>> islamic state in yemen has claimed responsibility. >> hello there i'm julie mcdonald. this is al jazeera live from london. also coming up. a doctor gives damning new evidence to u.s. congress syria's government is stepping up chemical attacks. supporters rally against greece's creditors amid warnings that the country's future in the e.u. is at risk. tiger escapeed from a zoo in

georgia is shot dead after killing a man. and welcome to patriot park, russia's military disneyland. >> hello there welcome to the program. the group linked to the islamic state in iraq and the levant has claimed responsibility in an online statement for a series of car bombings across yemen's capital. there are reports that dozens of people have been killed and injured about. at least two of the blasts targeted mosques. another hit the political headquarters of the rebel houthi movement. earlier a saudi-led airstrikes was reportedly to hit a convoy killing 31 people as they let the southern city of aden. well the latest attacks happened as peace talks were

extended until friday. those attending the u.n.-sponsored negotiations have been struggling to make progress. yemen's foreign minister has claimed the houthi rebels are just sitting around in hotel rooms in geneva, and this follows three months of saudi-led airstrikes that have killed more than 2500 people. hashem ahelbarra has more from geneva. >> the bombings in the capital of sanaa are likely to have an impact in the talks under way here in geneva. the united nations with the meetings with the houthis and those loyal to the former president ali abdullah saleh. the problem for the time being is that there are huge differences between the warring factions in yemen about how to move forward.

the government said that the houthis should stop shelling areas, putting up sculptures over last few months. the houthis say that the problem are the saudi-led airstrikes and there would be no stability in the country. but the international community is concerned it is concerned if the en pass continues violence will continue and groups will expel into further parts of the country. they are determined to have different factions agree here in geneva. >> the world's chemical weapons watchdog said that it has destroyed all of syria's toxing arsenal, but that is overshadowed by damning new evidence that president bashar al-assad forces are increasing chemical attacks.

speaking through a translator the doctor said that chlorine bombs have been used as recently as tuesday. >> in the past three months we have experienced a new type of terror that is in the form of barrel bombs that contain chemical weapons. since march 16th of this year we have documented 31 attacks using bounce poisonous gas. i remember well the night of march 13th when the first of chemical attacks were used. i left my house and as soon as i left my house i could smell chlorine bleach in the air. before i arrived to the hospital many victims had beaten me there, and many had the burns.

>> in light of these allegations about who is behind the attacks what is it that that's doctors want from the members of congress? >> i should point out that these statements are backed up by photos as well. they're asking the u.s. government to take the lead and take military action inside syria to pressure the bashar al-assad government into some political negotiation that will lead to a no-fly zone and insure the security and protection of civilians who are subjected to chlorine gas attacks. there is a fear that these have been stepped up just ten days before the security council resolution was put in place. and also threatening military action if there was a breach in this resolution. the fear is that bashar al-assad's government, if he is responsible is emboldened by the fact that there has been reticence on the part of the

international community includes the u.s. the crossing of the red line that was spoken so much about in in 2013 by president obama has really hurt u.s. credibility on this issue. >> kimberly, how much political will is there in reality in congress to take some sort of military action to stop these kinds of attacks? >> that's the problem julie. there is really a division, a deep division among u.s. lawmakers, some are very adamant saying that this is action that should have been taken a long time ago and pressuring the obama administration. others are saying we're weary in the united states. so are our constituents. this is not the sort of thing that the u.s. should be taking the lead on and let the like-minded international coalition take the lead on this is part of the problem too among lawmakers they're not sure that the syrian government

is responsible for the chlorine gas attacks. they use chlorine to insure clean water. the assad government denies they're responsible. there are been other groups that have used chlorine in attacks. islamic state in iraq and the levant has done this in iraq as well allegedly. there are concerns. that's why there is a mechanism if place and being talked about at the united nations, the u.s. ambassador to the united nations samantha power suggesting there should be an attribution mechanism to have absolutely certainty about who is behind these attacks. >> kimberly halkett joining me live from washington, d.c. thank you. 33 people have been killed in and around damascus by fighting between the army and opposition forces. nine people died when the shells struck the syrian capital's capital. returning from damascus, they

bring up the issue of doing more to protect civilians. he talked about the ongoing killing in syria. now some of the 23,000 syrian refugee who is fled to turkey over the past two weeks have started returning home. they were forced out when it was seizeds by isil fighters. the town was retaken by kurdish fighters supported by syrian rebels. bernard smith reports from the turkey syrian border. >> deciding it was better to go home than to squeeze through the packed refugee camps these syrians crossed back on wednesday. only two days ago syrian-kurdish ypg fighters took control of a strategic border down from isil after a after a three-week battle. >> i don't feel safe going back. >> we are going back after two

