diff --git a/app/controllers/news_controller.rb b/app/controllers/news_controller.rb
index 185e7128e..1a8e75b54 100644
--- a/app/controllers/news_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/news_controller.rb
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ class NewsController < ApplicationController
@news_count = scope.count
@q = params[:subject]
- if params[:subject].nil?
+ if params[:subject].nil? || params[:subject].blank?
scope_order = scope.all(:include => [:author, :course],
:order => "#{News.table_name}.created_on DESC")
else
diff --git a/app/views/courses/_new_groups_name.html.erb b/app/views/courses/_new_groups_name.html.erb
index fc2c5a62d..6ffbb6dd2 100644
--- a/app/views/courses/_new_groups_name.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/courses/_new_groups_name.html.erb
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
<% end%>
-
+
<% end %>