pakistan has released one of the founding members from pris prison. hello, you're watching al jazeera. it's good to have you u here with us. also on this program, sinc in si lanka since the end of the civil war. a storm hits the philippines. >> unicef says a million people are at risk in nmabia.

pakistan has released one of the founding members of the taliban. he had been in prison in pakistan for for past three years. he was the taliban's second in demand afghanistan. during this time he became close fence to the group's spiritual leader. in 2010 he was arrested in karachi during a joint cia operation. let's hear from a correspondent who is in islamabad. how important is his release? >> reporter: the release is extremely important because this has come at the request of a afghan government's request. they came to have him released from pakistani custody.

the council also welcoming the novembethemove. the afghan says he may be able to influence the taliban. interesting, earlier, the afghan government is said to be in secret talks and was considered and therefore also until favor of the peace talks. but after, they saw a major setback. the release came in a time when they try to reach some sort of a political settlement it ice not clear if he will stay in pakistan even though he will be in pakistan and not handed over to the afghans. he may move to a third country

in order to initiate talks with the afghan government. >> the latest from islamabad, thank you. >> sources in northern sri lanka are going to the polls since the first time of the end of the civil war. that's after a 26-year conflict. they began their armed struggle. the number of people killed during this 26-year civil war is estimated between 80 to 100,000. at the end of the 2008 the president launched a huge defensive on the north. report polling has a relaxed start. there's more activity at so. major stations. what people are coming out to do

today is to have their day who they want to direct them through this next period of their political chapter in this area and also what they want. they're look for stability. they're looking for longer term growth of the area, opportunities whether that. economic, whether that be social and culture and effectively they're looking for leaders who can give them that sense of positivety moving forward. many people telling us we haven't forgotten what we've been through. we know the troubles we've faced and well aware of the challenges ahead of does but we need the right leaders to take us along the right path in this critical time in the northeastern areas of this country. >> taiwan and parts of the philippines have been beatered by one of the most powerful storm this year. carrying winds tofp up to 260 kilometers an hour. craig is in hong kong with more

detail. >> reporter: here in preparation for the storm which won't hit this part of the world until tomorrow. but it's already struck the philippines causing major problems. flooding has begun there. they had power disruptions, 100 families have been evacuated. there's a messy surf hitting the coast of taiwan where 200,000 people have been evacuated it's effected the transportation service there and also power cuts have begun to happen there. this storm the going to track directly toward hong kong if it keeps on that path and lit disrupt services here and shut down the city again as we saw in august because it is the middle of the festival here and many people are aware on holidays and will be coming back sunday night or attempting to be and other airlines are beginning to warn people that it's likely that they will face disruption to their trouble plans on sun night. to giving us a big idea of

what this storm is capable of. we're calling it the biggest storm of the year. give us an idea of what the scale of the storm is. >> the storm is about just over a 1,000 kilometers in diameter which is a huge area. even if the eye of the storm doesn't hit you you have 5 # oh 0 kilometers between you and the eye it can hit you without hitting you. if it does make land fall you have 500-kilometers of that storm to hit you w-fr yo you bet the worst of it it's moving slowly only 18-kilometers per hour. if you can imagine that hitting you slowfully. >> we're talking about hong kong bracing itself. how much more damage can this storm do? >> it hasn't passed anywhere yet. you can see the massive glob of

cloud. storm is still edging between taiwan and the philippines. you still have a lot of rain before it eventually moves away. we're expecting the storm to make land fall or get close to hong kong on sunday. but in less than 20 hour, we're expecting the winds to be 60 kilometers per hour hong kong. things will get worse and worse. the hurricane-storm winds are not the worst of it. you call it the hurricane inform forced winds. those are 100 kilometers across earth side so it's a huge storm. >> thank you onset for us. a chinese court is expected to hand down its verdict. form rising star on sunday. he's on charges of take bribe, embezzlement and abuse of power. prosecutors also accused him of appearing in the investigation in to the businessman back in

201 # 1. 2011. families separated for decades by the korean war won't be reunited next week. the reunions have been happening in 20 200. around a hundred families were due to to be reunited last thursday. millions were split by the korean war in the 1950s. harry is in seoul with the details. >> reporter: that's not the last time they have pulled out of agreements at the last minute in this way it's uncertain to say why they've done it. i think we can point to the wider contacts to what's happening in the last few day, though. one thing being that north korea on wednesday said it was ready to return to the party. talk, protest on its nuclear weapons program without preconditions. meaning that wanted south korean u.s. to drop their calls to some

signal to north korea but was ready to give up its nuclear weapons. there's been resoundness to south korea in terms of any official reaction. also, the south koreans saying that this is really distressing time to be 200 families on both sides and preparing to meet their relatives for the first time since the cease-fire and the korean war in 1953. south korean saying issue is the greatest pain of the nation. the president said he won't attend the u.n.'s assembly in new york. william is on trial with the international criminal court in the netherlands on charges of crimes against the humanity. he's also stand to due trial on similar charges.

