If the January 25 negotiations to achieve a broad political settlement in Syria fail, outside powers should "declare a cease-fire and find a way to impose it on their Syrian proxies," the New York Times editorial board writes today.
Citing the events this week around the besieged town of Madaya, where the UN has received "credible reports" that people are starving, the NYT writes:
Using food as a weapon violates international law, and the United States, Europe, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iran, which all have influence with different proxy groups in Syria, have a responsibility to ensure that civilians have unconditional access to basic supplies.
A Turkish official has said that nine Germans are among the dead in this morning's blast in Istanbul.
The United States and its allies conducted 23 strikes against the IS group in Iraq and Syria on January 11, the coalition leading the operations said in a statement.
Syrian government forces have pushed into the rebel stronghold of Salma in Latakia province. A video posted by a pro-government YouTube channel shows footage of government forces entering Salma.
Salma is strategically located on the road to the town of Jisr al-Shughour, which was captured by Islamist fighters including Al-Qaeda's Syrian wing the Al-Nusra Front in April. Syrian state media said at the time that they were battling a "large number of terrorists coming from the Turkish border."
From our news desk:
Suicide Bomb Kills Two Iraqi Police, Wounds Senior Officer
Asuicide bomb blast has killed at least two Iraqi police and wounded a senior intelligence officer north of Baghdad.
Officials said the bomber hit the convoy of Colonel Qassem al-Anbaki, the head of police intelligence in Diyala Province, at a checkpoint near the city of Baquba on January 12.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which came a day after an Islamic State (IS) attack in a busy shopping area of Baghdad and other blasts around the country claimed at least 35 lives.
The IS group overran large swaths of territory north and west of Baghdad in June 2014.
Iraq declared victory over the IS group in Diyala early last year but that has not brought an end to attacks by the militants.
Turkey has said that most of those killed in today's blast in Istanbul were German nationals. The largest number of foreign tourists in Turkey are from Germany, says Turkey analyst Aaron Stein.
Turkish Prime Minister Davutoglu has told German Chancellor Merkel that most of those killed in today's blast in Istanbul were German citizens, Hurriyet reports.
Reuters is also now citing Turkish officials as saying that most of those killed in the Istanbul blast were German citizens.
Turkish Prime Minister Davutoglu has spoken by telephone with Germany Chancellor Merkel regarding the blast in Istanbul's Sultanahmet, Daily Sabah reports.
Daily Sabah is also citing sources in the Turkish Prime Minister's Office as saying that most of those killed in the blast were German nationals.