Author: chicagoinquirer

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,…

by Gerald Imray CAPE TOWN, South Africa  — Rwanda has become the third African nation to enter into a deal with the Trump administration to accept migrants deported by the United States. The Rwandan government said Tuesday it has agreed to accept up to 250 deportees from the U.S. for resettlement but didn’t immediately give any more details, including when they would arrive or what Rwanda got, if anything, out of the deal. The U.S. has already deported eight men it said were dangerous criminals who were in the U.S. illegally to South Sudan and another five to Eswatini. Here’s…

by Ope Adetayo LAGOS, Nigeria  — Nigerian customs said they seized more than 1,600 parrots and canaries that were being transported from Lagos international airport to Kuwait without a permit, in one the biggest wildlife trafficking seizures in years. The seizure is a sign of positive change in the fight against illegal wildlife trade, as Nigeria is a major hub in the global trade in protected species, Mark Ofua, West Africa spokesperson for the international non-governmental organization Wild Africa, told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Customs agents seized ring-necked parakeets and green and yellow fronted canaries, two protected species, at…

by Joey Cappelletti and Andrew Demillo A standoff in Texas over redrawn U.S. House maps sought by President Donald Trump sharply escalated Sunday when dozens of Democratic legislators left the state to block a vote, followed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott warning them that he will seek their removal from office if they don’t return. The revolt by Democrats, and Abbott giving them until Monday to come home or face efforts to strip them of their elected positions, pushed a widening fight over congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections into new territory. At the center of the deepening…

by Ope Adetayo LAGOS, Nigeria  — It is like any other church in Nigeria ‘s megacity of Lagos. A lectern faces rows of plastic chairs. A biblical quote is written on a beam above. There is a music section, with a set of drums. Sash-wearing church wardens move around to enforce order. But it is also different. For hours, the only sounds are exclamations and thunderous bursts of drums, with their vibrations the cues for when to pray, kneel or respond to the preacher’s calls for “Hallelujah.” This is a church for deaf people in Somolu, a mixed-income suburb, where…

by Mary Clare Jalonick and Joey Cappelletti WASHINGTON  — The Senate is leaving Washington Saturday night for its monthlong August recess without a deal to advance dozens of President Donald Trump’s nominees, calling it quits after days of contentious bipartisan negotiations and Trump posting on social media that Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer can “GO TO HELL!” Without a deal in hand, Republicans say they may try to change Senate rules when they return in September to speed up the pace of confirmations. Trump has been pressuring senators to move quickly as Democrats blocked more nominees than usual this year,…