♪ riot police fire water canon on right-wing protestors in perilous. of -- in brussels. hello there. you are watching "al jazeera live" from london. also coming up, thousands rally in islamabad to protest the execution of a man who killed a secular governor. the battle for palmier. is over. syrian's forces say they have taken control of the ancient city from is isil. chipping away at clinton's lead, u.s. presidential hopeful bernie

sanders sellsbrates a tripceleb victory. >> but we haver we begin with developing news out of pakistan where there are reports that 50 people have been killed in a bomb blast in the city of lahore. a suicide bomber attacked an area of christian families celebrating the easter holiday. al jazeera's kamil hyder is joining us from the capitol, islamabad. what's the latest we know about this attack? >> reporter: well, first of all, as you mentioned, the park situated in a residential area of lahore is a very popular area with children, families, and being a sunday today, also coinciding with easter, the park

was jam-packed. according to the security forces, the bomber was able to come to drive himself up to the gate where he detonated his explosives. many families were waiting outside, buying tickets, and some were entering into the premises. they were the ones who were worst hit and, of course, for a while, because the area plunged into darkness, nobody knew what had happened, but most of the casualties, we are told, are women and children and over 100 people are said to be wounded from the deadly attack. >> very early stages, but have we got any idea of why this park and area might have been targeted? >> well, it is very difficult to say who thwould have targeted ts park. it's women and children, an indisriminate attack, the palstan, they have taken

responsibility for such attacks but it's too early to speculate. the intention was to cause as much mahem. it appears that the area or the park, this was a planned attack, it appears, and of course, they wanted to kill as many women and children as we can see from the latest attack in lahore. >> horrific attack, kamal. you are covering another story out of the capitol. >> that's that protest, thousands of people protesting in the capitol against the execution of a man called muntaz kadry. why have they been protesting in islamabad? >> reporter: well, mr. kadry, if you remember, was executed after he was found guilty of the murder of the governor who was critical of the country's blasphemy's laws. after his hanging, he was given

a prayer which was attended by tens of thousands of people and, of course, the media tried to keep a blackout on this, fearing that it could boil out of control. so today, once again, causing spam -- supporters gathered and after a prayer decided today march on islamabad. we are told that as we speak, things are continuing between the security courses and thousands of the supporters who have entered into islamabad and, they are fighting with the security forces right in front of pakistan's parliament. >> all right. two big stories that kamal is discov covering for us outs of pakistan. we will keep you up to date on those stories as they develop. we take you to bell gem where there have been scuffles between protesters and police. marking toward a vigil of

victim's sticks t water canons were used to disperse the group. jackie, what with were thesis protesters doing there? and why did things turn so ugly? >> if you recall, there was originally meant to be a solidarity march taking place in the center of bruce brulingsz * prowls brussels on sunday. we are at a heightened level of security in belgium. they would cover had a huge area of people could be another attack. nevertheless, the police would still here in substantial numbers. there have been roadblocks set up with access roads to the square. this group of people, they were largely ball holligans, some of the ball teams, right-wing elements very certainly lots were dressed in black and they had their faces obscured. it appeared they were looking for some kind of a

confrontation, be it with the police or with it being the people in the square expressing feelings of tolerance and co-existentions. it didn't last long but people were able to push them out of the square. rows of riot police with their shields and ultimately, they were fired on by water canon and it all cleared up very quickly. >> what about the investigation, itself, jackie? >> reporter: we have heard information about more raid did, more searchs that the police have been carrying out in and around brussels, 13 such separations that the prosecute ors office has 13w0e7b: four people still being questioned. scan there was another person arrested on friday now charged with terrorist activities. that's in addition to the three people on saturday that were charged. so, it's still very much a live investigation with more searches

