infectious diseases are on the rise in those besieged areas as zeina reports, and a warning you ma ime pictures in her report disturbing. >> reporter: hygiene-related diseases are on the rise in syria. this girl was diagnosed with a parasitic infection that is spread by flies. according to doctors, cases like these show how the crumbling and worsening living conditions in rebel-held areas affecting people. >> translator: we have no pesticides here because there are many flies, also homes are not sterilized. there is no hygiene. >> reporter: one of the reasons is the lack of clean water in mean places, under a government imposed siege. the problem of contaminated water is not confined rural damascus. across sear the world health organization reported mine 6500 cases are typhoid this year. help tight sit a problem. >> we have serious problems with access to clear without never areas such as a hleb owe and also in the rural damascus area lately. the damage to the sewer system and often this is followed by diseases. and we have seen infectious diseases in the suburbs of damascus. >> repo

zeina khodr, al jazeera, beirut. >> iraqi army has been engaged in furious fighting as they try push out i.s.i.l. from the anbar province. security forces are being backed by tribesmen on the ground. >>> al jazeera continues to demand the release of its three journalists who have now been detained in egypt for 352 days. baher mohamed, mohamed fahmy and peter greste protest against their sentences. >>> the turkish president recep tayyip erdogan has rejected criticism of police raids, he told the eu to keep its opinions to itself. zoman newspaper is among 20 detained. journalists and producers have also been arrested as police search the offices of a newspaper and tv station. >> translator: this is a protest of normalization. this process is the planting of the seeds of the new turkey. those who try oget involved in dirty business and dirty relations with the hope of returning turkey to its old days are getting the necessary response and will continue to get it. >> still to come this half hour. >> i'm tim lavelle in london where you would struggle to get a huge tin of beans for 2 pound

. >> it's a powerful book >>> lucy lawless is famous for her tv role as zeina, war warrior princess, she's an environmentalist, one arrested on board an oil-drilling tanker. she talks about her mission. >> i'm lucy lawness, and i'm best known for playing zeina, warrior princess. since then i have gone on to do "battle star galactica", and "sparta ask yous", and environmental activism. >> the arctic is heating up. i became alarmed about the specter of climate change when i understood what that meant. in 2012 i joined with a greenpeace team to scale an oil rig that was heading to the arctic where shale would drill, and we occupied it for four days, slowing it and bringing tanks to the fact that they were doing this. >> this was seven of us. seven of us went up the rig. 133,000 came down with us. >> the reason oil companies are rubbing their hand is because it's melting. it seems more accessible to them. they are like kerr change, let's carve up the arctic. the problem is that we are digging up more of the stuff which caused the melting of the arctic in the first place. do you know what

zeina reports from beirut in neighboring lebanon. >> reporter: government sniper around the district. moving in and out is severe restricted. according to human rights watch, residents are harassed and sometimes detained when trying to do so. it says it has become a prison for its residents. the government wants the fighters inside to lay down their arms. but the opposition wants guarantees. >> translator: the government wants deflectors to hands themselves in. i am an army deflector and there are others like me, what guarantees do we have that they won't kill us like they did to some fighters in old homs who surrendered. >> reporter: they have gained control over much of the third largest city. but the rebels say that they have to surrender because the districts were besieged for months. this is the laugh one in rebel hands and government attacks have intensified there since ceasefire talks collapseed in october. many civilians have been killed in the densely-populated neighbor neighborhoodses, some 100,000 people. many who fled from other conflict zones live here and they are growi

they would rather go back home but they just can't do that. >> all right, zeina, thanks very much.n lebanon. >>> now, pakistan's prime minister is vowing to continues fighting what he's calling the war against terrorism. lifting a ban on the death penalty for terror related cases after taliban gunmen killed more than 140 people in a school massacre on tuesday. the pakistani taliban have leased picture of the mena tacking the school. they say it was in retaliation for the military offensive against them in the northwest of the country. >>> a suicide bomber has killed a policeman and injured three others on the outskirts of afghanistan's capital. police say the attacker was attempted to drive in to kabul in a car laden with explosives when he was stopped by officers. >>> a public inquiry has dismissed allegations that his prettying soldier unactuallily killed people. 13,000 documents and statements from 610 witnesses. it found that some claims of around 20 iraqis were lies and speculation. the judge, though, found they were mistreated. deprived of food, water, and sight for almost 20

