Chicago-area residents, charities step up LA wildfire relief efforts – NBC Chicago

Washington — House Republicans passed President Trump's "one big, beautiful bill," which includes extending the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, tax exemptions for service industry tips and overtime, a temporary increase in the child tax credit, and provisions for border security funding. The legislation imposes Medicaid work requirements, raises the SALT deduction cap to $40,000, and introduces $1,000 "Trump accounts" for child savings. The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration, where...

Officer Won't Face Second Trial for Fatal ShootingDETROIT — Prosecutor Chris Becker announced that Michigan police officer Christopher Schurr, who shot and killed 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya during a traffic stop, will not face a second trial after the first ended without a unanimous verdict. Schurr claimed self-defense, arguing Lyoya had control of his Taser, while experts debated the justification of deadly force. Lyoya's death has sparked outrage among civil rights activists, particularly as video footage...

New research suggests that penguins may help stabilize Antarctica's climate through their guano, which contains ammonia that promotes cloud formation. The study found that ammonia emissions from a colony of 60,000 Adelie penguins significantly increased local aerosol concentrations, leading to cloud formation that insulates the atmosphere and reduces surface temperatures, thereby preventing sea ice melt. This highlights the interconnectedness of ecosystem processes and their impact on local and global climate systems. Full Article

In Sean "Diddy" Combs' ongoing sex trafficking and racketeering trial, jurors heard from former assistant George Kaplan, who testified about Combs' alleged criminal enterprise, detailing the setup of drug-fueled parties and the cleanup process afterward to protect Combs' public image. Combs, who has pleaded not guilty, faces life imprisonment if convicted, while prosecutors continue to call witnesses, including expert psychologist Dawn Hughes, to contextualize the abusive dynamics in Combs' previous relationship with singer Cassie Ventura....

US to Phase Out One Cent CoinsThe US Treasury Department has confirmed that production of one cent coins, or pennies, will cease next year, following a directive from President Donald Trump, who deemed them "wasteful." The cost of minting pennies has increased significantly, rising from 1.3 cents to 3.69 cents per coin over the past decade, leading to an estimated annual saving of $56 million by halting their production. This decision aligns with trends in...

A woman identified as 27-year-old Monia Spadaro was shot by security guards outside the CIA headquarters in Virginia early Thursday morning following a crash into a gate. The nonfatal incident, described as a "security incident" by the CIA, is under investigation, including whether Spadaro was intoxicated; she has a prior DUI conviction. The main gate remains closed, and there is no connection to a separate shooting of Israeli government employees in Washington, D.C., the previous...