Syria frees missing journalists into US custody

Syria released two young American journalists into U.S. custody in Damascus late Thursday after it arrested them for allegedly entering the country illegally from Lebanon. Gordon Duguid, a State Department spokesman, told reporters in Washington that the handover occurred when the U.S. charge d'affaires in Damascus, Maura Connelly, was summoned to the Syrian foreign ministry. "While there, the two American citizens being detained were released into American custody," Duguid said, adding the pair are "now in the U.S. embassy" in the Syrian capital and are in "good shape." It was not possible to immediately obtain comment from officials in Damascus, as it was long after business hours. The Syrian authorities had said earlier that they planned to question Americans Holli Chmela and Taylor Luck about how they entered Syria... [read full story]