Category: News
Marimar Martinez lawyers say officials ‘created a culture of violence’ among agents
Lawyers for Marimar Martinez, the Chicago woman shot by a Border Patrol agent in October, said Wednesday evidence released this week “shows the world” that Trump administration officials “have created a culture of violence among their agents” where the shootings of U.S. citizens are “embraced, celebrated and promoted.”
Investigative materials made public Tuesday showed that after shooting Martinez five times on Oct. 4, Border Patrol Agent Charles Exum joked about it in a text chat with colleagues, was called a “legend” by one of his fellow agents, and received praise directly from his boss, Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino, as Martinez lay badly wounded in a hospital.
“As Marimar was fighting for her life in the hospital, Greg Bovino was promoting the agent without any investigation being done into the shooting,” Martinez’s lead attorney, Christopher Parente, said Wednesday.
Parente said the evidence shed light on the actions of Bovino’s agents in later operations in Minneapolis, where residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed in incidents eerily similar to Martinez’s.
“This is why after agents shot Renee Good in cold blood on the streets of Minneapolis they did not attempt to perform CPR,” Parente said. “They were all checking their phones to see what reward commander Bovino was going to give them for successfully killing another protestor.”
The evidence offered a rare, behind-the-scenes look at one of the highest-profile investigations of Operation Midway Blitz, where Trump administration officials, in a playbook that has now become familiar in other cities, almost immediately labeled of Martínez as a “domestic terrorist” after she was shot — a narrative the government has refused to retract even after assault charges against Martínez were dropped.
Among the trove of evidence was an email sent by Bovino at 3:11 p.m. on the day of the shooting.
“Good afternoon,” read the email. “I would like to extend an offer to you to extend your retirement beyond age 57…. In light of your excellent service in Chicago, you have much left to do!!”
Exum, meanwhile, exchanged a series of texts with his wife as well as a group of fellow agents under the name “Posse Chat.” In one of them, someone Exum identified as “the guy from Vermont” wrote, “Good job brother, glad you are unharmed and get to live to tell the story.”
“You are a legend among agents you better (expletive) know that. Beers on me when I see you at training,” the agent texted Exum, the records show.
At a news conference Wednesday, Parente said it matters that the public can now see the “real evidence as opposed to the false claims of our government.”
“We live in a strange time right now, where we cannot trust our government,” he told reporters.
Parente called the news conference to announce civil litigation against the federal government in the case.
That process would begin Wednesday with the filing of a federal torts claim with the Department of Justice. If there’s no response, Martinez’s attorneys will file a federal civil rights lawsuit in U.S. District Court.
Attorney Michael Gallagher said they would be asking for “tens of millions of dollars” in damages.
This is a developing story. Check back for details.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/11/marimar-martinez-shooting-immigration/
Mama’s Boy? Sam Bankman-Fried, Represented By His Mother, Files For New Trial In FTX Implosion Case
Mama’s Boy? Sam Bankman-Fried, Represented By His Mother, Files For New Trial In FTX Implosion Case
Sam Bankman-Fried has renewed his effort to overturn his FTX fraud conviction, filing a request for a new trial in federal court through a motion submitted by his mother in New York, according to Coindesk and Yahoo News.
The former crypto exchange chief, now serving a 25-year prison sentence, argues that recently uncovered evidence and missing testimony from earlier proceedings justify reopening his case. The filing points in part to the absence of former FTX executive Ryan Salame, who later faced his own criminal charges. Salame had previously said he believed his cooperation with prosecutors would protect his wife, Michelle Bond, who was later charged over alleged illegal campaign donations.
The 35-page request was submitted as a “pro se” motion, meaning Bankman-Fried is currently acting as his own attorney.
At the same time, he has launched a renewed public campaign on X, using posts to support his push for a retrial. In those messages, he portrays himself as a victim of politically driven “lawfare,” accusing prosecutors and judges of bias and retaliation against FTX executives. Independent reviews, however, have found that several of his claims conflict with court records.
Among them, Bankman-Fried has suggested that both he and former President Donald Trump were placed under comparable gag orders. Court documents show the situations were different: Trump’s restrictions stemmed from separate cases, while Bankman-Fried’s order followed repeated violations of pretrial conditions.
He has also revived his long-standing argument that FTX “was always solvent” and that customer funds were never stolen. That position was rejected at trial, where jurors concluded that client assets were misused and misrepresented. Federal courts have since ruled that later asset recoveries do not prove the company was solvent at the time of the misconduct.
In another claim, Bankman-Fried said Trump “fired” one of his prosecutors, Danielle Sassoon. Public records indicate she resigned over an unrelated Justice Department dispute and was not dismissed in connection with the FTX case.
