Damascus: Syria's Urban Warfare At Its Worst

US Rejects Syria's Weapons Deadline

Updated: 10:55pm UK, Thursday 12 September 2013

US Secretary of State John Kerry has rejected Syria's pledge to hand over information on its chemical weapons in 30 days.

Speaking at a news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, he noted that it was standard procedure for a country to submit its weapons data a month after signing an international chemical weapons ban.

But he said: "There is nothing standard about this process. The words of the Syrian regime in our judgement are simply not enough."

He warned that the US could still launch a military strike if Syria's President Bashar al Assad reneged on his promises, and said the US was wary of any stalling process.

"There ought to be consequences if it doesn't take place," he warned.

Mr Lavrov, who addressed the briefing first, said: "The solution of this problem makes unnecessary any strikes on Syria. I am sure that our American partners ... are strongly in favour of a peaceful way to regulate chemical weapons in Syria."

Earlier, Mr Assad agreed to sign up to an international agreement that would put his weapons under UN supervision - and said he would hand over information on them in 30 days.

"Syria is placing its chemical weapons under international control because of Russia. The US threats did not influence the decision," he said in the interview with Russian state TV.

Mr Kerry is in Geneva for high-stakes talks with Mr Lavrov to discuss Russia's four-point plan to place Syria's chemical stockpile under international control.

He arrived some hours ago before Mr Lavrov.

Sky's Robert Nisbet, in Geneva, said Mr Lavrov's delay was "embarrassing" for the US and showed Russia has the diplomatic upper hand in the talks.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said the plan faced "immense practical difficulties", although obstacles could be overcome "with sufficient international unity and goodwill".

He warned the initiative would require a "complete change of approach" by the Assad regime.

The Russian plan was met with a "definitive rejection" by Salim Idriss, head of the rebel Supreme Military Council, while Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said the Syrian regime had "won time for new massacres".

The first stage of the four-point plan has already been fulfilled - with Syria sending a letter to the UN signing up to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which bans the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons.

The second stage is for Syria to declare what chemical weapons it has. The third is for UN inspectors to visit the country and verify Mr Assad's declaration, and the last stage is for the weapons to be destroyed - either in Syria or abroad.

Meanwhile, Russia's Moskva missile cruiser has reportedly passed through the Straits of Gibraltar and is now heading toward the eastern Mediterranean to assume command of the seven-strong Russian naval force there.

Another two vessels, the landing ship Nikolay Filchenkov and the guard ship Smetlivy, will join the naval unit later, Russia Today added.

The recent deployments are aimed at "complex monitoring" of the situation around Syria, military sources told the Interfax news agency.

The talks between Mr Kerry and Mr Lavrov follow Russian President Vladimir Putin's warning that a US attack on Syria without UN approval would result in more innocent victims and an escalation in violence in the Middle East.

Writing in the New York Times, he said there is "every reason to believe" it was rebel forces, not the Assad regime, who used sarin nerve gas in an attack that killed more than 1,000 people in Damascus on August 21.

He said a strike would "increase violence and unleash a new wave of terrorism" and claimed America would increasingly be seen "not as a model for democracy but as relying solely on brute force".

White House spokesman Jay Carney said there was "great irony" in Mr Putin placing his opinion piece in the New York Times. He said it reflected a freedom of speech in the US that Russia lacks.

Dr Anna Neistat, an associate director of Human Rights Watch, said: "There is not a single mention in Mr Putin's article ... of the egregious crimes committed by the Syrian government ... (including) deliberate and indiscriminate killings of tens of thousands of civilians, executions, torture, enforced disappearances and arbitrary arrests."

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Russia: Dozens Missing After Luka Hospital Fire

At least three people have been killed and more than 30 are feared dead after a fire swept through a psychiatric hospital in northwest Russia.

A spokesman for the Emergency Situations Ministry said about 60 people, most of them patients, were in the building when the blaze broke out just before dawn.

He said some of the missing may have escaped the hospital in the village of Luka in the region of Novgorod and fled into nearby woodland.

The charred remains of the hospital, where at least three people died

A man who investigators believe started the fire by smoking inside the building survived, according to state television channel Rossiya 24.

The blaze engulfed the majority of the hospital's mostly wooden structure, which dates back to the 1800s.

Officials had warned the facility was unsafe and had called for it to be closed but hospital administrators won permission to use it until next year.

Luka is a small town in the Novgorod region of northwest Russia

The blaze was the second deadly fire at a Russian psychiatric hospital this year.

In April, a fire at a facility outside Moscow killed 38 people and prompted criticism of the state over the care of mentally ill patients.

