
Roch Cholowsky embraces all of it.
“I enjoy expectations. I enjoy trying to go after something,” Cholowsky said in an interview with The Associated Press. “The main goal obviously is what we’re doing with the guys here at school.”
Cholowsky, named 2025 national player of the year by multiple outlets, begins his third season with the Bruins on Friday when they open at home against UC San Diego. He’ll be the most-watched college player in the country the next four months as he tries to lead the Bruins back to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.
UCLA coach John Savage, understanding the pressure Cholowsky will be under, set up a lunch for his star player with Phil Nevin last week. Nevin was picked No. 1 in the 1992 draft by the Houston Astros the same week he was playing in the CWS for Cal State Fullerton.
Nevin played 12 years in the majors, coached and managed in the minors and majors and now works for the Chicago White Sox as a special assistant for player development.
The Sox, it so happens, have the No. 1 draft pick.
The conversation between Nevin and Cholowsky during their hourlong lunch mostly was about their similarities at the same stage in their careers and the ways Nevin approached the day-to-day of his draft year.
“We didn’t talk too much about the White Sox or what they’re thinking about,” Cholowsky said.
If Cholowsky wants more insight on pro ball, he always can talk to his dad. Dan Cholowsky was the No. 39 pick in the 1991 draft by the St. Louis Cardinals after playing second and third base at California. He spent eight years in the minors before going into scouting. Roch said he and his dad talk baseball every day.
Roch Cholowsky arrived at UCLA from Chandler, Ariz., as part of the heralded 2023 recruiting class. He started every game and batted a team-best .308 as the Bruins struggled to a 19-33 record in 2024. The players could have splintered and high-tailed it to the transfer portal, but Cholowsky said he and his teammates believed in Savage’s plan and the hard times strengthened their resolve.
“The conversations we had were more about what we could change to turn it around rather than looking at other options and finding the easy way out,” he said.
The Bruins finished last season 48-18 overall and 22-8 in their first year in the Big Ten. They swept through regionals and super regionals and went 1-2 in the CWS.
Cholowsky broke out, winning the Brooks Wallace Award as the nation’s top shortstop and Big Ten player of the year and defensive player of the year. He led the Bruins in batting (.353), home runs (23), total bases (179), slugging percentage (.710), on-base percentage (.480), hits (89) and runs scored (80).
According to his draft thumbnail on MLB.com, some scouts consider him the top all-around college shortstop since Long Beach State’s Troy Tulowitzki, the No. 7 pick in 2005.
“We’ve had some really good shortstops here, and Roch clearly is elite — not only for his play but for his loyalty,” Savage said. “He’ll do anything to win. He’s very unselfish, not really caring who gets the credit. Obviously there’s a lot of hype around him and a lot of stories and so forth. He understands team and he understands the progression of what a good team has to go through.”
UCLA begins the season ranked No. 1 by Baseball America and D1Baseball.com, and Savage credits Cholowsky for keeping the group of juniors together to make one more run at a title before many of them head to pro ball.
“He’s an exceptional clubhouse guy,” Savage said. “His makeup, his leadership, his body of work in terms of his work ethic in the weight room, drills, practice, meetings … it’s all about winning with him.
“Whenever you have your best player as one of the best workers, that’s giving the right message day in and day out and makes life much easier.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/13/chicago-white-sox-roch-cholowsky-ucla/
Column: Matas Buzelis is the new face of the Chicago Bulls — but stardom remains slightly out of reach
For a few seconds in Monday’s road loss to the Brooklyn Nets, Matas Buzelis could barely breathe.
The second-year forward had launched himself on the typical aggressive trajectory that allows him to block more shots than any of his Chicago Bulls teammates. Buzelis knew what to expect once he made it into the air, where to place his hand to anticipate the redirection as the ball charted toward the rim.
