Category: News
Russia Offers To Remove All Enriched Uranium From Iran
Russia Offers To Remove All Enriched Uranium From Iran
On potential upcoming US-Iran talks, the two sides can’t agree on scope – with Washington wanting to go beyond just the nuclear sphere and into the question of Tehran putting limits on its ballistic missile arsenal. The Iranians have given a firm no on this, and so the talks look doomed to fail. But Russia is now offering – or at least reiterating – a potentially huge overture.
“Moscow is willing to take what remains of Iran’s enriched uranium,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said Wednesday.
“At the same time, it is important to note that the aforementioned stockpiles belong to Iran. Their presence in no way contradicts Tehran’s obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,” Zakharova stressed in a fresh press briefing, as quoted by Kommersant.
This explanation backs the longtime insistence by Iranian leadership that its nuclear development is only for peaceful domestic energy, and not for weapons.
“Tehran has full rights to the material, including deciding whether to remove it from Iranian territory and where to export it,” Zakharova added.
This is not the first time Moscow has offered to mediate some kind of solution, but the current crisis takes on extra urgency, given President Trump has threatened to bomb Iran again.
“Russia once offered to export Iran’s enriched uranium reserves to its territory. This initiative is still on the table,” Zakharova said in reference to a prior plan to do the same.
But Washington might find this unsatisfactory, again as its demands are going well beyond nuclear arms into conventional ones, and Tehran is not going negotiate its way into being defenseless against Israeli attack.
In fresh Wednesday statements in response to a question, Trump upped the threat – while still remaining ambiguous in terms of articulating plans or intent…
Q: Should the Supreme Leader in Iran be worried right now?
Trump: He should be very worried.
Source: NBC News https://t.co/W39oaI6hm2 pic.twitter.com/5qjaWfKRe7
— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 4, 2026
“I would say he should be very worried,” Trump told NBC News when what Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s feelings should be when faced with US military action.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 02/05/2026 – 02:45
Freshman TJ Adams, whose dad played professionally overseas, moves up to Waubonsie Valley varsity. ‘Belonged.’
This kid can play.
Waubonsie Valley freshman T.J. Adams is just three appearances into a budding high school varsity career, but the 6-foot point guard looks right at home already for the Warriors.
During summer workouts, Adams worked with the varsity some, but he started the regular season playing on the sophomore and junior varsity teams.
“I was always hoping when I was playing sophomore,” Adams said of being called up to the varsity. “I just kept on trying to grind and grind and get better every single day.
“And eventually, it led to me getting to there, getting to varsity. I didn’t feel overmatched. It took a lot of getting used to, but eventually I thought I could at this level, no matter what size I am.”
Adams fit right in Wednesday night, finishing with eight points, three rebounds and one steal in limited minutes as Waubonsie cruised to a 47-23 DuPage Valley Conference win at DeKalb.
Waubonsie Valley’s T.J. Adams (24) scores a basket through on DeKalb’s Derrion Straughter (12) in the second quarter of a DuPage Valley Conference game in DeKalb on Wednesday Feb. 4, 2026. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
Coming of the bench midway through the first quarter, Adams promptly pulled up from the wing and made a 12-foot jumper in his first minute. Waubonsie (15-8, 4-3) was good to go from there.
Sophomore center Kyler Payne scored a game-high 13 points and senior guards Kris Mporokoso and Aidan Lee both joined Adams with eight points apiece for the Warriors.
Senior guard Myles Newman scored 12 points to lead DeKalb (11-15, 0-7).
But as far as being impressive, Adams continued to make his case.
Waubonsie Valley’s T.J. Adams (24) reacts against DeKalb in the second quarter of a DuPage Valley Conference game in DeKalb on Wednesday Feb. 4, 2026. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
“He’s a kid we knew about as a seventh and eighth grader,” Waubonsie Valley coach Andrew Schweitzer said of Adams. “We were excited about him. His dad played professionally.
“He’s a great kid. In a lot of ways, not to put this on him, but he reminds me of Tyreek (Coleman) a little bit.”
Coleman, a two-time Beacon-News/Courier-News Boys Basketball Player of the Year, is a point guard in his freshman season at Illinois State.
“T.J. is a sponge,” Schweitzer said. “He loves the game. In practice, he’s trying to learn everything. He’s extremely coachable. Obviously, as a freshman, the biggest question is the mental part and physical part.
