>> isil kidnaps dozens of people in syria. after kurdish forces launch a new offensive against the group. ♪ ♪ hello there, you are watching al jazeera live from london. also coming up. ukrainian troops dig in fearing a reasonable assault despite the cease fire. the euro zone approved grosses list of retomorrows. to it's bail out. and footballs governing body recommending moving the world cup to november and december to avoided the extreme summer

heat hello fighter froms the islamic state of iraq can kidnapped dozens of people in the northeast of syria. they swept through villages taking people captive the attack happens hours after kurdish forces backed by coalition air strikes. launch add major offensive to drive from the province. kurdish fighters from both syria and arrack say they have recaptured 20 villages in the area. they are now aiming to retake the town. >> al jazeera gave us this update a little earlier from beirut. >> 90 syrian christians have been captured by the islamic state of iraq and the levant. this happened in the northeast of syria in the prof vince. what we know is that there was

fierce fighting between isil and kurdish fighters who were in control of two villages where these christians were living isil managed to push them out many civilians fled, but isil did manage to capture 90 people, but according to human rights activists they don't have much information in the sense that they don't know how many of the 90 people are women and children. they don't know their fate, or whereabouts where did isil take them, and they don't foe what isil wants they don't know whether the group plans to exchange them in some sort of prisoner swap, or just kill them, or whether if everybody they are already killed. so there is little information, but community leaders are worried they are appealing for help from the international community. from the u.s. led coalition to do something but this is going to be -- very difficult at the end of the day over recent years isil both in iraq and syria, they have captured runs if not thousands of

prisoners, they don't just target minorities, yes, this is the first time they capture such a large number of christians but they targeted christians in the iraqi city of mosul. they have targeted the minority community in northwestern iraq. they have also targeted shia and they have even targeted sunnies sunnies that don't support them, we have to remember isil fighters are sunnies, so at the end of the day, the community is worried there's little information about the fate but what is clear is that 90 people are missing, and believed to be held by the islamic state of iraq. >> there also been a mass kidding in the afghanistan. officials say armed gunman believed to be of foreign origin have kidnapped fort people. they were taken from a bus.

>> two bombs have gone off at bus stations in north eastern nigeria, the first explosion lapped with a young girl blew herself up on sunday. witnesses say the bomb exploded on a bus filled with passengers at least 17 people were killed and 31 injured. and a few hours later police say two suicide bombers struck at a busy terminal. killing at least ten people. more from the capitol. >> well, eyewitnesses we spoken to are saying different things about what think think saw and what happened. one eyewitness is telling us that it was a suicide attack, that somebody boarded a bus and let up a device. another one is described seeing an individual plant a bag which contained the device, near a bus, and walking away. it's not clear which of these accounts is accurate. as you can imagine it is incredibly difficult to get precise information because of the remoteness of this area

what they are saying is people did die in this explosion. that there were casualties and that a number of people were wounded, now so far the effort thats in the area, and by that i mean the military, the police, and the national emergency management authority, are not commenting on the gravity of the situation on the ground. they are not saying exactly what happened and how many people may have been killed. >> the u.s. secretary of state says russia has repeatedly lied to him. he made the remarks while testifies before the senate foreign relations committee he had been asked directly with he was lying when he said russia had not sent troops or russiansrussians to ukraine the most overt exercise i have seen.

and they have been persisting in the their misrepresentations lies whatever you want to call them, about their activities there to my face and the face of others. rebels have starting moving some heavy weapons back to the front line be uh ukraine has rejected the claim that a real pull back has begun. days after promos cow separatist took over the railway, the misery continues for locals. many are two elder hi to flee, and large crowds have been gathering in a cue for aid. only about 5,000 of them 26,000 residents remain. it is also important as it would give rebels access to the sea this would create a land corridor between russia

