Author: chicagoinquirer

by Agency reports NAIROBI, Kenya  — Thirty-nine bodies have been found so far on land owned by a pastor in coastal Kenya who was arrested for telling his followers to fast to death. Malindi sub-county police chief John Kemboi said that more shallow graves have yet to be dug up on the land belonging to pastor Paul Makenzi, who was arrested on April 14 over links to cultism. The total death toll is 43, because a further four people died after they and others were discovered starving at the Good News International Church last week. Police have asked a court…

by Joey Cappelletti LANSING, Mich.  — When U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin announced plans to run for a critical Senate seat in Michigan, many Democrats were pleased. The three-term Lansing-area congresswoman was among the stars of last year’s midterm election, handily winning one of the nation’s most expensive contests. The magnitude of her victory in what was expected to be a narrow contest has largely dissuaded other prominent Democrats from challenging her for the Senate nomination and so far, no high-profile Republican has stepped forward. Slotkin’s entry into the race has helped reassure Democrats that in a year when they are defending twice as many…

by Agency reports KHARTOUM, Sudan  — Foreign governments evacuated diplomats, staff and others trapped in Sudan on Sunday as rival generals battled for a ninth day with no sign of a truce that had been declared for a major Muslim holiday. While world powers like the U.S. and Britain airlifted their diplomats from the capital of Khartoum, Sudanese desperately sought to flee the chaos. Many risked dangerous roads to seek safer spots or crossed the northern border into Egypt. “My family — my mother, my siblings and my nephews — are on the road from Sudan to Cairo through Aswan,”…

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…