voters in the nation's first primary. for more, go to aljazeera.com. syrian talks suspended, the war rages and andar urgent plea for aid. i'm in doha with the world news. also head, italy demands an investigation into the disappearance of a student who disappeared in cairo last month. protests bring athens to a standstill as thousands of workers strike against government. security is tightened for the carnival after the news

assaults that shocked germany. five years of civil war over a quarter million dead, half a million under siege complete cut off from food and aid, and 9 million forced to flea. these are the numbers that describe the human catastrophe in syria. on the ground, fighting rages on. instead of talking, the government is waging an offensive driving out the opposition. at a london conference, leaders call for millions in aid for refugees, appealing to the conscience world. >> we are facing a critical shortfall in life saving aid that is fatally holding back our humanitarian efforts. after years of conflict, we are witnesses a desperate movement of humanity, as hundreds of thousands of syrians fear they have no alternative than to put

their lives in the hands of evil people smugglers in search of a future. >> this is deeply disturbing that the steps of the talks have been undermined by the continuous level of sufficient humanitarian access and by a sudden increase of aerial bombings. >> this imperative that next week, the issg find accommodation to produce a ceasefire and to produce humanitarian access. i can assure you, we will get back to these talks in geneva. >> today, turkey is hosting 2.5 million syrian refugees, and turkey with this statistics i guess the biggest refugee host country in the world. 700,000 school children are in turkey. 300,000 are getting regular education and we are manage to have this educational facility for all the rest.

>> this is what people are fleeing from, a video taken by russian drone captured these images of the almost complete destruction in the city of homs. before the war, the population was 1 million. the camera which travels at low altitude shows its virtually empty of life. our diplomatic editor james bays joins us there, a really grim pictures there. is the word coming together with a new effort to try and deal with that sort of suffering? >> they are coming together to try and raise money, of course, but this is an effort that's been going on now with the war that's about to reach its fifth anniversary. this is the third time they've done this sort of donor conference. back in 2013, i was in kuwait for the first one of these donor conferences. i look back at my notes. then they were trying to raise $1.2 billion.

the figure now is almost $9 billion. that, i think reflects the reality on the ground, this human catastrophe that has become syria and obviously syrians also in recent hours receiving the news that the latest efforts to try and get some sort of solution to the war of certainly failed for now, at least. let's discuss all of this with one of the syrians speaking at this conference. there aren't many syrians here. >> only one of three speaking at the main conference. i am happy to be here. certainly it's a bit upsetting because this comes simultaneously with the geneva three talks which have come to fail at peace for now. we're coming to the sixth anniversary of the syrian revolution, believe it or not. yes, we are hoping to reach $9 billion in funding in this conference, however non none ofs

will go into besieged areas, which makes all of this effort good but not good enough. the war and the violence doesn't stop. we are just going around in circles. >> we saw those appalling pictures from madaya. there are probably other places like that. >> not only besieged areas where aid is not reaching, there are lots of areas where educational and health care facilities are being bombed. if we really want to make a change, we need to stop the from from the roots, stopping the bombs, the she will, releasing the detainees. i think this is the main message. the second message is that of developments and sustainability. we needing to beyond aid into more development projects, into more projects that foster the dignity of these individuals that have been living for five years, not going to school, not having jobs, not living a normal life like you and me. this is what it really comes

about to, and to be able to do that, syrians must be involved, at the fore front of every effort led. >> syrian politicians say they've lost trust in the international community. is that in your view the position of the syrian people and is there any hope among the syrian people? >> as we speak now, outside here, we have people saying the u.n. in the process next door, certainly the humanitarian effort has failed. we should work hand-in-hand, but i think the international community should put more trust and faith in us as syrians to work together to solve this. >> what is your message to those leaders who are here, some of them with their checkbooks. what would you say to them? >> i think i would say thank you so much for their pledges, but that we are watching, we are

