Category: News
Editorial: From Chicago to Minneapolis, business leaders decry overly aggressive ICE tactics in their cities
As the Twin Cities reel from this month’s killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal immigration agents, the city’s business community responded with a call for common sense and common ground.
On Jan. 25, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce called for de-escalation, peace and cooperation, in a brief, carefully neutral notice signed by 60 of the state’s most powerful business figures.
“In this difficult moment for our community, we call for peace and focused cooperation among local, state and federal leaders to achieve a swift and durable solution that enables families, businesses, our employees, and communities across Minnesota to resume our work to build a bright and prosperous future,” the letter said. Businesses represented include Best Buy, Land O’Lakes, the Minnesota Twins and Vikings, as well as Target.
It’s easy to understand why they felt the need to weigh in. Not long ago, Minneapolis was devastated by unrest and the destruction that followed the police killing of George Floyd. Two such troubling periods in one city’s history — in such quick succession — makes it unsurprising that the folks that operate companies want to find a fair and peaceful way to restore some semblance of order, not only for their businesses but also for the people they employ and serve.
Some were surprised to see such a large group of business leaders speak out given the polarization of the moment. That’s not a reality exclusive to Minnesota.
In fact, back in November when Chicago was enduring Operation Midway Blitz, dozens of notables, including the heads of both the Chicagoland and Illinois chambers of commerce, issued a similar statement condemning the “unprecedented militarization of our city.”
When business leaders speak publicly, they do so from a position that is both influential and constrained. They are not elected, and they are not accountable to voters. By and large, business figures have no incentive to flame tensions. Their focus is continuity: Keeping workplaces safe, supply chains intact and employees showing up without fear. For all of these reasons, it’s often easier to stay out of the fray and focus on business operations. This reluctance to speak up is precisely why such statements carry weight when they do occur.
Asked at the recent Davos conference in Switzerland if a “climate of fear” prevails among American business leaders, Jamie Dimon, chief executive of JP Morgan Chase, said, “I think that is completely clear.”
And with good reason. The Trump administration has carried out a campaign of intimidation that is working to muzzle even CEOs such as Dimon who in the past readily spoke out about politically charged topics. One year into Trump’s second term, it is impossible to ignore that antagonizing the White House can lead to retaliation.
Still, Minnesota business leaders spoke out, striking a tone we’re sure resonated with angry and weary residents. As with the Chicago signatories before them, they felt the need to speak out about what they perceived as an attack on the community in which they live and work. Good for them.
As a general matter, business leaders are not politicians and while their words can shape discourse and influence outcomes it’s not their responsibility to advocate regularly on issues of the day. Their first duty is to shareholders, not voters.
That so many felt the need to do so in Minnesota — and before that in Chicago — reflects the importance of the moment. In both cases, their call for de-escalation and cooperation was the right message.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
Letters: Let’s stop the chaos and fix the immigration crisis in our country
Enough of the turmoil that is sweeping up too many good people and not leading to enough arrests of the worst of the worst. Protesters are crossing the lines, and Americans are being killed by their government. There is no longer right or wrong — only spiraling chaos. Basta.
The president, the secretary of Homeland Security, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement should conclude that a significantly different, less confrontational and certainly far less violence-oriented immigration enforcement policy should emerge from this national catastrophe. There should be a pause to devise an immigration enforcement program that is constitutionally bound yet laser-focused on the immigrants who commit serious or violent crimes.
Americans believe that most immigrants who are undocumented are hardworking, family-oriented residents abiding by our laws. I believe that. These law-abiding immigrants are not the problem we want addressed. We want the criminal immigrants targeted, found and dealt with. Find those who defraud us of our largess and funnel drugs to Americans too willing to use them.
Then, focus on naturalization — not expulsion of the law-abiding, hardworking immigrants. As a nation, we have grown up with immigrants and acquiesced to their illegal migration. We have created Spanish language prompts and forms for applying for licenses because so many residents speak Spanish as their primary language. We have tolerated a porous immigration system that must be plugged; millions of Spanish-speaking immigrants have been here for decades. We have often used their labor and even asked them to care for our children and grandchildren. We have accepted and trusted the law-abiding, hardworking immigrants knowing their status is undocumented.
Thirteen million is the most frequently used conservative number of immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally. With due respect to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the government cannot deport even half that number — if she had acceptable levels of staff and resources and the time to identify, process and deport them. Instead, let’s own this issue — and fix it through tolerance and naturalization while keeping the borders tightly controlled and our sovereignty sacrosanct.