and cry mere yeah. from mario paul brennen sent this report. >> east of the city, the ukrainians delivers fresh tanks to the front line on tuesday, and the continuous sound of artillery from the positions further forwayrd is why. while it is true they have fallen silent along large sections of the line of conflict, it is not happening here. >> bombing every day from separatist and we can't give him. >> you can't reply -- >> we can't. >> the orders. >> this is fire only in one way. >> we were taking further forward along dry dusty lanes passing abandon houses and weaving between military defensive positions. >> there are tanks and guns and there is no intention to withdraw them yet. >> these tanks are on the second defensive line in case the enemy break through the

front line. we need to have antitank armor, do you hear the sound? it mite just be shelling or they may be preparing a ground assault, if it is an assault i must be able to with stand it or do you think i shows july stand and watch. >> just a few hundred meters back the sound of tank and artillery fire is almost continuous. the ukrainian army is digging new defensive trenches. >> there's a constant back drop of the sound of explosions here, here in the trenches east we have been told for good reason not to reveal the exact location, but you can see the urgency with which the soldiers are digging them, they have zero confidence that the cease fire is applying here. >> the city with it's huge steel works and busy sea port was briefly controlled by separatist fighters last may. before being recaptured by ukrainian soldiers and volunteers. it is industrial power gives it significance to strategic importance. >> in the city itself, the

markets still operate. but the uncertainty is creating deep anxiety. >> of course, we feel anxious but i stand here on the market every day and i see ukrainian military vehicles headed to the front line, to help our army, and i personally think we will not be surrendered. >> of course we are worried when you live on the border of done necessarying and see what is happening there, you worry it can happen here too. and certainly a lot of people have fled the city. >> we hope our soldiers will defend us and won't let separatist into our city, and we also hope our other allies support us it would be better if they gave us weapons to defend ourselves. >> international monitors have expressed deep concern about the situation east the diplomacy has so far done lit toll silence the guns here paul brennen, al jazeera. >> and the form minister of ukraine, russia, france, and

germany have -- be strictly implemented. investigative stead they urge both sides to start a total cease fire. and a complete withdraw of heavy weapons. lithuania plans to restart service in the face of growing fears about russia about 3 1/2 thousand men aged between 19 and 26 would be recruited for nine months each year. the university students would be exempt. the move was prompted by military drills. now, a last minute deal to prevent greece defaulting on it's debt has been agreed after euro zone finance ministers approve the plan to reform it's economy. and list of measures submitted this morning includes a honest of anti-austerity procedures.

for the poorest. greece also wants to off aid to those on low pensions and stop people's homes being repossessed. it plans to pay ever the those measures by tackling tax evasion, corruption, and the smuggling of fuel and to be co, and by making the government more efficient. cutting the number of ministries and getting rid of benefits such as official cars. live you to athens and speak to our correspondent p how much of a compromise has this been? it's not everything they promised during the election, is it. >> it has managed to put those u.p.s. pros very prominently in it's governing agenda, that has now been co signed by informally, of course, bit it's creditors. the trouble is it did take a big hit that i think was a

necessary step, for it's continued financing because it is an untested partner to greece's creditors it is a slightly frightening concept this new left wing party emerging in power challenging politics that have now been agreed to by so many different governments. of the center left across the continent, i think they have wanted to be sure that they wouldn't pose too much of a challenge. finding them to the existing agreement. particularly has come out strongly against this concession. which collapse in january because they had promoted policies and a more euro

friendly stance. in front of the government, the socialist party tweeted that the series of the government wants us to applaud them. and adopting our policies instead. >> so they are having a tough time of this, and the present time, the finance minister is talking to m.p.es 149 people, who are elected on the campaign promises who now wants explanations from him. >> the four month definitely needed, the question i guess is will it be enough for greece. >> frees has to do a lot in the next four months in order to build confidence with it's creditors which is really what this document that was presented today is all about. it is all about showing that they want to move in the right direction, albeit a somewhat different direction. and that's why you see all of this emphasis on really two

things, how the government is going to collect taxes and how it is going to spend them on the collection side, yet more efficient tack collection on the spending side, they say a much more efficient state will cut waste and going to crack down on tax evasion fuel, and tobacco coe. they wanted to be allowed to take a few steps. they wanted to achieve concrete steps in this direction, and show that think mean business. >> live for us in athens thank you. still ahead on the program confronting isil on the agenda sits down with president obama, on his first visit to the white house.

