a police station. >>> as a second convoy takes aid to madaya, we hear from people who have escaped the besieged syrian town. >>> a damming report says corruption was embedded in world athletic's governing body, and its leadership must have known. plus -- ♪ >>> box office hit mad max makes the running with ten oscars nominations. ♪ >>> welcome to the program. isil says it was behind a series of coordinated attacks on the indonesian capitol. seven people were killed including five of the suspects. they struck at the heart of the city where six explosions rocked a busy district. >> reporter: the blast tore through jakarta's downtown area. at least six separate explosions and then gunfire, a multi-pronged attack close to the office of the united nations and a popular shopping mall. >> translator: he was on his own. for about ten minutes he did that mass killing. >> reporter: indonesian television has released these pictures of a suspect who was carrying a gun. one bomb is known to have gone off near a starbucks cafe, and a police post was destroyed in one of the blasts. indonesian'

you're watching, it's the al jazeera newshour, help rolls into madaya and other syrian towns where people are starving. at least nine are killed in a shopping mall in iraq's capital. >>> and video is released on the drug kingpin's hideout. >> and he really made the grade. musical tributes to the pioneer david bowie, who died at the age of 69. >> i'm rahul pathak, your sports in doha. lionel messe, we'll hear from the argentinian later in the program. >> much needed food and medical supplies are being unloaded from trucks in syrian towns that have for months been cut off from aid. supplies have also been delivered to pro-government villages of alfoua and kefraya. in eastern boutta, about 176,000 people are said to be cut off and united nations says i.s.i.l. tighters have cut off cities of dar azur. caroline malone reports. >> aid has finally arrived. carrying desperately needed aid to madaya in western syria but much more has don to be done. >> not good enough. the united nations have done this exactly three months ago and look add where we are at now. >> reporter: to the north, sup

from london. also coming up, aid workers in the syrian town of madaya, say malnourished people there urgently need medical help. >>> the mobile classrooms annoying children to go to school in nigeria. >>> and britain sees its first doctor's strike for 40 years as thousands walk out over changes to their contract. ♪ >>> hello, ten people are now confirmed dead after a blast in turkey's largest city, istanbul. the attack happened in a district known for historic monuments. it is popular with tourists, and officials say nine of the dead are german. shortly after, the prime minister convened an emergency security meeting. he later said the suicided bomber was a foreign member of the islamic state of iraq and the levant. turkey was already on high alert after a series of attacked blamed on isil. our correspondent has our report [ sirens blaring ] >> reporter: it's the heart of istanbul. the sultanahmet square less than an hour after an explosion, the site cordoned off and security tight. >> translator: it was a suicide bomb, yes. i went there and saw it and came back to the hotel. it wa

>>> doctors treat the sick and hungry in madaya, the besieged syrian town where 32 people have starved to death in a month. ♪ >>> hello there i'm felicity barr and this is al jazeera live from london. also coming up. iraq's top shiite cleric urges the government to do more to stop sectarian violence. >>> indonesian police arrest three suspects a day after deadly attacks in the heart of jakarta. >>> one man is left brain dead and five more are critically ill after a medical trial goes wrong in france. ♪ >>> hello, people in the besieged syrian town of madaya have told the world food program that 32 people have starved to beth during the past month. the u.n.'s children's program says its workers saw a teenager die of malnutrition on tuesday, and another two people died on friday. the syrian red crescent has sent a mobile unit and medical team to madaya after the government gave permission. >> reporter: hunger has been constant for many in this town. now for the first time in months, people in madaya are getting outside help. truckloads of food, medicine, and doctors are strea

out of the syrian town of madaya for life-saving treatment. he made the call as food and medicine finally reached three besieged towns. under a deal reechld with the government an aid convoy arrived in madaya from damascus on monday. supplies have also been delivered to the pro-government villages of foua and kefraya. opposition groups are spounding these places, but there are many areas not included in the deal. around 176,000 people are said to be in need in another village. 9,000 people are also in dire straits. i.s.i.l. has cut off 200,000 people in parts of eastern city. >> reporter: trucks carrying food and medicine finally arrive in madaya, a town of 40,000 people where they have been eating their pets and after that vur vooifd on a diet of soup made from grass. >> translation: -- survived >> translation: we suffered a lot. people killed cats to eat them. others ate grass. we need to break the siege. >> reporter: it is reported that as many as 28 people have sdavshd to death but at the u.n. the syrian ambassador seemed to dispute all this. >> the information concerning the

