syria's government and opposition trade blame as talks in geneva collapse. the world news from al jazeera. also coming up, britain's prime minister calls for billions more in aid for syria's refugees as donors meet in london. obama uses a visit to a mosque to take a stand against bigotry and an attack on islam is an

attack on all faith. the u.n. mass suspended talks at ending syria's five year war. the government and opposition blame each other after the collapse after just two days. on the ground the war rages on. it appears that the regime is winning. they are claiming a major victim in aleppo with the support of russian air power. in a moment we will have the latest on the frighting, firstly get's get more on the stalled talks from our correspondent who is in geneva. >> reporter: just give us an jaup date of what has happened-- an update on what has happened >> reporter: today we are just expecting members of the main opposition negotiating the delegation here, they're going to be departing. it is really a pessimistic mood here. it has been progressively more and more pessimistic the last two days.

it was pretty apparent early in the day yesterday that the talks were really close to collapse. even though staffan de mistura took grain pains last night in his press conference to say that these talks had not failed but just a temporary pause, it will take a lot to get members of the hnc and the opposition back here at the appointed date, february 25. this was mentioned when the talks will retalk. the agency has told us they've stressed to the press many times since last night that they're not going to be coming back until they make assurances, until they see progress on the ground in syria, until they actually see the russian stop the bombardment, the syrian regime opening up corridors. the fact of the matter is that will be a tall order when it comes to getting the regime to agree to that. last night we also heard from the russians again. they don't plan on stopping the

bombardment and assaults and helping syrian forces retake more areas in aleppo in the north. it is have tricky, messy and complicated. as hard as it was to get the parties at the negotiating table, this time it is going to be near impossible to get them out three weeks from now thanks very much for that. another correspondent is on the turkish side of the syrian border. with all the activities or almost collapse of the talks in geneva, what's happening there on the ground? >> reporter: no diplomatic break through in geneva, but one here for the syrian government. they have managed to cut through rebel-held territory. they really unleashed heavy fire power. what they achieved in the past three days, really, is what they have been trying to achieve for the past three and a half years.

the opposition has told us that they were no match to what was unleashed because according to the syrian organization for human rights is more than 500 air strikes. there were civilian casualties and hundreds of families have fled to the turkish border. this operation is just the first phase. the offensive, the aim was to reach the pro-government towns of cutting through rebel held territory. they have separate opposition controlled cities from the aleppo countryside which means from the aleppo border, they've cut their supply line. by lifting the siege of nubul zahraa, they have another advantage. they're described as military garrisons there. they are ready to join the fight. these towns could be used for a launching pad for further attacks in the aleppo area.

so the opposition really suffering a setback. there is a sense of frustration and desperation. they have been appealing on their foreign backers to send weapons, but what this objective is trying to do is sever the supply lines, which means the opposition will not get further reinforcements or the weapons that they need. there has been many turning positions but this one is the desigh sieve, at least-- decisive. it is consequential you for that. britain's prime minister is calling for billions more in aid for syrian refugees at a conference in london. this is what people are fleeing from. this is a video taken by a russian drone captured these images of the almost complete destruction in the city of homs. the prewar population was almost

1 million people. it's extraordinary to see those images, isn't it. world leaders are expected to attend the london conference. it is estimated up to 9 million syrians have fled since the war began five years ago. more than six and a half million are internally displaced. the u.n. says over 4 million syrian refugees are living in nearby countries such as turkey, jordan and lebanon. the king of jordan has warned that his country is at boiling point because of the influx of refugees. many are educated and would like to work but are struggling to find employment. >> reporter: this man is studying two days a week become

pharmacists. they have scholarships from an aid organization. when they graduate, they won't be allowed to work as refugees. he lives with his sister and her children. he studied chemical engineering. after arriving here he learned how to repair cell phones but he can't do that either >> translation: i have a certificate, but when you go to a shop they tell you that syrians are forbidden to work. >> reporter: he says it is so hard to survive here that one-by-one almost all of his friends have left. many of them heading for europe along with those travelling without vee says. they spend-- visas. they wander around the street. he still has a bullet in his shoulder after being shot in

syria. he worked at a sweet shop for a while, but he was put in jail for a week for working illegally. jordan says its country's infrastructure is over whelmed. to take in more refugees, there has to be more done to help. those who do work earn much less than the jar dans. people are working illegally. this woman is sussing used stuffed topic. two weeks ago authorities took them away and he had to pay to get them back. he works 14 hours a day. on a good day he makes $10.

