The ChicagoBears have a lot riding on the decision made between the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers. He has been one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the National Football League in his time there but he is clearly unhappy. The Bears have been one of the biggest victims of his […]
See Chicago Dance’s annual celebration sustains and supports artists and audiences.
Chicago Dance Month returns for a ninth time this June with in-person events featuring Chicago dancers and dance companies outdoors at Navy Pier and McKinley Park. Previously held in April, this year’s celebration launches a whole summer of Saturdays featuring dance at Navy Pier produced by See Chicago Dance.…Read More
Javy Baez and Nico Hoerner haven’t been playing together long, but you can’t tell by watching them. The Cubs’ double-play combo has developed a natural chemistry in their short time together that is showing up on a nightly basis.
Teams build their rosters to be strong defensively up the middle and the Cubs are no different and with Baez manning shortstop and Hoerner at second base, they’re playing like one of the best defensive tandems in the game.
“Having potentially two Gold Gloves up the middle is extremely strong and important and makes you feel confident that when a ball is hit towards those guys, that a play is gonna be made,” manager David Ross said. “That’s a special group out there.”
What stands out about Baez and Hoerner are the baseball instincts and athleticism that allows them to make plays no matter the degree of difficulty.
There’s no doubt that Baez is a human-highlight reel and he’s one of the most electric players in MLB. But he’s also been one of the league’s premier defenders at the position since becoming the team’s full-time shortstop in 2018. He’s fourth among active players as a plus-34 outs above average since 2016. This season, he’s had a slower start with the glove and currently minus-2 OAA.
“Javy’s played through a lot physically this season and he’s done a lot of amazing things at the same time,” Cubs bench and infield coach Andy Green told the Sun-Times. “We know what kind of shortstop he has proven to be year after year.”
Baez’s double-play partner is starting to make a name for himself.
Hoerner has been putting the league on notice that the Cubs’ middle infield is a no fly zone on both sides of the diamond. During last week’s series against the Nationals, the 24-year-old second baseman showed off his range making a number of sliding stops (while deep in the shift) and either making the play or keeping the ball in the infield and preventing runners from advancing.
Hoerner was a finalist for the NL’s Gold Glove award at second base in 2020 and appears to be well on his way to being back in the running for some hardware this season. After not starting the season with the Cubs, Hoerner already ranks third in MLB among second basemen with both a plus-five OAA and defensive runs saved.
“I think he’s already one of the best in the game,” Green said. “He doesn’t need a confidence boost. He had that confidence in him last year and you saw it from the first day he showed up. He’s already really, really good there and he wants to be extraordinary.”
“It’s been really good communication between us,” Baez said. “The way that he wants to get better. He wants to come and work and learn something every day. It’s been great.”
The Cubs were one of the best defensive teams in baseball in 2020 and took away the team Gold Glove Award last season. Various metrics have not graded them as high this year – some of that being due to some of hits against the shift early this season.
When it comes to defensive positioning, Baez prefers to go off feel while Hoerner usually goes off Green’s defensive alignment and make adjustment throughout a game or series.
“There’s so much luck involved in the shifting stuff,” Hoerner said in a recent interview. “You kind of just got to trust yourself and trust the data [we have] at the end of the day.”
While positioning and range play a role in the team’s metrics, what ultimately matters will be the Cubs turning balls in play into outs and with Baez and Hoerner up the middle, they’re confident those two will help keep a lot of runs off the board.
“Those metrics will look good by the end of the year,” Green said. “We’ve had a lot of balls beat shifts and roll through holes to start the season that don’t normally go where they’ve gone. So there’s no reason to really be overly concerned about that, because we got really good defenders out there and our process is good. It’s gonna take care of itself.”
The full musical at Chicago Shakes is on hold, but you can see a streaming mockumentary based on the OG aliens-in-the-desert flick.
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Father Michael Pfleger poses inside St. Sabina. | Max Herman/For the Sun-Times (file)
Today’s update is a 5-minute read that will brief you on the day’s biggest stories.
Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about a 5-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.
This afternoon will be mostly sunny with a high near 88 degrees. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with a low around 71. Tomorrow there’s a chance of thunderstorms with a high near 85.
Cardinal Blase Cupich announced today that Rev. Michael Pfleger is being reinstated early next month as the senior pastor of St. Sabina Parish after the Archdiocese of Chicago cleared him to return following an internal probe into allegations of sexual abuse.
