on behalf of the united states government. >> she could prove what she was saying... >> crack in the system this is al jazerra. ♪ ♪ hello there, i am jonah hull, this is the news hour live from london. coming up. hours after a series of deadly bombings in baghdad, iraq lifts the capital's long-time curfew. thousands protest against the houthi take over in yemen but the group's leader says it's in the people's best interests. plus. >> reporter: i. >> i take with me the passport and military i.d. of russian

soldiers. >> ukraine's president shows passports found in his country to a security conference in munich as he asks his allies for help. are you guys ready? >> yes. >> ready one two three. >> and canadians fight a downhill battle for the right to go at that bog unking. now for the first time in more than 10 years residents of baghdad are being allowed to go out past midnight. right now a nighttime curfew which has been in place in the iraqi capital since 2004, is being lifted as the government tries to normalize life in the city. four neighborhoods in baghdad have also been declared did he mel terrized zones. meaning even people authorizedded to carry weapons will be prohibited from doing so

in those areas. the government says it will be removing concrete blast walls and barricades which have blocked the streets. but it still faces significant security problems. earlier a bomb killed at least 40 people in the city n. a moment we hope to speak to our correspondent in baghdad. in the meantime, though, in spite gains in yes rents weeks by kurdish per peshmerga forces mosul is still under isil control. but they have a new plan to try to recapture mows ill. the city is strategic because of its proximity to the mosul dam which controls most the water and power. but there is a question who will control mosul once they are forced out. >> reporter: they hide their faces because their families living under the cruel of the islamic state of iraq and the levant.

these men are being trained a few kilometers outside the city they want to recapture. they call themselves the sons of mosul. some of them have never been in battle. christians yazidis kurds arab sunnis say they have come together to fight an enemy that has destroyed their city's history and the lives of it's a people. ton mosul say microcosm of iraq. all of its communities live there. already the people inside are waiting for us to rib rate them and we are going fight together. >> reporter: this general served in sadam hussein's army when it was dissolved in 2003, many iraqi sunnis like him found themselves without a job and without a place in the new iraq. commanders and fighters are here bitter about the way they were treated after the fall of saddam. those grievances were exploited by isil. but these men say the armed group doesn't represent them. but neither does the shia

militias who are leading the fight against isil on behalf of the iraq government. >> reporter: the fight to push out isil from the city of mosul may be a while away. it's not just the question of being ready militarily, the battle for iraq's second largest city will require a political decision. these men ray represent many communities but iraq's shia are not among them. there is still little reconciliation. sunnis want the authorities to speed up plans to create the national guard. the u.s.-backed plan involves establishing an armed force in each province made up of people from the area. >> translator: commanders want the national guard to be created the sons of the city know who are good and bad and who are terrorists. we were all terrorists or at least suspects in mosul. >> reporter: commanders here say the national guard is important in sunni areas where the mainly shia army may not be trusted.

defeating isil in the strategic and highly symbolic city of mosul may be the beginning of the end for the armed group. but military progress without unity could be the start of yet another conflict in iraq. zeina khodr, al jazerra northern iraq. >> well, we can now go to baghdad to speak to our correspondent in the city where it's just gone midnight and the long-time curfew has been lifted jayna rav is there it's been 10 years since people have been able to move about in the city at this time of night. what's the mood? >> reporter: well, pretty jubilant here in the square. it's also been more than 10 years, it's been since the 2003 invasion. one of the council i just spoke to said it's time it's been way too long the curfew has been in

place. behind me you can see some of the baghdad bikers, they have ridden on harley davidsons. we were downtown early where the streets are full of people shopping and it is the first time really in more than a decade that they can stay out at late as they want to. jonah. >> of course all of that said, jane, we have had more than one reminder on saturday of the fact that the streets are not in fact safe in baghdad. what is the rational of the government here? >> reporter: well, it's a new government. it really wants to make the point that it wants to get life back on track as normal as possible. we spoke earlier this evening to the prime minister's spokesman and he said, yes iraq is at war, but baghdad doesn't have to be in war mode. the threat from isil is no longer here. now, as you pointed out. there were two horrific explosions today suicide bombers who detonated vests

killing more than 30 people. but the curfew isn't seen as having very much to do with that. a lot of the attacks take place in daytime. there are other rules starting. there will still be weapons around in every baghdad neighborhood. but they are cutting down on some of the heavier weapons in some neighborhoods. it's really an effort to rein in militias and to persuade baghdad-yes that life actually can be normal. now normal here means something different than it does in the rest of the world but as we have seen there can be explosions in one part of the city and celebrations in yet another. that is what we are seeing here. dancing in the streets early speeches bikers, musicians. very interesting picture of post war life in baghdad. >> okay, jane arraf we'll leave it there with you on the jubilant streets of baghdad tonight.

