hello, i'm karin giannone. you're watching "gmt" on "bbc world news." our top story, have our investigators uncovered a crucial clue? experts say a device designed to slow the spacecraft on re-entry was activated without any command from the crew. >> the feathers moved into the deployed position and two seconds later, we saw disintegration. a major sporting event under threat from ebola. football officials meet to decide whether to postpone the

africa cup of nations. and if you thought walking on a high wire between skyscrapers wasn't enough, how about trying it blindfolded? one man shows chicago how it's done. also in the program, aaron's here. you're looking at what impact that virgin galactic crash will have on the future of space tourism. >> absolutely, because this program has so far been a $1 billion investment, but it's been a rough week for the private commercial space industry. two accidents in five days. so we've got a space expert joining us to find out if this private industry can really take off. hello, it's midday here in london, and 4:00 a.m. in california where investigators have revealed new information about the crash of the virgin galactic spacecraft. they say a safety device designed to slow it down on

re-entry activated early, but they said it's still too soon to tell if that's why the craft broke apart on friday. debris has been scattered across seven separate pieces in the mohave desert. david willis is there. >> reporter: picking their way through the wreckage in. the california desert, an investigation sibling under way, which could determine not only the future of virgin galactic, but the space race as a whole. this dusty desert landscape is now littered with pieces of the spacecraft which fell to earth. this giant part of the tail is just one of those pieces, and it came to earth just a few feet from a nearby road. the plan now is to gather all of these pieces in a local laboratory to try to find out what went wrong. early indications are that pilot error was at least a factor. crash investigators now say that a lever which unlocks the control mechanism for the wings,

otherwise known as feathers, was pulled at the wrong time. >> was the lock unlocked part of what caused this aircraft to come apart. what we know is that after it was unlocked, the feathers moved into the deployed position, and two seconds later, we saw disintegration. that's the fact. we'll find out the analysis as a part of the investigation. >> reporter: flags have been at half staff in memory of michael alsbury, the pilot who died. his colleague, 43-year-old peter siebold, somehow managed to survive the disaster and is said to be recovering in hospital after an operation on his arm. his account of the final minutes of spaceship 2 could prove krush crucial to this inquiry. so too could cameras from multiple positions on the craft, but the investigation could last a year, during which a large part of the space tourism industry will be on indefinite hold. david willis, bbc news in the

mohave desert. >> well, the founder of virgin, sir richard branson, has just spoken to the bbc from his home in the caribbean. he has rubbished reports that executives ignored reports. >> there was no rocket explosion. there was no fuel tank explosion. there was no explosion. it is just unbelievable how everybody's justified why there was an explosion. and, you know, that people are out there warning that the flight shouldn't fly because there could be an explosion. it was all garbage. this program has been going on for ten years. we're not going to do anything that takes any risks, and remember, i was planning to go up with my son at the end of february. we wanted to make sure that the test flights were done properly, and the test pilots are brave people who put their lives at risk. to make sure that if there was something that hadn't been

spotted, that it happened with a test pilot and not with a passenger. >> sir richard branson. our transport correspondent is with me. how important is what went wrong in determining how viable this whole program is? >> i think it's critical. you can hear how angry richard branson is there, and the reason is very early on, there were some british papers saying it was the rocket fuel. they were testing out a new kind of rocket fuel, based in plastic, and they hadn't flown there since january. they had tested on the ground, but as i understand it was the first time they were testing it in the air, so everyone looks at that and says that's the reason. caveat. we still don't know why the aircraft came down, by the way. so it's all still kind of guess work to some extent. but the reason it's significant, i met the boss of virgin galactic three weeks ago, george whitesides, and he was saying the hardest thing they've had to deal with is the rocket engine. this is the trickiest problem they've had to deal with. this is cutting edge stuff and that's why they've had all these

delays. so if it is a problem with the rocket engine, that will cause much longer delays, it's much harder to get over in engineering terms than it would be to get over something else that may have gone wrong. so that's why it's so critical whether it's the rocket or not. >> and we're learning that this device designed to slow re-entry was actually released without a lever being pulled. how significant is that? >> i'll try and explain how it works. you've got these two tails on the back that you can see, and effectively, the way this aircraft slows down is simple and clever at the same time. these tails sort of go backwards and pop up like that. and it actually starts coming down like a shuttlecock. actually describe it like a shuttlecock. it glides in to land. it's quite a simple idea. probably someone looking at a shuttlecock and seeing how it's done and coming up with the technology. it was deployed it seems early. it seems that it was deployed automatically. they're saying it doesn't look like the pilots did it.

