Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other foreign ministers told the U.N. Security Council today that a resolution calling for an immediate end to the violence in Syria would not be a repeat of the NATO operation in Libya that helped oust Moammar Gadhafi. Brought to the Security Council by Arab and European countries, the resolution calls on Syria to adopt an Arab League plan thatwould end the crackdown on opposition groups by Syrian President Bashar al Assad 's regime. It also calls for a peaceful transition to democracy by having Assad handing over power to his vice-president. "I know that some members here may be concerned that the Security Council is headed toward another Libya," Clinton said. "That is a false analogy. Syria is a unique situation that requires its own approach, tailored to the specific circumstances there." Clinton's comments were intended to reassure Russia, which has opposed the resolution over concern that it could lead to a f...

COMMENTARY | According to the Envoy, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has indicated she will not serve in a potential second Barack Obama term. She has announced she is weary of the "high wire" of American politics. Clinton has been involved in national politics in one capacity or another for 20 years. As first lady she was involved in an early attempt to create a national health care regime, an attempt that collapsed shortly before the 1994 Republican takeover of Congress led by Newt Gingrich. In 2000 Clinton was elected to the Senate from New York despite the fact she had not lived in the state. She was re-elected in 2006. Clinton was a presidential candidate in 2008 and was widely expected to win the Democratic nomination in a walk. But she and her supporters did not figure into their considerations a then young, unknown senator named Barack Obama, who won the nomination and the general election. President Obama named Clinton his Secretary of State , an office she no...

COCOA BEACH, Florida (Reuters) - Florida's Republican voters go to the polls on Tuesday in a high-stakes presidential primary election that could determine the direction of the race. In what shapes up as a two-man contest, most opinion polls show Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, holding a double-digit lead

Syrian forces tightened their grip on Damascus ' outskirts on Monday, as the Arab League pushed a UN resolution drawn up with Western powers condemning President Bashar al-Assad 's regime. The violence has been described by activists as the most intense since the beginning of the 10-month uprising, with 80 people killed across Syria on Sunday alone, half of them civilians, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Regime forces seem intent on wresting back complete control of Damascus suburbs that have intermittently fallen into the hands of rebel fighters in recent weeks. Across the area, the government soldiers have set up checkpoints at strategic intersections in search of armed fighters or suspects wanted by security services. The rebel Free Syrian Army said 50 more officers and soldiers turned their back on Assad on Saturday and in a "steady progression of fighting towards the capital" clashed with army regulars only eight kilometres (five miles) from Dam...

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she will attend a UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday to lend her support to Syrians seeking democratic change. Clinton says the US will support an Arab-backed condemnation of President Bashar al-Assad's regime. She says Assad is blocking a peaceful transition by attacking the Syrian people, and warned that instability could spill over throughout the Mideast. Assad's regime is intensifying an assault against army defectors and protesters. The UN says more than 5400 people have been killed in a crackdown since March. More than 190 were killed in the past five days. Clinton's statement condemned the Assad regime's escalation of violence 'in the strongest possible terms'. She called the shelling of civilian areas with mortar and tank fire 'brutal' and said whole buildings were levelled.

The American visa regime for Bulgarian citizens will be on the agenda of the talks of Bulgarian Foreign Affairs Minister , Nikolay Mladenov , with US Secretary of State , Hillary Clinton , during her visit to Bulgaria. In a TV interview Mladenov informs that the visit, which is scheduled for February 5th, has been planned and prepared for a long time. Other topics, according to the Minister, include Bulgaria recognizing years of service for Bulgarians, who have worked in the US; strategic partnership between Bulgaria and the US in the security sector, in NATO, and in the NATO mission in Afghanistan, partnership on the Balkans, and the situation in the Middle East. "I hope that we will have the opportunity to have a serious discussion on the American visa policy towards Bulgaria and some particular agreements on the years of service of Bulgarians who had been employed in the US," Mladenov said. During her official visit to Bulgaria Clinton will also meet with Prime Minister...

