Category: News
La UE exige concesiones a Rusia para una paz duradera en Ucrania
Por LORNE COOK
BRUSELAS (AP) — La Unión Europea está elaborando una lista de concesiones que cree que Rusia debe hacer para asegurar cualquier paz a largo plazo en Ucrania, dijo el martes la jefa de diplomacia del bloque, mientras las conversaciones dirigidas por Estados Unidos para poner fin a cuatro años de guerra muestran pocos signos de progreso.
Las fuerzas rusas utilizaron municiones de racimo en un ataque a un mercado en Ucrania, matando a siete personas, mientras que enviados de Moscú y Kiev se reunieron en Abu Dabi la semana pasada para otra ronda de conversaciones mediadas por Washington. No se logró ningún avance, aunque se acordó un nuevo intercambio de prisioneros.
Después de decir en 2024 que podría terminar la guerra en un día, luego en 100 días, el presidente estadounidense Donald Trump ahora ha dado a Ucrania y Rusia hasta junio para llegar a un acuerdo.
La UE está convencida de que Rusia no está negociando seriamente y duda de que los intereses europeos y ucranianos estén siendo representados por la administración Trump, por lo que se ha comenzado a trabajar en “un plan de paz sostenible” que podría forzar la mano de Moscú.
“Hemos visto un aumento en los bombardeos por parte de los rusos durante estas conversaciones”, afirmó la jefa de política exterior de la UE, Kaja Kallas, incluyendo el ataque a la red eléctrica de Ucrania durante lo que ha sido el invierno más frío de la guerra.
Kallas expresó que el bloque de 27 naciones está “muy agradecido” por los esfuerzos diplomáticos de Estados Unidos hasta ahora, pero “para tener una paz sostenible, todos en la mesa, incluidos los rusos y los estadounidenses, deben entender que necesitan que los europeos estén de acuerdo”.
“También tenemos condiciones”, dijo Kallas a los periodistas en Bruselas. “Y deberíamos poner las condiciones no a los ucranianos que ya han sido presionados mucho, sino a los rusos”.
Kallas señaló que estas condiciones podrían incluir demandas para que Rusia devuelva posiblemente a miles de niños ucranianos secuestrados y límites al tamaño de las fuerzas armadas rusas una vez que la guerra haya terminado. Rusia insiste en un límite para las fuerzas de Ucrania.
“El ejército ucraniano no es el problema. Es el ejército ruso. Es el gasto militar ruso. Si gastan tanto en el ejército, tendrán que usarlo de nuevo”, manifestó Kallas.
Es probable que una lista preliminar de condiciones se comparta entre los países miembros de la UE en los próximos días para una posible discusión cuando los ministros de exteriores del bloque se reúnan el 23 de febrero.
Kallas dijo que Ucrania depende de Estados Unidos para obtener apoyo y que esta dependencia la ha obligado a hacer casi todas las concesiones.
“Presionar a la parte más débil siempre puede obtener resultados más rápido, pero es solo una declaración de que tenemos paz. No es una paz sostenible. No va a ser una garantía para Ucrania ni para nadie más de que Rusia no va a atacar de nuevo”.
Ella dijo que los europeos no quieren iniciar una vía separada de conversaciones de paz, que Rusia en cualquier caso probablemente descartaría, pero afirmó que es importante “cambiar la narrativa”.
“Todos quieren que esta guerra termine, excepto los rusos”, señaló. “Podemos empujarlos al lugar donde realmente quieran terminar esta guerra. Aún no están allí. Desafortunadamente, no es una solución fácil”.
Kallas citó estimaciones recientes de inteligencia que indican que el presidente Vladímir Putin está teniendo dificultades para encontrar reclutas para continuar su esfuerzo bélico e insistió en que las sanciones de la UE están dañando la economía de Rusia, ya que la inflación allí es alta.
La UE también está trabajando en una prohibición para detener las reparaciones y otros servicios a los barcos que transportan petróleo ruso. Kallas espera sumar a las naciones del Grupo de los Siete en las conversaciones en la Conferencia de Seguridad de Múnich durante el fin de semana.
“Podemos empujarlos al lugar donde realmente quieran terminar esta guerra. Aún no están allí. Desafortunadamente, no es una solución fácil”, señaló. ______
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Judge Blocks California’s Law Mandating Federal Agents Remove Masks
Judge Blocks California’s Law Mandating Federal Agents Remove Masks
Authored by Jill McLaughlin via The Epoch Times,
A federal district court judge partially blocked a California law barring law enforcement officers from wearing masks in a Feb. 9 ruling, finding the law discriminated against federal officers.
District Court Judge Christina Snyder ruled in favor of the Trump administration, prohibiting the state from enforcing its No Secret Police Act—which was scheduled to go into effect earlier this year—against federal law enforcement officers.
The federal government sued California, challenging the law as well as with another law—the No Vigilantes Act, that requires federal officers to wear identification. Snyder ruled that the second law was not discriminatory.
California had agreed to pause enforcement of the laws, which went into effect on Jan. 1, while the Trump administration challenged them in court.
Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the court’s decision on Feb. 9.
“These federal agents are harassed, doxed, obstructed, and attacked on a regular basis just for doing their jobs,” Bondi posted on X.
“We have no tolerance for it. We will continue fighting and winning in court for President Trump’s law-and-order agenda—and we will always have the backs of our great federal law enforcement officers.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed both bills into law last year in response to federal immigration enforcement operations in the state.
