Category: News
New U-46 elementary school plan wins Elgin commission’s endorsement
Elgin Planning and Zoning commissioners gave School District U-46 an “A” for the plans it submitted for a new elementary school to be built on the former D.C. Cook property at 850 N. Grove Ave.
The 88,000-square-foot building designed for up to 680 students will go to the Elgin City Council with the commission’s unanimous endorsement.
“We view the construction of this elementary school as a generational investment not only in the children of Elgin and the school district but also in the surrounding neighborhood,” U-46 Chief of Staff Brian Lindholm said at the Monday night meeting.
The yet-to-be-named school is to replace McKinley Elementary School, located at 258 Lovell St. McKinley is one of the oldest and least accessible buildings in the district, Lindholm said. Built in 1887, it has an enrollment of 324 students.
McKinley “has served us very well, but it’s no longer meeting the modern standards for accessibility, safety, instructional programming or site functionality,” Lindholm said.
Tearing down McKinley and building a new school in its place was “impractical,” he said. And while the the district usually reassigns students to neighboring schools when a building is closed, this time it made more sense to move them to a new building within walking distance of McKinley, he said.
The new school will have a masonry exterior with a sawtooth roof inspired by the original D.C. Cook building, senior planner Damir Latinovic told the commission.
The 30,000-square-foot Cook building was designed by Elgin architect David E. Postle in a Classical Revival style. Efforts to find a buyer for the property were unsuccessful and the structure was demolished in 2012. U-46 purchased the property in 2024.
A 145,000-square-foot light industrial building still on the property is going to razed as well.
Staff and visitor parking lots will be located north and southeast of the building and an outdoor playground and playing fields will be to the west and southwest, Latinovic said.
U-46 has worked with the Northeast Neighborhood Association of Elgin to address concerns about traffic and saving the mature oak trees on the property, Lindholm said.
“I can assure you we’ve taken those concerns to heart and addressed them by commissioning professional traffic engineering and arborist studies you will see reflected in the plans we submitted,” he said.
The new school will have drop-off and pick-up lanes in the north parking lot with a stack-up capacity for up to 69 cars. The maximum number of vehicles picking up students at McKinley currently is 39, according to the study.
A traffic management plan will be implemented with crossing guards on Grove Avenue, and staff will be stationed in the north parking lot to help with traffic, Latinovic said.
Buses will line up in a separate lane and exit onto Lincoln Avenue, he said.
Commissioner Karin Jones said she struggles with elementary schools located in neighborhoods. “I love it in the neighborhood, and I also sympathize for the neighborhood,” she said. “It’s not about the kids. It’s not the schools. It’s the parents and the drop-offs and pick-ups.”
She has seen parents block driveways and park illegally when picking up or dropping off their kids, she said. “I worry about the impact on those surrounding homes,” she said.
Lindholm said the district could have more staff on the site to help parents understand where they can and cannot park.
The district also addressed requests by the neighborhood association to save three existing oak trees on the east side of the property. The trees will be kept, and 81 new trees planted throughout the site.
“We accept there is a careful balance between preserving what the community values while also investing responsibly for the future,” Lindholm said. “We feel this project will transform a vacant industrial site into a beautifully landscaped campus with a modern U-46 school that will strengthen neighborhood stability and be a source of pride for many generations.”
One resident said that he is not keen to see the school built at that location.
“It sounds like a wonderful project, but as a neighbor and property owner who lives a block away, I’m concerned,” Travis Linville said, noting the antipated traffic increase and potential for blocked neighborhood streets.
“Many of the things that will be implemented are great, but I don’t think they will come close to mitigating the day-to-day, significant impact this has on me and my ability to come and go or feel my vehicle is safe,” Linville said.
Commissioners, however, were positive in their comments.
“It looks like an exciting project. It’s great to see U-46 investing in Elgin,” Jones said.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/03/elgin-elementary-school-grove-u46-commission/
Plans unfold for possible new subdivision in Crown Point
A new 173 single-family subdivision may be in the city’s future following action taken by the Crown Point City Council.
The city council on Monday gave unanimous initial approval to an ordinance seeking a petition of annexation for 112 acres on parcels known as 13209, 13209 and 13420 Delaware Street.
If final annexation is approved by city officials, plans are for developers to return to city officials to seek residential zoning to build single-family homes there on a subdivision which will be called Crystal Grove, Todd Kleven said.
