also can if you can do you think that is well it is significant it's the 1st time they've returned to the north east of syria since 2013 yes they've had a few 100 troops in coming but that was a symbolic presence they've returned invited by the kurdish led syrian democratic forces who turned to damascus after their allies the united states abandoned them as we mentioned earlier the turkish military operation aimed at eliminating the s.d.f. so damascus is back in the north east of syria but at the same time in one way or the other it will have to find a way to work with the kurds on the ground because as we know this is the syrian army lacks manpower they're not going to be able to control this whole area of by themselves but this this whole corner this corner of northeastern syria is really strategic for many players it has the oil resources it was the bread basket of syria so damascus being cast strapped and under economic sanctions from the united

states and the european union this would be welcome money so this is significant but the battle is really not over their forces on the ground which are facing off each other at the front lines are still being drawn the new map of northeastern syria is still being drawn as behind the scenes negotiations continue between among the different players in a hotel with the latest there from the turkey syria border think you well joel rubin is a former senior official of the u.s. state department and joins me live now from washington d.c. sir thank you so much for joining us here on al-jazeera i guess 1st of all your reaction to this statement the u.s. president saying is going to issue an executive order authorizing sanctions i mean he had spoken about sanctions before do you get the sense that it's a president under pressure because this move within the u.s. has been received so badly let alone in the region itself. yeah

absolutely this is a day late and a dollar short we like to say here he is being dragged to do these sanctions if he had wanted to put pressure on turkey and make sure that they were not going to slaughter the kurds he should have done that when he spoke with president aragon on the phone last week when he green lighted this invasion of northern syria so more sanctions actually not only will have minimal impact on the turkish military moves but they also potentially harm another important economic relationship we have a trade fight with china another one now with turkey with a large market that's not a good thing for united states this is really a bad policy going further into a worse direction the president also said that 1000 he would leave american troops the 1000 american troops leaving syria will actually stay in the region to help prevent eisel making a comeback is that something that you think again is a bit of

a face saving exercise and how seriously do you think the u.s. is actually taking a possible resort jance beisel in that part of syria. well what it demonstrates is a complete lack of awareness by the president as to how the fight against eisel was executed and how it was done so effectively in partnership with with the kurds and with our allies in europe and other countries in the region who care about preventing the rise of the islamic state by even if we're taking him at his word by leaving a 1000 troops somewhere in the region we've really untethered them to any operational capacity on the ground with the physical force like we had with the kurds so it's not realistic i think unfortunately it's more of the p.r. the public relations variety of statement than actually tethered to a legitimate strategy and that's what's most concerning right now is that there

seems to be. a policy in search of a strategy which is what we're experiencing right now and we don't really have a strategy to make it work for our security and the region as a result is becoming very disheveled at this moment and what will america do next for our alliances is really difficult to chart forward so if as you mentioned there is no strategy one would have been a good time for the u.s. to pull out all of do you think it would just be in that case where they would have had to keep troops there almost indefinitely just to keep some kind of stability or peace. i mean this is a legitimate debate here in washington that we've had for several years about endless wars and having troops stay for a time without and verses pulling them out and letting the region handle its its business so to speak but when nobody advocated was in the bribed cut and run type of withdrawal without a plan without diplomatic by and without security protocol put in place to protect

our interests and protect our allies so the president's really made the worst of all possible choices because he says he wants to get out but now he's getting pulled back in and our allies are getting slaughtered and there's no counterterrorism strategy so we're really in a in a dynamic which is the president's clearly backpedaling but it's not like their countries coming to to the rescue of the united states at this moment the time to do all this planning was beforehand we have senior officials still at the state department who are engaged in multilateral diplomacy it's not simple clearly but as we can see they were undercut by the commander in chief and he didn't advance a real diplomatic strategy to make sure that our interests were protected joel rubin former deputy u.s. state department official joining us from washington d.c. sir thank you so much for sharing your views with us thank you. well of course all the politics is having a massive humanitarian impact syrian kurds fleeing the fighting are starting to

