this whole experience dif sulty breathing, and their eyes and throats with burning. >> new evidence of chemical attacks by pro-assad forces in syria. ♪ i'm loren taylor this is al jazeera live from london. also coming up . . . the war in yemen as peace talks teter on the brink of collapse fighting continues. as the greek prime minister tries to find a way out of the debt crisis, there is a warning over a possible exit from the

euro zone. plus -- >> i'm at the military theme park bristling with guns and tanks that russia hopes will be fun for all of the family. ♪ hello, the world's chemical weapons watch bagdads says it has destroyed almost all of syrias chemical weapons arsenal. but a syrian doctor has testified that president bashar al-assad forces are increasing chemical attacks. >> translator: in the past three months we have experienced a new type of terror in the form of barrel bombs that continue chemical weapons. since march 16th of this year we have documented 31 attacks using poisonous attacks. i remember on march 16th i

heard helicopters over my house. as soon as i left the house, i could smell chlorine bleach in the air. as soon as i arrived there were many victims that had beat me there. dozens of people experienced difficulty breathing, and their eyes and throats were burning, they were also secreting saliva and foam from their mouth. >> kimberly what are the doctors calling for from the members of congress? >> reporter: the doctors are calling for some direct military intervention by the united states that would lead to political negotiations to ensure a no-fly zone to allow for civilians to know there is a pocket of air where they would

be safe. many of these attacks escalated just ten days after the security resolution condemned these attacks, and the fact if this was breached there would be some military action. so they say there is illegal ground work in place in order to do that. we hear and see from president obama's ambassador. he also called for the fact that there should be very targeted military action in order to create this political negotiation framework to allow for the protection of civilians. >> but is there the political will there? >> therein lies the big problem. right now there's a lot of division on whether or not the u.s. should take a role. there were many who said we're war weary, we have been involved

in afghanistan and iraq and we got tremendous world unpopularity, so why should there be the impetus for the united states to act again, and have been pointing instead to the international community. the other big concern is the problem that there seems to be confusion and a bit of a legal loophole on the part of the assad government. the fact that chlorine can be used for domestic uses. it is often used to ensure clean drinking water, so there has been discussion at the united states, through the u.n. ambassador to the united states about some sort of a a -- attrition mechanism to prove that the syrian government is behind these.

the doctors say these barrel bombs were dropped from helicopters, and that's really the only proof the government is behind this. so there is some concern until this can be verified. >> thank you very much indeed. now some of the 23,000 syrian refugees who fled to turkey over the past two weeks have started returning home after a town was ceased by fighters from the islamic state of iraq and the levant. but the town was retaken by kurdish syrian fighters. >> reporter: these syrians crossed back on wednesday. only two days ago, syrian kurdish ypg fighters took control of the strategic border town from isil after a three-week battle. >> translator: we are at a loss.

whoever we support, others will kill us. life under isil has been bad, and i don't feel safe going back. >> translator: we are going back up to two years. our homes were blown up by isil who accused us of being ypg. >> translator: we have been here for three days without anyplace to stay. >> reporter: most of the 20,000 syrians who crossed are still in turkey but those who are going home some are nervous about now being under kurdish control, others were different, and some were glad to see the back of isil. >> reporter: u.s.-lead air strikes are changing the area. now the ypg controls a continuous area of land that runs along the frontier with turkey for 400 kilometers.

in january after a four-month battle ypg forces secured control of the syrian town of kobani, then they had been under siege from isil fighters. the ypg managed to hold on to kobani but the fighting left much of the town in ruins. here the battle was shorter, the damage less severe. bernard smith, al jazeera, on the turkey syria border. and battles have been taking place between syria opposition forces and government troops here the goland heights. ♪ france has defined accomodation for more than

10,000 asylum seekers as part of a plan to help deal with the flow of migrants. around 100,000 have entered europe from the mediterranean sea. france says it will take 4,000 by next year and house another 5.5 thousand refugees who have already been granted asylum. plans call for a fence more than a meter high to now be built along the border. government officials are still refusing to comment on allegations that human smugglers were made to take migrants away from australia. >> reporter: australia's prime

minister still isn't answering questions. these are those pictures, the money shots that have given fresh impetus to the allegations that australia paid people smugglers to turn a boat of asylum seekers away from the coast. despite the australian's government refusal to comment, it is alleged they did take place. >> translator: i said we needed money so we could return to our wives and children. he said okay. we'll help you. >> reporter: this new footage is of all six boat members. the legality of what australian officials may have done at sea is dominating news in australia. >> is it law lawful? >> what i'm saying is you are asking a question based on an allegation, and i don't feel the

