Por DIDI TANG, JOSH FUNK y MATTHEW LEE

WASHINGTON (AP) — La administración Trump quiere crear un bloque de comercio de minerales críticos con sus aliados que utilice aranceles para mantener precios mínimos y defenderse contra la táctica de China de inundar el mercado para socavar a cualquier posible competidor.

El vicepresidente JD Vance expresó el miércoles que la guerra comercial del último año expuso cuán dependientes son la mayoría de los países de los minerales críticos sobre los cuales China tiene un control absoluto.

“Queremos que los miembros formen un bloque comercial entre aliados y socios, uno que garantice el acceso estadounidense a la potencia industrial estadounidense mientras también expande la producción en toda la zona”, manifestó Vance en una reunión de ministros de relaciones exteriores en el Departamento de Estado.

“Lo que tenemos ante nosotros es una oportunidad de autosuficiencia en la que nunca tengamos que depender de nadie más que de nosotros mismos, para los minerales críticos necesarios para sostener nuestras industrias y mantener el crecimiento”.

Los minerales críticos son necesarios para una gran cantidad de dispositivos electrónicos, desde motores a reacción hasta teléfonos inteligentes. China domina el mercado de esos ingredientes cruciales.

“Creo que muchos de nosotros hemos aprendido por mala experiencia el último año, sobre cuánto dependen nuestras economías de estos minerales críticos”, comentó Vance en la apertura de una reunión que el secretario de Estado Marco Rubio está organizando con funcionarios de varias naciones europeas, asiáticas y africanas.

Hace dos días, el presidente Donald Trump anunció el Proyecto Vault, un plan para acumular elementos raros que será financiado con un préstamo de 10.000 millones de dólares del Banco de Exportación e Importación de Estados Unidos y casi 1.670 millones de dólares en capital privado.

La administración republicana de Trump está tomando medidas después de que China, que controla el 70% de la minería de tierras raras del mundo y el 90% del procesamiento, cortara el flujo de los elementos en respuesta a la guerra arancelaria de Trump. Las dos potencias globales están en una tregua de un año después de que Trump y el presidente chino Xi Jinping se reunieran en octubre y acordaran reducir los altos aranceles y las restricciones sobre las tierras raras. Aun así, los límites de China siguen siendo más estrictos de lo que eran antes de que Trump asumiera el cargo.

Xi habló con Trump el miércoles, según Liu Pengyu, portavoz de la embajada china en Washington. No se difundieron detalles.

Vance indicó que algunos países se han unido al bloque comercial, que está diseñado para garantizar precios estables y proporcionará a los miembros acceso a financiamiento y a los minerales críticos. Esperaba que otros accedan después de la reunión.

Funcionarios de la administración dijeron que este plan ayudará a Occidente a pasar de quejarse del problema a realmente solucionarlo.

“Todos aquí tienen un papel que desempeñar, y por eso estamos tan agradecidos de que hayan venido y sean parte de esta reunión que espero que conduzca no solo a más reuniones, sino a la acción”, señaló Rubio.

Contrarrestando el dominio de China en minerales críticos

Además de crear la reserva, el gobierno la semana pasada también hizo su cuarta inversión directa en un productor estadounidense de minerales críticos cuando extendió 1.600 millones de dólares a USA Rare Earth a cambio de acciones y un acuerdo de reembolso.

Buscar financiamiento gubernamental en estos días es como reunirse con inversores de capital privado porque los funcionarios están examinando a las empresas para asegurarse de que cualquiera en la que inviertan pueda cumplir, declaró Pini Althaus, quien fundó la compañía Oklahoma USA Rare Earth en 2019. Dijo que el gobierno está exigiendo términos diseñados para generar un retorno para los contribuyentes a medida que se reembolsan los préstamos y aumentan los precios de las acciones.

El ministro de Estado para Asuntos Exteriores de Japón, Iwao Horii, afirmó en la reunión que Tokio estaba completamente a bordo con la iniciativa de Estados Unidos y trabajaría con tantos países como sea posible para asegurar su éxito.

“Los minerales críticos y su suministro estable son indispensables para el desarrollo sostenible de la economía global”, expresó.