it surprises me, because it's meant to be deployed at high speed. that's the whole point of it. so we don't know why the aircraft has broken up, but what it does, it takes focus away from the rocket and the engine, which is the initial focus, because they found all of that equipment seemingly intact. so now they're looking at other things. >> and this whole investigation is going to take some time. >> it will, but they'll have a favorite very early on. already a few days in, we're actually coming down to the fact that it looks like it was this slowing down system rather than the rocket. so there will be a long, extensive report. initially they go there, they map out the whole area. the first thing they do is get all the bits together and build up a jigsaw. so it might take a year to finish it, but i suspect we'll know lock before then what they suspect is the problem. >> richard, thank you very much. at least 24 people have drowned in turkey after a boat

carrying suspected migrants from afghanistan and syria sank just offi istanbul. the search is continuing for more survivors. a british banker has appeared in court in connection with the gruesome murders of two women in hong kong. the women are thought to be sex workers from indonesia. both victims have been stabbed in the neck. one of the bodies was found inside a suitcase. the supreme court in bangladesh has upheld the death sentence given to a senior islamist leader for atrocities committed during the country's war of independence in 1971. a member of the party was found guilty of genocide and torture by a special war crimes tribunal in may last year. the decision means he's likely to be hanged within months. a decision on whether the africa cup of nations finals

will go ahead in january because of fears over the ebola virus is expected shortly. morocco has said it's unwilling to host the tournament. it suggested postponing it until june. well, moroccan youth and sports minister says his country is following the lead of the world health organization, which has advised against big gatherings in the fight against the ebola outbreak. now, the africa cup of nations, which generates millions of dollars from tv and marketing alone, has never been delayed or changed schedule since it started in 1957. it takes place every two years. but fears of ebola spreading means no other country said they are willing to host the championship so far. the confederation of african football has banned sierra leone, liberia, and guinea, the countries worst affected from hosting any international football. well, one of african football's biggest stars has told bbc sport

why he understands why morocco are reluctant to host the tournament. >> translator: it's quite normal that morocco is not willing to take the risk. that's altogether normal when you consider the comings and goings that there will be from a number of countries in africa. personally, i have this apprehensiveness. i'm naturally a bit scared. it doesn't need much. all it needs is for someone to touch you who has the virus and there you go. >> piers edwards is following the meeting for us in the moroccan capital rabat. >> reporter: there is little local support. adopting defensive tactics, moroccan organizers do not want the 16-team event and the thousands of fans it will bring in until the ebola outbreak is seriously contained. morocco has been ebola-free so far. any change could result in a serious human loss of life and a

damaging blow to the country's lucrative tourist trade. they've been more direct, saying the nation's cup has never been postponed and sounding out alternative host nations should morocco pull out. few, though, are believed to be interested, meaning that this could well go to extra time, and so morocco's way. they want a six-month, or 12-month postponement. a decision is expected today. >> with me, our sports reporter. how big a deal, alex, if this were postponed for a cup of nations like this? >> the africa cup of nations is the biggest sports event in the continent. it's grown under the leadership. just three teams when it started back in 1957. it is a huge event and morocco wanted very much to host it in 2015. but as we've been saying, they're worried about the influx of around 300,000 fans is what they expect for the tournament

in january. they've held a meeting, now gone to rabat to speak to ministers in the moroccan government and we expect a decision later today or perhaps tomorrow. there's three ways this can go. morocco could back down and we could revert to the original schedule starting january 17th. we could see a postponement until june or possibly to january 2016. or it could be cancelled and morocco could say look, we don't want it. and then, a nightmare situation where they'll have to find new hosts very quickly. >> how widely accepted are morocco's reasons for saying this? >> well, morocco admit that there is a slim chance of an ebola outbreak if it held the competition in january, but it's one it's reluctant to take. it generates around $7 billion in its tourist industry. it doesn't want to affect that. but on the other side, it's

slightly strange them saying that, because they have agreed to host guinea's matches in qualifying. guinea one of the countries at the center of the outbreak of ebola, so they have been hosting guinea's games there. traveling to ebola-hit countries, one of the only national airlines to do that in africa. so the slight confusion over why they're saying this. but they're adamant -- or they were adamant that they want it postponed. they did rein back slightly when they said they still want to host the tournament, just not in january when the situation has calmed down a bit later in the year. >> now, the request for someone else to put themselves up for hosting it has been doing the rounds. recently south africa said no, they weren't beginning to host it. what other expressions? >> you would think south africa would be perhaps the only country in africa to be able to host it at such short notice. because it is such a massive event now. it's a huge organization. they probably could do it, but they don't want it. they say it's too much money. it's too soon since they held the last one a couple years ago.

