A superb free-kick from Cristiano Ronaldo gave Manchester United a 2-1 home win over Blackburn to move them eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table. United's record-breaking run of clean sheets came to an end at Old Trafford, but Ronaldo's moment ensured Sir Alex Ferguson's side remain well on course to lift their third successive title. United took a 23rd minute lead when Wayne Rooney celebrated his first start since returning from a hamstring injury, ...

One major contender's chances at Oscar gold may be damaged due to its sensitive subject matter. LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- One major contender's chances at Oscar gold may be damaged due to its sensitive subject matter. "The Reader," which is up for five Oscars -- including best actress (for star Kate Winslet) and best picture -- is being slammed by "Explaining Hitler" author Ron Rosenbaum, who's asked Academy members to shun the post-World War II drama because the film ...

Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu was chosen Friday to form Israel's next government, Israeli President Shimon Peres' office said. The decision comes after Avigdor Lieberman, head of the right-wing Yisrael Beytenu party, said he would recommend Netanyahu for the post, but only if he promises to form a "broad-based" coalition government. In last week's parliamentary elections, no single party won the minimum 61 seats needed to form a government. That means a government of two or more parties is virtually ...

Racist, unfunny, hilarious, confusing, lame. Reactions are as varied as they are strong to Tuesday's New York Post cartoon that depicted the police shooting of a chimpanzee. Two police officers, one with a smoking gun, are near the chimp's bullet-pierced body. "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill," one officer says. The Post's Sean Delonas used a typical editorial cartoon trope of linking two current news stories: the shooting of a chimp after it mauled ...

Missouri Rep. Roy Blunt Thursday announced his intention to run for a seat in the U.S. Senate, a move that sets up what is likely to be a showdown between two prominent families in one of the country's most politically divided states. Making the official announcement in St. Louis, Missouri, the former House Republican whip indicated he would run on a platform of keeping Democratic control of both Congress and the White House in check. "Common sense and open debate ...

A New York Post cartoon Wednesday drew fire from civil rights activist Al Sharpton and others who say the drawing invokes historically racist images in suggesting an ape wrote President Barack Obama's economic stimulus package. The artist, Sean Delonas, called Sharpton's reaction "ridiculous," and the newspaper defended its decision to run his cartoon. But other African-American leaders joined Sharpton, who has been the butt of previous Delonas panels, in attacking what they called the cartoon's racial overtones. "Sean Delonas' cartoon ...

A scene of devastation emerged Wednesday as circling helicopters broadcast images of housing developments smashed by tornadoes and severe storms that killed at least eight people in south-central Oklahoma Tuesday. Storms ripped roofs off several homes and left twisted metal and other debris scattered across the area. Firefighters and emergency personnel were working with distressed residents. "It just happened really quickly. The sky darkened up and turned really, really green," truck driver Bruce Mundy told CNN from a ...

The severe storms that uprooted trees, demolished homes and killed at least eight people in central Oklahoma on Tuesday are expected to weaken Wednesday, authorities said. A tornado watch that was in effect early Wednesday for central Oklahoma was lifted, the National Weather Service said. That was good news for people in the city of Lone Grove, who were dealing with extensive damage from the deadly storms that hit the area. Lone Grove, near the Texas ...

Barcelona continued their march towards the Spanish Primera Liga title as Samuel Eto'o scored twice in their 3-1 home victory over Sporting Gijon -- a result that moves them once again 12 points clear of second-placed Real Madrid at the top of the table. Eto'o scored his opener in the 23rd minute when he tapped home Thierry Henry's cross, after Andres Iniesta had carried the ball with pace from his own half. The Cameroon striker added his 21st goal of ...

When U.S.-led forces toppled the Taliban after the 9/11 attacks, then-President Bush said the goal in Afghanistan was "to build a flourishing democracy as an alternative to a hateful ideology." Seven years, billions of dollars and hundreds of U.S. casualties later, the goals are more pragmatic and modest. The Obama administration's new special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, offered an understatement at the ceremony naming him to the post, telling the audience, "Nobody can say the war in ...