>> lifesaving aid, food convoice finally reach starving syrians in madaya. >> terrorist groups steal the convoice and the trucks and deviate them to their own warehouses and storage. >> syrian government says opposition groups are using the aid as a network of war. >>> peace talks with the taliban. el chapo's capture. mexican government releases dramatic video on the raid on the kingpin's hideout, it could take a long time before he's extradited to the u.s. >>> and royal trial. >> i want them to be tried as ordinary people. they took public money at a time when people were struggling. >> princess christina makes history as the first member much the modern spanish monarchy to face criminal charges. good evening, i'm antonio mora, this is al jazeera's international news hour. tonight we begin with new developments in the growing humanitarian crisis in syria. in the last six weeks more than two dozen people have reportedly starved to death in madaya. today a convoy of red crescent trucks carrying food and supplies arrived this, the first delivery since october. the assad regime is

>> ing help arrives in the besieged town in madaya, the government denies that people there are starving. you're watching al jazeera live from london with me david foster. also coming up in this program program.at least 19 died in a siege in a shopping mall in the iraqi capital. recapturing el chapo. the mexican government releases pictures of friday's raid on the drug boss's hideout. >> ground control to major tom ♪ >> and he really made the grade. loyal tributes to musical pioneer of david bowie who died at the age of 69. desperately needed food and medical supplies have been unloaded from trucks in three syrian towns which for months have been cut off by war. in a deal reached with the government the aid convoy left damascus earlier monday heading for madaya. supplies have also been delivered to the progovernment villages of al-foua and kefraya. eastern gutta is one of the villages not included. maybe 200,000 are cut off in parts of the eastern city of dar azur. we'll hear from caroline malone in just a bit. the syrian government says these towns are not besieged by them. t

al jazeera news hour. a mobile clinic is sent to madaya. the u.n. says 32 people have starved to death there in the last 30 days. >>> we are not afraid. indonesians gather outside of the jakarta cafe which was attacked on thursday. six people are critically ill after a medical trial goes wrong in france. >>> and a tv comic is sworn in as guatemala's president. >>> and i'll be here with all of the day as sport, including joe root scores a century for england. ♪ >>> the world food program says seem in madaya have toll them that 32 people there have starved to death during the last month. the united nations children's program unicef says its workers saw a teenager die of malnutrition on thursday, and another two people died on friday. the syrian red crescent has sent a mobile clinic and a team to madaya? >> reporter: the bombs and guns come and go, but hunger has been constant for many in this town. now for the first time in months, people in madaya are getting outside help. truckloads of food, medicine, and doctors are streaming in, although for many people it's too late communit

chief says 4000 people must be brought out of the syrian town of madaya for life-saving treatment. under a deal with the government an aid convoy arrived in madaya from damascus from monday. troops are surrounding the places but there are many other areas not included in the deal. in eastern ghouta 1 of 0 thousand people are need in help. another 9,000 have been trapped in two other kins. 200,000 people have been cut out of in dei spashgs azor. >> reporter: trucks carrying food and medicine finally arrive in madaya. a town of more than 40,000 people where they have been eating their pets and after that survived on a diet of soup made from grass. >> translation: we witnessed a lot and suffered a lot. people killed cats to eat them. people eight grass. we - ate grass. we need to break the siege. >> reporter: it is reported that as many as 28 people have starved to death. the syrian am was do dor disputed this >> the situation concerning the humanitarian situation in madaya is based on false notion. >> reporter: we have seen reports of deaths in the last few hours, we've seen picture

in madaya and another town. the u.n. said is as i will cut off 200,000 people in parts of the eastern city. we have a report from u.n. headquarters in new york. >> trucks carrying food and medicine finally arrive in madaya, a town of more than 40,000 people where they've been eating their pets and after that survived on a diet of soup made from grass. >> we witnessed a lot and suffered a lot. people killed cats to eat them. others ate grass. i saw people sitting on garbage and eating from it. we need to break the siege. >> it is reported that as many as 28 people have starved to death, but at the united nations, the syrian ambassador seemed to dispute all this. >> the information concerning the humanitarian situation in madaya is based on false information. >> we've seen reports of death, some in the last few hours. we've been seeing pictures of starving people. are those fabrications? >> yes, indeed. >> so reports of mass starvation issued by the united nations and other humanitarian agencies and these deeply disturbing pictures of the town's population, including children su

