>> good evening i'm antonio mora. this is al jazeera america. russia's bombing campaign in syria has restarted as world leaders plot out a platt for the middle eastern country's future. >> also. >> there's nothing conservative about donald trump. >> on air and online. >> fixing a gas leak in l.a. spewing toxic fumes for months. how the damage to the surrounding area could last for decades. historic meeting between

leaders of two religions. pope francis and the leader of the russian orthodox church. russian air viekrussian aire resumed in syria. speaking today in an interview with the agents trance press, syrian president bashar al-assad spoke. >> translator: we have fully believed in negotiations and in political action since the beginning of the crisis. however if we negotiate, it does not mean that we stop fight are terrorism. the two tracks are inevitable in syria first through negotiations and second through fighting terrorism. and the two tracks are separate from each other. >> and tonight there are many unanswered questions about the new deal that is supposed to put a stop to the fighting in syria.

al jazeera's jamie mcintire reports. >> antonio, if you cut through all the diplo speak, the potential for a ceasefire in syria comes down to how the russians define a single word, terrorist. russia continues to pound targets in syria even hours after the diplomatic meeting was announced. air cover for forces loyal to yrntosyrian president bashar al-assad. air strikes will continue but some groups will no longer be targeted. >> to that end we have also established a task force under the auspices of the u.n. and co-chaired by russia and the united states. over the coming week this group

will work to develop the modalities for a long term comprehensive and durable cessation of violence. of hostilities. >> reporter: both sides have already agreed that i.s.i.l. and the el nusra front are legitimate targets, both having been designated as terrorist groups by the u.n. no effect on the war. >> there is no operations to cease. those will continue because those are not groups that are party to the ceasefire. >> the u.s. says russia rarely strikes i.s.i.l. targets and instead has been primarily focused on groups opposed to the assad regime. russia insists it's battling bag

terrorism, a lot rides on who is labeled a terrorist. >> if this can be qualified as aggression, then yeah, probably. >> are pentagon continues to queues russia of bombing recklessly and lying about it. the pentagon says the temporary cessation of hostilities agreement, largely because it provides for the immediate flow of humanitarian aid and it could lead to a more permanent ceasefire in the future. but moscow sees this as a good win, it gives, flow of humanitarian aid and leefsd bashar al-assad even more firmly in power.

antonio. >> the discussions have had no effect on syria, at least not yet. zeina khodr explains. >> rebel fighters understand the need to hold ground on this front line. if they are defeated the syrian government and its allies will be one step further. after losing much territory in this northern province the opposition is trying to freefnt second largest city from being besieged. >> they are killing us but we will complaint and liberty every inch of property they captured, we are here. >> within a week the bombardment is supposed to talk.received with skepticism on the ground. >> i don't think the international community

represented by the u.s. and russian is serious about a ceasefire for now. they are poafnting the peace talks to giver the regime more time to cover ground. >> in the country side of homs further south towards damascus the aerial bombardment, supply license into their strongholds and the u.n. is warning that the 120,000 people inside risk hunger and disease. members of the opposition inside and outside of syria have told us they have little faith in the syrian government and its backer russian. weekend of the opposition and tors the armed groups to surrender. but a pause in the fighting and the delivery of much needed aid of hundreds of thousands, cannot

come fast enough for the people. the battle has left 50,000 people homeless adding to the millions who have beneficiary complied over the years. >> they are not sparing anyone, not the chin not the woman not the rest of syria the government and eighths lies are confident they are close to a victory but in this deeply divided vic triz claims ever virk tri will have little for anyone except a wider defeated. >> are fresh in their debate, bernie sanders and hillary clinton were at the same venues. crisscrossing south carolina, the race is getting ugly. paul beban reports.

>> in a new add, the conservative club for growth blasts donald trump on everything from donating money to the kiln cons to his record. >> there is nothing to say,. >> park reply lick owes there. >> a new add from senator ted crust also bark trump. meanwhile, trump has pulled this add, because it only wants to run positive ads but positivity is probably not the game on twitter. twitter. if ted cruz doesn't clean up his add, stop, taking a shot at jeb

bush. last time light weight jeb bush tried to knock on marco rubio he maids a total fest surprise to owrs. >> he has successful in his own life but there is pushes things down, he last been business with his foreign experience, negotiating a hole deal in another foreign country is not completely experience. >> ohio ohio governor talk about finding his faith. >> my parents were killed by a drunk driver but my parents did not die in vain.

i was discovered, widing my time with the lord. >> chirhillary clinton and berne sanders. >> the words i hear from a opponent is the,. >> voting begins in nevada next ex week then south carolina then supertuesday march 1st. the republicans will depaid in thers in green vil south carolina. >> now the race nor the republicans is down the six candidates. jim gilmore just pulled out. pulled in less than 1% of the

vote in boat iowa and new hampshire. about the water chris in flint, nigh der's oofs asked for an opportunity to respond, republican chairman yaifn chaffitz has agreed on a hearing date, the lawmakers, unknown. as we reported last night a california utility has port reply ssdz gas could last know decades. jacob ward explains what was done to stop the porter ranch lead and why we could see more of it in the future. >> the equipment we see going in and out of here is just a temporary solution, it will be a while before they have a permanent solution, we have seen no residents here to one of the

greatest developmental disasters in the history of the state. >> thee is photos show the toxic escape of methane. first i can't hear or see the stuff, second, it's an extremely pot ent still absorbs 84 more time heat from the son thank the carbon diked looch bat. an enormous problem. over 96,000 metric tons of methane since october 23rd. that's like building 900 million, boosted your mileage

