Macmillan books return for sale on Amazon.com

Macmillan books return for sale on Amazon.com

NEW YORK — After a weeklong absence, new copies of Andrew Young’s “The Politician,” Hilary Mantel’s “Wolf Hall” and other books published by Macmillan are available for purchase on Amazon.com.

Since Jan. 29, Amazon had limited the availability of Macmillan releases in a dispute over e-books, with Macmillan calling for a new pricing model that would end the $9.99 rate Amazon had been setting for best-sellers. Macmillan and other publishers believe $9.99 is too low and threatens the value of books overall.

14-year-old shot in head at middle school dies

MADISON, Ala. — A ninth-grader was shot by another student during a class change at a north Alabama middle school Friday and died at a hospital, officials said.

Todd Brown, 14, was shot about 1:45 p.m. and taken by ambulance from Discovery Middle School to Huntsville Hospital, where he died, said hospital spokeswoman Kristen Bishop. She wouldn’t release any other details.

The suspected shooter was arrested inside in the school, where police are regularly stationed.

Group says mayor violated non-Christians’ civil rights

LANCASTER, Calif. — A Muslim group filed a federal civil-rights complaint Friday after a Southern California mayor remarked that he was “growing a Christian community” in a state of the city address last week.

In a letter to the U.S. Justice Department, the Council on American-Islamic Relations claimed Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris violated the civil rights of non-Christians and shouldn’t have used his official capacity at a city event to advance a particular religion.

Such a mixing of church and state is “unhealthy, unconstitutional and very divisive,” said Hussam Ayloush, executive director of CAIR in greater Los Angeles.

Deal hailed as way to save N. Ireland government

HILLSBOROUGH, Northern Ireland — A breakthrough deal Friday to save Northern Ireland’s Catholic-Protestant government has given a new lease of life to an awkward partnership of former foes that still must overcome many obstacles to survive.

The prime ministers of Britain and Ireland stood beside Irish Catholic leader Martin McGuinness and British Protestant leader Peter Robinson as they heralded a deal that was 21‚Ñ2 years of argument — and 10 days and nights of exhausting negotiations — in the making.

E-mails reveal influence of Todd Palin on governor

JUNEAU, Alaska — E-mails shed new light on Todd Palin’s role while his wife was Alaska’s governor, showing that the one-time oil-field worker’s advice was sought on board appointments and suggesting he was close to matters related to state government, his wife’s image and politics.

Relatively few of the messages obtained as part of a public- records request were sent by Todd Palin himself.

Rather, his personal e-mail address is included on messages sent by administration staff, top aides to then-Gov. Sarah Palin and Palin on topics ranging from use of the state plane to day-to-day governing issues and oil and gas legislation that Palin made a hallmark of her 21‚Ñ2 years in office.

Mexico seeks recognition from UN for its cuisine

MEXICO CITY — Mexico already has many of its monuments on UNESCO’s list of protected sites. Now the government is asking for international recognition for the country’s cuisine.

U.N. officials will decide in April or May whether to add Mexico’s food to the organization’s list of intangible cultural patrimony, Mexican cuisine expert Gloria Lopez said Friday.

She said the methods of preparing traditional tamales and salsas should be protected as much as Mexico’s recognized physical heritage, such as the pre- Hispanic city around the pyramids of Teotihuacan or Mexico City’s historic center of colonial buildings and remnants of ancient structures.

“They are pure culture, pure wisdom about life,” Lopez, who directs the Conservatory of Mexican Gastronomic Culture, said in a presentation discussing the country’s proposal to UNESCO.

The triad of corn, beans and chiles form the foundation of Mexico’s food, with each region of the country adding its own ingredients and seasonings to the mix, Lopez said.

Associated Press