AFP
Politics - AFP

Visiting US President Barack Obama visits the Great Wall at Badaling north of Beijing. Obama predicted Wednesday that the United States economy would grow again in the final quarter of 2009, pulling further out of a long and crippling recession.(AFP/Frederic J. Brown)

Obama predicts renewed US growth in fourth quarter

Wed Nov 18, 9:17 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Barack Obama predicted the United States economy would grow again in the final quarter of 2009, pulling further out of a long and crippling recession.

  • A picture posted on www.muslm.net shows Khalid Sheikh Mohammed -- the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. President Barack Obama predicted Wednesday that Mohammed will be convicted and put to death, as a top aide urged Americans to trust their courts and not "cower" from terrorists.(AFP/HO/File)
    Main 9/11 plotter will be convicted, executed: Obama Wed Nov 18, 9:05 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President Barack Obama, defending plans to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in civilian court, predicted the accused September 11 author would be convicted and executed.

  • An Iranian protester wearing a mask meant to resemble Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad takes part in a rally with a fake nuclear missile in Geneva. President Barack Obama warned Thursday that the United States and its partners were working on a package of steps to show Iran the "consequences" of its decision to snub a nuclear deal with world powers.(AFP/File/Fabrice Coffrini)
    Obama warns US, partners mulling 'consequences' for Iran Thu Nov 19, 3:30 AM ET

    SEOUL (AFP) - President Barack Obama warned Thursday that the United States and its partners were working on a package of steps to show Iran the "consequences" of its decision to snub a nuclear deal with world powers.

  • A nurse kisses a terminally ill patient at a non-profit hospice in Colorado which accepts patients regardless of their ability to pay. US Senate Democrats unveiled a historic plan to extend health coverage to more than 30 million Americans who lack it now and set the stage for a key test vote as early as this weekend.(AFP/Getty Images/File/John Moore)
    US Senate unveils health care bill Wed Nov 18, 10:18 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Senate Democrats unveiled a historic plan to extend health coverage to more than 30 million Americans who lack it now and set the stage for a key test vote as early as this weekend.

  • This 2008 photo shows water which is allegedly seeping from an abandoned mine on Kayford Mountain in West Virginia. The US government has taken the first steps to reverse a last-minute rule passed by the Bush administration which allowed coal mine operators to dump excavated material into streams.(AFP/File/Mandel Ngan)
    US to stop coal 'overburden' dumping into waterways Thu Nov 19, 1:10 AM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US government took the first steps Wednesday to reverse a last-minute rule passed by the Bush administration which allowed coal mine operators to dump excavated material into streams.

  • General Ray Odierno speaks to the press in Baghdad. The top US military officer in Iraq warned on Wednesday of attacks in the run-up to an expected January general election and said he would ask Washington to alter troop drawdown plans if necessary.(AFP/Arthur Macmillan)
    Top US officer warns of attacks ahead of Iraq vote Wed Nov 18, 1:34 PM ET

    BAGHDAD (AFP) - The top US military officer in Iraq warned on Wednesday of attacks in the run-up to an expected January general election and said he would ask Washington to alter troop drawdown plans if necessary.

  • US President Barack Obama (R) speaks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L), seen here in September 2009. The Obama administration is hardening its tone against Israel, but analysts warned Wednesday the tough talk was mere bluster hiding the lack of a viable plan to revive the Middle East peace process.(AFP/File/Jim Watson)
    Little behind Obama's tough Mideast talk: analysts Wed Nov 18, 5:41 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - The Obama administration is hardening its tone against Israel, but analysts warned Wednesday the tough talk was mere bluster hiding the lack of a viable plan to revive the Middle East peace process.

  • Human rights advocates are voicing relief after US President Barack Obama publicly raised the issue with China but conceded that Beijing's rising clout made it tougher to have an impact.(AFP/File/Adek Berry)
    Obama raises rights but impact uncertain Wed Nov 18, 7:50 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - Human rights advocates are voicing relief after US President Barack Obama publicly raised the issue with China but conceded that Beijing's rising clout made it tougher to have an impact.

  • US President Barack Obama (L) walks with South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-Hwan (R) upon his arrival at a US military airbase in Osan, south of Seoul. Obama arrived in South Korea Wednesday on the last leg of his debut Asian tour, with North Korea's nuclear programme due to top the agenda after three days of negotiations in China.(AFP/Jung Yeon-Je)
    N.Korea nuke talks top Obama agenda in Seoul Wed Nov 18, 11:31 AM ET

    SEOUL (AFP) - US President Barack Obama arrived in South Korea Wednesday on the last leg of his debut Asian tour, with North Korea's nuclear programme due to top the agenda after three days of negotiations in China.

  • This 2000 picture obtained November 10, from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) shows Major Nidal Malik Hasan when was a medical student. US Attorney General Eric Holder said Wednesday he found contacts between the alleged gunman behind a deadly shooting spree at a US military base and a radical Yemeni cleric "disturbing."(AFP/USUHS-HO/File)
    Fort Hood suspect's contacts 'disturbing': Holder Wed Nov 18, 12:32 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Attorney General Eric Holder said Wednesday he found contacts between the alleged gunman behind a deadly shooting spree at a US military base and a radical Yemeni cleric "disturbing."

