WASHINGTON (AP) — Think of the new food pyramid as a symbol — a kind of nutritional Nike swoosh. The triangle-shaped guide for healthy eating has drawn criticism for not spelling out what foods to eat or how much to put on your plate. But it’s not supposed to, the Agriculture Department says. The old…

WASHINGTON (AP) — A conservative group in Virginia said Tuesday it was withdrawing its support for Supreme Court nominee John Roberts’ confirmation because of his work helping overturn a Colorado referendum on gays. The group, Public Advocate of the United States, is one of the first conservative organizations to announce anything but support for the…

WASHINGTON (AP) — In an extraordinary move, the Army sacked a four-star general who was the subject of a Defense Department investigation into alleged sexual misconduct, officials said Tuesday. Gen. Kevin P. Byrnes, commander of Army Training and Doctrine Command, was approaching retirement when the decision to relieve him of duty was made by the…

(AP) — The remains of 12 servicemen listed as missing in action during the Vietnam War have been identified and are returning home, 37 years after they died in a fierce battle near the Laos-Vietnam border, the Defense Department announced Tuesday. The 11 Marines and one Army soldier are the largest group of MIAs identified…

NEW YORK (AP) — The “Madden NFL 2006” season kicked off with a preseason game between the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings that featured new complicated passing controls, an improved running game and no noticeable graphical improvements. With the new game set to hit stores Tuesday, AP Sports staffers and Madden veterans Jim Scott…

NEW YORK (AP) — Pixies lead singer Frank Black takes the prize in this year’s derby for Oddest Duet, inviting his ex-wife to sing about their failed relationship on his new solo album. “Strange Goodbye” is by turns sad, wistful and funny. At a time many couples would barely speak to each other, let alone…

LOS ANGELES (AP) — More than 20 years later, there’s still some heat in the burning question of the summer of 1980: “Who shot J.R.?” The answer can be found in “Dallas — The Complete Third Season,” a five-DVD set out Tuesday that celebrates the watershed season of the most successful nighttime soap opera in…

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Smoke spirals from a smoldering barber’s chair. Spewing swear words, beautician Terri complains about her malfunctioning hot comb. Another woman, Jen, whose husband runs the joint, waves a puppet head on a stick, while an indignant man holds a plate of chicken bones and two younger men tussle and scuffle. An…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on Tuesday warned of new violence in Iraq tied to upcoming political milestones but insisted the insurgency was not gaining ground. He said attacks could come before the scheduled Oct. 15 referendum on a new constitution, and before the Dec. 15 general elections. “I think it’s reasonable…

CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) — President Bush and his top economic advisers sat down Tuesday and talked about something that people across the country talk about almost every time they pay their bills — the rising cost of gasoline and medical care. Bush met with his advisers at his ranch at a time when polling shows…