tonight" tomorrow. thousands flee the syrian government offensive in aleppo, while world leaders gathered promising billions in aid. >> it will enable humanitarian walkers to help people with live saving aid. >> planning for peace. >> just as the united states has been a partner in the time of war, i indicated to president

santos, we will be your partner in piece. >> an offer of support to columbia's president. as a peace deal could end the war. dangerous draw down. the outgoing forces in afghanistan says planned troop withdrawals will hurt the u.s. mission there, and a key ruling. >> a united nations panel is expected to decide whether wikipedia founder julian assange is a vic tix of arbitrary -- victim of arbitrary detention in the u.k. evening, this is al jazeera america's international newshour. tonight we begin with new developments in syria's war. in the wake of fail attempts at peace talks, fighting

intensified around what used to be the country's largest city, aleppo. tens of thousands fled the city. world leaders unable to stop the war met in london in an effort to ease the suffering. the u.s. and e.u. pledged more than 10 million to help the syrian people. >> saudi arabia has indicated that it's willing to take on a larger role in the conflict. the saudi arabia defence ministry arrived whether they would send ground troops to syria. >> what we understand is hundreds of families have fled their homes and from villages to towns in the northern countryside of aleppo as a result of ongoing government advances in the area, and intense russian bombbarnedment. pictures have emerged. drastic pictures, really. you see hundreds of people heading to the border, the

turkish border, we don't know numbers of people that have been displaced. according to the syrian observatory for human rights, up to 40,000 fled their homes over the past few days. it was said that some people went to the western countryside of aleppo, thousands sought refuge in an enclave in northern syria. thousands, really, are heading to the turkish border. the people are appealing for help, saying there's nowhere we can go. the bombardment is intense. some are saying this is not the first time we've been displaced. a man says they were displaced homs. he had to move from town to town. the people are appealing to the turkish authorities to open the border, it's an open door policy. over the past year, stricter

restrictions have been imposed. one reason is security, another is turkey hosts up to 2.5 million refugees. the burden has been a lot on the turkish authority. >> that report from turkey, near the border with syria. >> world leaders gathered in london to help the syrian people. they promised more than $10 billion in aid. half to be spent this year. >> the u.n. calls it the worst humanitarian crisis since the world war ii. new pictures from inside the besieged town of madaya, showing a fragile young girl. a man is heard saying down with the u.n. talking of human rights. >> in london there was talk, and the promise of action, in the form of an aid package, and the british prime minister struck an upbeat note at the end.

>> today has been and is a day of hope. a day about saving lives, a day about building futures, a day about giving people the chance of a future, the chance of a life. snoop there's a depressing assumption behind the consequence. therefore, donors need to look at long term assistance. education and employment for millions, in the long years before they can return home. >> stark warnings, they cannot carry on looking after millions of syrians. looking into the eyes of my people, and seeing the hardship and distress they carry. i must tell you we have reached our limit. i would rather serve the people of jordan, their wellbeing and

safety are my first priority. our country will do what we can to help those in need. but it cannot be at the expense of our own people's welfare. >> there's something of a grand bargain. the donors, in return, open up labour markets to ensure syrian children go to school. as the norwegian prime minister told me, the real solution is peace. the need to have confidence building, it means the fighting has to degrease. russia has to take the responsibility to mistake sure there's negotiation. i don't think russia would like to stay on forever with the military personal and the war in syria. european countries have their

own reasons to give generously. by making life tolerable for syrians in the region, they are less likely to seek asylum in europe. it's hard to believe a lasting solution will come closer. >> saudi arabia says it's prepared to send troops to fight i.s.i.l., a spokesman said riyadh is ready to send ground forces. it's the first time the kingdom indicated a willingness. the saudis are part of a coalition. russia accuses turkey of planning to send troops into syria. turkish officials say aleppo is threatened and they have the right to take any measures.

