clearly trying to disrupt the process. u.s. secretary of state john kerry accuses the syrian government of derailing talks in geneva. hello, you're watching al jazeera live from doha. also coming up, a test for german chancellor angela merkel's refugee policy even as numbers of new arrivals drop due to tighter border controls in the balkans. a call for unity, u.s. president barack obama said any politician who plans to lead the

country should not cause division. >> i'm reporting from myanmar where lives continue to be affected by civil war, despite the signing of a nation whited ceasefire agreement. >> first, the u.s. secretary of state john kerry has accused the syrian government of trying to disrupt upcoming talks in geneva. he condemned the syrian government's demands. his delegation has arrived in geneva and is insisting that removing president bashar al assad is a red line. the u.s. secretary of state john kerry met his european counterparts. they admitted the talks will be difficult but say it's the only way to stop the exodus of refugees flowing into europe. >> if we don't want to be back here next year or the year after facings middle east with even more refugees, greater numbers

of dead and displaced, even more suffering and erosion of hope, it is vital that people exert leadership and deliver the cessation of hostilities. in the long run, the only way to actually end this challenge of refugees is to end the syrian civil war. >> the syrian delegation is insisting bashar al assad should have no part in the transitional government. >> there's a simple rule in this universe, at the end of the day, no one can trade the will of the entire syrian people for a gang of criminals and malls murderers. the people are the only one who will determine the future of syria. this was clear when the russians stopped bombing. our people went back down to the streets and demonstrated against the assad regime. they still want to topple the

regime even after five long years of can i go, barrel bops and shelling. >> we'll hear more about the refugees but first we have this update on the talks in geneva. >> i think the talks are certainly going to start, and i think one of the reasons for those strong words attacking the assad regime and the comments from the syrian deputy prime and foreign minister was to encourage the high negotiations committee, the main opposition block who are here ready for talks. there are actually some of them here, some arriving and the syrian government also here. i think it's definitely going to start these negotiations. if you listen to the special envoy, staffan de mistura, he is going to start with the main issue and the main issue is the future governance of syria and that gets you into the very difficult question of the parole of president bashar al assad. the question through five years of war is there is absolutely no

compromise on that issue. the government aren't even going to negotiate president assad, he stays and the opposition have exactly the other position, saying president assad must go. i think this is potentially a problem on day one for the government side, because some of what they are saying seems saying they reject the idea of a transitional government in elections seems to be in did he if rance of what their throws allies like russia and iran have agreed to and the security council resolution that was passed last year. >> voting is underway in three german states for parliament. they are expected to measure the support for angela merkel's refugee policy. the influx of more than a million refugees last year has been a key issue ahead of the vote. many of the refugees hoping to make their way to nowhere europe are stuck at the greek-macedonia border where

thousands remain stranded. muhammed is there. >> days of continuous rain is adding on to the misery of the refugees. most of them are living in flimsy tents like one surrounded by stagnant pools of water and some are falling sick. medical workers say they have treated 70 children for respiratory problems as well as digestive diseases. a nine year old girl has been confirmed to have hepatitis a, a very contagious disease. they are now looking into how to vaccinate the rest of the children population in the camp.

this bottleneck that marooned refugees is a social concern. they've been trying to usually the refugees to go out of this camp and into camps that are more hospitable and warmer set up for them in other places, but only 800 have so far heed that call. the rest of them are here, waiting, with the hope that the macedonian border might reopen for them. so far, we are not seeing any sign of that. what the folks who are running for office should focus on is how we can make it even better, not insults and school yard taunts and manufacturing facts.

not divisiveness along the lines of race or faith. certainly not violence against other americans or excluding them. we're a better country than that. >> president obama's comments came after donald trump was forced to cancel a campaign rally after security concerns. an event in ohio was disrupted while someone tried to get on the stage when trump was speaking. on friday, donald trump had to call off a rally in chicago after supporters and demonstrators clashed. hit political rivals accuse him of using divisive language. hillary clinton spoke at a town hall saying it's important to stand up to people like trump. >> if you play with matches, you can start a fire you can't control. that is not leadership, that is political arson. if you see bigotry, oppose it. if you see violence, condemn it. if you see a bully, stand up to him.

florida is seen as the ultimate batting ground state. it has a large population of african-american and hispanic voters. andy gallagher looks at why the state is so important in the game of politics. >> we are building up the black and brown community. >> workers in the new florida majority are on a mission to register new voters but not just anyone. this organization targets the marginalized constituencies, giving them a voice. >> we're in the community to see if anyone needs to register to vote. >> they've signed up a thousand new voters. their aim is 5,000 and organizers say it's vital work. >> what happens in florida determines the future of the country and we are very aware of that. we have gone through all the traumatic experiences of elections in florida before. we are aware of how important little that our votes are