WASHINGTON (AP) Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will make a short trip to Europe next week, making her sixth visit to Germany and first to Bulgaria as America's top diplomat. The State Department said on Friday that Clinton will go to Munich on February 3 to participate in the annual Munich Security Conference and meet with various other foreign ministers and senior officials who are attending. She will then travel to Sofia the next day for discussions with Bulgarian leaders on their role in Afghanistan and lessons their democratic transition could provide to the Arab world. Clinton will return to Washington on February 5.

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WASHINGTON (AP) Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will make a short trip to Europe next week, making her sixth visit to Germany and first to Bulgaria as America's top diplomat. The State Department said on Friday that Clinton will go to Munich on February 3 to participate in the annual Munich Security Conference and meet with various other foreign ministers and senior officials who are attending. She will then travel to Sofia the next day for discussions with Bulgarian leaders on their role in Afghanistan and lessons their democratic transition could provide to the Arab world. Clinton will return to Washington on February 5.

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Tbo.com Published: January 26, 2012 Updated: January 26, 2012 - 6:19 PM WASHINGTON Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says she wants to step off the "high wire of American politics" after two decades and is again tamping down speculation that she might stay in government if President Barack Obama wins a second term. Clinton told State Department employees today that she is ready for a rest and is paying no attention to the Republican presidential candidate debates. She said she wants to find out just how tired she is after working flat out as first lady, senator, aspiring presidential candidate and finally the top U.S. diplomat. "I have made it clear that I will certainly stay on until the president nominates someone and that transition can occur" if Obama wins re-election, she told a town hall meeting. "But I think after 20 years, and it will be 20 years, of being on the high wire of American politics and all of the challeng...

Posted: 2:47 PMUpdated: 2:48 PM WASHINGTON (AP) Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says she wants to step off the high wire of American politics after two decades and is again tamping down speculation that she might stay in government if President Barack Obama wins a second term. Clinton told State Department employees on Thursday that she is ready for a rest and is paying no attention to the Republican presidential candidate debates. She said she wants to find out just how tired she is after working flat out as first lady, senator, aspiring presidential candidate and finally the top U.S. diplomat. I have made it clear that I will certainly stay on until the president nominates someone and that transition can occur if Obama wins re-election, she told a town hall meeting. But I think after 20 years, and it will be 20 years, of being on the high wire of American politics and all of the challenges that come with that, it would be probably a good idea to just find out how tired I ...

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is to be on an official visit to Bulgaria on February 4 and February 5, according to the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry. Clinton was invited by Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov back in October 2010 during his visit to the US in which the Bulgarian government's anti-corruption measures were discussed. The US Embassy in Sofia has told the local Trud daily that it has received a confirmation by the US Department of State concerning Hillary Clinton 's visit. The Secretary of State 's visits abroad are announced by her cabinet in Washington.

Washington: Indian Ambassador to the US Nirupama Rao met with the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington to discuss a wide range of bilateral and regional issues, including the importance of civil nuclear cooperation . "They talked about maintaining the momentum in our bilateral relationship and our strategic dialogue," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters. "They also talked about the full range of bilateral issues, including the importance of our civil nuclear cooperation and our continued efforts to chart a way forward that'll bring India the benefits of American nuclear technology," she said. This was Rao's first meeting with Clinton after she took over as Indian Ambassador to the US in Washington late last year. Rao, who has already done a lot of travel around the US and been to a lot of US universities, gave the secretary some flavour for that, the Spokesperson said. "They talked about Afghanistan and the impor...

Washington: Indian Ambassador to the US Nirupama Rao met with the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington to discuss a wide range of bilateral and regional issues, including the importance of civil nuclear cooperation . "They talked about maintaining the momentum in our bilateral relationship and our strategic dialogue," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters. "They also talked about the full range of bilateral issues, including the importance of our civil nuclear cooperation and our continued efforts to chart a way forward that'll bring India the benefits of American nuclear technology," she said. This was Rao's first meeting with Clinton after she took over as Indian Ambassador to the US in Washington late last year. Rao, who has already done a lot of travel around the US and been to a lot of US universities, gave the secretary some flavour for that, the Spokesperson said. "They talked about Afghanistan and the impor...