and questioning taking place. >> jackie in brucels, thank you bru bruce. in syria's isil's rain over pal merea is over. malpalmiera is over. mal. the recapture is a strategic victory for bashar al-assad. taking control of the city means government forces also control the surrounding desert stretching to the iraqi border to the south. it also opened up access to the isil strong hold, the self-declared capitol, raqqa. more now from mohammed jam jun. >> a significant advance against isil in syria. according to state media, government forces backed by russian air power have recaptured the ancient city of palmiera after days of intention

fighting. while there has been no independent confirmation, the syrian observatory for human rights said by sunday morning, the bulk of isil's forces in the city had retreated. >> following a series of large-scale practices, our units operating on the eastern con industry side of palms fulfilled their mission successfully in the city of palmiera. they gained control over the surrounding mountains and ridges and killed large numbers of isil terrorists and destroyed their bunkers and military cure. >> reporter: isil took overa the area and began a campaign of destroying ancients sites and staging mass executions. known as the bride of the desert, palmiera used to attracted tens of thousands of tourists a year before the conflict began. the city isn't simply known for beautiful ruins. the prison complex is there.

it was one of syria's most feared detention centers. thousands of government opponents were tortured reportedly there. shortly after taking the city, isil blew up the jail destroying an important symbol of government control. palmiera is important for the syrian armed forces and their allies while russia recently withdrew most of it's forces from syria after six months of aerial bombardments, the government has also made advances in rebel-held territory, recapturing palmiera opens up a possible advance of government forces towards much of the eastern desert stretching toward the iraqi border to the south and isil's heartlands to the east. mohammed jamjum, al jazee al jazeeral jazeera muck tamuktardara has pressured the government.

his supporters began a sit-in at the district's gates. they are frustrated the prime minister has not enacted government reforms to replace members of the cabinet. he had says he plans top announce a cabinet reshuffle this week. the cleric has just addressed the crowd. >> we are here calling for political reforms. those in the green zone claim there is no corruption in iraq. we are at the walls of the green zone and tomorrow will be at its heart. i am the representative of the iraqi people. i will enter the green zone. we are peaceful demonstrators and will remain as such. >> al jazeera's jane arraf cents this update from baghdad. >> reporter: this was seemingly a very simple gesture: a few small steps into the green zone. but it carries huge political ramifications and speaks volumes.

this is one of the most revered shia clerics from a long line of revered shia clerics now, a mainstream political figure. for weeks, he has been rallying his supporters, hundreds of thousands of them at a time, in public squares here and lately, near the entrance to the green zone. the green zone is where iraqi officials and foreign xlomats live and work and it's heavily protecteddiplo

senior iraqi security officials and he sat down on the sidewalk. >> again speaks volumes. he says he is a man of the people. he is speaking for all of iraqi. this is a way to put pressure on the iraqi government. he says he plans to stay there. the ramie government, the prime minister wants the reforms. he is trying to reshuffle the cabinet but there is a lot of political resistance to this. so, he has on his doorstep almost literally one of his leading political rivals sitting there basically waiting for him to do something and very frantic political negotiations going on and expected to continue to go on until he can find a solution to this. >> all right. still ahead on the program: thousands of people in ireland pause to remember those in the east arriving 100 years ago plus: >> one of the world's great art museum re-inventing itself to be

more contemporary and modern. i am in new york. >> story coming up.

welcome back. a reminder the top stories. at least 50 people have thought to vobeen killed in a bomb blast in the pakistani city of lahore. police say a suicide bomber attacked an area where christian families were celebrating easter. riot police have used water canon to disperse a group of protestors held in the belljam

t capitol brussels. a sit-in inside baghdad's heavily fortified green zone increasing pressure on the iraqi government to change its ministry. acre is growing among the thousands of refugees in grease may where conditions of the makeshift tent city are deteriorating. most have sold belongings and spent their savings to get to the border. more details. >> again, they make their way toward grease's border with maced macedonyeah. they have been told that the migrant trail has re-opened t these refugees and migrants packed belongings, left makeshift camps and walked in the cold. could facebook pages. we were celebrating last night. this is what they found. dozens preparing to break through greek police lines and

push their way forward. this is the only hope we have left they want to take us to military camps and the relocation program could take months. i am confident we could get through. >> a few dozen did gather. it didn't take long before they changed their minds. >> not unless the red cross wis with them and there is a decision by the european to let them in. crossing by force will not change anything. two weeks ago, some managed to break through a barbed wire fence. only to be arrested by macedonian authorities and sent back. >> they held peaceful protests in fronts of the world's cameras hoping their suffering will not be forgotten. >> we will endure the cold and stay with no food but we won't lead here our families are in europe already.