Earlier appeals alleging an unfair trial were met with skepticism from judges last November, who said solvency was not the central issue in the verdict.
“Part of the government’s theory of the case is that the defendant misrepresented to investors that their money was safe, was not being used in the way that it was the government claims and the jury convicted it was, in fact, used,” said Circuit Judge Maria Araújo Kahn.
Bankman-Fried has also claimed he was targeted for his political views, crypto lobbying, and donations to Republicans. Courts have found no evidence supporting that argument, noting that the case relied on documents, internal messages, and witness testimony. Records also show he personally donated to Joe Biden’s campaign.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has said he would not consider clemency for Bankman-Fried. Despite this, the former executive continues to argue online that his conviction was politically motivated as he presses for another chance in court.
Tyler Durden
Wed, 02/11/2026 – 13:05
Indiana doxing bill amended to include drone language
The House Courts and Criminal Code committee passed three amendments to the doxing bill before passing it Wednesday.
Doxing is when a person who knowingly or intentionally posts information, like an address or a phone number, of a targeted person in retaliation. Under Senate Bill 140, authored by State Sen. Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville, doxing will become a Class A misdemeanor and a Level 6 felony if the posting of the personal information results in the targeted person or someone closely connected to the person suffering serious injury or death.
The charge could rise to a Level 5 felony if the posting of personal information of a specific person or someone close to the targeted person experienced catastrophic injury or death.
The bill was amended in the Senate to include language about the intent of doxing as the crime.
The House Courts and Criminal Code committee approved three amendments to the bill related to drone use, the posting of personal information, and railroad crew members.
The drone amendment states that if someone operates a drone over someone else’s property with the intent to harass, disturb or injure an animal; dump a substance from the drone; or fly the drone into a building on the property, it would be a Level 6 felony.
The language of the amendment was taken from House Bill 1064, authored by State Rep. Kendell Culp, R-Rensselaer, which didn’t advance into the second half of session, said amendment author State Rep. Alex Zimmerman, R-North Vernon.
Zimmerman offered another amendment that would link doxing with intimidation and require that more than one piece of personal information would have to be posted to prove the intent of doxing. If a state legislator is the subject of doxing, the amendment states that the person posting the information would face a Level 5 felony.
State Rep. Mitch Gore, D-Indianapolis, offered an amendment to state that a railroad crew member’s personal information is redacted from railroad fatality reports.
When a railroad crew member is involved in a fatality, Gore said the crew member’s information is reported in a police report. From the police report, Gore said the crew member could take a hit on his or her car insurance and could face harassment from a victim’s family.
State Rep. Andrew Ireland, R-Indianapolis, said he was concerned about the railroad amendment because some fatalities could’ve been due to negligence of the railroad company or the railroad crew but that information would be redacted.
“It’s a little concerning. I understand the underlying intent here, and I don’t think that’s what you’re trying to get at, but I think the way it’s written we risk that here,” Ireland said.
Gore said railroad accidents are investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and redacted police reports wouldn’t impede the investigation.
State Rep. Stephen Bartels, R-Eckerty, asked if the railroad engineer or crews involved in a fatality that doesn’t involve a train — for example driving a work vehicle along the track — would be impacted by the amendment.
Gore said under the amendment a railroad fatality doesn’t include a situation where a crew member was driving a company vehicle.
“The intent is however many members of the crew, the engineers or the operators, essentially inside the engine is the goal there,” Gore said.
All three amendments passed by consent, with Gore stating he was open to cleaning up the language of his amendment when it’s heard on second reading by the House.
The committee passed the amended bill 13-0. It moves forward for consideration by the House.
Becker, the bill author, presented the bill to the committee on Feb. 4 and said she filed the bill because of the threats against state senators amid the mid-census redistricting discussions last year.
State Sen. Greg Goode, R-Terre Haute, received the worst of the threats, Becker said. Goode was upstairs taking a shower and his wife and son were downstairs taking out Christmas decorations when police knocked down the front door because a report was made that Goode had murdered his wife, Becker said.
“You could imagine what could’ve happened in that particular case,” Becker said.
In November, Senate Pro Tem Rodric Bray, R-Martinsville, announced he would cancel the early December session to take up mid-census redistricting because the chamber did not have the votes to pass the measure.
Two days after the cancellation announcement, President Donald Trump issued a statement on his social media site Truth Social calling out “RINO” Bray and Goode, “for not wanting to redistrict their state, allowing the United States Congress to perhaps gain two more Republican seats.”
