let's start with some breaking news coming out of iraq. kurdish peshmerga forces have launched a major offensive against i.s.i.l. in the north, backed by the u.s.-led air campaign over 7,000 trams battling with i.s.i.l.-- troops battling with i.s.i.l. to take sinjar. in the northern city over a year ago, killing and enslaving residents in the community, sinjar is on the main highway which linked cities, the bastians in iraq and syria. speaking to correspondan. this is a key strategic zone,

isn't it? >> yes. the operation is called free sinjar. it began in the early hours of this morning when ground troops went in. they're attacking, and they've taken the north, a humanitarian operation that took place in december and now they're going in to take the rest of the sinjar town. this is really crucial, as you say, because it does link i.s.i.l. territory in syria with i.s.i.l. territory here in iraq in the city of mosel, a strategic key road to i.s.i.l. what they're hoping to do is cut that off and be able to mount another operation to take mosil, but this one is crucial for the kurds. they see it as kurdish territory not arab territory and therefore it is important that they do this themselves. this has been much delayed this whole area became renouned in august 2014 when many were trapped on mount

sinjar. >> reporter: yeah. that was really the spark for the coalition to get involved. after i.s.i.l. took over the sinjar mountain, what happened was the americans decided that they needed to do something more than they were doing. they mounted air strikes in iraq and then the following month in syria, but those air strikes have only been so useful. they have managed to contain i.s.i.l. and they haven't really expanded their territory any further, but you do need ground defenses like this one to really take i.s.i.l. the kurdish peshmerga have taken a village in the west of the sinjar and we will be seeing more of that throughout the coming days and week when they encircle the town itself who is exactly part of this coalition? >> reporter: the coalition is - internally within the kurdish coalition, two of the parties, pkk and kpp. there is also another one who

are predominantly from that area, also joining in the fight there, and then you have the international coalition that are using their air strikes, so that's led by the u.s. we will leave it there for the timing. thank you for that. malta european and african are holding talks in an attempt to stem the flow to the people to the continent. straight to lawrence lee live. what have the europeans come up with so far? >> reporter: well, what they've come up with primarily is a way of trying to pay african countries, frankly, a small amount of money in return for african countries help repatriate citizens already in europe. that plan isn't going terribly well. the malta p.m. says that things in his view hadn't been quite as

confrontational as he expected, which is hardly positive. in a short time this morning there will be a skip where they will have the trust fund for over two billion dollars. it's really only a sweetener of money in return for african helping with this repatriation program. there are things that they will say and talk about that they will achieve. they want to make it easier for those in europe to send money back. that's a banking question. i'm sure there are things that they can organise in seasonal labor and helping students in europe. on the really big issue, which is getting africa to help drag people back, potentially against their will, at the moment they can't get an agreement. i think if at the end of this, at lunchtime today, if they still can't get an agreement, you would have to say in the immediate, the summit won't work from europe's point of view why do you think african

nations are resistant to some of europe's ideas? >> reporter: well, i think to be honest there's a number of different reasons. for a start in principle they don't like being bribed as they would see it, given a small amount of money in return for what their population, it is a very controversial thing to do. there's a sense, i think, among a lot of the people we heard speaking last night that they simply don't like the cut of the cloth of some of these european countries. they regard them as being racist, a lot of countries, britain and france physical, as being former colonial powers who ruined their continent. they're reminded the europeans that they it was they, the you're penis, who migrated all over the world in the first place and colon identified parts of africa. they see europe reaping the consequences of this and wanting then to sort out the mess. the other appoint is that

traditionally talks are so heavily weighted in favor of europe, africa has no power on trade and agriculture and climate change. uniquely here, the crisis is europes because this is tearing the ue apart and europe can't really manage this without african support. that's a strong bar beganing tool for african union and others as well. thanks very much. the death toll from refugees trying to get to europe continues to rise. 14 people have downed off the turkish coast making their way to lesbos. 27 people were rescued cued from the water. they make the journey for a better life. >> reporter: these days it seems like they have both all the time in the world and no time to spare. with souls as at that timered

as-- tattered as their clothes are frayed, they wait for the democracy to decide. are they migrants or considered refugees. at this camp where the weight to be registered stretches out for days, these four men tell us those designations have become practically meaningless. >> translation: i have brothers and sisters. i'm the oldest in the name. i came here because i'm trying to serve them. i left so i can eventually get them out and make their lives better. >> reporter: afraid their relatives back home will face problems if they are identified, the men, automatic in their 20s, all college educated, asked to remain anonymous. >> translation: i have a diploma as a technician, but i wasn't making enough money to properly cake care-- take care of my family. it was impossible for us to live on the wages i made. >> reporter: none of them wanted to leave their homeland but say they ultimately had no choice.