nambia is in the middle of its worst drought in 25 years. nearly a million people are effected. >> reporter: he's 18 months old but only weighs 6-kilograms. she should be 9.5kgs. water in the northern town when she was admitted and put on weight. but the drought means there's no food at home. to, she's back. >> translator: the skin of my bad bayanybaby has lots of rash. we don't have enough noun buy food. i feel bad for her. >> reporter: this is their worst drought in 30 years. the government declared a state of emergency and delivering food aid but it's struggling too.

>> it tease wish of the government to cover everybody. however, i think, it might not be possible to k*fe cover everyy at the same time. >> reporter: nearly a million people are effected. it launched an appeal for $$7.4 millions. the hospital is on the front line. the babies have already died this year. during some month, admissions have doubled. >> we do our best. we refer those who come to the local -- they gate few provisions. not enough but it helps. but there's not much we can do. >> reporter: most of these woman are from angola but say they get more help here. >> translator: there is no food. my family tries to send me money. this year the land is not fertile. >> reporter: across the road, pregnant woman are staying in tents though they're near the

hospital when it's the time to give birth. the stkrougt likely to get worse before it gets better. the first harvest doesn't begin until march so the babys about to be born in this world they find a harsh and unforgiving place. nabia's government have supplied food aid put has four other hungry children at home so it will not go far. the nurse expect they will see her again. we'll be taking a wider look at the world weather next. i'm doing more livestock now than i've done in a long time. >> were down on the ranch in texas where the county sheriff is gunning for those pesky calfs. billion dollar losses and 4.5,000 workers to be laid off. numbers are not adding up for

blackberry.

pakistan has released one of the founding members of the taliban being a move to heap the peace process in afghanistan. elections are being held in northern sri lanka for the first time for the end of the civil war. some are expected to do well in these poll. the strong test storm on the planet so far this year has hit the philippines and parts of taiwan. it's carrying winds of up to 300 kilometers an hour.

as germany the leaders of the two biggest partys are rallying supporters at the end of sunday's election. what's the latest of berlin. anglo america has been speaking. what have you been seeing? >> reporter: she hasn't honestly been saying a lot of substance. her party's campaign has been around her personality. she's been presenting herself as a safe pair of hands throughout this campaign. the beginning was how she began wrapping up her hair during a windy and campaign appearance. talked a little bit about minimum wage, a little bit how germany went from the sixth man of the year to a power house in europe but not one of the most the productive ones if you've fool lead few elections. she has a 70% approval rating. most germans credit here for the wager any has led the euro zone

out of the s so sr*e rgn debt crisis. >> what about her coalition partners who she's relied on for the former government? >> reporter: her party is getting in the share of the vote according to almost the polls. however, she's in a coalition government. that's how things work here in germany it was predemocratic party. its problems it might not get 5% of the vote. you need 5.% to get in to parliament it doesn't break that barrier it will get zero and find a new coalition project and that may be the main opposition democratic party. it probably will not lead to a radical policy shift in germany. it wouldn't change on saving

ailing countries but it's not the ideal scenario. one final note about small parties, the free democrats are in trouble. there's an interesting small party to follow on sunday's vote as well. that is the alternative for germany party which is an anti-euro party. they want germany to go back to the deutsch mark and they think it will be good it it's resolveed in a structured manner so country cans go back to their national coursnational currencyn trouble anymore. they will have more trouble forming in coalitions. the two parties to watch the alternative for germany. >> thank you for following the german elections for us. thank you very much. and a man accused oh oh killing an anti-racist hip-hop artist has agreed to be in court. police say in athens who is a phepl per of the party admitted

to the crime shortly after his arrest. the greek prime minister appealed for calm after the murder led to a wave of violence nation-wide protests. en officials say violent gangs are smuggling men and tpwhopl twoman in to italy. the officials has called on the italian government to revamp its system to help identify the victims of traffickings. the clean up continue after devastating storms in mexico. more than 100 people have been killed in landslides. 35,000 homes have been destroyed. one is buried and several roads and bridges have been damaged. in the areas have been cutoff due to to krupbling ina * khur. crumbling infrastructure.

