No winners claimed the $1 billion Mega Millions jackpot on Christmas Eve, leading to an increased prize of $1.15 billion for the next draw on December 27.

Chicago is experiencing cloudy and mild weather on Christmas with drizzles and fog, and the trend of clouds and potential rain is expected to continue over the weekend.

A Christmas Eve barn fire in Marengo, Illinois, claimed the lives of three horses and a pony, with no human casualties reported. Firefighters battled the blaze, and investigations into its cause are ongoing.

American Airlines faced a technical issue causing a nationwide ground stop early Tuesday, which lasted one hour, affecting holiday travel but resulted in no flight cancellations.

Hilton Keller was released after spending 33 years in prison for a murder he insists he didn't commit, following a judge's decision to vacate his sentence.

Four people, including two adults and two juveniles, were charged with theft and related offenses following a series of incidents at a Sephora store in Oak Brook.

A man is charged with kidnapping a rideshare driver and passenger, demanding ransom, and faces multiple charges. The female passenger escaped and alerted police, leading to the suspect's arrest.

Illinois health officials warn of a surge in respiratory illnesses, moving the risk level from Low to Moderate, and urge vaccinations amidst rising hospital admissions for COVID-19, flu, and RSV.

Illinois AG Kwame Raoul leads 22 attorneys general in supporting higher minimum wage for federal contract workers against opposition from a group of states.

A man was critically injured in a targeted shooting in Steger, IL; the suspect, a Black man in a gray jacket, remains at large despite extensive search efforts.

A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot in the head in Chicago's Calumet Heights neighborhood; he later died at the hospital. No suspects are in custody, and the investigation is ongoing.

The Chicago Police have alerted Austin's 15th District of an aggravated sexual assault by a male suspect with dreadlocks, urging vigilance and community assistance in the investigation.

A man was killed and a woman critically injured in an early morning shooting on Chicago's South Side; police are investigating with no suspects yet apprehended.