>> translation: we looked all over morocco for opportunities and couldn't find them. you can't get work unless you are connected. you have to know a person who knows another person who knows another person. for the rest of us, the people who don't know people, you stay poor. >> reporter: since other men from the camp told us they wanted to make it to italy, i asked if this man want to end up there? practically in unison they respond they just want to get to a country, any country that will give them a chance. >> translation: i'm the eldest, i'm trying to make sure i can make money to send back to the family. there is no life, no money, no future. >> reporter: they're fully aware of their circumstances may not be considered enough of a hardship but further on down this road they may not be granted political asylum. like so many other women, men and children here, they will push on as soon as they get the clearance to go. >> reporter: while the men we spoke with here may not be

fleeing death, destruction and warfare, they say their journey is still a desperate one and that they have as much a right to pursue a better future for themselves and their families as anybody else here does myanmar's military leadership has congratulated the opposition leaders aung san suu kyi on winning the elections. results have put her party on course to take part for the first time since the end of 50 years of military rule. australia's prime minister is trying to reset relations with indonesia as he visits the country country. it is malcolm turnbull's overseas visit as prime minister. many are seeing this as a charm offensive after recent tensions. now from jakarta. a lot of work to do. >> reporter:

indonesia/australia, love/hate relationship has a lot of work to do, but you have to say that it is now in a warmer place. since today both leaders were at lengths to show that everything has been forgotten and everything, of course, is the executions that happened to two australian drug traffickers earlier this year. none of that was discussed during the meeting here. both leaders were central-- strolling through the gardens, very relaxed about issues at stake which are mainly the economy and trade and that's why indonesia was so pleased to commence this relationship with australia because they want australians in time to come, and turnbull is bringing the largest trade to asia. more than 300 business people are visiting this week on the issue of immigration is there any sign of turnbull easing australia's tough

immigration laws? >> reporter: interestingly, that topic wasn't discussed at all. i just checked with the foreign minister and she said no, they didn't talk about that very crucial issue. they did talk about counter terrorism which is a very important issue for both countries as well, but the really hot topic, of course, is what is australia going to do with the asylum seekers. are they going to turn back still and are they going to pay people smugglers back. i think in the light of this warm new relations, and it's still very sensitive, maybe the indonesian government has waited to bring this up economy, india's p.m. is about to arrive in the u.k. to try to

woo business leaders. a south korean school making a difference in children's learning.

>> we're here to fully get into the nuances of everything that's going on, not just in this country, but around the world. getting the news from the people who are affected. >> people need to demand reform... >> ali velshi on target. welcome back. the top stories here. kurdish peshmerga retake the west town of sinjar from i.s.i.l. the u.s. led air campaign is battling the fighters.

european and african leaders are holding the second days of talks. the e.u. is trying to reach a deal with countries to try and stem the flow of people to the continent. australia's p.m. malcolm turnbull is in indonesia in an effort to help relations. which have been strained in recent times. the first chief of the u.s. led coalition is stepping down. the retired general john allen's job was to get companies for their expertise and military effort. >> reporter: september 2004 i.s.i.l. uses violence to claim parts for what it calls a caliphe. obama calls in a hero to stop.

>> we're we will serve as a special envoy to help build our coalition. >> reporter: no typical aim. >> d.a.e.s.h. has become a state in some respects. it points to a peace of terrain that called the capital. it helped government through systems that look like provincial government. it has attempted to have its own currency. >> reporter: it is set up with a mission with the nations participating. while the u.s. and iraq coordinate the military fight against i.s.i.l., the saudi and

american tackle i.s.i.l.'s financing. the duin the first year, some legal crack downs. >> reporter: we've had 45 countries, including the u.s. provided 4,000 profiles on terrorists. >> reporter: i.s.i.l. still controls territory inside syria and iraq. it is hampered because of the crises. >> the problem is now with more and more fighters being diverted to other theatres by our allies, as well as ongoing discussions about what to do, we're left on our own fighting i.s.i.s. and that's not a way to defeat the islamic state. it's a way to perhaps contain it. >> reporter: that means the job for new special envoy is making sure the military campaign against i.s.i.l. isn't the

u.s.'s alone. what is certain, fighting i.s.i.l. as the effort to keep the coalition together health officials in the west bank say a palestinian man was killed when israeli defense forces stormed a hospital. the 27-year-old was shot when he tried to stop the israeli from rescuing his cousin and he gained treatment. one palestinian is in a wave of violence since october. 15 million people will need food aid in ethiopia. reporting from eastern ethiopa. >> reporter: every plant is dead, he tells me.

