BBC News with Gaenor Howells

The French President Nicolas Sarkozy says the gunman responsible for the murders of a teacher and three children at a school in Toulouse was the same one that killed three soldiers in similar incidents last week. In a nationwide television broadcast, Mr Sarkozy said the same weapon was used each time. French police also believe the same vehicle was used. Chris Bockman, a journalist who's in Toulouse, says similarities between the attacks have been clear from the start.

"This is no surprise after the attack which happened this morning. It bore all the

hallmarks

of the earlier ones. They are targeting ethnic minorities, using a motorcycle with a helmet, clear day and then fleeing. This city has about 800,000 people. It's the fourth biggest city in France. And you have to imagine this city now is in

lockdown

mode. Police have been drafted in from all around the country, and they basically have checkpoints up everywhere. I've never seen quite so many police everywhere just checking on everyone, basically to find this one person."

Russia has urged the Syrian government and opposition forces to agree immediately to a daily humanitarian

ceasefire

in the fighting that's continuing across the country. The statement comes after a meeting in Moscow between the Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the head of the ICRC, Jakob Kellenberger. From Moscow, Daniel Sandford.

It was the International Committee for the Red Cross that first proposed the idea of a ceasefire in Syria every day for at least two hours. The ICRC president Jakob Kellenberger said this was needed to bring the wounded out of the conflict areas and to help the civilian population.