Category: News
Sentencian a cadena perpetua al hombre que intentó asesinar al presidente Trump en un campo de golf en Florida en 2024
FORT PIERCE, Florida, EE.UU. (AP) — Sentencian a cadena perpetua al hombre que intentó asesinar al presidente Trump en un campo de golf en Florida en 2024.
Why the hospitality stop known as ‘Ice House’ was renamed ‘Winter House’ for US Olympians
MILAN — The Winter Olympics are a land of snow and frozen water — no “ice,” though, at least not at the hospitality house being hosted by U.S. sports teams in Milan for the Games.
The Ice House has been officially renamed the Winter House, in a nod to the tension surrounding the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, commonly known as ICE.
“Our hospitality concept was designed to be a private space free of distractions where athletes, their families, and friends can come together to celebrate the unique experience of the Winter Games,” said a release from the house sponsors, USA Hockey, US Speedskating and US Figure Skating.
Protests against ICE have broken out in Minnesota and across America after immigration officers killed two people.
The issue also sparked demonstrations in Italy when news broke that ICE was sending a handful of agents to assist with some Olympic-related security measures. The ICE agents will be working on computers inside, not in the streets, and are not part of the same unit that is cracking down in the U.S.
The Winter House is the closest thing these Games will have to a USA House — the usual hangout for athletes and their families typically hosted by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. The USOPC didn’t open a USA House because of the spread-out nature of these Olympics and inability to bring all athletes to one location.
“I think it’s wise,” U.S. figure skater Amber Glenn said when asked about the name change. “It’s unfortunate that the term ICE isn’t something we can embrace because of what’s happening and the implications of what some individuals are doing.”
Asked about the name change, moguls skier Tess Johnson, who is in Milan this week before she competes hours away in Livigno, said she has thought a lot “about what it means to represent the States in this Games.”
“I personally don’t stand for any hate or violence,” she said. “I am a huge proponent of what the Olympic and Paralympic movement stands for, which is connection, respect, unity, love, compassion. I think actions and conversations around those words are very meaningful to me.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/04/ice-house-olympics/
Xavier Justice, whose dad played at Notre Dame, also stars as Batavia’s point guard. ‘How my brain is wired.’
Pressure? What pressure?
Xavier Justice worried he had some big shoes to fill at Batavia as the son of LaMarr Justice, who was the point guard in 1991 for the only team in program history to go to state, then had a successful college basketball career at Notre Dame.
Focusing on his own footsteps, Xavier committed last week to NCAA Division III Wisconsin-Oshkosh. And with the Bulldogs going 11-1 in their 12 games since the start of the new year, the 6-foot senior point guard is experiencing some good times.
“It once was a bit of a struggle,” Xavier said. “Growing up here and feeling like I have to live up to his success where everyone loves him, but he taught me everything and gave me the freedom to make my own career.
“When I got to high school, he made it clear he was super proud of me and everything I’ve done. He helped me put in the work that’s helped me ease that pressure and create the player I am today, though I’m still working on that.”
The work Tuesday night looked very good as Justice scored 13 points with four rebounds, three assists and two steals in Batavia’s 64-52 DuKane Conference win over visiting St. Charles North.
Batavia’s Xavier Justice (21) puts up a shot from the outside against St. Charles North during a DuKane Conference game in Batavia on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (Mark Black / The Beacon-News)
His dad LaMarr, who serves as a volunteer assistant to coach Jim Nazos, didn’t get to see the game. He was out of town on a business trip for his technology sales position.
Senior guard Joe Reid, Justice’s backcourt mate, recorded 24 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals to lead Batavia (16-8, 7-3).
Batavia sealed the decision with its 3-point shooting, making 39% (12 of 31). Reid made six and Justice added three.
“We’ve played in school together since eighth grade and were on a feeder team before that,” Justice said of Reid, who this week received an offer from Concordia Chicago. “We’ve been able to create good chemistry.
Batavia’s Xavier Justice (21) drives past St. Charles North’s Jack Leigl (10) during a DuKane Conference game in Batavia on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (Mark Black / The Beacon-News)
“It’s nice having him on my side. He’s going to go to great places as well.”
Senior forward Cooper Mellican paced St. Charles North (9-15, 3-6) with 26 points and five rebounds.
Like his father, Xavier Justice played soccer as well, making the Batavia varsity as a freshman.