for e-by a whole less, drillings sick will into the first fill the place where they made mud and water. and sealing the entire thing with cement. as of this week, the two doctors, see a common thread in important ranch. >> the whole issue is being more proactivity than less egg reactive. you cangtd be about now, just southern california problem, research says methane leeks nine why it's pifn or promised. nationwide methane emissions because it's basically leaking everywhere could be 50% higher

than federal objections. same true in attendant island new york. a leak every three miles, in three areas in los angeles the leak was as a result of old strawrt. as 20 years old, until new rules now under consideration go into effect there will be no federal rules directing there inspection and repairs. epa's new regulations will only apply to new, and the remaining ever it i well continue to. >> lawyers say were you misleading claims by the company. the plaintiffs in the cases said that uber lied about its safety

features and fees, some people could win some sentiments. not the company is worth tens of billions of dollars. sill ahead a meeting a thousand of years in the meeting. pope francis comes face to face with his counterpardon. main birth defects from zika virus. while health officials attempt to slow the explosive pred of the disease.

>> the house of representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill today that would imposes tougher sanctions on north korea. the senate passed the bill earlier this week. president obama is expected to sign it. north korea carried a rocket into space that was seen as a

long range missile test. it also conducted its fourth nuclear test last month. pope francis shook hand with patriarch karil, the head of the russian orthodox church natasha guinane has more. >> the two leaders focused on the despair in the world. they talked about the need to have a common goal and work towards a solution, that would combat what they called the extermination of christians in the middle east and north africa. they cited iraq and syria specifically and said the international community needed to do its part to bring an end to the violence and the terrorism. they also believed that the

international community needs to give wide scale humanitarian aired to refugees. both leaders mentioned that they have sympathy for other faiths that have also been impacted by the violence in the region and they promoted this notion of interfaith dialogue. now this entire meeting has been framed as a way to yooufnt the o sides. , it's likely vladimir putin signed off on this meeting, the meeting comes at a time when russia is isolated from the west, due to it's military actions in ukraine and syria. an attempt by russia to uplift its position in the west. clinical trials for zika

virus are at least 18 months away. caroline malone reports. >> this is china's first zika patient. he was in venezuela when he began to get a fever and feel dizzy. >> translator: the symptoms made me believe that i had contracted dengue fever because zika virus was only found recently. >> reporter: infection with the virus is usually not life threatening with adults but it is a concern for pregnant women because it is a strong link to babies born with deformities. health officials are pushing to distribute test kits. >> there is great optimism that we could develop this vaccine in less time than originally

foreseen. we believe in a year we could have the vaccine in its developed form. >> but the world health organization says it is likely 18 months before the vaccine could go to widespread trials. brain deformities in babies, the virus has been detected all over the americas in venezuela for example at least 70 people have been hospitalized. there were also cases in the u.s. and people who have traveled south, one case from sexual contact. one case in china, two pregnant women have returned from latin america to australia with zika. doctors are closely monitoring them but they have not yet seen any evidence of deformities in babies. >> translator: he told me that it shouldn't be dangerous at this stage that if i was closer to giving birth it would be. >> reporter: zika was first

identified in uganda in 1947. people are worried about what would happen if this latest outbreak spread from cape verde to the rest of africa. >> this is a very large portion of the conforme world. it is about india and tropical area. >> public health emergency, since then the authorities have stepped up their response to what's a virus of international concern. caifer lyocaroline malone, al j. >> florida officials are asking for help from hundreds of hunters, the race to kill burmese pythons, next. and a lifetime ban for use

of performance enhancing drugs.

>> major league baseball has handed identity its first lifetime ban for the use of performance enhancing drugs pmg. mets pitcher henry mahila who

can apply for reinstatement in a year. california desert mojave trails which stretch from barstow to near the arizona border, castle mountains, and the sand to snow national monument near palm springs. that almost doubles the am of at of public land president obama has protectduring his term. hundreds of hunters are combing the everglades to kill as many burmese pythons as they can. ash-har quraishi went to the everglaits. everglades. >> iwith no natural predators, t

is up to snake hunters. >> the biggest capture, first prize. >> reporter: it's a competition sponsored by the florida fish and wildlife conservation commission, the goal is to remove the invasive snakes from public lands in south florida. leo is one of hundreds of hunters taking part. >> you have another one here. >> i think he's a local from here. >> turns out it's bill booth. he's in the lead right now and leo is trying to stay competitive. >> give us a break bill! what's going on man! >> not much. >> everything good? >> real good. >> what's your count? >> 28. >> this is the second time the python challenge has been held. last time, the hunt netted 68

snakes. the snake began invading part of south florida. the result of accidental or intentional release by pet owners. estimates vary drastically from 30,000 to 300,000. the constrictor snake can grow to 26 feet and with no known predators can be a threat to local animals. >> to think the numbers of these things might decline, they won't disappear but they may become another member of our fauna and be part of the ecoseam, and hopefully that will happen before they drive any of our animals extinct. >> everglades tour guide killed a ten foot python.

one measuring 18 feet three inches and measuring 600 pound. >> you see that? that's a good hole right there. nice 12, 14 foot, fit in there perfect. my whole foot i ask stick in. >> lee oh sancheleo sanchez hasg for the last ten years. he came face to face with a snake none to happy being caught. he continues addicted to the adrenalin of the chase. >> i'm dying to come across a female sitting on the clutch of eggs. that will be an awesome fight. the meanest python i can get. >> ash-har quraishi, al jazeera, everglades national park, florida. >> i'm antonio mora. for the latest news you can head

over to aljazeera.com. ray suarez is up next with "inside story." have a great night and a great weekend. end. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> the conventional which tom means plaque and brown voters and they're a lock for hillary clinton. that tightly packed bunch of assumptions, tv chats about fire walls, who has done more for who for longer. could hillary clinton, should hillary clinton, rely on black voters? should anybody