The International Criminal Court Acquits the former president of the ivory coast of war crimes and orders his release. After a war of words and lines of agreement the turkish president and donald trump considered creating a safe zone in northern syria. Allow an obstacle Hotel Complex in kenyas capital is under attack at this hour with reports of at least two explosions and heavy gunfire people are being rushed to safety several cars were a blaze by the buildings and Nairobi Police say they have cordoned off the area it is unclear at this point who is behind the attack but we are monitoring this story for you we are going to go live now for more from Catherine Sawyer who is joining us on the from in kenya so catherine what are you hearing. Well ive been talking to some journalists out there and i see some pictures that are coming out that. This is as you mentioned a huge concert complex great restaurants high end restaurants and banks and things like back happened is that this one. Arrived just about an hour or less in an hour ago and there was a suicide bomber there according. To exploded and. Its not clear how they got into the complex like i mentioned huge complex but police have said that they are they have the situation under control the area special there are Different Police units they are rescuing people going door to door getting people out. And. Going to be intense investigations of this people as well and as you mentioned it is not clear. If. One has claimed responsibility. Catherine we dont know who is behind. Kenya has unfortunately seen attacks like this in the past. Many of them come from. Neighboring somalia there was of course the attack on a Shopping Mall in kenya that happened two years ago. Absolutely this Shopping Mall westgate Shopping Mall this attack happened sixteen thousand people were killed in just a few days ago the people who had been charged with this crime are in court it was judgment day one of the four people that. Have been found to have a case to suddenly have another attack on a university university. Of the country. Many students were killed in that attack and it was important to have been for this attack why fight with another attack in a day from island south in somalia twenty six being this attack happened when shabaab a fight as many of them attacked a come an army some complicated. And many kenyans were killed in that attack as well police we have not the Kenyan Military has not been able to kind of how many were killed in that attack but there are many more than a hundred weve been told his wife is comforting to hear a lot of concern that this has happened but its also important to note that over the. Kind of attacks have gone down police have been able to buy many attacks many attempts to attack various places but we also know that there are several areas in the country to talk about the north we talk about top of the coast as well that are still very unsafe alshabaab fighters a she could be hanging to be hiding out in a forest for example in the course. Thorny forest where the military and Different Police units are camped out there trying to get them out this has been very difficult the police saying that they have been able to many attempts to attack various places in the country. And catherine just in terms of the background to this as you say kenya has seen a number of attacks from and chabad in the past and we dont know at this point if hes behind this but why why has kenya been in the past the target of these kind of attacks. You know i can you know send it forges twenty four teams send its forces into somalia and join. To help in the fight against al shabaab and. Fight is the leaders of al shabaab has said next kenya is a big target kenya beda kenya has sent eagles ships to the country has invaded somalia has invaded tunnel politics of somalia and is the one pointed leader. Of al shabaab has great that they are going to leave kenya with blood flowing in the streets and that announcement several years ago we saw many many attacks in different parts of the country particularly like i mentioned when it comes to the north and some parts of the coast as well toxic people being killed and things like that and then again theres been a little. Discrimination and marginalizing ssion of people in the kenyan coast so a lot of people are saying that many kenyans especially mostly in can use are being targeted by alshabaab find has to wage a war in the country that we have all shabaab cells in the country and this is what police are saying theyre trying to get results. That are in the country because of all these ongoing conflicts between you know the police and you know the muslim communities in the country so because of that we have a tox in the prison in previous years but like i mentioned these attacks have gone down. But. You know what has happened today if it is we should claim responsibility for this attack its going to be very warrenton people who have for these attacks have really gone away. All right catherine well let you go and gather more on this developing story for us for the moment catherine soy on the line from the yani in the kenya and were just getting some reaction now from my from witnesses on the scene lets listen its all out. In front of my colleagues. Not even revolution just