The No Secret Police Act prohibited any law enforcement officer from wearing a facial covering while performing official duties unless the agency employing the officer has a policy regarding the covering.
Some exceptions were made for SWAT teams and in other cases.
The No Vigilantes Act requires any law enforcement officer operating in the state to visibly display identification indicating his or her agency and name or badge number when working.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) argued the two state laws violated the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which mandates that if state laws conflict with federal laws, the federal law takes precedence.
The department also argued that the laws violated the intergovernmental immunity doctrine, which prevents federal and state governments from interfering with each other’s operations.
The DOJ argued that prohibiting facial coverings and requiring identification put officers’ safety at risk as violent crime against federal immigration officers has skyrocketed in recent months.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers stand guard in front of the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and Detention Center while demonstrators protest in Los Angeles, on Aug. 2, 2025. Apu Gomes/Getty Images
Snyder found the No Secret Police Act did not apply equally to all law enforcement officers in the state, and therefore it “unlawfully discriminates against federal officers,” according to her ruling.
“Because such discrimination violates the Supremacy Clause, the court is constrained to enjoin the facial covering prohibition. California may not enforce the facial covering prohibition of the No Secret Police Act, SB 627 … against federal law enforcement officers,” she ruled.
The judge denied the federal government’s other challenges.
The state’s law was already receiving pushback by the largest metropolitan police agency in the state. Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said his officers would not enforce it.
“The reality of one armed agency approaching another armed agency to create conflict over something that would be a misdemeanor at best—or an infraction—it doesn’t make any sense. It’s not a good public policy decision and it wasn’t well thought out, in my opinion,” McDonnell said during a news conference on Jan. 29.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta did not immediately return a request for comment on the ruling.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 02/10/2026 – 10:20
Immigrant family opens Crepe O’Clock restaurant in Evanston, featuring Greek crepes
The traditional immigrant success story is being updated in sweet and savory fashion on the northwest corner of Chicago Avenue and Dempster Street in Evanston.
Instead of hearty, stick-to-your-ribs fare like omelettes, gyros and prime rib typically consumed in many a favorite neighborhood Greek diner, a family of restaurateurs is going for a lighter touch with Greek-style crepes as their mainstay menu choice, replicating their old eatery in a village 400 miles west of Athens.
Crepe O’Clock – the latter word an affectionate inside joke referring to the non-English-speaking family patriarch/cook finding a certain English word unpronounceable – opened Dec. 23 in an Asian restaurant’s former space at 601 Dempster. They have already received good reviews from diners who are willing to give their Old World recipes a tryout.
“We came for a better future, for a better life,” said Panagiotis (Pete) Georgopoulos, who immigrated with his father Leonidas Georgopoulos in 2014.
Mother Vasiliki Stratikopoulou arrived a year later. Brother Chris Georgopoulos recently immigrated. They had heard of America all their lives from a grandfather who owned the Aladdin Hotel near Midway Airport in Chicago before returning to Greece.
The family had shopped for a restaurant site for years, but Covid put plans on hold. They desired a menu that was a contrast from more common dishes found in nearby restaurants. And the focus on crepes along with a few other traditional Greek dishes and imported French croissants was a departure from old-school Greek diners cutting across ethnic lines to offer something for everyone.
“We wanted to locate in Evanston,” said Stratikopoulou, who had lived in the city when she first arrived. “We needed a location that was up to code because any kind of smoke had to be vented. It could not be just any storefront.
“We put everything we have into the business.”
Crepe O’Clock is in essence the American version of Quick, the family’s former restaurant in Filiatra, a village of some 5,000 in Messenia near the Ionian Sea coast. The family described Quick as a “grab and go” place that did well with local lunch-goers and tourists.
Greek crepes are thicker than their better known French counterparts. “We just put more eggs in it,” said Stratikopoulou. “We make the crepe dough fresh daily. There is no other way.”
Eschewing salt as an ingredient, “savory” crepes contain bacon, cheese and tomato or ham and cheese. A sampling of the former gave the hint of a classic omelette without the heaviness inherent in a two- or three-egg dish. All-vegetable, Greek (feta, olives, tomatoes, peppers, onions and oregano), “Chick’n’Veg Supreme,” meat lovers and “hungover” crepes fill out the savory category.
The sweet side using natural flavors are the Rafaello crepe with coconut, Nutella and strawberries, while the Valentine’s crepe substitutes crème patissiere for the coconut.
Georgopoulos said diners can custom order ingredients for all crepes.
Sally of Evanston and Lori of Chicago, who did not want their last names used, dined on crepes as the family related their story. Giving a literal thumbs up to her “Chick’n’Veg” crepe, Sally praised the “combination of taste and texture.” Lori did not want a pancake per se, but said her all-vegetable crepe provided a “pancake taste.” Both said they will be back for more.
Other menu items include a chicken gyros sandwich using breast meat and not prepared off the classic spindle of gyros, several other sandwiches, spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) and freshly-baked pastries to complement the imported croissants. Greek coffee heads up the java selection.
The family also plans an outdoor patio on Chicago Avenue and sidewalk tables on Dempster when the weather warms.
Eventually, Leonidas Georgopoulos will learn to pronounce the full name of the restaurant, family members said, when he takes breaks from cooking, which begins before 5:30 a.m.
“My dad could not say the phrase ‘o’clock,’” said Pete Georgopoulos. “It came out one clock. So that’s why we used it in the restaurant title.”
