al jazeera. where everyone. else will see this is the opportunity to understand the in a very different way where there are people saying how can we don't leave after. attacks leave dozens more dead in syria's eastern. this is al jazeera live from doha also coming up the raising range of villages.

national says that being replaced with military bases. a major setback for the pro-democracy movement in hong kong's local elections plus. i'm a reporter on the multiple threats to wildlife here from climate change to terrorism. fears security council is to discuss plans to implement a cease fire and syria to allow aid into east. on monday general antonio good terrorist is expected to brief members on the situation in the rebel held and played three weeks of bombardment has killed more than one thousand people. for three weeks the syrian army's bombs have fallen on eastern good while its troops have moved in easing into rebel territory that has changed

a lot of the story on many levels of all but some of the syrian arab army continue their operations in eastern guta successfully day by day other areas in fast spaces of eastern ghouta are secured. and the last week rebel held territory shrank and split into what syrian state media saying the army had completely surrounded the town of duma now those same government forces have reported they kept the way even further into opposition territory splintering the rebel held territory into three the bombardment has been relentless and indiscriminate monitors and activists say more than eleven hundred people have died since the government offensive began the syrian civil defense accuses government forces of using chlorine gas phosphorus bombs in a u.s. defense secretary james mattis wants syria against using chemical weapons situation in eastern good very very powerful and miserable. another rebel held area

feeling the bite of syrian government advances is edlund the largest chunk of syrian territory currently held by the opposition this footage shows russian and syrian government gets striking the central bank an adlib city syrian government supporters sit it was the command center for the group in charge of it hyatt studied al shan an opposition tweet described it as the base for a syrian risk you teens. many areas in the province of being targeted al-jazeera arabic scurry spondon to adam abou her same witness the bombardment of the town have been nice and. were being at the among the targets where these residential areas several people were killed others wounded civil defense units have been trying to get people out from underneath the rubble there have been global calls for cease fire in syria but syria and russia have paid little mind to the outcry it's a familiar government strategy an intense unrelenting bombardment designed to weaken

and ultimately divide the rebel held region and this strategy appears to be working but at an enormous human cost million one hand to syria. kurdish fighters have called on civilian volunteers to form a human shield around the syrian city of affray in turkish troops and free syrian army fighters have surrounded the city and warned they will and soon take the north an offensive into the area in january saying it wanted to clear it of kurdish y p t fighters alan fischer has more from gaza on the take this area of border. enough we're hearing that the y.p. g. the kurdish militia are calling on civilians to help form a human shield to police themselves between the y. p.g. and the advancing free syrian army which of course are backed up by the turkish military no it's not just cards who have responded to this call and we hear that there are buses heading towards africa but also groups here in turkey clued in women's groups and socialist groups or how they will get across the border which is

currently closed is another issue entirely in our friend city we see that there is no water no internet and up to three or four families or no shooting each other because families that move from the early stages of this assault on those seeking shelter with friends and relatives seeking shelter essentially with the cat the leader of the council in a frame says the situation is dire and has called on the united nations not only to investigate but to intervene. the man my government is being accused of building military bases on top of range of villages they burned down last year amnesty international is really satellite images that appear to show sites being cleared in northern iraq kind state of building work being carried out on one of the townships and of a road being constructed over the top of more homes that were destroyed and the sea says the work began in january a few months after hundreds of thousands of ranger escaped into neighboring bangladesh but the images raise questions about the manmade government's pledge to

repatriate hundreds of thousands of ranger who fled to escape the military crackdown many of the refugees are refusing to return and fear of violence. hong kong some oxy campaigners have lost ground in a crucial by election kansas recaptured and two out of the four seats up for grabs that means the opposition will not be able to block any bills in the regions legislature seats were vacated two years ago and democracy activists were ousted from office for using their oaths to defy china. caveats peg is the director of university of hong kong's journalism and media studies center he says pulis trustee find democracy activists contributed to that defeats you know this numbers by election didn't even need to be held except for mistakes made by the pen democratic and the locals candidates. by election was necessitated because these candidates kind of mangled their oaths they deliberately when they were taking their oaths of

