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Clearing Land for Commercial Construction: 10 Tipson May 17, 2021 at 6:45 pm

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Clearing Land for Commercial Construction: 10 Tips

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Clearing Land for Commercial Construction: 10 Tipson May 17, 2021 at 6:45 pm Read More »

Gaetz associate pleads guilty to sex trafficking chargeson May 17, 2021 at 5:24 pm

ORLANDO, Fla. — A Florida politician who emerged as a central figure in the Justice Department’s sex trafficking investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz pleaded guilty Monday to six federal charges and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors as part of a plea deal.

Joel Greenberg, a longtime associate of Gaetz’s, appeared in federal court in Orlando. He pleaded guilty to six of the nearly three dozen charges he faced, including sex trafficking of a minor, and he admitted that he had paid at least one underage girl to have sex with him and other men.

Gaetz was not mentioned in the plea agreement or during the court hearing. But Greenberg’s cooperation — as a key figure in the investigation and a close ally of Gaetz — may escalate the potential legal and political liability that the firebrand Republican congressman is facing.

Federal prosecutors are examining whether Gaetz and Greenberg paid underage girls and escorts or offered them gifts in exchange for sex, according to two people familiar with the matter. Investigators have also been looking at whether Gaetz and his associates tried to secure government jobs for some of the women, the people said. They are also scrutinizing Gaetz’s connections to the medical marijuana sector, including whether his associates sought to influence legislation Gaetz sponsored.

The people had knowledge of the investigation but were not allowed to publicly discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.

Gaetz has denied the allegations and any accusation of wrongdoing and has said repeatedly he will not resign from Congress. A spokesman for the congressman has said Gaetz “never had sex with a minor and has never paid for sex.”

During the nearly hourlong hearing Monday, Greenberg acknowledged he understood the charges he was pleading guilty to and the possible punishment he faced and told the judge he was of a sound frame of mind.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie Hoffman told Greenberg that even though prosecutors may request some leniency from his sentencing judge because of his cooperation there was no guarantee a judge would agree to the prosecutors’ recommendations and that Greenberg would be unable to change his plea. No sentencing date was immediately set.

Monday’s court appearance marked the first time Greenberg has been seen in court since the Gaetz investigation blew into the public spotlight in March. Outside the courthouse, a plane flew over during the hearing pulling a banner that read: “TICK TOCK MATT GAETZ.”

After the hearing Greenberg was taken back to jail in handcuffs and shackles, wearing a dark inmate uniform and looking worn down.

As part of his plea deal, Greenberg, a Republican who served as the tax collector in Seminole County, admitted he recruited women for commercial sex acts and paid them more than $70,000 from 2016 to 2018, sometimes through online payment services like Venmo. They include at least one underage girl he paid to have sex with him and others, the plea agreement says.

Prosecutors wrote in the plea agreement that Greenberg had introduced the girl to others, who also “engaged in commercial sex acts” with her. The agreement does not identify the men.

Greenberg first met the girl online from a website where she was posing as an adult and first paid her $400 after a meeting on a boat, the documents said. He later invited her to hotels in Florida where he and others would have sex with her and supplied her and other people with ecstasy, according to the plea deal.

In total, prosecutors say Greenberg had sex with the girl at least seven times.

Greenberg’s legal scrutiny began when he was arrested last summer on charges of stalking a political opponent, Brian Beute. Prosecutors said he mailed fake letters to the school where his opponent worked, signed by a nonexistent “very concerned student,” who alleged the opponent had engaged in sexual misconduct with another student.

“I wouldn’t want to be him,” Beute, who showed up at the courthouse on Monday, said after the hearing.

Greenberg also is accused of embezzling $400,000 from the Seminole County tax collector’s office, according to the indictment filed against him.

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Gaetz associate pleads guilty to sex trafficking chargeson May 17, 2021 at 5:24 pm Read More »

Where would Chicago be without cops who risk their lives by running toward gunfire?on May 17, 2021 at 5:11 pm

In her column on Friday, Mary Mitchell summed up what the perception of Chicago’s cops is all about. When a cop screws up, she wrote, we don’t spare any ink letting the public know, but some of us don’t give the police the credit they deserve.

It’s been said over and over again that cops are members of the community. They are fathers, mothers, neighbors and relatives. They are human beings who are susceptible to all the human frailties. There are failures in any walk of life, but cops are often held to a much higher standard — as it should be. But, as Mary wrote, we do not give them the credit they deserve.