begun moving. So i went. Over to me when i didnt go to the condition i didnt measure in this region. And we didnt reach there was sudanese or believe you are going to leave i didnt see nothing but i have to be amazing i dont trust them to be. All i more on this story as and when we get it this just to remind youre at tack in an upscale Hotel Complex in kenyas capital nairobi and our ongoing attack at the moment when its the same heavy gunfire was heard police are at the scene and they are calling it a terror attack no word on who is behind this or any sort of numbers on casualties at this point in time but we will of course keep you updated with the latest developments from the roman. Now to our top stories now a big day in the United Kingdom members of parliament preparing to vote on teresa mayes crucial braggs that deal after months of debate in the gushy asians theres a lot of stake in the past few minutes m. P. s began their final debate on the contentious issue of leaving the e. U. On march twenty ninth lets go live to john how who is outside palma force in london soja all the indications are that this will be a big defeat for the government in tonights votes but its more a question of by how much. Yes i think the fact of defeat as it is not in question here really it is just size of the defeat and indeed what happens next a huge amount of opposition involvement to teresa mayes brings it deal the problem of it it goes around this idea of the socalled organizing backstop that many m. P. s fear would leave the u. K. Potentially subservient to the e. U. With no means of escape this talk of a margin of defeat here into the up to even above two hundred and these that would represent a record defeat for any british Prime Minister ever and of course would lead to resume a mediocre cools and she signed possibly also open to a vote of no confidence table very soon afterwards by jeremy involved in the Labor Party Leader so its thought there is another theory though and that is that the margin of defeat could be substantially smaller perhaps an a. T. M. Fees i think anything south of a hundred would please to reason may it might indicate to them her deal hes not as dead as everyone thinks it might indicate to her that the assurances she won from the e. U. Over the backs of perhaps should wait some envies and when total appetite demands go back to the new form or whatever the case she is bound to come back with a plan b. Very quickly by monday indications are she may do much sooner may do so much sooner than that and we are told that in a capital. Meeting this morning she told her colleagues in fact its been confirmed by the attorney general geoffrey cox speaking a short while ago in parliament that plan b. Looks not much different to plan a the idea is to go away tweak the deal slightly bossley go to brussels and try to win something new and simply come back and have another vote and general goddess of the outcome the u. K. As it stands will be leaving the European Union on march twenty ninth that leaves very little time doesnt it for any alternatives well what were you talking about plan plan b. Or whatever. I mean you know it depends who you talk to this you know everybodys got a theory a lot of m. P. s have their own plans they hope to have their plans and when plan b. Is spelt out possibly monday for suits theyll be entitled to do some of those plan b. Will certainly require an extension of time the government will have to go to the you and ask for an extension of the article fifty notice period pushing that date be on march twenty ninth at this stage though as things stand the no deals are not who you trust to be said its probably quite convenient for the government to hand over the heads of m. P. s as it works on and on to try and convince them to resume a is adamant that will be as things stand no extension of our safety all right for the moment john a whole life for us there in london thanks john. That the International Criminal court has acquitted the former president of ivory coast of war crimes charges the i. C. C. Ruling the prosecution did not prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt against long bad low has been in jail for seven years three thousand people were killed in postelection violence in two thousand and ten when barbara refused to leave office the court says hell be released on wednesday morning to allow time for the prosecution to respond. The chamber by majority here by the sites. That the prosecutor has failed to such as. The burden of proof to the requisite standard as for seen in article sixty six of the rome statute grants the defense motions for acquittal from all charges against mr long and mr childs. Alters the drill ease of both accused an eclipse hawk in his abbe is an obvious for us and he says the decision will divide opinion for the victims of the the atrocities and the torture and the killing of the two thousand and if you count in levin contested election they want to see them back go back into the country they say that justice has not been served but if you speak to the supporters of long background there are many in this country is in this neighborhood in particular where where i stand the neighborhood the public neighborhood a few people who here are a hero. If you judge but what