If the family isn’t busy enough at Crepe O’Clock, they fill their hours with careers in the medical profession. Stratikopoulou, who was an English teacher in Greece, started over here and is a psychotherapist. Pete Georgopoulos is studying to be a nurse practitioner. Brother Chris is a pharmacist.
The food may not be traditional Greek diner fare, but the motivation is as old as the immigrant story.
“I’m doing this for my two boys,” said Stratikopoulou.” They’re very smart.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/10/immigrant-family-opens-crepe-restaurant-in-evanston/
Watch Live: Lutnick Testifies He ‘Barely Had Anything’ To Do With Epstein
Watch Live: Lutnick Testifies He ‘Barely Had Anything’ To Do With Epstein
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is currently testifying in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee on broadband deployment funding – however the conversation quickly veered into his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
Lutnick insisted he “barely had anything to do with that person,” referring to Epstein, though he admitted that he went to Epstein’s island and had lunch with him in 2012, and that he couldn’t recall why he went to the island owned by the then-convicted pedophile.
SEN. VAN HOLLEN: Why do the Epstein files show you coordinating a meeting and planning a visit with Jeffrey Epstein on his private island in December 2012?
HOWARD LUTNICK: I barely had anything to do with that person, okay?
pic.twitter.com/6wFAyKYQYR
— Lucas Sanders 👊🏽🔥🇺🇸 (@LucasSa56947288) February 10, 2026
*LUTNICK ON EPSTEIN: ‘HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING’
*LUTNICK: I DIDN’T HAVE DINNER IN EPSTEIN APARTMENT IN 2011
*LUTNICK: DON’T RECALL WHY WE WENT TO EPSTEIN ISLAND IN 2012
*LUTNICK: I DID VISIT EPSTEIN ISLAND, HAD LUNCH WITH HIM
*LUTNICK: I ‘BARELY HAD ANYTHING’ TO DO WITH EPSTEIN
*LUTNICK: I PROBABLY HAD TOTAL 10 EMAILS WITH EPSTEIN
While Republicans may keep the testimony on topic, expect Democrats to pepper him with more Epstein questions…
Watch:
Tyler Durden
Tue, 02/10/2026 – 10:06
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/watch-live-lutnick-claims-he-barely-had-anything-do-epstein
Massie Exposes Les Wexner As Epstein Co-Conspirator, Opening Door To Criminal Charges Against Kash Patel
Massie Exposes Les Wexner As Epstein Co-Conspirator, Opening Door To Criminal Charges Against Kash Patel
Although President Donald J. Trump has amplified his attacks against Kentucky representative Thomas Massie on the basis of deluded claims that he is a radical, un-American liberal who is hellbent on sabotaging his administration, it is the congressman’s continued crusade to expose the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein that shows the actual threat he poses to Trump. The latest development in the Epstein Files fallout has clearly proven that the Trump administration’s best attempts to continue to cover up the crimes of Epstein and his accomplices are no match for Massie’s vigilance. After granting members of Congress access to view unredacted versions of the Epstein Files in response to the pressure mounted by Massie, the revelations therein have shown the lengths that the Trump Department of Justice (”DOJ”) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (”FBI”) have taken to continue the Epstein cover-up, going as far as to break federal law in an increasingly futile attempt to keep the truth from the American public.
The enhanced political pressure from Massie and California representative Ro Khanna following their success in passing The Epstein Files Transparency Act resulted in the Trump DOJ deciding to allow members of Congress to view unredacted files beginning on Monday morning. Members of Congress have been given limited access to view unredacted versions of the Epstein Files on computers at DOJ offices, provided they give 24 hours’ notice, though they will not be given access to the physical documents themselves. The DOJ has limited access to members of Congress alone, excluding any members of their staff. Although members of Congress will be able to take notes on any files they view, the DOJ has prohibited them from bringing any electronic devices into their review sessions. Unredacted documents made accessible to members of Congress are also limited to the trove of over 3 million files that have been released to the public, far short of the full scope of the more than 6 million files the DOJ has said it has in its possession.
Despite being given such limited access, the revelations included in what has been made available have led to a monumental shift that disproves the Trump administration’s narrative that the action it has been taken on the Epstein Files has been made with the aim of providing full transparency. According to representatives Massie and Khanna, they have identified at least six individuals incriminated in Epstein’s crimes, two of whom the FBI has officially labeled as co-conspirators, in the limited time allocated to them on the first day of being able to review the unredacted files whose identities have been obfuscated by the Trump administration despite their apparent complicity. Of those officially acknowledged as a co-conspirator is high-profile Epstein associate and billionaire Les Wexner, whose confirmation as such opens the door to criminal charges being brough against against high-ranking members of the Trump administration.
🧵1) This is significant because Kash Patel testified to Congress that FBI had no evidence of other sex traffickers. This is FBI’s own 2019 document listing Wexner as coconspirator in child sex trafficking. It wasn’t unredacted until tonight. https://t.co/l6gEDwFun5
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) February 10, 2026
While Wexner’s role in facilitating the crimes of Epstein has been well-established for years, the revelation that the FBI officially acknowledged him as a co-conspirator by 2019 dismantles the narrative woven by the Trump administration that it has not withheld the identities of any of the notorious pedophile’s accomplices. In September 2025, Patel ostensibly did just that when he testified before Congress regarding Epstein. During his testimony, Patel was asked “Who did Epstein traffic these young women to?” by Louisiana Senator John N. Kennedy. Patel responded, “Himself.” There is no credible information—none—that he trafficked to other individuals.” The revelation that the FBI had confirmed that Wexner was a co-conspirator of Epstein by 2019 suggests that Patel lied to Congress during his testimony. Under 18 U.S.C. § 1001, knowingly and willingly making a materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement to Congress is a felony punishable by a prison sentence of up to five years.
