twitter and watch next time, i'm ray suarez. israeli voters go to the polls in an hour to pick a new parliament. hello, live from doha coming up in the next 30 minutes on al jazeera. battling i.s.i.l. in libya, hundreds gather to take on the group in the city of sirte. vanuatu - thousands in the island nation are left homeless by cyclone sam. and the film festival taking the cinema on the road.

hello, israeli prime minister vowed there would be no palestinian state if reprotected on tuesday. making the declaration hours before polls opened in a close election history. opinion polls show likud party is trailling the centralist zionist union. candidates have been making appeals. we look at the main contenders. when prime minister binyamin netanyahu forced a snap election last year it was all but certain me would keep his job. as israelis go to the polls, the future is less clear. binyamin netanyahu and his right wing party are trailling behind center left rivals and many analysts say the vote has become a referendum on his tenure.

at this rally organised by pro-israeli settlement groups, the strain was showing. >> >>. >> translation: they are attacking me if we don't close the gap, there's a threat that a left-wing government could come into power. >> this is the man that could be the next prime minister. isaac herzog is the leader of the labor party. they formed an alliance. polling suggesting that their zionist union block could win more seats than the right-wing likud party, signalling a shift in domestic and foreign policies. isaac herzog want to repair ties with the palestinians and the united states. the long-strained relations between binyamin netanyahu and president obama reached a low point this month when binyamin netanyahu addressed a joint

session of congress warning against a nuclear deal with iran, without seeking approval from the white house. >> we will know how to amend and correct the relationship and how to return them back to being intimate, strong strategic, with full alliance between us and the united states. the party expected to place third is a list and alliance of parties, the first time they are divided along religious lines. it is expected to win a record 13 or more seats in the 120 seat parliament. and while the union leaders publicly ruled out joining a government coalition, some analysts suggest if the right wins more votes than expected they mite. potentially deciding the results of the election. >> no party wins an outright majority in the parliament and

the party leader that wins the most seats doesn't necessarily become prime minister. the job typically goes to whoever forms a governing coalition with smaller parties, and it's looking unlikely that binyamin netanyahu will be able to do that. the u.s. confirmed it carried out more air strikes, five in syria, 12 in neighbouring iraq. the videos by the u.s. department of defense showed hits on i.s.i.l. facilities. the u.s. military said it destroyed the armed group fighting positions, a weapons cash and vehicles. >> kurdish peshmerga fighters retook villages south-west of kirkuk. they have been bat lining i.s.i.l. this video shows the flag flying in one of the villages as peshmerga forces move in. all three villages have been

under i.s.i.l. control for the past nine months. the iraqi army paused the offensive on tikrit to give civilians time to leave. the coalition of iraqi force, shia militia and others are trying to recapture the city from i.s.i.l., which took control last june. tikrit is strategic because it's on the road. the fight against i.s.i.l. is taking place in libya. militias are preparing for an assault on i.s.i.l. affiliated fighters. we have this report. >> reporter: getting ready

checkpoints have been set up around the exits and entrances to from escaping and receiving reinforcements. for months now, the fighting in libya has been between the pro-revolutionary groups backing

the government and shows supporting the u.n. recognised government. both reaching a deal through talks in morocco. the appearance of fighters meant that if the talks succeed, it's unlikely that the violence that destabilized the country will stop soon now, the u.s. is backtracking on comments made by secretary of state rerjohn kerry on how to end the conflict. syrian president should be included in negotiations. his comments appeared to signal a change in policy on syria's civil war, which entered the fifth year. we have this report. >> reporter: for much of the past four years, the u.s. was clear, bashar al-assad must go if there's to be peace. the secretary of state john kerry appears to be changing the

president obama's position. >> to get the - bashar al-assad regime to negotiate. we'll have to make it clear to him that there is a determination by everybody to seek that political outcome and change the calculation about negotiating. that is under way. john kerry was not calling for direct talks, a man whoment the u.s. says is no longer a legitimate ruler. he was using bashar al-assad was a short hand. representatives of the regime. that is why people ask questions. we venture to make sleer that there's not a change in policy or a process ongoing. with i.s.i.l. in control of large areas of syria, and rebel groups in disarray some say washington has no choice but to make some accommodation with the regime. experts suggest john kerry got ahead of the administration and may have harmed the chances of

negotiating a peace deal. the optics to the opposition were horrible. to thor the words of negotiation. not to make the distinction. taken as a real slap in the face. it's hard to get the opposition which is divided, to the negotiating table. that's america's job. >> reporter: secretary of state john kerry's comments may not signal applause but they are starting a debate on how to end a civil war, and how to get a leader that you like out of power. >> reporter: president bashar al-assad told iranian tv that only syrians can decide his future. >> translation: the syrians are the only ones that have a say on whether i stay or not. that's all that i said from the

