We all know how the release of "The Interview" turned into a real-life Cold War thriller: North Korea hates the movie, lashes out at Sony Pictures by hacking its computers and threatens movie-goers, an act of state-sponsored cyber-aggression. At least that's the story from the U.S. perspective.

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The data collection is not exactly like former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney's "binders full of women." But it's similar.

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This time of year, endless opportunities to overindulge can test the willpower of anyone who does not want to put on pounds. At the end of the holidays, some people will be congratulating themselves on their self-restraint, while some will feel guilty about giving in and resolve to do better in...

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World Health Organization officials said Tuesday that the deadly Ebola virus could lead to 5,000 to 10,000 new cases a week in West Africa by December despite the global fight against it ..."

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Congratulations on your raise! On Thursday, the four-year income tax hikes that Gov. Pat Quinn signed into law will begin to roll back. You'll keep more of the money you earn.

The native prairie tallgrasses look lifeless in late December. But even in the drab sepia of winter they promise the same vivid spring brilliance as when they covered 60 percent of Illinois, some 22 million acres. Today, owing to urbanization, agriculture, invasive species and suppression of...

Talk about poking the bear with a sharp stick. Ukraine's parliament overwhelmingly voted Tuesday to rile Russian President Vladimir Putin by moving to join NATO. If that happens, another of Russia's neighbors would come under the protective umbrella of the West.

Six months ago, Gov. Pat Quinn signed a bill that, when it takes effect next Thursday, will enrich every citizen of Illinois: It adds the black bear, gray wolf and cougar to the state's list of protected species. More on that smart move in a moment.

Oh, Chicago Park District. You've really stepped in it this time.

In holiday messages at this time of year, the boss usually musters the energy to say nice things to the people who work for him. Even if he's exasperated by the performance of his employees or beset by arrogant bullies on the corporate rungs above him.

Produce imported from Mexico is safe and attractive for a reason: U.S. laws dictate the cleanliness of farms, while supermarket produce managers demand an unblemished product. So no need to worry about the condition of your tomatoes. They're perfect. It's the Mexican farmhands growing and...

Too much spin, not enough win. That's the takeaway from a Chicago Tribune examination of the safety benefits of Chicago's red light camera program.

No, no, we aren't fussing over your credit card statement. We're talking about businesses that, as December expires, realize that they're doing the same.

Baby No. 1 was Matthew, a newborn whose overwhelmed birth mother handed him to nurses at Rockford Memorial Hospital more than a decade ago. He was safe. He was healthy. He was later adopted.

What is this day, this Christmas, that dawns with a chorus of joy? What river of love and magic speeds the message from that moment of wonder in Bethlehem across the cold darkness of centuries long forgotten? How does it warm us this morning as we awaken in a world the Wise Men could scarcely...

The death penalty has had a long run in America, but that run may not last forever. Though it's not on life support, it's definitely in serious condition. A form of punishment that was once widely used and highly popular has lost much of its allure.

Many of you have offered to donate money to help keep our office open. We are grateful for your generosity and will continue to serve you to the best of our abilities. Should you wish to make a donation, please call our office for further information at 312-744-2313. — Office of the...

Leave it to the British, those kings and queens of civility and politesse, to harness their mastery of understated eloquence in the service of reminding us there is always a right way to behave … and a dreadful way.

As South Korea buckles under the enormous financial pressure of hosting the 2018 Winter Olympics, the International Olympic Committee recently made a practical suggestion: Move some events to other nations.

Two years ago, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned that the United States faced the threat of cyberattacks from technologically sophisticated foes who could one day unleash chaos and death via the Internet.

If you thought this week's calamitous run on the ruble and the ongoing Russian financial meltdown would chasten Russian President Vladimir Putin, well, you don't know Vlad.

Well, he certainly isn't leaving quietly.

Top officials from the U.S. and China are in Chicago this week to work on a treaty that would greatly encourage investment in both nations by expanding financial protections for foreign investors. Let's hope Chicago's environs charm them into securing a deal.

A 45-minute phone call — the first between presidents of Cuba and the United States in more than 50 years — sealed an agreement that could end the pointless economic standoff that has held the island’s people hostage for generations.

At the outset, the hacking of internal company records at Sony Pictures Entertainment and the release of the candid and sometimes snarky internal communications of company executives seemed relatively harmless. Embarrassing for the execs, titillating gossip for people who are obsessed by...

Two years ago, a Taliban gunman boarded a school bus in Pakistan and fired a shot that outraged the world. He seriously wounded 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai. She recovered, became a powerful voice in the fight against Taliban extremism, and won the Nobel Peace Prize this year.

"She's the blond. I'm the redhead."

Americans awoke Monday to ominous news that a gunman had seized as many as 40 hostages at a cafe in downtown Sydney. He'd ordered a black flag draped in the window, inscribed with Arabic lettering, a profession of Muslim faith.

Life is full of unpleasant events and lousy surprises, and many of them are beyond remedy. Most people learn that, often, you just have to suck it up and move on. You can waste a lot of time and energy trying to undo unfair setbacks, and you may not undo them anyway.

To their credit, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and some of his City Council allies last week blocked, at least for now, the huge lobbying drive to impose a Chicago mandate on ethanol in gasoline that would be much higher than the national standard.

The press release practically writes itself: Gov. Pat Quinn signs legislation raising pay for jurors in Illinois.

