The nation's largest fireworks display exploded in a spectrum of color over the East River, temporarily stealing the spotlight from New York's world-famous skyline and helping to create a brilliant end to a day of July Fourth celebrations nationwide.

He had to go into overtime to do it, but American Joey Chestnut held onto his mustard yellow belt and the title of Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Champion for 2008 by narrowly defeating his arch-rival Takeru Kobayashi Friday at Coney Island, N.Y.

More than a dozen drivers trying to bring fireworks into Illinois were caught in a crackdown on Friday at the border. As Dane Placko reports, it's part of an annual sting operation by Burnham police to try to stem the tide of illegal fireworks flowing over the border.

If you're hitting the road for the holiday weekend, you can't avoid higher gas prices. Governor Blagojevich says the state will make sure that prices at the pump are fair. Darlene Hill has more on how a state inspection team is making sure you get what you pay for.

So many booths, so many treats, so little time. With just three days remaining at the Taste of Chicago, you might want to make the most of your taste buds. Mark Saxenmeyer takes us to Chicago’s favorite taste sensations.

A south Georgia teenager is charged with child cruelty after an online video showed a young man launching a baby several feet across a room.

Democrat Barack Obama struggled Thursday to explain how his upcoming trip to Iraq might refine, but not basically alter, his promise to quickly remove U.S. combat troops from the war. A dustup over war policy -- one of the main issues separating the Illinois senator from his Republican opponent, John McCain -- overshadowed Obama's town-hall meeting here with veterans to talk about patriotism and his plans to care for them.

The so-called "pregnant man" gave birth Thursday to a healthy girl, according to various reports. Thomas Beatie went into labor on Monday and checked into the hospital in Bend, Ore. under a fake name, according to TMZ.com. Beatie is a transgender man with female reproductive organs.

President Bush will attend the opening ceremonies of Olympics in Beijing. While there was no question Bush would attend the Olympic games in August, the president's plans for the opening ceremonies had not been confirmed until now.

Fireworks at Thunder on the Mountain in Birmingham, Ala.

At least one gunman fired into a crowd of more than 100 people partying in the street early Friday, killing four of them, police said.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama celebrated the Fourth of July with his family in Montana. Cheers greeted Obama, his wife, Michelle, and their two daughters as they arrived to watch the town parade. The crowd also broke into song, singing a rendition of "Happy Birthday" for Obama's oldest daughter, Malia, who turned 10 on Friday.

There’s an outpouring of grief and frustration from friends and colleagues of the slain officer. After 27 years on the beat, Officer Francis was a well-known and well-liked figure in the police department. Dane Placko reports from the scene of the shooting.

Students in the tiny west-central Minnesota school district of MACCRAY will get an extra day off - but have longer school days - this fall after the state Education Department gave the district permission for a four-day week.