weve seen this morning after the announcement of the job where we thought people were going on the street screaming isnt a damn thing it is the liberation putin used right here right now and he rallied different points of the capital he would have a heros welcome back to the country tomorrow. All right still ahead on. Live from the world. Will tell you why many say this exhibit in israel is offensive to. Hello there we have seen yet more rain over parts of southeastern china fairly unusual at this time of year normally this region is really quite dry you can see the area of clavicle stretching across us at the moment and that is giving some fairly significant rain some of the wettest of the weather is in the northern parts of vietnam stretching up into china and then it turns to snow when it hits that cold air the whole system is gradually working its way eastwards as we head through the next day or so and so most of us will see that what weather at some point force in hong kong though it should stay dry and the temperatures will be climbing and it will be higher to over towards india and for most of us here its fine and dry in the north a little bit more cloud but the snow is really in the far north and thats with us as we head through the day on wednesday the temperatures in delhi will be rising up to around twenty degrees but if you head down to assure langat here were still clinging on to those showers yet more wet weather is expected as we head through wednesday on thursday does look like theyll be something of a break so maybe well see some drier weather for the Arabian Peninsula well here a good deal of cloud is with us over parts of saudi arabia not stretching up into parts of cuba eight and into the southwestern parts of iran gradually that works its way eastwards invigorating as it does say so if you are breaks that brought the heavy rain for iran. Whether online i want to start here on my laptop with a tweet or if you join us on sat there was a rush of adrenalin this is the moment that we have been waiting for this is a dialogue the government has our legal protest and instructed police to disperse the crowds everyone has a voice. For reasons different types of bricks join the global conversation on aljazeera. But again youre watching a reminder of our top stories this hour an upscale Hotel Complex in kenyas capital nairobi is under attack with reports of at least two explosions and heavy gunfire people have been rushed to safety several cars were blaze by the buildings and it is unclear who is behind the attack. Members of the British Parliament are about to are starting their final debate ahead of a vote on teresa mayes deal to leave the European Union Prime Ministers warning politicians to back her agreement or risk no gregs that all. The International Criminal court has acquitted the former president of ivory coast of war crimes charges the i. C. C. Ruled the prosecution did not prove its case against. Three thousand people were killed in postelection violence in two thousand and ten and refused to leave office. China has hit back of criticism by canadas Prime Minister after the Death Penalty was posed imposed on a Canadian Drug smuggling katrina you reports on that from beijing. Canadian Robert Schellenberg looked stunned as he was handed a death sentence by judges in china. The court said the thirty six year old was attending to smuggle more than two hundred kilograms of methamphetamines from china to his strength when he was arrested in twenty fourteen when he was jailed for fifteen years in november and was in the purses of appealing that sentence when a retrial was suddenly announced last month canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pledged to intervene on schellenberg behalf it is of extreme concern to us as a government as it should be to all our International Friends and allies that china has chosen to begin to arbitrarily apply Death Penalty in cases facing as in this case facing a canadian Chinese Foreign ministry has rejected trudeaus comments calling them irresponsible and saying in china all people are equal before the law jabbering away to ensure the other remarks like the most basic awareness of the legal system urge the canadian side to respect the rule of law respect chinas legal sovereignty correct its mistakes and stop making irresponsible remarks. The Court Sentence has further intensified a dispute between the two countries which began when chinese executive one job was detained in canada in december the heiress and chief Financial Officer of Technology Company chua way was arrested at the request of washington for allegedly violating u. S. Trade sanctions this infuriated beijing analysts believe shelling there could be spared the Death Penalty if mom was released there is a lot of room for compromise service if the situation cools the tiny so far it is can always choose to expel the port the canadian citizens are still fusing the controversy since mums arrest thirteen canadians have been detained in china most have been released but former diplomat michael convert and Business Consultant michael spat will remain in custody on suspicion of endangering chinas National Security canada says these cases and robert shilling big step penalty are retaliations by beijing on monday canada updated