World News from the BBC
President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan has strongly condemned the killing of 14 people in a suspected Nato air strike in the south of the country. Mr Karzai said his government had repeatedly asked the United States not to carry out air raids that risk killing Afghan civilians. A White House spokesman said the US was taking President Karzai's concerns very seriously.
Reports from Syria say government forces have
stifle
d protests against President Assad in the centre of the country. Protesters in the towns of Talbisa and Rastan, near Syria's third largest city Homs, said at least eight people were killed and many more wounded. Jim Muir now reports.
Residents said the attacks began in the early hours of the morning with electricity and communications cut as troops and tanks moved in to surround and isolate the towns of Rastan and Talbisa, on the main road north of Homs. Nearby villages were also affected. Witnesses said shooting and explosions were heard as houses were stormed and people detained. Some reports said security forces were firing on any vehicles that moved. Two children were reported among those killed.
Riot police are reported to have sealed off the central square in the provincial capital of Inner Mongolia, Huhehaote, following a week of regional unrest and attempts to organise further protests via social networking services. Tight security is reported in all cities in the northern Chinese province. A United States-based Mongol human rights organisation said martial law had been declared.