What he didn’t expect was a new teammate sliding into his landing path. Buzelis was still suspended midair when Collin Sexton backpedaled underneath the forward, knocking his legs backward to send the younger player crashing to the floor, stomach-first. And for a second, Buzelis stayed flat on the court, wincing as he measured up how much pain he could take, how much of the game was left to endure the burden of anchoring the Bulls at both ends of the court.
Six minutes down. Three-and-a-half quarters to go.
This is the new status quo for Buzelis. The 21-year-old kid is becoming increasingly familiar with the hardwood of arenas around the league. It’s not abnormal for a young player to get tossed around — but this is a bit different.
After a tumultuous trade deadline, Buzelis is the primary option for the Bulls, the face of a team taking the first step toward redefining its identity. He’s also one of only three players available who was also on the roster a week ago. Young stars are supposed to get the spotlight treatment. But what Buzelis is receiving is something closer to a floodlight.
The Bulls know what they have in Buzelis. So does the NBA, which is why he was selected to participate in the Rising Stars event Saturday during All-Star weekend. He averages 15.2 points (third in his draft class) and 5.3 rebounds per game while tallying the 10th-most blocks (79) in the league.
For a player who averaged 13 points and 4.5 rebounds in his final 31 games as a rookie, this might seem like a small step forward. But the Bulls, for their part, are content with the progress Buzelis has made this season.
Coach Billy Donovan often appears to slip into the role of disciplinarian when handling Buzelis, regularly pulling the forward off the court for defensive mistakes and missed rebounds. Yet as the weeks wore on, Donovan began to readily praise the forward — for his work ethic, his playmaking, his improved timing and vision.
Even if the numbers seem reserved, Donovan feels Buzelis has made a “significant” leap in Year 2. The remainder of this season will be spent preserving that growth as the forward plunges into the dire straits of navigating a tank job as one of the few players whose future is tied to the rebuild at hand.
Column: Despite the fire sale, Chicago Bulls players aren’t interested in the rebuild narrative
The Bulls made a difficult commitment at the deadline. For the next nine weeks, this team is going to lose as many games as possible. They will do so not because the players or coaches aren’t trying — in fact, it’s the opposite. The roster simply has been stripped and gutted of enough parts that the remaining players, while dedicated to attempted competitiveness, simply can’t keep up with the rest of the league.
This has been an effective tactic so far. The Bulls lost nine of their last 10 games before the All-Star break. In the process, they have marginally improved their odds of landing a top-four draft pick from 2.4% to 13.9% while dropping out of play-in tournament position by a full two games.
Bulls forward Matas Buzelis points to a teammate after scoring against the Nuggets on Feb. 7, 2026, at the United Center. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
This approach isn’t particularly palatable to fans, but it is mostly accepted as a necessary mechanism for long-term roster improvement among the bottom rung of NBA teams. Still, one tricky aspect of tanking is ignored too often: How does a team throw away a season without also ruining a season of development for its existing young core.
Buzelis is being asked to do too much. He inherited too many responsibilities from Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu and Nikola Vučević. Buzelis already had his hands full just trying to live up to his potential as the best two-way player in the starting lineup. Now he’s trying to rally a locker room of strangers, initiate the offense as a primary playmaker and swallow up the mistakes and confusion of his teammates on defense.
Most of the time, he’s juggling these jobs with that signature grin, taking extra time in the locker room to check in with his new teammates, trading off jokes and questions during lulls in shootarounds and practices. But at times, the exhaustion — both physical and emotional — shows through. This is hard. And it’s not getting easier anytime soon.
The Bulls can’t afford to mess the next nine weeks up — because Buzelis is the future in Chicago. The front office believes Josh Giddey is a worthwhile investment. They see promise in 19-year-old rookie Noa Essengue, who played fewer than 10 minutes with the Bulls before suffering a season-ending injury. And the Bulls are genuinely interested in the potential of deadline acquisitions such as Jaden Ivey and Anfernee Simons.
