>> as the battle for aleppo intensifies, serious main mainition force -- syria's opposition force. the three national coalition says missile strikes continue to kill hundreds of civilians. coming up, the vatican condemns the media for what it calls us up and slander -- a gossip and slander. the spanish kings son-in-law is jeered by protesters as he faces a judge over fraud claims.

uncertainty and frustration mounts venezuela at the opposition demands to know if president chavez is fit enough to rule. >serious main opposition said it is pulling out of talks -- syria's main opposition said it is pulling out of talks. it describes international silence over the destruction of aleppo. on friday, rocket attacks killed at least 29 people there and left other people trapped. >> people in the villages

scrambled to pull this child from under a rubble after an airstrike. the essence he said is tired of the worlds in in action against bashar al-assad's government. -- the snc said it is tired of the world's in action against bashar al-assad's government. where the world stands on the conflict is shameful, they say. >> we are too busy gathering the remains of her children in aleppo to attend conferences. >> the snc has announced it a transitional government. >> leaders of the syrian national -- it is been decided that the head of this government will be announced by march the second.

>> the international community has long criticized syria's opposition for its failure to unite. fighting back is one of the reasons it could not provide it with more support. the opposition moved to name a transitional government in a weeks time. >> we would like the security council to make a clear condemnation of using those weapons against populated areas. and we would like the world to do something to stop the regime. >> the opposition says the russian government is part of the crisis rather than the solution. agreeing to form a new government will certainly strengthen the syrian national coalition and boost its credibility inside syria. although 137 countries have officially recognized the coalition is legitimate or presentation of the syrian people, representatives say they have received nothing more

than empty promises of support. >> deposition's political maneuvering comes as fighting to control of aleppo's international air force intensifies -- the opposition's lyrical maneuvering comes as fighting to control of aleppo's international air force intensifies. hundreds of mourners paid their final respects. mohamed albarn day has called for a boycott of the upcoming parliamentary election. he likened the poll to the sham democracy of the ousted leader hosni mubarak. he says he will change the dates of the elections so that coptic christians don't have to

vote during their eastern celebration. chadian troops have attacked a rebel base in northern mali a day after 13 of their fellow searche soldiers were killed. the chadian military says at least 65 rebels were also killed. french troops are also fighting and what they call the final campaign to drive al qaeda from its mountain hideout. 100 us soldiers have been sent to neighboring niger for surveillance training. unmanned drones are already running surveillance missions in molly. -- in mali. the vatican's chief spokesman has criticized the italian media, accusing it of spreading gossip and misinformation about pope benedict the 16th. one unconfirmed report suggested that the catholic pope stepped down after being given a gay clergy who were

being blackmailed. benedict is due to step down on separate 28th. -- february 28. >> frankly, the italian people have been rather interested -- uninterested in the upcoming election. talk of homosexual priests and corruption is dominating the news. all of the reports are unsourced and unattributed. the dossier that was produced by these cardinals, commissioned by the pope, apparently is in a locked safe within the vatican and will he be handled over to pope benedict's successor when he is elected. there are all kinds of different allegations swirling around of

corruption, money laundering, of homosexual clergy, homosexual clergy being blackmailed by people outside of the vatican. it is all real tabloid fodder and creating a feverish atmosphere here in the vatican leading up to the pope stepping down to just a couple of days. what the newspapers are trying to say is that the dossier should be published, at least for the cardinals were choosing the next pub -- choosing the next pope. surely the cardinals should know before they make their choice as to who the next pope should be. >> the spanish king's son-in- law is answering corruption charges. he is accused of tax fraud in a $7 million embezzlement case.

peter sharp has more details. >> outside the court, the husband of spain's princess christina arrived and contested allegations that he used millions of dollars of public money. a corruption scandal involving two regional governments, and $7.8 million that went missing or ended up in a counts of private companies linked to the duke of palma. he has not been formally charged, but the court case has brought unwelcome attention to spain's royal family at a time of declining national popularity. the royal family costs the spanish taxpayer $10 million a year. in a country where soaring under clement has brought millions onto the streets, where one in four is out of work, allegations about the brought public toxicity.

