looking for. at 7:00, a thorough wrap-up 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. heavy fighting in and around two major syrian cities as rebel groups launch major attacks. hello there, from al jazerra's head quart nurse doha. i am laura kyle. also ahead. >> we are one step ahead. >> the unites nations warns that 10s of millions of people at risk of starvation. new talks between greece and its creditors get around way after negotiations breakdown. and nepal's government a appeals

for billions of dollars to rebuilding the county after devastating earthquakes. ♪ ♪ we begin in syria where rebel groups have launched major attacks against government forces in aleppo and a city south of the capita damascus. after two years of fighting for control of the strategic square in aleppo, rebels now say they have seized that area. they have also taken control of the surrounding government barracks in northwest a help so city. further south syrian activists say rebels have a took government held areas of the city and heavy fighting has been reported overnight. eight people have been killed, 3838 wounded in an attack on the syrian town of kobane, according to a kurdish ypg official a car

bomb exploding close to the border with turkey. isil stormed the city as well in northeastern syria and seized control of several districts there. activists say isil launched an attack on the city from its south entrance while eye suicide bomber blue up a car bomb in the western city entrance. covering develops from jordan. nice reason, there is a lot going on in syria overnight and today. let's first of all look at this isil offensive that we are seeing in the north taking part of this of this place and also attack kobane which was the scene of a huge long battle against the kurds just at the beginning of this year, what is happening in those two places? >> reporter: exactly, laura, a major offensive has been launched by isil in the north and northeast of the country. chief amongst them is their ability to enter -- reenter komen i after months of being

kicked out by kurdish fighters. what we understand from kurdish sources is that isil fighters were able to reenter kobane on the border with turkey disguised as ypg kurdish fighters and free syrian army rebels wearing their uniforms. they were able to enter the city from three different sides. several of them carried out suicide attacks detonated themselves and caused a lot of casualties. there is a lot of fighting going on there we understand and that fighting is still ongoing. there is also as you mentioned been significant car bomb carried out by ice it's fighters in kobane close to the border indicate with turkey and at least eight people have been killed. significantly there because isil reentered kobane overnight on thursday morning and very close to that area as well in the northeast they have launched an offensive there.

we understand from some source that his dozens of people, residents from there have already been trying to flee that area because isil fighters have entered the rural areas and have taken control of some of those areas and that there is fighting going on there in that area. where isil is trying to regain more control. >> okay, nisreen let's turn our attention to two other front aleppo and the southern city. who is fighting there? >> reporter: in aleppo we understand rebels have been fighting with government forces. and have been able to gain control of the strategic part of the district that's called the square, it's close to the government of the barracks as well as to an intelligence branch and the fighters have been fighting to gain control because this think it's strategic that square for around two years so they have taken that as of this morning.

as well there has been an offensive launched by rebels most of the rebels there are not from isil, isil doesn't have a presence there, they are free syrian army rebels different ba tail i don't i don't knows uniting together in what they describe as the southern. they have launched a an attack on several rebel-held areas there, it is really contested because half of is in the halts of rebels rebels and the other hands in the government forces. rebels have managed in the last couple of years with the help of weapons from arab countries to be able to take a lot of cities and town on his the border with jordan and israel. now they are fighting for the heart of the city because half of it as i said is in control of the government forces still. >> a lot of developments coming there from syria today. thanks very much, nisreen for keeping track of that all for us. meanwhile, a u.s. senate

committee has been told that the battle to defeat isil will take years. alan fisher reports from washington. >> reporter: from the panel of you the american strategy is the right one it's just not enough. >> the best option is the partnered approach because indigenous ground forces are required to defeat this formidably hybrid enemy in a lasting way. however, the ways and means currently applied are inadequate. >> reporter: barack obama has been determine today avoid putting u.s. combat troops in the battle with isil instead giving train to iraqi forces and sending advisers to help coordinate the bat. but from the conservative think tank the american enterprise institute which supported the original iraq invasion the suggestion america needs a bigger commitment. >> are we in this or not? is this our war or isn't it? if it is we need to be prepared ever our people serve alongside iraqis. >> reporter: the subcommittee has been examining the current u.s. policy to tackle isis which