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But in Chicago, Buzelis is the fulcrum that every step hinges around. If he develops into a star, the Bulls have a decent plan on their hands. If his progress stalls out, this team is in trouble. And that’s how the forward ended up under a too-bright light at the end of this season, burdened with the unfortunate responsibility of being one of the few players the front office felt was worth investing in long term.
This weekend should serve as yet another reminder of how far this franchise has fallen from relevancy. Buzelis will be the only Bulls representative at the All-Star festivities in Los Angeles. The Bulls have not had a player selection to the All-Star team in three seasons.
The Bulls suffer from a talent vacuum. Role players and depth can go only so far. Even the front office has somewhat abandoned the mythos of “nine or 10 really good players” that once suggested this team could find success simply by rounding out an extensive and hardworking supporting cast. If this team is ever going to get serious again, it will begin with the definition and evolution of a true standout.
Is Buzelis the answer? It’s still too early to say definitively. But for now, he’s the closest thing the Bulls have to stardom.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/13/chicago-bulls-matas-buzelis-all-star-weekend/
Editorial: Cleopatra “Cleo” Cowley for Illinois 34th House District Democratic primary
This Far South Side and south suburban seat is open thanks to the retirement of Rep. Nick Smith, who’s represented the district since 2018. Running are two Democrats, Aja Kearney, most recently district director for Illinois Rep. Marcus C. Evans Jr., and Cleopatra “Cleo” Cowley. Cowley is the mother of Hadiya Pendleton, who was tragically shot to death at age 15 in 2013 shortly after performing at Barack Obama’s second inauguration.
Kearney is endorsed by CTU and is well to the left of us on the political spectrum. Cowley has an inspiring life story of activism following her daughter’s shocking death and, among other things, pushed for tougher penalties for those convicted of illegal gun possession. But she advocates, too, for more resources in neighborhoods where the conditions lead to lives of violence.
Cleo Cowley is endorsed.
Read all of the Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsements for the 2026 Illinois primary election here.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
What we learned at Chicago Cubs camp, including starter Cade Horton having ‘a lot to prove’ in Year 2
MESA, Ariz. — Cade Horton’s vision for his next step forward as a big-league starting pitcher sounds simple.
The Chicago Cubs right-hander wants to repeat a 2025 performance that saw him record a 2.67 ERA in 118 innings to earn a second-place finish for the National League Rookie of the Year award.
“There’s still a lot to prove,” Horton, 24, said. “First year, now guys have scouting report on me. They know my stuff, so it’s just all about going out there and executing a pitch and giving my team a chance to win. … I felt like I ended the year in a good spot and so just being able to to go out there and really hammer down my routine and stay in the process, I think that’s the biggest thing for me.”
The Cubs managed Horton’s workload during his rookie season, typically limiting him to 75-85 pitches per outing to account for his increase in innings from an injury-shortened 2024. Efficiency became a key part of Horton’s mentality last year, often at the expense of strikeouts. He wanted to pound the zone and get balls in play. An increased strikeout rate could be part of the formula Horton taps into in Year 2.
“The thing that kind of framed Cade’s first year was his adaptability,” general manager Carter Hawkins told the Tribune on Thursday. “He changed his pitch mix, he added the sinker, he’s fought through injuries, and I think if we gave him a challenge to get more swing and miss, he would do that.
“He’s definitely got it in there, the stuff’s in there. So there’s definitely a possibility, and we’ll take strikeouts. So, yeah, I think having that might open things up, but really it’s just, how do we get outs?”
Michael Busch to get starts against lefties
Cubs first baseman Michael Busch connects for a solo home run in the eighth inning against the Brewers in Game 4 of the NLCS on Oct. 9, 2025, at Wrigley Field. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
The next step in the first baseman’s development will feature a fresh challenge for the 28-year-old lefty slugger.
In his first two seasons with the Cubs, Busch made only 25 total starts against lefties while 195 of his 1,159 plate appearances in that span came with a left-hander on the mound. Those lack of looks versus southpaws will be changing this year.
