GDP grew 2.8 percent last quarter, but momentum still weak

Obama outlines plan to cut college costs. Could it backfire on students?

12:48 pm ET - President Obama Friday made a set of bold proposals tying federal aid to colleges tuition costs. Most of Obama’s ideas would require approval from Congress – difficult to do in a polarized Washington.

Experts cast doubt on Japan nuclear power plant stress tests

10:36 am ET - The Japanese government ordered tests on all nuclear reactors after Fukushima meltdown, and are set to reopen at least one shortly, but advisers say the tests do not prove the plants are safe. 

Wind power: Clean energy, dirty business?

8:10 pm ET - In the developing world, where land-intensive wind turbines are being rapidly constructed, wind power has often turned clean energy into dirty business.

• The 'wind rush': Green energy blows trouble into Mexico
• Editor's Blog: Green energy isn't always good energy

Iran is gearing up for elections and it isn't pretty

12:20 pm ET - The arrest of at least 10 reporters since the turn of the year and new Internet restrictions point to a battening down of social control ahead of Iran's March elections.

What if we could predict tornadoes a month out? Scientists make strides.

12:14 pm ET - Scientists have only a fledging ability now, but a new approach to prediction could eventually allow forecasters to identify portions of states facing high risk for tornadoes in an upcoming month.

A confident Romney zings Gingrich in Republican debate No. 19

8:58 am ET - MItt Romney was ready to answer questions about his wealth and to rebut rival Newt Gingrich during Thursday's Republican debate, the last before the Florida primary on Tuesday.

• Vox News: Mitt Romney, the first Mexican-American president?

Russia bars liberal candidate from presidential election

10:55 am ET - Russia's electoral commission has disqualified veteran liberal politician Grigory Yavlinsky from running against Vladimir Putin, showing that Putin's 'managed democracy' is still at work.

Deep-water oil drilling: why Obama is OK with angering left and right

5:34 pm ET - Neither the oil industry nor environmentalists are pleased with President Obama's new deep-water oil drilling plan. But in an election year, that might be a safe position politically.

Former Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt faces trial for genocide

10:53 am ET - Efrain Rios Montt came to power in a coup and oversaw some of Guatemala's most atrocious civil war crimes.

Hillary Clinton to step down from 'high wire' of US diplomacy

9:41 am ET - It's too early to talk of her legacy, or to grade the Obama administration's foreign policy, but four years of repairing relationships and defending US interests have taken a physical toll. 

Rio building collapse: where is the oversight?

10:17 am ET - In the past year Rio has seen exploding manhole covers and numerous transit accidents. It might be time to rethink the city's antiquated building codes, says guest blogger Julia Michaels.

Suicide car bombing in Baghdad underscores spike in Iraq violence

9:07 am ET - A suicide car bombing at a Baghdad funeral procession comes amid growing questions about the ability of Iraq security forces to contain violence that has killed more than 200 since last month.

Egypt bars Americans from leaving: What's going on here?

8:11 am ET - Egypt's military rulers escalated a dispute over US-funded NGOs by barring some American employees from leaving the country, including the son of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Drive-by jihadi pleads guilty to shooting at Pentagon

9:17 pm ET - The Virginia resident, who videotaped one of his drive-by attacks on the Pentagon, fired at other buildings and planned to desecrate graves of Iraq and Afghanistan war dead at Arlington National Cemetery.

• Baltimore man tricked by FBI pleads guilty to trying to bomb recruiting site

Iran offers nuclear talks. Why the West may prefer to wait.

4:23 pm ET - While the West is insisting Iran demonstrate its seriousness this time, experts do expect a new round of nuclear talks. Some say starting them too soon could send the wrong message.

How Iran could beat up on America's superior military

12:02 pm ET - America's defense budget is roughly 90 times bigger than Iran's. But Iran has a well-honed strategy of asymmetric warfare.

• Opinion: Ex-CIA spy: Iran's miscalculation over war

As Israeli-Palestinian talks sink, fringe ideas gain traction

4:22 pm ET - As time passes and a two-state solution looks less feasible, Israelis and Palestinians are more seriously considering ideas like a binational state.