Author: chicagoinquirer

by Christopher Rugaber WASHINGTON  — The Federal Reserve raised its key interest rate Wednesday for the 11th time in 17 months as part of its ongoing drive to curb inflation. But it provided little guidance about when — or whether — it might hike rates again. Wednesday’s move raised the Fed’s benchmark short-term rate from roughly 5.1% to 5.3% — its highest level since 2001. Coming on top of its previous hikes, the Fed’s latest action could lead to further increases in the costs of mortgages,auto loans, credit cards and business borrowing. Speaking at a news conference, Fed Chair Jerome Powell was…

by Andrew Seligman LAKE FOREST, Ill.  — The Chicago Bears gave quarterback Justin Fields a new playmaking receiver and added to their offensive line in an effort to provide him with better protection. Now, it’s up to him to show that he can develop into the passer they need him to become. The Bears are counting on it in his third season after they finished with a league-worst 3-14 record last year. “You want to see him improve everywhere,” general manager Ryan Poles said. “Obviously, what he did with his legs was outstanding. But in the pass game, look at…

AP-US-Biden-Monument-Emmett-Till, 9th Ld-Writethru Jul 25, 2023 9:01 PM – 1487 words By AARON MORRISON and EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS AP National Writers Eds: UPDATES: Minor edits. With AP Photos.; AP Video. by Aaron Morrison and Emily Wagster Pettus When President Joe Biden signed a proclamation Tuesday establishing a national monument honoring Emmett Till and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, it marked the fulfillment of a promise Till’s relatives made after his death 68 years ago. The Black teenager from Chicago, whose abduction, torture and killing in Mississippi in 1955 helped propel the Civil Rights Movement, is now an American story, not just a civil…

by Lisa Mascaro WASHINGTON  — House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says Republican lawmakers may consider an impeachment inquiry of President Joe Biden over unproven claims of financial misconduct, responding to enormous GOP pressure to demonstrate support for Donald Trump ahead of the 2024 presidential election. In remarks Tuesday at the Capitol, McCarthy said the questionsHouse Republicans are raising about the Biden family financesneed to be investigated. So far, he acknowledged, the House’s probes have not proven any wrongdoing, but an impeachment inquiry “allows Congress to get the information to be able to know the truth.” An impeachment inquiry by the House would be…

by Greg Beacham Bronny James, the oldest son of NBA superstar LeBron James, was hospitalized in stable condition on Tuesday, a day after going into cardiac arrest while participating in a practice at the University of Southern California, a family spokesman said. The spokesman said medical staff treated the 18-year-old James on site at USC’s Galen Center after he went into cardiac arrest on Monday morning. He was transported to a hospital, where he was in stable condition Tuesday after leaving the intensive care unit. “We ask for respect and privacy for the James family and we will update media when…

by Darlene Superville WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will establish a national monument honoring Emmett Till, the Black teenager from Chicago who was abducted, tortured and killed in 1955 after he was accused of whistling at a white woman in Mississippi, and his mother, a White House official said Saturday. Biden will sign a proclamation on Tuesday to create the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument across three sites in Illinois and Mississippi, according to the official. The individual spoke on condition of anonymity because the White House had not formally announced the president’s plans. Tuesday is the…

by Scott Bauer MADISON, Wis.  — Wisconsin’s Supreme Court will flip from majority conservative to liberal control in August and Democrats have high hopes the change will lead to the state’s abortion ban being overturned and its maps redrawn to weaken GOP control of the Legislature and congressional districts. Democrats in the perennial battleground state focused on abortion to elect a liberal majority to the court for the first time in 15 years. The Democratic Party spent $8 million to tilt the court’s 4-3 conservative majority by one seat with the election of Janet Protasiewicz, who spoke in favor of abortion rights and against…

By pulling out of a landmark deal that allowed Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea, Russian President Vladimir Putin is taking a gamble that could badly damage Moscow’s relations with many of its partners that have stayed neutral or even been supportive of the Kremlin’s invasion of its neighbor. Russia also has played the role of spoiler at the United Nations, vetoing a resolution on extending humanitarian aid deliveriesthrough a key border crossing in northwestern Syria and backing a push by Mali’s military junta to expel U.N. peacekeepers — abrupt moves that reflect Moscow’s readiness to raise the stakes elsewhere. Putin’s declared goal in…

by Anne M. Peterson AUCKLAND, New Zealand  — In the words of Vietnam’s coach, facing the U.S. national team in the Women’s World Cup is a daunting quest, something “like a mountain,” said Mai Duc Chung. Vietnam makes its World Cup debut Saturday against the United States, the heavy favorites to win the tournament for an unprecedented third time. The Americans enter Saturday’s gamein Auckland at Eden Park with the same confidence it carried through its last two World Cup-winning runs. “The U.S. is a very, very strong team. It is like a mountain. But it doesn’t mean that we will give up,”…

by Will Weissert WASHINGTON  — President Joe Biden is staking his reelection bid on the political and financial muscle of the Democratic National Committee. As it prepares for a bruising 2024 contest, his campaign plans to raise and spend around $2 billion. But it will do so in coordination with the national and state Democratic parties, in an effort to establish a coordinated campaign around the country. The idea is to bolster field, volunteer and data organizations, and ensure they work jointly to promote Biden and down-ballot Democratic candidates. “The president is really rewriting the playbook when it comes to what a reelection campaign looks…