There have been many fires at state institutions such as hospitals, schools, drug treatment centres and homes for the disabled in the past decade, raising questions about safety measures, conditions and escape routes.

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Syria Applies To Join Chemical Weapons Treaty

Russia and the US are holding a second day of tense discussions over how Syria will give up its chemical weapons.

Ahead of the main meetings in Geneva, US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov first met the UN-Arab League envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, to discuss a parallel proposal for peace talks.

But it was the issue of chemical weapons that was set to dominate, after Syria formally applied to join the Chemical Weapons Convention.

The treaty bans the production, use and stockpiling of chemical weapons, and Syria's decision to join it has been welcomed by the Russia, Iran and China.

L to R: Mr Lavrov, Mr Brahimi and Mr Kerry

"I would like to express hope that it will be a very serious step on the path to solving the Syrian crisis," Russian leader Vladimir Putin said.

The UN also welcomed Syria's move - the first stage of a four-point plan -  but said that it could take 30 days for it to become a member.

Syrian President Bashar al Assad has also said the process of surrendering the stockpile would begin when he hands over information on the weapons in 30 days.

However, the US has firmly rejected that timetable and wants more immediate action.

The Syrian leader said US threats must stop if he is to give up weapons

Before today's talks started, Mr Kerry said despite 30 days being normal procedure, Syria's words were "simply not enough".

"There is nothing standard about this process," he added.

America's top diplomat is wary of any stalling tactics and said there could still be military strikes if the Syrian regime reneged on its promises.

"There ought to be consequences if it doesn't take place," Mr Kerry warned at a news conference.

Mr Assad managed to avert potential US strikes by agreeing to the deal, but denied being influenced by the military threat.

"Syria is placing its chemical weapons under international control because of Russia. The US threats did not influence the decision," the Syrian leader told Russian state TV.

Supporters of Mr Assad celebrated his birthday earlier this week

Mr Assad also said the deal was a two-sided process.

"We are counting, first of all, on the United States to stop conducting the policy of threats regarding Syria," he said.

Syrian deputy prime minister Qadri Jamil also suggested the Russian proposal would only succeed if the US and its allies promised not to attack Syria in the future.

After agreeing to the Chemical Weapons Convention, Syria must then declare exactly what weapons it has.

The third stage of the plan is for UN inspectors to visit the country and verify Mr Assad's declaration.

The final stage is for the weapons to be destroyed.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said the plan faces "immense practical difficulties", although obstacles could be overcome "with sufficient international unity and goodwill".

The plan faces 'immense practical difficulties', says William Hague

The US claims a chemical gas attack on August 21 killed 1,429 people, but other estimates of the deaths are lower.

Syria and Russia blame the country's rebel forces for the atrocity.

UN weapons inspectors, who took samples from the scene in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta, are due to report next week.

The political wrangling comes as conventional fighting - such as rocket attacks and gun battles - continues in many of Syria's devastated towns and cities.

Fierce conventional warfare continues in Damascus

For those on the ground it is this type of warfare that is ripping the country apart.

"The reality is conventional weapons killed hundreds of thousands and made many millions of refugees," one soldier told Sky correspondent Alex Rossi, who is in Damascus.

"Nobody talks about that - only the use of chemicals."

Fighting in the northern city of Aleppo also remains as fierce as ever.

Government forces, bolstered by Hizbollah troops from neighbouring Lebanon, are ramping up their attack on the opposition stronghold.

The two-and-a-half-year civil war has claimed more than 100,000 lives and created more than two million refugees, according to recent UN figures.

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Pakistan: Afghan Taliban Leader To Be Freed

Pakistan is to free the former Taliban second-in-command to help the peace process in neighbouring Afghanistan, a senior official has said.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, also known as Mullah Brother, is likely to be freed as soon as this month but will not be returned home, Pakistan's foreign policy chief Sartaj Aziz revealed.

"In principle, we have agreed to release him. The timing is being discussed. It should be very soon ... I think within this month," he said.

"He will not be handed over to Afghanistan."

Baradar, who was captured in the Pakistani city of Karachi in 2010, is believed to be more open than other senior Taliban to talks but it is not clear how much the release would help initiate a peace process with the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

"Obviously Karzai wanted him to go to Afghanistan, but we feel that if they are to play a positive role in the reconciliation process then they must do it according to what their own shura (council), their own leadership, wants them to do," he said.

"That they can't do unless they are released. ... I think he (Karzai) accepted this point that they should play a constructive role in the peace process."

Much of the Taliban leadership forced out of Afghanistan by the US-led coalition is believed to be living in Pakistan.

Seven other Taliban prisoners were released over the weekend following a visit to Pakistan by Mr Karzai.

