"Assad is denying the initiative of Mr Lakhdar Brahimi. He is refusing the political solution. So he is sending a message to international committee that he will not compromise with the international committee to sit with the Syrian opposition and discuss the situation."
A Pakistani soldier has been shot dead during an exchange of fire with Indian troops across the line of control that divides the disputed region of Kashmir. India denied Pakistani allegations that its forces crossed into Pakistani-controlled territory and attacked a Pakistani army post. The Indian military said it returned fire after coming under attack from mortars.
Central banks and regulators have for the first time agreed rules on the minimum quantities of cash or saleable assets that banks must hold in an effort to prevent another international financial crisis. Here's our business correspondent Theo Leggett.
The new rules have been drawn up in response to the banking crisis which began in 2007 and led to the collapse of leading international firms such as Bear&Stern and Lehman Brothers. The idea is to ensure that in future banks have enough ready cash and other assets which can easily be sold and turned into cash to enable them to survive an emergency for 30 days without having to call on government support. They form part of a package of reforms being put into place by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision which sets international rules for the industry. Over the next few years, banks will also be required to build up their core financial reserves in an effort to reduce the risk of them overextending themselves by lending too much.