Voting legislation that’s a top priority for Democrats and civil rights leaders seemed headed for defeat as the Senate opened Tuesday, a devastating setback as two holdout Democratic senators refuse to support rule changes to overcome a Republican filibuster.
Stories by associated press
White House: Texas Hostage-Taker Raised No Red Flags Before Entering US
Malik Faisal Akram, a 44-year-old British citizen, arrived in the U.S. at Kennedy Airport in New York on a tourist visa about two weeks ago, officials said. He spent time in Dallas-area homeless shelters before the attack Saturday in the suburb of Colleyville.
Ex-Chicago Officer Who Killed Laquan McDonald to Be Released
Kahalah Clay, chief legal counsel for the Illinois Prisoner Review Board, confirmed that Jason Van Dyke — who was convicted in October 2018 in the killing of the 17-year-old — will be released from prison on Feb. 3. She said she did not know where Van Dyke was being held.
Catching a Flight? Here’s Why Airlines Fear 5G Will Upend Travel This Week.
The new high-speed 5G service uses a segment of the radio spectrum that is close to that used by altimeters, which are devices that measure the height of aircraft above the ground.
Grobstein, Chicago Reporter Who Got Elia’s Rant, Dies at 69
Les Grobstein, a longtime Chicago sports radio reporter and talk show host who recorded Lee Elia’s famous profanity-laced postgame rant about Cubs fans, has died.
Steve Schapiro, Prize-Winning Photographer, Dies at 87
Steve Schapiro started out as a freelance photographer in the early 1960s and was on hand for many of the decade's historic moments, whether the 1963 March on Washington or Robert F. Kennedy's presidential run in 1968. The Chicago resident's work appeared in Time, Rolling Stone, Life and other publications.
On MLK Day, Biden Says Americans Must Commit to King's Work
“It’s time for every elected official in America to make it clear where they stand," President Joe Biden said. “It’s time for every American to stand up. Speak out, be heard. Where do you stand?”
British Man Identified as Hostage-Taker at Texas Synagogue
Authorities identified the hostage-taker as a 44-year-old British national, Malik Faisal Akram, who was killed Saturday night after the last hostages ran out of Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, around 9 p.m.
For Oath Keepers and Founder, Jan. 6 Was Weeks in the Making
The indictment last week of the leader of the Oath Keepers and 10 other members or associates was stunning in part because federal prosecutors, after a year of investigating the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021, charged them with seditious conspiracy, a rarely-used Civil War-era statute reserved for only the most serious of political criminals.
COVID Deaths and Cases Are Rising Again at US Nursing Homes
Nursing homes reported a near-record of about 32,000 COVID-19 cases among residents in the week ending Jan. 9, an almost sevenfold increase from a month earlier, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Major Winter Storm: South Braces for Big Blast of Snow, Ice
By Friday, the fast-moving storm had already dropped heavy snow across a large swath of the Midwest, where travel conditions deteriorated and scores of schools closed or moved to online instruction. Iowa was hit the hardest.
A Digital Divide Haunts Schools Adapting to Virus Hurdles
As more families pivot back to remote learning amid quarantines and school closures, reliable, consistent access to devices and home internet remains elusive for many students who need them to keep up with their schoolwork.
Waukesha Parade Suspect to Stand Trial for Murder
A Milwaukee man accused of killing six people and injuring dozens more when he drove an SUV through a suburban Christmas parade must stand trial, a court commissioner ordered Friday.
Goodbye ‘Godsend’: Expiration of Child Tax Credits Hits Home
Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, objected to extending the credit out of concern that the money would discourage people from working and that any additional federal spending would fuel inflation that has already climbed to a nearly 40-year high.
When Am I Contagious If Infected With Omicron?
It’s not yet clear, but some early data suggests people might become contagious sooner than with earlier variants — possibly within a day after infection.
Supreme Court Halts COVID-19 Vaccine Rule for US Businesses
The court's conservative majority concluded the administration overstepped its authority by seeking to impose the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's vaccine-or-test rule on U.S. businesses with at least 100 employees.
Biden Prods Senate, But Sinema Blunts Voting Bill's Chances
Since taking control of Congress and the White House last year, Democrats have vowed to counteract a wave of new state laws, inspired by former President Donald Trump’s false claims of a stolen election, that have made it harder to vote. But their efforts have stalled in the narrowly divided Senate.
The Heat Stays On: Earth Hits 6th Warmest Year on Record
Earth simmered to the sixth hottest year on record in 2021, according to several newly released temperature measurements.
Biden to Double Free COVID Tests, Add N95s, to Fight Omicron
Speaking at the White House Thursday, President Joe Biden acknowledged that, “I know we’re all frustrated as we enter this new year” as virus cases reach new heights. But he insisted that it remains “a pandemic of the unvaccinated.”
Kids’ Low COVID-19 Vaccination Rates Called a ‘Gut Punch’
As of Tuesday, just over 17% of children ages 5 to 11 were fully vaccinated, more than two months after shots for the age group became available.
US Inflation Soared 7% in Past Year, the Most Since 1982
The Labor Department reported Wednesday that excluding volatile food and gas prices, so-called core prices surged 0.6% from November to December. Measured year over year, core prices jumped 5.5% in December, the fastest such increase since 1991.
Biden on Voting Rights Passage: ‘I’m Tired of Being Quiet!’
Pounding his fist for emphasis, President Joe Biden challenged senators on Tuesday to “stand against voter suppression,” urging them to change Senate rules in order to pass voting rights legislation that Republicans are blocking from debate and votes.
Senate Passes Bill to Honor Emmett Till and His Mother
Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J. and Richard Burr, R-N.C., introduced the bill to honor Emmett Till and his mother with the highest civilian honor that Congress awards.
Suit Highlights Suburban Unease With Addiction Centers
A Chicago-based addiction treatment center, which like others nationwide has faced fierce opposition to opening suburban branches, filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday to force one suburb to stop blocking its expansion plans.
Home COVID Tests to be Covered by Insurers Starting Saturday
Starting Saturday, private health insurers will be required to cover up to eight home COVID-19 tests per month for people on their plans.
Man Who Bought Gun for Kyle Rittenhouse Pleads No Contest
The man who bought an AR-15-style rifle for Kyle Rittenhouse pleaded no contest Monday to a reduced charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor in a deal with prosecutors that allows him to avoid prison.
