Best Of XRT

Democrats and moderate Republicans agreed to Senate majority leader McConnell's promise to get to immigration and the Dreamers in the near future. Plus the rest of the day's news, Oscar nominations, sports, weather forecast, and word of another David Byrne appearance in Chicago ...

Jason Isbell takes you inside the Grammy Awards and shares his experience attending the event alongside his wife Amanda Shires. This recording comes from a 2016 Live From Studio X session at Subterranean as Isbell had taken home Grammy Awards for his album 'Something More Than Free'.

Half of everyone earth didn't see any increase in wealth, according to the charity. Plus the latest on Day 3 of the US government shutdown, and the rest of the day's news, sports and weather forecast.

Congress is on the clock to keep the government from shutting down at midnight. A short-term spending plan has moved through the Republican majority House but faces trouble in the Senate ... where Democrats are holding out for a restoration of DACA protections for immigrants brought to the US illegally as children. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and a balmy weather forecast ...

The tech giant plans a second American headquarters that would employ 20,000 people. We also learned this morning that Chicago's made the first cut for Amazon's second US campus. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and weather forecast.

Organizers plan to start in Grant Park and march to the Federal Plaza. A Cook County judge is ordering Illinois to expand its medical marijuana program to include more people in pain. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and chilly weather forecast.

Upholding the First Amendment with this morning's news as you slip and slide into work, plus some solid winter living advice for you and Terri Hemmert.

President Trump says he's not a racist; Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) maintains the president used racist terms to describe African nations last week as Trump rejected a bipartisan agreement on immigration and border security. As Dr. King said, "Darkness can not drive out darkness; only light can do that." Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and wintry weather forecast.

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Inside The Archives! We spoke with BIG BEAT host Jason Thomas on a wide range of topics including why he doesn't listen to many albums anymore, what he considers new music, how much autonomy he has with the show, his favorite music of 2017, and why he likes to play music you don't normally hear on XRT, but still has that XRT sound. We also discuss the transforma...

This quote referring to some African nations came from the President of the US in a meeting on immigration reform with Republican and Democratic senators. Those in the meeting confirmed it. The White House did not deny it. This morning, Trump tweeted that he used "tough" language, but not the language reported. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and weather forecast. Bundle up, folks.  

It's a major policy shift for Medicaid ... which provides health care to some of the nation's poorest people. The Trump administration is now opening a path for states to require work, job-training or educational requirements for adults. Ten states including Indiana and Wisconsin have asked for the option; it may be tried first in Kentucky. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and freaky weathe...

The day's news, sports & weather forecast ... and Lin & Mary mark the two-year anniversary of David Bowie's death.

Matt Nagy's main job will be to bring along Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. The Bears will introduce the former Kansas City offensive coordinator as their 16th head coach later today. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and weather forecast.

You're not the only one wishing you could stretch out winter break just a tiny bit more. There's still plenty of news, sports and weather to contemplate in our jammies.    

The company confirms that older models get slow with age -- a deliberate effort to keep older phones running longer as the battery wears down. A statement from Apple says lithium-ion batteries have a low charge as they age, which can result in the device unexpectedly shutting down to protect its electronic components. The company last year released a feature for iPhone 6, 6s and SE to help avoid s...

Kerry Wood joined Lin & Mary this morning and talked about the upcoming Woody's Winter Warm Up! The event is in its 7th year and benefits the Wood Family Foundation supporting the growth and development of youth in Chicago's North Lawndale neighborhood with their afterschool and summertime mentoring program. Wood also spills the beans on who the celebrity bartenders will be at this year's even...

Facebook can alert you when a photo is uploaded -- even if you're not tagged -- thanks to a new facial recognition tool. It's intended to prevent impersonation, and is activated by users in the privacy settings. Facebook will not be using the facial recognition tool in Europe or Canada because of regulatory protections around personal data and privacy. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and w...

The $1.5 trillion package lowers taxes on corporations and many individuals, while repealing the individual mandate of the Affordable Care Act, doubling the standard deduction, and limiting deductions on mortgages and state & local taxes. Opponents plan to demonstrate in Palatine later today. Another protest is planned this evening in Chicago's Federal Plaza. Immigration rights activists are p...

On Keith Richards’ 74 th birthday, I share this wondrous story. This is an epic tale. The night of Chuck Berry’s 60 th Birthday Concert at the old Fox Theater in St. Louis. The night when I finally met Keith Richards in the flesh.

Chicago police are investigating whether it was a case of mistaken identity. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and weather forecast ... and it's Keith Richards' birthday.

The deadline to sign up for health insurance plans on the Affordable Care Act markets is late tonight. The pace of enrollment has been higher than last year ... even though the GOP tax bill would repeal the individual mandate to buy insurance, and the Trump administration cut the enrollment period. Plus the rest of the day's news, sports and weather forecast.

Commissioners are expected to un-do the rules that would prevent big internet providers from making service pay-as-you-go -- meaning they could throttle internet speeds for smaller firms that can't pay them as much as bigger companies. Also, Mayor Emanuel tells XRT he would vote "no" on the Cook County primary referendum on whether to legalize the recreational use of pot. Plus the rest of the day'...

The pace of Arctic sea ice decline and ocean warming is faster than it's been in 15-hundred years. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports the polar region is thawing faster than ever before, with no end in sight. Two studies presented today to the American Geophysical Union suggest global warming tripled the risk that Hurricane Harvey would flood Houston and create record rain...

Some celebrate the military victory, while some of us just like the thought of casting a little more light into the world. Spark it up, my dudes. Plus the day's news, sports and chilly weather forecast.

UPDATE: NYPD calls it a terrorist incident. Several people are injured, including a suspected would-be suicide bomber in the Port Authority transit hub near Times Square. He is in custody. Transit service is resuming. Eater NYC reports star chef Mario Batali is stepping away from his restaurant empire after being disciplined for inappropriate behavior on the job. Plus the rest of the day's news, s...