north korea says its successly tested a powerful hydrogen bomb. its southern neighbour is not convinced. hello, i'll martine dennis, welcome to al jazeera live from doha, lose to come in the programme - omeless and freezing - the syrian refugees struggling to get by in the blistering weather >> every time i think about those kids it gets me mad an emotional president obama an emotional president obama reveals tighter measures regulating guns in the u.s.

plus... the u.n. face charges that its peacekeepers sexually assaulted underaged girls in the central african republic north korea says its detonated a hydrogen bomb. the u.n. body which monitors nuclear testing described it as a grave test to peace, calling for an emergency meeting of the for an emergency meeting of the japan and south korea expressed doubts over pyongyang's claims. >> adrian brown is our correspondent in beijing. >> reporter: a short time ago the foreign ministry gave a bri briefing to median journalists of the it was trght the reduke urged north korea to cease these actions and return to the six

party talks. china is the only friend north korea has. there has been trains in the relationship during the past few years, because of north korea's nuclear programme. china in the past agreed to sanctions against north korea, and if could be in that position again if that's what the united nations decide to do. . >> the president obama spds administration doesn't see bashar al-assad stepping down as president yl 2016. information obtained by the agency says bashar al-assad is unlikely to relinquish his position as president until 2017 harsh winner weather hit syria's latakia refugee camp covering the area with snow. it caused thousands tos seek

shelleder. many live in basic accommodation and appealed for help. >> translation: we are refugees from the turkman mountain: we have been here for four years. relief is given to new refugees, we have many shortages, we don't have work, heaters. our situation is very, very bad. >> i was displaced from the mountain, it took us a couple of days to secure oureslves here. it is minus 10 degrees, we don't have anything at all. we have an old person. it's too cold. we are unable to get firewood or relief. >> we can go live to sue turton, our correspondent. it's on the border with syria, and we have been looking at conditions in the western part of syria, what is it like there

where millions of syrian refugees are currently based? > yes, you can see the arctic conditions that the refugees are having to cope with here on the turkish side of the border. a few hundred meters behind me - cold and plummeting. we are hearing that many of the refugees who are living living in tent. if any story could focus the efforts of the politicians and documents trying to get all parties around the negotiating table about the conflict. it should be what happened to one family, to the east of me here. a 4 month old baby bay was with his family who fled syria, living in a tent when the snow hit. they didn't have enough money. the baby died of hypothermia.

he is worried for the future of his other child, his 4-year-old child to make sure the tent is kept warm enough. this is one picture, there are thousands of families in dollar conditions, and coping with the freezing with aring cold temperatures. all the way across the region. thousands and thousands of families there saying they don't have enough money to keep the tends warm day and night. they have enough to keep them on every four hours. they are constantly relying on humanitarian aid. they don't have jobs or ways to make money, they are shouting please can you help us. we are concerned that the temperatures will have a dreadful effect on those living under these conditions. >> and, sue, you have given us a round up of the situation in the region, and we have seen some

ghastly scenes from the western part of syria. what about other parts of syria, particularly in the north, which is what couple of hundred meters away from here. >> yes, indeed. we were due north of aleppo, across from j. >> rables. the poem talking in latakia and in the turkman encounters. they were talking of being minus 10. they knew people who were displaced, getting more aid. it's really running out. we made calls to idlib to our old friends living in the mountainous area. reporting there is a lot of snow. the people in that area demonstrated on behalf of those living south. you probably have heard of the town of madaya, 40km north of damascus. for over 170 days, that town has

been besieged by the syrian regime forces and hezbollah. it's happening close to the lebanese border. people there are saying they are running out of the pooed. there's reports from the n.g.o.s, that come sort offed to death. pictures are looking dreadful. prices have racqueted. is this what used to be a few cents worth for pa bag of rice is going to 649,000. >> if the u.s. can drop hume job tarian aid, why can't they drop humanitarian aid on the people desperate for food in that area. the messages coming out of syria and across the region, that the effort to get the talks under way, they need to look at what

is happening here, and the weather, and redouble the ests to make sure that those talks go ahead and have some success. >> sue turton in southern turkey. already, we'll return to our main story. the main story of the day is the hydrogen bomb apparently tested by the north koreans several hours ago. hamish is a chemical and nuclear weapons expert and joins us on the line from bath in the u.k. thank you for talking to us. can we pick apart a bit of what the tales are. the japanese are saying no radiation has been detected from any monitoring posts which pay suggest that they are casting doubt that this is what some of

the north koreans have done. oo hydrogen bomb is a different scale from atomic bombs that they tested before. it is using material an a way that leaves 20,000 in explosions. when you move into the hydrogen bomb, you have higher yields. up to a million tonnes. when we look at the facts we know at the moment. the fact that the 5.1 on the richter scale was the same when the north koreans testified an atomic bomb two years ago. there's skepticism. however, if they have cracked