>> help arrives. the trucks roll into madaya and two other syrian towns where people are starving. hello to you david foster, live from london, also coming up in this program, at least 19 die in the siege of a shopping mall in iraq's capital. spain'spain'sspain's chrispain', goes to court but not the royal one. and david bowie dies at the time age of 69. >>> hol >>> hello there, desperately needed food aid and medical supplies are reaching madaya. under deal reached with the government, the aid convoy left bound for madaya, pro government villages of fua and cafraya, in eastern guta about 176,000 people are said to be cut off and u.n. says i.s.i.l. fighters have cut off 200,000 people in parts of the eastern city of dir azur. caroline malone has more. >> reporter: aid has finally arrived. a red cross convoy left damascus carrying desperately needed aid to the town of madaya in western syria but there are demands more has to be done to help many others in needs. >> what is going on now dropping or giving aid to people is not good enough. the united nations have done this exactly th

chief says 400 people must be brought out of the syrian town of madaya for life-saving treatment. he made the call as food and medicine finally reached three besieged towns. under a deal reached with the government an aid convoy left damascus on monday bound for madaya. supplies have been delivered also to foua and kefraya. in eastern ghouta around 176,000 people are said to be in urgent need of help. 9,000 people are trapped in various towns. 200,000 people have been cut off elsewhere. >> reporter: trucks carrying food and medicine final arrive in madaya, a town of more than 40,000 people where they have been eating their pets and after that survived on a diet of soup made from grass. >> translation: we witnessed a lot and suffered a lot. people killed cats to ee eat them. others eight grass. i saw people sitting on garage and eating it. >> reporter: it is reported as many as 28 people have sdavshd to death. in the u.n. the syrian ambassador disputed all this >> the information regarding the humanitarian situation in madaya is based on false information. >> we've seen reports of dea

monday bound for madaya. they of also been also delivered to two other villages. oppositions are surrounding these places. in eastern ghuda 160,000 people are said to be in urgent help. 9,000 people are tracked in the towns. i.s.i.l. fighters have cut off 200,000 people in parts of the eastern city of daralzour. a report from u.n. headquarters in new york. >> reporter: trucks carrying food and medicine final arrive in madaya. the town of more than 40,000 people where they have been eating their pets and after that survived on a diet of soup made from grass. >> translation: we have suffered a lot. people killed cats to eat them. others eight grass. -- ate grass. we need to break the siege >> reporter: it is reported that as many as 28 people have starved to death. the ambassador disputes all this >> the information in relation to the humanitarian situation in madaya is based on false information. we have seen reports of deaths, some in the last few hours. we've seen pictures of starving people. are those fabrications? >> yes, indeed. >> reporter: so reports of mass starvation issu

are being unloaded, in an area that has been cut off by war. bound for madaya, pro government villages, opposition groups are surrounding these towns. but there are many areas not included in this deal. in eastern hutha, for example, 176,000 people are said to be cut off and the u.n. says i.s.i.l. fighters hav fighters f 100,000 people in the city of dar azul. caroline malone reports. >> aid has reached madaya, but more has to be done to help others in need. >> what is going on now dropping or giving aid to people is not good enough. the united nations have done this exactly three months ago. and look where we're at now. >> to the north, trucks from the red crescent organization trundle through idlib heading for frua and kafaya, both had to arrive at the same time according to a deal negotiated with the syrian government. they are cut off by armed rebel groups. people in madaya say they have been reduced to eating handfuls of salt, tree roots and grass, as well as cats and dogs. >> we are arabs. what wrong did this child commit? >> the world food program said the aid carried to madaya

said to be on the brink of death in my diet -- madaya in syria. and it is his last ever state of the union address. we are looking at barack obama's big speech as the american president says he is more optimistic than ever about the year ahead. >the head of the united nations says it is a despicable crime, hollandeancois has condemned it as an odious international express and so support continued to pouring after a bomb blast in 10 heart of istanbul killed people, at least eight of them germans. germany's foreign minister says his country will not be intimidated by murder and violence. so far no group has claimed responsibility. government is explicitly blaming the islamic state group. we will remain determined in our fight against the islamic carriedganization, who out this attack. we will not back down in his fight against daesh. turkey was swift to released some details about the man it says was a suicide attacker in this incident. earlier on we got the latest on the investigation from our correspondent in istanbul. reporter: the bomber has been identified, according to the turkis