SEND LETTERS TO: [email protected]. Please include your neighborhood or hometown and a phone number for verification purposes. Letters should be approximately 350 words or less.

Having been a Chicago cop myself for 33 years, I can honestly say that no one hates bad cops more than good cops. And the overwhelming majority of cops fall into the category of good cops.

Cringe moments sometimes last for days when the media reports on bad cops — some from hundreds of miles away — who have crossed the line and disgraced the overwhelming majority who take seriously their oath to serve and protect.

Now, this past weekend, two more Chicago police officers were shot after they ran toward gunfire. In the last 16 months, 16 officers have been shot and more than 108 have taken on gunfire. Chicago cop suicide rates are among the highest in the nation.

Mary Mitchell gets all that. She nailed it. Think about where society would be if we didn’t have all those good cops running toward gunfire.

Thanks for not sparing that ink, Mary. It’s nice to be recognized.

Bob Angone, retired lieutenant, Chicago Police Department

Powerful column by Perez

Once again, I was gripped by the powerful writing of Ismael Perez. His column on Friday was wincingly painful, yet filled with hope that a loving embrace could cover and protect him and his family. It’s difficult to understand the pain that addiction seems to quench in addicts, or from where the need stems. We just witness the anguish addiction causes to our loved ones and ourselves.

The courage that Perez’ mother exhibited, her whole life, is breathtaking. She put him first.

Rosemarie Sulek, Wildwood

Vaccinated but wary

I know that I am fully vaccinated, and I know the vaccination status of my family and friends. When I’m out in public, though, I don’t know the vaccination status of those around me who are not wearing masks. It’s not enough that I, having been vaccinated, likely wouldn’t be hospitalized or die if I still caught COVID-19. I don’t want to get it at all.

My guess is that I have lots of company.

Mary F. Warren, Wheaton

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Where would Chicago be without cops who risk their lives by running toward gunfire?on May 17, 2021 at 5:11 pm Read More »

Chicago teams want residents to take their shotson May 17, 2021 at 5:36 pm

Local sports teams and the Chicago Department of Public Health have launched a “Join the Team” campaign to encourage more people to get COVID-19 vaccinations.

Billboards and social media platforms featuring players from the Chicago Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs, Fire, Red Stars, Sky, and White Sox will promote locations where residents can find COVID-19 vaccination sites.

“It is my hope and expectation that our residents, especially those who love sports, take this as their sign to get vaccinated so we can all get back to beloved Chicago pastimes,” Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot was quoted as saying in a health department news release.

With Chicago and the rest of the state now in the “bridge phase” on coronavirus restrictions, capacity limits have been loosened in many areas, including sporting venues, restaurants, and theaters. Though the Bulls and Blackhawks no longer are playing, the Sox, Sky, Red Stars, Fire and Cubs are still playing and will be able to increase crowd capacity to 60%.

“We all play an important role in ending this pandemic, ” Cubs Executive Chairman Tom Ricketts was quoted as saying in a health department news release. “Let’s all get vaccinated to keep each other safe.”

The Cubs host one of the city’s vaccination sites at Gallagher Way next to Wrigley Field.

Two million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Chicago so far.

“Beating COVID-19 is truly a team effort – and you don’t have to be a professional athlete to contribute,” said Arnim Whisler, chairman and principal owner of the Red Stars. “Do your part. Find a COVID-19 vaccine site near you and help us bring home the win.”

City-operated vaccination sites offer the shots with or without an appointment, and that includes residents 12-to-15 years old, who can take the Pfizer vaccine.

Vaccinations are free. For the latest information on Chicago’s COVID-19 vaccine strategy, visit www.chicago.gov/covidvax.

Book an appointment at ZocDoc.com/vaccine or by calling 312-746-4835.

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Chicago teams want residents to take their shotson May 17, 2021 at 5:36 pm Read More »

Joy for UK pubs, hugs tempered by rise in virus variantAssociated Presson May 17, 2021 at 4:15 pm

A member of staff serves a drink, as pubs, cafes and restaurants in England reopen indoors under the latest easing of the coronavirus lockdown, in Manchester, England, Monday, May 17, 2021.
A member of staff serves a drink, as pubs, cafes and restaurants in England reopen indoors under the latest easing of the coronavirus lockdown, in Manchester, England, Monday, May 17, 2021. Pubs and restaurants across much of the U.K. are opening for indoor service for the first time since early January even as the prime minister urged people to be cautious amid the spread of a more contagious COVID-19 variant. | AP

The rapid spread of a variant first discovered in India is tempering the optimism amid memories of how another variant swept across the country in December, triggering England’s third national lockdown.

