US-German Rift Grows Over Afghan Bombing

'Obama effect' is real, say pollsters

(NEWSER) - How soon they forget. America has become a lot more popular around the world since President Obama took office, according to a BBC poll. The poll of 30,000 people in 28 countries found that positive views of the US now average 40%, up from a low of 28% in 2007. Spain, France, and the UK generally have positive views of the US. Germans and Russians still tend to have a negative attitude toward the US but by a much smaller margin than a couple of years ago. More»

How about a stop to the meddling, pleads Simon Tisdall

(NEWSER) - Vladimir Putin’s “sardonic” acknowledgment of the interim regime in Kyrgyzstan yesterday is just another clue that the Russian government was involved in ousting president Kurmanbek Bakiyev, Simon Tisdall writes. It’s obvious: Putin essentially paid off Bakiyev to boot the US from a Kyrgyz air base, which ended up not happening. Then, voila! Russian TV stations “not usually noted for their concern for human rights have freely criticized Bakiyev.” More»

(NEWSER) - President Obama is several months into a second campaign: a bid to win the world’s approval. But what shapes his foreign policy? Michael Scherer outlines five key parts for Time:

• Pull from personal history: Obama has been pushing stories of his Indonesian childhood and Kenyan grandfather while overseas, and the message is clear: If I can do it, you can do it.

(NEWSER) - Revamped leadership in India and Pakistan and some behind-the-scenes encouragement from the US could lead to negotiations over the disputed Kashmir region, the New York Times reports. But while there are shimmers of hope, the relationship is still strained. “I am happy to meet you,” India’s PM told Pakistan’s president today, “but my mandate is to tell you that the territory of Pakistan must not be used for terrorism.” More»

Election could see pro-US gov't ousted from Lebanon

(AP) - Hillary Clinton reassured the Lebanese people today that Washington supports "voices of moderation" and will never make a deal with Syria that undermines the country's interests. Clinton spoke on a surprise visit to Beirut ahead of a critical June 7 election that could see the pro-US Lebanese government ousted by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah and its allies. More»