are trapped in this area. madaya to the south has been under siege by allies of president assad's government since july. the u.n. says 42,000 people are stuck there. meanwhile the united nations says isil fighters have trapped 2 -- 200,000 people in parts of this eastern city, and rebel groups including al-nusra front have blocked two more towns, around 12,500 are trapped there. humanitarian aid is on its way, but many people feel they are being ignored. >> reporter: this man is one of thousands of people trapped by blockades. he says he has been forced to eat grass. >> reporter: it was brought here because i got poisoned i was eating herbs from the ground. >> reporter: may -- ma dayia is just one of several towns that are blocked. in madaya salt is handed out. >> are we not arabs as well? this child, what wrong did he commitment? -- commit? >> reporter: the united nations says hundreds of thousands are being prevented from getting humanitarian aid in syria. the international committee of the red cross says the trucks could start to arrive soon. >> we expect that the operation, th

of madaya for life-saving treatment. he made the call as food and medicine finally got there, reaching three besieged towns. under a deal, an aid convoy arrived from damascus on monday. supplies have also been delivered to the pro-government villages. opposition groups are surrounding those villages, but there are many areas not included in this deal including in the east around 176,000 are said to be in urgent need of help. 9,000 people are trapped in a damascus suburb. and the u.n. says isil fighters have cut off 200,000 people. james bayes reports from u.n. headquarters in new york. >> reporter: trucks finally arrive in madaya. a town of more than 40,000 people. where they have been eating their pets, and then survived on a diet of soup made from grass. >> translator: people killed cats to eat them. others and it grass. i saw people sitting on garbage and eating it. we need to break the siege. >> reporter: as approximate -- many as 28 people have starved to death. but the syrian ambassador seemed to dispute this. >> the situation in madaya is based on false information l.

. now, why madaya specifically, i think this is part of this, again, swap of access agreement between the opposition and the government. there are hundreds of thousands of people who are still in besiegement. we should not forget those others around syria. >> let's talk specifically about madaya. we've heard from doctors with contacts inside that there have been, for the last several weeks, several cases of malnutrition per day, per week, and now that number has skyrocketed to about 300 cases. we understand more than 30 people have died over the last several weeks of malnutritiomal. can you paint us a picture of what people are enduring there right now? they even surviving? >> what we're hearing from people is similar to the reports we've witnessed ourselves with the people who left the old city of hams ys people eating grass and living for days eating nothing. just, you know, some reports of severe cases of malnutrition. we've seen children living a city looking like they are only two years old while they are six years old. the same scenarios we're hearing and probably seeing coming

sectarian violence. >>> a mobile clinic is sent to madaya. the u.n. says 32 people have died in the town in the last 30 days. >>> six are critical ill after a medical trial goes wrong in france. >>> and a u.s. water crisis, people who live in a city called flint are given bottles by the national guard after high lead levels are found in their drinking water. ♪ >>> indonesian police say they have identified four out of five of the jakarta attackers. they are searching for a man that they believe is the top suspect. he is linked to islamic state of iraq and the levant. step vaessen has more. >> reporter: police say they evidence that an exconvict who has joined isil in syria may have planned the attack. >> he has also the chief in -- in the mission. he is the one basically, you know, prepare this mission. in jakarta. >> reporter: the alleged leader is still on the run. three others were arrested, suspected of plotting an attack. analysts say an estimated 120 indonesians have been trained. >> translator: they have training camps. they have been to sir and fighting as war lords in the jung

a lack of aid supplies in the besieged town of madaya. a police chief is sacked following assaults in cologne on new year's eve. the war of words in venezuela over these pictures of its late leader. the future of mexican drug lord joaquin guzman is uncertain after his recapture following his recapture. authorities are not saying if he will now be extra dated to the u.s.-- extradited to the u.s. he escaped from a prison through a tunnel six months ago. >> reporter: for a third time the world's most notorious drug lord was arrested by security forces. it ends a six-month embarrassment for the mexican government. >> translation: months of work was used to disemanate that around this criminal. we had the necessary complablts to overcome-- capabilities to overcome the threats. when we work together there is no adversity that we cannot overcome >> reporter: the government says joaquin guzman was arrested in his home state on friday morning. someone called to complain about armed men holed up inside a motel. during a shoot out the government says it killed five criminals and arrested six

situation in madaya where we've seen pictures of starving people, he has a completely different story. he says that the food there in that town was so stolen by rebel groups who he described as terrorists, he said that the supplies were looted from the u.n. that's something that has not been confirmed by any u.n. official at all. >> james with the latest there at the u.n. thank you. well, let's have a closer look at what is happening in syria. because they have spent a mobile clinic and medical team to the town of madaya after the government gave permission. >> the bombs and guns come and go, but hunger has been constant for many in this town. now for the first time in months people in madaya are getting outside help. truck loads of food, medicine, and doctors are streaming in although for many people it's too late. community workers say hunger has killed more than 30 people in the past month. >> where we ended, we had the children in need. cases of malnutrition. we saw such cases ourselves and hope we can get them out of madaya to be taken care of in our centers. >> that will require per

