the pounding picks up assyrian forces try to recapture alep owe. now aleppo #. now there is talk in relation to refugees this is the world news from al jazeera. up lifting moments as survivors are found in the rubble more than 48 hours after taiwan's earthquake.

tuning out their president, the haitians still hit the street. plus. judge >> reporter: all over the country rain or shine, sickness and in health, people are trying to put aside their troubles party for an entire week. as though there were no tomorrow the german chancellor angela merkel is in turkey over talks in relation to the refugee crisis. a meeting will happen as more people flee the city of aleppo and surrounding areas in the face of a bombardment by syrian forces backed by russian air power. >> reporter: the air strikes are intense. the aim of the syrian government is to weaken the defenses of the opposition before ground forces

move in. it is at the north-eastern entrance of aleppo on the only route in and out of rebel held districts inside the divided city. >> translation: the regime already cut off the roads in the northern side. the only life line is the crossing here. if they are taken over, there will be no way to get reinforcements. >> reporter: it is along the turkish border not far from aleppo. the syrian government have made clear that they will not accept any ceasefire until the turkish border is sealed. they are trying to make that happen. the offensive in the province of aleppo is not just about laying siege to the opposition controlled districts in the city. it is about recapturing syria's border with turkey.

the only dor kerr under syrian control is near the sea. it is if in latakia where there been a major gun offensive for weeks. the government and allies are not the only forces on the ground fighting for the border. >> translation: the kurdish parties have pushed through. they have captured two tines from the opposition. the regime also wants the crossing itself. >> reporter: it is now a place of refugee for the thousands who have escaped. it is just a few kilometers from the crossing. government troops are not far, neither are the y.p.g. kurdish fighters. it is not clear whether they are actively cooperating but all sides are battling for control of the border as you may imagine this

fighting is causing misery for the people who live there. thousands of fled and are gathering on syria's border with turkey between 10 and 35,000 people are thought to be at the border crossings. aid trucks from turkey have been delivering supplies to the syrian side but for now ankara are not letting the refugees in. there are fears for 350,000 civilians living around aleppo as well. as the supply appliance have been cut, there are worries about the civilians food and water supplies. >> reporter: it is quiet because this border is closed to people. you are seeing trucks go in. they're bringing in goods and supplies and yesterday we saw trucks going in with more scaffolding which means that we know they're building more tents

and facilities for the thousands of people who are camped on the other side of this border in the buffer zone. no movement there, but we know it is high on the agenda for everyone. the german chancellor angela merkel is here. she will be meeting with the prime minister in the next hour or so. we will hear from there. there will be a press conference. we know the message is that turkey needs to do more to try and control its borders because europe is struggling. there is a backlash. it is fracturing how they deal with this. turkey are already hosting 2.5 million refugees already > i didn't quite understand your question. just elaborate on the issues that we saw when it came to

merkel, she has welcomed the refugees, germany opened the borders at a time when european countries were closing them. she faced a backlash within her country and also with europe. europe has promised turkey over 3 million dollar package to help them. that money hasn't arrived yet. there will be stern talks. europe also putting pressure here to say to turkey that they should let in more refugees but turkey is already at breaking point. the offensive is very much give. we heard in the last hour, russian air strikes. this is the last road into aleppo if the regime and its allies take that and then aleppo will be completely besieged. political talks on the table not doing anything to stem that you actually answer episode my question perfectly.

thank you for that on to three afghan soldiers have been killed on a suicide attack in a bus. 18 military staff have been wounded. the attacker targeted soldiers near their military base. the taliban has claimed responsibility. in eastern labia a woman, her child and two fighters have been killed. a residential neighborhood and a medical college were hit. the parliament member believes the raids were carried out by forces targeting suspected i.s.i.l. fighters. rescuers are pulling survivors from the debris of a collapsed building two days after an earthquake downd buildings. another woman was found shielded

under the body of her dead husband. many are still believed to be trapped. 37 have been killed. an awful start to the chinese new year. >> reporter: lunar new year's day in taiwan is almost a public holiday here. this is probably busker here than most. it is a focal point for charities and volunteer groups that have come along to lend their support to this rescue effort. also ordinary people coming here to make their offerings. in some ways this new year has had a shadow cast over it by this tragedy but you get a sense that people have been stirred into action coming to join this communal effort giving whatever effort they can while there is still a chance of people being rescued from the rubble

