From Washington this is VOA news. Syria continues to bombard its own people and now Russia speaks out against the violence. And in Afghanistan a suicide attack. I’m Martin Johnson reporting from Washington.

Activists say an government-related (violence) left at least 25 people dead in Syria today as Russia, a stronger backer of Damascus, said the country appeared to be on the brink of civil war. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights tells VOA at least 17 people were killed in government shelling in the southern city of Daraa. The British-based opposition group says at least eight other people were killed in shelling and fighting between pro and opposition forces in other regions including Homs. The observers have been trying to reach the village of Mazraat al-Qubeir where 78 people died on Thursday but only gained entrance yesterday. U.N. spokeswoman Susan Ghosheh described what the observers saw.

Susan Ghosheh: “What we saw were, the most (prominent) things were two homes that once was, one was damaged mainly from, eh, rockets on vehicles and other calibre, more and larger calibre bullets we founded a variety of different kinds of bullets there. And, and the other one was burnt with bodies inside. The bodies you can smell the burns, the smell of dead bodies, and you can also see body parts in an around the village.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed tightened concerns about Syria’s unrest during a Moscow news conference today. Russia and China have vetoed two Security Council resolutions against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

France has confirms that a suicide attack Saturday in eastern Afghanistan has killed four NATO service members and wounded five. A statement from the office of French President Francois Hollande says there three of the wounded are in serious condition. The French president dispatched the French defense minister to Afghanistan following the attack. Afghan officials say the incident happened in Kapisa province where the (majority) of soldiers are French. The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack saying the victims were both French and Afghan forces suffering casualties. The Kapisa bombing was the second deadly attack on NATO troops Saturday. Earlier, NATO reported one of its service members was killed in the bomb blast.

Pakistan has rejected the U.S. defense secretary’s allegations that it has allowed militants to use Pakistan to stage attacks on U.S. forces in neighboring Afghanistan. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement Saturday that Leon Panetta is oversimplifying some very complex issues. The statement said Panetta’s remarks, made this week in Kabul, were misplaced and unhelpful in bringing about peace and stability in the region. The Foreign Ministry said Pakistan has repeatedly (announced) it will not allow its territory to be used against any country nor will it allow safe havens. Panetta said stabilization efforts in Afghanistan remain difficult as long as militants continue to have safe havens in Pakistan.

President Barack Obama says failure by congress to act on his jobs bill is preventing teachers from being rehired. During his weekly address today, Mr. Obama said over the past three years, (250,000) teachers have lost their jobs. He says approval of his jobs bill would help states rehire more teachers and prevent more layoffs as budgets continue to be tightened. On Friday, the president faced questions about the economy and the controversy over intelligence leaks at a White House news conference. VOA’s Dan Robinson reports.

Dan Robinson: “Mr. Obama called on European leaders to continue steps to stabilize their economies but not at the expense of growth noting nervousness in markets affecting the ability eurozone countries to borrow. Mr. Obama said challenges facing Europe are solvable.

Barack Obama: “As some countries have discovered, eh, it’s a lot harder to rein in deficits and debt if your economy isn’t growing. So it’s a positive thing that the conversation has moved in that direction.”

Dan Robinson: “Mr. Obama warned Europe against simply cutting spending while (unemployment) increases and consumers spending goes down. He pointed again to potential negative impacts on the U.S. economy and he said it would be everybody’s interest for Greece to remain inside the eurozone. Dan Robinson, VOA news, the White House.”

China official news agency says the country’s space agency will launch a Shenzhou-9 manned (spacecraft) sometime in June to dock with an orbiting space module. A spokesman told Xinhua news agency today that a rocket carrying the spacecraft was moved to a lanch pad in China’s desert northwest.

The Duke of Edinburgh, husband of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, has been released from hospital where he had been staying for five days with a bladder infection. Smiling and waving to onlookers, Prince Philip appeared to be in good form and good spirits, just in time for his 91 birthday coming up tomorrow, which he will celebrate with his wife, Queen Elizabeth, who recently celebrate her (diamond) jubilee, 60 years on the throne.

I’m Martin Johnson, VOA news, Washington, more news, voanews.com.