In rapid response to criticism, a large private equity firm says it's selling its holdings in the company that makes the rifle used in Friday's Sandy Hook School shooting.Cerberus Capital Management Group says it will sell its stake in Freedom Group, a conglomerate of gun companies that includes brands such as Remington and Bushmaster.

In Newtown, Conn., students in schools other than Sandy Hook return to class for the first time since last Friday's tragic shootings. Meanwhile funerals for those slain in the massacre continue today.

When the state legislature returns from holiday break next month, it will mark the start of a new era shaped by voter approved reforms and dozens of brand new members. The California Report's Scott Shafer spoke with some members of the freshmen class.

Our favorite children's librarian Mara Alpert joins the show to recommend her favorite children's books for the holidays.

When it comes to bang for the buck, high tech is a great way to jump start your local economy, according to a recent report from a UC Berkeley economist. That could be good news for Los Angeles, where Google is recruiting with the phrase, "Who needs Silicon Valley when you can have Silicon Beach?" The company opened an office in Venice Beach last year, leading a wave of tech and media companies setting up shop there.

NPR music critic Ann Powers and Oliver Wang from Soul-Sides.com look back at the best in pop, R&B and hip hop in the year that was.

Tomorrow, the Russian Parliament will consider a bill that would ban Americans from adopting Russian children.

Medical companies are researching ways to mine the tweets and Facebook posts you make about your health and to track outbreaks, analyze drug side-effects, and more.

There's been a lot of hand-wringing about how companies mine the personal information of social media users to deliver targeted advertising. That strategy is now increasingly being used by political campaigns.

We look at the rivalries between the Lakers and the Clippers, and the Dodgers and the Angels, and which team is going after the best talent.

UPDATE: In response to public concents, Instagram has released a statement clearing up confusion about their new policy. Read the statement here.