about creating meets christopher why the death of journalism is only the 1st signal for the death of democracy. 'd but operate, need nuclear scientists is killed in an attack east of the capital country's foreign minister calls it an act of state terror. ironically this is al jazeera live from doha. also coming up from ethiopia's government denies it's ruling out, talks with the grand leaders as peace and void, peace envoys pushed to end it there, weeks long, and tens of thousands of indian farmers defy police barriers to march on the capital. they say new proof market laws will open a show of strength in the iraqi

capital by supporters of the cleric. after announces he will run in parliamentary elections in june. so we begin with the breaking news from iran, and the scientists believed to be at the very heart of the country's nuclear program has been killed in an attack east of the capital. tehran moves in factories id was associated with the iranian revolutionary guard corps, and was sanctioned by the u.s. in 2008. iranian foreign minister, zarif has described the killing as murder and said, terrorists are responsible. he says there are indications of israel playing a role. although he did not provide any evidence of that, israel has refused to comment. let's go straight away to as a break in tehran, and i said, beginning to be able to piece together what took place here. what more do we know?

well the confirmation came via the defense ministry in a statement now they said that he must in fact result. they came under attack alongside his guards by terrorists. he was seriously injured. taken to hospital and medics were unable to save his life and he died today. now they gave their condolences to the supreme leader, ayatollah khomeini, and the nation know some of the news outlets hair, the semi official ones have given a bit more detail. they said that there were signs of an explosion, an exchange of gunfire. they also said 3 or 4 assailants were killed in that exchange. now another news agency linked to the revolutionary guard. they said that a truck was used to block his car. that truck then exploded. and this and he died. this attack actually took place at 230 local time, as you've said, from message of odds has responded. he's the 1st official to actually point the finger in that tweet where he named israel. he said they had strong indications of

israeli involvement. we've also had advised to the supreme leader, ayatollah khomeini vying response to the attackers. we've had the head of the revolutionary guard saying that this is an attempt to stop iran gaining new sciences. and he was a very emotive fuckers out. there was a very senior figure in the nuclear program in the missile program, and this will be a major blow to iran. we don't know who was responsible, of course, but why would people have wanted motion killed? well, there was an assassination attempt on him back in 2010 and actually in november 2010, another nuclear scientist mugisha harry was assassinated. now there have been attempts on nuclear scientists before and iran says yes, net attempt to slow down or damage to nuclear program. in fact, in fact,

i had wanted to interview him, but iran had stopped any interview of him in 2018. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu had claimed that most in fact, his other was head of iran's nuclear. he said he was the head director of iran's nuclear weapons program. so again, these are high ranking scientists and officials. in fact, there was no picture of a the of him until 2018. and he's life is relatively secret. he had armed guards from what we understand. but also a very, very senior figure, the defense ministry has said that he was the head of innovation and research at the defense ministry. he was also had also been an officer in iran's revolutionary guard. and again, this is a blow to iran and, but we have to take a look at where iran is now in terms of that 2015 nuclear deal. donald trump pulled the united states out of the deal imposed sanctions on iran. and iran has been

reducing its commitments to that deal. and the fed had a phased step back and most recently they've increased this stockpile of enrich uranium and have centrifuges that in the 10s nuclear facility would have started feeding gas into. and that was confirmed by i.a.e.a. report and all this in that context and with the context of the tensions in this region. this is very alarming news and will be a surprise to many iranians inside iran. here it was just referring to between 2010 in 2012 terror on accuse israel in the united states of carrying out targeted killings of 4 iranian scientists. 1st at the renowned physicist massoud only mohammed ali was killed when a remote controlled bomb went off outside his home. that was in january 2010, tehran heading to 24 year old arabian, for the killing, accusing him of being an israeli intelligence agent. in november of that year,