Malgosia Bela for M Le Monde . HAIR Will Hillary Clinton bring back headbands? [ Gloss ] Other than beards , the newest beauty trend for men is the man bun, apparently. [ NYT ] Shiloh Jolie-Pitt has a tomboyish cropped haircut; let's all make unnecessary comments about what this means for her kiddie style. [ Us ] NAIL Here are nine red nail polishes for a classic manicure. [ Allure ] Malgosia Bela has huge (frostbitten?) hair and some Joker-esque lips in an editorial for M Le Monde . [ Design Scene ] LOral Paris is hosting a contest for a new beauty vlogger for its YouTube channel. Fans can submit videos via YouTube, and the winner will be flown to New York City for a makeover and take home a years supply of LOral products. [ WWD ] The Daily News finds that celebrities like Cameron Diaz are debuting darker and darker skin tones la "Jersey Shore."[ NYDN ] La Prairie has three new products in its White Caviar collection, including a spot treatment, a hand cream, a...

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has wished Australians 'a safe and happy holiday celebration' on Australia Day. 'On behalf of President (Barack) Obama and the people of the United States, I am delighted to congratulate the Australian people as you celebrate Australia Day this January 26,' Ms Clinton said in a statement. 'As we mark more than six decades of the US-Australia alliance, an anchor of stability, security and prosperity throughout the world, we continue to strengthen this friendship and chart a common path forward together.' Ms Clinton says last year's visit to Australia by President Obama reaffirmed the depth of the US-Australian partnership, with the two countries committed to finding 'new ways to work together to expand stability and opportunity in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world'. She said the ties between 'our people and nations are as close as any'. 'As you celebrate your national day with family, friend...

UN envoy Susan Rice spoke to AJC's David Harris Monday. (AJC) Obama's UN envoy Susan Rice, a top foreign policy adviser, has been stepping up her outreach to key domestic constituencies and deepening her relationships with influential interest groups lately. Does she have her eye on Secretary of State in Obama's possible second term? (If you're wondering about current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, she has repeatedly said she intends to step down after the end of Obama's first termdespite her enjoying the highest popularity numbers . ("There's so many things I'm interested in, I mean, really going back to private life and spending time reading, and writing, and maybe teaching, doing some personal travel, not the kind of travel where you bring along a couple of hundred people with you," Clinton told Tavis Smiley last year.) Take, for example, Rice's key role in the Obama administration's high profile diplomatic lobbying against the Pal...

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton "rejected" President Obama's proposed 2011 budget for her department, according to a memo obtained by the New Yorker 's Ryan Lizza, and described in the magazine Monday . "At the proposed funding levels, we will not have the capacity to deliver either the full level of civilian staffing or the foreign assistance programs that underlie the civilian-military strategy you outlined for Afghanistan; nor the transition from U.S. Military to civilian programming in Iraq; nor the expanded assistance that is central to our Pakistan strategy," Clinton wrote in the six-page memo. As military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan draw down, responsibility for those conflict zones increasingly falls to the State Department, which will be staffing the largest U.S. embassy in the world in Baghdad and overseeing a team of several thousand armed contractors. At the same time, the State Depa...

Washington , Jan 23 (ANI): US President Barack Obama agreed to using character assassination tactics against Hillary Clinton during his 2008 presidential campaign , leaked memos have revealed. White House memos seen by America's New Yorker magazine, revealed that Obama 's key campaign slogan "Change We Can Believe In," was meant as a slur against Clinton's personality. It was intended to highlight how she "couldn't be trusted or believed in when it comes to change". "She's driven by political calculation not conviction, regularly backing away and shifting positions ... She embodies trench warfare vs Republicans, and is consumed with beating them rather than unifying the country and building consensus to get things done. She prides herself on working the system, not changing it," the October 2007 memo read. Obama attacked Clinton despite a pledge to steer away from negative electioneering, The Telegraph reports. According to the repor...

On Saturday night Mitt Romney delivered essentially the same speech to South Carolina voters that he did to New Hampshire voters. The only trouble is that Mitt won in New Hampshire, whereas he lost in South Carolina. Everyone knows that you feel differently when you win than when you lose. Where is the pathos? Where is the regret? Where is the disappointment? I didn't see any on Saturday night. If you listened without knowing the results, you might be convinced that in fact Mitt Romney had actually won tonight, rather than lose by a stunningly large margin in a state where he led the polls just a week ago. A normal person, a relatable person, would have come on the stage and said, "Well, I blew it. I'm sorry. And by the way, here are my tax returns!" The crowd would have laughed, would have roared, would have forgiven, and would now be raring to go fight the fight in Florida. Instead, what did we hear? We heard a man who put a good face on defeat, who believes...

