Top Senate negotiator says he won’t wait much longer for GOP to compromise on health reform

WASHINGTON — Signaling it’s time for action, the Senate’s chief negotiator on a health care bill told his colleagues he won’t wait much longer for a Republican compromise.

House liberals plead with Obama to push for creation of government-run health care program

WASHINGTON — House liberals pleaded with President Barack Obama on Friday to push for creation of a government-run health care program as the Senate’s chief negotiator said he won’t wait much longer for Republicans to compromise amid dwindling chances for a bipartisan bill.

Obama holds health care conference call, talks to House liberals wary of president’s next move

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama discussed health care in a conference call with House members, including liberals wary of his next move on the issue.

Analysis: Many tasks, 1 speech: Obama facing heat to get specific and tough on health care

WASHINGTON — In one fell swoop, President Barack Obama must regain the public’s attention on health care, explain in detail exactly what he wants in a final deal, unify a restless Democratic Party, prod Congress to get him a bill and bring clarity to a bewildering debate.

White House signals openness to health compromise ahead of Obama speech, to liberals’ dismay

WASHINGTON — Even as liberals urge President Barack Obama to demand bold, far-reaching changes to the nation’s health care system, the White House signaled openness Thursday to compromises that might attract moderate congressional Democrats as well as some Republicans.

To liberals’ dismay, White House keeps conciliatory tone on health care before Obama speech

WASHINGTON — Even as liberals urge President Barack Obama to demand bold, far-reaching changes to the nation’s health care system, the White House signaled openness Thursday to compromises that might attract moderate congressional Democrats as well as some Republicans.

Analysis: Many tasks, one speech: Obama facing heat to get specific and tough on health care

WASHINGTON — In one fell swoop, President Barack Obama must regain the public’s attention on health care, explain in detail exactly what he wants in a final deal, unify a restless Democratic Party, prod Congress to get him a bill and bring clarity to a bewildering debate.

Biden says the Obama administration will lay out a bold and contentious health care plan

WASHINGTON — Vice President Joe Biden said Thursday the Obama administration is fiercely determined to get a health care overhaul, although he conceded it likely won’t happen without “an awful lot of screaming and hollering.”

Biden says Obama will lay out bold and contentious health plan

WASHINGTON — Vice President Joe Biden said Thursday the Obama administration is fiercely determined to get a health care overhaul, although he conceded it likely won’t happen without “an awful lot of screaming and hollering.”

Incoming Japanese prime minister reassures US on alliance despite pledges to get tougher

TOKYO — Japan’s incoming Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama reassured U.S. leaders Thursday that their security alliance remains the foundation of its foreign policy, despite pre-election promises that Tokyo would seek a more independent path.

Obama aims to take control of health care debate in rare address to joint session of Congress

WASHINGTON — Hoping to salvage his politically endangered health care overhaul, President Barack Obama will give a State of the Union-style address featuring fresh and more detailed arguments for revamping the system.

Japan’s victorious party near agreement on launching coalition government

TOKYO — The Democratic Party of Japan neared an agreement with two smaller parties Thursday on launching a coalition to push aside the outgoing Liberal Democrats, rein in the national bureaucracy and set a new course for the world’s second-largest economy.

Fla. GOP head ‘appalled’ at Obama’s planned stay-in-school speech, calls it liberal propaganda

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida’s Republican Party chairman is objecting to President Barack Obama’s plans to give a back-to-school address next week, saying Obama’s real motive is to indoctrinate students with his “socialist ideology.”

Obama tries to grab control of health care debate, will address Congress next Wednesday night

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama will deliver a major prime-time health care address to Congress next week, opening an urgent autumn push to gain control of the debate that has been slipping from his grasp under withering Republican-led attacks.

Obama sets health care address for Sept. 9 before Congress

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama will deliver a major prime-time address to Congress next week on his plans to overhaul the nation’s health care system, opening an urgent autumn push to gain control of the debate that has been slipping from his grasp under withering Republican-led attacks.