nuclear scientist and engineer majeed sharia was killed. attackers on motorbikes attach bombs to his car as he drove to work. and in july 2011, the nuclear scientists that are your shirt resigned their jad was killed in front of his home in the capital. and that was after 2 gunman on motorcycles opened fire . and then in january of 2012, mr. shand was killed after a bomb was attached to his car. he supervises apartment in a tense uranium enrichment facility. so let's explore this further. we can bring in now and have a tie in tabata by i should say, i'm born in germany. he's a policy consultant on iranian affairs. so those killings that we've just listed, they took place between 201-2012. now we have this 8 years on what's your assessment of what's happened here. i strongly believe we need to, to call it what it is. it's actually short of

a military invasion. this is how war on iran can take place in the year 2020. we have had a january of this year, this escalation of general hossam, still a money which took place on iran, on the rocky soil. and now we have this target that assassination on iranian soil. obviously we don't know yet who is behind this, but of course, given the past one or 2 or 3 weeks and the many trips also that for and that u.s. secretary of state by complete, will had into the region. there is a lot of indication, but at the same time, a lot of speculation about israel being behind it. so of course, on the one hand, we should call it a war on iran, but at the same time, not draw conclusions too early. of course it does that come at a time when tensions have been very high between the united states and iran and the 2015 you could deal being brought into focus of donald trump has raised the stakes

. and absolutely, and i mean it's, and i would also really point to, to the people around donald trump for donald trump himself. it's difficult to imagine why he would want further escalation with iran. but, but let's think of secretary of state michael pale and his very, very ideological approach towards the region and giving something to his allies in the region in particular is israel bits why that would make sense? but again, i mean, we will obviously have to wait and see, but the type of operation very much with what would link to to an israeli intelligence operation. yes, we have to emphasize, we do not know of course, who is responsible. what's your sense of, we've had some reaction out of iran already. what's your sense of how they may react physically?

what i have been observing in the past months and actually even throughout the trump presidency, is that the iranian side has understood very well that the u.s. approach is meant to either drag iran from extremely weak into position to the negotiating table or to drag iran into committing a big, big mistake that could lead to an all out war. and i think this latter aspect is important here that some sort of provocations that can happen through some cyberattacks media smear campaign. some operations in iraq or syria is one thing. but now an operation that has been carried out in tehran and i would, i would expect iran not to respond immediately, but to, to find a strategy to do that at a much later stage and maybe not in, in similar fashion, but to try it politically in the same way that the iranian official said, the revenge for the killing of us, and so that money would be to oust the u.s.

from the region rather than now attacking the u.s. troops in the region for example. so i would rather see it in this light. appreciate your perspective on this. thank you. pleasure onto a theater where the government has denied claims that the prime minister is rejecting talks with the grand leaders. that's his visiting peace envoy to push for a resolution to the week's long conflict in the northern region. 3 african union, special envoys met the prime minister meant and i discovered he told them he'd only speak to representatives operating legally in the region. the army was ordered to carry out the final phase of its offensive and move in on to grace regional capital . my colleague for the bike to grow spoke to the ethiopian prime minister spokeswoman be named. so you i think that the widely misunderstood concept with regard to the strong words with rejection, particularly because the prime minister has not rejected talking to anybody from

the to grow region impact the provisional administration that has been set for the constitutionally by the half a federation is an amalgamation or a composition of various to grow political parties that are active in the to grow region. so there is no rejection on his part because this provision meditation is comprised of representatives of course, speaking on behalf of the people of the ground, one with up one point with regard to your question of mediation at this point. and that has been rewritten. there is a several times a void that one of the key before the whole of those measure is being undertaken is because, according to the laws of the land in the constitution and the criminal code of the federal democratic republic are people attacking your own national defense forces as a christian is a criminal act in this considered a treasonous act of one part of a country and 2 holding the country. my thought for you in service to holding the

country together, the action was taken to ensure that the rule of law is being enforced. and in place in the region, the divine will mediating with a criminal group that has affected the treasonous act, is not something that's on the table right now. but i see a human in origin for up to this conflict right now. this offensive by the government has led to thousands of ethiopians fleeing to neighboring. so don, so you can understand the concern of neighboring countries when the conflict is now spreading into their territory. so why it once again reject mediation that may come from sudan or not other countries when they're being directly impacted by what's happening in the tigray region. that solely the federal government is in command of most of the areas within the to grow region. all of the places that were under p.p.l. of militia occupation are now under federal command and are returning back to normalcy . in fact, the prime minister has made it clear called for all of those that have fled to come back because their areas and their homes are being protected. but do you think it's time for the citizens to return? as you say, when the prime minister announced yesterday that the final offensive on mackenzie,