“At a very young age I played both, kicking a soccer ball when I was 3 and dribbling a basketball at 4,” Xavier said. “When I got to high school, I was more of a soccer player.
Batavia’s Xavier Justice (21) gets past St. Charles North’s Ansh Salwan (15) during a DuKane Conference game in Batavia on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (Mark Black / The Beacon-News)
“But that freshman year, I started playing AAU basketball.”
Not surprisingly, he was a center midfielder in soccer, a position that’s most comparable to point guard in basketball.
“It’s just kind of how my brain is wired, I guess,” Xavier said. “You know, see all the field.”
He gave up soccer after his junior season, though.
“I decided I wanted to pursue a basketball career and go 100% all-in,” he said.
His younger sister, Sidnee, is a 5-8 freshman guard on Batavia’s varsity girls basketball team.
“Runs in the family,” Xavier said.
Batavia’s Xavier Justice (21) looks for an opening against St. Charles North’s Nathan Chappel (3) during a DuKane Conference game in Batavia on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (Mark Black / The Beacon-News)
At Oshkosh, he will reunite with sophomore guard Nate Nazos, his coach’s son. Oswego senior forward Brayden Borrowman has also committed to the Titans, who were ranked No. 20 in the nation last week.
“They play a lot of guys and look to push the ball and shoot threes,” Justice said. “That’s something that interests me — that fast play. It’s more like my AAU team. We play super fast.”
While Nazos can see LaMarr’s influence, he confirmed that Xavier has created his own path.
“LaMarr is so supportive, a great father and excellent coach and great mentor to all these seniors on our team,” Nazos said. “He’s had them through feeder games back to fourth and fifth grade.
“You can see it in how Xavier plays. He has a quiet confidence, doesn’t need the spotlight but everything goes smooth because he’s got the ball in his hands.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/04/xavier-justice-batavia-notre-dame-basketball/
Hombre que estuvo casado con Jill Biden detenido sin fianza tras ser acusado de matar a su esposa
Por MINGSON LAU y MARYCLAIRE DALE
WILMINGTON, Delaware, EE.UU. (AP) — Un hombre de Delaware que estuvo brevemente casado con la ex primera dama Jill Biden hace décadas permanece en la cárcel acusado de asesinato en primer grado mientras las autoridades investigan la muerte de su esposa, quien fue encontrada inconsciente en su hogar a finales del año pasado.
William Stevenson, de 77 años, de Wilmington, fue acusado el lunes tras la determinación de un jurado especial por la muerte de su esposa, Linda Stevenson, de 64 años, el 28 de diciembre. Ha permanecido en la cárcel tras no poder pagar una fianza de 500.000 dólares, según las autoridades. Los investigadores no han revelado un motivo.
La policía dice que fue llamada a la casa de la pareja poco después de las 11 p.m. por un presunto altercado doméstico y encontraron a una mujer inconsciente en la sala de estar, según un comunicado de prensa anterior. No tuvieron éxito los esfuerzos de resucitarla.
Stevenson fue acusado tras una investigación de varias semanas por detectives del Departamento de Justicia de Delaware. No está claro por ahora si Stevenson tiene un abogado. The Associated Press dejó un mensaje de voz en un número de teléfono y envió correos electrónicos a direcciones asociadas con él en busca de comentarios.
Stevenson estuvo casado con Jill Biden de 1970 a 1975. Jill Biden se casó con el entonces senador Joe Biden en 1977, quien fue presidente desde enero de 2021 hasta enero de 2025. Un portavoz del expresidente y su esposa dijo que ésta declinó hacer comentarios.
Linda Stevenson administraba un negocio de contabilidad y fue descrita en su obituario como una madre y abuela orientada a la familia y fanática de los Philadelphia Eagles. El obituario no menciona a su esposo.
Stevenson fundó el Stone Balloon, un popular lugar de música en Newark, Delaware, a principios de la década de 1970.
En una entrevista de 2024 con el medio derechista Newsmax, Stevenson criticó a Jill Biden y describió su divorcio como contencioso, llamándola “amargada” y “desagradable”.
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Dale reportó desde Filadelfia.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
January US Jobs Report Rescheduled For February 11
January US Jobs Report Rescheduled For February 11
The government reopened after another theatrical two-day shutdown, but that doesn’t mean that Friday’s payrolls report will come when it is due (after all, it’s not like the BLS had 30 days to prepare for it, oh wait, they did). Instead, the January employment report has been rescheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 11, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The data, originally due Feb. 6, was delayed by the partial government shutdown. BLS announced the changes Wednesday, shortly after funding for a number of agencies, including the Labor Department, was restored.
January’s consumer price index report, originally due Feb. 11, is now scheduled for Friday, Feb. 13, the BLS also said.
Other BLS reports that were due this week, including December’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey and the Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment release, were also rescheduled.
The partial shutdown ended late Tuesday after President Donald Trump signed into law a funding deal he negotiated with Senate Democrats. The Labor Department, and most other government agencies, are now funded through Sept. 30.
In addition to the usual monthly payrolls and unemployment data, the January jobs report also includes highly anticipated revisions to annual employment. Those are expected to show that job growth was notably weaker in the year through March 2025 than initially reported.
Tyler Durden
Wed, 02/04/2026 – 12:20
https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/january-us-jobs-report-rescheduled-february-11
Chuck Schumer Claims Voter ID Laws Are The Return Of “Jim Crow”
Chuck Schumer Claims Voter ID Laws Are The Return Of “Jim Crow”
The Democrat Party strategy relies heavily on the tactic of associating everything they don’t like with the race-based conflicts of the past, even though they have no knowledge or understanding of basic history. Their intention is to energize their low-IQ base with hot button rhetoric while blithely dismissing any reasonable debate on otherwise common sense policies.
Once something is deemed “racist”, all constructive discussion goes out the window.
It is crystal clear that the Democrats are desperate to sabotage voter ID laws at any cost. Why? Because they know that illegal immigrants vote despite laws against it, and they also know voter fraud is easier with mail-in ballots devoid of any concrete identification process. In other words, Democrats know they will never win another election unless they have the option to cheat.
The SAVE Act would impose Jim Crow style restrictions on voting. It will be dead on arrival in the Senate.
My statement: pic.twitter.com/OAJRsmgkWn
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 2, 2026
It’s the obvious reason why the progressives are so hostile to bills like the SAVE Act (the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act) which would enforce ID requirements common to most countries in the world. It’s also one of the reasons why NGO funded activists have become so violent in the face of mass deportations of illegals in recent months. Democrats need to import foreigners, buy them off with subsidies and ensure voting standards remain as loose as possible.
The only country in which voter ID is labeled “racist” is the US. Even in the EU, 26 out of 27 member nations have some form of identification law to protect election integrity. Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer, however, disagrees and claims voter ID is a travesty similar to the days of Jim Crow and segregation.
Republican midterm chances are riding on the passage of the SAVE Act, not only because of potential fraud by Dems but also because conservatives are increasingly demanding action be taken to secure elections. A failure on the SAVE Act could mean many MAGA voters stay home on November 3rd.
Schumer’s comparison to “Jim Crow” laws is, of course, absurd, largely because Jim Crow laws had nothing to do with voter identification.
Furthermore, some Jim Crow laws that dealt with voting were not necessarily wrong: The requirement for voters to pass a literacy test (in English) would be more than reasonable today. Many US states also still deny voting rights to convicted criminals guilty of certain felonies, just as they did under Jim Crow.
If some minority groups are statistically more inclined to commit felonies, then that’s their problem and maybe they should stop if they want to vote.
The GOP has fielded the possibility of a temporary stop on the filibuster, which would allow the passage of the SAVE Act with a simple 51 vote majority rather than 60 votes. This is a hotly debated “nuclear option”, but it might be the only chance to get comprehensive vote ID laws in place. Many Republican officials and the Trump Adminstration warn that another chance may never come again.
Tyler Durden
Wed, 02/04/2026 – 12:20
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/chuck-schumer-claims-voter-id-laws-are-return-jim-crow
Tras reprimir protestas, líder supremo de Irán busca evitar ataque de EEUU
Por LEE KEATH
EL CAIRO (AP) — El líder supremo de Irán, el ayatolá Alí Jamenei, aplastó las protestas que se extendieron por todo el país el mes pasado, pero solo al desatar la represión más sangrienta de sus casi cuatro décadas en el poder.
Ahora, con una flotilla estadounidense cerca, Jamenei, de 86 años, está tratando de evitar un posible ataque. Ha advertido que si el presidente Donald Trump ataca, se desencadenará una guerra regional. Al mismo tiempo, está permitiendo que Irán entre en negociaciones sobre su programa nuclear, revirtiendo su anterior rechazo a las conversaciones.
La feroz represión de las protestas es un signo de cuán profunda es la amenaza que Jamenei y el liderazgo de Irán ven en la ira popular. Años de sanciones, mala gestión económica y corrupción han devastado la economía de Irán, afectando duramente a su otrora numerosa clase media. Los cánticos de “¡Muerte a Jamenei!” durante las protestas de enero subrayaron cómo los problemas económicos se han convertido en resentimiento hacia el gobierno clerical.
El descontento popular no es la única presión sobre el sistema teocrático que encabeza Jamenei. El bombardeo israelí y estadounidense durante la guerra del verano pasado dañó gravemente su programa nuclear, sus sistemas de misiles y capacidades militares. Y la red de aliados regionales de Irán, que incluye a Hamás en Gaza y Hezbollah en Líbano —apodada el “Eje de la Resistencia”—, se ha desmoronado en los últimos años, retrasando su capacidad de ejercer influencia en todo el Oriente Medio.
Aun así, la represión interna de Irán mostró el férreo control que Jamenei y su Guardia Revolucionaria son capaces de imponer. Miles de personas murieron, decenas de miles fueron arrestadas y se cortó el acceso a internet, aislando en gran medida a los iraníes del mundo exterior durante semanas.
Esto es lo que hay que saber sobre Jamenei:
Transformó la República Islámica
Cuando ascendió al poder en 1989, Jamenei tuvo que superar profundas dudas sobre su autoridad. Un clérigo de bajo nivel en ese momento, Jamenei no tenía las credenciales religiosas de su predecesor, el ayatolá Ruhola Jomeini, el líder de la Revolución Islámica. Con gafas gruesas y un estilo pausado, Jamenei también carecía del carisma ardiente de Jomeini.
Pero Jamenei ha gobernado tres veces más que el difunto Jomeini y ha moldeado la República Islámica de Irán quizás de manera aún más dramática.
Consolidó el sistema de gobierno de los “mulahs”, o clérigos musulmanes chiitas. Bajo la República Islámica, los clérigos están en la cima de la jerarquía y deciden cómo el gobierno civil, el ejército y el establecimiento de inteligencia y seguridad deben someterse. A los ojos de los intransigentes, Jamenei se erige como la autoridad incuestionable, solo por debajo de Dios.
Al mismo tiempo, Jamenei construyó la Guardia Revolucionaria paramilitar como el actor dominante en la política militar e interna de Irán.
La Guardia cuenta con las fuerzas militares más elitistas de Irán y supervisa su programa de misiles balísticos. Jamenei también dio a la Guardia libertad para construir una red de negocios, permitiéndole dominar la economía de Irán. A cambio, la Guardia se convirtió en su fuerza de choque leal.
Defendió su posición ante desafíos internos
La primera gran amenaza al control de Jamenei fue el movimiento reformista que obtuvo una mayoría parlamentaria y la presidencia poco después de que se convirtiera en líder supremo. El movimiento abogaba por dar mayor poder a los funcionarios electos, algo que los partidarios de Jamenei temían que llevaría al desmantelamiento del sistema de la República Islámica.
Jamenei frustró a los reformistas al reunir al establecimiento clerical. Órganos no electos dirigidos por los mulahs lograron cerrar importantes reformas e impedir que los candidatos reformistas se presentaran a las elecciones.
Con el fracaso del movimiento reformista, han seguido oleadas de protestas populares, cada una aplastada por la Guardia Revolucionaria y otras agencias de seguridad de Irán.
Enormes protestas a nivel nacional estallaron en 2009 por acusaciones de fraude electoral. Bajo el peso de las sanciones, estallaron protestas económicas en 2017 y 2019. Más manifestaciones estallaron en 2022 por la muerte de Mahsa Amini después de que la policía la detuviera por no llevar correctamente su velo obligatorio.
Las sucesivas represiones mataron a cientos, y cientos más fueron arrestados en medio de informes de detenidos torturados hasta la muerte o violados en prisión.
La represión más mortal hasta ahora
El último derramamiento de sangre ha eclipsado los disturbios pasados. Las manifestaciones comenzaron a finales de diciembre en el bazar tradicional de Teherán después de que la moneda rial cayera a un mínimo histórico de 1,42 millones por dólar estadounidense. Rápidamente se extendieron a ciudades de todo Irán.