Hours after Trump posted his comment, Goode received a false swatting call. After Organization Day, when the Senate voted to reconvene in January, at least seven more State Senators — Dan Dernulc, Spencer Deery, Rick Niemeyer, Kyle Walker, Greg Walker, Linda Rogers and Andy Zay — received swatting calls.
The Trump administration asked Republican state leaders to redraw Congressional maps to ensure a Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2026 election.
Mid-census redistricting conversations and actions began in August when Texas redrew its Congressional map to give Republicans five more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. In response, Democratic states, like California, have taken steps to redistrict to gain Democratic seats.
Ultimately, the Indiana legislature met in early December to take up redistricting. The measure passed the House, but failed in the Senate.
Miriam Dant, representing the Anti-Defamation League, testified in support of the doxing bill before the committee on Feb. 4. The organization supports the bill “because it will serve as a critical measure to combat the growing use of doxing here in Indiana.”
“It sends a clear message that when a person intentionally disseminates another individual’s personal, identifying information to subject them or their family to serious harm there is a clear legal consequence. At the same time, the bill appropriately protects free speech while targeting criminal intent,” Dant said.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/11/indiana-doxing-bill-amended-to-include-drone-language/
Canada in shock after one of the country’s worst mass shootings
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Canadians were in shock Wednesday after authorities said seven people were killed at a school in remote British Columbia and two others were killed at a nearby home in one of the country’s deadliest mass shootings.
A woman who police believed was the shooter was found dead, apparently from a self-inflicted wound, police said. The motive remained unclear.
More than 25 people were wounded Tuesday in the attack in the small mountain community of Tumbler Ridge, including two with life-threatening injuries who were airlifted for medical care, police said.
The village of 2,700 people in the Canadian Rockies is more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) northeast of Vancouver, near the provincial border with Alberta. The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students in grades 7 to 12.
“Parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers in Tumbler Ridge will wake up without someone they love. The nation mourns with you, and Canada stands by you,” an emotional Prime Minister Mark Carney said as he arrived in Parliament.
Carney said flags at government buildings will be flown at half-staff for seven days and added: “We will get through this.”
School shootings are rare in Canada, which has strict gun-control laws. The government has responded to previous mass shootings with gun-control measures, including a recently broadened ban on all guns it considers assault weapons.
The attack was Canada’s deadliest rampage since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead.
Carney’s office said he would suspend a planned trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Munich, Germany. He had been set to announce a long-awaited defense industrial strategy in Halifax on Wednesday before heading to Europe for the Munich Security Conference.
British Columbia Premier David Eby told reporters that police reached the school within two minutes.
A video showed students walking out with their hands raised as police vehicles surrounded the building and a helicopter circled overhead.
Police found six people dead, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superintendent Ken Floyd said. A seventh person died while being transported to a hospital, and two more were found dead at a residence that authorities believe was connected to the attack.
Floyd told reporters that investigators had identified the suspect but would not release a name. He said police were investigating the connection between the shooter and the victims.
Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka said it was “devastating” to learn how many had died in the community, which he called a “big family.”
“I broke down,” Krakowka said. “I have lived here for 18 years. I probably know every one of the victims.”
The Rev. George Rowe of the Tumbler Ridge Fellowship Baptist Church went to the recreation center where victims’ families were awaiting more information.
“It was not a pretty sight. Families are still waiting to hear if it’s their child that’s deceased and because of protocol and procedure, the investigating team is very careful in releasing names,” Rowe said Tuesday.
Rowe once taught at the high school, and his three children graduated from there.
“To walk through the corridors of that school will never be the same again,” he said.
The school district said the high school and elementary school will be closed for the rest of the week.
Eby on Tuesday said he had spoken to the prime minister about the “unimaginable tragedy.”
“I know it’s causing us all to hug our kids a little bit tighter tonight,” he said. “I’m asking the people of British Columbia to look after the people of Tumbler Ridge tonight.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/11/canada-mass-shooting/
The Trump Admin Just Won The Mask Decision… Now It Should Appeal
The Trump Admin Just Won The Mask Decision… Now It Should Appeal
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has become increasingly Orwellian in his declarations of success.
Last week, Newsom was proclaiming the great success of his high-speed train to nowhere – a project delayed by decades, reduced to a fraction of the original plan, and set to cost tens of billions over budget.
This week, he is proclaiming victory after a court struck down his signature law requiring federal agents to unmask. The preliminary injunction issued Monday by Senior status Judge Christine Snyder against California’s No Secret Police Act was a victory for the Trump Administration.
However, it should still appeal Judge Snyder’s flawed decision. In other words, the Administration won for the wrong reason.
