al jazeera america. syria appeals to the u.n. as turkey continues to shell kurdish positions inside its territory. hello. welcome to al jazeera. live from doha. also to come on the program. a sharp fall in chinese trade as fears grow over its slowing economy. new ministers for libya's unity government but will they get the approval from the

internationally recognised parliament. how crashing oil prices could change the fortune fortunes of nigh nigeria's farmers first, damn damascus has appealed to the security council to intervene. the country will continue bombing the y.p.g. now, these pictures show turkish forces shelling syrian kurdish y.p.g. fighters near a zchlt a zchlt. - shall azaz. they will push back any advance from i.s.i.l. france has joined the u.s. in urging turkey to stop the bombing. meanwhile syrian forces continue

their force for aleppo city backed by russian air strikes. these show the aftermath of an strike, an entirely building collapsed there and a family of six getting trapped under the rubble. we have not received any reports of deaths. the russian prime minister says russia has no plans to have its military presence in syria forever. he told time magazine that moscow is pursuing a limited objective. russia has been accused by the u.s. of targeting what washington calls the legitimate opposition. going back now to the action, the current action that is taking place, particularly in the northern part of syria. our correspondent is in southern turkey right on the border with syria. she is in gaziantep.

bring us up-to-date with the actions that turkish operations are carrying out on this part of syria. >> reporter: turkey making clear that it will not stop shelling y.p.g. positions inside the northern countryside of aleppo because, according to turkey, the y.p.g. has crossed the red line. turkey really saying that the bordertown of azaz is a wednesday line and it will not allow-- red line and it will not allow them to take it. there are air strikes targeting that town. russian planes carried out the strikes and they're talking about casualties. we're still getting information, the initial information is sketchy. what is clear is that this could be easily interpreted as a message from russia and its ally the syrian government that they do not have a red line, that they want to recapture as much territory as they can in the aleppo countryside to reach the

border with turkey. azaz like i mentioned, is a few kilometers from the borders and is where many have taken shelter. we don't have exact numbers of how many people are there, but this is heavily populated town and the people we've been speaking to, the activists on the ground believe the objective of these air strikes on is to push these people away. the ground forces who are close to the bordertown are the y.p.g., not the syrian government. talking to people in the opposition, they believe that the y.p.g. is continuing with their strikes if what you're hearing turns out to be true, it sounds as

though the people of azaz are being targeted by two different sources, one by russian air strikes and then by turkish bombing. >> reporter: turkish bombing is not targeting azaz town itself. what the turkish military is saying is that they are targeting y.p.g. positions in recently captured areas in the northern countryside of aleppo which is west of azaz and the turkish military saying that they are bombing the northern countryside of aleppo. the turks continuing their campaign against the y.p.g. saying they crossed the red lines. the opposition and the people who remain in the northern quarter of syria increasingly being skwoozd from the skies are russian planes are targeting rebel control tounz.

you have the syrian government and the y.p.g. and their allies on the grown. the rebels are very close to losing their stronghold south of azaz. it is close to being cut off because the y.p.g. took a town further north. on the ground the opposition is coming under a lot of pressure. this offensive is ongoing and like i mentioned, we don't know how many people are still in azaz but thousands remain in that town and the only place that they can escape to is further north towards the turkish border thank you very much. meanwhile an aid convoy carrying supplies has been allowed in the syrian city of douma. it is east of damascus and has been a rebel stronghold since 2013. the syrian red crescent says the convoy has medicine and

minimuming for children. nearly half a million people in syria are living in areas that rv been cut off-- have been cut off. libya's presidential council has named a revised list of ministers for a unity government. the announcement was made in morocco were discussions on the new cabinet were taking place. 18 ministers will have to be prood by parliament in tabruk. a political analyst and founder of the tripoli based institute. he says although there are discussions, it doesn't mean that peace is close for libya. >> the majority of the discussions that have gone on, not talking about the real question of the durablity and

the functionality of this government. that is going to be the real issue, can it endure against most of the complicates that have emerged. there have been physical fights and blows amongst the members. i think we're in a precarious situation. i don't think it is going to show. i'm pessimistic about this development. the first question is the war in syria. most strategic fighting on the ground has been around the resources, financial, military, resources of the country. the other factor has been frustrating the efforts of the powe powers. not trying to deliver the

majority of what they want which is a democratic free society and the rule of law. they face for four or five issues that have gone out the window. i don't believe that this is at the heart of discussions, having focused on anything more than bringing people to the table yemen where more air strikes where the saudi-led coalition have left a number of people. the attacks happened in the city north of the capital. the health ministry says five people were killed, at least 10 were injured. chinese imports and exports plunged in january. surprising analysts who predicked only a slight slowdown. imports fell by 18.8%, imports were down 11.2%. the latest data raises fears about how much china can

