>> a major boko haram attack in the northeastern borno state. >> also coming up, at least seven people are killed in a blast in a high security area in the syrian capitol of damascus. >> jordan condemns the killing of the journalist by isil. as concerns grow a jordanian pilot taken captive by the group. >> 400 days since our three journalists were jailed in egypt. al jazeera demands their release.

>> the nigerian army alongside civilians and vigilantes have driven out boko haram from the capitol in northeastern nigeria. sunday the armed group launched an attack on the outskirts of the city that lasted several hours. the battle has moved on to the town of maffa. we have more from the capitol. >> the guns are silent after the military in collaboration with civilians repelled an attack from four different locations on the city. a security source told al jazeera that the fighters from boko haram have been chased away and now there is as raging battle currently going on in the town of maffa after the failure failure.

this is coming at a time boko haram has suffered defeat in the hands of the nigerian mill at her, the chadian military, following the launch of attacks on several positions of boko haram in northeastern nigeria. this morning's attacks signify the desperation on the part of boko haram to make in roads into borno state. this morning's attack resulted in the death of several boko haram members, according to a security source. >> there's been more violence in nigeria's northeast a suicide bomber blowing himself up near the house of a politician. seven have been killed. the explosion happened at supporters gathered for an election campaign. nigeria goes to the polls february 14. >> at least seven people have been killed in a bomb blast in

damascus. we have more from beirut in neighboring lebanon. >> this is a rare attack in the center of damascus. it happened on a bus or near a bus, a lebanese bus carrying shia pilgrims to the shrine. this happens every weekend pill gyms go to damascus to visit on a pilgrimage. a number of people dead and wounded in this attack. very unusual the center of damascus is relatively safe. this is fighting on the outskirts but when it comes to the center, we haven't seen an attack like this for at least a year. also why perhaps this being a target, of course the lebanese armed group is fighting on the side of the syrian regime in damascus against the rebels, so a complex web of allegiances perhaps to show you who why they're being targeted. the significance of this, an

attack of this scale, and bomb placed in the center of damascus is very rare. >> japan's government said it is highly unlikely a video showing the killing of kenji goto is authentic. the killing is described as a heinous act of terrorism. we have this report. >> shock sadness and sympathy for kenji goto's family expressed by people in tokyo. crowds gathered outside the prime minister's office after they found out the veteran reporter had most likely been murdered in syria by the islamic state of iraq and the levant. >> he always hoped to make the world a place without any wars and to save children from war and poverty. i promise here to carry out his legacy. >> earlier, the prime minister said a video released by isil apparently showing them killing goto was most likely real.

>> we are deeply saddened by this despicable and horrendous act of terrorism and denounce it in the strongest terms. to the terrorists, we will never, ever forgive you for this act. >> kenji goto has gone to help rescue another yep news national taken by isil. that person has since likely been killed. before going, he made a video making it clear he new the risks. >> unfortunately i think this incident will further degrade the islamic image in japan. this is a real tragedy because the hostage crisis and terrorism going on in northern iraq and syria has little to do with islam and much more with extremism.

>> some people in the islamic community worry about a backlash but say it's unlikely given minorities are well treated in japan. >> i hope that there will be no misunderstanding because what happened that we heard this morning the news, it has nothing to do with islam. >> the news of the death of two japanese nationals within two weeks has made an impact and it's greatly affected some people here. >> the jordanian government released a statement condemning the killing the statement also talks about a jordanian pilot captured by isil. it says: >> isil has threatened to kill the pilots unless jordan release as female iraqi bomber jailed

for a decade. it's unclear why isil wants her released. we have more. >> she's the would-at-bat suicide bomber. sajida al-rishawi has rarely been mentioned by iraq. it was in 2005, there were three separate attacks. she and her husband entered a wedding as her money. his suicide vest detonated. her device filed to explode so she ran away and was later arrested. jordanian investigative journalist linda meyer has interviewed sajida al-rishawi through her lawyer. she lives in self imposed solitary confinement on death row. she hasn't had visitors for nine years. she describes her as illiterate with no motivation and no apparent value to isil. >> if sajida al-rishawi was important to them, they would

have asked for they are before now. why would they wait to ask for her release? if they had not captured the jordanian pilot would they have asked? i don't think so. >> the question is why did isil demand the release of sajida al-rishawi when there were more fire brand operatives jailed in jordan. that question, like the really crucial one on whether the , muath al-kaseasbeh is still alive. it is said they are trying to cause problems in jordan. there have been protests against jordan's role in the u.s. coalition fighting isil, but they've been toned right down now in the hope of negotiations

for the pilot's release are happening. the issue hasn't gone away, though and until muath al-kaseasbeh has been killed, brought tests are sure to resume. >> over 1300 people in iraq have been killed in the violence alone. according to u.n. figures, more than half of them were civilians. over 2,200 people were also wounded in frequent bombings in other attacks. the capitol baghdad was the worst affected with 256 civilians killed there. >> kurdish and shia commanders deny accusations bringing ethnic divisions back into focus. we have a report now. >> in 2005, he was forced out of

