BREAKING NEWS

Carter to visit Syria, Israel, W. Bank, Gaza this week to promote dialogue

Former US president Jimmy Carter will visit Syria, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza this week to promote constructive dialogue on the Israeli-Arab conflict, a spokeswoman for the Carter Center said Sunday. Carter, 84, is already in the region, where he joined scores of foreign observers monitoring Sunday's elections in Lebanon, expected to present an early test of US President Barack Obama's efforts to forge Middle East peace. Deanna Congileo, a spokeswoman for the Atlanta-based Carter Center, which works to advance peace and health worldwide, said details of the rest of Carter's itinerary will be available later this week.