Snyder, an Obama appointee, faced two laws passed in September 2025 with great fanfare in California: the Secret Police Act and the No Vigilante Act. As their titles indicate, they are not serious efforts at legislating but unconstitutional acts designed to pander to the politics of the moment.
In the oral argument, some of us were concerned over the curious position staked out by Judge Synder.
DOJ counsel Tiberius Davis tried to explain how such state laws usurp federal authority and violate the Supremacy Clause.
He drove that point home by asking “Why couldn’t California say every immigration officer needs to wear pink, so it’s super obvious who they are? The idea that all 50 states can regulate the conduct and uniforms of officers … flips the Constitution on its head.”
That would seem an unassailable point, but not to Judge Synder.
She asked, “Why can’t they perform their duties without a mask? They did that until 2025, did they not? How in the world do those who don’t mask manage to operate?”
I remarked at the time that the court seemed to miss the central point.
The question is not whether the federal government can continue to function under limitations imposed by various states, but whether those states have the authority to impose such conditions.
I do not believe that they do.
Nevertheless, Judge Synder came to the right conclusion for the wrong reason.
She enjoined the mask requirement, but did so on the basis that California exempted its own officers.
“Even though the United States has failed to demonstrate that the facial covering prohibition of the No Secret Police Act unduly interferes with federal functions, the court acknowledges that it is nonetheless an incidental regulation on law enforcement officers. The intergovernmental immunity doctrine prohibits imposing such a regulatory burden, albeit minimal and incidental to operations, in a discriminatory manner against the federal government.”
By adopting this narrow basis, the court was able to enjoin the No Secret Police Act while rejecting an injunction against the No Vigilantes Act and certain other provisions of the No Secret Police Act.
I think the court is wrong and should be reversed.
Snyder rejected the rationale of the federal government that these masks are being used to protect ICE agents from “doxing,” even though various agents have been targeted and threatened. Synder waved off the concern and said that the government had not shown by such masking is essential to carrying out such functions. Her opinion relies on broad, unsupported assumptions. Because officers are facing these security concerns, she concludes that they will continue regardless: “Security concerns exist for federal law enforcement officers with or without masks. If anything, the court finds that the presence of masked and unidentifiable individuals, including law enforcement, is more likely to heighten the sense of insecurity for all.”
It is a bizarre rationalization. The court is simply imposing its judgment on what will make officers safer, rather than emphasizing whether these agencies have the discretion to make such judgments in the execution of federal law. Yet the court still enjoins the law because it discriminates between federal and state officers. (Not surprisingly, Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener, the author of the mask ban, immediately declared that they would amend the law to add state law enforcement).
The Court then upheld a state requirement that federal officers cannot conceal their identities in a discussion more befitting a legislative committee than a court:
“The Court finds that these Acts serve the public interest by promoting transparency, which is essential for accountability and public trust. Moreover, the Court finds no cognizable justification for law enforcement officers to conceal their identities during their performance of routine, non-exempted law enforcement functions and interactions with the general public.”
In my view, Judge Snyder twists the analysis into knots to try to preserve as much of these laws as possible while giving the Administration the minimum level of deference.
Under the intergovernmental immunity doctrine, the Supreme Court has mandated in cases such as McCulloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. 316, 317 (1819), that “the states have no power, by taxation or otherwise, to retard, impede, burden, or in any manner control, the operations of the constitutional law enacted by congress to carrying into execution the powers vested in the general government.” A state cannot intrude into this authority absent a “clear and unambiguous” authorization from Congress, Goodyear Atomic Corp. v. Miller, 486, U.S. 174, 180 (1988).
Snyder finds that the California laws discriminate but do not constitute direct regulation of the federal government. She does so through a “functionalist” approach that avoids bright lines of supremacy. She simply dismisses the objections, saying the federal government has not shown that wearing masks is “essential” to carrying out these functions. Consider that approach for a second. A wide range of state regulations on federal officers could be deemed permissible, since federal officers can still functionally carry out arrests. States could dictate everything from uniform requirements, such as masks, to vehicle conditions to verbal commands or warnings.
The opinion is spotty in its analysis and sweeping in its implications. It is, in my view, ripe for reversal either before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit or the Supreme Court.
Here is the opinion: a 30-page decision: United States v. California
Tyler Durden
Wed, 02/11/2026 – 12:45
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-admin-just-won-mask-decision-now-it-should-appeal
Lake County Board fights over support of Illinois RIFL Act; ‘Gun violence is not in our DNA’
In somewhat of a repeat of a similar debate last year, the Lake County Board got embroiled this month in an argument over support of the RIFL Act, a piece of state legislation that would make gun manufacturers pay for firearm injuries caused by their weapons.
