. >> this is the front line of aleppo. you meet people in the morning, and at the end of the day, they're dead. >> with them, street to stree, as they fight assad's army. >> we are returning now, after the attack. it just shows you how brave they are, and at the same time, how disorganized they are. >> guardicorrespondent for frontlinghaith abdul-ahad, takes you inside the battle for syria. and later tonight, the regime responds. >> the regime now is bombarding civilian neighborhoods with artillery, with tank fire, and with fighter bombers. >> how is president bashar al-assad holding on to power? >> the iranians are gaining influence in syria now by the day. >> and what will happen if asd falls? >> there is definitely increasing worry in the united states administration about in whose hands these weapons are falling. >> these two stories on this special edition frontline. >> frontline is made possible by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. and by the corporation for public broadcasting. majo

today, aleppo is at war again. the further you edge into the old city, the sound and fury of battle grows. those who stayed behind must cheat death every day. a simple sign reads, do not cross, sniper to your left. seven or eight people were killed to last week, he says. the rebels have moved into the path of the old city. activist took us there. a world heritage site where the scars of battle run deep and the devastation is mounting. aleppo is a city under siege. the fighting is now street by street, house by house. the fighters have been calling for outside help for many months. for the first time, a strong indication they're getting it. the ukrainian weapons firms made the box and its contents for the royal saudi army. how would ended up in the roiled -- in a rebel base in aleppo is not clear. interests, both sides get help from abroad in a proxy war that threatens a fragile region. the atmosphere on the front line is incredibly tense and almost eerily quiet. you can hear the sounds of battle still going on and

meanwhile, there were new clashes today in aleppo, whe activists said 14 people died. and it is to aleppo that we now turn for a closer look at one less-reported aspect of the ongoing violence. as the conflict in syria rages on, the death toll climbs. more than 34,000 people have been killed in the violen that began in march of last year.l more than 350,000 refugees have left the country. a million more have been displaced from their homes in syria. it's a human tragedy on an immense and horrifying scale, but it's also becoming clear that the battle between syrian government forces and the rebel free syrian army is taking another kind of toll-- on the country's rich and historic cultural heritage. a center of that heritage: aleppo, syria's largescity, now a scene of destruction that we report nearly every night. but less known is this: aleppo is considered perhaps the oldest continuously inhabited human settlement in the world, home to numerous civilizations layered on top of one another-- including hittites, assyrians, arabs, mongols and ottomans-- that reach back to

we look at the destruction in aleppo, syria. >> this is one of the great tragedies. aleppo's an extraordinary cross roads of cultures, religions, all built on a strata of centuries of -- >> woodruff: and ray suarez has the story of a 19th century recording made on tinfoil by thomas edison, digitally converted so we can hear it. >> brown: that's all ahead on tonight's newshour. major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> computing surrounds us. sometimes it's obvious and sometimes it's very surprising in where you find it. soon, computing intelligence in unexpected places will change our lives in truly profound ways. technology can provide customized experiences tailored to individual consumer preferences, igniting a world of possibilities from the inside out. sponsoring tomorrow starts today. and the william and flora hewlett foundation, working to solve social and environmental problems at home and around the world. and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... this program was made possible by the corporation for public

injured in the latest series of blasts big label terror attacks targeting syria's commercial hub of aleppo. syria's worsening violence seems russia's security service while the countries in the region could succumb to terrorist control. and debate simply know whether julian assange his supporters will get back hundreds of thousands of dollars the native to get impaled while this concert ever how much taxpayer cash is being spent on hounding the whistleblower. live from moscow at eleven pm this is r t it's kevin owen who did this very good to have you company the top story the developing news of the last couple of hours we'll bring you up to date with the owner of several russian and american companies has been charged tonight in the u.s. with being a secret russian agent illegally exporting microelectronics to the russian military is one of poor nice got the latest from new york. according to the u.s. justice department alexander. they say was operating a spy network that was based in houston that according to u.s. officials enhanced the capabilities of the russian military no go and other