In response to Massie exposing the FBI’s documented admission of Wexner as a co-conspirator years before Patel testified to Congress that the agency he helms had no credible information of others involved in Epstein’s criminal network, the DOJ went on the defensive in a feeble attempt to minimize the seriousness of this revelation. US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche offered an explanation to Massie for the sweeping redactions made by the DOJ in violation of The Epstein Files Transparency Act. Blanche stated that one particular document highlighted by Massie, which had 18 of the 20 names included in it redacted, was so heavily censored because it included “numerous victim names.” However, the newly released version of the document without the prohibited redactions withheld only 2 of the 20 names, meaning that the DOJ illegally redacted 16 before being forced to publish its revised version.
As of 12:27am EST on 2/9/26 this is off the DOJ website in the Epstein files. More has become visible. pic.twitter.com/yuOzIUzhUI
— Jewely💎Blue (@hollywood2pt0) February 10, 2026
Despite the brief time Massie was given to review unredacted versions of the Epstein Files released to the public, he was able to uncover the name of another potential co-conspirator implicated in one of the most disturbing documents to be released to the public. In the Epstein Files release EFTA00774231, a redacted sender emailed Epstein on April 24th, 2009, writing, “where are you? are you ok , I loved the torture video.” Outrage over the gruesome content of the email alluding to a snuff film justifying the claims that the crimes of the Epstein network went far beyond human trafficking and child sexual abuse resounded throughout the public discourse after its revelation. That anger was amplified by the DOJ’s decision to redact the identity of the email’s author, as there was no indication it was the name of one of Epstein’s victims, whom the DOJ would be allowed to conceal in compliance with The Epstein Files Transparency Act. After viewing the unredacted version of the email, Massie announced that the disclosure revealed that Emirati business magnate Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem was the person who sent the email discussing the torture video to Epstein.
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, an Emirati businessman who is the chairman and chief executive officer of DP World and the chairman of the Ports, Customs & Free Zone Corporation, is referenced in 336 of the more than 3 million Epstein files currently available to the public. The files concerning Bin Sulayem reveal a years-long relationship between the two. In the Epstein Files release EFTA01155800, Epstein states that his relationship with Bin Sulayem began in 2002 in a letter of recommendation written regarding a property the Emirati businessman sought to lease in New York City.
Numerous other emails between Epstein and Bin Sulayem contain images withheld by the DOJ, exchanges regarding each party’s travel plans, dinner invitations, and numerous correspondences including Boris Nikolic, the biotech venture capitalist and Bill Gates adviser who was named as an executor of Epstein’s estate in his last will and testament amended just before his supposed death on August 10th, 2019. The earliest evidence of Epstein introducing Nikolic to Bin Sulayem is documented in Epstein Files release EFTA00897104, an email sent by Epstein to Bin Sulayem on October 11th, 2010. Epstein copies Nikolic on the email, the body of which reads “Boris, Nov 29 30.” An email written to Epstein at 6:50:20 pm on November 29th, 2010, by Nikolic, disclosed as Epstein Files release EFTA02415345, confirms that he and Bin Sulayem met on the date referenced in the October 2010 email.
Fun fact: Just two days before his death, Jeffrey Epstein quietly added Bill Gates’s science adviser—Boris Nikolic, as the backup executor of his will. The layers to this rabbit hole go deeper than than most people can comprehend. “It’s a big club…” pic.twitter.com/20vOGS9cP1
— Jason Bassler (@JasonBassler1) July 18, 2025
Files documenting the notorious pedophile’s close relationship with Bin Sulayem also reveal communication with other members of Epstein’s innermost circle throughout their near decades-long relationship. In a June 27th, 2011 email exchange with a respondent named “Sarah K.,” presumably Sarah Kellen—who was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in Epstein’s 2008 non-prosecution agreement tendered by the former Trump Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta during his tenure as the US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida under the Bush administration—Bin Sulayem coordinates the receipt of a package sent to him from Epstein. Bin Sulayem also held similar discussions when coordinating visits with and receiving shipments from Epstein with another unindicted co-conspirator named in the non-prosecution agreement, Lesley Groff.
Bin Sulayem’s ingratiation into Epstein’s network also confirms that Epstein introduced him to former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. This is confirmed in the Epstein Files release EFTA02600899, in which Bin Sulayem invites Barak to visit him for dinner to discuss business opportunities during his stay in Tel Aviv at a penthouse located at 1 Rothschild Boulevard.
In iMessages with Epstein on August 15th, 2015, Bin Sulayem coordinates a visit during a trip to New Mexico, where Epstein’s infamous Zorro Ranch, the site where he was alleged to have run a black market baby farm, was located. The Emirati business magnate admits he was traveling with his wife, three children, and their nanny when coordinating his visit with Epstein before sending him links to various pornographic websites. Epstein’s responses are sparse, solely confirming that he has sent a car to transport Bin Sulayem to meet with him. Bin Sulayem also refers to an email he sent Epstein from a private email address, which is redacted by the DOJ.
You looked at the document. You know it’s an email address that was redacted. The law requires redactions for personally identifiable information, including if in an email address. And you know that the Sultan’s name is available unredacted in the files. See EFTA00666117.