the united arum emirates says it's sending a squadron of f-16 fighter jets for jordan to help in the bombardment of isil in iraq and syria. earlier this week, jordan vowed a harsh responsible again the group following the brutal killing of one of its pilots. they have carried out three days of strikes against isil and the interior minister says they plan to completely wipe out the group's fighter. meanwhile the parents of a hostage are hopeful she is still a lived. the armed group insists that kayla mueller was bare you had under rubble after a raid in the city of raqqa. and offered no proof and the white house says they have no evidence of her death. 26-year-old kayla was working with doctors without board nurse aleppo which she was captured in 2013. she's the last known american hostage held by isil. the leader of yemen's shia

houthi group says the take over of the country's government is in the best interests of the people. he added that he's open to working with other political parties, his comments come a day after the houthis dissolved parliament and set up an interim government. the move has been denounced by opposition groups as a coup but thousands have been rallying in the houthi strong hold and in the capital sanaa to show their support. this was the scene at the main stadium in sanaa as he addressed his support nurse a televised speech. >> translator: the yemeni people have earned root toy live a dignified and free light. the historic significant moment taken by our people yesterday represented in the constitutional declaration of a significant step forward. this move comes to address the vacuum through which other forces meant to undermine the

efforts of our people. some political force if & collaborators within and outside yemen fail to understand that the yemeni people are adamant that they will achieve their legitimate lawful, just demands to establish a dignified way of life. >> well, al jazerra's jamal is in the southern port city of aidan and has more on his speech. >> reporter: so the houthis leader who is essentially the defecator ruler of this country since his group executed that coup on friday gave the first speech since then he tried to reach out to not only different parties and different sects and players domestically in yemen but also regionally and internationally. he said this was not a coup, it was a revolution and this revolution was for all of yemen. especially he pointed out and singled out the south where a lot of resentment has been demonstrated towards the capital in his attempt to reach out to regional players particularly the gulf countries, he said that this revolution as he puts it, not a coup, was done in order to

put an end to the advancement of al qaeda fighters saying it was needed to insure that the threat of what he called terrorism was not going to increase. as it stands now though, he is a lonely man on the political field. he only has as allies the members of the former regime, that which was out of thed by the 2011 up rising, that of the president on his side. aside from that all the different political parties have come out rejecting this coup saying they do not recognize it at all. there have been more protests across yemen across the houthi move in the southern city yep em's third largest cities. thousands marched the street and erected tents outside the government building to stage a sit-in against the coup. there were protests in several other cities including the capital sanaa and the part city of aden. the gulf counsel or gcc has also

con testimonied the take over calling it a coup that cannot be accepted. u.n. an say who has been work to go find a revolution is said he was disappointed with the moved. he said in a statement that he deeply regrets the ube unilateral statement by the houthis and calls by for all parties to find a way forward through dialogue and consensus. the coup by the shia houthi group is being watched carefully by other countries in the middle east spheurpbls saudi arabia and it's a he sunni leaders. a senior columnist for the saudi gazette. he blames iran for the coup. >> we have to look first who is behind the houthis. iran is behind the houthis. they are behind hezbollah and the shia ma militias in iraq and syria. and that's what worries us,

because iran trying to surround us with their agents. they are trying to fried en us in to going down this and accepting their turns. al jazerra gin assists have now spent 406 days behind bars in egypt. this along with our colleague peter guest were were accused of reporting false news and supporting the outlawed muslim brotherhood. charges they and al jazerra deny. speeder back in australia after being released on sunday. al jazerra demands mohamed and bahar's immediate release. coming up this news hour. nigeria's election commission considered whether to postpone next saturday's vote to allow a multinational force to secure areas over one by boko haram.

venezuela's government takes over a large supermarket chinas it grapples with food shortages. and in sport find out why the president of african football is accusing the media of exaggerating. that and the latest results later in the program. now to the cries let ukraine which has dominated discussions of the major security summit in the german city of munich. ukraine's president pushed for a fast ceasefire as presented what heed was more proof that russia is helping eastern separatists. a report now from munich. >> reporter: in the heart of bavaria they are trying to find a way to end the diplomatic dead clock. the conflict say near three hour flight are from here and our up feels threatened.

ukraine's president took center stage with this that matic display. >> the passport and military i.d. of russian soldiers, russian officers, this is the best evidence for the aggression and for the presence of russian troops which lost his way 100-kilometers from the border. with full tanks of ammunition. killing my soldiers and killing ukrainian have samardzija civilians. >> reporter: german chancellor angela merkel arrived here along with french president francois hollande. calling for greater autonomy in the east and a larger demilitarized zone. it's difficult to find a long-term solution and also different to find common ground among western allies. some talk about an emerging rift between the u.s. and europe which at a time when the your

honor is mulling the idea of increasing military support to ukraine. the obama administration has so far provided no lethal aid. it's now said to be considering supplying kiev with defensive weapons sufficient as anti-tank missiles. a position which the german chancellor is firmly against. >> translator: i am of the firm conviction that this conflict will not be solved military this is why we have decided to focus our effort on his a diplomatic solution. at the time with our u.s. partners we have decided to add sanctions. in other words to hit russia with what is our strength and there is our economic divide. >> reporter: from the russian point of view, the ukrainian conflict can only be solved through direct negotiations with the separatists in the east. >> translator: russia is committed to peace. we are against combat and we would like to see a withdrawal of heavy weapons. a direct negotiation between kiev and donetsk with the framework of territorial integrity. >> reporter: negotiations are said to continue on sunday.

petro poroshenko said there is still a hope for ideal. many here warn it could be the last chance. al jazerra munich. well, while leaders talk peace in germany ukraine says the separatists appear to be amassing forces for new offensives on the key town and coastal city of mariupol. firing has intensified shelling of government forces on all frontlines. president poroshenko says he cannot accept any changes to the so-called demarcation lines laid out in september's minsk peace agreement with the pro-russian separatists. when that deal was reached the rebels held this much of eastern ukraine, now after months of gains they hold hundreds more square kilometers of territory and as charles stratford reports from the donetsk region, they aren't willing to give it up. >> reporter: the ukrainian army used to be in control here. these fighters with the self-proclaimed army of the

donetsk people's republic, say even if a truce is declared, they will never retreat. >> translator: we need to keep this position because there is a large contingents of enemy forces in the nearby area. there were many ukrainian soldiers here but we did he neededdid he feedfeeted them. >> reporter: the fighters say they are preparing to push forward a kilometer to where ukrainian soldiers are dug in. the separatists took control a few days arc they tell us now they are busy consolidating their position here and removing bodies of ukrainian soldiers and civilians. fighters lead to us a house they say ukrainian soldiers used during the battle. they said they will take this dead ukrainian soldier away later in the dead. the separatists and military exchange their dead and prisoners increasingly regularly now. on the walls of this room hang pictures which children drew in support of the ukrainian army.

artillery shells are stacked outside among the destruction. >> translator: we didn't capture this land or seize it, we liberated it. this is our land. >> reporter: there are very few people living here now. it's not exactly known how many civilians were killed in the fighting as is frequently the case in this war. it is the old who are often the most reluctant to leave. >> translator: i prefer to stay here because i don't want to be a burden for anyone. i want to live and die here. >> reporter: there are very few buildings unscathed by the conflict here. burnt out shells of heavy weaponry. stray dogs roam the streets. the occasion family have returned to try and salvage their belongings. it's estimated the end test fa fighters have captured hundreds of square kilometers of land since the failed september peace

deal. no matter what the next attempt at a truce may offer, there is no sign they will withdraw. charles stratford on, eastern ukraine. 71 pilots from trans asia airways are starting an intensive four-day retraining course after we understand's plane crash in taipei. dozens of flights have been canceled as every pilot who flies the actual it. r. type plane is test today kp*epbstested forcompensation. the crash is said to be caused by human error. at least nine people, who of them children, have been killed in fire bomb tacks on a bus and truck in bangladesh. op civil activists are suspected of carrying out the violence which is the latest in more than a month of unrest. at least 76 people have been killed in protests calling on prime minister to resign and