  • The US Senate's Democratic majority was poised to unveil a 10-year, 849-billion-dollar bill to overhaul US health care on Wednesday, with a key first test vote this weekend, a leadership aide said. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called fellow Democrats together for a 5 pm (2200 GMT) meeting to discuss the bill, and is likely to hold a press conference later, the aide said.(AFP/Getty Images/File/Chip Somodevilla)
    US Senate to unveil health care bill Wed Nov 18, 5:44 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US Senate could hold a key test vote as early as this weekend on a sweeping bill to remake health care, President Barack Obama's top domestic priority, a senior Democratic aide said Wednesday.

  • Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta (R) shakes hands with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a meeting at the Presidential palace in Kabul. The United States ramped up pressure on Afghan President Hamid Karzai to start delivering on the eve of his inauguration Thursday for another five years in power with Kabul under security lockdown.(AFP/Pool/Musadeq Sadeq)
    Karzai to be sworn in as US presses for reform Wed Nov 18, 7:37 PM ET

    KABUL (AFP) - Hamid Karzai will be in sworn in as Afghan president for a second term on Thursday, after the United States ramped up pressure on him to rid the war-torn country of its endemic corruption.

  • Two Iranians work at the zirconium production plant, part of the nuclear facilities in Isfahan in 2005. The United States said Wednesday that the international community was "not quite" at the point of switching from trying to engage Iran to pressuring it over its suspect nuclear program.(AFP/File/Henghameh Fahimi)
    World 'not quite' at point of getting tough with Iran: US Wed Nov 18, 3:36 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States said Wednesday that the international community was "not quite" at the point of switching from trying to engage Iran to pressuring it over its suspect nuclear program.

  • A pink ribbon is seen as a symbol of breast cancer awareness. The US government Wednesday distanced itself from a report that has triggered an outcry here after it recommended that women under 50 should not be routinely screened for breast cancer.(AFP/Keystone/File/Edi Engeler)
    US government brushes aside breast cancer report Wed Nov 18, 1:22 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US government Wednesday distanced itself from a report that has triggered an outcry here after it recommended that women under 50 should not be routinely screened for breast cancer.

  • FEMA representative Richard Dae (C) registers Victor Leos (R) and his wife Sanjuanita for assistance after their home was damaged during Hurricane Ike, in 2008 in Galveston, Texas. The lead US federal disaster agency is hoping to both inform and gather information through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, its top official said Wednesday.(AFP/Getty Images/File/Scott Olson)
    Lead US disaster agency reaches out electronically Wed Nov 18, 1:27 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - The lead US federal disaster agency is hoping to both inform and gather information through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, its top official said Wednesday.

  • Talk about Washington and London's special relationship. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has admitted she has a "crush" on 44-year-old Foreign Secretary David Miliband, according to an interview published in US Vogue magazine.(AFP/File/Elvis Barukcic)
    Hillary Clinton gushes over 'crush' on British FM Wed Nov 18, 6:41 PM ET

    NEW YORK (AFP) - Talk about Washington and London's special relationship. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gushes over Britain's youthful-looking, 44-year-old foreign minister David Miliband, in the latest issue of US Vogue magazine.

  • A Tibetan watches as Chinese paramilitary troops march through Qinghai province in March 2009. US President Barack Obama and China's Hu Jintao Tuesday pledged to apply their joint political might to the world's toughest problems, but friction was evident on Tibet, economics and Iran.(AFP/File/Frederic J. Brown)
    Hu, Obama stress cooperation, broach divides Tue Nov 17, 2:58 PM ET

    BEIJING (AFP) - US President Barack Obama and China's Hu Jintao Tuesday pledged to apply their joint political might to the world's toughest problems, but friction was evident on Tibet, economics and Iran.

  • This 2004 photo shows the US Treasury Building in Washington, DC. The US public debt topped 12 trillion dollars for the first time in history, Treasury officials disclosed Tuesday, moving past a key barrier that raised hackles in Congress.(AFP/File/Brendan Smialowski)
    US public debt tops 12 trillion dollars for first time Tue Nov 17, 4:48 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US public debt topped 12 trillion dollars for the first time in history, Treasury officials disclosed Tuesday, moving past a key barrier that raised hackles in Congress.

  • US Sen. James Inhofe (2nd L) speaks as Sen. John Cornyn (L) and Sen. John Thune (R) listen during a news conference on Capitol Hill June 2009 in Washington, DC. The US Senate on Tuesday defeated a measure seen as hampering US President Barack Obama's administration plans to try suspected terrorists in civilian courts in New York.(AFP/Getty Images/File/Alex Wong)
    US Senate defeats Guantanamo trial restriction Tue Nov 17, 8:05 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US Senate on Tuesday defeated a measure seen as hampering US President Barack Obama's administration plans to try suspected terrorists in civilian courts in New York.

  • Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki. President Barack Obama Thursday said Washington and its partners were now working on a package of steps to show Iran the consequences of its decision to snub a nuclear deal with the West.(AFP/Ted Aljibe)
    Obama warns of 'consequences' for Iran Thu Nov 19, 2:31 AM ET

    SEOUL (AFP) - President Barack Obama warned Thursday that the United States and its partners were working on a package of steps to show Iran the "consequences" of its decision to snub a nuclear deal with world powers.