a friendly lunch and a rare invitation south korea's leader is asked to visit. the forget the handshake it's all about the hug in the palestinian territories india's prime minister wraps up a historic visit. i'm far is small and our top sports story north and south korea played together on an olympics for the first time a unified women's hockey team begin their pyong chang campaign. out of their very warm welcome to the news hour we begin with one of the biggest confrontations between israel and the ron in years and that's ended with the dining of an israeli f. sixteen fighter jet well the jet crashed after coming under fire during a mission inside syria but it landed in israeli territory it all began when israel says it supports a draw in flying in its ear space into set to hit israel says the drone originated from syria and it launched a major air raid in syrian territory in response with its warplanes targeting at least a dozen syrian and iranian basis well syria responded with a barrel of aircraft far that's where the f. sixteen was done and well among khan has more now from western. in the early hours of saturday morning syria's war escalated to a new level for the first time in thirty years israel lost a fighter jet to anybody. the crush full at the shooting down of the drug israeli army video shows what it says is an iranian drone fly. towards the northern golan heights before it was downed in retaliation of the violation of serenity the israeli air force it twelve targets in syria including the suspected drone command center iranian targets and syrian air defense syria launched surface to air missiles during the israeli raid and says it shot down the f. sixteen both pilots ejected and parachuted to the israeli side of the border one's critically injured these really army spokesman blamed iran for launching the drone it's not known if it was armed iran can't al-jazeera western slope. well it's not the first time israel hit targets inside syria iran a set military advisors allegedly thousands of its revolutionary guards to help the syrian government and the build up of the reigning in assets is that increasingly worrying for israel said a harder explains. this is the golan heights territory israel captured from syria in one nine hundred sixty seven the war in syria has brought iran and its allies like the lebanese armed group hezbollah closer to that border israel says that is something it won't tolerate it has reached out to russia an ally of the syrian and iranian government's. before this was the deal that was signed by netanyahu and put it on the thirtieth of september when netanyahu went to russia in two thousand and fifteen russia will prevent the iranians from building bases near the borders with israel this is when the russians entered syria and launched their military operations we have been witnessing israeli air strikes ever since. israel has struck targets inside syria for years and has had convoys carrying weapons destined for hezbollah arms depots bases clearly with a green light from russia moscow does control the air space the israeli air force was flying challenged until saturday when one of them was shot down by syrian anti-aircraft batteries after it struck targets around damascus. the downing of the plane coincided with what some believe is the beginning of a more aggressive strategy to rollback iran rules america are the russians in front of a confrontation with the americans in syria are the americans in front of a possible confrontation with the russians in syria or is there an unannounced deal between the russians and americans to reduce iranian presence in syria. israel considers russia its guarantor for security along its border with syria they have talked about a buffer zone but israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu has said the ceasefire agreement in southern syria didn't address. what he called iranian military ambitions israel has repeatedly said it will not allow iran and its allies to entrench themselves militarily in syria and it won't allow syria to become a forward operating base against israel not to know who calls them red lines now the syrian government and its allies are introducing red lines of their own they say the downing of the israeli jets is a clear message that the days of carrying out attacks in syria are gone russia to both sides is calling for restraint and for serious sovereignty and territorial integrity to be respected it was a serious and dangerous incident the israeli army said it was not a war more than a confrontation for now all sides have taken a step back after making their message clear. well jimmy is the senior resident scholar at the arabia foundation she joins me live from washington d.c. geneva very warm welcome to the program i wonder what you are taking on israel to this. presence and of course of the loss of its jet well you have to consider that you know as your reporting indicates the israelis are feeling under enormous pressure because of the iranian buildup in syria and because of hezbollah's presence there because of the revolutionary guards the iranian revolutionary guards and this is been going on of course throughout the war in syria but presence has intensified and i think that there is a feeling among the israelis and really among some arab states as well that the iranian involvement in the middle east ok we're not just talking about syria we're talking about iraq we're talking about yemen in lebanon that it's reached the point now where action must be taken is there more than a loss of. i don't want to use the word pride but it's the word that's coming to mind here geneva you know just how significant is the loss of the jet in itself. well it's very significant because you know again the israelis are feeling under enormous pressure and obviously this isn't the first time the israelis have bombed inside syria they've done so in recent years and during the war years too so you know we have i think that although all parties including the russians particularly don't want a confrontation among all the states in syria the risk now is that syria is becoming a battleground for so many different parties that have been involved in the syrian conflict including the united states and just last week actually president trump and his administration and veiled their new syria policy which includes you know u.s. military presence in syria so we're talking about a battlefield where that involves multiple countries