Democratic officials say Barack Obama has begun a top-secret search for a running mate. Democratic officials said Thursday the party's likely nominee has asked former Fannie Mae CEO Jim Johnson to begin vetting potential vice presidential picks. Johnson did the

A wind-whipped wildfire burning out of control in central Californiamountains destroyed buildings and threatened several rural homesThursday morning, closing schools and prompting some evacuations.

Flight delays are enough of a headache. Now Congress is saying thatgetting stuck in airports and on runways is a "$41 billion punch in thegut."

Appeals court rules Texas had no right to seize hundreds of children from polygamous sect.

Pfizer Inc.'s once promising anti-smoking drug Chantix received anotherblow Wednesday after a nonprofit group's report about serious physicalside effects prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to ban thedrug's use by pilots and air traffic controllers.

The military cannot automatically discharge people because they're gay, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday in the case of a decorated flight nurse who sued the Air Force over her dismissal.

Randy Acord

The "Big One," as earthquake scientists imagine it in a detailed, first-of-its-kind script, unzips California's mighty San Andreas Fault north of the Mexican border. In less than two minutes, Los Angeles and its sprawling suburbs are shaking like a bowl

President Bush announced Wednesday that Americans soon will be allowedto send cell phones to Cubans - a move that he hopes will push thecommunist regime to increase freedom of expression for Cuban citizens.

As the price of crude set another record in the trading pits,executives of the major oil companies were raked over the coals againin Congress, reports CBS News Business correspondent Anthony Mason.

Child Protective Services workers returned to the west Texas ranch of apolygamist sect Wednesday in search of children they believe might havearrived since more than 460 others were seized in a raid last month.

American Airlines will start charging $15 for the first checked bag,cut domestic flights and lay off possibly thousands of workers as itgrapples with record-high fuel prices.

Barack Obama criticized his likely general election rival John McCain on Wednesday where it could hurt most — the Arizona senator's reputation as a champion of ethics. Hillary Rodham Clinton, meanwhile, raised the possibility she might carry her fight to

The House has overridden President Bush's veto of a $290 billion farm bill and senators soon may follow suit. It was only hours before the House's 316-108 vote Wednesday that Bush had vetoed the five-year measure. He said it was

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Myanmar Thursday on thediplomatic mission of a lifetime -- persuading the ruling generals tolet in a torrent of foreign assistance for millions of cyclone victims.

The Senate plans to vote Thursday on providing $165 billion to fundPentagon operations in Iraq and Afghanistan until the newadministration takes over next year.

The Memorial Day guest list at Sen. John McCain's Arizona home runs toat least three Republicans mentioned as vice presidential runningmates, but a top aide said Wednesday that vetting possible veeps is noton the agenda.