In the impoverished neighborhood of South Los Angeles, fast food is the easiest cuisine to find — and that's a problem for elected officials who see it as an unhealthy source of calories and cholesterol.

The Australian state of New South Wales has banned laser pointers after a rash of "attacks" on airliners in which several pilots have been temporarily blinded. The new law requires jail terms of up to 14 years for anyone carrying them without a permit.

In a landmark hearing on gun ownership, the Supreme Court appeared ready Tuesday to endorse the view that the Second Amendment gives individuals the right to own guns, but was less clear about whether to retain the District of Columbia’s ban on handguns.