UN peacekeeping chief says Syria conflict is now civil war; government has lost 'large chunks of territory' in some cities - @Reuters
Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Mekdad: Assad's government will decide soon whether to take part in peace talks - Tass News Agency, via @Reuters
UN is receiving increasing reports of the use of chemical weapons in Syria's civil war, senior UN official says - @Reuters
Syrian President Assad must hand over full executive powers to a proposed transitional government, French foreign minister says - @Reuters
Iran has expanded its uranium enrichment capacity at its Natanz plant, UN nuclear agency report says - @Reuters
Israel prepared to attack Syria to prevent advanced weapons reaching jihadi rebels or Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon if Assad falls, Israel's air force chief says - @Reuters
Secretary of State Kerry condemns Hezbollah involvement in Syria crisis; says there are several thousand Hezbollah fighters on the ground in Syria - @Reuters
Syrian opposition not showing sufficient commitment to participating in peace conference, Russian foreign minister says - @Reuters
More: Iranian fighters, Hezbollah helping to perpetuate Assad's 'campaign of terror' in Syria, Secretary of State John Kerry says - @AP
US Secretary of State John Kerry says Syrian opposition will receive more support if Syria's President Assad doesn't come to peace talks - @AP
www.bbc.co.uk by editor
