George H.W. Bush’s chief of staff said the former president is getting excellent medical treatment in Houston and that he would ask that people “put the harps back in the closet”.

Former US president George H.W. Bush has been admitted to a hospital intensive care unit “following a series of setbacks including a persistent fever”, but he is alert and talking to medical staff, his spokesman said.

Former US president George H.W. Bush will spend Christmas in a Texas hospital after developing a fever and weakness following a month-long, bronchitis-like cough, his spokesman said.

Tens of thousands of mourners sobbed, sang, prayed and vowed to cherish the Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s teachings today as they said goodbye to their self-proclaimed messiah and “True Father,” whose death earlier this month shed light again on his controversial religious and business empire.

Panama's government said the long-awaited extradition of former dictator Manuel Noriega is one step closer to reality after a French court said it received US approval to send Noriega home to face a 20-year prison sentence here.

President Barack Obama sternly proclaimed ratification of the US-Russia nuclear arms treaty “a national security imperative” today.

Twenty years ago tomorrow, they danced on top of the Berlin Wall, feet thudding on the cold concrete, arms raised in victory, hands clasped in friendship and giddy hope.

Capping a two-day visit to the United States, Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi received an award for “defending the values of freedom” through his staunch support of the US-led war in Iraq.