Waubonsie Valley’s T.J. Adams (24) comes up with a steal against DeKalb’s Gabriel Crump (11) in the second quarter of a DuPage Valley Conference game in DeKalb on Wednesday Feb. 4, 2026. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
“For me, he’s always had the mental part. He can process at a high level. But we didn’t know if he was physically ready yet. It kind of got to a point where he’s practiced with us a little bit and we had a week without a game and we had him practice all week with the varsity.”
Adams had made a cameo appearance a week earlier in a 54-43 loss to Metea Valley.
“We had an intrasquad scrimmage, and quite frankly, T.J. showed up,” Schweitzer said. “My biggest thing with anyone getting called up, freshman or sophomore, is do you look scared?
“He never looked scared out there. He looked like he belonged.”
Adams father, Tommy, grew up in Virginia, played college basketball at Hampton and was the player of the year in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference his senior season.
He had summer league appearances with several NBA teams before playing professionally for nine years overseas with stints in Venezuela, Sweden, Germany, Poland, Italy and France.
Waubonsie Valley’s T.J. Adams (24) gets closely guarded by DeKalb’s Derrion Straughter (12) in the fourth quarter of a DuPage Valley Conference game in DeKalb on Wednesday Feb. 4, 2026. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
The first big test for T.J. was last weekend on the team’s trip to downstate Quincy. He scored 17 points off the bench, including five 3-pointers, to spark a 52-44 come-from-behind victory.
Mporokoso, who produced 16 points and a handful of steals, wasn’t surprised.
“He practiced with us before,” Mporokoso said of Adams. “He’s a full-blown varsity player now. He definitely has the talent, as we saw at Quincy. There’s so much more to come from him.”
Schweitzer was sold.
“He comes out and hits four threes in the first half,” Schweitzer said. “I turned to my sophomore coaches and said, ‘Guys, that’s the end of his sophomore career.’
“We’re really excited about him this year, but going forward, he’s going to be a huge piece of what we do.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/05/tj-adams-waubonsie-valley-basketball/
Germany Faces Gas Shortage Crisis: Industry Demands Strategic Reserve
Germany Faces Gas Shortage Crisis: Industry Demands Strategic Reserve
Submitted by Thomas Kolbe
Following the Federal Network Agency, the umbrella organization of the energy industry is now also calling for the establishment of a national strategic natural gas reserve. The coordinated push by the sector makes it clear that the decline in gas storage levels is far more severe than politics has so far admitted.
Kerstin Andreae, chairwoman of the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW), called on Monday in an interview with the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland for the creation of a national strategic gas reserve.
Andreae emphasized the need for a robust buffer to absorb external shocks in Germany’s energy supply. With this demand, the BDEW explicitly aligned itself with the position of the Federal Network Agency, whose president Klaus Müller had already advocated for such a strategic reserve in a dpa interview last week.
Similar signals are now coming from the business world. The Oldenburg-based energy supplier EWE also considers the time ripe to discuss additional crisis instruments and to follow the examples of other European countries. Austria, France, and Poland already maintain strategic gas reserves to safeguard against supply crises.
Reality Ignored
It is remarkable that Germany has largely ignored fundamental questions of energy market design and the security of grids with baseload energy for years—a consequence of ideologically driven decisions, for which then-Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck also bears political responsibility.
Current figures underline the urgency of the situation. Gas storage levels in Germany are currently dropping by around one percent per day due to the cold weather, with overall fill levels now at roughly 30 percent.
In extreme cases—such as conditions similar to the winter of 2010—a gas shortage is entirely conceivable. In such a scenario, daily consumption could no longer be covered by additional LNG imports and remaining gas stocks. The result would be planned shutdowns, initially in energy-intensive industries, with cascading and dramatic economic effects across large parts of the economy.
Germany in 2026 stands amid the ruins of its irrational energy policy. It reads like a bad joke that the country which dismantled its nuclear power, removed cheap Russian gas at Brussels’ behest, and now aims to exit coal-fired power, is discussing national gas reserves—all in the name of a politically and media-amplified climate hysteria.
Assurances and Stubbornness
Publicly, politics and the Federal Network Agency are working to downplay the problem of declining gas storage levels. Shortly before his dpa interview, Federal Network Agency President Klaus Müller told the Rheinische Post that the risk of supply problems was generally low. Germany had created greater flexibility through multiple import channels—both pipelines and newly built LNG terminals. Moreover, wholesale market prices showed no sign of scarcity, even if they had recently risen, Müller said.