-changing style. emergency aid finally arrived in the besieged syrian town of .owi madaya thousands are starving because of a government blockade. dramatic footage from the raid that captured drug lord el chapo. now america starts the process to extradite him from mexico. welcome to our viewers on public television in america and around the globe. today, the world is mourning the death of artist and musical icon .avid bowie fellow musicians, astronauts come even the vatican have been painterly to the singer who died from cancer at the age of 69. from his greatest hits to the influence he had on fark -- ration, rock, and drama bowie , left his mark on generations. we start with arts editor will gompertz. ♪ ♪ will: here is a special man, with a screwed down hairdo. david bowie, 1972, and this was his game changing alter ego, ziggy stardust. ♪ >> i'm only using rock 'n roll as a medium. i wanted to be the instigator of new ideas. i wanted to turn people on to new things and new perspectives. i always wanted to be that catalystic kind of thing. >> ♪ ground control to major tom ♪ >

the country. some in the town of madaya are so desperate that they are resorting to drastic action to stay live. caroline malone reports. >> reporter: a protest less than ten kilometers away from towns under siege. they are marching in solidarity with the people inside. >> translator: we came to lebanon because of the regime air strikes. they destroyed our homes, burned our fields. there is nothing left. the people fled with their families to madaya. they put them in a big prison. >> reporter: there have been marches in syria as well. people here want to make sure their fellow syrians get access to food and medical aid as soon as possible. there are more than 40,000 people in madaya alone who have been without proper food for months. the last time the u.n. was able to get aid to them was in october. al jazeera managed to speak to a drent of the town. >> translator: we don't understand how the world can do nothing to solve this crisis. civilians are being killed because of the use of this cowardly weapon. >> reporter: unfortunately there are many places under siege in syria's war, a

madaya waiting for promised aid supplies. a police chief is sacked following mass sexual assaults in cologne on new year's eve. where to now, no word on whether mexican warlord joaquin guzman will be extradited to the u.s. >>> thousands of internally displaced people who fled the conflict in iraq are facing a harsh winter in camps. many of them don't have a home to return to or are scared to go back because of security threats. one town is many where they are turning to. there are are more than 800 families there. the camp is a mix of shia, kurds, and sunni arabs who have fled the fighting. our correspondent is in bahar characters a. -- baharka >> reporter: the winter conditions have made life harder than they already are. we are spoking now to mr wafa. i want to ask you, with all the various concurrent crises going on in the region when it comes to internally displaced refugees, is it difficult for unicef and other organizations to get the resources you need to help people of iraq? >> first of all, thank you very much for this opportunity t i would like to start with how concerned c

to a lack of aid supplies in the besieged town of madaya. a police chief is moved from his post following mass assaults on women in cologne on new year's eve. an attempt to solve poor rails >>> the recapture of guzman is uncertain. mexican are not saying if he will now be extradited to the u.s. he escaped through a tunnel six months ago >> reporter: for a third time the world's most notorious drug lord was arrested by mexican security forces. his arrest ends a six-month embarrassment for the mexican government. >> translation: after careful investigation work was carried out to pull apart the network of influence and protection that surrounded this criminal. mexico today confirmed that the institution has the necessary capabilities to overcome to threaten the security of mexican families. its success demonstrates that when we work together, there is no adversity that we cannot overcome. >> reporter: the government says gusman was arrested in his home state on friday morning. someone called to complain about armed men holed up inside a motel. during a shoot out the government say

' families, we are with you. in madaya,'s starvation being used as a weapon of war? and u.s. president barack obama prepares to get his final state of the union address. we will look at a president seeking to guide his legacy. i'm sarah kelly. good evening. welcome to the program. germany and turkey are coping with what appears to be the latest attack from islamic state. berlin has confirmed eight of its nationals are among those killed during a suicide bombing in the istanbul tourist district. the bomber was syrian and a member of the so-called islamic state. we begin with this report. reporter: the bomb attacked at the historic tourist district before noon. >> it was a suicide bomb. i went to be scene. it was chaos. people were running everywhere. the police is actuated area because they said there was a possibility a second bomb could go off. reporter: this is one of turkey's largest tourist attractions within centuries old architecture, mosques, and museums. the explosion happened between two famous landmarks -- the blue mosque and the high sophia museum. turkish authori

