This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service.

I'm Jean-Urudejali, and at 14 hours GMT on Friday the 20th of December, these are our main stories.

In the first such visit in more than a decade, US diplomats are in Syria for talks with its new Islamist rulers.

Malaysia authorises a fresh attempt to find the wreckage of MH370, the plane that

mysteriously disappeared 10 years ago. A BBC investigation reveals that nearly four years after

Myanmar's military sparked a civil war with a coup, it now controls less than a quarter of the

country.

Also in this podcast,

A new game show with a $5 million prize.

But what's the catch?

We begin in Syria. The Islamist rebels who toppled Syria's dictator this month are designated a terrorist group by the United States. But that hasn't stopped President Biden sending top U.S. diplomats to Damascus to hold talks with Syria's new rulers, the first such visit in

more than a decade. This comes as the leader of the Islamist rebels, Abu Mohammed al-Jalani,

who now uses his birth name Ahmed al-Shara, has urged Western countries to lift their

sanctions on Syria. Turkey, which backs the Syrian rebels,

is also called for the lifting of the sanctions.

And its president, Rechip Tai Berdwan,

says his country will help Syria draft a new constitution.

Our Middle East regional editor, Mike Thompson,

says the Americans are expected to ask the HTS leaders

for commitments on inclusivity and protection for Syria's

many ethnic and religious groups. I think basically it's going to be that Ahmed al-Sara

is going to do what he says because he's talked about having an inclusive government and

...