Washington  - The financial emergency gripping the country made for odd bedfellows on Thursday as US President George W Bush brought together the two men who hope to replace him in January - Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain.

The two senators joined congressional leaders as Republicans and Democrats appeared to be on the verge of hashing out the last details for an urgent and unprecedented 700-billion-dollar bailout of Wall Street.

Washington - The principles of a 700-billion-dollar deal to bail the country out of its financial crisis have been agreed on in a bipartisan move, legislators from the special finance committees handling the issue said Thursday.

Christopher Dodd, a Democrat from Connecticut and chair of the Senate banking committee, could not say exactly when the bill would pass, but said he expected action "within the next few days."

"We've reached a fundamental agreement on a set of principles," Dodd said.

Washington  - US President George W Bush vowed Thursday to keep working toward an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal even as time is running out on completing a deal before he leaves office.

Meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House, Bush offered his full support for Abbas' leadership in negotiating a settlement with the Israelis, including a creation of a Palestinian state.

Washington  - A bipartisan agreement to pass a 700-billion- dollar deal to bail the country out of its financial crisis appeared to have been reached, legislators from the special committees handling the issue said Thursday.

But Republican leaders signalled they would not back the plan, which must still be ironed out with congressional leadership and the White House, according to MSNBC.

Washington  - A bipartisan agreement to pass a 700-billion- dollar deal to bail the country out of its financial crisis has been reached, legislators from the special committees handling the issue said Thursday.

Christopher Dodd, a Democrat from Connecticut and chair of the Senate banking committee, could not say exactly when the bill would pass, but he expected action "within the next few days."

"We've reached a fundamental agreement on a set of principles," Dodd said.

Washington/London  - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will meet with US President George W Bush on Friday for emergency talks on the financial crisis in the United States that has caused turmoil in global markets.

The two leaders will also discuss the dispute with Iran over its nuclear activities, and the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and Georgia, the White House confirmed Thursday.