The vote was purely a show of support since the board has no authority to enact such a law, with advocates describing it as an extension of the driving principles behind the county’s Gun Violence Prevention Initiative (GVPI).
According to documents shared by board member Sara Knizhnik, firearm injuries generate tens of billions of dollars of direct and indirect costs in Illinois annually.
The RIFL Act would create a fund for the wounded, their families and the public, paid into by firearm manufacturers, with the fund amount calculated annually based on the previous year’s incidences of firearm injuries and associated direct expenses.
The fund would also take into account the number of a manufacturer’s products recovered each year associated with injuries or deaths.
The item was originally presented at the board’s Legislative Committee earlier this month, which among other responsibilities, looks at drafting and recommending legislative positions. With majority support, items typically are considered to have consensus, but the RIFL Act was brought before the broader County Board at the request of board member J. Kevin Hunter.
Votes fell largely along partisan lines, with members Hunter, Ann Maine, Michael Danforth, Linda Pedersen and Adam Schlick, all Republicans, voting against supporting the act. Diane Hewitt was the sole Democrat joining them.
Board Republicans cited mostly process issues, wondering how an item that was so likely to generate controversy had been added with what they felt lacked sufficient notice. Danforth alleged “the man behind the curtain was pulling some strings,” noting the Legislative Committee meeting was well-attended by numerous supporters of the act.
Most critics avoided taking a definitive stance on the RIFL Act itself, with some expressing neutrality in the debate.
A similar situation played out in November during the approval of the county budget. It included $650,000 to partially fund the county’s GVPI through 2026.
Citing issues with the process of how that money was added to the budget, Republican board members voted in protest against approving the budget. But their criticisms were centered around process, and they largely avoided making direct criticisms of the county’s gun violence prevention work.
‘Firearm killer bill’
Danforth, who has a background as a weapons importer, which he said gives him knowledge of the firearm industry, was the loudest critic of the RIFL Act itself. He called it the “firearm killer bill,” warning that if passed, it would essentially prohibit the sale of firearms in Illinois because they would not be able to afford such costs.
Firearms are “inherently dangerous,” he said, and don’t face the same safety criteria as other dangerous products, such as motor vehicles.
Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart spoke in favor of the act. Gun violence seen in America is preventable, he said.
“They are prevented in other countries. We must act now. Gun violence is not in our DNA; it need not be our destiny. It is our decision,” Rinehart said.
The county’s efforts related to gun violence and gun control were born, at least partially, from the 2022 Highland Park Independence Day mass shooting, when a gunman killed seven and injured dozens more after opening fire with a semi-automatic rifle on a crowd celebrating the holiday.
Sara Knizhnik, a vocal supporter of the act, said she was disappointed so much of the conversation wasn’t over the “substance of the bill.” It is an opportunity for the firearm industry to “work with us, rather than against us, in the fight to end gun violence.”
“This is the most innovative approach to reducing gun violence that I have ever seen,” Knizhnik said. “This bill proposes a policy that rewards firearms manufacturers who choose to be responsible in their business practices by creating safer products and providing more oversight over how and to whom their products are sold. And, most importantly, it will save every taxpayer in Illinois money.”
Danforth blasted the idea, saying it would benefit “criminals and their families,” and firearm manufacturers can’t afford it. Costs would be passed on to gun purchasers, essentially creating a prohibitive tax on firearms, he argued.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/11/lake-county-board-rifl-act/
Marmion’s Joseph Kramer, who ‘kind of flies under the radar,’ keeps hitting from 3-point range. AAU is next.
Junior guard Joseph Kramer has been described by coach Joe Piekarz as Marmion’s quiet man.
While that may be true, the softspoken 6-foot Kramer is happy letting his game talk for him. This season, his second on the varsity, it’s speaking volumes again for the Cadets.
“I just try to get my team motivated,” Kramer said. “I try to do my best. Hitting shots, obviously, gets us motivated. Then I feel like I’ve gotta get emotional and try to get my team excited, which better helps them.”
Kramer did his part Tuesday night, connecting on four straight 3-pointers in the first half and finishing with 14 points in a 72-44 victory over visiting Ottawa Marquette in Aurora.
Those 3-pointers by Kramer provided the early spark as Marmion (16-11) built a 37-22 halftime lead.
“We’re very lucky to have a lot of guys that can knock down outside shots,” Piekarz said. “Joey had the great first half, and then in the second half, other guys started knocking some down.”
