A magnitude-4.4 earthquake rattled residents of southern California early Tuesday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, authorities said. However, police and fire officials said they had received calls from residents awakened by the quake. Its epicenter was 11 miles east-southeast of the Los Angeles Civic Center, the USGS reported. It struck at 4:04 a.m.

"First it was a small one and then a big one," said Chris Curiel, who was working at the Vallejo Mini Market in Whittier, a town near the epicenter. "It felt like the floor was sinking."

He said merchandise on the shelves began shaking, but there was no damage. Because his market is a gas station, earthquakes are a bit more worrisome, he said.

Curiel said he knew immediately an earthquake was happening, and he has felt one before.

Ravi Singh, night shift supervisor at a 7-Eleven in Pico Rivera - the town a mile east-northeast of the epicenter - told CNN he was making coffee when the store's windows started rattling. There was no damage, he said. "Everything is fine."

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Filed under: CNN • Earthquake

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(CNN) - The success of "American Idol" hasn't just been about the singing talent.

As much as viewers tuned in to rally behind their favorite performer, they also came for the chemistry between the judges. That helped elevate the show beyond just a search for America's next music star.

Never has the importance of that dynamic been more evident than in Season Nine, which has plenty of fans sharing a common complaint: "We miss Paula."

"I think the chemistry they had before with the judges is really affecting the show this season," said Lindsay Powers, staff editor with US Weekly and an "Idol" fan.

"What Paula brought to the show was not only someone with a musical background, but also very endearing, compassionate, goofy and funny. Just like people tuned in to see what mean thing Simon would say, they would also tune in to see the whacky thing that Paula was going to say each week."

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Filed under: American Idol • CNN • Paula Abdul

Los Angeles, California (CNN) - Federal authorities have charged a trendy Santa Monica sushi restaurant with serving whale meat - an investigation that was spurred by the team behind the Oscar-winning documentary, "The Cove."

Prosecutors charged Typhoon Restaurant Inc., the parent company of The Hump, and one of its chefs - Kiyoshiro Yamamoto, 45 - with the illegal sale of a marine mammal product for an unauthorized purpose.

While it is considered a delicacy in Japan and some other countries, meat from whale - an endangered species - is illegal to consume in the United States.

The misdemeanor charge carries a federal prison sentence of up to a year and a fine of up to $200,000 for the company, said Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Lawyers for Typhoon could not be reached for comment. But the restaurant told the Los Angeles Times it accepts responsibility and will pay a fine.

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Filed under: CNN

By Ed Hornick, CNN

Washington (CNN) - Retailers open their doors Monday and roll out big sales to entice customers. Government employees - along with kids - have the day off. But do you know why?

If you answered "Presidents Day," you're technically wrong.

The actual federal holiday is called "Washington's Birthday," after the nation's first president, George Washington.

According to the Gregorian calendar, adopted by England and its colonies after Washington was born, his birth date was February 22, 1732. (The Julian calendar has him born on February 11.) He is viewed as one of the greatest presidents in U.S. history and was also much adored during his lifetime.

"In the earlier years, when it was celebrated, it was more than celebrating his birth, it was celebrating what we liked about Washington: He walked away from power, a very poignant lesson for people," said presidential historian Doug Wead.

It wasn't until 1885, though, that February 22 became designated a federal holiday to honor Washington.

Presidential historian C.L. Arbelbide wrote in a 2004 article in the National Archives publication "Prologue" that succeeding generations found "significant ways to periodically resurrect his memory," as evidenced by the laying of the Washington Monument's cornerstone in 1848.

"The numerous tributes continued to reaffirm George Washington's place as the original 'American Idol,' " Arbelbide wrote in the article titled "By George, IT IS Washington's Birthday!"

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Filed under: CNN • White House

By Lisa Respers France

Programming Note: Watch "Hope for Haiti" starting at 8pmET tonight on CNN, CNN Live and on the CNN iPhone application.

(CNN) - If you're looking to watch "Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief" on Friday night, you won't have any trouble finding it.

The two-hour, star-studded telethon is set to be one of the most widely distributed prime-time televised benefits in history, appearing simultaneously on more than 25 networks - including CNN, where Anderson Cooper will report live from Haiti during the event.

The show will also be available on CNN.com/Live and the CNN iPhone application. Other networks airing "Hope for Haiti" include ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, BET, The CW, HBO, MTV, VH1 and CMT. The show will even air on the Discovery's eco-lifestyle television network, Planet Green.

MTV is presenting the benefit, which will be helmed by Oscar-winning actor George Clooney in Los Angeles, California, and musician Wyclef Jean from New York. CNN's Anderson Cooper will report live from Haiti.

Plenty of entertainers have joined the roster to raise awareness about the earthquake in Haiti that has left tens of thousands dead and many more homeless and injured.

Some of the big name performers scheduled to appear include Beyoncé, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Shakira, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Dave Matthews, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, Rihanna and Taylor Swift.