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Saturday called Egypt 's foreign minister to discuss the country's economic and political situation , as well as events in Syria , the State Department said. It said the telephone call covered the same ground as President Barack Obama 's discussion with Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi on Friday, which the White House said was focused on Egypt's need for a democratic transition. Clinton's call to Foreign Minister Mohammed Amr came as official election results showed that Egypt's Islamists, led by the once-banned Muslim Brotherhood, clinched more than two-thirds of parliamentary seats in historic polls held last year after the ouster of long-time president Hosni Mubarak. "They also compared notes on Syria in advance of the Arab League meetings this weekend," the State Department said in a brief statement.

Mark Wilson/Getty Images Would Secretary of State Hillary Clinton help Obama if she were vice president on this year's election ticket? The very moment Hillary Clinton lost her nomination battle against Barack Obama, the big question burst to the fore. Should Hillary be the running mate? In the next breath, would Hillary be the running mate? The complications in 2008 were too messy perhaps. Some bad blood was freshly spilled between Clinton and Obama, mostly thanks to Bill Clinton's criticisms of his wife's challenger. As well, it was not clear Clinton would deign to serve what is lamented as the dullest job in the West Wing. Still, four years later with President Obama struggling, Democrats are again asking themselves who helps Obama more and who hurts him more: Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton. The most recent champion of Clinton for Veep is The New York Times Bill Keller. He heaps on the praise: "Hillary Clinton is 64 years old, with a Calvinist work ethic, the stamina ...

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton voiced doubt Friday that France would accelerate its troop pullout from Afghanistan , after four French troops were killed by an Afghan soldier. "I'm in great sympathy with what happened to the French soldiers," Clinton told a press conference in Washington with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle . "It was terrible and I can certainly appreciate the strong feelings that are being expressed," the chief US diplomat said. "We are in close contact with our French colleagues and we have no reason to believe that France will do anything other than continue to be part of the very carefully considered transition process as we look at our exit as previously agreed upon in Lisbon," Clinton added. In Lisbon, on November 20, 2010, NATO leaders endorsed a plan for their soldiers to start handing security responsibilities to Afghan forces, with the aim of ceding full control by the end of 2014. French President Nicolas...

January 19, 2012, 5:53 AM EST Philippines Protests New China Intrusion in Disputed Water Geithner Presses China on Currency, Seeks Support on Iran Myanmar Undertakes Big Prisoner Release as Sanctions Reviewed Gilani Seeks Lawmakers Backing After Tensions With Military Geithner Gets Japan Backing on Iran Oil After Snub From China By Daniel Ten Kate Jan. 16 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called her Myanmar counterpart after the Southeast Asian nation released hundreds of political prisoners, as the U.S. moved to upgrade relations strained for more than two decades. Clinton spoke with Myanmar Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to welcome the release of detainees and a cease-fire with the countrys largest armed ethnic group, Victoria Nuland, a spokeswoman for the State Department, said on Jan. 14. Both were conditions Clinton set for lifting sanctions during a visit to Myanmar last month. Clinton told Foreign Minister Lwin that ...

Updated: Thursday, 19 Jan 2012, 5:16 PM CST Published : Thursday, 19 Jan 2012, 5:16 PM CST Chicago - Gov. Pat Quinn has meetings planned with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski while he's in Washington. A Quinn spokeswoman says the meeting with Clinton is to discuss ways of opening up foreign markets to more Illinois businesses. The Democrat also accepted an award today from Americans for the Arts at a U.S. Conference of Mayors breakfast. Officials with the arts group say Quinn has demonstrated dedication to using the arts to jumpstart economic development, citing efforts to make Illinois a more attractive destination for filming movies. Officials also mentioned a new performing arts center at Western Illinois University that received state capital funds and will create jobs. Quinn is meeting tomorrow with members of the Democratic Governors Association in Maryland.