In a letter to St. Sabina’s congregation, Cupich said the archdiocese’s independent review board “concluded there is no reason to suspect Father Pfleger is guilty of these allegations.” Cupich noted Pfleger will return to his position starting June 5.
“I have asked Father Pfleger to take the next two weeks to prepare himself spiritually and emotionally to return, realizing that these months have taken a great toll on him,” Cupich wrote. “He has agreed to do so.”
Pfleger was removed from active ministry at the Auburn Gresham parish in January after he was accused of sexually abusing a minor more than 40 years ago. Later that month, the brother of Pfleger’s first accuser came forward with a second allegation.
The men, who are in their 60s and now live in Texas, said at a news conference that Pfleger molested them dozens of times, starting in the 1970s. It allegedly began when they were in the choir at Precious Blood Church on the West Side and continued for years at the Mundelein Seminary as well as two other churches, including St. Sabina, where Pfleger has served as pastor since 1981.
Then in March, a 59-year-old man came forward to bolster the brothers’ claims, alleging Pfleger molested him in the rectory at St. Sabina.
Pfleger didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. Neither did a spokeswoman for his accusers.
As a Red Line train rolled south over the weekend it wasn’t picking up and dropping off passengers — unless you count the models that strutted and danced down the aisles of the privately chartered train to hit songs by Dua Lipa, Beyoncé and others.
My Block, My Hood, My City was hosting “Railways,” a crosstown fashion show to promote the youth-led, community-minded organization’s summer clothing line of branded gear.
Spectators lined a CTA two-car train that traveled between the Howard to 95th/Dan Ryan Red Line stations as models displayed T-shirts, letterman-style jackets and hoodies while singing and performing spoken word poetry.
Models prepared for their runway stroll in one car, while attendees of the show sat in another.
Pat Nabong/Sun-TimesMy Block, My Hood, My City models walk a Red Line train runway Saturday to show off the organization’s summer clothing line and raise funds for its programs.
Jahmal Cole told the crowd his inspiration for founding My Block came from his time as a volunteer at the Cook County Jail.
Many detainees at the jail had never been downtown, taken a taxi or rode in an elevator, said Cole, 37. He made it his mission to help people from under-resourced areas of the city get out and about.
How much has your daily routine returned to “normal” since being vaccinated?
Email us (please include your first name and where you live) and we might include your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.
On Friday, we asked you: City aldermen are attempting to corral rogue tow truck drivers. What do you think about the tow truck industry in Chicago? Here’s what some of you said…
“Tow truck drivers (sharks) have been circling city streets (water) for years. If I can pay for my tow in something other than cash and get a real receipt, I’m floored by it. It’s time for the city to regulate the sharks.” — Walter Brzeski
“Lived in the city for over 25 years and never had an issue with any of them. Staying on the right side of legal helped, I’m sure.” — Christine Bock
“After decades of hearing how City Aldermen are going to address the problem with rogue tow truck drivers, I think most have lost confidence that they’re ever going to effectively address this problem beyond a press release.” — Paul Elkins
“I have told my kids their whole lives: there are two kinds of tow trucks — the ones that come to help you when you need it, and the ones that come to steal your car away and hold it for ransom, deserved or not.” — Michael R. Butz
“Wise move! Massive abuse, empowered by Chicago ordinances!” — John Paul Jones
Thanks for reading the Chicago Afternoon Edition. Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.
Festivals are beginning to announce their future plans for 2021. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times
Improving coronavirus numbers have made more summer events possible. Here’s the latest updates on this year’s changing entertainment landscape.
With coronavirus case numbers and positivity rates on the decline, the summer festival season in Chicago is in much better shape than last year.
The city has given the green light for festivals and “general admission outdoor spectator events” to welcome 15 people for every 1,000 square feet.
The city has debated various ways bolster vaccination rates among young people most likely to attend outdoor music events like Lollapalooza and Riot Fest. Mayor Lori Lightfoot said a proposal to create a coronavirus vaccine passport for Chicago events is “very much a work in progress” but that preferred seating at those events could be one way to urge vaccination.
Some festivals have already announced their return and concerts are starting to be rescheduled.
We’re tracking the status of the city’s festival and major events throughout the area as new cancellations and postponements are announced. Check back for more updates.
May
Navy Pier Fireworks: The Pier is hosting a 10-minute fireworks show every Saturday in May at 9:00 p.m.
