case closed [music] >> syria's assad government agrees to negotiations overnight with russia. >> you're watching al jazeera live from doha. also ahead more than 100,000 people have displaced in the worst flooding to hit malaysia in decades. ukraine's president welcomes back prisoners of war. they were exchanged with pro russia separatists. the nigerian women who have helped to turn their county's beauty business into one of the

fastest growing industries in africa. >> syrian government has agreed to participate in negotiates to restart peace talks in moscow. russia's foreign ministry said it hopes to host talks between bashar al-assad's government in late january, but it's unclear who will officially be taking part. vice president of the building syria state party, which opposes the regime in damascus. speaking by phone with the syrian co capitol, he said that only a peaceful solution will calm the conflict. >> you have bombardment in some years, and you have groups attacking some areas. this is not something that should stop us from going to the

political solution. this should encourage everybody to go to the solution because as the end the political solution is the only path to stop all this violence and all those killed, and of course, there solution on the part of the regime or the armed groups. we should bring to attention that there is grave danger of isis. isis is not any one of the syrians. it is a danger for the regime, the syrians, the opposition, and for the identity and history of all of syria. >> meanwhile, intense fighting continues as syrian government keeps up its airstrikes in the northern province of aleppo. the attacks killed 39 people in the last three days. there are areas controlled by isil fighters in the city of

albab where planes have dropped barrel bombs. all thes by air killed at least five people and injured many others. the syrian regime airstrikes targeted rebel-held towns. it's reported that five died in the town of ibta after bomb there were bombs early in the morning. there have been airstrikes carried across northern iraq. kurtish peshmerga forces are still trying to take over isil. there are reports that isil still control many neighborhoods. meanwhile, peshmerga forces defending erbil, the capitol of iraq's kurdish region, say they

need more heavy weapons to fight against isil. we have reports now from the kurdish front lines. >> reporter: as nightfalls on the kurdish countryside, kurdish fighters take up their position. it is under the cover of darkness that isil attacks. this is perhaps their most important front line in their fight against isil. erbil is just 60 kilometers away. >> we want our families to be safe. >> but protecting erbil is a dangerous attack. two days ago isil fighters carried out their most deeing attack on this peshmerga base. using a combination of suicide-bombers and vehicles laden with explosives they took

over the base for a few hours before the kurdish forces recaptured it. they're getting more desperate. it's the first time that isil has used a tank for suicide-bombing, and it's the ability of isil to strike deep in kurdish territory that has them worried. >> body parts litter the camp. >> this is the first time they have armor tanks with tnt and suicide people, they're coming to our front lines, and it's the last chance to hav. >> they attack towns held by isil. the kurdish forces have made modest gains against isil in recent days, but their weapons,

they say, are old and no match for their opponents. >> we need the heavy machine guns, of course, because all that we use is very old. it's from the iraq and iran war. that's very old. the newest one is 25 years old. but ammunition is good. >> they call for more action against the isil group. peshmerga remains its most formidable group on the ground. they say they need immediate help or isil could come charging against across northern iraq. >> tens of thousands have gathered in new york city for the funerals of two police officers killed by a gunman last week. many mourned and filled the streets to pay their respects. the gunmen who killed the officers then took his own life.

he said he was seeking revenge for the deaths of two unarmed black men killed by white officers in new york and ferguson, missouri. meanwhile, heavy rains in southeast asia have led to major flooding and landslides. more than a dozen people have been killed in thailand and malaysia. the thai government has declared eight of its southern provinces to be disaster zones. so march 13 people are confirmed dead. while in northern malaysia three states are sub merge, and five people have died, and nearly 200 people are homeless. >> reporter: this corner on northeastern malaysia has not even flooding like this for decades. people have had to leave their homes in a hurry after days of rain turned roads into rivers. the government has sent rescue teams to the most badly affected

areas and set up relief efforts for victims. but for some it's too little too late. they criticize the government for being slow to respond. >> we just come here, we're here without food. >> malaysian prime minister has cut short his holiday to the u.s. to deal with the emergency. he being in hawai'i visiting president barack obama when the rains began. it's monsoon season in this part of asia, many places have been affected by the worst flooding in more than 40 years. people in southern thailand have been told to brace themselves for more flash flooding right up into the new year. for many the biggest worry is how to avoid the spread of disease. cases of typhoid fever, cholera and hepatitis-a increases when flooding occurs.

the spread of malaria and west nile fever is also more likely. the doctors say that children and the elderly are most at risk and appears for four to six weeks in flooded areas. officials say that water levels have not peaked yet, and with more predicted to come in the coming days it will be a wet end to the 2014. >> the top leader of the somali group al-shabab has been captured. the u.s. state department had offered $3 million for information leading to his arrest. the ukrainian government and pro russian separatist have released 400 prisoners, it's the largest prisoner swap in eight months in fighting o in eastern ukraine.

