Reuters
Top Stories - Reuters

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) addresses a news conference after meeting with his foreign policy advisory panel of former Democratic U.S. government officials at a hotel in Washington June 18, 2008. (Jim Bourg/Reuters)

Obama "puzzled" by Iraq comment frenzy

Sat Jul 5, 6:19 PM ET

ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said on Saturday his plan to end the Iraq war was unchanged and he was puzzled by the sharp reaction to his statement this week that he might "refine" his timetable for withdrawing U.S. combat troops.

  • President George W. Bush speaks at a joint news conference with the Prime Minister of Japan Yasuo Fukuda at the G8 Summit at The Windsor Hotel Toya Resort and Spa in Toyako, Japan July 6, 2008. (Jim Young/Reuters)
    Bush says backs strong dollar policy 2 hours, 50 minutes ago

    TOYAKO, Japan (Reuters) - President George W. Bush said on Sunday the American economy was not growing as quickly as he would like and that his administration supported a strong dollar policy.

  • Afghan President Hamid Karzai interacts with the media members after a news conference in Kabul June 15, 2008. Karzai has ordered an investigation into a U.S.-led coalition airstrike that local officials say killed 15 civilians, but the U.S. military says killed only armed Taliban militants. (Ahmad Masood/Reuters)
    Afghan president orders probe into civilian deaths 1 hour, 4 minutes ago

    KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai has ordered an investigation into a U.S.-led coalition air strike that local officials say killed 15 civilians, but the U.S. military says killed only armed Taliban militants.

  • Palestinians wait for their relatives to cross from Egypt to the Gaza Strip at the Rafah border crossing July 3, 2008. Israel was reopening some border crossings with Gaza on Sunday, an official said, after it closed them on Thursday following the launch of a rocket into the Jewish state by Palestinian militants. (Ibraheem Abu Mustafa - GAZA/Reuters)
    Israel to reopen Gaza border crossings Sun Jul 6, 1:43 AM ET

    JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel was reopening some border crossings with Gaza on Sunday, an official said, after it closed them on Thursday following the launch of a rocket into the Jewish state by Palestinian militants.

  • US soldiers inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Baghdad's Shaab district July 6, 2008. A car bomb killed six civilians and wounded 14 other people in the Shaab district of northern Baghdad on Sunday, police said. REUTERS/Thaier al-Sudani (IRAQ)
    Baghdad car bomb kills six, wounds 14: police 53 minutes ago

    BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A car bomb killed six civilians and wounded 14 other people in the Shaab district of northern Baghdad on Sunday, police said.

  • President George W. Bush (L) holds a joint news conference with the Prime Minister of Japan Yasuo Fukuda at the G8 Summit at The Windsor Hotel Toya Resort and Spa in Toyako, Japan July 6, 2008. (Jim Young/Reuters)
    Bush says backs Japan on North Korea abduction issue 34 minutes ago

    TOYAKO, Japan (Reuters) - President George W. Bush pledged on Sunday that Japan's concerns about North Korean abductions of its citizens would not be ignored even as Washington moved to ease sanctions against the communist country.

  • President George W. Bush speaks at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, July 3, 2008, about the rescue of hostages in Colombia. (Joshua Roberts/Reuters)
    U.S. and Japan to discuss next steps in six-party talks Sat Jul 5, 4:31 PM ET

    ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) - President George W. Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda will discuss the next steps in the six-party talks over North Korea's nuclear status when they meet on the sidelines of the G8 summit in Japan, a White House official said on Saturday.

  • Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe (R) talks to Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) Director General Happyton Bonyongwe (L) and Army Commander General Constantine Chiwenga (C) on his arrival at Harare International airport, July 4, 2008. (Philimon Bulawayo/Reuters)
    Film shows Zimbabwe vote rigged: report Sat Jul 5, 3:44 PM ET

    LONDON (Reuters) - A film secretly taken by a Zimbabwe prison guard and smuggled out of the country shows the extent of the rigging that took place for the June 27 presidential run-off vote, the Guardian said on Saturday.

  • A firefighter works to extinguish a blaze that burned to the shoulder of Highway 1 during a wildfire in Big Sur, California July 4, 2008. California firefighters held the line overnight on two wildfires burning along the California coast that threatened more than 4,000 homes and other structures, fire officials said on Friday morning. (Robert Galbraith/Reuters)
    California's wildfire in check -- for now Sat Jul 5, 5:29 PM ET

    SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Firefighters in California have fended off a blaze threatening more than 3,000 homes in and around the coastal town of Goleta and are turning their attention to preventing its spread toward the nearby picturesque city of Santa Barbara, officials said on Saturday.

  • A Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla watches hostages being moved towards a helicopter during a rescue operation in Colombia July 2, 2008 in this frame grab taken on July 4, 2008. (Handout/Reuters)
    Colombia foils bomb plot after rescue Sat Jul 5, 12:52 PM ET

    BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia found explosives set to be used in bombs across the capital in reprisal for this week's rescue of leftist rebels' highest-profile hostages, including Ingrid Betancourt, military officials said on Saturday.

  • Serena and Venus (L) Williams hold their trophies after defeating Lisa Raymond of the U.S. and Samantha Stosur of Australia in their doubles finals match at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London July 5, 2008. (Toby Melville/Reuters)
    Williams sisters storm to Wimbledon doubles title Sat Jul 5, 3:52 PM ET

    LONDON (Reuters) - Venus and Serena Williams returned to Center Court three hours after doing battle in the singles final to secure the Wimbledon doubles title with a 6-2 6-2 thumping of American Lisa Raymond and Australian Samantha Stosur on Saturday.

  • U.S. President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush walk to Air Force One as they prepare to depart from Dulles Airport, near Washington, July 5, 2008. They are on their way to the G8 Summit in Toyako, Japan. (Jim Young/Reuters)
    Bush arrives in Japan for G8; oil, climate in focus Sun Jul 6, 12:35 AM ET

    CHITOSE, Japan (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush arrived in Japan on Sunday for the Group of Eight rich nations' meetings where North Korea's nuclear weapons program, soaring oil and food prices, and climate change top the agenda.

  • Houses sit in flood waters from the Mississippi River in La Grange, Missouri June 18, 2008. (Frank Polich/Reuters)
    Mississippi River reopens as flooding wanes Sat Jul 5, 1:49 PM ET

    CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Mississippi River, the most important U.S. commercial waterway, reopened to water navigation on Saturday after much of it was closed for nearly a month due to the worst flooding in 15 years.

  • Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (R) waves to journalists as Iranian chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili stands in the background before an official meeting in Tehran July 1, 2008. Iran said on Saturday its nuclear stance had not changed and it was ready to hold talks with world major powers over its disputed nuclear program based on international regulations. (Raheb Homavandi/Reuters)
    Iran vows to pursue nuclear work Sat Jul 5, 1:13 PM ET

    TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran vowed on Saturday to pursue its uranium enrichment program, a day after delivering its response to an incentives package by world powers trying to curb its nuclear ambitions.

  • A Lebanese soldier sits on an armoured personnel carrier in front of a giant poster of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora in Beirut May 28, 2008. Lebanese leaders are close to a deal on the formation of a national unity government as stipulated in an agreement that ended the country's political crisis, political sources said on Saturday. (Jamal Saidi/Reuters)
    Lebanese leaders close to government deal Sat Jul 5, 10:29 AM ET

    BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanese leaders are finalizing a deal on the formation of a national unity government as stipulated in an agreement that ended the country's political crisis, political sources said on Saturday.

  • An anti-G8 activist is detained by police officers during a march in Sapporo on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido July 5, 2008 ahead of next week's G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit. (Issei Kato/Reuters)
    Prospects dim for G8 climate change deal Sat Jul 5, 10:39 PM ET

    TOYAKO, Japan (Reuters) - Prospects that the G8 would reach a meaningful agreement to fight global warming at their annual summit dimmed on Sunday as leaders began arriving in northern Japan with a raft of global problems on their minds.

  • A farmer shouts slogans during a rally to demand the full-scale renegotiation of the U.S. beef import deal and the resignation of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak in Seoul July 5, 2008. Polls show that most South Koreans oppose a U.S. beef import deal President Lee struck in April to open the market to U.S. beef but about two-thirds of respondents say it is also time to halt the rallies that have grown more violent in recent weeks. The signs read, 'Keep our dining table (from the U.S. beef)'. (Jo Yong-Hak/Reuters)
    South Koreans protest against beef and Lee Sat Jul 5, 10:59 AM ET

    SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean police said about 50,000 people protested in Seoul on Saturday against a U.S. beef import deal and the policies of the new president, whose government has faced weeks of street rallies.

  • Venus Williams (L) holds her winners trophy as she stands with her sister Serena, holding her runners-up trophy, after their finals match at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London July 5, 2008. (Toby Melville/Reuters)
    Venus downs Serena to win Wimbledon Sat Jul 5, 2:45 PM ET

    LONDON (Reuters) - Venus Williams survived a fierce onslaught from Serena Williams to win her fifth Wimbledon singles title on Saturday, finally subduing her younger sister 7-5 6-4.

  • IEA sees oil easing, then tightening to 2013: report Sat Jul 5, 12:13 PM ET

    FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The situation on the oil market is likely to ease in 2009/2010 as more production comes on-stream, then tighten again through 2013 as output falls and demand rises, the head of the International Energy Agency said.

  • Former Republican Sen. Jesse Helms is shown in this undated file image. (Robert Padgett/Reuters)
    Former Senator Jesse Helms dies at 86 Fri Jul 4, 9:23 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Jesse Helms, a die-hard anti-communist firebrand who championed a wide range of conservative causes in his 30 years in the U.S. Senate, died early on Friday, aged 86, his foundation said.