Kleven serves as vice president of Land Acquisition for Lennar Corp., based in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Plans by his company are to build the subdivision into what he termed three products, including homes on the east side of Delaware, to be called Horizon, which would be priced in the $420,000 average range.
Other homes planned include those in the middle of the subdivision to be called Landmark and priced in the $480,000 range.
Homes on the west side of Delaware would be what he termed estate homes and would be priced at $650,00 on average and on up.
Plans for the subdivision also call for walking paths and two parks, Kleven said.
Kleven said if annexation and the zoning change are approved, Lennar hopes to break ground later this year.
“I think we are in line with the city’s vision,” Kleven said.
City Councilman Robert Clemons, R-2nd, said the feedback he has gotten from the majority of Crown Point residents is that they question the need to keep building more houses.
They’d like the city to remain the same, such as the more rural one he used to ride his bike and be out in the country.
But progress is inevitable, Clemons said.
“Everybody wants to come here. We made (Crown Point) the apple on the hill,” Clemons said.
In other business, the city council also approved upon initial reading an ordinance granting residential to business park zoning for 6.4 acres at 13306 and 13318 Iowa Street.
The council also granted initial approval to a rezoning request from residential to business park zoning for 25.3 acres of land located at Mississippi Parkway.
Both requests had received unanimous approval from the Crown Point Plan Commission, said petitioner Jeff Ban of DVG Team.
Deborah Laverty is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/03/plans-unfold-for-possible-new-subdivision-in-crown-point/
Los Clinton finalizan acuerdo para testificar en investigación sobre Epstein
Por STEPHEN GROVES
WASHINGTON (AP) — El expresidente Bill Clinton y la exsecretaria de Estado Hillary Clinton finalizaron un acuerdo con los republicanos de la Cámara de Representantes el martes para testificar en una investigación sobre Jeffrey Epstein este mes, cediendo ante la amenaza de un voto por desacato al Congreso.
Hillary Clinton testificará ante el Comité de Supervisión el 26 de febrero y Bill Clinton comparecerá el 27 de febrero. Será la primera vez que los legisladores obliguen a un expresidente a testificar.
El acuerdo se produce después de meses de negociaciones entre ambas partes y mientras los republicanos buscan hacer de los Clinton un punto focal en la investigación de un comité de la Cámara sobre Epstein, un delincuente sexual convicto que se suicidó en una celda de la cárcel de Nueva York en 2019, y Ghislaine Maxwell, su exnovia.
“Esperamos ahora interrogar a los Clinton como parte de nuestra investigación sobre los horribles crímenes de Epstein y Maxwell, para ofrecer transparencia y rendición de cuentas al pueblo estadounidense y a los sobrevivientes”, declaró el representante James Comer, presidente del Comité de Supervisión de la Cámara.
Durante meses, los Clinton resistieron las citaciones del comité, pero los republicanos, con el apoyo de algunos demócratas, habían avanzado en los cargos de desacato criminal al Congreso para una posible votación esta semana. Los Clinton hubieran tenido que pagar cuantiosas multas o incluso pasar tiempo en prisión si hubieran sido condenados.
El presidente de la Cámara, Mike Johnson, indicó el martes que cualquier esfuerzo por declararlos en desacato al Congreso estaba “en pausa”.
Incluso cuando los Clinton cedieron ante la presión, las negociaciones entre los legisladores del Partido Republicano y los abogados de los Clinton estuvieron marcadas por la desconfianza mientras discutían los detalles de la declaración. Acordaron que las declaraciones fueran transcritas y grabadas en video, comentó Comer.
Es probable que la beligerancia solo crezca, en momentos en que los republicanos ansían interrogar bajo juramento a sus adversarios políticos.
Clinton, al igual que varios otros hombres de alto poder, tuvo una relación bien documentada con Epstein a finales de la década de 1990 y principios de la de 2000. No ha sido acusado de delito alguno en sus interacciones con el difunto financiero.
Ambos Clinton han dicho que no tenían conocimiento de que Epstein estaba abusando sexualmente de menores.
Los Clinton argumentaron que las citaciones para su testimonio eran inválidas y ofrecieron presentar declaraciones juradas sobre su limitado conocimiento de los crímenes de Epstein. Pero cuando Comer amenazó con proceder con los cargos de desacato, comenzaron a buscar una salida.