January 19, 2012, 5:53 AM EST Philippines Protests New China Intrusion in Disputed Water Geithner Presses China on Currency, Seeks Support on Iran Myanmar Undertakes Big Prisoner Release as Sanctions Reviewed Gilani Seeks Lawmakers Backing After Tensions With Military Geithner Gets Japan Backing on Iran Oil After Snub From China By Daniel Ten Kate Jan. 16 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called her Myanmar counterpart after the Southeast Asian nation released hundreds of political prisoners, as the U.S. moved to upgrade relations strained for more than two decades. Clinton spoke with Myanmar Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to welcome the release of detainees and a cease-fire with the countrys largest armed ethnic group, Victoria Nuland, a spokeswoman for the State Department, said on Jan. 14. Both were conditions Clinton set for lifting sanctions during a visit to Myanmar last month. Clinton told Foreign Minister Lwin that ...

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton met with Hall-of-Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA's All-Time Leading Scorer and a New York Times' best-selling author, to discuss his new role as a global Cultural Ambassador . [...] "I am excited and honored to serve my country as a Cultural Ambassador for the U.S. Department of State," said Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who has focused his efforts after his NBA career on engaging youth through socially-minded projects and education. "I look forward to meeting with young people all over the world and discussing ways in which we can strengthen our understanding of one another through education, through sports, and through greater cultural tolerance." Kareem's pained expression in this picture is now the Internet's all-time leading scorer.

House Republicans have called Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to testify as early as next week on the Obama administrations decision to reject the Keystone XL pipeline . Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton formally sent a request to Clinton to come and testify at a hearing as early as next Wednesday, the day after President Barack Obama gives his State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress. Continue Reading Upton is required to give members of his panel a weeks notice before a hearing occurs. So as much as Id like to do it tomorrow, or Friday or Monday, we cant ask her before Wednesday, he told reporters Wednesday. Upton added he had not heard back from the State Department but we expect to hear back very shortly. He said Clinton is the only witnesses he has asked for so far. In the meantime, Republicans continue to weigh their legislative options . "All options are on the table, House Speaker John Boehner told reporters. This fight is not goi...

Clinton visits Ivory Coast as part of a four-country tour of West Africa She praises the progress made but urges greater efforts toward reconciliation Ivory Coast was torn by post-election violence from December 2010 to April 2011 Former President Laurent Gbagbo now faces four counts of crimes against humanity Abidjan, Ivory Coast (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised the leader of Ivory Coast for progress made toward peace Tuesday but urged greater dialogue with the opposition to heal the wounds of a deadly political crisis. It's a "historic moment" for the Ivory Coast, Clinton said during a press conference with President Alassane Ouattara, who welcomed her to the presidential palace in the nation's commercial capital, Abidjan. Clinton's visit -- the first by a U.S. secretary of state to the west African nation in a quarter of a century -- comes just over a year after contested presidential polls, which led to widespread violence. The former ...

LOME (Reuters) - Secretary of Hillary Clinton started her West Africa trip celebrating democracy, swooping in for the inauguration of Liberia 's democratically re-elected president and promising help to Ivory Coast as it recovers from a bloody post-election civil war. She wound up the trip on Tuesday sitting in a grandiose presidential palace in the impoverished nation of Togo , talking U.N. Security Council politics with a young leader making his own tentative democratic steps after taking over from his father, once one of Africa's longest-ruling strongman. Clinton's whirlwind trip - four countries in two days - highlighted what U.S. officials say has been a resurgence of democracy in West Africa, long seen as lagging other parts of the continent as it struggles to free itself of military coups and ethnic violence. But it also showed that the United States is determined to step up its engagement with the region, hoping to counter growing Chinese influence across Africa...

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Tuesday the unrest in Yemen was a "major concern", as Al-Qaeda militants took advantage of a central government weakened by months of protests. "The instability in Yemen is a great concern first for the Yemeni people, but also the region and the world," Clinton said during a visit to Ivory Coast. "It remains a great challenge," she said at a press conference. "There has been agreement with respect to the way forward that has not been fulfilled." A Gulf-mediated plan for Yemen calls for the election of a consensus president for a two-year interim period after which parliamentary and another round of presidential elections are to be held. But Yemeni officials have said the unrest in one of the world's poorest countries could delay the presidential election planned for February 21. "We regret that the president has yet failed to comply with his own commitment to leave the country and to perm...