Let’s debate how best to pave those paths to citizenship, rather than each side justifying tactics that have only led to riotous civil unrest and the use of deadly force. Basta!
— Mayor Gary Grasso, Burr Ridge
Republicans’ response
I lay awake Saturday night trying to compose a letter to U.S. Sen. John Thune, the Republican Senate majority leader. In my musings, I ask him to look honestly at the damage being done to our cities and country by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol. While I cannot support many of the policies of his party, I am under the impression that he is an honest man who in times of crisis can rise above partisanship. Perhaps if one of his standing spoke out against the actions of this militarized force, this bleak moment could be ended in which our own government with our tax money is terrorizing citizen and noncitizen alike.
I did not write that letter. Why stop with Thune? What about the leaders of the Republican Party in Illinois and Minnesota whose response thus far is to criticize Democratic government leaders for their angry responses to ICE and the Border Patrol? Of course these leaders are angry, as any responsible leader should be.
In Chicago, we saw the farce of Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino, standing at the bow of a boat coming down the Chicago River and parading his armed, masked troops down Michigan Avenue on a warm Sunday afternoon. That was not border control or immigration enforcement. It was to terrorize our city for refusing its support for President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Unfortunately, Chicago was not alone as a target.
The goals of Trump, Bovino and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have been realized. They have wrought chaos, shootings and deaths, with citizens and noncitizens alike being while arrested and brutalized. And then they lie about what they have done.
So, yes, I plead with Thune and other Republican leaders to break the stranglehold of partisanship and condemn this behavior. It is their voices we need most at this moment. Such would mark them as true American patriots.
— Roger Flaherty, Chicago
‘Jackboots’ uncalled for
In the Tribune’s Sunday sports section, Paul Sullivan’s column (“Budding bromance and other hot topics”) includes a paragraph I feel is totally inappropriate for this section.
He writes in paragraph five: “While Trump’s jackboots instill fear in Minneapolis, Chicago and other American cities, and he embarrasses the country on the international stage, these four pretend leaders will be posing for photo-ops in the Oval Office and pretending all is right with the country.” This is his personal political view. It should have been in the opinion section of the paper, not in the sports section.
For him to equate federal police with the term “jackboots” is insulting to police and the military in the United States. The use of “jackboots” equates our military and police with the Nazis and the Soviet military.
American soldiers, and even the governor of Minnesota who served in the National Guard for over 20 years, are issued military boots that Sullivan calls “jackboots.”
As a veteran, I was issued the same boots, which I proudly wore.
— Alan Kagan, Skokie
Keep politics out of it
Paul Sullivan should confine his opinions to sports-related subjects. Lately, his columns have been increasingly political in nature. In Sunday’s column, Sullivan calls the commissioners of the major sports leagues who are meeting with President Donald Trump weaklings because they don’t bend to Sullivan’s misguided view of our president.
— Thomas Beck, Chicago
Decline the invitation
Thank you to Paul Sullivan for his honesty in calling out the commissioners of the major sports leagues who are meeting with President Donald Trump. There is still time for the commissioners to pull up a chair and watch the lawless and un-American behavior of Trump’s immigration agents in Minneapolis.
It’s time to be real patriots and decline the president’s invitation. Do it for the American citizens who were killed in Minneapolis and other cities that support sports in our great country. Show some courage.
— Tim Ryan, Downers Grove
Too little, too late
We saw the video of Alex Pretti’s shooting by federal agents on Saturday. A little more than two weeks earlier, we saw these incompetent, out-of-control agents shoot Renee Good to death. We heard Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House adviser Stephen Miller, among others, say that these U.S. citizens were “terrorists.” But we saw the agents shoot a disarmed man who was lying on the ground and an unarmed woman who was moving her vehicle away from them. How dare any U.S. official lie so blatantly?
At an emergency protest in South Elgin and St. Charles on Sunday, I saw the outrage and disgust on the faces of old and young alike. We have had it with ill-conceived policies, indefensible tactics, criminal acts, mind-boggling lies, and a refusal to investigate and prosecute.
What country is this? Some Republicans have spoken up since Pretti’s death, politely asking for a “reset” of President Donald Trump’s immigration operations in Minnesota. A few have made strong moral statements, such as Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Chris Mandel, who reportedly ended his GOP campaign and stated that he could no longer be a member of a party that would condone these atrocities.
But other Republicans are only worried about the political ramifications, about losing in the midterms this fall and in 2028. Now Trump is making noises about addressing the situation in Minneapolis and “cooperating” with leaders there. What’s motivating him (as if we didn’t know)?
