dive deep into these stories and go behind the scenes at aljazeera.com/techknow. follow us on social well. >> syrian state media claims government forces have taken full control of the ancient town. palmyra. hello, you're watching al jazeera live from doha. hundreds of refugees heading for the greek macedonian boarder in the hope that it opens. >> italian police arrest a man in the bomb attacks. plus, a boost for bernie sanders - winning three caucuses in hawaii, washington and

alaska. syria's state media and some groups are saying that the army has taken control of palmyra. government forces have been advancing into the isil-held territory, there has been heavy fighting in the historic center and residential areas. the syrian army captured the castle. which is a u.n.e.s.c.o. world heritage site. it fell to isil in may. the armed group is not part of the cessation of hostilities, palmyra is apparent not only because of its history, but because of its location. the city is on the highway linking the capital with isil healed deir az zor near the boarder. the capture means the government

can stop isil fighters moving to and from iraq. joining us live from near the turkish syrian boarder. let's clarify what happened. some groups are saying that there's fighting in the east of palmyra. how certain is it that the entire city has fallen? >> it's not certain 100%. i would say it's more than 90%. the group that you mentioned is the syrian observatory for human rights for human rights, and they are one of the most credible groups that are monitoring the fight inside syria. they are staying in the east of the city. you can hear explosions and fighting. and i was watching video from the state media, a number of state media. two chinas, or one china, and they were showing the reporter inside an area near the city,

near the arc logical site. i can hear some bombing and firing. i think that was the syrian army trying to clear the city. other activists are saying that there is - some members of isil are in palmyra. putting the fight, but it is not as big. sammy, for the last month or so, since the operation started in march, the russians were involved laying the ground work along with the triumph and getting isil out of palmyra. what is next. what posture is isil taking at this point. i think isil is trying to go to where it has strongholds to the east. you a deir az zor - most is under i.s.i.l.'s control. north of palmyra.

you have another isil stronghold. it's possible the routes that the group is taken, that probably they won't take it, they won't take it, otherwise they'll be hit by the russian or the government air power. others are saying they could retreat southwards. they go to the boarder with iraq, and these are possible locations. what is next for the army is not clear. probably they'll try to go to the east or cut the roots for isil to go into iraq. and that's a strategic point for them. or possibly another offensive further north. >> okay. thanks so much. >> well the reported fall of palmyra comes as syrians mark a month since cessation of hostilities. the u.n. managed to get medical

help and food to in my opinion of the 11 besieged areas. there has been a pause in fighting this past month, both blame each other for sporadic violations. russia has withdrawn most of its forces from syria. but they say they support the matter against isil. and pushing for a transition of power in syria. world talks to begin next month. a syrian academic joins us here in the studio. good to have you with us. it's been called the single biggest defeat for isil since they declared the state in 2014. how much of a set back is the loss for isil. >> it's a big setback. this is the second largest city. they have controlled in syria since they managed to take raqqa

in 2013. and i think their defeat is also another evidence that the russians and the regime is trying to provide by saying look, we are actually the force that can be reckoned with. we are the only available force on the ground that can defeat d.a.e.s.h. and i think the russians and the regime is trying to send the message to the americans to alleviate the pressure. >> you use the word defeat. does this open the door to other areas. to the east, the boarder towards iraq. >> there is a race on the ground. between the syrian regime and the russians, and between the syrian opposition, there are so many fronts against d.a.e.s.h. the syrian opposition is fighting d.a.e.s.h. in the north and is trying to give the

impression that they are a force to be reckoned with. >> this strengthens the hand of the regime in its argument. >> i think both sides are trying, as i said, to give the impression that they might be the force which can actually achieve this ultimate objective. especially the americans have been trying to reach over the past couple of years. since the fall of mosul. at the end of the day, what the americans and russia are trying to do is trying to get both sides, the regime and the moderate syrian opposition fighting d.a.e.s.h. and i mean that was - that was the main objective, i think of the americans from the beginning, now the russians are trying to state that on the ground. trying to state the under inns. >> the american goals are or

some of the powers involved. it is to have a syrian in which bashar al-assad is no longer in power. how much is the dynamics of the peace process and talks that might be changed. >> i think the russians and americans are trying to neutralize some of the differences. bashar al-assad is one of them. a major one, and focus the whole fight in syria on d.a.e.s.h. and i think the recent gains by the regime in palmyra is a translation of the recent understandings between john kerry and president vladimir putin during the visit. i think they must talk about the future of bashar al-assad. right now, this is the stum bling issue here at the negotiation table. that is the price, actually,

