this is al jazeera hello. this is the news hour live from london. coming up, fear in the syrian city of aleppo. government forces are closing in. many believe the plan is to starve people into submission. >> reporter: i'm in taiwan where the search continued through the night for earthquake survivors the far right protesters stage a presentation in germany calling for tougher immigration

rules. >> reporter: i will be here are with all the sport as the n.f.l. gets ready to super bowl 50. >> the big change that we need is that kids shouldn't be playing any more. >> reporter: why concussion is changing the way the u.s. is viewing its game we begin with developments in syria where thousands of refugees are continuing to stream to the border with turkey. as many as 35,000 people have gathered across the syrian turkish border and the e.u. is calling on ankara to give them refugee. turkey has no plans to let them through but they are providing aid. many are having to sleep out in

the open. many have fled because syrian government forces are advancing on the city of aleppo. on friday they captured a village moving a step closer to encircling the city. they're fighting to take the control of two further towns. if they take them they would be in striking distance of anadan cut off aleppo's supply lines. we will have more on this in our next report >> reporter: they are pushing deeper in rebel held territory in northern syria, the government forces and their allies are inching towards aleppo. they have cut off the main supply route from turkey. they're now trying to encircle it >> translation: the regime is trying to lay siege to the city. it has depopulated the

countryside. some people are starting to leave the city. they're afraid. i'm not going to flee. >> reporter: already people are packing what they can and heading out. there is no official statistics on how many people live on the eastern side of the city under the control of the opposition. some figures suggests there are up to 300,000. so far there hasn't been a mass exodus but there are those that don't want to take the risk of being encircled >> translation: the planes are making the roads dangerous, but people are scared and leaving. the road to turkey is closed so they're going through idlib. >> reporter: there is a shortage of fuel. >> translation: prices are on the rise and this is normal because of the situation. there is a lack of fuel, but i ask the people, please don't leave or else or city will be empty.

>> reporter: many in the people think they're being starred into submission. >> reporter: they were homs was sieged. they still controlled aleppo, the heart of the revolution. easy access to turkey gave them a life line. aleppo's future hangs in the balance. the armed groups that are regarded as at moderate rebels are fighting for their survival. their voice in any future political settlement has been weakened more on what sir's foreign minister has been saying. he held a res conference in damascus and called on opposition fighters to come to their senses and lay down their arms. there was also a stark warning for any nation considering sending ground troops into his country. >> translation: any ground

intervention on syrian territory without government authorisation would amount to an aggression that must be resisted. we regret to say that they would return to their country in coffins the editor of syria in crisis, a web side for international peace. he joins us by skype. what is happening in aleppo right now could have a decisive impact in the war in syria. does it look as though the assad regime be able to take hold of aleppo and hold on? >> we don't know if that will happen. we will have to wait and see what happens, but i think the government seems to have the upper hand here. a lot of this depends on how i think the turkish government, saudi government, u.s., how they

respond to this, if they do. you have heard a warning is being given to anyone in syria. i guess that's one of his fears now, that turkey do be provoked militarily on the ground we've already heard rhetoric from saudi arabia that they would be prepared to send in ground forces to the country. what are the options facing opposition groups and their backers right now? could we see a new front opening, could we see more direct intervention by turkey and saudi arabia? >> i guess we could. there's no - i don't think any either turkey or saudi arabia or anyone else has a good solution to this. assad has established himself in the north now. if he can hold these lines, then we will see how this plays out, but i think - there could certainly be a response in the

form of arms deliveries to opposition groups or even there could be types of weapons they haven't seen before, but we will have to wait and see. this just happened, so i think there are probably thinking about it in ankara and riyadh and washington as well how close are proceed assad forces to skiering the border. we know they've been cutting off supply lines, but will they be in control of the border? >> i can't tell. i don't know the specifics of the military thing on the ground, but we can say that the situation in aleppo is very serious for the opposition. they used to have two roads out of aleppo. they now have one and assad's army and its allies are trying to cut that route. that would be extreme brave for

