WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Bush administration still hopes to send an official to Moscow this year to discuss missile defense despite reports that the Kremlin has rejected the latest U.S. plan, the State Department said on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President-elect Barack Obama has pledged a new focus on the war in Afghanistan, including more U.S. troops and possible talks with the Taliban, but the challenges are daunting.

PARIS (Reuters) – Russia could cancel its deployment of missiles near the Polish border if U.S. President-elect Barack Obama scraps plans for a missile defense system in central Europe, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said.