LONDON — Drinks were raised in toasts and reunited friends hugged each other as thousands of U.K. pubs and restaurants opened Monday for indoor service for the first time since early January. Yet the prime minister sounded a cautious tone, warning about a more contagious COVID-19 variant that threatens reopening plans.

The latest step in the U.K.’s gradual easing of nationwide restrictions also includes reopening theaters, sports venues and museums, raising hopes that Britain’s economy may soon start to recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic.

Andy Frantzeskos, a chef at the Nopi restaurant in London’s Soho district, said he felt “a bit of anxiousness … but more excitement than anything.”

“It’s been a long time coming since lockdown, so we’re all happy to be back and want to cook some good food,” he said.

The government is also relaxing guidance on close personal contact, such as hugging, and permitting international travel, although only 12 countries and territories are on the list of “safe” destinations that don’t require 10 days of quarantine upon return. Thousands of Britons got up early to check in for the first flights to Portugal, which is on the safe list.

But the rapid spread of a variant first discovered in India is tempering the optimism amid memories of how another variant swept across the country in December, triggering England’s third national lockdown. Public health officials and the government are urging people to continue to observe social distancing, even though the situation is different now because almost 70% of the adult population has received at least one dose of vaccine.

“Please, be cautious about the risks to your loved ones,’’ Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a video posted on Twitter. “Remember that close contact such as hugging is a direct way of transmitting this disease, so you should think about the risks.”

Monday’s reopening allows people in England to go out for a drink or a meal without shivering in rainy outdoor beer gardens. Rules were also being eased in Scotland and Wales, with Northern Ireland due to follow next week.

The next phase in Britain’s reopening is scheduled for June 21, when remaining restrictions are set to be removed. Johnson has warned that a big surge in COVID-19 cases could scuttle those plans.

Confirmed new virus cases have risen over the past week, though they remain well below the peak reported in late December and early January. New infections averaged about 2,300 per day over the past seven days compared with nearly 70,000 a day during the winter peak. Deaths averaged just over 10 a day during the same period, down from a peak of 1,820 on Jan. 20.

Britain has recorded almost 128,000 coronavirus deaths, the highest figure in Europe.

Government scientific advisers say the new variant, formally known as B.1.617.2, is more transmissible than the U.K.’s main strain, though it is unclear by how much. Health officials, backed by the army, are carrying out surge testing and surge vaccinations in Bolton and Blackburn in northwest England, where cases of the variant are clustered.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of trade group UKHospitality, said almost 1 million people were returning to work on Monday, but that businesses were counting on the final step out of lockdown taking place as planned on June 21.

“We’ve already lost 12,000 businesses,” she said. “There’s been an almost 1-in-5 contraction in restaurants in city centers, 1-in-10 restaurants lost over the whole of the country. So these are businesses clinging on by their fingertips, and they have no fuel left in the tank. If those social distancing restrictions remain, they are simply not viable.”

Ian Snowball, owner of the Showtime Bar in Huddersfield, northern England, said it was nice to be inside again, rather than facing the island nation’s unpredictable weather.

“I don’t have to have a hoodie or a coat on any more – it’s great,’’ he said. “And hopefully we don’t have to go back outside again, hopefully this is the end of it now.”

Other Britons couldn’t wait to leave altogether.

Keith and Janice Tomsett, a retired couple in their 70s, were on their way to the Portuguese island of Madeira. They booked their holiday in October “on the off-chance” it could go ahead. They had followed all the testing guidelines and were fully vaccinated.

“After 15 months of being locked up, this is unbelievably good,’’ Keith Tomsett said. “It was even worth getting up at 3 o’clock this morning.”

___

Jill Lawless, Jo Kearney and Pan Pylas contributed to this story.