Jamenei declaró que “los alborotadores deben ser puestos en su lugar”, dando luz verde para una represión. Cuando cientos de miles tomaron las calles el 8 y 9 de enero, manifestantes que habían visto manifestaciones pasadas dijeron que quedaron atónitos por el poder de fuego desatado, con las fuerzas de seguridad disparando contra las multitudes.
Los activistas dicen que hasta ahora han documentado más de 6.700 muertos y están trabajando para verificar potencialmente miles más. El gobierno ha puesto la cifra mucho más baja en 3.117, aún más alta que en represiones pasadas.
En el pasado, las autoridades han buscado calmar la ira pública al suavizar la aplicación de algunas de las restricciones sociales de la República Islámica o al reconocer los problemas económicos.
Pero hasta ahora, Jamenei solo ha endurecido su retórica, refiriéndose a las protestas como “un golpe”. Los activistas dicen que decenas de miles de personas han sido detenidas en las últimas semanas.
Negociaciones nucleares
Al aceptar negociaciones nucleares con Estados Unidos, Jamenei puede estar buscando ganar tiempo para evitar ataques estadounidenses, o contando con que las amenazas de Trump resulten solo bravuconadas. Turquía, Egipto, Omán, Pakistán, Qatar, Arabia Saudí y los Emiratos Árabes Unidos han estado trabajando para tratar de organizar conversaciones, que podrían tener lugar en los próximos días.
Pero las dos partes están muy distantes. Irán se ha opuesto firmemente a las principales demandas estadounidenses, que detenga todo enriquecimiento nuclear y que entregue sus reservas de uranio.
Trump ha sido vago sobre cuál sería el objetivo de los ataques aéreos. Inicialmente había amenazado con ataques para evitar que los líderes de Irán mataran a manifestantes pacíficos o para prevenir ejecuciones masivas. Ha cambiado a usar la amenaza para presionar a Irán a participar seriamente en negociaciones nucleares.
Algunos en Irán y entre la gran diáspora iraní han expresado esperanzas de que Estados Unidos use la fuerza militar para derrocar a Jamenei. Pero eso podría requerir una operación militar enorme, probablemente mucho más que ataques aéreos. También hay voces fuertes incluso entre los opositores a Jamenei en contra de la intervención extranjera para derrocar la teocracia.
Y el escenario de eliminar a Jamenei solo trae a colación la pregunta que ha colgado sobre su gobierno a medida que envejece: ¿Quién o qué vendría después de él?
Oficialmente, un panel de clérigos chiitas tiene la tarea de elegir a uno de los suyos como su sucesor, y se han mencionado múltiples nombres entre los principales clérigos chiitas, incluido el hijo de Jamenei. Pero bajo Jamenei, la Guardia Revolucionaria ha crecido hasta convertirse en el cuerpo más poderoso detrás de las túnicas de los clérigos gobernantes.
Eliminar violentamente al líder supremo podría incitar a los comandantes de la Guardia o a su ejército regular a tomar el poder de manera más abierta. Eso podría desencadenar un conflicto sangriento por el control del país rico en petróleo de 85 millones de habitantes.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Chesterton’s Dogwood Park East could go to the dogs
Chesterton has decided that Dogwood Park East would be a better location for a dog park, rather than the 27 acres of undeveloped land off Dickinson Road.
Chesterton Parks Superintendent Tyler McLead presented a concept plan to the Park Board Tuesday, listing multiple reasons why he thought Dogwood Park East would be the place for a dog park.
The concept plan also proposes Dogwood Park East as the best site for a skate park. Dogwood Park is spread over 60 acres off 23rd Street at County Road 1100 East, with soccer and baseball fields west of 23rd Street.
The Park Board readily agreed that McLead should proceed with his concept. Park Board President Paul Shinn noted that McLead’s idea of putting a dog park at Dogwood Park East makes more sense than the Dickinson Road site.
Costs for clearing the land off Dickinson Road for a park are daunting at this time. Chesterton’s park staff is already spread thin, and the town also faces financial challenges with the loss of property tax revenue as a result of Indiana Senate Enrolled Act 1, McLead said.
“I don’t feel it’s an ideal time to bring more acreage into our park system,” McLead said.
