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Margaret Thatcher: From Grantham to the Falklands

Margaret Thatcher is portrayed as "a woman of beliefs" rather than a generator of ideas in this first volume of her authorized biography.

Don't overlook the ordinary

The humble petunia is extraordinary for its variety and ease of cultivation.

Reader recommendation: No Great Mischief

Monitor readers share their favorite book picks.

Exclusive: Iran's frontrunner for president speaks of his life battling US power

Saeed Jalili, Iran's top nuclear negotiator, has declared his candidacy for the June 14 presidential election. The forever revolutionary is fiercely loyal to hardliner Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Los Angeles votes in mayor's race without a clear front-runner

The candidates in the Los Angeles mayor's race are both Democrats and have struggled to differentiate themselves. On Election Day, it's not at all clear which one might win.

Dog found, on live TV, in tornado rubble (+video)

Dog found on live TV: A 45-year resident of Moore, Okla., thought she'd lost her dog in the tornado. But on live TV, her dog was found in the rubble of her home.

Oklahoma City tornado: more ways to help

A massive tornado tore through parts of the Oklahoma City area May 19, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. Here are some of the ways you can help.

ESPN layoffs: Trying to 'manage costs,' cable sports giant cuts jobs

ESPN layoffs: An unspecified number of staffers at the Bristol, Connecticut-based cable sports network are expected to be let go. The ESPN layoffs are the latest in the Disney entertainment family.

Does a new J.D. Salinger documentary contain 'revelations' about the author?

Harvey Weinstein, whose company is distributing the documentary 'Salinger,' hinted at great secrets in the new movie, but Salinger's son Matthew is disparaging of the film.

Bernard Waber, author of 'Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile,' dies at 91

Bernard Waber enjoyed a long career in children's books. His works included 'The House on East 88^th Street' and 'Courage.'

East Rutherford Sinkhole? How a forklift saved a man.

East Rutherford Sinkhole? A forklift worker narrowly escaped serious injury after a warehouse floor collapsed in East Rutherford, N.J.

IRS deliberately harassed conservatives, majority say in poll

A new poll on the IRS scandal also finds that those who say the Obama administration is trying to conceal information outnumber those who say it's forthcoming. The tea party, meanwhile, is enjoying a 'bump.'

How monetary inflation leads to consumer price inflation

The most important factor determining whether or not monetary inflation will mainly cause consumer price inflation or asset price inflation is simply what the early receivers of newly created money choose to do with them, Karlsson writes.

Burmese optimistic after historic White House visit

Burmese are celebrating an end to their long international isolation with the first state visit to the US by a Myanmar president in almost 50 years.

Google, Apple draw transatlantic ire over 'double Irish' tax haven

Big technology companies like Apple and Google are feeling heat on both sides of the Atlantic over their use of Irish corporate-friendly tax policies to pay little, if any tax.

Oklahoma tornado: How accurate were predictions?

The devastation that the tornado wreaked on Moore, Okla., highlights both the progress forecasters have made and the remaining challenges they face in predicting such events.

Russian confidence growing in its vision for ending Syrian war

Russia's new tone of leadership on Syria is driven by momentum on the battlefield for Bashir al-Assad's forces.

Facebook waning, social media may have plateaued among teens, Pew study says

A huge update on our knowledge of teens and social media was released by Pew Research Center today. It's findings include some surprising info: Facebook use among teens is waning, teens do, in fact, value their privacy online, and a majority have friended their parents.

After Oklahoma tornado: Five steps to prepare for a natural disaster

In the wake of the May 20 tornado in Moore, Okla., it's important to review how best to be prepared for a natural disaster. Here are five action steps for personal preparedness from the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.

Miguel Schiappapietra, LAPD officer, arrested for lewd acts on children

Los Angeles police Det. Gus Villanueva says Schiappapietra has been with the department for six years. He will remain on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the sheriff's criminal investigation.

Oklahoma tornado: Obama pledges speedy aid, prayers, as wrangling begins

Washington's response to a devastating tornado that hit Oklahoma includes speedy help, statements of support ... and political wrangling among Republicans about how to pay for relief aid.

Why Rand Paul thinks Senate is 'bullying' Apple Inc.

Senators who convened a hearing Tuesday say Apple uses a 'scheme' to avoid paying its full share of US taxes. Sen. Rand Paul disagrees and called the hearing a 'theater of the absurd.'