the other countries that have been contacted, only nigeria and ghana have yet to say that they don't want it. they seem to be undecided. we do know that algiers and sudan and egypt declined. >> alex, thank you very much. alex capstick. stay with us here on "bbc world news." coming up, don't look down. can't even bear to look at this. we joined this tight rope walker for some serious high wire antics between the skyscrapers of chicago. t know what to expec. then suddenly you're there... in another world. i did my job. you do your best. i remember the faces... how everything mattered... so much more. my buddies... my country... everything... and everyone i loved... back home. ♪ [ male announcer ] for all who've served and all who serve, we can never thank them enough. ♪

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security in northern pakistan is on high alert, a day after a suicide attack that killed 55 people near the main border crossing with india. the blast went off as spectators were streaming away from a military ceremony that takes place every evening at the wagah border post in punjab province.

we have more from a hospital close to the border where most of the 120 injured have been taken. >> reporter: i am at the hospital where they brought all the dead and injured people last night. since it's the closest medical facility from the venue of the blast. this place was completely overflowing last night, with lots of people dead and injured lying in the parking lot. still, there are many people under treatment and it includes men, women, and even children. if you come with me, and i can show you that there is this boy, a 15 years old boy who has lost five members of his family. ali -- ali has just told me that he heard a large explosion and he started shaking, and then he sat on the ground and he said that after a few moments when he

opened his eyes, the scene around him was completely changed and everybody was crying for help and they were a lot of injured people. this blast has now raised a lot of questions about the security situation in pakistan since there is a military operation going on against the pakistani taliban and other military troops in the northwest of the country. but this blast shows that these militant groups still have the capacity to attack anywhere, any time in the country. >> now the german chancellor has reportedly warned the british prime minister that his attempts to cap immigration from other eu countries could push britain out of the union altogether. according to press reports, angela merkel has said she would prefer the uk to leave the eu rather than compromise on the principle of free movement. rob watson is live for us in central london. rob, just tell us how all this emerged.

>> well, it emerged through a german news magazine where essentially you've had the chancellor, the german chancellor saying something through sources that we hadn't heard before, and that is basically germany contemplating the idea that britain could leave the european union, because i think it's worth rowing back to first principles, both germany wants britain to stay in the european union and david cameron leading the british government wants to stay in the european union. but there is a negotiation that's about to start over, well, what part of the eu's arrangements could you unpick, and essentially what you've now got as the german chancellor laying down a red line, making things extremely difficult for david cameron. >> and i suppose the impact that this has had underlines the importance of the issues of immigration and the european union as we approach an election in may. >> absolutely. the intervention from germany has very much raised the political temperature over this issue in britain, because

essentially what you've had is the euro skeptic, the party saying ah-ha, told you so. you just have to leave. and then making things difficult for david cameron, you have those in the opposition labour party saying it shows he seems to be handling the negotiations in a very cac handed way. so a difficult thing for david cameron to deal with. but let's face it, it's a difficult issue for all of the political parties in this country, and also differently for the germans. there is concern about immigration in britain. there clearly will need to be some sort of a renegotiation of britain's terms of membership of the eu, but what you can clearly get from the episodes of the last few days, and this is a show that's going to run and run and run, is that it just won't be easy. >> it may not have been a direct quote from angela merkel, but the noises from germany, even the last couple hours, they're very much sticking by this line. >> and exactly the same here in

london, with downing street saying the prime minister is determined to re-examine the issue of the free movement of labour within the european union. so in a sense what you're seeing is the negotiations in a way being played out in public. these are people that are trying to stai state their positions. you've got the germans saying we really want you to stay, but look, we're not going to give britain absolutely anything. you've got britain indicating that maybe it is going to have to say that it's prepared to leave the european union unless it gets what it wants. but clearly, you can see the dynamics of a very difficult negotiation. >> rob, thanks very much. rob watson in westminster. now, officials in moscow back self-declared state in eastern ukraine, the so-called people's republic of donetsk. the united states and the european union have condemned the vote. however, russia says it respects the expression of the will of the people.