the opposition we have peace talks in geneva coming up on february 25 at the end of this month. could we see military gains, the reality on the ground translating into some sort of political settlement? we've been told that there is no military solution to this conflict, it has to be done through diplomacy, but it seems events on the ground are moving a lot faster than the ability of the international community to respond to them. >> reporter: i guess that's the russian plan, assad's plan to impose the reality on the ground and have that translate into some sort of rebel surrender or negotiated surrender in the geneva talks, but there is still - you know, he hasn't surrounded aleppo yet. we will see it was good to get your

thoughts from the website for international peace. thank you. moving to our top story in taiwan where rescue teams are searching for survivors after a powerful earthquake that has left 14 people dead including a 10-day-old baby. the focus has been on the remnants of a 17-storey residential building in tainan. searchers have been seeking for survivors there. it struck at 4am local time. questions are being raised about the shoddy building practices. >> reporter: with the night came more teams to join in the rescue effort. reports of contacts made with survivors still waiting for rescue added to the sense of

urgency. every now and then a success. after hours lying in the rubble, this woman is now safe, injured and in pain but clearly alive. like other survivors, rushed away to a waiting ambulance. as this rescue operation has continued, equipment is being brought in to carefully move away some of the debris as the rescue teams continue their search in other parts of this demolished structure in the search for survivors. sadly the number of people brought out dead appears to be rising. in other parts of tainan city damaged and teetering buildingsing are evidence of the rth quake's strength. residents are still in a state of shock at the damage around them >> translation: everything was shaking violently and then a crash. when we rushed out we saw that the building had collapsed.

>> reporter: a number of people have chosen to spend the night in shelters, some with their homes destroyed. >> translation: we will stay here for now, but eventually we will have to try another place because our home was completely destroyed. >> reporter: back at the main rescue site as monks prayed for the souls of those who died, there was confusion about how many people were in the complex. anxious relatives and neighbors have reported scores of people unaccounted for. it has raised fears the death toll will rise significantly, but so too is the number of those being brought out alive there's more to come for you on the news hour. the zika virus is linked to a number of deaths in colombia now where 20 thousand cases have been confirmed.

jem refugees seeking-- yemen refugees seeking refuge >> reporter: i'm in south korea where the first test event for the olympics. authorities are worried that the sport is actually going downhill riot police have used force to remove protesters from a macedonian border crossing. taxi drivers have been blocking the border. they're protesting against directing refugees towards trains and buses for their onward journey to serbia. more than 62,000 refugees arrived in greece. thousands supporters of the anti-islamic group pagida have staged rallies. they are protesting against the

influx of refugees that have come to europe in recent time. dominic kane reports whereas many as 10,000 people took to the streets. >> reporter: this was their opportunity to show strength in numbers, to link up with supporters from across europe. this is where the anti-islamic movement pegida sprang from. its followers are fearful of the future. >> translation: we will be a minority. in the end i'm here for my grandchildren. it cannot be that i am a minority in my own country. this is the way it will end up being >> reporter: the people at this demonstration have come here to show their extreme unhappiness with the refugee policies of the coalition government. they say they represent a growing sentiment in german society and they say they want those policies radically changed now. the group's organisers have called for a series of rallies

in five other european country. this was the french northern port city calais which has been a designation of refugees and migrants trying to reach the u.k. many were involved in sdurnances with the police. ten-- disturbances with the police. ten people are were arrested. across the channel many marched through i city of birmkham. over the course of 2015 the group had struggled to retain its support with dwindling attendances at rallies, but one academic told me all that changed last year. >> they have been reinverying rated by the ongoing and increasing-- re-invigorated by the ongoing and increasing presence in germany.

all the statements of politicians that pegidas would talk about problems, which were not really problems, turned out to be wrong >> reporter: that analysis was not shared by several thousands opponents of pegida. germany's coalition government is broadly committed to its refugee policy despite the hard enning in public opinion, but that policy will soon face a serious examination when three key states hold parliamentary elections next month germany has taken in the largest number of refugees, but now public attitudes are hardening. in the first part of our europe disunity series, we report on how it is having issues with the e.u. power house