announce new elections. masked gunmen have killed a prominent kenyan politician in an execution style attack in nairobi. george his two body guards and their driver were shot dead in the early hours of saturday. the gunmen stole the m.p.'s brief case and two pistols from the group before escaping. police are yet to make any arrests or establish a motive for the attack. nigeria, and it's neighbors have pledged another 8 1/2 thousand troops to try to combat the regional threat posed by boko haram fighters. the latest force will join 7,000 troops already fighting the armed group. nigeria's electoral commission has spent saturday locked in talks about a possible delay to voting. that's due to rising fears about the distribution of voting cards and the campaign being waged by boko haram in nigeria's north ease but al jazerra's mohamed a -- dow has more from leg owes.

>> reporter: owe fished of the nigerian commission are right now discussing whether to postpone the elects from the 14th of february for a period of six weeks. two reasons have been given for the proposed postpone end. only 60% of 68 million voter cards have been given to their owners and the cards being so vital for anyone want to go cast their vote. they say that many people might be left out of the voting process. the other reason is of course there is security in northern nigeria. the boko haram instigated violence against people who have displaced more than a million people. there are fears that people in the regions of borno and others might feel that they are not secure enough to come out and vote and they are also arguing that this -- in the absence of this voting the general election

might. [ inaudible ] the representative of the will of the people. now, the commissioners of the nigerian independent national electoral commissions are said to be did he righted not only along tribal lines but regional lines. and it would be interesting to see whether they will have a consensus on whether to to post point the elections or not. joseph is a london-based commentator on africana fares he should joins me in the studio now. welcome and thanks for speaking to us. >> thank you. >> the independent electoral commission has been locked in meetings for hours now following a suggestion that the presidential lex be delayed by six weeks why are they taking so long to make this very important decision? >> it's. [ inaudible ] one week before elects and they are saying they can't hold it. this is something going on for years, up to five weeks ago it

was apparent that if elections went ahead there would be problems. it's shambles. if it is to go through with this election the vast majority of the north is not going to have a free and fair elects. should it hold back the opposition will play onto it. and then we really don't know what will happen over the next one week. >> even if they do decide to delay by six weeks what -- i mean, is it at all realistic to suggest that that is going to make any difference boko haram's hold of territory in the northeast to the ability of people in the northeast to vote? >> that really surprises me. it's an important point. six weeks is probably enough for them to distribute election materials in a stable and organized country with sufficient infrastructure. six weeks when you are talking about a structure in shambles in government and also a question of security. i am not even sure six months is realistic. the opposition is going to likely to say the longer it takes the more the government is

taking advantage. they are probably likely want to go with it anyway. so i think nigerians -- [ inaudible ] it's terrible. terrible. for nigeria. they cannot hold free and fair elects. security challenges not withstanding it's a terrible message for the african continent today. >> is there any suggestion here that the government is using the electoral commission to play politics to show that it's doing a last-minute -- a last-minute effort to tackle boko haram in the run up to the election? >> unfortunateunfortunately, it is that. even speaking to me a few days ago the government want to go ahead with it because it's to their advantage. the opposition is much her organized and said they were ready a long, lock time ago today they were the elects to go through. they are also being unrealistic how do you go ahead with lexes with only three states out of 36

have suggested as of the weekend that they are ready with all the materials. >> we wait with baited breath for that decision. jovi a writer and commemorator writer writer and commentator on africa affairs, thank you for being here. >> thank you. still to come. salvador ans being force forced to flee their homes by criminal gangs. we are in a part of the world's most populous country which is crying out for more people. finally, it's been a year since the russian city of sochi hosted the winter olympics, coming up in sport we'll tell you why it's been left in the cold. >> give way to compassion... >> if you feel tired, would you turn around and come back?

>> our teams find out first hand how treacherous the migrants journey can be. >> we make them take a trip of death >> it is heartbreaking when you see the families on top of the rail car borderland continues only on al jazeera america

>> al jazeera's investigative unit has tonight's exclusive report. >> from coast to coast. >> people selling fresh water for fracking. >> stories that have impact. >> we lost lives. >> that make a difference. >> senator, we were hoping that we could ask you some questions about your legal problems. >> that open your world. >> it could be very dangerous. >> i hear gunshots. >> a bullet came right there through the window. >> it absolutely is a crisis. >> real reporting. >> this is what we do. >> america tonight. tuesday through friday. 10:00 eastern. only on al jazeera america. ♪ ♪ a reminder now of the top stories here on al jazerra. hours after a series of bomb blasts killed at many as 40 people in the iraqi capital a decade-long nighttime curfew in baghdad has come an end. the government is lifting in an attempt to normalize life in the city. thousands of people have been

demonstrating across gem en against the shia houthi group's take over the government on friday. the houthi leader has defended the move insisting it was necessary. and in the best interests of the people. and the ukraine crisis has got nateed discussions at a minute or security summit in the german city munich. ukraine's president petro poroshenko called for a quick ceasefire in the troubled east and for the supply of defensive weapons. now, let's talk more about the alleged death of us aid worker kayla mueller. in syria isil says she was killed in a jordanian air strikes but offered no proof to support the claim. joining me now to discuss isil's use of hostages and the publicity it generates is a man who specialized in the studdal of al cal saying in kings college in london. thank you for joining us here on al jazerra. i want to talk about what motivates hostage taking for

this group. at one time it was money or thought to be money. now it feels a lot more opportune us tick, an opportunity here for instance to blame the death of an american hostage on jordanian fighter pilots perhaps to drive a sort of wedge in to the coalition. what do you think of that? >> i think you are absolutely right on that front. as soon as the new of ca los angeles' alleged death emerged it struck me as pretty convenient for islamic state. and we have no evidences they are not telling the truth but it strikes me as convenient and i was suspicious of it when i first heard. it regards to toss hostage taking it is an aspect where they have ransomed some people in the past to secure financial gains, but with some other countries and other nas at it gives them a degree of leverage. we have seen them execute british and american hostages

and more recently japanese because these are the countries from whom they have had people participating in the -- in the coalition air raids against them. >> in another sense it seems pretty indiscriminate you have talking about the nationalities there. we are looking another journalists, soldiers, aid workers in the case of ca los angeles mueller and of course kayla being the first woman the first female, what do you make of that, the first foreign female hostage? >> let's start by saying it doesn't matter who you are. if you are not muslim and you are in syria they will kidnap you. with regards to kayla being the only female captive thus far it's clear that the islamic state wanted to treat her somewhat different life. she wasn't put on any of the videos we saw when they paraded some of the other hostages. it was relatively low key. there wasn't much discussion about her prior to the announcement of her death. and from what i have heard, at

least through private champions at least there was an attempt serious attempt to ransom her to get her out. some people suggest at least that islamic state regarded her more as a liability. they didn't want to be holding a female that they would rather just have the men. as i say that's not particularly well sourced but i have heard that from some people on the ground. >> you touch odd it there. presumably another part of the motivation is publicity to use these people as cards to be played conveniently at convenient moments but also to generate publicity to make sure that this group stays front and center in particularly the western media. what on earth does one do about that? you can't take them off the front pages, you can't take them out of the headlines can you? >> no. i don't think you can. and, of course, islamic state really isn't that dependent on us and on the western media. it produces these videos with incredibly slick production values. anyone who has seen them, even bits of them can understand and appreciate just how well they

are put together. and then they are released on the internet. so long before it makes any of the mainstream media it is being spread propagated, disseminated on platforms like 30, youtube facebook and being watched by millions of people before it's even hit the mainstream consciousness. so in that sense islamic state is able to use technology, the internet to bypass traditional media outlet to his get eights message out there. >> talking to us from paris many thanks for your insight there. >> thank you. now, under pressure to solve widespread food shortages venezuela's president nicholas maduro has ordered the state to take control of a private supermarket chain. the company has been accused of hoarding basic goods to drive up prizes. gerald tan has the details. >> reporter: people are lined up around the block venezuela's national guard supervises to gifford and all this simply to buy groceries.