waiting. >> ( translated ): the situation in madaya is so bad. before the siege we used to live a proper life, but when the armed rebels entered the village and did what they did, they revealed their true colors. >> reporter: it's a delicate situation for the u.n. and the red cross and crescent who are strictly neutral. they negotiated for months to get food and medicine into madaya besieged by the government and two villages besieged by the rebel, relief for those starving. >> ( translated ): people with no electricity are burning pltic bags to stay warm. people are in the street looking for rubbish for food. >> reporter: this is madaya clinic. they were pleased to get medicine badly needed. but aid agents say more than 400 people should be evacuated immediately because they have serious illnesses that need treatment that's impossible in these conditions. >> ( translated ): my son has hepatitis and he has to leave. i have a medical report and i want the take him out, so i need the medicines and doctors. there is nothing. >> reporter: the convoy succeeded, but the problem is not s

of madaya. workers also brought aid to two villages in the northern idlib province. a report from our correspondent. >> reporter: a red cross convoy left damascus carrying desperately needed aid to the besieged town of madaya. more has to be done it help others in need >> what is going on now, dropping or aid to people is not good enough. the united nations has done this exactly three months ago and look at where we are at now. >> reporter: to the north supply trucks from the red crescent aid organization travelly idlib. they had to arrive at the same time as part of the deal negotiated with the syrian government a few days ago. pro-government forces have blockaded madaya for months. two villages are cut off by two rebel groups. people in madaya say they have been reduced to eating handfuls of salt, tree leaves and grass and cats and dogs >> reporter: are we not arabs as well? i swear to god we are arabs. this child, what wrong did he commit? >> reporter: the world food program says the aid carried to madaya will meet the needs of 40,000 people but only for one month. the u.n. says th

we focus on madaya, and you heard about the people who starved in that town of 40,000 people. you saw the pictures of skeletal pool, skeleta people, skeletal children in that town. and the bigger figures are those who are in what is known as hard tohard-to-reach areas, where it is difficult to get in food and supplies. 1.5million people in that category. i think what you're seeing now is an open session of the u.n. security council because they really want to draw attention having been shocked by what happened in madaya. they had a closed session on this subject on monday. it was the french ambassador who pushed for this session. who is still continuing and speaking of the venezuela ambassador ramirez. and we're about through hearing from all 15 members of the security council. at the end of the session we're going to hear from the syrian representatives, who happens not to be the syrian ambassador, who has made some deeply controversial comments about madaya on monday, saying it was all a fabrication. the seats have been taken by the new deputy ambassador of the united nations. first

ground. >> in the mid winter, madaya is one of three opportunities to cut off, armed groups are carrying on their own blockades. in madaya salt is handed identity in a desperate attempt to provide any sort of sustenance. >> are we not airbus a arabs as? i swear to god we are arabs. this child, what wrong did he commit? >> reporter: united nations says hundreds of thousands of people are being prevented from getting humanitarian aid in syria. aid organizations have been allowed by the government to deliver supplies to some of the besieged towns. the international committee of the red cross said the trucks for madaya could arrive soon. >> we expect the joint operation of the ayc and the u.n. should take place in the coming day. >> meanwhile, in madaya, a plea to the world. >> that the world should know this and know that people are dying of starvation. >> for those trapped in the besieged towns, the hope is that whatever hope they get won't be the last. rob mathison, al jazeera. >> and joining us to talk about the food convoy heading to madaya is rob burke, in our studio, jerald,

, some aid finally arrived in the besieged town of madaya today. 44 trucks loaded with food, medicine and blankets. the people of madaya, just 15 miles from damascus, have been starving for months. 40 have starved to death since december. by phone, i spoke to a person from a syrian-american family trapped in madaya. >> your five children are starving? >> we have nothing to eat. >> how do you feel with that? looking at these children every day? >> i can't tell you the feeling that my kids, my little kid, he is just three years old and he's saying, i'm hungry. i need food. i want to eat. like, all day long. >> reporter: hard to imagine, she sent me this picture of her son. but so many children are like that now. i've been surviving on water for seven days this child says. around 40,000 people live in madaya. penned in by forced loyal to the syrian regime. the supplies delivered today expected to last a month are like rations for a prison. madaya wasn't the only destination for aid convoys today. simultaneous deliveries arrived in two other syrian towns suffering a similar fate, except t