Time in the opposition could reinvigorate Japan’s long-ruling party, reeling from worst defeat

TOKYO — For the past half-century, the Liberal Democratic Party has called the shots in Japan, naming the prime ministers, filling the Cabinets and setting the national agenda. Now, it is learning to look at itself in a new way — as the opposition.

Grassley: bipartisan health care talks will continue despite rebuke from White House

WASHINGTON — The Republicans’ top negotiator on health care signaled Wednesday that bipartisan talks would continue despite White House suggestions that he and another GOP bargainer have not acted in good faith.

GOP senator says bipartisan health care talks moving ahead despite White House criticism

WASHINGTON — The top Senate Republican negotiator on health care insists that bipartisan talks will continue despite White House suggestions that GOP bargainers have not acted in good faith.

Interim leader vows elections will move Honduras past coup crisis, urges citizens to vote

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Honduras’ interim leader on Tuesday urged citizens to vote in November elections, vowing that the election of a new president will show the world democracy thrives in the Central America country despite a July coup.

See you in September, Democrats hope to halt GOP momentum on health care

WASHINGTON — For backers of health care overhaul, it’s TGIS: Thank goodness it’s September.

Another Canadian election looms as opposition Liberals pull support for minority government

TORONTO — Canada’s main opposition party vowed Tuesday to try to topple Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s minority government at the first opportunity, which could force a fourth election in the last five years and the second in just a year.

Japan’s new leader to create Cabinet post for economic recovery, turn quickly to diplomacy

TOKYO — Japan’s likely next prime minister will create a new Cabinet post to oversee national strategy and the economy and quickly turn his attentions to proving himself on the diplomatic front — an area in which he is virtually untested, officials said Tuesday.

Japan’s new leader to create Cabinet post for economic recovery and national strategy

TOKYO — Japan’s likely next prime minister met with senior party leaders Tuesday to discuss a new Cabinet, expected to include a new post to oversee strategy to bring the country out of its worst economic downturn since World War II.

Mont. Democrat Max Baucus predicts health care deal this year even if Republicans back out

HELENA, Mont. — U.S. Sen. Max Baucus of Montana says a health care overhaul will happen this year even if Republicans back out of bipartisan talks under growing public pressure and that the death of Sen. Edward Kennedy could help hold together a compromise deal.

Mont. Democrat Max Baucus hopes for bipartisan agreement on health care by mid-September

HELENA, Mont. — U.S. Sen. Max Baucus of Montana says a health care overhaul will happen this year even if Republicans back out of bipartisan talks under growing public pressure and that the death of Sen. Edward Kennedy could help hold together a compromise deal.

Japan’s new leader has close personal ties to US, but questions abound over diplomacy

TOKYO — Yukio Hatoyama, the Stanford Ph.D and political blue blood who led Japan’s opposition party to a stunning election victory, is coming to power amid questions about how he will pursue his desire for a more independent relationship with the United States.

Pa. Senate race spawns strange bedfellows as Specter foes team up for health care forum

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Political bedfellows don’t get much stranger than Joe Sestak and Pat Toomey.

Analysis: Obama hit by GOP for steering left, but gives top posts on war, economy to Bushites

WASHINGTON — For all the GOP howling about Barack Obama radically steering the government to the left and leading the nation toward socialism, some of his major appointments are Republican men and women of the middle.

Japan’s newly empowered opposition makes economy priority after landslide election

TOKYO — Japan’s likely next prime minister rushed to select Cabinet ministers Monday after his party trounced the ruling conservatives in elections and inherited a mountain of problems, including how to revive the world’s second-largest economy.

Japan gets a new leader; promises to boost economy

TOKYO — Japan’s newly empowered leader Yukio Hatoyama rushed Monday to select Cabinet ministers and start making good on promises to revive the world’s second-largest economy after his party’s historic trouncing of the ruling conservatives.