the new leader of a powerful syrian opposition group calls for unity on the battle field following the death of zahran alloush. this is al jazeera. also ahead flood waters cause thousands of people to be evacuated in south america but some are refusing to leave their homes. relatives of 43 missing students in mexico keeps the pressure on the government to find out what happened to their loved ones. u.s. scientists invent new tools

that will allow doctorss to perform vital surgeries on baby in the womb. the u.n. special envoy to syria insists that peace talks will go ahead next month despite developments on the ground. the opposition set for a major blow on friday when an eye strike kills kills zahran alloush. he was the leader of a rebel group that was on the edge of capital damascus. issam al-buwidani has replaced him. he has called on the opposition to put an a united front. deals are on hold that will allow rebel fighters and ewing i.s.i.l. esfighters and members to remove a refugee camp. a tv channel linked to syrian government ally hezbollah has

said it is because the convoy was due to control through some controlled territory. the u.s. says it has carried out five air strikes on saturday. our correspondent joins us live from the tar kerr-syria border. >> reporter: this move ask on hold. tell us more about that. why? >> reporter: it's on hold because it's a very delicate task. it is a very delicate mission for both the syrian government and i.s.i.l. and the al-nusra front which ask an al-qaeda affiliate. it was going happen the same day that the syrian rebel commander zuk was killed and-- zahran alloush was killed and apparently al-nusra front and i.s.i.l. took hold of the field for different reasons. they're waiting for guarantee

that the roads are going to be secure out of the capital, that the logistics are available, but i think they were also concerned that if they were going to go ahead with the deal the same day zahran alloush was killed, that could sort of back fire and lead all the syrians to say that the al-nusra front, in particular, is betraying the syrian people, striking a deal with the government that has killed a prominent rebel commander. the area is under the control of islam. if i.s.i.l. and the al-nusra front are to be evacuated, they have to be controlled by those. jaysh al-islam were clearly that they're going to launch an attack in revenge of the death of their leader talking about the talks scheduled for january 25, what

is at stake in those talk $if they go ahead or don't go ahead? >> reporter: the syrian opposition say it's going to go to geneva because it would like to see an end to the tragedy in syria. there are two conditions that have to be met. the first condition, by arriving to geneva they would like to see the syrian government and the russians put an end to the air strikes, barrel bombs and the use of need why um range and long range missiles across the country. -- medium range and long range. they would hike to see the community-- like to seat international community going to give them a guarantee, that it will be a transitional issue, that the opposition will take over and bipod shall step aside. the problems that we have for the time being, that the

americans who would like to see bashar al-assad to go immediately seem to be having second thought. this is why the syrian opposition is concerned. the new commander of jaysh al-islam, along with other powerful leaders, say they will monitor the talk. the moment they see they're not genuine, they will continue thank you for that. iraqi kurdish forces have raided an i.s.i.l. base near the town of chili aweeja. kurdish media is saying that u.s. commandos were involved in northern iraq but the u.s. has denied that. several i.s.i.l. fighters have been killed and others captured. this comes two months after u.s. and kurdish commandos conducted a joint operation in the area having 70 i.s.i.l. cap activist. police have said they have arrested a palestinian who stabbed a soldier near the

central bus station in jerusalem. the soldier was lightly wounded. it is the latest incident in as many months. it happened in the town , after the funeral of a palestinian woman who was shot dead for trying to ram her car into a security check point. at least 165,000 people have been forced from their homes by heavy rains and flooding across south america. experts are blaming the bad weather on the el nino. >> reporter: of the four south american countries dealing with their worst floods in years, paraguay is the most severe. more than 100,000 people in the capital have had to leave their homes and belongings behind and move to higher ground. the paraguay river has reached

three and a half metres above its regular level and is close to bursting its banks. that could lead to widespread flooding across the capital city. the president has declared a state of emergency to help mobilise the army and free-up funds to help those into need. >> translation: this situation really pains me, not because of me. i had the means to survive, but you see elderly people old men and women carrying their belongings over their heads. >> reporter: many people are refusing to move concerned about looting >> translation: i have moot apartment mere. that's why i didn't leave. if you leave, the thieves will clean you out. everything you have they will take-- participate from here. >> translation: i'm not leaving because they do, they will take stolen goods, rafts, boats. i just can't leave. >> reporter: tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from theirs homes in argentina, brazil and uraguay as well.