It is a rare skill to contradict oneself multiple times in just a few sentences, as Müller managed in this interview.
In contrast, the lobby group INES spoke of historically low levels of German gas storage. Last year at this time, the fill level was around 58 percent, and the year before, even 76 percent. The difference is not marginal, but structural—highlighting the growing vulnerability of the country’s energy security.
The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs struck a similar tone. In January, it referred to the new import flexibility and recently saw no need for state intervention in the market—though one can hardly call the German energy network a “market” anymore, a fact perhaps still unnoticed in the ministry.
Energy economist Claudia Kemfert of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) also stated in January that there was no supply crisis and that imports remained stable. That now bad weather and cold snaps in North America threaten LNG deliveries from the main supplier, the USA—which is responsible for over 90 percent of Germany’s LNG supply—may be the irony of the weather gods. It changes nothing, however, about the fact that German energy policy is trapped between ideological blindness, general negligence, and an intellectual oversimplification of the core problem.
Germany now provides a textbook example of the consequences of centrally planned interventionist policy. Once set in motion, every further review of the increasingly distorted market design forces additional interventions and regulatory measures. The system is gradually transforming into a command economy. It is a downward spiral of supply that can only be broken if long-term measures enable the German energy sector to produce baseload-capable energy again.
This would include returning to Russian gas deliveries, reversing coal phase-out decisions, and adopting modern small modular nuclear reactors. These, by the way, do not produce traditional nuclear waste—an argument that immediately defuses reflexive objections from anti-nuclear opponents.
Worldwide, nuclear power is experiencing an impressive resurgence, particularly in the USA, China, and Russia. Only in Germany does ideological stubbornness prevent recognition of this reality.
Pressure must be applied to European policy to exploit substantial gas reserves, gaining geostrategic breathing space and at least partially freeing itself from the self-imposed stranglehold.
Irony of History
The emerging necessity of a national gas reserve carries two ironies. First, it is a belated admission of the complete failure of the energy transition. Renewable energies, due to their volatility and to maintain grid stability and supply security, require storage and reserve capacities that cannot be economically provided without massively burdening or partially collapsing the economy.
Second, it is precisely the declared arch-enemy of German policy, US President Donald Trump, who these days is calling not only for an existing strategic oil reserve but also for the creation of further national reserves. Washington intends to invest around twelve billion dollars to stockpile metals such as lithium, rare earths, nickel, and cobalt, thereby strategically reducing dependence on China and other raw material suppliers.
The terms “national” and “reserve” in the energy policy context are particularly offensive to the left-green milieu. There, people are unaccustomed to yielding to reality and recognizing that conservative thinking in matters of supply security, preparedness, and societal resilience is superior in every respect—including as a socio-political concept.
In the USA, supply security and strategic resilience sit prominently on the political agenda alongside energy market deregulation. In Germany, however, remarkable consistency is applied to stabilizing a green crony economy, whose economic viability is increasingly eroding.
German households will experience the consequences of this fatal error very concretely in their accounts over the coming weeks and months.
* * *
About the author: Thomas Kolbe, a Germany a graduate economist, has worked for over 25 years as a journalist and media producer for clients from various industries and business associations. As a publicist, he focuses on economic processes and observes geopolitical events from the perspective of the capital markets. His publications follow a philosophy that focuses on the individual and their right to self-determination.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 02/05/2026 – 02:00
Cavaliers aplastan a Clippers por 124-89 tras el canje Garland-Harden
INGLEWOOD, California, EE.UU. (AP) — Donovan Mitchell anotó 29 puntos y repartió nueve asistencias, Jaylon Tyson agregó 17 tantos y los Cavaliers de Cleveland aplastaron el miércoles a los Clippers de Los Ángeles por 124-89, horas después de que los equipos completaron un canje de astros.
Los Cavaliers enviaron al base Darius Garland a los Clippers a cambio de James Harden. Ninguno de los dos jugó para sus nuevos equipos en la jornada.
Jarrett Allen anotó diez puntos y capturó 11 rebotes, Dennis Schroder agregó 11 unidades en su debut con los Cavaliers y Keon Ellis sumó seis tantos en su primer duelo con los Cavaliers, quienes ganaron por séptima vez en ocho compromisos. Schroder y Ellis fueron adquiridos de Sacramento en un intercambio de tres equipos el domingo.
Kawhi Leonard anotó 25 puntos y John Collins agregó 19 por los Clippers, quienes perdieron encuentros consecutivos por primera vez desde una racha de cinco derrotas en diciembre.