looking, are these pledges going to be met, followed through, how are they going to be implemented. we are the wash dogs and we'll be sure to make sure all is well. >> thank you for joining us. obviously it's worth watching those pledges and the fact that those come through. watching this over the last five years and in other crises around the world, people often pledge money, double pledge money they've pledged in the past. sometimes they pledge money and it takes an obviously long time to come through. >> let's hope they find a better way the this time. 28 iraqi soldiers have been killed by isil suicide attacks in anbar province. it's the third major attack in as many days. a car bomb targeted army barracks in rimadi where fighting has continued for months despite government claims it controls 95% of the city. the second attack was in fallujah, also targeted a

government base. in eastern yemen, there are reports u.s. drone strikes have killed 12, including one of al-qaeda's most senior commanders traveling in a car with six others. the vehicle was hit by a missile fired from a drone. italy is demanding an investigation into the death of a student in cairo, whose body was found bearing signs of torture. the 28-year-old disappeared january 25. the ambassador was expressing concern. we have more from rome. >> on thursday, the italian foreign minister has summoned the egyptian ambassador following the death of a student in cairo. the 28-year-old student living in cairo since september top study for a doctorate in egyptian economy disappeared on the 25 of january, the

fifth anniversary of the uprising. his body was found on a road with signs of torture. according to the prosecutor there, he had signs of cigarette burns, stab wounds and he must have suffered a slow death. the italian foreign ministry called for a joint investigation to make sure that it will be fair and thorough following contradictory statements from authorities in egypt. the local authority initially said that the death was a consequence of a road accident. >> clashes have broken out in greece as workers walked off the job in a nationwide protest. thousands took to the streets protesting against the government's planned pension reforms and salary cuts. pensions were high as violence broke out between workers and police. the protests brought the city of athens to a virtual stand still as many expressed anger at

austerity measures by the government. we have this report from athens. >> this is the third general strike, like the others, it's been initiated by the communist party which has a vested political in interest in showing up. they are angry about proposed social security overhaul. it would charge a million taxpayers 27% of their income, with health coverage and pension contributions, doubling taxation. they say abiding by the law would put them out of business, so they'll have to -- to survive. >> shell is cutting 10,000 jobs after reporting a sharp fall in

profits. its full year earnings were the lowest for over a decade, $16 billion less tran the previous year. the collapse in oil prices means companies and governments simply are losing money. let's take a look at this chart. less than two years ago, a barrel of oil was over $100. since then, it's gone down and down and down again, to $50 a barrel and now less than $30 where it's been stuck more or less. emma has this report, what it means for europe's oil capital. >> they should be far out in the north sea, instead these rigs are waiting for the next job, if it ever comes. with 30 years experience, kenneth little knows the feeling. he's dedicated his life to scotland oil industry. a few weeks ago, he was told his contract with b.p. was finishing

months early. his family is a casualty of the global oil price slump. >> people are saying well this is great, because it costs to much less to fill the car, to fill the oil tank and everything else. people don't realize that the cost of that fuel coming down has an impact on the number which jobs out there. >> oil began pumping from beneath the north sea because in the 70's. it's never been easy to extract but supported hundreds of thousands of jobs across the u.k. >> the discovery of oil in the north sea more than 40 years ago has helped bring in billions of dollars of revenue for the whole of the u.k. it also changed the fortunes of some people living here. in that crisis then is felt both on and offshore. >> further south, aberdeen, a city which became rich on black gold, britons oil capital suffers with jobs going and many

more at risk. >> you are seeing retail activity down, you're seeing hotel occupancy down, you're seeing a taxi driver saying business is halved. it is very real and very present at the moment in terms of the impact on the industry that. >> we soon found that there were many other industries that we could provide this material to. >> this company has been supplying pipelines since the 1970's, but is now diversifying into new markets. >> rather than looking at a negative sense, we are looking at an opportunity to grow our business, already in the domestic market and also in the international sectors, but we are focusing on nuclear real facilities. >> there is a sense here that the industry is entering unchartered waters. there is believed to be half as much oil left in the north sea

than already extracted. with a global overfly of energy, it might be politics that determines the future of the industry in scotland. emma hayward, al jazeera on the northeast coast of scotland. still to come on the show, julian assong looks to have won his careless with the u.n. but is still in the ecuadorian embassy. british authorities say he still faces arrest. how hard drinking is giving south korean health officials a south korean health officials a hangover.

