three palestinians shot and killed by israeli police in occupied east jerusalem. we'll have the very latest. hello, i'm in doha with the world news from al jazeera. also ahead, pulled from the rubble, the tiny survivor of the offensive in syria which could end the conflict. forces on alert, north korea over the proposed rocket launch. >> we look at the growing divide

about muslims in the u.s. three palestinians have been shot and killed by israeli police. israeli police say the palestinians opened fire at damascus gate in occupied east jerusalem. let's get the latest from ramallah in the occupied west bank. what's the latest? >> a very dramatic and violent scene just outside the damascus gate of the old city in occupied east jerusalem. according to israeli police, around an hour and a half ago, three young palestinian men who are 20 years old approached an israeli police officer. they were asked for their i.d. and that's when at least one of them opened fire. now again, according to israeli police, they shot dead all three

of these young palestinian men, member who they say were not only carrying guns on them, but also knives and explosive devices, what they distributed as pipe bombs. it underscores this wave of violence that we've seen since october of this year, which has claimed the lives of over 170 palestinians and 75 israelis. israeli police have said they secured the area and continued searching not only in occupied eat e. east jerusalem but the occupied west bank where these men are said to be from, trying to find whether or not these men were acting on their own or if this was part of a bigger plot. >> a wave of violence there since october and the protests against israeli's ongoing occupation continue every day. >> indeed, protests which often turn violent. 170 palestinians have been

killed since october. around half of them have been in these protests, and it really just underscores the despair that we see across the occupied palestinian territories, not only here in the occupied west bank, but also gaza, as well. when you speak to young palestinians, they say that this violence that we're seeing and these protests that we've seen are really a response to what they say is decades of israel's occupation, an occupation they say is getting only more brutal, the fact that settlements are only expanding rapidly and the fact that they don't see hope or any future. if you speak toe israelis and israeli leaderships, they say it's the palestinian leadership to blame, that they are inciting young people on to the streets and that social media is also to blame, as well. as we've heard from young palestinians, they say that's nonsense and the reason we are seeing all this unrest is because of israeli's occupation. >> thank you very much for that

update, live from ramallah in the occupied west bank. >> in other world news, syrian government forces backed by russian airstrikes are in aleppo. talks in geneva warn that the offensive could derail efforts to end the war. russia, though, says it will not stop its airstrikes. we have the latest from the turkey-syria border. opposition fighters are making a last stand vital to their survival. the northern aleppo country side is the only stronghold left in the country for links to the free syrian army or what is called the moderates. it's the latest battleground of the government to weaken them. rebels sent reinforcements to the front lines. commanders say they have sent heavier equipment, including antitank missiles. despite this, they face

difficulties confronting the assault. government troops managed that advance under the cover of heavy russian airstrikes. the opposition distributed the bombardment as unpress dented and fear they are about to lose the only crossing they control. >> this is the only road, the only lifeline to the free syrian army. the f.s.a. is fighting, it is confronted by terrorist groups, the kurdish y.p.g., isil and regime along with mercenaries and russian air power. we have no lifeline other than this border. >> the russians advance, the aim to cut off rebels inside aleppo city and receiver supply lines from the turkish border. the heavy fighting and bombardment forced people to the border in search of safety. hundreds are camped out in the open. >> over recent weeks, the rebels lost territory on strategic fronts, as russia's military

intervention changed the dynamics on the ground. opposition groups will not enter any negotiations from a position of strength. what is becoming clear is that the syrian government and its allies are negotiating on the battlefield. >> the struggle for aleppo is called the mother of all battles. it is about winning syria's second largest city. it is about winning syria's north. for the government, that would be another strategic battlefield gain that could mean winning the war or at least the war against the moderate opposition. al jazeera, southern turkey. the united nations estimates that 3 million children are out of school in syria. it's taking part in a major donors conference on thursday in london where it hopes to raise $1.4 billion to help the children gain access to education. a short while ago, i spoke to the u.n. special envoy for education gordon brown and asked him how he would convince donors to prioritize education.