jazeera live from london. also coming up. aid workers in the syrian town of madaya, say malnourished people there urgently need medical help. oil producers in crisis as crude slips to its lowest price in 12 years. >>> and on the 40th anniversary of her death, a look at why agatha christy remains the world's best-selling author. ♪ >>> hello, ten people are now known to have died in a bomb blast in turkey's largest city, istanbul. the attack happened in the sultanahmet district. it is popular with tourists and officials say nine of the dead are german. shortly after the prime minister convened an emergency security meeting. he says the suspected bomber was a foreign member of the islamic state of iraq and the levant. the city was already on high alert after a series of attacks blamed on isil including a bombing in october that left more than a hundred people dead. >> reporter: it's the heart of istanbul, and one of its most popular tourist spots. this is the square less than an hour after the explosion. the site cordoned off. >> translator: it was a suicide bomb, yes. i went there an

are said to be cult off there. some 9,000 people are trapped in the damascus suburb of daya. madaya has been under siege by allies of president assad's government since july. the u.n. says 42,000 people are stuck there. caroline malone reports now from the syria lebanon border. >> a protest in a town less than ten kilometers under siege, marching in solidarity with people nearby, including areas where people are trapped. >> we came to lebanon because of the regime air strikes. they destroyed our homes, they burned our feels. there is nothing left in zabadani. the people fled with their families to madaya. they put them in a big prison. >> there have been marches here as well, in al wair. there are more than 40,000 people in madaya alone who have been without proper food for months. the last time the u.n. was able to get aid to them was in october. al jazeera managed to speak to a resident of the town. >> we don't understand how the world can do nothing to resolve this crisis. after witnessing such tragedy. civilians including women and children are being killed because of the use of

foot program has been told that starvation has lead to the deaths of 32 people in madaya in the last month. the u.n.'s children's familiar says its workers saw one teenager die of malnutrition. >> reporter: the bombs and guns come and go, but hunger has been constant for many in this town. now for the first time in months, people in madaya are getting outside help. trucks are streaming in, although for many it's too late. community workers say hunger has killed more than 30 people in the past month. >> translator: when we entered madaya, we hear of children in need. we saw such cases ourselves and hope we could get them out of madaya to be taken care of in your centers. >> reporter: that will require permission from the forces that cut off the town in the first place. fighters supporting syria's president, bashar al-assad, have controlled madaya for months, until now it has been hard to verify activist videos that accuse the government of deliberately starving its population. it's the same government that is now allowing aid workers in. and what they found may be evidence of war crim

. government forces have been surrounding madaya for several months. residents have been surviving on grass and leaves. a convoy of red crescent trucks has also reached two villages besieged by antigovernment forces in idlib province further to the north. reporter: delight and relief for this family as a trucks finally drive into town. hundreds of people wait on the outskirts of mattia -- madaya. the town 50 kilometers from damascus has been under siege from government forces for six months. >> we've tried again and again to get permission from the different parties on the ground. we've put in at least 10 official requests since december. the food is being used as a weapon of war. this is a siege, and people are deliberately blocking. >> we've managed to do a fairly complicated agreement. an accord made last thursday under u.n. supervision allows for aid to come here. that's in exchange for the simultaneous passage to two villages in idlib province. dozens of trucks left damascus on monday for the three locations. pack up inside, enough food to feed the population for a month, medicin

reached in syria to deliver aid to starving people of madaya on monday. german police break up a far right protest over new year's eve attacks in cologne. petrol buns are thrown at kosovo's headquarters over a deal with serbia. back behind bars the top drug lord is returned to the prison he escaped from six months ago. lottery sales soar as the jackpot hits 9 million dollars. >> reporter: i'm with all your sports including the zidane makes debut as manager >>> aid agencies are in a race against time to get vital food and medicine to besieged towns in syria where tens of thousands are starving. as winter sets in families have been burning furniture for warpth and re - warmth and resorting to eating leaves and cats and dogs. the situation is bad in madaya where 42,000 people have been cut off since jewel. sources say agreement has been reached for the government to deliver aid there on monday. aid will also be allowed into two opposition held villages in the north. it has caused an international out cry after pictures of emaciated bodies and children have been released. >> reporter: wh

talked about that went in the town of madaya on monday and joins us from skype now from damascus and thank force joining us and tell us more about your journey and what you experienced. >> we got in there quite late last night. it was dark. i was very called and it was quite miserable. people in there, their first question to all of us was do we have food so there is obviously quite an issue with food. there are approximately we estimate 42000 people in there and at the same time simultaneously there was food and the same items that went into madaya as you mentioned earlier. >> and what type of food did you take in? >> we took in basically a ration wp ration that we give out to all of the people in syria who are in need of food assistance. it has rice in there, it has enough to keep a family going for one month and we will be going back again in a few days with wheat flour to also give to the families. >> the u.n.'s humanitarian chief has said up to 400 people are in need of urgent evacuation for medical treatment, did you see any of those people, was anybody evacuated? >> i'm afraid

