♪ >> certainsyria's president acknowledge the shrinking ranks of his xauchtd army but insists he can still win the war. ♪ hello. i am julie mcdonald. this is al jazeera live from london. also coming up: yemen's latest cease-fire in doubt before it even begins. houthi rebels reject it. bar barack obama in ethiopia says kenya stands at a crossing rode between peril and promise. garbage collection in beirut

left rubbish piling up in the streets. >> hello there. welcome to the program. after almost four and a half years in syria, it's the president's first real admission that government forces are struggling. in a speech to the nation bashar al assad said his army is tired and lacks numbers and said his forces may have to concede some territory to their enemy. a report. >> for the first time since the war began in syria, president bashar al-assad admits government forces have a problem and they have been forced to abandoned some areas. we do have new recruits every day. the military is carrying out this mission but the syrian army is sometimes required to give up areas in order to hold on to more important areas.

we are in a fateful period. there are no compromise solutions. >> assad is trying to put a brave face. in order to win and succeed in anything everybody gets tired. it is quite normal that the state, the army get tired but the word "defeat" does not exist in our dictionary or in the language of the syrian armed forces. for four years, assad has relied on the military backing of iran and fighters from the shia muslim group hezbollah in lebanon. he enjoys the backing of russia and china where the syrian army is under huge pressure. it once had around 300,000 members but according to some estimates, it has been roughly halved in size by decktion did hefection and draft dodging. >> we have everything we need. there is a lack of human resources. isil fighters and position rebel groups have seized more

territory than recent months. they took control room in the north. and pushed toward the strong hold on the coast. various areas close to the capitol damascus are battle grounds. >> damascus is the center power and he is trying. he wants and strength to protect the main highway. they are very important to him. overall, he is losing ground. even in the center of syria so he is in trouble really. possibly a no-fly zone buffer zone might bring him to the negotiation table in the future. >> no fighting has -- fighting has been record in different parts. government helicopters dropped bombs in northwestern syria killing a number of people. syria has turned into a proxy war for local regional and international powers which could be prolong the war.

the united states says more than 230,000 people have been killed and millions more are displaced. al jazeera. >> n. >> a syrian activist and member of the opposition syrian national court is questioning the in the's motives. suffering, lack of people of inpower and they are using big land to syria. he said that he would give up some regions in order to be able to gain some other regions but this is not the fact. he knows that loudly saying syria is not for syrians, all who are fighting for assad's regime. for whole would keep assad in

power, controlling the whole country even destroying the rest of the whole country, but the only thing assad wants to is to stay in power, to stay on his own chair. 4 people have been killed at a hotel. they say the suicide bomber drove his car into the protective perimeter of the jazi jjeezera hotel let's look back at the final day of the historic trip of obama to his father's homeland. during the address, he called on kenya to get tough on corruption and to empower the country's women and girls. from nairobi, catherine soi has the story.

>> president barack obama received a rousing welcome from thousands of kenyans when invited to hear him speak in this arena. the u.s. president said kenya is a success story with a vibrant economy and good democracy but is well aware of economic and endemic corruption. across the country one study shows corruption costs kenyans 250,000 jobs every year because every schilling that's paid as a bribe could be put into the pocket of somebody who is actually doing an honest day's work. >> outside the arena, thousands of kenyans lined the streets. they see this as a home coming. they went all out to welcome him. most of the people have been here since very early in the

morning just to catch a glimpse of the president barack obama. they have been following keenly what he has been saying. >> you don't need to do what my father did and leave your home. >> the expectations. this man where obama's father was born was hoping to catch the president's attention. unemployment is his biggest concern. i have a master's degree. i don't have a job in kenya. in this country. i cannot go get a job in this country. >> president obama also focused on the threat from al shabaab fighters, from counterterrorism and empowering young people and trade. matters that resonate with people here. >> his presence, alone, is enough he has addressed issues? >> god bless you.

