Stories by CNN
Chicago Banned Unannounced Migrant Drop-Offs. Now This Texas Charter Bus Company is Suing Over the Restrictions
| CNN
Chicago rules require unscheduled one-way buses from outside the Chicago area to get advance approval from the city to drop people off. Violators can be fined $3,000 and have their vehicles impounded, the mandate says.
How Clashing Interpretations of Martin Luther King’s Legacy Fuels the Fight Over DEI and Affirmative Action
| CNN
Decades later, warring interpretations of one of King’s most famous quotes have fueled a culture war over the merits of affirmative action and diversity and inclusion efforts.
Fruit Stripe Gum Discontinued by Chicago-Based Ferrara
| CNN
The iconic gum, which has been sold since the 1960s, came in five flavors: Wet n’ Wild Melon, Cherry, Lemon, Orange and Peach. Each pack came with a temporary tattoo of its mascot, Yipes the Zebra.
Takeaways From Closing Arguments in Donald Trump’s $370 Million Civil Fraud Trial
| CNN
Donald Trump’s decision to launch into a monologue at the conclusion of his lawyers’ closing arguments reflected the fact that the civil fraud trial is a serious threat to Trump’s business and brand – New York Attorney General Letitia James is seeking to bar Trump from doing business in the state
Bottled Water Contains Thousands of Nanoplastics So Small They Can Invade the Body’s Cells, Study Says
| CNN
Nanoplastics are so teeny they can migrate through the tissues of the digestive tract or lungs into the bloodstream, distributing potentially harmful synthetic chemicals throughout the body and into cells, experts say.
Owner of WBBM, The Score, WXRT and Other Chicago Radio Stations Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
| CNN
The internet radio conglomerate — among the biggest radio companies in the country — was saddled with substantial debt and faced slowed-down advertising revenue. Audacy said it is entering into a restructuring agreement to reduce its debt from about $1.9 billion to $350 million.
FAA Orders Grounding of Boeing 737-9 Max Jetliners After Alaska Airlines Plane Suffers a Blowout
| CNN
The FAA said the planes must be parked until emergency inspections are performed, which will “take around four to eight hours per aircraft.” The order impacts 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 jets, the agency approximates.
Homicides Dropped by More Than 10% in America’s Biggest Cities in 2023, Including Chicago
| CNN
National data from the FBI covering January to September 2023 showed an 8.2% drop in all violent crime, including a 15.6% drop in murders, compared to the same period in 2022. These declines were seen in cities over 1 million people and those under 10,000, and across all four regional quadrants of the US.
From Roman Concrete to a Vesuvius-Damaged Scroll, Here’s 6 Historical Mysteries Scientists Finally Cracked in 2023
| CNN
Here are six mysteries about human history that scientists have cracked in 2023. Plus, one that still has researchers scratching their heads.
Chicago Man Who Was Wrongfully Convicted of Murder Based on Testimony from Blind Witness Freed After 12 Years in Prison
| CNN
Darien Harris had served more than 12 years of his 76-year sentence before prosecutors decided not to move forward with their case and dropped the charges against him on Tuesday.
XBB.1.5? BA.2.86? JN.1?: How to Understand the COVID-19 Alphabet Soup
| CNN
Although the common cold doesn’t get as many names – at least not the ones that make headlines – the specificity with which scientists talk about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, matters because it is still such a problem.
US, Allies Seize Website of Prolific Russian-Speaking Ransomware Gang That Claimed Theft of Illinois Patient Data
| CNN
It’s a big blow to the well-oiled cybercriminal syndicate that, according to the Justice Department, has targeted over 1,000 victims around the world and extorted them for hundreds of millions of dollars.
Joe Biden’s Embrace of Stricter Border Measures Puts Him at Odds With Key Reelection Allies
| CNN
Presidnent Joe Biden, who pledged to restore the US immigration system during the 2020 campaign, is now considering immigration restrictions that stand to have lasting implications for migrants, a move that could backfire with his progressive base.
