World

Under intense scrutiny, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin stood her ground Thursday night against a vastly more experienced Joe Biden, debating the economy, energy and global warming, then challenging him on Iraq, "especially with your son in the National Guard."

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who has committed to pulling out Canadian troops from Afghanistan in 2011, said on Thursday some other Western leaders wrongly believed NATO forces could stay there forever.

Iran's envoy to the IAEA said Wednesday his country would continue its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, expecting the agency to work within its jurisdiction.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was to meet Russian President Dmitry Medvedev here Thursday as the major trading partners moved to overcome strains sparked by the recent war in Georgia.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday that he sees no ideological grounds for a war with the United States — cold or hot — despite strained relations with Washington and the NATO alliance.

Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Wednesday he supports Afghan President Hamid Karzai's attempts at reconciliation with the Taliban.

Georgia's conflict with Russia cannot be allowed to damage Tbilisi's hopes of one day joining NATO, the US envoy to the military alliance said Monday.

Russia accused the United States on Monday of stonewalling negotiations on a new pact on reducing the size of the two powers' nuclear arsenals, the latest sign of deteriorating Russian-U.S. relations.

A six-year probe has not ruled out the possibility that Iran may be running clandestine nuclear programs, the chief U.N nuclear inspector said Monday, urging Iran to reassure the world by ending its secretive ways.

Taliban leader Mullah Omar on Monday urged U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan to withdraw or face a similar defeat to occupying Soviet troops a generation ago.