arrive in northern iraq the authorities there say that they could be the 1st of tens of thousands of refugees plans are being made to accommodate the new arrivals but the priority for the kurdistan regional government is the stop eisel fighters and supporters mingling with genuine refugees from doha can northern iraq burnet smith has this exclusive report. oh just a few bags of essential all this family could carry as they ran from the fighting in northeastern syria there amongst the 1st to make it across the border into the kurdish governed north of iraq. there was shelling and fighting this man says my family hasn't slept for days we've left everything behind. almost 200 syrians were bussed into a refugee camp in the book on monday afternoon. the biggest concern for the kurdish authorities is who exactly is crossing the border eisel fighters or supporters

mingled with the innocent but officials cross reference names to make sure those who got on the bus of the border stayed on for the 90 minute journey here a local intelligence officer takes a photo of the tally i think it's going to be interesting to see who is coming in the next days and what the authorities will do to filter out his population coming in certainly there's going to be checks done to make sure there are generally people are taking care of. everyone we spoke to share their shock at the overnight switch from living peacefully to being. let. america has let us down i didn't imagine that they will destroy the people in our future used to like america but now i hate it i mean it you plan these syrians will join the already more than 1000000 internally displaced persons and refugees

being hosted in the kurdistan region of iraq and depending on how long turkey's military campaign goes on for the kurdistan regional government the k r g estimates that anything between 30000 up to as many as a quarter of a 1000000 syrians will flee the fighting here into the k r g. this syrian refugee camp has been here more than 7 years the tents along gone children are growing up here people are putting down roots and now this small town is about to get bigger. al-jazeera is refugee camp in northern iraq. coming up on this news hour from london queen elizabeth unveils the british government's top priorities with leaving the e.u. on october 31st top of the agenda president transformer rush advisor testifies to congress as part of the impeachment inquiry and in sports roger federer vows to take another shot at winning the one major title that's so far.

but 1st the international charity save the children is warning that hunger levels are soaring in the horn of africa after an unusually dry summer they say that almost $13000000.00 people half of them children are facing critical levels of hunger in somalia ethiopia and kenya 2019 or so far seen the lowest levels of rainfall since 1901 failed harvests and dying livestock have already forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee the countryside for the city's 4 protesters and a police officer have been killed in the latest anti-government demonstrations in guinea there is widespread anger at a proposed change in the constitution the would allow veteran president called there to run for a 3rd term from the capital can actually nicolas hocked reports. gunfire

in downtown conakry. frightened residents have locked himself indoors taking cover for guinea's paramilitary forces who are shooting live rounds in the streets what was supposed to be in the nation wide protest against president alpha condé has turned into street battles between security forces and demonstrators armed with sticks and knives they say they are here to defend their democracy we are not but of course we are scared but we managed to paralyze the city and turn it into a ghost town to show our frustration with our leadership what the 81 year old president wants a referendum to change the constitution so that he can run a 3rd term in office but his political opponents are against a referendum they don't trust the president to organize an impartial vote like. needham one is leader. treats all of its citizens equally irrespective of

the. with. the with. the ethnic forlornly make of the majority in guinea and yet never has a full only been in power many of them are out protesting accusing the government of arresting them and discriminating against them. this is one protester that has just been arrested in this is what's happening throughout the capital and the country paramilitary police deployed to try to arrest and stop any former violent. security forces shot dead several protesters and scores are injured human rights watch accused the government of banning street protests for over a year now and cracking down on dissent presidential elections are a full year away but the political deadlock has already set in there is a sense of fear and apprehension of what is to come nicholas hawke al-jazeera cannot create. spain's supreme court has given long jail sentences to 9 catalan

separatist leaders sparking protests around the region. people are still out in force in central barcelona after a day of protests and scuffles at the airport and other locations the politicians were found guilty of sedition and sentenced to between 9 and 13 years for their roles in the failed bid for independence 2 years ago so reports from barcelona. they turned up in their thousands at barcelona as airport determined to cause as much disruption as possible and fronted by riot police to protest his intentions to signal the start of a campaign of civil disobedience cause and amnesty for the 9 catalan politicians and activists convicted on monday for their roles in a failed attempt to secede from spain 2 years ago they were found guilty of sedition but were acquitted on the more serious charge of rebellion the defendants