the regional capital to grey had begun half a 1000000, people live in that area. what is the government going to do to protect those civilians living there? that government is going to continue and continue doing what it has been doing throughout this operation, and that is utmost protection for civilians. one thing that we have to understand and has not been well understood by the international community and international media is that one of the reasons that it has taken a little bit longer for all of these areas to be occupied is because the national, defense forces is not having any military confrontations, the t.p.n., the militia in cities and towns that have been a part of its strategic operation of waiting cities and towns and taking off to raise the order to get to these areas where a lot of p.l.f. operatives are. so there is one ethics of ensuring that citizens are protected. secondly, that engagement going to be happening in michaela is not something construed by, t.p.m. the propaganda. this is something with due cause for an end to military attention

and strategic and tactical operations that is going to be targeted towards the p.p.l. of click element, where their hideouts are also clearly known. thousands of farmers who have gathered in his capital to demand that the government scrap new market friendly laws, which they say the livelihoods have allowed protest is to gather in the city after initially trying to hold off the crowds from most of crossing toss states to fight the changes they face barricades and water cannon and tear gas, please try to stop their advance. this birthparent him more now from new delhi. there is a huge police presence here. in fact, so far there are still more police officers here than there are farmers and testers . there are a large number of police buses here to take anyone away. they cause any trouble. and just as importantly, there are police barricades surrounding the area to stop pharmacy come from going beyond this point into central delhi, which is where they wanted to go, but they were denied permission police. citing the record high number of

coronavirus cases, police commissioner is appealing to farmers to protest peacefully to maintain order that is after nearly 3 days of tens of thousands of farmers making their way to delhi from neighboring states. breaking through police barricades and face as they faced will to canon and tear gas. so this is a concession by delhi police. we're not sure if it's going to be enough because while we're hearing that a lot of farmers are on their way here. and we can see the preparations for that here and others saying that this is not good enough. so here and i'll just go hospitals on the pressure, sees a record rise in cases of covert 19 from playing on the streets of disease on the streets to international competitions. we meet young filipino chess player, making big moves in the great

hello. the winter wind is blowing across the warmer waters, still is now ice here. so you tend to get big showers down over the temps have risen in take care from their love a couple days ago about levon degrees. if you're on the north coast of honshu, that onshore breeze be felt the same is true in her car. the snow easily on the mountains in central honshu. but if you're not in japan, enjoy the sunshine. yes, it's a frosty morning, but it's probably going to be a lousy sunny day for the most part. there is some cloud around, but there isn't very much to be honest. the picture of winter there not obvious here. apart from the temperatures not be best is stretched by what you get on the the least side if you like. these are generated by warm water there are sleet or snow showers the sunday monday into tuesday for support of the capital of hot qaida . and that cultish window, it warms up over the waters, but this is big showers in the south china sea. so the prevailing north east, the monsoon, produces heavy rain from vietnam from central to the sex. and that's taking away

some of the emphasis from what is the wet season for the south for indonesia is fairly dry in borneo and sumatra for the next couple of days remains a cycloid just remains. now, there's more rain to come focusing. i think in 100 demain, the intersection of reality and comedy and post revolution, tennessee, a mission, to entertain, educate and provoke debate through satire, weapon of choice, and intimate, look at what, inspires one of tunisia's most popular comedians to make people laugh. miten is yeah, head on al-jazeera. the roof.

oh, i got your watch out there are mind about top stories this hour. and an iranian scientist believed to be at the heart of the country's controversial nuclear program, has been killed in an attack, used to run a mission, factories that is a killing is being condemned as a terror attack by the thousands of farmers have gathered in india's capital to demand the government scrap a new market for a new laws which they say damaged, their livelihoods. some have marched for 100 kilometers to find police plants. if the government to deny claims the prime minister is rejecting talks with the grain lead is that is visiting african union peace. envoys push for a resolution to the week's long conflict in the northern region. well,

thousands of people are fleeing the fighting. integrate into camps in neighboring sudan, and after weeks and days of walking and many are exhausted and sick, but struggling to get access to health care. a bit, morgan has more now from go there. if near the border with ethiopia, this is the only health facility at village a refugee camp near sudan's border with dozens come here for medical assistance each day. tecla will die says he was went by doctors back in his home country theo, pia, that he was developing cardiac problems. now he says, days of walking, to flee from fighting in ethiopia. stigler a region and standing in line for aid and for treatment is making him feel worse. i was told to be careful not to exhaust myself to take care of my diet. but since i had to flee my chest pains have been increasing. and when i come here, there's often a long line or no doctor, for hundreds of patients in the camp that hosts more than 15000. the center is the

1st and sometimes the only place to seek treatment. despite that, it has little to offer to patients all fled to escape fighting from to gray. i wasn't suffering from anything when i was back at my i've been struggling to get medication since i got here and the treatment is very poor. more than 45000 refugees have been displaced by the fighting integrate. it started 3 weeks ago following a government offensive on the to great people's liberation front. the offensive was a response to an attack by the front on a military base and came after months of tension between the regional government and the federal government. 2 camps have been opened in sudan to cope with the influx of refugees. but providing services, especially health services, is challenging as more and more refugees continue to arrive. the camp here has 3 doctors who are also refugees to tend to the sick. we don't even if

we cannot go blood freedom for them. we don't have our grief with you know, that could be of benefit. there are many here that we are so dense commission of refugees says it's trying to assist the refugees with access to health care, but need support from organizations to be able to help the sick. what's needed is for health organizations to provide emergency medication and the refugee community is no mingling with the local community and some turn to local health facilities to get treatment. health organizations need to step up to ensure that refugees have proper health care. most refugees here state, they don't know how long they remain in this camp, or if they will be relocated to places with better facilities. but they say they

hope their calls for assistance will be listened to before a medical crisis. of course, morgan al-jazeera state, the president of bella, roussel, xander, has promised to step down if a new constitution is created, he hasn't confirmed of the process is underway, or even if it's being considered so far resisted months of process calling for his resignation. critics accuse him of rigging the election and cracking down on his opponents. 4 french officers have been arrested after a video surfaced, showing paris police attacking and racially abusing a black music producer as recorded by security cameras. inside the man's studio, he told reporters that police followed him in after seeing him outside without a mask. the incident comes ahead of a planned protest on saturday against police violence in france. tens of thousands of people have rallied in iraq's capital in a show of support for the shia cleric mccotter outside. they gathered in tahrir square, which was once the focus of anti-government protest site. i had initially shown his

support for the demonstrations. the protest leaders now say he's chosen to protect the system. so when fulton was at the rally in baghdad, friday sprayer here in baghdad, stutters 2, or was an overt display of power on the part of the sudras movement. just days after its leader influential shiite cleric announced that his party intended to secure a majority in the forthcoming parliamentary elections and also to nominate the prime minister. of course, that would be a substantial increase compared to 16 percent of seats his party currently holds. but as you can see, thousands of people have gathered here today, which shows just how much political muscle this movement has, and also how much organizational capability they have to hold this thing together. and that's in stark contrast to the anti-government protest movement that has been demonstrating here in tahrir square until just a few weeks ago, their movement has been fragmented. they have claimed that they have been

infiltrated by parties like the sudras movement. their movement has essentially been hijacked, so this covering here, leaves little doubt as to who emerged as the victor after months of anti-government protests elsewhere violence between satirists an anti-government protesters have broken out in the southern city of nasiriyah. at least one person was killed. the 2 sides attacked each other using sticks and rocks. about 40 people have been injured . police in cuba have evicted a group of artists, activists and academics who had barricaded themselves into a building in declared a hunger strike. the son isidro movement was protesting in 8 month jail sentence for the rapid, then assaults on charges of contempt. the video posted online shows police and people in medical grounds, taking the demonstrations about police, say the they intervened to prevent the spread of current of ours. so a

mexico city is on alert after a resurgence of covert 900 factions, there are concerns. the city's hospitals could be overwhelmed by an increase in cases. john home has more from mexico city, new mexico city's latest effort to stop a still rampaging coded 19 rapid testing to set up in points around the capitol like this one outside the famous host take a football stadium if free. although the results take about 5 days to write chef manuel lopez wishes they'd been available much earlier. they would be able to mount us. maybe, you know, it's being done, but perhaps they should have come sooner. it would have helped to prevent this pandemic because we needed this many months before that way, we would have voided a lot more infections. the city governments also introduced these q.r. codes, which registered the phone numbers of customers at shops and restaurants. so they can be told if they come into contact with anyone infected, this is the way to stop the virus. the capsules authorities have finally concluded,

testing in tracing, just like the world health organization said months ago. but outside of mexico city, the federal government still isn't convinced the country's got one of the lowest testing rates in the world. and the coronavirus says that after a certain point tracing doesn't really work. meanwhile, the mets can death rate is one of the highest in the world. $800.00 more fatalities were announced just on wednesday, a more than $100000.00. people have died in total and things are getting worse, not better, but it pertains here, but president and that is manuel lopez obrador. even still not convinced that a police lockdown is the answer. noise down the english channel that doll so thick to its effectiveness. hossam, being fully the most rated, many times, looked out, are carried out to exalt her italian attitude of an official. you have to trust the people. many in the informal sector, which makes up more than half of mexico's workforce. i would agree with him. they

have no safety net if they're forced to stay home. and the government hasn't brought out a wide ranging aid package to help them. they have to go out and work. but the government has put money into these hospital beds. so far, mexico has run out of those. there are, however, a lot of questions over the quality of equipment and the service overstretch medical staff are able to provide. and the infections go on. john heilemann, al-jazeera, mexico city now and young chess masters from around the world are set to compete in an online championship. and 110 year old progeny from the philippines is being tipped as a player to watch a man and they get reports. now from manila, alba share bhutto may seem like a typical young boy, but at the age of 10, he is already the philippines chess, prodigy. he improves his skills on manila sidewalks, mostly in the streets of kapil, were older avid chess players like

a meet to pass the time. here he beat veteran players with the mastery and position really seen from young chess players like him. even pulling a jaw with master player chief to guard the west want to go far. if he gets the right support, the support from the government is crucial. he needs to be exposed more to get better was 6 when he started competing internationally. he has played in iran, china, and malaysia, and for so many muslims here of long felt discriminated against in a country where they are. a minority alba share is a source of pride. people here tell us all of us are story mirrors their own aspirations, our young filipino muslim, making it to the global stage because of sheer talent and determination. in competitions,

i always work hard to make it worthwhile for my parents and those who supported me . the best part about chess is winning, but losing is good too because you learn more. but there are struggles. back home. al bashir comes from a poor family who moved from the city in the southern philippines, a place held back by war and displacement. his parents have often struggled to make ends meet, so paying for alba shares training has proven to be difficult. despite his classes and online competition, he still has to share a laptop with 5 other siblings. nation level, no one invited him all day to my home. i had but they both need to have punch, restraining. it's not easy, but god. so we have to support he he said to compete in the online world cadets and youth rapid championship this week. and although he's weak internet connection, the toe may cost him critical minutes in the game, but share remains confident. like so many prodigies before him. he says his chess

pieces have given him a sense of purpose and hopefully a we out of poverty. jim duggan al-jazeera manila. so this is our desert. these are the top stories, and an iranian scientist believed to be at the heart of the country's controversial nuclear program, has been killed in an attack east of tehran. factory's eid is killing is being condemned as a terror attack by the government and military figures have promised to retaliate because the latest now from turn on, some of the news outlets had the semi official ones have given a bit more detail. they said that there was a sound of an explosion, an exchange of gunfire. they also said 3 or 4 assailants were killed in that exchange. now another news agency linked to the revolutionary.