continue to support global growth. china's economic growth slowed to a 25 year low of 6.9% in 2015. adrian brown has more. >> reporter: china's imports and exports have been falling now for more than 12 months providing an indicator of the confused second largest economy. they still made a trade surplus of 62 billion dollars. one reason why imports are down is that china is no longer buying things key commodities in the way it once did. all ice will be on china's currency which has come under sustained attack during the past few weeks. they're seeking to drive down the value of this currency. the government is resisting

that. it wants to control the direction of its currency and not have foreigners do it for them. a fuller picture on the state of china's economy will come next month when we get figures relating to retail sales, investment and industrial output president obama is hosting south-east asian leaders for a two-day sum sum-- summit at a californian desert retreat. >> reporter: there are 6500 miles of pacific ocean between south-east asia on the other side of the water and the west coast of the u.s. for the president the asean region makes it vital to rebalances and refocus of attention to asian pacific. he says that reason central to economic growth and security in the 21st century.

he has invited the ten leaders to come to california and have an informal discussion to assure them of u.s. engagement and commitment to that region but at the same time to remind those leaders that the relationship is mutually beneficial. particularly in light of china's recent muscle flecking right on asean's doorstep. these talks are not meant to focus on china, but they will discuss maritime student. the countries are currently emprovided in a dispute with china over portions of the south china sea. china has taken to building islands to strengthen her claim in apparent defiance of international law. yet the asean countries do not have a unified stand with regard to their big neighbor. something that president obama wants to help them address while meeting with them in california. the u.s. has been a stabilizing force in the asian pacific since world war ii. now with a rebalances there are more troops in the region and

they're patrolling waters to ensure freedom of navigation. not all the leaders agree that the u.s. is the perfect counter balance to a growing china. regardless this is a significant step for u.s. and asean relations one which is hoped to carry on for years to come. it is a full hit of the promise made by president obama to be the first american pacific presidential an independent consultant on china explains why progress on the dispute over the sousdz china sea will be difficult >> there are two great forces, u.s. on one side and china on the other. you have to feel sorry for the asean countries who are torn between these two great forces, economically and in terms of stability and in terms of the safety. this is not the year for up progress because it is a u.s. election year e in terms of

trade policy, in terms of china policy and, indeed, in terms of pacific policy, asean policy, all this is going to change after november. all you have to do is listen to the u.s. presidential candidates and you know that there are many different views on china, very different from what obama has done, different views on trade. very different from what obama has done. it is a marker trying to show that obama has made progress on his pivot towards asia but in terms of progress, very little can happen until the election and the new president is in office. even the tpp, great trade deal that obama helped to negotiate, that is not going to be voted on in the u.s. until after the election the israeli prime minister is set to begin a prison sentence. the charges are related to bibry in his term from 1992 to 2003.

he was separately kufrd of obstruction of justice during his three year term of as p.m. from 2006. his sentencing is part of a plea bargain. he released this message earlier. >> translation: when i was prime minister i was granted the high responsibility to protect the citizens of israel. you can get how the change is painful and strange for me. at this time it is important me to say i reject outright the bribery accusations against meechlt the australian government has come under pressure after a hospital has refused to discharge a migrant babe. she had been scalded accidental with hot water in naur. she may now be sent back to those detention facilities on that island. that is an island that australia uses as part of its asylum

seeker policy. demonstrators gathered in front of the hospital where she is being treated in support of doctors we've got lots more to come here at al jazeera, including lighting up people's lives. how people are switching on to solar power. the revenant stagger leonardo dicaprio wins big at the baftas

welcome back. a recap of the top stories here

at al jazeera. as turkey continues to shell kurdish fighters inside syrian territory the syrian government has appealed to the the u.n. security council to intervene. these are pictures showing the turkish forces shell fighters near azaz in the north of the country. meanwhile syrian forces continue their push for the city of aleppo, backed by russian air strikes on one such strike you could see the end result. hospital has been hit just north of the city. nine people have been killed. this particular video shows the aftermath of another air strike on another city in aleppo. china's exports and inl ports

have dropped sharply. imports fell 18.8 and experts were down 11.2% from last year. pope francis has visited a children's hospital in mexico. he stopped by the hospital in mexico city to pete the young patients. he was accompanied by the first lady. earlier on sunday he held mass in front of millions of people in a poor suburb of the capital. >> reporter: hundreds of thousands of people came out here to share mass. many slept here and camping out. they didn't care because they wanted to share with him. he spoke of a mexico where they don't have to fear being exploited and where they don't have to fear being destroyed by

dealers of death, words his of course in reference to drug gangs and violent cartels. this really resonates with the people we've been speaking to who comes from in of these violent communities. >> translation: i hope the pope through god's words can guide the mexican government, especially in my home state which is totally corrupt and violent. >> translation: whether we are neighbors, friends or relatives, violence affects us all. we're expecting the pope to bring hope to all mexicans with his message. >> reporter: here in this violent community, pope francis is standing in solidarity, he understands the problems the people are going through. he will spread this message all the way to the north where he will end his trip here on wednesday and say a prior fayer

the migrants authorities worth $700 million dollars have been found in a shipment of ladies' bras. four hong kong residents have been charged. they p appear in court next month in sydney in nigeria the export of oil has been a major childhood tea-- commodity for the country. >> reporter: this man has been a farmer all his life. he grows tomatos, pepper and other vegetables. he is one of the few to have this lease.