latest series of blasts which are being labeled terror attacks targeting syria's commercial hub of aleppo. syria's worsening violence sees russian security service warn that more countries in the region could succumb to terrorists control plus. rain is paying c.n.n. to create content that shows bahrain in a favorable light as a former c.n.n. journalist claims involved crane is buying all bulletins regimes crackdown heightens with police clashes at the funeral of a young jailed activist. hello and thank you for joining our to broadcasting to live from the heart of moscow i'm karen tara well a series of terror attacks have struck syria's largest city around forty people are reportedly dead and over one hundred injured and what are thought to have been suicide car blasts targeting the military party's middle east correspondent paula slayer has details. syrian state television is reporting that this is the work of terrorists and that dozens of people have been killed many of them belonging to the syrian regime now it comes amid intensified fighting between government forces and rebel fighters

the battle is raging just beyond this area in aleppo in the north. government forces are shelling neighborhoods. civilians are paying a heavy price. many have said -- many have fled here. the city's main stadium is giving refuge to nearly 500 families. the referees are now home to this family. >> bbc london? >> they have been here for the past month. she tells me "thank god we are here. is safe. the army was trying to move other people out of our area. there were clashes and gunfire. we have children. aleppo is like a disaster son. there are bodies in the streets. we can let our children see that." but there is destruction in this region, too. this amateur video shows mountains in ruin. communities have seen heavy clashes. some villages are now controlled by rebels. serial's war is often described as a sectarian conflict, -- syria's war is often described as a sectarian conflict. the regime is criticized for stoking fear elsewhere in the country. this man wants is identity -- his identity didn't. does he see this as a sectarian conflict? >> of course

and this is the liberated area of aleppo? "yes," he told us, "70% of aleppo has been freed already." colonel oqaidi joined the rebels six months ago after defecting from the syrian army. he walked us through one of the city's few functioning markets, anxious to show us that normal life is still possible here. ( explosion ) but the moment was short-lived. ( explosion ) shells were landing closer and closer. >> dr. maher nana: we need to move. >> ward: so we moved, driving through the narrow streets to the heart of this ancient city, large parts of which have been reduced to an apocalyptic wasteland. we stopped because the colonel wanted to inspect his fighters on the front lines. but as soon as they spotted us, government snipers opened fire. >> get down, everybody. >> ward: night was falling, so we moved to an area that we thought was more secure. ( explosion ) it's bombardment like that that has left aleppo a virtual ghost town. most civilians here have left. the only people who are really still left in the streets are fight

children are reported killed as up to four consecutive explosions hit the center of syria's the city of aleppo. the cycle of violence riot police in bahrain fired tear gas at a funeral march for a protester who died in custody amid accusations mainstream media is acting in concert with brains ruler. and georgian president mikheil saakashvili is urged to step down after a galling election upset his party on the margins and him vulnerable to legal action. hello and welcome to our team with me karen we go now to a developing story up to four explosions have rocked the central square of syria's largest city of aleppo reportedly killing around forty people the blasts were thought to have been caused by car bombs and were followed by heavy gunfire more on that from march's middle east correspondent paula slayer paula she joins us live now so syria is no stranger to terrorist attacks what happened this time. well they have as you say a number of explosions in the syrian northern city of aleppo which is also the country's commercial hub syrian state television is reporting that this is the work of ter

the latest series of blasts that have been labeled terror attacks targeting syria's commercial hub of aleppo. syria's worsening violence sees russia security service more that more countries in the region could succumb to terrorist control. and debate since britain on whether julian assange just supporters will get back hundreds of thousands of dollars to get a failed while this concern over how much taxpayer cash is being spent on pounding was. watching r t my name is kevin owen it's very good to have you with us this hour breaking news again to start this hour a developing story in the last hour or two the owner of several russian and american companies has been charged in the united states tonight with being a secret russian agent illegally exporting microelectronics to the russian military let's get up to speed on it then as best we can go to new york full of the details are important the story's been breaking over the last hour or so what we know about the charges so far and who else is implicated. well what we know so far kevin is that according to the f.b.i. they say that this alleged