Manifest Urban Arts Festival: Columbia College Chicago’s student driven event that showcases graduating student work. May 10-14.
For the Love of Chocolate: Long Grove, demonstrations, classes, presentations, experiences, vendors, chocolatiers, entertainment and so much more. Advanced online registration is required, May 14-16.
Hot Stove Cool Music virtual music festival, benefits the Foundation To Be Named Later, which was co-founded by former Cubs president Theo Epstein. Eddie Vedder headlines. May 18.
Mayfest: Armitage Ave. at Sheffield Ave. in Lincoln Park, May 21 – 23.
Pivot Arts Festival: Reimagining Utopia – A Performance Tour: Live, a multi-arts experience featuring world premieres in theatre, dance, video, music and puppetry. May 21 – June 5.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra concerts at Symphony Center, beginning May 27. Tickets will go on sale 10 a.m. May 11, at cso.org. Performances will take place over three consecutive weekends at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 1:30 p.m. Fridays, 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays.
Pride in the Park, Grant Park, Headlining will be Chaka Khan, the legendary Queen of Funk; Gryffin, the self-taught prodigal producer; and Tiësto, who has been dubbed “the world’s greatest DJ.” June 26- 27.
July
The Ravinia Festival announced it will reopen in July 1 for 64 concerts through Sept. 26 with a slate of outdoor concerts including a six-week residency by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Also slated to appear are: Cynthia Erivo, Kurt Elling, Brian McKnight, Ides of March, Madeleine Peyroux, Midori, Joshua Bell, Pinchas Zukerman, the Chicago Sinfonietta and the Joffrey Ballet.
Grant Park Music Festival, Millennium Park. All concerts are free with reserved seats for all concertgoers and will take place Wednesday, Fridays and Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. Run time will be 90 minutes, without intermission. July 2-Aug. 21.
Summerfest: Milwaukee. The festival will take place over three weekends, Sept. 2-4, 9-11 and 16-18. More than 100 artists are slated to perform including Chance the Rapper, Miley Cyrus, Luke Bryan, Pixies, Rise Against, Wilco, Diplo, and Fitz and the Tantrums.
In this Sunday, March 26, 2017 file photo, Belarus police detain journalist Raman Pratasevich, center, in Minsk, Belarus. Raman Pratasevich, a founder of a messaging app channel that has been a key information conduit for opponents of Belarus’ authoritarian president, has been arrested after an airliner in which he was riding was diverted to Belarus because of a bomb threat. The presidential press service said President Alexander Lukashenko personally ordered that a MiG-29 fighter jet accompany the Ryanair plane — traveling from Athens, Greece, to Vilnius, Lithuania — to the Minsk airport. | AP
In what EU leaders have called a brazen “hijacking” of Irish carrier Ryanair’s plane flying from Greece to Lithuania on Sunday, they demanded the immediate release of Raman Pratasevich, a key foe of authoritarian Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
BRUSSELS — The European Union agreed Monday to impose sanctions against Belarus, including banning its airlines from using the airspace and airports of the 27-nation bloc, amid fury over the forced diversion of a passenger jet to arrest an opposition journalist.
In what EU leaders have called a brazen “hijacking” of the Ryanair jetliner flying from Greece to Lithuania on Sunday, they also demanded the immediate release of the journalist, Raman Pratasevich, a key foe of authoritarian Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
A brief video clip of Pratasevich, who ran a popular messaging app that played a key role in helping organize massive protests against Lukashenko, was shown on Belarusian state television Monday night, a day after he was removed from the Ryanair flight.
Sitting at a table with his hands folded in front of him and speaking rapidly, Pratasevich said he was in satisfactory health and said his treatment in custody was “maximally correct and according to law.” He added that he was giving evidence to investigators about organizing mass disturbances.
In their unusually swift action in Brussels, the EU leaders also urged all EU-based carriers to avoid flying over Belarus, decided to impose sanctions on officials linked to Sunday’s flight diversion, and urged the International Civil Aviation Organization to start an investigation into what they see as an unprecedented move and what some said amounted to state terrorism or piracy.
The leaders called on their council “to adopt the necessary measures to ban overflight of EU airspace by Belarusian airlines and prevent access to EU airports of flights operated by such airlines.” In addition to Pratasevich, they also urged authorities in Minsk to release his Russian girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, who was taken off the plane with him.