La estrategia de la reserva

La junta del Banco de Exportación e Importación aprobó esta semana el préstamo de 10.000 millones de dólares, el más grande en su historia, para ayudar a financiar la creación de la Reserva Estratégica de Minerales Críticos de Estados Unidos. Está encargada de asegurar el acceso a minerales críticos y productos relacionados para los fabricantes, incluyendo al fabricante de baterías Clarios, al fabricante de equipos de energía GE Vernova, a la compañía de almacenamiento digital Western Digital y al gigante aeroespacial Boeing, según el banco.

El presidente y director del banco, John Jovanovic, dijo a CNBC que el proyecto crea una fórmula de asociación público-privada que “es única y pone a Estados Unidos en la mejor posición”.

“Lo que hace es crear un escenario donde no hay pasajeros gratis. Todos contribuyen para resolver este gran problema”, comentó.

Los fabricantes, que se benefician más de la reserva, están haciendo un compromiso financiero a largo plazo, indicó Jovanovic, mientras que el préstamo del gobierno estimula las inversiones privadas.

La estrategia de la reserva puede crear un modelo de precios “más orgánico” sin China, que ha utilizado su dominio para inundar el mercado con productos a precios más bajos para eliminar a los competidores, señaló Wade Senti, presidente de la compañía estadounidense de imanes permanentes AML.

La administración también ha inyectado dinero público directamente en el sector. El Pentágono ha desembolsado casi 5.000 millones de dólares en el último año para ayudar a asegurar su acceso a los materiales después de que la guerra comercial expusiera cuán dependiente está Estados Unidos de China.

Los esfuerzos reciben cierto apoyo bipartidista

Un grupo bipartidista de legisladores propuso el mes pasado crear una agencia con 2.500 millones de dólares para impulsar la producción de tierras raras y otros minerales críticos. Los legisladores aplaudieron los pasos de la administración Trump.

“Es una señal clara de que hay apoyo bipartidista para asegurar un suministro nacional robusto de minerales críticos que tanto reduce nuestra dependencia de China como estabiliza el mercado”, dijeron los senadores Jeanne Shaheen, demócrata de Nueva Hampshire, y Todd Young, republicano de Indiana, en una declaración conjunta.

Acumular una reserva ayudará a las empresas estadounidenses a enfrentar futuras interrupciones en el suministro de tierras raras, pero eso probablemente será un esfuerzo a largo plazo porque los materiales aún son escasos en este momento con las restricciones de China, apuntó David Abraham, un experto en tierras raras que ha seguido la industria durante décadas y escribió el libro “The Elements of Power”.

La administración se ha centrado en revitalizar la producción de minerales críticos, pero Abraham destacó que también es importante fomentar el desarrollo de la manufactura. Señaló que las decisiones de Trump de recortar incentivos para vehículos eléctricos y turbinas eólicas han socavado la demanda de estos elementos en Estados Unidos.

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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/04/eeuu-busca-crear-bloque-de-minerales-crticos-con-aliados-para-enfrentar-a-china/ 

The Washington Post says one-third of its staff across all departments, not just the newsroom, is being laid off.

The troubled Post began implementing large-scale cutbacks on Wednesday, including eliminating its sports department and shrinking the number of journalists it stations overseas. The changes were announced by executive editor Matt Murray in a Zoom meeting with staff.

Staff members in the newsroom were told they would be getting emails with one of two subject lines, announcing that the person’s role has or hasn’t been eliminated. A total number of layoffs was not announced in the call, and the Post wouldn’t say how big its current staffing is.

The newspaper’s books department will be closed, and its Washington-area news department and editing staff will be restructured, Murray told staff members. Its Post Reports podcast will be suspended.

Murray acknowledged that the cuts will be a shock to the system but said the goal is to create a Post that can grow and thrive again.

The moves were expected for several weeks, since word leaked out that the Post had told its sports staffers who had arranged to cover the Winter Olympics in Italy that they would not be going. After it became public, the Post reversed course and said it would be sending a limited staff.

The Post’s troubles stand in contrast to its longtime competitor The New York Times, which has been thriving in recent years, in large part due to investments in ancillary products like its Games site and Wirecutter product recommendations. The Times has doubled its staff over the past decade.

