have a great day. >> when it comes to the risks of military action, the risks of inaction are far greater. >> britons prime minister makes his case for launching airstrikes in syria. >> hello, this is al jazeera live from doha. also ahead, nato states pledge to step up their fight against isil as the organization welcome as new member. >> in baghdad, violence rises

across iraq and the price of oil plummets globally, an increasing number of iraqis are falling into extreme poverty. >> british m.p.'s are debating whether the u.k. should human isil in syria. david cameron said the campaign has been a success and civilian casualties limited. he repeatedly refused to apologize for calling opponents terrorist sympathizers and said britain would be safer if balling in syria took place. >> since november last year, our security forces have foiled no fewer than seven plots against our people. this threat is very real and the question is this, do we work with our allies to degrade and destroy this threat, and do we go after these terrorists in their heart lands from where they are plotting to kill british people or do we sit back and wait for them to attack us.

>> the be a accepts of credible ground troops, missing diplomatic plan, failure to address the refugee crisis, it's becoming increasingly clear that the prime minister's proposal for military action simply do not stack up. >> we are joined live from outside west minister in london. charlie, this session has been going on sometime now, a rowdy session. tell us what's been happening and the tough question the prime minister has been facing. >> he's really, really playing total m.p. sense of responsibility. their adult to the british people, saying isil is a fundamental threat to national security here. he has used uncharacteristic language, showing how strongly he feels about this issue.

that is the point which these 70,000 free syrian fighters he said would be their partner on the ground to retake territory with the support of british airstrikes and coalition airstrikes. that number has been disputed again and again and he has failed to answer questions about who these fighters really are, moderates, fundamentalists is what was asked. that seems to be an issue that is really tripping him up here. we also heard from the opposition labor leader jeremy corbin rejecting claims that british missiles will make any difference in the skies above syria on isil targets. he is saying they will kill civilians and only increase the problem that we already have. he's saying that the prime minister is taking a bomb first talk later approach. there's hours left in this debate, but as we explained earlier, mr. cameron wouldn't have been calling this debate unless he was almost assured of

a victory at the end of it. >> it is expect this plan will be approved by the m.p.'s. it is said britain faces a fundamental threat to its security and that the threat is real. do the british people support this plan to bomb syria? >> a couple of weeks ago, there was a poll conduct and 59% of the british public supported the proposal to extend airstrikes. that was just after those attacks in paris in beirut and the do you think of the russian airline. that poll has been done again and today, it's less than half who support airstrikes. that number is decreasing. we were speaking to the man who conducted the poll. that is probably because these facts have been playing out in the newspapers, on the television news for days now. people are thinking more about the facts rather than their emotional response to what isil has done in other countries. that's the difference of

5 million people, 5 million people who changed their minds on this issue. there have been regular demonstrations outside the houses of parliament. there will be another taking place at 6:00 p.m. this evening, but britain has been here before in 2003, when the country decided to take military action in iraq, more than a million people marched. it made no difference to the decision and it's unlikely to make a decision today. that vote is likely to pass after these hours of debate and that will mean that british jet fighters could be bombing isil tares in syria by tomorrow. >> thank you very much for that. 59 countries have agreed to join the coalition against isil in syria and iraq, although not all are directly involved in military action. the u.s. has sent around 4,400 troops in the past, also deployed five war ships and an aircraft carrier. it's not specified how many

military aircraft they've got, but they include fighter jets, air tangors, transport and drones. france has 200 troops there, supplying one destroyer and the aircraft carrier charles de gaulle as well as planes. germany is expected to send 1200 personnel by the end of this year. many will accrue a warship which is also deployed. reconnaissance flights are ahead of the air france attacks. it is believed the u.k. has 54 fighters available, some carrying out airstrikes in iraq. richard kemp is a former u.k. military commander in afghanistan, saying airstrikes in syria will be important but not decisive. >> they can make a big difference to what is already a modest bombing campaign. they have very, very good capabilities for surveillance and intelligence collection, also for prediscussion strike in