be deployed it is unusual it certainly is rare that they have been suicide bombings in the city of aleppo there was a bombing back in february in which twenty eight people were killed but most of you know all the suicide bomb bombings have been concentrated in the capital city of damascus and over the past few days and so the over the past few weeks there has been an intensified number of car bombs exploding where now the rebels have come forward and came for sponsibility for those car bombings so far no one has temper sponsibility for this particular attack but it certainly does have all the fingerprints of the rebel car bombing suicide attacks there was a call last week by rebel fighters in which they said that they would intensify the fighting in aleppo they said that they were going to end the battle there it comes amid reports that we're receiving that qatar has saved nearly two hundred million dollars to the free syrian army so certainly the scene seems to be said for fighting to intensify certainly in the near future and looking now in the city of aleppo. where did this from the fr

with this ongoing battle in aleppo, the rebels fighting and not many times from aleppo themselves. there are from smaller, more rural, more islamic places, and they are angry with this in urban class that they feel when on supporting president assad too long. but that works in reverse as well. the more the people in the big cities feel there is a social element of the revolution, the more they want to go on staying with the regime. >> thank you very much indeed. we will have a look at some of the others to was making headlines around the world. they have been described as the forgotten victims of the nazi holocaust, at least until today did half a million members of the roma, or gypsy community it murdered during the second world war have been remembered in a ceremony and memorial in berlin. it is surrounded by walls be telling the nazi persecution of the roma. it was held up by years of dispute over its design and cost. the german chancellor angela merkel open to the memorial. later in the program, we will be speaking to the lawyer who has represented traveler communities in roma

aleppo, syria's largest city, is going up in smoke. for centuries a commercial hub and today a world heritage site, now the ancient streets are being renamed. this one is called sniper's alley. those who are not fast enough are killed. the city's hospitals are overwhelmed. wounded people are brought in every minute. some of the injured are rebel fighters. most, though, are civilians. there's no better place than the hospital to see who is bearing the brunt of the suffering in this war -- civilians and children. even the hospital is not safe. it has been bombed five times. >> much of our population is wounded by bombing, by shelling. >> in a city where bullets and bombs rain down relentlessly, there's nowhere left to take shelter. this man takes us to his neighborhood and shows us places struck by missiles. he says the missiles were fired just as people were leaving the mosque. >> there were no ambulances. just one pickup truck. first of all, we put the dead and injured onto the truck. there were 12 dead and 20 injured. >> the cemetery

she's recently returned from aleppo and joins us now at the broadcast center in new york. clarissa, what can you tell us about who might have been behind these bombings today? >> reporter: well, scott, so far no group has actually claimed responsibility for today's attacks, but there is no doubt that there is an increasing number of extremist groups operating on the ground in syria. they're using the same kind of terrorist tactics that we've seen in iraq and afghanistan and part of the reason for that is this influx of foreign fighters that we've seen into the country. our crew actually spent time in a safe house on the border of turkey that was filled with fighters who had come from northern africa, from other countries, and they said they had come to syria to fight jihad. >> pelley: this civil war which began about 18 months ago to overthrow the dictatorship was in those days all about democracy and freedom from the assad regime but you seem to be saying that that's changing now. that the opposition is something very different. >> absolutely. there's been a real shift, i

on karen tara well up to four explosions have rocked the central square of syria's largest city of aleppo reportedly killing around forty people the blast were thought to have been caused by car bombs and were followed by heavy gunfire artie's middle east correspondent paul slayer reports syrian state television is reporting that this is the work of terrorists and that dozens of people have been killed many of them belonging to the syrian regime and now it comes amid intensified fighting between government forces and rebel fighters in the city and we are understanding that the explosions were a few minutes apart they happened near the city's large squares at least one massive crater has remained in the ground a metal facade of several two buildings nearby were completely ripped apart according to eyewitnesses there the explosions were one of the immediately by intensified gun battles and clashes we are also hearing that by all accounts it seems as if the explosions were caused by call bombs not. this is not getting verified but it does suggest that this is the work of suicide bombers ther

latest series of blasts which are being labeled terror attacks targeting syria's commercial hub of aleppo. syria's worsening violence seems russia's security service warned that more countries in the region could succumb to terrorist control. plus debate since britain or whether julian assange supporters will get back hundreds of thousands of dollars donated to get even bailed while there's concern over how much taxpayer cash is being spent on how and it was. live from moscow ten pm this is r t it's kevin owen here this with our top story this breaking news we bring in over the last couple of hours the owner of several russian and american companies has been charged tonight in the u.s. with being a secret russian agent allegedly exporting microelectronics to the russian military lives in new york let's get the latest as the teachers are coming through his miniport as across the story hi again marina what do we know so far than about these charges new else is implicated. well according to the u.s. justice department alexander. they say was operating a spy network that was based in houston