there is a desperate shortage of provisions now the government is taking over a leading supermarket chain whose stores have been occupied by soldiers over the last week. >> translator: this network of supermarkets goes immediately under the control. starting tomorrow the network assumptions control of all the services of this chain that was waging a war against the people. >> reporter: the venezuelan president did not say if the take over the supermarkets would be personal. the company is accused of hoarding products, thus driving demand and prices up. its director was jailed on friday. >> translator: before when you needed a product you would go and buy it. now we have to hunt. like people before who had to go out and hunt. >> translator: the lines for milk and everything that is missing in this country they start quite early in the day and

all of these supermarkets we check whether something new has arrived or the truck suddenly comes, we try to see what we can by. >> reporter: and it's not just food executives from the largest pharmacy chain are also being investigated for alleged hoarding. venezuela is in the middle of an economic crisis. its revenues have been severely hit by falling global oil prices. inflation is high and many staple goods are scarce. forces thousands of people to spends their days waiting in line. gerald tan, al jazerra. in haiti some 2,000 protesters have been marching through the streets of the capital fort all prince. it's the latest demonstration this week fueled by ainge he were over petrol price says which remain high despite the falling prizes of oil.

they again call for the president to step down. 130,000 people in el salvador have been forced out of their homes by violent criminal gangs, some are luck to you begin elsewhere like the u.s. but many are stuck. a report where families move to try to stay ahead of the gangs. >> reporter: police searching for suspects. they know gangs hide in empty homes. this is a neighborhood in el salvador controlled by the 18th straight gang. many houses here are completely abandoned. officers roberto rodriguez said the gangs threatened the owner then stabbed him and scared him away. >> translator: the owner left. there are still blood stains on the floor and the house had begun to be dismantled first

swaoe things misses like the shades windows and doors. the. >> reporter: the police check who the houses belong, to mark some as stolen when they find a suspicious tenants they check their papers. in less than an hour we have seen more than a dozen homes abandoned just like this one the police say that own in this neighborhood there are more than 100 houses like this. and the same is true not only in the capital but throughout the country. in the last six years professor has moved four times. gangs threatened to kill him if he didn't pay them $3,000. >> translator: they told us they would throw bombs at us and kill us. >> reporter: two years later they tracked him down, and demanded more money. >> translator: we took whatever we could and we lost everything else again. >> reporter: in this new home, he placed a metal door to make sure that his family is safe.

jose antonio had four small fast food businesses and also lost that to the gang. gang leaders guide all extortion operations from jail. and gangs who control neighborhoods harass people, creating panic. the police say that while some people leave their homes because they are unable to pay the rent. the majority of forced out by the gangs. a study done by the u.n. refugees agency. said 100,000 were internally displaced last year because of the violence, that's more than 2% of the population. >> translator: you feel hopelessness. not knowing what can ham. >> reporter: jose antonio is one of millions of salvador vinnies are silently escaping their homes to stay alive. for mean years chinese workers have been abandoning the countryside for the cities. drawn by better jobs and

opportunities. but there is now a small but significant movement in the other direction. in the first of our three-part series on depopulation, adrian brown traveled to the tiny village to meet people who have gone back to their roots. >> reporter: i am daniel lack in the canadian city of hamilton. what's going on behind me technically is illegal but you can't stop young people here from enjoying a great winter's day. >> well, i am sorry about. that you got daniel lack in canada instead our three-part series in china. do we have the three-part series in china? can we have a look at our three-part serious this china now on depopulation. >> reporter: more than a thousand years old and now the focus of a movement drawing people book to the countryside. >> the rule al society actually

is the base of the chinese life. if you want to understand this country. you should go to the country side. >> reporter: an artist that left beijing two years ago. fed up with the pollution and traffic. since then he has been trying to revive the life of that village. >> open there we open a cafe and a shop. >> reporter: in addition to the cafe he's paying for the construction of a new art gallery. for the first time in years laborers are actually finding work here. >> i hope that the local village will be satisfied with their income. and everybody can commite money -- can make more mon i remember the hope is tourists will come. if they do, he will start to make money on his investments. last year he established the villages first bookstore. before that it was a barn where cows excellent. in 1978, when china began opening its door to the outside

world, 80% of the country's population lived in villages like this one. but in the decades of economic development that followed, 10s of millions of people moved to the cities, where job opportunities were much better. in the only shop here, the owners semen courages by the transformation taking place. >> translator: of course, i hope young people can come back. more people means more customers. that can make my life easier. >> reporter: part of the reverse migration a fashion editor from shanghai now driven by a desire to connect with rural life. >> translator: when i told my friends i was coming here their first response was how are you going to make a living? i try not to think about that. >> reporter: last year china's president encouraged artists and others to live in the countryside. an echo of the era when intellectuals and others were sent to labor among the peasants

which means for now this back to the land movement would appear to have the support that matters. adrian brown, al jazerra in central china. and don't miss part two of this three-part series which takes us to southern tunisia in search of more depopulation. a region where once thriving communities are now ghost towns as young people head to the capital tunis or further north to europe look going work. still ahead this hour. will a new satellite help us avoid the sometimes catastrophic impacts of these spectacular-y eruptions? in sport new zealand's rug did sevens take a step closer olympics thanks to this schoolboy. plus. >> reporter: i an daniel lack in the canadian city of hamilton, what going on behind me technically is illegal. but can't stop young people here from enjoying a great winter's day.

