office officially today after sounding a warning about civil war in syria. at a sort of exit interview, clinton accused iran of playing an increasingly prominent role directing violence in syria and says that only raises chances of a wider conflict in the middle east. clinton criticized russia for blocking sanctions against syria at the u.n. clinton s successor, john kerry finished up his last day as a senator with a farewell tour of native massachusetts. he said america s strength overseas depend on working in a bipartisan way here at home. kerry is sworn in today as the nation s 68th secretary of state. no end in sight to the tense hostage standoff involving a gunman and 5-year-old boy in alabama. police say 65-year-old jimmy lee dykes is holding the boy in an underground bunker stocked with supplies. only means of communication through a narrow ventilation pipe. the boy is autistic. medication has though been