david stern reports from kiev. >> reporter: the outcome was never in doubt. the acting prime minister of the donetsk people's republic, won by a landslide. he said he was ready to talk to authorities in kiev, but as an independent state. >> translator: we've long been ready to talk with kiev. we're looking forward to a rational response from them. >> reporter: the elections raised tensions in the region even higher. the eu said the vote was illegal and illegitimate and violated a cease-fire agreement that the separatists had signed in september. but moscow said the elections were valid. residents said they simply hoped the election would bring stability to their lives. >> translator: we hope for peace, for well-being and

prosperity of the region so that everything is fine for us and no one is killed and everyone is alive and well. >> reporter: however, at the moment, any hope for peace is a distant one. fighting continued through the weekend, and the ukrainian army reported a number of their troops killed and wounded. locals and western journalists also said a large column of fighters and military hardware arrived from the direction of russia. many fear an escalation in the hostilities. now the elections are over. david stern, bbc news, kiev. now for a report you might not actually be able to watch without covering your eyes. i know we found it difficult. a tightrope walk high up between skyscrapers in chicago. and as if that weren't enough, nik wallenda did some of it blindfolded and in strong winds. >> reporter: even watching this is not for the fainthearted.

but nik wallenda took his tightrope walk very much in his stride. the daredevil walked 600 feet in the air watched by an estimated 65,000 people. but he didn't have a harness or even a safety net. he took two walks. the first saw him walking at a 19-degree incline across the chicago river. that's a world record. for the second, he was blindfolded. >> i need everybody to be nice and quiet for me, okay? >> reporter: nik, a member of the flying wallendas family, is certainly not new to such extreme feats. he has already walked across the niagara falls and the little colorado river gorge. however, he claimed that this walk was a challenge. >> i think you probably saw me shaking like a leaf. that wire was shaking underneath me and i just wanted to make it to the other side. just getting on there and going. >> reporter: in fact, he has been walking tightropes since before he was born. his mother walked a high wire

when she was 6 months pregnant with him. wallenda won two world records for his efforts in chicago. one was for the highest tightrope, the other for the highest blindfolded walk. it's doubtful those achievements will satisfy the latest member of the world's most famous daredevil family. saska o'donahue, bbc news. >> we are still finding that very hard to watch. you're watching "gmt." let's just remind you of our top story this hour. the authorities who were investigating the crash of the virgin galactic spaceship in california on friday say a mechanism designed to slow the craft's descent had deployed prematurely, but the acting head said it was too early to say whether this had contributed to the crash. coming up in the next half-hour here on "gmt" with thousands of syria and iraq's islamist fighters joining from europe, we take a look at who are the inn the ranks of islamic state.

many born and brought up in europe and we meet an organization here in the uk working to stop the radicalization of the most vulnerable. if you want to get in touch with us here at "bbc world news," on twitter, i'm @karinbbc. we'll be back. ♪ there it is... this is where i met your grandpa. right under this tree. ♪ (man) some things are worth holding onto.

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i'm karin giannone. in this half-hour, the battle to stop young muslims becoming radicalized. thousands have left europe to enlist in islamic state in syria and iraq. we join community workers in london as they try to discourage others from following suit. how an art project to keep refugees in jordan entertained has transformed into a global campaign. also in the program, aaron is back looking at the anniversary of german reunification.