officials argue that russia is trying to divert attention from their own crimes. it could set syria and their opposition will not agree to sit at the same table. the bashar al-assad government has not gone far enough to land the ground work for peace. we have more from geneva. >> the day after peace talks broke down in geneva, it's clear how much harder it will be to get all the parties in the syrian conflict back to geneva on february 25th as stefan de-mistura had stated to the press yesterday evening. they have no intention of coming

back until demands are met. until aid is getting in, and political prisoners are released. these are the conditions they said have been stipulated in the u.n. security council resolution. these are the conditions that over the past several days they sniffed needed it be met. on the syrian regime side. that will be difficult to do that. the syrian regime has been given military advantage in aleppo. and russia stated they have no attention backing off. they will not do that while there are terrorists in syria. it's a complicated situation. it's going to be more difficult getting all the parties here in geneva on the 25th, than it was this time. this time it was riddled with

many difficulties. >> mohammed jamjoom reporting. dr annie sparrow is a paediatrician, public health assistant proffer sore at mt sinai hospital in new york. >> you wrote for foreign affairs. this is part of the strategy, to cause misery for people. >> it's a deliberate strategy of war. attacking the civilians, the hospitals, the schools. 4,000 have been bombed. making life as miserable as possible. it's a successful strategy. it will get more miserable with the news today that many are fleeing to the turkish border. >> last week there were 100,000 that left. as the air strikes focused on latakia. now we are seeing the same thing happen, a deliberate attempt to

mike life as miserable as possible. >> some of the money is for refugee camps outside syria. it's needed there. you have millions of people. >> it is desperately needed. what is needed it to support those inside syria, that is a problem. $10 million has been pledged. otra. >> the u.n. agency in charge of humanitary aid. >> that's right. they said "we want 3.2 billion for syria", half of that, 1.75 is going to damascus, and then is controlled by the government. so, you know, while ocha stays at the four seasons and kids are starving in duma and maddaa, they cannot deliver aid to any civilians under siege by the government. there was 1 million civilians

under siege by the government, and they can't do anything. >> you have 6.5 million internally displaced and many inside syria that need aid. you can throw as much money at it as you want. if the aid can't get to the people, we are seeing terrible pictures of children starving to death. you have children besieged throughout the country. >> that is the biggest country. there's a lot of funny thrown at the problem. that is all that is done. most is going to the same government, killing its citizens. what is done is or otra and the u.n. to get out of damascus, and to support suppose operating from turkey. >> is it easier said than done if you have a government that is hostile. >> the operations that take place deliver aid to 10 million people living outside of government control. >> you have the people that were the government controlled

territories orbesieged by the government. >> if we stop giving billions to the government. we could see a change in the war, if we sparred all those on the ground doing the work that is needed, for all the syrians that don't live in government territory it will be a difference. part of the publicly stated intent behind this is to keep some of those refugees in those countries, and not have them go to europe. >> they need to be supported. >> i came back, i watched 75, 80-year-old getting on the boat to greece. these are desperate people. if people want to support the countries, this is not economic migrant. these are people who are going to leave. >> talking about the desperation, earlier this week we see the city of homs. it was the third largest city. there's virtually nothing left.

and now aleppo - even if their peace comes soon, how much is there left for the refugees to go back to. or the eternally displaced people to go back to homs. >> there are thousands of babies born each month. it's imper tiff to get the peace talks. it can happen if russia and iran put pressure on iran and stop pal orrizing civilians, so some of the peace takes place. of course, the opposition is not going to sit at the same table, white the doctors are incarcerated and tortured into prisons. it can't do any of that. we'll continue to watch the devastation. >> thank you. >> german police arrested three

algerians suspected of having ties to i.s.i.l. they were caught doing raids as authorities checked. one man entered germany. he's wanted by algerian authorities. the outgoing commander of u.s. forces in afghanistan warned that planned troops could have a dire impact on security. general campbell testified and said the ability to train forces will be hampered if president obama goes ahead and cuts forces in half. >> afghanistan is an a new point. if we do not make decelerate measured adjustments, 2016 is at risk of being no better and possibly worse than 2015. >> the president said he wants to cut troops in afghanistan from 10,000 to 5500 by the end

of the year. >> claims of sexual abuse by u.n. peacekeepers were reveal. at least five children in the central african republic may be victims. the u.n. pulled 120 peacekeepers from duty. just last week four teenage girls were assaulted or paid by peacekeepers to have s president obama meets with his columbian counterpart. how much the president may ask congress to give. brazil confirms the first zika transmission through blood transfusions.