"Could have 100 children abused. Employee gone ... Letting sleeping dogs lie may be more helpful ... Statute of limitations anyway ... Problem that can be controlled ... No proof."

What's the world's most polluted city?

Two challengers to Mayor Rahm Emanuel — 2nd Ward Ald. Bob Fioretti and Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia — have released education platforms this week. It's safe to say their priorities do not mirror what Chicago Public Schools has done during Emanuel's tenure.

If the old Pat Quinn were around, he would be booking a hotel conference room for a Sunday morning press conference to scream about the shenanigans of a lame-duck governor.

"I felt like DCFS, they take us out of the bad situation and put us in a worser situation." — Davonlesha Calloway, former resident of Indian Oaks Academy, a Manteno facility that specializes in treating youths who have endured sexual trauma

You know this if you were a close friend of hers or if you just saw it on a TV commercial: Nobody appreciated a good yard sale more than Judy Baar Topinka did. It wasn’t just campaign shtick. It was true. She could be deep in conversation about the arcana of public policy and abruptly...

What an easy lob to Republican state legislators! A Democratic senator, Daniel Biss of Evanston, was tossing them a chance to be on the right side of history. Biss asked them to support a clever savings plan to help as many as 2.5 million Illinoisans — mostly working- and middle-class...

It is one of the grimmest moments in American history. In 2001, terrorists commandeered jetliners and slammed them into the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon, killing thousands of people. A frightened nation came to a standstill, then braced for a next attack, which was thought to be...

Back in 2006, the University of Chicago calculated that just 8 out of every 100 freshmen in Chicago Public Schools eventually earn a college degree. That was a dismal gauge of Chicago's future. While not everyone is destined for college, people who do have a bachelor's degree have much higher...

A U.S. commando raid over the weekend failed to free an American journalist held hostage by al-Qaida in a militant stronghold in Yemen. As U.S. forces closed in, the terrorists killed the journalist, Luke Somers, 33 and another hostage, South African teacher Pierre Korkie, 56.

Last summer the Chicago City Council briefly considered an ordinance that would require gas stations in the city to sell a blend of fuel called E15, which has the potential to damage your car engine.

In 2012, when Democrats held on to the White House, Republicans kept a comfortable majority of seats in the U.S. House. This was curious for only one reason: Nationally, Democrats running in House elections outpolled Republicans by more than a million votes.

Rolling Stone's now-discredited story of a sexual assault at the University of Virginia is a tale of two horrors: a brutal gang rape at a fraternity house and the university's tepid response to the young woman who reported it.

The falling price of oil is good news for American motorists, and it has an extra added attraction: It's making life miserable for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

When Speaker Michael Madigan adjourned the Illinois House last week, he closed with the traditional Latin phrase "sine die" or "until we meet again." That signaled adjournment until January when new lawmakers take their seats.

Protesters took to the streets Wednesday after a New York grand jury declined to indict a white police officer who killed an unarmed black man. Where have we heard that before?

In May 2009, days after graduating from high school in Oklahoma, Ashley Parham got into a fender bender. Her 2001 Honda Accord tapped another vehicle and … boom: The driver-side air bag exploded, shooting metal shrapnel into Parham's neck. When police arrived, according to Reuters,...

Public health experts urge most Americans to protect their health — and shield those around them — by getting a flu shot every year. That's particularly vital for people like nurses, who care for elderly and ill people.

Eight times since 2011, Cook County Circuit Judge Gloria Chevere has thrown someone in jail for "sagging" in her courtroom.

At age 18, Joshua Wong is a remarkable figure in the history of Hong Kong. He is a protest leader with years of experience challenging Chinese government rule. Years of experience? Yes, he got his start as a political activist in middle school.

Your lame duck legislature is fiddling with the Illinois Freedom of Information Act again. No good can come of that.

Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner warned on Tuesday that state government is in a much more desperate financial mess than anyone has been willing to admit. "The deficit is far worse than has been discussed," he said.

During a special Chicago City Council meeting Tuesday to press for a hike in the minimum wage, the aldermen will expound about fairness. About poverty. About justice. The argument for raising the minimum wage will be rooted in populist politics, not in whether doing so will help, or hurt, the...

When Malia and Sasha Obama got dragged to a White House ceremony to watch their father pardon a turkey, it probably didn't occur to them or anyone else that the event would make news or have noticeable repercussions. They were probably just annoyed at having to endure this silly ritual in front...

If you're the parent of a college student (or preparing to be), you need to read Rolling Stone's jarring account of a fraternity house gang rape at the University of Virginia.

Don't exit Thanksgiving Weekend without a grateful nod to one of metropolitan Chicago's most spectacular assets. Ocean? Not here. Mountains? Nope. We do, though, have a nationally unmatched system of natural lands that on Sunday turns 100 years old. So which is more remarkable — that...

On Dec. 11, an Apple-1 computer that co-founder Steve Jobs sold out of his parents' Los Altos garage in 1976 hits the auction block. Christie's auction officials expect the bidding to reach more than $500,000. The computer's original price tag: $600.

Tens of thousands of Illinois residents will sign up for coverage under Obamacare over the next few months. Many of them wouldn't be able to afford the insurance without a federal subsidy to help pay the premiums.

Q. How many young women does it take to design and program a computer game?

Will this be the last year you swipe all your gift purchases?

You know those fluorescent signs positioned in the roadway that warn of pedestrian crossings? The ones that read in bold lettering, "STOP"?