Will Smith, Ben Stiller, Brad Pitt, Robert Pattinson, Muhammad Ali, Meryl Streep and former president Bill Clinton are just a smattering of names of some of the other celebs who are set to make an appearance.

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Filed under: Celebrity News • CNN • Haiti Earthquake

By Lynn Sweet via Chicago Sun-Times

WASHINGTON — Chicago Sun-Times columnist Robert Novak, one of the nation's most influential journalists, who relished his "Prince of Darkness" public persona, died at home here early Tuesday after a battle with brain cancer.

"He was someone who loved being a journalist, loved journalism and loved his country and loved his family," Novak's wife Geraldine told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Novak was remembered by White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel as "a good friend and a fine reporter. We spent many hours talking about the ins and out of Washington and Chicago politics together, and I will miss his friendship greatly."

Former Commerce Secretary William Daley was also a friend of Novak. Daley told the Sun-Times, "Bob was a proud Illinoisan proud of his Joliet upbringing and the university which he graduated.

"He was a tough reporter who was a conservative who believed in reporting and analyzing the politicians and what they said. He loved the Sun-Times, with lots of friends there. Even though he had a rough reputation, he cared deeply about people who were not the powerful. His sources were a multitude of people from every political persuasion. I was proud to be one of them."

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Filed under: CNN

The scene was more reminiscent of a Hollywood production than an elaborate prank by the Punk'd-master himself.

Ashton Kutcher, along with his wife, Demi Moore, dropped by Atlanta, Georgia's CNN Center on Wednesday to fulfill his promise to "ding-dong-ditch" CNN founder Ted Turner's house after winning last April's race to attract 1 million followers on the micro-blogging site Twitter.

With the precision of a Hollywood director, Kutcher barked into his two-way radio as his light and sound crews followed with the Twitter entourage hot on their heels and an Internet audience watching on Ustream.

Moments after Kutcher yelled "lights" into his two-way, his crew unfurled a banner with his Twitter name, aplusk, over the CNN's neon logo on the building.

See the video HERE

Filed under: CNN • Entertainment • Larry King Live

Filed under: CNN • Larry King Live • Obama

COMING UP TONIGHT ON LARRY KING LIVE, IT'S THE ALWAYS OUTSPOKEN MICHAEL MOORE. WE'LL GET HIS THOUGHTS ON THE REMAINING DAYS UNTIL THE ELECTION. WHAT'S HIS TAKE ON SARAH PALIN'S $150,000 WARDROBE? PLUS, DOES HE THINK OBAMA'S CAMP IS A LITTLE OVER CONFIDENT? HOT SPORTS OPINIONS SURE TO BE ENTERTAINING WITH MICHAEL AND ME!

WE'LL ALSO EVEN THINGS OUT WITH CONSERVATIVE TALK SHOW HOSTS JOE "PAGS" PAGLIARULO AND MICHAEL MEDVED. MEDVED WILL HIT THE TRAIL WITH JOHN MCCAIN NEXT WEEK, SO YOU'LL NEED TO TUNE IN TO HEAR WHAT STRATEGY MCCAIN WILL TAKE IN THE FINAL HOURS BEFORE THE ELECTION.

ALL OF THESE GUESTS ARE OPEN TO YOUR QUESTIONS...IN FACT THEY WELCOME THEM. LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK SO WE CAN USE IT DURING THE SHOW!
PS: MICHAEL MEDVED WILL ALSO BE BLOGGING WITH US TONIGHT. SO IT'S AN ACTION PACKED NIGHT ON LARRY KING LIVE & HERE AT THE LKL BLOG!

SEE YOU AT 9

~ LARRY

Filed under: CNN • Larry King Live • Politics

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/10/13/art.sheryl.crow.jpg caption="Singer Sheryl Crow says Barack Obama's, 'lofty ideals and inspiring calls to action resonated with all of us.' "]

By Sheryl Crow
Guest Commentary

This will be, without a doubt, the most important election in our lifetime.

It is with conviction that I say that we are standing, as a nation, on the precipice of real change or a continuation of the same policies that have become so familiar. We will be forced to redefine who we are as Americans, to ourselves and to the rest of the world, by who we elect to lead us in the future.

As I watch John McCain losing his way on the path to the presidency, I am reminded of how quickly we can all lose our vision when fear steps in. I remember in 2000, when running against George W. Bush for the Republican nomination, how nasty and personal the campaign against Sen. McCain became. I recall how McCain promised he would never let his campaign become dirty but that he would instead stick to the issues. I have no doubt that John McCain is a good man but to watch him sink to the lowest form of campaigning, much in the tradition of Karl Rove's campaign tactics of fear and insinuation, makes me feel sad for him.

Underneath it all, I feel certain he knows he has gone in the opposite direction of who he planned on portraying himself to be, before his numbers started plummeting. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: CNN • Larry King Live • Obama • Politics