Pro-democracy activists say at least 19 demonstrators were killed overnight in Syria in violence during a fresh round of protests against President Bashar al-Assad. Thousands of Syrians staged rallies in several cities including Deraa in the south, Hama and Harasta. Most of the dead were in Deraa, some 100 kilometres south of capital Damascus, which has seen the biggest anti-government protests since the unrest broke out last month. The protesters are demanding reforms and an end to Syria's emergency rule, which has been in place for nearly half a century. The president has offered several measures aiming at reforms but he has given no commitment to lift the emergency laws.