Chicago Tribune – February 21 2026 – Chicago Tribune

In response to a report- er’squestiononwhetherthe U.S. could take limited mili- tary action as the countries negotiate, Trump said, “I guess I can say I am consid- eringthat.”Afewhourslater, he told reporters that Iran “betternegotiateafairdeal.” Iranian Foreign Minis- ter Abbas Araghchi said in a TVinterviewearlierthathis countrywasplanningtofinal- ize a draft deal in “the next two to three days” to send it toWashington. “Idon’tthinkittakeslong, perhaps,inamatterofaweek or so, we can start real, seri- ous negotiations on the text and come to a conclusion,” Araghchi said on MSNOW’s “MorningJoe”show.

Thetensionsbetweenthe longtime adversaries have ramped up as the Trump administration pushes for concessions from Iran and has built up the largest U.S. military presence in the MiddleEastindecades,with more warships and aircraft on the way. Both countries have signaled that they are prepared for war if talks on Tehran’s nuclear program fizzleout. “We are prepared for diplomacy, and we are prepared for negotiation as muchaswearepreparedfor war,”AraghchisaidFriday. Ali Vaez, an Iran expert at the International Crisis Group,saidIran“wouldtreat anykineticactionasanexis- tentialthreat.” Vaezsaidhedoesn’tthink Iran’s leaders are bluffing when they say they would retaliate, while they likely believe they could maintain their hold on power despite anyU.S.airstrikes.

InaletterThursdaytothe United Nations secretary- general, the head of Iran’s U.N. mission said that if Iran wasattacked,then“allbases, facilities, and assets of the hostile force in the region would constitute legitimate targets,”andthatthe“United States would bear full and direct responsibility for any unpredictable and uncon- trolledconsequences.” That could put the 30,000 to 40,000 U.S. troops stationedat13militarybases acrosstheMiddleEastatrisk. Trump said a day earlier that he believes 10 to 15 days is “enough time” for Iran to reachadealfollowingrecent rounds of indirect negotia- tions, including this week in Geneva,thatmadelittlevisi- bleprogress.

But the talks have been deadlocked for years after Trump’s decision in 2018 to unilaterally withdraw the U.S.fromIran’s2015nuclear deal with world powers. Since then, Iran has refused to discuss wider U.S. and Israeli demands that it scale backitsmissileprogramand severtiestoarmedgroups. Araghchi also said Friday that his American counter- partshavenotaskedforzero enrichment of uranium as part of the latest round of talks, which is not what U.S.

officialshavesaidpublicly. “Whatwearenowtalking about is how to make sure that Iran’s nuclear program, including enrichment, is peaceful and will remain peacefulforever,”hesaid. He added that in return, Iran will implement some confidence-building measures in exchange for reliefoneconomicsanctions. In response to Araghchi’s claim,aWhiteHouseofficial said Trump has been clear thatIrancannothavenuclear weapons or the capacity to build them and that it cannot enrich uranium. The official wasn’t authorized to commentpubliclyandspoke onconditionofanonymity.

Tehran has insisted any negotiations should only focusonitsnuclearprogram andthatithasn’tbeenenrich- ing uranium since U.S. and Israeli strikes in June on Iran nuclear sites. Trump said at the time the strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclearsites,butthedamage is unknown as Tehran has barred international inspec- tors. Iran has also insisted that its nuclear program is peaceful.TheU.S.andothers suspectitisaimedateventu- allydevelopingweapons.

evidence in a 1989 murder case, awarding $750,000 to a former Latin Kings gang member who spent 17 years inprisonforthecrime. After a three-week trial thatfeaturedGuevarainvok- ing his constitutional rights against self-incrimination, thejurylateThursdayfound infavoroftheplaintiff,Jaime Rios, on six of seven counts against Guevara, includ- ing that he fabricated infor- mation from confidential informants, coerced Rios’ confession, and withheld evidence from Rios’ crim- inal trial that he’d beaten a keywitness.

The jury rejected, however, the request from plaintiffs’ attorneys for a whopping $40 million in damages, awarding only $750,000 in compensatory damages,whichthecitymust pay,andnomoneyinpunitive damages against Guevara himself. The same panel ruled in favor of Guevara’s former colleague, retired Chicago police Detective Michael Mason, on all counts against him. Aspokespersonforthecity Law Department declined Friday to comment specifi- callyontheverdict.

Rios’ lead attorney, Stephen Richards, told the Tribune Rios felt “vindi- cated” that the jury believed his claim that Guevara had framed him and that the verdict offered “further evidenceofmyclient’sinno- cence.” “Guevarawasfoundliable Jury rules against ex-cop Guevara coerced murder confession, federal panel finds A woman drinks a beer in a packed taproom at Alarmist Brewing’s farewell party in Chicago’s Sauganash neighborhood on Jan. 31. CHRIS SWEDA/CHICAGO TRIBUNE By Laura Turbay CHICAGO TRIBUNE Matthew Nix had driven past the brewery in Sauga- nash for years, but — not much of a weekday drinker —hadneverstoppedin.

Whenhefinallydecidedto meet friends at the taproom on a recent Saturday to play some cards, he found bartendersdancingoncoun- tertops,dogswearingsweat- ers and the last of the beer draining from the tap. It was thefarewellpartyforAlarm- istBrewing. “Thisismyfirsttimehere, first and obviously last,” said Nix, 36, a high school teacher living in the Edge- water neighborhood, about theclosure. In Illinois and across the country,brewerieshavebeen strugglingasconsumersseek healthier drinking habits or haveawiderrangeofoptions, suchasTHC-infuseddrinks, asbusinesscostscontinueto rise. Many have closed their doors, while others have redefined its meaning as a socialspacethatoffersbever- agevarietyandevents.

In Chicago alone, a hand- ful of breweries have closed or consolidated in recent years,includingMetropolitan Brewing, Revolution Brew- ing—BreweryandTaproom and Lo Rez Brewing and Taproom. The number of U.S brew- eries closing outpaced those that opened for the second yearinarowin2025foranet loss of 179 last year, accord- ingtopreliminary2025data from the Brewers Associa- tion, a trade group for small Americanbrewers. Chicago breweries adapt to changing drinking, health habits With craft beer’s golden age in decline, some taproom stalwarts fail to survive “There’s just so much more competition in terms of consumer attention and physical retail space.

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

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• Language: English (en)

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