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After Rebecca Sedwick suicide, a bid to hold parents liable for kids' cyberbullyingIn Florida, the Rebecca Sedwick suicide has triggered plans for legislation to hold parents criminally liable if they don't do enough to stop their kids from cyberbullying. If enacted, it would be a first in North America.- Do schools' anti-bullying programs really help?The suicide of Rebecca Sedwick, the latest in a series of student suicides allegedly tied to bullying, has educators nationwide reviewing their schools' prevention programs. Reports are mixed as to effectiveness, with one study finding they can have unintended negative effects.
Prescription drug abuse now more deadly than heroin, cocaine combinedA new study shows that deaths from prescription drug overdoses have quadrupled during the past decade, suggesting that a stronger response is needed.
Georgia school district mulls over buying assault rifles: Could it be a good idea?The move by Gainesville City Schools in Georgia is a direct result of the Sandy Hook massacre last year. Under the proposal, the district would buy Colt 6920 M4 carbines and keep them in locked safes.
Farewell, Walter White: Why would anyone miss the 'Breaking Bad' antihero?The finale for 鈥楤reaking Bad鈥� drew in more than 10 million viewers. The Walter White character faces many of the same pressures that average people face 鈥� health, job, and income.
Civil War battle flags to joust in Richmond, but will fighting follow?A Confederate history group is planning to unfurl a car dealership-size Battle Flag over I-95 near Richmond, Virginia. In response, another group will fly a large US flag downtown.
New California law targets massive online ticket-scalping schemeA new California law makes it illegal to use software to trick online ticket-sellers into selling huge numbers of tickets to scalpers, who then resell them at a higher price.
Gay marriage 'tourism': How big an economic boom for states?The summer's Supreme Court decisions unleashed pent-up demand for gay marriages, and a handful of states reaped an economic benefit. The effect is not huge, but neither is it insignificant.
FocusCan this Chicago community be saved? Hope rises in Englewood.In Englewood, a troubled neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, community engagement programs hint at a budding transformation. But some residents say it might take years for tangible changes to come to this 'cultural desert.'
American Catholics like what they're hearing from Pope FrancisPope Francis said in an interview this week that the Catholic Church's emphasis needs to turn from sexual issues to the 鈥榝reshness and fragrance of the Gospel.鈥� Polls show most American Catholics agree.
Pope Francis signals remarkable shift in priorities for CatholicsPope Francis said in an interview released Thursday that the Catholic Church's emphasis needs to turn from sexual issues to the 鈥榝reshness and fragrance of the Gospel.鈥�
Starbucks says 'no guns, please.' Is cultural powerhouse inviting trouble?Starbucks, whose shops were adopted by gun-rights activists as high-profile places to stage their protests, is taking out ads asking their gun-toting patrons to leave their weapons at home. Please.
Facebook mystery: How did Rehtaeh Parsons image end up on dating ad?An image of Rehtaeh Parsons, a Canadian teen who committed suicide in April, appeared in an ad on Facebook for a dating website. Facebook responded quickly, but questions remain.
US poverty rate steady at 15 percent, but 'lower class' is boomingThe recession-induced slide in income and rise in poverty appear to have flattened out, new census data show. Still, an 鈥榚xtraordinary鈥� share of Americans now describe themselves as 鈥榣ower class.鈥�
FocusLegal marijuana: Will most states head that way?Speculation is afoot after the Justice Department signaled it will mostly leave to states the responsibility to regulate use. Washington State and Colorado are already working out details of legal marijuana.
Nina Davuluri wins Miss America, then faces critics, in Bollywood styleNina Davuluri win is a tribute to her joyful performance and marks the growing visibility and cultural influence of Indian-Americans. Of criticism that she is, somehow, not American, she says: 'I have to rise above that.'
New York's 9/11 generation: how attack shaped city's childrenEven as images of 9/11 recede into annual memorials and distant memories, the attacks can still have an impact on the everyday rhythms of city life. It can be especially poignant for the newest generation of adults.
FocusFace of US poverty: These days, more poor live in suburbs than in citiesThe rise in suburban poverty reflects long-term demographic shifts 鈥� America is more than ever a suburban nation 鈥� as well as economic changes.
Molly: what clubgoers say about the drug 鈥� and why officials are worriedMolly has been tentatively linked to at least four deaths at East Coast gatherings in the past two weeks. Despite the deaths, some in the electronic dance music scene are unapologetic about the use of Molly.- Progress WatchUS teen births fall to historic low: what has been helpingThe US teen birth rate is down in all 50 states, and among all racial and ethnic groups, according to data released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.