NEWS FLASH

U.S. Expels Syrian Diplomat Following Houla Massacre | In response to the May 25 massacre of more than 90 people in the Syrian village of Houla, the U.S. is joining Australia, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Canada in expelling Syrian diplomats this morning. State Department spokesperson Victorial Nuland announced, “today the United States informed the Syrian Charge d’Affaires Zuheir Jabbour of his expulsion from the United States. He has 72 hours to leave the country.” The May 25 massacre included at least 30 children under the age of ten. Most victims died as a result of “summary executions” by “armed men who went house to house, killing men, women and children inside,” said U.N. human rights office spokesperson Rupert Colville. The U.N. Security Council unanmiously condemned the massacre and the British government banned Syrian leaders from the London Olympics.