>> reporter: it is minus 8 degrees celsius at a refugee processing center. the cold is painful but there are no strangers to hardship here. more than a million people arrived like this in 2015, as many and more plan to make the journey this year. things may be about to change. new year sex attacks in german cities allegedly by groups of young refugee men have turned opinion against angela merkel and her open door policy towards refugees. >> we could handle a million this year and maybe another million in 2017, but politically it won't be possible. politically this government is belied to bring the numbers down. if it doesn't, if it fails to bring the numbers down, it's the end of this government. >> reporter: journalist and television host uses fluent

arabic to help them integrate. his program attracts millions of views online. he agrees the system is close to breaking point. >> we are now in a process of finding out if this experiment is working out or if it will actual actually fail of be of huge damage to our society here. we're at the risk of taking the extreme opposite, closing the doors, maybe getting a negative attitude towards refugees that hasn't been there before. >> reporter: the refugee crisis continues to place unprecedented pressures on the european union and germany in particular taking on so much more than its fair share. some countries are building fences, reinstating border controls, threatening the free movement of people. here r here in the biggest economy, political instability looms with the job of the chancellor herself under threat

as well. >> translation: angela merkel was symptomatic to the situation. >> reporter: this man and his country live in a comfortable german apartment. the children are in school. >> translation: it shouldn't be the country's borrow deny alone. germany. all countries should help >> reporter: which is the e.u. problem. a close-knit family in difficult times, and these are exceptional times of crisis farmers in greece are staging a new series of nationwide protests against planned austerity measures. they're blockading key routes out of athens.

it started with a general strike on thursday. our correspondent is in athens. >> reporter: farmers complain that the government's proposed social security over haul will charge than 27% of their income for pension contributions and health contributions. they have to pay 26% of their income nor tax. so put those two together and they will eventually be paying the government 53% of income and then on top of that you have to add solidarity tax, professional tax and property tax, which are other crisis measures that have been applied to farm dwrers as well as other workers in greece. giving away roughly 60% of their income to the government farmers will say will make them nonviable because they have to have capital to invest in next year's crop, to buy fertilizer, seed, pesticides and to feed

their families. they don't have money coming in on a constant basis. the stakes for the government are high. if they don't make a series effort to satisfy this contingent, then they will be looking at roughly a million votes in jeopardy. that's a fifth of the voting public by the numbers of last year's september election. therefore, it is not in the government's interest to alienate the farmers. even if the government manages to suppress the farmers by force, by forcing police through, its image will be damaged in view of the fact that it has presented itself as the people's choice that was going to go against austerity turkish police have raid factories that have been manufacturing faulty dinghes to be used by refugees. according to the police. the mattresses were being used to make the boats that the

refugees would be risking their lives o the police action came on the same day that 150 unidentified refugees were buried in the city. many were children and all of them drowned off the turkish coast. colombia's president said more than 3,000 pregnant women in his country were infected. microcephaly is being caused and could lean to brain damage in new borns. 25,000 cases of zika have been confirmed in colombia overall. meanwhile, health officials in the u.s. and brazil have announced that sex or even kissing could potentially spread zika. that warning comes after the virus was found in the saliva and urine of two patients. brazil is the hardest hit by zika. it has an estimated 1.5 million

cases. scientists are looking into a possible link of zika and microcephaly. the world health organisation has declared the rise of zika linked birth defects an international emergency. up to four million people in the americas could be infected with the virus. el salvador is urging women not to get pregnant. peru have fumigation teams on the streets. in guatemala the response appears to be more subdued as david mercer now reports >> reporter: in the circumstances a house here health workers spray for mosquitos. a few doors away a suspected case of zika, dengue or chikungunya. people don't understand the

importance of the work. >> translation: sometimes people won't let us into their houses because of the level of insecurity in guatemala. community participation is low. >> reporter: so far 105 cases of zika have been confirmed in guatemala, but while countries like colombia have stepped up their public awareness campaigns, guatemala hasn't. in the public hospitals and health clinics that we visited, there were no leaflets or posters with information on zika inside. they don't have the resources to pay for such printed materials and it was only this week that a zika alert appeared on the main page of the ministry's website. >> translation: here in the hospital there's no information, also there are mayor's offices everywhere and they should hand out information and fumigate