Ambos Clinton han sido muy críticos con la forma en que Comer ha manejado la investigación de Epstein y argumentan que está más enfocado en llevarlos a testificar que en hacer que la administración Trump rinda cuentas por cómo ha manejado la divulgación de sus archivos sobre Epstein.
Aun así, la amenaza de los cargos de desacato planteó la posibilidad de que el Congreso utilizara uno de sus castigos más severos contra un expresidente por primera vez. Históricamente, el Congreso ha mostrado deferencia hacia los expresidentes. Ninguno ha sido obligado a testificar ante los legisladores, aunque algunos lo han hecho voluntariamente.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Gabbard Defends Presence At Fulton County Election Warrant Execution
Gabbard Defends Presence At Fulton County Election Warrant Execution
Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times,
National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard on Feb. 2 defended her presence at a Fulton County elections office while FBI agents executed a search warrant there, saying President Donald Trump had requested that she go to the Georgia office and that she has the authority to take action related to election integrity and security.
“Interference in U.S. elections is a threat to our republic and a national security threat,” Gabbard said in a letter to members of Congress.
“The president and his administration are committed to safeguarding the integrity of U.S. elections to ensure that neither foreign nor domestic powers undermine the American people’s right to determine who our elected leaders are.”
She said that Trump tasked her office with taking appropriate action under the authority granted by Congress toward ensuring the integrity of elections, and specifically directed her to observe the execution of the warrant in Fulton County near Atlanta on Jan. 28.
She also said she facilitated a call in which Trump briefly thanked the agents for their work. Trump did not ask any questions during the call, and neither the president nor Gabbard issued directives, she said.
FBI officials previously described agents as executing a court-authorized warrant about a month after the Trump administration filed a lawsuit against the county seeking voting records from the 2020 presidential election. County officials have said the records were under seal and could not be produced absent a court order.
Trump has alleged that he lost in Georgia in 2020 because of election fraud.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), top Democrats on congressional intelligence committees, in a Jan. 29 letter said Gabbard’s presence was “deeply concerning.”
“The intelligence community should be focused on foreign threats and, as you yourself have testified, when those intelligence authorities are turned inwards the results can be devastating for Americans privacy and civil liberties,” they wrote.
The lawmakers asked for Gabbard’s reasoning for attending the FBI operation and legal authorities for her involvement and that of other intelligence officials.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) was among other critics of Gabbard’s actions.
“The seizure of ballots in Fulton County may trace back to Trump’s refusal to accept his 2020 loss, but the danger is forward-looking. Tulsi Gabbard has no legal role in domestic law enforcement, and the FBI should not be seizing ballots,” he said on social media on Feb. 1.
Gabbard said in response that personnel from the National Counterintelligence and Security Center traveled with her to Fulton County but were not present during the execution of the warrant. She said that she has not seen the warrant, which is under seal, or evidence submitted to the court by the Department of Justice.
She also said that to preserve the integrity of American elections, officials must determine whether there has been malign interference and whether election systems are vulnerable to future exploitation.
“Election security is a national security issue,” Gabbard wrote.
The National Security Act gives the Office of the Director of National Intelligence the authority to coordinate and integrate national intelligence, including intelligence related to elections, Gabbard said.
She promised that the office would not “irresponsibly share incomplete intelligence assessments” concerning election interference.
Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, said on X this week that Gabbard had found 2020 election fraud. Kent, who did not elaborate, later shared Gabbard’s letter to Warner and Himes.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 02/03/2026 – 14:00
Auto dealers follow Carvana online to make buying a car less stressful
As the National Automobile Dealers Association prepares to meet this week in Las Vegas for its annual convention, dealers say moving online is critical for the industry to compete with digital-only vehicle marketplaces and combat the “sleazy” car salesperson trope.
The popularity of e-commerce has changed even purchases of vehicles worth tens of thousands of dollars or more, said Perry Watson IV, president of the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers. And the possibility of more direct-to-consumer sales of new electric vehicle brands further threatens to disrupt a national auto dealer network that’s been in place for decades.
Industry analysts say dealers must adapt or die. Companies such as Carvana Co., CarMax Inc. and Amazon Autos, “really revolutionized how people want to shop,” said David Whiston, analyst at investment firm Morningstar Inc. “The auto industry isn’t asleep about that.”