— Todd Blanche (@DAGToddBlanche) February 10, 2026
As in the case of other file redactions, US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche responded to Massie’s revelation that Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem was the sender of the torture video email to Epstein by defending the DOJ’s decision to redact it. Blanche stated the redaction complied with The Epstein Files Transparency Act, as it was made due to the message only including Bin Sulayem’s email address, and as personally identifiable information, that information was required to be withheld. However, that explanation proved to be a Pyrrhic victory against Massie, as it also served as a tacit admission that Bin Sulayem was indeed the author of the email discussing the torture video with Epstein.
Reactions from other members of Congress who were able to review unredacted versions of the Epstein Files on Monday signify the seismic shift taking place against the Trump administration. Colorado Republican congressional representative Lauren Boebert spoke with a reporter when leaving the DOJ offices after viewing the unredacted Epstein files. Boebert, who has been a strong ally of Trump’s during her tenure in Congress, appeared visibly angry during the interview. She expressed her belief that the Trump DOJ has knowingly redacted the names of accomplices of Epstein in violation of The Epstein Files Transparency Act. “I think that there are folks who are definitely implicated and co-conspirators, and, you know, I don’t think everyone there that was talking about underage girls being trafficked are victims.” When asked a follow-up question regarding the potential of clemency for convicted Epstein co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, Boebert’s frustration showed as she vociferously rejected the premise, stating, “I think Ghislaine Maxwell should get more time, and she should definitely be in a harsher prison.” It’s absolutely disgusting.”
🇺🇸 BREAKING: Rep. Lauren Boebert is PSSED, leaving the DOJ reading room after viewing unredacted Epstein files.
“I don’t think everyone there that was talking about underage girls being trafficked are victims.”
Boebert is saying people DISCUSSING child trafficking are being… pic.twitter.com/KIJLikce4H
— DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics) February 10, 2026
In November, President Trump attempted to persuade Representative Boebert to remove her name from the discharge petition that ultimately led to the passage of The Epstein Files Transparency Act. Trump similarly took that tactic against other key allies of his in Congress, including Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina and then-Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. That futile effort to continue to insulate the co-conspirators of Jeffrey Epstein resulted in an irreconcilable schism with Greene, which led to her resignation from Congress. Following the announcement of her resignation, Greene revealed that Trump attempted to persuade her to vote against releasing the Epstein Files because their disclosure would harm friends of the president who would be implicated in them.
Marjorie Taylor Greene details her last conversation with Trump.
The conversation that Trump “Prioritized the men who abused and raped young girls…because those men are his friends”.
This conversation is damning.
It has merit.
After all, Trump threw out one of his closest… pic.twitter.com/Qyb8k4ZSzx
— Koach Key 🪼 (@KoachKey) January 31, 2026
The continued effort to protect the co-conspirators of Jeffrey Epstein has only further undermined President Trump’s legitimacy, as revelations of the extent of the cover-up he continues to perpetrate not only risks alienating crucial political allies but also, in doing so, furthers political momentum gaining traction against the president that could lead to action taken against key administration officials such as the impeachment of Attorney General Pam Bondi and potential criminal charges being brought against FBI Director Kash Patel. With its political foundation being shaken to its core in the fallout from how it has handled the release of the Epstein Files, it appears that it is only a matter of time before the house of cards that the Trump administration has turned itself into because of its unyielding commitment to protecting the pedophile elite comes crashing down.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 02/10/2026 – 10:00
Jefes de inmigración de Trump testificarán en el Congreso tras muertes de manifestantes
Por REBECCA SANTANA
WASHINGTON (AP) — Los jefes de las agencias que llevan a cabo la agenda de deportación masiva del presidente Donald Trump testificarán en el Congreso el martes y enfrentarán preguntas sobre cómo están llevando a cabo las redadas migratorias en las ciudades estadounidenses.
Las redadas de Trump han sido objeto de un intenso escrutinio en las últimas semanas, después de la muerte a tiros en Minneapolis de dos manifestantes a manos de policías del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional. Las agencias también han enfrentado críticas por una serie de políticas que, según los críticos, pisotean los derechos tanto de inmigrantes como de ciudadanos estadounidenses que protestan contra la batida policial.
Todd Lyons, el director interino de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas; Rodney Scott, quien dirige la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza y Joseph Edlow, director de Servicios de Ciudadanía e Inmigración hablarán ante el Comité de Seguridad Nacional de la Cámara de Representantes.
Los funcionarios hablarán en un momento de bajo apoyo a la forma en que sus agencias están llevando a cabo la visión migratoria de Trump, pero mientras están llenos de dinero gracias a una ley de gastos aprobada el año pasado que ha ayudado a ampliar las ofensivas migratorias en todo el país.
La administración dice que son los activistas y manifestantes los que están atacando a sus policías y no al revés, y que sus operaciones están haciendo al país más seguro al remover a personas que han cometido delitos o representan una amenaza para el país.
Bajo el liderazgo de Lyons, el ICE ha podido contratar a muchos más agentes y agentes han sido desplegados en ciudades de todo el país diseñadas para arrestar y deportar a inmigrantes. La comparecencia en el Congreso se produce mientras los legisladores están enfrascados en una batalla sobre si el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS) debería ser financiado sin restricciones pese a la conducta de sus policías.
Es probable que Lyons enfrente preguntas sobre un memorando que firmó el año pasado diciendo a los policías del Ice que no necesitan una orden judicial para entrar por la fuerza en una casa para arrestar a un deportado, lo que contradice de años de práctica de esa institución y protecciones contra allanamientos de morada sin razón.