has the president admitted has taken time to define. >> we don't yet have a complete strategy because it requires commitments on the part of iraqis as well about how recruitment takes place. how that training takes place. and so the details that have of that are not yet worked out. >> reporter: there is no drive in having sunni tribes there is a warning that they have to be backed up. >> sunnis are making life and death calculations about which side do they throw their support behind. and if they see that -- if they believe that rising up against isis, six months frommize ill -- from now isil will be back. they are not going do that. therefore there needs to be a consistent perception of progress being made. >> reporter: the white house will have had these arguments listening to any recommendations the committee wants to make. the policy for the fight against

aisles is being driven by the president. and for the moment there is no change. alan fisher, al jazerra washington. the u.n. an ann say to yemen is warning that the country is close to famine. 21 million people now in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, people are caught up in fighting between forces loyal to president mansur hadi and the houthi rebels and their allies. a blockade of yemen's ports has made it difficult for agencies to deliver aid. the u.n. envoy says all sides are responsible for the suffering. >> we are one step, one step far from famine. we have over 21 million yemeni today in need of humanitarian assistance. [ inaudible ] it was 7 million only two years ago now we are 21 million. >> from the international committee of the red cross joining us now from geneva via skype. the u.n. saying yemen is one step away from famine. you can't get much more of a

severe warning. your organization, is very present in yemen, tell us what that situation looks like on the ground. >> well, for the icrc it's been more than a month since we have been warning of a very serious humanitarian ca as it tough any yemen. it's not just about food it's about watering it's about healthcare shelter it's about everything. we have to understand that the amount of food that used to be import today generally before this conflict was up to 90% of the whole food that you could find in the country. over the last two months, or since the air strikes have started. only five to 10% of this food has entered in em yemen so you can imagine how difficult it is for people to find food in the first place, but that's not the only problem, whatever food that is available inside the country it's very difficult to distribute it to areas where there are the greatest needs for a number of reasons. first, because there is a very

severe shortage of fuel which makes it extremely difficult nearly impossible to transport food from one place to the other and secondly, oftentimes impartial humanitarian aid distribution is not possible in yemen. oftentimes our convoys are stopped here and there by different armed groups who do not want to us deliver on the other side because they are their enemies. so gaining impartial access on the ground is extremely crucial for us, that's why the icrc keeps talking to all of the parties to the conflict in yemen. all the groups inside yemen and this is how we work every day on the ground. >> okay. the icrc i understand has a ship with about a thousand tons of food and a number of generate nurse to yemen in the last cup days, give us an idea of how far that goes. >> yes, thanks to our dialogue with the parties, we have been able to negotiate this ship you

know 1,000-tons and this will be -- now we are working on how to distribute this to the different places because as i said impartial delivery of aid is extremely crucial and that's what we are trying to do. we are now talking to the parties, the greatest needs are in aden, there is no doubt about it. but then aden is not the only place where there is a severe shortage of food. and then the generators, the only way get drinking water in yemen is through pumping stations and because there is almost no electricity in yemen anymore, the pumping stations can only run on generators. so that's what we brought these generators, and then we will also give fuel to the local water authorities so that they can continue spying drinking waters to areas in yemen so this is the priority for the time being. >> it is a huge job, thank you very much for joining us to explain some of the difficultieses involved no getting out to to the people that

need in most in yemen. >> thank you. greece's prime minister is due to restart talks with creditors as i tries to hash out a deal to try from default on the ground his country's massive debts, late night talks on wednesday failed. greece needs to payback $1.5 billion euro to his the international monetary fund by next tuesday or risk being declared in default and potentially forced out of the euro zone. john live for us in athens. so greece's proposal was not enough. but can tsipras offer anymore? >> reporter: the greek delegation issued a statement late last night this is a sort of sum rift day's proceedings. it said that its creditors have proposed a new deal which it says shifts the burden on salary workers and pensioners in an unfair way. the greek side cannot agree to

such a direction. that's where things were left and at this hour as we speak. the greek delegation going back in to a meeting with creditors four hours from now another meeting of the euro zone finance ministers. we have a repeat of yesterday's schedule but tonight there is a summit which will hopefully wrap this thing up. we know what the creditors are asking for, they are asking for $4 billion in savings this year, the greek side has shifted. at the again of the mott proposals they put forward shifted the problems onto future. there were no cuts in this year's budget o monday there were significant shifts. the greek's were poe posing then did $720 million on pensions and increased taxation on consumer tax. we don't know how far that position has shifted since then. we do know yesterday morning

mr. tsipras was very unhappy on the basis of this new proposal that the creditors made saying then that either the creditors don't want to deal or they are colluding with the political opposition at home to prevent him from striking one. >> very interesting day ahead of us, we'll keep a close eye on developments this brussels there, thanks very much, john. still to come here on al jazerra. protests grow in armenia. people take to the treats for a third night over electricity price hikes. plus. >> reporter: i am in hebron in the occupied west bank. as palestinian officials submit their first complaints to the international criminal court. we look at the key issues.