were sentenced to between 9 and 13 years in prison the reaction from the catalan regional government was unequivocal they got along and i personally reject these very big it's because we consider them unjust and antidemocratic and because they are part of a political trial and were dragged of legal action against got along as right to self-determination and against the independence movement with a general election in his sights next month the spanish prime minister peres sanches urged dialogue took a firm line on the supreme court's verdict or you. can blow today exemplary judicial process has concluded or to the same time confirms that the sinking of a political project has failed in its attempt to more detail internal support and international recognition leaving behind confrontation on the front of coexistence in cattle. about the within hours of the sentencing protesters came out onto the

streets and gathered here at plus a couple of the main square in wasilla in the city center they say they are part of what is being called the democratic tsunami but even but if there were one for sort against the bus i think what is happening is shameful but i think the conviction is really unfair and i don't understand how this can happen in the 21st century and you were here once you know. i'm here because i think the trial has been a complete fraud has been a trial that human rights international organizations of the match was having a lot of regularities i think we have to denounce it and do some compassion thank you. but not everyone sees it like this the catalan nationalist movement has itself become more divided between groups that support more direct forms of action and those who oppose it politics here is more fractured and there is no majority backing for secession solving the catalan crisis is as allusive as ever and in

spite of the sentencing a long way from being resolved something that you have all al-jazeera barcelona. and so here joins us live now from outside barcelona airport now sunny it looks relatively quiet just behind you there but we're seeing live shots of central barcelona a lot of people very much still out protesting in the streets. that's right in fact it may be a quiet behind me now but certainly earlier on it was really quite extraordinary tens of thousands of people had gathered have effectively blockading one of the terminals of barcelona airport with police in riot protection gear firing so-called foam catus to smoke bombs. really crowds had to have been gathered. all day that the tension had been really high. but it was really quite an

extraordinary scene to see all these travelers that are come out of the terminal building with their suitcases and having to wander around the cut off highways to try and figure out how they could see how to get out of the airport in a safe manner so really there has caused an awful lot of disruption of this democratic tsunami that i mentioned in the report previously it is there is no particular head of this organization but they get all their information from the social networks 1 they called of the grouping here earlier on about an hour ago with that they said they were going to give pause and figure out exactly where they're going to do some more and for their followers to. reach out to to look out for more information but it has really been a very disruptive day here in barcelona certainly one that has affected a city that's no not just for being an industrial center. of the region but also

a tourist destination as well barbara absolutely and obviously the jail sentences that were issued today where what sparked a lot of these protests but how one live would you say the separatist sentiment still is you know years now after it all sparked off for a while ago how alive do you think it still is in catalonia and barcelona. the problem with the issue is the fact that it is still in the credibly divisive issue going on from 20 from 2 years ago when the attempt to cede occurred all that's happened really is that people have really hardened around their ideas of a row secession or are they the session those who are procession if anything all the events have made them more determined to want to achieve that and in fact on the other side as well. again there. opinions about iraq surrounding a part of the problem is that there is no majority for independence it is very

divided i do also depends what part of the region you belong to barcelona is in effect is a very diverse city the capital of the region the south so you won't necessarily find that it everyone who lives there a works there is in favor of fat in fact on the saturday we attended a march where it was whether it was attended by caps or lands who firmly believe that the region should remain a part of spain and of course legally that's where it is right now and with tensions still so. so divided here and with and with all of this high emotions circulating about it is really difficult to see how both sides can enter into a dialogue with everything so highly raised this moment so again you go there live for us outside the personal airports thank you so lots more to come in this news hour including 14 police officers are shot dead in mexico just after the government

says it's getting to grips with the murder rate how the conflict in afghanistan is hampering efforts to boost to the country's low literacy rates and in sports south korea's footballers settle for historic world cup qualifier against that there are more than me it's. how they still got plenty of sunshine into many parts of eastern europe and city down into the south but they were towards the west it is actually chipping down big massive cloud of rain rolling in from the atlantic a number of areas of low pressure bringing some wet sand with the weather at times and that cloud on the right will make its way right across the british isles the low countries a good part of france and heavy rain but downpours there too into switzerland bald . italy some snow with the high ground shoes they looks like a dry