most cases. they can make a difference, and, you know, even today in the 21st century, just a few airplanes can have the effect that maybe dozens would have needed in earlier days. i think it's an important contribution. i do not believe that it is going to be decisive against islamic state. i don't believe that any air campaign is going to be decisive against the islamic state without an accompanying ground operation on a very large scale. bombing is not the way to do it. it's not the way to win this conflict, defeat the islamic state, but it is i think a necessary step, because what it does is it does actually restrict what the islamic state can do. it does kill fighters, kill some of their leaders, all of which can be replaced. is does degrade an organization when people keep getting killed like that. it can destroy infrastructure, cause assets to increase their

funding and supplies. >> the u.s. and its allies step up the fight against isil with a new development in the conflict between government forces and opposition in syria. they've agreed to a ceasefire in holmes, the only district controlled by the opposition. it could last two months. the truce was mediate by a u.n. delegation to syria. >> the goal is to implement the plan called for after the vienna talks to immediately try to find a solution and reach a truce in a certain area and to stop the fighting and shelling across the area. >> the u.s. secretary of state john kerry says several nato allies are stepping up the fight against isil. speaking at nato headquarters in brussels, he said he's asked foreign ministers to do more to battle the armed group.

>> the u.s. secretary of state has more from brussels. >> at the end of the two day foreign minister's meeting here at nato, many people were looking to john kerry, the u.s. secretary of state to see what he made of it, and he was stressing that he was quite happy with the response to his call from the 28 member states to step up their support for the broad fight against isil. john kerry said that several members are looking to boost their support to turkey. at the same time, john kerry welcomes the efforts by britain's prime minister to get approval for airstrikes against isil in syria. he also welcomed the fact that nato has invited montenegro to join as the 29th member of the alliance. russia has reacted be to reports that the president's spokesman

said there could be retaliatory measures once montenegro officially becomes a member in the next year. the defense minister said there is really nothing to worry about from moscow and this has been planned many many years, part of montenegro moving more toward an international role. that is what the nato attorney general has been stressing, it's part of regional stability. for the russians, it's just one more former country which was under the influence of the soviet union, which is now moving away. there are people within montenegro who are not has he been about it calling for a referendum. it seems likely within the next year, montenegro will finish those talks and become a full member of nato. >> turkey's president erdogan has met the qatar emir here in

doha. they signed military and trade agreements. >> russian defense officials have made more allegations about turkey's alleged involvement with the sale of ail from isil controlled areas in iraq and syria. rory challands is live from moscow. what more have they be saying? >> it's all very personal, this defense ministry briefing. i was there listening to it and the waiting media and foreign military attaches were shown images of what russia a little is a direct turkish involvement of the sale of stolen oil. it's an industry that makes some $2 billion a year for isil. turkey is the main buyer of this

illegally stolen oil, stolen from the countries of syria and iraq. the russians say there are three main smuggling routes by which this oil flows out of syria and iraq into turkey and is then sold on from there. the flow of finances is channeled back in mercenaries, arms and ammunition. the most intendry allegation contained was not all that stuff, but actually what they said about who is responsible, because the russians are now saying that it is president erdogan, the turkish president himself and his family that have directly involved in this trade and financially profiting from it. >> the relationship between ankara and moscow is at its lowest point in 20 years.

how these allegations and accusations by russia likely to affect the current spat. >> we heard from penalty erred saying i understand these allegations are being made. they are not true. i call on the russians to prove that this is happening. well, of course, what we have seen today is the russian's showing what they believe to be the proof of just that. president erdogan said if it could be proven, then he would step down. now, we will have to wait for the various bits of evidence that the russians say show this is going on. we'll have to wait to see if they do what the russians are saying, whether they are true. i would wage their even if it is proven to be true, it's unlikely president erdogan is going to hold his hands up and say ok, you got me, i'm going to leave

office. that's unlikely to happen. but the russians say that's not what they are trying to do. the russians are saying this is not to try to force president erdogan from office, this is to lay everything out into the open. they called on the international media and of course on these foreign military attaches listening to this to take this information and act on it. what russia insists it is trying to do is shut off isil says financing routes and use that as a way of defeating the organization. >> thank you very much for that. rory challands live in moscow. >> still ahead on al jazeera, how politics is getting in the way of the surge for a peaceful life in ethiopia. >> a warrior in the city, we meet a tribesman object a mission to stamp out the ivory trade in hong kong.