zeina, al jazerra, beirut. >>> cuba's president raul castro has stressed that his countries will could change its communist system despite closer ties with the united states. he also says cuba face a long and difficult struggle before the u.s. lifts a long-standing economic embargo. gabriel elizondo reports from huh van amount less than a week ago they were serving sentences for espionage in a u.s. jail now the cuban five as they are called are being greeted as heros to thunderous applause. they were leased as parts i've historic agreement announced this week between the u.s. and cuba. while everyone has been talking about what will change following the agreement. ube an president raul castro was keen to also remind people what will remain the same. >> translator: the economic system that will prevail in our country will continue to be based on socialist idealses in the entire countries reu6789 castro was quick to praise barack obama and the ground breaking nature of what was accomplished to reach an accord but also indicated that its implementation inside cuba would be left to the cub

zeina holder, al jazerra, bay drew. >>> the u.s.s it will not support a draft resolution on the palestinian statehood opposed to the u.n. security council. it sets a time frame to israel to end it's occupation of palestinian land. >> we have seen the draft. it is not something that we would support and we think others feel the same and are calling for further consultations. the palestinians understand that. you may have also seen president abbas speak to this earlier today. and they support continue consultations and are not pushing for a vote on it now. >>> ray new development plan by the israeli government is threatening a distinct way of live for pal tip generals in the desert. though they are israeli citizens they are asked to be vettel elsewhere and it's not the first time. andrew simmons reports. >> reporter: in every direction you look you see bed within communities, a way of life that dates back longer than the state of israel. but palestinian bed wins who are israeli citizens believe the latest development plan the governme

zeina khodr has the story. >> the number of people crossing over has dropped significantly.overnment of lebanon has enforced stricter l policies. >> arbitrary policies by general security agency in charge of the borders and ironically letting in those who looked like they were just coming for the weekend, not desperate or humanitarian cases. >> it is hard to independently confirm this when we are denied access to the immigration office. syrians who do cross are scared to speak openly but the discriminatory treatment, this family wanted to go to syria for a visit but if they did the lebanese authorities told them they would never be able to come back. so they didn't go. officials say a person who goes back and forth won't be considered a displaced person. a local official justified these measures particularly after some syrians were involved in attacks and boaments i bombings in leba. >> it has been four years. now for example men in their 20s are not allowed in because of the security problems. >> reporter: the rfg refugees don't impose an internal threat. leaving many leban

from where zeina khodr joins us. you've spent time and speak to refugees. what do they tell you about their life in the camps and what they need most? >> they need help. any form of assistance. food, water, just to survive. these people do not have jobs. they have lost their livelihoods. they scope from the war and some have been here for years. they can't survive without handouts. the united nations is providing help. it's not enough. it's not only food and health care, it's education. we are at an informal school set up by the united nation, there's around 50 scattered around lebanon. each enrolling 350 children. that's a mere 15,000 syrian children going to school. there are approximately half a million children of school age in this country. so the needs are great, and it's enormous. at the same time lebanon, as a country, cannot provide help. it has been appealing for international assistance. it's infrastructure has been strained. 1.19 million syrians are registered here. there is more than that. a lot of them have not registered. a lot have been taki

zeina khodr reports. >> they are yet again preparing to start a new life, a refugee moving to lebanon with her family. her husband has a heart problem, putting the family in a vulnerable category. eligible for a resettlement. living in lebanon has not been easy, it's over whelmed sta by refugees. we are paying the price because of difficulties. we are targetting opponents. it's a feeling shared by refugees waiting for hours, just to apply for asylum. many tell you they have spent their savings and can't find jobs. it's not just economic hardships, they have powerful allies here. >> it's a difficult lie. people are scared. being in lebanon, wanting to leave syria. we were treated as human being. all the ropes about countries is not true. >> people lost hope. there's more than a million refugees. that is around 7,000 people since the conflict started, it's a small percentage. in terms of the process it can be lengthy, and can dependent on a country. we have to interview and determine who people are. and they go through security and checks before they are admitted. we are working to impr