the white house is pledging to help columbia as it begins what it hopes is a new era of peace. the half-century conflict is on the verge of ending. the columbian president santos met with president obama in washington. he told the president he would ear mark 450 million in aid to columbia. >> as the united states has been our partner in the time of war, i indicated to president

sachle santos well be your partner in waging peace. we are proud to announce a new framework. we call it peace columbia, past columbia he marked the 10 million programme to end the conflict and fight the drug trade in columbia. >> this was columbia in 2000. the government at war with rebel groups. spiralling virus. >> the war on drugs. what it needed to step in. it restores stability. most help the military fight rebel groups like f.a.r.c. now with the police deal horizon, the columbian president

came to the u.s., asking them to keep the money coming. peace is expensive. it cost more to wage. it has to implement and you have to demobilize and train and have to put the united nations of the state in place where they doesn't necessarily exist in the pass. that takes the money. the u.s. is likely to continue to provide columbia with millions. some will be spent targetting the drug trade which had some success. they had 40,000 hectares of cocoa fields. half of that is gone. production has been increasing. in large part because over u.s. objections columbia stopped using planes to drop herbicides on cocoa fields after concerns it increased the risk of cancer. human rights groups said the u.s. has not pushed enough to curb human rights and warned that a peace deal could be worse. >> there has to be an

investigation, a prosecution. those that were perpetrated. they need to be held accountable. and that has not really happened. >> columbia looks different now to when it started. the colombian president will try to convince president obama in a time of tight budgets that the u.s. can't afford to let them go now. >> joining us from washington for our in context segment is eric farnsworth, vice president from the council of americas. good to see you. the president asked for more money to help peace succeed. he's likely to get it? >> i think he will. i think the question is how much, and what will it go for. he was received well, and the president is in the white house. he had meetings in congress, and has been received favourably. i think the question is not necessarily will he receive decisional aid, but how much.

>> today was meant to celebrate the 15 years of planned columbia, $10 billion in u.s.a.i.d. to fight drug cartel. would the f.a.r.c. have negotiated had it not been for the extensive support of the u.s. with the columbian government. >> arguably they would not have come to the peace negotiations, to the table. they were a failing state. it was a country that was falling apart. the government didn't control a large percentage of the population. it had the gorillas, attacking central cities. the drug trade was out of control. and planned columbia was enough of a support. among the work that the columbian people brought it back

from the brink. fundamentally it changed the correlation of forces, so that instead of the gorillas to win the war, it's caused them to think that, in fact, they couldn't win the war. for that we brought them to the table. it's rare to find an american foreign policy. we have to remember that the worst human rights abuses has been the gorillas, the f.a.r.c. and the eln. without them, you wouldn't have the massive - you wouldn't have conflict, the opportunity for human rights abuses. yes, there has been human rights abuses and the united states played a constructive role in that. it has given us leverage, a

voice, helping to introduce training of human rights. what do you say to a former columbian president who was instrumental in using the aid to defeat the gorillas. he didn't accept the invitation to come to washington. >> well, that's right. this is a controversial situation in columbia. it's ironic in the international community, there was a lot of celebrations going on. in columbia, it's controversial. there are some people that are not sure that the f.a.r.c. will live up to any accords netted. we have to see what is in the agreement. they set a deadline of march 23rdrd. whether they need it or not. we have to see what is in the accords, and will they live up to what they say they will do.

some say they will not do that. a final question, has it succeeded when it comes to drugs. by some estimates, before columbia ran into place. as president obama told a large group, columbia is the number one producer of cocaine in the world, but said columbia has never been number two. this is a constant problem, a problem that is ongoing. you have to deal the issue in the manner that you can, and to get the guerillas out of the drug trade as peace negotiations are designed to do. that could be a benefit to help the countries address the illegal trade eric farnsworth, good to get your perspective on issues north korea's promise to launch a satellite.

coming up, a look at ash carter's response and why it may be different to previous ways of dealing with the threat. and julian assange is expecting a key victory on friday, that he hopes will endize asylum in ecuador's embassy.