need to respond to someone else's allegation. >> reporter: but if it happened was it legal? the captain claims australian vessels guided his into australian waters virtually the australian mainland and that's where the payment took place. >> this is a question about whether they have broken australian law by paying people smugglers in what appears to be from the evidence given, in australian territory. >> reporter: wherever it happened, if it did, paying smugglers isn't popular. most on the streets were appalled. >> you can't just keep it a secret because we don't know where the money is going. >> does the foreign minister stand by his statement last month that people smugglers are starting to use money they

receive to pay for terrorism. >> reporter: a week ago they flat denied the allegations. since then two things have happened the government's position has shifted from not true to no comment. and mounting evidence has emerged from indonesia that the payments did take place. the pressure is still onanja on australia's government to come clean and explain. peace talks in geneva are fails to make progress. this follows nearly three months of saudi-lead air strikes that have killed more than 2.5 thousand people. it hopes the houthis will change their minds about taking part in the talks. go straight to hashem ahelbarra who is in geneva with the latest. you gathered from the houthis what is going on? what is actually going to take part? or what is happening?

>> reporter: they are still having huge problems about how to stop political talks. now the united nations has the view that the two parties, the representatives of the houthis and forces loyal to ousted president saleh, and the government on the other hand should strike a humanitarian truce that would send a positive signal that we're going to see some progress. then they will talk about the houthis pulling out from the area they control. they said in principle, okay. we'll talk about all of those things. but the government said these are people who used violence against us. they are not legitimate and therefore, we want the international community to understand we are trying to force coup leaders to step

aside. the international community is trying in the coming hours to settle the differences, but i think it's going to be extremely difficult. >> so what is the deadline for them to actually -- you know get their act together if you would like? >> reporter: the government says they have until tomorrow. if nothing happens tomorrow they will pack and head back to riyadh. the e.u. and american ambassadors, were trying to convince the yemeni representatives to give them time to at least agree on a humanitarian truce. the problem with the humanitarian truce the houthis say we want the saudis to stop their air strikes. the government says we want the houthis to stop fighting and controlling areas. we want who simultaneous things

happening. the houthis say, no the problem is not we on the ground the problem is the saudis. >> okay. hashem ahelbarra thank you very much indeed. still ahead on al jazeera, militarization of the baltic. plus. . .. >> coming up how desertification is threatening to destroy this famous former star wars set, as well as many communities here in southern tunisia.

♪ ♪ ♪ get excited for the 1989 world tour with exclusive behind the scenes footage all of taylor swift's music videos interviews, and more. xfinity is the destination for all things taylor swift.

♪ hello again, a reminder of the top stories on al jazeera. a syrian doctor who lost friends in a chemical attack in syria has requested a new fly zone. france has provided accomodation for more than 10,000 asylum seekers. and peace talks in geneva are failing to make progress in yemen peace talks. crisis talks to salvage the one year old palestinian government have been extended in the west bank. the government was formed last year, but was dissolved earlier because the cabinet struggled to operate in gaza. talks on whether to reshuffle the government or form a new

government will continue on monday. north korea's state media has announced the country is facing its worst drought in a century. rainfall in may was abnormally low, resulting in extensive gaps in agriculture. as a world marks a day focusing on combatting desertification, they say they are doing what they can. >> translator: we are establishing and actively carrying out measures to prevent desertification in accordance with this year's theme. greece is on a painful course towards default and possibly executing the euro zone. the country has been surviving

on a $270 billion bailout by the european central bank the european international commission. on sunday the government failed to renegotiate the deal. now greece is running out of time to get the money it needs to make a $1.8 million repayment to the imf by the end of this month. and another $7.5 billion will need to be repaid in july and august. the greek prime minister says he is still looking for a compromise. >> translator: if europe insists on this option, if its political leadership insists, then they must bare the cost of development that won't be beneficial for anyone in europe. the greek government wants an honorable compromise. >> any chance of finding that compromise do you think, john?

>> reporter: at the moment lauren both sides are entrenched. the greek side as you said has made what it considers to be its final offer. creditors are asking for $4 billion of more austerity measures effective immediately. exacting an extra $4 billion from this economy at the moment when all of the predictions have been confounded currently, and greece now seems to be dipping back into recession, the bank of greece says the first quarter was recessionary the second quarter will probably see a deepening of that recession. that will be a very very difficult task for any government to undertake. the greeks are saying we can't do $4 billion this year. we have left an offer on the table, and that's as good as we

can do lauren. >> thank you very much indeed john. nato is completing its biggest-ever military exercises in the baltic sea. hundreds of soldiers took part in a mock counterattack. lawrence lee reports from northern poland. >> reporter: this is what the militarization of the baltic looks like. marines from several countries heading ashore coming to liberate a country from the grip of the enemy. it's a drill, or worse case scenario it's a rehearsal. nato's supreme allied commander said russia has to understand just how serious nato is. >> my commander in chief made it very, very clear here last year that we will defend every inch