zeina khodr has more from beirut. >> over the past 24 hours there has been poor incidents in which five schools, along with a school bus were targeted by syrian government air strikes. what we understand from activists on the ground is that children were killed. we do not know if the schools were deliberately targeted, but they were in opposition-controlled territory. the government controls the skies and air power has given them advantage and they usually target rebel-controlled territories six not to allow the rebels to govern there. it's a way where - for them to retaliate. we know the attacks were in idlib. and a few days ago the government suffered losses, and they lost military bases in idlib. children are being killed. it's not only the fighting and the violence, we understand from international organizations that in rebel controlled areas diseases are spreading. the world health organisation has been appealing for the government to allow it more regular access to deliver much-needed supplies. now that it has the approval, the organization says it will take time for logistics to

zeina reports. >> reporter: government sniper surround this area.ing in and out is severely restricted. according to human rights watch, residents are harassed and detained. it says it has become a prison for its residents. the government wants the fighters inside to lay down their arms. but the opposition wants guarantees. >> translator: the government wants deflectors to hands themselves in. i am an army deflector and there are others like me what began identity do we have that they won't kill us like they have another fighters who gave up their arms. >> reporter: after what it calls reconciliation deals, but the rebels say they had to vendor because the districts were besieged for months. this is the last one in rebel hands. and government attacks have intense fight there since ceasefire talks collapsed in october. many civilians have been killed in the densely-populated neighbor neighborhoods. >> some one thousand people many who fled from other conflict zones in the city live here and they are growing increasingly desperate tann even when we we

attack in idlib, it's an area where the president bashar al al-assad's regime is being pushed back, zeina reports. >> reporter: this is not the first time they have tried to push out government forces but on monday the attack against the heavy mill ter iced zone was well explained and coordinated. hundreds of rebel fighters took part in the operation. it is a strategic win, because the syrian military has been forced to retreat. from its largest bases in this region, they lie on a highway that links the north to the south. >> translator: it is important because it lies on a main junction. this will affect the regime's presence in the north. and the north is important since it was from here the coalition started. >> reporter: this is a major military setback for the government when has lost control over much of idlib, but this is also a setback for the so-called moderate rebels. the assault was led by al-nusra front, syria's al qaeda branch. group has been consolidating its hold on idlib after pushing back western-backed rebels. when al-nusra did that, they also took their weapons. those h

zeina reports on the struggle for syrians entering lebanon. >> reporter: they wait for hours and sometimes relatives don't arrive. it's harder now for syrians to enter lebanon, this is the main border checkpoint between the two countries, just a few weeks ago 15,000 people used to cross back and forth every day. the number has dropped significantly. the government in lebanon has impressed stricter conditions because it can no longer cope. it says only those who have a humanitarian reason or those escaping fighting can enter. but there doesn't seem to be a clear policy. >> in practice, at the time what we were hearing was or did trier i policies by general security. the security agents in charge of the borders and ironically letting those in looking like they were coming in to the weekend that were not desperate or humanitarian cases. >> reporter: it's hard to confirm this when we are denied access to the immaterial games office. syrian that his do cross are scared to speak openly. but privately tell you about the difficulties in what some call discriminatory treatment. this family wanted t

zeina khodr, alwar, bay route. >>> the mayor of berkeley, missouri says the shooting incident is different than other dets in missouri and nearby brooklyn. shiia brittanzi reports. >> proarts were quicprotesters o gather at the scene. >> the individual that had the firearm backed away, turned back around, officer engaged him in conversation again then the individual produced a pistol with his arm straight out, pointing at the officer from across the hood of the police car. at that point, the officer produced his service weapon and fired what we think at this point is three shots. >> surveillance video produced by the police shows the body of the victim from a distance. the protest against what they say is excessive use of force by police officers. and a lack of accountability, young black men are killed at a rate 21 times as much as young white men by police. killing of two police officers in brooklyn over the pit the wy a gunman. >> it is necessary not to let that action become the face of this whole series of events because it's still young black men that are taking a beating and getting