We can see through Republicans’ too-little, too-late efforts, if there are any real efforts, to clean up this mess. We will remember what they perpetrated and ignored and then lied about.
And most importantly, we will vote.
— Joyce C. Smith, St. Charles
False conservatism
Here is the end of the myth that President Donald Trump and his administration are ideologically and politically conservative. Let us count the ways from the federal invasion and killings in Minneapolis.
Conservatives pledge their allegiance to a belief in states’ rights, local sovereignty, Second Amendment gun owner’s rights, sanctity of daily life, protection from external interference and safety for law-abiding citizens.
Trump, Homeland Security and the Department of Justice violate these pledges daily in Minnesota and throughout the United States. They cannot claim to be conservative or law-abiding.
— Harvey J. Graff, Chicago
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/letters-012926-ice-immigration/
State Rep. Norine Hammond: Here’s what Democrats in the General Assembly can do to reduce ICE operations
The way to fewer Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in neighborhoods is not through chaos, protests or citizen intervention into law enforcement actions. It is through policy change to decrease the need for immigration enforcement in neighborhoods.
I’ve voted for policies to make that happen.
If my Democratic colleagues in the Illinois House also want fewer ICE agents on the sidewalks of our communities, there is an immediate step they can take: Repeal the Illinois TRUST Act and the Illinois Way Forward Act.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, in 2025 alone, Illinois released 1,768 criminal illegal immigrants with active detainers. Those allowed to go free included individuals accused of committing homicide, assault, burglaries and sexual crimes. What these Illinois laws have done is create legal barriers that push enforcement into street operations, where federal agents are left to track individuals without local support.
Sanctuary policies are directly responsible for the headline-making public interactions with ICE.
My colleagues are quick to blame President Donald Trump’s administration but will never admit their own role in creating this immigration enforcement mess. Actions at the state level have gotten us here, apart from the actions of former President Joe Biden’s administration.
According to the Pew Research Center, an estimated 550,000 immigrants were living here illegally in 2023 thanks to Illinois’ sanctuary policies. Democratic elected officials were wholly unprepared to handle the tax these policies have had on our system. These laws have been costly for communities, taxpayers and families.
For historical context, under President Barack Obama’s administration, America experienced a record number of deportations. Over those eight years, over 3 million people were removed with no widespread protests. It was peaceful, lawful and uncontroversial. It was allowed to happen through cooperation with local law enforcement. State- and city-level sanctuary policies broke that system.
Illinois’ sanctuary state framework, initially passed through the TRUST Act and built upon with the Way Forward Act, explicitly limits cooperation between state and local law enforcement with federal immigration enforcement without a federal criminal warrant or court order. Pitched as policies to build trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement, they instead advertise Illinois as a refuge from law enforcement. They allow dangerous immigrants to commit nondetainable crimes and walk free, even when federal authorities have requested they be held. These policies are making Illinois less safe and requiring that any immigration enforcement action must take place in the streets. Both laws should be repealed.
I’ve seen the news stories that people don’t know where ICE detainees are being held. These are heartrending and also avoidable in Illinois. The Way Forward Act makes it illegal for federal immigration enforcement to contract with local governments and local law enforcement to detain individuals here. That means detainees must be held in federal facilities or shipped out of state.
It is also worth noting that beyond supporting these policies, my democratic colleagues and Gov. JB Pritzker are also engaging in public efforts to delegitimize ICE actions. We’ve seen elected officials attempt to block ICE from doing their jobs, and they’ve put out statements encouraging citizens to do the same. That kind of messaging erodes respect for the rule of law and places all law enforcement in an untenable position that ultimately leads to dangerous interactions between law enforcement and the public.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Democratic policies in Illinois have encouraged this crisis in every way. They entice noncitizens to seek out Illinois, they prevent cooperation with federal officials when immigrants here illegally commit crimes and they disallow ICE detainees from Illinois to be held in nonfederal facilities.
Allowing criminals to walk free is not compassion; it is dangerous. And forcing ICE into street raids is not reform; it is dangerous — for ICE agents, the public and those whom ICE is trying to detain.
For every citizen who is watching with concern, these facts matter. If the goal is to protect communities and reduce the need for sensationalized federal enforcement actions, there is a straightforward policy solution: Restore real cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
State Rep. Norine Hammond, R-Macomb, represents the 94th District.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
Eric Rinehart: State prosecutors must hold federal agents accountable when they break the law.
The killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis are outrageous and heartbreaking and were preventable. President Donald Trump’s masked Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents constitute a militarized force that is engaged in widespread intimidation and racial profiling. Agents are not trained to de-escalate conflict, they are not connected to the local community and they have been given false promises of immunity.