with very differing interests in geneva from this particular incident do you suspect that tensions will further escalate i mean of course we are talking about the golan heights where you know it's a it's a long term longstanding area of conflict isn't it. yes absolutely and i think that we there are other indications of the iranian buildup along the goal line there are indications or in recent months since december of what is becoming sort of a region wide shia militia coalition that includes the iranians that include both and they actually marched on the israeli border to show this new alliance in december so there is not just been military confrontation there has been a lot of symbolic indications from hezbollah and from iran of this kind of new she coalition that we could actually call a regional shia militia that the iranians apparently want to. engineer in the middle east to be there from washington d.c. thank you. both korea's leader kim jong il and has extended a way or invitation to the south korean j.m. to visit kiln yang and then hosted kim says if it talks in seoul on the sidelines of the winter olympics it's a good name has more now from kong. in the presidential blue house in the capital seoul relations between the two koreas continued to thaw the meeting had two firsts jiang is the first member of the ruling family to cross into the south since the korean war the sister of the north korean leader came with the first ever invitation kim jong un is asking south korean president moon is in to come to pyongyang at a convenient time soon little nuance key president moon said early talks between north korea and the united states are essential to improve relations north korea to be more proactive to move forward to have a dialogue with the united states. it's unclear when that might happen the u.s. and north korea have rebuffed lose attempts so far if an interesting meeting transpires it will be the first time kim jong un has met with the south korean president since assuming power in twenty eleven the last time leaders from the north and south met was eleven years ago during a summit in p.r. . because of all the global attention i believe reunification will be brought forth the government is making efforts and i think people are rooting for it organizers of the olympics say they've been moved by the diplomatic breakthrough it was quite on the story a moment. and something that as you know the i.o.c. has been generally working for since probably two thousand and fourteen. and you know i think it is it shows it opens opens the door maybe just a little bit. critics say they doubt the door will ultimately open much more for now there is hope but the pyong chang winter olympics is the catalyst for a reboot into recovery in relations natasha going to aim old zero south korea now it might be all smiles and handshakes between south and north korea but the fiery rhetoric between chung and washington hasn't died down well u.s. vice president mike pence started his visit to the winter olympics saying he only had a message of maximum pressure for pyongyang north korea retorts it saying it had no interest in meeting him either but john chang is a small place and contact is inevitable north korean leader kim jong un sister kim jong was seated close to pence of friday's opening ceremony but he refused to engage with her or any other north korean official just before he left the games pins tweeted saying the u.s. would not allow the propaganda charade by north korea to go on challenge then the world can turn a blind eye to the oppression and threats of kim jong un's regime while north korea was quick to respond to that accusing the u.s. vice president of shameful snobbish behavior. well for more on this i'm joined by korea unless aid and force of cossar from exeter hi there aden i'm guessing you're watching all this activity with interest how much of this is kind of shell bolting in theater and how much of it is about genuinely making some sort of small progress . i think that a great deal of it is about i must say kim jong un and north korea who we don't do is associate with subtlety and charm of play the blind they both come in the last minute well mistaken novoa made themselves the center of attraction politically but that these games and it's left to the u.s. vice president mike pence to look like the grumpy old man standing up for what is the international community's position so kim jong un's game really is to drive a wedge between the u.s. and south korea and a pension i see keeps reiterating that there is no daylight but i think now that the invitations been made for the summit all kinds of questions arise should mungy him go should he go unconditionally should he insists that north korea should also talk to the u.s. well those kinds of questions will be vigorously debated i think between the allies and in the south korean media there's a lot of talk right now isn't there about this idea of a re-unification although i'm sure that since distant as ever but that if there was a bit of progress you know at this summit what could that potentially look like. well in my view not a lot i hate to sound pessimistic and i must say i wish the koreans didn't do is file everything under reunification ratio is a best that the end of an incredibly low road let's talk about reconciliation but even that is difficult because everybody's hands are now tied by a whole raft of u.n. security council resolutions because especially in the last two or three years comptroller and that's been firing off the stick missiles and doing your head tests like there's no tomorrow should be concrete i get it two koreas used to have an industrial park together but one of the un resolutions not specifically says no joint ventures with north korea a little new so it's hard to see how you get more than symbolic maybe more sports cultural stuff but politically unless there's some progress on the nuclear issue i don't see this going very far i'm sorry to say what is the u. s. perspective coming they. well it's also hard to know because i mean donald trump is this he was well known a president like know all the. banks policy by tweeting he mostly has sounded awful mareeba sort of strongly coming back strongly against north korea like people remember the playground exchange about whose bottom is big but every now and then we get a different name that he would be prepared to talk to him knowing that they're trying to work it out on the