>> in a military airfield near kiev the ukrainian president welcomes home these prisoners of war. they were exchanged with hundreds of pro russian fighters. this is a propaganda coup for petro poroshenko, a leader struggling to unite his divided country. >> i'm telling you that i, as a president, as an ordinary citizen, have a heart for you as we greet the new year, and i promise that we'll do what we've been waiting for for so long. we're thankful again that we have you. >> there is relief that also sadness about those still being held. >> it is present that a president matters. thank you for what you've done to release us. we hope that our friends are still being kept as hostages

will be released in the near future. >> this is where the exchange took place. in a secret location in the donetsk region. some of the prisoners are injured and have to be carried to freedom. there are international observers, armed separatists and ukrainian soldiers who also watch on. they know that this is still a fragile cease-fire. >> there are several people on the list who are missing. they're from the luhansk region, they have not arrived yet, but we'll wait to complete the exchange tomorrow. >> kiev says its fighting against what it calls russia's influence. moscow has always denied backing and arming the separatists who still control parts of ukraine. the russian president recently signed a new military doctrine, a nato expansion was among key external risks. in the latest twist in this crisis ukraine's state rail company has suspended trains to crimea, blaming security

concerns, leaving many passengers stranded and frustrated. >> it is very bad and will affect many people. people should not be affected by such decisions. they should not suffer because of politics. >> this prisoner exchange is a small step towards reconciliation. and for the families of the released prisoners it offers some hope in this bitter and deadly conflict. al jazeera. >> let's go back to our top story now, that's about moscow's proposal to host a peace talk over the syrian conflicts, and we have on the line now i believe the president of the national coalition of syrian revolution and opposition forces. thank you for being with us. what do you make of this announcement? will you be attending this talk,

if it does go ahead in moscow. >> yes, i was surprised to hear this today and until now there was no official invitation, so really, we cannot have complete negotiation because we don't know what the agenda of the negotiation. >> if that being the case what would then be the prerequisite for you and your party to be able to attend this conference? we have to be sure first of the negotiation what are going there

for serious negotiations. >> it's also a little difficult on the regime's part, isn't it? who are they going to be negotiating with? after all, the syrian opposition is very fractured. there are several parties. >> it's more important what framework you have to negotiate. the negotiations should start with-- >> but the opposition groups themselves are not able to agree on a framework. >> i think most of the opposition groups, the majority of them, they agree on the geneva communique with the framework of negotiations, and all of them are committed to it.

>> i understand, and you say most of these opposition groups, not all of them, though, how are you able to get all of them on board? i mean, this is the obstacles for the peace talks. >> we have been carrying on dialogue along the syrian dialogue among the opposition groups for the past month. you have various meetings. i can say that up to 90% agreement on important issues and that the geneva communique is the framework for the negotiation. >> once again, if the invitation is given to you, and you do agree with this framework that moscow sets out, i presume you will then be attending it, but given that russia right now is at logger heads with most of the

western government, the u.s. and particularly the e.u. hour credibility will you give to these talks? >> no, i don't think that the conference without a fixed framework. as you know, the russian position to the regime, providing the regime with more on the ministries and money support to continue its fight against its own people. this will not be accepted. it has to be responsive to the international organization. >> all right, sir, thank you very much for being with us on the show. hadi al-bahri with the national

co-vision of sir i don't know opposition forces. speaking with us on the phone of cairo. >> they're begging for mercy at the court gates. their brother has been on death row for years, now he can be hanged at any moment. >> we're knocking on every door to seek justice for my brother to save his life, but there is no hope, and my brother will be wrongfully hanged by the authorities. >> pakistan has issued death sentences for dozens across the country in the last few years. now lifting of the moratorium on the death penalty those convicts are now facing execution.

>> first convicted by an anti-tropical storm court in 2004 for killing a boy, but his fame and lawyers deny it, saying he was 13 at the time, and the accusation had nothing to do with armed groups. >> he was a juvenile, and he was tortured into a foolish confession. it really goes to the heart of the government's decision to lift the ban on moratorium, and resume executions of the most dangerous terrorists, but he is none of that. he was 13. he was a juvenile. >> the lifters of the moratorium on the executions come after the attack in peshawar where 149 people were killed, most of them were children. they're pleading for a grace

period hoping to reverse the sentence. his brother had this to say. >> i can't bear that my innocent brother will be hanged by the government without a fair trial. and i'll take revenge for my brother, even if i have to join a terrorist group. >> if his brother has been convicted he is not fair to do this. there is respect. there is the law. and islam is very clear on that. >> justice delayed he tells me is justice denied. but he tells me that justice hurried is justice buried. between the two pakistan is facing hard choices at the appointment. >> president of myanmar's biggest city now voting in its first municipal elections in 60 years. it's the first time that people are casting ballots. observers have criticized the vote as flawed, casting a shadow over next year's landmark general election. only one person per household is

eligible to vote, limiting the poll to 400,000 people. the indian government has banned vehicles over 15 years from roads in the capitol of new delhi. it's an attempt to tackle air pollution after an u.n.-backed study found that the city has the dirtiest air in the world. >> reporter: he loves his scooter. it has ban proud member of his family since he married 28 years ago, and he says it had a never let him down. >> i've driven around on my scooter since my kids were born. i've taken my wife, my sister-in-law for a ride. even my mother when she was sick and we had to take her to the daughter, we went on this. >> but india's green tribunal is forcing them to retire think trusty two wheeler in a bid to