office after the two thousand and sixteen elections deliberately threw in phrases about democracy or mispronounced the name of china in a derogatory way and those so those voters got kicked out and the government took a pretty heavy handed kind of vetting candidates who could then run again in this by election to replace those who were kicked out some of the more local as candidates with some of the young candidates who the government accused of supporting independents were not allowed to run and i think voters may have been punishing the pan democrats a little bit for having botched this whole situation in the first place by not taking their seats when they had when they had the chance and you know there were some local concerns as well the pan democrats the democratic party camp candidates thought that just the disqualifications alone might be enough to get them some more seats or some more votes but you know voters really cared about local issues they care about livelihood issues they care about you know employment issues so that could have been another reason why you had i mean mind you the last was only it within about two thousand two thousand four hundred votes or so what was the big

loss but a loss is a loss. police say nearly fifty thousand independent support as of march him boss elaine and demanding the formation of a new government the drought has blocked them is the legal actions also force the costs on parliament to council this week's planned session to elect a new lethal first minister called panel and reports from buffalo now. they're marching for their own breakaway republic but they going nowhere fast do we mean. i was. in venice. songs of freedom ring out but the political reality is discordant. it's been five months since many catalans voted to split from the rest of spain the spanish central government to so far block the move it declared the secession referendum illegal and jailed some cattle and leaders while others fled. the politicians are being

a bit indecisive they need to be more daring to make progress. demonstrations like this seem to be an indication that diehard supporters are growing impatient with their leaders failure to declare an independent republic as promised and this is certainly the largest process session demonstration here so far but it's seven o'clock live from the days leading up to the october referendum last year when you independence was able to put tens of thousands of protesters onto the streets i the cattle and parliament had been due to elect a new first minister for catalonia. but the top candidate sanchez is in jail facing charges of rebellion the judge refused to release him. the two largest cattle and separatist parties are now considering a legal appeal to european courts. the leftist c u p party and its head

carlos really. radical action. our struggle is peaceful nonviolent but the only way to win is through civil disobedience and that means will have to suffer more state repression. chance to occupy the streets some demonstrators seem ready to heat the call for direct action than it was. we have to turn out and demonstrate every day and night until our voice runs out until we can sit up our republic as soon as possible. but others clearly did not share the same urgency and headed home the pipe has lost. only the stragglers. barcelona. colombians cast their votes on sunday in the first election since the signing of a peace agreement with us and the result resurgence of right wing parties opposed

to that dale. reports the polls to elect a new congress serve as a preview for presidential elections in may. it's an image for the history books former fire crevel commander even markets legally voting and running for office in colombia. i did not think that this would happen so soon but we must think that this is thanks to the peace agreement signed a momentous event all of us colombians hoped for but now everybody in the country agrees the peace deal guarantees the fark party ten seats in congress even if you colombians actually voted for them. and the peace deal still profoundly divides voters our candidates were pelted with tomatoes and rocks at campaign events. unfortunately our country is deeply polarized trying to repudiate violence

a lot of people and acting violently people have the right to protest but we should do it exclusively through voting these legislative elections set the stage for the upcoming presidential race in may results show a strengthening of right wing parties that opals the peace deal colombians also voted for two primaries on the right of the democratic center party of former president. easily one attracting over three and a half million votes. we vote for a country where there is no class based hate but rather brotherhood we vote for a country that has development and that no productive sector is persecuted we vote for a social agenda to close the poverty gap to end poverty we vote for hope. a controversial but very popular former mayor of and former good fighter of the in one thousand movement was the expected when they're on the left yet the right wing

primary attracted almost double the number of voters this piped attentions this was probably the most peaceful election day in the country's history with former fired grab both taking part in it and still active rebels serving a ceasefire yet it also proves that deep resentment that many colombians feel towards the feyerick and establishment politicians the results seem to show that the most hard line conservative have a clear shot at the presidency putting at risk the already fragile peace agreement . still ahead here on out is there an intermission government employee has new restrictions on driving in jakarta to reduce traffic. and france's national front bonzi changes its name but will it be enough to attract new voters.