a day across by and poll to go we have got some wet weather pushing into the western side of the med further east still looking good plenty of warmth around plenty of sunshine is what it stays that way as we go through where the cypress for the north is still very breezy a lot of cloud and rain pushing up towards the baltic states through scandinavia wednesday another poor day wall cloud of rain rolling into those west impossible western there was a front seeing some very heavy right along with whiles and eventually pushing across into england well the pulse of africa 10 we not see bad but we have got the chance of want to see showers into the far north of algeria northern parts of tunisia with more cloud too just sliding into morocco over the next. what about plants into northern parts of libya and there's always a chance of one of 2 spots of rain coming in here. and then i would put out more in my very macho culture has been very harmful to the

economy and the minds of many people challenging traditional attitudes how narrowing the gender gap is helping women in the room to come on what is keep poverty in the economy and i'm not trying to break these barriers so much she's mount thank you bing women access to my senses meet the women leading the way. women make change on al-jazeera. cannot deal with poverty unless you deal with the gap you disagree i disagree with that toy this sounds like blaming the public the country for the absentee ballot or laming anybody these people well trained much in public office on things long extent machinery and. very and more as you know popular culture teachers join me maddi our son as i put it up for questions to my special guests and challenge them to some straight talking political debate to al-jazeera.

time now for a reminder of the top stories on syrian government forces of moved into the strategic city of man bish and other towns in northern syria a day after being invited in by kurdish forces president trump says he will soon also i sanctions against turkey in response to turkey's offensive into northern. at least 5 people one policeman and 4 protesters have been killed in the latest anti-government demonstrations in guinea and protesters have taken to the streets of barcelona after spain supreme court handed lengthy jail sentences to 9 cattle and separatist leaders for their roles in the failed independence bid 2 years ago.

britain's prime minister has laid out his government's agenda in the queen's speech with leaving the european union an october 31st a top priority still to be finalized divorce agreement was one of $26.00 new bills presented but as far as johnson has no majority opposition party dismissed the speech as an election manifesto charlie angela reports. the costumes the carriage the queen's speech is the high point of parliamentary pageantry and the british monarch announces the government's plans for new legislation in a speech written for her she began with proposals to support or breaks a deal if a deal is reached this week. my government's priority has always been to secure the united kingdom's departure from the european union on the 31st of october. my

government intends to work towards a new partnership with the european union based on free trade and friendly cooperation. boris johnson has just 5 days to secure a brics deal the parliament would approve if he doesn't succeed he faces asking for an extension to the october 31st deadline or trying to force through a no deal press it against the wishes of the house of commons but there was no sign of a possible concession in his speech we aim to create a new age of opportunity for the whole country. as repurchased get brett sit down. final table the 31st we are sitting out now of vision of an open global free trade in united kingdom a party wage low tax economy the government says it is hopeful for an agreement after the prime minister as i was counterpart agreed on a pathway to

a deal on customs arrangements with northern ireland and the need to quickly slice out the bones of that deal with the rest of the e.u. all before europe's leaders gather for the summit on thursday. in brussels u.k. an e.u. negotiating teams a meeting with all sides saying there's still a lot of work to be done the last number of months difficult. so i think your eyes my teacher has a deal is possible that it's possible this month may be possible this week but we're not there yes. the queen's speech included spending pledges on health care education and security but with a minority government it's unlikely many of the supposal will be passed by parliament instead many see it as a list of election promises an election that is looming ever closer charlie al-jazeera london poland's governing nationalist party has won a 2nd term in power early results from the electoral commission show that the law

and justice party won more than 45 percent of the vote with a turnout that was the highest in 30 years but as andrew symonds reports from warsaw it's a party that polarizes of. polina lipinski is one of the voters behind the surge in popularity of poland's ruling party she's a devout catholic who fell on bad times 10 years ago when her husband's business went bust here with one of her 3 children for whom she gets a government allowance of $125.00 a month each they safe are our farming because the far we don't have money to pay for a fort knox on this for $4.00. cowards but now i. feel like and the market for and. ringback whatever the political belief an increasing number of poles many like polina have been attracted to the

