at least 63 civilians are killed by air strikes in syria. rights groups say russian planes are to blame. ♪ ♪ hello, i am marian and you are watching al jazeera live from london. also coming un. thousands of anti--government protesters brave surprising temperatures in moldova to demand early elections. 10s of thousands still without power as the eastern united states begins clearing up after a record snowstorm. plus.

this is what happens when hollywood comes knocking. a short film about friendship gets a shock nomination at the oscars. ♪ ♪ we begin in syria where at least 63 people are believed to have been killed in strikes apparently carried out by russian planes. the syrian observe tory fo -- observatory say nine children are among the dead. raids in two neighboring towns has skilled scores in the past two days, gerald tan reports. >> reporter: they gather to search for bodies. to sift through their belongings. and what is left of their homes. villagers here in the countryside say airstrikes on saturday killed relatives and friends, just ordinary citizens. citizens: this man could only muster a prayer calling on god to help his people.

rights groups say russian jets are responsible for the strikes. and that this isn't the first time. dozens of civilians are reported to have died in days of bombing ohere. russia has been doing this at the request of bashar al-assad. they have flown an estimated 5,700 missions. rights groups say more than a thousand civilians have lost their lives in that time. moscow continues to insist that its campaign is directed at isil and other armed groups. it's also rejected claims that aircraft have hit saville againsts saying it uses the planes to drop humanitarian aid to those living in besieged areas. >> translator: i think that today there is not a single arm knit world that would talk about its military operation so thoroughly with facts and numbers as the russians have in syria.

i would like to stress it's an operation against international terrorism in this region. >> reporter: isil controls most of this province. it has kept the remaining pockets of government-held areas there under siege for the past year. this week it's been on the push to capture those areas. the russians say they intensified aerial bombardment are to counter that push by isil fighters. but the people here say it's all been at their expense. gerald tan, al jazeera. well, in the west of the country syrian state media is reporting that pro-government forces have recaptured an important opposition base in the coastal province. it's understood that the offensive is being backed by russian air strikes. there are reports that 20,000 people have fled the town and another village after government forces took over from the opposition. there is still doubt over

whether indirect talks between the syrian regime and the opposition plan today this week will take place, our diplomatic editor james bays has more. >> reporter: these talks were always due to start on monday. i think it's pretty certain that's not going to happen. the best we can get i think on monday is a news conference with stefan dee ma stew a the u.n. envoy. and the fact that he could there confirm that he's finally sent out the invitations. the controversial thing behind the scenes has been who will make up the opposition, john kerry, the u.s. secretary of state, has been in are you ahead meeting his saudi counterpart. saudi arabia was drawing up a list of opposition, but moscow had problems with that list. we understand mr. kerry has also been speaking to sergei lavrov on the telephone. it's then up to the opposition to decide whether to attend on the basis of the list that's been agreed by the international community. i know they'll come under a great deal of pressure, because i think they will be told. if the syrian government is

there and you are not there, it will look like the opposition is the one that doesn't want peace. so i think it's more likely than not that some sort of talks will take place later in the week. i am told initially those will be so-called proximity talks. the opposition in one room, and the syrian government in the other. with the u.n. an voir shuttling between the two. i am told initially they will be looking at possible ceasefires in syria and trying to alleviate the humanitarian situation, in particularly those areas of syria under siege. ♪ around 15,000 protesters have rallied in the mall dolan capital demanding early elections after the point of a prime minister who they claim is taking orders from business tycoons. robin forester walker is in the capital.

>> reporter: many maldovans now believe a mafia is running their country. so they came onto the streets of the capital despite the cold. >> translator: there is no democracy. there is one gang in power that stole our rights. our well being, our money. >> reporter: opposition parties want the oligarchs out and new elections. but that's about all they have in common. there is a pro-european faction, while two other parties have a different foreign policy objective. >> translator: the position of my party is that we should have a closer strategic partnership with the russian federation. >> reporter: sunday's rally was a show of unity without party politics. just flags of the republic. the people on this stage come from very different backgrounds, they have very different political interests, but they stress that change in moldova

has to come from the people down there, not from moscow, brussels or washington. after violence earlier this week police were a visible presence on sunday. protesters brought flowers, yet the opposition is now threatening a more active phase, acts of civil disobediences. highway blockades, unless their demands for change are met. robin forester walker, al jazeera. a huge clean up and rescue operation is underway in the eastern united states after 36 hours of heavy snowfall finally came to an end. new york and baltimore have lifted their travel bans. the heaviest snowfall happened in west virginia where there are reports of more than one meter of snow in some areas. tom ackerman has more. >> reporter: the sun was out again on sunday. and so were lots of people looking for help to dig their cars out of mountains of snow. >> anybody stuck, anybody trying