Spencer Johnson, a 36-year-old Detroit resident, said “the sleazy car salesman thing maybe is a stereotype of people that sell cars. Or maybe there’s a hint of truth, and not all car salesmen are like that. But I don’t really trust car salesmen, as sad as that is.
“When things are omitted, or you test-drive and something’s shaking a little bit, or this doesn’t work, you feel like there’s other things that are being hidden from you,” he added. “And again, it drives the trust factor down to a point where it just becomes so hard on us, and it becomes really stressful.”
Like a growing number of people, Johnson is using the internet to start his search for a used pickup. More than half of vehicle transactions now start online, according to dealer services provider Cox Automotive Inc. Autotrader reported that about half of car shoppers start their search on a marketplace and nearly a quarter visited a search engine first.
“For many decades, it was a pretty sleazy space,” Whiston said. “It’s an uphill battle for dealers. But things have really changed in the past 15 to 20 years because customers are more empowered.”
Shoppers now can quickly compare models, prices and trim levels without trekking to multiple car lots. And there is less opportunity for dealers to upcharge and more pressure on salespeople to sell vehicles for the lowest price, Whiston said.
All of that is good for consumers, he added: “The internet has forced dealers to be much more transparent about things.”
When customers do show up at dealerships, they often already know what they want. Rhett Ricart said roughly a third of shoppers who visited Ricart Ford in Columbus, Ohio, in the past would leave with a vehicle. Ricart, a former chair of the National Automobile Dealers Association, has seen that rate double at his lot as consumers have become more educated.
Shoppers armed with information are “ready to do business sooner,” said Jeff Laethem, president of Ray Laethem Buick GMC in Metro Detroit.
Missouri Automobile Dealers Association CEO Doug Smith said the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the move to online car shopping and pushed dealers to offer home delivery of vehicles and other perks aimed at making things faster and easier for consumers.
“We’re not Carvana,” Smith said. “But the Carvana model was pretty innovative and definitely got customers saying, ‘Why can’t my dealer do that?’”
Car buying from the couch
Carvana was not created with the sole goal of being an online marketplace, said Christina Keiser, Carvana’s executive vice president of strategy: “The question was: Why don’t people like buying cars? Why is it such a difficult consumer experience?”
Carvana did not conduct its own extensive consumer polling before opening because it felt universally known that many people dreaded spending half a day browsing vehicles and negotiating with salespeople, Keiser said.
“We had seen surveys that said car salespeople are among the least trusted people around, and we knew that buying a car was ranked one of the least enjoyable experience,” Keiser said.
Laethem said he’s seen buyers willing to pay more for vehicles on Carvana to sidestep dealership haggling, as well as for the convenience of having a vehicle delivered to their home.
“For many customers, avoiding the showroom negotiation is a relief,” Laethem wrote in a November blog post. “The simple act of paying sticker price feels transparent and honest. Psychologically, it removes the fear of being out-negotiated or feeling like someone else got a better deal. Customers are willing to pay a little more for that peace of mind.”
“Much like Amazon has trained us to value speed and simplicity over hunting for the absolute lowest price, Carvana’s model means buyers can complete everything online. The car shows up at their doorstep, saving them time and stress. In today’s world, that convenience is a huge part of the appeal.”
Dealers that refuse to go digital, Whiston said, “they’ll go out of business eventually.”
Automakers are pushing dealers toward online marketplaces, too. Ford Motor Co. launched its certified used digital marketplace — Ford Blue Advantage — in 2021. The site’s listings include dealer-guaranteed selling prices to address customer demand for price transparency.
General Motors Co. created CarBravo in 2023 to appeal to the used market and compete with online dealerships such as Carvana and CarMax Inc. But GM does not use the site to sell directly to customers, a process generally barred by strict state dealer franchise laws.
Instead, participating GM dealerships can certify used models outside GM brands — as well as Chevrolet, Buick and GMC vehicles — that are then advertised on the online marketplace.
Still, adoption of CarBravo has been slow, GM has said. At least 700 dealerships and a third of the Chevrolet and GMC network had enrolled in GM’s used marketplace as of last month. Roughly 100,000 sales were conducted via CarBravo last year.
