assault on the village of lost enclave in syria they say they're expecting more civilians to be evacuated from the area thousands of people many of them the wives of i still feiss and their children have been streaming out. more than sixty five thousand people are currently seeking shelter in the whole camp which is now said to be a breaking point let's now speak to p.j. crowley he's a retired ethel's connel who's also a former assistant secretary of state for public affairs and a u.s. state department spokesman he joins us from washington thank you very much for speaking to us so the u.s. backed military assault on isis last wrong hold was announced some months ago in early december we are you expecting it to still be going on now. perhaps not quite this long but it's not surprising in the sense that you know while we speak in terms of a military assault you know when that assault starts it will be going house by

house block by block you know one can expect as we have seen in other liberated towns and cities in the area you know that the islamic state will have placed explosives in in various locations as can be very very difficult you know for these forces the syrian democratic forces even though we can't we do expect that once the assault begins the end result is is a complete defeat for the islamic state. that we've been hearing about the exodus of civilians from eastern syria displacement camps are now a breaking point a you surprised that the sheer number of women and children that have been living in bad lose and if there are many more still inside that they self ration could come that is an even greater human cost. certainly that that is a concern. not only you know are are there family members of islamic state

fighters you know are there civilians who are just in the wrong place at the wrong time or other civilians being used as human shields and the answer is probably all of the above so i think it is it's worthy that the military forces are taking their time trying to get as many civilian solve the way but also are also provides time for you know for intelligence services to kind of get up a pattern of life. understanding of what's happening in because you know when you do apply military force you want to try to preserve as much as possible because when this war ends at some point it will you want to preserve as much infrastructure as possible for the people have something to return to it we speak about of war ending and even though i still has suffered significant territorial losses in iraq and syria do you think there is enough of an understanding and appreciation full of that the power of vacuum and perhaps the threat that still

exists in these places after this this operation reaches its conclusion. yeah i mean we're talking about the defeat of the islamic state caliphate to the islamic state is unique among insurgent groups and it's about in its ability to you know to take and hold territory you know but now the islamic state we could intice a pate will return to its roots if you will that that if it started as an insurgency is going to continue us in a certain c. it will continue to pose a threat to you know syria elements iraqi elements you know other countries as well we haven't heard the last of the islamic state even though the caliphate house and will be defeated and i want to ask you about our that's help story today some interesting developments unfolding in north korea with satellite imagery showing recent activity around rocket launch sites and missile sites as well.

what are your thoughts on that and does it look as a the country's poised for a possible rocket launch. well as your report indicated some of this work began before the hanoi summit so i think it it could be characterized as north korea keeping its options open. a certainly history would suggest that as diplomacy stalls you know they will do something you know to to maintain attention try to maintain pressure and see if they can get concessions from the united states in a future negotiation so we have actually seen this pattern many times before a hopeful don't you know a negotiation a failure of negotiation and then a resumption of some kind of missile or nuclear testing i don't think we're at the end of the diplomatic road yet but i think we shouldn't to support that at some

point in time if if kim does believe that diplomacy has run its course he will can he will do something overt to challenge the united states to challenge the president and then see if that can bring at some point some reward in the future or the risk as i suppose that he does launch a rocket now at a time when that diplomatic process if you can call it that is still very fragile and the trumpet ministration reacts to that and it spells the end to this entire process a complete breakdown in negotiations. and that's a very good question i don't think that i would not attend the paper that activity to be forthcoming soon i you know the both sides at the end of the hanoi summit indicated an interest in getting their respective teams back together again so i think that chemists willing to give diplomacy you know some additional room he's

actually under no pressure he can live with the current situation you know indefinitely but i certainly think that at some point if say president trump or even his successor says that you know the diplomacy has run its course then i would actually better at that point i would expect that that campbell do something you know a demonstration of a capability you know to try to put to a greater pressure on the united states the crowley thank you very much for joining us that from washington. still ahead for you on the program tensions are the kashmir and a lack of employment drives a surge of young men to join our military perhaps eyebright said uncertainty is already taking its toll on businesses in portugal. and then all the west indies cricket team make the wrong outsourcing history santa will have that story.