Afghanistan's Hamid Karzai met Pakistan's Nawaz Sharif in August

Pakistani politicians have also calls from President Nawaz Sharif to begin peace talks with the country's own Taliban militants after more than a decade of hostility.

Representatives from the main coalition and opposition parties at a conference to discuss the issue asked the government to "initiate the dialogue" with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Shahidullah Shahid, the main spokesman for the Tehreek-e-Taliban, welcomed the move and said that a Taliban shura (council) would meet in next two days to discuss the issue.

"Our shura will meet in next two days and will discuss this offer," he said. "We will chalk out a strategy for the talks and will later announce it."

Pakistan has initiated peace talks with militants in the past.

But previous deals have failed and come under sharp criticism both domestically and by the US for allowing the extremists space to regroup before launching a new wave of attacks.

Pakistani politicians also expressed their dissatisfaction over the US's continuing drone strikes and asked the government to raise the issue internationally.

The Pakistani government considers the strikes by unmanned US aircraft as a violation of its sovereignty, but Washington views them as a vital tool in the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban.

 

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Papua New Guinea: Deadly Ambush On Tourists

By Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent

Bandits in Papua New Guinea have attacked a group of hikers from Australia and New Zealand, hacking two of their guides to death.

Six men armed with guns, a spear and bush knives ambushed the group as they walked along a track through the Pacific island nation, leaving a number of the tourists with injuries.

"The attack resulted in the deaths of two Papua New Guinea nationals who were porters for the group," a spokesman for Australia's foreign affairs department (DFAT) said.

"Other members of the group, including eight Australians, one New Zealander and a number of Papua New Guinea nationals, sustained injuries during the attack, however none of the injuries are life-threatening."

It was not clear what sparked the assault.

"Three of the porters suffered lacerations to their arms and eyes, one was wounded on both legs," police spokesman Dominic Kakas said.

"They all had their passports stolen. One man was speared in the left leg. Another has a head laceration, cuts on left elbow and bruises and cut on his back."

One of the Australians had his left arm slashed, he added.

Some of the group walked for hours to seek help, and all the injured were later treated at a clinic in Wau, where they spent the night.

Workers at a local mining company helped the injured trekkers, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Rescue operator Morobe Mining Joint Venture spokesman Stanley Komunt said the 10 surviving porters had been flown to Lae hospital for treatment.

"We were told one porter had been killed, then found it was two," he said. "They are all at Lae receiving medical treatment."

The group were hiking along the Black Cat Track, which runs between Wau and Salamaua in northern Papua New Guinea.

It was the scene of bitter fighting between Australian and US troops against Japanese forces in 1943 and is regarded as one of the most challenging treks in the wild due to the mountainous country.

"The Australian High Commission in Port Moresby has provided consular support and will meet with the group when they return to Port Moresby," the DFAT spokesman said.

"We recommend that trekkers avoid the Black Cat Track until local police have investigated this incident."

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Syria: Obama Cautious Over Weapons Deal

How Chemical Weapons Can Be Removed

Updated: 8:14pm UK, Tuesday 10 September 2013

By Ian Woods, Senior News Correspondent

The US government has some expertise in how international observers can oversee the disposal of unwanted chemical weapons.

The Americans have allowed inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to supervise the elimination of their own stockpiles of unwanted sarin, VX and mustard gas.

The shells were part of a Cold War arsenal which had to be destroyed after the US became one of the 189 countries which signed and ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention, which was drawn up in the mid-1990s.

So, as the White House tries to work out whether the Russian/Syrian disarmament offer is genuine, it knows that where there is the will, there is a way. 

The first step would be for Syria to sign and ratify the Chemical Weapons Convention, which reports suggest it is now prepared to do.

It was one of only five countries to refuse to sign up; the others are Egypt, Angola, North Korea and South Sudan.

Israel and Burma signed but did not ratify the convention.

Once formal agreement is in place, Syria would have to provide a full inventory of stockpile locations and manufacturing sites, which would then be verified by inspectors from the OPCW.

The international experts would monitor the destruction of the weapons, but it would be up to the Syrians themselves to do the work, and to pay for it.

Many international chemical weapons experts believe there are substantial stocks to be destroyed. 

Hamish de Bretton Gordon told Sky News that Mr Assad has "up to a 1,000 tonnes of sarin, slightly less of VX",

He said: "He has substantial amounts of mustard gas, potentially also biological weapons.

"The fact that he's now agreed that the international community take control of his stockpile of chemical weapons is a pretty fair indicator that he has what we think he has.

"This strikes me as being a lengthy and fairly laborious exercise, but some lateral thinking and some bold action is what is required. Technically it's workable."