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>> "inside story", now at a new time. >> join me as we bring you an in-depth look at the most important issues of the day,

breaking it down, getting you the facts. it's the only place you'll find the inside story. >> now at its new time. weeknights, 11:30 eastern. on al jazeera america. >> welcome back, a reare mind tear top stories here on al jazeera, kurdish fighters have launched an offensive against isil fighter ins the syrian province. at the same time, fighters are reported to have kidnapped at least 70 christians from a syrian villages in the area. u.s. secretary of state says russia has lied about it's involvement in the conflict in year ukraine. john kerry was speaking and now turning their attention to mario in the south. and the last minute vote by greece to reform it's economy has been approved by euro zone finance ministers. now, just this month serious president denied using barrel

bombs but human rights watch says it has evidence the government has used them to attack rebel held areas. it says manufacture than 6,000 people have been killed by barrel bombs. syria's government is also accused of deliberately bombing hospital, schools and mosques even in areas are there is no fighting. human rights watch is calling toism pose sanctions. it next discusses syria on thursday. al jazeera has been following developments at the united nations for us, james, is human rights watch likely to get it's wish on thursday. >> i this they it would be very hard to do that because of the position of the russians i have just come down the corridor from the news conference that is currently underway where human rights watch have been presenting their findings with retold after they have done

this, they will present their findings to various members of the security council so the lobbying to try to get one of those members of the security council to try to take on this issue. they have done a great deal of research, phone calls to people in syria meeting poo emthat have left but also as well as that witness testimony, they have been looking at evidence that they gathers satellite imagery and video evidence that has appeared on the internet here is some of the imagery of what they have been looking at and what is in the report, and what they are making clear, is in the two areas of syria they have been examining the number of attacks since that resolution was passed, and it will be a year ago in two days time that that resolution was passed is increased a great deal this amount of aleppo, and they say that there were just 350 of these attacks before the ref lewis, is since

that resolution, 1,100 attacks have taken place in aleppo province and they are saying this is a clear breech of international law, because the security council was clear which is mainly about humane tin access, but that needs to be an end to all arielle attacks and that hasn't happened and they said the regime should be held to account for that. >> live at the u.n., thank you very much. >> u.s. president pram has been hosting at the white house, says it comes amido intense discussions about the u.s. hostages and negotiations to their release. the two leaders were also expected to talk about egypt as recent air strikes. qatar has recalled it's ambassador between a dispute between the two countries. life now he is on the white

house lawn in washington, d.c. and do we know any more about the discussions between the two leaders. >> . >> well, they say they were constructive, that both parties had a lot to talk about, this was the first visit to the white house they talks about the on going conflict in syria remember of course they have offered to host training camps and barack obama said the situation will only be moved forward by president asaad being removed by the whole discussion of what happened next in syria. there were talks too about iran, and what is happening with the nuclear talks in geneva, they have brought up to speed on that. how to combat first of all their funding to try to make sure that that is blocked off certainly barack obama said that most countries had a lot in common. there were concrete

discussions and that the white house briefing in the last half hour, the white house said while the two don't always agree, there is a lot they did agree on, and the talks indeed were constructive. >> yeah, and it is an important relationship for both of the countries isn't it. >> it is, because the earn manies have a large number of service personnel, in qatar the use quite extensively enwith it comes to organizing operations around the middle east certainly we know before he came to the white house for the first time, he wrote for the new york times and he said the one thing that has to be addressed is this idea that islam is responsible for terrorism, he says that it is in fact hope lessness, hope lessness that you see in the towns and palestine january refugee camps and towns that are under siege, but also the same hope lessness you see in large cities and even in parts of the united states and he says that is what has to be

confronted. as muchly both sides have a lot of areas in common, particularly at the moment, and he said while there were constructive talks they will continue talking about the best way forward on a number of important issues that effect both countries. live there on the lawn at the white house, thank you. >> football's governing body has remember mended that the 22 world cub should be played in november and december. to avoided the extreme summer heat. records from doha almost from the moment qatar was awarded the 2022 world cup the questions as to exactly when it would be played began. temperatures in the gulf state can exceed 40 degrees celsius during the usual tournament window of june and july. and while qatar said it would have the required cooling technology in place fifa football's governing body did class the bid as high risk