the ability to make a hydrogen bomb ahead of where experts like hiz and others considered. this is a potential change. not only do very crack that and produce a significant i am not of effect, but ifs likely to be smaller than the atomic bombs. making it easier for them to put it in a missile to deliver it to its intended target. >> that's the key, the miniaturization of anyway kind of device that could possibly allow it, therefore, to strike the united states, the pacific coast. this is what the americans are so worried about. >> this is key. it's significant. when you look at the other situation in this area that has been coming out of north korea. they have claimed on the develops that the intercontinental programme, the ability to fires miss ails, they

came that they can tire the which is tiles and the potential weaponization of a hydrogen bomb. it takes it out of the region, the locality of south korea, and the position to trike further. the north koreans are staying it's a reaction to so-called aggression of the u.s. i think when you put all these things together and, you know, it is highly unlikely in my opinion that they could put these things together. particularly in short notice. it could change things, the rehabilitation from the russians, u.s., u.k. and others. hopefully a statement by the u.n. later today is absolutely right because a rogue nation like north korea with this cape ability will paying the world unsorrier than it already is

thank you for talking, a weapons expert joining us from the u.k. president obama issued an executive order to make it harder for americans to get guns. he appeals for support. here is the white house correspondent. >> reporter: this just doesn't happen. >> every time i think about those kids, it gets me mad an emotional president remembering the children killed in their classroom in connecticut. his team in part for one of the victims. anna green. >> she was a smart, brilliant talented girl who loved to show how much she loved her family how much she loved her family and friends every day her father jimmy green was here to watch president obama change the rules. if people want to buy a gun or a gun show they have to pass a background check.

a bill to do that couldn't get through the senate after the newtown shooting. >> the gun lobby may be holding gunmen hostage. they cannot hold america hostage. it could be a temporary measure, the nest president could throat -- throw it out. and candidates like victor cruz are promising to do that. >> we don't beat the bodies by taking away the guns, we beat them by using the guns. >> reporter: the president is asking for more money for mental health care and add agents to speed up the background checks. and he's likely to face a fears fierce fight in congress if he's going to get the money. >> there was more than 3 million >> there was more than 3 million guns sold in the u.s. just last guns sold in the u.s. just last month of the he is optimistic there can be a solution. >> it takes constant dedication to the board.

-- cause. so many are allocated to see fewer gun deaths in americas. >> neither will those opposed to changes, being this is a fight that is far, far from over still to come here at al jazeera - tight security at the university in northern kenya. staff and students head whack to the campus following last year's attack. >> protesters in hong kong demanded information about the disappearance of a

the only way to get better is to challenge yourself, and that's what we're doing at xfinity. we are challenging ourselves to improve every aspect of your experience. and this includes our commitment to being on time. every time. that's why if we're ever late for an appointment, we'll credit your account $20. it's our promise to you. we're doing everything we can to give you the best experience possible. because we should fit into your life. not the other way around.

hello again, you are with al jazeera, these are the top stories. north korea says it detonated a hydrogen bomb. the u.n. called for a meeting. security council. japan and south korea express doubts at pyongyang's claims cold weather hit the latakia rev eej camp, refugees living in temporary accomodation are asking for more help. >> an emotional u.s. president unveiled plans to curb gun violence in the united states. president obama's executive order will require more buyers to undergo background checks. >> the u.n. is facing new allegations that the peacekeepers sexually abused girls. it started an investigation into the abuse of four underaged

girls. in a statement it says it's looking into other episodes of the misconduct by u.n. peacekeepers. they say follow a seized of sexual abuse claims from 2016. we can speak so steven coburn. he's joining us from london. thank you for talking to us, is it a little inestable that when ou get an array of moren forces, that incidents like this will happen. >> it is sadly far too common

for these things to happen. much can be down to present the abuse. allegations and abuse we here can be investigated. and those teemed responsible for the crimes should be prosecuted we see a series of abuse cases that are not dealt with, for so many, that is a big issue, the fact that the ub doesn't respond to the claims and rooting out

chose possible. the u.n. was under scrutiny. there was a pan et in december that -- panel in december, that refused to respond. is it it if lead to important mittments. per seeing. we are looking for a change in results. we mentioned the resignation at the time of the u.n. in the country, and we want to see serious investigations happening in these cases. there's an important role by the countries contributing troops, and it's up to these countries

and prosecute troops in their own course and those that are deemed. that rarely happens. we need to see a change in this. it's a more effective mechanisms, they'll investigate and hold accountable forces under the flag of the oun are and contribute it. not just the brushing of the problems away. but to take action and to prosecute them back criminally. >> thank you very much. from amnesty international. >> kenya's university reopened nine months after gunmen stormed the area. >> police carry from weapons. a majority of staff returned to work. classes begin next week.

