We've seen a lot of minor celebrities go through a period of Internet popularity, but right now we've got one that's pretty odd. We know she's good looking, but what makes CNN Headline News anchor Rudi Bakhtiar the hottest thing in journalism right now?

Bakhtiar's first came to the attention of the viewing public when she was in the Headline News anchor chair live at the moment the September 11 terrorist attacks began. She's also anchored coverage of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and she's currently the lead anchor for Headline News Tonight.

Last September, when we ranked the news personalities with the most searches online, Bakhtiar was a surprise entry in the top ten. But over the past couple weeks, Bakhtiar searches are up 150 percent, and she's now the #1 news personality on the Internet. Why the sudden interest? We're honestly not sure.

Could she be developing a fan base through her appearances on ESPN Radio's national overnight show? Is there a racy photo shoot somewhere out there?

All we know is this woman has fans. This website, for example, refers to Bakhtiar as "The Persian Goddess" and "the best looking newsbabe on cable, hands down." Last week Bakhtiar had more searches than WWE babe Stephanie McMahon or rapper Ja Rule.

TOMORROW: Let's see. Four semi-naked babes, a huge computer virus, a colossal blackout, and that Kobe guy. Who will top the Lycos 50?