Anderson Cooper Attacked in Egypt

CNN's Anderson Cooper escaped serious injury Wednesday when he was attacked by a group of demonstrators in Egypt, which has been plunged into crisis in recent days by political protests.

Cooper, 43, said he and his production crew, reporting from Cairo, were set upon by demonstrators loyal to embattled president Hosni Mubarak. "The attackers pushed and shoved the CNN crew and punched them in the head, he said, but no one was seriously hurt," according to a report on CNN.com.

A colleague, CNN's Steve Brusk, tweeted that Cooper was "punched 10 times in the head" by a "pro-Mubarak mob."

Appearing on CNN's American Morning Wednesday, Cooper looked fine, and the anchor continues to file reports on the unrest in Egypt.

George Clooney Contracts Malaria – and Beats It

George Clooney is known for his practical jokes but a recent bout with a serious illness was no laughing matter.

The actor, 49, contracted Malaria during a trip to Africa recently as part of a push for aggressive diplomacy to avoid another potential genocide in the Sudan region. But, his rep says, he's subsequently made a full recovery despite new reports to the contrary.

"George is completely over the Malaria he contracted while in the Sudan during the first week in January," his rep stated to People magazine. "This was his second bout with it. This illustrates how with proper medication, the most lethal condition in Africa, can be reduced to a bad ten days instead of a death sentence."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site, "Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease caused by a parasite that commonly infects a certain type of mosquito which feeds on humans."

The news of his illness broke Thursday via the host of CNN's Piers Morgan Tonight, who Tweeted that Clooney is still fighting the illness: "It's his 2nd bout of malaria. Taking medication but feeling rough," Morgan claimed.

Madonna on Piers Morgan CNN Ban: Who?

Piers Morgan, the British 'America's Got Talent' judge set to replace Larry King on CNN in January, has told Britain's the Daily Express that Madonna is banned from his new program. "She is so boring," Morgan told the newspaper. "She is too vegan for TV. We have Lady Gaga now so Madonna is banned from my show."

Well, it seems the Queen of Pop isn't exactly sweating Morgan's trash talk, as her publicist Liz Rosenberg told PopEater's Rob Shuter, "Madonna doesn't know who Piers Morgan is but she's a big fan of Lady Gaga."

Meow!

The cutting remark came at a party in London, where Morgan was celebrating his new CNN gig. Morgan went on to say that he would prefer to interview President Barack Obama, Mel Gibson and Lindsay Lohan or "whoever is in the news who is relevant and current."

Interestingly, Her Madgesty, whose 2008-09 'Sticky & Sweet' world tour is the top-grossing by a solo artist in music history and who was recently named to Time Magazine's list of the 25 most powerful women of the last century -- one of only two signers on the list (the other is Aretha Franklin) and one of only nine still living -- isn't the only prominent media figure scratching their head over King's replacement.

Back in October, during an interview on 'Larry King Live' to talk about his "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear," 'Daily Show' host Jon Stewart mocked Morgan to a flabbergasted King, saying, "By the way, I think they've [CNN] made a brilliant choice by bringing in a British guy no one's ever heard of. When I'm thinking about floating a sinking ship, what do I want to bring on it: A guy that people are going to tune in and go, 'Who's that, and why is he speaking so funny?'"

Larry King Ending His Show After 25 Years

After 25 years on the air, Larry King says it's time "to hang up my nightly suspenders."

The talk show, 67, host said Tuesday he'll end his run on Larry King Live in the fall but will remain with CNN for occasional specials, "giving me more time for my wife and I to get to the kids' little league games."

"With this chapter closing I'm looking forward to the future and what my next chapter will bring," says King.

A replacement for King's 9:00 pm (ET) slot will be made "in the weeks ahead," according to CNN.

"Larry King defined the art of the television interview," CNN says in a statement. "His candor, curiosity and compassion are legendary, and his ability to interview people from all walks of life – world leaders, celebrities and everyday people – has made him an icon."

King is stepping down during what he's called a "difficult time" in his marriage to Shawn Southwick King, 50.

They were involved in divorce proceedings but reconciled a week later. Then in May, his wife, who has a history of painkiller addiction, was found with empty pill bottles strewn on her bed in a possible suicide attempt.

Piers Morgan to Replace Larry King on Talk Show?

America's Got Talent judge Piers Morgan is reportedly in talks to take over Larry King's talk show.

The veteran broadcaster's program, Larry King Live, has experienced a slump in ratings over the last year and bosses at the CNN network are said to be discussing a replacement for the 76 year old.

And Morgan - who fronts his own series, Piers Morgan's Life Stories, in the U.K. - is reportedly in negotiations to take on the role.

A source tells Britain's Daily Mail, "CNN bosses have been desperately searching for somebody to revamp the show. Larry's ratings are massively down year on year – and Piers is just the man.

"Piers is utterly thrilled by the prospect of the deal and knows that taking over the Larry King show means that something will have to give. America's Got Talent finishes in mid-September, so it seems Larry will be moved to a weekend show then and be ousted from his nightly prime-time slot.

