the president making his first visit to a mosque here in the united states. keep it here on al jazeera. >> it did not end, end, and it is not a failure, the talks. >> u.n. syrian envow announces a three-week pause in the talks. hello there, i'm felicity barr. you're watching al jazeera live from london. also coming up, three poisons shot dead after carrying out a stabbing attack. on his first visit to an

american mosque as president barack obama said that the u.s. will tackle it's anti-muslim head on. and tiny luxembourg announces big plans. hello, after three days of talks about talks, syrian government and opposition representatives are heading home from geneva. he said more work needs to be done before the syrian people will see results from the political negotiations. talks will now be on februar february 25th. >> there will be a temporary pause. it did not end, and it is not a failure of the talks. why? they came and they stayed. not only, but both sides insisted on the fact that they

are interested. >> james bays is live for us once again in geneva. what are they hoping the two sides are going to achieve during this three-week break? >> felicity, i don't know its anything to do in some ways with what the two sides could do here. it's about what is going on in syria. let me take you back to how the opposition came here. they were told that some of their concerns about the humanitarian situations about detainees were going to be made. they were given assurances that you come here to geneva and something will happen. the government will give a gesture pretty much on day one. that didn't happen. what happened was the reverse. what happened was the increase in the violence. a new initiative around aleppo about the syrian government, back by russian bombardment.

when they came here this morning, he came here to this hotel, i was in the hospital all afternoon because the opposition wouldn't go to the u.n. i was just outside of the room, i was told it was an intense and emotional meeting that they had with the special envoy. the special envoy again left the room and we were told that he was heading towards the restroom. i'm told he was accompanied by other special envoys from western countries, including the u.k. and the u.s. whether they wrote the statement. >> they're insisting that the talks were not a failure, but there are many looking in from the outside who will think they are a failure.

>> well, i think they are a failure. russia is supposed to be one of the sponsors in this process, yet they're bombarding the very people on the ground who are attending these talks, these opposition very angry not just of the russians but the americans for not being tough enough now two sources told me that the americans have been trying to reassure people that they're going to put pressure on the russians. those two sources told me that they've been told that the u.s. secretary of state john kerry has been trying to ring his russian counterpart sergei lavrov, and the sources told me that sergei lavrov has not returned john kerry's calls. that shows the state of relations here those two men built this process, and it's not looking at all good about those talks. yesterday postponed them for three wreaks, but will they happen in three weeks? many observers here believe that

russia is going to continue along with the syrian government this intensified bombardment. will you be able to get the opposition back after that happened? i think it's highly unlikely. >> thank you. so no diplomatic break through in geneva, but there has been a military one for government sources in syria now with the sport of extensive russian airstrikes they took areas on tuesday and now they've broken through territory to reach the pro-government villages that will allow the syrian military to cut off rebel supply routes and stop reinforcement from getting through. >> opposition fighters made their last stand in a province that is vital to their survival, but they face difficulties

confronting what commanders describe was an unprecedented assault. government troops and their allies manage to with stand heavy russian airstrikes. they cut through the heart of rebel held territory. they reach two loyalist towns that have been surrounded by rebel groups for more than three years, lifting the siege on the predominantly shia communities. the defensive has managed to cut off rebels inside aleppo city and sever supply lines from the turkish border. >> this is the only road. this is the only lifeline to the free syrian army. at the moment they're fighting on three fronts. they're confronted by terrorist groups, the kurdish ypg, isil and along with their russian regime and air power. we have no other lifeline apart from this border. >> the northern aleppo countryside has been the only remaining stronghold in the country for groups linked to the syrian army and what they call

the moderates. this is no longer the case. it's been the latest ground in the government's efforts to weaken them. rebels did try to hold off the advance by sending reinforcements to the front lines, commanders say they've also sent heavier equipment. including tank missiles. hundreds are now camped out in the open. the offensive also caused civilian casualties many of them as a result of strikes. the fear now is further government advances towards the border and that would completely seal off the only lifeline for the opposition in aleppo province. over recent weeks the rebels have lost territory on strategic fronts as russians, military intervention change 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 it's allies are negotiating on the

battlefield. the struggle for aleppo has long been 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 this is another strategic battlefield gain that could be the beginning of winning the war at least against the moderate opposition. al jazeera. southern turkey. >> three palestinians have been shot dead after open firing on israelis police outside one of the main entrances. one police come has died from her injuries and others remain in hospital as a result of their injuries. >> it was one of the worst cases of violence since this latest wave of unrest began four months ago. three palestinian men were shot dead after they allegedly open