to get out, some people have patience, some people don't have patience. but when you go through a neighborhood, you see everybody coming outside clapping. >> reporter: new york city lifted a one-day ban on all vehicle traffic. imposed so that thousands of workers could clear away a near record amount of snow. it was new york's second largest blizzard in the past 150 years. baltimore broke its record 75 centimeters. >> all it takes is one car to get stuck and now that road is not possible. pass passible and the plows can't plow the road and the situation quickly descends in to chaos. >> reporter: for some of new york's homeless the city's designated shelters norm at haven. >> and i had to spends most of my time downstairs in penn station due to the cold. >> reporter: more than 11,000 flights across the u.s. have been dan second since friday. while new york's airports struggled to resume operations after the snowstorm passed, those serving washington remain

closed until monday. so do the capitals metro train system. road accidents were most of the casualties. >> i am happen that i to report that nobody died from this storm. >> reporter: six people died from the cold or heart attacks as they shoveled snow. along the new jersey shore the blizzard whipped up tides that flooded many neighborhoods. family will have to rebuild once more. yet despite the inconvenience, some people were still able to make the most of it. big city snow emergencies are traditionally today fore complaints either that the preparations were inadequate or the authorities pushed the panic button unnecessarily. but in this indication, the feeling is that they rows well to the occasion. tom acke ackerman, al jazeera, washington. >> let's speak to gabriel

elizondo who is on new york's snow-covered streets for us. although it does seem to be melting now, gabriel. the storm might have passed, but people still dealing with the problems that it's left behind. what's it like there in new york at the moment? >> reporter: i can tell you here from the heart of midtown manhattan at 33rd and 7th avenue. as you can probably tell things are get back to normal. there is traffic back on the streets, people walking around, going in to penn station over my left shoulder there one of the busiest train stations not only here in new york but anywhere in america. and it's been closed up until this morning because of this travel ban and the trains simply not operating. that is now all changed. trains are coming back on service slowly and surely here. but i can tell you there are still widespread problems all over the northeast. there is about 70,000 people without power, mostly in the state of north carolina. and also the neighboring state of new jersey, another 10,000 still without power. in the state of pennsylvania there were at least 500 stranded

motorists throughout the night on a major highway that was snowed in out there. and i can also tell you in washington, d.c., the metro still not working. officials there saying it will be several days until it gets back to normal operations. they are hoping to get it going maybe as early as later today. but they are simply not sure yet. i can tell you also important note here, airports, washington dull us airport a major international airport as well as the three major airports in the new york metro region still not open yet. more than 10,000 flights have been canceled, some airports hoping to get onto some sort of operations by later on sunday. but already some airlines are even canceling flights for monday. so the domino effect of this huge blizzard going to be felt for days to come. >> amazing to look at the scenes behind you and the contrasts with the deserted streets yesterday now it looks like things are largely get bag being to normal. there are cars out, people behind you there.

is that the case for the areas surrounding new york? >> reporter: they are trying. new jersey was hit very hard. especially the coastline of new jersey. they had some serious flooding down there. they of course dealt with that during hurricane sandy a few years ago, they had problems with swell surges, they are still being battered down there new jersey they are trying to get the trains back up and running especially for monday morning rush hour because 10s of thousands of people from new jersey come in to work here in manhattan every day so they really need to get that going. they have start today get the trains working again. but it's going to take a while before it all comes back online. here in new york city, though, they are also just trying to get everything ready primarily for the rush hour that's going to hit come monday morning. if there is anything good about this storm, it's that it hit over the weekend. it meant that because the public

transport was pretty much shutdown, it affected lesser amount of people. but they have to get ready for the monday morning rush hour. >> it looks like that's already starting to happen. thanks very much, gabriel elizondo in new york for us. there is more to come for you here on al jazeera. iraq's army steps up its push to retake the last isil strong hold in the western city of ramadi. and they say home is where the heart is. we meet the chilean architect who has put that message at the center of his award-winning work.

>> we tend to band together, so we have a voice. >> we're just surviving. it's really hard.