worrying thing is that what i can gather no one has completely excluded this i wish i would the so-called bloody nose well sure there are some people in the white house did looted today and dangerously who apparently think you could sort of take out one north korean site a little script wouldn't immediately run far in seoul city of ten million people just across the border they would and that is the worry that that is gripping south koreans it can foster costs of joining me there from eggs so if you take care this much more to come on the news hour where the shadow of death is never far away we report on the psychological impact the sky high murder rate is having on the people in the mexican city of acapulco after forty years they did the irish nationalist party should face controversial figure gerry adams and the far right i don't support hurricane is the difference or talk now again in the english premier league . there enter modi has wrapped up the first official visit by an indian prime minister to the palestinian territories is that palestinian president mahmoud abbas the trip to the west bank is part of a three nation tour to strengthen ties with the middle east earlier he laid a wreath on the tomb of former palestinian leader yasser arafat where despite this morning from ramallah. it's a very short visit three hours he flew over took a helicopter from the jordanian side landed here in the occupied west bank an hour from the indian perspective this is a visit aimed they said helping build up palestinian capacity in the health technology and education areas there investing in a technology park here in ramallah is also a school that the indians have helped form and it's a very different to the relationship from from the early relationship decades ago between the indians and the palestinians the indians were the first to record the first non arab state back in one nine hundred eighty eight to recognise the state of palestine and then they view their relationship through the sort of colonial prism the indians are being colonized by the british and they saw the palestinians as being colonized by zionist palestinian territory being colonized by zionists so then there was a lot more solidarity today the indian relationship is much more pragmatic israel is what really matters to india forty one percent of israel's arms exports go to india so it's that that's important but modi has decided to separately visit the west bank to show that they still believe there is a sort of special relationship if you like between the palestinians and the indians the turkish military helicopters been shot down in northern syria during an operation against kurdish fighters this video is said to show the helicopter moments before it was done killing two soldiers on board the turkish president. says it happened near the southern province jamal sheil has more from gas and air turkey's border with syria. the downing of this turkish manufactured attack helicopter that was killed to his soldiers is a significant development in this three week long but military operation it brings the number of cristal just killed by z y p g kurdish militia group to over twenty years far as the serbs are concerned they've killed at least one hundred fifty kurdish fighters now some advances have been made on the ground in the past twenty four forty eight whereas the free syrian army which is fighting alongside turkish military in order to advance towards the y.p. cipro just stronghold of free and i have managed to capture some villages on the road towards there as far as the turkish army is concerned and the listening to president merchant tehran they will respond the same to those who were behind that attack what's important to note here is that although the. kurds are sources in the y.p. ji claim that the turkish military has killed civilians in its operation ankara denies that they say the reason why this operation is ongoing as fast as they wanted to is precisely because they have been trying to of various any deaths of innocent civilians that have been reports that the p.g. and a p y d that's the political wing of that car just militia have actually bussed in kurds from other towns and cities to use them as human shields the kurdish officials there would say actually this is just the natural response of the kurdish population in order to protect their town against what they see as a foreign aggression. three weeks now into operation on a ranch that does seem as i say to be a steady advance made by the tarps and the free syrian army towards our feet but this down and go for a helicopter will be sure to incur the wrath of the tsar chris from the tree even his two hundred thirty civilians have been killed by syrian and russian airstrikes in the past week. u.n. commissioner for human rights describes it as some of the worst violence during the syrian conflict and says the strikes may also constitute war crimes they flat out hussein also says his office received reports that toxic agents may have been used last sunday and the rebel held town acetic him that's a province. mary lou mcdonald has become the new leader of the irish nationalist political politician fame adonal takes over from the controversial politician gerry adams who led the party for thirty four years but there isn't up and. gerry adams was here but he didn't address the crowd of several thousand shin fein officials and members mary lou mcdonald certainly did and she started out stressing that she is continuing in the footsteps of gerry adams and the late martin mcguinness who were she said did so much for the island of violence bringing about the peace process but also so much for the party getting into the into the power sharing government in northern ireland making the third largest group here in the republic of ireland in the parliament she had a warning for the british government that there should be no pause boda after breakfast not something that still a large vote of contention in those negotiations with brussels she committed sin fein to work for social justice but at the same time she acknowledged that there were several challenges one of them is to get that power sharing devolved government in the north in stormont back on track and she said that june fein was interested in the deal her deputy newly elected michelle o'neill says that that could come as early as next week but she said there would be no return to the status quo what she means by that is that there must be