Except for the inaugural rite for the Obama presidency early this year with Washington hotels expected to cash in on the surge of visitors in the district, the rest of 2009 will likely be bleak for the American hotel industry. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

California State Highway Patrol is searching for a man wanted in connection with a hit-and-run crash on Interstate-5 that killed a woman and her unborn child, and left the woman's husband and daughter injured. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

Authorities have not released the names of eight people killed in a pre-dawn house fire in upstate New York on Sunday that destroyed a two-story house that lacked fire alarms, a ninth victim escaped. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

Former George H.W. Bush on Sunday said he would like to see another son, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, serve in the White House. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

There has been a dramatic rise in number of young Americans who are home schooled, according to the Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

Beginning Feb. 10, all products to be sold in the U.S. for children below 12 must pass toxic tests for lead and phthalates under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. The stringent regulations has caused a stir among retailers, especially used clothes stores, because it may result to thousands of children's clothes being declared unsafe and have to be thrown away. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

President-elect Barack Obama over the weekend lauded the selection of Denver Schools Superintendent Michael Bennet as the replacement of Interior Secretary-designee Ken Salazar in the U.S. Senate. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

A man who stepped out into the street from between parked cars was struck and killed by an out of service bus in the Brooklyn neighborhood of New York City. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

If 2008 was a bad year for the real estate market in the U.S. marked by plummeting home values and record-high foreclosures, 2009 is expected to be the worst year for commercial real estate, according to the Urban Land Institute. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, who was shortlisted to be President-elect Barack Obama's running mate last year, has reportedly been chosen as the next chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

The Minnesota Canvassing Board is expected to name Democratic-Farmer-Labor candidate Al Franken winner of the Senate recount when it certifies results on Monday. But the battle for the nearly 3 million ballots cast in the race between Franken and Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) is far from over as Coleman is expected to go to court. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

A helicopter crashed late Sunday in Terrebonne Parish in southern Louisiana, killing all except one passenger on board. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

An Elizabeth, New Jersey firefighter succumbed to injuries he received from being run over by a fire truck that was backing up to a hydrant. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is under federal grand jury investigation over giving state contracts to a political contributor. He has withdrawn himself from consideration to be the Commerce secretary in the Obama administration. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

Decorative wood panels fell inside a Boston restaurant Saturday night, injuring 11 people. Eight were taken to the hospital, complaining of neck and shoulder pain. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

An Arizona judge ruled a 12-year-old boy was guilty of premeditated murder after he shot his mother eight times following an argument. The boy was tried as a juvenile because mental health experts testified he was abused by his mother. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

Cuban President Raul Castro said he is willing to talk with President-elect Barack Obama when he takes office later this month. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

A 114-year-old Californian woman was named the oldest woman living on Earth after Maria De Jesus of Portugal died Friday, Gerontology Research Group said. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

A 78-year-old widow won a $10M Connecticut Lottery with the tickets bought by his late husband on the day he died. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

The U.S. Coast Guard has called off a search for a Carnival Cruise Line worker who reportedly fell overboard off the Florida coast. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

The U.S. Coast Guard has called off a search for a Carnival Cruise Line worker who reportedly fell overboard off the Florida coast. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

Some nine American Muslim passengers were refused to be boarded by AirTran Airways flight going to Florida at Reagan National Airport on Thursday afternoon, the Council on American-Islamic Relations said. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

Seattle police shot and killed a University of Washington student who was dressed as a World War II-era German Army soldier on New Year's Day. Police say the 22-year-old man refused to drop his vintage rifle affixed with a bayonet. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

Chrysler said it has received $4 billion from the U.S. Treasury Department. The money is part of $17.4 billion in loans promised to Chrysler and General Motors aimed at staving off bankruptcy. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved

The Florida Highway Patrol said thousands of different types of shoes were scattered along the Palmetto Expressway which caused heavy traffic jam during early Friday morning rush hour. Article © AHN - All Rights Reserved