counted. >> miami has large black and hispanic communities that are growing and influencing the political landscape. this city like much of the state is a melting pot of political diversity. >> i think it's going to be a brokered convention. >> that's what makes the sunshine state so important. >> you have a microcosm of the entire country here. florida has been a battleground state in the last several presidential elections, particularly 2000. how florida goes, the rest of the country goes. >> that's miami, but just to show you how truly diverse this state is, we've traveled into a different time zone to the florida panhandle, a place the locals refer to as the red nick riviera. >> the signs in pensacola couldn't be more different than miami, solidly republican, part of the bible belt and unlikely to change anytime soon. >> when you look at the

panhandle, what you're looking at is a a very conservative, 10 minutes from alabama, georgia's just to the north of us, but it's a very conservative voter, half have military roots and a very religious voter. >> those in pensacola in the panhandle of florida may place greater faith in the republican party. >> who will win one of the u.s.'s most diverse states is never entirely predictable. air crash investigators have called for new global rules to oblige medical professionals to warn authorities if a pilot's mental health is a risk for passengers. the recommend is as are included in a final report into last year's germanwings plane crash in which 150 died. the pilot drove a plane into a mountain. paul brennan has more. >> no one could have survived

what happened march 24, 2015. germanwings 9525 disintegrated on impact. the village nearest to the site has a memorial to the victims here. the haunting question is whether the tragedy could have been avoided in the first place. the germanwings co pilot hat exhibited depression and suicidal thoughts for years but his private doctors never informed aviation authorities or the airline of the danger he posed. issuing their final report into the wider issues of the crash sunday, the french investigation team urged global changes in regulation. >> i think that clearer rules are necessary to define when one can require to preach medical confidentiality, particularly when we're talking about pilots who are responsible for carrying

passengers. it needs first a balance between medical and public security. >> there are 11 recommend is as, including a call for medical checks to be made every three or six months instead of annually. pilots with depression would not necessarily be barred from flying which should be more closely regulated and supported. there is no recommendation to change the security of cockpit doors. victims' relatives want the law changed. >> it wasn't only an accident, it was a collapse where the safety advice from lufthansa did not work. the pilot was ill and should have never sat in the cockpit. >> the family looks to sue lufthansa in court. >> more than 80 families got

together and must litigate, because lufthansa is not cooperating. >> the question now, however and how quickly with him the recommendations of the french investigators be adopted. paul brennan, al jazeera. >> lots more ahead here in al jazeera, including. >> it felt like we started to raise our voices. i mean, we finally started to raise our voices. >> five years after anti-government protests began in syria, we meet some of the people who believe in arab spring. >> protestors in bangladesh continue their long march to save an environmentally sensitive area.

welcome back. our top stories, u.s. secretary of state john kerry has accused the syrian government of trying to disrupt upcoming talks in geneva. the delegation arrived there but insists it will not talk about the future of president bashar al assad. angela merkel's refugee policy faces its first big test as new arrivals drop due to tighter controls in the ball captains. voters are enacting new regional parliament. the influx of more than a million refugees was a key issue ahead of the elections. >> in the u.s., presidential hopeful donald trump has had his rally interrupted in ohio a day after he was forced to cancel an event in chicago. president barack obama is

calling on presidential hopefuls to unite americans, not cause divisions. >> let's take you back to our top story now and five years of war in syria has left the country in ruins. a truce is in place as airstrikes and fighting continue. thousands of syrians are starving. the u.n. estimates 250,000 have killed since the start of the war but stopped counting in 2014. the syrian observatory for human rights said more than 270,000 people have been kid. the u.n. also reports that more than 6.5 million syrians have been forced to leave their homes. that's the largest number of displaced people in the world right now. in total, more than 13.5 million people are in need of human aid inside syria. nearly 5 million syrians have registered as worldwide refugees. >> back in 2011, syrians were inspired by that the revolutions

in tunisia and egypt. they came out on to the streets demanding back then just reforms. want country had been ruled by one family for 40 years. they were backed by strong military regime and the vast intelligence network that speed on its own people. the government quickly responded to peaceful protests with violence, saying they were instigated by foreigners. >> with memories at vivid as their disappointments run deep, these syrians in turkey turn to books when they can, seeking comfort in their pages, solace in their chapters. an escape, albeit a brief one from the reality of a horrific milestone, five years of a war

that brought with it the kind of unmitigated misery no one here could have foreseen. at the beginning, the arab spring had spread hope. >> what happened in tunisia, this is all the area go to the street. >> syrian artist opened pages bookstore and cafe as a refuge for fellow citizens tired of conflict and thirsting for culture. >> he fled damascus and remembers very well how things spiraled out of control. >> the problem in syria, we were surprised. we think all the war would help us like libya, like tunis and in the end, all the war left us alone. >> some attempt to bury their sorrows in these volumes but it's harder than it looks. >> these days in istanbul, a city so full of the war weary, it's hard to find many syrians who feel any sense of optimism.

