[ ♪ ] russian air strikes across the suburb of idlib. 40 died in one strike alone hello, this is al jazeera live from doa. people in burkina faso go to the polls for the first presidential election in 30 years. people in turkey to limit

the flow of refugees. >> and from jakarta to sydney - people march to demand action on climate change ahead of the major summit. there has been russian air strikes across the syrian province of idlib in what activists say has been a massive bombardment. these are the latest images. at least 40 people are reported to be killed in an attack in a marketplace. the death toll is expected to rise significantly. more now from latakia. near the border with syria. >> syrian activists say the russian air strikes targeted a crowded market in the city of idlib. an i suggest stronghold. they say that the syrian government, backed by russian war planes targeted different areas across the country,

killing dozens of civilians in aleppo and latakia. and in the outskirts. the syrian observatory for human rights said that over the last few months russian air strikes killed dozens of civilians, mostly women and children across the country, coming against a back drops of gains, made by the syrian opposition in latakia and aleppo, where they were said to have recaptured many villages, despite them being backed. rebels are determined to continue the fight to extend the influence in the north of the country, particularly aleppo and north of the country qatar's foreign minister raped calls for bashar al-assad to step down. he says that syrians themselves

must decide their country's future. >> the people have a number of priorities, number one is bashar al-assad to leave. the second is to uproot terrorism. we must take these meters into -- matters into consideration while pondering on the diplomatic solutions. if the local communities are willing to act for their own interests, the solution will be made. expected to offer turkey $3 billion to limit the flow of refugees, most of which are coming from syria. a summit will get under way in brussels in a few hours to discuss the crisis. germany has been in the driving seat to ease the numbers of refugees crossing borders. lawrence lee has more from berlin. >> reporter: spring turns to summer, autumn to winter, still they have not stopped. through all weather, on this miserable trip. the e.u. has been accused of

doing too little to make the journeys less dangerous. they were full of sympathy when the body of a 3-year-old was washed up on the beach. the main point was to stop the refugees. the german government in the driving streak presenting this plan as an attempt to regain control. >> it's not a fair humanitarian solution to induce people to offer their lives. we have to offer perspective to illegal entry, but improving refugees in turkey. >> reporter: there it berlin known as little istanbul. germany has, for years, taken in migrant workers. the deal may mean they take in a lot more. as well as a sped-up entry process to the e.u., turkey is

demanding visa-free access to europe for 75 million people. suddenly for turkey, the refugee crisis is an opportunity. turkey has been trying to join the european union since before the berlin wall came down in 1989. for all that time it's been blocked by germany because of hits human rights abuses. all the talk of represses and abuses is vanishing on the wind. the european union wants to pay turkey to keep the refugees out. given how many described the refugees as economic migrants, it sounds to some to be a hypocritical position for them to take. >> european union is willing to give up its human rights, its own values, why it exists. it is doing this on the back of the most vulnerable people, the refugees. >> so more than $3 billion will

be found and given to turkey, for more camps and and probably more barbed wire. perhaps it will constitute a life for the refugees, and not. clearly the fences have not worked so they are pushing them further towards syria and iraq heavy fighting tiaz forced hospital facilities to close. doctors warn of an akoout shortage of supplies. gerald tan reports. and a warning some of the images may be disturbing. >> reporter: the firecest of battles for tiaz. witnesses tell al jazeera they have not experienced heavy fighting before. the houthis and the elite republican guard surrounded the

city since march. pro-government fighters supported by the coalition are trying to break the hold. over the weekend the coalition intensified aerial raid. destroying a number of targets and killed rebels trying to infiltrate rebel areas. lives lost, not just those engaged in fighting. this child tries to recount what happened to him hours earlier. him and friends were gathered around a water truck when hit by a shell. some of his friends died. many are critically wounded. hospitals and medical facilities are overwhelmed. more than 30 forced to shut down. six remain in operation. >> translation: tiaz hospitals are packed with injured and we are facing acute shortages, as we speak, a massacre has been carried out by militias. >> the humanitarian situation in tiaz is getting worse by the day.

many homes are without power. food and water is scarce. supplies can't get in . tiaz is regarded as the cultural capital. as fighting escalates, there's a fear their children are growing up exposed only as a culture of weapons now to burkina faso. where people in one of the poorest countries in the world vote to choose a new leader for the first time in decades. the long-awaited ballot coming after a year of tur during which president blaise compaore was ousted. live to mohammed adow. how enthusiastically are people voting in the election?

