KABUL (AFP) - US Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama had breakfast with US troops in Kabul on Sunday ahead of an expected meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai likely to focus on international efforts against extremists.

KABUL (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama had breakfast with U.S. troops in the Afghan capital on Sunday and talked about their experiences in the country that has seen a sharp rise in violence this year.

US presidential contender Barack Obama has shared Sunday breakfast with American troops in Kabul ahead of an expected meeting with Afghan leader Hamid Karzai.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki did not back the plan of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq and his comments to a German magazine on the issue were misunderstood, the government's spokesman said on Sunday.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki did not back the plan of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq and his comments to a German magazine on the issue were misunderstood, the government's spokesman said on Sunday.

KABUL (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama met the commander of U.S. troops in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday to talk about the war he says is not getting enough attention from the Bush administration.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has been quoted saying that US troops should leave Iraq "as soon as possible".

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The leader of South Africa's ruling party said former President Nelson Mandela was the glue holding the country together, giving voice to long-held fears about the future of the fledgling democracy without him.

KABUL (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama met the commander of U.S. troops in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday to talk about the war he says is not getting enough attention from the Bush administration.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Prime Minister Gordon Brown flew into Baghdad on Saturday and said he wanted to reduce British troop levels in Iraq, although he refused to set a timetable for their departure.

KABUL (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was in Afghanistan on Saturday to talk to NATO commanders and U.S. troops about the war he says is not getting enough attention from the Bush administration.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has held talks with Iraqi leaders less than a week after the announcement of expected British troop cuts in southern Iraq.

KABUL (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama arrived in Afghanistan on Saturday, on the first leg of a trip aimed at proving his foreign policy credentials that will also take in the Middle East and Europe.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Democrat Barack Obama is set this weekend to tout his foreign policy expertise on a trip to the Middle East and Europe, while his rival for the White House John McCain campaigns in America's heartland to reassure voters about jobs and the economy.

BERLIN (AFP) - Obamania is all the rage ahead of next week's visit to Berlin, Paris and London by a man described in newspapers as a "John Kennedy of our time" and Europe's champion in the race for the White House.

DETROIT (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate John McCain commented on Friday on the unannounced timing of a high-security trip by Barack Obama to Iraq, saying he believed his Democratic rival was going this weekend.

Republican White House hopeful John McCain has predicted a surge of militant attacks in Iraq around the time of the US election in November.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama has decided against using the Brandenburg Gate as a backdrop for a speech in Berlin, his aides said on Friday.