All Society
FocusChicago: A gang shooting, a stray bullet, an innocent victimA second-grader's shooting death turns anguish into anger for the unwitting victims of Chicago's homicide epidemic. With schoolchildren caught in the gang crossfire on the Windy City's mean streets, parents say the only option they have is to keep their children home.聽
FocusIn Chicago, heat and homicide stoke fear and frustrationChicago's surging murder rate is now four times that of New York. With drug cartels battling for turf and gang warfare turning chaotic, how can the Windy City get a handle on its homicides?
Boy Scouts reaffirms ban on gays. Is it out of step with the times?The Boy Scouts said it was keeping its ban on gays after a 2-year review by a panel representing a 'diversity of perspectives.' Critics said the organization was at odds with its own principles.
Biggest loser in DirecTV-Viacom feud? Both.The standoff between DirecTV and Viacom risks accelerating the move away from television to iPads and smart phones 鈥� and the expectation of access to content anywhere, anytime.
Study: With OxyContin harder to misuse, abusers shift to harder drugsA reformulation of OxyContin that makes the pills harder to crush or dissolve has led to less abuse, a new study finds. But abusers turned to more potent opioids, including heroin 鈥� evidence that demand is what most needs tackling.- Episcopal approval of same-sex blessings: Will it hurt church's global ties?The Episcopal Church this week authorized blessings for same-sex couples 鈥� a move at odds with the Anglican Communion, which the church belongs to, and some other Protestant denominations.
Presbyterian church rejects same-sex marriageThe General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has rejected a bid to redefine marriage as 'a covenant between two people,' voting instead to conduct a two-year study of the divisive issue.
Presbyterians reject call to divest over Israel's West Bank occupationBy a two-vote margin, the Presbyterian Chuch (U.S.A.) declined Thursday to divest funds from three firms whose products help Israel enforce occupation of the Palestinian West Bank. Pro-Israel Jewish groups had warned against such a step.
Andy Griffith: why we should remember him as more than 'America's Sheriff'Andy Griffith made his mark as a singer, musician, and, in film, as an odious media manipulator. But he's remembered and loved for his compelling portrayal of good sense and kindness.
The online bully: less prevalent in US than many other places in worldA survey of children and teens in 25 countries found 24 percent say they've engaged in behaviors online that are often considered to be bullying. For the US, the figure was 13 percent.聽
Obesity in America: Schools on the front line of the fightWith one-fifth of Americans between the ages of 6 and 19 overweight, schools are central in the campaign to fight obesity. Educators, nutritionists hope healthier school lunches, daily recess, and PE requirements can help reverse the trend. 聽
FocusSupersize America: Whose job to fight obesity?Banning extra-large sugary sodas. Blocking fast-food restaurants in some neighborhoods. Requiring calorie counts on menus. Kicking snack foods out of public schools. Are anti-obesity campaigns crossing the line into nanny state intrusion? 聽聽
Bullied bus monitor: Karen Klein case shows power of crowdfundingDonations for bullied bus monitor Karen Klein poured into a website at such a clip that they overwhelmed the site. Her case may be a tipping for the phenomenon called crowdfunding.聽
Giving to religious institutions drops for second year in a row. Why?Giving to religious groups has slipped by a cumulative 3.7 percent since 2010. Still, religion remains America鈥檚 favorite charitable cause, with $95.88 billion in donations.
Progress WatchRacial gap in life expectancy reaches new low in USBetween 2003 and 2008, the gap in life expectancy between white and black men fell from 6.5 years to 5.4, Canadian researchers found. For women, it fell from 4.6 years to 3.7.聽- Uh oh, Sunday is Father's Day! What to do? Take our quiz.
Sunday is Father鈥檚 Day and we all know what that means. Or do we?
Maybe a virtual trip to the NASCAR Father鈥檚 Day Gift Center (No, we鈥檙e not making this up. It exists on the Internet.) for racing socks or barbecue tools? Or, for the DIY crowd, perhaps an original piece of art based on Dad鈥檚 smiling face?
But if you really want to know what鈥檚 in your dear Papa鈥檚 heart and soul, cozy up to our Father鈥檚 Day Quiz and get the real skinny on Father鈥檚 Day: what dads really want, why the day even exists, and why that LeBron James bobblehead doll may be talking to you, but not to your dad.
Tony Awards put Broadway's booming box office on displayThe Tony Awards showed theater's freshness and creativity, but rampant Hollywood stars and high ticket prices are making Broadway less accessible to the masses, say critics.
Holy matrimony, Batman! Are comic books legalizing gay marriage?Gay characters and gay marriage, even among superheroes, are cropping up in the comic book universe, in what one artist calls an attempt 'to be current.' The reaction, predictably, is mixed.
June weddings: 7 measures of matrimony June has traditionally been the most popular month for Americans to wed. Here are some facts about the American wedding landscape.
'Hatfields and McCoys': Is History Channel miniseries fact or fiction?The family feud between the Hatfields and McCoys is brought to life in a new History Channel series. But history and folk legend blur as the show follows the lead of cable TV's more mature fare.