As Lake County’s elected state’s attorney, I write to say there is hope. We can make our communities safe again by prosecuting federal agents for clear violations of state law. Trump’s automatic defense of ICE and the Border Patrol is part of a broader plan to desensitize us to violence and to convince us we are powerless to hold federal officials accountable. He has failed, and he is legally wrong. There is no absolute immunity for federal officials who clearly break state law, there is no statute of limitations on criminal homicides and no president can issue pardons for state crimes.
On policy issues, heroic governors and stalwart legislators have responded to Trump on an hourly basis. Gov. JB Pritzker has effectively challenged Trump’s sprint toward dictatorship, and his creation of the Illinois Accountability Commission demonstrates national leadership. State attorneys general, such as Kwame Raoul in Illinois, have defeated Trump in federal court on complicated issues regarding federalism and presidential powers. Mayors, city councils and police chiefs have bravely reaffirmed their commitment to the TRUST Act, which ensures that victims of all nationalities can safely report crimes without fear of ICE enforcement.
But when it comes to holding ICE agents immediately accountable, county prosecutors will be most effective due to their expertise with state statutes, strong connections to the community and effective collaboration with local police who also deeply care about safety.
American police officers are allowed to use “reasonable force” in exercising their duties or self-defense. The rule against excessive force dates back to Colonial times; recent instances of illegal force include the murders by police of Laquan McDonald in Chicago, Sonya Massey in the Springfield area and George Floyd in Minneapolis. This collective history is powerful in the American conscience and should be uniting us. Deadly use-of-force cases are tragic for families, devastating to communities, and legally complex for police and prosecutors.
Critically, we must not confuse the complexity inherent in all of these cases with Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s cynical claims about federal supremacy and “absolute immunity.” There is a well-established procedure for cases such as these. After state charges are filed, the U.S. government can ask a federal judge to make a preliminary determination about whether the officer was “reasonable” in his official duties. If so, the state case is dismissed under the theory that state officials shouldn’t interfere with proper federal activities. This proceeding in federal court is an additional step mandated by the Constitution, but it is not a bar to state prosecutions.
In fact, since the 1800s, the U.S. Supreme Court has permitted local prosecutors to bring state charges against federal officials. In Idaho, state prosecutors brought claims against an FBI sniper in the 1992 Ruby Ridge tragedy. In 2020 in Virginia, local prosecutors filed charges against federal officers who shot a fleeing motorist in 2017.
The Trump administration is simply deceiving its own ICE agents when it makes them seem legally invincible. This deception is dangerous because it undermines agents’ sense of accountability.
Unlike the risky incursions by ICE and the Border Patrol, targeted and professional investigations by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration save lives. Our office saw this firsthand in the Highland Park mass shooting case and in recent successful efforts to curb human trafficking.
The agents we see in Minneapolis stand in stark contrast to the outstanding local police and federal agents whom our office has had the honor to work with.
To be clear, in Lake County, federal agents who break state laws will be investigated through the same procedures we have traditionally used, prosecuted with due process and held accountable in our local court system. It is safer for the community and fairer to the inbound ICE and Border Patrol agents if they know this legal truth.
The rule of law is not a cliche — it is how democracy enforces its decisions. The people in Illinois and in every state have democratically decided that armed government agents shall not use excessive force.
It is time for elected prosecutors throughout America to publicly proclaim to the federal government: No one is above the law.
Eric Rinehart is the Lake County state’s attorney.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
Willie Wilson: Who is to blame in Illinois for the state’s shortcomings?
Illinois is a state with many self-inflicted wounds. If we continue to elect the same people over and over and expect a different result, we are fooling ourselves.
Who is accountable for the problems in our state, and why haven’t they been fixed? Politicians have been voting themselves pay raises while problems continue to fester. Where are the civil rights organizations, faith leaders and media shining a light on the failure of elected leaders to fix basic problems?
The Democrats control all levers of government in Illinois. We have been grappling with some of the same problems for decades with no real solutions. The problems are magnified when citizens start leaving.
The state of Illinois continues to lose population and businesses. Residents are fleeing to Indiana, Florida and Texas. Illinois had a net loss of 82,900 people in 2024, Census Bureau estimates show. Are other states’ political leaders smarter than ours? A consistent loss of population leads to a smaller tax base that must support fixed and long-term costs such as pensions and debt. Illinois has the nation’s worst-funded public pension system.