start of the crisis until today. turkish and french governments have strong opposition. john kerry assured him that the u.s. position is unchanged. any solution keeping bashar al-assad in charge is wrong. >> translation: any other solution that would bring bashar al-assad back to the stage would be absolutely scandalous and a gianting gift to the islamic state. if we establish that bashar al-assad is put back in the saddle millions millions of syrians that have been persecuted would support d.a.e.s.h., which needs to be avoided rescue workers in the south pacific are d desperately trying to reach the south islands. they have arrived with food water and other vital supplies. cyclone pam wiped out all

developed. up to 24 people are believed dead, and 3,000 others have been displaced. we have this report from the capital port villa. from the air you get glimpses of the destruction, but it's up close that you see the full impact that cyclone pam had on port villa. 90% of the buildings in vanuatu's capital have been damaged. trees are down etch. rain and floodwaters made what the wind did worse. few people die in port vela and injure ace two were light. at the hospital colin litch hurt his foot. he showed us how he got the injury trying to save his carriage. it was futile. >> the metal of the garage that sliced your foot. >> yes. >> his partner pleaded with him not to go out in the storm.

>> i was crying. i thought i would lose him, yes. >> reporter: litch is a builder. there'll be plenty of work coming his way. within meters of his house is destruction. houses crushed by industries. botes thrown from a normally id illic lagoon. >> you can only imagine the horror of being in the house there were four people in here. when the roof started peeling off, they ran. lucky they did. you can see the house has been totally destroyed. the house had been in the family for generations. >> emotional. really sad that this has been lost. >> reporter: similar stories are

everywhere. help is arriving into port villa, a lot of help will be needed and many outlying islands have not been heard from since the storm. still ahead on al jazeera - when we come back - waiting and stateless, almost 25 years after being forced to leave bhutan these refugees tell al jazeera, they just want to go home. >> this is going to be an uncomfortable story to watch. it's about female circumcision and child marriages, and finding out why some of the locals want it different.

>> tomorrow on "the stream". >> the annual south by southwest festival has been a breeding ground for some of the biggest tech innovations in the world. we'll take you there, giving you a glimpse into the future. >> "the stream". tomorrow, 1:30 eastern. only on al jazeera america.

hello again. you're watching al jazeera. israel's prime minister binyamin netanyahu says there'll be no palestinian state if he's re-elected on tuesday. the likud party is traying behind the zionist union. in iraq kurdish peshmerga fighters have retaken villages after battles with i.s.i.l. fighters. rescue workers in the south pacific are trying to reach vanuatu, the remote outer islands after a devastating cyclone. 24 are believed dead and thousands is placed. our sources told al jazeera that major gaps remain in negotiations with iran over the nuclear programme. the foreign minister has been meeting with europen leaders

after hours of talks with the us. or in the swiss city diplomatic editor james bade says there were signs of progress. is that thumbs up an indication of protests. they were certainly intense. meetings between the u.s. delegation led by secretary kerry, and the iranian side lasting almost five hours. he left mr zarif made upbeat comments. cameras had been kept a long way away. we could make out his words. finally we are getting something. mr zarif was whisked by motorcades by a plane to brussels, the diplomacy is under way at a hectic pace.

>> i'm happy, my hard work is paying off. putting the u.s. center on bilateral relationship and more generally in an unprecedented face. now he's in the home stretch, we are in the 11th hour and he more than anyone with the exception of president obama wants to seal the deal. >> the foreign minister returns for talks in the coming days. but the iranian delegation is due to meet at the end of the week. it's a deadline at the end of this month, time to get a deal is tight the u.s. government has uncovered dozens of priceless artefacts sold illegally in the united states. they have been handed over to iraqi officials in washington. kimberley halkett reports.

>> reporter: more than 60 ancient artefacts thought lost forever are set to return to their origins. a limestone head of the king dating back to 713 b.c. worth millions. u.s. officials recovered the object after they surfaced on the international antiquities market in new york. it's believed they were looted in the chaos following the u.s. invasion of iraq. investigators unravelled a network of cultural artefacts bought and sold. >> these artefacts are used to fund or are considered a part of the finance source of i.s.i.l. >> reporter: indeed the return of the priceless objects comes as iraq's hist uk sites come under attack again. this time any the islamic state of iraq and lef apt. they posted video.

a museum in mosul under i.s.i.l.'s control. that is why diplomats on monday visited the iraqi museum in baghdad, calling attention to the need for world powers to assist in safeguarding rely icts and heritage. >> it is of great importance that the international community come together under the auspices of u.n.e.s.c.o. to do everything it can to forego destruction and looting of cultural heritage. >> the u.s. government says it has rebatteriated to iraq is it00 artefacts. and remains hopeful more lost iraqi its will find their way back. at least 12 more people have been hanged in pakistan after the deposit extended a death appendancy to all capital crimes bringing back the death penalty in december after more than so were killed in the

peshawar school attacks. pakistan executed dozens mostly those convicted of terrorism charges. it was extended to all inmates on death row, whose final appeals have been rejected it's been 25 years since ethnic nepalese were expelled by bhutan. many ended up in eastern nepal. bhutan is silent about their repatriation. people are still clipping to hope of returning. >> angry and hurt. this is one of more than 100,000 bhutanese arriving in the camp in eastern nepal in 1991. that's when bhutan expelled a sixth of its population. in what some called a campaign of ethnic cleansing. they have old citizenship papers and documents dating as far back

as 1958. >> i kept my documents to show when people ask. >> tens of thousands relocated to other countries. half the country is in ohio. others plan to leave school. they refuse to go. i had 28 cattle. i had to leave those. i'm not going to move from here. this is mine. >> one that they said will take care of the father and the grandchildren slid to the u.n. to leave. it's the older generation that don't want to leave. some say they'd rather die as refugees. others have hopes of returning. two of his brothers were left. he insists that there is no other place they'd want to live. >> i never wanted to leave bhutan, they arrested me and

were taking me to the center when they escaped at night. bhutan is the land of my grandfather, a place i was born i want to return. >> others are leaving. the u.n. says 22,000 people live here. but many have applied to resettle in other countries. by 2017, the organization - 12,000 will be left. >> the programme was voluntary. if the refugees do not want to opt for settlement they will remain in nepal and we have to find a solution for them. >> they refuse to repatriate refugees. nepal denied them citizenship. those that remain could be stateless for a long time to come much nigerian miltly says it has

retaken a down from boko haram. it's the second-largest town. it captures the down last september. they allegedly set fire to buildings, forcing them to set fire. the government two weeks before in kenya female genital mutilation is an illegal practice, but is performed as a right of practice. we go to a conservative community and speak to girls and women that are affected. >> joys is the girl in the yellow shirt. she is 12. when she was nine her father forced her to get circumsised and marry her off to a man three times her age. >> a pastor's wife has taken in many other girls. this is it yester, she's 10. >> i cried but they didn't hear my cries. they had no pity of me.

i just run away. and this woman took me. >> when we cut like this we cut. >> female genital mutilization is illegal in kenya. robbie used to cut in secret. believing it was an important rite of passage. >> if it not the circumstances, she not be married. she not go there. she just there. the practice is often hidden so there's no exact figures. government officials say it is common. >> teachers try to rescue girls that have been married and encourage them to stay in school. many drop out. there's an anti-prosecution unit, but convicting people is crucial. >> we have situations where

witnesses disappear or come and recan't their testimony. we see something totally different from what is rein in the statements. sames they close up. in some parts of kenya, a daughter is a commodity. many conservative societies value some of the old customs. when the young bride gets to the house, the father in law is waiting, she walks this through the gates, she's been welcomed into the family. if she hasn't been circumsised the process can't happen. health officials say some girls and women die from infection and childbirth because they were circumsised. joyce doesn't want to be cut. praying no one forces her to come back to her parents who believes she's disrespecting an age-old custom. >> the u.s. national snults of

health says an american treated for the deadly ebola virus is in critical condition. the health care workers was evacuated to the u.s. last week from west africa with nine others. the patient working with a medical aid group. that patient and the others are being monitored at designated ebola facilities in three u.s. states. >> the speaker of the u.s. house of representatives is expected to launch an investigation into hillary clinton's use of a personal email whilst secretary of state. clinton admitted to using a private email account to send work and private messages during her time at the state department a film festival in columbia is the oldest in latin america, and this year organizers are bringing films to neighbourhoods where going to the cinema is a luxury. >> overcoming obstacles to take

sin ma where it has never been. timms in the neighbour -- films filmed in the neighbourhood is a side programme. for many this is the first time in front of the silver screen. have you been to a cinema? >> this particular is a truck with a revolving screen. there's no pop corp but there are local i.s.i.s., and audience members bring their chairs. the magic of cinema is the same. >> i love cinema. we can see and learn new things. we have a good time. families enjoy the show and interact with directors, actors and crews, and experiment to make the festival and film inclusive. when you sow, you reap. we are planting the culture of cinema with short films, features and documentaries, that

are different to television. maybe the different people will become producers and directors. we don't know. it's worth planting the seed. >> it's a simple bottom-line issue. >> the neighbourhood is a few kilometres away from the ritsy center. it is worlds apart, and for many of the kids going to the cinema is a luxury. that is because going to see a film costs between $4 to $9. 30% of the population lives on $2 a day. >> we'd like this to be a regular event. we don't want to continue to be forgotten. areas are neglected and you see the happiness it brings to the kids. the programme will show films to 70,000 people, at 3300 venues. letting cinema do what it does best. taking people's dreams and imagination.

for viewers joining us from the united states "faultlines" is up next. for the rest of you international headlines is around the corner. wherever you are there's more on the website aljazeera.com. get the latest on all the stories we are following. >> every day across america military-style raids are taking place. local police dressed like soldiers break down doors in the hunt for drugs. >> this is not what we think of as police in a democratic society. this is way out of proportion.