‘In real life’
Most buyers still want to view vehicles in person before committing to what’s often the second-most-expensive purchase for households, Watson said. Dealerships, in response, are remodeling to create a homier, curated environment that’s more relaxing for consumers.
“When you walk into a home,” he said, “your tendency is to not be guarded versus when you walk into a place that is strictly business.”
Ford’s latest showroom redesign is aimed at catering to more online browsers and creating a calming mood. The cafe-style setup is designed to give consumers more control over their interactions with staff. In concept, salespeople and receptionists will not immediately begin leading customers around.
Unveiled in the United States in September 2025, the revamp will only be mandatory for newly built or bought Ford dealerships. But it is intended to acknowledge a trend toward design that signals low-pressure, customer-led vehicle purchasing.
Dealers need to make showrooms comfortable, low-pressure environments for those who prefer in-person shopping, Whiston said: “The ones that realize it’s about making the experience right for the customer are the ones that will do well.”
Dealers are not “putting a Starbucks in their showrooms,” Missouri’s Smith said. “But they’re definitely doing more than they did several years ago.”
Price transparency offered by online marketplaces has also helped calm what can be heated negotiations between buyers and salespeople, dealers say.
Laethem said in-store price tags that match the online listing build trust with consumers. Ricart aims for most sales at his Ohio dealership to end within $70 of the price listed online, he said: “It’s a lot friendlier relationship than in the past.”
But skepticism remains, even with more information available online. Johnson said he would rather buy directly from a previous owner than from a dealer.
“You just don’t really know who to trust and (whether) what’s being conveyed to you, or the information given to you, that it’s the full story,” Johnson said.
Johnson has similar issues with the prospect of an all-online deal: “A used car showing up on my doorstep that I haven’t had the chance to vet or drive myself seems like I’m setting myself up to be taken advantage of.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/03/auto-dealers-carvana-car-buying/
Northwestern will open the new Ryan Field on Oct. 2 vs. Penn State — its 3rd home game of the season
Northwestern will open the new $862 million Ryan Field on Oct. 2 against Penn State, the athletic department announced Tuesday.
The Friday night game will be played 100 years to the day of the first football game at the original stadium, then known as Northwestern Stadium. It will be the first of five games this season at the new stadium, followed by Ball State on Oct. 10, Rutgers on Oct. 24, Iowa on Nov. 7 and Illinois on Nov. 28.
Northwestern’s first two home games against South Dakota State on Sept. 5 and Colorado on Sept. 19 will be played at Martin Stadium on the lakefront. The Wildcats played the last two seasons at the temporary football stadium, along with games at Wrigley Field.
Northwestern said stadium construction will be finished in mid-September.
Athletic director Mark Jackson said in a statement that NU looks forward to bringing fans “to the nation’s greatest college football stadium.”
“The opening of the new Ryan Field marks a defining moment for Northwestern football and reflects our continued investment in excellence across every aspect of the program,” Jackson said in a statement. “The opener against Penn State presented by Fox Sports provides us with an extraordinary stage to showcase the incredible stadium and the culture that head coach David Braun has established.”
Northwestern announced plans in 2022 for the privately funded Ryan Field project. The new stadium will have 35,000 seats — 12,000 fewer than the old stadium — but NU has touted a better fan experience, with chair-back seats that are closer to the field with better sight lines.
The venue also is expected to host concerts, and the Chicago Stars NWSL team — which will play its home games at Martin Stadium this year — has applied for a permit from Evanston to play at Ryan Field beginning in 2027.
The athletic department announced that season ticket holders from 2023-25 will have priority access to seat selection at the new stadium. Tickets for the games at Martin Stadium will be sold separately from the Ryan Field season ticket package.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/03/northwestern-ryan-field-opening/
Mayor Brandon Johnson says up to Cook County state’s attorney to prosecute federal agents
Mayor Brandon Johnson on Tuesday said it’s now up to Cook County state’s attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke to decide whether to prosecute federal immigration agents for crimes they committed in Chicago, after he signed an executive order he said lays the groundwork for the unprecedented move.
Speaking at a City Hall news conference, the mayor sought to redirect focus from his office’s authority by saying it’s up to Burke to approve criminal charges. But he declined to say whether any specific incidents fit the bill, a sign that his office does not have imminent plans to test out the order.
