Americas

Secretary of State John Kerry could make hundreds of thousands of dollars off a buyout of the H.J. Heinz condiment company.

Former Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice are two of the most popular potential presidential candidates, according to a new poll.

Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday that a federal decision on the proposed Keystone XL oil sands pipeline should arrive in the “near term,” but did not define what “near term” means.

Kerry, after meeting with Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, said his State Department predecessor, Hillary Clinton, had established a “very open and transparent process, which I am committed to seeing through.”

“I can guarantee you that it will be fair and transparent, accountable, and we hope that we will be able to be in a position to make an announcement in the near term,” Kerry said of the proposed Alberta-to-Texas pipeline.

“I don’t want to pin down precisely when, but I assure you, in the near term,” he added.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) introduced a gun-control measure Thursday that would clarify that Congress does not authorize persons convicted of dangerous crimes in foreign courts to legally have firearms in the United States.

The No Firearms for Foreign Felons Act, S. 261, would ensure that people convicted of foreign felonies and crimes involving domestic violence cannot possess firearms.

A Center for Public Integrity report detailed the cuts under consideration in a draft version of a classified directive.

Your morning global affairs speed-read

John Kerry holds his first meeting with a foreign leader as secretary of State today when he greets Canada's foreign minister, John Baird, at Foggy Bottom. On the agenda: bilateral trade, investment, energy security and environmental stewardship, securing and streamlining trade and travel at the border – and of course, the Keystone pipeline. 

“They’ll also explore ways to strengthen North American cooperation and U.S.-Canadian collaboration in advancing human rights, democracy, security and good governance in the Americas and around the globe,” spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

Also, Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns meets with Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Augustin Matata Ponyo Mapon. 

Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of former President John Kennedy, is the “leading contender” to be the next ambassador to Canada, a Democratic official told Fox News.

Kennedy, a prominent Obama fundraiser, briefly ran for the New York Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton after her appointment as secretary of State, but quickly withdrew her name. Other names floated by the Canadian media have included former Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire (D), former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D), retired Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Detroit Mayor Dave Bing.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland declined to address the rumor at her briefing Thursday.

Secretary of State John Kerry will meet Friday with Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, a chat that will be Kerry’s first bilateral meeting and one slated to include discussion of the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Thursday that the meeting in Washington, D.C., would be wide-ranging, touching on trade, security, energy and other topics.

Asked whether the proposed Canada-to-U.S. pipeline would surface, she replied, “I have no doubt that that subject will come up because it always does with our Canadian counterparts.”

Canada's foreign minister was a natural choice for Kerry’s first bilateral sit-down as secretary, Nuland said.

All 25 Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee urged approval of the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline in a Thursday letter to President Obama.

“Our economy can no longer be put on hold while the bureaucratic process you set in motion jeopardizes this critical project. You can guarantee Americans the jobs they deserve, and prevent our national security from being undermined, with a simple stroke of the pen. We urge you to do so now,” the lawmakers wrote.

CEO Russ Girling is meeting with State Department officials who hold the fate of the pipeline in their hands.