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A US soldier on patrol in the Korengal Valley in eastern Afghanistan. US President, Barack Obama, has been gathering his war cabinet for what officials indicated could be the final time before he decides whether to dispatch tens of thousands more US troops to the war-torn country.(AFP/File/Simon Lim)

Obama meets war cabinet on Afghanistan

1 hour, 53 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Barack Obama has huddled with his war cabinet for what officials indicated could be the final time before he decides whether to dispatch tens of thousands more US troops to Afghanistan.

  • The United States plans to join other developed nations in presenting an emissions target at the UN climate summit in Copenhagen, a senior administration official has said.(AFP/File/John D McHugh)
    US to present emissions target before Copenhagen Mon Nov 23, 9:01 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States will announce a target for reducing its greenhouse gas emissions before the UN climate conference in Copenhagen, removing a major obstacle to a deal, officials have said.

  • US President Barack Obama with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on November 15. The United States said Monday it was in talks with Russia to maintain monitoring provisions set out in an arms reduction treaty that expires next month before a new deal is ratified.(AFP/File/Saul Loeb)
    US, Russia mull arms monitoring before new treaty Mon Nov 23, 4:45 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States said Monday it was in talks with Russia to maintain monitoring provisions set out in an arms reduction treaty that expires next month before a new deal is ratified.

  • Indian Prime Minister Manmoham Singh, seen here addressing the US business community at the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, appealed for wide-ranging cooperation with the United States on areas such as climate change and defense as he started a high-profile state visit.(AFP/Jim Watson)
    Indian PM pitches for growing US ties Mon Nov 23, 4:09 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday appealed for wide-ranging cooperation with the United States on areas such as climate change and defense as he started a high-profile state visit.

  • Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh addresses the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington on November 23, 2009. Singh offered a hand to the United States to help build an "open and inclusive" Asia as President Barack Obama prepared to toast him Tuesday with his first state dinner.(AFP/Nicholas Kamm)
    Indian PM offers to work with Obama 1 hour, 34 minutes ago

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh offered a hand to the United States to help build an "open and inclusive" Asia as President Barack Obama prepared to toast him Tuesday with his first state dinner.

  • A sold sign is posted in front of a home for sale in August 2009 in San Francisco, California. A rush to cash in on tax incentives helped to push up sales of existing US homes by 10.1 percent in October giving momentum to the ailing sector, industry data showed Monday.(AFP/Getty Images/File/Justin Sullivan)
    Tax credits fuel 10 percent surge in US home sales Mon Nov 23, 3:37 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - A rush to cash in tax incentives helped boost sales of existing US homes 10.1 percent in October, according to data Monday showing fresh momentum for the sector at the heart of the economic crisis.

  • The United States is "deeply involved" in efforts to help Iraqi rivals adopt an electoral law, but elections may be delayed, Secretary of Stage Hillary Clinton, pictured on November 16, said Monday.(AFP/File/Philippe Lopez)
    US helping Iraq adopt election law: Clinton Mon Nov 23, 6:45 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States is "deeply involved" in efforts to help Iraqi rivals adopt an electoral law, but elections may be delayed, Secretary of Stage Hillary Clinton said Monday.

  • US President Barack Obama applauds representatives from the group Women of Zimbabwe Arise including Magodonga Mahlangu (2nd left), national leader of the organization during presentations of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award on November 23. Obama labeled Robert Mugabe a "dictator" at the ceremony.(AFP/Saul Loeb)
    Obama awards Zimbabwe group, blasts Mugabe Mon Nov 23, 9:32 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President Barack Obama has given an award to a leading women's rights activist in Zimbabwe, labeling Robert Mugabe a "dictator" in the process.

  • A crest of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is seen inside the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building in Washington, DC. The number of US hate crime victims rose slightly last year to nearly 9,700 from 9,500 in 2007, with most people targeted because of their skin color, the FBI said Monday.(AFP/File/Mandel Ngan)
    Number of hate crimes up slightly in US: FBI Mon Nov 23, 1:46 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - The number of US hate crime victims rose slightly last year to nearly 9,700 from 9,500 in 2007, with most people targeted because of their skin color, the FBI said Monday.

  • File photo of Republican Representative Chris Smith, a long-time critic of Beijing's rights record, said President Barack Obama should "pick up the phone" and urge Chinese President Hu Jintao personally to ease pressure on a Beijing-based human rights lawyer, Jiang Tianyong.(AFP/Pornchai Kittiwongsakul)
    Obama must help Chinese dissident: US lawmakers Mon Nov 23, 9:22 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President Barack Obama should "pick up the phone" and urge Chinese President Hu Jintao personally to ease pressure on a Beijing-based human rights lawyer, Jiang Tianyong, US lawmakers said Monday.