>> translation: i leave the house at 7am and financial at 9 p.m. i reach the house at 10 or 11. sometimes i have dinner and sometimes i sleep without eating because i'm tired >> reporter: there are close ties between syrians and jordanians, but the strain is beginning to show wick ee leaks founder says me will turn himself over to police on friday if a u.n. panel of legal experts decide that his detention is lawful. he has been holed up in london for more than three years. he is trying to avoid extradition to sweden where he is wanted to sexual assault charges. he fears he will be extradited to the u.s. two more republicans dropped out of the race for the white house on wednesday. senator rand paul and rick santorum are the latest to

quite. rand paul pulled out after not gaining enough support in the iowa caucus. rick santorum said the same. president obama has used his first visit to a mosque in the u.s. to take a stand against bigotry. he said when any religious group is targeted we all have the responsibility to speak up. >> reporter: this is the first time a u.s. mosque has been able to put up a welcome sign for president obama. >> your entire community so often is targeted or blamed for the violence acts of the very few. >> reporter: after more than seven years his visit now comes as anti-islamic extent meant is on the rise and the people here say they feel it >> it's present and when it has become a part of the political discuss course and that scarce

our community-- scares our community. >> reporter: he highlighted the accomplishments of muslim americans. >> there is a couple million muslims in the country and some where there is not. >> reporter: 59% said they agreed with one presidential candidate's plan to halt all musts ims from coming into the country. obama says it is a chance for a recruiting tool for i.s.i.l. >> there are voices in the world who are constantly claiming that you have to choose between your identities. as a muslim, for example, or an american. do not believe them. if you are ever wondering

whether you fit in here, let me say it, you fit in here, right here. >> reporter: but he also said even though it's unfair, after a terrorist attack muslims will have to continue to condemn it. that didn't sit well with everyone >> if the call to condemn terrorism is the bigoted idea that we are suspicious because we are muslims, continuing to accommodate that sentiment is not going to make it go away. >> reporter: islamaphobia is on the rise. the president hoping that while other politicians are saying the opposite, his speech sends the message that muslims are truly welcome here we're going to take a short break now, but still to come on the program, health officials are raising the alarm over binge

drinking. >> reporter: i'm in brazil where thousands of people have been infected by the zika virus. coming up i will tell you what we know and don't know about its consequences. consequences.

welcome back. the u.n. has halted talks in geneva aimed at ending the war in syria. the talks have ended just after two days.

wikileaks founder says he will turn himself over to police on friday if a u.n. panel of legal experts decides his detention is lawful. he has been holed up in the embassy in london for more than three years. president obama has used his first visit to a mosque in the u.s. to take a stand against bigotry. he says an attack on one faith is an attack on all faith iraq, government forces are surrounding the city of falluja hrngs cutting off medical and food supplies. just how serious is this situation in fallujah? >> reporter: it's not a humanitarian disaster yet, but it is a very desperate situation. what we're being told by residents inside fallujah is that the markets are entry, there's no fruit, vegetables or

meat. medical supplies are running low as well. nothing is getting in and out. one mother said they were running out of baby milk. it is not at starvation crisis, but there are a number of people concerned about this siege. it is the second largest city in the province. the governor has said that the u.s. need to make food drops into that city to alleviate the situation there. he is a lone voice. none. aid agencies have so far commented. what we're hearing is that it is very desperate now. because no food is getting in i.s.i.l. are still in control of that city. the food that they have is the supplies of stockpiles of wheat that they had. i.s.i.l. are rationing that out to the residents. they're simply not getting enough food. it is a very desperate situation. it is likely to go on for longer. the longer it goes on, the more desperate it will become. there is real concern for a number of people that i've