The text was endorsed quickly by leaders determined to oppose a “strong reaction” to the incident because of the “serious endangering of aviation safety and passengers on board by Belarussian authorities,” according to an EU official with direct knowledge of the discussions who was not authorized to speak publicly about the private talks.
Ryanair said Belarusian flight controllers told the crew there was a bomb threat against the plane as it was crossing through Belarus airspace on Sunday and ordered it to land. A Belarusian MiG-29 fighter jet was scrambled to escort the plane in a brazen show of force by Lukashenko, who has ruled the country with an iron fist for over a quarter-century.
Belarus authorities then arrested the 26-year-old activist, journalist and prominent Lukashenko critic. Pratasevich and his Russian girlfriend were taken off the plane shortly after it landed, and authorities haven’t said where they’re being held. Ryanair Flight FR4978, which began in Athens, Greece, was eventually allowed to continue on to Vilnius, Lithuania.
U.S. President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident and National Security adviser Jake Sullivan raised the issue in his call with the secretary of the Russian Security Council, said White House press secretary Jen Psaki. She added the administration condemned what she called the “shocking act” of diverting a flight to detain a journalist.
“It constitutes a brazen affront to international peace and security by the regime. We demand an immediate international, transparent and credible investigation of this incident,” she said, adding the U.S. was in touch with NATO, the EU, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, among others about next steps.
EU leaders were particularly forceful in their condemnation of the arrest and the move against the plane, which was flying between two of the bloc’s member nations and was being operated by an airline based in Ireland, also a member.
The bloc summoned Belarus’ ambassador “to condemn the inadmissible step of the Belarusian authorities” and said in a statement the arrest was yet again “another blatant attempt to silence all opposition voices in the country.”
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said “the scandalous incident in Belarus shows signs of state terrorism and it’s unbelievable,” while EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said it amounted to a “hijacking.”
EU leaders have tried to bring Belarus closer to the bloc — to encourage democratic reforms and reduce the influence of Russia — but have failed so far. Ahead of their summit, some EU leaders threatened more sanctions — from scrapping landing rights in the bloc for Belarus’ national carrier Belavia to exclusions from sportsevents.
Even before the EU acted, Latvia’s airBaltic said it would avoid Belarusian airspace, and Lithuania’s government said it would instruct all flights to and from the Baltic country to avoid Belarus as well starting Tuesday.
British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he instructed the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority “to request airlines avoid Belarusian airspace in order to keep passengers safe.” He added he was suspending the permit allowing Belavia to operate in the U.K.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered officials to move to cut the air link with Belarus and ban Ukrainian flights via the neighbor’s airspace.
The U.S. and the EU have imposed sanctions on top Belarusian officials amid months of protests, which were triggered by Lukashenko’s reelection to a sixth term in an August 2020 vote that the opposition rejected as rigged. More than 34,000 people have been arrested in Belarus since then, and thousands beaten.
The Belarusian Foreign Ministry bristled at what it described as “belligerent” EU statements, insisting Minsk acted “in full conformity with international rules.”
It ordered all Latvian diplomats out of the country after the Belarusian flag was replaced Monday with the white-and-red one used by the opposition at the world ice hockey championship in Riga, Latvia. The event was moved from Minsk amid the international outcry over the crackdown.
Lufthansa said a flight from Minsk to Frankfurt with 51 people aboard was delayed Monday following a “security warning.” It was allowed to depart after the plane, passengers and cargo were searched.
On Sunday, flight tracker sites indicated the Ryanair flight was about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Lithuanian border when it was diverted. There were conflicting reports on what exactly happened.
Belarusian transport ministry official Artem Sikorsky said the Minsk airport had received an email about the bomb threat from the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Lukashenko’s press service said he had ordered a fighter jet to accompany the plane after being told of the bomb threat. Deputy air force commander Andrei Gurtsevich told Belarusian state TV that the Ryanair crew decided to land in Minsk, adding that the fighter jet was sent “to ensure a safe landing.”
But Ryanair said in a statement that Belarusian air traffic control instructed the plane to divert to the capital. The plane was searched, and no bomb was found.
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary described the move as “a case of state-sponsored hijacking … state-sponsored piracy.”
In an apparent reference to the Belarusian security agency that still goes under its Soviet-era name KGB, O’Leary he told the Irish radio station Newstalk that he believes “some KGB agents offloaded from the aircraft” in Minsk.