his hometown by al-qaeda. ten years later, he is back. he is an iraqi occurred. he took part in the recent battle against the islamic state of iraq and the levant, a formerly al-qaeda-aligned group. isil fighters may have been defeated in the town but were not the only ones who left. the predominantly soon any population is no longer here. some blame them for allowing the isil takeover. >> the civilian, they were al-qaeda. then helped give them water food stay inside houses. they go up with them -- take them to the kurdish hourses or peshmerga house they blow it, burn it. >> the kurds believe this land is theirs but are not the only force on the ground. they are cooperate shia militiamen who call themselves the popular mobilization force. they have the government back to go fight isil but have been

accused of operating outside the law and chining the demography in most areas. >> they told me they are going to allow them to return on condition they did not take part in the fighting alongside isil. >> the kurds say the same thing they deny they are punishing sunnis because they belong to the same sect as isil fighters. occurred issue commanders say the displaced can return once cleared of i.e. des but they keep stressing that the province was an al-qaeda stronghold for years and many were supporters of the armed group. >> we have credible information that 95% of the sunnis in the area were fight isil, al-qaeda and other terrorist groups, but we're not targeting their families. in fact, many of them found shelter in our areas.

>> instead of uniting iraq's communities, the war against isil is opening old wounds and creating future conflicts, like many other battle grounds the reality is an example of the need for reconciliation. al jazeera. >> bahrain revoked the citizenship of 72 people for what it calls harming the interest of the country. the opposition said the government is punishing activists who took part in anti-government protests. democratic reforms have been taking place in bahrain for almost four years. the government said most people on the list are now abroad and can appeal the decision. >> we are going to take a short break now. stay with us here on al jazeera because coming up, a medical report on a double hand transplant. >> the freezing shoreline of the bering sea where a film was

made. watch to go find out what the locals think.

>> welcome back, a reminder of the top stories. the nigerian army alongside civilians have driven out boko haram fighters from the capitol of borno state. sunday the group launched an attack that lasted several hours. the battle has moved on to the town of mafa.

>> an exclosing happened close to a shia muslim shrine in damascus. >> prime minister of japan condemned the beheading of kenji goto. >> up to 10,000 people have rallied in hong kong in the first major demonstration since last year's pro democracy protests. demonstrators want free elections to choose the territories leadership in the 2017 election. we report now from hong kong. >> this rally wasn't just students this was a civil movement united under its symbol, the umbrella. >> freedom of speech in hong kong is shrinking. i will do whatever i can. >> it started in the shopping district, before people marched

five kilometers back to where the protest began. traffic was stopped and police on stand by with up to 10,000 people reclaiming the streets in the heart of hong kong's city center. >> occupy hong kong ended a while ago so this is a chance to reunited the people. >> organizers say this shows there's still support for the campaign for greater voting rights in the 2017 election. >> we just hope more people get involved in the demonstration. >> china is standing by to screen all candidates for the chief executive election. that decision triggered two and a half months of protests last year. this rally avoided a repeat of those violent confrontations, but the complaint remains the same. >> we are telling the hong kong government and the hong kong people that we need to change the current constitution and

reform plan. >> this is the first rally of the new year. after two rounds of public consultation failed to find common ground, protestors say demonstration like this one may now be the only way to put pressure on the city's government. al jazeera, hong kong. >> there's a growing campaign to save two australian convicted of drug trafficking in indonesia. the country is facing what it calls a drug emergency. we report frow mom jakarta. >> he is trying to stay clean from drugs in one of indonesia's government run rehabilitation center. there's a huge shortage of anti drug treatment. 18,000 people die every year because of drug abuse. >> all my friends who were using with me have died. i have no more friends left.

i hate myself so much, so i want to die. >> indonesia has become an important market for drugs. it has a population of 250 million and corrupt law enforcement system makes it possible for traffic and dealer to say bribe police. early january 862 kilograms of crystal meth from hong kong was confiscated. many other shipments go through. >> the largest drug bust ever, a growing market in the region. the government can only stop the trafficker by executing them, they say. this fight is a international protest. >> back at the rehabilitation are several policemen being treated for drug abuse. this is one of them. now he's a counselor. >> we need a mental revolution. we can go after the dealers but the police needs to be cleaned. it's very likely the drugs are entering the country because the

police are letting it happen for becoming middle men. police who should be stopping the drug trade are involved themselves. >> police admit other government officials are involved in the drug trade. >> as the president is firm, i'm sure the police chief and attorney general will follow. if the president is not firm, the others will still be involved in drugs like what we see in mexico. we need common commitment to stop this. >> while motor indonesians support the drug penalty for drug related offense many also see the dangers of capitol punishment. joyce has her own drug rehabilitation. she said the government should focus more on prevention and rehabilitation. >> there's a lot of anger among the indonesian families, because they feel unsafe for their kids anymore. everybody's using. there doesn't seem to be anything that's working education is still not in place. there's not a lot of money for

