several children are among the victims as libyans assess the damage a day after egyptian air strikes. ♪ ♪ welcome to al jazerra. i am in doha. also on the program. the leader of hezbollah in lebanon calls for a wider military campaign against isil in iraq. deadlock in brussels as greece rejects the e.u.'s opening bail out offer as unacceptable. and too crowded and too many costumed characters. why new yorkers are complaining about their iconic neighborhood. ♪

♪ we've got some breaking news out of afghanistan now. gunmen and suicide bombers have attacked a police station south of kabul. witnesses say the fighters were sent by the taliban. the provincial governor says the bombers managed to detonate themselves inside the compound. this follows an earlier blast in kabul. i believe we can now go to nicole johnson who is there for us. what more can you tell us about this attack? >> reporter: the information that we are getting is from the spokesman for the provincial governor. this attacks happened around lunchtime. it happened as you said in the provincial police headquarters inside their kitchen and dining room. at least four attackers entered two of them are were wearing suicide vests they detonated those, we don't have a casualty

figure yet. because the for it's is still going on. all of this happened in a province right next to kabul. it goes to show at the moment, at least, you know, that the taliban to believe able to breach a secure place like a police headquarters just how strong they are their ability to really strike anywhere. >> it really does heighten the issue you of security within afghanistan and particularly in the capital kabul. it's still early yet nicole, this attack occurred in the last hour or so. what is the afghan government likely to do in terms of reaction? >> reporter: well, the afghan government has sort of already started its reaction in some respects. both sides both the government and the taliban have been gearing up for the spring offensive. a little button usual in some reps. so a couple of days ago the afghan government started a very

big operation in afghanistan in that area which is sort of marginally under the control of the taliban we are talking about areas like kandahar and held helman in some reps trying to get the jump on the taliban and such. but the taliban has been increasing attacks in one in kabul an attempt set suicide bomb targeting the armed forces intelligence. a high target it didn't succeed inning him out but there wasn't injure friday that. but already we can see that both sides are gearing up for what could be, you know, a difficult sort of spring period. remembering, of course, now the afghan army largely on its own fighting the taliban. most foreign forces have pulled out, there is still some small presence about 16,000 troops, but compared to the 130,000

foreign forces who were here, now it's time for the afghan army to try to take this on their own. >> right. nicole, thank you for that update nicole johnson there speaking to us. meanwhile, eight people killed in an explosion in pakistan happening close to the city police headquarters. the blast comes just days after 22 people were killed in a gun and suicide attack on a shiite mosque in the northwestern city. people in the libyan city are assessing the damage a day after egypt launched a series of air strikes. cairo says the strikes killed several fighters linked to isil. but civilians were affected as well. a warn that go some viewers may find immaterial ideas in gerald tan's report disturbing. >> reporter: victims of the egyptian air strikes jets bombard the libyan city killing a number of civilians. the casualties included

children. but egypt's military says it had struck training camps and weapons storage facilities belonging to groups linked to isil. the military campaign came off the apparent beheading of 21 egyptian christians captured in libya. the strikes were carried out through the support of the u.n. recognized government in at that tabrok. >> if there were any terrorist groups on the egyptian side and we were time hit them we wouldn't hess tight to fight them. it's the same thing applies toy jim. groups that commit such crimes, borders aren't going to be an issue. >> reporter: but libya's political leadership is fractured and the government in tripoli has criticized the egyptian air strikes. >> translator: this horrible assault and this terrorism that has been conducted by the egyptian military relates a violation of sovereignty in

libya and a clear breach of international law and the u.n. charter. >> reporter: the attacks draw egypt openly in to the intern conflict across its western border. it's beefed up security at home. deploying force to his guard towns and major highways highways and calmed upon by the coptic christian community to take more action. >> translator: i just want to say return the people who are in libya. this is not fair. it's not fair for christians to be neglected like that. >> translator: we want the the egyptian government to whom we pay tax to his protect from us terrorism inside and outside egypt. to really protect us. >> reporter: it's not just egypt that is a alarmed by libya's ralphly security. france and libya are campaigning for a coordinated international response warn that go if left unchecked in libya fighting groups some of them possibly link today isil, could be at europe's doorstep.

