Syria's defecting former prime minister Riyad Hijab holds a press conference in the Jordanian capital Amman on Aug. 14, 2012. Hijab said the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad is collapsing emotionally and economically, urging more defections from the regime. (Xinhua/Mohammad Abu Ghosh)

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U.S. lifts sanctions on former Syrian PM

WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Tuesday lifted sanctions on former Syrian Prime Minister Riyad Hijab, who defected to Jordan early this month.

The Department of Treasury said it took the action because Hijab "is no longer a senior official of the government of Syria."  Full story