What does Yahoo want with Tumblr?

Yahoo has confirmed that it will acquire Tumblr for $1.1 billion – most of which will be paid in cash.

Summer school: Free online educational activities for students and adults

Online you will find a wealth of websites to help your kids, or yourself, learn materials from the least to most complex. Think there's no substitution for face-to-face learning? One woman's goddaughter passed college level chemistry, and you could too.

Hey, Congress: It's comprehensive immigration reform or nothing

Some members of Congress argue that the Senate immigration reform bill should be broken up and considered piecemeal. But only comprehensive legislation will pull together the strange-bedfellow coalition necessary to secure enough votes to pass both the House and Senate.

Foster mom in Conn. pleaded guilty to using wooden spoon on child

A Connecticut foster mom pleaded guilty Monday to paddling a 4-year-old with a wooden spoon in January. The mother faces 100 days in prison.

Kate Hudson will star in Zach Braff's film 'Wish I Was Here,' according to reports

Kate Hudson will reportedly star in Zach Braff's movie 'Wish I Was Here,' which he is partially funding via the website Kickstarter. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Kate Hudson will play Zach Braff's wife.

'Stop and frisk': 7 questions about New York's controversial policing tactic

A federal class-action lawsuit regarding the New York Police Department’s stop-and-frisk program has raised questions about the controversial practice made legal under a 1968 US Supreme Court ruling. Closing arguments in the trial were May 20, with the judge expected to rule in several months.

Proponents call it the most effective policing tactic to date, while opponents say it illegally targets minorities and is indiscriminate and discriminatory. But what is it and does it work?

Americans should remember: Politicizing the IRS is a bipartisan tradition

Democrats and Republicans alike have tried to use the Internal Revenue Service to serve their own political ends. The real question, as William F. Buckley foresaw, is whether the IRS can render its judgments with justice. Both parties should join hands to ensure that it does.

Oklahoma tornadoes: how you can help (+video)

The American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and United Way are among organizations accepting donations to help those affected by tornadoes in Moore, Okla., and nearby areas.

What tornado-hit cities like Moore have learned

The tornado that hit the Oklahoma city of Moore – its fourth in 15 years – brought destruction but also brought out well-learned examples of resiliency, hope, and calm.

Golf rules bodies outlaw anchored putting stroke, beginning in 2016

The US Golf Association, along with Britain's Royal & Ancient Golf Club, approved a rule that prohibits the use of a putting stroke that uses the body as a anchor.

One man's escape from Camp 14 and North Korea

Only one prisoner born in North Korea's gulag is known to have escaped to tell his story. A Q&A with Blaine Harden, the journalist who wrote about Shin Dong-hyuk.

Guatemalan court hits rewind button on Rios Montt's genocide conviction

Guatemala's Constitutional Court overturned former dictator Gen. Efrain Rios Montt's genocide conviction – seen as a landmark human rights ruling – and called for a re-do of closing arguments.

CBS pulls tornado episode of 'Mike & Molly' after Okla. storms (+video)

CBS pulls tornado episode: The network said it replaced the comedy with a rerun on Monday out of sensitivity to victims of the deadly tornado in Oklahoma.

North Korea's hidden labor camps exposed

A new UN panel is vowing to hold North Korea's Kim regime to 'full accountability' for decades of mass crime and murder. Will Pyongyang face ICC indictment?

New Jersey sinkhole or forgotten basement? Hole develops in warehouse floor

New Jersey sinkhole? A hole opened up in the floor of a N.J. warehouse Monday. The driver of a forklift escaped serious injury in the apparent New Jersey sinkhole.

Chelsea Flower Show includes gnomes this year

A traditional no-no, gnomes will be welcomed -- this year only -- at England's famous Chelsea Flower Show.

Rosie Pope, the Martha Stewart of maternity, helps navigate baby gear

As Rachel Ray is to cooking and Rachel Zoe is to style, Rosie Pope hopes to be to motherhood. And, as the overwhelmed faces on the moms-to-be at the New York Baby Show this past weekend seem to point out, the industry is asking for a guru.

Tumblr CEO: To drop out or stay in school, that is the question for wunderkinds

Tumblr, engineered by computer science wunderkind and high school dropout David Karp, was just purchased by Yahoo for more than a billion dollars. Should gifted youngsters end their education early or would they do better by staying in school?