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• The diplomatic moves, accompanied by an unannounced visit by Sen. John McCain to rebel forces in Syria, aim to put more pressure on Assad to seek a negotiated settlement to end Syria's 2-year-old civil war.
• The prospect of EU nations being able to send weapons to the rebels while maintaining stiff economic sanctions against Assad's regime also sends a message to Russia. Moscow has unabashedly sent weapons to Assad's regime -- and EU arms deliveries could partially re-balance the firepower in the war.
• Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, lashed out at the move, saying it undermines the efforts of both Russia and the U.S to mediate peace talks.
• He called the decision "a manifestation of double standards."
• ___

• WASHINGTON (AP) -- Leaders of Syria's opposition forces got a chance to make their case for increased U.S. support directly with Sen. John McCain when he slipped into that country for a surprise visit.
• McCain, R-Ariz., favors providing arms to rebel forces in Syria.
• A State Department official said the department was aware of McCain crossing into Syrian territory Monday, but referred further questions to McCain's office. McCain spokeswoman Rachel Dean confirmed the Monday trip, but declined further comment.
• The visit took place at the same time as meetings in Paris involving efforts to secure participation of Syria's fractured opposition in an international peace conference in Geneva.
• And in Brussels, the European Union decided late Monday to lift the arms embargo on the Syrian opposition while maintaining all other sanctions against President Bashar Assad's regime after June 1, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said.
• ___

• BALTIMORE (AP) -- For the second time this year, a fire at sea has aborted a cruise ship. This time, aboard Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas and the ship's 2,200 passengers were expected back in Baltimore on Tuesday after being flown on charter flights from the Bahamas.

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