like they used to. >> reporter: hospital staff say they rely on patient visits to get the word out about zika >> translation: people who have symptoms come to a hospital. medical staff can determine if it is a suspicious case. >> reporter: analysts worry that if the number of zika cases were to reach levels in our latin-american countries, guatemala would be unable to cope. >> translation: the health system isn't prepared to prevent this or to tackle zika if becomes pandemic. corruption has had an impact on the resources to deal with these kinds of situations. >> reporter: with people in more than half of guatemala's 22 departments at risk from zika, the danger is there. the question is how the government will respond if the threat becomes a reality. david mercer

three people have been killed in an explosion in the somali capital. police say an airport official who was the target of the car bomb survived, but three others died. the transport minister says that it was a bomb that blew a hole in the plane that had to make an emergency landing. one person died and two were injured by the explosion, but it was meant to kill everyone on board. the incident on the airline's airbus plane happened on tuesday. more than 120,000 people have fled yemen since the war began last april between proceed government forces and houthi rebels. many have sought refuge in obock. >> reporter: this is a camp for refugees. it was built on the desert. the camp is increasingly

becoming the only home for thousands of yemens seeking safety on the western shores of the gulf of aden. this man and his family arrived here three days ago. they are from the besieged city of taiz. >> translation: there are aerial bombardments in taiz 24 hours a day. it never stops. the children run into the tents frightened when they hear the sound of an aircraft. i have to keep reminding them it's safe. >> reporter: shelter from the heat is gained here. they have to contend with no electricity and a short age of clean water. since september the population of the camp has increased three-followed. there are now more than 3100 refugees here. they might be safe from the conflict in their country, but this damp has not been the happiest of places for the refugees. they claim of poor living conditions and lack of some of

the most basic of their needs. >> translation: we have no r ice, no wheat, no sugar. we have nothing says this man. >> reporter: wild animals stray into the camp at night which is not fenced. it is home to some of war wounded as well. a man says he was riding home on his motorbike when an air strike hit his town. the sudden blast send the man flying, his left leg shattered by shrapnel. with his leg held together by pins, he decided to cross believing he would have a better chance of survival. >> translation: i need specialized treatment because that is not available here. all they give me are these pink tablets that are given to anyone else who complain of pain. they are not helping me >> reporter: aid agencies say they're doing their best despite

a lack of money. the u.n. predicts there could be more than 200,000 refugees in the whole of africa in a year's time. not good news for a part of the world that is not used to seeing an immigration influx of this magnitude still ahead on the news hour we will tell you how many south africans are left with crippling debt from loan sharks. in sport leicester city continue their unlikely rise in the english premier league. ue.

>> from rural midwest to war-torn mideast. she went for the money and found a greater calling... welcome back. you're watching the al jazeera news hour. syrian government forces are drawing closer to the city of aleppo. thousands of syrians are gathered on the border with turkey. the e.u. says ankara must grant them refuge. emergency workers in taiwan are

racing to rescue more than 150 people missing after a 6.4 magnitude quake hit tainan. 14 people have tied. protesters in the german city over pegida. u.s. republican presidential candidates will face off in a few hours. it is the ultimate face off. our correspondent is at the college in manchester where the debate is taking place and allan, donald trump is back but he is fighting to survive politically, isn't he? >> reporter: he really is. he has a big lead here, but we saw in iowa that the polls can be wrong. what donald trump has to do is to span into supporters. he has people to come out to see his rallies, for those fighting

for him online, but coming out to vote for him, he has to turn out that vote because you can't go through the campaign telling everyone they will get so sick of winning when he is president that they will get fed up of winning that you've really got to turn the tables and start winning of the some of the polls. having come second in iowa he has to capitalise and actually win in new hampshire. if he loses two in a row, then his campaign is in real trouble. he wants to be the outsider candidate who faces the establishment candidate so he has really got to do well here. there is a lot of pressure on him when he takes to the stage in the next couple of hours. remember, he missed the last debate in iowa because he was upset at the host. so he is back on stage now and you can be certain that the other candidates will mention the fact that because he didn't like someone, he didn't show up to the debate and they will ask is that how you're going to run the white house if by some chance you're elected

so donald trump's position has changed since iowa. what about marco rubio? some he did pretty impressively in iowa and all eyes on ted cruz as well. what will those two candidates be trying to do in this debate? >> reporter: for ted cruz he is going to have to avoid the curse of the iowa winner. previously they didn't go on to win. he has to put forward a very cohesive argument and finish in the top three. the problem that he will face is he will come under attack from donald trump and others who will accuse him from stealing the election in iowa. why will they do that? the allegation is cruz sent a message out to all saying that ben carson is about to drop out, so if you're a ben carson supporter, vote for me because really voting for ben carson at this stage is a wasted vote. ben carson is still in the race.

