BRIEFS
Americans advised to leave Syria
The United States urged Americans to avoid all but essential travel to Syria and asked Americans already there to consider leaving the country amid deadly political unrest.
"We urge US citizene to defer non-essential travel to Syria at this time.
"US citizens currently in Syria should consider depart-ing" theState Department said.
President Bashar al-Assad is facing domestic pressurs unprecedented in his 11-yearrule - Agence France-Presse