By comparison, Dogwood Park East has the necessary amenities in place – like restrooms, parking, shelters and a playground. The Westchester-Liberty Trail runs by the park and provides a connection with the Prairie Duneland Trail.
McLead had tentatively placed the dog park – which would be about 2.3 acres – on the eastern portion of Dogwood Park East, just south of the softball fields.
If a skate park would be developed, the site selected by McLead would be at the northwest corner of the park.
As part of the concept plan, McLead said that he would relocate the volleyball courts and put them all in one location. There would also be additional connecting trails developed.
The town of Chesterton once had a skate park at the S. 15th Street trailhead of the Prairie Duneland Trail, but that location didn’t work out.
McLead said he believes that Dogwood Park East would provide better access for skateboarders.
Shinn said that the town should contact those who have previously expressed interest in the town developing the dog park and skateboard venue. McLead said he has no timetable yet for the developments at Dogwood Park East as the financial resources must be lined up.
Kevin Nevers, the town’s public affairs liaison, spoke to the Park Board as a representative of the Chesterton Art Center’s board. He asked that the parking situation be considered for the annual Art Fair, which is held on the Dogwood Park East grounds on the first weekend in August.
The Park Board also unanimously decided to hire an appraiser to determine the worth of a 3.4-acre parcel between Elgin and Ritter streets in the Crocker neighborhood.
McLead said the town has owned the landlocked property for some time, but there is no interest from his department or other town departments in using the land.
Town Attorney Connor Nolan said that two appraisals would have to be obtained before the land could be put up for bid.
If the town didn’t receive an acceptable offer, the property could then be sold the conventional way. Shinn said that it would be better to first determine the land’s worth.
Jim Woods is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/04/chestertons-dogwood-park-east-could-go-to-the-dogs/
Is NFL pushing boundaries on international games? Australia trip could test limits of global growth.
LONDON — The Los Angeles Rams landed in London just 30 hours before kickoff against the Jacksonville Jaguars in October.
That won’t fly when they play in Australia next season.
The Melbourne game is part of a multiyear commitment and represents a new frontier for the NFL’s aggressive international plan. The league has never staged a regular-season game so far from home, and Commissioner Roger Goodell has already said Asia will follow “shortly thereafter.”
Goodell hopes to eventually stage 16 games per season internationally — an escalation that could be facilitated if the league moves to an 18-game NFL season. The current maximum number of international games allowed per season is 10 under the collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Players Association.
Ahead of the Super Bowl, the league announced Paris as a new host as well as a return to Madrid and Mexico City for next season. As of Monday, there are a record-high nine international games scheduled for 2026. But not everyone is as enthusiastic as Goodell about the league’s global ambitions. There are questions about scheduling, the risks to players as the air miles add up, and the quality of play.
“The voice of the players and what’s in their best interests come from our membership, not management,” NFLPA media relations director Brandon Parker told The Associated Press. ”That’s why it’s imperative for the union to be a partner in assessing and making decisions on all aspects of the international player experience.
“Any sort of expansion must be balanced against how it impacts players’ bodies along with health and safety data.”
An 18-game schedule likely would include adding a second bye week and reducing the number of preseason games to two — all of which would need to be agreed on between the league and the NFLPA. The current labor deal runs through the 2030 season.
Paris and Rio de Janeiro also in 2026
The NFL has added at least one new host city each season since 2022, when Munich joined the ranks. The following year it was another German city — Frankfurt. Brazil’s Sao Paulo became a host in 2024, and this season saw debuts for Dublin, Berlin and Madrid as the NFL staged seven regular-season games abroad — a record that will be eclipsed next season.
For 2026, three more first-timers — Paris, Melbourne and Rio de Janeiro — join Munich, Madrid, Mexico City and old stalwart London — to bring the international lineup to nine games.
Chicago Bears Q&A: Is a game in Spain in the works? How about a trade for Maxx Crosby?
The league said London is currently scheduled to host three games. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hosts two games each year, apart from the Jacksonville Jaguars’ arrangement with Wembley Stadium. The Jags have the option of playing two home game internationally in 2026 because of their stadium renovation project. The labor agreement’s 10-game limit on international games includes an exception for stadium construction and renovations.
The Paris game will feature the New Orleans Saints and will be held at the 80,000-capacity Stade de France.
