♪ international tension on syria's northern border, turkey tells germany it will continue to strike back at kurdish fighters who were backed by the u.s. hello there. i am felicity barr. you are watching al jazeera live from london. also coming up: polls close in a presidential run-off seen as vital to the central african republic's hopes for peace. >> the pope celebrates mass in one of the most crime-ridden parts of mexico. the death of the longest serving supreme court judge triggers a

fierce power battle involving the president and congress in the united states. and the battle of the biggest british film awards. hello. the turkish prime minister has told the german chancellor his country will continue to strike back at kurdish fighters in northern syria turkey wants the syrian kurd irwin ypg fighters to withdraw from areas they have captured in northern aleppo. they are saying they will push b back any advance from isil. the syrian government has called on the u.n. security cowen sub sill to intervene and stop turkey shelling in northern syria. a report from the turkey-syria border. >> the battle for syria's northern corridor.

opinionzition groups are still holdi has it's being targeted b russianjets. the government's ground forces are a few kilometers away. the kurdish armed group is approaching from the east. turkey stepped. for a second dayshelled positions causing casualties. it is an staement to force it to retreat from recently captured territories close to the border. >> the ypg will immediately withdraw from azez and the surrounding area and will not go close to it again. it will not attempt to shut the corridor ever again. it will not have delusions of using base to attack the opposition. >> over recently days, the ypg and alleys captured ground from grookz backed by ankra.

the kurdish group is taking advantage of the push backed up by russian jets against those same opinionzition groups across aleppo proven incident. the united states action al lie in the fight against isil has called on the kurds to stop taking ground. the group says it doesn't plan to retreat. >> recently captured the air base and we are close to capturing the other area. our aim is to reach isil-controlled territories. turkey wants us to return. it won't happen. we are advancing. we won't retreat. >> . >> reporter: the added advances are putting pressure on the opposition. many believe the ypg drawn from syrian kurds is linked tonight pkk in turkey. syrian opposition fighters know that alliances could be shifting. >> we are being stabbed in the back in the northern countryside where the pkk and its ally. they took add vant amy that we were fighting on two fronts

against the regime and isil. >> a new front in a complicated war. turkey's policy has been clear: it wants regime change and wants to prevented a kurdish state from being created along its border. it wants a safe zone along the syrian side of the border to 7 as a buffer to protect its interests. but so far, the international community has not accepted that demand. turkey's latest actions serve as a message that it will stand by its red line did. >> for the government, one of those lines subpoena azez, a rebel controlled town a few kilohm materials from the border. turkish officials have protected to protect it, home to tens of thousands of displaced sirrians. for now, apart from shelling yfg positions, ankara has few option because russia controls the skies. al jazeera, southern turkey. >> the fighting is continuing in syria days after world leaders agreed to work towards a cessation of hostilities in the country. an aid convoy carrying medical

supplies has, the area east of damascus since 20s 13. the red cress events says the conroy has medicines and milk for children. according to u.n. physicians, neil half a million people are living in areas besieged by government or rebel forces. iraqi armed groups are involved in renewed fighting outside the city of tikrit. ten months', iraqi troops declared isil against is i will fighters there p fighting concentrated on the oil fields on the outskirts of tikrit. imran khan has been monitoring developments from baghdad. >> reporter: in april, to much fanfare, predominantly shia militia said they had retaken tikrit. this is the scene. isil which still controls the countryside mounts attacks on the oil fields there. the battle other tikrit is crucial for iraqi forces and

their ad vance, the second largest city controlled by isil. tikrit is an important hub because it's on the main highway to baghdad. the oilfields can produce up to 25,000 barrels a day. with iraqi's economy plummeting that is crucial. isil hasn't managed to take control of the oil fields but is proving to be a difficult foe for the iraqis. >> every day, we have an attack by isil. you can see them over there. they are using suicide car bombers and motorcycles. yesterday, we had a suicide motorcycle across the canyon. we managed to repel the attack. >> northern north in kirkuk province, isil is firmly in control. some residents have managed to flee but others remain trapped. the escape for those who got out wasn't easy. >> we left in a hurry with total fear we had to walk through farms to avoid discovery by