by the springtime flowers of a mountain lead. to the sun and smoke for the winter and spring. hello there is still very unsettled over many parts of europe we've got this area of low pressure in the west still spiraling away giving us some very strong winds a very heavy downpours as well and making things feel really quite murky so plenty of time plenty of rain as we head through the next few days not too cold they were looking at a top temperature of around eleven in london and paris all of that mild air is also stretching a bit further towards the east now as well so warsaw up to eleven degrees a moscow should be above freezing on tuesday as well that's the first time since the beginning of february so it's been a long time below freezing but it's only a one day one as we head through into wednesday the temperatures will be dropping below freezing once more across the other side of the mediterranean fine unsettled in the eastern parts of our shot hit

a bit further towards the west there's more cloud on the satellite picture over morocco algeria and tunisia we'll see a few more bits and pieces of cloud there as we head through chews day they could just bring us one or two showers but there will be plenty of sunshine in between as well a bit further towards the south of what a few showers over west africa but more of them across the central belt here for uganda we've seen some very heavy downpours more still to come the showers here could be fairly lively on tuesday and wednesday to. the weather sponsored by qatar and. what makes this movement this era we live in for so unique this is really an attack on itself is a lot of misunderstanding a distortion of what free speech is supposed to be about the context it's hugely important level wise to publish if you have a duty to be offensive or provocative or not even as people did setting the stage for a serious debate. up front at this time on al-jazeera. where

again you're watching al-jazeera has a reminder of our top stories dozens of people have been killed in government attacks in syria's eastern rebel held enclave had been under the government's since two thousand and thirteen the u.n. security council will in the coming hours again discuss a possible ceasefire. which appeared to show villages and men being cleared away cleared to make way for military use says it believes an army base is being built on one of the townships as security forces the specter of

burning down last august. and hong kong's pro-democracy campaign is the last ground to the crucial byelection count us recaptured any two of the four seats up for grabs that means the opposition won't be able to block any bills in the regions legislature. attempts are being made to traffic jams among the world's most congested cities motorists in the capital jakarta will only be able to drive to work with the right license plate said fasten explain. and not a government's attempt to reduce those famous traffic jams every weekday from six to nine am an odd and even license plate system will take effect here on the pole road it's a system that has been used already in the city as well and it's now been extended to the suburbs it's easy to remember because on the odd days an odd number plate is allowed to enter here the toll road and on the even days will be even numbers and if someone tries to answer the toll road with the wrong number there will be no mercy he will immediately be sent back. for those who are not allowed to enter the

toll road the government has prepared these buses twelve buses have already left this morning for the government not only wants to reduce traffic but also wants to change the mindset of people who are still taking the car to go to work only twenty percent of people in chicago use of public transport that's now see how can people are to take the bus. i take the bus every day already so i'm not getting tired being stuck in traffic in the bus i can sleep and wake up when i write the government age to reduce traffic here by twenty five percent from around eight thousand cars a day to around six thousand and it also wants to increase the speed the graph and drive here from around twenty five kilometers from our forty five but now we're already getting seventy kilometers an hour so we're doing pretty well but a lot of people fear that the traffic jams just where. and this is

a situation closer to a recent study found that people. spend an average of twenty two days a year just simply being stuck in traffic this not only causes major air pollution but also cost the economy around five million u.s. dollars a year. that is cia says the u.s. president is well aware of the risks of his decision to meet with the north korean leader donald trump and kim jong un set to meet within the next two months in the first talks between the two nations leaders north korea has promised not to resume new clear on missile testing joining the talks cia director might bump that's a first for pyongyang. this first meeting i think is between the president is the leader of north korea the two people who are the decision makers who will ultimately decide what arrangements are acceptable but make no mistake about it while these negotiations are going on there will be no concessions made the activity of this administration to disrupt the north korean economy to put pressure