some concessions by the unionists on things like irish language rights at the same time she acknowledges that term her party needs to reach out to more middle cause. voters here in the irish republic but all along the underlining the underlying message the underlying commitment was to keep pushing for a referendum on irish unity. mexico is in the grip of a war on drug gangs acapulco was once a soft soft a holiday destination but now it has the highest murder rate in the world well despite the best efforts of peace and aid groups it seems as if the social fabric is coming undone from acapulco john home reports. the shadow of death has lain across a couple of years the full maturity as one of the highest murder rates in the world and behind the military patrols police sirens and daily crime scenes live a townspeople struggling with fear and grief knowing why in the last year francisco's wife was caught in the midst of a gang shootout and killed now he's raising their four children alone we hid his identity speaking out here is dangerous term. this. may. mean this is. a decade or more than one hundred twenty thousand victims into the drug war there's still no federal program dedicated to psychological support to the families left behind. in acapulco and n.g.o.s doctors without borders is filling that gap their team of community workers and psychologists go to churches community centers basketball courts anywhere people gather to train them to support each other and. the violence gets to such a level that the social fabric is destroyed people don't trust their neighbors and little by little things deteriorate and so yes we see. those suffering particularly painful experiences like francisco to meet one on one with psychologists. doctors without borders are also training teaches to recognise children traumatized by violence or sexual abuse the aim is to convince the government that programs like this a needed on a national scale makes crispe huge amounts of money a man power into combat in organized crime in comparison very little has been dedicated to treating traumatized victims and according to psychologist that shows a real lack of foresight because those affected by violence if not attended to a much more likely to repeat the cycle. that's the worst nightmare of parents like francisco trying to protect the next generation. on the. experts say it could take decades for the wounds of a society growing used to violence take you the worry is that without intervention that process and struggle to even begin john home and. a couple. protesters in the philippines are urging president were to go to turkey to stop china's military expansion in the size china sea in march to the chinese consulate in manila philippines media published photos last week showing that china has continued to build installation on the district it's the islands islands are rich in natural resources are important strategic goals for navigational for military purposes to milan dog and has more now from manila. protesters say this is just the start of a long series of campaign to put pressure on president to agree got the charges government to point out the man. to stop it maybe there is a strike and then noted areas in there are trying to fill their tanks after a local report shows that china is almost already finished with its military station of disputed areas in the spratleys group of islands. in the long run it was very damaging one has to be started to be reversed otherwise we may be losing the. chinese already controlling my huge part of the disputed area. it is our president who does not have the consciousness to fight for our old man but it is easier for him to give our really old philippine rice to the chinese . the spokes person of president that artist says the blame should be put on the previous government that even president benigno aquino was not able to do. anything when it comes to china's reclamation and military's asian activities in the south china sea and says that the philippine government should eventually think china for the minute she garrisons that installation it's built there in the event that it finally leaves philippine waters but critics say the governments are pro-choice it comes to the south china sea is dangerous not only because it threatens the country's sovereignty it also threatens the sovereignty of its allies in the asia pacific still ahead on the news hour revisit the german time that's in the spotlight since refusing to have any more to change its demands a strict party where people can forget their economic and political will square in brazil where carnival is in full swing. and the first gold medals of the winter olympics in chung chang are handed out so far we'll have all those details in sport . and we've got lots of clouds spilling its way into the middle east at the moment the satellite picture is showing that all working its way in from the mediterranean gradually edging its way towards the east but that is not the only weather system we have with us at the moment this one in the east is also producing a fair amount of rain and snow as well and that one slowly is going to move its way eastwards as we head through into monday behind it it will be a bit bright and warm for us in kabul that other system though will be developing as we head through the next day or so so a first not a great deal to it just a fair amount of cloud but then that cloud will be thickening up and on monday we'll see some heavier rain making its way towards lebanon and working its way across parts of iraq and into iran as well the bit of cloud would also just be filtering a bit further south into the northern parts of saudi arabia may just edge towards us here in doha but here in doha actually fairly warm at the moment we're looking at a top temperature of around twenty six degrees as we head. through the next couple of days the salada are temperatures hovering at around twenty eight or twenty nine as we head down to was a southern parts of africa we had a bit of excitement here as we had some rain in cape town of course nowhere near as much as we actually need and the temperatures here will be recovering over the next few days twenty five degrees with plenty of sunshine on sunday. a young so molly refugee thrilled to gain u.s. residency in twenty sixteen. i was told i was lucky too good to us here i was a really really high god answered my prayer but with anti immigrant sentiment under the trump presidency al-jazeera