♪ ♪ welcome back, you are watching al jazeera. let's take you through the top stories. the u.k.-based syrian observatory for human rights says russian airstrikes have killed at least 63 civilians near the eastern city there. moscow says its operations in syria do not target civilians. thousands of people are out on the streets of the moldovan capital demanding early elections. the pr protester unhappy about falling living standards and blame the government for failing to carry out reforms. a huge clean up and rescue operation is underway in the eastern united states after intense snowfall finally stopped. baltimore and new york have lifted their travel bans, at least 18 people have been killed in weather-related incidents.

now, iraq's foreign ministry has summoned the saudi ambassador saying comments about shia militias are a breach of diplomatic protocol. aambassador gave a media interview saying iranian-backed militias should leave the fight against isil to the iraqi army to avoid aggravating sectarian tensions. but iraq's foreign ministry says the militias are fighting terrorism and are under command of the armed forces. meanwhile, at least 20 policemen have been killed by two isil car bombs in a village west of the iraqi city of ramadi. the suicide attacks hit the headquarters of the federal police. earlier isil killed 72 soldiers in three separate suicide attacks in ramadi. the iraqi army says the latest fighting against the armed group was in isil's last strong hold in the area. imran kahn reports. >> reporter: iraqi soldiers on the road to what they hope is the last remaining isil strong hold in ramadi. this neighborhood.

isil fighters have so far managed to slow the iraqi forces assault. and the last 22 hours have been battling to hold their positions. the armed group have booby trapped buildings and used suicide come bombs to devastating effect against the iraqi security forces. heavy shelling and u.s.-led airstrikes cannot be used effectively here as the iraqis say civilians are trapped inside the neighborhood. most have managed to escape to places outside of the city. in particular the town here. children here him i believe what they have seen while others just wait. >> translator: we and the security force to his quickly remove i.e.d.s from central rah mad. we want to get rid of any isil signs in the city and we want to return to our homes. >> reporter: some say that the conditions here are so dire that they just want to leave. others are just fed up. but getting back home will be a long and difficult process. iraqi police say they need to mount patrols and reopen police stations before people can come back. but what will they be coming back to? it will be bombed out buildings

and devastated infrastructure. and this is before anybody has really talked about reconstruction. imran kahn, al jazeera, baghdad. south sudan's rebel leader has criticized the president's creation of new regional states. the country's warring factions missed a crucial deadline to form a unity government on friday. the new regional divisions go against south sudan's constitution some say. it's a moved design today stop crime that some say a weapons amnesty in parts of nigeria isn't enough. trouble ethnic tensions have left hundreds of people dead. spoke to go people who want the government to do more. >> reporter: hundreds of illegally owned rifles, grenades and homemade bombs surrendered to the police. the owners will not be charged with any offense in the continuing arms amnesty aimed at cutting cry. fighting started here during last year's election.

on and off tribal and ethnic tensions overland ownership have plagued the state for years. many have acquired weapon to his defends themselves. hundreds have been killed. the husband and son of elizabeth were shot and killed in separate politically-motivated attacks. >> translator: when my husband was murdered, i was in the bedroom i heard boom, boom twice, i got scared and laid face down, the shots continues for a while. when it went quiet i ran out screaming. >> reporter: she says the amnesty has greatly improved security. self-confessed criminal, has handed over 84 rifles. >> translator: violence is because people are attacking communities, my community. so i was protecting my people. now i am protecting all people. >> reporter: many victims are worried that criminals are not being punished and will reoffend. many of the communities affected

by crime and violence say the government needs do a lot more than the amnesty program. they say they need help dealing with the impact of crime. >> this amnesty program, to me [ inaudible ] show any remorse, you can't grant them amnesty. >> reporter: state government leaders defend the amnesty. >> the security council have granted in amnesty. the chief of the at this time is there. the security parties of the states are there. we are working together. we are fining how we can make life more meaningful and better for our people. >> reporter: state government says the amnesty has reduced crime by 70% here. training and education programs will be provided for anyone who is given a pardon. victims of crime say the priority should be giving them

compensation so they can rebuild their lives, al jazeera, nigeria. riot police have blocked human rights activists from reaching the border with turkey. the protesters are calling for safe passage to refugees who face a fence and police controls along the frontier. several hundred activists gathered at a border village with some burned a european union flag. and russia has closed its arctic border crossing with norway to block a group of syrian refugees from returning. up until this weekend, norway was returning some of the refugees to russia because russia had issued them resident permits making them ineligible for norwegian asylum. it'ses estimated some 5 1/2 thousand refugees have resort today taking this particular route. now, portugal has gone to the polls to elect a new president. 10 candidates are in the race for a role that's largely sir ceremonial but can still be influential within government at

nadine barbara reports. >> reporter: he's promising to do everything he can to insure the current government's stability if he's elected portugal's new president. center right politician is the clear favorite. opinion polls have suggested the political broadcaster nicknamed professor will get more than the 50% needed to avoid a run off. >> translator: i am calmly confident he said after voting. neither euphoric nor worried. calmly confident. >> reporter: for many vote, he a clear result is the most important thing. >> translator: i hope the next president contributes positively to democracy. and i hope it's someone that looked after us all. not just certain people. >> i hope things will get better so we'll all move forward and there will be work for everyone. >> reporter: a low turn out could help one of the left of the center candidates to force a second round next month.