>> a lot of despitement. these elections bring to an end a year of turmoil in the country, they were supposed to be held last month. because of that, they were postponed until now. which means that the road has been long and bumpy. >> a last minute campaign for votes. three-quarters of the population under the age of 30 years.

the youth pope will be decisive in the elections. blaise compaore is a front runner, the former prime minister. he left government a year ago, after refusing plans to extend the blaise compaore rule. a businessman, former finance minister is a candidate. the front runner's ties to the former regime is a disappointment. >> translation: it's a misconception so suggest that we don't represent grade. we served under blaise compaore. we have nothing to be ashamed of. >> reporter: burkina faso is a poor country. the ailing economy was affected by the crisis that followed the resignation of blaise compaore. for the people, more than anything, that the burkina faso people want is for the elections to solve the country. representatives of the former ruling party - none of them - are allowed to stand for presidency.

officials have been campaigning with elders for support. a majority gives them the right to choose the post of prime minister and speaker. >> translation: we are not happy, it's unfair, we would have one if permitted to run. the strategy is to take over parliament. >> they have mixed signs. >> we experienced democracy. na we have this uncertainty, about the results of the election, and it's a sign of moving to more democracy. if the elections are successful. it will be the first power in the history of the burkina faso, whose name means the land of honest people. five hours after the polling stations openedment, there's -- opened, there's crowds of

voters. 5.5 million registered to cast their votes in 17,000 polling stations across the country. security has been tightened with 25,000 police men and troops deployed across the country. now, what count will begin as soon as the voting period ends around 18 g.m.t. hours. and what will happen is they'll be competent in front of people and agents and all political parties. and the votes will be announced piecemeal. thanks. live there in chowdhury mueen-uddin still to come - south korea's government accuses teachers of the misbehaving. a report of a new history textbook. and why governments are fighting to save an iconic butterfly as

it makes its annual migration. >> al jazeera america brings you independent reporting without spin. >> not everybody is asking the questions you're asking me today. >> we give you more perspectives >> the separatists took control a few days ago. >> and a global view. >> now everybody in this country can hear them. >> getting the story first-hand. >> they have travelled for weeks, sometimes months. >> what's your message then? >> we need help now. >> you're watching al j

hello again, the top stories on al jazeera. 40 people have been killed in an air strike in syria's province, a russian strike hit a busy factor place. polls are open in burkina faso after an uprising forcing president blaise compaore from power. he ruled the country for 27 years. heavy fighting in tiaz forced

more than 30 hospitals and medical facilities to close. fighters and rebels battled for control of tiaz. people around the world have been marching to demand action on the environment. ahead of a climate change conference in paris. hundreds took part in protests in indonesia's capital saying they want to reduce dependence on ifs ill fuels and use renewable energies. protesters demanding action with the government. more than 40,000 gathered history. marches and brisbane and other australian cities. world leaders are beginning to gather in the french capital. the new prime minister laid a wreath outside the concert hall in paris. that's where the majority of victims died in the majority of

attacks. environment editor nick clark is at the summit in paris. >> the summit will start. it's in the sprawling center. tomorrow it will be difficult there'll be,000 sands. there'll be 6,000 representatives. there'll be 6,000. the high level will be brought forward. that is what is needed. all the world leaders. all of them are here. security is intense, as it is across the city. take a look at this from jacky

rowland. >> reporter: the army and police have paris covered. they were ordered on to the streets after the attacks of november 13th. now they have another matter, making court the cop21 climate change summit passes without emergency. >> with the heightened success, the suckize of cop 21s link d to securing it to the maximum level. everything has been put into place to secure the conference and surroundings to the maximum level. >> reporter: the scale of the operation is unprecedented. 8,000 police guarding france's air, sea and land borders. 2008 police will be on duty at the summit venue itself. in total, 120,000 police and troops will be deployed across the whole of france.

security becomes tighter the tighter you goat to the conference center. 20,000 delegates are expected to cross the security perimeter, and thousands more journalists. the french were determined despite the attacks the summit should go ahead as planned. the fact that nearly 150 heads of state are in paris is a vote of confidence for french security. a security operation will inevitably mean traffic chaos. the french warned to use public transport and leave cars at home. >> my message is simple. do not drive on the 29th or 30th. it's essential. >> the scale of the paris attacks and international reaction they provoked almost eclipsed the climate summit. the french government hopes the mood of international solidarity will strengthen the resolves of all parties to reach a climate deal.

nick, 125 countries attending, is there a sense of expectation that they'll be able to reach a deal? >> well, expectation is played up a lot. a lot is due to the civil access that you were tucking about earlier, all the marches around the world and in paris. we can see pictures now, moving picture of thousands of empty shoes. the march in paris had to be banned. but the shoes representatives the absent marches. the pope donated a pair of shoes, and ban ki-moon, the u.n. secretary-general did too. yesterday we had a press conference from the u.n. climate chief who is boosting the hopes for this conference, and she

said what we are all about here is finalising a legally binding paris agreement. that is what she wants, that is what everyone wants. the big question all the delegates are asking is how legally binding will an agreement be, and who will police it. how will it be implemented. it has to be thrashed out in the coming days. the israeli army shot dead a palestinian man who stabbed an israeli policeman. it happened near the damascus gate near east jerusalem. 103 palestinians and 21 israelis killed in a wave of violence that began last month. >> iraqi officials discovered mass graves containing the bodies of members of the yazidi community. on saturday. 113 bodies were bound in a village 12km south of sinjar,

