U.S. Diplomats And Hostage Envoy Visit Syria Seeking Information On Austin Tice
HuffPost
The team is the first group of American diplomats to formally visit the country in more than a decade since the U.S. shuttered its embassy in Damascus in 2012.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The first U.S. diplomats to visit Syria since President Bashar Assad’s ouster earlier this month are now in Damascus to hold talks with the country’s new leaders and seek information on the whereabouts of missing American journalist Austin Tice.
Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf, former special envoy for Syria Daniel Rubinstein and the Biden administration’s chief envoy for hostage negotiations, Roger Carstens, made the trip for talks with Syria’s interim leaders, the State Department said early Friday.
The team is also the first group of American diplomats to formally visit Syria in more than a decade since the U.S. shuttered its embassy in Damascus in 2012.
“They will be engaging directly with the Syrian people, including members of civil society, activists, members of different communities, and other Syrian voices about their vision for the future of their country and how the United States can help support them,” the State Department said.
At the top of their agenda will be information about Tice, who went missing in Syria in 2012. And they will push the principles of inclusion, protection of minorities and a rejection of terrorism and chemical weapons that the Biden administration says will be critical for any U.S. support for a new government.
The "Late Night" host knocked Trump for pushing this "myth" on the campaign trail.
Elon Musk’s role in taking down a bipartisan budget deal shows his ascendance as a political force.
“They are simply doing the bidding of their wealthy donors and puppeteers,” the House minority leader said of Republicans in Congress. “Unacceptable.”
The lizards, which are native to Australia, are the first of their species to be bred at the zoo.
House Speaker Mike Johnson is back to square one after abandoning a bipartisan spending agreement earlier.
A federal judge who oversaw the seditious conspiracy trial of Oath Keepers led by Stewart Rhodes issued a bleak warning.
In one of his final messages shared with the public, Gergen told his daughter that America is "being tested now."
The former governor of New York has filed a legal notice that he intends to sue former aide Charlotte Bennett for making the allegation.
Donald Trump’s former national security adviser says Trump absolutely wants revenge against those who tried to hold him accountable after Jan. 6, 2021.
Despite their past support for eliminating the debt ceiling, top Democrats rejected the idea on Thursday.
Willis was accused of having a conflict of interest in the case because of a romantic relationship.