Fewer residents mean less income and sales tax revenue to fund roads, schools, transit and other public programs. Who is to blame for Illinois repeatedly losing population? Does accountability lie with Gov. JB Pritzker, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson for policies that drive businesses and people out of Illinois?
Every student regardless of race or ZIP code deserves access to a quality education. Illinois allows students to graduate who have not mastered the basics of reading, writing or math. In 2025, Black students in third through eighth grade had proficiency levels 21 to 23 percentage points below the statewide average, according to the Illinois Report Card. Also, 46% of Black students were chronically absent in 2025. This data is setting students up for the education pipeline to prison.
Yet, Welch, Pritzker and state legislators in 2023 allowed a successful tool to help low-income students close the achievement gap, the Invest in Kids tax credit scholarship program, to expire. The program was opposed by the Chicago Teachers Union. Coincidentally, since 2010, the CTU has made more than $1.3 million in campaign donations to state lawmakers.
Who is to blame for our children being behind in reading, math and science? And now, the CTU is opposing the federal tax scholarship program that could add funding to Illinois schools. The money could be used for tutoring students. Does the CTU really care about children or is it more interested in maintaining its monopoly over public education?
Our leaders should be reminded that education is connected to employment, jobs and stability of communities. The failure of students to get an effective education or acquire a skilled trade can lead to negative consequences such as incarceration and a lack of productivity.
Illinois school districts are primarily funded by local property taxes. In 2017, the Illinois General Assembly passed the evidence-based funding formula, or EBF, which was designed to direct more state money to the most underfunded, property-poor districts. However, EBF remains significantly underfunded. It could take decades to fully fund.
Per the Illinois Constitution, the state has the primary responsibility for financing public education. The legislature must undertake significant reforms to ensure an equitable system.
State pension contributions for teachers are a large part of educational spending, but these costs have increased due to generous retirement rules granted by lawmakers over the years. Pension costs and a significant increase in administrators have created a perfect storm. Why does Illinois have over 800 school districts, many of which are small?
Illinois has a regressive system of taxation that causes Black and brown residents to lose their homes. The spikes in taxes in the latest round of property tax bills hit three predominately Black communities in Cook County the hardest — Lawndale, Garfield Park and Englewood. Who is to blame for this unfair system? Why allow this system to continue? How many seniors must lose their homes to the property tax sale before the legislature acts?
Illinois hasn’t enacted legislation to prevent “home equity theft” in property tax foreclosure cases. A 2025 investigation found that from 2019 to 2025, over 1,000 homes were taken in Cook County, with most cases occurring in the Black community, involving tax debts of less than $1,600. Who can voters hold accountable?
The following are suggestions to fix Illinois:
Pritzker and elected leaders should pass policies that make Illinois a desirable place to live and raise a family.
Illinois legislative leaders should allow for school choice.
Elected leaders should prioritize trade programs in high unemployment areas.
Pritzker should opt in to the federal tax scholarship program.
Welch and Harmon should consolidate school districts, administrators and township government.
If we do not hold lawmakers accountable, our state could end up not being able to pay its bills or its employees. Who will fix the structural problems that are draining taxpayers’ wallets and morale? Let’s hold elected leaders accountable. Let there be no more excuses.
I write this commentary to make those comfortable with the status quo uncomfortable.
Willie Wilson is a business owner, philanthropist and former mayoral candidate.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/opinion-illinois-taxes-pension-education/
Ataque con dron ruso mata a 3 en el sur de Ucrania antes de nuevas conversaciones de paz
Por SUSIE BLANN
KIEV, Ucrania (AP) — Un ataque con drones rusos causó tres muertos en la región de Zaporiyia, en el sur de Ucrania, durante la noche, dijeron las autoridades el jueves, mientras el presidente del país, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, advirtió que Moscú planea otro bombardeo a gran escala a pesar de los planes para celebrar nuevas conversaciones de paz mediadas por Estados Unidos el fin de semana.
El ataque en Zaporiyia provocó un gran incendio en un edificio de apartamentos, según los servicios de emergencias.
Los bomberos también trabajaron durante la noche para sofocar incendios en la región central de Dnipropetrovsk, donde dos personas resultaron heridas, apuntaron las autoridades.
Zelenskyy afirmó que los reportes de la inteligencia ucraniana indican que Rusia está reuniendo fuerzas para un gran ataque aéreo. Operativos anteriores de gran envergadura, en los que se han llegado a emplear más de 800 aviones no tripulados y misiles de crucero y balísticos, han tenido como objetivo la red eléctrica local.
Los continuos ataques desacreditan las conversaciones de paz, señaló Zelenskyy. “Cada ataque ruso lo hace”, expresó el miércoles por la noche.
Los bombardeos diarios de las fuerzas del Kremlin sobre zonas civiles más allá de los alrededor de 1.000 kilómetros (600 millas) del frente, han continuado a pesar de la condena internacional y de los intentos de poner fin a los combates casi cuatro años después de que Rusia lanzara su devastadora invasión de Ucrania.
Las negociaciones entre Kiev y Moscú están listas para reanudarse el domingo, en medio de dudas sobre el compromiso de Rusia con un acuerdo.
La jefa de la diplomacia de la Unión Europea acusó al Kremlin de no tomarse en serio las conversaciones, y el jueves pidió en Bruselas que se ejerza más presión sobre Moscú para que haga concesiones.
“Vemos que están aumentando sus ataques a Ucrania porque no pueden avanzar en el campo de batalla. Así que están atacando a civiles”, aseveró Kaja Kallas acerca de Rusia durante una reunión de ministros de Exteriores de la UE.
Subrayó que Europa, que ve su propia seguridad futura en juego en Ucrania, debe estar completamente involucrada en las conversaciones para poner fin a la guerra. Durante el último año, el impulso para alcanzar un acuerdo ha estado liderado por el gobierno de Trump, y los líderes europeos temen que no se tengan en cuenta sus preocupaciones.
El número de soldados muertos, heridos o desaparecidos en ambos bandos durante la guerra podría alcanzar los 2 millones para la primavera, con Rusia sufriendo el mayor número de bajas en cualquier potencia importante desde la Segunda Guerra Mundial, según un informe de un grupo de expertos internacional publicado el martes.
Solo en el último mes, Rusia ha lanzado más de 6.000 drones sobre Ucrania, explicó el ministro ucraniano de Defensa , Mykhailo Fedorov. Rusia está mejorando constantemente sus drones y sus tácticas, dijo el miércoles por la noche, lo que llevó a Ucrania a cambiar su estrategia de defensa aérea, dijo sin ofrecer más detalles acerca de los cambios.
___
Los periodistas de The Associated Press Kamila Hrabchuk en Kiev y Lorne Cook en Bruselas contribuyeron a este despacho.
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Siga la cobertura de AP sobre la guerra en Ucrania en https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
EU Poised To Label IRGC A Terror Org, Boosting Potential Trump Strikes On Iran
EU Poised To Label IRGC A Terror Org, Boosting Potential Trump Strikes On Iran
The European Union may be on the verge of taking a step it has long avoided: formally branding Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organization. This as France and Spain, previously the bloc’s vocal key holdouts, abruptly signaled a change of heart.
Paris and Madrid’s reversal injects new momentum into what has so far been a largely symbolic but politically explosive move, one Brussels has repeatedly delayed despite mounting pressure. The timing of this impending potential change could signal that Europe is collectively ready to sign off on President Trump’s potential new military attacks on the Islamic Republic. It will make it ‘legally’ easier to wage war.
Europe has long been more restrained when it comes to US military actions abroad, but the Jan.3rd attack on Venezuela and forced removal of longtime President Maduro resulted in a muted EU response, which was widely interpreted as quiet approval. So for the EU, its leaders might be fine with Tehran being targeted next.
On Wednesday, just one day before EU foreign ministers are scheduled to convene in Brussels to debate the issue, the Elysée announced its change in thinking in the following:
“France supports the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the European list of terrorist organizations.“
The IRGC stands accused by the West of directing Iran’s crackdown of domestic unrest, after economic-driven protests took over town and city streets this month.
Thousands died, but Iran officials have pointed to armed saboteurs being mixed in among the peaceful demonstrators, leading to mayhem and a high death toll.
The United States, Canada, and Australia have already blacklisted the IRGC, while Germany and the Netherlands have for years pressed the EU to follow suit. Italy has also shifted its position earlier this week related to the recent protests.
Importantly, the US had branded Maduro as head of a ‘terrorist organization’ (the so-called Cartel of the Suns, which had a dubious existence) just before launching regime change action against him, resulting in him facing federal charges in New York.
The IRGC being branded as such in Europe would also aid in Washington’s case for war against Iran, given the organization reports directly to the Ayatollah, and is effectively the most important military-security group at the top of the command chain.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 01/29/2026 – 05:45
Today in History: Army helicopter and American Airlines plane crash midair
Today is Thursday, Jan. 29, the 29th day of 2026. There are 336 days left in the year.
Today in history:
On Jan. 29, 2025, a midair collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet killed all 67 people aboard both aircraft as the jet was landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C. At least 28 bodies were pulled from the icy Potomac River.