♪ ♪ scientists in the united states are preparing to launch a satellite that they hope will give them advanced warning of solar storms which can do major damage to power grids and communication systems here on earth. dominick cane explains. >> reporter: a combination of gas, mass, and energy erupts from the surface of the sun. while it may look spectacular it can cause substantial damage here on earth. the electromagnetic radiation emitted by a solar storm

disrupts mobile communications, computer systems and power grid. sign tiffs havescientists have long wanted to develop an advanced warning system. now they think they have. a satellite will be launched on sunday and send around 1.6 million-kilometers towards the sun. >> it's all about environmental intelligence. if we can get the extra warning time. the 15 to 60 minutes warning time that discover will give us, that heads us provide environment the intelligence to satellite operators or electronic grit operators who can use those moments to limit the damage that a solar storm might create. >> reporter: one of the best known examples of such an impact was the collapse of the hydro quebec power network in canada in 1989. that solar storm left 6 million people in the dark for nine hours. >> these vents from the sun are huge in scope.

in such burst would affect the entire hemisphere that happens to be facing the sun at the moment that it hits. across all national borders across continue nets, across everything. so these are big events and really a global collaboration to try to protect society from the potential evenings. >> reporter: large solar storms do rarely hit our planet, but now scientists hope that deploying discover will mean they will be both forewarned and forearmed. down anything kane, al jazerra. and now it's sport. >> thank you very much. joan a we start with the african cup of nations where the democratic remember i can congo clinch third place beating host he can tour yellhe can whatequatorial gain. the match had to be decided by a penalty shootout. drc winning 4-2. all of this went ahead despite the violence that occurred during he can what tour quill guinea's final lost to gain arm

the hosts have been fined $100,000 by the confederation of african football. our reporter robin adams has more. >> reporter: football and fans return to the stadium after thursday's violent scene that his left 56 fans injured. 14 of them hospitalized. it was increased security for the play of game between the democratic republic of congo and hosts he can tour yell guinea. added security. check points fans weren't allowed to bring any bottles for fears it will end up on the pitch. only 2,000 fans made to the game. it was no problems at all for the police and & security personnel. also in attendance, at saturday's game was fifa president and his african counterpart who on saturday blamed the media for the violence. >> the president almost dramatize when something bad happens in europe, they say it's an error, where something happens in africa, they begin to

talk about corruption. >> translator: it's irrelevant that it's a semifinal. the western media are simply there perpetuate colonization. >> reporter: the final 2015 competing in the final ivory coast and the ivorians haven't lifted the trophy in twhraoepbt years and even longer wait for ghana. 33 years. a full house expected at the 55,000 seater stadium and there will be inning cruised security there. a number of matches in spanish lag liga with athlete owe ma gridatleticoma greed beating real. cristiano was back from suspension but couldn't help his team. in the english premier league tottenham have moved in to the top your after beating their bitter north london

rivals. they were up against arsenal beginning the gunners the lead. but two second half goals from hairy kane turned the game in to tottenham's favor spurs move above arsenal. and southampton in to fourth. >> i think this is special because we talk about the game that they should game that we -- that we -- and all that means two points again arsenal for our soup they are and for our players too i think that we play with our. [ inaudible ] because we play very well, but we show like a team passion and emotion and this was important for me to recognize this energy. >> chelsea extended their lead at the top of the table to seven points beating aston villa 2-1. second place man city were held to a 1-1 draw by hull. manuel pellegrini's men now go

four league games without a win. and steven garrard's final mercy side league derby end goalless. the top four teams in this year's rugby sevens world series will qualify for next year's rio olympics where the sport will make its debut. new zealand has moved to second in the standings after a victory on home soil on saturday. beating england in the wellington sevens. two tries. steering the kiwi to his is 27-21 victory. south africa still retain top spot in the world stand says. mark cavendish has won the dubai tour. the british rider began the 40 and final stage four seconds behind the leader. but sprinted to victory on saturday. with a return to the winner's podium for cavendish after disappointing 2014 season. it's been a year since the russian city of sochi hosted the one of the olympics. at an estimated $51 billion it

