addition prettily needed aid finally on its way to starving syrians, but thousands are people are still under siege. give us an education, yuck africans call on the government to open universities to more students. talks get underway in islamabad to try to revive the afghan peace pros. we are live in pakistan. ♪

tributes to the musician who was ziggy star dust, cancer claims the life of rock legend david bowie. trucks carrying food and medicine are on their way to syrians living under siege. two convoys organized by the u.n. and red cross are being checked near three towns where people have been cut off for months. images of i am mace 80ed bodies and starving children have caught the attention of the world. talk us through what's going on. >> we've got 175 tons of aid

going into the two towns in idlib. we're mainly seeing food in those convoys. that's what people desperately need the most after a few months of not having food. we've got medical supplies, as well and sanitation kids. lets have a look now at that convoy on its journey. >> a red cross convoy left damascus carrying desperately needed aid to the besieged town in western syria. there were demands that more has to be done to help many others in need. >> what is going on now, dropping or giving aid to people is not good enough. the united nations have done this exactly three months ago and look where we are at now. >> to the north, supply trucks from the red crescent aid organization go through idlib. both convoys had to arrive at the same time, as part of a deal negotiated with the syrian government a few days ago.

pro-government forces have blockaded madaya. people have been reduced to eating salt, tree leaves and cats and dogs. >> are we not arabs, as well? i swear to god, we are arabs. these children, what wrong have they done? >> this child, what wrong did he commit? >> the world he food program says the aid carried to ma die i can't will meet the needs of 40,000 people but only for one . activists say it's inviting a the sieges are lifted. >> they want to deliver aid to many areas of syrians, but it can't. madaya and these two towns in idlib are part of the much wider problem in the country, talking about 400,000 people here.

the u.n. made mulling pell requests to different sides in the war to get aid in. 10% of requests were granted last year, so a small proportion of people getting the aid it needs from the u.n. 200,000 people where isil is actually holding a lot of towns and villages under siege, and 175,000 are being held by government forces, as well and a smaller number by rebel groups. really, all sides somewhat to blame for this situation and a lot more needs to be done to get aid into people that desperately need it in different parts of sir. >> al jazeera is in idlib where the trucks are being checked. >> this his the final point before the convoy reaches the towns. the trucks stop here before heading on. the syrian red crescent will be in charge of sending the trucks to the towns and syrian

opposition will provide protection. the convoys consist of 21 trucks with 4,000 packages be, including 2,000 med well packages and 10,000 blankets. double the quantity will enter the town of madaya in the damascus suburbs and the trucks will entertainment. the aid is part of the agreement signed between the regime and syrian opposition. >> the u.n. refugee agency helped monitor the deal from damascus. he described the agreement as an important breakthrough. >> we hope that this process will lead to a second and third and finally we all hope for a peaceful solution to the crisis, which will then open the door for human workers on the ground, and we will have access to be

able to help and let people go back to their lives. among them, there are 400,000 who leave in besieged leaks, and these mean that they are denied access to pure, clean drinking water, to food and humanitarian aid. >> u.s. command in iraq asked residents in the city of ramadi to leave within the next 48 hours. the announcement comes as coalition forces and the iraqi army prepare to target certain neighborhoods with airstrikes and artillery. fighting has resumed between the iraqi army and isil in the center of rimadi. dozens of iraqi soldiers have been killed in several ice ail attacks. twenty isil fighters have been killed. talks aimed at pro viewing the peace process in afghanistan have been held in pakistan.

it is hold it will pave the way for talks to resume with the taliban. we have more from cab bum. >> the meeting in islamabad was described as significant. delegates from afghanistan, pakistan, the united and china, but none from the taliban. they'll be invited later if a framework deal is eventually agreed. >> it is important that preconditions are not attached to the start of the negotiation process. this will be counterproductive. secondly, proper sequencing of the actions in the process -- >> in kabul, the afghan government said the meeting is different and important.

>> the doors for peace are going to be open to all those groups that are willing to come to the negotiation table, but those who do not come to the negotiation table, both countries have already agreed to work out some very practical and significant steps in fighting those groups with all available means. >> despite a relentless multi-natural military campaign by nato, the taliban has increased attacks and seized more territory. most foreign troops ended combat operations and left in 2014, leaving behind a force of about 14,000 mostly u.s. troops and the afghan army which is still not ready to battle the taliban on its own. on the streets of kabul is hope these talks could lead to a lasting peace. there is also piss mix and