“So I personally, I’m not looking at cases,” Johnson told reporters when asked if he was going to act on his new decree. “I don’t have jurisdiction authority over the state’s attorney, right? … We’re prepared and willing to always lead and to go first to create a pathway for accountability, and then, like any other case, the state’s attorney has their jurisdiction to decide if they’re going to move forward with prosecution. But that’s the autonomy that the state’s attorney has.”
While he was careful Tuesday not to step on Burke’s toes, Johnson said he believes “that as a country, there is a growing groundswell of support for accountability” for the “abusive and deadly force” he said President Donald Trump has ordered federal agents to use.
And the mayor noted that progressive Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has joined other prosecutors in sharing strategies to potentially prosecute federal immigration officers who violate state laws.
Burke is not part of that coalition, though she has not disputed her office could pursue such cases if provided evidence supporting criminal charges.
Legal experts have said state prosecutors can indeed go after federal agents, but there are challenges if the agent was on duty. One immigration agent is currently facing a misdemeanor battery charge in Cook County, accused of throwing a man to the ground who was filming him at a Brookfield gas station while the agent was off duty.
Johnson’s remarks followed his Saturday decree, dubbed “ICE on Notice,” that directs Chicago police to record evidence of misconduct during immigration raids. The mayor’s office then can direct the Police Department to recommend felony charges to the state’s attorney’s office, according to the order.
Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke speaks at a City Club of Chicago luncheon, Dec. 2, 2025. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)
Johnson on Saturday said his order had full support from Burke, only for Burke to say that was “not true.” That sparked a back-and-forth between the offices as Johnson’s spokesperson said Burke’s office in fact provided feedback on the order’s language, which the state’s attorney’s team rebuked.
Burke’s office on Monday said “a thorough analysis is being conducted” to assess the legality of Johnson’s order.
Burke’s spokesperson did not immediately respond to request for comment Tuesday. Johnson said Tuesday the decree was more him using “authority to create a pathway for accountability” so other Democrats can fulfill their “responsibility” in this moment.
“I have repeatedly said that we all have to work together and ultimately build progressive power and strength as we push back against the Trump administration and work to protect all of the people of this country,” Johnson said when pressed on whether he and Burke were on the same page. “As far as any individual call, that’s something that that person has to be drawn to do. That has to be a personal conviction.”
The unusual order was touted by the freshman mayor as a first-of-its-kind effort to rein in the excesses of Trump’s aggressive deportation campaign against Democratic-led cities such as Chicago, even as the details of how enforcement would work remain fuzzy and have been questioned by Burke.
Burke took office in December 2023 after winning the Democratic primary as the more moderate candidate. She and Johnson have largely avoided the public fracas that punctuated their predecessors, former Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County state’s attorney Kim Foxx, amid a historic decline in gun violence, but dissatisfaction over how to push back against federal agent activity could open a rift between the two leaders.
Last fall, Trump’s Operation Midway Blitz tore through the Chicago area’s immigrant neighborhoods and sparked intense community backlash against the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents’ aggressive tactics. Though the feds packed up after nearly three months of raids and demonstrations and now are focused on Minneapolis, leaders such as Johnson warn they expect Trump’s campaign to return to Chicago in the spring.
Those concerns come after last month saw two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis. In Chicago, Marimar Martinez was also shot by a Border Patrol agent in October, on top of other allegations such as illegal use of force and improper use of tear gas.
The Trump administration has claimed federal agents have broad immunity from prosecution for their actions, but Johnson’s strategy chief, Sheila Bedi, has shot back “that’s not the law.” Such a standoff would be largely untested.
Presidente de Bolivia congela el precio del gas licuado y lo subvenciona temporalmente
Associated Press
LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — El presidente Rodrigo Paz congeló el precio del Gas Licuado de Petróleo (GLP) por un periodo de hasta seis meses con el fin de evitar que aumente la inflación y compensar el reciente alza de los combustibles tras la eliminación de la subvención como una medida anticrisis.
Paz lidera un cambio económico y político tras casi dos décadas de gobiernos de izquierda en la nación andina. En diciembre, el líder centroderechista levantó el subsidio de la gasolina y del diésel, lo que duplicó su valor y generó protestas en las calles. El objetivo del gobernante es evitar que aumente la inflación, que el año pasado cerró en un 20%, la más alta en los últimos 40 años.
