[00:11.61]Russia expressed deep scepticism about the US assertion that Syrian government forces had used chemical weapons and said arming the rebels would worsen the violence.
[00:21.89]From Washington, Paul Adams.
[00:24.07]The White House says there is a new urgency to the Syrian conflict because of an influx of Hezbollah fighters as well as what it now believes is firm intelligence that President Assad has used chemical weapons.
[00:35.31]But the Obama administration won’t say what the new assistance will actually consist of.
[00:40.19]Most people assume that’ll include weapons possibly up to and including anti-tank missiles.
[00:45.42]But officials are reluctant even to describe it as arming the rebels.
[00:49.26]In Syria itself, the foreign ministry has denounced as lies the US assertion that it has used chemical weapons.
[00:56.11]The leader of the main rebel military group, Salim Idriss, welcomed Washington’s move and said the rebels needed anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons immediately.
[01:06.05]Polls have closed in Iran where people have been voting to choose a successor to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
[01:12.89]There were long queues at some polling stations and voting hours were extended.
[01:17.47]The main pro- reform leaders were not allowed to stand.
[01:20.12]Here is Richard Galpin.