>> partly cloudy. apery cap of our top stories. british m.p.s are debating whether to bomb isil in syria. david cameron said strikes in iraq have been a success. the opposition say the plan won't be effective and put britain in danger. >> the u.s. secretary of state john kerry said several major allies are stepping up the fight against isil. speaking at nato headquarters, he said he's asked foreign ministers to do more to battle the group. >> russian defense officials made more allegations about turkey's alleged involvement with the sale of oil from isil

controlled areas in iraq and syria. turkey's president erdogan is accused of personally benefiting from the sale. >> in other news now, the head of military praises in libya has been killed by a roadside bomb. the military spokesman for the internationally recognized government said he died after stepping on a mine in benghazi. libyan troops have recently driven troops from alliance for factions out of the area. >> the director of the institute in international studies at the university in bangkok said she

has the uphand in the talks. >> everything is on the table. it depends on how she wants to play it. she has to deal with the military. the military has the space in the constitution, has 25% and has a role in the political process. the key issues i think will be how much inclusive, how inclusive and how much of the previous incumbent administration does suu kyi retain. if she image poses a wholesale change, we might see a rocky transition. there is a long transition of three months plus. at the same time, she also has to think about what kind of roam the military will play and she herself, whether she can lead from behind, this is a key issue for her, where she is willing to lead from behind to determine the shape of things to come. >> pakistan has hanged four men for involvement in last year's

taliban attack on a school in peshawar. more than 150 were killed, most of them children. we have the details. >> pakistan has carried out for more excuses after the pakistani military chief signed a warrant and the president of pakistan turned down their clemency build. the four were accused in involvement as well as direct support to those who carried out the deadly attack on the public school back in december, 2014. pakistan will be commemorating the anniversary of the deadly attack in which 150 people were killed, mostly children. the military has been given the cover by the supreme court and parliament which said that the military courts can function because pakistan is in a state

of war. >> now to iraq where years of violence and political instability and struggle economy have left almost a third of the population without basic services. we have reports on how people are trying to cope in the capital, baghdad. >> this man feelings hopeless. his ricksha broke down several months ago and he still can't afford to repair it. it was his only source of income. he now relies on small loans from family and friends to get by. he moved to the slums outside baghdad a few years ago. he came in the hopes of giving his wife, daughters and grandchildren a better life. it hasn't worked out that way. >> what can i tell you? our lives here are miserable. sometimes we wish we would die than have to live like this. i served as an army reservist during the iran-iraq war and in

the end, the government gave us nothing for our service. >> the world bank says nearly 30% of iraqi families live below the poverty line. that's more than 10 million people without adequate access to food, water or shelter. the mass migrations from rural a urban areas as iraqis search for work which pace better. >> economists say decades of successive wars, increasing sectarian violence, the rise of isil and a fragile political situation have all led to what they describe as a crisis. there are other important issues which are driving an increasing number of iraqis into extreme poverty. >> iraq's economy is almost solely depend on revenue from oil production. international lenders have warned successive governments to diversify its industries, but none did, which is why record low oil prices over the past year have led to a major budget deficit.