gerald tan, al jazerra. there are media reports in yemen that weapons from russia have been shoved through the port city. houthis have been in control of the area. the shipment trans forted transport today the sued i strong hold. syrian activists say government forces have taken three towns in the province of aleppo. they were reportedly backed by iranian fighters outside of aleppo city. the fighting happened earlier. rebels say that they are sending reinforcements. the leader of hezbollah in lebanon has called on his military wing to increase its presence in iraq. in a rare admission, economy seeded that hezbollah fighters were already inside iraq to fight isil. he also said his forces will not retreat from syria. they called for an expansion in the campaigning to counter what

he called was a threat to lebanon and the wider region. >> translator: i say to you who call on us to retreat from syria. i call on you to go together to syria. we might not have talked about iraq before, we have a modest presence in the early phase and a sensitive phase in iraq, but a say let's go to iraq and let's go now. imran kahn has the late of the now from baghdad. >> reporter: the words come as a surprise to some people here in iraq. i have spoken to iraqi and u.s. and european sources who tell me that they were unaware of the report of hezbollah fighters being in any kind number here in iraq. but if they are here, they are likely to be in an advisory capacity to the shia ma russias working here under the us spits of iran now hezbollah do play a role in damascus, they are there to pretext the that lines there. the shia show shrines it look like

there is a small con tint cent? an advisory training role with the militias but not a front line fighting force according to people i have spoken to. while all of this happens and he says the hezbollah fighters are here the shia militias are in the spotlight. they were accused of beating a key senior m.p. and killing 12 sunni people here in baghdad that. led to a suspension of parliament. a suspension that goes onto this day. now the sunni block suspended their participation in partner lament decide whether to go back on thursday, there has been closed-door meetings, very intense negotiations going on for the last few days. and what they are looking at is the need for an investigation in to why this attack took place. and whether there is a need disarm the shia militias here in the capital baghdad. boko haram fighters have

warned niger chad ask cameroon that there will be more attacks and the three countries have sent troops to fight the nine nigerian group. >> reporter: they say that they have united in order to will eliminate an expanding threat. leaders in central africa are in the cameroon capital to finalize an offensive against boko haram. >> this session is historic because we most use to to respond to the barbaric actions of the terrorist group boko haram. they have the military ask hugh tan resources of a conventional army making the fight more complexion and costly in cameroon and chad. >> reporter: the community has agreed to spend $86 million to fight the group and cameron cameroon and chad have committed 9,000 soldiers to be sent to nigeria

this is why they are mobilizing. these pictures from friday show the first raid on chad soil. five people killed in the village in the south of the country. and in niger thousands of people have left their home to his escape fighting between the army and boko haram. so just as regional countries step up their campaign against it the group has launched more attacks outside of its base in nigeria. it's not just african crypts involved. the u.s. military is conducting exercises in chad and nine are to train regional forces. >> translator: as you know, this exercise takes place in the context of everyone facing terrorist act from all sides. particularly in africa. and particularly from boko haram which is spreading terror. >> reporter: but it's no nigeria itself where people have suffered the most from violence of the boko haram. thousands were killed in 2014 alone. and many more have been displaced. al jazerra. still ahead on al jazerra

new zealand soldiers could soon join the fight against isil. critics say it would be a mistake. and more shelling in eastern ukraine casts further doubt over the already fragile ceasefire. ♪ ♪

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>> the new al jazeera america primetime. get the real news you've been looking for. at 7:00, a thorough wrapup of the day's events. then at 8:00, john seigenthaler digs deeper into the stories of the day. and at 9:00, get a global perspective on the news. weeknights, on al jazeera america . ♪ ♪ welcome back to the top stories here on al jazerra. and suspected taliban fighters have attacked a police headquarters south of afghanistan's capital kabul. at least four bombers detonated themselves inside the compound. people in the libyan city

are assessing the damage a day after egypt launch aid series of air strikes. these are the latest pictures from the hospital in the city. cairo says the strikes killed several isil-linked fighters in the raid. but children appear to have been killed as well. the leader of lebanon's hezbollah has called on his military wing to increase its presence in iraq. a rare public admission he says his forces were already fighting isil in iraq. he also said hezbollah would not retreat from syria. well, new zealand is set to debate on whether to deploy troops to help fight the islamic state of iraq and the levant of the government says the joels will take on a noncombat role in iraq. as wayne hey reports from auckland critics say the deployment would be a in mistake. >> reporter: this was the public invitation to a fight that many people suspect new new zealand had signed up for long ago. last week the first iraqi

foreign minister visited here and came calling on his new zealand counterpart to send troops to his country. >> the notion has always been that there would need to be some invitation that we would need to feel that our efforts would be welcome. >> reporter: according to the government any troops that it decides to sends would be to help train iraqi soldiers. it's performed similar operations in afghanistan. it is accord to the prime minister john key the price of belonging to the club. a reference to the intelligence alliance that also includes the united states, australia great brit britt angreatbritain and canada. it's also about payback. last year iraq vote today including new seen land on the united nations security council. some worry that new zealand is losing its independent reputation that has at times taken a bold stance against some of its much larger allies like the banning the nuclear armed or powered ships from entering