Of the 126 people aboard the flight initially, only 121 made it to Vilnius, according to Rolandas Kiskis, chief of criminal police bureau in the Lithuanian capital where an investigation investigation has begun.
Passengers described Pratasevich’s shock when he realized the plane was going to Minsk.
“I saw this Belarusian guy with girlfriend sitting right behind us. He freaked out when the pilot said the plane is diverted to Minsk. He said there’s death penalty awaiting him there,” passenger Marius Rutkauskas said after the plane finally arrived in Vilnius. “We sat for an hour after the landing. Then they started releasing passengers and took those two. We did not see them again.”
Pratasevich was a co-founder of the Telegram messaging app’s Nexta channel, which played a prominent role in helping organize the anti-Lukashenko protests.
Nearly 2 million Belarusians in the nation of 9.3 million people have followed the channel, which has been the main conduit for organizing demonstrations and offered advice on how to dodge police cordons. It also has run photos, video and other materials documenting the brutal police crackdown on the protests.
Belarus authorities have labeled the channel “extremist” and charged Pratasevich in absentia of inciting mass riots and fanning social hatred. He could face 15 years in prison if convicted.
In November, the Belarusian KGB put Pratasevich on a list of people suspected of involvement in terrorism, an ominous sign that he could face even graver charges. Terrorism is punishable by death in Belarus, the only country in Europe that maintains capital punishment.
Amid the international outrage, Moscow quickly offered a helping hand to its ally.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the episode needs to be investigated — but that it couldn’t be rushed. Moscow and Minsk have close political, economic and military ties, and Lukashenko has relied on Russian support amid Western sanctions.
In a previous diversion of a passenger flight, a United Airlines flight in 2004 from London to Washington carrying the singer Yusuf Islam, better known as Cat Stevens, was sent to Bangor, Maine, where FBI agents met the plane and sent him back to England. U.S. officials said he was denied access to the United States on national security grounds. He later was allowed into the U.S.
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Isachenkov reported from Moscow and Petrequin reported from Brussels. Associated Press writers Liudas Dapkus in Vilnius, Lithuania, Sylvia Hui and Jill Lawless in London, David Koenig in Dallas, Alexandra Jaffe in Washington and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed.
Chicago police form a line with batons out after an earlier clash with protesters near Logan Square Park in Chicago on April 16. | Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Instead of allowing the seven-member commission to choose Chicago’s police superintendent, Lightfoot would retain that coveted power for herself and future mayors.
Mayor Lori finally delivered her own plan for civilian police oversight on Monday, but it does not include the sweeping policymaking, budgeting and hiring and firing powers she promised during the mayoral campaign.
Instead of allowing the seven-member commission to choose Chicago’s police superintendent, Lightfoot would retain that coveted power for herself and future mayors.
The civilian panel would have the power to “assess performance of and set goals for” the police superintendent, chief administrator of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability and the Police Board president, under the mayor’s proposal.
If the police superintendent’s job becomes vacant, the civilian oversight panel would essentially do what the Police Board does now: Conduct a nationwide search and recommend candidates from which the mayor would choose.
The same process would be followed in filling vacancies in the jobs of as chief administrator of COPA and police board members.
The panel would also be empowered to “introduce and adopt a resolution of no-confidence on the fitness of the superintendent, chief administrator and police board president.
The panel would not have the final word on disputes over police policy.
Rather, the civilian representatives would “review and approve by majority vote any proposed new or amended policy” and “review and provide input” on the “police accountability system, police services and department policies and practices of significance to the public.”
Prior to a City Council vote on the city budget, the panel would “prepare and submit to the budget director a detailed and factually-supported budget submission, then review and, if warranted, recommend changes” to the Chicago Police Department’s budget.
The panel would also have the right to “direct” COPA’s chief administrator” to “investigate complaints of police misconduct consistent with COPA’s defined jurisdiction.”
It remains to be seen whether the mayor’s long-awaited plan goes far enough to satisfy the City Council’s Black, Hispanic and Progressive caucuses.
A compromise proposal endorsed by those three caucuses would ask Chicago voters in the 2022 primary to approve a binding referendum empowering a civilian police oversight commission to hire and fire the police superintendent, negotiate police contracts and set CPD’s budget.
Lightfoot would lose the power to hire and fire the police superintendent. Her Law Department and hand-picked negotiators would lose the power to negotiate police contracts.
And Lightfoot and aldermen would be stripped of the power they now hold to establish the CPD budget, ceding that power as well to an 11-member civilian oversight commission that would have nine elected commissioners and two mayoral appointees.
