A new pact that faces final approval from parliament will keep US troops in Iraq for up to three more years. By June 2009 US forces will pull back to major bases.
AP - More residents of Southern California were urged to leave their homes Sunday despite calming winds that allowed a major aerial attack on wildfires that have destroyed hundreds of homes and blanketed the region in smoke.
AP - Iraq's Cabinet overwhelmingly approved a security pact with the United States on Sunday, ending prolonged negotiations to allow American forces to remain for three more years in the country they first occupied in 2003.
AP - Asian stock markets were narrowly mixed Monday as confirmation Japan had slipped into recession emphasized the gloomy outlook for the world economy.
Less than two weeks after the end of their hard-fought campaign battle, President-elect Barack Obama and former GOP candidate John McCain will meet Monday. The meeting comes as Obama continues to build his White House staff, and a day after Republicans offered support for Hillary Clinton as a potential pick for secretary of state.
Space shuttle Endeavour docked today with the international space station, where the shuttle crew will help install more living space. The shuttle and station crews greeted each other with hugs soon after opening their vehicles' hatches. "Welcome to space," said station chief Mike Fincke.
Authorities will search today for victims in the scorched wreckage of 500 Southern California mobile homes that were destroyed by one of the wildfires in the area. In other parts of Southern California, firefighters were hoping strong winds would die down, helping them to quell the fires that have roared through the area.