"Piers has discussed it all with Simon Cowell, who gave him his big break on America's Got Talent and Britain's Got Talent, and has his blessing."

Newsman Thomas Roberts Speaks Out About the Catholic Church Abuse Scandals

Former CNN Headline News anchor Thomas Roberts, currently host of The Advocate’s new television newsmagazine, has bravely spoken out in the past about the sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of a priest at his Catholic high school.

Thomas spoke with http://www.gq.com/ The Wire about the Catholic Church and its handling of the abuse scandals that envelope it. Here are some excerpts:

What would you ask Pope Benedict if you had a chance to sit down with him?
I think I would ask why a man in his position doesn’t feel a greater sense of compassion for the victims…why he doesn’t just be like, The buck stops here. This is unacceptable. People are watching and do care about how [the Church] reacts, so I’d think they’d want to act with more swift justice so they can provide the confidence people need to still want to be Catholic.

One of many excuses the Vatican gave in the case of the priest who molested 200 deaf boys was that the incidents exceeded the church’s statute of limitations. As someone who waited almost 20 years to come forward, how do you feel about this? Were you in denial?
Oh, I was in complete denial. I considered myself to be a strong and intelligent person, and to place yourself in the “victim” category is very hard to do. I thought that I had been able to deal with what life had dealt me. Unfortunately, I was wrong. I’m happy that I was able to confront these demons that had been chasing me for a really long time and extinguish them.

So you came out to your family when you were 27. Later, when you were 33 you began opening up about the abuse. Some people see a casual relationship between abuse and sexuality. Did you worry that people would try and draw those lines?
For me these are two very separate, distinct issues, and I don’t want them to ever be confused. No one ever asks a woman who was abused as a young girl if she grew up and decided she was straight. I had the complete love and support of my family though, and that was most important thing.

You can read the complete interview by clicking on this link.

Before You Buy: 12 Things to Know About the iPad

You've seen the television commercials and the product reviews. Well, Apple's iPad has finally arrived!

But maybe, like many gadget lovers, you're still debating whether you really need this new touch-screen computer from Apple.

To help you make sense of the hype, here are answers to 12 common questions about the iPad, from this CNN article.

1. How is the iPad different from a laptop?
The word "laptop" is getting somewhat brushed aside for a truckload of new, confusing categories.

The Apple iPad falls into the slate (some people say tablet) category of portable personal computers, because, unlike a laptop, it doesn't have a hardware keyboard.

Another key difference: To type and to navigate through files and photos on the iPad, you touch its screen in the same way you operate an iPhone or iPod Touch. That's possible on some laptop models, but not many.

2. How is the iPad different from e-readers like the Kindle?
Reading digital books on "e-readers" like the Amazon Kindle is becoming increasingly popular. The iPad acts like an e-reader and like a personal computer, but there are some notable differences between the two.

For one, the iPad has a color display. The Kindle, by contrast, is only black-and-white. Some people think the iPad, partly for this reason, will be popular with students who read textbooks with colorful diagrams. Others say the Kindle's screen, which isn't backlit, will be easier on the eyes over long periods.

There's an aesthetic differen, too: The iPad will display books horizontally, with two pages showing, or vertically, zooming in on a single page of text. The Kindle only works in vertical mode.

Perhaps more importantly, the devices access books from different online bookstores. iPad users buy books from Apple's new digital bookstore, called the iBookstore, which supports an open e-book format called ePub. Kindle users must buy their books from Amazon.com.

3. How much does the iPad cost?
Prices range from $499 to $829. The more expensive versions have more storage space, which means you can put more music and videos on the device.

iPads that connect to the Internet with Wi-Fi only are less expensive than those that can connect through Wi-Fi and through AT&T's mobile Internet network.

4. Do you have to sign-up for an AT&T contract when you buy the iPad?
You don't have to buy an AT&T mobile Internet contract to purchase the iPad.

If you buy a Wi-Fi-only version of the iPad and have a Wi-Fi connection at home, or you want to use the iPad primarily at coffee shops or public places that have wireless Internet connections, then you probably won't have to deal with AT&T at all.

Pricier versions of the iPad are able to connect to AT&T's mobile 3G network, allowing them to browse the Web from many more locations.

Surprisingly, you don't need a contract with AT&T to use this service, either.

Users can pay by the month and cancel at any time without penalty, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said at the iPad unveiling. The unlimited data plan with AT&T costs $29.99 per month.

The Wi-Fi-enabled iPads go on sale on Saturday. The AT&T-enabled iPads will ship in late April, according to the online Apple store.

5. If there's no keyboard, how do you type on the iPad?
Instead of being a piece of plastic with physical keys, the iPad's keyboard is a graphic that pops up on the device's touch-sensitive screen -- an interface that will be familiar to iPhone and iPod Touch users.

iPad users type by touching pictures of keys on the screen. The iPad keyboard is about the same size as the one on your desk, but you can't feel the keys.

When he unveiled the device in January, Jobs said the iPad is "a dream to type on." But some bloggers, including this writer, have complained that the iPad's touch-screen keyboard is difficult to use.