“The plan against left-handed starters is going to be a big part of it,” manager Craig Counsell said Thursday of Busch’s development. “It’s tough to ask for more for a lot of the rest of it. If you look at the numbers, it’s pretty elite, right? But this has been a challenge for him, and I think he’s ready for this challenge. He’s going to get an opportunity.
“‘We’re going to give him exposure to it. There’s not as many at-bats in that world, period. But you want everyday players, it can affect roster construction, things like that.”
Busch struggled in his limited sample size last year off lefties, posting a .207/.274/.368 slash line with two doubles, four home runs, seven walks and 26 strikeouts. The Cubs also have right-handed-hitting Tyler Austin, whom Counsell considers primarily a first baseman, describing him Thursday as a contingency in the outfield. Austin’s presence gives the Cubs security if Busch’s opportunities against left-handers don’t trend well.
Outfield competition still taking shape
Barring injuries, the Cubs know who their eight starting position players in the field will be entering the season.
One of the main camp roster battles centers on their backup outfielder options. Although the Cubs’ first full-squad workout isn’t until Monday, most of their position players, both on the 40-man roster and nonroster invitees, are already in camp.
Wading through roster machinations for their fourth-outfielder spot isn’t a conversation Counsell is ready for quite yet. He will have plenty of options, however, including Kevin Alcántara and Justin Dean plus NRIs Chas McCormick and Dylan Carlson.
“I’m not really making a lot of evaluations there at this point,” Counsell said. “We have a couple roster guys, some nonroster guys — there’s a lot of things we’ve got to figure out, like Matt Shaw and that situation I think that matters to this scenario and what the roster looks like. So, I don’t want to even make any judgments there. I want to be very open about that, and essentially there’s a backup catcher, and that’s all I know.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/13/chicago-cubs-cade-horton-michael-busch/
Nick Lardis and Kevin Korchinski motivated for return to Chicago Blackhawks: ‘You want the stay to last’
ROCKFORD — Things were quiet for the Western Conference to start the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic Skills Competition on Tuesday. The first of seven events was the puck-control relay, in which each player had to maneuver the puck through multiple cones.
The Eastern Conference gained the first three points of the event, thanks in part to Rockford IceHogs captain Brett Seney’s contact with a cameraman. The West’s last hope of the round, Nick Lardis, skated out.
The left winger — who was reassigned to Rockford on Jan. 26 after playing 21 games with the Chicago Blackhawks this season — completed the drill with ease. He glided through the cones and finished before his opponent, earning the West’s first point.
The crowd didn’t hide its support for the IceHogs All-Stars, as Lardis received the ovation that mirrored his NHL debut at the United Center. His first All-Star experience was a thumbs-up.
“It’s been really cool,” Lardis said. “To kind of walk over to the guys, meet a lot of guys that you don’t really get to play over the year here in the (AHL), it’s good to meet those guys and compete with them a little bit out here and have some fun.”
The 20-year-old earned his first AHL All-Star nod after racking up 28 points (15 goals, 13 assists) in 28 games with the IceHogs. The one-point-per-game average comes one year after his 117-point season in the OHL with the Brantford Bulldogs.
He had his highlights with the Hawks, including a game-winning shootout goal against the Stars on Dec. 27 in Dallas. When he was reassigned to Rockford, the Hawks were in an offensive drought, which continued in a shutout road loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets in their last game before the Olympic break.
Despite the demotion, Lardis learned a ton in his time with the Hawks — namely being poised against the greater talent in the NHL.
“I think just implementing hard skill in a way, using my strengths, which is my shot, skill and speed,” Lardis said. “At the same time, teams are so good up there, physically and structured, and all their systems are really good.
“It’s just making sure that you’re playing with a lot of hard skill, and being a good two-way player is huge.”
Lardis performed well with the Hawks. The day a permanent call-up comes, he vows to be ready.