>> al jazeera's investigative unit has tonight's exclusive report. >> stories that have impact. that make a difference.

that open your world. >> this... is what we do. >> america tonight. tuesday through friday 10:00 eastern. only on al jazeera america. hello again, the top stories here on al jazerra. syrian rebel groups have launch a major assault against government forces in northwest aleppo. the fighters say they have seemed the extra team i can laura moon square and surrounding government barracks. the you u.n. is warning that yemen is one step way from famine, 21 million people are in urgent need of assistance. talks between greece and its creditors are about to resume after late night negotiations failed to mick my progress. greece could default on a $1.5 million payment due next week and risk being pushed out of the euro zone. the southern region of the philippines has been plagued by violence for decades. there are several armed groups

operating in the area and they are recruiting children. in the second part of our special series from the southern philippines, we have a report on the battle to save a new generation of child soldiers. >> reporter: he's been living a quiet life for over a decade now. but he said his past remains just as vivid. he was a child soldier at the age of 12. encouraged by his four brothers who were parts of the first recruits for an armed group operating in southern philippines. years later he is still too afraid to show his face. >> translator: what happened to me is done, i can't go back to it now. but i don't want my children to go through what i went through. >> reporter: abdul grew up in on an island in the southern most part of philippines long held back by poverty and armed rebellion. the number of child soldiers recruited here is still unknown the government that admit the

problem has remained on the back burn fore too long and as a result, a new generation of rebels has emerged. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: in this exclusive video obtained by al jazerra a new group of fighters is presented. and they are getting younger. they are called. [ inaudible ] orsons of martyrs. that's because most of their fathers were also members. and were killed fighting the government. some of these recruits are as young as 14 years of age. they are involved in i had napping extortion and terrorism and far more violent than the previous fighters because they are also involved in elicit drugs. just like their they ares they are uneducated, poor and marginalized. they say there there is no escaping their future. >> we are trying to save the

next generation, we cannot save the present generation because they already have undergone experiences since the '70s. they grew up in war. so what we are trying to do is to cut the cycle. and trying to save this generation from experiencing war and giving them hope. >> reporter: these children also come from the village villages from these boys from warring communities, football has become a unifying symbol. most of them are also back in school. this play center has been organized by the community. for the first time children here have a semblance of what it's like to be a normal child. their parents are grateful. they hope that this means their children will grow up playing with toys instead of guns. al jazerra in the southern philippines. in the third part of our

series of special reports from the southern pill fines we find out how a local tradition is giving women a chance to rebuild their lives. that's on friday on al jazerra. in armenia demonstrations over plans to raise electricity prices have continued for a third night. armenia's only power supplier is controlled by russia and protesters accuses of it taking advantage of eights monopoly. we have this update from the capital. [ inaudible ] it's optimist ticker it's relaxed but people genuinely have grievances they want to see an end to corruption, they want to see an end to the price hikes, they want to see an end to the approximate monopoly taking hold of the economy in this country. what protesters say is that this is not about a protest against russia, this is a protest against a russian company which has gone too far. it has a ma nope low electricity

supply near or mean gentleman and that the 16% price hike is too much for most ordinary people. a third of the armenian population lives below the poverty line. they are shouting. [ inaudible ] the crowd is growing uneasy. [ inaudible ] we have makeshift barriers. [ inaudible ] at the far end the placement now, the other day they tried to firewater cannon at the protesters but instead of frightening people away it's had the opposite effect. submitting documents to the international court in hopes of bringing war crimes against israeli officials. this is the first time prosecutors will see the palestinians formally take action against israel's breaches of international law imtiaz tie as reports. >> reporter: this is as clowe as he can get to land his family has owned for generations.

