Boko Haram says will "devour" Nigeria president

KANO, Nigeria (Reuters) - Nigerian Islamist sect Boko Haram intends to bring down the government and "devour" President Goodluck Jonathan within three months, its purported leader said in his second al Qaeda-style video posted on the Internet on Thursday. The 14-minute video of Abubakar Shekau seen on YouTube belittled Jonathan for saying two weeks ago that the security situation would be under control by the middle of this year. ...

J.K. Rowling's next book: 'The Casual Vacancy'

It may lack wizards and witches, but J.K. Rowling and her publisher are hoping her first novel for adults, "The Casual Vacancy," will have the magic touch.

William and Harry top list of boys' names in 2011

William and Harry topped the list of babies' names in The Times birth announcements this year.

Congress' OK of big spending bill shows GOP split (AP)

AP - Congress has sent President Barack Obama a bipartisan spending bill that averts a federal shutdown, but widespread Republican defections underscore rifts between the party's conservatives and pragmatists.

'Potter' class graduates with no child-actor woes (AP)

AP - If the young cast of the "Harry Potter" films received report cards for their school days at Hogwarts, they'd all probably earn the notation, "plays well with others."