“Got the experience at both levels, and it’s been unbelievable to learn from this league and gain a lot of confidence and trust from my coaches,” Lardis said. “And then (to) get that call-up to the NHL for a little bit of time, that was unbelievable too.
“Learned a lot there, learned from the players and the coaches too. So (I’m) trying to use that information and bring it down here again and grow my game even more so when I do get that next opportunity, I’m ready to go.”
Lardis also participated in the accuracy-shooting event Tuesday, in which four targets were placed on the corners of the net and the All-Stars had to hit them in the fewest amount of shots. He was nearly perfect, going 4-for-5.
Blackhawks defenseman Kevin Korchinski takes a shot against the Sharks on Jan. 16, 2024, at the United Center. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Defenseman Kevin Korchinski made sure to give his teammate some tough love for the single miss. But Lardis was gunning for a bigger prize.
Korchinski was the MVP of last year’s AHL All-Star Challenge after finishing with four points (one goal, three assists). He was back representing the Central Division for the round-robin tournament Wednesday night at the BMO Center, as were two of his IceHogs teammates, Lardis and Seney.
Lardis and Seney each had three points in the four games Wednesday, but Pacific Division beat the Central 3-1 in the final. Colorado Eagles forward Jayson Megna was named the MVP after totaling four goals and three assists for the Pacific.
After the skills challenge Tuesday night, the three IceHogs made sure to sign autographs and offer their appreciation to their fans.
“I signed a lot of stuff, but I love to do it, I love to interact with the fans here,” Korchinski said. “They’re so passionate. They’re the reason why we play the sport.”
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The crowd returned the love to the back-to-back All-Star defenseman, politely ignoring his name being misspelled on the video board. The No. 7 pick of the 2022 draft has 23 points (two goals, 21 assists) in 43 games with the IceHogs this season.
Korchinski’s Hawks stint this season was much shorter than Lardis’, lasting just two games (one assist) with an average ice time of 13:59. He still feels pretty satisfied with his game compared with last season.
“Playing a different role, trying to get asked to play different styles in different scenarios and just being able to be more versatile … whatever they want me to do to help the team win, that’s what I’m trying to do right now,” Korchinski, 21, said. “I think I played a lot better the second game (with the Hawks). It’s always a privilege getting called up and getting (the) opportunity.”
Like Lardis, Korchinksi wants to prove himself at the next level come his next recall. He has 94 NHL games under his belt, but he’s looking to skate in plenty more.
“When you get that taste in your mouth, you want the stay to last and you want to stay up there as long as you can,” Korchinski said. “Getting that opportunity to play your game up there, it’s awesome and you want to be playing there the whole year.
“Whenever the opportunity arises, you just got to make the most of it and do whatever you can to stay there and help the team win and be the best version of yourself. You got to be patient, I think as defenseman, it’s hard to be in the NHL, it’s a hard job.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/13/chicago-blackhawks-nick-lardis-kevin-korchinski/
Mercedes Warns Of Fresh Margin Squeeze As China Struggles Persist
Mercedes Warns Of Fresh Margin Squeeze As China Struggles Persist
Mercedes-Benz warned that profitability in its car division could come under renewed strain this year, underscoring a difficult outlook as the luxury group contends with elevated costs, weak demand in China and global trade tariffs, according to Reuters.
Shares fell as much as 5.7% after the announcement and were down 3.1% by mid-morning trade on Thursday.
Presenting 2025 results that fell short of expectations, CEO Ola Kaellenius told investors, “The rules are changing,” adding, “We are fundamentally reinventing the company.”
The automaker projected a 2026 adjusted return on sales of 3% to 5% in its core cars unit, compared with 5% last year — below the 5.4% analysts had forecast. Group operating profit dropped 57% to 5.8 billion euros, missing the expected 6.6 billion euros, hit by roughly 1 billion euros in tariff costs, adverse currency effects and sliding sales in China.