CDC Sounds Alarm About Low Vaccination Rates Amid Rising Respiratory Virus Activity
| CNN
About 7 million fewer adults have gotten their flu shot so far this season compared with the last virus season. Vaccination coverage for COVID-19 is also low, with just 17% of adults and about 8% of children getting the latest shot, according to CDC data through Dec. 2.
Detroit on Pace for Lowest Homicide Rate in Nearly 60 Years, Michigan Officials Say
| CNN
The Michigan city has tracked an “unprecedented” reduction of homicides as of November 30, down 18% in the first 11 months of 2023 compared to that period last year, according to a joint news release from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and the Detroit mayor’s office. The city reported 228 homicides this year as of Nov. 30, compared to 278 homicides during that period last year.
EPA Proposes Requirement to Remove Lead Pipes From US Water Systems Within 10 Years. Illinois Ranks First in the Nation
| CNN
The EPA proposal said lines must be replaced within 10 years, regardless of the lead levels in tap or other drinking water samples.
Death, Preterm Labor Reported in Listeria Outbreak Linked to Recalled Peaches, Plums and Nectarines Sold in Illinois, Other States
| CNN
Three cases were reported in both California and Florida, with other cases reported in Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio.
A Kid Posed With His Pilot Dad. Almost 30 Years Later They Recreated the Photo as Co-Pilots
| CNN
After rediscovering the old photo, the father and son added a goal: not only did they want to fly together, they wanted to recreate the 1990s flight deck photo, over two decades later. Not just as father and son, but as colleagues and co-pilots.
UN Mourns Deaths of More Than 100 Aid Workers in Gaza, the Highest Number Killed in Any Conflict in Organization’s History
| CNN
More United Nations aid workers have been killed in Gaza than in any other single conflict in the organization’s 78-year history, a stark reminder that humanitarian staff have not been spared from Israel’s relentless bombardment of the besieged strip.
US Supreme Court Rejects Appeal of Illinois Prisoner Kept in Solitary Confinement for 3 Years
| CNN
The inmate, Michael Johnson, argued that the deprivation of yard time – in the absence of a true security justification – violated the Constitution’s ban on cruel and inhumane punishment.
US Health Officials Alarmed by ‘Dire’ Rise in Dangerous, Preventable Syphilis Infections in Babies
| CNN
U.S. public health officials are calling for urgent action to curb an alarming increase in the number of babies born with syphilis. In infants, syphilis can be a severe, disabling and sometimes life-threatening infection.
Retail Chains May Be Using Theft to Mask Other Issues, Report Says
| CNN
Retailers say theft is exploding, and some data from retailers along with numerous videos of violent store robberies and looting seem to support the claim. But some retail analysts and researchers say stores may be over-stating the extent and impact of theft.
FDA Takes ‘Momentous’ Step Toward Banning Menthol Cigarettes and Flavored Cigars
| CNN
The FDA has been officially exploring the possibility of a menthol ban for more than a decade. In July 2013, the FDA requested comments on preliminary research, data and evaluations with regard to the regulation of menthol.
A DeLorean With Only 977 Miles Was Unearthed In a Barn. An Illinois Company Is Now Restoring the ‘Time Machine’
| CNN
Despite mechanical woes, the vehicles have developed a cult following. And this one, a 1981 model that has spent the majority of its life in a barn, only had 977 miles on the odometer — a rarity.
Drug Store Chains Like CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid Are Closing Thousands of Stores. Here’s Why
| CNN
CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid are eliminating some locations as they face rising competition for these items from Amazon, big-box stores with pharmacies like Walmart, and Dollar General in rural areas.
Plainfield Township Landlord Charged With Hate Crime, Accused of Fatally Stabbing 6-Year-Old Allegedly Because Family is Muslim
| CNN
The sheriff’s office said the landlord did not make a statement, but investigators were able to determine the victims were “targeted by the suspect due to them being Muslim and the on-going Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis.”
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