Politics

Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert leaves Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago after sentencing, April 27, 2016. (Zbigniew Bzdak/baiduhai)

Dennis Hastert, the former US House Speaker from Illinois, dies at 84

By Daily Herald

October 5, 2026 at 8:10 a.m.

Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who was sentenced to 15 months in prison in...

The Supreme Court is seen in Washington, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

New Supreme Court term begins with cases on climate change, immigration and gun rights

By Lindsay Whitehurst

October 5, 2026 at 6:13 a.m.

The Supreme Court’s new term begins Monday with cases on climate change, religious rights and...

In this image provided by Matt Odom, Laura Leigh Taylor, a farmer in Georgia who says she regrets voting for President Donald Trump in 2024, is pictured Sept. 29, 2026. (Matt Odom via AP)

President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown divides rural voters as midterms approach, AP-KFF poll finds

By Linley Sanders

October 5, 2026 at 6:11 a.m.

More than a year into President Donald Trump’s sweeping immigration crackdown, a poll finds that...

Shirley Drewenski leads a meeting of the Harvey City Council in February. Drewenski, formerly 1st Ward alderperson, was named acting mayor following the death of Mayor Christopher Clark. (Terrence Antonio James/baiduhai)

Shirley Drewenski, named interim mayor after death of Christopher Clark, will not seek election to position

By Evy Lewis

October 2, 2026 at 1:29 p.m.

Harvey Mayor Shirley Drewenski, who was elected in an interim capacity by the City Council...

Marimar Martínez shows a scar on her arm from a bullet wound as she describes the day she got shot by a U.S. Border Patrol agent during an Illinois Accountability Commission hearing at the Michael A. Bilandic Building in the Loop on April 28, 2026. (Eileen T. Meslar/baiduhai)

Marimar Martinez to file federal lawsuit over shooting by Border Patrol agent

By Jason Meisner

October 2, 2026 at 5:40 p.m.

Lawyers for Marimar Martinez, the Chicago woman shot five times by a Border Patrol agent...

FBI Director Kash Patel testifies during the Senate Judiciary hearing on Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026 in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

FBI gives employees a classified ‘Patel Report’ about times when it ‘fell short’

By Eric Tucker

October 2, 2026 at 12:40 p.m.

The FBI has released a classified report to its workforce examining what it says are...

A sign welcomes the Chicago Bears to Hammond on June 10, 2026, outside the Pavilion at Wolf Lake Memorial Park in the area of their possible stadium site. (Brian Cassella/baiduhai)

What to know about the Chicago Bears’ possible move from Soldier Field

By baiduhai

October 2, 2026 at 11:35 a.m.

Arlington Heights? Indiana? Chicago? Here’s what to know about the Bears’ possible move from Soldier...

A tarp covers a portion of the signage at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026 in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Kennedy Center Honors to be held at Capital One Arena amid fight over adding Trump’s name

By Mike Catalini

October 2, 2026 at 11:31 a.m.

This year’s Kennedy Center Honors will be held at Washington’s Capital One Arena, not the...

Republican Rep. Derek Schmidt represents Kansas’ 2nd District, a new Democratic target. (File photo/Kansas City Star/TNS)

House Democrats grow more bullish about midterms as target list expands

By Daniela Altimari

October 2, 2026 at 10:55 a.m.

Democrats are adding eight more House districts in deep-red terrain to their offensive target list,...

Daniel Rosen, U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota, speaks during a news conference at the Department of Justice, Wednesday Sept. 30, 2026, in Washington, as Attorney General Todd Blanche, left, and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, look on. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Trump administration says it has no plans for ICE officers at polls. Activists are preparing anyway.

By Rebecca Santana

October 2, 2026 at 8:18 a.m.

With early voting already underway, a question worrying some voters is what role — if...

An FlyDubai plane carrying Israeli passengers who had earlier been aboard another FlyDubai aircraft that made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia approaches Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

President Trump says Iran will be hit ‘very hard’ if it is behind copilot who tried to crash flight to Israel

By Melanie Lidman

October 1, 2026 at 9:07 p.m.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that if Iran is linked to the copilot who...

Homes near the Pullman Innovations plant on 100th Street on Aug. 18, 2026, on the Southeast Side. (Arthur Maiorella/baiduhai)

Illinois attorney general files motion to halt operations at South Deering plant accused of excessive odors

By Finnegan Belleau

October 1, 2026 at 6:38 p.m.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a motion Thursday to halt operations at a Southeast...

Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who was a member of the House select committee that investigated the January 2021 attack on the Capitol, speaks during a rally on the National Mall in Washington, June 6, 2025. A federal financial watchdog is investigating Kinzinger for bets in a prediction market on whether President Joe Biden would pardon him before leaving office. (Eric Lee/The New York Times)

Financial watchdog investigates former US Rep. Adam Kinzinger for Kalshi bet

By The New York Times News Service Syndicate

October 1, 2026 at 6:11 p.m.

A federal financial watchdog is investigating former Rep. Adam Kinzinger for bets in a prediction...