Politics - AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Most of the 30,000 US troops who make up President Barack Obama's "surge" of forces in Afghanistan likely will be in place by the end of summer 2010, a Pentagon spokesman said Monday. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Barack Obama talked tough with US bank chiefs, demanding they boost lending to create jobs, after raising the stakes for the White House talks by slamming Wall Street "fat cats." Full Story »

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President Barack Obama wants world leaders meeting in Copenhagen to seal a deal that imposes "meaningful steps" to shape the battle against global warming, a US official said Monday. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The administration of President Barack Obama pushed Monday for tougher sanctions on Iran to curb its nuclear ambitions after driving home the point that its near year-long diplomatic engagement with Tehran had yielded little. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President Barack Obama on Monday asked Lebanese President Michel Sleiman in White House talks to take action against arms smuggling into Lebanon which he said threatened Israeli security. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton outlined a pragmatic stance on human rights in China and Russia, saying it is sometimes better to raise problems with them "behind closed doors." Full Story »

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The top US court Monday threw out a plea by four British ex-Guantanamo inmates for officials from the administration of former president George W. Bush to be held responsible for their torture. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Democratic senators were to meet with President Barack Obama at the White House Tuesday to discuss health care reform, amid reports of new compromise likely to infuriate liberal lawmakers. Full Story »

TEHRAN (AFP) - Iran is to put on trial three US hikers arrested after they "illegally" entered the country four months ago, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Monday. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (AFP) - NASA launched Monday a new breed of satellite called WISE on a mission to orbit Earth and map the skies to find elusive cosmic objects, including potentially dangerous asteroids. Full Story »