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Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

The U.S. is working to bring home two Americans from Syria.

One is American journalist Austin Tice, who has not been seen since 2012.

His whereabouts are still unknown.

The other is a self-described Christian Pilgrim who says his name is Travis Timmerman.

Local residents in Syria say Timmerman was found wandering barefoot in a suburb of the capital, Damascus.

The American says he'd been detained for several months.

Timmerman turned up days after the Assad authoritarian regime was toppled.

The White House says there is currently no evidence that reported drone sightings in New Jersey

pose a threat to national security or public safety.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby says there's also no evidence of a foreign nexus.

While there is no known malicious activity occurring, the reported sightings there do, however,

highlight a gap in authorities.

And so we urge Congress to pass important legislation that will extend and expand

existing counter-drone authorities.

President Biden's National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, was in Israel today to talk about

Syria, Lebanon, and the war in Gaza. And he thinks Israel and Hamas are close to a ceasefire and hostage deal.

Here's on P.R.'s Michelle Kellerman.

Among the hostages still being held by Hamas are seven Americans, three of whom are presumed to be alive.

That's according to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, who says he's trying to close a hostage deal this month.

We've been close before and haven't gotten there, so I can't make any promises or predictions to you.

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