the conference call. the ultimate arena for business. hour after hour of diving deep, touching base, and putting ducks in rows. the only problem with conference calls: eventually they have to end. unless you have the comcast business voice mobile app. it lets you switch seamlessly from your desk phone to your mobile with no interruptions. i've never felt so alive. make your business phone mobile with voice mobility. comcast business. built for business.

make your business phone mobile with voice mobility. >> "inside story" takes you beyond the headlines, beyond the quick cuts, beyond the soundbites. we're giving you a deeper dive into the stories that are making our world what it is.

70 world leaders are gathering in london to raise $9 billion in aid for syrians. they're focusing on education and jobs for millions whose lives have been instructed by war. the u.s. promised nearly a billion dollars. italy is demanding investigation into the death of a student in cairo whose body was found bearing signs of torture. the 28-year-old disappeared january 25. the italian government has urgently summoned the british ambassador. >> protestors have brought the greek capital athens to a standstill, calling a general strike against government cuts. the king of jordan warned his country is at a boiling point because of the influx of hundreds of thousands of

refugees. many are educated and want to work but struggling to find employment. we have this report from jordan. >> they are studying two days a week to become pharmacists. as syrian refugees when they graduate, they won't be allowed to work. muhammed lives with his sister and children. in syria, he studied chemical engineering. after arriving in jordan, he learned how to repair cell phones, but he's not allowed to do that, either. >> i got the certificate but couldn't find work because when you go to a shop, first they say syrians are forbidden from working. >> it's so hard to survive here that one by one, almost all of his friends have left.

they spend a lot of time just walking around the streets, window shopping for things they can't buy. ahmed still has a bullet in his shoulder after being shot in syria. here in jordan, he worked in a sweet shop for a while, but was put in jail for working illegally. >> jordan says its economy and the infrastructure are overwhelmed by so many refugees. it says if the west wants it to continue to take in more syrians, including thousands stranded at the border, it has to do more to help. not just the refugees, but poor jordanians. >> those that do work earn much less than the minimum wage for jordanians, but with cuts in aid for refugees, more are working illegally. this man sits on the sidewalk eight hours a day selling used stuffed toys. two weeks ago, municipal authorities came and took all the toys away.

he had to pay to get them back. jordanians are also struggling to make a living here. he works 14 hours a day, and on a good day, he makes $10. >> i leave the house at 7:00 a.m. and finish at 9:00 p.m. i've reached the house at 10:00 or 11:00. sometimes i have dinner, sometimes i sleep without eating because i'm tired. >> there are close ties between syrians and jordanians. here the strain is beginning to show. al jazeera, jordan. two young israelis found guilty of murdering a palestinian teenager have been given long prison sentences. the 16-year-old palestinian was kidnapped, beaten and burned to death in 2014. his killers were sentenced to life and 21 years respectively. a third defendant is 31-year-old israeli settler has not been sentenced.

his lawyers argue he's mentally unbalanced. somalia's civil aviation authority said there is no evidence of a criminal act in a plane explosion which left a person dead. the airline that made an emergency landing shortly after takeoff, the pilot said he thought the blast was caused by a bomb. one apparently was killed, he was sucked out of a hole which appeared in the fuselage. >> one of the largest trade deals in history has been signed nine deemed. the transpacific partnership consists of 12 nations. we have this report from auckland. >> after years of negotiations, the transpacific partnership is one step towards becoming a reality. new zealand is one of the drivers of this 12 nation deal and hosting the signing ceremony in auckland. >> i am personally delighted to

be here today to mark the signing of this most important agreement. what brings us together is a shared belief that opening and integrating our markets through trade and investment will enhance the prosperity of our peoples. >> outside the venue, protestors filed in to the city and were met by a large police presence. protestors say it undermines the sovereignty of member nations. they are not happy many of the details remain secret for six years. they believe it hands too much power to big business. >> it's really important that we build solidarity and strength. many, many new zealanders are totally opposed to the deal not only because of what it does economically but because of the political sovereignty that's been sold out from under us.