on north korea to galvanize the world in a way that you have countries from the middle east to europe and asia placing sanctions on the north korean regime and those will continue and wolf see how the talks and then go she actions prosy. cells are increasing around the world with asia the middle east and that's according to a new report by the international peace research institute it says regional tensions are driving india's growing demand between twenty thirteen and twenty seventeen india was the biggest accounting for twelve percent of the total weapons . in the middle east doubled in the past is saudi arabia the world's second largest importer increased its buying by two hundred twenty five percent in two thousand and eight twenty seventeen twenty eight percent of those weapons were supplied by the u.s. u.k. . conservative banner sebastian pinera has been sworn in as president for

second time business going to revive an economy that is slumped on the outgoing center left leader michelle bachelet the same human report from santiago. this out when to socialist and in again came a billionaire she was former conservative presidents of us jumping into is having a second crack at the helm and his first challenge is to again generate economic growth while learning from his past mistakes the big perception of the first time a row was the ministration war only for wealthy this time around before everyone. otherwise peña is almost sure to face the same discontent and street protests that marred his first presidency. a small group of supporters waited to bid farewell to outgoing president michelle bachelet as she arrived at the senate to hand over her sash. i'm emotional because a great woman who represented all of us is leaving she did so much for women

another thing that hasn't gone on i noticed is that was my gosh the very last seven presidents in latin america that lives both north as south america as the only region in the world without a woman in the president's. opinion as an organization allowed visiting regional leaders to exchange views ahead of the upcoming summit of the americas despite mounting tensions over immigration and trade president donald trump says he'll attend but mexico's president may not. we haven't confirmed are participating in principle i'm going but i'll discuss it with president pinera over lunch. put it dressing chileans from the presidential palace balcony it was clear painted as priorities are aimed at keeping his most ambitious campaign promise. me. one day listen carefully our children and grandchildren would judge us for the way

we handled the new transition we face the transition to a developed country without poverty. but without a little slate of majority in an increasingly demanding society super scampi will have his work cut out for him to see in human just santiago. as president donald trump appears to have backtracked on his call to raise the age limit for gun sales his new plan to prevent school shootings includes strengthening background checks and funding far arms training for teachers in our says raising the age limit from eighteen to twenty one should be left up to recommendations from a new federal commission on school safety tens of thousands of farmers a reach to india's financial capital more boy after a five day protest march demanding financial aid from the government better quote prices are more access to land many of them are fall into destitution droughts increasingly erratic weather patterns thousands of volved in the farming industry commit suicide every year. antarctica is the largest

unspoiled wilderness on famous for its life and it's facing multiple threats from climate change to a dramatic rise in tourism and the clock is on a greenpeace expedition ship in the weddell sea looking at the animals the call the continent. life of the islands fringing the antarctic peninsula is abundant the place of seemingly endless variety the whole region is richly biodiverse a living example of how things are pretty much free from the influence of man. a place to breed feet and grow. its pristine oceans full of marine species including more than a dozen types of whale about getting to see the astonishing wildlife here is by no means straightforward. the weather makes everything a challenge bit of a threat on today it's gusting forty to forty five knots very very very good

progress in the night we're now back in the antarctic thought hoping to get. which is where there's an argentine research station three want to visit that is also a colony of about one hundred thousand. and then by radio the argentine base says the winds have become impossibly strong as it is now they have no way sixty haiti is their mission is aborted and we have to wait another twenty four hours before making landfall on penguin island near the reasonably accessible tip of the antarctic peninsula a call of the chinstrap penguins territory with a large group of seals one making the most of the comfortable feathers of the molten juveniles of course the environment where these magnificent animals wildlife is living is incredibly fragile incredibly delicate there's all sorts of threats that they're up against from climate change to cruel fishing and then of course

there's this tourism and the tourists come here the audience close to king george in their masses. some are prepared to pay top dollar to have the and all to experience there are some pressures that come from tourism so in the background we have a two hundred person tours ship take the number of tourists coming down here say the beginning of the two thousands was somewhere around four five thousand a year we're now over thirty thousand people a year. two days later we arrive at hanna point on the southern edge of livingstone island here another colony of chinstrap penguins healthy and in good shape they overlook a group of gentoo penguins there's the distinctive beak of the southern giant but showing its young. or elephant seals all different species side by side on a grand scale but across the continent the pressure is building its crazy pace of

