Mitt Romney to tap Paul Ryan as running mate

Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, a federal budget expert and fiscal conservative, will be Mitt Romney's running mate, a Romney campaign adviser told The Washington Times late Friday night.

U.S. gas prices spike; refinery problems cited

The national average for a gallon of gas at the pump has climbed to $3.67, a rise of 34 cents since July 1. An increase in crude oil prices and problems with refineries and pipelines in the West Coast and Midwest, including a fire in California, are mostly to blame.

Police group backs Allen, credit unions go with Kaine

When groups like Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform endorse a Republican candidate or organizations like the AFL-CIO endorse a Democrat, it generally doesn't rate much more than a raised eyebrow. But U.S. Senate candidates George Allen and Tim Kaine touted endorsements Friday from two groups that don't have quite the ironclad history of toeing the party line in Virginia in recent years.

Analyzing Robert Griffin III's Redskins debut

Here's some thoughts and observations about QB Robert Griffin III's preseason debut, in which he completed 4 of 6 passes for 70 yards, threw for a touchdown and posted a passer rating of 145.8.

Md. Senate approves gambling, pit bull bills

The Senate voted Friday to approve a gambling expansion bill, sending the legislation to the House where floor debate is expected to begin Monday.

Army general becomes first openly gay flag officer

Army Brig. Gen. Tammy Smith on Friday became the first openly gay flag officer in the U.S. military, according to OutServe, an advocacy group for gay service members.

U.S. officials: Al Qaeda gaining foothold in Syria

Al Qaeda has advanced beyond isolated pockets of activity in Syria and now is building a network of well-organized cells, according to U.S. intelligence officials, who fear the terrorists could be on the verge of establishing an Iraq-like foothold that would be hard to defeat if rebels eventually oust President Bashar Assad.

Amish enjoy unexpected boom in numbers

Practitioners of one of America's fastest-growing and dynamic religious communities still get to Sunday services by horse and buggy.

Air Force relieves commander over sex scandal

A widening sex scandal at Lackland Air Force Base has led to the dismissal of the top commander who oversees basic training for every new American airman, officials said Friday.

Hundreds gather for Sikh temple shooting memorial

Hundreds of people streamed into a Wisconsin high school Friday to pay their final respects to six worshippers gunned down by a white supremacist at a Sikh temple in suburban Milwaukee.

London Olympics 2012: U.S. breaks 27-year-old record in women's 4x100

Carmelita Jeter crossed the finish line pointing the baton at the clock showing a world record of 40.82 seconds Friday night as the United States won the women's Olympic 4x100-meter relay for the first time since 1996.

USDA cuts corn outlook as drought takes toll

The government slashed its expectations for U.S. corn and soybean production for the second consecutive month Friday, predicting what could be the lowest average corn yield in more than 15 years as the worst drought in decades scorches major farm states.

China: Politician's wife admitted murdering Brit

The wife of a disgraced top Chinese politician was a depressed woman on medication but a willful murderer who poisoned a British businessman while in fear for her son's life, official media said Friday in what appeared to be a prelude to her conviction and punishment after a seven-hour trial.

AWOL soldier gets life term for Fort Hood plot

Naser Jason Abdo sat alone in court with his hands shackled and a white cloth secured over his mouth and neck. The soldier who went AWOL and plotted to kill other troops outside a Texas Army post remained defiant Friday as he was sentenced to life in prison, not asking for mercy and vowing to never end what he considers his holy war.

New U.S. sanctions on the Assad regime, Hezbollah

The Obama administration set new, largely symbolic, sanctions Friday on Syria's state-run oil company and the Hezbollah militant group, moves designed to underscore Iran's key role in propping up the Syrian regime over the span of its civil war.

U.S. nuns under Vatican rebuke will continue talks

An American nuns group rebuked by the Vatican said Friday it would hold talks with the bishops appointed to overhaul the organization but would not "compromise its mission."

Commentary

HANDRAHAN: Executive branch porn problem

Allen W. Dulles, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) wrote in "The Craft of Intelligence," "sex and hard-headed intelligence operations rarely mix well." Perhaps the boys at the Pentagon need a refresher course.

GRAVES: Obama increases dependency

It's called "mountain pride." For generations, it has pulsed through the bloodstream of just about every resident in the Appalachian hills of North Georgia, the place where I grew up and still call home. Mountain pride is defined by self-reliance.

WOLF: Desperate Democrats reek of fear

In 2006, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez stood before the United Nations and insulted our president: "The devil came here yesterday," Mr. Chavez said of President George W. Bush, "and it smells of sulfur still today."

MILLER: Exploiting gun tragedies

Gun-control advocates have no shame. Before the bodies are buried or families have grieved, political opportunists exploit the tragic murder of innocent people to advance their cases. New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg uses his taxpayer-funded staff to jump all over a shooting anywhere in the country as a hook to call for more restrictions on Second Amendment rights.

EDITORIAL: Obama: Let's take over every industry

First President Obama said "the private sector is doing fine." Then he lectured business owners, "you didn't build that." Now he wants to extend the government's auto-industry takeover across the board. Mr. Obama simply cannot understand how the economy can function without government's firm guiding hand.