Erstellt am: 3. 8. 2012 - 13:45 Uhr

Annan: Syria is "mission impossible"

Reality Check: Kofi Annan resigns, North Korea appeals for food aid following catastrophic floods

The UN and Arab League Special Envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan, has resigned from his post. He says his job has become a "mission impossible" and he is heavily criticising the way the Security Council is handling the crisis. In particular, Russia and China have consistently blocked any resolutions that could lead to anything that could be interpreted as regime change from outside, but that's not all.

Apart from the Security Council, the USA and even the Syrian rebels themselves have been making life difficult for Annan, according to UN analyst and commentator, Andreas Zumach.

• North Korea appeals for food aid

Aidan Foster-Carter looks at North Korea's decision to ask for food aid following the catastrophic floods that have been hitting the country.

Although the country always has difficulties in feeding its own people, and it has, in the past, recieved huge amounts of international aid, it's intransigence on its nuclear programme could now be a stumbling block to it receiving the humanitarian help it needs.

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