>> this is the biggest humanitarian crisis since 1945. we need a peace settlement and talks are taking place. we need to provide for the refugees food and shelter and that has got to be done. this is not a short term problem, and food and shelter is not enough. if the young people particularly are not going to lose hope, then we need to provide them with the chance of education and the chance of jobs. at this syrian peace -- at this peace conference, we want to create 1 million school places across turkey, lebanon and jordan for syrians who left syria. we have places ins lebanon using existing schools operating on two shifts per day to we can cater for the syrian refugees but obviously we need money and need to raise money from the region, from america, from europe, but this is the humanitarian crisis that is not simply now about food and shelter, and it's not short

term. it's going to last many years during many of these children can get back to their homes. we've got to make provision for the future. >> are you hopeful, that you'll be able to raise these funds given once again that there are so many urgent priorities and so much money is needed right now for other issues that seem to be more urgent as far as some people are concerned. >> if you're a family who has been exiled from syria, and are holed up in lebanon say turkey or jordan, then you may make a decision to leave the region and try to get to europe and risk the dangerous crossing, but you're doing so because there is no provision for the future for your family, for your children in particular in the region. of course, young children are becoming victims of child marriage, the rates of child marriage are going up, we have children who are in laboring in some of the most unsanitary and

unsafe conditions put to work as child labor others. we have a lot of child trafficking that is underreported where 13 are being sold across borders. if we are to ensure the safety of the children as well as their future, we've got to end the exploitation by giving them the chance of returning to an education that we believe we can provide for about $500 per child per year by using the existing schools in turkey, lebanon and jordan. >> gordon brown, the u.n. special envoy for education speaking to you guess he really earlier. >> to iraq, where isil said it was behind two separate attacks in rimadi which left 13 soldiers dead. in fallujah, thousands of civilians are trapped and basic supplies running out. we have more from baghdad. >> fallujah is anbar's second largest city, strategically important and it's been under

occupation by isil for over a near now. people tell us that the situation is incredibly dire, supplies as i am apply running out. in the markets, there are no fruits, vegetables or meat. there is very little medical supplies. we're also hearing that there's very little supplies for infants and young babies. also we're hearing isil who controlled the city are rationing out the only food available, which is wheat, to the resident there is. there are at least 10,000 people trapped in that city for over a year. the situation got worse in the last two months when the operation against rimadi, the largest city happened while the iraqi security forces managed to take a key bridge, the palestine bridge and managed to surround the perimeter of if a luge i can't and are not letting anything in. aid agencies and people of anbar say this is a desperate people for people inside the city.

they are running out of food. they do have some basic supplies, the real concern that this situation might develop from shortages into starvation. >> in yemen, 40 houthi fighters have reportedly been killed by saudi-led airstrikes in sanna, northeast of the capital in a mountain range where pro-government fighters are trying to take back control. allied fighters had also been killed in clashes around the rebel base. an egyptian court appeals has overturned a death sentence handed down to 149 people as a group. they are among thousands convicted in egypt. a year ago, they were convicted of killing 13 police during anti-government protests in 2013. many of believed to be supporters of the banned muslim brotherhood. japan military on alert to

shoot down a north carolina rocket if it enters its territory. we have more from seoul. >> when north carolina last launch add long-range rocket in december, 2012, it said it successfully placed a satellite in orbit, saying the upcoming launch is for the same peaceful purpose. japan's prime minister said that mission is clearly military. >> this is actually a ballistic missile test in addition to the nuclear test, north carolina testing these is an obvious violation of important security decisions for our country. >> north carolina's announcement confirms speculation based on recent satellite images of its west coast launch site. pong i don't think said the first stage will fall to the west of south korea. discarded parts of the fuselage will be farther south. the flight path notwithstanding,

japan said it will shoot down the rocket if any part of it threatens japanese soil. a security council meeting was held, demanding north carolina rethink its plan. >> we strongly warn that the north will pay a steer price if it goes ahead with the launch plan. this is a great threat to peace for the peninsula and around the world. >> previous prelaunch announcements by north carolina provoked similar rounds of rhetoric from its neighbors in the past. pong i don't think has simply pressed ahead with its plans. south carolina is familiar with the events. >> south carolina cannot deal with this by itself. i have great concerns. >> if they launch, they launch. i don't feel it's a threat. >> south carolina promises severe punishment, pushing for more stringent sanctions. there has been pressure on china to punish its ally for ignoring