of nato territory. >> do you think it's likely the russians will do anything? >> we have no idea what mr. putin will do. >> reporter: the new crisis has given nato a new lease of life. we were flown out over the baltic in a british stak-- attack helicopter. but in the operations room where the exercise was planned, star from the u.s. u.k. finland, sweden and they aren't even nato members. from the bridge they could see contribution from other countries. >> i think the russians are watching. russia isn't that far away. it's a neighbor of poland clearly they are watching us but this is routine business, and we shouldn't be worried about that. >> reporter: the u.s. has already said it is shipping in huge amounts of military

hardware. equally just down the coast, moscow says it will speed up the placements of ballistic missiles. the question is what is defense and what is aggression. from nato's point of view this is all about openness and moral authority. it's a complicated world nowadays and for many western nations it's not easy to figure out who is a friend and who isn't? but in all of this nato really seems to believe it can offer moral legitimacy over russia. so is all of this an unnecessary provocation of the russians? >> i think every nation has a right to exercise, to make sure they have military skills and what you see in nato is absolute transparency. we announce our exercises ahead time, we talk about the sizes and objectives. there is no secrets.

that should be contrasted to snap exercises, and some which turn into invasions. >> reporter: so you would be comfortable if the russians conducted their own exercises off of the coast of the u.s. >> they have the right to exercise off of international coasts. >> reporter: putin says it is madness to think an invasion is in the cards, but when politicians can't talk to each other, this is what you get. lawrence lee, al jazeera. russia has been accused of saber rattling, and the russian government is not shy about showing off its hardware. a military theme park has opened where children can learn to shoot, climb on tanks, and learn about past battles. >> reporter: arms fair is like

any other market just with more uniforms. military men have brought their shopping lists to russia's army 2015 military technical forum from all across the world, and has given the park its first proper test run as a venue. president putin kicked proceedings off with an explanation of what the park will do next year. >> translator: here you will get to know the history of military aviation navy and army. and part take in military competitions. i'm certain this will become a major component in the education of the younger generation. >> reporter: instilling in young russians an impulse to love and fight for the motherland doesn't

come cheap, $263 million. but with feelings on the rise in russia and tensions with the west seemingly getting worse day by day, it's money that they happily fund. you'll find tanks, missile systems, and this. this is a buk, the type of weapons system the west says pro-russian separatists destroyed flight mh 17 with last year. the crisis in ukraine has given urgency to the massive upgrade program. upgrade 70% by 2020. compared to all of this park patriot is small fry, but it's the brain child of this man, a man some say is more conscience

of the benefits of pr than is typical of most russian politicians. >> most likely he is thinking about continuing his career. maybe he has even ambitions running for president some day, so he wants to be seen as the person who wed russia to military victories to rebuild the russian military into something great and wonderful. >> reporter: russians are start starting to speak of a new arms race but the ussr's was hastened by a richer west. the world's largest hot desert, the sahara is growing, and scientists say climate change is to blame. >> reporter: a few years ago, this entire area was covered in sand, but now life is returning.

this man hopes these salt-resistant plants mean his three children won't have to migrate elsewhere. >> translator: if you have sheep and camels that can eat these plants and live here. before we couldn't feed them. he only had water from god. >> reporter: scientists partly blame climate change for what is happening here. every year there is less rain and more underground water evaporates, the soil becomes dry and salty. >> translator: large amounts of water have very high salt levels. >> reporter: it's called desertification, and it's also threatening one of tunisia's most important tourist spots. some of the most famous scenes in star wars were filmed here. every year thousands of cubic meters of sand are removed from

the set. the sa -- sahara is growing every day. scientists are talking about building a green wall across the whole sahara a belt of trees and plants that will help prevent the creeping of the desert, north and south, and try to stop more land erosion. here a unique irrigation system makes sure palm trees only get the water they need. the oasis also has become a major sort of fruits. these dates are exported abroad creating jobs and money for the community. >> translator: we need to stop thisser rash shall exploitation chopping down trees in the desert. if there's no common vision the solutions we have won't be enough. >> reporter: the people have

shown it's possible to survive this harsh environment. their dream is other communities follow their example. nazanin sadri, al jazeera, southern tunisia. much more on our website, the address, aljazeera.com. ♪ tropical depression brings heavy rains to an already water-logged region. texas, oklahoma and arkansas all on high alert plus the federal reserve what they are deciding now. and the defense secretary lays out nine necessary steps to fight off isil. ♪