Author: chicagoinquirer

by Matt Brown WASHINGTON  — The coalition of New York NAACP chapters had just begun its annual state convention when Letitia James, a longtime member and the state’s attorney general, canceled her appearance. James had just been indicted by the Justice Department for alleged mortgage fraud, a charge which she called “baseless” and “a grave violation of our constitutional order.” For the New York convention’s organizers, the moment was alarming and underscored the gathering’s importance, which featured multiple sessions on building political power at the state level in response to what NAACP leaders called federal attacks on social welfare, civil…

CHICAGO  — National Guard troops sent to Illinois by President Donald Trump can stay in the state and under federal control, but can’t be deployed to protect federal property or go on patrol for now, an appeals court ruled Saturday. The decision comes after federal Judge April Perry on Thursday ruled to temporarily block the National Guard deployment for at least two weeks, finding no substantial evidence that a “danger of rebellion” is brewing in Illinois during Trump’s immigration crackdown. The appeals court on Saturday granted a pause in the case until it can hear further arguments. The on-again, off-again…

by Darlene Supervile WASHINGTON  — President Donald Trump said Saturday that he has directed the Defense Department to use “all available funds” to ensure U.S. troops are paidWednesday despite the government shutdown. Trump said in a social media post that he was acting because “our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th.” The Republican president’s action removes one of the pressure points that could have forced Congress into action, likely ensuring that the shutdown — now in its 11th day and counting — extends into a third week and possibly beyond. But no similar…

by Abdel Kareem Hana, Sam Metz, Sarah El Deep and Sam Mednick GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  — The Gaza ceasefire held in its second day as tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians returned to their neighborhoods Saturday and Israelis cheered Monday’s expected release of remaining hostages. “Gaza is completely destroyed. I have no idea where we should live or where to go,” said Mahmoud al-Shandoghli in Gaza City as bulldozers clawed through the wreckage of two years of war. A boy climbed a shattered building to raise the Palestinian flag. Israelis applauded U.S. President Donald Trump, and some booed Prime…

by Christine Fernando and Sudhim Thanawala A judge on Thursday blocked the deployment of National Guard troops in the Chicago area for at least two weeks, finding no substantial evidence that a “danger of rebellion” is brewing in Illinois during Trump’s immigration crackdown. It’s a victory for Democratic officials who lead the state and city and have traded insults with President Donald Trump about his drive to put troops on the ground in major urban areas. “The court confirmed what we all know: There is no credible evidence of a rebellion in the state of Illinois. And no place for…

by Christine Fernando CHICAGO — Illinois leaders went to court Monday to stop President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops to Chicago, escalating a clash between Democratic-led states and the Republican administration during an aggressive immigration enforcement operation in the nation’s third-largest city. The legal challenge came hours after a judge blocked the Guard’s deployment in Portland, Oregon. The lawsuit in Chicago also raised the stakes after a violent weekend: Authorities said a woman was shot by a federal agent when Border Patrol vehicles were boxed in and struck by other vehicles. The city’s police superintendent rejected suggestions that…

by Gregory Gondwe BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) — Peter Mutharika was sworn in as Malawi’s presidentSaturday after a political comeback at the age of 85 to win last month’s election. Thousands gathered at Kamuzu Stadium in the commercial capital, Blantyre, for Mutharika’s inauguration. He previously served as president of the southern African nation from 2014 to 2020. He lost office in 2020, after a 2019 election he won was nullified by a court because of widespread irregularities and ordered to be rerun the following year. He won a Sept. 16 election with 56% of the vote compared with 33% for incumbent…

by Thomas Peipert President Donald Trump moved to deploy the National Guard in another city Saturday by authorizing 300 troops to protect federal officers and assets in Chicago, where the government said Border Patrol agents shot and injured a woman while firing at someone who tried to run them over. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson confirmed that the president authorized using the Illinois National Guard members, citing what she called “ongoing violent riots and lawlessness” that local leaders have not quelled. “President Trump will not turn a blind eye to the lawlessness plaguing American cities,” Jackson said. Democratic Gov. JB…

by Jay Cohen CHICAGO  — Pete Crow-Armstrong hit an RBI single off a shaky Yu Darvish, and the Chicago Cubs shut down Fernando Tatis Jr. and the San Diego Padres for a clinching 3-1 victory in Game 3 of their NL Wild Card Series on Thursday. Backed by a raucous crowd of 40,895 at Wrigley Field, Chicago used its stellar defense to advance in the postseason for the first time since 2017. Michael Busch hit a solo homer, and Jameson Taillon pitched four shutout innings before manager Craig Counsell used five relievers to close it out. After Brad Keller faltered…

by Michael R. Sisak and Larry Neumeister NEW YORK  — On the eve of his sentencing, Sean “Diddy” Combs wrote a federal judge Thursday proclaiming himself to be a new man after realizing that he was “broken to my core.” Combs, 55, told Judge Arun Subramanian that with his mind clear of drugs and alcohol after a year in jail, he can see how rotten he had become before his September 2024 arrest in a case that led to his conviction on two prostitution-related counts. His sentencing hearing is set to begin Friday morning. “Over the past year there have…