isil. we managed to escape from them and thank god, we left. >> civilians who fled are in a village outside of tikrit called al fatah. with isil mounting attacks on oil fields, how long they will be safe there is not clear. >> no doubt isil fighters are taking advantage of the fact the iraqi army is stretched and fighting on multiple fronts. but the iraqi army says these remnants of fighters mounting attacks in the countryside are simply isil's last stand and they will be dealt with soon. i am ramble khan, baghdad. the central african republic are choosing. the election is being held after more than two years between fighting between muslim and christian communities. bernard smith reports. >> reporter: there was frustration with delays and long lines of voters in the

presidential run-off election in central african republic where polling stations did open on time, they were busy. in the first round, in december, turnout had been strong with nearly 80%. >> was seen as a rejection by voters of the violence that has split the country on religious grounds. sunday's vote was also a rerun of the parliamentary election in december. its results were annuled due to irregularities. >> i hope we will finish with these problems once and for all and have a good laugher in the end. >> in 2013, france sentence troops to try to restore order to car after mainly muslim sell can a fighters toppled francois baziza. christian fighters responded by attacking the muslim minority community. thousands of people have been killed, one in 5 has fled. two christians facing off as candidates in the run-off ballot. first, to tackle corruption, the

other says he will bring in investment. both the former -- both are former prime minister did. whoever wins will have the challenge of extending state short beyond the capitol. muslim fighters control the northeast of the country while christians hold sway in the southwest. weapons are easy to get ahold of. according to human rights watch, in the capitol a grenade is cheaper than a can of coke. bernard smith, al jazeera. >> airstrikes by the saudi-led coalition in yemen have killed a number of people. a warehouse and a nearby sanctuary in the capitol were hit overnight. the coalition is fight to go restore the government. houthis say 11 civilians were killed while other reports put the death toll at 2. three palestinians have been killed in two incidents in the occupied west bank. two 15-year-old boys were shot in the area of janine after opening fire on iezzo soldiers. in the second incidents, a

17-year-old was killed at a checkpoint near bethlehem. israel says he tried to stab a security guard. a spike of violence innitsis and the occupied area since october. there has been 176 palestinians killed. 27itsisis have died. >> hundreds of palestinians have traveled to the gaza border with egypt which is open for the first time this year for just three days. more than 25,000 people hope to use the crossing. some need urgent medical care. only a fraction of that number have been given permission to cross. a report. >> they have been waiting for days and some even for years to get out of gaza. now, some palestinians have been able to leave the gaza strbut m more are waiting and hoping. he script rarely opens its border crossing with gaza. it was sealed after the egyptian military took control in 2013. >> we have over 25,000

registered humanitarian cases in gaza strip. our best estimate is that 1,000 will get to travel during these two days which means there will be 24,000 people in need of help still suffering. >> this teenager is in need of medical attention. he lost both legs during the conflict in gaza in 2014. more than 2,200 palestinians were killed during the 51 day war thousands more were injured. >> he needs surgeries and therapy. we have been trying to get help for more than a year. we have been applying for permits and renewing them. >> nearly half of gazaans are unemployed. they rely on humanitarian help to get by. for some, their only hope is to leave. >> i am a student and today my visa ends. i used to have a residency permit in turkey but it had expired. so, i renewed my visa. all of this because of the raffa crossing closing.

>> gaza has been under an economic brigade. hamas took control from the rival faction, fatah. he script and iezzo regard hamas as a terrorist organization. tens of thousands are caught in the middle of the political wrangling. >> i have been trying to travel since last year. for 8 months. i live in saudi arabia. i almost lost my job because i haven't been able to go back. >> those who don't get out of gaza this time have to face the harsh reality that their freedom movement is decided by others. al jazeera. >> still to come on al jazeera, the u.n. report that has revealed more people died last year in afghanistan than at any time since the u.s.-led invasion in 2001. haiti has a new leader. he has only one 20 days to form a new government and take the troubled country to fresh elections.

