Author: chicagoinquirer

by Josh Funk Embattled Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan, who was convicted of obstruction last month for helping an immigrant evade federal officers, has sent her resignation letter to the governor. The letter was sent Saturday. Republicans had been making plans to impeach her ever since her Dec. 19 conviction. A spokesperson for Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, said his office received Dugan’s letter, and he would work to fill the vacancy without delay. Dugan wrote that over the past decade she handled thousands of cases with “a commitment to treat all persons with dignity and respect, to act justly, deliberately…

by Illia Novikov KYIV, Ukraine  — The United States is offering Ukraine security guarantees for a period of 15 years as part of a proposed peace plan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday, though he said he would prefer an American commitment of up to 50 years to deter Russia from further attempts to seize its neighbor’s land by force. U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Zelenskyy at his Florida resort on Sunday and insisted that Ukraine and Russia are “closer than ever before” to a peace settlement. Negotiators are still searching for a breakthrough on key issues, however, including whose…

by Josh DUBOW SANTA CLARA, Calif.  — The game couldn’t have started much better for the Chicago Bears after getting a pick-6 on the first play. The ending couldn’t have been much more crushing with a potential game-winning pass from the 2-yard line falling short as the Bears couldn’t complete a record seventh late-game comeback. Caleb Williams missed on a last-ditch pass to Jahdae Walker in the end zone Sunday night, sending the Bears to a 42-38 loss to the San Francisco 49ers that cost them a chance to earn the top seed in the NFC playoffs. “It’s frustrating,” Williams…

by Chinedu Asadu ABUJA, Nigeria — The United States airstrikes that targeted Islamic State militants in northwestern Nigeria’s on Thursday marked a major escalation in an offensive that Nigeria’s overstretched military has struggled with for years. U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media that the “powerful and deadly” strikes in Sokoto state were carried out against Islamic State militants “targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians.” Residents and security analysts have said Nigeria’s security crisis affects both Christians, predominant in the south, and Muslims, who are the majority in the north. Nigeria, which is battling multiple armed groups, said…

by Will Weissert WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that the U.S. launched a “powerful and deadly” strike against Islamic State forces in Nigeria, after spending weeks accusing the West African country’s government of failing to rein in the persecution of Christians. In a Christmas evening post on his social media site, Trump did not provide details or mention the extent of the damage caused by the strikes. A Defense Department official, who insisted on anonymity to discuss details not made public, said the U.S. worked with Nigeria to carry out the strikes, and that…

by Mark Sherman WASHINGTON  — The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to allow the Trump administration to deploy National Guard troops in the Chicago area to support its immigration crackdown, a significant defeat for the president’s efforts to send troops to U.S. cities. The justices declined the Republican administration’s emergency request to overturn a ruling by U.S. District Judge April Perry that had blocked the deployment of troops. An appeals court also had refused to step in. The Supreme Court took more than two months to act. Three justices — Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch — publicly dissented.…

by Hillel Italie NEW YORK =— A planned Christmas Eve jazz concert at the Kennedy Center, a holiday tradition dating back more than 20 years, has been canceled. The show’s host, musician Chuck Redd, says that he called off the performance in the wake of the White House announcing last week that President Donald Trump’s name would be added to the facility. As of last Friday, the building’s facade reads The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. According to the White House, the president’s handpicked board approved the decision, which scholars have…

by Olivia Diaz A Powerball ticket purchased outside Little Rock, Arkansas, won a $1.817 billion jackpot in Wednesday’s Christmas Eve drawing, ending the lottery game’s three-month stretch without a top-prize winner. The winning numbers were 04, 25, 31, 52 and 59, with the Powerball number being 19. The winning ticket was sold in Cabot, lottery officials in Arkansas said Thursday. The community of roughly 27,000 people is 26 miles (42 kilometers) northeast of Little Rock. Final ticket sales pushed the jackpot higher than previous expected, making it the second-largest in U.S. history and the largest Powerball prize of 2025, according…

by Gene Chamberlain LAKE FOREST, Ill.  — The partnership between Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams was questioned frequently at the start of training camp, if not earlier. Coach and quarterback alike are now heralding their relationship as a tremendous success after the team clinched a playoff berth, even though the Bears have struggled at times in the passing game. “Every single day, we’re spending one-on-one time, quality time together, to where we can be very transparent with each other,” Johnson said. “And I think what I’ve grown to love about him — and I hope he…

by Josh Dubow SANTA CLARA, Calif.  — San Francisco Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle missed practice with an ankle injury on Wednesday, leaving his status for this weekend’s big game against the Chicago Bears in question. Kittle hurt his ankle during Monday night’s 48-27 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Coach Kyle Shanahan said Kittle still has “a chance” to play on Sunday night against the Bears depending on how quickly he heals this week. San Francisco (11-4) has clinched a playoff spot and can earn the top seed in the NFC by beating the Bears (11-4) and Seattle (12-3)…