Syria conflict: UN suspends peace talks in Geneva

The UN has suspended peace talks aimed at ending Syria's five-year civil war, just days after they began. But the organization's special envoy Staffan de Mistura insisted negotiations had not failed and would resume on 25 February. Each side blamed the other for the collapse of the round. It came as the Syrian government said it had dealt a major blow to the opposition by cutting a key supply route to the rebel-held city of Aleppo. It was always known these talks would be difficult, but no-one expected them to end after just two days, with the UN special envoy standing in the driving sleet outside the opposition's Geneva hotel to deliver the news.