In recent weeks, many Post staff members have been appealing directly to the newspaper’s owner, billionaire Jeff Bezos. The newspaper has been bleeding subscribers in part due to decisions made by him — pulling back from an endorsement of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris during the 2024 election against Republican Donald Trump and directing a more conservative turn on liberal opinion pages.

The Washington Post Guild, the union for staff members, had appealed to the public to send a message to Bezos: “Enough is enough. Without the staff of The Washington Post, there is no Washington Post.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/04/washington-post-layoffs/ 

NEW YORK — As Super Bowl Sunday approaches, the battle off the field for advertisers to win over 120 million-plus viewers will be just as heated as the rivalry between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.

Dozens of advertisers are pulling out all the stops for Super Bowl 60, airing Sunday on NBC. They’re hoping that audiences tuning in will remember their brand names as they stuff their ads with celebrities ranging from Kendall Jenner (Fanatics Sportsbook) to George Clooney (Grubhub), tried-and-true ad icons like the Budweiser Clydesdales, and nostalgia for well-known movie properties such as “Jurassic Park” (Comcast Xfinity).

Each year Super Bowl ads offer a snapshot of the American mood — as well as which industries are flush with cash that particular year: from the “Dot-Com Bowl” of 2000 to the “Crypto Bowl” of 2022.

This year’s trends include health and telehealth companies advertising weight loss drugs and medical tests, tech companies showing off their latest gadgets and apps and advertisers showcasing AI in their ads.

Villanova University marketing professor Charles Taylor said because of the heavy headlines in the news lately — from the immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota to conflicts abroad — he expects advertisers to stick to a light and silly tone.

“Because of the Super Bowl’s status as a pop culture event with a fun party atmosphere, the vast majority of brands will avoid any dark or divisive tone and instead allow consumers to escape from thinking about these troubled times,” he said.

Record-breaking prices

This undated image provided by Xfinity shows a scene from the Xfinity 2026 Super Bowl NFL football spot. (Xfinity via AP)

Advertisers flock to the Super Bowl each year because so many people watch the big game. In 2025, a record 127.7 million U.S. viewers watched the game across television and streaming platforms.

Demand is higher than ever, since live sporting events are one of the few remaining places in the fractured media landscape where advertisers can reach a large audience. NBC sold out of ad space in September.

Space sold for an average of $8 million per 30-second unit, but a handful of spots sold for $10 million-plus, a record, said Peter Lazarus, executive vice president, sports & Olympics, advertising and partnerships for NBCUniversal. He said he was calling February, with the Super Bowl, Olympics and the NBA All-Star Game, “legendary February.”

Lazarus said 40% of advertisers bought across all of NBC’s major sports properties, and 70% of Super Bowl advertisers bought the Olympics as well.

Celebrities galore

This undated image provided by TurboTax shows Adrien Brody in a scene from the TurboTax 2026 Super Bowl NFL football spot. (TurboTax via AP)

Featuring celebrities is a tried-and-true way advertisers can get goodwill from viewers. This year, Fanatics Sportsbook enlists Kendall Jenner to talk about the “Kardashian Kurse,” in which bad things happen to basketball players she dates.

George Clooney appears in a Grubhub add to promote a deal that the delivery app offers to “Eat the Fees” on orders of $50 or more.

Several ads feature more than one celebrity or sports star. Michelob Ultra shows Kurt Russell training actor Lewis Pullman, as Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim and hockey player T.J. Oshie watch on a ski slope.

Xfinity reunites Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum in a tongue-in-cheek reimagining of “Jurassic Park” that shows an Xfinity tech bringing power back to the island so nothing goes awry.

And Uber Eats enlists Matthew McConaughey for the second year in a row to convince celebrities — this year it is Bradley Cooper and Parker Posey — that football is a conspiracy to make people hungry so they order food.

AI takes the stage

This undated image provided by Meta shows Marshawn Lynch in a scene from the Oakley Meta 2026 Super Bowl NFL football spot. (Meta via AP)

For the second year in a row, AI is making waves in Super Bowl ads.

Oakley Meta touts their AI-enabled glasses in two action-packed spots showing Spike Lee, Marshawn Lynch and others using the glasses to film video and answer questions.