thank you. ♪ he left the arena on a high. out here, though then, didn't get close to hip, they just hope his visit will mean prosperity. catherine soi, al jazeera, nairobi. >> president obama is now in ethiopia. let's go live and speak with al jazeera's mohammed adow. hi, there, mohammed. what kind of welcome did he receive after that warm and jubulant welcome in kenya? >> w the welcome he got here is euphoric similar to what we witnessed in nairobi. this is the land he came from where he went to years of study. he was welcomed by the prime minister like any other welcome.

and also ethiopians are used to visiting dignititaries because this is the their african reunion. usually the city is a place were different kind of dignitaries all year 'round. he is expected to hold by lateral talks with the ethiopian government on top of the agenda the issues of security and trade in terms of trade either open i cant is not only original power but a rising economy which is expected to be soon. the american government wants to cash in on that because there is huge trade between ethiopia and china and this is something that the united states would like to stave off. however, the issue of security is also key because the ethiopia is also a key ally to the united states in the so-called war on terrorism because its forces in

somal i can't and this district to retake some keys from al shabaab militia. many thing many either openians wajdz to handle is for barack obama to power with the government to build with the issues of human rights. it's just in may there were elections in this country which the government has warned. >> mohammed adow joining me. thank you. the leadem of yemen's houthi rebels is rejecting a humanitarian cease-fire that was due to come in to effect in five hours time. the saudi-led coalition said it would one minute before local time. this is the third cease-fire army forces loyal to former president the aerial campaign

started on march 26th. a five-day cease-fire allowed humanitarian aid groups to deliver feud fuel and medicine although there was some fighting between rival sites and then a week long truce brokered by the united nations earlier failed almost immediately. saudi arabia said it hasn't been asked to stop the raid. the dire situation and a warning some viewers may find some of the images in his report disturbing. >> reporter: military planes are arriving in ade. n after four months of fighting the airport is under the control of the pro-government fighters. it's after taking this city from houthi rebels that the saudi-led coalition announced a 5-day pause. it says the truce comes at the with respect of hadi to allow in humanitarian aid. saudi arabia warns it will respond to anyhow howe attacks. the goal is to help lift the

siege imposed on cities and reach areas with much needed humanitarian aid it is another opportunity for the houthis. out of touch, saudi strikes are killing many civilians. several positions on friday but the rebels say a reasonable area was hit including a shelter for internally displaced people. dozens were killed. houthi activists uploaded this video which appears to show bodies of women and children. we cannot independently verify the pictures. battleses mean little aid has made it through. the humanitarian situation has become worse. yemeni military and pro-hadi tribes say they have held off houthi offenses and their fortifying positions.

>> our goal is to liberate taiz and help those displaced to go back to their homes. we want to build a modern civil state for us and for our children. >> in aden, the destruction from months of fighting is everywhere since pro-houthi forces took control, they are trying to document the damage. >> aid agencies are calling for a lasting cease-fire to reach those who desperately need aid. >> the situation is extremely dire. talking about more than 20 million people in urge of humanitarian assistance, cross cutting across healthcare water, food, shelter and all of the rest. so we desperately need a resolution of this conflict. >> whichever side tree fralz t will be left with a yemen that's tattered and exhausted. obama binjabid. >> the a pro-houthi activist accuses them of not being honest about their reasons for a cease-fire. >> the saudi, i think, want to

use this cease-fire on loyalists in the in the aden and they will bring the cease-fire. at the end of ramahdan it was a cease-fire that has been that the u.n. has been working for two months to have it. they have used that and they used it for aden. the u.n., for example, must be involved in a cease-fire. the cease-fire not only one side with the aggression, the one that started the war, i think they will be studied by parties in yemen because they do want this stees fire to end. they always will come until any cease-fire. the saudi has violated. >> still to come on the program, more airstrikes in turkey against kurdish rebels.

two soldiers die in a roadside bombing, plus: >> gaza palestinians wounded during last year's war with israel are still struggling to find proper healthcare.