aleppo, syria's largest city, has been the site of fierce fighting this weekend. holy williams has more. >> reporter: the syrian rebels are targeting the government's air-bases. this video was posted on-line and claims to show opposition fighters firing at a military airport just outside of aleppo. their goal is to weaken the regime's air force. government warplanes have bombarded rebel positions, and their lightly armed opposition is normally powerless to stop them. but much of the fighting is still at street level. this internet video appears to come from darra where the rebels and regime are fighting for control of city blocks. and this is aleppo's med evil market, part of the world heritage set a blaze during fighting and now reduced to a charred skeleton. opposition groups say that syria's bloody civil war has claimed more than 30,000 lives. these bodies are said to have been discovered in damascus, a dozen men dead but we don't know who they were or why they were killed. the regime claims it can defeat the rebels. on syrian state television government soldie

syrian rebels claim they've taken the country second city of aleppo a major offensive came as damascus agreed to a cease fire would be muslim holiday. plus the u.s. set to be hit by a new wave of potentially painful revelations. being holed up in the ecuadorian embassy in london two thousand dollars which leaks founder julian from working now wiki leaks is releasing more than one hundred files relating to the treatment of prisoners in the u.s. military detention complex details coming up in just a moment. international news and comment live from the new center here in moscow this is. libya's government forces claim they have taken control of the opposition stronghold bunnie one eat but say pockets of resistance still remain that's after a week's long deadly assault with reports of dozens of residents in the besieged city being killed by government shelling. has the details. we continue to receive these conflicting reports from our sources on the ground we're hearing about the army is actually withdrawing from the city or though we are hearing of wide scale killings from the government

the syrian rebels claim they've taken the country's second city of aleppo a major offensive came as damascus agreed to a ceasefire for the muslim holiday. and give time to those opposing the iranian regime is a new t.v. station but questions over free speech mount the state broadcaster press t.v. was shut down in the u.k. . international news and comment live from moscow this is. libya's government forces claim they have taken control of the opposition stronghold bani walid but say pockets of resistance still remain that's after a week's long deadly assault with reports of dozens of residents in the besieged city being killed by pro-government shunning. the details. we continue to receive these conflicting reports from our sources on the ground we're hearing of that the army is actually withdrawing from the city or there we are hearing of wide scale killings from the government sources they say that the system has fallen and we continue to receive verified video footage as well as reports of wide scale killings of indiscriminate shelling and also the use of poisonous gas some of the photos a

. >>> in syria today aleppo the largest city was rocked by four explosions this morning. killing at least 40 people. joining me now from cairo with the latest nbc news foreign correspondent ayman mohyeldin. what are we hearing to the victims and cause of that attack? >> well, andrea, we'll get to that about aleppo in a second but the latest development just happened right now coming out of turkey earlier this afternoon, a syrian artillery shell landed on the turkish side of the border killing five turkish citizens. that angered the turkish government. the prime minister says the syrian government will be held accountable for this and we also understand that turkish officials are now reaching out to nato to possibly exercise nato's article in which any member of nato that is attacked could respond and it's really just highlighting the sense situation on the turkish/syria border there after this deadly incident. the attack in aleppo you referenced really two different accounts coming out from inside syria. the syrian government, the official line from them, this was a terro

in the latest series of blasts which are being labeled terror attacks targeting syria's commercial aleppo. syria's worsening violence sees russia security service warn that more countries on the return could succumb to terrorist control. brain is paying c.n.n. to create content that shows in a favorable light as a former c.n.n. journalist claims plain as falling all over tens machine this crackdown heightens police shows the funeral of a gallant child activist. thanks so much for joining our team with me karen tara well a series of terror attacks have struck syria's largest city forty people are dead over one hundred are injured and many are feared trapped under rubble after what are thought to have been suicide car blasts targeting the military archies middle east correspondent paul slayer has details. syrian state television is reporting that this is the work of terrorists and that dozens of people have been killed many of them belonging to the syrian regime and now it comes amid intensifying frontin between government forces and rebel fighters in the city we are understanding that the