that the syrian opposition want to have before joining the regime or uniting the forces. that is the ultimate goal in this whole issue. >> thanks so much turkey has launched air strikes on nil positions in iraq. earlier a soldiers was killed. targetting kurdish forces. >> after liaising with the chief of staff. all the bases that caused the killing of the lieutenant are destroyed. as part of the rules. as long as the elements pose a threat to turkey the military presence in the area, and we will continue to maintain the threat to the borders, even further south refugees are marching to the grease-macedonian boarder in the hope that it will be open. they refuse to go to the

government shelters. they say they want to continue on their way. the camp conditions worsened over the last several weeks. 12,000 people are stranded at the boarder. hoda abdel-hamid is on the greek macedonian bored e. >> we saw dozens of refugees making their way, carrying their belongings, leaving the camp. they are heading here. we asked them why. they said that we've been told that the boarder will open. who told them that? facebook, social media. what they have been told is there's no announcement that the boarder will be open. what they've not been told is some refugees are planning a march towards the boarder. they are hoping to break through the fence. people are desperate. they are frustrated. they are losing patience, they are planning the march. they need the support.

what has happened over the past few days, they are transferred to government-run accommodation centers, and there are some here that believe this is the wrong move. they believe if they leave here, by staying here, they are pressuring the macedonian authorities to open the boarder, the european association to open the boarder. they are walking kilometres. they told them they haven't heard any announcements. they'll continue because we don't have money and have no faith in the relocation programme of the e.u., they'll be stuck here for months. >> italian police arrested a man on suspicion of providing travel documents to people collected in the attacks. police tweeted this photo of officers in the southern italian town. media reports identified the man who is of algerian dissent.

>> he may be extradited to belgium in the next if you days. >> a man that may be the third bomber at the airport may be arrested. a suspect and two others have been charged with terrorism offenses. a big rally has been postponed because of security concerns. >> in the middle are the two brothers, on the rite is faycalc. his device failed to blow himself up. >> the location of the arrest is extraordinary. this is a man who may be the third airport bomber, a bomber whose photograph has been all over the media. he was arrested here. outside the federal prosecutor's office. a place crawling with soldiers and police.

>> there are new names, connections, emerging every day. it's clear that the paris and brussels attacks from the work of one network. the brussels airport bombers was connected by d.n.a. evidence. used by the paris bombers. lashowi, is a suspected bomb-maker. his d.n.a. was made on the belts. the suicide bomber at brussels marr beck metro rented the safe house which the paris attackers used before their attacks. and also rented the hideout in suburban brussels. but several accomplices are being hunted. including this man. 101 casualties are treated in

hospital. for of those killed in the bomb attacks have yet to be identified. >> it's a difficult and forensic task. >> you have to understand that a terrorist bomb contains small pieces, and these hit the pieces at high speed. and we won't release further details. brussels is intense, and the interior minister and the mayor urged the postponement of a rally. policing that gathering, they said would hamper the bombing inquiries, for this inquiry we need a lot of police capacity all over the country. and it's our main priority to let the police in the best circumstances possible do these inquiries. the organizers agree. the rally is off. the grieving goes on.

. >> lots more still to come. >> i like to say trees, nature, i love it. >> doing a good turn. refugees in australia volunteering as fire-fighters. plus, new laws in pakistan to protect women from abuse is coming under attack.

let's recap the headlines on al jazeera. syrian state media monitoring group say the army is taking

control of the ancient city of palmyra. government forces have been advancing into the isil held territory. refugees at the greek boarder held protests in the hope that the borders would be open for them. thousands remain stranded there. italian police arrested a man in relation to false travel documents. the belgium prosecutor say the man that may be the third bomber has been arrested. the suspect and two others have been charged with terrorism offenses. >> bernie sanders won the caucus in hawaii. it's his third win in the front-runner. sanders won caucuses in washington and alaska. he lags behind in the important count. this is how it stands, it takes

2,383 delegates to win the nomination. bernie sanders won hawaii, corey washington and alaska. hillary clinton has the lead with 1,234 pledges. bernie sanders is hoping his campaign will pick up momentum with his latest victories. he has 956 delegates. from the campaigns and elections magazine is our next guest. >> he says the wins will keep sanders in the race. >> they are significant enough to allow bernie sanders to claim momentum going forward and to keep his campaign going, they were not just wins in washington state and alaska. these are enormous. he won over 77% of the vote in alaska. winning large in washington state as well. >> it allows the bernie sanders campaign to continue to raise money, something they have done well. and it allows him to say listen,

you shaw be liberal democrats. you should give house to others in the party that are lining up behind hillary clinton. hillary clinton has an iceable advantage here. the reason is she not only has the blej dell tate lead these are the leaders with hillary clinton. if bernie sanders makes this a contest and finds away to compete for the nomination, he will have to change some minds among the elder statesman and the democratic party, the elected officials that make up the delegate. that's a tougher road. >> let's bring in live pictures from the vatican. that is where pope francis is leading celebrations. in the wake of the attacks the