Marmion’s Joseph Kramer (24) shoots a 3-pointer over Ottawa Marquette’s Easton DeBernardi (3) during a nonconference game in Aurora on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (Jon Langham / The Beacon-News)
Junior guards Ben Piekarz, the coach’s son, and Dave Malley each made four 3-pointers, including three apiece in the second half. Piekarz ended up with 16 points and Malley added 14.
“We have other guys who can knock them down, too,” said Joe Piekarz, who used 11 players with only two — 6-3 junior forward Colin McEniry and 6-2 junior forward Max Ulbrich — taller than 6-1.
“We have a bunch of guards. We just hope every night we have two or three that are on and then we try to ride with their shooting.”
Junior guards Griffin Dobberstein and Alec Novotney came through with 13 and 11 points, respectively, to lead Ottawa Marquette (19-7).
Marmion’s Joseph Kramer (24) drives the baseline against Ottawa Marquette’s Caden Durdan during a nonconference game in Aurora on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (Jon Langham / The Beacon-News)
“They’re having a very good season,” Joe Piekarz said of the Crusaders. “I think they can do some damage in the (Class 1A) postseason, absolutely.”
The difference was in long-distance marksmanship by the Cadets, who made 48% (13 of 27) shots from 3-point range to Ottawa Marquette’s 33% (4 of 12).
The Crusaders did pull within 48-40 with 6:30 remaining, but Marmion closed it out with a 24-4 spurt that included six of those 3-pointers.
“There were a lot of hidden minutes there,” Joe Piekarz said. “We were trying to go deeper into our bench. We had five subs in there together several times and they did a nice job of playing hard so our starters were fresh going into that fourth quarter.”
Marmion’s Joseph Kramer (24) puts up a shot over Ottawa Marquette’s Matt Graham during a nonconference game in Aurora on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (Jon Langham / The Beacon-News)
Kramer, meanwhile, had a game-high seven rebounds as the Cadets posted a 37-24 advantage.
“Since we’re so deep, it helps us get the breaks in,” Kramer said. “It gets the starting five a little rest and gets them back in better motivated and ready to play better defense, better offense.”
The youngest of five children, Kramer is from Plano. Three older brothers played soccer and basketball at Marmion while sister Maria, a Rosary graduate, went on to play college basketball at Ave Maria in Michigan.
“I hope to play in college wherever I can,” said Kramer, who is giving up baseball this year to play AAU basketball for the first time. “I played travel baseball my whole life but got tired of it.
“I enjoy basketball a little more. I wasn’t having as much fun with baseball anymore and sports is all about fun.”
Marmion’s Joseph Kramer (24) dribbles past Ottawa Marquette’s Blayden Cassel during a nonconference game in Aurora on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (Jon Langham / The Beacon-News)
He attributes his strong 3-point shooting to practice.
“That’s been my key,” he said. “I always shoot before and after practice. It’s just been my thing.”
Joe Piekarz pointed out that Kramer’s game is more than perimeter shooting, however.
“He shoots it well and also gets to the rim well,” Piekarz said. “He was our sixth man and second leading scorer last year. Because he’s quiet, he kind of flies under the radar sometimes.
“As this season has gone on and in this upcoming offseason, his name is gonna be out there because he’s a fantastic player. He rebounds. He does it all for us.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/11/joseph-kramer-marmion-boys-basketball/
Russia Will Stick To Nuclear Arms Limits If US Does The Same
Russia Will Stick To Nuclear Arms Limits If US Does The Same
One of the globe’s biggest developing stories this month, but which has been largely underreported in mainstream TV networks and other press, is the collapse of New START – the last major nuclear arms control treaty between Russia and the United States.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that Moscow will in good faith stick to the nuclear limits outlined in the now-expired arms control treaty, provided Washington does the same.
It expired earlier this month after Washington declined to respond to President Vladimir Putin’s proposal for a one-year extension capping both sides’ nuclear arsenals.
The Trump admin has long wanted a more comprehensive agreement which brings China’s arsenal into the scope; however, there’s been no formal process on this front with Beijing or Moscow.
Lavrov said Russia has no intention of rapidly expanding or deploying additional weapons, clarifying remarks from his ministry last week that suggested Moscow no longer considered itself bound by the treaty.
“We proceed from the fact that this moratorium, which was announced by our president, remains in effect, but only while the United States does not exceed the outlined limits,” Lavrov told Russia’s parliament.
Some key aspects to the treaty have gone unobserved for some time, especially the regimen of mutual nuclear site inspections.
President Trump has in the recent past called New START “badly negotiated” and said it “is being grossly violated. He has in mind Russia having blocked inspections of its nuclear facilities under the treaty framework in 2023, as tensions with Washington escalated over the proxy war in Ukraine.