their without nurse the '80s a move that upset the united states. or eights condemnation of the u.s.-led invasion of iraq in 2003. opposition member of parliament phil tkpwo*f was the goff was the minister of foreign affairs back then and says the current government is making a big mistake. >> we need to go down a different path. this government has not thought it through and not taken in to account the lessons of history. >> reporter: they tightened laws giving agency greater power to monitor people and preventing new zealanders from leaving the country to join isil. the attacks threat might be low here the dang foursome new zealanders over seize seas in increase. >> journalists business people in reach of isis, it's presents it lib yeah, egypt al year ya. >> reporter: the government says a decision on what's likely to be a long deployment will be made within weeks.

wayne hey, al jazerra auckland. eastern ukraine fighting has threatened the pull back of weapons. they spoke on the phone about the situation on the ground, a truce came in to effect at midnight on saturday but shelling in the key town of debaltseve is threatening to undermine the ceasefire charles stratford report now from gone evening. >> reporter: the ceasefire may have had an effect elsewhere but around the town of debaltseve, the shelling has continues. this ukrainian army checkpoint guards the main road in to the town where several thousand ukrainian troops are encircled bicep tests. >> translator: the shelling does not stop and although putin said there is a ceasefire it doesn't make any sense. you can see it for yourself. this position which we are securing they said a column of tanks is coming. but we don't know. i have to run as there is not much time left. at a separatist check points a

few miles away you can hear the shelling. they say they'll keep fighting until they take the town. an important strategic prize due to its railway station. >> translator: you can hear for yourself that there is no ceasefire. it's all for the sake of the television cameras. to show western you drain that there is actually a ceasefire but in fact there is none. you can hear the fighting going on the sniper working in the distance. >> reporter: the fighting in debaltseve is putting real pressure out ceasefire. ukrainian government said it will not withdraw their army's heavy weapons until it stops. that's meant to start on tuesday. they also ejected a separatist proposal to create a safe corridor for ukrainian withdrawal. on the diplomatic front, one of the main architects of the deal admitted the latest fighting was a great concern. >> translator: it was always clear that much remains to be done. and i have always said there are no guarantees that what we are trying to do will succeed.

it was an extremely difficult path. >> reporter: in russia, president putin met with his security cabinet during negotiations for the latest ceasefire, he made it clear that he wanted debaltseve in separatist hands. and urged ukrainian troops to lay down their arms. some fear the fighting will continue until that happens. charles stratford, al jazerra donetsk, eastern ukraine. two al jazerra journalists are out on bail at 411 days in jail in egypt but their fight for justice isn't over yet. bahar mohammed he had and mohammed fahmy are still charged with colluding with the band of muslim brotherhood. their previously convictions were thrown out and a retrial is set for february 23rd peter greste was also charged but has arrived back home in all stall australia of a being released. bahar mo halt he had has spoken after being released. >> it's hard to describe the home moment. you can see it, feel it, but to

describe those moments with words, i think it's -- i can't. it's -- it's finally i am home. the children was different. it was like -- it was something different, as soon as they saw me they saw me on the stairs being they suddenly jump on me and i took them and was hugging them ask we start playing and i think i start crying this is the first time. my children tell me stop going to work, don't leave again you spends too much time at work, so don't go again, we want to you stay. there is nothing to worry. in the case there are no evidence against us, there is nothing against us at all. and i am sure of that. we didn't do anything wrong. so i am -- let's wait and see. this is what i prefer, let's wait is and see. i don't think -- i don't think anything wrong will happen. european finance ministers

are meeting in brussels on tuesday, coming after greece's creditorss issued an ultimatum saying the country must he be tend the current bail out program. talks ended with no agreement on monday. >> i have no doubts that within the next 48 hours europe is going to come together, officially our one coil come together and we shall find the phrasing that is necessary so that we can submit it and move onto doing the real work which is necessary to establish common ground and to build a new contact in europe when will be both good for europe and for grease. >> reporter: talks between greece and its tread tours appear to have reached a dead end after the euro group broke down on wednesday with greece accusing its creditors of a bait and switch strategy. earlier finance minister said

that he had been presented with a draft text, a communique that he was willing to sign, spoke of an extension of the loan agreements only, with opening up the possibility of a discussion over the terms of those loans which is exactly what grease has asked for. it wants ununbunnal the term of government spending cuts and reforms and deregulation that creditors is ask velshi asked for for the last four years some of which greece has done but much of it still remains to be done. greece wanted a four-month period to renegotiate that package of terms. however, he said just before the euro group meetings began this draft communique was withdrawn by the euro group president and it was replaced by a separate communique which demanded that greece sign onto the memorandum of policies and reforms as they have been agreed to in the past