we have nothing now. hundreds of thousands of farmers in many parts of the country are the victims. the hot winds originating in the pacific cause problems to people across this region. the well he uses dried up because many people around the area used it. he sold one of his cows to buy enough today to give to his children. we have nothing now, he says. we need food and water. in some parts the livestock are dying. we spoke to one herder who says he has begun to receive food eight. 40 of his cows had died and he has five left.

little cattle dies first he tells me. now the drought is getting worse goats and camals are dying too. this is the worst to hit the region in decades. the united nations say around 8 million people and that could rise up to 15 million ronne next year unless the international community step up with donations. the government here says the emergency food program is helping, but it needs urgent assistance. aid agencies tell us malnutrition cases in the area are rising. they praise the government for saying what is their management of the crisis. for the approximately $100 million given by donors is nowhere enough. they could need five times that much in the next few months.

a spokesman in the capital told us this a very different situation to the 1980s when a drought compounded by political issues developed into an fam ine and killed hundreds of thousands of people. >> translation: the government is trying hard to save the lives of its citizens and locating money from its budget. during the previous are drought we lost a lot of lives and man malls because of-- animals. >> reporter: for many people like this man struggling to feed their families, just how long can their resilience last indian p.m. has his first official visit to the united kingdom hoping to attract investment to india.

we will also be hoping for british investments in the fast growing indian economy. >> reporter: decades of aid flowing from the u.k. to india, much of it to help reduce poverty, will stop by the end of this year. the reasoning is given india's economic and technological advances, sending satellites up into space, the government says that there's no money any more. it was said that aid from the u.k. was "a peanut", and not needed. the visit will include signing trade deals with britain. many in india are barely comfortable-- fairly comfortable that they will be able to do

this. the u.k. says while traditional aid may be ending, it will still be giving its expertise in areas such as poverty reduction and clean burning energy the supreme court has upheld a lifetime sentence for a captain of a fer eau that sank last year-- ferry-- killing many people. four other officials of the ferry sank in april of last year. a school exam that stops south korean. these could open the doors on future jobs, even marriage prospects. >> reporter: it's the kind of excitement usually generated by kpop stars. these girls are greeting no-one more famous than their older

school mates arriving for the school exam. >> translation: we think we should muster up more energy so the students for the exams can have more energy. >> reporter: emergency services are on stand by for the late comers. families have spent fortunes on an education, there is nothing left to do but to pray. >> translation: i felt bad for my daughter studiying so much. i wondered why she should go through this, but society is like this so she can get a good job and have a happy life. >> reporter: this is in the drive from this, you see a day

starting like this. morning attending to the vegetables soon to be made into soup. this is a boarding school designed as an alternative to the high pressure learning that so dominates the education in this country. >> translation: i want a good outcome in my exam, but i was independenting in writing and glirn-- interested in writing and spelling. my teacher helped me. >> reporter: this school is a very. school children study often in private schools go into the nig night. >> translation: it is a simple policy and culture.

>> reporter: outside a buddist temple in the country. they have laid out extra mats for the parents who come to pray for their children taking exams. they can be all night new evacuations have been called for near one of brazil's mining site. 8 are killed and 21 missing when m mud. the government has declared a problem in the area. honey bees policy nature a third of the world's food but they're

rapidly dying. >> reporter: each of the international date line, new way is a small nation home to 1200 people. hidden away in the forest are hives of honey. the bee keeper says these are the cleanest bees in the world. >> the 9% of bee keepers in the world would cry to see bees like this. they would be envious of-- envious of hives like this. >> reporter: i'm not going to do that, even with a mask on. that's crazy. >> reporter: andy is producing a range of honey products. mice and diseases are combatting the disease. this is the perfect place to breed bees. >> in you go to small, you

know, you can't get the scale up. if you go too pig it's too hard to manage with the transport and everything-- big. >> reporter: the new aim is isolated. the nearest country from here is 300 kilometres away, which is why a bee sank tree could work-- sanctuary. this is supported due to a small workforce and long shipping works. >> if we need to borrow money, we can accelerate the process, we will do that. i think at the moment we are talking to them about the possibilities of become venture partners. >> reporter: critics say that these bees when exported overseas could be a difficulty. people should come hear to see

the buzz for themselves you can see more of drew's bees on thursday at 2230 right here on al jazeera. don't forget our website, all the news that we have been covering there, lots of comment and analysis at al jazeejazeeram >> on "america tonight": unfinished business. in the obama administration's final year, the tough issues still on the table. >> it took us 12 hours to get here from mexico but just less than five minutes to unload. we have been told there were about 30 unaccompanied miles an hour on that bus. >> immigration, what to do with guantanamo bay and giving america's veterans the help they deserve. thanks for joining us, i'm joie chen. headed into the final year of his administration the prest'