for. heller march is infamous for its strong winds certainly in northern europe and they have been strong but so far the models with the wind directions change to a northwestern which means things are getting cold rules cloud which bring some rain with it increasingly bring snow look at the north lots for example overnight and the picture for sunday is one of still fairly windy weather temperatures drops down below the teens the most part watches your excess teen for sunday gets much colder we're right in spain and portugal twenty three in madrid but the north coast will be windy and the still warm in the bottom right hand corner but him again i said watches iraq there's the snow that really shows itself on monday xerox max is not far if the snow likely no ground in germany as well and the temperatures now low single figures stock has gone below freezing and karate book rison a little bit cooler at seventy and madrid were you down to ninety but it's in the sunshine all the same so this looks like a bit of

a car come back in time winter weather but it's windy it's getting colder for a time it will last however that's all taking place in mainland europe in north africa now the winds are taking or showing themselves to be quite strong as very dust in the middle of algeria but that directional so brings walls further north and some tribes. rewind continues a care brainier people back to life i'm sorry with updates on the best about just serious documentaries the struggle continues book from the till now of course use distance revisiting anatomy of an american city close friends who were lost to the streets i can literally see the future of baltimore to the ass of my students and it does not look rewind on al-jazeera past it is everywhere

and it's choking our planet very toxic and very dangerous to get fang years painting along but breakthroughs are being made showing that it is possible to change our relationship with this no nate substance issues running up and make me laugh at you come on let me try to move on plastic waste of fries on al-jazeera how do you turn this into this. welcome back a look at the top stories opposition protesters in venezuela have clashed with police during protests calling for president but their oath to step down as most of

venezuela remains without electricity for a third day colleges and universities in algeria been ordered to close their campuses in an effort to quell student protests against the government and lawyers in sudan say nine female protesters have been sentenced to twenty lashes and a month in jail for rioting the day after the president tomorrow ordered the release of all women detained in anti-government demonstrations. well for the third time in a month and ebola treatment center has been attacked in the eastern democratic republic of congo the center in bhutan bo was targeted for a second time just hours before a visit by the head of the world health organization the latest outbreak of the virus has killed five hundred seventy eight people since august barbara reports. soldiers dragged a suspected attacker through the forest close to temporary burleigh center in the democratic republic of congo is one of several men said to have fired shots into

the buildings where medical teams abashment to contain the spread of rebel after finding my first car the auction block i was washing glasses when i heard bullets i wondered what's going on one of our colleagues who was busy burning but garbage began shouting but the attackers were already entering the treatment center from the main entrance. it's less than a week since the potential center reopened after it was attacked in february issa north kivu province source of the republic's latest to burglar outbreak. saturday's attack came just hours before a visit by the head of the world health organization. the . who. is slated to be. dozens of on groups are reported to be operating in the eastern congo some allow

health workers to deliver vax and and track people infected with hiv. but others are hostile to outsiders. some aid agencies have criticized the military's response to threats they say intimidation and violence is making it more difficult for medical staff to contain the virus and the number of cases is increasing barbara and out to sara young men in indian administered kashmir are being pushed into joining armed groups because of the military crackdown in the region locals and human rights workers are saying that young people have few other options tensions between february after a suicide bomber killed forty indian troops aiding to shelling and as strikes between indian and pakistani forces in the region reports from daddy. among the trees and fields of this village an indian administered kashmir is the home of a suicide bomber dar was responsible for driving

a car full of explosives that killed forty indian paramilitary troops last month sparking a conflict between india and pakistan. his parents have confine themselves to their home since then pranged and clutching to memories of their son trying to figure out how their cricket loving boy became a suicide bomber. he was very good at studies he was reciting the koran reading prayers used to go to the shrines and stay in mosques dar says his son was shot during a protest in twenty sixteen and had to leave college because of it. other young men say these incidents are common and breed resentment this nineteen year old college student who won't reveal his name says he's been panelized for joining protests three years ago and his house raided over a dozen times he says he's fed up with the situation. i used to take part in protests and i was tortured a few times i stopped them again i was harassed on my mother and father. i count on