The OPCW is not part of the United Nations, so a UN resolution is not necessary to get inspectors into Syria if the regime in Damascus becomes a willing signatory.

Within 30 days of signing the Chemical Weapons Convention Syria would be legally obliged to allow the inspectors access.

It could take several weeks to get inspectors on the ground and ensure it is safe for them to carry out their task.

A country torn apart by an ongoing civil war is not the most stable place to be overseeing the collection and disposal of chemical weapons and the destruction of the arsenal will take many months.

Sky News visited Anniston, Alabama, in 2003 when the US Army was beginning the task of destroying its ageing and corroding stockpile of chemical weapons.

The site held just 7% of America's arsenal of such weapons. It took eight years to complete the task.

By 2012 almost 90% of America's chemical arsenal had been destroyed. Two more sites are currently being built in Colorado and Kentucky to destroy what remains.

But such weapons are usually destroyed in peacetime, not in the midst of a war.

Professor Alastair Hay from the University of Leeds has worked on chemical weapons issues for four decades.

He said: "The inspectors couldn't do their work if they were being shot at so you will have to ensure that the inspectors are safe, and that they can get access to all of the sites that they can do a decent inventory.

"Having located all those stocks, what's the best way of securing them? Should they stay where they are and be monitored, or should they be moved?

"And of course if they need to be moved, where would they go? And can you transport them safely to some other location, moving them through residential locations?

"But if it can de done it's much better than blowing these things up."

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Syria: Rebels Give US Targets To Defeat Regime

'Unorthodox' Attacks Point To Militia

Updated: 9:09am UK, Tuesday 10 September 2013

By Stuart Ramsay, Chief Correspondent

Not a single person I have met in northern Syria has even the slightest doubt that Bashar al Assad's military has used chemical weapons against them on multiple occasions.

Many now in the border areas are there exactly because they witnessed the attacks and decided not to stick about for another.

The Damascus incident last month and who did it can be argued about of course, but chemical weapons experts working with Sky News are in no doubt that chemicals were used and have been on multiple occasions in the past.

The experts, using evidence available to them, advise that the delivery of these weapons was unorthodox; the Syrian regime has proper delivery systems for chemicals.

But, setting aside the Damascus incident, they conclude that someone was "freelancing" their use in other attacks.

They suspect it was militia working in tandem with the government.

Part of their reasoning is that the purchasing, handling and preparation of chemical weapons is extremely difficult and dangerous.

In one incident that they have specific knowledge of, Syrian soldiers and chemical experts working with them were all killed when a chemical bearing warhead was accidentally dropped.

One can conclude from this that the Syrian government, at the very least, is actively involved in preparation of chemical weapon use.

It is reported in Turkish media that jihadists have been arrested either in possession of chemicals or attempting to buy them.

One can conclude from that, if it is true, that some extreme elements of the rebel movement would like chemical weapons as well.

But there is not a single piece of evidence indicating that rebels have used chemicals or practised using them.

Nobody from Sky News or any other broadcaster or journalist, as far as I am aware, has witnessed chemical weapons or their use by the rebels throughout this war.

But is this really the point here? Few Syrians really draw a distinction between 100,000 dead from conventional fighting and between 400 and 1,000 dead from chemicals.

They are all dead and most because of Mr Assad's determination to ignore calls for change and the end of his dictatorship.

Right now Assad's planes are attacking villages across the north of the country. I saw the jets and heard the explosions.

The Free Syrian Army, the civilian leadership of northern Syria and the vast numbers of internally displaced and refugees want the United States to bomb the Syrian military.

The FSA says 13 brigades in northern Aleppo will become one and will lead the fight to Damascus.

They are confident that the myriad of Jihadi groupings will set aside differences and join them.

All accept that the regime will retaliate and probably at a terrible cost to those who have stayed behind.

But as the governor of Aleppo said to me: "We fight on."

While Moscow plots to undermine action against its ally and Washington decides to plot or not against its President, there is one absolute fact beyond all sceptical analysis: the Syrian government continues to kill its own people. Every day.

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Delhi Gang Rape: Four Men Guilty Of Attack

Four men have been convicted of the gang rape of a 23-year-old woman as she travelled on a bus in Delhi.

Akshay Kumar Singh, Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta and Mukesh Singh lured the woman and her male friend onto the bus as they returned home from watching a movie last December.

The physiotherapy student was raped and assaulted with an iron bar before she was dumped on the roadside with her friend.

She suffered serious internal injuries and died in a Singapore hospital 13 days after the attack.

The brutality of the assault triggered waves of protests across India, with new laws introduced and existing ones amended to give women greater protection.

