SEOUL, South Korea – The two Koreas hold talks this week in Seoul in an atmosphere of optimism after North Korean leader Kim Jong II (search) pledged to seek reconciliation and hinted at a return soon to nuclear disarmament negotiations. A high-level North Korean delegation was due to arrive in …

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The annual meeting of Southern Baptist Convention (search) will help kick off what may be the denomination’s most ambitious outreach effort ever — baptizing 1 million new members in a year. Headquartered in Nashville, the 16.3 million-member faith is the second-largest denomination in the United States, behind …

TEHRAN, Iran – Bomb blasts struck Iranian government buildings in the capital of an oil-rich border province, followed within hours by two other bombs in central Tehran, killing a total of nine people days before Iran’s presidential elections. Iran’s security service blamed the bombings — the deadliest in Iran in …

NEW YORK – Stocks rose Monday, helped by a 2 percent gain in investment bank Morgan Stanley after CEO Philip Purcell announced his departure, but oil prices surging above $55 limited any gains. The Dow Jones industrial average (search) finished up 9.93 points, or 0.09 percent, at 10,522.56. The Standard …

WASHINGTON – Top officials failed to properly investigate allegations of a kickback and expense account fraud scheme by Border Patrol (search) agents in an inquiry that appeared to whitewash the potential involvement of higher ups, says a government watchdog agency. The report sent to Congress and President Bush (search) by …

CANTON, Mass. – A family court judge issued an arrest warrant Wednesday for singer Bobby Brown (search) after he failed to appear for a child support hearing. Brown’s local attorney told the judge that the singer became ill and was taken to a hospital in Atlanta, but was unable to …

CANBERRA, Australia – The embassies of the United States and four other countries with troops in Iraq were closed Thursday in the Australian capital after they received envelopes containing white powder, authorities said. The packages also were sent to the embassies of Britain, Japan, Italy and South Korea. Tests showed …

WASHINGTON – The Senate overwhelmingly approved energy legislation embraced by both Republicans and Democrats Tuesday, but hard bargaining looms with House GOP leaders who favor measures more favorable to industry. After finishing most work on the bill late last week, the Senate approved the sweeping legislation 85-12. It includes a …

PARIS – The parent company of Airbus vowed Wednesday to press ahead with development of the mid-sized A350 (search) jet to compete with Boeing Co.’s (BA) 787 Dreamliner, amid a simmering trade dispute over subsidies to the trans-Atlantic rivals. European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. (search) said its board had …

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Four car bombings and other insurgent attacks Monday killed 10 people, and at least 16 Iraqis were wounded after militants opened fire on authorities trying to evacuate the injured from one of the blasts. The new wave of attacks in Baghdad, Samarra and Tikrit came as radical …