The picture below shows members of the Syrian community holding pictures during a protest near the Russian embassy in Bucharest.

Russia has not been discussing the possibility of taking in Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a senior aide to President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday, adding that he was unaware of any plans for the embattled Arab leader to come to Moscow.

Assad has made no public appearance or statement since a bomb in Damascus killed his powerful brother-in-law, his defence minister and a top general on Wednesday, an attack that prompted government forces to rain artillery fire on rebels.

The words below the pictures read" "To the Romanian government: Take action for this child" and "One of the 51 children with their throats cut". [Reuters]