WASHINGTON – The United States and Iraq are opening negotiations in Baghdad on a blueprint for a long-term relationship, plus a narrower deal to define the legal basis for a U.S. troop presence, a Pentagon official said Friday. Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said the talks are scheduled to start …

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The space shuttle Endeavour and its crew of seven returned to Earth on Wednesday, making a rare nighttime touchdown to wrap up “a two-week adventure” at the international space station. The shuttle swooped through the darkness and landed on NASA’s illuminated runway at 8:39 p.m., an …

16 people were arrested after a group of student protesters entered a National Guard recruiting office on the University of Minnesota campus on Thursday, according to MyFOXTwinCities.com The group, mostly of students from Macalester College, was there to protest the 5th anniversary of the war in Iraq, according to the …

KABUL, Afghanistan – A homicide car bomber killed a policeman in an attack Tuesday on a government building in eastern Afghanistan, a day after a similar blast left four people including two NATO soldiers dead, officials said. The car bomber tried to ram into the building in the Tani district …

A Georgia man was arrested after he allegedly tried to poison his neighbor’s 4-year-old chocolate Labrador, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Sunday. After searching the Internet, Blake Anderson determined that little green cubes in his backyard — some covered in peanut butter — were likely a type of rat poison. That’s …

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Stuck in fourth with just two laps to go at a track he’d never conquered, Jeff Burton was ready to concede victory. Then teammate Kevin Harvick bumped into Tony Stewart, sending both cars sliding and opening a hole for Burton to squeeze through. It was the break …

LUCKNOW, India – A truck carrying Hindu pilgrims overturned on a northern Indian highway, killing 11 of them and injuring 20, police said Wednesday. The driver, who was among the dead, apparently lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a sharp turn on Tuesday night and hit a wall by …

LOS ANGELES – In “Tropic Thunder,” one of three summer films featuring Robert Downey Jr., the actor appears on screen as a black man. Downey Jr. plays overly committed actor Kirk Lazarus, a white man cast to play a black soldier in the satire of filmmaking. The film also stars …

This is a partial transcript of “The Big Story With John Gibson,” December 16, 2005, that has been edited for clarity. JOHN GIBSON, HOST: President Bush says the latest election in Iraq is a milestone for the Iraqi people and it may also be a milestone for him. After four …

Attention, Parents and Grandparents! I know from your letters that many of you are concerned about the rising cost of college. You’re also confused about the different college savings accounts available — 529 plans, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, UGMAs/UTMAs, trusts, and so forth. Read on about how to receive a …