And move there and barbara sorry youre watching live from london also coming up on the program chilling testimony from range of muslims a fleeing me is the u. N. Warns of increasing reports of Sexual Violence plus. On your page or watching from the sound that were going to strike. The president jacob zuma to step down. And saudi women welcome to the city to scrap the ban on them driving could the guardianship system be next to go. The result is in kurds in Northern Iraq have overwhelmingly voted yes in mondays controversial so. Referendum. Kurdish officials announced that ninety two percent were in favor of splitting from iraq on a turnout of seventy two percent now this was the scene in suliman year where people celebrated following the announcement but there is still strong opposition to the polls baghdad says the vote should be a no its demanding the kurdish leadership relinquish control of airports in the region to iraqi authorities and several airlines are moving fly dubai and Royal Jordanian have announced that they will suspend flights to kurdish cities well the transport minister for the Iraqi Kurdish region says the flight ban will have far reaching consequences for you was there about. Its effects the diplomatic channels and the representatives that opposed to the kurdistan region to fix the organizations and opponents of the United Nations in the kurdistan region it affects one way or another the military aviation that operates from International Airport and the international has become a launching pad for Coalition Forces in the fight against arsenal. Charles stratford has our update from an appeal. For celebration the other ninety percent of all just say yes the future independence of the good is region of Northern Iraq but despite the sense of joy you get scenes like this if this is the great script the brits remember right from the fact that Central Government. After this referendum. Quite a joy to see many of the people who think it will turn to a break for the future and theres a great sense about certain things about what could happen next. For reporting there will meanwhile the top u. S. Democrat has come out in support of an independent kurdish state Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has issued a statement calling on the u. S. Government to recognize what he called mondays historic vote and to back the creation of an independent kurdish state. For him to refugees who escaped the military crackdown myanmar are accusing the army of raping women and girls four hundred eighty thousand have fled to bangladesh in the past month the chief of the uns Refugee Agency has just returned from bangladesh and he heard many stories of Sexual Violence. The combination of limited Health Facilities who are sanitary and hygiene the conditions and overcrowded sites you can well imagine is a recipe for disaster in terms of possible epidemics unicef and doubly a chore working with the government with the ministry of health in stepping up. Immunization campaigns but the risks remain very high the other. The other striking feature of this particular refugee flow is the trauma that these people carry with them ive spoken to several women who had been raped or had been wounded because they had resisted rape and most likely those are those who are survivors because other had been killed. And strong words there from people around the of the u. N. A man mars government denies the claims the however it has refused to allow International Observers to investigate from could have been bangladesh has more. Two sisters twenty five year old me and twenty two year old aziza share their story of escape from me and my both say they were raped by soldiers in. The military tortured they murdered our parents even our sisters they took us to the jungle they pushed us down on the ground there were two of them they raped me and then i became unconscious. Some people came and rescued us and took us to a group of people who were going to cross the river to bangladesh but they wouldnt take us in the boat as we had no money we told them either you kill us or take us with you. Its estimated that more than a third of nearly half a million refugees who arrived in bangladesh in the past month are women and young girls i met survivors myself whove told me their harrowing stories about how one sister was gang raped and killed in front of her how one was raped and then a baby was killed in front of her they have experienced its extreme amount of pain trauma being fled some have walked for days not even if you say trauma its an understatement they are severely traumatized. It is of course impossible to verify the stories weve been told but those of n. G. O. S are hearing this sort of testimony every day now as this vast population of refugees slowly gains access to health and counseling services. But despite the best efforts of aid agencies the task of reaching all those in need is nowhere near complete the sisters have had no direct help. We are young girls where can we go we dont have anything left they killed everyone only my sister and i are alive. Whether or not Sexual Violence is being used as a weapon against the fleeing richenda is something that may be proven in time when dissident unsung suchi was fighting for democracy in myanmar shes on record as saying that rape was used systematically by the army against minorities now as the countrys leader shes had nothing to say about the latest allegations nor has her government granted access to International Agencies to investigate jonah how aljazeera bangladesh. Thailands former Prime MinisterYingluck Shinawatra has been handed a five year jail sentence after being found guilty of negligence but she was in court to hear the verdict after fleeing thailand last month should know what was convicted of mismanaging a rice a subsidy scheme that cost the country billions of dollars. Residents of the indonesian island of bali are spending their six that day on the highest possible will cain alert as mount are going threatens to erupt the volcano in northeastern bali is spurting smoke and that the intensity of tremors is increasing thats according to seismologists almost one hundred thousand people have been evacuated from a twelve kilometer exclusion zone the last time mt ago in europe that that was one thousand nine hundred sixty three more than a thousand people were killed. Tens of thousands of people have been out protesting in south africa against president jacob zuma and the corruption that they say has become in them make under his leadership the marches were organized by the countrys