Thousands of people have fled from Bentiu, the capital of oil-rich Unity State in South Sudan as government forces launched an offensive against rebels.

The UN says clashes are reported in several locations in the city where there are reports of looting.

Eight thousand citizens fled to UN camps, while others hid in remote areas.

Meanwhile, government troops are also reported to be advancing against the key rebel-held city of Bor, the capital of Jonglei State. 

The moves come after peace talks between government forces and rebels went into a stalemate over the arrest of 11 alleged coup plotters.

 

UN chief to chair Syria aid conference in Kuwait next week

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will attend a major donors conference in Kuwait next week for humanitarian aid in Syria.

A UN spokesman says as the humanitarian situation in Syria continues to deteriorate, the UN chief calls once more on member states to participate in the conference and to remain generous. 

According to the UN, well over 100-thousand people have been killed in Syria and 8 million driven from their homes since the conflict erupted in 2011.

In January 2013, countries partaking in the first Syria aid conference in Kuwait pledged to offer more than 1 billion U.S. dollars to support the Syrian people. 

Meanwhile, the Chinese government is sending its Middle East special envoy to Kuwait, for the meeting on Syria.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying says China supports increased assistance for people in Syria.

She also says more pressure needs to be applied toward achieving a political solution to the Syria crisis.

 

6 people killed in Russia's Stavropol strains North Caucasus

Several regions in Russia's restive North Caucasus have tightened security, following the discovery of six dead bodies with gunshot wounds in the Stavropol territory.

The Kabardino-Balkaria republic's government suspects the murderers may come from the region.

Authorities found the bodies in 2 villages in Stavropol, 14-hundred kilometers south of Moscow, and believe all the murders are connected.

An improvised bomb went off near the investigators, but no one was injured. Another bomb was disposed of safely.

The North Caucasus has been on high alert following two separate suicide bombings near Sochi, where the 22nd Winter Olympic Games are to be held next month.

 

15 killed in clashes, attacks in western in Iraq

At least 15 people, including eight al-Qaida militants, have been killed with eight others wounded after clashes in Iraq's western province of Anbar. 

Iraqi police fought a fierce battle with al-Qaida militants near the town of Khaldiyah, some 80 kilometers west of Baghdad. 

Also in Anbar, a car bomb detonated near the home of tribal and government leader Sheik Zamil al-Ghanimi.

Ghanimi escaped unharmed but one civilian was killed by the blast and two others injured.

In other clashes, 3 police officers were killed and six others wounded by a suicide bomber who detonated an explosive-laden car in Ramadi.

Iraq is witnessing its worst violence in recent years.

Almost 9 thousand Iraqis have been killed in 2013, including close to 8-thousand civilians and civilian police personnel, the highest death toll in years.

 

Afghanistan to free 72 inmates seen "dangerous" by U.S.: statement

The Afghan government says it will free 72 of the 88-total Taliban suspects, which the US deems as "dangerous," from Bagram prison north of Kabul.

A meeting chaired by Afghan President Hamid Karzai ordered the board in charge of reviewing each case to free 45 prisoners who have no evidence against them.

Insufficient evidence including simple intelligence tips reportedly was keeping another 27 suspects jailed.

Afghanistan has recently released 650 prisoners and says more detainees will be released in coming months, a decision opposed by the US military.

 

Arrested Indian Diplomat Indicted by Grand Jury in US

The Indian diplomat to the United States, whose recent arrest sparked anger in India, has been formally indicted by a grand jury.

Devyani Khobragade was arrested last month over charges of visa fraud and underpaying her housekeeper.

Prosecutors initially said Khorbragade had been granted diplomatic immunity and left the country, but her lawyer has confirmed she still remains in the US.

In December, Khobragade was handcuffed and strip-searched after her maid complained of the diplomat's illegal activity.

In response Khobragade accused the maid of theft and blackmail.

India has demanded an apology from the US over the incident and in retaliation cut certain privileges offered to US diplomats and their families in India.

The country also removed security barricades surrounding the US embassy.

 

Private U.S. cargo ship launched to Space Station

A commercial spacecraft operated by U.S. space company Orbital Sciences has blasted off on its first cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station.

The initial launch had been delayed three times, due to several problems including trouble with the cooling system, cold weather, and an unusually high level of space radiation.

The unmanned Cygnus craft will carry food, spare parts, and science experiments to the ISS. 

The included experiments study a wide range of topics including vaccine effectiveness, amoeba reproduction, and calcium loss in bones.

The craft is expected to arrive at the ISS early on Sunday.