A monk who blinded himself in order to resist temptation. Women demand the right to divorce the husbands who abandoned them. The emergence of a 17th-century school of miniaturist painters. Read more...

In one of the biggest upsets in the history of the Academy Awards, “Crash,” director Paul Haggis’ meditation on racism, won Best Picture over the heavily favored “Brokeback Mountain” on Sunday night. Read more...

The sight of four gray whales off the California coast Saturday morning was the perfect sign for 26-year-old Irwin Sanchez, a day-labor landscaper from New Jersey. Read more...

Did you hear the one about the high school teacher in Colorado who compared President Bush to Adolf Hitler? We’re not joking. Read about what social studies teacher Jay Bennish told his class at Overland High School the day after Bush’ state of the union address. Read more...

Proposed changes to the Undie Run route do not sit well with some students planning to participate in this quarter’s Undie Run, especially since the administration’s involvement in making the changes marks the first time the university has seriously intervened in the historically student-run event. Read more...

In an unusual move, the University of California Board of Regents released Friday executive salary reports that the board approved between its regularly scheduled meetings in an effort to improve fiscal transparency and calm criticism over past compensation practices. Read more...

As people raised their hands for an opportunity to express their complaints, a Big Blue Bus customer representative frantically jotted down bus riders’ comments about the system on poster paper. Read more...