one of the graves was booby dropped with explosives. kurdish fighters discovered more graves and recaptured the town from i.s.i.l. fighters. >> the u.s. government will lose its legal authority to collect phone records. it follows a decision to stop the mass security programs after allegations from edward snowden. a scaled back data protection will continue heap was called a traitor, leading u.s. political figures called for his murder, and he was forced into exile in russia. edward snowden's actions in disclosing the breadth of surveillance brought an end to much of the security agency's bulk collection of phone records. we know that the dragnet failed to disclose a terror plot. and a federal court declared it

unconstitutional. the n.s.a. is not ending mass data collection, especially when so many calls are made over the internet. >> international calls are going to be connected. it collects internet communications and so much internet communications happen do go overseas. they continue to be polled. >> dragnet surveillance of meta data and everything else will continue. only those in the u.s. have tom protection from the constitution, as far as washington is concerned. everyone else is fair name. as edward snowden's leaks showed. they are often cop operating with the u.s. edward snowden revealed more than telephone mete data collection. for example, the ability to search what a user does on the internet. >> what is going to shut down is a fraction of what the n.s.a.

does. otherwise people will still expand mass surveillance around the world. since attacks in paris. they are talking of expanding civilians. >> edward snowden has been used as a scapegoat. even though there's no evidence that the attackers used the internet to exploit safeguards or planning attacks. still, action was taken, and there has been some reform. given the secrecy of the u.s.a., it may take another whistleblower for us to see what has changed a suspect behind the shooting of a family planning clinic in colorado is due to appear in court. 57-year-old robert deer is being held without bail. a police officer and two other people were killed during a 5 hour standoff. the motive behind the incident is not known. >> pope francis arrived in the

central african republic for the final stop of his tour of africa. communal violence force d 1 million from their homes. during the stay. they visited the camp. many have sought refuge, meeting community leaders. teachers in south korea are warned they'll face court action unless topping a protest over a history textbook. teachers say it contains distorted facts. harry fawcett reports. >> reporter: teachers taking to the streets on issues dominating south korean politics. the government's plan to bring in a single authored text book. choosing to protest. these men and women are laying themselves open to prosecution. their employment is for political neutrality. this is one of 84 police union

executives assumansed for questioning. >> translation: it's not follow to oppose the textbook without criticizing the government. they are proceeding with a plan for its benefit. to hold on to power. >> reporter: the south korean's opposition party has taken to displaying history books. the government says it's left leaning. too soft on ideology, too harsh on south korea's leaders overseeing the economic rise. what are they saying? >> the education back talks of squirmishes in both sides, but states in the north korean army started a surprise invasion. the u.n. called it an act of aggression. >> the birth of ideology, bringing instability, but weakening north korea's response to the outside world. what is common is the way yes describe the seizure of power by the general as a coup. leading to political repress and

improvement to livelihoods. he happens to be the father of the current president. the president characterised the reform of teaching as a fight for the nation. >> it would be difficult for students who learnt from the current textbooks. to have a sense much pride about south korea. instead they ask why haven't we done better. ending up with self-tormenting self-critical views. the president's critics say she is following the lead of her father, stifling political opposition. she's calling for a ban, saying they could allow infiltration by state militants. >> in south korea, the government resolved issues. it's different from the past. but the lack of dialogue is worrying. the government says it wants to

instill a new generation with a shared sense of pride in the past. in doing so, it exposed deep divisions of its presence. >> japan is to restart whale hunting in the antarctic ocean in march, after a year-long pause. the military fisheries says the minke whales would be hunted. the international court of justice ruled that japan was contravening a moratorium on gaol hunting. -- whale hunting every winter millions of butterflies head to mexico from canada. but the numbers have reduced. it's hoped tighter controls will result in more heading south for the winter. >> reporter: a sanctuary after a journey of thousands. these monarch butterflies flying

from a cold canadian winter to the warm temperatures of mexico. >> this is a pilgrimage from canada to here. we are taking care of them so this continues. we keep protecting their areas here. >> reporter: in the last 20 years the butterfly's numbers have gone down. 1 billion made the flight to mexico. last year there was around 35 million. it has been blamed on illegal tree cutting. large areas of milkweed plant where the butterflies lay their eggs have been destroyed. mexico, the u.s. and canada have been planting more trees and tightened controls and logging in the use of foreign chemicals. >> it is our responsibility to take care of these kinds of places. there are few such places in the world. 2 or 3 maybe, and it's amazing to see the butterflies arrive.

environmentalists in mexico hope that this year those changes will mean millions more monarch butterflies and tourists plenty more news and analysis and comment on the website at aljazeera.com. give working women the chance to shine. but will the men - and women of japan take up the challenge to change. i'm steve chao, on this episode of 101 east we investigate if japan's can be bridge its gender gap.