>> from rural midwest to war-torn mideast. she went for the money and found a greater calling...

welcome back to al jazeera america i'm antonio mora. venezuela skyrocketed inflation makes a black market essential to survival. first a look at headlines across the u.s. martin screly appeared before a congressional hearing. but instead of answering questions, he exercised his fish amendment right at sometimes sar gastrically, he is best known for raising the price of a life-saving drug to 750. hillary clinton was not the only secretary of state to have classified information in personal email. the state department says colin powell received two emails on

his account. the word came from an email. and said high level staffs of ciz received -- condoleezza rise received 10 emails. they disputed emails received. none of the information was top secret. president obama is proposing a $10 per tax on oil budget. the white house says it's an effort to reduce carbon emissions. republicans say the proposal will be dead on arrival. >> new reports of activity from a north korean website. vehicles have been spotted travelling around the site near the north korean border. they have announced plans to launch a long-range rocket in an attempt to put a satellite in orbit. japan and south korea said they

will choot the wrong et down if it crosses their territory. the pentagon is taking a different approach. >> north korea launched missiles before, like the test in 2009, and a les successful attempt three years earlier. back then in 2006. harvard university professor knew how to respond to the threat - take out the north korean missile with a sea launch cruise missile while it was on the launchpad. former defense secretary william perry and ash carter argued that the united states should make clear an attention to strike and destroy the missile. adding that the high energy fuel is, itself, explosive. the u.s. air strike would puncture the missile and probably cause it to ex-belowed. when i asked carter about the

wisdom of a pre-emptive strike, he made it clear it was not something he wanted to revisit. >> a few years ago, you wrote a comp compelling bid with secretary kerry, advocating that the north korean missile be taken out on a launchpad before it was contested. are you thinking about the change? >> i don't have anything new for you on that. >> it is behaviour and provocations. >> carter ignored by follow up and pointed to another supporter. >> what about the argument about the pre-emptive strike. this week, carter faces the question again. his answer... that was a different

circumstance. it was a test launch. my policy was we were not to tolerate it. we were trying to figure out how to not tolerate it. then as now, north korea was teeking to develop the nuclear warhead small enough to fit on the long-range missile capable of reaching the united states. north korea could respond to the resolve by taking the step of threatening all of out war. it is unlikely to act on that threat. >> it is a risk secretary carter is not quick to dismiss. we are on the korean peninsula, we will win. it is a very, very savage and intense car. >> now that ash carter is second in the military command, he's privy to the all-out war on the

korean peninsula. planners estimate it could result in 1 million casualties and destruction of the capital, seoul. snoop florida expanded its health emergency after more cases of zika virus were diagnosed. a pregnant woman in spain has been diagnosed and health officials in brazil documented cases spread through transfusions. >> most see the link between new warns in brazil raising concerns. jazz's lucia newman has more on what scientists hope to learn. >> reporter: it's carnival time in brazil. at this hospital in the north-east, there's nothing festive for scores of pregnant

women whose babies are diagnosed with microcephali. >> translation: your baby's head looks normal. it's too early to know for sure. we need another 7 weeks. >> more and more people are being infected. more mothers are giving birth to babies with microcephali. in the absence of evidence linking the two, speculation about the consequences of the zika virus is spreading as quickly as the epidemic itself. >> we travel to sao paulo to get answers. from researchers at the forefront of the investigation into this little known mosquito-born virus. at the university mice are being infected with zika, to see if they will develop brain lesions. >> it's too soon to reach

conclusion. meanwhile, women all over the americas are anxious to know if an infected person is safe to get pregnant months or years after the virus left the bloodstream. >> could that person still be carrying the zika virus, and could she pass it on to her child. >> it's a relevant discussion. we don't have an answer for that. you can find it nine months, 10 months after the first infection. >> if you have a war, you don't sinned just the shoulders. you need to send the army, the navy. the research center is optimistic that the virus's proximity to denga, could speed up the process. >> people start to work now and perhaps due to the fact this we

could use it for zika, and perhaps in the near future will have candidates. >> as researchers work around the clock to unravel the mysteries of the virus, they admit there are more questions than answers. they cannot confirm or rule out that the virus could be sexually transmitted, or that children could suffer brain lesions if infected at a young age. they need time and money for research. back in the hospital, rebecca puts on a brave face, not knowing what the final diagnosis will be when she returns. a united nations group on arbitrary detention is expected to rule that julian assange is being unfairly detained in britain, it does not mean the wikipedia founder will be free