clean up the pollution, they have banned any vehicles older than 15 years. the city has been singled out by the "world health organization" as having the world's worst air quality. a recent study by university of cal scientist suggest pollution levels on these roads could be eight times higher than previously reported. >> one of the most pollutants for your health is par tick coulpartikulant matter. and these could have risks. >> delhi's government says much of the pollution is caused by

car emissions. what is needed, they say, is stringent monito monitoring of the emissions and tougher fines. >> we don't expect many vehicles to be in the age practice more than 15 years in this city. so even if you get rid of them, i don't see that that's going a have a mastiff impact on air quality. >> around 1500 new vehicles roll onto the capital's roads every year, and environmentalists say if authorities are serious about tackling air pollution they need to invest in public transport. al jazeera. new delhi. >> 15 years ago as part of its millennium goals, social programs in colombia have helped reduce the number of those in extreme need.

as we have reports, not everyone has been benefiting. >> these chickens have changed this woman's life for the better. her family used to live in a garage without a kitchen or bathroom. heher sick husband did not have a job. >> sometimes we didn't have anything to eat. well know if we need to, i can always kill a hen. >> four years ago she joined a government program to help the poorest of the poor. she received credits, training, and the continuing assistance of specialized social workers to set up her small business. >> i learned what food to give to the chickens, how to give them an injection, if they were sick or not, how to manage them. then i moved on to training, on accounting and how to save money. >> with the new income came the modest but functioning house and more work.

over 10,000 social workers have helped hundreds of thousand was families to start small businesses, learn new skills or simply get an i.d. for another program. colombia has faced stop burn levels of poverty. minority in ruler populations in particular had seen no benefits, something that kept fueling the country's internal conflict. >> main factors of the reduction has been a decision by the national government to convert to extreme poverty reduction into a policy of the state. and bring you the state in direct contact with the needy households. >> many hope an end to the country's world with the rebel group farc could allow the government to reach even more people. but for now 3.5 million people will still be living in absolutely misery next year.

>> 3.5 million is still very worrisome. it's still a very high number over all of a people barely able to survive. >> back at the chicken farm, she has achieved almost all of they are program's tasks. the new face will be to open a savings bank account, the first she has ever had. another step, she says, to make sure that she can achieve the richer future that her family deserves. >> continuing attacks in nigeria by the armed group boko haram are now affect the neighboring niger's economy. the conflicts that have forced a border being closed is now shutting down businesses. >> it is a commercial husband in the southeast of niger on the board of nigeria. it is dubbed as the perfume

capitol of that region, but it has been hit hard. many earn their living by burning wood to make measur perfume. this woman said her perfume exports have dropped 75%. >> our perfumes are sold in niger and other countries as well. the money goes into the economy, and we make money. we exhort to nigeria. but when boko haram controls the border areas it's difficult for our goods to reache reach there . >> boko haram controls the border with niger. it is battling to establish an islamic state. the nigeria army has closed the border with niger. this is normally a time for merchants to make money.

they come from across the region to display their goods. >> there is a big difference were last year. it is affected by boko haram's control, and people are now are not coming in or out of the city. >> it could be some time before business picks up again in this part of niger. it all depends on the nigerian government and it's military power to end boko haram attacks. al jazeera. >> falling oil prices have affected nigeria's currency, but the economy overall is still expected to grow. this is all thanks to one particular industry--mayor. from legas, we look at the demand for extensions, waves and wigs. >> on a busy treat these women are in the market for beauty. it's a booming demand for all sorts of air pieces, braids and

weave-ons and bigs. >> it makes you look smart, confident. you look good when you have your air. >> esther ol abiyi comes twice a month to have her braids attached to her hair. the search for good looking hair in nigeria is serious business. the only fixture for the economy is the highly competitive industry that attracts investors from all over the world. >> this company makes two of africa's most popular brands. rayon is imported from japan and then processed into dry hair. by some estimates it's $6 billion across africa. >> the african lady has to throw it away after three weeks, four weeks with a growing population

your product will keep on growing on its own. you add on fashions, you have a win-win combination. >> the editor of the lifestyle magazine said that african men across class lines have always been keen on glamour. the internet has exposed them to better product in the past few years. >> people perceive you by how well they think you look. you're more respected. you're more regarded, you're more in. and everybody wants to be in. >> and it comes in all shapes and surpris prices. hair pieces go for up to $3,000. ththe closer it looks to natural hair the pricier it gets. it would be hard press to find a woman without a hair piece. >> which get it.

it is so innate in the nigerian woman. >> those in the industry most certainly agree. al jazeera, lagos. >> and a quick reminder that you can always keep up-to-date with all the latest news. at www.aljazeera.com. >> hi, i'm lisa fletcher and you're in the stream. out of the box thinkers share their tool kit for racing smart successful well balanced kids. my co-host and digital procedures wajahat ali.