>> now with this kind of problems, legality problems, economic problems, we can see the family is not just a god. they are human family and have problems as well. >> princess cristina could be called to give evidence in court. politicians calling for the application of her father after 37 years -- abdication of her father after 37 years on the throne. peter sharp, al jazeera. >> in madrid, crowds marched on the parliament on the 32nd anniversary of a failed coup by armed forces. different sectors of the workforce have joined forces

under the banner of the people's tcoup. this is a very big protest, isn't it? >> it is. it is an unusual one. never before in the lifespan of this crisis, at least have we seen so many groups -- different groups marching together under the same banner. there are health workers, education workers, judges, minors, people who are protesting against a fiction. this is very wide spectrum of people. -- eviction. this is a very wide spectrum of people. people want to stay here a little bit longer and make their anger felt some more. when you do get the impression of is that this is the theory of spain's middle classes. it is them who are being hit hardest by the cuts there are

now one in four people out of work here. -- cuts. there are now one in four people out of work here. that is a harsh number. they are really decided to take to the streets now. one of the things that i saw was perhaps the most humorous, looking through the crowds and seeing a massive stuffed chorizo on a stick. it is a spanish spiced sausage. teresa also means a swindler, a crook here. people are chanting there is not enough bread for so many three those --chorizos. anger really, really rising here. cuts are being made. the political process seems to be feathering their nests. >> a fairly dire economic situation in spain.

but what do these protesters expect the government to do? >> earlier this week, when marciano bo -- mariano rajoy gae his state of the nation address, he said that austerity measures would continue but he did promise that there would be some growth rock back to the spanish economy. that is exactly what people want to see -- brought back to the spanish economy. that is exactly what people want to see. they really feel that their services are being cut, their jobs are being lost. that is why they are marching. they are marching because their standard of life has slipped so severely. the poor is still poor here, and the rich is still rich, but the middle class is really being battered. that is why we're seeing so many people come to the streets today. they will continue to protest until things start getting better for them. >> in madrid. many thanks pretty still to

come, -- thanks. still to come -- >> in naples, at the heart of italy pos's is intended south. >> what american fishermen say efforts to save their industry may kill it.

>> in less than 24 hours, italy goes to the polls to elect a new parliament. candidates have held their final rallies before elections that take place on sunday and monday. the outgoing prime minister, monti and berlusconi are both running. our reporter is in naples. >> this is old naples, the

historic heart of italy's traditionally downtrodden south. abandon to myself, go the melancholy lyrics of this neapolitan song. the streets are among the most weary. >> i have always given the my vote, but they have never helped me get off the ground. i do not know what is going on, but i feel the doors closing from my eyes -- in front of my eyes. >> youth unemployment approaches 50%. there are few prospects for young graduates like these. many choose to leave rather than face a desperate job market. >> the situation is traviagic. if you want to stay, you have to realize there is a battle to be fought to make the situation

better. otherwise, the only solution is to leave. >> who do you blame for the problems of the south? >> it goes both ways. cultural, and political. >> economically stagnant for decades, the south of italy has always lagged behind the industrialized north. in many parts of this region, people associate power more readily with the local mafia than the government dar. their proclamations have more to do with failed public services, corruptions, and jobs than politics and failed politicians. italy suffers its worst recession in 20 years. what little investment there once was in the south is pretty much gone. >> we are ruined. ruined, because of the way politicians behave. we cannot live like this anymore. >> not much hope you're of

stable government -- of stable government here in the south. >> in the past two days, three big french companies have agreed to use only french beef. members of the british royal family, including the queen, may have eaten horsemeat. the south african has taken refuge in his uncle's home. the family have reportedly received a card and flowers.