El novato Yanic Konan Niederhauser anotó diez puntos y capturó ocho rebotes por Los Ángeles, que tiene un récord de 17-5 desde el 20 de diciembre, aunque la mayor parte de ese éxito fue con Harden. Los Clippers carecieron también de su pívot titular Ivica Zubac, quien estuvo ausente por el nacimiento de su hijo.
Los Cavaliers acertaron un 51% de sus disparos de campo y acertaron 16 de 41 (39%) desde la línea de tres puntos. Los Clippers embocaron seis de 28 (21,4%) desde la línea de tres puntos y sufrieron 24 pérdidas de balón que los Cavs convirtieron en 47 puntos.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Vistazo a la violencia en Gaza meses después del alto el fuego entre Israel y Hamás
Por SAM METZ
JERUSALÉN (AP) — A medida que los cadáveres de la veintena de palestinos muertos en ataques israelíes llegaban a hospitales en Gaza el miércoles, el director de uno de ellos planteó una pregunta que lleva meses resonado en el territorio devastado por la guerra.
“¿Dónde está el alto el fuego? ¿Dónde están los mediadores?”, escribió Mohamed Abu Selmiya en una publicación en Facebook.
Al menos 556 palestinos han fallecido en ataques israelíes desde la entrada en vigor de una tregua mediada por Estados Unidos en octubre, incluyendo 24 el miércoles y 30 el sábado, según el Ministerio de Salud de Gaza. Cuatro soldados israelíes han muerto en la Franja en el mismo período, y varios más resultaron heridos, incluyendo uno que, según el ejército, sufrió lesiones graves cuando insurgentes abrieron fuego durante la noche cerca de la línea de alto el fuego en el norte de Gaza.
Otros puntos del acuerdo se han estancado, como el despliegue de una fuerza de seguridad internacional, el desarme de Hamás y el inicio de la reconstrucción del sitiado enclave palestino. La apertura del cruce fronterizo de Rafah entre Gaza y Egipto generó esperanzas de nuevos avances, pero menos de 50 personas pudieron pasarlo el lunes.
Rehenes liberados mientras otros asuntos se demoran
En octubre, después de meses de negociaciones estancadas, Israel y Hamás aceptaron un plan de 20 puntos propuesto por el presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, para poner fin a la guerra desatada por el ataque de Hamás a Israel el 7 de octubre de 2023.
En aquel momento, Trump dijo que conduciría a una “Paz Fuerte, Duradera y Eterna”.
Hamás liberó a todos los rehenes vivos que aún retenía al inicio de la tregua a cambio de que Israel hiciese lo propio con miles de prisioneros palestinos y los restos de otros.
Pero las cuestiones más importantes que el pacto pretendía abordar, incluyendo el futuro gobierno de la Franja, fueron recibidas con reservas, y Estados Unidos no ofreció un calendario firme.
La devolución de los restos de los rehenes, por otra parte, se extendió mucho más allá del plazo de 72 horas contemplado en el acuerdo. Israel recuperó el cuerpo del último la semana pasada, después de acusar a Hamás y otros grupos insurgentes de violar el alto el fuego al no entregar todos los cuerpos. Los insurgentes apuntaron que no pudieron localizar todos los restos rápidamente debido a la enorme destrucción causada por la guerra, un argumento que Israel rechazó.
El alto el fuego también exigía la entrada inmediata de ayuda humanitaria, incluyendo equipos para retirar escombros y rehabilitar la infraestructura. Naciones Unidas y organizaciones humanitarias sostienen que la entrega de ayuda a los dos millones de palestinos en Gaza ha sido insuficiente debido a problemas de aduanas y otros retrasos. COGAT, el organismo militar israelí que supervisa la ayuda a Gaza, calificó las afirmaciones de la ONU como “simplemente una mentira”.
El alto el fuego se mantiene pese a las acusaciones
La violencia se ha reducido de forma drástica desde que el alto el fuego detuvo una guerra que se cobró la vida de más de 71.800 palestinos, según el Ministerio de Salud gazatí. El ministerio forma parte del gobierno liderado por Hamás y elabora registros detallados que generalmente son considerados fiables por las agencias de la ONU y expertos independientes.
Los insurgentes liderados por Hamás mataron a unas 1.200 personas en el ataque inicial de octubre de 2023 y tomaron alrededor de 250 rehenes.
