Tehran  - Iran's supreme leader on Saturday warned Iraq over the prolonged presence of US forces in that country, the Iranian media reported.

"The occupiers are preparing grounds for a long and enduring presence in Iraq and this is a big danger of which the Iraqi officials should be aware," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told visiting Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.

Hamburg - Germany and Poland showed no signs Friday of settling the dispute over a controversial museum appointment, as the neighbours' heads of state met for an historic dinner in the German city of Hamburg.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk were meeting for the first time since an ongoing dispute over a museum remembering expulsions after World War II had flared up again in recent weeks.

New York  - The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which is under Greek leadership this year, should do more to help settle conflicts around the world, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis said Friday.

Bakoyannis cited the brief war last August in the Caucasus, which pitted Russian troops against Georgian forces over the breakaway region of South Ossetia, as well as the situation in Kosovo and Afghanistan.

New York  - The Sri Lankan government has been urged to hold back its final military battle in areas where tens of thousands of civilians remain trapped, the United Nations' chief humanitarian emergency coordinator said Friday.

The UN's John Holmes recently visited the troubled island nation to gain first-hand information of the humanitarian situation in refugee camps.

Washington  - US President Barack Obama announced Friday that he will withdraw most US combat troops from Iraq by the end of August 2010, sharply reducing the American presence but keeping in place thousands of soldiers to support and train Iraqi forces.

There are presently more than 140,000 US troops in Iraq. Obama plans to keep about 35,000 to 50,000 soldiers to help train and equip the Iraqis and participate in special counterterrorism missions. The pace of the withdrawal will be determined by the commanders on the ground.

Washington  - US President Barack Obama announced Friday that he will withdraw most US combat troops from Iraq by the end of August 2010, sharply reducing the American presence but keeping in place thousands of soldiers to support and train Iraqi forces.

There are presently more than 140,000 US troops in Iraq. Obama plans to keep about 35,000 to 50,000 soldiers to help train and equip the Iraqis and participate in special counterterrorism missions. The pace of the withdrawal will be determined by the commanders on the ground.