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Joy for UK pubs, hugs tempered by rise in virus variantAssociated Presson May 17, 2021 at 4:15 pm Read More »

Full-blown boycott pushed for Beijing OlympicsAssociated Presson May 17, 2021 at 4:42 pm

In this Feb. 3, 2021, file photo, exile Tibetans use the Olympic Rings as a prop as they hold a street protest against the holding of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, in Dharmsala, India.
In this Feb. 3, 2021, file photo, exile Tibetans use the Olympic Rings as a prop as they hold a street protest against the holding of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, in Dharmsala, India. Groups alleging human-rights abuses in China are calling for a full boycott of the Beijing Olympics, which is sure to ratchet up pressure on the International Olympic Committee, athletes, sponsors, and sports federations. A coalition of activists representing Uyghurs, Tibetans, residents of Hong Kong and others, issued a statement Monday, May 17, 2021 calling for the “full boycott,” eschewing lesser measures like “diplomatic boycotts” and negotiations with the IOC or China. | AP

A coalition representing Uyghurs, Tibetans, residents of Hong Kong and others issued a statement Monday calling for the boycott, eschewing lesser measures that had been floated like “diplomatic boycotts” and further negotiations with the IOC or China.

Groups alleging human-rights abuses against minorities in China are calling for a full-blown boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, a move likely to ratchet up pressure on the International Olympic Committee, athletes, sponsors and sports federations.

A coalition representing Uyghurs, Tibetans, residents of Hong Kong and others issued a statement Monday calling for the boycott, eschewing lesser measures that had been floated like “diplomatic boycotts” and further negotiations with the IOC or China.

“The time for talking with the IOC is over,” Lhadon Tethong of the Tibet Action Institute said in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press. “This cannot be games as usual or business as usual; not for the IOC and not for the international community.”

The Beijing Games are set to open on Feb. 4, 2022, just six months after the postponed Summer Olympics in Tokyo are to end.

Rights groups have met several times in the last year with the IOC, asking that the games be removed from China. A key member in those talks was Zumretay Arkin of the World Uyghur Congress.

Tethong, herself, was detained and deported from China in 2007 — a year before the Beijing Summer Olympics — for leading a campaign for Tibet.

“The situation where we are now is demonstrably worse that it was then,” Tethong said, pointing out that the IOC said the 2008 Olympics would improve human rights in China. “If the games go ahead, then Beijing gets the international seal of approval for what they are doing.”

The push for a boycott comes a day before a joint hearing in the U.S. Congress focusing on the Beijing Olympics and China’s human-rights record, and just days after the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee said boycotts are ineffective and only hurt athletes.

“People have worked to engage with the IOC in good faith to have them understand the issues directly from the mouths of those most impacted — the Uyghurs at the top of that list and the Tibetans and others,” Tethong said. “It’s clear the IOC is completely uninterested in what the real impacts on the ground for people are.”

The IOC has repeatedly said it must be “neutral” and stay out of politics. The Switzerland-based body is essentially a sports business, deriving about 75% of its income from selling broadcast rights, and 18% more from sponsors. It also has observer status at the United Nations.

“We are not a super-world government,” IOC President Thomas Bach said recently.

China’s foreign ministry has criticized “the politicization of sports” and has said any boycott is “doomed to failure.” China has denied accusations of genocide against the Uyghur people.

A recent U.S. State Department report stated explicitly that “genocide and crimes against humanity” have taken place in the past year against Muslim Uyghurs and other minorities in the western region of Xinjiang.

Tethong said she knows some athletes may be opposed. But she said others, who gained traction from Black Lives Matter movement, may become allies. She acknowledged this as a “gloves-off” moment.

“There are obviously a lot of people who are concerned about the athletes and their lifelong work,” Tethong said. “But in the end it’s the IOC that has put them in this position and should be held accountable.”

American skier Mikaela Shiffrin, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, spelled out the dilemma for athletes in a recent interview on CNN.

“You certainly don’t want to be put in the position of having to choose between human rights like morality versus being able to do your job,” she said.

Tethong suggested coalition members might lobby the IOC’s top 15 sponsors, American network NBC, which generates about 40% of all IOC revenue, sports federations, civil society groups “and anyone that will listen.”

Activists have already singled out IOC sponsor Airbnb for attention.

“First is the moral question,” Tethong said. “Is it OK to host an international goodwill sporting event such as the Olympic Games while the host nation is committing genocide just beyond the stands?”

In meetings with the IOC, activists say they have asked to see documents in which China has given “assurances” about human rights conditions. Activists say the IOC has not produced the documents.

The IOC included human rights requirements several years ago in the host city contract for the 2024 Paris Olympics, but it did not include those guidelines — the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights — for Beijing. Paris is the first Olympics to contain the standards, long pushed for by human rights groups.

