Barbara Walters apologizes for conflict of interest in helping Syrian president's aide

Barbara Walters has apologized for a conflict of interest in trying to further the career of an aide to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

Britain’s Daily Telegraph reports that Ms. Walters tried to help Sheherazad Jaafari, 22, the daughter of Syria’s UN ambassador and a top press aide to  Assad.

The paper says she attempted to secure Ms. Jaafari a place at New York’s Columbia School of Journalism as well as an internship with Piers Morgan’s CNN program.

Ms. Walters and Ms. Jaafari first came into contact when the broadcaster was trying to get an interview with Mr. Assad, said The Telegraph. Ms. Jaafari helped prepare Mr. Assad for the interview.

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