Moscow has in turn complained that Washington is the chief violator, and that it now refuses to respond to Putin’s overture to extend it by one year, while a more comprehensive and extended deal is negotiated.
That’s it. For the first time since 1972, Russia (the former USSR) and the US have no treaty limiting strategic nuclear forces. SALT 1, SALT 2, START I, START II, SORT, New START – all in the past. pic.twitter.com/D3TBZM9ffC
— Dmitry Medvedev (@MedvedevRussiaE) February 4, 2026
Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave insight into why the White House has let New START expire: “Obviously, the president’s been clear in the past that in order to have true arms control in the 21st century, it’s impossible to do something that doesn’t include China because of their vast and rapidly growing stockpile,” he explained.
Tyler Durden
Wed, 02/11/2026 – 12:25
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/russia-will-stick-nuclear-arms-limits-if-us-does-same
Cristiano Ronaldo se pierde su 3er partido con Al Nassr, pero el club saudí gana en Asia
RIAD, Arabia Saudí (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo se perdió su tercer partido consecutivo con Al Nassr, aún así el club saudí derrotó el miércoles 1-0 al Arkadag FC de Turkmenistán en el partido de ida de los octavos de final de la Liga de Campeones de Asia 2.
Abdullah Al-Hamdan anotó el único gol del encuentro en la segunda categoría del torneo de clubes de Asia y con lo que el Al Nassr quedó al mando de la eliminatoria de cara al partido de vuelta de la próxima semana en Riad.
Cristiano —que aún no ha ganado un trofeo importante desde que se incorporó a Al Nassr en diciembre de 2022— ha estado ausente en medio de reportes de que está descontento con la forma en que el club es gestionado por el Fondo de Inversión Pública de Arabia Saudí, que también es propietario de Al-Hilal, rival en Riad, y Al Ahli y Al Ittihad, equipos con sede en Yeda.
En la Liga de Campeones Elite, el principal torneo de clubes de Asia, el internacional argelino Houssem Aouar firmó un triplete y Al Ittihad goleó 7-0 a Al Gharafa de Qatar en la penúltima jornada de la fase de grupos. El resultado aseguró que el dos veces campeón se uniera a Al Ahli y Al Hilal en los octavos de final.
Los ocho mejores clubes de cada uno de los dos grupos de 12 equipos —con sede en las regiones oeste y este de Asia— avanzan a la fase de eliminación directa. Al Wahda de los Emiratos Árabes Unidos y Tractor SC de Irán también han asegurado la clasificación a falta de un partido por disputar.
En la Zona Este, el Melbourne City de Australia avanzó con una victoria 2-1 en la visita al Ulsan HD de Corea del Sur, para unirse a los japoneses Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Vissel Kobe y Machida Zelvia en la segunda ronda.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Un vistazo a las figuras europeas afectadas por escándalo Epstein
Por The Associated Press
Las repercusiones de la saga de Jeffrey Epstein se están extendiendo por Europa.
Políticos, diplomáticos, funcionarios y miembros de la realeza han visto dañadas sus reputaciones. Se han iniciado investigaciones y algunos han perdido sus empleos después de que más de 3 millones de páginas de documentos relacionados con Epstein, publicadas por el Departamento de Justicia de Estados Unidos, revelaran sus vínculos con el financista estadounidense y delincuente sexual condenado que murió tras las rejas en 2019.
Aparte del ex príncipe Andrés, ninguno de ellos enfrenta acusaciones de conducta sexual indebida. Han caído por mantener relaciones amistosas con Epstein después de que fuera hallado culpable.
Algunos expertos señalan que el ajuste de cuentas en las democracias parlamentarias de Europa ha sido más rápido y más severo —por ahora— que en Estados Unidos, donde Epstein construyó su imperio y se codeó con muchas élites.
A continuación, un vistazo a algunas figuras en Europa afectadas por el escándalo.
La familia real británica
El ex príncipe Andrés, uno de los dos hermanos del rey Carlos III, es uno de los nombres más destacados vinculados al submundo de Epstein, que incluía el reclutamiento de niñas menores de edad para tener relaciones sexuales.
Ha negado reiteradamente haber cometido ilegalidad alguna, pero los escandalosos titulares obligaron al rey el año pasado a despojar a Andrés de sus títulos reales, incluido el de príncipe. Ahora se le conoce como Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
La reciente publicación masiva de documentos dejó al descubierto la profundidad de los vínculos entre Mountbatten-Windsor y Epstein, al revelar más detalles sórdidos que han sacudido a la familia real, incluida una acusación de que el ex príncipe envió informes financieros a Epstein en 2010.
