<span style="color: #222222;">Russia and China used their vetoes yesterday to block a UN Security Council resolution that would have extended for a year cross-border humanitarian aid to four million Syrians. Humanitarian aid currently flows into Syria through UN-designated checkpoints without the formal permission of the regime in Damascus.<br />'' <br />'' Germany, Belgium and Kuwait presented a resolution for extending that authority for a year which is due to expire on 10th of January next year.<br />'' <br />'' Russia is a close ally and major supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and has used its veto 14 times on Syrian issues since the start of the civil war there in 2011.<br />'' <br />'' <br />'' </span><br />