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Lance Armstrong doping case closed

Lance Armstrong was gratified to learn that the investigation into his alleged doping has been closed.

How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?

The FBI and Scotland Yard said no systems were breached, which suggests Anonymous might have hacked an e-mail account and stolen information to listen to a conference call.

Can US and Russia cut a deal on Syria action? Both sides to give it a try.

With Russia balking at even a watered down Syria resolution and the Arab League concerned by the UN text's weakening, Hillary Clinton is set to meet with Sergei Lavrov in Germany.

FCC: Chicago station can drop graphic antiabortion ad during Super Bowl

Antiabortion activist Randall Terry, a write-in candidate for president, demanded that a Chicago station run an ad showing aborted fetuses during the Super Bowl. The FCC ruled against him.

What gambling industry money has done on Newt Gingrich's behalf

No single person, outside the candidates themselves, has had more raw impact on the presidential election than casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson, via his donations to a pro-Gingrich 'super PAC.'

New 'Hunger Games' trailer shows more of heroine Katniss's struggle

'Hunger Games' debuts a new trailer ahead of the March 23 opening. This Hunger Games trailer includes more of actor Stanley Tucci as an unctuous interviewer, and Lenny Kravitz as stylist Cinna

Is Mitt Romney the Nevada front-runner? Yes, but . . .

The expectation is that Mitt Romney will win Saturday's Nevada caucuses handily. But where there are high expectations, can disappointment be far behind?

10 sequels based on a classic book

P.D. James' "Death Comes to Pemberley" – set in the fictional world of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" – was a critics' darling and one of 2011's great word-of-mouth literary successes. It was also one more example of a sequel based on an older classic. Many authors have taken a beloved fictional work and written a sequel – or sometimes a prequel – based on their imaginings of what might have happened outside the pages of the original. Some had permission from the author (or more often, the author's estate), and some didn't. Some got great reviews – and some didn't. Here are 10 novels based on famous literary works written by other people.

The Monitor's Weekly News Quiz for Jan. 27-Feb. 3, 2012

How well do you stay up with the news – from the mainstream to the semi-ridiculous? Take our news quiz and find out!

Super Bowl XLVI: Patriots and Giants cap off clamorous NFL campaign

The biggest game in the 2011 NFL season almost didn't happen, due to a players lockout by owners over the summer. Now, it's time to crown a champion.

Jobs report boosts Dow to four-year high

A drop in the unemployment rate to its lowest in three years propelled the Dow Jones industrial average Friday to its highest close since before the 2008 financial crisis. The Dow jumped 156 points to close at 12862.

Roseanne Barr: Is she serious about Green Party presidential bid?

The announcement by Roseanne Barr has given the Green Party the flash of media spotlight it has been lacking as the GOP candidates slog through their primaries.

Gold prices up in uncertain times

Gold prices are heading up again, but why is everything but gold prices going down?

Watching the Super Bowl?

A Christian Science perspective: What watching the Super Bowl might have to do with spirituality.

Blue Marble: The science behind NASA's spectacular Earth images

NASA has released two striking hi-res images of our planet, which the agency has dubbed the 'Blue Marble.' Here is how the photos were captured.

Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO, made $30 million in 2011

Sheryl Sandberg, the No. 2 person at Facebook, pulled in a sterling salary last year. Even Mark Zuckerberg made only a small fraction of Sheryl Sandberg's total 2011 earnings.

Of presidents and prime ministers who talk of faith

Obama in America and Cameron in Britain have spoken of how their Christian faith influences their approach to shaping society. The US presidential campaign is also skirting church-state issues. How much should religion and politics mix?

Long term unemployment still epically distressed

Conditions for the long term unemployed were mixed in January. Comparatively, they're still epically distressed.

Kill List: movie review (+trailer)

British thriller 'Kill List' is not for the squeamish as the ‘surprises’ keep coming.

Does the Milky Way galaxy have an evil twin?

The Hubble Space Telescope has detected a galaxy that is strikingly similar to our own Milky Way, but there's no reason to believe that it's evil.

Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick will write two more books

Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick, who signed a deal with Hyperion for two new books, will release the first this May in e-book form only.

Reader recommendation: Bury Your Dead

Monitor readers share their favorite book picks.

