President Obama cracks jokes at elite Alfalfa Club dinner
Well, look who decided to come around! President Obama, whose White House years have been marked by a careful avoidance of so many black-tie Beltway traditions, attended the most elite of them all, the annual Alfalfa Club dinner, on Saturday. Why? In hismore
Leading in Florida, Romney refocuses on Obama and future contests; Gingrich vows long fight
MIAMI Mitt Romney strode into the final 48 hours of the pivotal Florida Republican primary campaign with the confidence of a resurgent front-runner, predicting hell win in Tuesdays voting while looking ahead to future contests. His main rival Newtmore
Oakland police, Occupy protesters clash
Are the Occupy protests taking place where you live? . (CNN) -- Occupy activists broke into Oakland City Hall, damaging displays and burning an American flag, the culmination of protests Saturday that saw police and protesters trade allegations over whomore
Thousands take polar bear plunge in Chesapeake Bay
ANNAPOLIS, Md.Thousands of people clad in bathing trunks, bikinis and even some woolly winter hats have taken the Polar Bear Plunge into the Chesapeake Bay for charity.The surging mass of bathers whooped and hollered as they dashed into the chill wintermore
Observing social change, in Houston and Karachi
Houston Chronicle Copyright 2012 Houston Chronicle. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 08:31 p.m., Friday, January 27, 2012 Houston writer Sehba Sarwar recently returned tomore
U.S. gun laws downright insane
So it was painful to watch last week as the will of the people was overturned and one of Arizona's duly elected representatives was forced from office. It wasn't a recall vote or scandal that did it. No, the people's will was overturned by a gun. After amore
Police: 4 die when driver goes wrong way on US Route 50 near Annapolis
CROFTON, Md. Maryland State Police say four people have died after a driver apparently went the wrong way on U.S. Route 50 between Washington and Annapolis and collided with another car. Police say the crash happened at around 3:30 a.m. Saturday on Routemore
St. Louis parade on Iraq War's end draws thousands
ST. LOUISLooking around at the tens of thousands of people waving American flags and cheering, Army Maj. Rich Radford was moved that so many braved a cold January wind Saturday in St. Louis to honor people like him: Iraq War veterans.The parade, bornemore
Army?s advocate general
?I have felt for the longest period of time that on a nonlinear battlefield there are no safe jobs,? he said. ?Everyone is in a situation where they are, in fact, in harm?s way.? Chiarelli insisted that the Army should set clear physicalmore
Dozens arrested at Occupy Oakland; protesters break into City Hall
OAKLAND -- Dozens of people were arrested in downtown Oakland skirmishes on Saturday, as an estimated 2,000 Occupy protesters tried to take over the grounds a vacant convention center, then broke into City Hall. Police used tear gas and "flash" grenadesmore
2 Houston-area pilots in limbo amid rumors of DEA plot
Houston Chronicle Copyright 2012 Houston Chronicle. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 10:04 p.m., Saturday, January 28, 2012 A ranking California congressman contends twomore
GPS Devices Are Being Used to Track Cars and Errant Spouses
Yasir Afifi of San Jose, Calif., showing where he found a GPS device the police had put on his car.more
Officer shot, killed by fellow police in Calif.
To: Invalid E-mail address Add a personal message:(80 character limit) Your E-mail: Invalid E-mail address Sending your article Your article has been sent. SANTA MARIA, Calif.?A police officer under investigation for sexual misconduct with a minor wasmore
Houston Auto Show visitors look to cut costs
Houston Chronicle Copyright 2012 Houston Chronicle. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 09:09 p.m., Saturday, January 28, 2012 Vehicles' cost-saving features try to luremore
Houston auto show visitors want to cut costs
Warren Clifford walked circles around the new 2012 GMC Yukon with his three children at the Houston Auto Show on Saturday. He checked out the features on the dashboard while the kids climbed into the backseat.Clifford, 42, said he's in the market for amore
Oakland police use tear gas on Occupy protesters
Oakland police used tear gas and "flash" grenades Saturday to break up an estimated 2,000 Occupy protesters after some demonstrators started throwing objects at officers and tearing down fencing. There were at least 10 arrests, but no reports of seriousmore
Yemeni Leader Arrives in U.S. for Treatment
President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who left Yemen last week to seek medical treatment for injuries sustained when the presidential palace was bombed in June, arrived Saturday night, Yemeni officials said.more
New Report by Agency Lowers Estimates of Natural Gas in U.S.
The Energy Information Administration estimated that there are 482 trillion cubic feet of shale gas in the United States, down from the 2011 estimate of 827 trillion cubic feet.more
Davis-White win dance title at US championships
Decrease text size Increase text size When Meryl Davis and Charlie White are around, everyone else is fighting for second place. The world champions left no doubt they are the gold standard in ice dance these days, routing the competition on their waymore
In Tucson, Finding a Game to Replace Spring Training
TUCSON The last few years have not been kind to the Old Pueblo, as this city is known. The collapse of the housing market sapped its growth. Boycotts over the states immigration policies kept tourists away. The shooting of Representative Gabriellemore
New look at evidence OK'd in fatal 1989 Pa. fire
PHILADELPHIAA federal appeals court has granted another look at the evidence in the case of a man convicted of killing his daughter in what authorities alleged was an arson fire two decades ago in eastern Pennsylvania. Defense attorneys and some arsonmore
Suit claims Silicon Valley anti-poaching scheme
SAN JOSE, Calif.In Silicon Valley's white-hot competition for tech talent, programmers can face a daily barrage of calls from recruiters seeking to woo them to rival companies with offers of better pay and perks.But workers for some of the biggest namesmore
Navy wants commando ?mother ship? in Middle East
Special Operations forces are a key part of the Obama administration?s strategy to make the military leaner and more agile as the Pentagon confronts at least $487 billion in spending cuts over the next decade. Lt. Cmdr. Mike Kafka, a spokesman for themore
Apple chips at Microsoft in offices
Microsoft's corporate Windows business is losing ground to Apple. Apple is hiring sales executives across the to get more of its products into Fortune 1000 companies. Microsoft has traditionally dominated the corporate workplace and more than 85% ofmore
Mitt Romney would rank among richest U.S. presidents ever
Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney listens during a roundtable discussion about housing issues in Tampa, Florida January 23, 2012. Just how rich is Mitt Romney? Add up the wealth of the last eight presidents,more
Obama taps Boston native to lead Southern Command
BOSTONPresident Barack Obama has nominated a U.S. Marine general from Boston to be the next commander of the military's Southern Command.Lt. Gen. John Kelly appointment to the Miami-based position is subject to Senate confirmation. If promoted to themore
At Romney Rally, Actor Assails Obama's Path to 'Socialism'
Up first up was Jon Voight, the actor perhaps best known for being the father of Angelina Jolie (and also known for supporting various Republican candidates and conservative causes). Mr. Romney said that when he first spoke to Mr. Voight on the phone, hemore