hello again. a reminder the top stories. sushingeyshelled kurpdib fighters for a second day. the turkish government wants fighters of the ypg armed group to withdraw near syria border with turkey. polls have closed in 70s tral african republic following a presidential government between two former prime ministers. hundreds of palestinians have traveled to the border with egypt which is opened for the first time this year for just three days. >> haiti's newly selected interim leader will be sworn in

later on sunday. lawmakers chose the senate chief to fill a power vacuum left by the former president who stood down with no successor following botched elections. the main task is to quickly oral new e lebz for april the 24th. it means he will serve for 120 days. let's take you live now to,as's teresa beau in port au prince. who do we know about haiti's new interim leader, teresa? >> we are here at the national palace where he is expected to be sworn in, in the next hour. as you can see everything right behind moo is ready for him, weeks of tension of protests in haiti. what many consider was worst political crisis since 2004. that's when airist he'd was taken from. he is a man that used to be

former president aristide's minister of interior. he was detained in 2004, accessed of pes cuting and killing some of the political opponents. that's something he has denied. he called himself a political of the back entering he has close links to former president preval. a man that's considered to be a moderate. he has the support of one of the strongest parties in this country that has widespread support among the country's poor. he also has the backing of international community. we were talking to an ambassador for the region telling us that their very optimistic about what is happening in haiti today. the big question is whether he will be able to guide this country towards free and fair elections expected to take place later this year. >> will the appointment of the interim leader help calm the great tension haiti has been

experiencing? that's what almost everyone here would like to know. initially, as i said before, he had support among several parties in this country. has the support of the strongest party in this country. he has the support of the international community. however, there is a group that has been opposing this whole they were opposing parliament takes an interim president. this group called the g 8 is many are hoping this situation is going to be able to guide haiti toward a new period toward free and fair election what people have been demanding on

thundershowers of people during a mass in mexico. the sunday service in a suburb near the capital city known as a particularly violent district. gave a traditional message around the observance of lent for the thousands who came to see him. the pontiff told leaders they have to stand up to drug trafficking gangs. adam rainey is at that mass and 70 this update a short time ago about the pope's message to mexico. >> we heard a pretty strong not so veiled message just moments ago in the mass. he warned mexicans to resist the devil and temptation for we think and corruption. >> was part of this ongoing message he's delivering trying to tell higher ups in the church, his flock which numbers in the tennessee of millions and tell politicians that they must rid themselves of corruption and rid themselves of this playing

of criminal violence, of this ongoing drug war. so the mass is we will underway and he had that warning at the end of his last statement just a few moments ago. so, it's clear that the messages two days running now is resist temptation to easy money, resist temptation to a life of crime and perhaps all working together that is church cha, that is the state and the millions of people who want a safer mexico perhaps everyone working together might resolve this crisis for this country. >> the question of who will nominate the next justice to the supreme court is preoccupying both democrats and republicans after the death of anton inscalia the he was 79 and sat on the most powerful bench in american law making for 30 years. he was a consistent conservative voice pushing in favor of the death penalty and the individual right to bear articles. his death was one of the talking points during a particularly recallus debate between

republican presidential hopefuls, alan fisher with that debate greenville south carolina and sent this report. >> a moment's sigh lens to mark the death of a supreme court justice announced before the republican debate and the question of a replacement dominated ex changes much the question: should president obama appoint a new justice as the constitution says? the kranl consensus: not in an election year. >> i think it's going to do it whether i am okay with it or not. it's up to mitch mcconnell. it's called delay, delay, delay. >> i can't that we ought to let the next president of the united states decide who is going to run that supreme court with a vote by people of the united states of america. >> ted cruz highlighted the political significance of the supreme court which decides on important constitutional questions. >> senate needs to stand strong and say we are not going to give up the u.s. supreme court for a generation by allowing barack obama to make one more liberal appointee? there was a bitter exchange under the role the last

republican played in the war in iraq. jeb bush was happy to defend his brother from an aggressive donald trurp who said he lied. >> jeb is so wrong. jeb is absolutely so wrong. >> a guy who gets his foreign policy from the shows. a guy who thinks hillary clinton was a great negotiator in iran. we are living in dangerous times. this is a man who insults his way to the nomination. >> 44 million. >> marco rubio had annall debate but he seemed to get back in the groove here launching this attack on ted cruz on the. >> this is a disturbing pattern. for a number of weeks ted cruz has been telling lies, lied about ben carson in iowa, he lies about marriage. he is lying about all sorts of things. now, he makes things up. >> this wa bad night for donald. he came under attack from almost everyone. the reality is here in south carolina, he still leads the polls by more than 20 points. >> south carolina senator

lippedsay gram says the death of justice scalia makes the supreme court nomination a huge election. >> if you don't win, you can't appoint a supreme court. i hope con searchtives will look at this as an opportunities to make sure we nominate somebody that can actually win the white house. >> this was by far the loudest, angriest debate, a sign of how this contest is tightening, how important south carolina will be and the stakes for the maven who want to be president are getting higher. alan fisher, al jazeera at the republican debate greenville, south carolina. >> a united nations report says more than 11,000 civilians were killed in, in 2015, an increase on the year before. most deaths were caused by groups opposed to the government including the taliban. a report from kabul. >> reporter: more civilians were killed in afghanistan last year than at any time since international forces invaded in