Ambas partes dicen que el acuerdo sigue en vigor y utilizan la expresión “alto el fuego” en sus comunicados. Pero Israel acusa a los combatientes de Hamás de operar más allá de la línea de tregua que divide la Franja por la mitad, amenazando a sus tropas y abriendo fuego ocasionalmente. Hamás, por su parte, acusa a las fuerzas israelíes de disparos y ataques en áreas residenciales lejos de esa línea.
Los palestinos han pedido a los mediadores estadounidenses y árabes que hagan que Israel frene los ataques mortales, cuyas víctimas suelen ser civiles. Entre los fallecidos el miércoles había cinco menores, incluidos dos bebés. Hamás, que acusa a Israel de cientos de infracciones, lo calificó de “grave incumplimiento del acuerdo de alto el fuego”.
En una declaración conjunta el domingo, ocho países árabes y musulmanes condenaron las acciones de Israel desde la entrada en vigor del pacto e instaron a todas las partes a actuar con moderación “para preservar y mantener el alto el fuego”.
Israel sostiene que responde a las violaciones diarias cometidas por Hamás y que actúa para proteger a sus tropas. “Mientras las acciones de Hamás socavan el alto el fuego, Israel sigue plenamente comprometido a mantenerlo”, indicó el ejército en un comunicado el miércoles.
“Uno de los escenarios para los que (el ejército) debe estar preparado es que Hamás esté utilizando una táctica de engaño como hizo antes del 7 de octubre y rearmándose y preparándose para un ataque cuando les sea conveniente”, dijo el teniente coronel Nadav Shoshani, portavoz militar.
Algunas señales de avance
La devolución de los restos del último rehén, la apertura limitada del cruce de Rafah y el nombramiento de un comité palestino para gobernar Gaza y supervisar su reconstrucción mostraron una disposición a avanzar en el acuerdo a pesar de la violencia.
El mes pasado, el enviado estadounidense Steve Witkoff, que desempeñó un papel clave en la mediación de la tregua, dijo que era el momento de “transitar del alto el fuego a la desmilitarización, el gobierno tecnócrata y la reconstrucción”.
Para ello, Israel y Hamás tendrán que abordar grandes cuestiones en las que están profundamente divididos, como si Israel se retirará por completo de Gaza y si Hamás depondrá las armas.
Aunque los líderes políticos se aferran al término “alto el fuego” y aún no se han retirado del proceso, la desesperación va en aumento en la Franja.
El sábado, Atallah Abu Hadaiyed escuchó explosiones en la Ciudad de Gaza durante sus oraciones matinales y salió corriendo. Se encontró con sus primos tendidos en el piso, rodeados de llamas.
“No sabemos si estamos en guerra o en paz”, dijo desde un campamento de desplazados, mientras las tiras de lona de la tienda que tenía detrás volaban con el viento.
___
La periodista de The Associated Press Wafaa Shurafa en Deir al-Balah, Gaza, contribuyó a este despacho.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Grizzlies vencen 129-125 a Kings, que sufren 10ma derrota consecutiva, su peor racha en la campaña
SACRAMENTO, California, EE.UU. (AP) — Cam Spencer encestó tres tiros clave al final del último cuarto y terminó con 20 puntos, mientras que Ty Jerome sumó 28 unidades, y los Grizzlies de Memphis vencieron el miércoles 129-125 a los Kings de Sacramento, quienes se hundieron en su peor racha de la campaña, con 10 tropiezos en fila.
Spencer encestó un triple con 2:08 minutos restantes en el cuarto periodo para darle a Memphis una ventaja de 122-118. Después de que GG Jackson atinó un tiro, Spencer añadió otro de 16 pies con 43 segundos por jugar para mantener la diferencia en cuatro puntos.
Y luego de que los Kings se acercaron a un punto con un triple de DeMar DeRozan, Spencer encestó también de tres unidades con 18 segundos restantes para restaurar la ventaja de cuatro tantos y sellar la victoria.
Jaylen Wells anotó 18 puntos, Jackson añadió 16 y Kentavious Caldwell-Pope finalizó con 15 por Memphis, que ganó su segundo partido consecutivo. El español Santi Aldama, de vuelta en la alineación tras perderse cuatro partidos por una lesión en la rodilla derecha, sumó 12 puntos y seis rebotes.
Los Grizzlies jugaban su primer partido desde que canjearon el martes a Jaren Jackson Jr. al Jazz de Utah en un acuerdo de ocho jugadores y tres selecciones de draft. Memphis también ha estado en conversaciones sobre la posibilidad de desprenderse del base estrella Ja Morant.