Even if voters reject the binding referendum, the 11-member commission would have the final say in disputes over police policy unless two-thirds of the Council decides otherwise. The commission also would be empowered to take a vote of no-confidence in the superintendent and hire and fire the chief administrator of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
Lightfoot said again Monday she “wears the jacket” for Chicago violence and she’s not about to “outsource” control of the Chicago Police Department to a civilian police oversight commission.
“Public safety is one of the most critical responsibilities of any mayor — me and anybody who will come” after her, Lightfoot said.
“The relationship between the mayor and the police superintendent is critically-important. So we have a process by which the candidates will be vetted through the commission. The commission will make recommendations. But yes, because the buck stops with me, I will ultimately, as mayor … be making that decision.”
Lightfoot said her ordinance includes a “process for creating a temporary commission, then getting to an elected commission.” And it “allows for and does not disenfranchise” undocumented Chicagoans to serve.
“Public safety is something that every resident of the city has a stake in. And we want to make sure that the undocumented community also has the ability to participate,” she said.
In this May 10, 2021 file photo, rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel. A number of Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip say they are being blocked from accessing WhatsApp messenger. Twelve of the 17 journalists contacted by the AP said they had been part of a WhatsApp group that disseminates information related to Hamas military operations. | AP
The Associated Press reached out to 17 journalists in Gaza who confirmed their Whatsapp accounts had been blocked since Friday. By midday Monday, only four journalists — working for Al Jazeera — confirmed their accounts had been restored.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — A few hours after the latest cease-fire took effect in the Gaza Strip, a number of Palestinian journalists in the coastal enclave found they were blocked from accessing WhatsApp messenger — a crucial tool used to communicate with sources, editors and the world beyond the blockaded strip.
The Associated Press reached out to 17 journalists in Gaza who confirmed their Whatsapp accounts had been blocked since Friday. By midday Monday, only four journalists — working for Al Jazeera — confirmed their accounts had been restored.
The incident marks the latest puzzling move concerning WhatsApp’s owner Facebook Inc. that’s left Palestinian users or their allies bewildered as to why they’ve been targeted by the company, or if indeed they’d been singled out for censorship at all.
Twelve of the 17 journalists contacted by the AP said they had been part of a WhatsApp group that disseminates information related to Hamas military operations. Hamas, which rules over the Gaza Strip, is viewed as a terrorist organization by Israel and the United States, where WhatsApp owner Facebook is headquartered.
It’s unclear if the journalists were targeted because they’d been following that group’s announcements on WhatsApp.
Hamas runs Gaza’s Health Ministry, which has a WhatsApp group followed by more than 80 people, many of them journalists. That group, for example, has not been blocked.
Hassan Slaieh, a freelance journalist in Gaza whose WhatsApp account is blocked, said he thinks his account might have been targeted because he was on a group called Hamas Media.
“This has affected my work and my income because I lost conversations with sources and people,” Slaieh said.
Al Jazeera’s chief correspondent in Gaza, Wael al-Dahdouh, said his access to WhatsApp was blocked around dawn on Friday before it was reinstated Monday. He said journalists subscribe to Hamas groups only to get information needed to do journalistic work.
A WhatsApp spokesperson said the company bans accounts to comply with its policies “to prevent harm as well as applicable law.” The company said it has been in touch with media outlets over the last week about its practices. “We will reinstate journalists if any were impacted,” the company said.
Al Jazeera said that when it sought information regarding its four journalists in Gaza impacted by the blockage, they were told by Facebook that the company had blocked the numbers of groups based out of Gaza and consequently the cell phone numbers of Al Jazeera journalists were part of the groups they had blocked.
Among those affected by the WhatsApp blockage are two Agence France-Presse journalists. The Paris-based international news service told the AP it is working with WhatsApp to understand what the problem is and to restore their accounts.
The 11-day war caused widespread destruction across Gaza with 248 Palestinians, including 66 children and 39 women, killed in the fighting. Israel says 12 people in Israel, including two children, also died.
It’s not the first time journalists have been suddenly barred from WhatsApp. In 2019, a number of journalists in Gaza had their accounts blocked without explanation. The accounts of those working with international media organizations were restored after contacting the company.
Facebook and its photo and video-sharing platform Instagram were criticized this month for removing posts and deleting accounts by users posting about protests against efforts to evict Palestinians from their homes in east Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. It prompted an open letter signed by 30 organizations demanding to know why the posts had been removed.