a travel warning to its citizens in china saying that they should exercise a high degree of caution in the face of arbitrary enforcement of local laws schellenberg lawyer says he will appeal the death sentence arguing that the harsher penalty cannot be valid as no new evidence was introduced in his case continue aljazeera. The u. S. President donald trump has rejected a call by members of his own party to temporarily reopen the Government Shutdown is the longest in u. S. History and has left eight hundred thousand Public Workers without pay Kimberly Houk it reports from washington. Washington at a standstill its weekend snowfall only compounding the problems brought on by the historic partial Government Shutdown some federal workers off because of the shutdown or the snow are ending up at food banks the strain of uncertainty is evident. Bad. Depend on this page. Two little ones my wife who doesnt work. Its hard for single income families. In louisiana on monday u. S. President donald trump insisted there is widespread support for his bid to get five point seven billion in funding to build a wall between the United States and mexico to stop illegal immigration the key Sticking Point to ending the stalemate he suggests his democratic opponents are simply campaigning for the next president ial election they think thats a good thing for twenty twenty because theyre not going to win. They think if they can stop these from building the wall thats good this is the reason why they dont want the wall built but over the weekend some Top Republicans including trump ally senator Lindsey Graham suggested temporarily reopening the government to restart Border Security negotiations with democrats trumps rejected the idea steady took jabs at some democrats who instead of negotiating attended a fundraiser in sunny puerto rico where government workers remain frozen out you want to shut eye on early in negotiations trump promised democrats and take blame for the shutdown in order to make good on his Border Wall Campaign promise i will take the mantle of shutting and he has a new poll number so more than half the country fifty three percent blame president rational republicans for the shutdown but even more sixty six percent believe the president should not declare a National Emergency to break the stalemate about the borders of urgency this so several he said not to now i have the absolute legal rights to call it but ive never said to do that congressional members are back in session this week and could craft a deal on immigration to reopen the government. But theyll still need the president s support to get it done can really help get aljazeera washington and u. S. Troops will be stationed at the border with mexico until at least september the pentagon has extended their mission about five thousand soldiers and National Guard members were deployed as part of an order by President Donald Trump in october it was in response to a group of migrants traveling from Central America to the u. S. Iran has launched a satellite in defiance of the u. S. But it says the rocket carrying the pie am satellite failed to reach orbit because it didnt pick up enough speed the u. S. Says the launch violates a u. N. Security Council Resolution which iran denies it says it will continue it plans to send two satellites into orbit a sculpture featuring saudi arabias flag is being removed from the site of the nine eleven attacks in new york the artwork called candy nations shows a series of large suites wrapped in the flags of the g. Twenty nations but after criticism authorities have decided to move the exhibit away from ground zero. Has more. French artist Lawrence Jenkins says she wanted to celebrate mankind with this work when she first created it in two thousand and eleven but many have criticized its proximity to ground zero in new york city as insensitive thats because fifteen of the nineteen hijackers on september eleventh were saudi nationals but the kingdom has denied any role following the complaints the Port Authority of new york and new jersey confirmed that they will move all twenty sculptures from the site in the World Trade Center complex in a statement to Port Authority said we have been in contact with the nine eleven memorial and various stakeholders and in full collaboration with the artists will relocate the exhibit from its Current Location we believe the solution respects the unique sensitivities of the sights and preserves the artistic integrity of the exhibits the exhibit will be moved next week the sculptures have been shown in more than twenty five countries and they were installed in Downtown Manhattan last month where they were to remain until the end of february i nearly three thousand people were killed in the nine eleven attacks on new york and washington hundreds of victims relatives and injured survivors have sued the saudi government demanding compensation a group that represents the nine eleven victims has released a statement saying the exhibits relocation is the right thing to do door such a pari aljazeera of a young saudi woman who fled her family and was granted asylum in canada says she hopes to inspire change in her first t. V. Interview in a huff and comune says she wants to use her freedom to campaign for others the eighteen year old