>> translation: i pray for the trapped people and their safety. i pray to god that hopefully there will be more survivors. >> reporter: rescuers are grappling with the hard decision of whether to bring in big machinery to move some of the debris. they have resisted doing it because it may cause a collapse and endangering the people that they want to survive. people can't survive more than three days so that if there are people are deep down in the rubble deserve a chance of being freed japan says it is preparing tougher sanctions against north korea in light of its rocket launch. there was a north korean coast which moved too close to china

in the stae >> reporter: less than 24 hours after north korea's rocket launch a reminder of the fact that the south korea side is very much on high alert for any further what they call provocations from north korea. the south korean defense ministry said a control boat came close to the de facto northern border at about 6.55am local time. the defense ministry here saying that five warning shots were fired by vessels of the south korean navy and that that north korean patrol boat retreated north of the line within about 20 minutes the incident was over. the presidential offer here saying that a heightened service will be maintained. it is a very big holiday here in south korea. south korea has said it will expand its loud speaker

broadcasts, broadcasting propaganda across the demilitarized zone. a lot of focus here is on the u.n. security council after that emergency meeting on sunday. a lot of pressure trying to be brought to bear on china to support tougher sanctions against north korea in response to the 6 january nuclear test and sunday's rocket launch the names of nominees for myanmar's next president and vice president will be revealed next month. aung san suu kyi's party the n.l.d. won knows elections last year with a landslide majority. however she is still barred from becoming the country's president. as wayne hay reports, last minute negotiations are on to remove that barrier. >> reporter: despite her party winning last year's election comfortably, aung san suu kyi, the leaders of n.l.d., cannot become the press of myanmar at the moment because of a clause in the constitution that states

that anyone who has immediate family members who are foreign nationals, as aung san suu kyi does, cannot become the president. we know that she has been in negotiations with the head of the military which, of course, remain ks a very powerful political force in myanmar to get them to support a parliamentary vote that would allow for the suspension of that article of the constitution, effectively put that article aside to allow aung san suu kyi to become the president. any permanent change to the constitution, though, will require a referendum. so now we know that on march 17 we will know who the nominees for the president and vice president positions will be. it is then that we will find out if those negotiations between aung san suu kyi and the military have been successful or not in the news ahead seeking stability for northern mali. we get rare access to one of the danger u.n. missions.

chinese communities around the world celebrate the lunar new year.

>> even though we're in here, we're still human. >> how harsh conditions affect people on both sides of the bars. >> 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. welcome back. our top stories here on al jazeera. germany and turkey are to hold high level talks on the refugee crisis. rescuers still pulling survivors from a collapsed building two days after the earthquake hit

taiwan. 37 people are confirmed dead. japan is preparing tougher sanctions against north korea following the rocket launch. there has been tension at the border between north and south korea. the united nations is urge haiti to form a new government after the president stepped down on sunday. parliament now has to choose an interim president to lead the country only the run off election can be held. this sparked off months of unrest. >> reporter: haitians were supposed to be celebrating carnival. and hand over to a new president on sunday. instead, protesters filled the streets near the presidential palace and carnival festivities

were can sealed due to fears of violence. once again they have no president. the first battle was the president step down. enthusiasm say their next fight is to ensure a delayed presidential election is free of corruption. >> we will still protest if the new government is not what we ask for. >> reporter: it took the deal between martelly and the government to dampen down violence. parliament will now elect an interim president. the hope is elections will take place in april and a new president will be sworn into office in mid may. >> it is important to ensure continued stability. >> reporter: protesters question the timeframe. the last transitional government

lasted two years. one thing is certain, haiti's next president will face a population struggling with a lack of jobs, staggering poufrt and a sense-- poverty and a sense of hopelessness pro-government forces in yemen are pushing closer to the capital. government loyalists backed by saudi-led coalition are sending more reinforcements in a repush to take the city. our correspondent reports. >> reporter: special forces retake coastal areas in the province and advanced towards the port city which is a shia houthi rebel stronghold. it is home to yemen's biggest oil refinery and the sea port is crucial for all exports. the houthis and their allied former president still have troops stationed in the area.

losing the city and its sea port is likely to undermine their chances of getting supplies of weapons from abroad. >> translation: we are making major military gains in the province, particularly in hajja. they will make sure the houthis will not receive weapons any more. >> reporter: there's fighting in the coastal areas continues, pro-government troops are on the move. they are now in control of an area a few kilometers from the capital sanaa. this is where the future of the city may be decided. special forces loyal to the president have led siege on a military base on the city's outskirt. the push by government loyalists is a significant development. since the houthis took over sanaa in 2014. backed by a saw saudi-led

coalition, these fighters say they are determined to continue the fight until their rivals su render or face defeat. the coalition has intensified its air strikes hoping to force the houthis into retreat. the sheep arebels and former president remain defiant. they say they are determined to fight to defend the areas they control in northern iraq hundreds of turkish kurds have pronounced outside the united nations compound. they're calling on the international community to stop turkey from bombing kurdish p.k.k. separatists. turkish army says it has killed 11 fighters earlier this week. 11 hundred have died since the operation began back in december. alengineerian law makers have passed a package of constitutional reforms including

the reintroduction of the two-term limit on the president. opposition leaders dismissed them as superficial tweaks to assist the military. since it was set up in 2013 there have been more casualties on the united nations peace-keeping mission to mali than any other mission. it's trialling to bring stability to the north of the country which has been plagued by violence. just last friday a group was attacked by a group affiliated to al-qaeda. our correspondent went on patrol with the piece keepers-- peacekeepers who were operating under constant attack. >> reporter: the night-shift starts. we were given rare access to the u.n. patrol police. this unit came under attack last

