Author: chicagoinquirer

by David Rising SINGAPORE  — U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin vowed Saturday that Washington would not stand for any “coercion and bullying” of its allies and partners by China, while assuring Beijing that the United States remains committed to maintaining the status quo on Taiwan and would prefer dialogue over conflict. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual forum bringing together top defense officials, diplomats and leaders in Singapore, Austin lobbied for support for Washington’s vision of a “free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific within a world of rules and rights” as the best course to counter increasing Chinese assertiveness…

by Emeka Obasi LAGOS, NIGERIA: Paul Okoku bagged his first ever red card in 1980 in a match the referee apparently demobilized Bolaji Oni Babes against Enugu Black Rocks. Kayode Omotose whose team, Sparks, lost to the Lagosians earlier, sees it from another angle. Okoku told me recently from his US home that probably because the referee wanted to impress Anambra State governor, Jim Nwobodo, in that Ramat Cup grand finale, the best way was to axe the engine room of the Lagos State representatives. Omotose’s Ilorin Sparks fell to Bolaji Oni Babes in the semi finals and he believes…

by Emeka Obasi LAGOS, NIGERIA: His frame keeps many looking up as he bounces around like basketball. Jonnie Isebor started from the ground, picking ball on the tennis court before towering to a major hit in slam – dunk. As a boy, Isebor watched his elder brother,  Joe, play tennis with the high and mighty. The senior would later win gold for the University of Nigeria Nsukka ( UNN ) at the 1978 Nigerian Universities Games ( NUGA) hosted by the University of Lagos. “Family background and my big brother were a major influence. I was his perennial ball -…

by Chris Megerian WASHINGTON  — With just two days to spare, President Joe Biden signed legislation on Saturday that lifts the nation’s debt ceiling, averting an unprecedented default on the federal government’s debt. It was a decidedly low-key denouement to a monthslong drama that unnerved financial markets at home and abroad and caused anxious retirees and social service organizations to make contingency plans in case the country was unable to pay all its bills. Instead of holding a public ceremony with lawmakers from both parties — showcasing the bipartisanship that Biden had cited in an Oval Office address on Friday evening — the president signed the legislation in…

by Bill Barrow ATLANTA  — The voice of Martin Luther King Sr., a melodic tenor like his slain son, carried across Madison Square Garden, calming the raucous Democrats who had nominated his friend and fellow Georgian for the presidency. “Surely, the Lord sent Jimmy Carter to come on out and bring America back where she belongs,” the venerated Black pastor said as the nominee smiled behind him. “I’m with him. You are, too. Let me tell you, we must close ranks now.” Carter then shared a moment with Coretta Scott King, clasping hands and locking eyes with the widowed first…

by Andrew Seligman CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears say they are considering abandoning their plan to build an enclosed stadium and entertainment complex on a suburban tract of land they recently purchased in favor of constructing one elsewhere in the region. Citing a property assessment they said is too high, the Bears announced in a statement Friday that building on a 326-acre site in Arlington Heights, Illinois, is “no longer our singular focus.” “It is our responsibility to listen to other municipalities in Chicagoland about potential locations that can deliver on this transformational opportunity for our fans, our club and…

by Tim Reynolds DENVER  — Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets were facing some questions going into their first NBA Finals, and their answers came in resounding fashion. No, a week and a half off didn’t hurt them. And no, the NBA’s biggest stage isn’t too big, either. Jokic got a triple-double in his finals debut, Jamal Murray scored 26 points and the Nuggets had little trouble with the cold-shooting Miami Heat on the way to a 104-93 win in Game 1 on Thursday night. “I think that’s what the beauty of this team is,” Murray said. “We have so…

by Lisa Mascaro, Kevin Freking, Stephen Groves, Farnoush Amiri and Mary Clare Jalonick WASHINGTON — Fending off a U.S. default, the Senate gave final approval late Thursday to a debt ceiling and budget cuts package, grinding into the night to wrap up work on the bipartisan deal and send it to President Joe Biden’s desk to become law before the fast-approaching deadline. The compromise package negotiated between Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy leaves neither Republicans nor Democrats fully pleased with the outcome. But the result, after weeks of hard-fought budget negotiations, shelves the volatile debt ceiling issue that risked…

by Christopher Weber LOS ANGELES  — A former Playboy model who alleges Bill Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted her and another woman at his home in 1969 sued him Thursday under a new California law that suspends the statute of limitations on sex abuse claims. In her lawsuit, Victoria Valentino, 80, says she was an actress and singer 54 years ago, when she met Cosby, now 85. The comedian and actor later approached her at a Los Angeles café, where he spotted her crying over the recent drowning death of her 6-year-old son. The Associated Press does not identify people who say…

by Collin Binkley WASHINGTON  — A Republican measure overturning President Joe Biden’s student loan cancellation plan passed the Senate on Thursday and now awaits an expected veto. The vote was 52-46, with support from Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana as well as Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an independent. The resolution was approved last week by the GOP-controlled House by a 218-203 vote. Biden has pledged to keep in place his commitment to cancel up to $20,000 in federal student loans for 43 million people. The legislation adds to Republican criticism of the plan, which was halted in…