Last week, human rights groups and Western nations led by the United States, Britain and Germany accused China of massive crimes against the Uyghur minority and demanded unimpeded access for U.N. experts.

At the meeting, Britain’s U.N. Ambassador, Barbara Woodward, called the situation in Xinjiang “one of the worst human rights crises of our time.”

“The evidence points to a program of repression of specific ethnic groups,” Woodward said. “Expressions of religion have been criminalized and Uyghur language and culture are discriminated against systematically and at scale.”

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Full-blown boycott pushed for Beijing OlympicsAssociated Presson May 17, 2021 at 4:42 pm Read More »

Summer 2021: Which Chicago festivals, events have returned, been rescheduled?John Silveron May 17, 2021 at 4:23 pm

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.
  • The South Side Jazz Coalition – Jazzin’ On The Steps. At St. Columbanus Catholic Church, 331 East 71st St. May 23.
  • 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.

June

  • “Tuesdays on the Terrace,” Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, starting June 1 and every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. through Aug. 31.
  • Old Town Art Fair, June 12-13.
  • “The Obama Portraits,” Art Institute of Chicago, June 18 – Aug. 15.
  • 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

August

September

October

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Summer 2021: Which Chicago festivals, events have returned, been rescheduled?John Silveron May 17, 2021 at 4:23 pm Read More »

Israeli strikes hit Gaza tunnels as diplomats work for truceAssociated Presson May 17, 2021 at 4:45 pm

Palestinian rescue workers carry the remains of a man found next to a beachside cafe after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike, in Gaza City, Monday, May 17, 2021.
Palestinian rescue workers carry the remains of a man found next to a beachside cafe after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike, in Gaza City, Monday, May 17, 2021. | AP

The latest attacks killed a top Gaza leader of the Islamic Jihad militant group whom the Israeli military blamed for some of the thousands of rocket attacks launched at Israel in recent days.

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The Israeli military unleashed a wave of heavy airstrikes Monday on the Gaza Strip, saying it destroyed 9 miles of militant tunnels and the homes of nine Hamas commanders as international diplomats worked to end the weeklong war that has killed hundreds of people.

Israel has said it intends to press on for now with its attacks against Hamas, the militant group that rules Gaza, and the United States signaled it would not pressure the two sides for a cease-fire.

The latest attacks destroyed the five-story building housing the Hamas-run Religious Affairs Ministry and killed a top Gaza leader of Islamic Jihad, another militant group whom the Israeli military blamed for some of the thousands of rocket attacks launched at Israel in recent days.

At least 200 Palestinians have been killed in the week of airstrikes, including 59 children and 35 women, with some 1,300 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Ten people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy and a soldier, have been killed in the ongoing rocket attacks launched from civilian areas in Gaza toward civilian areas in Israel.

Violence has also erupted between Jews and Arabs inside Israel, leaving scores of people injured. On Monday, an Israeli man attacked last week by a group of Arab citizens in the central city of Lod died of his wounds, according to police.

The new airstrikes, which hit Gaza overnight Monday and again in the evening, hollowed out one floor of a multistory concrete building and have killed five people. A woman picked through clothing, rubble and splintered furniture in a room that had been destroyed. One strike demolished the wall of one room, leaving untouched an open cabinet filled with bedding inside. Children walked over debris in the road.

A car in the street that witnesses said was hit by an airstrike was bent and torn, its roof ripped back and what was left of the driver’s side door smeared with blood. A beachside cafe the car had just left was splintered and on fire. Rescue workers tried to put out the blaze with a small fire extinguisher.

Gaza City’s mayor, Yahya Sarraj, said that the strikes had caused extensive damage to roads and other infrastructure. He said water supplies to hundreds of households in the city were disrupted. “We are trying hard to provide water, but the situation remains difficult,” he said.

The U.N. has warned that the territory’s sole power station is at risk of running out of fuel. Gaza already experiences daily power outages for between eight and 12 hours, and tap water is undrinkable. Mohammed Thabet, a spokesman for the territory’s electricity distribution company, said it has fuel to supply Gaza with electricity for two or three days.

The war broke out May 10, when Hamas long-range rockets at Jerusalem after weeks of clashes in the holy city between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police. The protests were focused on the heavy-handed policing of a flashpoint sacred site during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers.

More protests were expected across the region Tuesday in response to a call by Palestinian citizens of Israel for a general strike. The protest has the support of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party.