January 17, 2012, 1:04 AM EST Gilani Seeks Lawmakers Backing After Tensions With Military Thai Group Pushes to Change Royal Insult Law as Cases Increase Geithner Gets Japan Backing on Iran Oil After Snub From China S. Korea Military Focuses on Possible Border Island Conflict Myanmar Releases Prisoners as U.S. Opens Diplomatic Initiative By Daniel Ten Kate Jan. 16 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called her Myanmar counterpart after the Southeast Asian nation released hundreds of political prisoners, as the U.S. moved to upgrade relations strained for more than two decades. Clinton spoke with Myanmar Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to welcome the release of detainees and a cease-fire with the countrys largest armed ethnic group, Victoria Nuland, a spokeswoman for the State Department, said on Jan. 14. Both were conditions Clinton set for lifting sanctions during a visit to Myanmar last month. Clinton told Foreign Minister Lw...

Published: Jan. 16, 2012 at 4:29 PM MONROVIA, Liberia, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Top U.S. diplomat Hillary Clinton began her African trip with inaugurations -- one for the Liberian president and the other for a new U.S. Embassy in Monrovia. "This new compound is a testament to the work you do, and it is a symbol of America's lasting commitment to our partners today," Clinton said Monday. "We are committed to standing with the people of Liberia as you, as they, continue their important journey, reconciling political and ethnic differences, strengthening democracy, bringing prosperity and opportunity to people, particularly young people." Clinton also attended the inauguration of Liberian President Ellen Sirleaf, who was elected to a second term. Clinton's whirlwind visit ends Tuesday. Other stops includes a visit to Ivory Coast, where she will visit with President Alassane Ouattara to discuss U.S. support for national reconciliation and strengthening democratic inst...

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Ivory Coast Monday on her first visit there since a deadly crisis broke out following disputed 2010 polls. "It will be the first visit of a secretary of state in Cote d'Ivoire since 1986," a high-ranking US official said as Clinton flew in from Liberia for the second leg of a whirlwind west African tour. The visit "underscores our commitment to strengthening democratic institutions " in Cote d'Ivoire," the official said. Clinton is scheduled to meet with Ivory Coast's new President Alassane Ouattara on Tuesday. Former strongman Laurent Gbagbo 's refusal to hand over the reins to his long-time opponent Ouattara after November 2010 polls plunged the world's top cocoa-grower into a deadly crisis which the United Nations said claimed around 3,000 lives. The visit "underscores our commitment to strengthening democratic institutions" in Cote d'Ivoire," the US official added. O...

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Liberia on Monday ahead of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf 's inauguration for a second six-year term in office. "Liberia has been a close friend of the United States for so many years," said Clinton upon her arrival. She said Sirleaf "has done a remarkable job of rebuilding her country". "It is important because Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the only female president in Africa." Some 30 heads of state are expected to attend the swearing-in of Sirleaf, a joint winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011, in the $1.2 million (900,000 euro) inauguration which will include a massive parade in the capital and festivities around the country. "This is an opportunity for the United States to express our appreciation for the outstanding job she has done, to acknowledge the success of her recent election, to applaud her for her Nobel prize," said Clinton. Liberia's presidential run-off election on November 8 plung...

January 15, 2012, 2:41 PM EST Myanmar Releases Prisoners as U.S. Opens Diplomatic Initiative U.S. to Resume Diplomatic Relations With Myanmar, Clinton Says Myanmar Undertakes Big Prisoner Release as Sanctions Reviewed China May Be Allied With U.S. in Preferring Ma Win in Taiwan Geithner Presses China on Currency, Seeks Support on Iran By Daniel Ten Kate Jan. 16 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called her Myanmar counterpart after the Southeast Asian nation released hundreds of political prisoners, as the U.S. moved to upgrade relations strained for more than two decades. Clinton spoke with Myanmar Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to welcome the release of detainees and a cease-fire with the countrys largest armed ethnic group, Victoria Nuland, a spokeswoman for the State Department, said on Jan. 14. Both were conditions Clinton set for lifting sanctions during a visit to Myanmar last month. Clinton told Foreign Minister Lwin...