digging through the rubble, a row broke out over who was responsible for the bombing and over the more general issue of civilian casualties. The Taliban denied that they

were to blame

, saying they didn't attack civilians. Whoever is behind this is trying to

defame

the Taliban, said a spokesman. The Afghan Ministry of Health expressed disgust and hatred towards the perpetrators and said the insurgents had reached new depths in targeting a clinic.

Syrian tanks and troops have been in action again in the northwest of the country, moving into a village near the border with Turkey and a town near the border with Lebanon. Activists said many people were detained. Thousands of Syrians have fled into Turkey and Lebanon in recent weeks to escape the military campaign against anti-government protests.

The French authorities say an outbreak of E. coli in the city of Bordeaux appears to be linked to a charity event two weeks ago, at which soups were served

sprinkle

d with rocket and mustard seed sprouts. Christian Fraser reports from Paris.

This latest outbreak has been linked to one leisure centre in the suburbs of Bordeaux.

Eight people who've fallen ill had attended a charity event there two weeks ago, at which they'd been served soups including a gazpacho that was sprinkled with rocket and mustard sprouts grown in pots.

Five of the patients admitted to hospital are now suffering severe kidney problems, two of them infected with a highly