america defended bauxite mining. the countries, which are the biggest explorer of bauxite. most comes from a state where income from bauxite mining surged to more than $10 million. up from over 540,000 dollars in 2014. we have more now from the state's capital. it state minister sat alongside the federal minister for environment and natural resources it outline what the state would be, for the next two months mining will be suspended from 15th january.

giving authorities time to cheer the sites. this will now give the authoriti authoritiesa chance to review, amend, cancel or continue the licences that they have given to mining companies to continue mining, and to make sure that they are acting within all the rules and regulation of the open cast bauxite mining. militia is the leading exporter, giving most of its site to china, australia suspended the operation. what this also does is give pressure groups who have been concerned about mining, an opportunity to highlight the damage they feel bauxite mining is doing to the state. a small amount seemed to have leaked into the supplies, leaking into river estuaries, and the water behind me was blood red.

and in gained front page coverage on the national press and scared a lot of people about the effects of bauxite short and long term. it's not just in the water, but the dust it creates in the air. it's on everything, cars, buildings, lorries, schools. for the moment there is a respite. for how long we don't know or the future of mining in malaysia will be, for the moment, anyone's guest. >> now the mystery of a hong kong book siller deepened, with china refusing to say if it's holding them. it was thought he was abducted and tan across the border by mainland chinese. raising fears about the city's autonomy protesters take demands for international intervention to foreign consulates.

after it was revealed that li held a foreign pass fort. they rejected the submission, but hong kong matters is a matter of internal despair. >> that concern about china. >> lee is one of five booksellers to go missing from a company specialising in titles, about the chinese leadership banned in mainland china. despite demands for information, china's failure head to rumours and conspiracy theories. lee lee could have made his way to mainland china, for reasons bearing with troubled business relationships, and being involved with workers. >> they point to a handwritten letter saying he found his way across the boarder. >> he trd before us to be safe

and absolutely safe. we must utilize resources to okay and save him. others seem to be taking precautions. local media say this has taken banned titles off the shex. the owner continues to receive messages of support, and has no plan to review controversial title. >> what we - what happened next, it happens on me. >> as a seller of books, rather than a publisher he believes he's safe now, after four years of trial, the u.s. state of california is preparing for an onslaught of rain and flooding. the weather service issued flash flood letters from san diego to san francisco. el nino storms are due to linger

until friday. mud yes waters already -- muddy waters flooded some streets in a los angeles suburb. >> landslides in bolivia caused massive traffic jams after a week of rain. an important road connecting the cities was destroyed, stranding thousands of vehicles up to 48 hours. there has been severe flooding. heavy rains, due again to the el nino weather phenomenon. >> venezuela has a parliament that will be controlled by the center right opposition for the first time in 16 years. some members couldn't be sworn in because of a court challenge of supporters nicolas maduro socialist party. we have this report from caracas. >> reporter: songs about change and new beginnings. jubilant supporters of the

venezeulan opposition during the 112 new legislators as they made their way to the national assembly in the capital caracas. last december, a sweeping victory gave them a two-thirds majority, changing the way for a transformation in the way venezuela is run. >> translation: venezuela needed a change. we are fed up with shortages and violence. as a mother, i want my children to grow up with freedom. without hatred. >> reporter: a few blocks away a rival rally backs president nicolas maduro. they are worried about the make-up of a new national assembly. >> translation: the opposition hates this country, we have to tell them to respect our revolution and leaders. >> reporter: street clashes between both groups were fierce, especially after opposition deputies were prevented from being sworn in by a court ruling.

it was at the ceremony itself that the tensions were ef dents. -- evident. a sign of the sometimes that are faced in the coming five years. >> a particularly sore subject >> a particularly sore subject was efforted by the opposition to free political prisoners. the government blames them for the death of 40 people during a wave of violence in 2014 the assassins, the perpetrators, they can't pardon themselves, only the victims could forgive them. >> in the end pro-government legislators walked out. the frustration over the changing political landscaping. too great for them to stay. the government passed a series of laws undermining the super majority that the opposition gained in elections. analysts here warned that the continuing of the political gridlock will only exacerbate social conflict

o you can find out more on the al jazeera website. aljazeera.com. and the leading bulletin, that of this h bomb test announced by the north korean authorities in pyongyang. aljazeera.com. hi. i'm ali velshi "on target". tonight power play president obama bypasses congress on gun control taking executive anxiouss that are either overreaching or under whelming, depending on which side you're on. president obama is kicking off 2016 by taking a stand in combatting gun violence and he is ticking off his opponents in process. he announced a series of executive actions. they exclude