Para evitar que el alza no afecte a los hogares más necesitados en el caso del GLP se mantendrá el precio de 22.50 bolivianos (unos 3,20 dólares) hasta por seis meses, informó el martes el ministro de Hidrocarburos, Mauricio Medinaceli, en conferencia de prensa.
En enero se vio en varias ciudades bolivianas largas filas de personas con sus balones de gas para conseguir el energético. El gobierno alegó que los costos altos en los combustibles impulsó a las redes de contrabando a volcarse hacia el gas licuado, trasladándolo a países fronterizos donde su valor supera el triple del precio local. Medinaceli recordó que el país pasa por un declive de los megacampos de gas.
El anterior gobierno del presidente de izquierda Luis Arce (2020-2025) reconoció hace un año que las reservas “han tocado fondo”.
“La producción de gas natural está garantizada con alta probabilidad unos 3 a 4 años. Nuestra tarea será reactivar los campos o explorar nuevos”, dijo Medinaceli después de culpar de la crisis a la izquierda.
Bolivia llegó a ser una potencia gasífera en Sudamérica. Hace más de una década el gas fue el principal producto de exportación principalmente a Brasil y Argentina, pero la producción a caído a más de un 50% repercutiendo duramente en los ingresos del país.
Para repotenciar el sector de hidrocarburos el actual gobierno de Paz debe cambiar una ley sobre el rubro en la Asamblea Legislativa, según los expertos. El partido de Paz no tiene una mayoría y deberá realizar acuerdos.
LIV Golf otorgará puntos de ranking mundial por primera vez, pero solo para los 10 primeros
Por DOUG FERGUSON
LIV Golf recibió un impulso en vísperas de comenzar su quinta temporada cuando el Ranking Mundial Oficial del Golf aprobó que la liga financiada por Arabia Saudí reciba puntos de clasificación por primera vez.
Pero la decisión unánime tomada el martes por la junta del OWGR (las iniciales en inglés del ente a cargo del ranking) tiene algunas condiciones.
Los puntos se distribuirán solo para los primeros 10 puestos en comparación con otras giras que tienen un grupo de competidores más pequeño y aparte a los del fondo.
Para su liga de 57 jugadores, LIV obtendrá puntos basados en una categoría de “Torneo de Grupo Pequeño” que también se aplica a torneos como el Tour Championship y los torneos emblemáticos de la Gira PGA Tour que no tienen corte.
Considerando que LIV Golf ha estado sin puntos de clasificación desde que la liga se lanzó en 2022, el impacto será menor. Tyrrell Hatton (22 en el ranking) y Bryson DeChambeau (33) —dos veces campeón del Abierto de Estados Unidos— son los únicos jugadores de LIV en el Top 50, con otros cinco entre los 100 mejores. El español Jon Rahm, el último jugador antes de Scottie Scheffler en ser número uno del mundo, ahora está en el puesto número 97.
La decisión es efectiva de inmediato ya que LIV Golf comienza el miércoles en Arabia Saudí.
“Es un gran día, y un día positivo en mi opinión”, dijo Trevor Immelman, un ex campeón del Masters y presidente del OWGR, en una entrevista telefónica. “Ha sido un proceso largo, ha sido agotador en muchos sentidos, con una gran cantidad de personas externas involucradas y trabajando día y noche para tomar esta decisión antes de que LIV tenga su primer torneo.
El inicio de temporada de LIV en Riad probablemente repartirá alrededor de 23 puntos al ganador, en comparación con casi 47 puntos para Chris Gotterup cuando ganó el Abierto Sony, con campo más débil en la primera parte de la temporada de la Gira de la PGA. El ganador del Abierto de Phoenix esta semana obtiene alrededor de 59 puntos.
LIV obtendría ligeramente más puntos que el Masters de Qatar en el tour europeo esta semana.
Aun así, sería un impulso para un jugador de LIV si logra una buena racha, como el chileno Joaquín Niemann que ganó cinco torneos el año pasado, Rahm dentro de los 10 primeros en todos menos uno de los 13 torneos.
El ranking mundial es importante porque los cuatro majors lo utilizan para ayudar a determinar los participantes. El US Open y el Abierto Británico crearon categorías para los jugadores de LIV cuando no estaban obteniendo puntos de clasificación. El Masters y el Campeonato de la PGA dieron invitaciones especiales.
