AP, BBC NEWS

DAMASCUS - Damascus denies reports of new mass killings in Syria's central Hama region as pressure continues to build on the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. Syria discarded as "absolutely baseless' claims by opposition groups about a new massacre in which government forces allegedly killed some 100 people, AP reports.

The reports of fresh violence come a day after 55 countries agreed to beef up economic sanctions against Assad. UK Prime Minister David Cameron condemned the "brutal and sickening" killing of civilians and urged for concerted international action, according to BBC News.

Many countries have sent Syria's ambassadors packing in recent days, protesting against the massacre last week in Houla that killed more than 100, including children and women gunned down in their homes.

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Society

Colombia Celebrates Its Beloved Drug For The Ages, Coffee

This essential morning drink for millions worldwide was once considered an addictive menace, earning itself a ban on pain of death in the Islamic world.

Colombia's star product: coffee beans.

Luis Bernardo Cano/ZUMA

Julián López de Mesa Samudio

-Essay-

BOGOTÁ — October 1st is International Coffee Day. Recently it seems as if every day of the calendar year commemorates something — but for Colombia, coffee is indeed special.

For almost a century now we have largely tied our national destiny, culture and image abroad to this drink. Indeed it isn't just Colombia's star product, it became through the course of the 20th century the world's favorite beverage — and the most commonly used drug to boost work output.

Precisely for its stimulating qualities — and for being a mild drug — coffee was not always celebrated, and its history is peppered with the kinds of bans, restrictions and penalties imposed on the 'evil' drugs of today.