  • Jacques Monsieur (L) sits besides his lawyer Marc Preumont while appearing before Brussels' Correctionnal court in 2002. Monsieur , an alleged Belgian arms dealer, on Monday pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to export fighter jet engines and parts to Iran, US justice officials said.(AFP/BELGA/File/Virginie Lefour)
    Belgian in US court admits Iran arms dealing Mon Nov 23, 5:59 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - A alleged Belgian arms dealer on Monday pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to export fighter jet engines and parts to Iran, US justice officials said.

  • A worker putting the finishing touches to a toy car at a toy factory in Shantou, China. The United States Monday praised Beijing for "taking toy safety seriously" two years after millions of made-in-China toys had to be recalled amid fears they were dangerous.(AFP/File)
    US lauds China for boosting toy safety standards Mon Nov 23, 4:02 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States Monday praised Beijing for "taking toy safety seriously" two years after millions of made-in-China toys had to be recalled amid fears they were dangerous.

  • US Marines at in Helmand Province on November 21. President Barack Obama gathered his war cabinet Monday for what officials indicated could be the final time before he decides whether to dispatch tens of thousands more US troops to Afghanistan.(AFP/File/Manpreet Romana)
    Obama to meet war cabinet on Afghanistan Mon Nov 23, 3:47 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Barack Obama gathered his war cabinet Monday for what officials indicated could be the final time before he decides whether to dispatch tens of thousands more US troops to Afghanistan.

  • Job seekers at a job fair in New York City on November 6. The worst of US job losses are expected to be over by March 2010 as the economic grows after a long recession, a poll of business economists showed Monday.(AFP/Getty Images/File/Spencer Platt)
    US unemployment to peak by March: poll Mon Nov 23, 11:41 AM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - The worst of US job losses are expected to be over by March 2010 as the economic grows after a long recession, a poll of business economists showed Monday.

  • US Army soldiers bow their heads in prayer during ceremonies at the Fallen Soldier Memorial on November 10. Countless commanders in the US Army have prepared battalions for war since the terrorist attacks of September 11, but none of them had do it after losing soldiers in a shooting spree on a home base.(AFP/Paul J. Richards)
    Fort Hood soldiers prepare for battle with scars from rampage Mon Nov 23, 9:24 AM ET

    FORT HOOD, Texas (AFP) - Countless commanders in the US Army have prepared battalions for war since the terrorist attacks of September 11, but none of them had do it after losing soldiers in a shooting spree on a home base.

  • The Senate's health care reform bill sits on the podium following a news conference by Republican Senators on Capitol Hill on November 21, in Washington, DC. President Barack Obama's top domestic priority, remaking US health care, cleared a major Senate hurdle but strong opposition Sunday to key parts of the proposals augured a tough battle ahead.(AFP/Getty Images/File/Brendan Hoffman)
    Key senators seek changes on US health care bill Sun Nov 22, 5:30 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - Key Democratic allies in the US health care battle warned Sunday that a Senate bill required major changes if it was to earn their support and give President Barack Obama a crucial victory on his top domestic priority.

  • Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, pictured on November 8, on Sunday started a high-profile state visit to the United States with a call on President Barack Obama to stay committed on Afghanistan and pressure Pakistan.(AFP/File/Raveendran)
    Indian PM presses Pakistan on US visit Sun Nov 22, 3:11 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday started a high-profile state visit to the United States with a call on President Barack Obama to stay committed on Afghanistan and pressure Pakistan.

  • Department of Defense handout image shows Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (L) and Canadian Minister of National Defense Peter MacKay arriving for a press conference at the Citadel in Halifax, Nova Scotia. International political and military officials agreed no exit strategy should be set for troops in Afghanistan, while the United States urged Iran to engage the West.(AFP/DOD/File/Cherie Cullen)
    Afghanistan, Iran dominate at new security forum Sun Nov 22, 3:38 PM ET

    HALIFAX, Canada (AFP) - The United States on Sunday urged Iran to "engage" the West at a new security forum in Canada, where allied commanders also agreed setting an Afghanistan exit date would only serve to embolden the Taliban.

  • People walk through a pedestrian bridge while shopping at stores in a Brooklyn mall in October 2009 in New York City. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has voiced confidence that the US economy will make a strong recovery and poured cold water on talk of dropping the dollar as the key global currency.(AFP/Getty Images/File/Spencer Platt)
    US economy will 'bounce back': Indian PM Sun Nov 22, 4:21 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has voiced confidence that the US economy will make a strong recovery and poured cold water on talk of dropping the dollar as the key global currency.