graphic and may be difficult to watch. the video's from madaya, syria, almost two weeks since last convoy of food and emergency supplies entered. now adults and small children continuing to starve as they continue to live in the town control by rebels. nick paton walsh joins me now. it's depressing and stressing to see. i think the world kind of turned away from madaya after they heard supplies were getting in. >> reporter: absolutely. the starvation continued. so many people suffering from such extreme malnutrition. they needed hospital care, 15 towns across syria needing food, hunger, weapons of war. this is what madaya looked like in the past few days. >> reporter: ice gripped the town of madaya, adding to the siege and starvation, gnawing away of what's left of life here. aid came briefly along with global attention. but now it's gone. the weak are set to die. this is the dr. mohammed, he shows us this man, age 50. so malnourished he can't cope with food, only drip feeds. . held here almost a ghost, edging towards death. like his granddaughter, just 9 months old. she seems daze

>>> families in syria eating grass and leaves. people in the besieged town of madaya are saying that they are starving to death. you're watching al jazeera live from our headquarters in doha. at least 65 people are killed in a truck bomb attack on a military training center in libya. stock markets in turmoil. china suspends trading after share prices plunge. france's president warns that the attack still weighs heavily on the country a year after the "charlie hebdo" attack >>> dying in slow motion. that's how people trapped in the syrian town of madaya described their situation. the mountain town has been besieged since july and its 30,000 residents are starving to death. some have resorted to eating leaves and grass. viewers might find some of the images in this report disturbing. >> reporter: my name is mohammed and i haven't eaten in more than aa week. his body starved of any nutrition has little more than the skin covering its bones. he is one of almost 40 thousand syrians being starved to death in madaya. it has been under siege by government forces for months now. there is

>>> starving to death, the syrians remaining under siege in madaya while talks in geneva begin to end the suffering. you're watching al jazeera live from london. also coming up, regional security tops the agenda at a summit of african leaders but the situation in burundi continues to divide opinion. around a million people turned out in italy saying no to plans to legalize same-sex unions. it has been a dirty word in politicss for decades, but socialism is at the forefront of the political race. we will look at why. 16 people have starved to death in the besieged syrian town of madaya since aid convoys arrived there earlier this month. that is according to doctors without borders. 30 others are known to have starved to death previously. lifting the blockade to towns of madaya is a key demand to syria's demands before entering into the talks in geneva. the human toll continues to groet. syrians are thought to be among 40 people who drowned when a boat sank between turkey and greece. we will have more on that at the moment, but the report following holds some disturbing images. >> r

. many of the victims are children. kelly cobiella has our report. >> reporter: in the town of madaya, it's come to this. salt for a meal. a boy begging for food. i'm sorry to ask, he says, but i haven't eaten in three days. babies starving to death. 7-month-old hada is sur is sraoeufg on salt and water, with milk every 10 days. hundreds here are suffering from malnutrition. many are on death's door. >> we have seen 23 of our patients, children and adults, die of acute malnutrition. our doctors are feeding the children medical syrups just in a desperate attempt to get some sugar into them. >> reporter: madaya, on the outskirts of damascus, has been surrounded by government troops for months. no one getting out. no food getting in. in northern syria, opposition fighters are doing the same to two pro-government villages. innocent civilians caught in the middle. human rights groups say a quarter of a million people have been killed in syria's five-year civil war, and now entire towns are being starved to death. >> it could be anything from 100,000, maybe up to 200,000 people across the c

besieged rebel-held town of madaya in syria. but even as supplies made their way to the area, news came of the death of a 3-month-old baby from starvation in a town nearby. four u.n. vehicles have entered madaya and are checking on people in the hospital. caroline malone reports. >> reporter: they have made it to lebanon from duma. they share the story of what life has become there, and how they escaped. >> reporter: we left duma by going down inside a well, and walked underground in a tunnel. our heart is telling us, we are going to get killed. when we got out, we felt freedom. >>> duma is under siege by government forces and a frequently the target of air strikes. the little aid that does get in is controlled by those running the area who charge money for it. >> reporter: last year we got barely anything. and what managed to come in was taken by those controlling the area. they set up centers and gave us cards, and the ones running the centers would sell the aid for us for a price. if you have money come and get it. if you don't, die from hunger. no one has mercy on anyone. >> re