201 the bleak statistic released in the u.n.'s latest report on civilian casualties in afghanistan. according to the report, more than 11,000 civilians were killed or injured in 2015. among those casualties, more than 3,500 died. the u.n. report blamed the taliban and other anti-government forces for 62% of the casualties. 17% of the deaths and injuries were caused by afghan and international forces. nicholas hasa, the head of u.s.s. assistance mission in afghanistan told a news conference that he wants all parties to the fighting to make an effort not to harm civilians. >> we must call on all of those parties engaged in the con flu i can't who have it within their power to reduce the number of civilian casualties to commit to taking every step that will avoid harm and injury to civilians. >> the report comes as the

afghan government is pushing to negotiate withtable factions who want peace while promising to fight those who don't. the record number of civilian casualties that coincides with an increase in afghan troop casualties injects another element of uncertainty as the afghan forces capacity to fight off the insurgeriency, al jazeera, kabul. >> thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of india's capital, new delly following the arrest of a student ligeader. some are seeing this as a countdown on dissent. cracking down on what it calls anti-national elements. more from new delhi. >> this is one of the most liberal and socially diverse universities in the countritries and it's known students are known for voicing their opinions and being able to vocalize their thoughts on any forum. they now say they are worried about speaking their minds after

one of their student leaders was arrested 0 on sedition charges. they say there is a clamp dunne on speech. >> the kind of state, every way we go to our hostel maybe to deliberate. there is kind of thought this is what the state is wanting to do to generate a certain fear. >> the general public have joined students and teachers to form this human chain. now, it's not just this university that's concerned. the whole country is watching these protests very closely. they says these arrests are just the latest example of a growing intolerance under this government. >> former u.n. secretary general kofi anan says africa has an urgent challenge to tackle unemployment speaking at the annual meeting on international security policy innunic. he said groups like boka haram and al shabaab continue to act

as a destabilizing force in africa. >> we cannot ignore that moritania in the west to somalia in the east, the flag of jihad -- flag of jihad is being raised. more than a dozen sub s aharan current trees are concerned. tens of thousands have already died. boko haram actually killed more people last year than the islamic state. attacks in many places are a daily or a weekly occurrence. local extremist groups are now linking up with each other across borders and even going global by signing up to franchises with al-qaeda precisely because of these affiliations, they are generally seen through the prism of the global war on islamist

terrorism. this neg neglects what they have in common with other insurgencies on the continent which have nothing to do with islam. >> some of hollywood's names have walked the red carpet. carol starting kate blanchette and bridge of spies leads the nominations with nine each. demonstrators have used sunday's awards to protest against a lack of dye versety in the movie industry. our reporter phil lavell is on the red carpet. >> this really is a very tight race this year. in terms of best director there are several people up, ridley scott directing "the martian," up for a lot of awards. if you say you have to pick one

potential winner, he took the best director oscar back again and speaking of the revenant up for grabs for potentially the best actor already seen as this being his year for his portrayal. >> this is really being seen as leon ardo di cap row's year. >> two names standing out greer larson and kate blanchet for her portrayal for best film again that could go to brid"bridge of spies," "the martian" but "the revenant" is the one to beat. stated. a strong powerful film about a group of journalits action posing pedophile i can't in the catholic church. a tight race but one guarantee. pretty much the revenant is bound to take something. it could be best director.

it would be a huge surprise if that film goes home without at least one award. >> you can find much more on many of our stories on our website. the address to click on to is aljazeera.com. aljazeera.com for your latest news in sport. >> plus going undercover. how investigators try to stop insurance fraud and cheating the system. hundreds of thousands of american workers seriously injured on the job each year depend on the money they get from workers compensation benefits, state laws require