government corruption is also a major concern after months of street protests, the prime minister am abadi announced a series of reforms to make the government more accountable and shore up the economy. its promises are of little comfort to this man. >> politicians just fill their pockets with money and neglect us poor people. they are profiting from their comfortable government positions and stripping us citizens from any wealth. >> a belief felt by a growing number of iraqis who are struggling to make ends meet. al jazeera, baghdad. >> ethiopia is seen as a spiritual home. many believe the countries last king was the messiah. the community believes the ethiopian government is trying to push them out. we have this report. >> many of these men traveled thousands of kilometers to live in what they say is their promised land. the town in ethiopia is a

spiritual home and place of pilgrimage for rest farian's around the world. coming four years ago, they beat a drum used in their worship. he tells me how ethiopia's former emperor gave 500 hectares of land for people of african heritage to settle in. some live here, saying they are fulfilling a prophecy that descendents of slaves will return to africa. they believe was a descendent of king solomon and believe he was the messiah. joseph came from the u.k. 16 years ago. >> i'm here still doing what little we can to make as much difference as we can. yes. >> the rastafarians say they

smoke marijuana because it is their sack are ment, the equivalent of bread and wine given christians during communion. the land has shrunk to five square hack terse. >> the rest of the community may have lost the land donated by the former king and struggle with legal issues such as their residency status but also say that they want to leave the politics to the politicians. what's most important they say is fulfilling their spiritual life here in ethiopia. >> charlie came from london six years ago. he lives with his ethiopian which and 4-year-old daughter. >> people say heaven, that's the fullness of their spirit at. they want to go oh paradise, heaven. they as i before you go there, i don't believe in that, because i have no experience about that.

>> charlie, like many foreign rastafarians here have few legal rights. their passports expired, they have no ethiopian i.d., which means they cannot work legally. charlie said the government should recognize how rastafarian's can contribute to ethiopia's development. >> you come and do something for us. i'm appealing to the government, man, i think i have a right to live on this earth wherever i feel comfortable, that's my home. >> for charlie, his family and many like him, this is where they want to be for the rest of their lives. al jazeera. >> a mosque east of paris has been closed after a gun was found during a search by french security forces. the french in at her mother minister said the mosque contained what was described as

documents about jihad. it's the third mosque to be closed since the isil linked attacks in the center of paris. >> con receiverration groups are targeting hong kong in their latest campaign to ban the ivory trade. it is still operating there despite a moratorium. >> good afternoon. >> he says a long way from his tribe in kenya, but daniel has made the trip to ban the ivory trade. >> back home, we thought this thing has stopped, then all of a sudden, when i came here, i found shops fully packed with ivory. >> hong kong is the world's largest retail market for ivory and many believe it's also a transit point. shops along this busy road are full of licensed dealers selling other nately carved pieces,

often fetching huge prices and fed into the lucrative chinese market. >> it's a very bad business that really needs to stop. >> it's that message that he and other activists took to the streets of hong kong. leading the march was jami gaynor who runs a team protecting rhinos and elephants back home. >> it is the most devastating thing that we can see. in fact, it really gets me to the core. we get pretty emotional about it. >> trade in ivory is allowed in hong kong as long as it was imported before the international ban put in place in 1989. the idea was that trade would continue until stocks ran out. more than 25 years later, stores still trading and activists say ivory is smuggled in to restock the market. >> this undercover footage obtained by al jazeera shows a licensed dealer openly discussing how he can smuggle

his product into china where it's banned. with china and vietnam the two biggest markets, conservationists are now trying to new tact in their bid to reach the asian market. they're photographing local celebrities with endangered wildlife, hoping that will get the message through. >> they are very powerful in getting the mental across. it helps locals get, you know, attracted to this issue, which they might not otherwise be interested in. >> did he spite all conservation efforts, many countries in africa are struggling with an epidemic of poaching. >> the current tallies about 35,000 elephants a year killed, which is one every 15 minutes, so that gives 10-15 years before they're gone. >> authorities in honk con say they are cracking down on ivory smuggling, seizing 16 million tons in the last three years, but as long as stores are open, these conservationists say the

elephants' extinction is a reality. al jazeera, hong kong. >> you can keep up to date with all the news on our website, the very latest on all of our top stories there, aljazeera.com. >> stepping up the fight against isil, a fiery debate in a divided british parliament over airstrikes in syria. >> we will continue to work very, very closely. >> sending more troops into iraq, the obama administration responds after baghdad said no more boots on the ground. >> the top cop in chicago is out. protestors want more after the police killing of a black teenager.