>> many of the numbers are conservative, with new zealand forecasting the pact will increase their gross domestic product by 0.9% by 2030. the signing has been described as a technical step in the process. it certainly is not the end. each country now has two years to ratify the t.p.p. and in that time, these protestors say they'll continue to oppose the deal. ratification may be the most difficult in the united states where there is political opposition to it in the middle of a presidential election campaign. the trade representatives who signed say the deal is solid and are cast all 12 members will remain in the pact. al jazeera, auckland. >> jewel was not assong has been in the ecuador british embassy for three years. he faces allegation of sexual

assault. founder of the london club for foreign correspondence says sweden and the u.k. need to take the u.n.'s ruling into account. >> it seems very odd, but neither the british authorities or the swedish authorities really want to prosecute him. they won't come and interview him, the next necessary step. there was even a freedom of information act in sweden whether clearly the british crown prosecution service have been trying to persuade the swedes not to interview him. they don't want to prosecute him. really what is going on, we should trust the u.n., what is it for if it can't make judgments like this, look at things of this sort of nature? they've had all the information, submissions from the british and the squeezed. we can't just cherry pick the human rights we'd like to support and the human rights that we wouldn't. >> swedes nomadic reindeer

herders have won land rights. the state was accused of racism towards the country's only indigenous people, restoring power stripped from them by parliament in 1993. people are on the streets in germany. it's carnival week in cologne, the first since the new year's day attacks that shocked the country. dominic cain has more. >> it's a cold, wet mid winter's day here but the color is industried by revelers and party goers who have come here. in the art math of what happened on new year's eve, public opinion has changed certainly

regarding asylum of refugees. the people i've spoken to think it's important to distinguish the people who are guilty of what happened on new year's eve and those who are innocent, saying refugees, very many refugees innocent and people should concentrate on those. certainly the feeling is one of celebration here in cologne today. no question about that. south koreans are among the biggest drinkers on earth. that is giving health officials a headache. >> on drunk patrol, the officer has been called to this coffee shop. patrons report someone in urgent need of help.

they find her, heavily intoxicated and passed out in the bathroom. the officers carry her to the patrol car. they'll take her to medic. up until now, korean men have been the heavy drinkers, but increasingly, women are joining their ranks. every night, south koreans consume seven million bottles of a local alcohol made from rice. >> the number of calls we're getting involving drunks is overall increasing, but women make up most of our calls now. they are destroying themselves with liquor. it's heartbreaking. >> on any given evening on the streets of seoul, young women can be seen stumbling about, drunk out of their minds.

many say a big part of the problem is the availability of liquor. it can be found 74/7 anywhere and the cost, only one dollar a bottle. >> 25 alcoholics have launched a class action lawsuit against liquor companies, accusing them of using celebrities to lure young women into drinking. >> people obviously look at these advertisements and see celebrities downing liquor. because they are so famous, naturally it encourages consumers to drink more. it leads to overdrinking. >> university students argue partying and binge drinking helps relieve stress. she studies 18 hours a day, and with youth suicide rates here the highest in the developed world, she said drinking is good for mental health. >> do you ever see a day when

south koreans will drink less? >> absolutely not. [ laughter ] >> liquor is something that's naturally shared between friends and family. i think korean drinking culture is very uplifting. i don't think the day will ever come, nor should it. >> none deny alcohol's negative effects but argue women are simply joining in on an old korean cultural practice, one that provides the necessary escape despite the risks. >> you can watch the full report on south korea's binge drinking problem on 101 east. japan is debating whether to let this elephant live out here years. she is 69 years old, a gift from

the thai government. an on line petition attracted tens of thousands of signatures saying she should now live in a natural habitat and moved to a thai sanctuary. more on all these stories at aljazeera.com. florida governor takes action over the zika virus as cases spread in the u.s. in new hampshire, the president candidacy squabble over political labors while the gop front runner accuses another in iowa of cheating. picking up the pieces, residents clean up after tornadoes tear through two southern states.