The New York Times also reported that some 100 WhatsApp groups were used by Jewish extremists in Israel for the purpose of committing violence against Palestinian citizens of Israel.
WhatsApp said it does not have access to the contents of people’s personal chats, but that they ban accounts when information is reported they believe indicates a user may be involved in causing imminent harm. The company said it also responds to “valid legal requests from law enforcement for the limited information available to us.”
The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media, or 7amleh, said in a report published this month that Facebook accepted 81% of requests made by Israel’s Cyber Unit to remove Palestinian content last year. It found that in 2020, Twitter suspended dozens of accounts of Palestinian users based on information from the Israeli Ministry of Strategic Affairs.
Al-Dahdouh, the Al Jazeera correspondent, said although his account was restored, his past history of chats and messages was erased.
“The groups and conversations were back, but content is erased, as if you are joining a new group or starting a new conversation,” he said. “I have lost information, images, numbers, messages and communications.”
Al Jazeera said its journalists in Gaza had their WhatsApp accounts blocked by the host without prior notification.
“Al Jazeera would like to strongly emphasize that its journalists will continue to use their WhatsApp accounts and other applications for newsgathering purposes and personal communication,” the news network told the AP. “At no time, have Al Jazeera journalists used their accounts for any means other than for personal or professional use.”
The Qatar-based news network’s office in Gaza was destroyed during the war by Israeli airstrikes that took down the high-rise residential and office tower, which also housed The Associated Press offices. Press freedom groups accused the military, which claimed the building housed Hamas military intelligence, of trying to censor coverage of Israel’s offensive. The Israeli military telephoned a warning, giving occupants of the building one hour to evacuate.
Sada Social, a West Bank-based center tracking alleged violations against Palestinian content on social media, said it was collecting information on the number of Gaza-based journalists impacted by the latest WhatsApp decision.
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Batrawy reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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Follow Fares Akram on Twitter at https://twitter.com/faresakram and Aya Batrawy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ayaelb
About 25 miles west of Chicago you’ll find the adorable suburban city of Wheaton! This town is home to families and young professionals as well places like Wheaton College, the Morton Arboretum, lots of great shopping and restaurants. So if you’re thinking about escaping the city for a peaceful weekend, check out our roundup of top breakfast restaurants in Wheaton.
A restaurant with a punny name deserves to be number one on our list. This down-home cafe is known for their top-notch skillet breakfasts, hand cracked eggs, sandwiches and burgers. Plus they offer a 10% off coupon with no expiration date. Get it here.
Check out this family-owned eatery for a sweet or savory breakfast! Their urban farmhouse vibe and scenic outdoor patio is perfect for brunch with the girls or the whole family. Try one of their perfectly poached egg benedicts or rich omelets with Hen House potatoes.
Want to wake up your tastebuds? This laid back cafe dishes up American comfort eats in a family-friendly setting. Favorites include strawberry cream cheese crepes, lobster scrambler, and Harbor signature pancakes made with a special wheat recipe.
If you’re looking for some serious eats, you must indulge in this local favorite. With decadent creations like Biscuiladas, the Confetti Waffle, and Taffy Apple French Toast, you honestly can’t go wrong with anything on their menu.
We will be open for dinner until 8pm this evening. Try a favorite like our Chicken Piccata!
The folks at Red Apple Pancake House are all about warm hospitality. They also know how to whip up a mean breakfast. Skip your boring scrambled eggs and try something different like Kirsten’s Swedish Pancakes, Cherry Kijafa Crepes, or the Sonoma County Skillet. You’ll thank us later.
Tucked away in the hills lies a diner-style eatery that has been serving the Wheaton area for over 60 years! Seven Dwarfs offers a lengthy menu with interesting decor that keeps regulars coming back. Don’t miss out on their Breakfast Wraps or Scramblers, both served with homestyle hash browns.
Since 1985, Carol’s crew has been serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Popular morning items include Fiesta Chicken Skillet, Eggs Arlington Benedict, and the Strawberry-Banana Pecan Waffle. Is your mouth watering yet?
You know a restaurant is good when it’s always packed. That’s the deal at Verdict. See why people love this modest diner, dishing up everything from omelets to spinach pie to burgers.
Breakfast Restaurants Wheaton Featured Image Credit: Pexels on Pixabay
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