world asks ali was whether his american dream is still alive and so molly in america at this time on al-jazeera. a unique portrait of a small gulf nation living under siege but maybe this friend was there targeted to be a pain to be forced to leave would just be all and then gains others a little bit has given us the desire to carry on with our lives and be creative maybe of turndowns but it's not a marriage bargain business. has become a more united. beyond the blockade at this time on al-jazeera. mind of our top stories here on al-jazeera israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu says israel will continue to defend itself against any iranian attempt to establish itself in syria his comment comes after an israeli fighter jet was back whilst on a mission to syria crashed inside israeli territory turkish military helicopters been shot down in northern syria during an operation against kurdish fighters to turkish soldiers on board were killed. south korean president when j.n. has received a rare invitation to visit pyongyang from north korea's leader kim jong un and. have votes are being counted in sri lanka after its most peaceful election for decades it's the first vote since electoral laws change that's allowed a record number of women to campaign for a seat in the government now fernandez says more now from colombo choosing members of three hundred forty local government institutions observers say voter turnout was higher than expected some districts reporting eighty five percent of voters had a clear idea of what they wanted from their local representatives corruption is a big problem so somebody who is less corrupt somebody who was educated turned and of course somebody with the region who can do something for the community and other voters said changes to the electoral system has made things easier compared to. previous system do the much more simple system for the water it's a new mixed result system which candidate wins the most votes and which party has the most support. the changes also included a quarter of twenty five percent for women this election monks' a number of firsts the first time so many women have contested the first time votes are being counted in polling centers like the one behind me and the funds time election violence has been so low observers say there is a marked change in the conduct of campaigns and the election the main election organize a credits hard work mean pigmies rio if you care good the people not to break the law through the law enforcement of the law really calm. come back to prepared council despite being a local election which is usually about issues in local neighborhoods the campaign to go on the flavor of a national election prison might be parlor city saying or prime minister i know become a singer and the man the united to defeat by in the rajapaksa were heavily involved in the campaign travelling around the country to support their respective candidates the stakes for each of them are high and the results of this grassroots raise will point towards the political board in the run up to the general election in two years and have an end as jazeera colombo and anti fascist rally has taken place in the intaglio and city of mass at arthur where six africans were shot last saturday well schools in the city were closed and public transport suspended security was tightened over fears the far right protest as mike clash with the demonstrators last saturday look chinamen was arrested over suspicion of carrying out a drive by shooting in which six africans were injured. the city of corpus is the latest in a growing number of areas refusing to house any more refugees in germany the decision was criticized by activists and applauded by far right groups both of which descended on the city to have their say and the people of corpus say much of the criticism has been on warranted hope brenden reports. with its bilingual german and saw the street signs and so close to the polish border cutpurse has been a cultural melting pot for centuries so news that it would not accommodate any more syrian or iraqi refugees sparked angry demonstrations proving even some near nazi elements may cut bus a flashpoint between rival groups. after the demonstrators have dispersed though the reality here in corpus is somewhat more nuanced and complex a town which finds itself the rather reluctant focus of a much wider issue here in germany. city hall insists the decision on new arrivals was forced by practical issues including a lack of kindergarten space but it's put cut bus in the eye of a storm of protest. of the refugees of all the nazis that are coming to. bite us both that the situation is bad for whole sites they will have to be managed in case of a school. there are acts of violence which we condemn and where we hope the police and justice or thorough will respond of the appropriate punishment those include two separate knife incidents involving syrian youths and another where german youths attacked a group of afghans the police presence in coppers has been visibly raised but the perception of fear has affected attitudes because that is how many skin us and as i really have nothing against immigrants they are welcome in germany but i am scared of. my friends who are foreigners but what if i end up with a knife in my pocket some residents worry that the debate has become quite so polarized. after first in as i tried to understand that there are people there and i don't think it works to call it a monarchy i do have a problem here with right wing extremists no doubt we don't get for that and that it's not factual discussion. architect das read fled from homs and arrived in capos three years ago the tensions he says are being manipulated to me it's like a bit like propaganda it's like the use the story the way it fits them that's the sort of thing because as you can see it's like total quiet i mean it is. such a quiet city like local. concerns about integration resourcing and security are certainly not limited to this city but distinguishing reality from perception is the key all bran and al-jazeera cops. indonesia's navy seize more than a ton of crystal meth and arrested for suspected drug smugglers the seas substances were paraded on some island after being found on a boat in indonesian waters near singapore wooden stake that been hidden under sacks of rice for taiwanese men have been arrested or there are reports the drugs were headed for a string. brazil in