Wix Harmony debuted an ad that features its web design software that uses AI tools. Wix is also airing an add for Base44, an AI app builder. And OpenAI will advertise during the game with a yet-to-be revealed ad.

Svedka Vodka enlisted Silverside AI, an AI studio, to help create their ad, which features their robot mascot FemBot along with a male counterpart, BroBot. They took that approach because of Svedka’s positioning as the “vodka of the future,” said Sara Saunders, chief marketing officer at Sazerac, which bought the Svedka brand in 2025.

This undated image provided by SVEDKA on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, shows a scene from the SVEDKA 2026 Super Bowl NFL football spot. (SVEDKA via AP)

“We reimagined the robot via AI,” Saunders said. “It took us many, many months to rebuild her, to give her functionality, to give her that human spirit that we wanted to show up on behalf of the brand.”

Health and telehealth

Health and telehealth providers are everywhere during Super Bowl 60. Two pharma companies are advertising tests: Novartis touts a blood test to screen for prostate cancer with the tagline “Relax your tight end,” featuring football tight ends relaxing. Boehringer Ingelheim’s ad stars Octavia Spencer and Sofia Vergara, who encourage people to screen for kidney disease.

Liquid I.V., which makes an electrolyte drink mix, has teased an ad about staying hydrated.

Telehealth firm Ro is using Serena Williams in their ad for GLP-1 weigh loss drugs. Novo Nordisk, which makes Wegovy and Ozempic, has teased that it will have a spot as well.

Hims & Hers — another company that offers GLP-1 weight loss drugs — has an ad that says the company gives people better access to health care that usually only rich people get.

“You could call this the GLP-1 Super Bowl,” said Tim Calkins, a clinical professor of marketing at Northwestern University. “Often you don’t see a lot from pharmaceutical companies on the Super Bowl, but this year we’re going to see quite a few showing up.”

Tried-and-true themes

Some advertisers are sticking to the tried and true. Budweiser’s heartwarming ad shows a Clydesdale foal growing up with a bald eagle to the tune of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird.” The ad celebrates Budweiser’s 150th anniversary.

Grubhub will air its first Super Bowl ad, directed by Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos

And Pepsi tries to reignite the Cola wars with their ad showing polar bears — Coca-Cola’s famous mascots — picking Pepsi Zero Sugar over Coke Zero in a blind taste test. The ad ends with the bears being caught on a “kiss cam.”

Surprises

While the majority of Super Bowl advertisers release their ad early to try to capitalize on buzz, some hold back until game day to reveal their ad.

Pepsi-owned soft drink Poppi teased that pop star Charli XCX and actress Rachel Sennott will star in their ad.

Ben Affleck is back in an ad for Dunkin’ Donuts. A teaser spot showed him with ’90s sitcom legends Jennifer Aniston and Matt LeBlanc of “Friends” and Jason Alexander from “Seinfeld.”

And there are fewer car advertisers this year, but Cadillac is hinting that it will show off its new Formula 1 car in an ad.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/04/super-bowl-commercials-what-to-know/ 

MINNEAPOLIS — The Trump administration is reducing the number of immigration enforcement officers in Minnesota after state and local officials agreed to cooperate by turning over arrested immigrants, border czar Tom Homan said Wednesday.

About 700 of the roughly 3,000 federal officers deployed around Minnesota will be withdrawn, Homan said. The immigration operations have upended the Twin Cities and escalated protests, especially since the killing of protester Alex Pretti, the second fatal shooting by federal officers in Minneapolis.

‘It seemed like time stopped’: Marimar Martinez recounts shooting by immigration agent at Washington forum

“Given this increase in unprecedented collaboration, and as a result of the need for less public safety officers to do this work and a safer environment, I am announcing, effective immediately, we’ll draw down 700 people effective today — 700 law enforcement personnel,” Homan said during a news conference.

Homan said last week that federal officials could reduce the number of federal agents in Minnesota, but only if state and local officials cooperate. His comments came after President Donald Trump seemed to signal a willingness to ease tensions in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area.

Homan pushed for jails to alert ICE to inmates who could be deported, saying transferring such inmates to the agency is safer because it means fewer officers have to be out looking for people in the country illegally.