arrived in toronto on friday can own one global attention when she launched a social Media Campaign from hotel room in bangkok pleading for help. I want to be free from abuse and depression i want to be independent in saudi there is control over a womans life her job and position as well as well good to still have to suffer when the army cant even travel on their own theyre treated like children even if theyre fifty or sixty years old they are free or equal to their male counterparts i think the number of women fleeing from the rules in saudi arabia and the abuse will increase. And i hope my story encourages them to be brave and free this might be what causes the change an artwork displayed in israel is causing outrage among the Arab Christian minority the artist who created the sculpture says the museum used it without his permission but the museum says it supports a freedom of expression more a burden mentally has. This is a sculpture thats caused so much outrage in titles macc jesus it displays a fast food outlets famous mascot hanging from across an important symbol in christianity haifa museum is added to disclaimer that its not meant to cause offense but it has. On friday hundreds of protesters face off with police on the streets as a attempted to force their way into the museum to remove it themselves others are camping outside until the work is taken down. This is something i kneel for i redeem it with my soul i offer it with all the good things and what do you expect i first of all felt that this is a big insult a big insult i hope that everyone will stand with those in solidarity the heads of churches across israel a sickly a court order to have the sculpture removed. Started with the heads of the churches have petition was offered to the judiciary to remove it will continue through peaceful rallies and vigils with the churches the museum and a municipality we wont be quiet until we reach a solution. We need to understand that freedom of expression is interpreted in different ways in different societies we live today in israel if this work was directed against on christians the world will be turned upside down its not only the Christian Community thats angry but the artist himself he asked the museum not to use his work in september when he joined the boycott divestment and sanctions of israel he told israeli media israel uses culture as a form of propaganda to whitewash the occupation. But the director of the museum says hes defending the freedom of art culture and speech we understand fully and the. Feeling of christians here but we have to explain to them that this wasnt the meaning and we all saw it. Offended by this work the christian population makes up just two percent of israel and people in the Community Say its a daily struggle to free the practice that culture and religion they say the work was put up against their will and teach them minority status that concerns of being a knute durable manly aljazeera. The former chairman of Japanese Motor Company miss and has been denied bail collars gun was arrested and detained in tokyo in november he is charged with underreporting income and breach of trust for champ rarely transferring personal investment losses to the company gunns lawyers say it is likely to take up to six months for his case to go to trial. This is a reminder now of our top story and an update the Armed Group Alshabaab is claiming responsibility for an attack in an upscale neighborhood in kenyas capital witnesses say there were two explosions followed by gunfire heavy smoke can be seen billowing from the area. Police. Manning even aware of it because it doesnt ever. So. I didnt call the police how do i say. He didnt think that was sudanese or. Not but. I dont. Think we. Are Catherine Sawyer is on the phone for us now from dion ia kenya so catherine what more you hearing from there. Well first off were hearing that. This group in the mine has cleaned up on the military of that attack they have said that there is an ongoing operation going on in the exit if it is a very high and complex that has shown them banks and restaurants that are very high end up in a very luxurious areas like period areas even in nairobi and the what were told happened is that the acquittal that acts that had absolute suicide bomb of not laden with explosives drove to the barrier all this complex and exploded and then gunmen from another gate called out went into. The complex area its not clear how in the court in. The had that there was gunfire. Can you hammy all right Catherine Sawyer live for us there near a nairobi on the latest on that attack there are thanks very much just to remind you again that two explosions and gunfire had and they saw Office Complex near the kenyan capital as chabad has claimed responsibility for its that is if for now it take you to the street on aljazeera. I know im really could be today it will be a Truth Commission in the form of will lead to justice the country has begun hearings on decades of alleged abuses. Let us know your thoughts on finding truth and reconciliation in the gambia you can send us the chat live via you tube or twitter. Ball im a grad student and on your birthday you and your friends. Truth and reconciliation its what people in the gambia hope to achieve through a two year process