colombia both tightening their border controls with venezuela and then attempt to control the number of arrivals from their crisis torn neighbor hundreds of thousands of venezuelans have attempted to escape from the rampant place and food shortages and political uncertainty in their country. ports. officially more than half a million venezuelans crossed into colombia in the last six months of last year but no one knows the truth because only that tens of thousands of venezuelans now try to scrape a living across south america the largest numbers in neighboring brazil and colombia. here there are many mechanics doctors college graduates and look at us cleaning windows selling chargers and air conditioners so and so to then as well as future is over but hey you have to before i feel really sad really sad because we have to migrate to look for what we used to have in our country because before in venezuela we had what colombia has abundant and a growing economy there are scaping in the economic crisis is lead to severe food and medicine shortages the international monetary fund predicts inflation this year will reach thirteen thousand percent the president of venezuela nicolas maduro blames the u.s. backed international conspiracy for his country's troubles the colombian president juan manuel standoffs says nicolas maduro has mismanaged the economy and the colombia can no longer live with those consequences or you saw me decide on our starting today only venezuelans who have passports or have in their hands the migration card will enter colombia. he's ordered three thousand more soldiers and police to patrol the border but colombia and brazil say the influx of migrants is straining their social services to breaking points if they my law regarding immigration what the government wants and what the. country once is to achieve orderly secure and legal migration that means foreigners are legal in our country in that way we can plan for the future. but with the situation in venice where you are and you predicted to get worse the migrants who keep coming now they'll face a more formidable challenge to cross the border. well the biggest and most raucous street parties in full swing in brazil brazilians are using the carnival to let off steam after a difficult year the struggling economy aspiring collapse corruption investigation and increasing political polarization are all taking their toll al-jazeera says see a new man has been with reveling in the northeastern city of pretty. and early morning bugle call summons revelers on to the streets of the seething. it's called the rooster of the dawn the highlight of carnival in northeastern brazil's capital where least a million people parade past the giant bird doesn't spend money. we had for carnival all year but something spectacular that's in all of our hearts here and part of bercow where we hear and dance the rhythm of our region. above all the city. where brass band music is accompanied by an acrobatic dance in a massive street party resilience can forget their economic and political wolves. its culture roots joy for people who have been suffering so much lately. carnival lasts for five days a period of unbridled revelry ending just before lent which on the christian calendar marks a forty day period of fasting and prayer carnival has evolved since it first began here in india eighteen hundreds back then there was. a lot of garnett was. the way to break away from the brass. and to the gods of the upper class. after the emancipation of slavery and until this day it's become a massive outdoor affair. it's a convo made up of so many diverse people that just want to have fun. and look in rio where lovers send the schools millions of dollars often from questionable sources here it's all grass roots every neighborhood in household comes out to parade. is too young or too old to celebrate brazil's most traditional carnival. season when i just see that brazil still ahead on the program conservation a step up the pressure on restaurants selling shark fin soup in hong kong a dish that's still in. korean hockey found seven with a unified women's team at the olympic games. from satellite technology to three d. printing and recycled waste to. africa is transforming young innovators propelling change building communities creating employment and. challenging systems and shaping. creative thinkers shaping continents future innovate africa. and then reported on the. u.s. and british companies have announced the biggest discovery of natural gas in west africa but what to do with these untapped natural resources is already a source of heated debate nothing much has changed they still spend most of their days looking forward to form a dry riverbed like this one five years on the syrians still feel battered even those who managed to escape their country have been truly unable to escape the war . sure chinese new year old traditions are a big part of the celebrations but the practice of eating shark fin soup is proving controversial activists say hong kong imports five thousand tonnes of shark gear which is driving the animal towards extinction and i want the delicacy out to restaurants to vehicle pollen of course. the chinese new year just around the corner it's the busiest time of the year for shops selling traditional dried seafood and sales are brisk for one of their most popular items shark fin. i guess we should be concerned about shark fin because i feel it depends on how we sculpt after all we have been eating it for a long long time and when it's time to celebrate the traditional delicacy is seen as a sign of prosperity and good fortune consume a lighthouse just have no choice because india ordered chinese new year menu each of them and you have sufi say good conservation groups and young activists are lobbying one of hong kong's biggest restaurant chains to take shark fin soup off the menu and this is not a test to is just a transition they're just forced to eat that we need the ocean and. that was a beautiful weekend only kill them because that's what the protesters are also highlighting the cruelty and brutality involved a charge finning. the fins are the most profitable part in most cases they're hacked off while the shark is still alive then it's thrown back into the sea to drown our starved it's estimated one hundred million sharks us watered each year and seventy percent of those are killed soley for their friends hong kong is at the center of the shark fin business