Largest Workers UnionWhose Alliance with the African National congress is looking increasingly strained twenty pages more now from johannesburg. Miners teachers and laborers are among the thousands of workers taking part in a nationwide strike against corruption. And the man they say is to blame for it is president jacob zuma they say hes been compromised by private Business Leaders have captured control of the state the president has indicated that hes not too willing to and we know the reason is because he has been the print if you chatted with. The president. Says ninety members of the. Camp is that. The demonstrators switched through the city delivering their demands to government the banks and big employers like the mining industry. Because obvious pressure on the president has apparently been ignored and then signing some lines with the African National congress and the South African funniness its not what it used to be not only. That its deeply divided. The a. N. C. Says its partners are free to protest but it cant be happy at the level of corruption being uncovered by the Opposition Democratic Alliance which won control of johannesburg at the last election. Not far from the march god dogs protect and almost empty construction site the is supposed to be a new power station here where we this is just one example where. Almost five million u. S. Dollars was paid to a contractor without doing any job i mean if you look around you can see that nothing has been done keenan lost his job at the site and now his community suffers frequent power cuts because the upgrades have stopped its. Something. Keenan is the victim of corruption that cost south africa about two billion dollars a year but its far from certain that it will cost the president his job no matter how loud the call is from one of the mcs oldest partners for him to go tony a page out a zero johannesburg. Brawls have broken out in Uganda Parliament for the second day running. It happened during a debate over changes to laws the dictator age limit for president s which is currently seventy five years old now the leader right now you are in the seventy is seventy three he is seeking an amendment to the law so that he can run for a sixth term in office. Ukraine has blamed russia for a fire at a military ammunition depo which calls the series of explosions the blasts at the military base near collective car started on tuesday Evening Rescue Services had to evacuate thousands of people from six nearby villages soldiers have now been sent to patrol abandoned residential areas ukraines Prime Minister says russia will do anything to weaken his country. A u. S. Airstrike in the Afghan Capital kabul has caused a number of civilian casualties thats according to nato the strike was called in to suppress an attack on kabul airport during a visit by the u. S. Defense secretary jim mattis that is this tour with nato chief u. N. Stoltenberg follows u. S. President Donald Trumps pledge to send more american troops Afghan Security forces are struggling to defeat the taliban which has been on the offensive since the u. S. Led the nato combat troops withdrew in two thousand and fourteen so lots more to come in this half hour including contemplating an independent catalonia how a yes vote on sunday might affect the military money and much more will also take you to the Demilitarized Zone between north and south korea one of them festival is promoting peace through walk. How i think we should see some quiet weather into central parts of the matter over the next couple days still a few showers lurking around across southern italy over towards the ball was more clout still coming in here but im hopeful they will ease over the next few days the main weather action will be across the northwest British Isles looking rather just some windy weather dreaming in here not too bad as we go on through thursday as you can see for much of the u. K. At least all it will turn increasingly wet catamite will make its way east was still a few showers down towards greece and the balkans still not a little further resources because through friday hopefully becoming fewer and further between seventy so just ethical caressed forty eight in kiev cooling off just ten degrees celsius there for moscow but not temperature wise for paris for example twenty five cells but nineteen in the cloud in the right the blustery conditions for all. London as we go towards the weekend weve got some other wet weather some damn weather a possibility of course a northwest of africa few showers into Northern Iraq and Northern Areas of algeria but for much of north africa we will be five and dry temperatures typically getting up to the mid twentys maybe still touching thirty degrees also fall so as continue across Central Africa with more showers right across a good part of the west. For most when we grow old we take life at a slower pace well not for this centenarian. Online dating teaching the you know kicking in door. Shes a blog i adored around the globe and shes doing it own way. Life begins at one hundred eyewitness documentary at this time on aljazeera. Welcome back heres a reminder of the top stories on aljazeera results from the controversial kurdish referendum in Northern Iraq show that ninety two percent voted in favor of secession that is calling on the kurds to relinquish control of the airports while some airlines say that they will stop flights to the region. The head of the uns Migration Agency is warning of increasing reports of Sexual Violence against the hinge of muslims fleeing myanmar and tens of thousands of people have taken part in a nationwide strike against government corruption and unemployment in south africa. Catalonia insists it will go ahead with an independence referendum on sunday despite spain declaring it illegal this week judges and prosecutors ordered the seizure of all the lead trauma tiriel including millions of ballot papers fourteen officials organizing the referendum have also been arrested and websites linked to the vote have been shut down the Spanish Government is planning to the point police at polling stations to prevent people from voting or many challenges lie ahead for catalonia if its people vote yes on sunday from the capital and town of john hendren explains. Millions of cattle and hope to defy the odds and the government of spain by voting to create their own nation if they succeed within days they hope to declare their independence but it is after the vote that the real work begins is britain discovered headlines would have many questions left to answer. Will they form their