Durante el mandato de Scott, su agencia ha asumido un papel significativo en el arresto y remoción de inmigrantes. Esa actividad se ha convertido en un punto de controversia y marca una ruptura con el trabajo tradicional de la agencia de proteger las fronteras y controlar quién y qué entra al país.
Bajo el liderazgo del comandante Gregory Bovino, un grupo de agentes de la Patrulla Fronteriza saltó de un lado a otro del país para operaciones en Los Ángeles, Chicago, Charlotte y Nueva Orleans, donde a menudo fueron acusados de interrogar y arrestar indiscriminadamente a personas que sospechaban estaban en el país ilegalmente. Bovino dice que sus objetivos son legítimos e identificados a través de inteligencia y afirma que si sus policías usan la fuerza es porque está justificado.
Un agente de la Patrulla Fronteriza y uno de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza abrieron fuego durante la muerte a tiros de Alex Pretti, uno de los dos manifestantes asesinados en Minneapolis en enero. Otra manifestante, Renee Good, fue abatida por un elemento del ICE.
Después de la muerte de Pretti, Bovino fue reasignado y Trump envió a su zar fronterizo Tom Homan a Minneapolis para asumir el control.
La agencia de Servicios de Ciudadanía e Inmigración también ha enfrentado críticas por las medidas que ha tomado, incluyendo someter a los refugiados ya admitidos en Estados Unidos a otra ronda de verificación y pausar las decisiones sobre todos los casos de asilo.
___________________________________
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
County Board District 3 candidates cite competing endorsements
Democrats Wendy Meister and Jaclyn Rodriguez are facing off in the upcoming primary for Lake County Board District 3, a seat that will be left open by outgoing Republican board veteran Ann Maine, with each carrying county leadership endorsements but from different branches.
With no Republican challenger currently listed, the path could be largely clear for whoever wins in the March primary. Regardless, as Maine — who first joined the board in 2002 — leaves, it means a new face will be coming to the County Board.
District 3 includes Green Oaks, Lincolnshire, Mettawa, Riverwoods, and portions of Buffalo Grove, Gurnee, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Mundelein, Vernon Hills and Waukegan.
Both candidates listed a variety of endorsements, but notable locally was a grouping of current County Board members, nine of the 14 sitting Democrats, around Rodriguez. Meister, for her part, said she has been endorsed by Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart, Sheriff John Idelburg and Circuit Court Clerk Erin Cartwright Weinstein.
Maine could not be reached for comment. Board member Mary Ross Cunningham, who also joined the County Board in 2002, praised her outgoing colleague. She noted Maine’s support for her district and the forest preserves over her 24-year tenure.
“I hate to see her go, because she and I came on at the same time,” Ross Cunningham said. “I wish her well.”
Wendy Meister
Meister, a Riverwoods resident, has a master’s in architecture and a background in planning various government buildings. She is also a trustee for the Lincolnshire Riverwoods Fire Protection District. Although she’s volunteered on several political campaigns and previously ran for County Board, Meister hasn’t held elected office.
Before her current run, Meister said she was helping collect data for the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. But when federal immigration efforts began in the Chicago area, she said people grew afraid of anyone from the government showing up at their door, and she ultimately resigned.
In this campaign, Meister has warned that the county is facing “extraordinary times,” as changes at the federal level raise questions about the future of funding for health and food assistance. The board hasn’t been proactive enough in preparing for a possible financing cliff, she said.
“We need to worry in advance to have a plan, and prioritize what holes we can plug,” Meister warned.
If she is elected to the board, she said she will advocate for the creation of a task force to plan for potential problems that might come, and what costs they will have if federal funds are lost. The county has a “big reserve” to dip into if there’s a need, but officials need “to sit down and say, ‘We have this much money, and we need this much money for that.’
“I would push for very clear planning of our priorities, how much money we have to give,” Meister said. “There’s a lot of big problems.”
Listening to other County Board candidates, Meister said they are not aligned with the concerns she’s heard from residents. That includes her opponent, Rodriguez.
“I don’t know if they have different districts than mine, but they talk about affordable housing, and they talk about bike paths,” she said. “I have yet to knock on a door where someone told me that in this particular time, we need more bike paths or affordable housing.”
On her campaign page, Meister positions herself as a former whistleblower who, “exposed reckless spending in Lake County government and led the charge to hold the responsible parties accountable for their actions.”
Meister and Tracey Repa were both County Clerk’s Office employees who alleged they were fired by then-Clerk Robin O’Connor after meeting with the Sheriff’s Office to share allegations of improprieties in government contracting related to a courthouse expansion project. Following their firing, the pair filed a lawsuit in 2019, taking a $575,000 settlement in 2021.
Jaclyn Rodriguez
Libertyville resident Rodriguez’s background is as an emergency room nurse, with more than two decades of experience. She specialized as a forensic nurse, caring for those who have experienced violence.
Rodriguez worked eight and a half years at the Illinois Office of the Attorney General as the statewide coordinator for sexual assault nurse examiners, and today has her own consulting business while still working as a bedside forensic nurse, she said. Like Meister, Rodriguez has not previously held an elected office.
During her time at the Attorney General’s Office, Rodriguez was involved in various efforts related to sexual assault survivors, including helping draft the Sexual Assault Incident Procedure Act, which mandates certain policies, procedures and guidelines law enforcement have to be trained on and follow when responding to survivors of sexual violence.
