http://www.mail.com/subjects/1320-diplomacy.html Mail.com - the best personalized free web-based Email en en http://sec-s.uicdn.com/mail.com/2.20/img/mailcom_logo_rss.png http://www.mail.com/subjects/1320-diplomacy.html http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1765698-embattled-rice-bows-running-kerry.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Susan Rice, the embattled U.N. ambassador, abruptly withdrew from consideration to be the next secretary of state on Thursday after a bitter, weekslong standoff with Republican senators who declared they would fight to defeat her nomination. The reluctant announcement makes Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry the likely choice to be the nation... Fri, 14 Dec 2012 01:02:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1765698-embattled-rice-bows-running-kerry.html 2012-12-14T01:02:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1764006-israeli-fm-charged-with-breach-trust.html JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's powerful foreign minister was charged Thursday with breach of trust for actions that allegedly compromised a criminal investigation into his business dealings, throwing the country's election campaign into disarray just weeks before the vote. While Avigdor Lieberman was cleared of more serious allegations against him, the indictm... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 20:57:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1764006-israeli-fm-charged-with-breach-trust.html 2012-12-13T20:57:00Z http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/1763188-us-leads-western-snub-un-telecoms-treaty.html DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A disappointed American delegation led a Western snub of a U.N. telecommunications treaty Thursday after rivals, including Iran and China, won support for provisions interpreted as endorsing greater government control of the Internet. The unraveling of the conference displayed the deep ideological divide at the 193-natio... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 20:48:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/1763188-us-leads-western-snub-un-telecoms-treaty.html 2012-12-13T20:48:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1764684-officials-libyan-government-slowing-investigation.html WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. counterterrorism officials told lawmakers Thursday that uncooperative or less-than-capable local law enforcement in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia is slowing the search for suspects in the death of the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans in Libya on Sept. 11. Authorities in the region have not yet arrested many of the suspects the U... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 18:22:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1764684-officials-libyan-government-slowing-investigation.html 2012-12-13T18:22:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1760966-mali-prime-minister-forced-ouster.html BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali's interim president has named a replacement prime minister after soldiers behind a coup earlier this year forced out his predecessor and placed him under house arrest, provoking international condemnation. The political turmoil has deepened concerns about Mali's stability at a time when the international community is considering b... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:36:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1760966-mali-prime-minister-forced-ouster.html 2012-12-13T00:36:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1761444-un-security-council-condemns-nkorea-rocket-launch.html UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council condemned North Korea's successful rocket launch on Wednesday and said it will urgently consider "an appropriate response." Whether that response includes new sanctions against the North, which the United States and its European allies are seeking, depends first and foremost on China, the North's closest all... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:16:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1761444-un-security-council-condemns-nkorea-rocket-launch.html 2012-12-13T00:16:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1760466-us-syria-opposition-disagree-terrorist-label.html MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) — The U.S. and the head of the new Syrian opposition coalition being feted at a conference in Morocco Wednesday publicly disagreed over designating a rebel group as terrorist, highlighting a key dilemma in overthrowing President Bashar Assad's regime. Even as the U.S., Europe and its allies recognized the new opposition of the sole... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 21:00:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1760466-us-syria-opposition-disagree-terrorist-label.html 2012-12-12T21:00:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1760880-un-international-efforts-to-engage-iran.html VIENNA (AP) — International officials pursued a two-pronged effort Wednesday to engage Iran over concerns the country may have worked on nuclear weapons, with a U.N. team seeking access to a site linked to such suspected activity and European Union negotiators looking to restart talks with Tehran meant to ease such fears. Preparing to depart Vienna for Te... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 20:35:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1760880-un-international-efforts-to-engage-iran.html 2012-12-12T20:35:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1760854-cops-british-army-guided-belfast-lawyers-killing.html DUBLIN (AP) — British police and army agents planted inside Northern Ireland's major Protestant gang played a pivotal role in assassinating a Belfast attorney, a former United Nations war crimes investigator concluded in a damning report published Wednesday into one of the most divisive slayings of the entire four-decade conflict. Sir Desmond de Silva con... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 16:21:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1760854-cops-british-army-guided-belfast-lawyers-killing.html 2012-12-12T16:21:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1761064-rebels-central-african-republic-take-3-towns.html BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — A rebel group that signed a peace accord with the government of the Central African Republic announced Wednesday that it had taken three towns in the country's north, in a move that is intended to force the state to review the six-year-old accord. Reached on his satellite phone in the distant north of the country, r... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 14:11:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1761064-rebels-central-african-republic-take-3-towns.html 2012-12-12T14:11:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1757614-obama-us-recognizes-syrias-main-rebel-group.html WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama declared Syria's main opposition group the sole "legitimate representative" of its country's people Tuesday, deeming the move "a big step" in the international diplomatic efforts to end Syrian President Bashar Assad's embattled regime. Obama said the newly formed Syrian Opposition Council "is now inclusive enough" ... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 22:38:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1757614-obama-us-recognizes-syrias-main-rebel-group.html 2012-12-11T22:38:00Z http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1759258-california-chefs-encourage-fresh-dining-cuba.html HAVANA (AP) — Rice, beans, pork — and lots of it. That's a typical restaurant meal in Cuba, widely regarded by travelers as a culinary wasteland where the variety and quality of raw ingredients leave much to be desired. But a delegation of chefs from Alice Waters' celebrated Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley, California, is in Havana on a mission to spa... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 21:16:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1759258-california-chefs-encourage-fresh-dining-cuba.html 2012-12-11T21:16:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1757456-ap-exclusive-aclu-seeks-oas-probe-padilla-case.html NEW YORK (AP) — A civil liberties group asked the Organization of American States' human rights commission Tuesday to investigate the U.S. government for what it says are violations of the rights of convicted terrorism plotter Jose Padilla. The American Civil Liberties Union says the U.S. violated Padilla's rights when it labeled him an "enemy combatant" ... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 19:18:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1757456-ap-exclusive-aclu-seeks-oas-probe-padilla-case.html 2012-12-11T19:18:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1758030-congo-rebels-return-to-peace-talks.html KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Peace talks with rebels in eastern Congo should end with the disbandment of the M23 rebel movement, Congo's foreign minister said Tuesday, declaring it a criminally-minded organization that has caused suffering in the country. Foreign Minister Raymond Tshibanda delivered his indictment of M23 on Tuesday after representatives of the ... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 14:48:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1758030-congo-rebels-return-to-peace-talks.html 2012-12-11T14:48:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1757452-meeting-delay-sign-cooling-us-vietnam-ties.html HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — The U.S. and Vietnam, former enemies who share concerns about China's rise, are finding that one issue — human rights — is keeping them from becoming closer friends. Stress between the nations is clear from a delay in an annual meeting between Washington and Hanoi on human-rights concerns. Such consultations have been held every year... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 06:15:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1757452-meeting-delay-sign-cooling-us-vietnam-ties.html 2012-12-11T06:15:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1756020-israels-netanyahu-world-double-standards.html JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's prime minister on Monday accused the international community of "deafening silence" in response to recent vows by the head of the Hamas militant group to fight on until the Jewish state is destroyed, and appeared unmoved by the gathering storm of global condemnation of his government's plans to continue settling the West Bank. Be... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 21:56:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1756020-israels-netanyahu-world-double-standards.html 2012-12-10T21:56:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1755614-congo-rebels-dodge-meeting-peace-talks-falter.html KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Representatives of rebels attending peace talks with the Congolese government dodged a crucial meeting Monday at which the government delegation was to respond to earlier criticism, a development that could jeopardize negotiations to end the crisis in eastern Congo. The talks, which are being held in the Ugandan capital Kampala, got... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 19:20:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1755614-congo-rebels-dodge-meeting-peace-talks-falter.html 2012-12-10T19:20:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1755492-eu-condemns-israel-settlements.html BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union warned Israel of unspecified consequences Monday if it goes through with plans to build thousands of new settler homes in Jerusalem and the West Bank. The bloc's 27 foreign ministers said they were "deeply dismayed" by Israeli plans to expand settlements in East Jerusalem and particularly the E1 project, which would sepa... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 18:26:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1755492-eu-condemns-israel-settlements.html 2012-12-10T18:26:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1755568-deep-divides-dubai-un-talks-internet.html DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Talks over possible new U.N. regulations for the Internet were deeply divided Monday, with Russia and others advocating for more government control, while a U.S.-led bloc warned against rules that could restrict freedoms in cyberspace. The Dubai conference, which wraps up later this week, is not empowered to bring about ... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:35:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1755568-deep-divides-dubai-un-talks-internet.html 2012-12-10T15:35:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1755840-taliban-to-attend-paris-meeting-afghanistan.html KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban will attend a meeting in France to talk about Afghanistan's future but will not discuss peace and reconciliation, the militant group's spokesman said Monday. The meeting, organized by a French think tank on the outskirts of Paris, is not expected to produce results, but it will produce a rare face-to-face gathering of... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 14:36:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1755840-taliban-to-attend-paris-meeting-afghanistan.html 2012-12-10T14:36:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1755600-germany-expels-syrian-diplomats.html BERLIN (AP) — Germany has expelled four employees of the Syrian embassy in Berlin in a diplomatic move to put pressure on the regime of President Bashar Assad. Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said Monday the expulsion of the four, whose identities weren't released, sends a "clear sign that we are reducing relations with the Assad government to an absol... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 11:43:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1755600-germany-expels-syrian-diplomats.html 2012-12-10T11:43:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1754030-israel-grows-jittery-palestinian-uprising.html JERUSALEM (AP) — The rising confidence and bellicosity of Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, combined with rapidly deteriorating relations with Israel's would-be peace partner in the West Bank, are raising jitters in Israel that a new Palestinian uprising could be near. A number of prominent voices urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday to take... Sun, 09 Dec 2012 17:26:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1754030-israel-grows-jittery-palestinian-uprising.html 2012-12-09T17:26:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1754486-talks-congo-government-rebels-open.html KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Talks started here between the Congo government and rebels who have seized strategic parts of eastern Congo. Ugandan Minister of Defence Chrispus Kiyonga Sunday opened the dialogue between Congo President Joseph Kabila's government and the M23 rebels. Congo was represented by Foreign Affairs Raymond Tshibanda while the rebel delegat... Sun, 09 Dec 2012 17:24:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1754486-talks-congo-government-rebels-open.html 2012-12-09T17:24:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1754288-palestinian-president-appeals-urgent-arab-aid.html DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The Palestinian president is urging Arab nations to provide major financial assistance to cover a new monthly $100 million budgetary shortfall after U.N. recognition of Palestinian claims to statehood — the result of a punitive Israeli measure. The appeal by Mahmoud Abbas reflects the severe financial fallout from last month's landmark ... Sun, 09 Dec 2012 16:05:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1754288-palestinian-president-appeals-urgent-arab-aid.html 2012-12-09T16:05:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1754264-senegals-casamance-rebels-free-8-army-prisoners.html DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Roman Catholic peacemakers say that eight Senegalese soldiers were freed by rebels in the southern Casamance district. The Sant'Egidio Community confirmed, in a statement issued in Rome, that the soldiers were released by the rebels to promote peace negotiations. A conflict has raged for more than 30 years between the Senegalese gove... Sun, 09 Dec 2012 14:56:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1754264-senegals-casamance-rebels-free-8-army-prisoners.html 2012-12-09T14:56:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1752576-karzai-afghan-spy-chief-bomber-pakistan.html KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Saturday that the recent assassination attempt on the country's intelligence chief was planned in Pakistan, but vowed it would not stop him from seeking Islamabad's help in coaxing militants to the negotiating table. The attack, carried out by a suicide bomber posing as a peace messenger, severe... Sat, 08 Dec 2012 16:44:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1752576-karzai-afghan-spy-chief-bomber-pakistan.html 2012-12-08T16:44:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1752892-booze-smokes-agenda-quirky-govt-group.html BELTSVILLE, Md. (AP) — Deep in a secure laboratory just outside Washington sits the federal government's heaviest smoker. It is a half-ton hulk of a machine, all brushed aluminum and gasping smoke holes, like a retrofit of equipment used on an Industrial Revolution production line. It can smoke 20 cigarettes at once and conclude which are unsafe because t... Sat, 08 Dec 2012 14:29:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1752892-booze-smokes-agenda-quirky-govt-group.html 2012-12-08T14:29:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1750524-hamas-chiefs-gaza-visit-poses-challenge-to-israel.html RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The image of Hamas' long-exiled chief triumphantly walking around the Gaza Strip, flashing victory signs beside Islamic militant leaders Friday, illustrates how the group's defiance of Israel is forcing a change in Palestinian politics. Buoyed by the rise of fellow Islamists in Egypt, Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal and his allies are ... Fri, 07 Dec 2012 22:13:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1750524-hamas-chiefs-gaza-visit-poses-challenge-to-israel.html 2012-12-07T22:13:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1751782-report-libya-attack-imminent.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. John Kerry says Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has agreed to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about an independent report on the deadly Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Libya. In a letter Friday to the panel's members, Kerry indicated that the report from the accountability review boa... Fri, 07 Dec 2012 19:57:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1751782-report-libya-attack-imminent.html 2012-12-07T19:57:00Z