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U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden leaves the U.S. military headquarters (a former Saddam-era palace) followed by U.S. Ambassador Christopher Hill (C) and General Ray Odierno (R) in Baghdad July 3, 2009. Biden made a previously unannounced visit to Baghdad on Thursday to meet Iraqi leaders and U.S. military commanders just days after American troops withdrew from Iraqi towns and city centers. REUTERS/Andrew Quinn

Iraq declines offer of U.S. help with reconciliation

57 minutes ago

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq on Saturday ruled out foreign involvement in its efforts to reconcile rival factions, just after visiting U.S. Vice President Joe Biden urged Iraqis to do more to bury grievances and stave off renewed conflict.

  • Anti-North Korea protesters march as they carry a mock North Korean missile during a rally, in Seoul July 3, 2009. The North has test-fired two short-range missiles, Japan's Kyodo and Jiji news agencies said on Saturday, quoting South Korea's Yonhap, stoking regional tensions after its nuclear tests and threats to boost its nuclear arsenal in response to U.N. sanctions. REUTERS/Jo Yong-Hak
    North Korea defies U.S. with new missile launches 34 minutes ago

    SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea fired seven ballistic missiles on Saturday, South Korea's defense ministry said, in an act of defiance toward the United States on its Independence Day that further stoked regional tensions.

  • U.S. Republican vice- presidential nominee Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin waves to the crowd after U.S. Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain delivered his concession speech in Phoenix, November 4, 2008. REUTERS/Mike Blake
    Palin resigning as Alaska governor in surprise move Sat Jul 4, 12:01 AM ET

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - Sarah Palin, the brash, deeply conservative governor of Alaska who crashed onto the U.S. national political scene last year as the Republican candidate for U.S. vice president, announced abruptly on Friday she was resigning as governor.

  • Two women walk past a reflection of a mural with pictures of Iran's late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and a member of the Basij militia with a quote from Iran's Supreme Leader that reads, "The breeding of Godly Basij youth is the victory of Imam (Ayatollah Khomeini)", near a university during Tehran's Friday prayers, July 3, 2009. A newspaper editor seen as close to Iran's top authority said Saturday defeated election candidate Mirhossein Mousavi and a former pro-reform president had committed "terrible crimes" which should be tried in court. REUTERS/Morteza Nikoubazl
    Hard-line Iran editor calls for Mousavi to face trial 32 minutes ago

    TEHRAN (Reuters) - An editor seen as close to Iran's leadership said on Saturday opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi should go on trial and a lawyer said other reformists had already been accused of acting against national security.

  • Two U.S. soldiers killed in complex Afghan attack Sat Jul 4, 9:50 AM ET

    KABUL (Reuters) - Two U.S. soldiers were killed when their base in southeast Afghanistan came under attack on Saturday, the U.S. military said, two days after a major operation against the Taliban was launched in the south.

  • Supporters of the military coup celebrate the removal of President Manuel Zelaya during a rally in Tegucigalpa. The political and diplomatic crisis around Honduras has deepened after the country's coup leaders announced they are pulling out of the Organization of American States (OAS) in the face of an almost certain suspension by the international body.(AFP/Elmer Martinez)
    OAS set to suspend Honduras as it renounces charter 8 minutes ago

    TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - The Organization of American States was likely to suspend Honduras on Saturday after a caretaker government refused to restore President Manuel Zelaya who was toppled in a military coup last weekend.

  • United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (L) holds a meeting with Myanmar's junta supremo Senior General Than Shwe (R) in Naypyidaw, July 3, 2009. Ban had a rare meeting with Shwe on Friday but left with no clear answer to his request to see detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. REUTERS/Louis Charbonneau (
    U.N.'s Ban rebukes Myanmar generals over Suu Kyi 2 hours, 32 minutes ago

    YANGON (Reuters) - U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon publicly rebuked Myanmar's generals on Saturday for denying him a visit to detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and said she should take part in politics before 2010 elections.

  • Rescuers find debris of Yemenia aircraft: government 2 hours, 42 minutes ago

    SANAA (Reuters) - Search crews have located a large piece of debris from a Yemeni jet that crashed into the Indian Ocean off the Comoros islands last week and are working to retrieve it, the Yemeni transport ministry said Saturday.

  • Jackson family spokesperson Ken Sunshine speaks at a news conference announcing details of the Michael Jackson public memorial service in Los Angeles July 3, 2009. REUTERS/Phil McCarten
    Massive demand for Jackson memorial tickets Sat Jul 4, 9:25 AM ET

    LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - More than half a million fans from around the world applied for 17,500 free tickets to Michael Jackson's public memorial service next week, organizers said on Friday as a massive security operation got underway.

  • A deserted village in South Wazirstan is seen in this May 18, 2008 file photo. REUTERS/Simon Cameron-Moore
    Pakistani forces attack militants near crash site Sat Jul 4, 8:05 AM ET

    KALLAY, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani helicopter gunships attacked Taliban militants on Saturday in a northwestern region where a military helicopter crashed the previous day killing 26 soldiers on board, a government official said.

  • U.S. President Barack Obama delivers remarks about innovation and jobs in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, July 2, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young
    Putin rejects Obama criticism before meeting Fri Jul 3, 2:49 PM ET

    MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Friday rejected U.S. President Barack Obama's charge that he was mired in Cold War thinking, setting the scene for a stormy first meeting at a Moscow summit next week.

  • Iraqi army arrest suspect in Kirkuk vehicle bombs Sat Jul 4, 9:04 AM ET

    KIRKUK, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi army forces arrested a man on Saturday suspected of being behind two vehicle bombs in the northern city of Kirkuk that killed more than 100 people, an Iraqi army official said.

  • Medici lawyer says Kohn didn't get Madoff payments Fri Jul 3, 1:17 PM ET

    NEW YORK/VIENNA (Reuters) - Austrian fund manager Sonja Kohn did not receive any kickbacks from Bernard Madoff to steer Bank Medici customer funds to the swindler's investment business, a Medici lawyer said on Friday.

  • U.S. sounds out Arabs on Israel gestures: diplomats Fri Jul 3, 2:43 PM ET

    JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The United States and its Western allies are sounding out Arab governments to see if they might ease sanctions on Israel if it stopped building Jewish settlements on Palestinian territory, diplomats said on Friday.

  • Hardline Iran editor calls for Mousavi to face trial Sat Jul 4, 5:50 AM ET

    TEHRAN (Reuters) - A newspaper editor seen as close to Iran's top authority said Saturday defeated election candidate Mirhossein Mousavi and a former pro-reform president had committed "terrible crimes" which should be tried in court.

  • Many Iranians unconvinced about poll result - cleric Sat Jul 4, 4:36 AM ET

    TEHRAN (Reuters) - A senior pro-reform cleric said many Iranians remained unconvinced about President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election because of voting "ambiguities" and the government could face problems, an Internet statement said.

  • Israeli sub sails Suez, signaling reach to Iran Fri Jul 3, 6:55 AM ET

    JERUSALEM (Reuters) - An Israeli submarine sailed the Suez Canal to the Red Sea as part of a naval drill last month, defense sources said on Friday, describing the unusual maneuver as a show of strategic reach in the face of Iran.

  • U.S. parents think twice about sending kids to camp Fri Jul 3, 10:47 AM ET

    NEW YORK (Reuters) - Since its opening last week, camp counselors at New Jersey's Liberty Lake Day Camp disinfect door knobs, take the temperatures of children as they arrive and remind the campers not to share canned sodas.