Stories by Associated Press
Donald Trump Says Americans Could Feel ‘Some Pain’ From His New Tariffs Against Canada, Mexico and China
| Associated Press
The trade penalties that Trump signed Saturday at his Florida resort caused a mix of panic, anger and uncertainty, and threatened to rupture a decades-old partnership on trade in North America while further straining relations with China.
Black History Month Explained: Its Origins, Celebrations and Myths
| Associated Press
The history of the month dates back almost a century, and the way it is celebrated and evolved has created history in itself.
Week in Review: Trump Funding Freeze Sows Confusion; ICE Raids Begin
| Paul Caine
Federal immigration agents — and Dr. Phil — carry out raids in Chicago. And the wide-ranging impact of a federal funding freeze.
University Health, Medical Researchers in Chicago Face Uncertainty as Trump Administration Aims to Cut Federal Funding
| Eunice Alpasan
Fears and frustrations linger among university researchers around the country whose research work is now in limbo as President Donald Trump’s administration aims to cut what it deems as “wasteful” federal spending.
FDA Approves Painkiller Designed to Eliminate the Risk of Addiction Associated With Opioids
| Associated Press
It’s the first new pharmaceutical approach to treating pain in more than 20 years, offering an alternative to both opioids and over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
Illinois Students Remain at or Above National Average, According to ‘Nation’s Report Card’ Test
| Peter Hancock — Capitol News Illinois
The National Assessment of Educational Progress, often referred to as the Nation’s Report Card, is a set of standardized tests administered every two years to a representative sample of fourth and eighth students nationwide. Because the tests are administered uniformly nationwide, it allows for accurate comparisons between states and over time.
Illinois Lawmakers Revive Push to Create Prescription Drug Affordability Board
| Medill Illinois News Bureau
The proposed board would be an independent body that would review and set upper payment limits in each step of the supply chain, said Anusha Thotakura, the executive director of Citizen Action/Illinois, a progressive lobbying organization.
Chicago Immigrant Advocates Push for Increased Protections as Trump Administration Targets the City
| Abena Bediako
Increased immigration raids have been reported across the country. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE, confirmed nearly 1,200 arrests on Sunday. Approximately 100 people have been detained by federal officials in the Chicago area, according to the Chicago Police Department.
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Jan. 30, 2025 - Full Show
| WTTW News
The impact immigration raids are having on local businesses. And the stability of federal funding going forward for local nonprofits.
Some Illinois Nonprofits Face Uncertain Future After Trump’s Attempted Federal Funding Freeze
| Bridgette Adu-Wadier
The freeze threatened to hold up trillions of dollars in funding for basic government functions like health care, infrastructure and support for children and veterans.
Pritzker Says Trump ‘Unfit to Lead’ After President’s Response to Fatal DC Plane Crash
| Amanda Vinicky
An American Airlines plane that was landing in Washington, D.C., and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on a training flight collided Wednesday night. Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River, and authorities report no one survived.
Business Owners in Little Village, Back of the Yards Say Sales Declining Amid Fears of ICE Raids
| Joanna Hernandez
Latino neighborhoods in Chicago are on edge amid increased reports of immigration raids by federal law enforcement agents.
Field Museum Kicks Off Year of the Snake With a Big Reveal: a New King Cobra Species
| Patty Wetli
Three new species of king cobras have recently been identified, and the Field Museum’s collection has been harboring one of the rarest for nearly 80 years.
Members of the Chicago Transgender Community Raise Concerns About Health, Safety After Trump Executive Orders
| Abena Bediako
For many in Chicago’s transgender community, the order and other policies of the new administration are cause for concern. They say the policy focus on transgender people is a distraction from other national issues.
A Jury Will Now Decide Michael Madigan’s Fate. Here’s a Breakdown of the Landmark Corruption Case
| Matt Masterson
Michael Madigan’s defense team rested Thursday, nearly three months after opening statements and testimony began in the landmark case. Here is what you need to know about the case.
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Jan. 29, 2025 - Full Show
| WTTW News
The White House rescinds its memo freezing federal funding. And a plan to hold companies complicit in slavery to account.
Were You Ever Told to Avoid the South or West Sides? New Book Shares Stories of Disrupting Segregation
| Emily Soto
Artist and photographer Tonika Lewis Johnson and sociologist Maria Krysan compiled Chicagoans’ stories in their new book. The goal was to better understand what can happen when people explore often ignored parts of the city.
Companies That Participated in the Slave Trade Could Face New Rules in Illinois Under Proposal
| Amanda Vinicky
State Rep. Sonya Harper (D-Chicago), sponsor of the Enslavement Era Disclosure and Redress Act, said it’s a way for corporations that profited on the backs of enslaved people to help repair the legacy of harm caused for generations of Black Americans.
Trump Directs Guantanamo Bay to Be Prepared to Host Up to 30,000 Migrants
| CNN
“Most people don’t even know about it. We have 30,000 beds in Guantanamo to detain the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people. This will double our capacity immediately,” President Donald Trump said from the White House.
Officer Involved in Dexter Reed Shooting Resigned CPD Job, Hired by Ohio Department
| Jared Rutecki
An officer who was part of the team that fired 96 times in 41 seconds in the fatal shooting of Dexter Reed resigned from the Chicago Police Department in late 2024 and accepted a job with an Ohio police department.
From Frida Kahlo to Shadow Puppets, Here Are 5 Shows Heating Up Chicago-Area Stages
| Marc Vitali
The winter theater season in Chicago is a reliable source of heat. Here are five promising productions.
Jury Deliberations Underway in Michael Madigan’s Landmark Corruption Case
| Matt Masterson
Jury deliberations finally got underway Wednesday afternoon in the landmark corruption trial of powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan after six days of closing arguments.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Struggles to Answer Questions on Medicare and Medicaid at Confirmation Hearing
| Associated Press
In a contentious confirmation hearing to be the nation’s top health official, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. struggled to answer questions about how he would reform Medicaid or Medicare, the government health care programs used by millions of disabled, poor and older Americans.
What is Lunar New Year and How is It Celebrated?
| Associated Press
In the Chinese zodiac, 2025 is the Year of the Snake. Different countries across Asia celebrate the new year in many ways and may follow a different zodiac.
Donald Trump White House Rescinds Memo Freezing Federal Grants After Confusion, Lawsuits
| Amanda Vinicky
Illinois was one of 22 Democratic-led states that filed suit Tuesday asking a federal court to block the sudden pause on funding, which was announced Monday evening. The freeze threatened to hold up trillions of dollars in funding for basic government functions like health care, infrastructure and support for children and veterans.
Mayor Brandon Johnson Accepted Gifts of Whiskey, Luxury Handbags, Cuff Links Without Reporting Them as Required: Watchdog
| Heather Cherone
"These gifts are, by definition, city property; if they are squirreled away and hidden from view, people are only left to assume the worst about how they are being handled," Inspector General Deborah Witzburg said.
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