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Obama opens final day of G-20 talks in Russia

U.S. President Barack Obama, center, with members of his delegation, speaks during his bilateral meeting with China's President Xi Jinping, unseen, at the G20 Summit, Friday, Sept. 6, 2013 in St. Petersburg, Russia. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — President Barack Obama is holding a final day of meetings with global leaders at the Group of 20 summit in the historic Russian city of St. Petersburg.

U.S. President Barack Obama, center, with members of his delegation, speaks during his bilateral meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping, unseen, at the G20 Summit, Friday, Sept. 6, 2013 in St. Petersburg, Russia. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Before departing for Washington on Friday night, Obama will hold a news conference, then meet with Russian civil society leaders. Among those invited to meet with the president are Russian gay rights leaders.

Obama has been critical of a new Russian law banning homosexual propaganda. Russian lawmakers say the measure doesn’t outlaw homosexuality but merely discourages discussion of it among people younger than 18.

The law has prompted scattered calls for a boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, which are being held in the Russian city of Sochi. However, Obama has said the U.S. does not plan to boycott the event.

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