Author: chicagoinquirer

by John Raby CHICAGO – The Fourth of July historically is one of the nation’s deadliest days of the year. A flurry of shootings around the holiday a year ago left more than a dozen people dead and over 60 wounded. And a year before that, seven people died in a mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade near Chicago. Violence and mass shootings often increase in the summer months, with more people gathering for social events, teens out of school and hotter temperatures. Chicago ‘in state of grief’ In Chicago alone, 11 people had been killed and 55…

by Jade Lozada UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that recently deployed Kenyan police will be crucial to helping control the country’s gangs and moving toward democratic elections — and he called feedback from their initial days in the capital “extremely, extremely positive.” He said his government will focus on addressing gang violence and food insecurity, ensuring free elections through constitutional and political reform, and rebuilding public trust in the police. On June 25, the initial contingent of 200 Kenyan police arrived in Port-au-Prince. Kenya has pledged 1,000 police to…

by Will Weissert WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden ‘s halting debate performance on Thursday night has led some in his own party to begin questioning whether he should be replaced on the ballot before November. The latest on the Biden-Trump debate The debate was a critical moment in Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s presidential rematch to make their cases before a national television audience. Take a look at the facts around false and misleading claims frequently made by the two candidates. Both candidates wasted no time sparring over policy during their 90-minute faceoff. These are the takeaways. There is…

by Zeke Miller, Michelle L. Price, Will Weissert, Bill Barrow and Darlene Superville ATLANTA (AP) — A raspy and sometimes halting President Joe Biden tried repeatedly to confront Donald Trump in their first debate ahead of the November election, as his Republican rival countered Biden’s criticism by leaning into falsehoods about the economy, illegal immigration and his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection. Biden’s uneven performance, particularly early in the debate, crystallized the concerns of many Americans that, at 81, he is too old to serve as president. It sparked a fresh round of calls for the Democrat…

by Evelyne Musambi NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya’s president called the storming of parliament on Tuesday a national security threat and vowed that such unrest won’t happen again “at whatever cost,” after thousands of protesters against a new finance bill pushed their way in, burning part of the building and sending legislators fleeing. It was the most direct assault on the government in decades. Journalists saw at least three bodies outside the complex where police had opened fire, and medical workers reported five others killed. Clashes spread to other cities. There was no immediate word on arrests. “Today’s events mark a…

by  Jintamas Sarkornchai, Alanna Durkin Richer Eric Tucker BANGKOK — A plane believed to be carrying Julian Assange landed Tuesday in Bangkok, as the WikiLeaks founder was on his way to enter a plea deal with the U.S. government that will free him and resolve the legal case that spanned years and continents over the publication of a trove of classified documents. Chartered flight VJT199 landed after noon at Don Mueang International Airport, north of the Thai capital. Airport officials told The Associated Press the plane was only in Bangkok for refueling and was scheduled to depart Tuesday evening for…

BOSTON — Big record companies are suing artificial intelligence song-generators Suno and Udio for copyright infringement, alleging that the AI music startups are exploiting the recorded works of artists from Chuck Berry to Mariah Carey. The Recording Industry Association of America announced the lawsuits Monday brought by labels including Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Records. One case was filed in federal court in Boston against Suno AI, and the other in New York against Uncharted Labs, the developer of Udio AI. Suno AI CEO Mikey Shulman said in an emailed statement that the technology is “designed to…

by Joseph Omoremi The U.S. invitation of Kenyan’s President William Ruto to mediate in the internal crisis rocking Haiti instead of a Franco-phone speaking African country was a recipe for failure as Egyptian envoy in Chicago called for a united  joint action among the African countries to consolidate the foundations of peace, security, and stability in the continent. “A francophone speaking African nation that speaks the same language like Haiti would have done a better job’ said Willian Gaubert, an Independent Haiti scholar and former University of Chicago lecturer said at the Africa Day 2024 celebration held at Loyola University…

by Joseph Omoremi Chicago, IL-Encomiums and congratulatory messages have being pouring-in for erstwhile chairman of the Nigerian Sports Writers Association (SWAN) Attorney Steve Babatunde Alabi on his selection as the next king of Osi-Ekiti, in Ido-Osi local government area of Ekiti State. “The oracle has spoken” on my brother Steve B. Alabi as the Oba-elect,” hence my congratulations to him and the Arubiojo’s ruling House,” said James Adewumi, one of the three contestants for the throne. A man of many parts, the Oba elect was the SWAN president between 1990-92 and presided over the election of Mr. Fan Ndubuoke as…

CHICAGO — The family of a Chicago woman who froze to death after she became locked in a hotel freezer has agreed to a $10 million legal settlement. Kenneka Jenkins’ mother, Tereasa Martin, will receive about $3.7 million, according to court records made public Tuesday, the Chicago Tribune reported. Other family members will receive $1.2 million and $1.5 million. Another $3.5 million will cover attorney fees, with $6,000 covering the cost of Jenkins’ funeral. Jenkins was found dead in the walk-in freezer at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in suburban Rosemont in September 2017, a day after she attended a party…