Goodell had previously confirmed — and the league made official Monday — a return to Mexico City now that Azteca Stadium has been renovated ahead of the World Cup. The Dallas Cowboys expect to play at Azteca, team owner Jerry Jones said in September.
Calendar concerns
A typical flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne is nearly 16 hours, “which is about as challenging as it gets from a body clock perspective,” said Tom Brownlee, associate professor in Applied Sport Sciences at the University of Birmingham.
The Australia game — at the 100,000 capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground — is expected to be Week 1 and raises the unusual prospect of the NFL starting its season before Labor Day, which falls on Sept. 7. It could be as early as the Wednesday or Thursday before the federal holiday.
“Players still have to adjust several times,” Brownlee said. “They prepare in the U.S., then try to function normally in Australia, and then have to readjust again on the way home before their next game. That second adjustment is often overlooked but can be just as difficult.”
Brownlee, who formerly worked at Premier League club Liverpool, said gameday effects of long-haul travel can include “slower reaction times, reduced sharpness or feeling heavier than normal.”
The NFLPA has also raised concerns about field conditions for international games. Parker, the union spokesman, said players “appreciate the global stage” but expect that “proper travel standards, working conditions, scheduling and protections must be in place to maximize player recovery and performance.”
In a statement, the NFL said the health and safety of players “is always a priority no matter where we play.”
“For international games, the league’s football operations team works alongside club operations staff and local support on the ground in markets to ensure every detail is considered and planned for to optimize the traveling and playing experience for all involved,” the league said.
Is it worth it?
The European games are timed to kick off Sundays at 9:30 a.m. Eastern, which is 6:30 a.m. Pacific. The league could eventually sell it as a new broadcast window.
The six international games that were on NFL Network this season averaged 6.2 million viewers (TV and digital), which doesn’t include over-the-air stations in the markets of the two teams playing. During the 2025 regular season, the NFL averaged 18.7 million viewers per game.
“I don’t see the economic sense of sacrificing US audiences on this scale,” said Stefan Szymanski, a University of Michigan professor of sport management.
The sport also can be hard to understand for new audiences, he added.
“By contrast, the NBA has a much better chance of making it internationally,” he said.
Teams have mostly bought into the league’s plans, though Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam said in October that if Goodell was sitting in front of him “I’d tell him, I would much rather play at home in Cleveland than travel all the way over to London.”
There’s no shortage of interest among the international fans and host cities, however. International games typically sell out quickly and game-week events bring mini-Super Bowl vibes to locations where soccer usually dominates the sports landscape.
Asia and Middle East in focus
League officials haven’t specified which Asian countries they are exploring as future hosts. Tokyo has staged preseason games. China is one of the eight countries outside the United States where the NFL has an office.
The NFL has looked at the United Arab Emirates. Gerrit Meier, managing director and head of NFL international, told the “ Leaders Worth Knowing ” podcast the Middle East “is very, very attractive for us.”
“Our commitment is that we will go into more markets, more countries, more continents as we move forward,” Meier said. “Again, we’re just at the beginning of our global expansion.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/04/nfl-international-games-australia/
No Global Recession In 2026, But Period Of Poor Growth Continues
No Global Recession In 2026, But Period Of Poor Growth Continues
The IMF estimates for 2026 show no signs of recession. However, the global economy remains in a period of poor growth, high debt, persistent inflation and low productivity.
There may not be a recession, but citizens feel poorer as net real wages decline in most economies, remaining below pre-pandemic levels. Why? Because in most developed economies, GDP growth is bloated by government spending, which means high debt, followed by rising taxes that hurt investment and productivity.
The IMF has had to revise its United States estimates to more than double what they expected in early 2025, while Argentina clearly outperforms both the global and regional averages.
Global GDP growth is projected at 3.3% in 2026 and 3.2% in 2027, slightly above the October 2025 projections and broadly in line with 2025 levels.
US outperforms advanced economies
The positive surprise is the United States. Advanced economies are expected to grow by about 1.8% in 2026 and 1.7% in 2027 thanks to higher US figures, while emerging markets and developing economies reach around 4.2% and 4.1%, respectively, despite a slowdown in China.
The IMF calls this “resilient growth” after a year of warning about risks. This is surprising, because many analysts point out that we should be worried when the IMF starts giving bullish messages.
Despite the ironic comments, the IMF does warn about the poor levels of economic development in the leading economies.
