Top Stories - at CNN.com

Ten years ago, Al Franken wrote a satirical book detailing his fictitious race for the White House. In "'Why Not Me?" Franken trounces former House Speaker Newt Gingrich to win the election, but after countless scandals, a mental breakdown and a cloning incident, President Franken is forced to resign.

The pistol found at the scene of the shooting that killed former NFL quarterback Steve McNair and his girlfriend was purchased by the woman two nights before, police said Monday. McNair, 36, and Sahel Kazemi, 20, were found fatally shot in a condominium in Nashville, Tennessee, on Saturday. McNair was shot twice in the head and twice in the chest, and Kazemi was shot once in the head, authorities said.

Despite efforts to keep people from profiting from Tuesday's public memorial service for Michael Jackson, scalpers online Monday were asking as much as $9,000 per ticket to the free event.

The Michael Jackson memorial service at the Staples Center on Tuesday will be a star-studded affair, with singers Mariah Carey, Usher and Stevie Wonder among the participants, according to an announcement released on behalf of the Jackson family. Also participating will be singers Jennifer Hudson, John Mayer and Smokey Robinson, the family said.

The British are coming, the British are coming -- to Brooklyn? By subway?

Iran's supreme leader blamed enemies and outsiders on Monday for the turmoil that followed last month's presidential elections, according to an Iranian news agency.

Four U.S. soldiers were killed Monday by a roadside bomb in the northern Afghanistan province of Kunduz, the U.S. military in Afghanistan said.

The cars drove up in a steady stream -- some drivers eager with anticipation as they entered and shaking with excitement as they exited. At Dodger Stadium, organizers gave each lottery winner a pair of tickets to Michael Jackson's memorial and wristbands, one of which was placed on their arm to prevent resales. "It's sparkly," said Alex Jugant. "Michael would have liked that."

Nude photos and other potentially objectionable or illegal materials have been showing up in the iPhone application store in recent weeks, raising questions about Apple's ability to control iPhone content.

At least 129 people were dead and more than 800 others injured after weekend violence in China's far west Xinjiang region, the regional public security department said Monday, according to state-run media.

Russian and U.S. nuclear negotiators have completed a joint statement on the framework for a new arms control agreement to replace the 1991 START I agreement which expires December 5.

The world's oldest known Christian Bible goes online Monday -- but the 1,600-year-old text doesn't match the one you'll find in churches today.

Americans talk a good game about wanting to eat well. More than 75 percent claim they want to see more healthy options on restaurant menus. But when it comes time to order, only about half say they actually make nutritious choices, according to a recent survey.

People walked by 12-year-old Yance Phillips as he danced on Hollywood Boulevard on Sunday.

Former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara, architect of the U.S. war in Vietnam under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson, has died at age 93, according to his family. McNamara became a public lightning rod for the war, sometimes dubbed "McNamara's War." He later said both administrations were "terribly wrong" to have pursued military action beyond 1963.

For Shona Holmes, simple pleasures such as playing with her dog or walking in her plush garden are a gift.

Democrats are elated because Sen. Al Franken, former comedian and radio host, is finally coming to town. The gates of political heaven seemed to open when former Sen. Norm Coleman finally conceded.

President Obama arrived in Moscow on Monday for a summit with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev aimed at trying to "reset" the U.S.-Russian relationship. But he also may have a less publicized goal: figuring out who's really in charge here.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon's ruling party was poised to lose legislative seats after preliminary midterm election results released late Sunday showed the Revolutionary Institutional Party (PRI) holding a solid lead.

The FBI gave a rare response to rampant Internet rumors, saying it is not investigating Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on public corruption charges. FBI Special Agent Eric Gonzalez said, "There is just no truth to those rumors out there in the blogosphere."

Deposed Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya landed in El Salvador late Sunday after a failed attempt to return to his homeland.

Iran has released a British embassy staffer, leaving one of the embassy's nine local staff in jail, the Foreign Office in London said Monday.

Astounding. Risky. Quitter. And that's what fellow conservatives had to say Sunday about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her decision to step down with 18 months left in her term.

Will Michael Jackson stop the world? Thousands are expected to swamp Los Angeles, California, to mourn him Tuesday at the Staples Center, and the accompanying media crush will be enormous.

As Michael Jackson fans and the media pour into Los Angeles, California, for what could be the most widely watched memorial of all time, an obvious question remains: Where will he be laid to rest?

A lumbering grey shadow can often catch your eye as you drive along one of Bangkok's most polluted and congested streets, Sukhumvit.

Some Michael Jackson fans got the e-mails they were hoping for Sunday, saying they've won two free tickets to Tuesday's memorial service. Twitter erupted with messages of excitement. "I won the Michael Jackson tickets for Tuesday!!!! Heading to LA tmrw!!!!" read one tweet that linked to a photo of an iPhone screen with the e-mail.

A monorail train at Walt Disney World crashed into the back of another train early today, killing one driver, according to an amusement park spokesman and a witness interviewed by CNN. The witness said one monorail train rammed into the back of a stationary train. According to the witness, a family of six in one train was freed from a damaged car. The witness said the family was shaken but uninjured.