fired and carried out a knife attack outside of the main gates of the old city. one israeli policewoman later died from her injuries. two other israelis remain in hospital in serious condition. investigators say in a the palestinian men all in their 20s and from the same city in the occupied west bank were not only armed with guns and knives but also explosive devices. terrorists were shot at the scene. they open fired with a weapon that they had in knives, and now they're refusing explosive devices that they had on them that didn't explode. they will prevent and stop any terror attacks from taking place in jerusalem today. >> the attack is the latest in a waive of unrest that has spread across israel since october, the stabbings, shootings, and car

bombings of have killed 25 israelis. this surge in violence has many reasons. israel blames palestinian leaders and social media for what it describes as incitement. but young palestinians, who have been involved in most of the vie license, say that israel's 50-year-old occupation is to blame. after four months of unrest the israeli government has not been able to offer any meaningful solution to end the violence. in many ways what we're seeing now is the new normal. but it is clearly anything but. al jazeera, in the occupied west bank. >> now u.s. president barack obama has been in a mosque near the city of baltimore, his first such visit since he took office. patty culhane joins us live right now. patty, what is the president saying?

>> they wanted to take the opportunity to speak not only to the muslim-american audience but the broader audience at home who is watching. he knows that anti--islamic is on the rise, and he wanted to address that. he really spent a great deal of his speech going through what muslims believe and calling the tenants of islam a peaceful religion. he did acknowledge that this anti--islam is on the rise, and he gave one indication why that may happen. >> the muslim-american community remains relatively small, there are 1.7 million in this country. and many americans don't know or

at least don't know that they know a muslim personally. as a result many only hear about islam from the news after an act of terrorism, or in distorted media portrayals in tv or film all of which gives this hugely distorted impression. since 911, more recently since the attacks in paris and san bernardino, you have seen two often people conflating the horrific acts of terrorism with the beliefs of an entire faith. >> the president has been explain requesting there might be an anti-islam sentiment in the u.s. did he have any suggestions about what could be done to counter that sentiment? >> he actually did. he said that muslim americans who are making great

contributions to this country, they need to be vocal about their faith, their accomplishments not only as a moral argument but as a national security one. he's trying to convince the muslim americans that they cannot fall victim to the must isil recruitment he just spoke directly to young muslim americans who said you're one of us. you're part of this country. isil is not legitimate enough to represent your religion. trying to send a message to all americans, really, that it's not just a question about what is morally right or what is right for the national security of this country. >> patty cull hane live for us. thank you. and u.s. republican rand paul

has pulled out of the 2016 presidential race. paul is the second republican candidate to drop out of the race since monday night's iowa caucuses. there are now ten people left vying for the republican nomination. still to come on the program, south africa's president agrees to pay back some of the $15 million the state spent upgrading his private home. and a search for answers in somalia as a passenger is thrown somalia as a passenger is thrown from an airliner.

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>> hello again. a reminder of the top story on al jazeera. three palestinians have been shot dead by police in occupied east jerusalem after a shooting and stabbing attack that killed one israeli policewoman and injured another. syria's army has broken through rebel-held territory north of aleppo to reach the blow government villages and cut off rebel supply routes between aleppo and the turkish border. the u.n. special envoy to syria have announced the talks in geneva and how to end the war have been put on hold for three weeks. the head of the syrian government delegation saying that the opposition dealing with the u.n. envoy said that they weren't serious about

negotiations. >> so the decision was made with the turkish and qataris to derail and make sure that the talks will fail. when they arrived they did not meet in geneva palace. they asked to see him in their hotel. since the beginning they started talk, but there is a humanitarian crisis in madaya and they went on to attack our russian friends and joint opposite ration against terrorists and started to spread their rumors-- >> the iraqi army is advancing in anbar province while they try to flush out isil fighters in the nearby city of ramadi. we have reports from baghdad. >> if a will yo fallujah have been under attack for a year

now. in the parks there are no vegetables or meets. we hear there are very little medical supplies. there are few supplies for infants and young babies. we hear that isil who controls the city are rationing out the only food available to the residents. there are 110,000 people who have been trapped in that city for over a year. but the situation got worse in the last two months when the operation in ramadi, the iraqi security forces was take a key bridge and they managed to surround the perimeter of fallujah, and they're not letting anyone in. men are saying this is becoming a desperate situation for the people who live inside that city. they're concerned that they are running out of food. as i say the real concern for this situation that may be developing from shortages into

starvation. >> death sentences handed down to 149 people. they are among thousands who have been convicted in trials in egypt. a year ago they were convicted of killing 30 policemen in cairo during anti-government protests in 2013. many are believed to be supporters of the banned muslim brotherhood. the italian coast guard said overnight it has rescued 11 refugee who is were at risk of drowning in the an aegean sea. they were able to reach the family including four children just off the greek island. they could not confirm the nationality of those refugees. well, aid workers are struggling to help thousands of refugees stranded on greece's border along macedonia. they're protesting police who are giving priorities to migrants who are traveling to western europe. 80 busloads were not able to reach the border and had to