own military will it join nato what league would the Barcelona Football Club play and. What currency will they use it has to Seek International recognition as a state from the United Nations secondly it needs to it should try to join the European Union as a new member state and thirdly it needs to get on with the business of striking trade deals as soon as possible. Bad who exports eighty three percent of wines from his cattle on vineyard there could be a new higher tariff for selling to the European Union but hes voting to secede anyway in two weeks catalonia like bit of state kind of arrived. With a different contrast explored with anomaly because. Everybody. Here in the land of cavernous cellars and vines that stretch into the horizon europeans and fine lines have a way of finding one another now theres nothing stopping anyone from crossing from catalonia into mainland spain and back but if this side becomes independent catalans will have to turn sheep pastures and creekside crossings into man borders on an International Front ear thats a metal. So this takes years to make its a little like independence you have to be yes it day by the vineyard must have minimum tanny a. Young or that doesnt work are you willing to wait that long for independence of necessary yes some things he says are worth waiting for john hendren aljazeera lets send you a spain. Rights groups are welcoming the king of saudi arabias decree to allow women to drive from next june saudi arabia is the only country in the world where women are forbidden from driving and critics say the driving ban is only one of the discriminations that women face in the kingdom but at smith reports this woman was arrested for her open act of defiance in saudi arabia now not only will lifting the driving ban next june give women more freedom but also helps to rid saudi leaders of a significant Public Relations embarrassment saudi arabias ambassador to the u. N. Seem relieved that hell no longer have to defend a policy that critics used to highlight the kingdoms particular interpretation of islam royal decree has been issued in saudi arabia giving women the right to drive. This is a historic day for Saudi Society for men and women and we can now say at last saudi women will be able to drive alone but significant in a country with a male guardianship system that requires women to have the approval of a male relative the decisions on education employment marriage travel plans and medical treatment let driving issue has been one small part of a much larger issue of discrimination against women the big part of course is the system which is the biggest impediment for womens rights in the kingdom so while that still exists driving will only do so much for womens freedom for the relatively young Prince Mohammed bin solomon allowing women to drive could perhaps be the most visible sign that hes bringing change to saudi arabia. Their history of demanding the right to drive is very long it began in one nine hundred ninety led by forty seven women followed by many campaigns now thank god we have reached the fruits of those demands with these successful reforms. Women one be allowed to drive for another eight months the government says it needs time to prepare for the change. The Council Recommendations were clear and its time for women to drive before that the foundation was laid and the infrastructure was made ready to embrace the decision training women issuing drivers licenses and even the presence of female police to be closer to what is happening on the road. Earlier this week women were allowed into the National Stadium in riyadh for the first time to take part in National Day Celebrations another reform credited to the crown prince of saudi arabias powerful religious establishment hasnt had much to say on these changes so far some clerics have recently been detained following reports of a crackdown this month on potential opponents of the kingdoms rudeness. Its mythologising. The United NationsSecurity Council is currently holding a meeting on the situation in syria although diplomatic editor james bays joins us live now from the u. N. In new york james the meeting started what fifteen minutes ago twenty minutes ago whats come out of it so far. Important developments coming with regard to syria they are being briefed in the Security Council as i speak by the special envoy stefan de mistura whos been briefing diplomats on the Current Situation on the ground in syria and on the prospects of future diplomatic talks interesting on the way in the french ambassador and the british deputy ambassador spoke to reporters describing the situation in syria as dire particularly the military situation around mr de mistura didnt quite use those words he said it was fragile and far from perfect but certainly it live is one of the four socalled deescalation zones which has seen in recent days a real escalation with bombardment of areas there at hospitals that have been hit and civilians that have been killed interesting again that mr de mistura referred to the allegedly death of civilians when he briefed the Security Council that briefing is continuing he says that there is now the chance of diplomatic progress following talks that have taken place in starner and he says he hopes to get all sides around the table for fresh talks that he says should take place about a month from now and clearly these are going to be a crucial round of geneva negotiations weve had so many rounds before but clearly things have changed on the ground in syria i source certainly is looking much closer to defeat with forces now that have retaken large parts of russia as or as well the little land has been retaken around their resort by both the government and by the u. S. Led coalition and their main force on the ground which is a kurdish a mainly Kurdish Force many believe that now is the chance for some sort of solution it will be difficult of course to try and get both sides to compromise mr de mistura said a short time ago that both sides need to come back to geneva in about a month from now hell announce the exact date soon without any preconditions. James ways with the latest from the un james thank you the leader of britains Opposition Party says it is the government in waiting in a wide ranging speech at the partys annual Conference Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn accuse the Prime Minister of bungling breaks at negotiations and criticized saudi arabia for what he described as its crew or war in yemen Barnaby Phillips has more now from brighton even in this age of the political unexpected