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....encounters between Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin during an Asia-Pacific summit in China on Tuesday spoke volumes about the chilly state of relations.... "It's beautiful, isn't it?" Putin was overheard saying in English in Obama’s general direction, referring to the ornate conference room. "Yes," Obama replied, coldly, according to journalists who witnessed the scene. The three leaders stopped at Xi’s seat at the table. Putin reached out and clapped Obama on the shoulder. Obama barely responded.

When President Obama began the year by boasting about his pen and phone, Speaker Boehner said, “I would remind the president he also has a Constitution, and an oath of office that he took where he swore to faithfully execute the laws of our country.” Not too long after that, Boehner addressed the American people’s growing concern about White House overreaching: “The president seems to change the health care law on a whim, whenever he likes. Now he is running around the country telling everyone he’s going to keep acting on his own. He keeps talking about his phone and...

One of the Conservative party's leading donors yesterday accused William Hague, the shadow foreign secretary, of behaving like an "ignorant armchair critic" in criticising the Israeli attack on Lebanon. Lord Kalms, a former party treasurer who has given more than £500,000 to the Tories since 2001, condemned Mr Hague's use of the word "disproportionate" in describing the Israeli action. In a letter to the Spectator, Lord Kalms, former head of Dixons, said Mr Hague's "usual good sense has deserted him". David Cameron, the Tory leader, and Mr Hague believe they have exploited divisions inside the government by being prepared, unlike...

Jack Straw fears failure in Iraq: determination is the answer By Daniel Johnson (Filed: 04/09/2003) Yesterday's meeting at 10 Downing Street between Jack Straw and Tony Blair revealed that they are now seriously alarmed by the deteriorating situation in Iraq, and confidential advice to the Foreign Secretary depicts a country on the brink of collapse. The devastating attacks on the UN headquarters in Baghdad and the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf have clearly prompted a new sense of urgency. Participants at yesterday's meeting were invited to think the hitherto unthinkable: "We are at risk of strategic failure in Iraq." We...

Castration 'Doctor' Committed No Crime?Thu Jun 13, 8:37 AM ET DETROIT (Reuters) - A Taiwanese man who claims to have castrated about 50 people and was caught over the weekend with human testicles in the refrigerator of his suburban Detroit home may not have committed any crime, police said on Wednesday. Lt. Bruce Smith of the Oak Park police department said the 29-year-old man was arrested early on Saturday after he surgically removed the testicles of a Michigan man who was later rushed to a local hospital with severe bleeding. The would-be doctor was released shortly afterwards, however, because...