The main drivers of economic strength come from AI‑related investment, accommodative financial conditions and private sector flexibility, which offset the negative impact of geopolitical risk and trade negotiations.
The US will be the only G7 economy escaping stagnation in 2025-2027
The Fund was clearly wrong about its estimates for the US economy published last year.
It now projects US growth at 2.4% in 2026, another relevant upward revision from its October 2025 forecast, considering stronger‑than‑expected 2025 data and a powerful impulse from AI‑related capital spending (data centres, chips, digital infrastructure).
For 2027, US growth is expected to moderate to about 2.0%, still above the advanced‑economy average.
The US will be the only G7 economy escaping stagnation in 2025-2027 and outperforming all its major peers with lower immigration, lower taxes and a reduction in government spending, while the major peers, Germany, Japan, France, UK and Canada, continue to disguise the private sector recession with more public spending and rising immigration.
The IMF has not admitted its mistake in assuming stagnation and elevated inflation due to tariffs and prefers to explain the massive upgrades justifying them on lower policy rates, ongoing fiscal support, and high-tech investment.
It is not important. The reality is that the US has proven wrong all the fearmongers and doom predictors and has turned into one of the main drivers of global demand in this forecast round.
Argentina: growth above global and regional averages
The IMF expects Argentina to grow by around 4% in both 2026 and 2027, clearly above the 3.3% world pace and significantly ahead of Latin America’s projected 2.2% in 2026 and 2.7% in 2027.
This comes after an estimated 4.5% expansion in 2025, following a 1.3% contraction in 2024. The International Monetary Fund explicitly links this impressive trajectory to the policies of President Milei and recent macro‑stabilisation efforts.
Argentina moves from chronic underperformer to clear outperformer in the IMF’s baseline
Argentina moves from chronic underperformer to clear outperformer in the IMF’s baseline, especially with a weak outlook for Mexico and Brazil.
Supply-side policies, private sector focus and abandoning interventionism in energy are among the factors that put a faster‑growing US and Argentina as the “pockets of strength” that allow global growth to stay around 3.3% despite the euro area and LatAm stagnation.
Low growth in Europe
For the euro area, the IMF shows moderate but gradually improving growth. However, most of it comes from Germany’s increasing debt.
Real GDP is projected to expand by 1.3% in 2026 and 1.4% in 2027, a slight upward revision versus the October 2025 outlook and consistent with the ECB’s own projections.
However, we cannot forget that this disastrous economic growth comes in the middle of the Next Generation EU stimulus plan and with rate cuts.
Germany is expected to recover from near‑stagnation towards 1.1% in 2026 and 1.5% in 2027 only due to a more than debatable public spending and indebtedness programme.
France is expected to show no real growth by about 1.0% and 1.2%, driven by government spending.
The IMF’s message is that, compared with the United States, the euro area remains a low‑growth region, constrained by weak productivity and excessive regulation and taxes.
For the United Kingdom, the Fund keeps an optimistic forecast at 1.3% growth in 2026 and 1.5% in 2027. It is said that, after the US, the UK and Canada are the fastest‑growing G7 economies.
This reminds us that net zero, high taxes and big government are the recipe for stagnation.
Canada is projected to expand by just 1.4% per year in 2026 and 2027. Japan will only show 0.7% growth in 2026 and 0.6% in 2027, according to the IMF, despite years of government spending on so-called stimulus.
In Asia, the IMF focuses its attention on the Chinese slowdown, offset by the strength in India.
China is projected to grow by 4.5% in 2026 and 4.0% in 2027, slower than its 5% growth in 2025. However, it is still one of the main engines of global expansion, despite the ongoing challenges facing the real estate sector.
India remains the fastest‑growing large economy in the IMF’s outlook, with growth around the 6% range in both 2026 and 2027, driven by domestic demand. India is, according to the IMF, the high beta growth story in Asia.
The IMF should recover economic sanity recommendations and remind governments that supply-side and market-oriented economies focused on strengthening the private sector are the drivers that the global economy requires, and that constant public sector expansion hinders growth and creates financial weakness.
We may not have a recession, but weakness in developed and emerging economies is unjustified, and the main culprit is government interventionism.
Tyler Durden
Wed, 02/04/2026 – 12:00
https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/no-global-recession-2026-period-poor-growth-continues
