What happened to all of Chicago's conventiongoers?
McCormick Place has seen nearly a third of its business vanish this decade, a period that saw two recessions. Attendance at major events in Chicago's main convention center declined from 3 million in 2001 to 2.3 million last year. Las Vegas and Orlando held up somewhat better but likewise have seen attendance fall off since the middle of the decade. But there's a silver lining for Chicago in its loss of two large conventions this month: It shows that the competing cities have space to fill.

Democrats hit magic number to pass health care bill
WASHINGTON -- Democrats have hit the magic number of 60 to move ahead on historic health care legislation.

World's children still fall through the cracks

NEW DELHI -- Arun Kumar was born to disabled parents, beaten by his grandparents, ran away from home, got a job in a garment factory, and all his savings were stolen by the police.

Did Daley's jab at media mean he's ready to leave?
Analysis: Mayor Daley's decision to blame the media for Oprah Winfrey's career-altering choice to pull the plug on her syndicated talk show after her 25th season is preposterous. But it's also incredibly revealing. When the mayor said, "You keep kicking people, and people will leave," he just might have been talking about himself. Daley has been on the warpath about the media in recent months -- to the point of aggressively challenging reporters.
LONELIEST NUMBER? FOR MANY IT'S 25 Oprah's guide to a better life

Mental disorder, catastrophe lead some to kill selves

The apparent suicide of Chicago Public School Board President Michael Scott didn't fit with the man friends and family said they knew.