Reuters writes that while management expects a marked rebound in operating profit this year following 1.6 billion euros in redundancy charges in 2025, challenges in China persist. Finance chief Harald Wilhelm said car sales there are likely to decline again in 2026 after a 19% fall last year, as competition intensifies against domestic rivals and peers such as Volkswagen and BMW.
Mercedes is banking on an aggressive rollout of 40 new models over the next three years — beginning with its updated flagship S-Class — to regain momentum in the world’s largest auto market.
Over the longer term, the company aims to lift margins in its autos division back to 8%–10%, supported by what it called “relentless cost discipline.” Measures include job reductions launched in 2025 and expanded production in lower-cost locations such as Kecskemet, Hungary. Analysts at Jefferies said the medium-term target “looks confident but may be questioned.”
Tyler Durden
Fri, 02/13/2026 – 06:55
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/mercedes-warns-fresh-margin-squeeze-china-struggles-persist
Editorial: Kam Buckner for Illinois 26th House District Democratic primary
Rep. Kam Buckner has represented this South Side district since 2019. He’s being challenged by Kenya Franklin, a media consultant on political campaigns.
Franklin is well versed on the issues, and we appreciated many of her positions, such as supporting a constitutional amendment on pensions to allow for sensible reforms in the name of reducing property taxes.
But we think Buckner has been an able representative for his district. We were surprised at his support in the fall for a tax on unrealized investment gains of wealthy Illinoisans in order to fund a bailout of the Chicago area’s transit systems. Thankfully, that proposal quickly died, and we hope not to see its return.
But, overall, Kam Buckner is one of Springfield’s smartest and most effective lawmakers, and he gets our endorsement.
Read all of the Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsements for the 2026 Illinois primary election here.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
Editorial: James O’Brien for Illinois 13th House District Democratic primary
This North Side district, including Uptown and Lincoln Square, has been represented for two terms by Hoan Huynh, who is running for Congress. Five candidates are running in the Democratic primary.
Three of them — community organizer Sunjay Kumar, data analyst Ridge Knapp and military veteran Demerike “Demi” Palecek — are running on platforms well to the left of where we’re comfortable.
That leaves former Deputy Attorney General Adam Braun and Illinois Commerce Commission policy adviser James O’Brien, and both are solid candidates. Our nod goes to O’Brien, who gave us thoughtful ideas on the state’s pension crisis (he’s a supporter of careful use of pension obligation bonds, for example) and is an ardent supporter of enacting state policies forcing localities to act more quickly on proposals to build new housing.
Braun cited his work in Raoul’s office to clamp down on social media and its effect on kids — a cause we embrace as well. But we appreciated O’Brien’s more direct answers to our questions, even if we weren’t fully on board with him (such as his support for progressive income taxes).
James O’Brien has our endorsement.
Read all of the Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsements for the 2026 Illinois primary election here.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
Editorial: Paul Kendrick for Illinois 12th House District Democratic primary
Rep. Margaret Croke, who’s represented this North Side district, including affluent neighborhoods such as Lincoln Park and Old Town, since 2021, is running for the statewide office of comptroller. Four Democrats are running to succeed her.
They are Karim Lakhani, chief development officer for his family’s Chicago-area hotel business; Litcy Kurisinkal, who’s held several local Democratic Party posts; Mac LeBuhn, an attorney who worked in Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration; and Paul Kendrick, a former campaign and administration official for Barack Obama.
Lakhani’s campaign is largely funded by family money, and he’s endorsed by CTU, so he doesn’t support the state opting into the new national tax-credit scholarship program. He endorses a graduated income tax, which state voters handily rejected in a 2020 referendum.
Kurisinkal describes herself as a pragmatic progressive and holds many positions in the Democratic Party mainstream, including support for a graduated income tax. But, she says, it needs to be a new proposal that can overcome the skepticism of the voters who rejected it the first time.