. >> in syria, 31 people are killed after a series of car bombs target government forces in aleppo. >> the u.s. revs up what europe stalls. -- while europe's tallest. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- it is the day the people of germany celebrate the unity. 22 years ago, east and west reunited with the blessing of their european neighbors. now there has been a pill to draw the right lessons in the crisis europe faces. >> the president of the parliament says his country must strive for greater unity in europe and he warned against perverting -- reverting to old national rivalries as the weaker members of the eurozone struggle. >> the speech in munich is the center of the celebration. >> the ceremony began with music from richard strauss's opera. more than 1500 people attended the ceremony, including germany's top political leaders. the bavarian state premier compared the process of german unification to that of creating a united europe. then he gave the keynote address. >> we are german europeans. we must devote to the nfl -- unification of europe the sa

is up against when we visited aleppo last month. since then the rebels say they've gained two key neighborhoods, a decisive battle is being fought for this, syria's largest city. cease-fire or not, neither side wants to give up the advantage. >> the military situation is excellent, this rebel commander told me. the government is bombing civilians, but god is generous to us and we're gaining ground. we won't stop until the whole of aleppo is liberated. the rebels are taking prisoners. he once command add units of the feared paramilitary ghosts. now he's in jail. he tells me that a colonel in syrian intelligence ordered his men to kidnap female activists and subject them to gang rape. >> we raped four girls he tells me matter of factly. students informers told. they were raped on the bus. there's so much bitterness it's hard to see how the two sides can sit down together and move into a political process. that was the slim hope which rested on the u.n. attempt to get a cease-fire. instead blood was spilled across syria today with bomb

including children are reported killed as consecutive explosions descend took serious case city of aleppo. cycle of violence riot police in bahrain fired tear gas at a funeral march for an anti regime acts of its who died in custody after he was allegedly denied medical attention. georgian president mikhail saakashvili is urged to step down after a grueling an election upside leaves his party on the margins and him vulnerable to legal. news from russia and around the world this is our see with me our thanks for joining us after four explosions have rocked the central square of syria's largest city of aleppo reportedly killing around thirty people the blasts were thought to have been caused by car bombs and world followed by heavy gunfire that toxic place at this city's main square there is controlled by government forces and according to activists and nearby military social center may have been the targets terror bombings again security facilities have become increasingly common in syria's long lasting civil war and similar types of work carried out on a military school and army headquart

calls on muslims to back syria's rebels while an opposition group kidnaps a lebanese journalist in aleppo saying his work is not compatible with the revolution. poso as obama and romney trying to outrun each other with just ten days left before the us presidential elections many americans are still don't know there are they can do this to choose from. at seven am here in moscow you're watching our live with me to bang with their thousands of families are struggling to escape from the besieged libyan city of bani walid as the bloody assault by pro-government militias continues into the third week of the ridges a military action has been stopped and aid is being distributed however sources inside the city say there's no water food or medicine fighters in the area also blocking a desert highway trapping those who managed to flee the violence. look at this people did. this good this gun and this people know this sure thing now why you don't know one week now this is the outside and doesn't know what the we're doing when i was living with you thing when when the government along better brush w

not commit to the truce clashed with forces for control of a military base on the strategic town of aleppo also reports of mortar fire being heard at the turkey turkey syria border in what looks like another violation of the cease fire in an area where many rebels hide a former pentagon official michael maloof doubts that this truce will really have any effect. the government is prepared to have a cease fire but it takes two to tango as as it were and i don't know that the opposition is prepared to. stand down i think they they feel that the government will then take advantage of the cease fire to realign troops and put in artillery so i think that they're going to be reluctant to do that there are terror attacks going on. a lot of the opposition is coming from outside forces more radical elements of joint so syria is being subject to outside terrorist attacks and it's going to go on and unfortunately the united states is backing this as well as turkey and i think that the united states really doesn't have a clear policy on word word. except to get him out but then the question is what and

