UN Humanitarian Chief Heads to Syria, Lebanon

The United Nations humanitarian chief says she will travel to Syria and Lebanon this week to discuss ways of increasing aid to civilians caught up in the Syrian conflict.

Valerie Amos announced Monday that the three-day visit, beginning Tuesday, is aimed at drawing attention to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Syria, and the impact on people who are still in the country and those who have fled to other countries, including Lebanon.

The Arab League postponed a meeting of foreign ministers that had been scheduled for Sunday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to discuss the Syrian situation and a replacement for peace envoy Kofi Annan, who resigned earlier this month. An Arab League official did not give a reason for the delay and did not say when the meeting might be rescheduled.

In another diplomatic effort, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in Istanbul late last week to discuss Syria with Turkish leaders.