By way of demonstrating his willingness to take on tough issues, LeBuhn, 37, cites his experience in Lightfoot’s City Hall, helping to spearhead the former mayor’s effort to end aldermanic prerogative, which gives aldermen effective veto power over most zoning decisions in their wards. That effort ultimately was unsuccessful and helped create Lightfoot’s sour relations with the City Council toward the end of her single term.
We do very much appreciate LeBuhn’s fight for fair legislative maps in Illinois as chairman of CHANGE Illinois. He says he would continue that fight in Springfield.
It’s a close call, but we favor Kendrick, 42, in this race. He calls for a “grand bargain” on Illinois’ pensions — “I’m willing to take on that third rail,” he said at a Feb. 2 candidates’ forum — and he is proposing legislation to crack down on the organized retail-theft gangs in Chicago, a stance he says has gotten him “yelled at in rooms of my own party.”
Kendrick emphasizes the urgent need for Illinois to become more economically competitive. He co-chairs Rust Belt Rising, a group of centrist Democrats seeking to make the party more competitive throughout the Upper Midwest by focusing on economic messaging aimed at working-class voters.
We think Paul Kendrick would be an outstanding state lawmaker, and he is enthusiastically endorsed.
Read all of the Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsements for the 2026 Illinois primary election here.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
NATO’s ‘Arctic Sentry’ Formalizes The Race For The High North
NATO’s ‘Arctic Sentry’ Formalizes The Race For The High North
Via RFE/RL,
NATO officially launched its Arctic Sentry mission on February 11 to improve its military posture in the Arctic region, following recent tensions between the United States and Denmark over Greenland.
The mission is intended to bring all of NATO’s Arctic activities under one command to counter increasing Russian and Chinese activity in the strategically significant area.
Arctic Sentry is confirmed to be a “multidomain” mission, covering air, sea, and land, and will incorporate ongoing exercises like Denmark’s Arctic Endurance and the upcoming Cold Response.
NATO officially launched its Arctic Sentry mission on February 11 in a bid to improve the military posture of the alliance in the Arctic region.
The move follows recent tensions between NATO allies Denmark and the United States over the political future of Greenland. When it was first mooted last month, several diplomats told RFE/RL that a potential Arctic mission could be a way out of a growing crisis.
Following a meeting between US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte last month in Davos, Switzerland, it was agreed that NATO should play a bigger role around Greenland to counter potential Chinese and Russian interference around the island and in the Arctic in general.
Speaking at a press conference in Brussels on February 11, Rutte said that “for the first time we will bring everything we do in Arctic under one command. We will not only leverage all that we are doing, we will also see what gaps there are and we will fill them” adding that “we do this because we have a clear sense that the Russians and the Chinese are becoming more active there.
In a press release announcing the launch, NATO’s supreme allied commander for Europe, Alexus Grynkewich, said that “Arctic Sentry underscores the Alliance’s commitment to safeguard its members and maintain stability in one of the world’s most strategically significant and environmentally challenging areas,” adding that it would “leverage NATO’s strength to protect our territory and ensure the Arctic and High North remains secure.”
No details have emerged so far about how many NATO countries are involved in the mission or troop levels, although the military alliance has confirmed that it is “multidomain,” meaning it will cover air, sea, and land.
NATO has also stated that Denmark’s Arctic Endurance exercise together with 11 other European NATO nations currently going on in and around Greenland and the upcoming Cold Response exercise in northern Norway and Finland involving 25,000 soldiers, including American troops, will form part of Arctic Sentry.
Seven of the eight so-called Arctic countries are NATO members, with Russia being the glaring exception.
And while the waters around Greenland aren’t full of Russian and Chinese ships right now, that could change as Arctic Sea ice melts and new sea lanes open up.
Arctic Sentry comes after NATO formed similar missions in 2025 that are still underway in the Baltic Sea — as a response to the alleged Russian sabotage of undersea cables — and on the alliance’s eastern flank — after Russian drone incursions into Poland in September.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 02/13/2026 – 06:30
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/natos-arctic-sentry-formalizes-race-high-north