mistrust. >> we rely on god because only god can bring peace. we hope this time it brings an outcome. >> we are not hopeful. they have been talking over the last tin years with no result. >> reaching peace dependency on factors including the rise of the islamic state of iraq and the levant in afghanistan and sincerity of the many regional and international stakeholders. the challenges facing peace are big. the taliban is not unified and it's not clear if they will attended future peace talks. the group has previously said it will not negotiate while foreign troops remain in having a, the government on the other hand demand the taliban to denounce violence, recognize it and accept the constitution. al jazeera, kabul. >> the students in south africa are protesting because many are denied the chance of higher education. universities say they are doing their best but there just aren't enough places or resources. students demand the government

do more to accommodate them. we have more from the university in johannesburg. >> protestors here are part of the movement, say they are unhappy with the number of placements for students. they can only accommodate 10% of those trying to get in. the second part of the protest is the cost of study and registration. the spokesperson for the university, the university has put in place measures those who can't afford the registration fee. >> yes, firstly, we have increased access to higher education. we normally accommodate 5,500 associates. this year, we've increase that had to 6,200. we believe that there should be more access to higher education

in this regard. the problem is where do the resources come from. protestors are trying to bring the university to a standstill. they have managed that where registration has been suspended. >> we have suspended face-to-face registration for monday and tuesday, however, students can register on line or telephonically. we are hoping to resolve all the issues by wednesday or so, however, this is a large national issue. the access to quality high education, and this is not something that the university can tackle or has the resources can tackle. weed a our voice to the matter. universities are waiting for feedback from government on how it can assess these universities

in bringing more students into university and accommodating and paying their fees. universities in bangladesh have teachers walking off the job. we'll have that story coming up. just eight years ago, he offered hope and promised change. u.s. president barack obama prepares to leave office, we ask whether he has achieved his goals.

a quick reminder of the top stories. food and medicine arrived

they're syrian towns as part of a deal between aid organizations and rebels. talks aimed added reviving the peace pros in afghanistan took place in pakistan. it is hoped talks will be resumed with the toll ban. south african students are protesting because hundreds of thousands of them are being denied the chance at a university education. they are demanding that the government do more to accommodate them. >> in germany, the interior ministers of the state of north ryan says he fierce criminals are entering the country alongside refugees. foreign men have been accused of attacks against women in the state's largest city on new year's eve. police received more than 500 complaints, half of them involving allegations of sexual assault.

germany's interior ministry warned people against feeling hate and suspicion. >> when asylum seekers are being insulted as cattle, when their refugee shelters are set on fire, when politicians are being labeled as traitors, when the media is defamed or asylum seekers calling women crossing the streets whores, all of this is unacceptable. >> hundreds of women complained about physical and sexual violence inflicted upon them, firstly, the interior ministry believe that almost all of the attackers, the perpetrators of the violence were of migrant origin. secondly, the interior ministry, the federal interior minister

has said he feels while it is not correct for people to suspect all refugees to have sexual threats to germans, it's also fair to ask questions about those who have been -- who are suspect in this case. that's separately on sunday, the police in cologne say that there were two attacks on groups of foreigners. in the first around 20, people called skin heads and some have attacked pakistan ircitizens, two required hospital treatment. in a separate incident, around five people attacked a syrian man. he was likely injured, but did not require hospital treatment. the police say that a number of people were held, and that they expect some charges will ensue. for the first time in history, a member of the spanish royal family is on trial, princess christina have charges

that angered many suffering austerity measures. it has damaged the popularity of the spanish royal family. >> there is little way in homage to prince christina. only a very public fall from grace and the notoriety of becoming the first member of the spanish royal family to be put on trial. in a civil case brought by anti graft campaigners, christina and her husband have been embroiled in one of spain's biggest corruption scandals. it's focused on the building dealings of a charitable organization set out by the prince' husband. he and his former business partner are charged with embezzling "million dollars in public funds. some money found its way into an account of a firm he ran with his wife, funding their lavish lifestyle. while the prince faces a lesser charge of tax fraud, her abused

of her privileged position during a time of harsh austerity have angered many spaniards. >> she should sit in the dark, stand trial with her husband for their holdup of public money and be sentenced according to the law, no more and no less. >> i think the royal house has had a series of privileges over time which are not fair, so i think it's right that she is treat like any other normal person. >> the case has dealt a severe blow to the popularity of the spanish monarchy, but in public, the royal household has attempted to distance itself from the scandal. no longer appearing with the rest of the family at official events, prises chris attorney in a was even stripped of her title, the duchess of palmer, but her brother, the king. if found guilty, she could face a prison term of up to eight years. the case is expected to last until june this year and the fallout may well leave the

monarchy fighting for its reputation once more. al jazeera. spain has warned catalonia's new regional government that it will challenge any legislation considered to be unconstitutional. spanish prime minister hoye spoke before parliament to approve its new president. the want date set to lead the regional government pledged to break from spain within 18 months. thousands of professors and dozens of universities in bangladesh started an indefinite strike. they've walked out because of a long running dispute over low pay and students complaining of poor facilities compared to private universities. >> remembering toiling in this laboratory during student days, the lab is cloaked in nostalgia, however, his fond memories don't blind him from a glaring