The rape led to nationwide protests which forced the government to act

Fast-track courts were also set up to try men accused of sexual crimes.

The conviction of the four men follows an eight-month trial, during which more than 100 people gave evidence.

The case had been expected to finish sooner, with defence lawyers accused of using delaying tactics.

The men, who were found guilty of all charges against them, including rape and murder, are expected to be sentenced on Wednesday, when they could be given the death penalty.

A woman lights a candle during a vigil for the 23-year-old victim

A defence lawyer for Singh, who was driving the bus in which the woman was attacked, said he will appeal the verdict.

A fifth defendant, Ram Singh, was found hanged in his cell in Delhi's Tihar prison in March. His family and defence lawyers believe he was murdered.

A sixth person, who was a juvenile at the time of the attack, has already been found guilty of murder, rape and kidnapping.

He was sentenced to three years in a correction facility - the maximum penalty he could be given.

The parents of the victim, who argue the punishment is too lenient, called for him to be tried as an adult and to be hanged.

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Syria: Obama May Halt Strike Over Weapons Deal

Positions Of World Leaders On Syria

Updated: 10:09am UK, Tuesday 10 September 2013

The latest positions of key countries towards Syria after a suspected chemical attack in Damascus shocked the world.

:: United Kingdom

David Cameron has cautiously welcomed a proposal from the US for Syria to hand its chemical weapons over for destruction.

He has already been forced to rule out British involvement in any military action after losing a Commons vote.

He has instead vowed to keep pushing for a "robust response" via international organisations like the UN.

:: United States

This week Secretary of State John Kerry said military action could be averted if Syria handed over its chemical weapons.

But President Barack Obama still plans to ask Congress to authorise military action this week.

He has the authority to act on his own, but believes it is important for the country to have a debate. He plans to hold a debate and a vote.

Five US Navy destroyers are in the eastern Mediterranean Sea waiting for the order to attack. They are armed with dozens of Tomahawk cruise missiles, with a range of  more than 1,150 miles (1,852km).

:: Russia

Russia has remained a strong ally of Syria throughout the civil war, and has urged the country to hand over its chemical weapons to avert strikes.

President Vladimir Putin urged Mr Obama to consider whether strikes would help end the violence in Syria and be worth the likely civilian casualties.

He said Mr Obama should reflect on the results of US military intervention in Afghanistan and Iraq before deciding whether to launch air strikes against Assad's regime.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that military strikes would lead to long-term destabilisation of Syria and the region.

He has spoken against any use of force without UN Security Council approval, which he said would be a "crude violation of international law".

:: China

China supports what it called the UN's "objective, impartial and professional investigation" of the alleged chemical attack.

China is sceptical of Western use of force, with Beijing's official news agency running a commentary recalling the 2003 Iraq invasion on the grounds that it possessed banned weapons - which were never found.

China joined Moscow in vetoing measures against Assad in the UN Security Council. On Tuesday it said it supported plans for a handover of chemical weapons.

:: France

A defence official said the French military will commit forces to an operation in Syria if President Francois Hollande decides to do so.

Mr Hollande has stressed all options are on the table and that the attack in Damascus cannot go unpunished.

He does not need parliamentary approval for military action that lasts less than four months.

French military officials confirmed the frigate Chevalier Paul, which specialises in anti-missile capabilities, and the transport ship Dixmude are in the eastern Mediterranean.

:: Japan

Japan said it will not tolerate the use of chemical weapons "under any circumstances".

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the British vote had had no impact on his government's thinking.

"Cabinet members agreed that we don't tolerate the use of chemical weapons under any circumstances and consider that responsibility lies with the Assad government,"  Mr Suga told reporters.

"We continue to closely co-ordinate with international community," he said, adding: "We will of course provide humanitarian aid to those in a vulnerable position such as refugees."

:: Iran

Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of the Iranian parliament's Committee on National Security, visited Damascus to show support for the Syrian regime.

He said a strike against Syria will "not be confined to its borders but will have repercussions in the entire region."

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country will press efforts to ward off military intervention by the US and its allies, calling potential action an "open violation" of international laws.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told the country's ISNA news agency that US military intervention in Syria would be "a disaster" for the Middle East. He added: "The region is like a gunpowder store and the future cannot be predicted."

:: Germany

The German government said it isn't considering joining military action against Syria and hasn't been asked by others to do so.

:: Turkey

Foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu has claimed the use of chemical weapons is "evident" from video footage.

A vehement opponent of the Assad regime, Turkey has said it would join an international coalition against Syria even if the UN Security Council fails to reach consensus on the issue.