LIV ha pasado de 54 hoyos a 72 hoyos para 2026, aunque eso no fue un gran obstáculo para obtener puntos del ranking mundial porque otros tours más pequeños alrededor del mundo también tienen eventos de 54 hoyos. Más bien, fue la rotación en LIV y la auto-selección de agregar jugadores con contratos.
“Respetamos la decisión de hoy de la junta de gobierno del Ranking Mundial Oficial de Golf (OWGR) y el considerable tiempo que la junta y el presidente Immelman dedicaron a este proceso”, dijo la PGA en un comunicado.
El OWGR dijo que continuaría revisando cualquier cambio que LIV haga a su liga para 2027, lo que resultaría en otorgar más —o menos— puntos, y si permanece en el sistema.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Kremlin Says India Hasn’t Confirmed Oil Cutoff As Modi Govt Mute, Hasn’t Ratified
Kremlin Says India Hasn’t Confirmed Oil Cutoff As Modi Govt Mute, Hasn’t Ratified
The Kremlin on Tuesday pushed back on Trump’s claims that India is preparing to cut off Russian oil purchases following his major Truth Social announcement of a new US-India trade deal that sharply reduces tariffs on Indian exports.
“So far, we haven’t heard any statements from New Delhi on this matter,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, signaling that Moscow has received no official confirmation from India in light of Trump’s assertions.
Peskov said Moscow is still “carefully monitoring the news” around Trump’s claims, on the heels of his “wonderful” phone call with India’s Modi and the tariff relief.
Trump had announced the US will trim its punitive tariff on Indian imports to 18% after striking what he hailed as a new “trade deal” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Crucially it hinges on New Delhi having reportedly ended its purchases of Russian crude and swapping them for massive US energy and goods buys.
“Out of friendship and respect for Prime Minister Modi and, as per his request, effective immediately, we agreed to a Trade Deal between the United States and India, whereby the United States will charge a reduced Reciprocal Tariff, lowering it from 25% to 18%,” Trump posted. “Our amazing relationship with India will be even stronger going forward.”
And yet, 24 hours later and India’s Foreign Ministry has also remained silent on the question of abandoning Russian oil.
Given all of this, and that the potential remains that Trump’s statements were too out front and presumptuous in terms of anything India may have actually agreed to in a finalized way, Peskov additionally said that while Russia “respects” US-Indian relations, Moscow’s priority remains its own “strategic partnership” with New Delhi.
“And we intend to continue to comprehensively develop our bilateral relations with New Delhi, which is exactly what we’re doing,” he emphasized.
As recently as December, President Vladimir Putin said Russia was prepared to continue “uninterrupted shipments” of oil to India despite pressure from Washington.
Modi’s learning from Trump’s social media about how India will not buy Russian oil & details of US India trade deal (before any Indian announcement) is certainly a first…
Modiji has undoubtedly given many firsts to India. Learning from Trump’s X account about how India will not buy Russian oil & details of US India trade deal (before any Indian announcement) is certainly a first. Jai Modiji pic.twitter.com/Yt44xgcVeA
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) February 2, 2026
Perhaps Trump’s statement was intentionally premature in order to build more leverage and pile the pressure on Modi? The ‘devil is in the details’ in terms of what was actually agreed to in the phone call. The coming days will likely tell.
* * *
Below is more commentary via Rabobank…
Trump also struck a trade deal with India, reducing reciprocal tariffs to 18% and dropping the additional 25% after claiming India would stop buying Russian oil in favor of Venezuelan, showing how geopolitics links up. This isn’t the FTA the EU just signed, but let’s see which proves more important over time: as a well-placed Indian source noted to me, there‘s no growth in Europe vs. the US.
The fact the US will insist on the same no-transshipment rules for Chinese goods that it has with other trade partners is a blow to Beijing; equally, it blows up European hopes of building a trade coalition without the US (and in India frictions will continue, i.e., the EU agreed on green tech collaboration with Delhi, but the US said it is going to sell it more coal). The defense component will also be key. Europe now has a strategic partnership with India in that regard, but national governments hold sway there: will they want to see their defense industries moved to South Asia(?) By contrast, the US is able to move faster, though we shall see what they are prepared to share with India. Delhi at least gets to play both sides off against the other.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 02/03/2026 – 13:40
