Two explosions have been heard in central Baghdad as an Arab summit opened in the Iraqi capital.

Western and Arab diplomats have launched a major offensive at the UN in the hope of overcoming Russia’s opposition to a draft resolution demanding that Syrian President Bashar Assad relinquish power.

The Arab League has demanded that the Syrian government immediately stop all violence and allow more monitors in, as activists reported at least 10 more civilians, including two teenagers, were killed by regime forces.

Arab officials today reacted with concern to the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, criticising Israel for causing suffering to Gaza residents and citing Israeli warplanes’ buzzing of the Syrian president’s home as especially troubling.