Syria crisis: UN's aid chief demands cross-border access Welcome to Middle East Live. Here's a roundup of the latest developments: The UN's humanitarian chief, Valerie Amos, has urged the security council to grant aid agencies cross-border access to Syria without permission from the Syrian government, to avoid a "human catastrophe." She pointed out that aid convoys to northern areas via Damascus, currently have to cross 50 checkpoints. We need to get aid into these hard to reach areas. It is difficult to do cross-line [missions] because of these bureaucratic constraints. The council needs to consider alternative forms of aid delivery including cross border operations because too many lives are being lost ... This Council must also request the parties to ensure the safe and unimpeded access of aid organizations to those in need in all areas of Syria. The British and French governments have asked the UN to investigate what they believe is credible evidence that the Syrian regime has used small amounts of chemical weapons in recent months, the LA Times reports. The evidence, including soil samples and witness testimony, is not definitive, a diplomat told the paper, but it warranted investigation. The crisis in Syria has reached its 'gravest' point yet thanks in part to bungled foreign attempts to impose Syria's exiled opposition into power, according to a leading member of the internal opposition in Syria. Writing in the Guardian, Haytham Manna, president of the National Co-ordination Body for Democratic Change Abroad, says interventions by the Friends of Syria countries have undermined democracy in Syria and encouraged the rise of extremists. It is tragic that the Friends of Syria is still trying to restructure the SNC when that tactic has evidently failed. It is unlikely that any group in the Free Syrian Army could confront hardline Islamist armed groups unless the opposition were backed by democratic political parties. Foreign involvement will be an obstacle to progress unless there is a broad front that can give the mission of the UN peace envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, practical meaning and produce a reconciliation between the two strongest powers, Russia and the US. Will the regional contradictions that we are witnessing today strengthen this option or will they cause increased violence and destruction? We must adhere to a negotiated political solution in this difficult phase so as to give every Syrian a chance to see the end of destruction. Bahrain Police have again fire teargas at protesters ahead of Sunday's grand prix, the BBC reports. Activists have demanded the race be cancelled due to the country's poor human rights record. But Formula 1's governing body has defended the race, saying it could have a healing effect. The Crown Prince of Bahrain has conceded that his country is "not perfect" but suggested that it has made progress on human rights. RTE quoted Prince Salman bin Hamad Isa Al Khalifa as saying: "We know we are not perfect, we know we have issues, but we are in a much better position than last year. We have had a rough time with the press, and we still have problems, but let's not politicise the race. Overall, I'm happy. This is our ninth grand prix and we are very happy with how motorsport has grown in the region. Policemen stand guard at a checkpoint outside the Formula One Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain. Security remained tight amid expectations of fresh anti-government protests on the first practice race day of the Formula One Bahrain grand prix. Photograph: Hassan Ammar/AP A suicide bomber detonated explosives at a Baghdad cafe crowded with young people late on Thursday, killing at least 26 people and wounding dozens in the runup to provincial elections scheduled for the weekend. The cafe bomber struck about 9.30pm, a rare evening attack, bringing the number of people killed across the country on Thursday to 30.