BBC News reports:

Western nations have lamented China and Russia’s vetoes of a UN Security Council resolution condemning Syria’s crackdown on anti-government protests.

France said it was a “sad day” for Syria, while the US ambassador to the UN expressed “outrage”.

The resolution had been watered down to try to avoid the vetoes, dropping a direct reference to sanctions.

Meanwhile, Syrian TV has broadcast images of a woman it said Amnesty International had declared dead.

The proposed resolution, drafted by European states, was the latest effort to pressure Syria over a crackdown in which the UN estimates more than 2,700 people have been killed.