change and at the moment colonies like this one seem to be doing ok but all it takes is one tide here and we saw in the east antarctic last year a penguin colony collapsed due to chicks born. and and so the pace of change is so quick we don't want to add additional threats things like fishing which is gradually expanding antarctica is still in pretty good shape but it's apparent this unique landscape needs to be very carefully managed as multiple threats interludes on the horizon. al-jazeera antarctica. and the fourth part of our antarctic series neckcloth talks to scientists looking to see if my credit plastics have made their way into some of the world's newest waters. business owners in poland fair there may be job losses because of a due law banning sunday training trading and actually trading will be banned on two sundays a month until twenty twenty it will breaking the law face fines of up to thirty

thousand dollars and jail time for a pete offenses. and france's national front party may rebranded an attempt to revive its image possibly the marine le pen says it should not be called the national gathering david chase has more from will. i read the band wrapped up the river branding of the party with a classic speech touching all the points you knows will get the cheers from the crowd tough for the european union and tough most of all of the effects of immigration. leave us your leg and it is legal and illegal immigration are no longer tenable. last year on this the french people's money must go back to the french people first. we no longer have the means to welcome to house to careful or to feed the whole world. but the high point came at the end when she announced her suggestion to

rename the party it was here in existence absolute you know it must signal an absolute demand to unite the country in the defense of its identity its prosperity and its security and freedom i therefore propose that the national front become the national gathering of punisher and then the viendo has some limit on the sure not. so the national front is dead but not quite varied yet the members will have a chance to vote on the name change in the next few weeks for what is the most important thing for me was to keep the war national in a thing that the world got going its goal here and now the idea is no longer to be a france but to get a people together. demonstrators took to the streets of lille to show what they called their contempt for the rebranding of the national front they said it was just another attempt to disguise

fascism but back in paris a warning from an expert who knows the party at first and an opposition councillor it one of the hotlines. let's not forget the national front got the highest score in its history last year the fact she made a fool of herself at the debate doesn't mean the party is finished but. the party's found a pen has now been stripped of his position as on ri president of the national front but he can't be written out of history he's just published the for. volume of his autobiography and it's turned into a bestseller he said changing the name was committing political suicide cheater al-jazeera. now with al-jazeera these are the top stories thousands of people have been killed in government attacks in syria's eastern ghouta the rebel held enclave has been

under government since twenty thirty. counts so well in the coming hours discuss a possible cease fire. kurdish fighters have called on civilians to volunteer to form a human shield around the syrian city of a free troops and free syrian army fighters have surrounded the city and they will and. we're going some breaking news in the chairman of the british parliament foreign affairs committee says the poisoning of a former russian spy looks like a state sponsored attempt of. its cripple and his daughter are in a critical condition in hospital after being infected with a nerve agent lawyer as a pro independently are expected to ask the european court of human rights to rule on whether he can become the region's next president jordan jody sanchez is in a spanish present awaiting trial on charges of rebellion and suggestion

m c international have released these images appear to show villagers a man must reckon states being cleared to make way for military use it was a she says it believes a military base is being built on one of the townships that security forces are suspected of burning to the ground last august. hong kong's pro-democracy campaign as of last ground in a crucial by election kansas recaptured only two out of the four seats up for grabs that means the opposition won't be able to block any bills in the chamber the seats were vacated two years ago and pro-democracy candidates were ousted from office for using their oath to defy china a low turnout for the vote has raised alarm amongst the opposition. and around fifty thousand farmers have reached india's financial capital money by after a five day protest march demanding money from the government higher crop prices and more access to land many farmers are in debt due to drought destroying

produce. there is all the headlines of a bank with more news here on alex is there a softer up front. a candidate's ability but likely winner. bruton's tight grip on the kremlin as they see years now and when the russian people votes on march the eighteenth there is every indication that they will return here is the fourth presidential to. follow the russian elections here on al-jazeera. it's been fifteen years since the united states and its allies invaded and occupied iraq millions of refugees and hundreds of thousands of dead later some supporters of the war still believe there's nothing to apologize for in a lot from special i'll challenge the u.s. military's former chief spokesman in iraq retired general mark kimmitt.