Rodriguez noted that Meister had previously run against Maine and failed to take the seat. The 2022 election saw just over 16,000 votes cast in District 3, with Maine taking about 8,300, or roughly 51%, of the votes.
With her background in healthcare, she “feels really strongly” about creating healthy communities, Rodriguez said, by having bike paths, well-constructed and safe roads, and access to equitable and quality health care and mental health services.
She praised the county’s work on the forest preserves and making them accessible for residents, something she hopes to expand on. Rodriguez also expressed excitement about looking into creating a county-wide compost program.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for us to look in Lake County as a partnership between businesses and the forest preserve to eliminate the huge amount of food waste that goes into our landfills on a daily basis, from restaurants or schools,” she said.
Other initiatives center around accessibility to healthcare and mental health services. Rodriguez pointed to the recently opened Frontline Care Center, a mental health services clinic aimed at first responders.
“I’ve seen the impact a lack of mental health services can have on individuals, families and communities,” she said.
Other issues that have come up in discussions with residents have been the Route 120 bypass, as well as the elimination of lands already designated as forest preserve or as protected land.
“As County Board members, we have to have that ability to think outside the box, but do it in a respectful manner,” Rodriguez said.
Where Meister has criticized the board, calling for change, Rodriguez said the message she is hearing from people is different.
“I like what our County Board is doing,” she said. “I think we’re moving in the right direction. I hope that I can get this position in order to continue to move forward the positive energy and the good work that the board has been doing.”
Taking Maine’s seat
Lake County’s political climate has shifted notably at the county level in the last decade, and today the County Board is overwhelmingly Democratic. Through that, Maine remained in her seat, although it’s difficult to say whether that was a reflection of the district’s political leanings or Maine’s record on the board.
Taking over from Maine has a “humbling nature to it,” Rodriguez said, since she’s “been able to connect with the community for as long as she has, to be able to maintain that seat,” while getting Democratic and Republican voters. Strong leadership requires a “good listener” with compassion and empathy, she said.
“I believe in those open lines of communication. Even though I might not see eye to eye on some specific topics with someone, I can hear their concerns, and I can take that into consideration with decisions that I would be making on the board,” she said.
Although Meister said the outgoing Maine has a long history of being good on the environment, she argues that Maine has “voted for the Trump agenda.”
Running in a district that has been held by a Republican for decades, Meister argued there are things across the political spectrum she sees agreement on while going door to door, such as “unacceptable” behavior by ICE and Border Patrol, or losing medical services in a region, pointing to when Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan eliminated some services last year.
“I might be a Democrat, I might have a strong Democratic background, but I also talk common sense to people,” Meister said.
If she were to win, Meister said she isn’t concerned about taking the place of a longtime member. While Maine has been a “strong candidate” for a long time, it isn’t the focus of the district right now, Meister said.
“People are focused on safety-net programs and how we’re going to fill these holes,” Meister said. “We don’t have the same vision; mine is different. I’m running to represent what they’re concerned about today, not what they were concerned about last year.”
While she is “definitely running a Democrat campaign,” Rodriguez’s discussions with County Board members show “a lot of decisions that the County Board makes are bipartisan.”
“I would not say I’m running bipartisan, but I’m also someone who, through my career, interacts with people of all different races, identities, genders, sexual orientation and political affiliations,” she said. “It’s important that we hear and we listen to people on both sides and, maybe not agree, but at least have decency in those conversations.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/10/county-board-district-3-primary/
Amber Glenn resuelve disputa de derechos de autor con artista canadiense en los Juegos Olímpicos
Por DAVE SKRETTA
MILÁN (AP) — La patinadora artística estadounidense Amber Glenn aseguró haber resuelto las preocupaciones sobre derechos de autor con el artista creador de una de las piezas de su música para el programa libre, y que la medallista de oro del equipo olímpico podría haber entablado una nueva amistad con él debido a esto.
El artista canadiense Seb McKinnon, que produce música bajo el nombre de CLANN, recurrió a las redes sociales después de que Glenn realizara su programa libre para concluir el evento por equipos el domingo y expresó sorpresa de que su canción “The Return” fuera utilizada como parte del programa.
“Acabo de enterarme de que una patinadora olímpica usó una de mis canciones sin permiso para su rutina. Se transmitió por todo el mundo… ¿qué? ¿Es eso una práctica habitual en los Juegos Olímpicos?” publicó McKinnon en X, antes de finalmente felicitar a Glenn por su medalla.
Los patinadores artísticos están obligados a obtener permiso de derechos de autor para la música que utilizan. Pero el proceso es confuso y propenso a errores, y varios patinadores en los Juegos de Milán-Cortina han tenido que cambiar programas en el último minuto debido a esto.
“El tema de los derechos musicales puede ser complejo y confuso”, dijo Glenn en un comunicado. “Parece que hubo un contratiempo en todo ese proceso. Me alegra que hayamos aclarado las cosas con Seb y espero colaborar con él”.
No se aclaró cuál fue el contratiempo. Glenn ha estado actuando con “The Return” durante los últimos dos años sin ningún problema.
“Fue un sueño hecho realidad actuar en los Juegos Olímpicos y que Seb reconociera mi actuación y me felicitara después hizo el momento aún más especial”, dijo Glenn. “Espero sinceramente haber podido ayudar a crear nuevos fanáticos tanto del patinaje artístico como de Seb. Seguiremos adelante y continuaremos apoyando tanto a los artistas como a la comunidad del patinaje”.