The White House has long blamed problems arresting criminal immigrants on places known as sanctuary jurisdictions, a term generally applied to state and local governments that limit law enforcement cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security.

When questioned, Homan said he thinks the ICE operation in Minnesota has been a success.

“Yeah, I just listed a bunch of people we took off the streets of the Twin Cities, so I think it’s very effective as far as public safety goes,” Homan said. “Was it a perfect operation? No. No. We created one unified chain of command to make sure everybody is on the same page. And make sure we follow the rules. I don’t think anybody, purposely, didn’t do something they should have done.”

Associated Press reporter Corey Williams in Detroit contributed.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/04/trump-border-czar-immigration-officers-minnesota/ 

US Services Sector Surveys Signal Solid Growth In January, But…

Tyler Durden
Wed, 02/04/2026 – 10:06

https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/us-services-sector-surveys-signal-solid-growth-january 

In an unusual move among the many Chicago suburbs that chose to retain their grocery tax in 2025, Wilmette will provide financial relief to lower-income residents by waiving its $80 fee for vehicle stickers.

Later in the same Village Board meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 27, another issue that many suburbs have grappled with came up for discussion. Board members tangled over proposed restrictions on electric scooters and e-bikes, and they called for more public input before making their decision.

The idea to waive vehicle sticker fees arose in September 2025, when the Village Board chose to continue charging a 1% sales tax on groceries. That tax had been set to expire at the end of 2025.

Following a proposal by Gov. JB Pritzker, the state repealed its grocery tax — from which revenue had flowed to local municipalities — and so many city and village governments rushed to impose their own grocery taxes, effectively continuing the 1% tax.

Without the grocery tax, Illinois municipalities stood to lose a steady stream of revenue. However, the proposal to keep the grocery tax drew consternation from many Wilmette residents, leading to an extended debate on the dais. The Village Board ultimately voted 4-2 to approve the tax.

During the discussion, village trustees floated various ways to help low-income residents without losing the approximately $600,000 in revenue from the grocery tax every year. One idea called for a rebate on Wilmette’s vehicle sticker program, which the village requires of every vehicle registered in Illinois with a Wilmette address.

A proposal for waiving the vehicle sticker fee made it to the Village Board in January. On Jan. 27, the Village Board approved the plan as part of its consent agenda, meaning it passed without discussion.

“We didn’t just knee-jerk re-up the grocery tax,” Trustee Mike Lieber told Pioneer Press. “We took a long, hard look at it and had some tough discussions. Ultimately, we decided to keep it in place. But, recognizing that that was going to affect some folks, we decided, ‘Hey, let’s take a second look at places where we can make things a little easier for them.’”

Under the approved policy, residents enrolled in government assistance programs aimed at low-income Americans or receiving other similar benefits can have the fee for their annual vehicle stickers waived. Otherwise, a sticker for a regular passenger vehicle costs $80.

Examples of eligible Wilmette households include those who receive SNAP benefits, free or reduced school lunches, Supplemental Security Income or aid from any of several other welfare programs. Those living in subsidized housing may also claim a waiver.

The 2026 stickers will be available for sale on March 1.

Eligible residents will need to show proof of residency in subsidized housing or a benefits award letter or card from a government program. To apply, and for a full list of eligible programs, residents can visit Village Hall in downtown Wilmette. The village will also accept applications by mail and email.

A preliminary estimate predicted that the program would cost the village $51,040. Nonetheless, Trustee Gina Kennedy, who voted against the grocery tax in September, said the vehicle sticker plan will not fully make up for the strain the tax could cause.

“It still seems like a good thing to do,” Kennedy told Pioneer Press. “Because our vehicle stickers are very high. They’re the highest, I think, of any of the towns around us, and it would be a burden for people who’ve paid who are on food stamps or are otherwise economically disadvantaged. So it’s still a good idea, but I’m still upset about the grocery tax.”

Meanwhile, the Village Board spent an hour dissecting proposed rules for riding e-bikes and e-scooters in Wilmette.

The recent proliferation of the electricity-boosted contraptions has elicited safety worries. By 2025, several Chicagoland suburbs had enacted a patchwork of rules, including age limits and even bans on the vehicles.

