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Pope Francis: For Hispanic Catholics in US, a rush of joyFor Hispanic Catholics in the US, the election of Pope Francis, formerly Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, means the Catholic Church is being led by 'one of our own.'
Not happy, Iran, with a Hollywood movie? Argo make your own.Iran was not pleased with Ben Affleck's Oscar-winning 'Argo,' so it is planning its own take on the diplomat rescue drama. Political retaliation through moviemaking is an established practice.
FocusDrones over America: public safety benefit or 'creepy' privacy threat?Drones are not just for tracking terrorists abroad. Some 327 are authorized to fly in US airspace – most for military training. But as their numbers grow, so is domestic scrutiny.
An American pope? What could help, or hinder, two cardinals' chances.The US cardinals' experience dealing with the sex abuse crisis is seen alternately as a strength and a weakness. But other factors make any American a dark horse candidate to be the next pope.
Judge voids New York soda ban, calling it 'arbitrary and capricious'The judge said New York's soda ban, which was set to take effect Tuesday, required city council approval and was arbitrary because some retailers, such as drugstores, were not affected by the ban.
Do towns ever get over shootings?A look at Binghamton, N.Y., four years after 14 died in a mass shooting at an immigrant center.
Cover StoryHow one church is helping heal NewtownMembers of the Newtown United Methodist Church have turned to faith – and each other – to surmount a mass shooting.
NBC and 'SNL' targeted over Jesus skit. Do such ad boycotts work?Sears is taking steps to keep its ads off online rebroadcasts of the 'Saturday Night Live' skit, after a conservative Christian group complained. Such ad boycotts do have effects, say media analysts – but not usually the intended one.
The 'Argo' effect: Film could stoke suspicions about Americans abroadThe Oscar-winning film 'Argo' tells of how CIA operatives posed as a film crew to free hostages in Iran in 1979. The film could reinforce impressions in some countries that Americans are government agents.
Will Oscar host Seth MacFarlane be asked back? Probably not.Seth MacFarlane's Oscar hosting gig, full of low-brow and sexist jokes, received mixed reviews. The Academy struggles to reach a younger audience and remain a family-friendly show.
Oscar winners: 2013 a night of surprises, pleasant and not so muchOscar winners of 2013 included some upsets, such as Ang Lee as Best Director, for 'Life of Pi.' But some movie insiders saw Oscar night as unsettling, including first lady Michelle Obama's involvement.
Academy Awards behind-the-scenes chatter: Will ‘Argo’ or ‘Lincoln’ win?The talk in Hollywood has gone beyond the single efforts of ‘Argo’ and ‘Lincoln’ to an evaluation of the careers of their directors, Ben Affleck and Steven Spielberg.
Pot on the patio? Colorado's 'surreal' path to legalizing marijuana.Colorado's Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force is wading through the weeds of marijuana legalization, creating regulations to take pot from the shadows out into the open.
Americans cut back on fast food, but why?American adults got 11 percent of their daily calories from fast food in 2010, down from about 13 percent four years earlier, a new study shows. Public education may have played a role, but so have pocketbook issues.
- Social Security deadline: how recipients can switch over from checks
With rare exceptions, the Social Security Administration is requiring people who still get their benefits by check to switch to some kind of electronic transfer by March 1.
Cover StoryGun control: Future hangs on misunderstood majority of gun ownersGun control seen through the eyes of the misunderstood majority of gun owners is more nuanced and complex than the absolutism of America's big gun lobbies. The Obama administration is courting this breed of centrist, gun-friendly Americans on the fence about gun control.
Gun owners talk: Self protection is more complex than 'stand and fight'Gun owners – including one who is a shooting victim and one who killed in self defense – talk about the logic of their tough decision to carry a gun for self protection: Killing isn't always their first goal. Experts stress the complex responsibility involved in carrying a gun.
Why gun ownership among US women is climbingFifteen percent of America's women own guns – a small but pronounced increase from six years ago, a recent poll found. Personal safety is the motivation, but some argue that a gun at home makes women less safe.
Progress WatchIn US, big strides in reducing domestic violenceThe rate of partner-to-partner violence dropped 64 percent between 1994 and 2010, a Justice Department report has found. The trend, almost unnoticed, stems from a broad shift in attitude toward domestic violence.
FocusDrugs in sports: Who is winning the doping war?As scientists close the gap on doping detection, athletes bent on cheating can still game the system. Stricter enforcement from league authorities is critical to redeeming sports scandalized by doping – cycling, baseball, and potentially the NFL.
