Good morning, Chicago.
Republicans and Democrats spent the first day of the federal government shutdown blaming each other for the dysfunction, as iconic sites representing the nation’s core identity — from the Liberty Bell in Pennsylvania to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii — were temporarily closed.
The Trump administration enlisted Vice President JD Vance for an inaugural appearance in the White House briefing room to argue, falsely, that Democrats refused to keep the government funded because they were trying to extend health coverage to people in the country illegally.
Top Democrats countered that they simply want to renew funding for health care subsidies under the Affordable Care Act so that insurance premiums won’t spike nationwide for American families.
Neither side said it would budge, but, as the finger-pointing persisted, the economic pain became more likely to spread — potentially putting hundreds of thousands of jobs and basic services at risk.
Read more on what’s happening in Washington and a look at the expected impact in Illinois.
And here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including a man arrested after allegedly punching a Chicago woman as “Loop puncher” videos go viral, a report investigating why Black babies die unexpectedly at 14 times the rate of white babies in Cook County and the latest from Wrigley Field.
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Israeli navy intercepts Gaza-bound aid flotilla carrying activists, including Greta Thunberg
Activists on board a flotilla of vessels sailing toward Gaza said yesterday that the Israeli navy had intercepted three of its boats as they approached the besieged Palestinian territory. Israeli authorities said the activists on board, including Greta Thunberg, were safe and being transferred to Israel.
Mother and children detained in Millennium Park released from ICE custody, father flown to Texas detention center
A mother and her two children who were detained in Millennium Park on Sunday by immigration agents were released from custody yesterday, bringing a moment of relief and renewed hope for the Chicago-area family caught in the crosshairs of aggressive federal immigration enforcement.
The move came after a federal judge ordered that the family, including Noemi Chavez and their 8 year-old daughter and 3-year-old son, are protected from deportation or removal from Illinois while the government responds to a habeas corpus petition filed by attorneys with the National Immigrant Justice Center. However, the children’s father, Jaime Ramirez, remains in a Texas immigration facility after being transferred from Illinois earlier this week.
Man arrested after allegedly punching Chicago woman as ‘Loop puncher’ videos go viral on social media
Yara Afaneh was scrolling through her phone on the platform at the Loyola CTA Red Line station Tuesday afternoon when a man approached and said “excuse me miss.”
Afaneh, 23, didn’t look up, but when she noticed he wasn’t wearing shoes she said she got a bad feeling and started walking away. That was when she said the encounter turned violent.
Some Northwestern students boycotting antibias training
A group of students are boycotting Northwestern’s controversial antibias training video, which critics say conflates criticism of Israel with antisemitism. Those who refuse to complete the online training will be unable to enroll in fall classes, the university said, which could jeopardize their academic standing if they miss the final course registration deadline.
Chicago-area contractor gets 7½ years in prison in ‘staggering’ scheme to bribe Amtrak official in Philadelphia
The owner of a Chicago-area construction company was sentenced to 7½ years in federal prison in a scheme to bribe a corrupt Amtrak official overseeing a $58 million contract to renovate a historic train station in Philadelphia with hundreds of thousands of dollars in lavish gifts, including trips, meals, jewelry and a German shepherd puppy.
Black babies die suddenly, unexpectedly at 14 times the rate of white babies in Cook County, report says
Black babies died suddenly and unexpectedly in their sleep at a rate 14 times higher than white babies in Cook County between 2019 and 2023 — a startling disparity revealed in a report released yesterday by county and health officials.
Chicago Cubs come up empty against Dylan Cease and a fireballing San Diego Padres bullpen in Game 2 loss
Pete Crow-Armstrong spiked his helmet as he crossed first after grounding out to Luis Arráez to end the fourth inning. It was one of those days offensively for the Cubs. The few opportunities they had with runners in scoring position, the team did not cash in.
The Cubs paid the price for the lack of clutch hitting in a 3-0 loss to the San Diego Padres in Game 2 of the National League wild-card series yesterday at Wrigley Field.
- Column: Puzzling decision by manager Craig Counsell backfires, and the Cubs head to a do-or-die Game 3
- Cubs face a win-or-go-home Game 3 after pivotal decision results in 3-0 San Diego Padres win
This easy ground beef pasta from ‘The Bear’ is my new favorite dinner
In a recent episode of “The Bear,” Chef Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri) prepares Hamburger Helper for TJ, her cousin’s teenage daughter, giving the familiar shelf-stable meal a few cheffy touches while dissecting sticky life scenarios, such as sleepovers — both real and proverbial — and in the end, sating both their hunger and pangs for connection.
Apple TV+ extends its deal to be the exclusive streaming home for ‘Peanuts’ until 2030
Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the “Peanuts” gang are staying put.
Apple TV+ is announcing a five-year extension as the exclusive streaming home for all things “Peanuts,” The Associated Press has learned. The new deal will run until 2030.
Fall 2025 in Chicago: Everything you need to know for books, theater, movies and more
The Tribune’s writers and critics have assembled their guides for fall arts and entertainment in Chicago, with everything you need to know about the best in books, theater, TV, movies, music, museums, art and dance.
“If we’re lucky right now, the new fall arts season will resonate with the times,” Christopher Borrelli wrote in a column looking at the fall arts season. “Now go see a show, read a book, watch a movie, find some culture. Just doing that alone, especially this fall, is a modest rage against the machine.”
