World News from the BBC
Reports from the Syrian capital Damascus say the military has maintained its assault on opposition-hold areas on the outskirts of the city. Opposition forces say the Syrian army use heavy artillery to
pound
the southern suburb of Darayya. Barbara Plett is in Lebanon.
"Darayya… Darayya…" A terrified activist stands his ground with shells exploding around him, documenting the bombardment of Darayya. After pounding the suburb for 24 hours, soldiers backed by tanks went door to door searching for rebels. This is the fourth Damascus suburb targeted this week by a fierce government offensive aimed at crushing rebel resistance in the capital. Activists and residents say dozens are killed in a* raid, in what appears to be a campaign to sole terror.
The funeral of the former Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi will be held on Sunday, September 2. The public have now been allowed in to the national palace in Addis Ababa where his body is lying in state during a week of national
mourning
. Government sources have confirmed that the formal swearing in of his successor will not be held until after the funeral. The government spokesman Bereket Simon said Mr Meles' policies would continue.
"Succession for us is not a matter of replacing this leader by that leader; succession for us had been a planed goal of Mr Meles' ideas. He's been working with his ideas and that's in my thought of the people. And that will we have been ensured."