. human rights activists in the region fear young are being pushed into joining armed groups because violence is a vicious cycle if government of india promotes that of violence it's not going to bed but it will be the. government of india has. the space for militants. it's not just young men in armed groups that have lost their lives civilians and many in the security forces have been killed in the violence in indian administered kashmir some of the soldiers are named here and india's new war memorial military officials on the ground in kashmir say it's a misinformation campaign by armed groups that the blame for some of the violence. the region's military commander has lashed out at what he says is a descent from ation campaign we want you to. harassment is propaganda any event can't see anything without any proof i would like to tell again people of kashmir

don't fall victim to this propaganda. as fighting between armed groups and indian forces continue as does the intermittent shelling between india and pakistan who smeary say they are caught in the middle with few options in front of them the worry is the next generation will also get dragged into the conflict as jamil al jazeera you delhi. erik prince the founder of the private us security company blackwater has admitted to meeting members of the trump presidential campaign in august twenty six team s. despite him telling congress he had no connection with trump's team at the time when questioned by he has done on al-jazeera as head to head program the blackwater c.e.o. said the public transcript of the congressional hearing could be wrong what you didn't tell congress is on august third twenty sixteen you were at a meeting during the campaign at trump tower with don jr trump some would steven miller then a company in advisor to trump with george nader

a former blackwater colleague of yours who works as a back channel to the saudis there moralities you're supposed to be a convicted paedophile and also joel's imo an israeli expert on social media manipulation how come you didn't mention that meeting to congress given it so relevant to their investigation. i did as part of the part of the investigations i certainly disclosed in the any meetings the very new i had on the congressional testimony you gave to the house we went through you didn't mention anything about august twenty sixth meeting in trump tower they specifically asked you what context you have and you didn't answer them. i don't believe i was asked that question you were asked whether any communique from communications or contact with the campaign you said apart from writing papers putting up yard signs no what you said of the transcript of the conversation here. sure i might have been i think it was at trump headquarters or the campaign headquarters twenty sixteen usable an israeli dude a back channel to the emirates on the saudis down in judea and even militant were there to talk about iran policy or that about iran policy do you think that

something important to disclose to the house intelligence committee while you're under oath did you didn't we just went through the testimony there's no mention of the trump tower meeting because twenty sixteen were not i don't know if they got the transcript wrong. or they got the transcript wrong so we could i don't know i remember i remember certainly does dismiss it that we didn't get you because we know that robert muller he hasn't been able to establish collusion it but he has got a lot of guys for lying to the authorities and not telling the whole truth is that a problem now even if you accidentally didn't tell them that could come back and haunt you fully cooperated i haven't heard anybody i haven't heard from anybody in more than nine months i mean i mean members of congress after they discover this media have talked about certain witnesses not telling the truth but you believe you told congress about this meeting even if no in the transcript just to be clear i believe so she had her chance he has more from washington. members of congress had already said they were dissatisfied with erik prince's testimony last year to

a congressional committee this obviously isn't going to help it is quite striking that he didn't have a better answer prepared because this is been rumbling away since last may when the new york times wrote the story about this meeting which the new york times said erik prince himself organized and which subsequently donald trump jr's own lawyer confirmed erik prince after meeting with several of those one acting apparently as and history for the saudis and the u.a.e. according to the new york times the other fascinating part of this is when prince was pressed he said that he was there to discuss iran and that's interesting because the new york times account said discussions were mainly based around a social media campaign perhaps in order to help the trump campaign and general discussion about the saudis and the amaranth he's hoping the trump campaign which incidentally would be illegal but not about iran but and we know that later almost certainly the lebanese american businessman who was out that meeting was touting

a plan to economically sabotage iran using private mercenaries so the public is definitely thick thickening we don't know whether anything illegal was happening at this meeting whether this was just the normal not normal gray area of foreign lobbying and illegality which is quite common but certainly so this is terribly interesting and will be interesting for congressional committees i'm sure well you can see the full interview with prince on head to head with the house and that's at zero one hundred g.m.t. on sunday it's also online at any time of day you want to see it. at least thirteen people have been killed and another seven wounded in a shooting at a bar in mexico local media say a group of armed men pulled up to the bar and three vans burst in and then opened fire shooting took place in the town of salamanca and state where the number of murders doubled last year making it one of mexico's most violent regions meanwhile the mexican navy a sees six tons of illegal drugs in operations off the coast of

sonora state hall included almost five thousand kilos of marijuana and smaller quantities of methamphetamines fentanyl and heroin they were found in boats hidden in a coastal marsh rights groups are criticizing the u.s. government for keeping a database of journalists covering the migrant caravan from central america leaked documents show that customs and border protection compiled a list of dozens of people to be screened more thoroughly at the us mexico border where o'brien's reports from us and she's. the until now secret list of fifty nine immigrants rights activists journalists and attorneys who are being tracked and monitored by border agents has infuriated civil liberties groups and prompted an inquiry by the u.s. congress the database was compiled by u.s. customs and border officials and obtained by n.b.c. news it contains names photos and other personal information photojournalists