was the most expensive games ever held. peter sharp reports the over spent and recent sanctions against russia have seen the olympics leave a costly legacy. >> reporter: a dazzling opening ceremony at russia's winter olympics. president putin splashed out $50 billion making these the world's most expensive games. but that was a year ago. the olympic torch has been extinguished and today what's left of sochi looks tired and empty. for sale signs on homes no one wants. apartments originally built for olympic athletes and guests were expected to be snapped up by the private sector after the games but they lie empty. >> translator: all of this was for the olympics. and no infrastructure for people was built. if you are buying an apartment you need shops supermarkets, restaurants, but you won't find it here. >> reporter: and it's the same

with the olympic theme park, virtually desert the when they were there. it had plans for refurbishment and expansion but the money dried up as the sanctions came in. it's up no the mountains 70-kilometers from sochi where the countrier sports took place. the games changed life forever in towns above the snow line. >> translator: this was a small quiet village now it looks like a city. it's really changed dramatically. >> reporter: but not all for the best. the government spent $12 billion carving a railway through the mountains it was the single most expensive item on the olympic shopping list. at the end of the olympics russian railways who had been operating free service during the games tike hiked their ticket prices again and again to try to recoup costs. putting price of the tickets far beyond the means of most local people. and faced with empty trains, the company canceled virtually the entire service. it was an olympic legacy that

the people had not quite been expecting. and the influx of tourist ons on the slopes never happens at relations between russia and the west soured. hotel year dirk says in the political climate forget looking to market in the west, sochi's future looks to suffer strive by attracting people from the east. >> turkey is a big market for us and the asian market which is growing and growing in outbound tourism. those are masks which sochi might be very attractive for. >> reporter: and there are attractions. putin's $50 billion price tag for the games also included a few extras. russia now has its first formula one circuit and a seven year contract to host the motorcycle sport vent. thanks to the olympics, sochi has a spanking new airport. what it needs now is flights from places like beijing tokyo

and hong kong from the east to bring new life and a new market to a struggling destination. peter sharp, al jazerra in sochi. and that's it for me. now back to jonah. thank you. winter in canada can be long, cold and difficult. so many people cope by getting out and enjoying the snowy weather. tobogganing is one popular activity. but several cities have now banned it from hamilton daniel lack explains why. >> reporter: it's as canadian as well, winter itself. all you need is a toboggan and a snow-covered hill and you are off. it's probably the most popular cold weather past time in this northern land and it's a family affair. >> spending time with the kids, having a good time. going fast. you guys ready? >> yeah. >> ready one two three. >> reporter: maybe so, but here

in hamilton, sliding down a hill like this is illegal. several years ago the city lost a lawsuit brought by a man who broke his back while at that approximate bog aning. the local by law is an attempt to prevent it from happening again. >> we have close to 500 park in the city of hamilton, some of which are -- present an op at this much environment for toboggan i.e., they have hills. some more dangerous than others. it's basically an uncontrollable consideration for us. >> reporter: there is a growing backlash led by local munitions laura cole who wrote the protest song you can't at that bag at that toboggan in the hammer anymore. ♪ ♪ ♪ you're not supposed to run and play ♪ >> reporter: on social media and on stage she says it's about much more than restricting winter fun. >> i think it's a bigger issue than that. i think it's something as a culture that we have to stand

for and we have to stands for our rights and, you know, if we choose to slide downhill as the song says. >> reporter: there is no denying tobogganing is risky. two young canadians have died already this went never accidents on the hill. head injuries are a particular problem. >> you can imagine the skulker the hard part as the bathtub the brain sits in. >> reporter: this neurosurgeon says helmets should be mandatory. >> i every brain is person us and there is no time to waste. if air parents out there and you have kids that are itching to go tobogganing, as a parent, you know it's -- you should do everything you can to keep your kids safe. >> reporter: potentially dangerous, yes and illegal. but on a cold canadian winter's day like this, there is really only one thing you can do. daniel lack, al jazerra hamilton. well that's it for me, jonah hull fork this news hour, but i will be back in just a moment with more of the day's news.

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