BARACK OBAMA

A key U.S. Senate committee endorsed a sweeping healthcare overhaul on Tuesday, gaining the support of an influential Republican and delivering President Barack Obama a victory on his top domestic priority.

Following are the negotiating positions of the top greenhouse gas emitters in the run-up to a U.N. meeting in Copenhagen in December due to agree a new pact for combating climate change

Moscow and Washington must agree on where the threats to their security come from before plans to cooperate on missile defense can progress, Russia's negotiator said.

North Korea's neighbors and the United States are coordinating closely to draw the isolated state back to nuclear disarmament talks and reviewing possible next steps, a senior U.S. diplomat said on Wednesday.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ends her visit to Russia on Wednesday with a charm offensive to win public support for Washington's efforts to reset relations but no clear breakthroughs from formal talks.

Health Bill Advances; Tax Boost Delayed; Cisco's Buy

A key U.S. Senate committee endorsed a sweeping healthcare overhaul on Tuesday, gaining the support of an influential Republican and delivering President Barack Obama a victory on his top domestic priority.

Republican senator Olympia Snowe announced Tuesday that she will vote in favor of the Senate Finance Committee health care reform bill.

President Barack Obama remains committed to ending unfair loopholes and tax breaks for international corporations, but congressional tax writers and others doubt that will happen without broader reforms, such as cutting the top corporate tax rate.

Major U.S. defense contractors, braced for restrained U.S. spending and higher pension costs, are likely to forecast flat or slow growth for 2010, while commercial aerospace firms could offer more evidence that economic conditions are firming.

President Barack Obama remains committed to reforming international corporate taxation to end unfair loopholes, although congressional tax writers and others doubt that will happen without broader reforms such as cutting the top corporate tax rate.

The rivals in Honduras' political crisis open new talks on Tuesday to discuss the proposed return of ousted President Manuel Zelaya, a thorny issue that could derail the fragile negotiations altogether.

Afghan politicians on Tuesday expressed frustration over delays to the outcome of the August presidential election, held up by elaborate efforts to wipe clean the widespread fraud that marred the vote.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday the time had not yet come for more sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program and praised what she said was Russia's help in tackling the issue.

U.S. President Barack Obama's push for sweeping healthcare reform was poised to clear a key Senate hurdle on Tuesday, opening a new phase in the raging debate over his top domestic priority.

Within weeks of taking office, U.S. President Barack Obama rode to the rescue of homeowners resigned to financial ruin.

Move over, Astro Boy and Iron Man -- Bat Boy could be stepping up to the plate soon.

Within weeks of taking office, U.S. President Barack Obama rode to the rescue of homeowners resigned to financial ruin.

The U.S. Senate Finance Committee will vote on Tuesday on a bill to reform the U.S. healthcare system, President Barack Obama's main domestic objective.

The Obama administration has helped pull the U.S. economy back from the abyss with aggressive efforts to spur growth and stabilize financial markets, a top White House adviser said on Monday.

The Obama administration has helped pull the U.S. economy back from the abyss with aggressive efforts to spur growth and stabilize financial markets, a top White House adviser said on Monday.