>> 25 years ago, this wall came down followed by $2.5 trillion of construction and development in the east, financed mostly by the west to create europe's biggest economy. so we've got a special report looking at how today the east no longer looks west for its future. many of the new recruits are young men born and brought up in europe. we're asking if anything can be done to counteract the lure of the radicals. our correspondent emily buchanan has been to visit a project in london which tries to rehabilitate jihadist extremists. >> reporter: an ambitious project that aims to tackle

extremism at its roots. maxwell is one of the foot soldiers. >> if you see young people sitting on the wall, approach them, just tell them about you. it's better than staying outside. especially in this weather as well, it's raining. >> reporter: these community workers say the best way to tackle extremism is to come out here night after night on the streets looking for young people to speak to, because this is a battle for the hearts and minds of young muslims. tonight they find a group of teenagers in the park and quickly draft them into a game of basketball. >> we engage with a lot of young people just to find out what they're about. >> are you finding there's quite a lot of sympathy for islamic state? >> they don't want to own up or speak to us about them certain things. it's when we start to engage with them a lot, we start to

know more about them. >> reporter: at the youth center, they've observed local muslims being tempted more than ever by extremist ideology. the antidote, companionship and studying islamic text, which they say prove the new caliphate and its leader are bogus. >> people like him and groups like isis come up from within islam historically. we've been warned by our prophet many times that whenever you find them, cut them all. he would seek to destroy them because they are the cancer within the religion. >> reporter: the center uses former members of islamist groups to help deradicalize others. ali is one of these who doesn't want to be identified. he explained what once attracted him to a militant group. >> translator: it's like a brotherhood. i didn't have any friends. so they were like my friends and my family. we would go out and eat in the restaurant. it's okay, they're nice people. hanif approached me at demonstration and told me more. at the beginning, i didn't believe him. then i took his advice and stopped going.

>> reporter: how did he manage to persuade you? >> many scholars refute them. this is not islam. it's an act of evil, basically. the way they recruit people, they don't like to tell the truth. they sit here and tell people to go and do jihad or whatever while they're sitting here. why don't they go themselves? >> hanif kadir is also a former extremist. he teaches to see through the powerful message. >> these weren't stupid people. they're very emotional human beings just like you. >> reporter: this is a battle of ideas. workers here say it must be won if more young people aren't to join the deadly fight in syria and iraq. emily buchanan, bbc news, northeast london. let's turn to the business news with aaron. we started the program talking about the virgin galactic tragic crash. you're looking at the shock

waves that that's had for the business world of space travel, private space travel. >> absolutely. the private commercial space. i mean, it was a rough week last week. remember, when we had that exploding after liftoff, and then virgin galactic. we're looking at the investment implications. hello there. richard branson has pledged to carry on with his commercial passenger space program despite, of course, that accident involving the test rocket that killed the pilot and injured another. but could this now put off future investors from investing in the private industry? in a minute, we're going to be speaking to someone who's been working in commercial space flight projects since the 1960s. but first of all, let me just show you. i'll have a brief look at some of the investment that's gone into richard branson's virgin galactic. it is owned by branson's london-based virgin group.

abu dhabi has invested around $400 million for a 37% stake. nearly 800 people, including the actor leonardo dicaprio, the physicist stephen hawking have signed up for the six-passenger flights, costing $250,000 per person. the company had planned on making its first test flight beyond the atmosphere before the end of this year, but boy, that seems very unlikely now. look, let's get more. david ashford is in our bristol studio. he's the founder of bristol space planes and joins us. great to have you on the program. as i was mentioning, two accidents in something like five days. i'm wondering for companies like yours, for other space companies around the world, working in this private industry, i mean, how much of a -- i guess how much of a setback could these accidents have? >> well, it obviously is a setback.

tragically, it had a fatal design flaw. several of them crashed, killing quite a few people. the design was grounded for several years before they got it right. and several pundits at the time said that was the end of commercial air travel. jet air travel. and again, the titanic didn't really stop people going to sea in ocean liners. so i think once somebody builds a space plane, that is seen to be reliable going into space regularly, people will go for it. >> it takes a mighty investment to get these craft into space, into orbit. can i ask you, what sort of money is involved in your program? and i'm kind of curious, if investors out there around the world are keen on this industry.

>> we need 100 million pounds to get to a project line. we've got a different approach from virgin galactic. it's a lot smaller and uses less new technology. >> okay. but, i mean, is it difficult getting that kind of investment? i'm just wondering where people like yourself and others -- who you turn to. >> well, the problem we have is mindset. it's fairly obvious what you need to get space travel down, is an airliner that will fly to orbit to replace the present day launch vehicles, which can only fly once. what is less well-known, in the 1960s, most big aircraft companies were studying space planes in some detail and we were pretty sure we knew how to do it. my first job was on the 1960 space plane project, and we thought it was the obvious next

step, and just about feasible with the technology of the day. and it didn't happen at the time and the team was banned because of the pressures of the cold war. and since then, the habit of throwing away a launcher each time has got a very firm hold and that is our major problem. >> it's interesting, you mentioned that you -- the british were looking at these sort of spacecraft back in those days, because the uk government is very keen to boost its own space industry. the uk government wants to make that about a $70 billion industry in 2030. but there's some tough competition out there. australia, sweden, who are perhaps many will say better

position geographically. >> we have a culture of innovation. we're the only space leading country not locked in to a prestige station or big launch vehicles. >> very, very briefly, can i just ask you, when are you going to get up there? when's your craft going to get up there? >> five years after we get the money. >> let's hope you get that money, david. the world is watching. thank you very much. we appreciate your time, david. david ashford joining us there, the founder of bristol space planes. if you want to invest, contact him. it was one of the most iconic images of the 20th century, the

fall of the berlin wall. $2.5 trillion of construction and development in the east, financed mostly by taxpayers in the west to create europe's biggest economy. it's part of a special series in covering this momentous time. we're going to take a look at the success of the reunification, and now you're a business correspondent. nigel cassidy reports from the most eastern town in germany. >> reporter: a perfect location, but nobody's at home. coal mining once employeed locals by the thousands, but the entire town has held on to little more than half its pre-1989 population. unlike most of the east, goerlitz looks rich because of the huge variety of surviving buildings, be they gothic, medieval, renaissance, or baroque. and something stirring inside this vast art nouveau pile here.

let's have a look. at least 20 million euros is being lavished on this place, turning this 1913 palace into a luxury department store. and if you think those staircases or chandeliers look familiar, you'd be right. this was the set for an all-star comedy movie, "the grand budapest hotel." but it's the future spending power of visitors from just across the border in faster growing poland in the czech republic which most swayed the investors. >> germany is looking more in the east like poland, but the ukraine and russian. this is a very good chance for a lot of companies to find the impression on the market to get experience in the eastern part of europe. it's only 600 meters if you go from the department store to poland, so you can walk the

income of the customers will be higher than today. so they have enough money to spend here and buy things. >> so after 25 years playing catch-up with the west, goerlitz is also looking east. more confident of its potential in the heart of central europe. >> we have two core investors here. we have a huge company, and we have a company manufacturing turbines. for energy plants. you have the same distance, let's say from here to prague, and on the other hand to berlin. >> reporter: filling many of the town's still empty old haunts with new life may take another 25 years. nigel cassidy, bbc news, eastern germany. >> there you go. we've got more on that at the end of the week. a couple other stories making headlines, hsbc has set aside nearly $380 million to cover potential costs from investigations into currency

trading. hsbc is, of course, among several banks being investigated over the alleged rigging of those currency markets. hsbc disclosed the figure, rising tax profits. the number, $4.6 billion. and the uk drinks giant diageo has agreed to take over don julio. don julio is an ultra premium tequila, with big sales in north america, colombia, and australia. lots going on. follow me on twitter. tweet me. i'll tweet you back. you can get me @bbcaaron. karin, in your younger days, have you ever had a drink that you've had maybe too much of it, cannot touch it ever, ever again? >> peach schnapps. >> tequila is mine. >> we won't ask the circumstances.

more of aaron later. now do stay with us here on "bbc world news." still to come -- how artwork and music are helping syria's child refugees seek international help to get through their terrible ordeal. gotten married. i was right out of school. my family's all military. you don't know what to expect. then suddenly you're there... in another world. i did my job. you do your best. i remember the faces... how everything mattered... so much more. my buddies... my country... everything... and everyone i loved... back home. ♪ [ male announcer ] for all who've served and all who serve, we can never thank them enough. ♪

hello, you're watching "gmt" on "bbc world news." i'm karin giannone. our top stories. investigators are looking at new information from the crashed virgin galactic spacecraft. a safety device deployed too early during the fatal test flight. football officials are meeting to decide whether to postpone the africa cup of nations.

to prevent the town falling into the hands of islamic state militants. kobane lies on the border with turkey. our reporter has been to one border village to see how it's coping with the conflict. >> reporter: now under the control of the kurdish fighters. it's located on the turkish-syrian border. before this air strike, the hill was controlled by i.s. militants and many of the villagers fled. fearing for their lives. but they have returned and the sounds of the nearby fighting have now become part of their lives. >> translator: our children were scared at the beginning, but the war has continued for so long, we're used to it now.

