The News in Brief

By Melissa August, Amanda Bower, Val Castronovo, Ling Minhua, Ellin Martens, Julie Rawe, Sora Song, Joel Stein, Josh Tyrangiel and Rebecca Winters

--At an auction of Maria Callas' personal effects, all of the soprano's underwear was bought by a former singer, who vowed to burn the items "to save the dignity and honor" of the opera legend.

--Enforcing its new ban on selling used underwear, eBay yanked at least four auctions of "hot and nasty" undergarments.

--Websites selling padded underwear were flooded with traffic following a report that elderly people are 84% less likely to break a hip in a fall if they wear it.

--Women evicted from their homes in Swaziland to make space for a house for the King's brother bared their buttocks in protest outside the prince's residence.