the cruz campaign say they got their messages mixed and they didn't get the updated message out to the team. that won't fly with donald trump who will go after him as will ben carson. as for marco rubio he is seen as the establishment candidate. he will come under pressure from the others who want to pull him down. this is going to be pressure that marco rubio hasn't seen before. he has been very solid, his answers seemed to have been rehearsed. this time he has to give more to show that he is not the inexperienced candidates that the others are painting him as. jeb bush and chris christie will paint him like that. they have banked of doing well here. they say it begins here. if they don't do well on tuesday, this is also where it will end. there will be a real fight on stage. this is the 7th republican debate. we've said this is important because of this and this is

because because of that, but we're actually in the election cycle. people are having their voices heard, they're casting their votes. this becomes the most important debate yet things seem to have changed there since the last debate. thank you for that. 18 civilianses have been killed in an air raid east of ramadi. the army has been trying to clear out any remaining i.s.i.l. fighters. ramadi was captured by the armed group in 2015, but government forces have retaken much of the city. palestinian factions fat and ham are - fatah and ham. they have been losing support amongst civil i can't bes. >> reporter: large part of of the gaza strip are still in

ruins since the ceasefire. it is only israel's blockade to blame but also ham as which rules the territory. this man is a day labourer who has been a hamas supporter all his life. he has been rebuilding his home which was destroyed in an israeli air strike saying he is angry ham as hasn't done more. >> translation: there is no rebuilding by ham as going on. the government hasn't done anything for us. >> reporter: frustration with ham as is growing across the gaza strip. unemployment is over 40%. hour cuts can last up to a day and there is a not much drinking water. it is a feeling also felt by many palestinians in the occupied west bank. while the struggles here which

include a heavy israeli military presence and the rapid expansion of israel's illegal settlements. a pole found more than two-thirds of palestinians in the west bank want the 80-year-old president to resign. a woman says she understands why people feel that way >> the leadership is distanced from the people. they think in a different way for many different reasons, partly is having personal benefits, having personal advantages. >> reporter: senior ham as and fatah officials are meeting in doha for talks. it is trying to reconcile the parties so that issues facing palestinians can be talked through. >> it looks to the israeli public as if two terror organizations are getting

together whereas in the past it was only the ham as that was considered the terror and fatah have been working with the government. >> reporter: the last successful attempt was in 2014 to form a national unity government, but that fell apart because of political infighting. while some are hopeful that the mediated talks will produce results, few are confident it will at least nine people in pakistan, including a 12-year-old girl, have been killed in a suicide attack claimed by the pakistani taliban. 35 others were wounded when a bomber road a bicycle into the center. it is home to the economic corridor. direct peace talks between the afghan government and the

taliban are expected to take place by the end of the month. officials from afghanistan, pakistan, u.s. and china met to pave the way for negotiations. efforts to resume the talks come as afghan forces are suffering increased losses. our correspondent reports from kabul. >> reporter: here in kabul, the morning's batch of bread is being made. the government's latest efforts to have peace talks with the taliban are hardly at the forefront of their minds. they don't know anything about it says this man. these discussions are no use says this man. the mood here reflects how many afghans feel about the prospects of peace talks with the taliban. remember the afghan government has been pushing for peace talks for years now without any

success. that's why many afghans are no longer paying attention and those who are, are no longer optimistic. we haven't seen any results for 14 years and it won't be any different this time he says. the despair reflects failed promises by the afghan government and the international community and a deteriorating security situationment a surge in taliban attacks made 2015 the worst year on record for civilians and security forces. government statistics show an average of 15 soldiers or police officers were killed every day. a recent report submitted to the u.s. congress says the taliban now control more territory than at any time since international forces invaded in 2001. to make matters worse there is now growing concern about the emergence of i.s.i.l. in afghanistan. despite the doom and gloom, afghan law maker remains