certainly not the kind that was on display half a decade ago before peaceful uprising turned to all-out war, before hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives. >> in another part of town, refugees who's lives were shattered by conflict tried valiantly to put some of the pieces back together. >> with the help of the small projects, istanbul n.g.o., these women, many too afraid to show their faces, are learning skills to help them survive. she used to own a jewelry stall and is showing them how to make earrings. they'll never forgot the beginning when for his fellow country men and women, resistance felt more like a beginning than heartache. >> it felt like we started to raise our voices, i mean, we

finally start to raise our voices and that was a good thing. nobody had any idea things would get so bad. >> skills help build a living and aid in soothing souls. >> to start, demands were simple. people were asking for the most basic reforms, but the regime didn't know how to deal with people outside of using force. >> five years on, these syrians still feel battered. for even those who managed to escape their country haven't truly been able to escape the war. al jazeera, istanbul. myanmar's new government said peace in ethnic minority areas is a priority. rebel armies have been fighting for autonomy or independence. despite a ceasefire signed last year, the situation is worsening. >> in the northern state, a

buddhist monastery can provide protect. communities are being torn apart and young people are suffering the most. at this time of day, his youngest son should be helping her on the farm. in november, the 16-year-old and two others from his village were taken by a group of men and they haven't been seen since. >> of course i miss him. he still wants to finish school and he's learning how to be a mechanic. his father is not feeling well, so he stopped going to school to take care of his father, then this happened to him and we're helpless. >> it's likely they were taken by one of the rebel armies operating in the area. allegations of abduction are becoming increasingly common. accusations of rape and torture have also been made against government soldiers. one armed ethnic group told al jazeera it doesn't force people

to join its ranks. >> we don't do like that. we just organize them. we explain them you have to come by yourself. >> under almost 50 years of military rule, myanmar became economically isolated. armies and militias fight for control. there is little opportunity. most of the areas where the rebel armies operate are remote and poor. there is hope being placed in the new government but there is a real concern that some groups might use this time to try to exert their power, particularly the myanmar army. >> renewed fighting and chance have seen thousands take shelter in nearby monasteries. she has since received phone calls from her missing son but still doesn't know why he was taken. >> when he calls, he says i'm fine and tells us not to worry

about him. he doesn't say where he is or what he's doing. >> the problems in the ethnic minority areas are complex, but there are big expectations for the new government to provide security, which may lead to much needed development and opportunity. >> protestors in bangladesh are trying to force the government to scrap coal plants. there are fears they could damage the wetlands.

protestors in bangladesh are trying to force the government to scrap plans for coal-fired power plants near environmentally sensitive areas. >> bangladesh is vulnerable to climate change. one third of its 160 million people don't have access to electricity. the government wants to provide power cleanly and one of the cheapest options is coal. campaigners say too many people live here. every year, the waters of the bay of bengal cover a little more of the mangroves. the protestors are convinced the coal powered stations would damage the swamps with smoke, ash and noise. >> we do need electricity but not at the expense of destroying the forest. it belongs to our country.

bangladesh is our mother, we do not want this type of power plant which will destroy mother nature. bangladesh will have to bring much needed power to it's people while protecting its natural beauty. >> thousands of brazilians are taking part in anti government protests, we are looking at live pictures out of there. critics of the president rousseff are calling for her to be impeached over claims she used state backed banks to plug the holes in the budget. she is implicated in a massive corruption case. in senegal it's the fits day of a week long day ahead of a referendum. the plan is aimed as making the country more democratic, including reducing the presidential term to two terms

of five years. off senegal, more than 140 offshore wells have been drilled since the 1950's with little to show from it. recent oil and gas discoveries are raising hopes. there are still a few years to go before oil is extracted, but the government is cutting the price of petrol already. we have this report. >> he is a peanut farmer who priced himself on being thrifty. he drives to the outskirts searching for the cheapest petrol. he never fills the tank completely, buying just what he needs. senegal said with global prices falling and recent offshore gas discoveries, it can drop the price. it's still expensive for a country with almost all the population lives on less than $2 a day. >> sure, it's cheaper, but mark

my words, having oil leads to complications. we might be better off paying more at the pump rather than having people fight over our natural resources. >> u.s. and british companies announced the biggest discovery of natural gas in west africa, a record 5 trillion cubic meters straddle the over the between senegal and mauritania. the exploration hasn't been completed, but what to do with these untapped natural resources is a source of heated debate in parliament. the senegalese government that yet to negotiate ownership with neighboring countries. others say they need to improve the economy first. >> it is not a cause for conflict but chances are will escalate existing tenses. senegal needs to diversify its economy and e ports. >> senegal's biggest source of

income is the export of fish and peanuts. output from aging oil refineries has been poor because of lack of investment. >> reducing the price of petrol makes the government looks good. how much is due to the exploration of oil and gas is uncertain. >> despite the prospect of more oil and gas, he wonders if it's worth it. forty years of peanut farming has taught him that sometimes having just enough is plenty. al jazeera, senegal. >> the world go champion has had his first win against an artificial intelligence program. [ applause ] >> he was playing against the google program called alpha go after he'd lost three consecutive games out of five. >> i am so much happier because i got a win.

this victory is priceless and cannot be replaced by anything. i did any i could win at least one game. thank you to those of you supporting me. thank you.