Rice set for Mideast shuttle diplomacy tour next week

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice plans to visit the Middle East next week to prepare for a US-hosted peace conference, as Israel and the Palestinians begin work on a joint outline for a possible settlement. Rice will travel to Israel and visit the Palestinian Authority, with possible stops in some neighboring Arab states, as planning for the conference expected to be held in north of Washington in mid- to late-November hits high gear, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Wednesday.