>> reporter: these vehicles left abandoned on the turkish border. kobane residents were forced to leave their possessions. some came here. prior to the war, the villages along the war with kobane like this one relied on trade and sometimes smuggling goods across the border. since i.s. militants' attack on kobane, not only have their lost that source of income, now there are extra mouths to feed. this was the village school. now around 20 refugee families are housed here in the classroom and the schoolyard. this woman's husband remained in kobane to fight. but she fled with her daughter. >> translator: my home and belongings are all gone. i just took my daughter when i escaped. jihadists loaded our belongings

into cars and sold them. >> reporter: the villagers help where they can. but with winter fast approaching, the kobane refugees can only hope that the newly arrived peshmerga force will push back the jihadists so they can go home. bbc news on the turkish border with kobane. >> as the conflict in syria continues, three million refugees have been pouring into neighboring countries with many heading to jordan. now one group there is offering the world a look at the events going on through the eyes of child refugees. in the form of a giant canvas. >> reporter: a letter to washington from the children of syria. over 500 meters of insight into the minds of young refugees living in tents like this one. a simple art project to keep the

children occupied in the camp in jordan is now part of a global campaign led by hazami barmada. >> the average american public are disconnected from this. they don't have the chance to see the impact of conflict on the child. when you're presented with the child's picture, it develops empathy that is very much lacking in the narrative that does reach the international community. the power of using arts is that these kids tell their own story. ♪ it might seem crazy what i'm about to say ♪ >> they put out this video to give a face to their cause, restoring happiness to the children of syria. now canvas is on tour to show the world just what is at stake. first stop, the united states. and the audience could be anyone, from tourists to runners in the marine corps marathon where the canvas first debuted, to u.s. soldiers past and

present. >> this artwork tells their story. it tells about entouragedy. it tells about injury. it tells about loss of home, loss of family. it's a very graphic reminder of the terrible devastation of war. >> what we need to remember is the victims of these appalling conflicts are overwhelmingly children. >> reporter: assistant secretary of state anne richard worries about a lost generation and an apathetic international community. >> we've been disappointed that the american public has not given more through private means to help syrian victims of the war. these are innocent families caught up in a war zone. this is not of their making. they are suffering in a way that is just terrible. >> reporter: this video highlights their resilience. organizers hope as the canvas is seen around the u.s. and europe, it will have an impact and help

give the youngest victims of the syria crisis their childhood back. there are growing calls in japan to scrap plans for a brand-new stadium for the 2020 olympic games. rupert winfield-hayes explains. >> reporter: in the vast tokyo metropolis, there are very few places like this. this area of parks and sports fields that surrounds the old 1964 olympic stadium has been a sanctuary for nearly a century. but now, another olympic games is coming, and all this is about to change. the fences are up, the work teams are ready. and in just a few weeks from now, the demolition here will begin. the old 1964 olympic stadium will be completely erased. it's going to be replaced by an

enormous $1.5 billion u.s. dollars stadium by a british architect, or is it? >> you see the tower, the height of that is 60 meters. the max height of the new stadium is 70 meters. so it means ten more meters above the tower. >> reporter: this woman is so angry about the design, she set up a group to try and stop it being built. >> the design is shaped like a spaceship or cycling helmet, or for me, it's more like a turtle thing. and the scale is too big. >> reporter: there is no doubt the design is spectacular.

it's also twice as big as london's olympic stadium. but japan's sports council says it was chosen in a fair competition, and there is no need to change it. not true, says one of japan's most celebrated architects. professor maki says it was chosen by a small group of arrogant bureaucrats. >> i'm saying it's ridiculous. they don't listen. because we are not a civil society, where the voice of our citizens could be critical. >> reporter: professor maki fears tokyo will be left with another expensive white

elephant, just like beijing and so many other cities. do join me in a few minutes time on "impact." we'll be live in pakistan and india, looking at the fallout from yesterday's massive attack on a border crossing. an act of defiance from both countries. that military ceremony that happens every day has now gone ahead. i'll have the details. (receptionist) gunderman group. gunderman group is growing. getting in a groove. growth is gratifying. goal is to grow. gotta get greater growth. i just talked to ups. they got expert advise, special discounts, new technologies. like smart pick ups.

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