Syria’s defence minister was killed today in a suicide blast in Damascus, state-run TV said.

A suicide attack targeted a security building in Syrian capital Damascus today, according to state-run TV.

ON ONE hand, there are the (in Damascus, largely invisible) activists who are trying to bring down Bashar al Assad.

Syria’s elite Republican Guard has clashed with rebels outside Damascus in some of the most intense fighting involving the special forces since the uprising against president Bashar Assad began.

Damascus residents have spoken about a night of shooting and explosions in the worst violence Syria's capital has seen since the uprising against President Bashar Assad's regime began 15 months ago.

The Cabinet is this morning considering a United Nations request to deploy a small number of Irish officials to help with the peace mission in Syria.

The EU slapped sanctions on the mother, sister and influential wife of Syrian President Bashar al Assad, increasing pressure on his country to halt its bloody crackdown against a year-long uprising.

An oil pipeline has been attacked and left on fire in the central Syrian city of Homs, and regime troops have stormed several residential neighbourhoods in the nearby city of Hama, activists said.

SYRIAN forces opened fire at funerals for slain political protesters, a human rights activist said yesterday, leaving two more people dead as Syria tries to subdue weeks of demonstrations against President Bashar Assad.

SYRIAN security forces shot dead at least 15 people yesterday after tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets demanding the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad, witnesses said.

Defying government guns, thousands of Syrian protesters poured down city streets and a main highway today to press demands for President Bashar Assad’s ousting.

At least seven people have been reported shot dead when Syrian security forces opened fire on anti-government protesters.

THE G8 leaders promised $20 billion (€14bn) in aid to Tunisia and Egypt yesterday and held out the prospect of billions more to foster the Arab Spring and the new democracies emerging from popular uprisings.