years. isil accused us of being ypg. >> we have been in turkey for three days without anywhere to stay. i'm not afraid to go back. i'm a civilian. i have done nothing wrong. >> most of the 20,000 syrian who is crossed are still in turkey. of those we spoke to who are going home some were nervous about being under control. others were indifferent and others were glad to see the back of isil. >> u.s.-led airstrikes are changing the political map of syria, replacing isil with the kurdish ypg. turkey has long been concerned about the strengthening kurdish presence along it's border with syria. now the ypg controls a continuous area of land that runs along the frontier of turkey from the euphrates kobane, and close to the border of iraq. in january after a four-month battle ypg forces took control

of the syrian town of kobane. then they've been under siege by fighters. with airstrikes from the u.s.-led coalition ypg managed to hold on to kobane, but the fighting left much of the town in ruins. bernard smith on the turkey turkey-syrian border. >> france will find accommodation for 10,000 asylum seekers as part of the program to help migrants crossing the mediterranean sea. france said it will take 4,000 people by next year and house another 5,500 refugees who have already been granted legal status. >> well, the u.n. refugee agency has rebuked hungary after it announced plans to build a four meter high wall to keep migrants

out. the number entering hungary has risen markedly. they say the government is committed to defending hungarian people from immigration. >> it can be clearly seen that the countries of the e.u. are searching for the answer to this challenge and can also be seen that the road to a joint answer seems very time-consuming and long. so hungary cannot allow itself to wait any longer. we naturally hope that there is a joint european solution. >> the head of the catholic church has weighed in on the issue of migrants and asylum seekers, saying they're a collective responsibility. pope francis maiden appeal not to close the door on those seeking a safer life. >> i encouraged the work of those bringing them help, and i

urged the international community to act in a consistent and efficient way to correct circumstances that force migration. i urge not to turn backs on those in migration. >> greece may be exiting the eurozone and possibly the european union. the country has been surviving on a $270 billion by the european commission and the international monetary fund. greece said that the terms of the loan are too tough and on sunday the government failed to renegotiate the deal with its creditor. now greece is running out of time to get the money that it needs to pay the $1.8 billion

repayment to the imf due by the end of this month. another $7.5 billion will be need to be paid in july and then again in august. the greek finance minister was asked if they believed that they could come up with an agreement on the way forward. >> i do not believe the euro groups are not designed to stage fresh that was conversations that have not been made in advance. >> well, this is the scene in athens a short while ago. thousands gathering in front of the parliament oh to show support for their government. they were calling for their country's creditors to soften their reform demand.

they are are wanting to cut austerity measures that they say have hurt the greek people. >> north korea admits its struggling as rice paddies dry up. find out what people in sudan think about the attempt to arrest their president omar al-bashir.

>> welcome back. a reminder of the stop stories here on al jazeera. yes, ma'am's capital was hit by a series of car bombs.

two of the blasts targeted mosques. another hit the headquarters of houthi houthi rebels. a doctor in syria has called for a no-fly zone to stop chemical bombs from being dropped. and hungary will build a four-meter high wall to keep migrants out. >> government membership certificates in australia are still refusing to comment on allegations that officials paid people smugglers to take their human cargo back to indonesia. we've heard from the crew of that boat and show the money that they say was paid to them. >> australia's prime minister still isn't answering questions. >> what was your reaction? >> these are those pictures. the money shots that have again

fresh impetus to the at gas stations that australia paid people smugglers to turn a boat full of asylum seekers back to sea. with this interview with the captain suggests despite the australian's government refusal to comment they did take place. >> i told the australian man that we needed money toker so we could rumor to return to our wives and children. he said okay, we'll help you. >> this is at the center of the controversy. the sag of the legality of paying people smugglers. >> you're asking a question based on an allegation, and i don't feel the need to respond to someone else's allegation.

