Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Syrian opposition leaders Tuesday. The meeting was a sign of support for the opposition movement against President Bashar al-Assad’s government. Ms Clinton and seven exiled Syrian opposition members met in Geneva. She told them a move toward democracy has to mean more than ending Mr al-Assad’s government. She said it means establishing the rule of law in Syria and protecting the rights of all citizens. Separately, Robert Ford, the American ambassador to Syria, is expected to return to the country Tuesday night. Mr Ford was called to Washington in late October after receiving death threats for meeting with Syrian opposition leaders and supporting protesters.

The leader of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood is promising to work with the ruling military government if his party wins Egypt’s parliamentary elections. Mohammed Badie commented on the Al-Mehwar television station Tuesday. He said the Muslim Brotherhood’s party will try to come to an agreement with the military council and other groups.

Russian troops guarded central Moscow Tuesday to try to prevent more protests. Thousands of demonstrators had gathered Monday to denounce an election they say was dishonest. Thousands of police and Interior Ministry troops were deployed after protesters planned several demonstrations in the capital. In Lithuania, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton again raised what she called serious concerns about the parliamentary election on Sunday. In that vote, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s United Russia Party kept its majority in parliament but lost support. Ms Clinton also said the election was neither free nor fair. She spoke to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Russian President Dmitri Medvedev called Ms Clinton’s comments unacceptable, saying the elections were fair, honest and democratic.

State media in the Democratic Republic of Congo say the country will delay announcing results of the presidential election. The Independent National Electoral Commission said it needs more time to count final results. It promised a complete count by Thursday. The delay could add to fears of increasing political unrest. Thousands of soldiers are guarding streets in the capital, Kinshasa, and other cities since protests are expected across the country.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling for firm action to fight climate change and its affects around the world. Mr Ban said an official worldwide agreement to fight climate change is likely out of reach for now. But he urged nations at least to take steps toward that goal. He spoke Tuesday at the UN climate change conference in Durban, South Africa.

In the United States, police say at least one person has been arrested during protests in Washington. Organizers say they are asking Congress to remember to represent all Americans. A spokeswoman for the United States Capitol Police told VOA the protester entered the office of a Republican lawmaker and refused to leave when asked. Protesters marched into the offices of many lawmakers. They said they wanted to “Take Back the People’s House.” Thousands of demonstrators and activists from around the country have gathered on the National Mall in Washington for several days of marches and other events.

A human rights group is calling China’s decision to execute a Philippine drug trafficker a human rights violation. Amnesty International says such executions for non-violent crimes are common in other Asian countries as well. Amnesty spokesperson Catherine Baber spoke Tuesday in Taiwan. The defendant who has not been named was arrested at an airport in Guangxi province in 2008. He is 35 years old. He was charged with trying to bring nearly 1.5 kilograms of heroin into the country. Philippine officials and family members are trying to save him from being executed.

Finally, science news. NASA’s Kepler space telescope has confirmed the discovery of the first so-called super-Earth planet. It was found circling a star much like our Sun at a distance far enough from its host star to support life. NASA says the super-Earth planet is almost 2.5 times the size of Earth. It has a comfortable 22-degree Celsius temperature. The star the planet orbits is slightly smaller and slightly cooler than our Sun. Scientists say it is not clear if the planet is mostly rocky, gaseous or liquid or even if it has an atmosphere. But the planet is within the right distance from its host star to have liquid water. Liquid water is believed necessary for life to exist.