:: Italy

Italian Premier Enrico Letta said his country understands why the US and France are considering military action against Syria's regime, but said Italy cannot join in without UN backing.

:: United Nations

UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said any notion that the departure of the chemical weapons inspection team from Syria opened a window for a US attack is "grotesque."

He said about 1,000 international and UN staff remain in Syria, and the UN is just as concerned about their welfare as it was about the inspectors.

:: Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has called for "firm and serious" action against the Assad regime for the alleged gas attack.

:: Israel

The Israeli military said it has deployed an "Iron Dome" missile defence battery in the Tel Aviv area.

If the US attacks Syria, Israel fears Damascus may respond by firing missiles at Israel, a close American ally.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Israelis there was "no reason to change their routines", but thousands have been standing in long queues to get government-issue gas masks.

:: Jordan

Demonstrators opposed to military intervention in Syria burned US and Israeli flags and chanted outside the American embassy in the Jordanian capital Amman.

Other protests against a Syria strike took place in Britain, France, Germany and Turkey.

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Syria: Historic Damascus In 'Grave Danger'

By Andrew Wilson, Sky News Presenter, in Damascus

The only real sign that Damascus is under siege is the traffic; line upon line of frustrated drivers hemmed in by the city's seemingly endless army checkpoints.

That and the bang of artillery shells fired out into the suburbs to keep the rebels at bay.

But Damascus, the oldest and most continually inhabited city in the world is in grave danger; on land from an increasingly violent collaboration of militia, funded and motivated by a bewildering mix of agendas.

From within by the most complicated and unpredictable regime on the planet.

And from further afield by the most powerful armed force on the planet whose commander-in-chief has decided once and for all to take a stand and wade in with the frightening technological arsenal at his disposal.

Even worse, it is not entirely clear who of these three has the least understanding of the situation.

Boys search for belongings in a Damascus suburb

Two years ago the rebellion in Syria was, if not coherent, at least a popular representation of the hopes and fears of a disenfranchised sector of the Syrian people. Not any longer; when the people of Damascus tell you that it is al Qaeda knocking at the gates of their city they are not far wrong.

And when the Syrian generals failed to bomb those popular uprisings into submission, also two years ago, they haven't really produced any kind of Plan B since. They remain in their bases and the capital probably wondering more about their own eventual survival than any strategic way forward.

And now that President Obama has finally identified a war crime on the wrong side of his own red line, it seems that a cartoon-like over-simplification of what he should do next is the only narrative he can take to Congress.

Syrians are now sandwiched in the most unfair and ugly way between the forces of chaos on the top and the immovable stubbornness of an outdated regime on the bottom.

For the most part their plea to the West is that of a multi-ethnic secular society that embraces the peace and harmony of living together that no other Arab nation has come close to matching. And they have a point.

But when vast swathes of the country took to the streets to call for a better way of life they chose to ignore them.

That mistake has ushered in the potential for chaos that could sweep aside the missile strikes of the world's policeman and drag the Middle East into a much darker place than anyone yet has cared to really consider.

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Syria: Live Updates As US Congress Meets

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8:27am UK, Monday 09 September 2013

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Syria: US Has Britain's 'Full Diplomatic Support'

Britain says the US has its "full diplomatic support" as America gathers support for military action against Syria.

US Secretary of State John Kerry flew into London for talks with British Foreign Secretary William Hague this morning in the latest stage of his diplomatic tour to seek backing for action against Syrian President Bashar al Assad's forces.

Mr Hague told a news conference at the Foreign Office that the UK supported "mustering a strong international response" to Mr Assad's alleged use of chemical weapons that killed more than 1,400 civilians in Damascus.

Mr Kerry stressed the importance of the "special relationship" between Britain and the US and said the two countries were "enormously tied together".

He also again set out the evidence America claims it has that the Syrian government was behind the chemical attrocity.

The risk of not acting was greater than the risk of acting, he said..

A Free Syrian Army fighter in Raqqa province, eastern Syria

It came as Mr Assad thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for his support during the G20 summit last week.

This morning, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned Western leaders that any military strikes would cause an "outburst of terrorism" in the region and spark a new wave of refugees.

"The possibility for a political solution remains," he said after talks with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al Muallem, saying Damascus was still "ready for peace talks".

US politicians are set to discuss backing for military action against Syria as President Barack Obama prepares to make a series of TV appearances to push his case.

Congress will start debating the issue today and are expected to vote later this week on whether to authorise force against the Syrian regime.

While the White House believes an endorsement from the Senate could be within reach, Mr Obama faces a wall of opposition from both Republicans and from many of his Democratic allies in the House of Representatives.