pontiff urged people not to lose hope. >> may the lord free us from this trip, from being christians without hope. we see and will continue to see appearance both within and without. they will always be there. tonight it's important to shed the light of the risen lord upon our problems. let us not allow darkness and fear to distract us and control us. >> north korea's government released a video. state media shows the leader is suspecting the drill. tensions are high in the peninsula. since a long-range launch. >> they have been arrested in china over the past week in connection with an illegal

vaccine scam. four pharmaceutical companies had their licences revoked. florence louie reports from beijing. >> reporter: this woman unw unwittingly could have exposed her son to danger. i'm worried because i don't know if this is the only case, or there are many cases like this in the whole country, or whether it will happen again. >> police arrested a mother and daughter in april. they had bought vaccines from licensed and unlicensed traders, and retold them to hospitals and clinics. they were made by approved manufacturers, but officials say they were not stored with adequate ventilation.

dispute the assurances, many are angry. >> a reason why parent are suspicious is because china does not have a good record when it comes to food and drug safety. parents are comparing this issue with cases of milk sold in the country. >> in 2008 six children died. 3,000 fell sick after drinking milk contaminated. >> while the vaccine is not thought to be an issue, questions should have been asked. >> translation: there's supposed to be regulations. why was there a lack of supervision. sometimes laws and rules are not supervised enough. >> over the past week police arrested more than 100 people. and are investigating dozens of companies much parents want soee more accountability.

>> the government supervisors should be held responsible, not just the mother and daughter who have been selling the vaccine. many blame the government. after the main suspects were arrested last april a new bill has been passed in the pakistani province, criminalizing domestic abuse. the government is setting up a 24 hour hot line. a plan to open a shelter. some religious leaders are opposing the law. >> translation: welcome, a group that caters for pakistan's classes. if you look around, you can see that most of the trainees are victims of domestic violence. many have scars from as it

attacks. they are training 700 students that come from all over the country. >> it has to be taken into account and the futures punished and the justice given to the victims. >> last month a legislature passed a bill criminalizing domestic abuse, including the emotional psychological abuse of women. it called on authorities to act on behalf of victims. some religious leaders. >> we are against some clauses of the bill which need to be rectified. some worry the law could trigger a backlash in the male dominated society. >> women's groups held a resolution by the punjab assembly as a victory.

it sparked a debate with the religious right. >> the most powerful religious parties say they have serious questions, they were not consulted. >> punjab women protection bill is against islam. it furthers the agenda and should be withdrawn. otherwise religious parties will launch a movement against the bill. >> the law minister is defiant. and says the bill is now law. and will be implemented in letter and spirit. >> we have to protect women. they are the people central for our population. through this bill. it will not be withdrawn. however, we can improve it. we can do anything. >> pakistan's constitution says that any legislation which goes against islam cannot become law.

no one knows if the blost will back down on this contentious legislation. one thing it can't afford at the moment is the street protests australia has a tough policy to deter refugees that arrive by boat. some are making a contribution. andrew thomas met some that became fire-fighters. >> every summer parts of australia go up in flames. wild bush fibres are common not many are from iran. but this woman and her husband are refugees that came to australia by boat. >> it is very heavy.

for me, for them, for me it is heavy. i like to save people. trees and nature. i love it. a few years ago the local fire brigade faced a problem. >> there weren't enough knoll tears. >> the fire service was unviable. >> we had 12 members in the brigade. that is not enough for what we want to the do. >> the fireservice made an effort to recruit the ethnic minorities, particularly resettled refugees. nowadays the government deports rev guess that some by boat. dens of thousands arrived who

were allowed to stay. a high number settled to the south and east of mobile. today, of the 52 volunteers, half are from immigrant backgrounds. >> they helped us and accept us to be in australia. so i should do something. i want to do something. it's like payback. the fire fighters are more representative of the community they are serving. >> english not not being a first language, they can offer support to people in their time of need. >> the focus of australian politics is on how to keep refugees out. times overlooked as their

contribution once they are in. more on that story and the others if you head over to our website. there we go. aljazeera.com for the lead story. the situation with the fall of palmyra in syria from isil into government hands. back at the top of the hour. >> the us is now the world's largest oil and gas producer, in part because of what's happening here in north dakota, where advances in fracking have unlocked crude oil in the bakken shale formation in the western part of the state. north dakota is now producing more than a million barrels of oil a day. ten years ago there were fewer than 200 oil-producing wells in the bakken. now there are more than 8,000. >> they call it boomtown usa this is where all the money is. it's crazy the amount of money you can make here.