Search results for

The measures include a ban on guns in schools and criminal background checks for private gun sales. They follow a shooting at a crowded shopping mall in a Portland suburb just days before the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

Semiprecious stones were the medium of choice for Vasily Konovalenko, a Soviet ballet set designer turned sculptor. His masterful workmanship captured Russian characters, from Cossacks and drunks to country folk and czarist henchmen. He fell afoul of the authorities and left Russia for the U.S. in the 1980s.

The adorable 9-year-old became an Internet star with a video urging the world to be more awesome. So far, his "pep talk" video has garnered 18 million views on YouTube.

Fast-food workers in New York City are on strike for the second time in six months, demanding higher wages that they can live on. Workers complain that $7.25 an hour, New York's current minimum wage, is not enough to live in the city.

Roger Ebert's wife of more than 20 years, said he died with "no struggle, no pain, just a quiet, dignified transition."

Hugo Chavez won't be on the ballot in Sunday's presidential election, but in many ways he's still the dominant figure. Chavez's hand-picked successor is favored over the opposition candidate, leading by double digits in some polls.

The former superintendent of the Texas school district was sentenced to three years in prison for rigging standardized test scores. Other employees could still face charges for helping him carry out his scheme. Now, local and state education officials are blaming each other for letting it go on so long.

The Minnesota delegation held its third annual "hotdish off" cooking competition. Nine lawmakers entered, but only one could bring home the trophy. Rep. Tim Walz won handily with a casserole made of cheddar cheese, tater tots and bratwurst.

If you have a CD or book you don't want anymore, you can sell it. The law says that's perfectly legal. But what about an MP3 or an e-book? Can you legally resell your digital goods?

Although Venezuela has a rich literary culture, its writers remain largely unknown outside of the country. Marcela Valdes traces the intersection of literature and politics in the large Caribbean nation, showing the forces that have kept Venezuelan writers from getting the praise they deserve.