because of the weather now after a six month consultation process, involving voted interested in all over the football world a final proposal has been made, to the 2022 world cup, should be played in november and december there is not one solution that is supported by all, but there is one solution which is december 2022. >> for now this is just a proposal, but it is a proposal that is almost certain to be rad fied next month and that is a outcome that has angers european league whose are here and whose tournaments face the most disruption, they say this was an argument they never had any chance of winning. the english league just one of many that will be taking an unexpected and as far as it's bosses are concerned unwanted break. >> their leagues are 50ed around a summer world cup

talking place every four year, and it is a disruption, anyone that run as league anywhere in the world will from sincing the disruption and the chaos p the organizers say they are and wore ready to host a world but are happy a final decision is close. >> we are onboard what the committee decides in the meeting, we are committed to and we will deliver aen an amazing world cup. >> the world cup should be signed off at that meeting in march, and while discussions will continue, the main talking point now appeared closed. al jazeera doha. >> egypt's president has signed off on a new anti-terror law which is being described as a back door to emergency law. the new bill makes it easier to declare someone a terrorist with only a simple approve of a panel of judges. anyone deem as terror exist have their assets froze and be barred from traveling the

definition has also been widens leading to fears that political parties could be targeted. two ministers from former president government have been acquitted of corruption, after a retrial the former right minister and the interior minister recruised of profiting from government contracts. they were sentenced four years ago, but appeals against that decision meanwhile, two journalists will have to wait until march the 8th for the next hearing in their retrial in egypt. they are reaccused of aiding the outlaw muslim brotherhood charges they deny they spent more than a year behind bars along with their colleague. who was freed and deport add few weeks ago. to yemen now where houthis rebels are on the hunt for the president says he is wanted for just tip p he sat down

last month after they seized the palace and placed him under house arrest. but he fled the capitol at the weekend the southern port and is now rability thatting his resignation. correspondent has this update. >> just a few days after his arrival, the president has made his intentions very clear, both to his supporters and to the outside world when he withdrew his regular us nation, and now he a has asked the ministers to come and aid and many of them are being prevented or most of them by the houthies one of them tried to drive yesterday, who is was arrest bedty houthies. the face of this situation they are waiting to see if they can make it here, otherwise, his wrong are telling us he will probably appoint a provision of government here and at the same time, the president is meeting with top security

advisors and the meeting with the provisional governors and he is making some security arrangementses in the presidential compound to make sure no disruption happened those arrangements consistent of sending back all the staff members who belong to the sector or belong to northern province back home because of some them might be infiltrated in those presidential compounds some of them may be loyal to the former president or the the houthies. had they also received signs from support, from the region, and aunderstand nod their support, and the statement is to rally behind them, those are positive signs for them, some of the diplomatic initiatives might be thinking of shifting to aidan and that's more signs as i said, of probably being successful in his efforts to make a fresh start and rule yemen from

eighten. >> at least three people have been killed in the czech republic. the it was reported he called a local television station before the attack, threatens to take things into his own hans as the police weren't solving his problems. a van packed with migrants has crash misdemeanor serbia, they thought have to entered the country via mas. done yeah, police say they originally came from when he dash algeria, lauren, and nigeria. a commuter train has collided with a truck in southern california. injuries at least 28 people the truck was smashes apart and burst into flames in three carriages of the double decker train came off the track. and an impromptu triage center was set up aside the line police say the driver fled the

scene but is now in custody. >> and a remind ever you can always find about more of all of our stories, click on for you is aljazeera.com aljazeera.com. [ ♪ music ♪ ] this week on "talk to al jazeera." author, globe trotter and commentator on race and culture, taiye selasi. >> there is a sense that certain people have to explain their presence. to say that racism is not that race isn't felt. >> the london born, twin daughter of african parents raises the question where are you from? >> it may mean a bit about your