The US, Britain and France have said they believe that the Assad regime was responsible for a chemical weapons attack in Damascus last month.

UN inspectors say there is “clear and convincing evidence” that chemical weapons were used on a relatively large scale in the attack last month in Syria that killed hundreds of people.

Tough-talking John Kerry opened swiftly-convened talks on Syria’s chemical weapons by bluntly rejecting the country’s pledge to begin a “standard process” by turning over information rather than weapons – and nothing immediately.

Syrian athlete Ghfran Almouhamad has been disqualified from the Olympic Games after failing a drugs test, the International Olympic Committee have announced.

As tensions mounted further in Syria, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby last night appointed Kofi Annan, Ban's predecessor as joint special envoy on the Syrian crisis.