hopeful. >> i have to be cautiously optimistic. >> reporter: he says the taliban know they can't fight forever and a political solution is the only path to peace. >> if you want to come one day and join the peace process and be part of the political life in afghanistan, we have to reconcile. >> reporter: for now reconciliation and peace remain such distant prospects that many afghans are simply no longer following the news still to come for you on al jazeera, we're on the road with one man taking a mass migration. and the sport is coming up. ming up.

welcome back. poverty is widespread in south africa and so are loan companies. some have legitimate businesses but others prey on poor people. the most scrupulous charge high rates and so small loans spiral quickly in high debt. >> reporter: this woman doesn't want to be recognised. she is afraid. the mother of four was desperate for money and borrowed $25 from a loan shark. it was meant to be a short-term solution but turned into a disaster. >> i needed money for rent, so i take a long time to pay this lady >> reporter: soon the $25

ballooned to $250 with interest. that's more than a monthly salary. she was threatened and her identity document was taken >> they want to take your things. >> reporter: failing to make things meet is common mere. the official unemployment rate is 25%. the unofficial rate is higher. they are stuck in poverty and are ignored by bigger banks. there are regulations for these lenders. this business is legal and only lends to people who can pay. >> we have low interest. we beat some of the banks. they do need us >> reporter: not everyone follows the rules. interest is sometimes calculated daily, not weekly or monthly. there have been crackdowns on unscrupulous lenders.

there is a law called national credit act >> no-one is allowed to take your cards, pin, id books as security for a loan. this is not only against the national credit act, but this is a criminal act. >> reporter: there are also rules in place aimed at helping people get out of debt. the provider has to send a section 129 notice. it is basically a letter of demand sent by registered mail. according to the law the person who owes money has to be given time to meet a debt counsellor and make some payment arrangement. that doesn't always happen. why it doesn't is because don't understand their rights and they don't have the means to defend them in court. the government watchdog of the credit industry estimates 6,000 africans apply each month for

counselling it is time for your sport. >> reporter: an unlikely rise in the english premier league with a convincing away win at manchester city. tipped for relegation at the start of the season, less tear clear by 6 points at the top. two goals from hurst and the fourdz goal of the season. a new contract until 2019. >> we now enjoy. of course we don't leave anything. we want to fight, of course, but no not without pressure. it is important to play and to continue in this way because it is a strange league. >> reporter: a relegation threatened sunderland to draw 22

with liverpool. liverpool are at second place. a goal down to beat three one and it moves the side on to 51 points. barce will play on sunday. u.s. is getting ready for the biggest day on its sporting calendar. on sunday the panthers will take on the bronocos on the super bowl. a global audience of 200 million people are set to watch the season finale. >> reporter: this family know all about sports injuries as captain of his university football team there were two

consequences in-- kon concussion in 2013. >> my wife took a turn. when i was at school suffering in high room in the dark not being able to leave to go anywhere, just talk to my friends, that's a really low point in your life. >> reporter: his parents spent the next year helping him recover. they set up an organization called one hit away to help athletes and families get over head injuries. itch >> this is an injury that is invisible. people don't see a broken brain. they don't talk about it ordeal with it until this happens to their own family. >> reporter: last year's hollywood film kon concussion cast's will smith as a pathologist who discovered that head injuries suffered in football games were causing depression and mental decline in former players. opposed at first by the n.f.l.,

he is a much sought after speaker. >> i think concussion is quite big issues. i think people are becoming enlightened and i think we are moving forward. >> reporter: last season n.f.l. fans were shocked when a player chris borland quit in his first season after several concussions. a lawsuit was settled in relation to players suffering mental illness and depression. too many young players are getting injured and that has to change says critics >> we're having a big national conversation in this country about what is the future of football and the big change we need is that kids shouldn't be playing any more. we have to accept it is an adult game and it's very dangerous.

