Author: chicagoinquirer

BY LISA MASCARO, STEPHEN GROVES AND FARNOUSH AMIRI Updated 3:50 PM CST, November 20, 2024 Share WASHINGTON — Republicans on the House Ethics Committee voted Wednesday against releasing a report on the panel’s long-running investigation into President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, the top Democrat on the panel said. Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania said the ethics panel, which is evenly split between the two parties, voted at a lengthy closed-door meeting, and no Republican joined Democrats who wanted to release the report. Wild said she was compelled to speak up after the panel’s Republican…

by Samya Kullab, Illia Novikov, Lolita C. Baldor and Mathew Lee KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it will give Ukraine antipersonnel mines to help it slow Russia’s battlefield advances, marking the second major shift on U.S. military support for Kyiv in days. After allowing Ukraine to use longer-range American missiles to launch strikes deeper into Russia, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the shift in Washington’s policy on antipersonnel land mines for Ukraine was needed to counter changing Russian tactics. The war, which reached its 1,000-day milestone on Tuesday, has largely been going Russia’s way.…

by Jill Colvin and Eric Tucker WASHINGTON — Donald Trump says he has chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO, the bedrock Western alliance that the president-elect has expressed skepticism about for years. Trump, in a statement, said Whitaker was “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual…

by Prejula Prem and Jack Wittels LAGOS – A tanker has hauled gasoline from Nigeria’s new Dangote plant to waters off Togo, a sign to traders that the mega-refinery’s operations could soon potentially shake up regional fuel markets. The CL Jane Austen recently loaded more than 300,000 barrels from Dangote and sailed west, according to data from Vortexa, Kpler, Precise Intelligence, a port report and ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. It’s now floating off the coast of Lome, a popular area for ship-to-ship transfers. While the shipment is tiny in the context of the global gasoline market, it signals the…

by Chinedu Asadu ABUJA, Nigeria — The leaders of Nigeria and India pledged stronger ties in maritime security and counterterrorism during a meeting on Sunday where they also agreed on more support for Global South nations. In his first visit to Nigeria, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was hosted by President Bola Tinubu in capital Abuja, where both spoke of a new chapter in their strategic partnerships in the areas of defense, energy, technology, trade and development. Modi has often touted India as the voice of the Global South, the group of countries primarily considered developing nations, including Nigeria, but…

by Jay Cohen CHICAGO — There were some positive signs for the Chicago Bears in their first game since Thomas Brown was promoted to offensive coordinator. There also was another heartbreaking ending. D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson each rushed for a touchdown in Chicago’s highest-scoring game in a month. Caleb Williams made a couple of big throws to put the Bears in position for a dramatic win, but Cairo Santos’ 46-yard field goal was blocked on the final play of Sunday’s 20-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers. It was Chicago’s fourth consecutive loss. But the Bears (4-6) managed just…

by Aaamer Madhani, Colleen Long, Zeke Miller, Mathew Lee and Ellen Knickmeyer MANAUS, Brazil — President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied missiles to strike deeper inside Russia, easing limitations on the longer range weapons as Russia deploys thousands of North Korean troops to reinforce its war, according to a U.S. official and three other people familiar with the matter. The decision allowing Kyiv to use the Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMs, for attacks farther inside Russia comes as President Vladimir Putin positions North Korean troops along Ukraine’s northern border to try to reclaim hundreds of miles…

Joey Cappelletti LANSING, Mich. — Just a week after winning a majority of the vote in several of the nation’s largest Arab-majority cities, President-elect Donald Trump has filled top administration posts with staunch Israel supporters, including an ambassador to Israel who has claimed “there is no such thing as Palestinians.” Meanwhile, the two Trump advisers who led his outreach to Arab Americans have not secured positions in the administration yet. The selections have prompted mixed reactions among Arab Americans and Muslims in Michigan, which went for Trump along with all six other battleground states. Some noted Trump’s longstanding support for…

by Larry Neumeister NEW YORK — Three daughters of Malcolm X have accused the CIA, FBI, the New York Police Department and others in a $100 million lawsuit Friday of playing roles in the 1965 assassination of the civil rights leader. In the lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court, the daughters — along with the Malcolm X estate — claimed that the agencies were aware of and were involved in the assassination plot and failed to stop the killing. At a morning news conference, attorney Ben Crump stood with family members as he described the lawsuit, saying he hoped federal…

by Lisa Mascaro WASHINGTON — After a resounding election victory, delivering what President-elect Donald Trump and Republicans call a “mandate” to govern, an uneasy political question is emerging: Will there be any room for dissent in the U.S. Congress? Trump is laying down a gauntlet even before taking office challenging the Senate, in particular, to dare defy him over the nominations of Matt Gaetz, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other controversial choices for his Cabinet and administration positions. The promise of unified government, with the Republican Party’s sweep of the White House and GOP majorities in the House and Senate,…