swelling rivers from rain. some climate experts have linked the weather to a stronger than usual el nino phenomenon which is known to spark global climate extremes as a result of warmer ocean temperatures. the u.n. weather agency says this year's el nino is the worst in more than 15 years in the u.s. at least 8 people have died after attorneyadoes hit parts of north texas. some vehicles were blown off a highway in the city of garland near dallas. there are reports of removes being blown off houses. torn a doughs hit-- tornadoes hit on saturday evening. an emergency to deal with floods in the u.k. moneys of people have been evacuated from their homes in northern england.

thousands more are without power. december is on course to be the u.k.'s wettest month on record. the relatives of 43 missing mexican students and moneys of their supporters have taken to the streets of the capital. they're trying to keep the pressure on the government to tell them what happened to their loved ones. our correspondent reports from mexico city. >> reporter: the anger towards the mexican government you can co-ed on the streets of mechanics - mexico city. these are the people who are destroying our country they chanted. the agony of the family of 43 missing students has been described as a permanent torture. they're believed to be dead but the truth of what exactly happened to them has yet to emerge more than a year later. independent investigators say they were kidnapped after trying to hijack buses for transport. a common move for students in

mexico. the investigation also found that the mexican government lied and withheld information from the family. >> i have seen repression and the sole demands have been growing because people are disappearing and now we are demanding the government gives us back the students alive. >> reporter: the mexican government is refusing to launch a new investigation. the hope sump that independent experts will expose the truth. those experts say they still need some assistance from the government. >> translation: fortunately, the protests last year have help discredit the government's version of events >> reporter: the relatives have been protesting in mexico city each month with more than 20,000 people believed to be missing across the country. their activism is being viewed by some as representing the conscious of all mexicans-- conscience of all mexicans mexico is cracking down on the flow of migrants on the way to the united states.

its new action plan has led to a huge increase in deportations. there have been complaints of human rights abuses. in the first of a series in central american migrants trying to reach the u.s., a report. >> reporter: the road to the u.s. has been barred to central american migrants as never before. this is mexico where deportations have gone up by 70% in the last year and a half. authorities send hundreds back every day to honduras, guatemala, el salvador, countries suffering brutal gang violence and desperate poverty. >> translation: we are poor and that's why we look for the american dream. unfortunately, they catch and send us back to debt. what can we do apart from trying again. the clamp-down began with the u.s. crisis. records number of children migrants turning up on its

doorstep. mexico stepped up. >> reporter: rather than focusing on the root causes that are causing people to flee, the u.s. has instead given mexico more money and more equipment to cut off that flow at its southern border. it has worked. roving check points and a constant watch on the tar go train my grant jump on to go north has made this detention center to be full to bursting. as high aggravation officials have closed the net, accusations of extortion and physical abuse has soared. this is what happened to this man's arm when he was run over by a patrol and they saw his injury and he was left on the roadside. >> translation: they just didn't care. it was as if i wasn't even human. >> reporter: to avoid authority migrants are forced to travel through isolated areas where

gangs of robbers and kidnappers lie in wait. the protection office say they're acting against the criminals and also against corrupt officials. >> translation: we've shown clearly that we don't tolerate impunity in the state. we've in accusations against officials and we've caught and tried them. that's the best proof that migrants can trust us. >> reporter: that trust is far from earned yet. the vast majority of the my dprants we talked to in mexico feel authorities is just another threat in an increasingly hostile land coming up on al jazeera, the security situation in central african republic ahead of election theas could be crucial for peace. a culture of complacency. japan is accused of tolerating child exploitation.