Since the fighting began, the Israeli military has launched hundreds of airstrikes it says are targeting Hamas’ militant infrastructure. Palestinian militants in Gaza have fired more than 3,200 rockets into Israel. Israeli military officials said Hamas had stockpiled about 15,000 rockets before the war started. Rocket attacks continued Monday, with one hitting a building in the city of Ashdod that caused injuries, the Israeli police said.

U.S. diplomat Hady Amr met with a delegation from the Palestinian Authority on Monday, a day after meeting senior Israeli leaders. But the Biden administration has declined so far to publicly criticize Israel’s part in the fighting or send a top-level envoy to the region.

Speaking to reporters during a trip to Denmark, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States would support any initiative to stop the fighting, but signaled the country did not intend to put pressure on the two sides to accept a cease-fire.

“Ultimately it is up to the parties to make clear that they want to pursue a cease-fire,” he said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who spoke Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, emphasized her country’s solidarity with Israel, condemned the continued rocket attacks from Gaza, and expressed hope for a swift end to the fighting, according to her office.

Hamas’ top leader, Ismail Haniyeh, who is based abroad, said the group has been contacted by the United Nations, Russia, Egypt and Qatar as part of cease-fire efforts but “will not accept a solution that is not up to the sacrifices of the Palestinian people.”

In an interview with the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, he blamed the war on Israel’s actions in Jerusalem and boasted that the rockets were “paralyzing the usurping entity (Israel).”

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi said his government is working to “urgently” end the violence, in his first comments since the war broke out. Egypt, which borders Gaza and Israel, has played a central role in the cease-fires brokered after previous rounds of fighting.

The Israeli military, meanwhile, said it struck 35 “terror targets” Monday as well as the tunnels, which it says are part of an elaborate system it refers to as the “Metro,” used by fighters to take cover from airstrikes.

The tunnels extend for hundreds of miles, with some more than 20 yards deep, according to an Israeli Air Force official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity, in keeping with regulations. The official said Israel was not trying to destroy all the tunnels, just chokepoints and major junctions.

The military also said it struck nine houses in different parts of northern Gaza that belonged to “high-ranking commanders” in Hamas. Islamic Jihad said a strike killed Hasam Abu Harbid, the militant group’s commander for the northern Gaza Strip.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad say at least 20 of their fighters have been killed, while Israel says the number is at least 130 and has released the names of and photos of more than two dozen militant commanders it says were “eliminated.” The Gaza Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, does not give a breakdown of how many of the casualties it reports were militants or civilians.

Israel’s airstrikes have leveled a number of Gaza City’s tallest buildings, which Israel alleges contained Hamas military infrastructure. Among them was the building housing The Associated Press Gaza office and those of other media outlets. The Israeli military alerted staff and residents before the strike, and all were able to evacuate safely.

Sally Buzbee, the AP’s executive editor, has called for an independent investigation into the airstrike.

Netanyahu alleged that Hamas military intelligence was operating inside the building and said Sunday any evidence would be shared through intelligence channels. Blinken said he hasn’t yet seen any evidence supporting Israel’s claim.

___

Krauss reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut, Matthew Lee in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed.

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Israeli strikes hit Gaza tunnels as diplomats work for truceAssociated Presson May 17, 2021 at 4:45 pm Read More »

GGTB A Chicago White Sox Podcast; Episode 99: Splitting HairsNick Bon May 17, 2021 at 2:24 pm

The first place Sox struggled with the Royals all weekend long and managed a series split in dramatic fashion. Now they are off to Minnesota and looking to widen their lead in the AL Central!

The post GGTB A Chicago White Sox Podcast; Episode 99: Splitting Hairs first appeared on CHI CITY SPORTS l Chicago Sports Blog – News – Forum – Fans – Rumors.Read More

GGTB A Chicago White Sox Podcast; Episode 99: Splitting HairsNick Bon May 17, 2021 at 2:24 pm Read More »

Pitchfork announces the lineup for its delayed 2021 music festivalLeor Galilon May 17, 2021 at 3:00 pm


Plenty of COVID-related uncertainty still surrounds the Pitchfork fest, as it does any large-scale event—but we can be reasonably sure about who’s scheduled to play.

This morning, the Pitchfork Music Festival announced its lineup for 2021, which includes most of the acts scheduled to play in 2020—with some notable exceptions.…Read More

Pitchfork announces the lineup for its delayed 2021 music festivalLeor Galilon May 17, 2021 at 3:00 pm Read More »