its an extraordinary story the apparently an ambitious backbench m. P. Who became Labor Party Leader now adored by the members he promised more spending on Health Education bringing industries back under state control higher taxes for the rich and big corporations the crowd loved it is the country ready for it. Today the Center Ground is certainly not where it was twenty or thirty years ago new consensus is emerging from the great economic crash and the years of the sterett say. When people started to find a political voice for their hopes for Something Different and something better. Theres no doubt. This conference but of course Jeremy Corbyn is preaching to the converted somehow he has to convince the majority of the wind. That he is the right man to lead this country. They call it corbin mania a celebration of the man even his pet cat so is the labor party in danger of falling for a cult of personality manners go. On like many of the people i know. Be somewhat embarrassed sometimes but the truth theres being a leader one of the definitions of leadership is to inspire me inspires millions. From all over our nation this is as close to dissent to speak out at this conference pro demonstrators want to be called in to take a stronger line against blacks it labor like the Government Conservative party is badly divided trying to keep options open in other areas germy corbin says he put the pursuit of peace and human rights at the center of his Foreign Policy so we cannot be silent the cruel saudi yemen while continued. The saudi arabia thank you for no say this is. A champion of democracy and human rights please do all you can to end the violence now against the ruling. Have suffered. But first he needs to win a general election an election that the conservative government will do its best to avoid Jeremy Corbyn says labor is a government in waiting Prime Minister to resign may plans to keep him waiting Barnaby Phillips aljazeera bright. A Film Festival is perhaps the last thing youd expect to find on one of the most heavily militarized borders in the world but movie fans have been heading to the neutral zone between north and south korea for screenings focusing on peace and reconciliation. Explains why to access this Film Festival you need more than just a ticket civilians must get military permission to enter this area near the border with north korea high security reminding visitors of the tense situation in this part of the world with overseas guests seem more worried about this location and they think were hosting this amid heightened tensions but our festival transcends political ideology. Even with the ever increasing nuclear and missile tests from north korea the show must go on organizers trying to add a touch of glamour to Opening Night screened in the gym of an old u. S. Base the feature film old marine boy tells the story of a former north korean soldier who defected across the sea border to south korea and his struggles to support his family. Risking his life every day as a compression diver because he feels discrimination against people from north korea prevents him from finding other work some of the movies give viewers a look inside the country that is just a few kilometers away from here but out of reach for the south korean audience filmmakers have gone into north korea to tell people stories and even follow a foreign rock band. Liberation day is the somewhat bizarre tale of the slovenian band lie back the first rock band to ever perform in north korea its one of more than one hundred documentaries being screened with the theme of peace and reconciliation. Bringing the kind of i hope there we saw koreas turn to a more open access to north korea information and that we can do more to foster more exchanges and bring peace to the Korean Peninsula in old marine boy the central character of the host says hell never forget the night when he crossed the border and wonders if hell live to see the day when the koreas become one country and he can return to his hometown kathy novak aljazeera camp grieves near the d. M. Z. And you can find out much more on that story and Everything Else that we have been covering on our website the address and the page on your screens right now aljazeera dot com. In a reminder of the top stories on aljazeera results have been announced in a controversial kurdish referendum in Northern Iraq with ninety two percent voting in favor of secession this was the scene in suliman yeah were people celebrating after the announcement was made but theres still strong regional and International Opposition to the poll. The Central Government in baghdad is calling on the kurdish leadership to relinquish control of airports in the region and some airlines including fly dubai and Royal Jordanian have announced that they are suspending flights to the regional capital in according to local media the Kurdish Regional government has now agreed to hold talks about having Iraqi Government observers at its airports or the bill hamid has more now from it be. Satisfaction and most people i think. Would have what was a given for everybody speak to people in the past few days and i would say. By how much do you think it will win and many were quite confident that it would be such a high result that when you also asked them what do you think is going to happen next there would be a lot of problems due to. All the statements coming out of. The Regional Government they know that this is not something that is going to be easy. The head of the uns Migration Agency is warning of increasing reports of Sexual Violence against range of muslims fleeing myanmar around four hundred eighty thousand have fled to bangladesh since a crackdown began last month me and mars government denies the claims but has refused to allow International Observers to investigate. Tens of thousands of people have taken part in a nationwide strike against government corruption and unemployment in south africa. The marches were organized by the Largest Workers UnionWhose Alliance with the African National congress is looking increasingly strained the protesters are demanding an investigation into state corruption which they say has become and then they can the president jacob zuma listen to shit. Those are the headlines im going to have more news for you in less than half an hour stay with out a zero coming up next its the stream thank you for watching. Its one of the richest countries in the world to get ireland has what campaigners are calling a homelessness crisis and its getting worse and then moving and youre in the stream live on ill be