>> the only live national news show at 11:00 eastern. >> we start with breaking news. >> let's take a closer look. you're watching al jazeera. a look at the headlines. the u.n. special envoy to syria insists that talks will go ahead on january 25 despite developments on the ground. one of syria's most powerful groups suffered a major employee on friday when an air strike killed the leader. a revenge attack to be taken. more than 160,000 people have been forced to leave their homes by some of the worst flooding in south america in decades.

a state of emergency has been declared in paraguay. experts say an unusually strong el nino pattern is behind the flooding. the relatives of 43 missing mechanics con students have been leading protests in the capital. they're trying to keep the pressure on the government to tell them what happened to their loved ones. the students went missing in september of 2014. security in central african republic is tight ahead of elections. wednesday's vote aims to restore stability after two years of sectarian conflict. muslim and fighters. >> reporter: his signature means a second chance. the leader of the christian vigilante group is releasing 18 child soldiers. they have all seen and some done some things no child should be a part of. this boy took up arms after his

father was killed by soldiers. he wants to put it all behind him >> translation: i couldn't just stand and wait for something bad to happen, but i can't be angry and bitter any more. >> reporter: his chance of a better future improved in recent weeks as security in this war ravaged has to. piece keepers taking a more active role. still many armed groups on the loose, there is . >> we are trying to do the referendum, but there is no peace agreement so far. then one day, one of the factions for one reason or another can just go back to square one. >> reporter: the central african army has come back on the streets in recent weeks too, taking over some of the u.n. piece keepers patrols.

>> translation: the national forces are the ones that know their neighborhood, their sectors, their towns and neighbours and those holding weapons. they have impressive weapons but they can gather information much faster. >> reporter: only in the last few weeks also have also been stopping cars on daily basis. streets that were quiet a few months ago are now busy. >> reporter: it's check points like this making people feeling more safer and confident about voting. if it passes peacefully, the long-term stability of the country can depend on whether whoever ones can form an exclusive government. that means mending sectarian divides that have turned children into soldiers. there are thousands more small young hands holding weapons in crr. the more they're occupied with game and not war the better the future looks looking at one of this year's most significant stories

through the eyes of families affected. the second part in our series from kenya. in april gunmen stormed the university college killing 148 people, most of them students. security forces surrounded that building for 15 hours. four gunmen were killed, the fifth detonated his explosive vest al-shabab claimed responsibility for that attack. fighters took hundreds of hostages but freed muslims and killed christians. >> reporter: they shot her seven times, one bullet shattered her spine. she is now paralysed from the head down. she is in an iraqis hospital. she was studying at a university in northern kenya when fighters attacked in april.

her parents live more than 100 kilometres north of nirobi and coming to the city every other week to visit and take care of rachel has taken a toll on the family. >> translation: at first it was very hard. she would not eat and did not want to talk. we in to be there to make sure she was well taken care of >> reporter: they will never forget the image freeze from the attack and the days family spent looking for her not knowing whether she was alive or dead. >> i have realized that life is in the hands of god you have to find strength in each and amp situation no matter good or bad. >> reporter: the university is due to reopen next year. a police camp has now been set up inside the university compound. many security changes have also been made in this region. the number of al-shabab attacks has gone down significantly.

security officials say it is because of better intelligence and communication with the community. members of the of the somali community believe the security has come at a cost to them. this man's nephew is was arrested by police before at tack. his family haven't seen him since-- attack. >> reporter: we have looked-- >> translation: we have looked everywhere. we went to the police station where he was taken. they told us they haven't got him. we went to parliament and mortuaries but nothing >> reporter: human rights groups excused security forces of unlawfully detaining and executing suspects. more than 70 people in this region are said to have disappeared since april. >> we don't kidnap anybody, but they are arrested from their homes or from whenever and they are in custody. not necessarily here but in our parts of kenya for proper

processing. >> reporter: rachel is far from the politics. in the hospital that has now been her home for months, she is working hard on regaining her fitness and at the same time coming to terms with the fact that she may never walk again on sunday you can see the third part in the series. we will meeting members of a family's members in nepal. the president has named the new prime minister after being sworn in for a new five-year term. 54-year-old mining executive has been tasked with forming a government focused on economic recovery. he is expected to name a new cabinet in the next few days. police in the u.s. city of dick say they accidentally shot and killed a 55-year-old black