The White House has refused to state whether Mr Obama, elected in 2008 promising to end foreign wars, would order a strike even if Congress votes "no".

Congress will vote on whether to launch military action in Syria

In a determined final effort for military backing, Mr Obama is due to appear on six US TV networks today, ahead of delivering a live address to the nation on Tuesday.

Speaking in Paris at a news conference before he left for London, Mr Kerry said 12 countries were now prepared to take military action against Syria.

Those states would make their own announcements within 24 hours, he added.

He did not rule out returning to the UN Security Council to secure a Syria resolution once UN inspectors complete their report on the alleged chemical weapons attack on August 21.

French President Francois Hollande, who is increasingly under pressure to seek a UN mandate before any military intervention in Syria, suggested that he could seek a resolution at the Security Council despite previous Russian and Chinese vetos.

Meanwhile, Mr Assad denied he was behind the alleged chemical attack in an interview to US television network CBS.

CBS correspondent Charlie Rose, who interviewed Mr Assad in Damascus, said: "The most important thing, as he says, is that 'there's no evidence that I used chemical weapons against my own people'."

The Speaker of Syria's parliament, Mohammad Jihad al Laham, told Sky News that a US attack would result in the country retaliating with "all available force".

In the UK, former Defence Secretary Liam Fox told Sky's Murnaghan programme on Sunday that there was a case for another Commons vote "in the light of the wider evidence that is now available".

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Abbott Wins: Australia 'Under New Management'

Tony Abbott has declared victory in Australia's general election after defeating prime minister Kevin Rudd.

Mr Abbott, the British-born leader of the Liberal Party-led coalition opposition has ended six years of Labor rule.

In his victory speech Mr Abbott said: "I can inform you that the government of Australia has changed. For just the seventh time in 60 years the government of Australia has changed.

"I declare that Australia is under new management and is once again open for business.

Abbott and Rudd on election posters in Sydney

"I now look forward to forming a government that is competent, that is trustworthy, and which purposely and steadfastly and methodically set about delivering on our commitments."

Earlier, in Brisbane, Mr Rudd conceded defeat. "A short time again I telephoned Tony Abbott to concede defeat at this national election," he said. "As prime minister of Australia, I wish him well in the high office of prime minister of this country."

With 80% of the votes counted, the Australian Electoral Commission showed Mr Abbott's party was leading in 88 seats in the House of Representatives, to Labor's 56.

Mr Rudd said Labor had "fought the good fight".

Voters cast their ballot in Sydney

He added: "Tonight is the time to unite as the great Australian nation.

"Because whatever our politics may be we are all first and foremost Australian and the things that unite us are more powerful than the things that divide us, which is why the world marvels at Australia."

He added: "I will not be recontesting the leadership of the parliamentary Labor Party. The Australian people I believe deserve a fresh start with our leadership." 

Defence minister Stephen Smith told the ABC broadcaster: "Pessimistically, I'm looking at a result which will be a 1996-type result, a heavy defeat for the government," he added, referring to the election which brought Liberal leader John Howard to power.

Mr Abbott casting his vote with his family beside him

Labor has been marred by relentless infighting - which saw Mr Rudd oust Australia's first female prime minister Julia Gillard in June - leaving the public frustrated and disillusioned.

Health Minister Tanya Plibersek said: "The clear take-out from this definitely is that disunity is death and we are not disciplined enough. I don't think the division or the pain was justified at any stage."

Former Labor prime minister Bob Hawke said personality politics had been allowed to overtake the party's message and policies.

"The personal manipulations and pursuits of interest have dominated more than they should and in the process the concentration on values has slipped.

"I really believe this was an election that was lost by the government rather than one that was won by the opposition."

Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard

Early poll numbers suggested big swings against the government in the key states of New South Wales and Queensland after more than 14.7 million electors took part in the mandatory ballot across the country.

During the five-week campaign, Mr Abbott gradually overtook once-popular Mr Rudd.

The growing number of asylum seekers has been a major theme in the election. Labor promised that every bona fide refugee who attempts to reach Australia by boat would be settled on Papua New Guinea or Nauru.

The Liberals promised new policies requiring the navy to turn asylum seeker boats back to Indonesia, where they launch, and the government to buy back ageing fishing boats from Indonesian villagers to prevent them falling into the hands of people smugglers.

Mr Abbott has also vowed to scrap a controversial carbon tax and instead introduce taxpayer-funded incentives for polluters to operate cleaner.

Mr Abbott was born in London and moved with his parents to Sydney at the age of two. Later, he returned to England to study at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar.

Mr Abbott has been in Parliament for almost two decades, and for a time was health minister.