already on addressed or is one of those on the u.s. government's list it was interesting to see the level of questioning it being asked almost the same high standards to giving the same answer. i think to find out this information for south mumbai do you have to stop me and i see some of the people listed were subject to heightened scrutiny such as being stopped for questioning and in some cases refused entry into mexico at a crossing near san diego dressler says she was repeatedly stopped for questioning and just asked me about what i was seeing on the ground i asked for all my personal information that i dress like i was shooting for who i work for. one of the editors phone number ninety mile the database was apparently compiled near the end of twenty eighteen as large groups including many families from central america

traveled to the u.s. border seeking asylum the u.s. customs and border protection agency issued a statement saying in part criminal events such as the breach of the border wall in san diego are routinely monitored and investigated as democratic members of congress called the database alarming unacceptable and an assault on press freedom the congressional committee that oversees border agencies demanded a copy of the list and an explanation of why individuals were included as well as any others. dossiers that leagues is the american civil liberties union called the government's targeting of journalists and activists quote an outrageous violation of americans constitutional rights the department of homeland security's inspector general will conduct an internal investigation into whether officials behind the database violated policies and the law robert oulds al jazeera los angels

two small tornadoes have touched down in arkansas destroying several buildings tornado watches are also in effect for tennessee mississippi and louisiana which have bracing for severe weather storms have already produced winds approaching eighty miles per hour in western texas ican a week after a series of tornadoes hit alabama killing at least twenty three people usng r kelly has been released from jail after he paid one hundred sixty one thousand us dollars he owed in child support kelly was charged last month with ten counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving four alleged victims three of whom were minors at the time kelly denied all the charges and was released on bail but he was then held in a chicago jail on wednesday after a judge ruled he should remain behind bars until the outstanding funds were paid well now protesters have been out on the streets of paris for the seventeenth successive weekend some of them were sporting a new color this time women leading the marches called for equal treatment in

a nod to international women's day on friday some or wearing pink vests in aid of that the l a vest movement began at the end of last year in protest of president macro economic policies. britain is gearing up for yet another crucial breck's it vote on tuesday and millions of u.k. citizens around europe will be watching closely portugal is one of the most attractive destinations in europe for britain's has lawrence lee reports the lack of clarity from london is already taking its toll on businesses that. one of the myths about british people in europe is that they like to live in places like portugal so they can get a round of golf in before moving on to gin by lunch time but very many more move to places like this for work we brought this group together they all have different questions they cannot get answers to me and many many other people mostly use the same concern. about health care will that continue obviously with people wanting to

move between countries and. not knowing. well there are going to be able to take people's goods between countries having started where the work already business is running. and. a large chunk of forty percent of the market which is currently a bridge from a bricks in residential info people going to be able to come across here to see the value of the pound and what's going to happen there is in speculation so we're not really sure many more money but what's going to happen more than twenty percent of all people who fly it's a portugal the british such is the love affair with the place so it's hardly surprising the portuguese government has raised the possibility of special lanes at passport control the british tourists so they continue to come after all it would

be a massive dent to the economy if the golf courses were half empty. like other european countries portugal is trying to ensure the rights of british citizens who want to live in their country as well as simply visiting but that only works if portuguese citizens in britain have the same rights and that is still not guaranteed we decide that we're going to give all these rights to the u.k. citizens resident in portugal in the expectation that there will be resupply city so all the contingency measures that are being taken that the you level are you know let. you know at all measures they are temporary measures and we hope this will be sorted out so we are. i would ever a real answer for that british consular officials in portugal are accused of being vague in their advice to u.k. citizens living here nobody was made available to speak to us but you can reasonably suggest it's hardly their fault the repeated complaint from british

people who live and work in continental europe is that the british government is making it their responsibility. find out what their rights should be after the u.k. leaves the european union with just three weeks to go now until that supposed to happen as with so many other things it all smacks of complete uncertainty. largely al-jazeera in lisbon and we do have much more to bring you said on the program that have all the latest or i will hear from the football coach who's fighting for his future one of the world's biggest clubs. willing to estimating crime and admission of guilt is the ultimate corroboration. or is it the or tactics that can be used to get innocent people to confess to crimes they didn't commit witness explores the shocking phenomenon of people

incriminating themselves the person who falsely confessed actually came to believe the lie that they were told about their own behavior false confessions on al-jazeera. examining the headlines setting the discussions a warning from the air boss over the risks of a no deal breaks in sharing personal stories with a global audience you have your own intelligence network on the ground to tell you where to go and we'll go explore an abundance of world class programming designed to inform motivate and inspire resilient people are truly afraid the world is watching on al-jazeera.

