On the trip, the secretary will confer with key allies about Obama's emerging strategy on Afghanistan and Pakistan, said Phil Gordon, assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs.

CNN: Clinton trip comes amid debate on Afghanistan

Now that he has stated his belief in democracy, however, Mr Bush cannot simply confer its blessings on the Arabs with the wave of a wand.

ECONOMIST: Democracy and the Arabs

The American Friends Service Committee sees that as a reasonable desire, consistent with a belief that all work should confer dignity on workers, employers, and consumers.

CNN: May Day is for immigrants, too

The boson helps confer the property of mass on all other particles through their interaction with something called the Higgs field.

BBC: Higgs boson 'hints' also seen by US lab

The bill would also confer on the Banking Committee exclusive jurisdiction for areas clearly within the purview of other Senate committees charged with oversight of the defense, foreign policy and intelligence portfolios.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy