executions torture or censorship is not acceptable and you won't hear such strong words from berlin or paris or london in cairo and on al-jazeera. beery scenes of an abandoned town in northern syria as government strikes targeting the last stronghold forced thousands to flee. this is al jazeera live also coming up turkey's president urges action to end the fighting in libya during a surprise visit to its neighbor tunisia. has one of its deadliest attacks more than 30 people were killed in a raid on an army base. in sweeps through the philippines causing havoc with

strong winds and heavy right. we begin in northern syria where thousands of people are fleeing the last rebel stronghold of italy province syrian government forces that they russian allies of closing in on the city of new but other parts of italy have been under attack for weeks now while that goes on many syrians are in search of safer conditions for their families thousands are heading towards turkey the violence has displaced more than $130000.00 people this month alone. in not only. may god take revenge on all those who caused this what have we done to deserve this what have we done i plead to god for. god to punish them for displacing us because he was an all of this for humiliating us for god's sake we'd be good to live. baaba

door is out and tacky on turkey's border with syria and he explains the risks faced by civilians while they're facing all kinds of dangers from the blitz carried out by a russian city and force. crafts of bombarding villages and towns startles sayed talk been intended to send these people out of their homes so that the syrian government forces can have a free han dealing with the rebels who are in control of large parts of it we've seen long queues of vehicles. coming to its bubble how entry points in turkey they're not being allowed to cross of course and they are setting up comms along the road others have had to go into some big tents that have been put up by turkish chided living together in these. places because the winter

is getting worse and it's getting colder and what is happening right now is the turkish child e.t.s. are telling us that they are working around the clock to ensure that these people have whole tamils and also have what they need but then they are also who are stuck for the off field along the road and they're fearing for their health because they don't have proper sanitation or access to food turkey's president is in tunisia where he's urging action to end the fighting in libya type word want but a surprise visit to libya's neighbor to talk with president karzai no one said he willing to use your can't promote stability in libya earlier turkey announced it may deploy troops to back libya's u.n. recognize government which has been facing a bunch long offensive by warlords how many for have to us forces. you know we are not guests without an invitation and if it comes we shall look into

it we are in constant communication with them however we should raise an issue the forces president libya more than $5000.00 troops from sudan what are they doing there we should ask why are these forces present in libya a request was made to turkey and that's why turkey answered the call based on the agreement related to our economic zone we have signed agreements to rely on and our moods are based on legality and lawful forms however the other foreign troops have no legality to be present on libyan soil in addition are is not a legitimate representative of the libyan people but hold up there why it is in tripoli he says the water p. is keen to get libya's neighbors involved in establishing a cease fire. in this surprise visit by the president of the learn he discussed steps possible steps and corporation with the tunisian president. to solve and to put

a cease fire in place in libya we know despite the fact that a deal done has defended the military and security cooperation agreement that he signed with libya the last month but meanwhile he seems to be keen to involve libya is it effective neighboring countries late tunisia to take part in peace talks in in libya a deal one also has criticized the contras that have been denouncing the military agreement with libya saying that turkey has. dealt with the only. institution libya which is a government of national accord that is backed by the united nations and the international community something herby is the editor of international interest current affairs magazine which focuses on middle east and north africa he says

choosier could be backing turkey's role as a mediator to resolve the crisis in libya. i think that's remember the conflict these discussions are taking place at such dedication went yesterday to russia to discuss it live and that there were talks that they discussed and libya as well russia has implied that it's ready to entertain the prospect of mediation technical actually want to send troops it feels that it doesn't want to be forced to send troops to libya it prefers the idea of mediation if we follow this line of thought that we should assume that the libyan parties won't agree to go to moscow for talks because they believe moscow is backing her stuff and the parties that backhouse not want to go to and qatar or turkey to discuss talks to his it is the perfect middle ground and it is a neighboring country it's not backing any of the parties it's a perfect place for the parties together and indeed i cited last week showed an intention to invite the libyan parties to discussion so when we put all of these

dynamics together it may well be that as again has as has gotten something from moscow gotten some assurances that they are interested in mediation as well and this is now about setting up this mediation to take place in tunisia. but so has declared 2 days of national mourning after an attack that killed at least $35.00 people it happened in the northern region of the military says it's killed 80 of the attackers no group has claimed responsibility. we have to think about solidarity and national cohesion people women for the most part were getting water and got murdered in cold blood by the terrorists while they were retreating we must show compassion with the population that is why all flags will fly at half mast for 2 days and all christmas celebrations are cancelled. will begin to faso was once a pocket of calm in the whole region but security has deteriorated over the past 5 years the removal of longtime president blaise company or a in october 24th chain created

a security vacuum which has been exploited by several groups as well as homegrown fighters groups from mali affiliated with al qaida and us all have crossed the border igniting ethnic and religious tensions the u.n. says more than 700 people have been killed since 2015 in obama's tough a 1000000 have been displaced. is visiting senior fellow for all center for africa at london school of economics he explains why he thinks some african countries have experienced attacks recently. these say government can trees have played a major role in the global war on terror particularly in hosted military bases drug bases facilities for example i've coasts is not going to be hosting an act of terror training camp so they are clearly got packed negligible or in terror out and as a result are receiving the backlash for got contribution so it is expected that it's not community will also be supporting and that is not the time for the us for

example to draw in to be drawing down on forces or facilities are actually any other international community to actually decide not to support asses expected i mean it to us has been holding a few major meetings recently like 4 days ago trying to see how the best you can actually govern its forces to go out and defeat these these islamist forces and there's a lot going to be any team in january with a defiant and present macros to try to thrash are some of these things i think what we really need is a coalition of strong effort this track t.d. capability to try and actually step up to defeat the said and seize. iraq's largest parliamentary bloc is no choice for the country's next prime minister. he has been the governor of the oil rich province of basra since $27.00 there have been government protests in iraq for months so the corruption and the lack of

opportunities. in baghdad explaining why it's taken so long to nominate a candidate. well he has now officially been nominated by the iranian backed correlation which was the cleric the largest bloc in parliament we've seen many names floated throughout the past 3 weeks but this was the 1st time that representatives of the correlation actually met with president to officially hand over the nomination now much of the delay that we've seen throughout the past weeks has been because it was not exactly clear who is the largest bloc in parliament president barham salih requests for clarification to the iraqi speaker of parliament who don't confirm that it is indeed benign now in terms of the options going forward for the president he cannot challenge the speaker of the parliament on which is supposed to be nominating but what he can do is actually reject the can . put forward on the ground this may not be a candidate that is acceptable to the street and this may not be acceptable to the

other political parties because let's remember that the prime minister has to be a consensus candidate is accepted by all of the parties and as of now we're still waiting to hear their reaction is specially from iran which is the bloc that is led by shiite cleric. libya's government has approved funding for an updated national population register which opponents say is. it follows a do citizenship law that's led to huge protests across the country elizabeth for other new delhi we bore demonstrations against the controversy the law in place already have 2 new delhi with. and to protest the protests have been spit on by the government approving of this national population register the government says that is just. critics. just over form the face of. the national register or. even cross the country protesting against.

that. act. prominent. and i hear at this rally. yeah. now that there are protests against the citizenship act and the national register of citizens the government is using a better tool in the form of the national population re just we know the economy is ravaged by destroyed the economy with the monetized the hiding the urgency of it and a lying about it to the people. but that he made. no protest at all over the country why the. $500000000.00 on a population just when the economy is worst state in 6 years 2 state schools on the register 10 states. citizenship carry out the

national register office. with 5 from the country and. that's approved funding for the national nation by just a protest to continue until the supreme court hears petitions. still. with. the paintings gathered over hundreds of years from people giving thanks for what they see as a. of divine intervention. hello

there some very unpleasant rain through the eastern and all of the mediterranean and this system will actually work its way for the east was through much of northern sections of the middle east now the rain has been particularly heavy already across much of turkey and look at this these the waves to the north of beirut in lebanon some really high seas the winds actually around this particular region probably at about 75 kilometers an hour all the way through northern coastal areas of egypt and on as a say through lebanon up tools to look at this a very unpleasant picture of the snow as well through turkey through this high elevations and the whole system gradually working its way eastwards plenty of snow through plenty of rain as well and this whole system worked its way across into northern sections of iraq so cool as well in beirut by friday 15 degrees and it will stay. now further to the south across the raven peninsula we've got mostly conditions the winds have been a little bit cool but fairly light 24 in doha on thursday and we have got this is to hit just sitting really off the coast of oman it does get

a little bit closer by the time we head into friday it could just bring a coastal shabbat where the bulk of the rain will certainly stay offshore where we have. will continue into madagascar and also pushing across into been and johannesburg.

you're watching al-jazeera here's a reminder about top stories thousands of people are fleeing syria's last rebel stronghold of in the province government forces of their russian allies are closing in on the city of. other parts of it in the been under attack for weeks. president is urging action to end the fighting in libya. but with his. and says he believes the shia can promote stability in the neighboring libya. has declared 2 days of national mourning after an attack that killed at least $35.00 people it happened in the northern region about bindo the military says it's killed of the attackers. a state funeral has been held for algeria's military chief who

played a key role in asking president bush a flake out there to the general guide died on monday after suffering a heart attack laura bush badly takes a look back at his life. for years he was the chief of staff of the algerian national army. but i heard good solid will mostly be remembered for being behind the resignation of president to flicker after 2 decades in office. on march 26th the cea not long after hundreds of thousands of algerians march in the streets demanding the president's debt down it was getting speech urging buttafuoco to quit that made that a reality the army backed the arrests of many of beautifully his allies a month later supported the newly appointed interim leader. i would.

i would like to confirm in truth that the transitional period to prepare for the presidential elections take place with the oversight of the national people's army which will keep watch over the course of this transition in lot of the mutual trust between the people and their army. just last week gets attended the inauguration of the new president to measure. but many protests is a boycotted the election that brought him to power saying there is little choice of candidates beyond the established elite get sassed spend his entire adult life in the armed forces a former officer in the national abberation army he spent years working his way to the top of the army. he forced now jerry's war of independence against the french and was considered a hero in his country. as a close ally to them president beautifully in 2004 he became chief of staff of the

army and 2013 vice minister of defense i was in february this year and the sudden wave of protests algerians demanded the entire government step down. his loyalty to boot flicka had come to an end and he joined the calls from protest says for the president to resign but many ontarians tent their anger on to get salah obviously is part of the ordered establishment because of different positions he had in the algerian military it's only recently that some of the protesters as well calling for him to go because as far as they were concerned he did them all the. luck did not live up to expectations they expected all they wanted a more open democratic. some protesters are

rejecting a 3 day mourning and a calling for real to mock and an end to the military state. one year since the start of a protest movement which brought forward. the protest the revolution. taking to the streets. the 1st anniversary of the calls by the. professionals. the president and then president bashir. those protests came just a few days. over the rising costs of. the people of sudan have taken. a 1000.

people have. all of that and. people here are saying that is not enough they're saying. and. unaccountably. and scenes like this. and with. thousands of people. during the christmas holiday. many in the predominantly catholic.

areas fearing floods and landslides. we're outside the main port the off manila where traditionally over the holiday season thousands of passengers wait to board their respective passenger ferries going back to their provinces in different islands in the philippines now christmas is a very important occasion for this predominantly catholic country and as you can see families are waiting here they've got their packages here but they've had to spend their christmas eve here because this is here with this type of phone or locally no one else ursula made landfall in the central region of the philippines on christmas eve and that has grounded all types of travel in the country and so here they are this is where they spent their christmas eve they've only had food that's been

given to them by the philippine coast guard and you have children here who have basically nowhere to sleep and they have nowhere to bathe and they're saying this is has been a very difficult christmas for them i don't look at me at night i'm very sad and i've been crying for days i told my child that i can't do anything they did not let us board the ferry because there's a typhoon and we understand that. as i look over my new wife wants us to be too good to be here and there's nothing that we can do now the situation here isn't unique across the country in different ports thousands more are stranded and it is likely that they will remain stranded until the typhoon leaves the philippines the passengers here tell us that they have not been assured that they can leave immediately assoon as the typhoon leaves the philippines they've also been told

that it is likely that it will be one more week before they can actually get on their fareast go back to their provinces so it is likely that they. he will be spending new year's here as well. in afghanistan 27 peace activists have been abducted while on a botched the leader of the people's peace movement says the group was taken by the taliban in the west and balad bullock district the taleban has not responded to requests for comment hadi attack sigh is a spokesman for peace movement afghanistan he says some of his colleagues have been captured by the taliban before. this is not 1st time that will be faced with such incidents and this is for time the taliban their culture our members and they're asking certain questions that. who are you and how you started them this is this gathering this movement but the main issue is that this moment is movement

started by local people and this is. effectiveness in the princes in the districts and among the people on the communities it's very efficient under people like us because they want peace and they want to make a good life for themselves and it's a. good life for every afghan and if. his style of going to me to interfere but you want to make good life for them only incident that to this simply happened. distract actually we had planned to conduct a gathering much and. and but this is but to our people do a common. wanted to conduct the covering a much in purpose this incident to happen. and i reassure the taliban that i will do it safely and they will be there to get new home from the from the taliban and to be added to to provide any. proof and evidence that

a local movement and it's not a letter to anybody and we want just good life and everyone. and you get an official says 7 it or try in football players have disappeared at the end of a regional tournament the players are the latest to defect from eritrea which has been described by human rights groups as one of the most tightly controlled regimes in the world. is a lecturer a university in england he explains why this keeps happening and what the prospects of real china which i think maybe because he's one of the most impressive countries in the world where there are you know why it's cause well nations. force military force cushion that is in my nature and economy that is not going for a society that is very creative and industrious by nature and people in the country

to avoid the harsh realities and also the economic the privations the face. but i think people who have been observing the countries where hoping peace deal between. would who believe you know on the brink of space. and. trance to have an active save the politics of the country. economy fortunately. even after a peace deal has been reached and the chance of a major or a military confrontation with neighboring ethiopia with verted interest is continuing its. indefinite national remained in place where there is just so. very difficult to see any hope. in place for egypt to move forward. it's a basic and tradition painting the story of what someone believes was

a divide intervention for hundreds of years artists have captured the moment they felt their prayers were answered from mexico city al jazeera alan fischer reports. there from the devote the pious and the grateful a thank you mark in recovering good fortune or success in mexico they're called exotic paintings delivered to the church a devotion or gift after prayers were answered. with those who wanted their story to be known ordered these little paintings they were made by artists that worked near the church and people told them their story and they would interpret it painted erode a few lines about it at the bottom of a painting. the idea of giving gifts in thanks has been around for thousands of years and even as the survey see the mexico is becoming less religious there are still those commissioning paintings to mark what they see as divine intervention.

one of the artists most in demand is alfredo veal chits from a small studio in a working class area in the west of mexico city he's been painting for more than 30 years he started after losing his job as a builder. i started doing what i thought i could do drawing in small pieces of paper cardboard in solace in sardine cans anywhere and at some point i want to sell them on the street and that was it it's difficult to start as an artist. people give thanks for many things recovery from illness a man being released from prison after he was accused of stealing turned up a prostitute who wanted more customers praying for someone's return after the 911 attacks in new york who wanted to work for that role as an ex voto painter i hear many stories but my favorites are love stories giving thanks for having found the love of their life because his partner came back when she thought it was over those are nice because the feelings are nice. but there are always 2nd chances or my view

a lot of photos work is always in demand he said exhibitions in canada germany and even at the world famous loop in paris. but his creatures joy for those who live nearby for those who want a permanent reminder of the day when the prayers were answered alan fischer mexico city. this is al jazeera and these are the top stories thousands of people are fleeing syria's last rebel stronghold province government forces and their russian allies in closing in on the city of newman other parts of it leave being under attack for weeks turkey's president is urging action to end the fighting in libya. but with his cheesy and counterpart. and says he believes can promote stability in neighboring libya. we are not guests without an

invitation and if it comes we shall look into it we are in constant communication with them however we should raise an issue the forces president libya more than $5000.00 troops from sudan what are they doing there we should ask why are these forces present in libya a request was made to turkey and that's why turkey answered the call based on the agreement related to our economic zone we have signed agreements to rely on and our moves are based on legality and lawful forms however the other foreign troops have no legality to be present on libyan soil in addition have to are is not a legitimate representative of the libyan people. but kate a faso has declared 2 days of national mourning after an attack that killed at least $35.00 people it happened in the northern region of our been done the military says it's killed 80 of the attackers no group has claimed responsibility iraq's largest parliamentary bloc is nominated its choice for the next prime minister. danny has served as the governor of the oil rich province of basra since

2017 he's nomination is likely to fuel more antigovernment protests iraqi people have been demanding a bigger say on how political leaders are elected india's government has approved funding for an updated national population register which opponents say is. it follows a new citizenship law that's led to huge protests across the country thousands of people in the philippines are stranded you're in the christmas holiday after typhoon fired phone by landfall many in the predominantly catholic nation were stuck in airports and bus terminals the typhoon is expected to move across central philippines and into the south china sea by thursday but those are the headlines the news continues here on al-jazeera right after inside story.

capturing ad lib syrian and russian forces in yet another push to take control of this rebel held region how much of a child's do they stand this time around what will the human cost be this story. hello welcome to the show i'm sammy's a than opposition rebel groups in syria have been trying to overthrow the president for the past 8 years now it could become the final battle between his forces and rebels the reach.