At Least 7 Dead in Syrian Protests

Clashes erupted in several cities in Syria as supporters and opponents of the government both took to the streets Tuesday. Activists say at least seven people were killed after security forces fired on opposition crowds. Thousands of Syrians, many of them government employees, had gathered at public squares in the nation’s major cities in support of President Bashar al-Assad. It was the latest government move to counteract the uprising threatening Assad’s rule. The pro-government rallies came a day after Assad offered a national dialogue with the opposition, but many of his critics have dismissed the move as too little, too late.