Author: chicagoinquirer

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Haiti’s government announced Saturday that it is implementing a three-month state of emergency in the country’s central region as gang violence surges. The measure will cover Haiti’s West, Artibonite and Center departments “to continue the fight against insecurity and respond to the agricultural and food crisis,” according to a government statement. The region — known as Haiti’s rice basket — has been under attack in recent years, with gangs killing farmers or forcing them to abandon their fields as they raze nearby communities. The United Nations’ human rights office noted that from October 2024 to…

by Alyce Brown The WNBA is still struggling with a string of sex toy disturbances. In the past week and a half, sex toys have been thrown on court during games in Atlanta on July 29, Chicago on Aug. 1, Los Angeles on Aug. 5 and Chicago again on Thursday night, with the most recent object hitting the court in the closing seconds of the Atlanta Dream’s victory over the Sky. The sex toy that landed on the court in Los Angeles nearly hit Fever guard Sophie Cunningham during Indiana’s game against the Sparks. Sex toys were also thrown at…

by Associated Press BISSAU, Guinea-Bissau (AP) — The president of Guinea-Bissau on Thursday sacked the West African country’s prime minister and appointed his successor, the latest move to position President Umaro Sissoco Embalo for a likely second term after elections due in November. According to a presidential decree, Rui Duarte de Barros, who served as prime minister since December 2023, was replaced by Braima Camara, a former coordinator of the Madem G15 opposition party. There has been much controversy over Embalo’s term ahead of the November general elections. The small West African nation has endured multiple coups since gaining independence…

by Josh Boak WASHINGTON  — President Donald Trump unexpectedly summoned reporters to the Oval Office on Thursday to present them with charts that he says show the U.S. economy is solid following a jobs report last week that raised red flags and led to the Republican firing the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Joining Trump to talk about the economy was Stephen Moore, a senior visiting fellow in economics at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, and the co-author of the 2018 book “ Trumponomics.” Flipping through a series of charts on an easel, Moore sought to…

MONTREAL  — Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko rallied to reach the National Bank Open final, beating ninth-seeded Elena Rybakina 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (4) on Wednesday night. The 18-year-old Mboko dropped to the court after Rybakina’s shot sailed long on match point as the crowd — lined with “Allez Vicky” — erupted. Mboko saved a match point in the third set and broke Rybakina twice to force the tiebreaker. “Incredible match, thank you to everyone for supporting me,” Mboko told the crowd in French. “It was really difficult, but anything can happen.” On Thursday night, she’ll face Japanese star Naomi Osaka, a…

by Peter Smith In his first half-year in office — amid his tariff campaign, government-slashing moves and immigration crackdown — President Donald Trump has also repeatedly delivered for conservative Christians, who form the bedrock of his Republican support. While he has made overtures to Jewish, Muslim and other religious groups, his Christian supporters have been among his most high-profile surrogates and appointees. The Trump administration has green-lit political endorsements from the pulpit and encouraged religion in the federal workplace. Trump has established faith-focused entities with numerous influential Christian appointees. He’s energized supporters with assaults on cultural and academic targets long…

by David A. Lieb and Jonathan J. Cooper After leaving Texas for Illinois to prevent a legislative vote on a Republican redistricting plan, state House Democratic leader Gene Wu needed a means to project his voice — and viewpoints — to a national audience. So he tapped his campaign account to buy a microphone for news conferences. When it came to covering the hefty hotel bill for Wu and his roughly 50 colleagues, the lawmaker said he relied on money from his chamber’s Democratic Caucus. Now Texas Democrats are pleading for donations to help finance what could be a walkout…

by Bill Barrow, Nadia Nathan and Michael R. Blood AUSTIN, Texas  — The two most populous U.S. states — California and Texas — are grappling for political advantage ahead of the 2026 elections, setting up a national proxy war as Democrats and Republicans vie for control of Congress in the latter half of Donald Trump’s second presidency. Texas Democrats on Tuesday again delayed their state’s House of Representatives from moving forward with a redrawn congressional map sought by Trump to shore up Republicans’ midterm prospects as his political standing falters. For a second day, Democrats forced a quick adjournment by…

by Cory Williams DETROIT  — The race for Detroit’s next mayor is set to pit a longtime City Council member against a popular pastor, after council President Mary Sheffield and megachurch leader Solomon Kinloch were the top two vote-getters in Tuesday’s nonpartisan primary. Voters will decide in November which of the two will succeed popular three-term Mayor Mike Duggan, who is running as an independent for Michigan’s open governor’s seat in 2026. Sheffield and Kinloch bested a field of seven others, including former police Chief James Craig, former City Council member Saunteel Jenkins and current member Fred Durhal III. If…

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.  — The Los Angeles Chargers agreed Tuesday to terms with six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen. Allen returns to the team that drafted him in 2013 after one season with the Chicago Bears. He is second in Chargers history for both receptions (904) and receiving yards (10,530) for a wide receiver. The Chargers traded him to the Bears last offseason for a fourth-round draft pick. Allen had 70 catches for 744 yards and seven TDs in Chicago. Allen reunites with quarterback Justin Herbert, who made the 33-year-old wide receiver his favorite target in their time together,…