Stories by Associated Press

Some healthcare policy experts are calling for more transparency on how the Trump administration decided to cut hundreds of thousands of enrollees — and question how many people may have been wrongly cut from the program.

A key City Council panel unanimously voted to require firms that win lucrative city contracts to disclose whether they are also helping carry out President Donald Trump’s effort to implement the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history.

A former Anthropic and OpenAI researcher alleged in an explosive social media post earlier this month that AI companies are building a tool that could become “out of control” and pose a threat to human existence by 2030.

Collin Corbett supports social issues that align with many Democrats while describing himself as fiscally conservative but also supporting a service tax.

Shedd Aquarium shared the disheartening news of another death among the beluga whales it rescued this summer from a defunct marine park in Canada.

Both Chicago-area universities fell slightly in the new rankings, coming in a tie for ninth place, but they remained the highest-ranked schools both in Illinois and the Midwest as a whole.

What’s behind the skyrocketing cost of diesel? And the head of the Smithsonian on his decision to step down amid battles with the Trump administration.

Diesel surpassed $6 per gallon for the first time in U.S. history earlier this month, according to data from AAA. Today, diesel sits at $6.51 per gallon, an all-time high. A year ago, it was $3.69. The cost of diesel rose 42 cents last week alone.

Lonnie Bunch was named secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in 2019. He began his career at the Smithsonian at the National Air and Space Museum in 1978 and took on a new role in 2005 to lead the development of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

The Chicago region is drying out after a soggy stretch that saw multiple rounds of storms dump upwards of half a foot of rain on some municipalities.

Twelve states and Hollywood writers challenging Paramount’s buyout of Warner Bros. Discovery agreed to settle their lawsuits on Monday, effectively paving the way for the $81 billion mega merger to cross the finish line, with some new commitments from the company.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritkzer says he has lost 80 pounds while using a “life-changing” GLP-1 medication since he was diagnosed with diabetes two years ago.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico on Monday sued President Donald Trump’s administration after they were barred from covering the White House over the weekend.

Since the start of 2026, Chicago taxpayers have paid $46 million to resolve eight lawsuits filed by the families of those killed or seriously injured during a police pursuit that violated Chicago Police Department policy, records show.

The total cost to Chicago taxpayers to defend and settle 16 lawsuits naming former Chicago Police Detective Reynaldo Guevara is set to reach at least $206 million on Wednesday, records show.

Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman was taken to the hospital for tests after being struck in the face by a foul ball while standing in front of the on-deck circle.

Despite gray skies and rain at today’s game, the message among fans — at least before the game’s brutal end — was clear: this is a team on the upswing.

Mayor Brandon Johnson puts an end to speculation and announces he’s seeking another term. And could new concessions clear the way for the resale of Chicago’s parking meters?

It was all part of an event called the Big Jump, a new addition to this year’s open water Chicago River Swim. The jump is a way to take part in the river swim celebration without having to go the one- or two-mile distance of the main event.

The county program provides funding for numerous services including crisis intervention, emergency financial assistance and behavioral health.

An $18 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund will help researchers measure how resilient these plants are to drought and other climate stressors, how much carbon they can store and for how long, and how to get the plants onto farms at scale.

Attorney General Todd Blanche is blurring traditional boundaries between politics and federal law enforcement with recent speeches at political events that mark a sharp departure from norms meant to protect the Justice Department from the appearance of partisan bias.

The medical and animal care staff at Shedd Aquarium have been on an emotional rollercoaster the past few months as the institution participated in an unprecedented rescue of 10 beluga whales.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ground beef prices hit $7.16 per pound in August 2026, a 7.9% jump from 2025. That’s more than double the overall annual inflation rate of 3.4%, and nearly triple the rate for food overall.

Calls for increased safety regulations on artificial intelligence have reached a boiling point following a post on X from former OpenAI and Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon that warned of a potential doomsday scenario.

Calls for more regulations on AI grow — we look at some proposals. And what’s behind record-high beef prices?