Superheroes and villains, a reimagined “Nutcracker,” vision boards and holiday plays usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in Chicago.

With tens of thousands of Russian troops massed on the Ukraine border, the highly anticipated call between the two leaders came amid growing worries by the U.S. and Western allies about Russia’s threat to its neighbor.

“We envision a city where every resident, no matter age, income, identity, ability, has the opportunities and the resources to lead comfortable lives in the communities they call home,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Monday.

This time last year, many people celebrated the holidays virtually, as the COVID-19 vaccine was not yet widely available. But this year, the faithful can plan some in-person gatherings to celebrate the holidays.

Boeing’s former CEO defended the company’s safety record after a pair of deadly crashes, and implied some of the blame lay with insufficiently trained pilots. But a new book argues changes in corporate culture and government oversight led Boeing to prioritize profit over safety.

One bill would require all unvaccinated individuals who are hospitalized or need other medical treatment because of COVID-19 to pay any related costs out of pocket. The other would forbid discrimination against anyone who chooses not to be vaccinated out of religious or personal beliefs.

An analysis of 280,000 drug possession cases between 2000 and 2018 revealed about half of those cases were dismissed. In 2018, such dismissals rose to 72% of cases, according to a report by the Chicago Sun-Times and Better Government Association.

The omicron variant of COVID-19, which is believed to be highly transmissible, has been detected in Chicago, state and city health officials announced Tuesday. 

Every performer in this demanding show is multitalented and able to deftly shift from one character and mood to another in record time. 

Amazon’s cloud computing technology experienced major technical difficulties Tuesday, and brought half the world to a halt — or at least it felt that way to clients and consumers reliant on applications or services such as Alexa, Amazon Prime Video, Ring and Canvas.

A measure that would allow five of Chicago’s professional sports teams let fans place bets at their home arenas and during games stalled again Tuesday despite the support of Mayor Lori Lightfoot, amid concerns that it could kneecap long-delayed efforts to build a casino in Chicago.

Every year thousands of refugees seek asylum in the United States. Re:new is helping refugee women get back on their feet by teaching them how to become designers.

The trial, which began last week, is the culmination of a case that began on the frigid night of Jan. 29, 2019, when Jussie Smollett told police two men had attacked him, made anti-gay and racist comments, poured bleach on him and put a noose around his neck.

A call for those who haven’t received the COVID-19 vaccine to pay for the cost of their medical treatment. A billion dollar investment in affordable housing. And a second pandemic holiday season.

Even as the threat posed by the omicron variant of COVID-19 has yet to materialize in Chicago, the city is enduring a “very significant” surge of COVID-19 fueled by the holiday gatherings and indoor events, Chicago’s top doctor said Tuesday.