Christian Bale should feel embarrassed for trying to visit an activist while he was in the country to promote a film which China has submitted for an Oscar, a Chinese government spokesman said today.

Syria’s allies in Russia have called for urgent talks between Damascus and the opposition, saying an attack by Syrian rebel troops on a government building looks like the start of a civil war.

Syrian allies China and Russia have voiced serious concern over the spiralling crisis in Syria and called for immediate talks as pressure mounted on President Bashar Assad to end the deadly crackdown on dissent.