to leave his asylum at the ecuadorian embassy. >> reporter: it's the life line julian assange should hope for after 3.5 years holed up in the ecuadoran embassies. julian assange filed a complaint to the u.n. arbitrary detention grout claiming the stay was a detention, because if he tried to leave, he faces arrest. the u.n. group here in geneva is certain to rule in julian assange's favour, and presents findings on friday. one of julian assange's swedish lawyers is calling for his release. >> if the u.n. report states that he has been detained for 3.5 years by sweden, i see no other way out of this for sweden, and the prosecutor, but to cancel the decision to detain julian assange in absentia, and

to close the case. >> the government disagrees with the ruling, so, too, does the u.k. . >> it's unclear what influence if any u.n. findings will have on the government. this is not an unlawful detention but it, instead, a voluntary decision by bashar al-assad to evade arrest by staying on. the british government says that they are only said to extradite him because of serio allegations of rape. he denies the allegations, and believes he'll be handed over to washington if he's sent to sweden, and agreed to face questioning, buts only from within the embassy and only by ecuadorian procedures. julian assange's organization posted thousands of files on the internet exposing classified and embarrassing details about world government. bashar al-assad said he'd leave the embassy if he lost his

appeal and is expected to travel toll ecuador, where he's been granted asylum. as the ruling is not binding, british police say they'll make every effort to arrest him. jooch in israel two jewish youths guilty of murdering a 16-year-old victim, beaten and burnt to death. one of the teens received a sentence, of life and the other sentenced to 21 years. >> reporter: the family of the boy reacted angrily to the sentencing. at one point his mother stood up and started shouting at the courts saying the sentences are too lenient. one of the sentencing - one of the minors sentenced to 21 years in prison will be out in a few years time because of the appeal process saying that her

son is never coming back. the budget of all of this is a third man who is accused in this case. his name is joseph ben david. he's 31 years old. he has been found bit the courts to have fled the killing of mohammed. he has not been convicted or sentenced is because his lawyers filed an insanity plea. the court is yet to rule. the family is upset by the sentencing of the two minors, their ordeal is far from over. >> italy is demanding answers following the death of an italian graduate student in egypt. there's evidence that the young man was tortured. we have this report from rome. >> the italian foreign minister

summoned the italian minister following the death of a stusent, a student living in cairo, studying for a doctorate. disappeared on 25th jan. the 25th uprising. his body was found in a ditch. carried away. he had signs of torture, according to the prosecutor, that he had signs of his body of cigarette butts and must have studied a slow death. they were calling to make sure it would be fresh. the local authority said, in fact, that it was the result of a consequence. >> thousands of greeks take to the streets in a nationwide strike, hikes to fix the ailing

academy that workers say they can't afford south korea is dealing with rising alcohol abuse, some think the drinking culture is a good thing. the toll oil prices are having an russia's strained economy. >> why did scott take his own life? >> the jail. >> some people might be scared to speak out but i'm not. i'm telling the truth.

more than 5 million vehicles may have defectsive air backs,

according to the automotive systems which issued a recalled. it sold the electronic air bag control units between 2006 and 2010 to a number much auto mayingers to honda, fiat chrysler and merry christmas. as menace 2 million vehicles in the united states could be affected. thousands of greek workers walked off their jobs with brief clashes between protesters and police. athens was brought to a stand still as protesters responded to austerity measures this is a parade of broken promises. everyone here has a story to tell. the small group represents private daycare centers. they were promised money if they took in children whose parents wouldn't pay. >> to promise benefits to

members of society and entrepreneurs that can't be met is a lie in this orchestrated masterpiece. >> pensioners saw their benefits cut a dozen times. >> translation: when we applied for pensions, we did so under certain legislations. we are entitled to receive that amount of money. syriza came to power to end austerity. now it's the enforcer. the $93 billion loan will be the last bail out. the proposed overhaul was the spark. >> it is the self professionals and farmers who comprise the tax pace called onto pay 27% of income for health coverage and