Also on this date:
In 1891, following the death of her brother Kalākaua, Lili‘uokalani was sworn in as the first and only queen of the Hawaiian Kingdom. (Her reign would end two years later when the Hawaiian monarchy was abolished following a U.S. military-supported coup d’état.)
In 1936, the first five inductees of baseball’s Hall of Fame — Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson — were elected in Cooperstown, New York.
In 1979, President Jimmy Carter formally welcomed Chinese Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping (dung shah-oh-ping) to the White House, following the establishment of full diplomatic relations.
In 1995, the San Francisco 49ers became the first team in NFL history to win five Super Bowl titles, beating the San Diego Chargers, 49-26, in Super Bowl XXIX.
In 1998, a bomb rocked an abortion clinic in Birmingham, Alabama, killing a security guard and critically injuring a nurse. (The bomber, Eric Rudolph, also admitted to carrying out the deadly bombing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and other attacks and is serving multiple life sentences.)
In 2013, the Justice Department ended its criminal probe of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster and Gulf of Mexico oil spill, with a U.S. judge agreeing to let London-based oil giant BP PLC plead guilty to manslaughter charges for the deaths of 11 rig workers and pay a record $4 billion in penalties.
In 2002, in his first State of the Union address, President George W. Bush said terrorists were still threatening America — and warned of “an axis of evil” consisting of North Korea, Iran and Iraq.
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Today in History: Michael Jackson suffers serious burns
In 2017, six people were killed in a shooting at a Quebec City mosque during evening prayers. (Alexandre Bissonnette, who was arrested nearby, pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder charges and drew a life prison sentence.)
Today’s birthdays: Feminist author Germaine Greer is 87. Actor Katharine Ross is 86. Actor Tom Selleck is 81. R&B singer Charlie Wilson is 73. TV host and media mogul Oprah Winfrey is 72. Olympic diving gold medalist Greg Louganis is 66. Football Hall of Famer Andre Reed is 62. Hockey Hall of Famer Dominik Hašek is 61. Actor-director Edward Burns is 58. Actor Sara Gilbert is 51. Pop-rock singer Adam Lambert is 44. Actor Jakob Davies is 23.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/today-in-history-army-helicopter-plane-crash/
Today in Chicago History: Hadiya Pendleton, 15-year-old honors student at King College Prep, shot and killed
Here’s a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on Jan. 29, according to the Tribune’s archives.
Is an important event missing from this date? Email us.
Front page flashback: Jan. 30, 2009
In a unanimous vote, the Illinois Senate ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Jan. 29, 2009, for abuse of power. Within hours, Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn was sworn in as the state’s 41st governor. (Chicago Tribune)
2009: The Illinois Senate voted 59-0 to remove Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who walked out of the silent chamber after delivering an impassioned plea for mercy, saying he “never, ever intended to violate the law.”
Within hours they applauded his former running mate and lieutenant governor, Pat Quinn, who was sworn in as the state’s 41st governor.
The Dishonor Roll: Meet the public officials who helped build Illinois’ culture of corruption
Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison in 2011 — the second-longest term ever delivered in federal court in Chicago for a public corruption case.
President Donald Trump, convicted of felonies himself, commuted Blagojevich’s 14-year sentence to about eight years served on Feb. 18, 2020.
Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago)
High temperature: 63 degrees (2013)
Low temperature: Minus 16 degrees (1966)
Precipitation: 1.33 inches (2013)
Snowfall: 5.3 inches (1909)
Rand McNally maps helped travelers find their way
1856: William Rand co-founded what would become Rand McNally’s first print shop with the Chicago Tribune on Chicago’s Lake Street. Twelve years later, the company bought the Tribune’s share and began printing railroad tickets and timetables.
Eleven of the 17 charter members who were enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Sept. 7, 1963, in Canton, Ohio. Front row from left are: Earl “Dutch” Clark, Earl “Curley” Lambeau, Mel Hein, John “Blood?”McNally and Don Hutson. Back row from left: Sammy Baugh, Cal Hubbard, Bronko Nagurski, George Halas, Red Grange and Ernie Nevers. They hold busts of themselves to be displayed in the Hall. (AP)
1963: Seventeen men — including Bears owner George Halas and Bears players Red Grange and Bronko Nagurski — were part of the charter class named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Former White Sox owner Bill Veeck hands over the keys to Comiskey Park to new (and present) White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf on Feb. 3, 1981. Seated from left are Andy McKenna, acting chairman, Veeck and Reinsdorf. (William Yates/Chicago Tribune)
1981: Jerry Reinsdorf was approved to buy the Chicago White Sox from Bill Veeck.