on the streets, there is been a mixed reaction to the magistrate's failed decision. >> i think the guy should be behind bars. there can't be any mitigating factors whatsoever. extreme disappointment. >> i do not think it is good. his story does not have evidence. >> you should not forget, he is well known everywhere. that is all there is to it. >> indian schoolchildren have

joined hundreds of people taking part in a highway blockade to show their anger at the brutal rape and murder of three young sisters. villages in the state. family have accused the local police of inaction, saying they did nothing for several days. >> a fire at a warehouse in china's due to province has sent fireworks shooting into the air. a candle production area on the third floor. the flames had spread to the fireworks warehouse by the time firefighters arrived. no casualties were reported. the opposition in venezuela has called for greater clarification on the state of the president's health. hugo chavez has not been seen since monday and he spent 10

weeks recovering from cancer surgery. in the capital, supporters of the president have been helping regular -- holding regular candlelit vigils. the government has been vague about the details of his treatment. >> at a school in venezuela state of miranda, physical education teacher alexandra espinosa. espinosa says he was devastated. while the ailing president supporters pray for his recovery, this teacher give thanks for what he calls a gift from heaven, the real possibility that there will be new elections in weeks, not years. >> i'm thrilled because i feel the changes on the way.

z's opponents were humiliated when they lost all but two of the gubernatorial seats. today, they are sharpening their knives, taking every opportunity to pressure their ailing president to either get back into the presidential palace or resigned. >> in order to live better, you need people who know how to make decisions. if you like your currency devalued, then vote by pressing the red button. >> a 10 week absence that included missing his own inauguration, president chavez is now back in venezuela is still out of sight and in hospitals. >> it is important that the president produce himself as soon as possible.

now that he's back, what must happen urgently in a matter of hours or days is that he be sworn in. this cannot wait. >> others are demanding that the government proves that the president is in power. >> they treat us as if we are mentally retarded. we can't accept that the government tells us a different story every day. >> while they sound impatient, opponents of chavez know that the longer the president remains out of sight, the more time they have to prepare for whatever comes next. >> in the northeast of the united states, commercial fishermen are getting increasingly worried that their livelihoods are at risk. regulators say tighter controls are the only way to sustain the centuries-old fishing industry in the region. as kristen saloomey reports from new hampshire, the fishermen fear that restrictions could drive them out of business. >> off the coast of new

hampshire, is fishermen is navigating a sea of government regulations. the amount of shrimp he is allowed take from the gulf of maine has been reduced to three quarters since last year. and now regulators, worried about wiggling fish population, want to -- regulators, worried about dwindling fish population -- >> in the past, when they had these spasms of fooling around with a particular spot, they did not fool around with all of my once. -- at once. now there is no place to turn. >> these large, closed areas that have been closed since the mid-mitte19990's. >> we have been trying to rebuild cod stocks.

we thought we were making progress, but we have not been. things have gotten worse. >> they cannot say for sure why cod stocks are so low. they blame a combination of overfishing and rising water temperatures. >> commercial fishermen have been catching water here since the 1600s. it was once so plentiful that fishing along with timber formed the basis of the new england economy. >> some fishermen question the science behind the new regulation, which still needs to be approved by the us department of conversmmerce. a loss of $15 million or more to the already struggling $80 million a year industry. >> the only way to save a fishery is to destroy the fishermen, that's bad policy. you have to find a way for the two to coexist. >> as long as the fish are threatened, so is this new england tradition.

kristen saloomey, al jazeera, hampton, hav new hampshire. >> russians have been marching to mark a national holiday on i during the military. -- honoring the military. in this age of gadgets, many people are used to doing their reading by electronic tablet. in some parts of written, there is a growing trend to reading out loud to an audience. around 350 groups meet weekly around the country to do just that. as jessica baldwin reports, they find it rather therapeutic. >> you may remember this. they were the confident oncees, some who whispered, some who relished it.

more experienced group reading aloud in a west london library. it is a weekly event. one of 300 groups organized across britain by the router res organization. everyone is welcome. the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed. >> i feel that in the time i have been here, i have enjoyed myself. i have learned a lot about literature. i think i have developed as a person. >> it is more than just reading and talking about a book. it is about engaging with others in a social enterprise. she also reads in hospitals and prisons. she says the venue makes no difference. >> i think i have always known that reading is therapeutic.

when people could not read, maybe there were less books around. people would sit around and read a story. >> another group, this one in london's mayfair neighborhood. >> 15 or 20 people sitting on a rug, gathering. with no other agenda than listening to a story -- it is a beautiful thing. >> the groups vary, but all provide a safe environment for talking. if topics straight into the awkward or too personal, the leader can return to the text -- stray into the awkward or too personal, the leader can return to the text. >> in this fast-paced world where people are separated by where people are separated by technology,