The U.N.-brokered Syrian peace talks have hit a new snag today with opposition delegates refusing to meet directly with government counterparts. The two sides were due for their first face-to-face talks in Geneva after an opening round of speeches on Wednesday. But the Assad regime rejected the opposition’s precondition of endorsing the formation of a transitional government. U.N. envoy Lakhdar Brahimi is shuttling between the two sides today to keep the meeting alive.