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.