prevention programs, real prevention programs. then you have recovery, and then the question with rehabilitation or recovery, are they really serious about their jobs. >> the government said executing drug traffickers will serve as a deterrent. many argue as long as there's demands for drugs, one executed drug dealer will immediately be replaced by another. al jazeera. >> african leaders have called on the international criminal court to drop charges against sudan's president. al bash. >> r. >> 13 soldiers were killed and 20 wounded in eastern ukraine saturday. fighting has intensified there as the government and

pro-russian rebels fail to agree on a new ceasefire. the two sides blame each other for the collapse of peace talks. >> it is one of the most acclaimed films of 2014 and in the running for an oscar later this month. the russian feature leviathon is just being released there. we traveled to the northwest of the country where the film was shot to see what the locals there think about it all. >> take the road east and head north across the snow swept tundra in two hours you'll find a once thriving fishing village on the sea. two summers ago a film was made here a film now making waves. it's the story of a mechanic

father and husband who falls victim to a corrupt local mayor. it's would not wards at the golden globes and cannes and nominated for an oscar. local, praise has been less forthcoming. >> ordinary people can be destroyed by corrupt officials but it's the way this film depicts russia and russians that has made the authorities uncomfortable. >> it's not an accurate rendition of the country they say. just because the characters swear and swig vodka doesn't make them russians. the cultural minute city which part funded the film has suggested it won't give money for such gloomy projects again. the initial head initially spoke against the film but is now giving more measured statements. >> this film is an artistic fiction. it is how the director sees

things. this film is not about here, it was only filmed here. it is not about us, so it is a generalized image. >> as we left, another t.v. crew arrived. people here have had to get used to cameras and questions very fast but out in the snow, different views. the film hasn't been properly released in russia yet but recently villagers were given an advanced screening. >> no one should ban it. and it is good film about life. they showed it as little. this is what happens to people. they got cheat on, lied to, this is our life. >> it's a truthful film, a woman shouted through the wind. this is how we live. we're always lied to. they say one thing but do completely differently. look at the houses we live in. >> it's easy to feel forgotten in such run down corners of russia's remotest regions.

the film has however briefly blasted away this villages a know anymore tee. a little attention is exactly what it needs. >> the father of the birth control bill has died in california at the age of 91. he is best known for leading a research team for an element in the 1950's. the synthetic molecule became a key component for what would become the pill, radically changing sexual practices and women's lives. >> surgeons in the indian city have performed a double hand transplant. they say that's significant because countries with many below the poverty line and those enduring conflict have a proportionately high number of amputees. we have this report. >> two weeks after surgery, he

is back on his feet and making history with his hands. he hasn't got complete feeling yet, so some tasks are a little awkward. his rehabilitation is monitored and being able to feed himself now is life-changing progress. >> after i lost my hands, i was very scared, but now i'm happy that my hands have been operated on and restored and i can do all my regular activities. >> he was thrown out of a running train for trying to stop a group of men accost ago female passenger. twenty surgeons spent 16 hours giving him the hands of a donor. hand transplant surgery is rare and complex taking the donor hands, surgeons have to connect bones and blood vessels and 10 tons. the patient has to take drugs to suppress the immune system. around one hen surgeries have been done. that's fewer than seven a year. none had been done by surgeons in the developing word until

now. >> that's important because the developing world has a proportionately high number of amputees. countries at war often have land mines and bomb attacks and in poor countries where medical resources are scarce face a bigger risk of infection and disease. >> the big advance here that is first of all it's certainly cheaper to perform in a developing country than what it has so far cost elsewhere and this will certainly show the world it is feasible. >> indian surgeons say there's another reason the surgery is significant, skin color which is important because if a donated hand changes color that means it's being rejected. >> this is the first time the hand transplant has been done in the interest of -- and probably the first that a hand transplant

has been done with known white skin. it will ablesson for the world. >> a lesson this young man is thankful to be a part of. >> two men have made a record-breaking voyage from japan to mexico using a heel yum balloon. it took them more than 10,000 kilometers across the pacific. we have all the details. >> the world's longest ever helium balloon fight began with smiles and waves in japan. they were melt with the landing of the two eagles. >> now feeling good and optimistic and very glad to be among people. >> american troy bradley and the russian endured 160 hours crammed together in a cabin

smaller than a king sized bed. their route took them 10,600 kilometers over the pacific ocean beating all previous records for purely gas filled balloon flight. the balloon capsule weighs 100-kilos and stuffed with state-of-the-art data recording instruments. the data will be analyzed to verify the new records. ballooning has always captured public attention helped by the high flying adventures of millionaires like richard branson and steve faucet. here on his way to becoming the first person to fly around the world in 2002, the balloon was a hybrid filled with a mixture of gas and hot air could go faster than two eagles, making this new achievement that little bit sweeter. al jazeera mexico city. >> from that extraordinary achievement, let me nudge you in the direction of our website

all the news and stories that we've covered right there plenty of analysis and comment on all those stories too the address for the website aljazeera.com, of course, aljazeera.com. >> two years ago, buddhist mobs tore through rohingya muslim communities in western burma, attacking anyone in their path. it sparked a wave of sectarian violence that spread to other parts of the country with little hindrance from the authorities. now tens of thousand of rohingya