It only took American League owners 25 minutes to unanimously approve the sale to a syndicate headed by the Skokie real estate developer and New York television executive Eddie Einhorn.
A woman carries a heart-shaped memorial into the Greater Harvest Baptist Church for the funeral of 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton in Chicago on Feb. 9, 2013. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
2013: Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old honors student at King College Prep High School, was fatally shot in the back at Harsh Park in the 4500 block of South Oakenwald Avenue. The majorette performed at President Barack Obama’s inauguration parade the previous week. First lady Michelle Obama attended her funeral and Hadiya’s parents were invited to Obama’s State of the Union address in 2013.
Micheail Ward was convicted of first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated battery following a lengthy jury trial in 2018. But an appeals court overturned his conviction.
TV actor Jussie Smollett stands before Cook County Circuit Judge Steven Watkins on March 14, 2019, at the Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago, where he pleaded not guilty. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)
2019: “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett reported he was a victim of an allegedly racist and homophobic attack. He was later charged with making it up and convicted in December 2021 on five out of six felony counts of disorderly conduct for lying to police. He was sentenced to 150 days in Cook County Jail.
In a stunning move, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned the convictions in November 2024, finding that a special prosecutor’s decision to retry him for allegedly staging a hate crime against himself violated his rights after the Cook County state’s attorney’s office previously dropped all charges.
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/january-29-chicago-history/
Orbán Backs Weidel’s Demands That Ukraine Pay Germany Reparations For Nord Stream 2 Sabotage
Orbán Backs Weidel’s Demands That Ukraine Pay Germany Reparations For Nord Stream 2 Sabotage
Ukrainian anti-corruption authorities have appealed to Interpol to issue an international warrant against Ukrainian-Israeli Timur Mindics and his business partner Alexander Zuckerman, both considered fugitives from justice and both reported to hold Israeli citizenship.
The corruption scandal centers on bundles of money, a toilet made of gold, and threads leading to the Ukrainian president.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) have officially submitted to Interpol the documents aimed at launching the international arrest of both Mindics and Zuckerman. The announcement was made by Oleksandr Klimenko, head of SAPO, wrote Ukrainian outlet Strana Today.
Mindics is currently in Israel, which he reportedly fled to an hour before anti-corruption officers raided his apartment, leading to suspicion someone in the government tipped him off that the raid was coming.
He is being tried in absentia for corruption crimes in the energy sector. The entrepreneur, who has a long history with Zelensky and played a key role in his rise to power, previously claimed that he was scapegoated in the scandal, while Zuckerman also denies the allegations.
“The case is particularly sensitive, as Mindich had close ties with President Volodymyr Zelensky for many years,” writes Starna Today.
During the house search, Ukrainian investigators seized bundles of cash from the fugitive businessman and also found a golden toilet in his home. Zelensky is reported to have celebrated his birthday in this apartment during the coronavirus pandemic.
“A golden toilet is in one of the bathrooms of the apartment of Zelensky’s business partner Timur Mindich, where, according to media reports, NABU wiretapped the president himself. This was reported by MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak, who showed a photo, as he claims, from this apartment.… pic.twitter.com/LYtCFKlTcW
— Ivan Katchanovski (@I_Katchanovski) July 30, 2025
The investigation focuses on abuses surrounding state and semi-state energy companies. According to the authorities, inadequate procurement procedures, embezzled money, parallel management structures and “shadow” accounting were behind it.
The damage caused is estimated at about $100 million and led to 70 properties being searched and numerous arrests made. Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) has conducted searches at the home of the driver of Andriy Yermak, the notorious figure in the Ukrainian corruption scandal known as “Ali Baba.” Another friend of Zelensky’s, former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov, was remanded into custody. Justice Minister German Galushchenko was also suspended after his house was searched. He had been serving as energy minister at the time of the events.
According to NABU, the group’s goal was to gain illegal benefits from Energoatom’s contractual partners and control personnel decisions, procurement and financial flows through informal contacts.
According to Die Welt newspaper, several top leaders, active and former politicians are involved in the case, as well as actors who can be linked to Moscow.
Mindics’ escape triggered separate speculations. According to the German newspaper, he was seen in Kyiv a day before the house search, which may indicate that he was warned in time. Since it would have been difficult to get out of the country by car, it was also suggested that he left Ukraine by helicopter, which “in wartime conditions would only have been possible with official permission.”
Tyler Durden
Thu, 01/29/2026 – 05:00