friday when qamishli exploded a car bomb outside one of its bases. it provides support to its local counterparts. >> translation: when the residents see suspicious bhair, they calm us to verify what is going on. >> reporter: the city is on permanent lock down. no vehicles are allowed in or out after 6.30 in the evening and there are constant power outages. normally this is one of the important mosques. we can't see anything because there are no lights. they are still patrolling for a short block. they're pretty scared to do this one if there's no electricity. the u.n.'s mission in mali has around 10,000 soldiers. it is helping to stabilize the country after a fight for independence in the north. the mission is one of the most dangerous in the world. 60 soldiers have been killed since 2013. wichlt it is very dangerous.

we have good equipment and training. >> reporter: the swedish contingent has replaced some of the risky human reconnaissance operations with drones. there are glorious days of emerging caravans are gone. the city faces armed groups. hotels are empty and police say a third of the population is armed. these men returned to the city after a peace deal was signed between the government and the coalition of separatist rebels. al-qaeda-linked groups were not part of the deal. >> translation: if there is no development this won't be peace. these young men armed, they all signed a peace deal but they can't eat sand to survive. there's nothing more than sand in this desert. >> reporter: but helmets keep an eye on the ports. police commander says she is

aware that the u.n. mission is a target. >> translation: we say hello and what we are doing here. we ask if they need anything and get their feedback. >> reporter: the mandate clues the protection of civilians. an ambitious role for those to hold peace in an area of war more united states troops are on their way to the philippines. last month a supreme court upheld a ten-year security deal that allows the u.s. military to use bases there. the agreement was signed back in 2014. mainly because of rising tensions with china. domestic opposition prevented it from being put in place. >> reporter: demonstrations such as that one are not unusual outside the u.s. embassy. many filipinos say more u.s. troops are not welcome. more than 100 u.s. soldiers are here now.

that number will rise with the implementation of a new enhanced cooperation agreement or edgar >> it will make the place a huge military place. it will drive the philippines into the war of the u.s. with other countries. >> reporter: the u.s. military has been in the philippines for more than a century. first as colonisers and then guardians of peace. two of the biggest bases outside the u.s. what were here. those bases closed 20 years ago. since then u.s. soldiers have been returning as so-called visiting troops who get special access. >> it is not aimed at china or anyone. it is part of our effort to be present in the region, to build our alliances, to secure our economic future. >> reporter: a major part of that economic future is ensuring freedom of navigation in the south china sea to which 5.3 trillion dollars of global trade

passes every year. the chinese government is raising concerns by building artificial islands to strengthen its claim over dispute territory. they don't have the might to face up to china but it has taken the views to an international tribunal. despite the controversy around the presence of foreign troops, local polls say the majority of filipinos see them as a welcome counter balance to a rising china. u.s. forces patrol the south china sea but that doesn't mean they're ready to go to war because of over lapping territorial claims of its allies >> we're trying to make international law respected, solution for the way forward >> reporter: it has not been easy allowing a former coloniser back in and u.s. are feared to be too involved.

both governments believe it is in the region's best interests to the u.s. be the stabilizing force chinese communities right across the world have been celebrating the lunar new year. they're welcoming in the year of the monkey. this is beijing. they strike a large bell that is believed no help drive away bad luck and brip in good fortune. that's australia's fire work display among the celebrations in city. fire crackers are used by chinese to drive away evil spirits. mexico city dragon dances took center stage and the longer that dran onis in the dance the more good fortune it will bring it have to the community. brazil is facing its worst recession in decades and health

problems. >> reporter: a crowd of an estimated 100,000 jumps and sings to the intoks indicating-- intoxicatiing music. it is carnival, the largest, loudest and longest street party in the world. nothing can stop it. not brazil's economic recession and not the economic zika virus. >> translation: it is part of the brazilian soul. brazil is brazil. >> reporter: during carnival the entire country comes to a standstill except for people's feet to the rhythm of sam a. >> reporter: it is not just here in rio, all over the country

rain or shine, sickness and in health people are trying to put aside their troubles and party for an entire week as though there were no tomorrow. in north-eastern brazil where the zika virus has hit hardest and is thought to be linked to thousands of birth defects. carnival is providing much needed cheer. it is a tradition cultivated from cradle to tomb >> life goes on when we have problems and we need to sing and dance. >> reporter: nothing seems to be too wild here. this lady came as her idol. wichlt ehave forget the problems that we have and enjoy. >> reporter: that's what is worrying health officials. zika virus has been found in saliva, so they are cautioning people to refrain from the popular carnival tradition of

kissing total strangers. it's a recommendation many are forgetting during this week when everything except having fun seems to have been forgotten plenty more news for you, of course, online. you can get that 24/7. aljazeera.com aljazeera.com. i'm gits, and you are br -- richard gizbert, and you are at the "listening post". these are some of the stories, iowa, the path to the white