Wilmette’s proposed restrictions lean toward the less prohibitive. E-bikes and e-scooters that can move up to 10 mph will remain largely unrestricted. However, cyclists would have to be at least 16 years old to ride vehicles that can go up to 28 mph. They can still be ridden on most sidewalks with a speed limit of 10 mph.

Enforcement would focus on speeding and reckless behavior, which a village memo defined as disregarding safety or “behavior which results in a wheel becoming airborne.” In addition, Wilmette police could cite parents or guardians for allowing their children under 16 to ride a faster e-bike or e-scooter.

Some trustees saw the enforcement approach as reasonable and quibbled with the details, while others wanted Wilmette to go much further in its restrictions. Lieber, for example, argued against allowing e-bikes on bike paths.

“I think it’s really contradictory to what the bike paths were, are and always intended for,” he said. “They’re for people to be using human-powered bikes to go through nature, to go through the village on these separated things that separate them from vehicles that are going significantly faster.”

Trustee Steve Leonard pushed back against Lieber’s hard line on bike paths with a “more forgiving” approach that instead focuses on enforcing speed limits. The Board’s debate continued without resolution.

Village President Senta Plunkett said she would talk to neighboring villages about e-bike policy and wanted to hear more input from residents. Ultimately, Village Manager Michael Braiman said Wilmette could launch a survey and reach out to residents for more feedback.

The debate took place against the backdrop of a tangle of state policies. As the discussion wrapped up, Kennedy called for better state regulation of the motorized vehicles. But Plunkett warned that the state could settle on rules that make little sense.

“Careful what you wish for,” Plunkett said.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/04/wilmette-village-board-vehicle-sticker-ebike/ 

Por JENNIFER PELTZ

NUEVA YORK (AP) — La perra era Penny. La victoria no tenía precio.

Una dóberman llamado Penny ganó el premio al mejor del concurso el martes por la noche en el Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, obteniendo el premio más codiciado para los perros de exhibición en Estados Unidos, y dando al experimentado manejador Andy Linton otra victoria después de casi cuatro décadas. Linton obtuvo el premio al mejor del espectáculo en 1989 con otro dóberman, llamado Indy.

Penny “es tan grandiosa dóberman como jamás he visto”, afirmó Linton a una multitud de apoyo. A pesar de problemas de salud, guio al perro de cuatro años a través de una actuación impecablemente precisa.

“Tenía algunos objetivos, y este era uno de ellos”, expresó Linton, añadiendo más tarde en una conversación con periodistas que, conforme se acerca al final de su carrera, ganar en el histórico 150mo concurso anual de Westminster es “extraespecial”.

El subcampeón, y con aplausos igual de fuertes, fue un Chesapeake Bay retriever llamado Cota. Aunque los dóberman han ganado cinco veces, incluyendo el martes, ningún retriever ha ganado nunca, y sus fanáticos aplauden cada señal alentadora.

Cota también pareció disfrutar del momento, especialmente cuando su manejadora, Devon Kipp Levy, le permitió jugar con la cinta.

Otros finalistas incluyeron una galgo afgano llamada Zaida, un lhasa apso llamado JJ, un maltés llamado Cookie, un viejo pastor inglés apodado Graham y un terrier fox de pelo liso llamado Wager. El juez, el manejador ganador de Westminster en dos ocasiones, David Fitzpatrick, calificó la alineación como una “que pasará a la historia”.

Cada perro es evaluado según qué tan cerca se ajusta al ideal de su raza. El ganador recibe un trofeo, cintas y derechos de presumir.

Un favorito del público en el show de Westminster 2025, Penny ha impresionado en los recorridos de exhibición desde entonces. Una multitud de manejadores y otros aficionados a los perros animaron a la perra aparentemente imperturbable y a Linton en la acción de las primeras rondas el martes por la tarde.

Al lado del ring después, Penny educadamente pero con determinación empujó su nariz contra la pierna de un visitante, buscando algo: caricias, como resultó ser. Generalmente es “muy tranquila”, comentó Linton más tarde, “pero puede emocionarse bastante por un tipo malo. O una ardilla”.

El copropietario Greg Chan de Toronto dijo que Penny es “muy exigente y muy inteligente”, pero también es “una complaciente: hará cualquier cosa por comida”. (¿Su bocadillo favorito? “Todo”).