which israel began building this settlement considered illegal under international law an electrified fence was also built. he shows me how it prevents him from accessing his product but says he hasn't lost hope of regaining his land one day. >> translator: we up hair ted this land from our grant parents and went to cultivate it. i am glad we are going to the international criminal court because i want a solution that will put an end to the israelis occupying my land. israel's settlements in the occupied west bank make up a key component of the palestinian submission to the international criminal court. dozens of settlement says have been built across the territory and are now home to more than 600,000 israelis. the key argument in the complaint against the settlements is based on article 8, section 2 of the i.c.c.'s rome statute which states the transfer of an okay prior civilian population in territories it occupies is illegal. the file is broken down in to

three main categories of complaints. the first is deals with these illegal settlements which you can see here. the second deals with the status and treatment of palestinian citizens and the final last summer's war with gaza. israel is also accused of seriously breaching the international rules of war during last year's 50-day bombardment of the gaza strip. more than 2,200 palestinians were killed, mostly civilians. a u.n. report published this week found both israel and hamas may have committed war crimes. the palestinian submission to the i.c.c. a also alleges dozens of other violations of international law. >> our goal is to prove that israel has committed world crimes and crimes against humanity and our goal is to help theism c.c. i gnash yet an investigation as quickly as possible. israeli official little have refuse today provide information requested by the i.c.c. saying

the court has no authority to investigate palestinian complaints because in its view, palestine is not a state. it will be up to the i.c.c.'s chief prosecutor to decide whether there is enough evidence to order a preliminary examination and then a full criminal investigation in to the allegations. a process that will no doubt be long and complicated. only individuals can be indicted by the court. no states, which means pros cuters will have to determine which military and government officials could be prosecuted for war crimes or not. al jazerra, in the south hebron hills. boston marathon bomber joe czar tsarnaev has broken his silence for the first time. he's apologize today the victims, saying i am sorry for the lives i have taken for the suffering that i have done for the damage i have done, irreparable damage i remember made the comments at a court hearing where he was formally

sentenced to death. he and his brother planted bombs at the boston marathon in 2013. ray prison guard has been arrested in the united states after two convicted murderers broke free from a new york state jail. gene palmer is accused of conspiring to smuggle tools in to the prison. convicted murderers richard matt and david sweet escaped from the facility after cutting holes in the steel walls of their cell. nepal's neighbor india has pledged $1 billion for earthquake reconstruction at a donor conference in kathmandu. the huge quake in april claimed almost 9,000 lives and left hundreds of thousands homeless. >> reporter: villagers just outside kathmandu haven't waited for the government to build them temporary homes. monsoon rains have started. and almost 200 of the 900 households have a roof above their heads. with the help of private donors.

residents here say they would have had more shelters by now if the government had been more helpful. a community leader coordinating temporary housing projects is frustrated by the government's slow pace. >> translator: we have had foreign groups trying to help us but they have been struggling with authorizations that they need from the government. the government has not even given us $150 promised by the state. the government should look to encourage foreigners who are offering help by regulating and monitoring their work. >> reporter: napoli government leaders announced anyone who wants to help the relief effort had to go through the prime minister's fund. many private donors didn't want the government to handle their money. now the government is trying to find $7 billion for are you cop reconstruction the earthquake damaged more than 800,000 houses the cost of rebuilding these would be roughly $3 billion. while the government is looking for support to cover these

costs. locals hope that bureaucratic red tape is not going to hamper the process of reconstruction. a few days before the conference the government announced a if you body, a special authority to oversee rebuilding. >> we are now creating a special authority which can quicken the pace of immaterial police implementation. we have powers to bend the results to circumvent the process. [ inaudible ] so with this authority headed by the prime minister, special authority, and the implementing agency of the government, and outside the government i think any concern about the government, any concern about management and. [ inaudible ] will be resolved. >> reporter: over the past two months longstanding international development partners have also been criticized as well as the government. now both sides are hoping reconstruction will move forward

in the spirit of collaboration. >> inning en to be provided as to how exactly this new agency will work. the international community hopes it's as unpolitical as possibly. it should have very clear standards operating procedures. making sure it has mechanisms for accountability and transparency. >> reporter: villagers are not holding their breath. they say that life has to go on with or without government helpful but they want to have a say on how their village will be reconstructed. al jazerra. now in colombia a mother and her baby boy have been found a life several days after the plane they were in crashed in defense jungle. 18-year-old nelly and her son

were rescued on wednesday. they have been taken to hospital with only minor injuries. you can always keep up-to-date with all the very latest news on our website. there it is on your screens. aljazerra.com. velshi "on target" tonight trolling for dollars. threatening to put american ingenuity out of business. plus the cost of free draid, president obama's fast track treaty deal has come back from the dead. innovation is the fuel that powers america's engine and sets the united states apart from every other nation on earth. creating an atmosphere w