>> welcome back. a reminder the top stories. syria's president says the country's army is struggling to contain isil and rebel groups within its own borders. assad said his troops were tired and lacking manpower after

almost 4 and a half years of conflict. u.s. president barack obama has arrived in ethiopia the next stage of his africa visit. after his two day it is he will address the african union. a 5-day pause in the saudi air led coalition coalition said they would shroud aid but houthi leaders have rejected the move. two turkish soldiers have died in a roadside bombing. an attack that is being blamed on kurdish rebels. meanwhile, fighting of pkk. the latest strikes head the pkk's headquarters in the mountains of northern iraq. activists say turkish jets hitfieders from the islamic state of iraq in alleppo and the town of jarabula.

dan zeina chodr filed this update. >> the people in southern towns are afraid of possible retaliation now that turkey has declared war on isil as well as the did you everedstan worker's party, the pkk. the town behind me is the syrian to you. isil-controlled territory. it's a porous border. the turkish army has sent reinforcements but that is doing little to ease people's concerns jabalous is important to many players. first of all, isil. isil lost control of all border crossings. this is the last stretch of territory it controls. to my right, to my left is the syrian opposition groups. tie has two main objectives. it wants to degrade and defeat

isil. it wants to contain syria's kurds and it doesn't want isil to threaten syrian opposition groups which it supports. so, the airstrikes the turkish airstrikes which are now taking place inside syria against isil are concentrating in the region behind me we have heard a safe zone emerging after this. >> will be in the area behind me there's why this stretch of territory is strategimc is it is causing tensions with its kurdish community after they rounded up hundreds of suspected pkk sympathizers in the country. now, we are hearing the united states saying turkey has the

response. the turkish airstrikes against the pkk are in no way connected to the increased cooperation between turkey and the united states. the. they want to make clear it's not going after the mpk. they are relying on the kurds on the ground. in syria and in iraq. the u.s. in a difficult situation. turkey at war. people are afraid of retaliation retaliation. >> palestinians say the most sensitive holy sites in jerusalem. on the day of tishibaa mourning and repenance by jews. two israeli i say they used rocks, metal bars and flares to attack police who came to dismantle them. aid agencies say israel assisted in the bombardment of gaza and

had a lingering and catastrophic effect on the healthcare system. from gaza, many with permanent injuries are losing hope. >> for eastboundibrahim, spending time with his daughter is the happiest part of his day. he struggles with depression after he lost his leg when he and his family were sheltering. his father and brother were killed in that strike and rahav still has bits of slapnal lodged in her skull . >> i am completely destroyed. i have lost my legs. i have lost my job. i can't leave gaza because we are under siege on all sides. all i want is at least one artificial lim to feel like a normal person again. once a week he travels to this clinic in gaza city. it's where he receives physiotherapy and is taught ways to manage his pain but like many

of the thousands wounded during last year's war, he can't afford to buy the medicine he needs or the treatments are not available. aid agency say the continuing impact of last year's war on gaza's wounded is nothing short of catastrophic. 17 hospitals, 56 primary healthcare facilities and 45 ambulances were either damaged or completely destroyed, costing the healthcare system here an estimated $50 million. according to the united states nations, 2251,000 were killed in the fighting, mostly civilians. of the more than 11,000 wounded, at least 10 percent now have permanent disabilities. bur there couldn't be many more survivors an investigation found 500 of those who were killed during the conflict should have lived. but obvious stackels including military zones, israel checkpoints and a lack of