Penny salió victoriosa después que 2.500 perros, abarcando más de 200 razas, mostraran sus habilidades en el concurso.

Incluso si no llegaron a las finales, hubo muchos que lograron momentos dignos de memes o alegraron al público.

Durante dos noches de semifinales, los espectadores aplaudieron con fuerza extra a un Xoloitzcuintli llamado Calaco, un perro sin pelo que recorrió el ring como si no tuviera nada que demostrar. Un vizsla llamado Beamer encantó a la audiencia al saltar dentro de una caja dispuesta para las herramientas de su manejador, y Storm el Terranova provocó risas cuando saltó sobre su manejadora, quedando tan alto como ella. Los espectadores aplaudieron tan fuerte a un golden retriever llamado Oliver que ahogaron al anunciador de la arena, y los cánticos de “¡Lumpy! ¡Lumpy!” resonaron mientras Lumpy el pequinés desfilaba ante un juez.

Una perra que hizo historia en las semifinales fue Millie, una perra de granja danés-sueco. La pequeña y ágil raza recién se volvió elegible para el show de Westminster este año, y Millie superó a unos 10 otros perros de granja el martes por la tarde para llegar a la ronda de la noche.

Las victorias en Westminster a menudo van a perros con manejadores profesionales o propietarios con décadas o incluso generaciones de experiencia detrás de ellos. Pero el mero hecho de llegar al exclusivo concurso sólo para campeones es un gran logro en el mundo canino, especialmente para los debutantes como Joseph Carrero y su mastín napolitano, Dezi.

Después de anhelar un Neo desde su adolescencia, Carrero finalmente consiguió uno cuando tenía 35 años. Operador de maquinaria pesada de Indian Springs, Nevada, comenzó a mostrar al perro solo porque el criador quería que lo hiciera. Ahora Carrero mismo cría y maneja a sus Neos en el ring, mientras también trabaja a tiempo completo y más.

“Es realmente difícil para nosotros hacer esto, pero lo disfrutamos, y él lo disfruta”, dijo Carrero mientras los visitantes se reunían para saludar al perro de 190 libras y con papada.

Los Boerboels, que son formidables perros guardianes originarios de Sudáfrica, jugaron un papel importante en cómo Natalee Ridenhour conoció a su difunto esposo y por qué finalmente dejó la vida metropolitana por una granja en Royse City, Texas.

El martes, Ridenhour y un Boerboel llamado Invictus hicieron algo más que una vez nunca habría imaginado: competir en el show de Westminster.

El perro no avanzó más allá de la primera ronda. Pero mientras un transeúnte acariciaba con deleite al animal de 170 libras, Ridenhour dijo: “Honestamente, la gran victoria es: Eres la persona número 50 que se ha acercado a su cara y lo ha amado”.

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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/04/penny-una-dberman-pinscher-gana-la-150ma-edicin-del-concurso-canino-westminster/ 

Putin ‘Kept His Word’ On Ceasefire, Trump Says, As Large Attacks On Kiev Resume

Tyler Durden
Wed, 02/04/2026 – 09:50

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/putin-kept-his-word-ceasefire-trump-says-large-attacks-kiev-resume 

A Kane County jury has found a Waukegan man guilty of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and criminal sexual assault in connection with the sexual abuse of his stepchild in Aurora in 2006, the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office said this week.

According to statements presented in court by Kane County Assistant State’s Attorneys Matthew Rodgers and Jacqueline Kliment, Glenn Wilson, 59, was living with his stepchild’s family at a home in Aurora in 2006, a news release on Monday from the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office said. Wilson repeatedly sexually abused his stepchild in the home, they said.

Following the recent guilty verdict, Kane County Judge Bianca Camargo ordered that Wilson be taken into custody at the Kane County jail, the release said. He is next set to appear in court on April 9 for motions and possible sentencing, Kane County court records show.

Wilson faces a minimum sentence of 40 years in state prison and is not eligible for probation, per the release. In addition to the prison term, if released, he would be required to register for life as a sexual offender.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/04/jury-finds-waukegan-man-guilty-of-2006-sexual-assault-of-stepchild-in-aurora/