accounting for more than half the global trade every year most of the fins are packaged in exported to mainland china once a rare delicacy only than ability and could afford it is now widely available due to improved fishing dick nixon and logistics china's economic boom and growing middle class have also added to the demand but there is an increasing awareness that she wins that we are having mass just for you know because the youngsters are more concerned about the environment but it's our custom to have a grand meal at the end of the year a recent study using d.n.a. analysis found that a third of shark fin products sold in hong kong shops come from species that are vulnerable or endangered conservationists are calling on the government to step in they say they're running out of time in the battle between thousands of years of tradition and millions of years of shark of dilution if you go pollen are jazeera hong kong. you. think. it's time for the action from the winter olympics in china far over to you. thank you so much julian north and south korea have played together in a united team for the first time at the olympic games and while their women's hockey team were thrashed eight now by switzerland the occasion was viewed as being about a lot more than sports leigh welling's reports from young child. after the political for an historic match on the ice a unified korea for now at least via women's ice hockey a remarkable event watched by south korean president jane alongside kimya jong sr of north korean leader kim jong il and some south koreans particularly younger generations were critical of this sudden union between north and south preceded by the nations providing together at friday's opening ceremony said it would harm the host nation's medal hopes but others including those lucky enough to have tickets welcome the step towards peace however temporary it proves that. over the nativity knowledge of is a good idea to form the united team i'm very much looking forward to this game and the feeling that our nation becomes one when you go but. i think the united team is beneficial is a part of improving the relations between the koreas and let me tell it that i saw win or lose a meaningful event i'm so glad to see this game the korean same took to the ice in white jerseys with a unified flag two hundred twenty nine north korean cheerleaders across the border urging on the korean team and providing for the symbolism of the current unity they had early chances to score but it was switzerland who struck halfway through the first period the swiss are going to hire six in the world and was showing their class with a quick second and avalanche of goals followed the final score was switzerland eight unified korea nil a disappointing scoreline for the crowd but an important event like this unified korea and saying when i need to pick itself up for matches against sweden and your pile are coming up and their chances of winning a medal in this event are extremely unlikely were south korea does have stronger sports and this was about far more than sporting success lee wellings al-jazeera at the quandong hockey center in p.r. china. in a further show of unity athletes from north and south korea held a joint taekwondo performance on wednesday it's part of the four hundred strong north korean delegation at the games that also includes a one hundred and forty member orchestra after months of political tensions the north and south korean squads marched together under a unified flag of friday's opening ceremony. the host nation have won their first gold medal of the games lim gold at the in the fifteen hundred meter short track speed skating which is traditionally one of south korea's best winter olympic sports five gold medals were awarded in total on day one of competition and sweden's charlotte color secured the first title of the game's color won the women's on a cross country event were skiers which techniques at the halfway point in fifteen kilometer race to the organ of norway took so over the thirty seven year old is now the most decorated female winter olympian of all time with eleven career medals. germany got on the medal table through laura dahl myers she won the women's seven point five kilometer biathlon sprint an event that combined skiing with shooting could be the first of many goals for her in young chang. the netherlands won eight gold medals in speedskating and thought she and they've started with things we win the three thousand meter banks earning just pipped defending four time olympic gold medalists i mean this. now over the coming days will be seeing advance that many may be unfamiliar to many of us so we're going to try and explain a few of the sights on show in south korea first up here's peter stem it to tell you about some of the facts this is where men and women on ice. fighting sports are exactly as they sound at the winter olympics think sliding down the ice at high speed with close finishes and inherent danger to the athletes all of that make them thrilling to watch bobsled is perhaps the best known of these think cool runnings and it's been part of the winter olympics since the first event in nineteen twenty four teams of two or four men or women compete the four man crew consists of a pilot at the front two pushes in the middle and a break man at the back of the carbon fiber slade so this is how it works the team start by running and pushing the slade before jumping in and hurtling down the ice they're going to have to travel one point five kilometers at high speed the fleet can reach up to two hundred one kilometers per hour and the first team is the winner now if you thought that a slip provide a little protection then marvel at the lose here it comes one or two man teams travel on a flat slid along the same track as the bob say but they go it lying on their backs just imagine vers at one hundred forty kilometers per hour and then we have skeleton as you can see here it looks a lot like luge but these competitors are going to run and throw themselves down head first on they slayed there's no form or steering all braking on a verse and with speeds of one hundred twenty kilometers per hour it's probably the most dangerous sport at these winter games. the men's hockey event starts on wednesday and for the first time since one thousand nine hundred four the world's best players will not be taking part in the olympics no deal has been done to release n.h.l. players in the league