Mountbatten-Windsor se ha visto obligado a abandonar la propiedad real que ocupó durante más de dos décadas. El Palacio de Buckingham afirma que el rey está dispuesto a apoyar a la policía en caso de que se abra una investigación sobre si Mountbatten-Windsor entregó información confidencial a Epstein.
Política británica
El gobierno británico se ha visto estremecido por nuevas revelaciones sobre Peter Mandelson, un veterano baluarte del Partido Laborista a quien el primer ministro Keir Starmer sacó del ostracismo político para nombrarlo embajador en Washington.
Mandelson fue despojado de ese cargo en septiembre, después de que correos electrónicos de Epstein mostraran que habían tenido vínculos más estrechos de lo que el embajador había reconocido inicialmente.
Aunque el propio Starmer no aparece implicado en los archivos, su posición se ha visto amenazada por haber designado a Mandelson. Ha enfrentado llamados de sus adversarios y desde dentro de su propio Partido Laborista para que renuncie, algo que hasta ahora se ha negado a hacer.
Mandelson ahora enfrenta una investigación penal, después de que los nuevos archivos sugirieran que pudo haber compartido con Epstein información financiera.
Princesa heredera de Noruega
Los nuevos documentos muestran, entre otras cosas, que la princesa heredera de Noruega, Mette-Marit, la esposa de 52 años del príncipe heredero Haakon, tomó prestada durante varios días en 2013 una propiedad de Epstein en Palm Beach, Florida.
Y en un intercambio de correos electrónicos entre Epstein y Mette-Marit en 2012, él señala que estaba en París “en mi cacería de esposa”, pero que “prefiero a las escandinavas”.
Ella responde que la capital francesa es “buena para el adulterio”, pero que las “escandis” son “mejor material de esposa”.
Mette-Marit se disculpó este mes por “la situación en la que he puesto a la familia real”, y afirmó: “Parte del contenido de los mensajes entre Epstein y yo no representa a la persona que quiero ser”.
Ex primer ministro de Noruega
El Consejo de Europa informó que atendió el miércoles una solicitud de las autoridades noruegas para levantar la inmunidad frente a procesos legales de la que había gozado su ex secretario general y ex primer ministro Thorbjørn Jagland.
El consejo, un organismo de derechos humanos con sede en Estrasburgo, Francia, indicó que esa inmunidad busca “salvaguardar el ejercicio independiente de funciones oficiales” y no debe ser usada para “beneficio personal”.
A partir de revelaciones en los archivos de Epstein, las autoridades noruegas abrieron una investigación por “corrupción agravada” que involucra a Jagland, quien también fue presidente del Comité Noruego del Nobel.
Los correos electrónicos indican que Jagland hizo planes para visitar la isla de Epstein con su familia en 2014.
Exembajadora noruega
Mona Juul, exembajadora de Noruega en Jordania, quien participó en los esfuerzos de paz israelí-palestinos en la década de 1990, renunció durante el fin de semana, después de que reportes señalaran que Epstein dejó 10 millones de dólares a los hijos de Juul en un testamento redactado poco antes de morir.
El ministro de Exteriores, Espen Barth Eide, manifestó que continuará una investigación del ministerio sobre lo que ella sabía y su contacto con Epstein, y que Juul seguirá conversando con funcionarios noruegos para aclarar la situación.
Exministro de Cultura de Francia
Jack Lang, de 86 años, dejó el cargo como director del Instituto del Mundo Árabe en París por presuntos vínculos financieros pasados con Epstein que motivaron una investigación fiscal.
Lang fue citado a comparecer el domingo en el Ministerio de Exteriores de Francia, que supervisa el instituto, pero presentó su renuncia.
El exministro de Cultura bajo el presidente François Mitterrand es la figura de mayor perfil en Francia afectada por la publicación de archivos del Departamento de Justicia de Estados Unidos el 30 de enero.
Exministro de Exteriores de Eslovaquia
El asesor de seguridad nacional del primer ministro Robert Fico, Miroslav Lajčák, renunció por comunicaciones pasadas con Epstein, incluidos mensajes de texto en los que hablan de chicas “hermosas”.
“Cuando leo los mensajes hoy, me siento como un idiota”, declaró Lajčák a la radio pública eslovaca.
Lajčák, exministro de Exteriores y expresidente de la Asamblea General de la ONU, ha negado cualquier irregularidad. Sostuvo que consideraba a Epstein un contacto valioso, aceptado por los ricos y poderosos en Estados Unidos.
“Esos mensajes no son más que egos masculinos estúpidos en acción”, afirmó Lajčák. “Nada más que palabras; nunca pasó de ahí”.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