law and justice party policies but it's a divisive situation this couple believe voting for nationalism and right wing policies is wrong it's our fair share and it's our job then. they have to decide. control of the lower house gives the law and justice party a fresh mandate to continue were left off with policies rooted in catholic values set against what the party sees as a liberal or promoting minority interests against the wishes of people who have family lives. this is poland's main opposition cheering their leadership in defeat accusing the victors of polarizing society turning state media into a propaganda operation and encouraging homophobia by making out l g b t rights are an invasive form influence. it was not an even struggle there were no rules in it we didn't have

a feeling that we are taking part in the fair competition or that the opponent was using honest netflix. at home in the outskirts of warsaw polina lipinski isn't perturbed by the political rift she believes in the ruling party's mantra pride in poland traditional family values and. after a landslide victory as president elect. says he's committed to uniting his people and solving their economic problems his supporters are hailing his victory as a new revolution many are questioning how the political outsider can fulfill his promises has more from tunis. local media are describing his election victory as a new era into his year and many to his years believe this could be the moment they have been waiting for president elect cases i yet promises to clamp down on

corruption and inefficient governance people here say they feel confident. with their having a hard on people happy keiser he was elected president but now we want him to stop those embezzling our resources in him to corruption and unemployment. i want our president to represent all tunisians our expectations are high and we want a fresh air in the country when he takes the oath of office sayed would face 2 challengers an economy in recession and divisions among political parties in parliament since 20119 governments have failed to create economic growth and employment has salt as many have become impoverished. against the country's establishment has grown. from that all we know changed world happen overnight however the president must implement law change should be bottom up and there's just been my biggest concern is that there are those who will be doing their most

so we never thrive as a nation the president and next parliament will have to deal with security and the economy. in 80 years to his ears have elected 2 presidents and 2 parliaments. many are celebrating believing this time they may have the leader they have hoped for this is the 1st president to win a landslide victory says the 2011 revolution and this by the growing anger many believe that a society had to be the man they have been waiting for to implement reforms and improve their living conditions. to this. follow white house russia adviser fiona hill has been testifying behind closed doors in congress as part of the impeachment inquiry into president donald trump she resigned theys before the july phone conversation when trump asked ukraine's president to investigate joe biden and his son. more from washington d.c.

unlike before my ambassador to ukraine is testimony on friday there was an opening statement for fear in the hills or nothing that could be leaked almost immediately to the press number less we have been receiving briefings from those around or about what she is saying and the key the key point is yes there was a shadow foreign policy operation underway at the at the control of rudy giuliani on behalf of donald trump but the next question is always right that's fine the president is allowed to conduct foreign policy in any way that he sees fit but was this on behalf of the united states' national interests or was it on behalf of donald trump's personal political interests and that the suggestions we've been getting is yes furia will say it was the latter this wasn't about u.s. national security this was about donald trump's personal position about may be key in any articles of impeachment the mexican government says they might be getting to grips with the country's high murder rate the comments were made on monday morning

but i was later they were overshadowed by the killing of 14 police officers in the western state of michoacan john home and sent us this update from mexico city. so mexico's president and his head of public security came out on the morning of monday and gave a press conference in which they said it's nothing to boast about but we think we might just be getting on top of the murder rate in the country they called it a point of inflection in the homicide rates in the country and they said that what they're doing is continuing to send out the national guard that's a newly formed and quite militarized police force out into key hotspots in the country to draw and deal with things and also having social programs that would try and give employment to people to give some hope put it money in the pocket of people who otherwise might be tempted into organized crime so the message was quite positive coming from the top and then the news came out that image 2 a can the state in southwest mexico police officers have been ambushed and killed

by presumably organized crime in that region now michu a kind is a state in which there's different criminal organizations battling over it one of the strongest of those organizations if not the strongest is the cartel new generation and there were banners left with the burnt out because of the police seem to was signed as if they were from that cartel now sometimes those banners can be used misleadingly but that is a strong organization in that part the country that has been involved in murdering policemen and law enforcement authorities before now the president obviously and the head of security would say things are getting better little by little in the country i think one of the worries that perhaps analysts that we've taught to have had is that the national guard may be that they're not being rolled out to all.