BBC News:美國國務(wù)卿約翰·克里訪問以色列

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A day of intense diplomacy has failed to set a datefor a long-awaited peace conference on Syria afterthe talks in Geneva involving officials from the U.S.Russia and other members of the UN SecurityCouncil. The International envoy on Syria Lakhdar Brahimi said he had been hoping to be in aposition to announce a date today. But unfortunately, he was unable to do so. Lyse Doucetreports from Damascus.

One of the major sticking points in many peace talks is president Assad. Some oppositionleaders say he must to step down at some point in the political transition. Others insist hemust go before talks can even start.But the president's adviser Dr Bouthaina Shaaban wasclear this issue was not on the table. In a rare interview, he emphasized the president's rolewill be decided by the Syrian people at the ballot box, in elections, or in a referendum, DrShaaban was also scathing about the opposition, describing rival groups as creations ofpowerful backers, like Saudi Arabia.

The American Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in Israel following an earlier stop over inSaudi Arabia and Egypt. He is due to have separate meetings on Wednesday with Israeli andPalestinian leadership to try to revive the peace talks which were launched three months ago,they are due to end next April and so far there has been little sign of progress. On Monday,Israeli media reported that Mr. Kerry may propose a new interim in peace deal but he hasdenied the such plan exists.

The authorities in Brazil have cancelled a major global football convention Soccerex due toplace in the city Rio de Janeiro later this month. The State government said the decision wastaken to avoid the use of public funds, the chief executive of Soccrex which brings togetherthousands of football executives and managers from around the world blamed continuingunrest. The organizers of next year's football world cup due to be held in the city said theprotests will not mar the tournament.

The Brazilian Justice Minister has defended his country spying activities and said they werecompletely different from those carried out by the United States. Jose Eduardo Cardoso saidthe Brazilian agents who were reported to follow and photographed American, Russian andother diplomats in Brazil acted in compliance with the law.

I don't say what was done as violation of privacy or rights, and what's done on the nationalterritory. So, if you ask me how does this affect Brazil's image, I would say that there hasbeen no damage. All countries have to do counter espionage, what I can't do is violate therights of other people, what I can't do is violate the sovereignty of others.

The allegations about the 10-year-old activities by Brazilian agents were leaked in the nationalpress. Recent reports of US email and phone spy on Brazil have prompted the country'spresident to postpone a visit to Washington.

World News from the BBC

The Vatican has taken an unusual step of launch global survey to find out what RomanCatholics really think about the church teachings on marriage and family life. Pope Francis iscalling bishops to Roma here this time to discuss possible reform. David Willey in Roma hasmore details of the survey.

It will cover such formally taboo subjects as how to include the adopted children of gay couplesin the church. A question there joined up in Rome seeks to find out, for example, what theCatholics of the 21 century feel about the controversial ban on artificial contraception. ThePope also under pressure particularly from Catholics in Germany to reconsider the church'srefusal to allow divorced and remarried Catholics to receive communion. The new Vaticanbuzzword is collegiality and this is something of a revolution.

The Irish government has announced it will hold a referendum on whether to allow same sexmarriages. Civil partnership has been legal in Ireland since 2010, but activists have beencampaigning to amend the constitution and give gay people equal access to civil marriage.

The Mayor of Canada's biggest city Toronto Rob Ford has admitted that he once smoke thedrug crack cocaine. The mayor surprised admission comes after the months of speculationbegan when the reports service to a video that appeared to show the Mayor smoking the drug.From Toronto Lee Carter reports.

Speaking to reporters, Toronto's mayor Rob Ford finally admitted that he had smoked crackcocaine. But he said he was not an addict and insisted that he only tried it once a year ago, inhis words probably in a drunken stupor. The admission just comes days after Mr.Ford's lawyersuggested that the substances that the mayor as apparently seems smoking in the video maynot have been crack cocaine. One fellow city councillor says he is preparing a motion tosuspend the mayor.

BBC News