Banned | featured news

Watch out, New York restaurants. The soda police are coming to get you. Mayor Michael Bloomberg's controversial ban on large sugary drinks hits Tuesday and along with it comes an initiative to make sure restaurants are following the rules.

Charge a fee to use your credit card? It’s legal for merchants to do that, unless barred by state law. Charge a fee to use your credit card? It’s legal for merchants to do that, unless barred by state law. Ten states already ban such surcharges – California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Oklahoma and Texas – and more may join the list.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will propose a ban on Styrofoam, the substance commonly used for take-out food containers that is almost impossible to recycle.

More than 90 percent of U.S. voters supported background checks for all gun buyers, while much smaller majorities were for stricter gun control laws such as bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, said a poll released on Thursday.

The Boy Scouts of America put off a decision Wednesday on whether to lift its ban on gay members and leaders, saying the question will be taken up at the organization's national meeting in May.

The senator leading the charge to revive a assault weapons ban conceded on Sunday, just days before hearings on gun control open, that winning Senate passage will be tough but said she has been assured she will have the chance to bring it up for a vote.

North Carolina lawmakers are drafting legislation that would ban people on welfare or those who are in bankruptcy from buying lottery tickets. Rep. Paul "Skip" Stam, R-Wake is helping draft the legislation. Stam told ABC11 the vendor selling the lottery ticket would be penalized if they knew the person was on welfare or in bankruptcy.

A Brazilian judge has ordered bookstores to ensure that the erotic trilogy "Fifty Shades of Grey" is out of the reach of minors.

Say goodbye to one of the greatest irritants of modern life: television commercials that are MUCH LOUDER THAN THE SHOW YOU ARE WATCHING!

San Francisco lawmakers are set to vote on whether to ban nudity in public places, in an escalating fight against a group of nudists. The proposal would make it illegal for anyone over five to "expose his or her genitals, perineum or anal region" in most public locations. Exceptions would be made for certain street fairs and events.