6. What does the iPad do best?
The iPad is designed for consuming various types of media -- reading books, browsing the Web and watching videos, in particular.

It's also marketed as a portable gaming device, and there are hundreds of games for sale in the iPad App Store.

The device doesn't have a DVD player, but you can download videos from Apple, or stream them from the Web.

The iPad is best suited for people who would, say, want to read their e-mail, but wouldn't have to compose lengthy responses.

It's better for a blog reader than a blog writer.

7. Can you create documents, spreadsheets and presentations with the iPad?
Apple created a new suite of "apps" specifically for the iPad. These iWork programs, which cost $9.99 each, let users create documents, edit spreadsheets and create business presentations from the iPad.

It's unclear how easy these programs will be to use. Some reviewers say it's easy enough to compose business documents on the iPad. Others say serious users will need another computer to be productive.

The iPad has a Wi-Fi connection, which, in theory, could be used for printing documents wirelessly through your printer. There is some debate online about what apps will perform this function.

8. Can you view any Web site on the iPad?
A certain format of online video, called Flash, does not play on the Apple iPad.

While there are some workarounds for this, many Web sites are redesigning themselves, using a type of code called HTML5, so they will work on the iPad.

That code allows video display on the device, but you may notice some sites will have holes because the iPad doesn't support Flash video.

9. Will the iPad replace my current computer? Or do you need both?
Some technology writers and critics say the iPad is an all-in-one machine. Others argue that it's more of a portable accessory, and that most computer users need a desktop or laptop computer in addition to an iPad.

What works for you really depends on what you use your computers for. If you spend a lot of time typing or creating things with your computer, it may be easier to use a laptop. If you just want to surf the Web, read books, play games, watch movies or send an occasional short e-mail, the iPad might work.

Apple and others sell keyboards that can be attached to the device in case you need to write a longer e-mail and don't want to fiddle with the touch-screen keyboard.

10. Is the iPad lighter and smaller than other laptops or e-readers?
The iPad will be about a half-inch thick and weigh about 1½ pounds.

Its screen is 9.7 inches across, when measured diagonally.

That's smaller and lighter than some laptops. A 10-inch netbook from Dell is similar in size but weighs about a pound more.

Amazon's Kindle DX is slimmer than the iPad, at only a third of an inch thick, and it weighs slightly less: 1.2 pounds, according to Amazon.

Its screen is the same size as the iPad's, but it doesn't display color.

11. Can you subscribe to newspapers and magazines on the iPad?
Some magazines and newspapers have said they hope the iPad will help save their struggling industries. A number of them have reformatted their publications for the iPad's screen and are offering new digital subscription plans.

The Wall Street Journal, for example, will charge $17.99 per month for an iPad subscription to its newspaper.

12. Are there iPad alternatives?
Apple is not the only computer maker offering a slate device. Some are on the market now and others will come out soon.

HP briefly showed off its slate computer before an audience at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. Dell has announced plans to make a personal computer in the slate category.

[Blogger's Note: So are you purchasing an iPad? Please share your comments with us. I plan to purchase one, however I am waiting for the 3G versions to be released later this month.]

Kathy Griffin Banned from CNN

Following her very controversial F-bomb-dropping New Year's Eve hosting gig, CNN executives have decided Kathy Griffin will NOT be getting a 2011 invite. "She was a total embarrassment to the network that calls themselves 'The Most Trusted Name in News.' Even Anderson (Cooper, her co-host) thinks it's time to say goodbye to Kathy," a CNN insider tells me.

Not only did the potty-mouthed redhead drop the F bomb on live TV, she also made not-so-funny jokes about needing a "bump" of cocaine and asked Cooper if he pleasured himself while looking in the mirror. As sexy as the Silver Fox is ... that's just too much, Kathy.

Even worse than the comedienne's desperate need to shock was the fact that the show was a ratings bomb, as it fell far behind the family-friendly 'Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve' on ABC.

Still, CNN publicist Shimrit Sheetrit tells me: "No decisions have been made yet regarding next year's show."

Playgirl Finalizing Details for Levi Johnston to Pose

CNN's Jeanne Moos reports that Levi Johnston, who is featured in this month's Vanity Fair, is finalizing the details to post nude "or at least semi-nude" in Playgirl. Looks like Johnston is just willing to pose in his undies.

Here's her report:

CNN's Michael Jackson Ghost Video

Is Michael Jackson’s ghost haunting Neverland Ranch? Sunday night on the CNN special “Inside Neverland,” a shadowy figure is seen walking across a room from left to right at the end of a long corridor.

While Larry King interviews Jermaine Jackson – Miko Brando, son of Marlon Brando, and longtime friend of Michael’s, takes the film crew on a tour inside the main house at Neverland.

While inside Jackson’s former bedroom suite, the camera points down a long hallway and a shadowy figure is seen at the far end.

Fans have flooded chat forums insisting the figure was Michael Jackson’s ghost.

We are more inclined to believe someone is walking past a window on the left side, casting the long shadow across the room.

Watch the CNN video below and judge for yourself. Do you think Michael Jackson’s ghost is haunting Neverland?