Author: chicagoinquirer

by Francis Kokutse and Chinedu Asadu ACCRA, Ghana — Ghana’s vice president and ruling party candidate, Mahamudu Bawumia, conceded defeat Sunday to opposition candidate and former President John Dramani Mahama in the West African nation’s presidential election seen as a vote of no-confidence in the current government’s handling of an ailing economy. Ahead of the official announcement, Bawumia told reporters that he respects the decision of Ghanaians to vote for change. “I’ve just called His Excellency John Mahama to congratulate him as president-elect of the Republic of Ghana,” he said at his residence in the capital, Accra. Previously president of…

by Abdulrahman Shaeen and Abby Sewell DAMASCUS, Syria — Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire on Sunday after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule but raising questions about the future of the country and the wider region. Joyful crowds gathered in central squares in Damascus, waving the Syrian revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, before a brutal crackdown and the rise of an insurgency plunged the country into a nearly 14-year civil war. Others gleefully ransacked the presidential palace and…

by James Ezema The national coordinating council of Save Democracy Mega Alliance 2027 (SDMA’27), through its Southwest leadership, has called on the Federal Government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to exert the powers of their respective offices to effect the immediate release of detained human rights lawyer, Barr. Dele Farotimi, from what the movement described as “shameful, surreptitious and heinously unlawful detention.” Speaking on behalf of the movement, the South-West Zonal Coordinator of SDMA, Chief Oloye Adeniji, said, “The unethical abduction, furtive transfer of Dele Farotimi from the Lagos state jurisdiction of his…

BY WILL WEISSERT, COLLEEN LONG AND ZEKE MILLER by Will Weissert, Colleen Long and Zeke Miller LUANDA, Angola — President Joe Biden on Tuesday ducked questions on his decision to break his word and pardon his son Hunter, ignoring calls for him to explain his reversal as he was making his first presidential trip to Angola. Dismissing shouted questions with a laugh during a meeting with Angolan President João Lourenço at the presidential palace, Biden said to the Angolan delegation “welcome to America.” Biden was not scheduled to take questions from the press during his trip to Africa, press secretary…

by Zeke Miller, Alanna Durkin Richer and Coleen Long WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter, on Sunday night, sparing the younger Biden a possible prison sentence for federal felony gun and tax convictions and reversing his past promises not to use the extraordinary powers of the presidency for the benefit of his family members. The Democratic president had previously said he would not pardon his son or commute his sentence after his convictions in the two cases in Delaware and California. The move comes weeks before Hunter Biden was set to receive his punishment after his…

by Rob Gillies and Fatima hussein WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau flew to Florida on Friday to have dinner with President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club after Trump threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products. Trump threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if they don’t stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders. A person familiar with the…

The clock is ticking on Brian Daboll in New York. Mike McDaniel isn’t on the hot seat but Miami won’t go anywhere if the Dolphins can’t win in the cold. Eberflus’ mistake was so egregious Thursday it wasn’t a surprise the Bears made a coaching change on Friday. Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown was promoted to interim coach after Eberflus was fired. The third-year coach’s massive blunder overshadowed an impressive second-half performance by Caleb Williams after the rookie No. 1 pick rallied the Bears into position to potentially upset Detroit. Eberflus then doubled down on the decision to allow precious seconds…

by Andrew Seligman and Rob Maaddi CHICAGO — Matt Eberflus was fired by the Chicago Bears on Friday, one day after botching a timeout in a loss at Detroit. Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown will serve as interim coach, the Bears said in a statement. “This morning … we informed Matt of our decision to move in a different direction with the leadership of our football team and the head coaching position,” general manager Ryan Poles said. “I thank Matt for his hard work, professionalism and dedication to our organization. We extend our gratitude for his commitment to the Chicago Bears…

by Monica Pronczuk and Sylvie Corbet DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday for the first time recognized the killing of West African soldiers by the French Army in 1944 as a massacre in a letter addressed to the Senegalese authorities. Macron’s move, on the eve of the 80th anniversary of the World War II killings in Thiaroye — a fishing village on the outskirts of the Senegalese capital of Dakar — comes as France’s influence is declining in the region, with Paris losing its sway in the former French colonies in West Africa. Between 35 and…

by Sam Mednick and Monika Pronczuk DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Chad’s government is ending a defense cooperation agreement with France, its former colonial ruler, to redefine the nation’s sovereignty. The decision marks a historic turning point after the Central African nation gained independence more than six decades ago, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abderaman Koulamallah said in a statement Thursday. It said the decision to end the agreement would allow Chad to redefine its strategic partnerships in line with national priorities. There was no immediate response from France’s government. Chad was one of the last countries in the region in which France…