>> was it legal? the captain said that australian vessels guided him to australian mainland where the payment took place. >> the australian secret intelligence services has broken australian laws in paying people smuggleers in australian territory. >> wherever it happened, if it did paying smugglers isn't popular. the most we talked to on the streets of sydney were appalled. >> you can't just keep it a secret because we don't know where the money is going top it just doesn't work that way. >> and the government's rhetoric was turned back on them. >> people smugglers are using money they received to fund terrorism. >> a week ago.

australian government flat denied the reports of these payments. 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 on australia's government to come clean and explain. andrew thomas, al jazeera, sydney. >> let's return to our top story briefly. the multiple bomb attacks carried out by an isil-linked group in yemen. well video has emerged of one of the blasts in the capital of sanaa. the attacks targeted three mosques on the eve of the holy month of ramadan. we'll keep you up-to-date with more pictures as we get them. >> north korea has announced that it is suffering it's worth drought in a century. a third of the country's rice paddy are thought to have dried up.

>> on north korean state run television, a rare announcement that all is not well. this government official said that we're establishing to carry out various counter measures to prevent drought damage, and despite the pictures of lakes crops and hillsides covered in trees, north korea is facing it's worth drought in half a century. this is a worrying situation. >> this is the worst drought damage in 20 years of my experience. normally the rice seedlings should be about 30 centimeters high right now. as you can see it's too small to do rice planting. >> a third of the country's rice paddies have dried up.

>> but the temperatures have risen quickly. with the dry air flow and this is five to seven dress degrees higher than an average year. >> the river is alarmingly low. such images bring back images of the 1990 drought, which is thought to have killed hundreds of thousands of people. the rainfall has been low on both sides of the border, the y.y. have almost a third of children under five in north korea malnourish. a prolonged drought could claim many more lives. >> well, the "world health organization" said that the outbreak for the middle east

respiratory syndrome is now a public health emergency of international concern. the number of new cases is declining. 65,000 people are being monitored. the mers outbreak has claimed 20 lives with 162 people infected. protesters in hong kong has been debating it's reform plans. hundreds gathered outside of the parliament building, and object to the pre-scening and selection of candidates. two dates after omar al-bashir avoided arrest inside africa, he has yet to comment on the.

we have a mixed reaction from the people there. >> on the streets of khartoum it is business as usual for the sudanese people. the president was nearly arrested in south africa. >> if he should be put on trial to aaccount for his deeds, it should be in sudan by the sudanese people. >> it's on fair. those calling for the rest of our president and want to destabilize our country. >> the >> he was allowed to leave the country despite an order calling for him to remain. a defiant bashir was greeted by supporters. they have called what happened in africa. >> we say that the international criminal court has been nearly completed in africa by the

refusal of all african states to implement its decisions decisions. >> for the opposition it's a humiliation that could have been avoided. >> all of this did thought have to happen. this is a humiliation for sudan and the sudanese state. >> despite that it is thought that they would do. >> this event to enhance his image. >> during his six years in power omar al-bashir has cover come obstacles, but how long will he survive? al jazeera khartoum. >> a tiger that escaped from the flooded zoo in georgia has been

shot after it killed a man in the capital of tbilis. happened inside of a market that was being cleaned up from a flood, and the authorities said they had no choice but to kill the tiger. >> it is confirmed that one man was killed by the wild animal, especially forces are inside the building, and we can say that a man has definitely been killed by the tiger. he was taken to hospital unconscious, and we know he has now died. we wanted to tranquilize the animal. but it was very aggressive and attacking unfortunately, we had to attack it. >> european union has agreed to extend economic sanctions against russia by another six months. it will be in place last july.

it then imposed it's own trade sanctions. >> well, russia has been accused of saber rattling of modernizing it's military. it has not been shy showing off it's hardware. rory challands. >> looking for bargains, an arms fair is like any other market, just with more uniforms. military men have brought their shopping lists to iraq's army therussia's army. >> here you will be able to see

reinactments of famous battles get the history of the aviation, navy and army, take part in competitions and extreme sports. i'm certain that it will become a major component in repatriation for the younger generation. >> instilling young russians an impulse to laugh and fight for the mother lapped does not come treat. $263million. but with the militaristic feeling on the ice in russia and tensions with the west seemingly day by day it is money they're willing to spend. some may feel uneasy with russia trying to make a fun family day out with raw destructive power tanks, missile systems and this, this is a the type of women system the worst is pro-russia

separateists fought with last year. >> they areyear. upgrades of equipment and missiles for nuclear arsenal. this is the brainchild of defense minister a man who some say is more conscience of the conscious of the pr than others. >> he wants to be seen as the person who would move russia to military victories and provoke the russian military into something great and wonderful.

>> history contains warnings. the ussr collapse with a ruinous race to arms that moscow could not afford. >> you can find more on our website www.aljazeera.com. >> wildlife poaching is big business... worth more than 17 billion dollars a year and growing.