McKinnon, cuyo primer largometraje se estrenará pronto, dijo que no estaba tratando de causar una controversia con su publicación en redes sociales.
“No hay absolutamente ningún odio de mi parte”, dijo. “Al mismo tiempo, solo quiero asegurarme de que se respeten los derechos de los artistas”.
El tema de los derechos de autor es un problema relativamente nuevo en el patinaje artístico, porque durante generaciones la única música que se podía usar era mayormente parte del dominio público. Pero cuando la Unión Internacional de Patinaje relajó sus regulaciones en 2014 y los atletas comenzaron a usar música más moderna que reflejaba su propia personalidad, algunos artistas comenzaron a exigir compensación por su trabajo.
La ISU ha estado trabajando para ayudar a los patinadores a evitar problemas de derechos de autor, pero varios aún han surgido durante los Juegos de Invierno.
El patinador español Tomàs Guarino tuvo que trabajar intensamente para obtener la aprobación de la música para su programa corto, establecido con un popurrí de la película animada “Minions”. Guarino había estado realizando el popular programa toda la temporada, solo para enterarse de que Universal Studios estaba a punto de rechazar su uso durante los Juegos de Invierno. Obtuvo la aprobación final que necesitaba el viernes pasado.
___
Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
US To Fund Free Speech Initiatives In Europe, Trump Official Reveals
US To Fund Free Speech Initiatives In Europe, Trump Official Reveals
Authored by Kimberley Hayek via The Epoch Times,
The Trump administration announced plans to direct funding toward promoting free speech in Western allied democracies, a senior State Department official said on Monday. The initiative bolsters efforts to counter European online regulations categorized by Washington as censorship.
Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers discussed the initiative during a trip to Europe. It includes grants to support free expression, a result of concerns about rules such as the European Union’s Digital Services Act and Britain’s Online Safety Act.
These laws, which E.U. officials say aim to deter hate speech and misinformation, have been scrutinized by U.S. officials as restricting the free speech of American tech firms and suppressing immigration policy critiques.
“One way my office is going to operate differently is we’re going to be very forthright and transparent about everything we do,” Rogers said during a panel discussion in Budapest on Monday. She added that her role allows directing U.S. funding through grants, stating, “I want to promote free speech in Western allied democracies, and … that’s what my grantmaking is going to be doing.”
Rogers, appearing alongside a top aide to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, underscored the importance of free speech for democracy.
“The United States government, via me, but not only me, has been engaging aggressively on the issue of free speech, because you don’t have self-governance without freedom of speech, you can’t have a democratic deliberation if viewpoints are proscribed from the public square,” she said.
Rogers is scheduled to stop in Dublin, Budapest, Warsaw, and Munich to discuss digital freedoms with officials and others.
The administration’s December National Security Strategy said that European leaders were censoring speech and suppressing opposition to immigration policies, warning of the continent’s “civilizational erasure.”
Rogers said European polls showing European views on migration are similar to those in the United States.
The United States imposed last month visa bans on a former European Union commissioner and four anti-disinformation activists. The administration labeled them agents of censorship for working to regulate U.S. social media platforms. European leaders lambasted the bans. They defended the commissioner and activists’ rights to push for regulations on foreign companies operating locally.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed the designations on Dec. 23, 2025. He called the individuals “agents of the global censorship-industrial complex” and blocked their entry to the United States.
‘Anti-Racism’ Strategy
The European Commission unveiled a new “anti-racism” strategy on Jan. 20, aiming toward a “Europe free from racism” with increased anti-discrimination enforcement and training.
The Commission said the training will help civil servants “recognise and tackle racial bias, while fostering greater cultural awareness and sensitivity.” It also requires European educators to “address teacher training and professional development on diversity and inclusion, as well as promoting diversity in the teaching profession itself.”
Eric Kaufmann, a professor at the University of Buckingham, said the strategy “betrays an illiberal moralizing worldview” that could lead to “suppressing free speech and asphyxiating the historical pride and culture of Europe’s ethnic majorities.”
Jacob Reynolds of think tank MCC Brussels called it a “slide to cultural socialist ideas.”
Reynolds previously told The Epoch Times that he believes that the policy “has got nothing to do with racism” and is “a classic example of how the EU proceeds to amass for itself more powers to regulate orderly life and get involved in politics.”
“This is not [anti-racism], as ordinary people understand it,” he said. “This is the kind of woke [diversity, equity, and inclusion] agenda that has come to dominate the way that lots of civil servants, lots of academics, lots of civil society organizations think.”
“E.U. in this strategy is clearly not concerned about the things that ordinary people would understand as racism, discrimination against people on the basis of the [color] of their skin, but is actually about regulating thought,” he told The Epoch Times.
The initiative increases funding for the Citizens, Equality, Rights, and Values program, with a proposal for 3.6 billion euros ($4.2 billion) for 2028–2034 to aid civil society projects.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 02/10/2026 – 09:40
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/us-fund-free-speech-initiatives-europe-trump-official-reveals
Rideshare package pickup spurs hazmat situation in Logan Square
Two people were sickened after falling ill during a rideshare package pickup Monday night in the Logan Square neighborhood, Chicago police said.
A rideshare driver and his passenger picked up a package shortly before 10 p.m. in the 2200 block of North Monticello Avenue when they both felt sick and called 911, police said.
Paramedics arrived at the scene and took both victims to Norwegian American Hospital where they both were listed in fair condition, police said.
The hazmat team also responded and recovered a package from the vehicle and were investigating.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/10/rideshare-package-pickup-logan-square/