both sides and highlights the lack of global condemnation for the terrorism that's killed dozens in aleppo. and athens rudd says police used tear gas at protesters who tried to storm the greek defense ministry in the later show of despair in a struggling country. pm thursday night here in moscow welcome if you just joined us this is r.t. live i'm kevin now in first turkey's parliament thought authorize the military to engage in cross border armed operations following the shelling of a town from syrian territory a wednesday meanwhile tension on the border is worsening too with turkey renewing its retaliatory shelling of its war torn neighbor for a second day of his middle east correspondent paula sleep brings you the latest. as expected the turkish parliament has voted overwhelmingly in favor of the wising military operations in syria what this does mean is that it now has given the green light for cross a border operations the deputy turkish prime minister has gone on record saying this is not a declaration of war but it certainly is sending out very warning messages now while this meeting

except to get out but then the question is what and then what are you going to have after that and if aleppo falls that could begin to raise additional problems and could cause a major spread and isolate the regime on the one hand i've talked to people in lebanon for example who said that those below will attack even israel if aleppo falls simply because of the assistance that the israelis have been giving to the opposite. so i would be skeptical that such a cease fire not only could go into effect but that it could even hold. europe provides a platform for revolutionary sentiment in iran after getting rid of alternative options coming up later this hour in london embraces the launch of a new opposition t.v. station that aims to to capitated iran's government just days after checkpoint stay runs run broadcasts are denied access to e.u. airwaves. grace apparently stands no chance of meeting its deficit reduction plans according to a preliminary report by the international monetary fund's debt inspectors nevertheless they remain undaunted the write up will recommend more austerity on top of ei

to get him out but then the question is what and then what are you going to have after that and if aleppo falls that could begin to raise additional problems and could cause a major spread and isolate the regime on the one hand i've talked to people in lebanon for example who said that those below will attack even israel if aleppo falls simply because of the assistance that the israelis have been giving to the opposition so i would be skeptical that such a cease fire not only could go into effect but that it could even hold. our staying with syria into the world update we go excuse me the breaking of the ceasefire in syria we'll get to that in just a moment as a millions an hour praying and celebrating as muslims mark the holiday generally speaking violence is stopped for holy days hundreds of millions of muslims across the world now are celebrating this festival of the religious holiday begins at the height of the hug in the saudi arabian city of mecca which annually draws more than two million pilgrims right here in russia some hundred fifty thousand believers have also crowd of the str

they renewed it last week to gain control with aleppo. a free syrian army spokesperson says the assad regime mobilized 30,000 troops and 2,000 tanks for the battle. he says rebel fighters plan to carry out simultaneous bombing attacks on the military. >>> citizens upset by iran's plummeting currency have taken to the streets of the capital tehran. their protests highlight their growing frustration with the government. protesters fought with riot police in the city's main bazaar. they were demanding the government stop the fall of the rial. demonstrators staged another protest in a different area of the city. iran's currency has lost 70% of the value in the past year and hit record lows against the dollar. u.s. and european sanctions targeting iran are hurting the economy. anti-government protests are unusual in iran. an exchanger at the bazaar said the demonstrators were merchants. >> there have been no reports of injuries, but many shops are closed in and around the bazaar. security officers are patrolling the area. >>> japan's foreign m

the fight is on for aleppo, syria's largest city and one of the world's oldest. the rebels call it a decisive battle. it is also deadly. this weekend the intense combat triggered a massive fire in the city's ancient marketplace. a priceless landmark, reducing much of it to ashes. we made our way in to syria, past scenes of devastation, to the outskirts of aleppo. to meet rebel commander ahmed afaj once a local businessman now driven by the loss of his own brother, killed in combat. he leads more than 2500 rebels. all sunni muslims. and says he is battling shiite militants fighting for the regime, mostly from outside syria. iranian and hezbollah fighters are here in large numbers, he says. when we kill them, we find their i.d. cards. the u.s. has accused iran of meddling in syria. the commander goes farther. he says of the regime, all of the planes they're using, the new ones, are from iran. and, he says, government planes are dropping a new kind of weapon. bombs in barrels, with chemicals, he says, that take out city blocks. a whole family was in here, he says, a