beijingion's calls for restraint. if pyongyang is concerned about how beijing might react, it is not showing it, picking the very day a chinese official touched down in south korea to announce a pending rocket launch. in france, the government wants to extend the state of emergency. the measure was introduced after the paris attacks in november which left 130 people dead. the state of emergency gives more power to police allowing searches without warrants. we have more from paris. >> the french government is poised to extend the state of emergency ending weeks of speculation. the french prime minister has been speaking extensively in the last days, quick to remind the country that it is now in a state of warp and that unprecedented levels of security are the only way of keeping the nation safe. the measures themselves give authority to the police to be able to carry out searches and arrests without the need for a warrant, to be able to close

websites that seem to glorify acts of violence and top public gatherings. the government wants to make it easier in the future by changing the constitution for states of emergency to be able to be brought in. there's another controversy proposal, as well, divided opinions even within president hollande's own ranks that would see nationals stripped of their french citizenship if convicted of acts of terrorism. it has somewhat divided opinions here in france. there have been demonstrations against it, but the vast majority of people here in the country are behind an extension of these extraordinary measures. >> all right, coming up after the break on al jazeera, we are in guatemala where indigenous women are telling harrowing stories of sexual slavery as war criminals are brought to trial. more on the controversy

ruling on policies for refugees in australia. stay with us.

three palestinians shot and killed by israeli police in the occupied east jerusalem. police say the palestinians opened fire at damascus gate. two israeli police officers were critically injured. syria's government is close to encircling rebel held areas in aleppo province. intense russian airstrikes killed dozens of civilians and the on that pigs at talks in geneva say the offensive is

derailing negotiations. japan has put its military on alert to shoot down a north korea's rocket. they insist the rocket is just a satellite. to the united states, a house committee is holding the first congressional hearing on the water contamination crisis in the town of flint in michigan. this comes as the f.b.i. launched an investigation on tuesday into possible lead contamination and determined whether federal laws were brother-in-law, live to al jazeera now on capitol hill for us. the search for answers then about how flint's water crisis was allowed to happen, what are we likely to hear at this hearing? >> i think right now what's most notable is what we are not likely to hear because two key figures will not appear. rick snyder, the governor wasn't asked to appear.

many questions need to be directed toward him, when exactly did he know about this crisis, but secondly, the former emergency manager for flint, whose decision ultimately it was who oversaw the switch which flint's water supply to the contaminated flint river, his lawyer refused to accept a subpoena to appear at this hearing. just in the last few minutes, the chair of the house commit see said they will employ u.s. marshals to hunt him down to serve him a subpoena to appear at the committee later on this month. these are the two key figures in this crisis. they will not be appearing. there is some concerns as to how useful this hearing will be. >> two key figures not there, who then will be testifying? >> it will be a variety of local and form officials, including residents, the mother who first really blew the whistle on this entire crisis.

you notice that her water was contaminated, got academics from virginia tech to test the water. she will be appearing, so with him the academics who did that testing. other local officials and federal officials will appear. there are some concerns that this republican dominated committee will now turn the hearing into a stage to go against the e.p.a., the federal organization that oversees the environment in the u.s., because the republicans hate the e.p.a. they always feel they are muscling into the free market by imposing restrictions on how much pollution can be released and so on. there are definitely questions for the e.p.a., why it too them so long tonight the public that there were concerns about the water. we have to make sure, examine the hearings carefully that the issues surrounding the decision making aren't an excuse to go after the federal government and e.p.a., which is what

republicans like to do quite a bit. >> thank you so much. staying in the u.s., president barack obama will visit a mosque in the united states. critics say it should have been done a long time ago and not in his last year in office. our correspondent patty calhane reports. >> she is more worried about getting into medical school than what president obama has to say monday. it will be the first time he has set foot in a mosque during his entire presidency. he hopes he won't repeat what he often says that groups like isil don't represent islam. >> it says that, you know, like it's our responsibility to do it, but it should be everyone else's to real estate that it's not as peaceful. >> some think it's what his government does that matters. >> we've had mosques attacked,