woman. she was among two people killed after police responded to a domestic disturbance call. there have been protests in the city. chicago police are already under federal investigation. this follows the release of a police video showing a white officer shooting a black teenager 16 times in 2014. japan has banned child abuse and has to do more to stop child abuse. >> reporter: it is the weekend but she is still wearing her school uniform. it's part of the job, drumming up business for a calf eye where men pay to sit and chat with girls >> translation: some of them are my grandfather's age and i do sometimes get hard to talk about things. they say you are cute, but i say

there are many other cute girls here. >> reporter: it is something that her boss makes sure of in selecting his staff of 15 to 18-year-old girls. >> translation: basically they need to be pretty. this is an absolute requirement. they should look stylish, also they need to be smart. >> reporter: in october the u.n. special group on child explodetation infewer ated japan's government government by saying that up it to 70% of girls were in this industry. a lack of fish figures is itself a sign of complacency. >> this concept of dating has been discussed internationally as a social issue in japan for how long. like 20 years. in japan we don't have data for that. that's very, very shocking. for groups like lighthouse the

problem goes behind the cafés. it is how the sexual industry has become legal, such cartoons. these images can be used in a specific way by child abusers to convince their young victims that their criminal behaviour is, in fact, perfectly normal. we're given a tip about one location where a lot more than conversation is on offer. employing teenagers in adult education is illegal, but it seems good for business. here massage is on the menu. for $40 and up we could go for a walk somewhere. next-door i'm told only chatting is on offer, but the menu lifts everything from being slapped and kicked to having ayour head cradled on a teenage girl's lap. he admits it won't happen here but he was arrested for hiring

underage girls. >> translation: sometimes i explain something like this has happened in the past. so please don't sit next to the customers. >> reporter: this is a world full of fine gradations and in levels of exploitation. it is about younger girls being sold to older men in plain sight scientists are developing tools that could be used to perform safer surgery inside the womb. university college london in the catholic university in belgium are collaborating on this project. let's hope that the work will makes complex foetal surgery a reality. >> reporter: a healthy ultrasounds. relief for annex pactant mother. it is not always the case. genetic birth defects can be seen as early as 12 weeks. when a scan shows a problem, there are few options. open the mother up to perform

surgery on the foetus, which could leave the mother unable to have children and highly dangerous, or keyhole surgery. scientists in london are designing tools to increase the options and allow complicated by vital surgery on unborn babies. >> this technology will help us to be cleverer, to be able to do it less invasively earlier in pregnancy and probably have a better long-term outcome for the babes we treat. >> reporter: surgery to prepare holidays in the heart or spinea bifida are often too risky to even con testimony mralt. surgeons usual lip will only operate when there's a real threat that the baby or babies will die. already some wound re womb surgery obtainings place. to balance the ballooned nutrients between two twins. doctor us say there was more they could do if they had the right tools. >> reporter: those tools are being designed here. it is a 7-year, 17 million

dollar projected funded by the british government and the welcome trust. more research is ahead, but one day a tiny flexible probe will go through the mother's skin and into the uterus. it will car eau a torch or scalpel and it will be controlled by a robot. doctors have to rely on cameras to see what they're doing. the shaming is even greater because of the tiny space and poor visibility. one wrong move could damage the young baby. >> you have a lot of challenging thicks happening around. you need to be able to not only take care of the foetus but also the mum. it does make the operation far more challenging. the tools we have to use have to be as small as possible. >> reporter: robotics to compensate for unsteady hands,

micro engineering for tiny bones and veins, all coming together to reduce the risk of womb surgery and revolutionise foetal medicine a great resource for updates on news throughout the day is our website, which is al jazeera dolt come --.com >> three locations, three different stories about the environment. one message. >> this year is blowing our minds. >> storms generated by a powerful weather system. >> these urchins are in trouble right now, why is that? >> our oceans getting warmer and more toxic. land frozen for years now melting. what is happening around the planet and what can science do about it?