Author: chicagoinquirer

by Brian Mahoney NEW YORK  — All Joel Embiid could give the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday was encouragement. The NBA’s leading scorer and MVP finalist couldn’t play because of a sprained right knee, but still provided a presence for his team. “It starts with Joel,” guard Tyrese Maxey said. “He’s the leader of this team and for him, he takes the guys before the game and he told us good luck and we appreciate him for that. And we need him to get healthy.” The 76ers bought him plenty of time to do that. Tobias Harris had 25 points and…

by Mathew Lee, Tara Corp and Aamer Madhani WASHINGTON  — U.S. special operations forces carried out a precarious evacuation of the American embassy in warring Sudan on Sunday, sweeping in and out of the capital, Khartoum, with helicopters on the ground for less than an hour. No shots were fired and no major casualties were reported. With the last U.S. employee of the embassy out, Washington shuttered the U.S. mission in Khartoum indefinitely. Left behind were thousands of private American citizens remaining in the east African country. U.S. officials said it would be too dangerous to carry out a broader…

by Mathew Lee, Tara Corp and Aamer Madhani WASHINGTON  — President Joe Biden said late Saturday that U.S. military evacuation of U.S. embassy personnel in Sudan has been completed and called for end to the “unconscionable” violence. Biden thanked U.S. troops who carried out the mission to extract American staffers in Sudan, as Washington shuttered the U.S. mission in Khartoum indefinitely. The staffers were airlifted to undisclosed location in Ethiopia, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the mission. U.S. troops carried out the mission as fighting between two armed Sudanese rivals —which has left more than 400 dead, put…

by Emily Wagster Pettus JACKSON, Miss.— The NAACP warns that “separate and unequal policing” will return to Mississippi’s majority-Black capital under a state-run police department, and the civil rights organization is suing the governor and other officials over it. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves says violent crime in Jackson has made it necessary to expand where the Capitol Police can patrol and to authorize some appointed rather than elected judges. But the NAACP said in its lawsuit filed late Friday that these are serious violations of the principle of self-government because they take control of the police and some courts out…

by Emeka Obasi Change was promised, expectations were high. It appeared many were shortchanged in an unending experiment that led to nowhere. The All Progressives Congress ( APC) enjoyed a free run until Peter Obi mounted the Soap Box through Labour Party. To be fair to APC, there was no opposition because the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) died after May 29, 2015. For a mega party that boasted of ruling for 60 interrupted years, death came so quickly that many wondered if the party was for real in the first place. The PDP became so fruitless that Dr. Goodluck…

by Brian Mahoney NEW YORK  — James Harden made direct contact when he swung at a Nets player’s groin. Joel Embiid’s kick to a different player landed in a safer spot. That’s why Harden was thrown out and Embiid dodged an ejection Thursday night in Philadelphia’s 102-97 victory in Game 3. Harden was dribbling while defended closely by Royce O’Neale when he swung out his arm and hit O’Neale, who fell to the court in pain. Referees reviewed the play and called Harden for a flagrant foul 2, an automatic ejection, after seeing evidence of where he had hit O’Neale.…

by Agency reports KHARTOUM, Sudan  — Sudan’s top general said Friday the military is committed to a transition to civilian rule, in his first speech since brutal fighting between his forces and the country’s powerful paramilitary began nearly a week ago. In a video message released early Friday to mark the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday, army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan said: “We are confident that we will overcome this ordeal with our training, wisdom and strength, preserving the security and unity of the state, allowing us to be entrusted with the safe transition to civilian rule.” The sounds of…

by Kevin Freking and Mark Sherman WASHINGTON  — The Senate Judiciary chairman has invited Chief Justice John Roberts to testify next month on ethical standards at the court, a hearing that would undoubtedly focus on business transactions and travel involving Justice Clarence Thomas. Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., said that there has been a “steady stream of revelations” regarding Supreme Court justices “falling short of ethical standards expected of other federal judges.” “The time has come for a new public conversation on ways to restore confidence in the Court’s ethical standards. I invite you to join it, and I look forward…

by Andrew Seligman CHICAGO  — The Chicago Bears already used the draft to address their glaring need for a playmaking receiver. They still have big holes to fill. The Bears come in needing better protection for quarterback Justin Fields and help on the defensive line, starting with the No. 9 overall pick. General manager Ryan Poles already made one huge splash when he traded the No. 1 overall selection to Carolina for receiver DJ Moore and moved down eight spots. The Bears also got a haul of picks from the Panthers in that blockbuster deal. At No. 9, there are…

by Agency reports Fighting in Sudan between forces loyal to two top generals has put that nation at risk of collapse and could have consequences far beyond its borders. Both sides have tens of thousands of fighters, foreign backers, mineral riches and other resources that could insulate them from sanctions. It’s a recipe for the kind of prolonged conflict that has devastated other countries in the Middle East and Africa, from Lebanon and Syria to Libya and Ethiopia. The fighting, which began as Sudan attempted to transition to democracy, already has killed hundreds of people and left millions trapped in…