Author: chicagoinquirer

by Dave Campbell MINNEAPOLIS  — The Chicago Bears have built this breakthrough season on the simplest and most effective way to win with a work-in-progress quarterback — a turnover margin that’s become the envy of the league. The Bears are all take and no give these days. Devin Duvernay’s 56-yard kickoff return in the final minute set up Cairo Santos for his fourth field goal of the game, a 48-yarder as time expired that gave the Bears a 19-17 victory on Sunday after the Minnesota Vikings scored the go-ahead touchdown with 50 seconds left. “This isn’t the same old Bears,”…

by Olivia Diaz, Mike Catalini and Maya Sweedler FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Virginia Democrat Nicole Cole and her team spent much of their 2025 campaign for the state legislature standing in places like Weis Markets in Spotsylvania County, railing against prices that she said were too high: at least $3.79 for a dozen eggs, up to $7.99 for a pound of ground beef, $9.39 for coffee beans. Her effort paid off when she ousted a 36-year Republican from his state House seat. She was one of 13 Virginia Democrats to flip competitive House seats and contribute to big election wins in…

by Curtis Yee, Bernald Mcghee Carley Petesch and Nell Clark President Donald Trump signed a government funding bill Wednesday night, ending a record 43-day shutdown that caused financial stress for federal workers who went without paychecks, stranded scores of travelersat airports and generated long lines at some food banks. The signing ceremony came just hours after the House passed the measure on a mostly party-line vote of 222-209. The Senate had already passed the measure Monday. The shutdown magnified partisan divisions in Washington as Trump took unprecedented unilateral actions — including canceling projects and trying to fire federal workers —…

by Alanna Durkin Richer and Michael R. Blood LOS ANGELES  — The Justice Department on Thursday sued to block new congressional district boundaries approved by California voters last week, joining a court battle that could help determine which party wins control of the U.S. House in 2026. The complaint filed in California federal court targets the new congressional map pushed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom in response to a similar Republican-led effort in Texas backed by President Donald Trump. It sets the stage for a high-stakes legal and political fight between the Republican administration and the Democratic governor, who’s seen…

by Kevin Freking, Joey Cappelletti and Matt Brown WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump signed a government funding bill Wednesday night, ending a record 43-day shutdown that caused financial stress for federal workers who went without paychecks, stranded scores of travelers at airports and generated long lines at some food banks. The shutdown magnified partisan divisions in Washington as Trump took unprecedented unilateral actions — including canceling projects and trying to fire federal workers — to pressure Democrats into relenting on their demands. The Republican president blamed the situation on Democrats and suggested voters shouldn’t reward the party during next year’s…

by Michael R. Sisak and Eric Tucker WASHINGTON  — Jeffrey Epstein wrote in a 2019 email to a journalist that Donald Trump “knew about the girls,” according to documents made public Wednesday, but what he knew — and whether it pertained to the sex offender’s crimes — is unclear. The White House quickly accused Democrats of selectively leaking the emails to smear the president. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released three emails referencing Trump, including one Epstein wrote in 2011 in which he told confidant Ghislaine Maxwell that Trump had “spent hours” at Epstein’s house with a sex trafficking…

by Kevin Freking, Joey Cappelletti and Matt Brown BY KEVIN FREKING, JOEY CAPPALLETTI AND WASHINGTON  — The House passed a bill Wednesday to end the nation’s longest government shutdown, sending the measure to President Donald Trump for his signature after a historic 43-day funding lapse that saw federal workers go without multiple paychecks, travelers stranded at airports and people lining up at food banks to get a meal for their families. House lawmakers made their long-awaited return to the nation’s capital this week after nearly eight weeks away, with Republicans using their slight majority to get the bill over the…

by Kevin Freking WASHINGTON  — The longest government shutdown in history could conclude as soon as today, Day 43, with almost no one happy with the final result. Democrats didn’t get the heath insurance provisions they demanded added to the spending deal. And Republicans, who control the levers of power in Washington, didn’t escape blame, according to polls and some state and local elections that went poorly for them. The fallout of the shutdown landed on millions of Americans, including federal workers who went without paychecks and airline passengers who had their trips delayed or canceled. An interruption in nutrition…

by Jay Cohen CHICAGO  — Victor Wembanyama scored 18 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter, and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Chicago Bulls 121-117 on Monday night for their third consecutive win. Wembanyama also grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked five shots. The 7-foot-4 center made six 3-pointers and went 11 for 19 from the field in San Antonio’s first win at Chicago since March 17, 2021. He became the first player in NBA history with at least 35 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, five blocked shots and five 3-pointers in a game. De’Aaron Fox scored 21 points…

by Gerald Imray CAPE TOWN, South Africa  — U.S. President Donald Trump says that his government will boycott the Group of 20 summit this month in South Africa over his claims that a white minority group there is being violently persecuted. Those claims have been widely rejected. Trump announced Friday on social media that no U.S. government official will attend the Nov. 22-23 summit in Johannesburg “as long as these Human Rights abuses continue.” South Africa’s Black-led government has been a regular target for Trump since he returned to office. In February, Trump issued an executive order stopping U.S. financial…