zeina khodr reports. >> reporter: this woman is preparing to start a new lie. she has a refugee from syria. she moved two years ago. her husband had a heart problem, and that puts the family in a vulierable category. eligible for resettlement in europe. living in lebanon has not been easy. it's a country overwhelmed by a burden of refugees, caught up in the conflict of next year. >> translation: there are no jobs. they are paying the price. they were targeted when attentions were supporters of opponents of the syria government. >> it is a feeling shared by many refugees that wait for hours at a u.n. office, just to apply for asylum. many tell you that they have spent savings and can't find jobs. it's not just economic hardships, the government has powerful allies here. >> it's a difficult life. people are scared. >> in europe, we are treated as human being, all the reports about countries is not true. >> people lost hope. there's more than a million refugees. the u.n. settled around 7,000 people since the conflict started. it's a small percentage of the numbers

zeina khodr explains. >> reporter: the united nations has a plan to stop the fighting in aleppo city. so far there has been no agreement. it hasn't given much details on how it can be implemented on the ground. the special envoy says it can involve a monitoring mechanism backed by a security council resolution. that is what worried the syrian government. mikkel is close to the authorities, telling us that the initiative doesn't involve just the bloodshed and allowing aid. >> parts of east of the aleppo have been taken, and they will be able to govern the territory. the government will not accept that. agreement should involve state sovereignty and the return of state institutions >>> government sources say the u.n. intend to deploy international peacekeepers along the front lines, allowing self rule in the opposition areas. that, according to the sources, will not be acceptable. the opposition has not taken a final decision to anticipate or relevant the plan, it, too, has concerns, and is worried that the government will take advantage of the lull in the fighting to intensify military

zeina khodr reports. >> reporter: this man is again preparing to start a new life. this is a refugee from syria moving from lebanon with the family. her husband has a heart problem and cannot work. it puts them in the most vulnerable category of refugees. according to the united nations, eligible for resettlement in europe. living in lebanon has not been easy, it is a country overwhelmed by the burden of refugees and the country caught up in the conflict next door. >> there are no jobs. in lebanon we are paying the price because of political differences. we are targeted when supporters and opponents. syrian government here >>> it is a feeling shared by many, who wait for hours at a u.n. office in beirut to apply for asylum. many have spent savings, and can't find jobs. it's not just economic hardsh s hardships, the syrian government has powerful allies. >>> we'll take you to the new york police department. they are holding a press conference in the aftermath of the killing of the two police officers, let line. >> the timeline of yesterday's event. 5:30 in the mornin

zeina khodr reports. >> this woman is yet again preparing to start a new life. he is a refugee from syria who moved from lebanon with her family. her husband has a heart problem and cannot work. it puts the family in the most vulnerable category of refugees. according to the united nation, eligible for resettlement in europe. living in lebanon is not easy, it's overwhelmed by the burden of refugees and a country caught up in the conflict next door. >> there are no jobs. in lebanon we are paying the price because of political differences are targeted when there are tensions between supporters and opponents of the syrian government here. >> reporter: it is a feeling shared by many refugees who wait for hours just to apply for asylum. many tell you that they have spent their savings, and can't find jobs. it's not just economic hardships, the syrian government has powerful allies here. >> it's difficult. people are scared. in europe we were treated as human beings. all the reports about our countries accepting refugees is not true. >> people have lost hope. there's

zeina hodr reports. >> reporter: handush is preparing to start a new life.he is a refugee who moved to lebanon with her family two years ago. her husband has a heart problem and cannot work. >> puts the family in the most vulnerable category of refugees and, according to the united nations, eligible for resettlement in europe. living in lebanon hasn't been easy. it is a country over womened by the burden of refugees caught up in the conflict next door. >> there were no jobs and in lebanon, we are paying the price because the political differences. we are targeted whether there are tensions between the opponents and the syrian government here. >> it is a feeling shared by many who wait for hours at a u.n. office in beirut just to apply for asylum. many of them tell you, they have spent their savings and can't find jobs. it is not just economic hardships. the syrian government has powerful allies here. >> it's a difficult life. people are scared. being in lebanon as if one didn't leave certain 8. in the europe, we would be treated by human beings but this abou