other matters. doubling their tax. a lawyer earning $22,000 now spends 54% on taxes and social security, under the propose add law it would rise to 69%. >> tax demands will not be met. the result - a large number will leave the economy. fall into a grey zone and won't pay tax. the system will collapse because it's not realistic. >> tax evasion would undermine the purpose of the law. syriza may end i'm following a well trodden path. squeezing more money from the economy france has become the first country to ban supermarkets from throwing away or destroying

unsold food. under the law. large markets must donate unused food to charities or food banks, following a grassroots campaign by shoppers, and campaigners. it's propose to to persuade the european union to adopt similar measures a goal - to overall a complex exchange system allowing illegal trade in venezuela to flourish. we have this report from caracas. >> reporter: from this street corner this man controls the turf and strikes deals. his business is illegal. but with shortages, underground food trading could be seen as a solution. on any day reselling sugars or diapers from grocery stores or shop owners, he said he can make

as much as 10 times the minimum wage. >> we work with the chinese shop owners and sell the subsidised goods for profit. we sell them for more. the only loser is the consumer. >> government subsidies in place for more than a decade it created an illegal black market. so much so that a new ward has been coined, after a native lamp. >> the names at a small scale. >> i don't see it as a crime but society. >> most of the its on the table have gone missing from solves. i'm basically standing in front of a table of what venezuela

consider goldust. >> and for which many queue for hours. as many as 6 out of 10 people in the mile-long queues resell goods for as much as 10 times what is allowed. >> translation: the problem is not the budget. it's absurd price and controls. >> reporter: one created a distribution system through which a third of basic goods are sold. >> i used to be offended, but now i see women police and the national guard? >> with reason economy strapped for cash, the government is likely to slash imports. as food is scarcer, experts predict it will be replaced by contraband. when this happens, those

involved will stand to lose their likelihood. >> our global segment, a look at how news out the across the world react to event. the jerusalem post says 2017 looks to be a better use to u.s. all the candidates have a better view of israel than president obama. the paper adds that g.o.p. will be strong allies, the other two will be better than president obama the jakarta globe says despite its growth, zika, like many mosquito-born viruseses has no vaccines, they are contained in small outbreaks. the paper says the only way to protection ourselves is for the government to springboard vaccines into a development before it becomes an international crisis.

the economist promised this cartoon. negotiators promised to hear each other as it is surrounded by the factions waging war against each other south koreans are big drinkers. in the past, drinking was done by men. that's no longer the case. >> reporter: on patrol with the south korean police. hazel and her partner have been called to this coffee shop. patrons report someone in need of help. they find her heavily intoxicated and passed out in the bath roo.. >> they take her to medics.

>> up until now korean men ln the heavy drugs, increasingly women are joining their ranks. every night south koreans corn assume 7 million bottles. >> number of calls we get involving drunks is increasing. women make up most of the calls. they are destroying themselves with liquor. it's heart-breaking. >> on any given evening young women can be seen stumbling about, drunk out of their mines. pret well, they can be found 24/7. the cost is $1 a bottle. this man and 25 alcoholics launched class action against

liquor counties, accusing them of using celebrities to lure young women to drinking. >> because they are famous, it encourages consumers, linking to overdrinking and people getting knocked up. university students argue partying and drinking helps to relief stress. she studies 18 hours a day, she's it's good for meant am health. >> do you see a day when koreans will drink less? >> absolutely not. lick our is something shared between friends and family. korean drinking culture is

uplifting. many deny the alcohol curse, but argue many are joining in on a practice. >> elton john tweeted commuters. setting up a stage. mean while, when finished, they left a note saying enjoy the piano, it's a gift. love elton john, leaving it to the train station. his new album will be released tom. >> what a tweet.

good evening, i'm antonio mora, this is al jazeera america. >> let's talk about the issues. let's talk about the issues that divide us and let's... >> let's talk about issues. >> wet don't agree with the reform. >> i worked hard. i don't want to reverse. hillary clinton and bernie sanders go head to head from national issues to parental attacks. what voters learn before the primaries in new hampshire. also... >> on the advice of council i invoke my fifth amendment date refusing to testify. a