Blast in Syria kills at least 13

Two Syrian officials speaking from the scene said the taxi blew up 50 yards from Bab Toumas main police station. SANA put the death toll at 13,while the anti-regime Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 10 people were killed in the blast.

Meanwhile UN and Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi met with Assad as part of his push for a cease-fire between rebels and government forces for the four-day Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha,commencing October 26.

Following a closed-door meeting Brahimi told reporters that he met earlier with Syrian opposition groups inside and outside the country to discuss his truce plan. He said he received promises but not a commitment from them to honor the cease-fire.