10 things I learned about Walter Payton

As another Super Bowl comes on Sunday, it's a good time to remember one of the football greats. From a moment of showing off that may have cost him college football offers to driving with Paul Newman, here are 10 memorable Payton stories from the new biography 'Sweetness: The Enigmatic Life of Walter Payton' by Jeff Pearlman.

Super Bowl puts spotlight on philanthropist's life

Myra Kraft's good works inspire Patriots football players and the New England region.

Sweetness: The Enigmatic Life of Walter Payton

A thoroughly researched, frank, and deeply engaging biography by Jeff Pearlman sheds new light on the player who was the heart and soul of the Chicago Bears.

Antiabortion activist plans graphic ad for Super Bowl. Can station refuse?

The FCC is expected to rule on whether an NBC affiliate in Chicago must run a graphic ad during the Super Bowl by antiabortion activist Randall Terry, who has declared himself a candidate for president.

Facebook IPO turns graffiti mural into a $200 million payday

David Choe, the artist commissioned to paint a mural in Facebook HQ in 2005, is about to become a very rich man indeed – all thanks to some graffiti murals and the Facebook IPO.

With Gmail Man spoof, Microsoft assails Google privacy policy (+video)

Gmail Man is here, and he's looking at your private messages. Microsoft's new ad takes some humorous jabs at Google's free mail service.

5 top football innovations

Too bad you can't patent a football tactic. If that were the case, the San Francisco 49ers could sue any team that used the "shotgun" formation (see below). But coaches and players can – and do – quickly adopt successful strategies. Among them are the following.

Reports: Iran successfully launches small Earth-watching satellite

Iranian state news reported that the Iranian Space Agency has successfully launched a 110-lb. satellite into orbit Friday, in what is being hailed as a huge achievement for the country's space program.

Facebook on collision course with new EU privacy laws

Proposed EU laws on Internet privacy will target a critical money-maker for Internet companies such as Facebook: their wealth of personal data on users.

The tax system needs a bulldozer

Our tax system is a mess and unless we send a clear signal to Congress to do something about it, it’s just going to get messier and messier.

Top Picks: SiriusXM's 'The Loft,' Maggie Smith on 'Downton Abbey,' and more

Time for Kids' new book shows kids how to solve science mysteries, Karimba's new CD makes listeners want to get up and dance, Andrew Lloyd Webber's classic musical 'Phantom of the Opera' records a performance for its anniversary, and more top picks.

Five ways to preserve family wealth – and unity

Have you ever seen a mansion wasting away? Or a family business close after several generations? For as long as records have been kept, it seems, 9 in 10 families fail to hold onto their assets – and their family unity – for more than three generations. It doesn't have to be that way. There is a formula for sustaining wealth from one generation to the next, and it has little to do with investment strategies or legal structures and everything to do with building family relationships. In our work with The Heritage Institute, which helps successful families pass on their wealth and unity, we have broken down this formula into five essential elements. Whether you're trying to preserve a $50 million estate or a $50,000 inheritance, these five elements can help you build family lasting unity around shared goals:

'Chronicle' is an interesting twist on found-footage movies and superheroes (+trailer)

'Chronicle' stands out from the found-footage crowd with a creative story and a cast of likable actors

Susan G. Komen Foundation relents: Planned Parenthood grants restored (+video)

The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, amid a flurry of controversy, decided to resume grants to Planned Parenthood. Critics say Komen pulled the grants to appease abortion foes.

A banker's punishment: Sir Fred Goodwin is now just Fred

Fred Goodwin, the former head of the Royal Bank of Scotland, was stripped of his knighthood for his role in the bank's 2008 crisis. But it's not clear hefty bonuses will get similar treatment.

Unemployment rate drops to 8.3 percent. Is that a problem for Mitt Romney?

It could become harder for Republicans such as Mitt Romney to blame President Obama for a lack of jobs. In January, the unemployment rate fell to its lowest level since February 2009.

Famine ends in Somalia, as drought looms in West Africa

Aid groups say that improved harvests and food donations have ended risk of starvation, but warn that ongoing war in Somalia could still reverse gains made.

Cleanup coalition in Haiti's largest slum

Haiti's Cité Soleil is the most notorious slum in the Western Hemisphere, but local residents are picking up shovels and brooms to transform their neighborhood.