>> reporter: he has recently own earns a my-profile endorse. eights special message from the special 1n this online video, jose mourinho the former chelsea manager says he has the charisma to be the president. one of the few powers the job carries being able to dissolve parliament in a crisis and cries sis never far away. since inconclusive elections in 2015, the prime minister has led a minority social i was government relying on a fragile coalition with the far left. the government's confident that brussels will approve its 2016 budget which aims to reduce the deficit and increase public sector wages and mentions. but whoever becomes president the argument over how quickly portugal can leave austerity behind is sure to continue. al jazeera. in mexico, two volcanos have rumble ed in to life throwing large columns of ash in to the air. officials say the volcano erupted 12 times in 12 hours on

saturday. several eruptions were also seen in the country's east after the other volcano threw smoke and ash in to the eras well. it's often referred too fast the nobel prize for architect, this prize has gone an architect from chile for a project that could be the future of social housing. lucia newman has more from santiago. >> reporter: alejandro is an architect obsessed with the needs of his time. a time whereby his calculations, two out of 5 billion people will be living in cities under the poverty line by the year 2030. >> this means that we will have to build a 1 million people city per week with $10,000 per family. >> reporter: they have already started near chile with a revolutionary social housing design that has made him one of the youngest recipients of the world's most prestigious architecture award.

>> the problem is not the scale, speed and means with which we have to respond to this phenomenon. there is no precedent in human history. >> reporter: he was hired to rapidly rebuild a chilean city destroyed by the 2010 everything quake and tsunami. he came up with a novel solution. >> instead of producing tiny units, we ask ourselves why don't we think it's half a good house. and we thought it was efficient to make the half that family will never be able to achieve on its own. then allow families to do the other half their own time, according to their own needs. >> reporter: it's called participatory expanding design. here in poor residents moved from this to this. homes that families built on by adding more bedrooms. or a terrace. or balcony. or a shop. and not on the outskirts of the

city, but right in one of santiago's wealthiest districts. these residents used to live far away and travel for hours to get here. now they work and live in the same area, which improves their quality of life. and in turn, reduces the inequality gap. and that is the point he says. although his multi million dollars prestige projects have won him critical acclaim the world over, he seems most proud of his socialarchitecture which includes public spaces, alongside public housing. >> public space, by definition, is what improves or not the quality of life for free in cities. >> reporter: architecture that he hopes will ultimately stand the test of time. lucia newman, al jazeera, santiago. among the blockbusters competing for the oscars neck month a shock inclusion to the no, ma'anominee is his a short m

coast co. shock is friend in albanian. it's a film about friendship during conflict and it's kosovo's first oscar nomination as paul brennan reports. >> reporter: the moment the oscars nomination was confirmed. cheers, tears and celebrations. and recognition of an extraordinary story. in fact, the films' 213-year-old stars are being recognized everywhere at the moment. >> translator: everyone here knows about the mom nation. when i go to a shop, people say to me, they are proud of us. >> reporter: the short film is the true story of two boys and a friendship pushing to the limit during the kosovo don flick during 1998. >> translator: i had some difficulties with my part because i haven't lived through the war, but with the help of my parents and the crew, would told me what happened, it got much easier. >> reporter: the producer

remembers the war very well and the film reflects his experiences of how albanian speakers were treated. >> translator: i remember traveling by bus when the police stopped us. they asked me in serbia tone show my i.d. card. i didn't have i.d. at the time because i was only 14. and didn't speak serbian. i knew the policeman spoke albanian and i told him i was travel to go school. he then hit me and told me that if he met me again some other time, i would have to speak serbian. that percentage experience is in the film. >> reporter: just making the film has been a major achievement. but being nominated is an inspiration to other filmmakers. >> translator: this is the first time ever that kosovo was nominated for oscars. it means a lot for our film industry. because it might increase interest from hollywood and europe for making more films about kosovo. >> reporter: the film was shot on location and uses a cast of local actors. it's just 21 minutes long. but win or lose next month, this short film looks set to a long

will have lasting impact. paul brennan, al jazeera. remember there is more to be fountain on everything we are covering right here, al jazeera.com. you'll find all the latest commend, analysis, video on demand and background information on all of our top stories. i'm david shuster in for ali velshi - on target man versus machine, how a need for speed turns america's stock market upside down. and meet the computers that can make hundreds of million in milliseconds for investors in the stock brutal. the s&p droppeea