spoken to that if something isn't done soon, then it will become a humanitarian disaster thanks for that. somali officials are trying to work out what happened to an aeroplane. the pilot believes a bomb caused the blast. the leading suspect is the armed group al-shabab. one passenger was killed after he sucked out of the hole that appeared in the fuselage. the zika virus spreads across the americas and scientists are scrambling to determine whether there is a link to birth defects in brazil. an emergency was declared as a result of virus. our correspondent gives this report.

>> reporter: it is carnival time in brazil, but at this general hospital in north-eastern area there is nothing festive for scores of pregnant women whose babies are being diagnosed with microcephaly. this lady who caught the zika virus is a prime suspect. >> translation: your baby's head looks normal, but it is too early to know for sure. we need another seven weeks >> reporter: every day more and more people are being infected by the zika virus and every day more mothers are giving birth to babies with microcephaly. in the absence of conclusive evidence linking the two, the speculation about the possible consequences of the zika virus is spreading quickly as the epidemic itself. we travelled to sao haolo to get answers from researchers at the forefront of the investigation into this little known mosquito-born virus. at the university here pregnant

myself are being infected with zika to see if they will develop brain lesions, but it is too soon to reach any conclusion says a professor. meanwhile, women are the over americas are anxious to know if an infected person is safe to get pregnant months or year after the virus have left the bloodstream. could that person still be carrying the zika virus and could she pass it on to her child? >> that is a good question which we don't have an answer for. for ebola you can find the virus nine months or ten months after the first infection. >> if you have the war, you don't just send the soldiers. you send the entire team, the army, the navy. everything. >> reporter: the director of the medical research center here is optimistic that the virus's proximity to dengue, for which they recently discovered a vaccine, could speed up the

process. >> people start working right now and perhaps due to the fact that we know many things against dengue, we could use it for zika. perhaps in the near future we will have candidates of a zika vaccine. >> reporter: as researchers work around the clock to unravel the mysteries of this virus, they admit there are more questions than answers. they cannot, for example, confirm or rule out that the virus could be sexually transmitted through semen or that children could suffer brain lee jobs if they become infected. more time for research is needed. back at the hospital, this woman puts on a brave face

>> reporter: it certainly is not

where there is political opposition to it in the middle of a presidential election campaign. but the trade representatives who s who protests like this one organized without official approval are against the law, but niece people want to do

work. at the same time at the same time

they find her heavily intoxicated and passed out in the bathroom. the officers carry her to the patrol car. they will take her to medics.

up until now korean men have been the heavy drinkers, but increasingly women are joining their ranks. every night south koreans kon assume 7 million dollars of the local alcohol made from r ice. the number of calls we're getting is overall women. it is hard breaking. >> reporter: on any given evening on the streets here young women can be seen stumbling about, drunk out of their minds. many people are saying the problem is it can be found 24/7 anywhere. the cost is only $11 a bottle. -- $1 a bottle. this alcoholic has launched a

legal suit agains the companies. >> people see people drink these because they're famous and it encourages drinkers to over drink. >> reporter: university students are partying and binge drinking, they say it helps relieve stress. she studies 18 hours a day and with youth suicide rate here the highest in the developed world, she says it is good for mental health. >> reporter: do you ever see a day when south koreans will drink less? >> absolutely not. >> translation: liquor is something that is naturally shared between friends and family. i think our drinking culture is very uplifting. so i don't think the day we have less ever come, nor should it.

>> reporter: women are simply joining in on an old korean colonel turl practice, one that provides a necessary escape, no matter the risks you can read all our stories on our website aljazeera.com >> thanks for joining us on "america tonight." i'm joie chen. think psychedelic drugs and you're likely to imagine a turn on tune in, generation. for recreational highs, some researchers continue to believe that these drugs could have great value as penicillin for the soul, to treat a variety of serious tr