spend the night in freezing conditions. a rare case of the zika virus being transmitted sexually in the southern united states. zika is primarily spread by the mosquito, and is linked to a huge spike of birth defects in south america. health ministers from across the continent have been meeting to discuss ways of dealing with that zika outbreak. the meeting was called by brazil's president dilma rousseff. she has already called a state of emergency in brazil. >> representatives and health ministers from 13 countries from latin america and caribbean are meeting to discuss a regional

approach. this was called by presiden president--over a million people are carrying this virus, and babies born to infected mothers, all of this is going to be discussed here. people are going to be discussing how to control the borderers, also present here is the director of the organization. she ising a going to go advising the governments here about how to deal with the zika, the latest information available about the virus. almost everyone that we have spoken to hearsay that the regional approach to fight the virus is crucial in order to control the current situation. >> u.s. government forces say a bomb probably caused the explosion on a plane that was forced to make an emergency la landing in mogadishu.

however, there have been no evidence of a criminal act. they believe the bomb caused the blast. one person is reported to have fallen out of the hull. >> of course, we saw the first thing you worry about is can we really make it towards--that worrying feeling was there. it was more--it was really traumatizing. thinking back right now, the first minute or seconds, and then when things happen i really didn't think that we would make it. but of course after things calm down it was a lot easier to be hopeful. >> after spending millions of dollars of taxpayer money to renovate his rural property, south africa's president is offering to pay it back.

a football pitch is one of the luxury investments he made. but his political rivals are still not satisfy: >> south africans woke up to news that president zuma wants to repay some of the estimated $15 million the government spent on upgrading his rural home. >> well, i think he's talking utter nonsense. when will he pay back the money? how much is it? how will he pay it back? >> president zuma wants to put the matter behind him. some support him. >> he releas realizes that he made a mistake. >> in 2015 a report said that the president had benefited unduly to the improvements to his home. president zuma wants the finance minister to determine how much he should repay.

the it's not just about president zuma paying back the taxpayer money. it's not even about the amount. it's about respecting the authority. >> they emphasize that one of the functions is to hold officials to account, even the president in parliament last year opposition party officials demanded that zuma pay the money back. at the time zuma refused to do that. sthree parties took the matter to a constitutional court, which is set to hear the case next tuesday. some believe that he may be trying to avoid a messy court battle. >> this is the inconsistency of his position. he has now saying he will not pay. for us it was towards the end of the last year, the inconsistency around the finance minister. this is a president who has become weak, and it is beginning

to show. >> opposition leaders say this is a political win for them. one that could have huge implications. >> he's admitting that he is the recipient of money and a criminal case must pursue. he must be charged with corruption, which must end up with him being convicted and sentenced to prison. >> as for the constitutional court hearing next tuesday, opposition leaders said that they would not accept zuma's offer to pay and. >> ministers in france will extend the country's state of emergency. it will give more power to police, allowing searching without warrants. well there, is widespread support for the proposal, but some say it goes too far in restricting their freedom. >> i'm in favor of the emergency

state in france because i think this is the only way we can give power to police and to security services to protect the people here. >> about the state of emergency introduced last november, it is true. back then i supported it. now i'm thinking about it even more because now the measures continue even though we're not actually at war. >> we don't have the comfort of freedom like we used to have. and it is with a heavy heart that unfortunately this is the way that things have to be. >> it is clear that there are some enemies that are not really identified. >> a stricken cargo ship listing precariously has been towed to a port.

it was towed by a pair of tugboats with others on hand to move the ship into position. it's 22 crew were safely rescued. luxembourg wants to make an giant leap in asteroid mining. there are 30,000 asteroids in close blocksty to earth. they are made up of glowed and platinum. two u.s. ventures are working to develop the technology to get there, at this point it's a long way off and it will need a massive injection of cash to do it. it will cost $1 billion u.s. dollars. >> this is an entirely new space

industry. this will give mineral he sources to be used this will offer new horizons in space exploration. >> we'll speak with an astronomer in chicago, united states. >> astroids come close to the earth on occasion, and they represent massive sources of raw materials, not only things like iron and water, but also in some degree fresh melts that could be used here on earth, and more importantly in space itself. international space law is kind of hazy on the subject whether you can mine asteroids or anything like else out there for profit. that's why governments likes luxembourg or the united states come into play.

they can set their own internal laws and make them friendly for business who is want to go out to as steroids and bring these things back. >> there are many more stories on our website. that's what the front page looks like right now. go to www.aljazeera.com. www.aljazeera.com. >> singing it from the heart, telling a story she was in a home filled with jazz, she played the piano followed by the guitar and was working by the mid 70s >> there was something that was