Politics - Barack Obama

MIAMI (AFP) - A model of US President Barack Obama will make its debut at the "Hall of Presidents" in Orlando's Disney World during Independence Day celebrations on Saturday, Disney announced.

BEIRUT - Syria's leader sent a July 4 message full of praise to President Barack Obama on Friday and invited him to visit Syria — the latest signs Damascus is hedging its bets in Mideast politics, warming up to its rival the United States at a time when its longtime ally Iran is in turmoil.

ROME (AFP) - US President Barack Obama said in an interview published Friday he thought Pope Benedict XVI would "share my approach" on policy in the Middle East.

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.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The Obama administration is planning to use the National Security Agency to screen Internet traffic between government agencies and the private sector, the Washington Post reported Friday.

MOSCOW - Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev will likely sign a stack of agreements during their Moscow summit, but their chief goal may be for the United States and Russia to stop acting like adversaries — even if they can't be friends.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama said former Russian President Vladimir Putin and his hand-picked successor should expect an in-person reminder the Cold War is over when the U.S. leader makes his first trip to a Moscow summit.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is helping the nation celebrate its birthday and his daughter Malia celebrate hers.

MOSCOW (AFP) - The Russian and US presidents plan next week to sign deals on replacing a Cold War-era missile treaty and the transit of US military supplies bound for Afghanistan, a Kremlin aide said Friday.

MOSCOW - Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says the U.S. president is wrong to suggest he remains mired in a Cold War mindset.

LAGOS (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama's choice of Ghana for his first official trip to Africa next week has triggered a bout of self-questioning in Nigeria and Kenya, where many see his itinerary as a deliberate snub.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia hopes next week's visit by U.S. President Barack Obama will help restore confidence between the two biggest nuclear powers, a Kremlin aide said on Friday, after strains over Georgia and a U.S. missile shield plan.

MOSCOW - Barack Obama dolls have hit Moscow shelves and a bar is handing out half-price cocktails to anyone who says the magic words "Yes we can" in anticipation of the American president's arrival here Monday for a summit.

MOSCOW (AFP) - President Dmitry Medvedev and US counterpart Barack Obama next week plan to sign a deal allowing US military supplies for Afghanistan to transit Russia, Medvedev's top foreign policy aide said Friday.

MOSCOW (AFP) - President Dmitry Medvedev and US counterpart Barack Obama are next week planning to sign a framework declaration replacing a key Cold War-era missile treaty, Medvedev's top foreign aide said on Friday.

LONDON (AFP) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said he would be willing to meet US President Barack Obama in Syria to discuss Middle East peace efforts, in an interview with Britain's Sky News.

Bill Clinton. George Bush. Jimmy Carter. They’re all pretty easy to pronounce.

MOSCOW - Russia said Friday it will allow the United States to ship weapons across its territory to Afghanistan, a long-sought move that bolsters U.S. military operations but potentially gives the Kremlin leverage over critical American supplies.