The defense has rested its case in the trial of former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan. Madigan faces 23 counts of bribery and racketeering. The jury was sent home early today and will be back in the courtroom for closing arguments that are expected to begin on Wednesday. Closing arguments are expected to last three…

Donald Trump’s cabinet picks are beginning their nomination process this week, starting with Trump’s choice for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth. The hearing opened Tuesday as senators question whether the former combat veteran and TV news show host is fit to lead the U.S. military. Here’s the latest: Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth questioned Hegseth on his…

Jimmy Carter was celebrated Thursday for his personal humility and public service before, during and after his presidency during a funeral at Washington National Cathedral featuring the kind of pageantry the 39th U.S. president typically eschewed. All of Carter’s living successors were in attendance, with President Joe Biden, the first sitting senator to endorse his…

The Illinois Department of Public Health says the states overall respiratory illness level has gone from moderate to high. Hospitals are seeing an early uptick in winter hospitalizations. Emergency room visits topped 21 percent last week…that’s up 17 percent from the week before and the number of visits for the flu doubled. Covid cases were…

The world population increased by more than 71 million people in 2024 and will be 8.09 billion people on New Year’s Day, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates released Monday. The 0.9% increase in 2024 was a slight slowdown from 2023, when the world population grew by 75 million people. In January 2025, 4.2 births…