U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attend a news conference after a meeting on Syria in Geneva, Switzerland, August 26, 2016. The United States and Russia failed on Friday to reach a breakthrough deal on military cooperation and a nationwide cessation of hostilities in Syria, saying they still have issues to resolve before an agreement could be announced. "We don't want to have a deal for the sake of the deal," Kerry said. Instead, discussions are focused on finding an effective and lasting solution to end the violence, which would open negotiations on a political transition in Syria. The talks came as opposition groups effectively surrendered the Damascus suburb of Daraya to the government after a grueling four-year siege.

Source: Thanhnien News August 27, 2016 00:45 UTC