in fail traded, we've had fake converts coming in. it just creates an entire environment of distrust. >> the president is doing this now to scan draft what's being said by the presidential candidates. >> donald j. frump is calling for a total and completely shut down of muslims entering the united states. >> the proposal to bring in tens of thousands of syrian refugees to america i think is absolute lunacy. >> we had attacks on muslims in 2013 and they are still continuing to this day. >> it's not hard to find voters who say they are supporting the candidates because of their views on muslims. >> damned if you say something

about a muslim, but they can say anything they want to about us christians and cut off our heads and imprison us, and which they've been doing. >> a growing fear, a growing divide. the president hoping his visit sends a message to muslims worldwide and to people at home who may not want to listen. al jazeera, washington. myanmar's parliamentary upper house starting a new government after years of military rule. they won an landslide victory in elections. parliament will choose the new upper house speaker. in australia, the high court ruled that the government's offshore detention policy for asylum seekers is lawful perform dozens of babies born in australia could be deported to the pacific island of neru or

island in new guinea. >> transferred to australia to get treatment for pregnancy complications, her baby was born in australia, but now, she and her 1-year-old face being deported back. in a majority decision, the court said it was not unlawful for a woman to be held in a prison camp and that the deal that the australian government has with the pacific island is valid under the constitution. lawyers for the woman say she is bitterly disappointed. they believe the government should step in. >> the stroke of a pen is all that it would take of the prime minister or our immigration minister to do the decent thing and let these families stay. >> the country's prime minister insists it's not just a moral issue, but you a security one, as well. >> i will consider the judgment

and its implications carefully, but what i can say is this, our system of deterrence remains robust and has recently been reinforced to deal with immediate and enduring threats to our maritime security and sovereignty. >> unicef is disappointed with the ruling and sided for calls for the ghost to intervene. >> this is important for any government to show that it wants to take a very reasoned response to what's happening, that the high court decision aside, the immigration minister has discretion under the mike allegation act and is empowered to make decisions for these children and their families. >> a previous testimony case challenging the legal status of australia's offshore policy in new guinea was likewise rejected by the same court in 2014. according to the government, 1,459 asylum seekers were being

held offshore. this ruling means 91 children and at least 150 adults currently in australia could be and would to that number, if the immigration minister chooses to deport them. >> al jazeera. two former military officers have gone on trial in guatemala for crimes committed against indigenous women during the countries 36 civil war, accused of murder, rape and enslaving the women at an army base during the 1980's. we have this report. >> these women have waited more than 30 years for justice. now they have a chance to tell their story. all of these women say they were taken as sexual slaves in 1982. she was held on an army base and repeatedly raped over a period of six days. some say the abuse lasted for years.

>> they told us to take a shower and then the fat man came and he would rape us. i was raped many times. my daughter was also raped. >> the victims say guatemala's army was punishing their community for trying to get legal title to their land. even now, the women cover their faces due to fear of reprisals. >> this trial marks the first time in guatemala history that crimes of sexual violence will be prosecuted at international crimes. it's the first time anywhere in the world a national court will hear a case of war time sexual cravery. >> guatemala's civil war ended in and legal observers say this trial would have been unthinkable just five years ago. since then, the work of a pair

of determined attorney general's has helped strengthen the justice system. there are still signs of weakness, the biggest being the stalled genocide trial of former guatemala dictator. for many others, however, the days of impunity of over. >> the arrest of the ordered of 18 high ranking military officers for grave human rights abuses. that is a sign that things are progressing in the guatemala justice system. >> a retired colonel said the u.s. ambassador's presence shows who's really in charge. >> the united states really has the weight and they're guiding the judicial process to a predetermined place, which is against the army. >> the sexual slavery trial is expected to last more than a month. with it lies the hopes of those

whose voices have until now been silenced. david mercer, al jazeera, guatemala city. a reminder that there's plenty more news on our website, aljazeera.com. >> tying to get answers on the flint water crisis on capitol hill. city leaders and environmentalists testify before congress. zika virus warning, a new case reported in the u.s. transmitted through sex. the issue at the mosque is we didn't know who was behind it, who was in it, where it came from. >> distrust in a wyoming town, backlash over a new mosque as president obama prepares to address the rise of islamaphobia in the u.s. today.