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Afternoon Briefing

Thursday, March 13, 2025

Good afternoon, Chicago.

The Justice Department issued a notice to Mayor Brandon Johnson today over alleged antisemitism on Chicago campuses, the latest escalation of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on liberal cities and education institutions.

A Justice Department-led task force requested Johnson and the mayors of New York City, Los Angeles and Boston discuss with federal officials their responses to antisemitism at their cities’ schools and colleges over the past two years, according to a news release. The statement says the mayors “may have failed to protect Jewish students from unlawful discrimination, in potential violation of federal law.”

Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.

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news
U.S. Rep Brad Schneider speaks at Highland Park City Hall, Feb. 3, 2023. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)

Lake County’s congressmen continuing in-person and virtual town halls: ‘I share their outrage’

As Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives have been told by their leadership not to conduct in-person town halls, the four Democrats who represent parts of Lake County say they plan to continue holding live gatherings to communicate with constituents, along with virtual meetings with residents of their districts.

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business
President Donald Trump speaks during an event with Ireland’s Prime Minister Micheál Martin in the East Room of the White House in Washington, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump threatens retaliatory 200% tariff on European wine after EU proposes American whiskey tariff

The president in a social media posting called the EU “one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the World, which was formed for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the United States.”

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sports
Cubs outfielder Kevin Alcántara scores past White Sox catcher Matt Thaiss during the second inning on Feb. 22, 2025, at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

DirecTV offering Chicago fans a new streaming package for CHSN and Marquee — just in time for opening day

DirecTV has come up with an alternative option for Chicago sports fans with a new local streaming package — MyHome Team — just in time for the baseball season.

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eat. watch. do.
A music-themed sculpture on Ravinia Festival grounds in Highland Park on Aug. 6, 2021. (Antonio Perez/ Chicago Tribune)

Ravinia Festival 2025: Beck, Lenny Kravitz and a mouth-watering weekend with celebrity chefs

The festival, which usually ends in mid-September, will run from June 5 to Aug. 31 to clear the way for a multimillion-dollar renovation of the Ravinia Pavilion.

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nation & world
In this image made from video released by the Russian Presidential Press Service, on March 12, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, shakes hands with Russian Chief of General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov as he visits military headquarters in Russia’s Kursk region. (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin agrees in principle with proposal for Ukraine ceasefire and says more discussions are needed

President Donald Trump said there have been “good signals” coming out of Russia and offered guarded optimism about Putin’s statement. He reiterated that he stood ready to speak with Putin and underscored that it was time to end the war.

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