time now for the latest with santa. thank you very much mariam a hat trick from rhyme staring help fire mantissa city four points clear at the top of the english premier league city beating what for the three one with all goals coming in the second half second place liverpool play burnley on sunday after the game at city manager pep guardiola reacted angrily to reports that he will replace max a legacy at its eventis next season why did media for one white twitter say something everybody in the biggest pages that is going to mean next four years going to juventus so i don't understand and understand how the people before to say very good jointers and don't try to call the club will call me silva call me a gentle call whatever you into the most communities i mean so sort of from

a similar i have two more years here and i will into move impossible except they set me a third place autumn are in danger of missing out on champions they call it a case and they let a one goal lead slip against southampton and lost to one i am only to be weary this change will change too much from the third concept of the second because it's only one reason he's made he's complacent complacency is about. everyone's in but we. barcelona seven points clear at the top of the spanish league after three one win over. fierce rivals real madrid are facing up to a season without a trophy coat santiago solaria has filed to fight for his future in just over a week ryall have lost twice to barcelona and been knocked out of the champions league. by fifteen points going into sunday's league game against wales.

the greatest through adversity that personality appears and that's not just a cliché dance reality that's when you see who's there and who's not who's hiding and who will face the consequences who's happy and who sad and which of the players rebel against the situation by munich have gone top of the german bunds league for the first time since september a six nil win over vols move them above the brucia dortmund on goal difference by an are aiming for seven straight german title they play liverpool in the last sixteen of the champions league on wednesday because governing body the i.c.c. has told all desire and no action will be taken against india's national team pakistan's government has accused india of politicizing the sport while india's play is war army cap said during a game against australia on friday tension escalated between india and pakistan

last month after a suicide bomber killed more than forty indian troops the team wore the caps as a tribute to the victims of the attack i.c.c. rules of full forbid the display of political messages but it said the team had permission to wear the caps as part of fund raising efforts for the families of those who died in the attack. well this is the latest incident in the turbulent a cricketing relationship between a pocket ston and india india have refused to play a test series with pakistan since by attacks in two thousand and eight the country's last test series was back in two thousand and seven pakistan did tour india for a limited over series between december twenty twelve and january twenty thirty and the pakistan players haven't been allowed to play in the indian premier league the world's most lucrative domestic competition competition last month the indian cricket board off the i.c.c.

to cut ties with that they called countries from where terrorism and emanates referring to pakistan the i.c.c. rejected this demand for the teams are due to meet in a group game this world's a world cup cricket author shantanu ray says india could well boycott the match source not islam has no business trying to ask i.c.c. what do you know the players should rear it sort of noble cause is for the nation then obviously i says you would have given them permission i don't think in the i would be foolish enough to do anything without the permission of the i.c.c. i really doubt india will play pakistan number one and in their own robbery if they don't plea my only worry is what happens when india faces but his son or possibly in their faces but you sunder semifinals so that call the b c c i has to dig maybe recency i will solve all their own not really mind as

a marco protest and then eventually play our list of the matches. pakistan's biggest oil mystically it has returned to the country with the backing of a huge security operation all the thirteen thousand policemen were on duty in karachi to ensure the pakistan super league contest passed off without incident if twenty six matches of this year's tournament were played in the united arab emirates because of security issues in the country last eight will be played on home soil. and the west indies recorded their lowest ever score in a t twenty international long they were bowled out for just forty five by england and sent it and then went on to win by one hundred thirty seven runs a result also gave them a series victory. wells have stayed on course to win the northern. biggest international rugby title they beat scotland eighteen to eleven and the six nations

championship but it's wales fourth straight win in the tournament and england hit back from their defeat against wales with a big win over italy as they ran an eight tries in a fifty seven to fourteen win and to maintain their title hopes. will be in pole position for the first moto g.p. race of twenty.