we will stay here until we can cross. >> this is where they say they will wait while their asylum request did are processed. they are relying on activists to support them. >> it is a tragedy for us main route many use has been closed for weeks. there is no education that will change. more and more people are realizing that europe's open-door policy has been shut. zeina hodr. christians have been celebrating easter sunday, the most important day of their religious calendar. >> hope francis has led the roman catholic mass at the vatican, for christians, the period commemorates the last days of jesus christ. sunday is the days christians celebrate his resurrection. pope francis spoke of refugees

and their plight in his arrest. >> jesus, by his resurrection triumphed over evil and sin. may he draw us closer on this eastern feast, the victims of terrorism. that's blind and brutal form of violence which continues to shed blood in different parts of the world as in the recent attacks turkey, nigeria, chad, cameroon, the ivory coast and iraq. >> he invites us. an ever more numerous throng of refugees including many children fleeing from war, hunger, poverty, and social injustice. >> thousands of people in ireland are 40sed to remember those with 00 years ago hundreds died but led to the formation of ireland. fill lavelle reports. >> reporter: 100 years have

pass passed. what happened hammed here pointiant whether i remembered to this day. a piper, a drum beat, and words of rememberance from the acting prime minister. >> in honor of all of those who died. >> this was the same place 100 years ago, ire land's easter rising happened on april, 1916 when 150 men stormed the gpo.

replacing. >> among them, faces who have dedicated their lives to reunifying all of ireland. people like martin mcginnis, he wants the north back under dublin's control. in the north, there are many who don't want to leave the uk. this is a country that still has some divisions. on sunday, their descend ants were together in their mourning and reflection. phil lavelle, al jazeera. north korea's state i media broadcast an artillery exercise. it shows the leader overseeing the military drill which crayed a simulated attack on could you think koreanan attack. tensions have been high since the north carried out a nuclear

test and launched a long range rocket earlier this year. a new opposition party has been formed in japan, heads of parliamentary elections in summer a merger much smaller opposition groups looking to put pressure on the conservative ruling party. rob mcagreed. has more. >> this merger is seen by many in the fragmented opposition as being the best chance of trying to derail the ruling conservative coalition government of prime minister shinzo abe. he has a lot of forward momentum, in spite of scandals involving cabinet members and a faltering economic strategy. he has majority did in both houses of the japanese parliament. if he can extends that to two-thirds of the seats in both, he has an unprecedented opportunity to change the country's pacifist constitution giving the military a more assertive role. the opposition has promised to try to prevent that.

this merger sees a furtherdee demise of the accuratic party of japan. they spectacularly swept to pour in 2009, but equally spectacularly were dumped by the electorate a few years later. they have been never been able to recover. the new party will simply be known as the democratic party has no guarantee, though, that they are going to fire up this electorate. many people here despite the checkered history believe there is no alternative to him. the world health organization says there has been a rise in cancer-related deaths ini nigeria: a report from kaduna in nigeria. >> reporter: two years ago, rishida mohammed was diagnosed with bone cancer, a students in the northern state. she says she is in constant pain and can't walk properly. she blames poor medical facilities for her condition.