La fecha límite de intercambio es el jueves por la tarde.
Domantas Sabonis anotó 20 de sus 24 puntos en la primera mitad y sumó 15 rebotes por los Kings, cuya última victoria fue el 16 de enero contra Washington.
_____
Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Asking Eric: How can anybody be that jealous?
Dear Eric: I’m a 73-year-old female who happily maintained a friendship I made my freshman year in college.
Two years ago, I noticed changes in my friend’s ability to carry on conversations and her lack of awareness of current events. After Covid’s isolation, she and her husband seldom left their house, and her husband spent more time on his computer.
My friend’s calls to me became more frequent and repetitive even though she had no news or reason to phone. She repeated the same three or four stories and often within a five-minute span. I expressed my concerns about cognitive issues to her. She proudly reported that she was especially healthy, took no medications and came from a family who lived long lives. She thought she was fine.
We have always lived in different states, so I reached out to a niece and expressed my concerns about her aunt. The niece phoned her and said I made contact to “check up on her.” Her niece sent me a text that she spoke with her aunt and she seemed “just fine.”
The anger from my friend “interfering in her life” was vitriolic. I have my own mental health concerns and could not deal with the drama. I blocked contact, leaving behind a 54-year friendship. Did I fail her?
– Concerned, not Interfering
Dear Concerned: Reaching out to your friend and to a family member was the right thing. The Alzheimer’s Association ( alz.org ) has a 10-step guide for how to approach a friend or loved one about whom you have memory-related concerns; I refer to it often. Part of that plan involves alerting the friend or loved one to the changes you’re seeing and asking if they’ve noticed the same things. Another part of that plan involves reaching out to someone closer who can help or who might be able to confirm what you’re seeing (or refute it).
These conversations are not always easy. Sometimes people experience shame when others speak to them about their health. Others might feel that people are talking about them behind their backs, which can be hard to handle.
I’m sorry that the conversations you had prompted vitriol from your friend. But I’d encourage you to unblock her. After 54 years, it’s worth allowing her some grace, apologizing for any perceived overstepping, and starting over. A grudge won’t do either of you any good. But a five-decade connection that allows for ups, downs, and changes, can continue to benefit you both.
Dear Eric: We had been friends with another couple for more than 50 years. They were always jealous about little things we did or bought, like a new sofa, new appliances, et cetera. But when we built a new house, that ended our relationship. They never came to visit and we haven’t talked since.
That was 21 years ago. How can anybody be that jealous and what causes it? Small things they would get over in a week or so, but this was too big for them to handle.
– Jealousy Ruined the Friendship
Dear Friendship: It sounds like that couple was never really in the right place to be friends with you. The green-eyed monster pokes its head out on occasion in even the healthiest of relationships, but I struggle to see what they thought they were getting out of this friendship or adding to it.
As this has been on your mind for two decades, I suspect that you’d like some resolution about it. Alas, that may not come. The simple truth is that sometimes other people’s internal struggles manifest externally and keep them from the happiness they say they want.
Dear Eric: This is in response to “You Gonna Finish That?”, who was concerned about restaurant food waste and wanted to ask strangers for their leftovers at restaurants. There is an app called “Too Good To Go”, where participating restaurants and food servers like convenience stores can sell “mystery bags” of their food left over at the end of the day/night at discounted prices.
The app provides time windows in which to pick up the items, usually shortly before closing. This cuts down on food waste and allows restaurants to recover some of their food costs. It also lets people try new restaurants at a reduced cost. There’s a delicious bagel shop near me that participates in the app, and I’ve frequently gotten a dozen assorted bagels at cost. Win-win!
– Too Good
Related Articles
Asking Eric: Should I get his number?
Asking Eric: This family is processing a profound loss
Asking Eric: I can’t stand my friend’s husband
Asking Eric: Am I a bad friend?
Asking Eric: Going through some tough times
Dear Too Good: Thanks for this suggestion. I’ve checked out the app in the past and it does a great job helping restaurants to reduce food waste. Restaurants have to adhere to strict guidelines around food service, including never serving one guest food that’s been served to another guest. Apps like “Too Good to Go” help make use of unused food without exposing the restaurant to liability.
(Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/05/asking-eric-how-can-anybody-be-that-jealous/
Brad Karp, Chairman Of Top Law Firm Paul Weiss, Resigns Over Epstein Ties
Brad Karp, Chairman Of Top Law Firm Paul Weiss, Resigns Over Epstein Ties
The chairman of one of the nation’s top law firms suddenly resigned Wednesday evening after a series of embarrassing emails emerged between him and Jeffrey Epstein became public in recent days.
Brad Karp, who has been at the helm of law firm Paul Weiss for 18 years, gave no explanation for his decision – aside form a statement that “Recent reporting has created a distraction and has placed a focus on me that is not in the best interests of the firm.”
The firm, which has over 1,200 lawyers, represents some of the largest companies in the world, including Amazon, Exxon Mobil and the NFL – and has a reputation for providing free work to immigrant groups.
According to new emails released by the DOJ, Karp was not only a guest at Epstein’s New York Mansion, the two exchanged emails on a regular basis.
He coached Epstein during his underage sex-trafficking scandal, referring to accusers as ‘victims,’ (in quotes), and suggesting that they “lied in wait and sat on their rights for their strategic advantage, knowing you were in prison, before they came forward.”
Karp met Epstein through legal work for billionaire Leon Black, co-founder of Apollo Global Management. Black paid Epstein nearly $170 million for tax and estate planning advice (and totally not blackmail). Karp then began socializing with Epstein – at one point asking the disgraced financier for help landing his son a job on a Woody Allen movie.
After Karp attended a dinner at Epstein’s Manhattan mansion in 2015 where Allen was present, Karp wrote to Epstein in an email that it was “an evening I’ll never forget,” referring to Epstein as “an extraordinary host” who was “amazing.”
One lawyer at Paul Weiss told the NY Times that the relationship has become an embarrassment, while others were upset that Karp received an email where Epstein suggested that Black should retain a private investigator to surveil a former mistress.
On Monday, Karp said he regretted his interactions with Epstein, and had only “attended two group dinners in New York City and had a small number of social interactions by email, all of which he regrets.”
The joke is that Karp will remain at Paul Weiss… while their head of corporate practice, Scott Barshay, will take over as Chairman. Weiss said that Barshay had “over 30 years advising boards of directors and management teams on some of the most complex and highest-profile legal matters.”
Paul Weiss was also notably one of the Big Law firms that struck a deal with the White House to sidestep an executive order that would have effectively barred the firm from representing clients before the federal government.
In deciding to settle with the White House, Mr. Karp explained to the firm’s lawyers that the restrictions proposed by the Trump administration — like preventing Paul Weiss lawyers from entering federal buildings — would have prevented Paul Weiss from effectively representing its clients. But the settlement rankled many of the firm’s top litigators who wanted to challenge the White House’s executive order in court. –NYT
And now, Karp joins a growing list of Epstein file casualties.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 02/05/2026 – 00:56
Even on senior night, Andrew’s Qasam Alzir plays same team game and gets teammates involved. ‘Amazing feeling.’
Before stepping onto the court, Andrew’s Qasam Alzir took a walk down memory lane.
The 6-foot-1 small forward was the centerpiece of a special ceremony on senior night that he celebrated alongside his six classmates Wednesday. The memories, however, were countless.
“The whole night was kind of bittersweet because some of these guys I’ve known since sixth grade,” Alzir said. “And others I’ve been playing with since freshman year.
“I don’t know how to put this in words, but seeing everyone in the crowd — my parents, family and friends, my coach from middle school — was an amazing feeling.”
Alzir capped off an amazing night by scoring 13 points to go with five rebounds and four assists in leading the host Thunderbolts to a 65-38 nonconference win over Washington in Tinley Park.
Senior guard Kenneth Peters added 12 points for Andrew (11-15), while senior forward Hisham Massad made three 3-pointers in scoring 11 points.
Andrew’s Qasam Alzir (1) goes for a layup against Chicago Washington during a nonconference game in Tinley Park on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
Andrew coach Justin Stirn went with an all-senior lineup as normal starters such as junior forward Ryan Dinnon and freshman forward Titus Payton watched from the bench.
Fittingly, Alzir is the only senior starter for the Thunderbolts.
“Watching him grow from where he was as a freshman says a lot about what you can accomplish when you put in the work,” Stirn said. “He was the only senior chosen as a captain.
“I think that speaks to what his teammates think about him, both on and off the court. It’s a testament to the person he’s become.”
Andrew’s Qasam Alzir (1) brings the ball up the court against Chicago Washington during a nonconference game in Tinley Park on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
Massad has played with Alzir since they were in sixth grade.