reality. the lab is underequipped and out of date. >> we have to find low grade soil for fake chemicals. one student failed in an experiment three times even though she did everything right. the chemicals were fake. >> on monday, around 15,000 professors at 37 public universities across bangladesh began an indefinite strike, leaving students without any classes to attend. >> public universities provide an important low cost alternative to private institutions. once students from all over the country arrive on com pugs, they find that keeping costs down has it's own price. >> in the first year dorm, more than 20 students are crammed into rooms assigned for four people. it's a big at j for many freshman, who try to make the

best of bizarre circumstances. >> our plan is that instead of sleeping, a group which us will go out to around 2:00 a.m. and explore our campus while singing songs all night. we'll go singing to the canteen and the teacher student center. we'll climb some coconut trees. we're all friends, we'll manage to have fun. >> only by the third year are the students assured of less cramped conditions, but even then, eight of them can easily end up having to share four beds. >> if you are sick, you can't really be comfortable. you can't turn the light off when you need to. if you have an exam, you can't study properly. the others in the room have things they need to do, as well. >> unlike their teachers, these students aren't about to protest. they are resigned to what they think is an inevitable reality. it's their living conditions more than anything else which urgently need approving.

al jazeera, taka. china's president ordered a massive restructuring of his country's armed forces. president xi is abog issuing the four headquarters responsible for staff, politics, logistics and armaments, replacing them with 15 new agencies. they will all be under the direct authority of the communist party's central military commission. the move is part of president xi's plans to reassert authority and modernize the army. chinese military budget is the second biggest in the world after the united states. u.s. president barack obama's do due to give his last state of the union address this week, outlining his vision for his final year in office and the for the coming decades. patty calhane looks back on his presidency and if he's been true to his promises. >> the country was in a panic, jobs disappearing, companies

closing, retirement plans vanishing. >> our economy is in crisis. >> in his first address to a joint session of congress, u.s. president obama said he had a plan to fix it by spending $787 billion. >> over the next two years, this plan will save or create 3.5 million jobs. >> estimates say the plan created between one and 3.3 million jobs. statistics show the economy that dramatically improved, but for many, those seem like just numbers. >> we've had a very slow painful recovery from the great recession, and wage growth has been virtually flat. most people don't feel like they have recovered, even if the statistics suggest that the overall economy has recovered. >> this is a speech of big promises, to reform wall street, to bring health insurance to millions, both accomplished, but his promise to fix federal spending fell short. >> yesterday, i held a fiscal

summit where i pledged to cut the deficit in half by the end of my first term in office. >> that didn't happen. the deficit went to 1.1 trillion in 2012. >> we believe double this nation's supply of renewable energy in the next three years. >> that didn't happen, either. renewables accounted for 10.5 of the energy supply then, three years later, 11.2%. on foreign policy, he did dramatically decrease the number of troops in iraq and afghanistan but still hasn't closed guantanamo bay. >> i know that we haven't agreed on every issue thus far. >> this speech called for the country to come together for a new day in american politics that hasn't dawned. >> he swore that he could do a much better job than george bush in bringing citizens together, democrats and republicans. exactly the opposite has happened. we are as divided, maybe more difficulted today than we were at the end of the bush

administration. >> seven years later, the economy is healthier. the same cannot be said for relation ships in washington. al jazeera, washington. music legend david bowie has died at the age of 69. his family says he passed away peacefully after an 18 month battle with cancer. bowie who was one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century reds his last album on friday. space oddity is one of his most famous songs. he recorded it in 1969. it's unlikely emanueled that it would be sung by an actual star man, but that happened in 2013. let's take a listen. ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ commander chris hatfield is back on earth now. we spoke to him from west virginia in t u.s. >> visualize what it's going to be like, feel what it is to be

like to leave earth. i hadn't gotten the words or feel of his words until i sang at that place. now the album he just released before his death is artistically poignant. it's amazing. i think he's been sick with cancer for the last year and a half, so to have released two albums in that time when he was getting more and more ill, and for him to have recorded, just the opening lines, the power of it, the poignancy of it, still the original artistic spirit of it, everything he did was --

we'll leave you with highlights of david bowie's illustrious and legendary musical career. ♪ ♪

a second officer on trial, jury selection gets underway for the man who drove freddie gray on the fateful trip that ended in his death. reaching the starving, aid sent in to help thousands of syrians under government siege. ♪ remembering the thin white duke, musician and actor david bowie dead