zeina khodr spoke to a member of the council to unite rebel groups and he is suspicious of the u.s. plan. >> united nations is trying to end the fighting in aleppo, it's been a battle ground for two years. the u.n. hopes a truce will ease the suffering of people, allow aid in and lay the ground work for a political process. so so far the rebels are not convinced. the head of the syrian revolutionary command council, which unites the opposition's armed forces in aleppo. he was the man unspecial envoys met. they want more details before committing to agreements. >> translation: they are demanding a freeze in fighting. what happens next? the regime, which committed crimes against the people will stay. and it cannot just end the crisis in aleppo or over the country. we are suspicious. >> over recent weeks the military has been closing in on rebel supply routes around the city. and the council wants guarantees. >> there are many front lines in syria. why does the united nations want to start its so-called freeze plan in aleppo city. >> the international organization says it believes the

zeina hoda, al jazeera. >> china is not going to allow british mps to go into hong kong as parts of thery. this is after hong kong saw some of the worst violence there has been since protests in the territory began two months ago. police moved in to clear a protest site near government headquarters, the protest leader said he and two others will start a hunger straight to request talks with chief executives t demonstrators want the people of hong kong to be allowed to choose their candidates without interference from beijing. rob mcbride reports. as morning rush hour approached, the police moved in scattering protesters and demolishing their tents. hundreds of offices in riot gear forced the demonstrators off of the road outside the main government buildings. the morning action followed a night of the most violent clashes seen on the streets of hong kong during the two-month long struggle. pitched battles around the main government headquarters in the district home to the sdmon trait traitor's main occupation site. student leaders have called for a big turnout for what they said would b

zeina khodr reports from where the army imposed strict security measures. >> reporter: the lebanese army is at war. a few months ago syrian troops tried to take over the north-east town. since then arsal is a military zone. military is guarding the area. it's angering the residents, they say they are under sieged, they are being punished for supporting the syria opposition and giving shelter to refugees. >> translation: the army is not allowing everyone to go in and out. you are treated as suspects. they detain us for nothing. they lay siege to the town. >> there's an active front line, the islamic state of iraq and levant, and al qaeda affiliated groups like al nusra control arsal's outskirts, which lie between lebanon and syria. from there they have repeatedly attacked the army. they have killed four of 29 soldiers they are holding hostage. >> the lebanese army says it's engage nonparole period an open-ended war with what it calls terrorists. military officials told us up to 1,500 fighters are based in the mountain ace region along lebanon's border with syria. it's nod an easy fight. i

zeina khodr, are beirut. >> benjamin netanyahu first met the stanley prime minister before sit down withohn kerry. palestinian draft evidence resolution which was circulated by jordan to the u.n. security council last month calling for israeli occupation of palestinian lands to end by november 2016. >>> ahead of that meetings with the u.s. secretary of state, the prime minister said he won't accept any timetable, that palestinians want for a state. >> translator: in recent years time after time we've repulsed efforts to dictate conditions that have damaged the security of israel and that do not comply with real peace. also, this time we will not accept attempts for unilateral moves to be dictated to us within a given time line. in the reality in which islamic terrorism is reaching out to all parts of the world, we will rebuff any attempt to put this inside our home inside the states of israel. i will make this unequifly clear, we will stand in the face of any dictate. >> the special coordinate for middle east process, robert serra, said, while it's necessary for negotiations to take plac

zeina khodr has more. >>> this woman is prepared to start a new life. she's a refugee from syria that moved to lebanon. her husband has a heart problem and cannot work. it puts them in a vulnerable category of refugees. according to the united nations eligible for resettlement. living in lebanon is not easy, it is overwhelmed by the burden of refugees and a country caught up in the conflict. >> there are no jobs. in lebanon, we are paying the price because the political differences. we are targeted with supporters or by syrian opponents. >> many wait for hours to apply for say sil um. -- asylum. many have spent their savings, and can't find jobs. it's not just hardship, the syrian government has allies here. >> it's diff. people are scared. in europe we will be treated as human reports. >> reporter: people lost hope. there's more than a million refugees in lebanon. 7,000 people have been resettled. it's a small percentage of those that need assistance. >> in terms. process it can be lengthy. it depends on an individual country. we have to interview, det