with no grace period for negotiation, only once the greek government had signed onto an extension of those terms beyond the end of february when the agreement and the financing program that greece is in come to an end only then would the euro group agree to sit down and enter in to negotiation on his what to change within that program. police in the u.s. state of texas say a fire that burned down an islamic community center in houston was an arson attack. the blaze started tell islamic institute on friday hours before morning prayers. the suspects 55-year-old darryl ferguson has been arrested. police say he admitted to starting the fire. the ruling party is calling for new laws to insure companies share more of their profits with their young employees in taiwan. a generation that had once benefited from a growing economy

is now facing a lack of jobs. -- job opportunities. hairy fawcett reports now from taipei. >> reporter: there are end of year office parties and then there is this. as the lunar new year approaches electronic firm peg tron is thanking their employees with a multi million dollars bash. they hand out prizes ranging from free through dollars to $3,000 to a new car. in taiwan it feels like the real bet fitters are getting fewer. a bachelors degree from taiwan's best university and a masters earned in london but she thinks her future lies with hundreds of thousands of other taiwanese working overseas. >> i found that master degree he is a ticket to you to enter the job market not the guarantee for finding a better job. and another difficulty is that

even if i find a job there is not good enough for me to live in taipei. >> reporter: since 1995. taiwan's gross domestic product per capita has shot up by about half. but wages have plateaued during that time of evening as big companies have prospered. taiwan continues to post held agree gross figures of three to 4% the headline number hides a big problem low wages and poor job opportunities but many big companies choosing to base themselves out of mainlands china. companies like electronic components manufacturer fox con one of many to make most of relaxed restrictions doing business in china since the turn of the millennium. more than half of taiwanese products are these days made on the mainland. >> sooner or or later the i.n.d. department or middle higher level management, okay, have to move up with these manufacturing

production. >> reporter: on her old university campus we meet a banker who moved to hong kong 10 years ago she says she misses home. >> hong kong is very efficient but it's all about work. i should think about moving back to taiwan to live a more balanced life. >> reporter: but for her to return taiwan will need to rebalance its labor market, take peg tron celebrating with its 7,000 taiwan-based workers in china it employs up to 90,000. hairy fawcett, al jazerra taipei. new york times square is undoubtedly one of the world's most popular tourist attractions, but with an average of 15 million visitors a year, locals are finding it inconvenient and overcrowded. kristen saloomey reports. >> reporter: it's known as the crossroads of the world and it's not hard to understand why. on a busy day almost half a million people pass through

times square. >> it's iconic being i love it here. i am going to make everyone jealous back home. >> i am going to come and experience what new york is all about. what better place than to see where the city never sleeps. >> reporter: all of this foot traffic is great for retailers. who spend top dollar to have billboards and stores in the area. but not so much for those who live and work here. a recent survey found that one in four were dissatisfied with the overcrowding and the presence of costumed characters. >> a lot of people don't know thousand walk. don't know that walking is a mode of transportation for all of us here in new york. so i find myself walking on the street whenever possible. >> reporter: some streets have been close today traffic but the move designed to make move room for p*edz only seems to have attracted more of them. >> oh, yeah, definitely since they finished construction and making it more pedestrian

friendly it's gotten more crowded and more costumed characters. >> reporter: the city know wants to regulate people who dress up at cartoon characters and pose for picture with his tourists, after some were caught harassing the public. but even so, times scare is still more family friendly than it was back in the 1970s and '80s. then the area was known for porn shops, massage parlors prostitutes and drug dealers. it took tax incentive with his a concerted effort by city and state official to his clean up the area and fill new skyscrapers with tenants the challengers is to hold onto that with major tenants moving out. >> we have some real challenges that grow out of our success which is that so many more people here it gets very crowded like any popular tourist destination we have to make sure we are fresh and take care of customers. >> reporter: it looks like the tourists are here to stay. and as long as they don't block the sidewalks, it's hope the

businesses will remain too. kristen saloomey, al jazerra new york. a quick reminder that you can always keep up-to-date with all of the latest news and analysis in our stories on our website. a show about innovations that can change lives. humanity and we are doing it in a unique way. this is a show about science by scientists. let's check the team of hardcore nerds. dr shini somara is a mechanical engineer. tonight saving baby grace. doctors try a cutting edge treatment to heal this little girl's brain, infusing her with her own umbilical cord blood.