>> in the first hospital, there was no qualified doctor. the second hospital, no drugs and constant power outages. the next hospital i was transferred to did not have the right equipment. >> . >> reporter: the world health organization says inadequate cancer treatment has led to an increase in people dying. there were 68 deaths a day four years ago. today, there are 98. in a country of 170 million people, there are only seven state-run hospitals and clinics that specialize in treating cancer patients. the government plans to double that number over the next two years through partnerships with the private sector. health minister says early detection is important as well as investment in the healthcare sector. >> when you present it, there is nothing anybody can do. >> what we have resolved to do is use this money well, invest it where it matters, and spend

less on meetings an conferences and put money where people benefit. >> that could be one reason why the cancer survival rates are so low. out of one of 00 people diagnosed with cancer each year, 80,000 will die. the world health organization is helping the government reduce that figure. >> we have seen what the government has been doing. they have a national cancer control for them. >> shows commitment from the government. >> back in mashida's home she says investment to improvement ones need to come faster. nigerians spent $200 million annually on cancer treatment overseas. she can't afford to travel. she feels she can die if she can't get the treatment at home. >> tourists are drawn to america's capitol for a number of reasons. one of the most fleet something attracting thousands of visitors because cherry blossoms are in peak bloom in washington. them normally remain that way

for 4 to 10 days. rob reynolds reports. >> for a week or two each year, washington, d.c. is transformed. it's cherry blossom time, the legacy of a gift of trees from japan to the united states in 1912. it is meant to symbolize lasting friendship between theo two nations. through all of the events of the century that followed, the cherry trees have endured. their blossoms eager lee anticipated every spring. >> there is a sense of certain entity to it. certainserenity to it. certa certain. >> they are good. >> they are beautiful. we are lucky to get this beautiful day. it's not too hot easter weekend. it's a great time to see the cherry blossoms. >> cherry blossoms makes me refreshed. >> today, the annual cherry blossom festival draws more than a million people to soak up their serene beauty and snap selfies but for photographers seek that perfect panorama, the

u.s. national park service has a message: washington is a no-drone zone. >> flying a drone within these areas at any time including the national cherry blossom festival is against the lawyer. violators could face stiff crimes and penalties. >> int the cherry blossoms are a metaphor for life. overwhelmingly beautiful but fleeting. that's a notion that everyone in this capitol from the poorest to the most powerful might do well to ponder. >> new york's metropolitan museum of art is one of the world's most influential spaces. it was pounded 146 years ago and remains one of the city's top stacks but to stay more current, it's trying to be more modern as ca gabriel reports from new york. >> 50 mirrors back to back placed in sand with shells and pebbles. it's one of the many pieces of non-traditional works at new york's metropolitan museum of

art new met browier building dedicated to the modern and comp 10 rather. the opening exhibit looks at 500 years of affirmative work by bringing together some wilder aspects seen in contemporary art with class cal art objects seen through the same lens. on opening day, it had art connoisseurs trying to get a pe testament k from all angles. it's a radical new step to shake off a stuffy image at one of new york's most stored art institutions. the met was founded in 1870 as an encyclopedia museum actioning modern works. >> we didn't start collecting modern art until the second war. we built up our collection in the late 20th century. but i think now, there is an opportunity for us to do even more. >> but doing so in a fast-moving world in an industry steeped in tradition where change is measured in sentracies and not

retweets will take time. it's why the mets deep dive into contemporary is being so closely watched. >> the met is in many ways re-inventing itself as a big challenge doing so in a city where there are so many options for art lovers. >> you don't have to look far. the whitney music which focuses on contemporary art with an american viewpoint moved in to a new modern building. new york's museum of modern art famously known as moma as well as the guggenheim are two other famous new york art institutions. >> there is titanic competition among the newsems. a critic at art net news found the met found itself trying to stay relevant. >> they are morel vant than met than class. the met is the classiest in new york but that doesn't mean it's the coolest. this is their attempt to kind of

refresh the brand, if you will. >> reporter: for an old institution trying to create a new buzz for a younger audience in modern times. gabriel alazondo, al jazeera, new york. >> more on our website, aljazeera.com. [ ♪ ] hello. i'm richard gizbert and you're at the listening post. it's paris all over again in