>> reporter: amid the growing awareness and publicity about head trauma, fewer players are taking to the field these days as parents keep them home or send them to less riskier pastimes. there's no doubt this country's favorite sport has to change if it is to continue being as popular as it was. >> reporter: a lead in the one day international series against south africa. they didn't have too much problem chasing down 262. there was a stop score the 99. there was a smashing 48 off 42 balls. england won by five wickets. after the third round the dubai classic, rory mcelroy almost

stayed in front, but he was eight shots behind willett. the english man has a one shot overall lead. a new venue in south korea is hosting the first ever world cup skiing event. it is the chance to test out the downhill slope ahead of the 2018 winter olympics. >> reporter: this is new territory for the world's best skiers and for their hosts. a first world cup event in south korea where the winters can't guarantee snow. this is the artificial kind but it is reliably cold. >> the season is very warm and here is finally some cold and winter. the snow is amazing. >> they're really work hard. it is looking really good for the olympics. >> reporter: this is the first test event ahead of the 2018

winter olympics: the organisers are spending 144 million dollars on this venue alone, despite damage to historic forest. they're betting the asian winter sports hub will be here. there is a buzz in the air around here. the problem for the organisers for the olympics is trying to extend the sen of enthusiasm throughout the country. it is a problem. this is phoenix park less than an hour away from the downhill venue, due to host ski boarding. lift ticket sales have been in decline by nearly 10% every year and it is a pattern being repeated across the industry. >> translation: it was just a short-lived public boom when south korea won the olympic big. so it is totally different from other expectations. the number of people visiting resorts is declining. we're in shock.

it blew up in our face. >> reporter: resort owners speculate as to the reasons, cheaper leisure options, authorities focused on building infrastructure for the olympics rather than promoting the sport. a point i put to the south korean committee. does it lead you to revise your views about what the sport will do? >> translation: i believe you have the wrong information that the numbers have gone down. the numbers have gone up and the popularity of skiing and snow boarding is on the rise >> reporter: he later confirmed that the numbers are, in fact, declining. he says they will fulfil the undertaking to popularise winter sports across asia. until that happens there will be opportunities for what they call emperor skiing, having the trail entirely to yourself on the

slopes of south korea that's all your sports thanks very much. it has been described as the world's biggest mass migration. hundreds of millions of people in china are heading back to their home towns to celebrate the lieu far new year. we followed one man on the long road from where he works back to his family in the countryside. >> translation: i'm 31 years old. i've been working in the furniture factory for almost four years. i do mechanical processing. i work very hard, 12 hours a day. i never take any days off. it is tiring, but i can manage it. my factory is affected by the slowing economy. we have at least 30% less orders now. some workers are laid off, but we are still busy r i'm not worried because my boss likes

me. i have confidence in myself. normally when i go home, i take a bus only for the chinese new year i ride a motorbike. it takes about four to five hours. when i ride the motorbike, it takes nine hours in good weather. it is difficult to have a bus ticket for the chinese new year. they're almost ten times more expensive. a ticket is $45 when normally it is only a few bucks. many of my friends ride a bike to go home. it is a tiring trip for sure. i only hope the weather won't be too bad. i have two sons. my parents are taking care of them. the older one is in first grade already. the little one is only three years old. they play with my brother's kid. in the countryside child care is a relatively easy thing. i think when i go home they won't rikz me. it takes a few days for them to get back close to me.

of course i always hope they can grow up with me and my wife, but i don't have a choice now. i can't take care of them. it is a shame. i'm really excited that i'm going to see my family very soon. my mind is about their faces, my kids, my parents. these towns were my roots are. i can always make a living somewhere else, but this is where i come from. my biggest hope for my children is for them to have good education. i hope they go to college one day and have a better life than mine. my life is too hard. i hope they move out of this place. it is the family bond that we can't give up, so we have to go home no matter what you can get more on that story and everything else we've been covering in this program on our website. the address is aljazeera.com that's it for the news hour, but i will be back with a full bulletin of news for you in a

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in aleppo, government forces are closing in. many people believe the plan is to starve people in to submission. hello. you are watching "al jazeera live from london." the devastation left behind after a powerful earthquake in southern taiwan. there is still hope 24 hours on. >> far right protectors stage a demonstration in german calling for tougher immigration rules. >>