ARKALYK, Kazakhstan (AP) – A Soyuz capsule carrying a U.S.-Russian crew back to Earth following six months at the international space station hurtled through the Earth’s atmosphere and landed safely and on target in Kazakhstan Saturday evening.

The bell-shaped Soyuz TMA-4, carrying Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka and American partner Mike Fincke, touched down beneath a parachute at the targeted landing site, some 55 miles north of the town of Arkalyk, in pre-dawn darkness early Sunday local time.

Two sentenced for murder

SEATTLE (AP) – Two Canadian men were each sentenced Friday to three consecutive life prison terms for the bludgeoning deaths of one of the men’s parents and sister 10 years ago.

A jury convicted Atif Rafay and Glen Sebastian Burns in May of three counts of aggravated first-degree murder in the deaths of the Rafay family members. Prosecutors said the motive was money.

The life sentences carry no possibility of parole.

Lawyers for both men said they plan to appeal.

Black and Decker wins in tax case

BALTIMORE (AP) – A federal judge ruled in favor of Black & Decker on Thursday in the company’s attempt to collect more than $57 million in refunds from the Internal Revenue Service.

The IRS contended the toolmaker used a complex business deal as a tax avoidance vehicle. But Black & Decker Corp. maintained that the deal had economic substance and sued the IRS for a refund.

The Towson, Md.-based company argued the taxes were erroneously assessed and collected from 1995 through 2000.

U.S. District Judge William Quarles granted the company’s request for summary judgment.