A Syrian government delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Muqdad on Thursday began talks at the Russian foreign ministry on the crisis in the country, Russian news agencies said.

The delegation was at the foreign ministry in Moscow, the reports said, without giving further details about the nature of the talks, amid speculation of a new Russia-U.S. initiative to end the crisis.

A massive winter storm system that whipped up tornadoes, ice and snow from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes on Christmas Day, killing at least seven people, headed for the northeastern U.S. Wednesday.

The storm snarled holiday travel as 1,500 flights were canceled and people were warned to stay home rather than brave the strong winds, freezing temperatures and treacherous roads.

Russia's upper house of parliament on Wednesday backed a bill barring Americans from adopting Russian children by a unanimous vote, leaving the controversial measure in the hands of President Vladimir Putin.

The rubber-stamp hearing cleared the last legislative hurdle for a bill representing one of the toughest pieces of anti-U.S. legislation to emerge during Putin's 13 years in charge.

The United States on Tuesday called on Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi to work to "bridge divisions," after Egyptian officials confirmed voters backed a controversial Islamist-backed constitution.

"The future of Egypt's democracy depends on forging a broader consensus behind its new democratic rules and institutions," State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said in a statement.

Two firefighters were shot dead and two others were wounded in New York state on Monday when a gunman opened fire as the emergency personnel responded to a Christmas Eve blaze, police said.

The incident -- which comes as debate rages in the United States about gun control following the Newtown school massacre -- happened shortly before 6:00 am (1100 GMT) in Webster, a suburb of Rochester.

Russia said Monday it expected "common sense" to prevail in a burgeoning diplomatic row with Washington that could result in tit-for-tat travel restrictions between the two Cold War rivals.

"I would like to believe that common sense will prevail," Russian news agencies quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying.

Iran has issued a travel warning to its citizens against visiting arch-foe the United States, an official said, after the death of an Iranian national reportedly following a grilling by U.S. customs officials.

"Iranian citizens are advised to avoid non-essential travels to the U.S. and, in case of visit, to exercise maximum caution," foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said in remarks reported by the ISNA news agency.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday welcomed the nomination of Senator John Kerry to replace Hillary Clinton as U.S. secretary of state, calling him a well-known defender of Israeli security.

"I congratulate John Kerry on his nomination to the post of American secretary of state. Kerry, who has great experience, is a well-known defender of the security of Israel," he said in a statement issued by his office.

A U.S. Marine was jailed for 30 days, fined and demoted after pleading guilty to participating in a video that showed soldiers urinating on the dead bodies of three Afghans.

Staff Sergeant Joseph Chamblin was charged with "alleged involvement in desecration and posing for unofficial photographs with human casualties," a statement said.

U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday nominated Senator John Kerry as his new secretary of state, as he began to reshape his national security team for a second term clouded by increased global turmoil.

Kerry, 69, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, defeated former presidential candidate and foreign policy sage, will succeed Hillary Clinton, who is stepping down after four years as the top U.S. diplomat.