is carrying on as normal during the young chain games and h.o. bosses said the break in the season caused by the olympics has been having a negative impact on the top professional. tottenham have moved up to third in the english premier league after a one zero win over arsenal in the north of london darby harry kane scored the only goal of the game at wembley it was the england striker is twenty third goal of the season. legal eaters manchester city are in action against leicester city right now city leave three one after two goals from sergio guerra when will take them sixteen points clear of second place man united karl scott arrow has been elected as the new head of u.s. soccer the sixty two year old replaces sunil gulati who was heavily criticised after the men's national team failed to qualify for the twenty eighteen world cup in russia those of you didn't vote for me. i'm going to work to earn your trust or over the next four years. i promise you i'm going to work. together with all of you to bring us together as one united so. that's all leave this room. with that in mind thank you very very much. and that's all your support for now it's now back to chile and london far a thank you know iranians celebrating the thirty ninth revolution day marking the return of ayatollah khomeini from exile so arrival in the country prayed since if they fall of the shah and the birth of the islamic republic of iran well they were indians often talk about the islamic revolution as if it's still happening but thirty nine years later it means more to some than it does to others same reports from tehran. the founder of the islamist republic of iran ayatollah ruhollah khomeini is still watching over his people and you never have to look very far to catch a glimpse of the man at the center of the islamic revolution in one nine hundred seventy nine still in exile in paris khomeini famously ordered every runyan onto the streets to help overthrow the shah mohammad reza pahlavi. one of the women who answered the call was sub. born in japan as can you she changed her name when she married an iranian businessman she met in tokyo they moved to iran after their first son was born it was the one nine hundred sixty s. and iran was a very different place. it was before the revolution society was different then in iran it wasn't like today no one cared about islam not. baba you said the shah's government tried to ban women from wearing head scarves and attempt to replace iranian culture with western values all part of a plan by foreign governments she says to control iran and iran's natural resources so khamenei is message of independence she says resonated with many people. he said there shouldn't be any poverty in iran he meant we should take care of poor people there should be justice everyone should be equal well many of the iranians welcomed this bubble you survived the nuclear bombings of hiroshima and nagasaki in world war two and live. through the iran iraq war that started almost immediately after the revolution when iraqi forces led by saddam hussein invaded iran bubba his son saw him on farsi volunteered to fight and was killed he was nineteen years old decades later she still struggles to talk about it but says even knowing the pain of losing him she would sacrifice him again to preserve the islamic revolution for many iranians the teachings of the country's first supreme leader are as relevant today as they were in one nine hundred seventy nine but for some islamic revolution has not fulfilled all of its promises. while they do not necessarily want to tear down their country's government most iranians we spoke to said they just want their leaders to do a little more to solve their problems as. people or important figures in history many of them died for the revolution but our demand is that current government should care about the nation all different classes of people from the rich to those who don't have a good economic situation. behind she's a kid did the best thing that could happen in a society is the equality between a man and a woman the more we work for this the base of society will have when making policy iran's government often looks to the past for much of its inspiration iranian people it seems want them to look more to the future zain basra the old zero to one now many stories of heroism have been emerging from taiwan after tuesday's earthquake that killed at least fourteen people one emergency worker in particular is capturing the public's attention this dog has become a national hero after finding a survivor on its very first rescue mission to his son which translates as iron he will advocate through the wreckage of them are still full tell him why lead the four year old lab was flown in specially for that rescue mission an ear infection in fact from the cold weather and he's been receiving get well messages from all over the country. that's it for me and the team for this news hour mary and we'll be with you in just a sec with much more of the day's news thanks for being with us by. news has never been more available it's a constant barrage that they put every day but the message is a simplistic you have been playing good logical rational person crazy monster and misinformation is rife dismissal and does not well documented accusations and evidence is part of genocide the listening post provides a critical counterpoint challenging mainstream media narratives at this time on al-jazeera the way we communicate is what defines us. we don't always has been. as innovation in technology continues to shape our lives. by any ring content creation and distribution utilizing cloud technology and artificial intelligence. the future that's never seemed closer than it does today. and what lies beyond the horizon. to take just one from ts the future of media leaders' summit. limitless possibilities. well if we cannot have palestina my government was suddenly not allowed britain to control french products time would be an outrage but then we need to find another solution before we come to blows more than a century ago britain and france made a secret deal that would influence the shape of the middle east for more than a century to come and so. now we can durham. psych speak lines in the sand at this time on al-jazeera. and his writing fighter jet is shot down by syrian anti-aircraft fire as israel attacks what it says iranian targets. you know i maryam namazie in london you're watching al-jazeera also coming up.