He trained briefly as a priest, is a fitness fanatic famous for wearing tight swimming trunks and also volunteers for Australia's Rural Fire Service.

Deeply religious, some of his more conservative views on issues such as abortion and gay marriage have not pleased some.

Questions have also been asked about his attitude towards women with Ms Gillard famously labelling him a misogynist in a heart-felt speech in Parliament.

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RAF Scrambles Typhoons Amid Syria Tensions

Two RAF Typhoon jets were scrambled from their base in Cyprus to investigate unidentified aircraft in international airspace amid mounting tensions over Syria, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.

Reports suggest the rogue aircraft, which were spotted on radar by the British and Turkish air forces on Monday, came from Syria.

An MoD spokesman said: "Typhoon Air Defence Aircraft operated from RAF Akrotiri on Monday, 2nd September 2013, to investigate unidentified aircraft to the east of Cyprus; the aircraft were flying legally in international airspace and no intercept was required."

The Sunday Mirror quoted a military source as saying: "This is a clear sign of the tension boiling over because of Syria. Everyone is on edge.

"It is a pretty serious move to send up Typhoons - one of their roles is to intercept any possible enemy strike."

A week ago, six RAF Typhoon jets were sent to Cyprus in what the MoD called a "prudent and precautionary measure".

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John Kerry said the number of countries ready to take military action against Syria was now in the "double digits" after holding talks in Lithuania with EU foreign ministers.

Mr Kerry met French foreign minister Laurent Fabius on Saturday

Following the meeting on Saturday, the EU ministers issued a call for action against Syrian President Bashar al Assad's regime.

The EU did not explicitly back military action, but Mr Kerry said he was encouraged by the "very powerful statement" made by the bloc.

"There were a number of countries, in the double digits, who are prepared to take military action," he said.

"We have more countries prepared to take military action than we actually could use in the kind of military action being contemplated."

The US accuses the Assad regime of gassing to death 1,429 people, including 426 children, in an August 21 attack outside Damascus.

In his weekly address, US President Barack Obama warned of the dangers of "turning a blind eye" to chemical attacks.

"I call on members of Congress, from both parties, to come together and stand up for the kind of world we want to live in," he said on his return from a deadlocked G20 summit in St Petersburg.

My Kerry says support for airstrikes is mounting

Mr Obama has asked for Congress to authorise strikes on Syria. Congress reconvenes on Monday and the president is set to address the nation on Tuesday about the US response.

Mr Kerry said Mr Obama had made no decision about whether to wait for the release of a UN investigation into the alleged August attack before taking action.

Prime Minister David Cameron has ruled out bringing the issue of intervention back to the Commons and he has the support of the public, according to a new poll.

The ICM survey found voters opposed MPs voting again on British involvement - even if the UN inspectors concluded chemical weapons were used, by 46% to 36%.

But almost a quarter (24%) accepted that the decision to stay out would encourage other dictators to use chemical weapons, the poll for The Sunday Telegraph showed.

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Olympics 2020: Tokyo Wins Bid To Host Games

By Enda Brady, Sky News Reporter

Tokyo is celebrating a stunning victory in the race to host the Olympic and Paralympic games in 2020.

The Japanese capital saw off strong competition from Madrid and Istanbul on a night of high drama at the International Olympic Committee vote in Buenos Aires.

Madrid was eliminated in round one after initially finishing level on votes with Istanbul. A vote-off between the two cities saw the Turkish bid go through and the Spanish crash out. But the night predictably belonged to Tokyo.

Japan's strong track record of successfully hosting major sporting occasions - one summer Games, two Winter games and a football World Cup in 2002 - undoubtedly helped push votes their way.

The IOC's Evaluation Commission visited each city in March of this year and left Japan hugely satisfied with what it had seen.

Japan has pledged to spend a fraction of the cost of the London games

Anti-government riots and protests across Turkey this year did not help Istanbul's bid, while economic uncertainty hung over Madrid's efforts from the outset.

Tokyo also had the emotional pull of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, showing that triumph can emerge from tragedy.

Their bid team were frequently asked questions about the Fukushima nuclear reactor and recent concerns about contaminated water leaking from it, but they dealt with them. The reactor is 155 miles away from the host city and their prime minister was on hand in Argentina to reassure the IOC in person.

None of the bids had a 'wow factor' delegate like London 2012 had when it landed the Games in July 2005 with David Beckham in attendance, but Tokyo can be rightly proud of what it has achieved.

For Madrid (four unsuccessful bids) and Istanbul (five defeats) this will have been a particularly bitter blow.

For Tokyo the party may be in full swing, but the hard work starts tomorrow.

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