coordination meant these individuals all alive when reported to ambulance services died before the paramedics got to them or before they reached hospital. >> mohammed is a physio therapist at one of the few rehabilitation centers forearm pew teas in gaza. he said the healthcare system was stretched after the two previous conflicts with israel. >> from egypt, that we can't bring the medication or bring the medical teams to make the treatment here in the gaza strip. >> which means the thousands of palestinians like ibrahim who have been wounded will continue to suffer. al jazeera, gaza. >> a russian officer driving a truck full of ammunition has allegedly been arrested near the fighter held city released by the ukrainian authorities show piles of creates driven by the

russian soldier now in custody. russia has previously denied any official military intervention in eastern ukraine's conflict. french police are searching for a driver who smashed through a security barrier at the tour de france's finish line. police opened fire on the car, failing to stop it from speeding away after the incidents. the car was pounds abandoned nearby. the world's most widely used we'dcare. round-up has been on the market since 1974 and sold in more than 160 countries. earlier this year the world health organization said it might cause cancer. the manufacturer denies that. as jackie roland reports, the french government has decided to act. farmers and guardners face similar challenges from weeds and insects. many products are now on the market promising help in the struggle againstnate. one of the most widely used weed

killers is round up. the key ingredient was discovered by the multi-national corporation, monsanto in the 1970s. a recent report by the world health organization says this chemical probably causes cancer. a finding that monsanto rejects. >> we at monsanto consider that to be invalid because there is no information that says the product is carcinogenic. >> the owner of a farm who grows wheat, grape seed and other products. he said he could not run his farm profitably without round-up because it kills certain stub orrin weeds and he says farmers are trained to use the product responsiblebly. >> the farm or has a toolbox at his dispel disposal. use the right product at the right time and in the correct quantity. the amount you use depends upon

season, the crop and the weed you want to destroy. >> in reaction to the world health organization report the french government is introducing new rules on the sale of round-up. as of january garden centers will have to remove the product from display. people will still be able to buy it but it will be kept behind the counter. the restrictions won't affect farmers. environmental activists say the government measures don't go far enough. >> we want them to ban it completely, take it off of the market and stop selling it. these products are dangerous to health of the environment. the government shouldn't take health measures like this. >> consumers in the west expect their food to be high quality and cheap. industrial chemicals enable farmers to deliver that. if you want to be sure that your food hasn't come into contact with any herb sides or pesticides, buy organic. that's more expensive.

>> it's a dilemma that was governments, big corporations and ordinary people. how to balance the addvantages to risks for the future. there are no easy answers. jackie roland al jazeera, in normandy. >> a small plane has crashed into tokyo leaving three people dead and setting houses on fire. five other people were rescued from the wreckage. residents describe here in a masstive explosion shortly after take off. lebanon is experiencing a big problem with ref use. rubbish has been overflowing in the streets for the past week because collectors said landfills were full. garbage collections have been started but it's not clear where it's going to be dumped as caroline malone explains. >> the streets of beirut are lined are rubbish. lebanese people are concerned about the smelly conditions. hundreds protested on saturday for not resolving the issue.

>> we can't walk and drive and express here. >> the company which normally collects the trash said they had nowhere to put it. >> we have a certain capacity that we can absorb in our factory. we sorted trash on friday and saturday but we didn't have from monday through sunday because we were keeping a volume of what was supposed to go to the landfill. >> residents blocked access to the landfill. there is already surplus garbage there. others complain on social media about the state of their government, which hasn't had a president in a year because politicians can't agree who should take on the role. one tweet shows landmarks drawn with rubbish and named balbags. another says that moment when you realize that these people --

meaning the rubbish collectors, are more important than these, referring to the government. caroline malone al jazeera. >> you can find out much more on our website. the address for that is www.aljazeera.com www.aljazeera.com. >> we're going to explore the intersection of hardware and humanity but we're doing it in a unique way. this is a show about science by scientists. tonight: trash. it's everywhere. >> what's the out put of this facility? >> landfills overflowing. >> it just smells so bad. >> but some of our trash ... ... could be recycled. >> why isn't it being done more? >> now techknow investigates: the problem with plastic. >> they throw in the street or