even if it is for sings months. the land here has been abundant for over a decade, but these days there is fierce competition for it as it is close to the dam which is near close to completion >> translation: if the dam is completed, this will open up areas for cultivation. we are squeezed into this tiny place because everyone wants to be close to the water. >> reporter: he says they get no support from the government. he saw the government start of dam nearly two decades ago. projects like these last their appeal as the country swam in oil rev news. this dam is meant to irrigation thousands of lands. provide water to households, fishing. this has put on hold the expectations on families. there are similar projects

across nigeria where most people live belonged the poverty long. >> reporter: he waited for the dams to reach his farm land. from time to time he comes to the empty reservoir near his village hoping for a miracle. >> translation: for 16 years not a single drop of water came this way. i just want to see this project completed in my life time. it is the least the government can do to change our lives completely >> reporter: the government is turning to agriculture to diverse any the economy. it says this project and many others like it will be completed, but the farmers say they will only believe it when they see the project up and running to india where solar power is cheaper than coal. that's where energy, clean

energy, is now being prioritised and by 2030 their power needs will be by renewable energy. solar energy is changing lives in some parts of the country. >> reporter: for less than 5 cents a night this teenager is providing light to a village that can go days without any power. she is using sunlight to power lan terrors which she rents to her neighbors. she says her small enterprise has helped her family financially. >> translation: earlier we couldn't afford chairs but i bought them now from the money i earned from these lanterns. i bought a tv and many other things >> reporter: there is an energy revolution happening right across india. roof tops, solar panels like these are part of the government strategy to bring cheap and

clean energy to the masses. this man has been selling solar gadgets for the past five years. he has seen at attitudes change >> translation: earlier just a handful of people would come to me for solar panels. people would start noticing how it would change their lives. now hassle of the households use so lar. with abundant sunlight india is a candidate for solar energy. here at the village looefl people are taking charge of their energy needs but solar is going commercial too. this is a start up that sees big potential in solar leasing. it installs panels on commercial buildings and then supplies clean energy to its client under a long-term contract >> we supply the solar power to them at april rate that is cheaper than what they pay to the grid. so for the end consume engineers without having to pay anything upfront, they generate income

from the roof top space. >> reporter: as night falls many are lining up outside her door to pick up their lanterns. here just a few hours of light could mean finishing homework for passing an exam or getting grand dad to tell you a bedtime story the revenant has scooped three of the four awards at baftas in london. >> reporter: >> the baftas goes to the revenant. >> reporter: that was hardly a supplies. yes, this was an incredibly tough year. even the critics found it hard. this film stood one of the best chances of the lot. five awards, close-upping three of the main ones, best film, but actor for leonardo dicaprio and

there is your best actor. it wasn't to be her night though despite expectations. she missed out on best acttress. it went to brchlt ree larson. room is not an easy watch, but her performance has been astounding critics. >> reporter: baftas is a big night. such as the international nature of the film industry, you will see talent from all over the world. these are widely seen as an indication of what's going to happen at the oscars in hollywood in two weeks time. you will see the same faces and hear the same names. case in point this year, the lack of diversity. this protest had been embraced by baftas which allowed

demonstrators themselves members of the industry onto the red carpet to hand out fliers. baftas says it is going to increase the diversity of its members, an issue that the coulds cars are also facing. >> kate winslett. >> reporter: she walked off with best supporting actress. best actor was mark here which did nothing for this actor. he has missed out here, beasts of no nation. no mention of him at the as cores either. he has to some become one of the faces of this complain with his empassioned pleas for film to be open to anybody, any race, gender or class. as the industry enters a period of soul searching. >> and the nominations for best white actress go to

>> reporter: the question is how long will that really take before i go this half hour let's look at the aftermath of an earthquake in new zealand. it was a magnitude 5.7 quake and it shook the city of christchurch. these are the latest pictures. you're with al jazeera. >> my family, a part of them, they get killed. and i don't like to see people get killed. those people that died, that was really close.. i miss them like i don't really going to -- i can't really be on them. >> in 2015, nearly 3,000 people were shot in chicago.