“(Wednesday night) was really fun, and it’s definitely something I’m going to look back on in later years,” Massad said. “He’s definitely one of the most mature people I’ve met through our grade.
“He’s unselfish, he’s respectful and he’s definitely someone I can go to.”
In his first season as a starter, Alzir has blossomed as a glue player who connects the various parts of the team.
Andrew’s Qasam Alzir (1) looks for a passing option against Chicago Washington during a nonconference game in Tinley Park on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
“Last season, I started a couple of games but didn’t play too much,” he said. “I don’t really look to score. I want to get my teammates involved, screen hard and play as hard on defense as possible.
“My main goal is just to win.”
His parents came to the suburbs of Chicago as young adults from Palestine. Basketball became a big part of his assimilation.
“My dad watched the Bulls when he first came here,” Alzir said. “He told me about it and he’d say I should play basketball. I started watching the NBA and then started playing in third grade.
“After the pandemic, I tried out for the team in eighth grade and I went from there.”
Alzir, who is part of a special tutoring program at Andrew that works with special-needs kids, counts communication as his calling card. He speaks English, Arabic and Spanish.
Andrew’s Qasam Alzir (1) calls out a play on offense against Chicago Washington during a nonconference game in Tinley Park on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
He’s also part of the Spanish honors program.
“I used to go to Arabic school and absolutely hated it,” he said. “But I learned how to read, write and comprehend in Arabic.
“I really appreciated my mom for doing that because there were a lot of similarities between Arabic and Spanish. I picked Spanish up so quickly.”
He’s the middle of five kids, with that game being a crucial part of Alzir’s growth and identity. Playing basketball has a clear end date for him, though, so he’s relishing these final moments.
Interestingly enough, on a night that the leading scorers for the Thunderbolts were all on the bench watching, Alzir stayed true to his character.
“I wasn’t going to go crazy out there and take a bunch of stupid shots,” he said. “I just wanted to run, get my teammates involved and obviously win. I hate losing more than I love winning.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/04/qasam-alzir-andrew-boys-basketball/
Malasia prohíbe importación de residuos electrónicos y promete frenar vertidos ilegales
Associated Press
KUALA LUMPUR, Malasia (AP) — Malasia anunció una prohibición inmediata y total sobre la importación de basura electrónica, y el gobierno prometió que el país no sería un “vertedero” para los desechos del mundo.
La Comisión Anticorrupción de Malasia dijo en un comunicado el miércoles por la noche que toda la basura electrónica sería reclasificada bajo la categoría de “prohibición absoluta” con efecto inmediato. Esto elimina el poder discrecional que antes tenía el Departamento de Medio Ambiente para conceder exenciones de importación de ciertos desechos electrónicos.
“Los desechos electrónicos ya no están permitidos” afirmó en el comunicado el jefe de la MACC, Azam Baki, que prometió “una intervención firme e integrada” para prevenir importaciones ilegales.
Malasia ha lidiado en el pasado con grandes volúmenes de desechos electrónicos importados, muchos de los cuales se sospecha que son ilegales y peligrosos para la salud humana y el medio ambiente. Las autoridades han incautado cientos de contenedores de desechos electrónicos sospechosos en los puertos en los últimos años y han emitido avisos para su devolución a los exportadores.
Los defensores del medio ambiente han instado durante mucho tiempo a tomar medidas más contundentes. La basura electrónica —productos electrónicos desechados como computadoras, celulares y electrodomésticos— pueden contener sustancias tóxicas y metales pesados, incluidos plomo, mercurio y cadmio, que contaminan el suelo y los recursos hídricos si se procesan o se desechan de manera inadecuada.
La prohibición se produce mientras las autoridades amplían una investigación por corrupción relacionada con la gestión de desechos electrónicos. La semana pasada, la MACC detuvo y puso en prisión preventiva al director general del departamento de medio ambiente y a su adjunto por presunto abuso de poder y corrupción en la supervisión de residuos electrónicos. La investigación también ha llevado a las autoridades a congelar cuentas bancarias y confiscar efectivo vinculado al caso.
El Ministerio del Interior prometió en una publicación en redes sociales el miércoles que el gobierno reforzaría los esfuerzos para combatir el contrabando de basura electrónica en el país.
“Malasia no es un vertedero para los desechos del mundo”, afirmó. “Los desechos electrónicos no son solo basura, sino una amenaza seria para el medio ambiente, la salud de las personas y la seguridad nacional”.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
