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The top 25 celebrity baby names of all time

Many celebrities are creative people, but seldom does their creativity get more free rein than when they’re naming their own offspring. From Beyonce and Jay-Z's firstborn Blue Ivy to Frank Zappa's daughter's avante-garde moniker Diva Thin Muffin Pigeen, there are plenty of unusual names.
Not just sexy Kim Jong-un: 5 times the Onion has fooled foreign media

When the People's Daily, the Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper, took as straight news The Onion's declaration that stout North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un was 2012's "Sexiest Man Alive," it became the biggest foreign media outlet to be fooled by the satirical American newspaper. But it is not the first. Here are several other foreign news sites that took Onion fiction as newsworthy fact.
Briefing
Obama vs. Romney 101: 5 differences on women's issues

President Obama won the women’s vote four years ago, and he’ll need to again to win reelection, given Mitt Romney’s strength among male voters. Here are some of the women’s issues on which the candidates differ.
What recovery? Top 10 cities losing jobs

For some regions of the US, talk of an economic recovery is more wishful thinking than reality. Here are the top 10 metropolitan areas that continue to struggle with unemployment, from the Carpet Capital of the World to the home of an Ivy League university.
Three lessons of Jeremiah Wright plan against Obama

News about a proposal to use the Rev. Jeremiah Wright against President Obama in a GOP “super PAC” ad campaign caused the political world to combust. Charges of “race-baiting” flew, and suddenly the idea was an orphan. It’s safe to say, the ads will never be made. But there are lessons to be learned.

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Gaddafi? Kadafi? Qaddafi? What's the correct spelling?

You say, Gaddafi, we say Qaddafi. Other variations on the leader of Libya include "Gathafi," "Kadafi," and "Gadafy," creating an unholy mess for newspaper editors.
Ron Paul vs. Donald Trump: Who's got a better chance of being president?

Donald Trump told the CPAC gathering last week that Rep. Ron Paul had zero chance of being elected president. Paul hit back Monday. Who wins the presidential tale of the tape?
Obama's 'have it all' budget: Can he cut, spend, and grow?

Obama's $3.7 trillion budget proposal would produce a $1.1 trillion deficit for fiscal 2012 – less than this year’s projected deficit of $1.65 trillion. Republicans, predictably, call for more spending cuts.
Anderson Cooper attacked in Tahrir square during Cairo protests

Anderson Cooper attacked: CNN reporter, Anderson Cooper, was attacked by Mubarak supporters in Cairo as crowds punched and kicked Cooper and camera operator, and ripped at clothes of female crew member.
The Monitor's View: Next step for the 'Obamacare' individual mandate

US District Court Judge Roger Vinson's ruling Monday on the health-care law points out the possible consequences of the individual mandate -- which he found unconstitutional. If the mandate stands up in higher courts, Americans could be forced into using preventive medicine.
Live blogging the Egyptian uprising

Long time observers of Egypt are fast running out of adjectives to describe their feelings about unfolding events. Unprecedented, stunning, transfixing. I lived there from 2003 to 2008 and dearly love the country. I'll be posting short updates here throughout the day (Friday, Jan. 28) on the fast-moving events in Egypt. This is my first go at this kind of thing, so bear with me.
Key omission from Obama's State of the Union address: gun control

President Obama did not mention several hot-button topics during the State of the Union, such as abortion. But given the Jan. 8 shooting in Tucson, Ariz., gun control was notable in its absence.
What Obama needs to achieve in his State of the Union address

The State of the Union address is expected to lay out five ‘pillars’ for ‘winning the future’ – education, infrastructure, innovation, deficit reduction, and reform of government.
Tucson shooting spotlights US shift on gun control

Since the Tucson shooting on Jan. 8, federal gun control advocates have made little headway and many states are considering expanding gun rights. Why?
State of the Union: The crafting of a speech

A former White House speechwriter tells what goes into drafting the State of the Union address and how the annual message to Congress has changed since the days of quill pens.
Keith Olbermann last show: Has MSNBC killed its golden goose?

Keith Olbermann, last show on Friday, leaves MSNBC after eight years. His sudden exit, midway through his contract, has some saying he's been fired and others pointing to new owner Comcast.
Keith Olbermann: career at MSNBC is over effective immediately [VIDEO]

'Anti-establishment' MSNBC news anchor Keith Olbermann signed off for the last time, Friday.
2012 presidential election starts this weekend. Really?

On Saturday, members of New Hampshire's GOP leadership will vote in a straw poll on possible GOP candidates in the 2012 presidential election.
Sarah Palin: Center of the GOP universe?

Love her or hate her, GOP leaders can't stop talking about the former Alaska governor – even if they want to.
Democrat Kent Conrad says he'll retire: big opportunity for GOP in Senate

Democrat Kent Conrad, a four-term incumbent from North Dakota, says he will not seek reelection in 2012, giving Republicans their first big chance to pick up a Senate seat in the next election.
Bid to repeal health care reform: Will Arizona tragedy alter debate?

A call for 'thoughtful consideration' of repeal of Obama's health-care reform law may signal a more moderate tone to next week's debate than both sides in the House had anticipated.
With new oversight powers, House GOP aims to put Obama on defensive

Obama has faced little congressional oversight so far, but with House GOP probing into policies ranging from illegal immigration to health care, the president's oversight holiday may be over.
Congress readies new gun-control bills after Gabrielle Giffords shooting

One gun-control measure would limit the number of rounds in a clip to 10. The suspect in the Gabrielle Giffords shooting allegedly had a 30-round clip, allowing him more shots before reloading. Another bill would ban guns within 1,000 feet of some government officials.
Jared Lee Loughner: what is known about Tucson, Arizona, shooting suspect

Jared Lee Loughner is refusing to tell investigators anything about a motive for the Tucson, Arizona, shooting, but he appears to be a familiar character in American life: a disturbed outsider with a gun.
Obama's full-court press to make up with business community

Obama has named economist Gene Sperling as head of the National Economic Council. The president has made other moves to patch up relations with the business community.
Top 5 overlooked stories of 2010

History, it seems, will remember 2010 in the United States as the year of health-care reform, the Gulf oil spill, and the tea party movement. But the most widely covered stories are clearly not the only events that could shape the future of the nation. Here we note five overlooked stories of 2010 – developments that might have received some press coverage but perhaps not as much as they should have, given the impact they could have on various aspects of American life in the years ahead.
Are you smarter than a Fox News viewer? How about a CNN viewer? Take our quiz to find out.

American voters were quizzed on their knowledge of issues and facts raised in the 2010 midterm elections, in a survey by World Public Opinion, a project managed by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland. Respondents were also asked where they get their news from: Fox News, MSNBC, CNN, newspapers, network TV news, public broadcasting. The survey found that "substantial levels of misinformation were present in the daily consumers of all news sources." But Fox News viewers were significantly more likely to be misinformed than those who get their news from other sources. And, greater exposure to Fox News increased the degree to which viewers were misinformed. This is not simply a matter of partisan bias. People who vote Democratic and watched Fox News were also more likely to be misinformed than those who did not watch it – though by a lesser margin than those who vote Republican. Those who got their news from NPR, CNN, or MSNBC were better informed on most – but not all – of the issues in the survey. We've presented the 11 questions just as the survey asked them. How well informed are you?
Hackers rally to support WikiLeaks: Top 5 recent attacks

In an effort nicknamed "Operation Payback," a loose association of hackers called "Anonymous" has been targeting the websites of companies and organizations that have cut ties with WikiLeaks by overwhelming their sites with traffic, prompting them to shut down. Twitter and Facebook have blocked accounts for Anonymous, citing the illegality of their attacks as a terms-of-service violation. WikiLeaks' Facebook and Twitter accounts remain up and running. “Of course, Anonymous is expected to keep creating new accounts as quickly as Facebook and Twitter squash them; it’s a bit like Whack-a-Mole or doing battle with a hydra, in that sense,” said social media news website Mashable. "Fighting Anonymous is a task we wouldn’t wish on anyone." Below are some of the most notable attacks.
Bush tax cuts: Could liberal Democrats block Obama's compromise?

Democrats have the votes to block the president's compromise with Republicans on extending the Bush tax cuts. But many might have to accept that with Republicans set to gain more power in Congress next year, this is the best deal they're likely to get.
Sarah Palin versus Republican 'blue bloods'

Is the establishment GOP ganging up on Sarah Palin? In the ongoing drama that is Palin’s political reality show, score this past week “Blue bloods 3, Palin zip.”