Hundreds of thousands of civilians could be cut off from food and aid if Syrian government forces circle rebel-held territories in Aleppo warned the United Nations on Tuesday.

Syrian government forces, backed by Russian airstrikes, launched a heavy offensive around Aleppo, which resulted in UN sponsored peace-talks being temporarily abandoned.

China’s Foreign Ministry expressed regret that North Korea had launched a rocket in to space despite strong opposition from the international community.

In a statement released on Sunday, the ministry spokeswoman Hua Cunying said,

“China expresses regret that North Korea, in spite of the pervasive opposition of the international community, insisted on using ballistic missile technology to carry out a launch.”

The US has released nearly 200 photographs linked to abuse by its military, after a freedom of information request.

Images published include bruises and cuts on prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan, however the Pentagon said none of the pictures were of detainees held in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay.

The European parliament this week recognised the crimes committed by Islamic STate against Christians and other religious minorities as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

In a resolution, passed unanimously, the European Parliament called for the UN Security Council to refer the case to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and for the crimes to be recognised by the them as a genocide.

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The North Korean government has fired a long range rocket, claiming that it was putting an earth observation satellite into orbit.

However, it is thought that the rocket was a test of banned missile technology, part of efforts to develop nuclear weapons technology.

The United Nations envoy halted his attempts to launch Syrian peace talks on Wednesday after Syria’s army, backed by Russian air strikes made major advances on the opposition held areas around Aleppo.

British Airways will resume flights from London to Tehran from July reports Reuters.

The head of BA’s network planning division, Neil Conttrell, said,

Nagaland may be given a separate official flag under the final accord expected between India’s government and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), reports the Hindustan times.

The United Nations announced the formal start of peace talks for Syria on Monday and urged world powers to push for a ceasefire as Syrian forces backed by Russian air strikes launched their biggest offensive in a year, reports Reuters.

A Saudi backed Syrian opposition delegation met the UN special envoy to Syria Staffon de Mistura for the first time with demands for tangible actions on humanitarian issues before participating in political negotiations.

The Syrian opposition will not attend peace talks due to begin in Geneva on Friday reports Reuters.

An opposition council that convened in Riyadh said it would not be in Geneva on Friday after failing to receive convincing answers on its demands for good will gestures including an end to airstrikes and sieges.