thousands of people were taken to temporary shelters in alcapulco during the storms. at least 165 people are dead or missing. david mercer has more from southern mexico. >> reporter: thousands of people are finally able to escape from the disaster zone. this critical highway has been closed for near lay week to a collapsed tunnel and it's just opened. this is a huge relief to people who have been trapped in flood-ra*flood-ravageed alcupco. >> we spent three days under a bridge. we couldn't get out. the good thing is we are going back home to see our relative whose are very worried about pups. >> reporter: more than 40,000 tour sr*eus relied on government and civilian aircraft to fly them out. many have waited in lines for days where heat and frustration have caused tensions to rise. with the around 20 to 30,000

vehicles expected to travel out on the high way on friday, the government expects this to release pressure. as these people slowly start to make their way home, more than 35,000 others have no homes return to. and it's these people hope that the government having opened up this road will now be able to refocus the relief effort on them. the ice levels in the arctic are considerably higher than lastier's record low. scientists say that the recovery because of cooler air around the globe is welcome but the trend is downward. it means that the arctic can be a few decades away. getting married at the age of 14 or 15 is not uncommon in indonesia it's something that they are trying to stop. this this report. >> reporter: girl meets boy,

it's innocent dating but young girls in the indonesian city are getting married before the age of 16. the legal age limit for girls to marry. they taking part in a government complaint warning teenagers about the risk of early marriage. >> translator: it's not good to get married too young because these children still want to have the fun. also their this body is not ready to become pregnant and economically it's not good because their young family will be poor and their children's future won't be good. >> reporter: 16-year-old and her boyfriend have been dating for 7 months and plan to be married august. >> i'm really happy. he really understands me and i love him very much. >> reporter: like in many other case their parents told them to get married as soon as possible.

>> many parents are epl pa raszeparents are embarrassedwhet married yet but the main reason now is economic. when your daughter gets married young your parents don't need to take care of her anymore. according to the family planning agency. the girls are married between 15 and 19. 5% marry between 10 and 14 kraoer14years-year-old. >> it's an exciting part of a girl's life. the indonesian government said that beautiful day can wait even though religion the saying otherwise. >> reporter: according to islamic preaching a girl is fit to get married as as soon she starts the mention straiting. the country's large test muslim organization agrees for raising the minimum age of girls to get married to 18 years old but others are against it.

>> translator: some people now even say that allowing girls to get married young is similar to sexual abuse of minors. we see this as an attack against islamic teachings because it's not true. islam allows to get married as soon as they menstruate. >> reporter: the government intends to change the 1974 marriage law as soon as possible. the proposed legal age of 18 years is a compromise. during its campaign the government prefers the minimum taeupblg seage set at 20 when an say, "i do." a man in brazil has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for ordering the murder of an american none. he has been tried three times and won the appeal each time. she was trying to protect the amazon rain forest to avoid us

having the forest to cut down and used for farming. blackberry is in big trouble and n the battle to sell smart phones. it is laying off 450,000 workers and billion dollar losses next week. >> reporter: thanks for joining us us. blackberry was once the leading edge maker of smart phones. it expects to report sales of just 3.7 unit this is quarter. that's just 10% of the volume for apple and only 2% of samsung's sales. its new smart phone got favorable industry reviews but stole poorly in its key u.s. market. sop the company says it will be cutting its product line from 6 to just 4 items aimed at what the ceo calls professional end

users. hope is that drastic move will help cut its operating losss in half by early 2015. but it also means 40% of its global work force will have to go. particularly hard hit will be blackberry's headquarters. canada's industry minister offered sympathy but no prospect of government assistance for the kpaepbcompany saying quote:the company's board says it's kpat examineing strap se strategic alternatives. that's also known for looking far pieer. the company is sending a message it has problems and that's clearly being received by the market. after its announcement, blackberry's shares on u.s. and canadian exchanges lost 1/4 of

their value. now the crime is coming back to the the u.s. state of texas. cattle wrestling is on the rise. mark sh fired sreutsd onmark scs county. >> reporter: ranger bob alford has more than a dozen longhorn on his 42 acres. each one, except a calf is branded. this brown cow has two brands. >> reporter: he also has pictures of each animal has never had one stolen but he knows plenty of people around here have. >> we have seen double of what we've experienceed in the past. >> reporter: he's not just the rancher, he's the johnson county sheriff. >> we all work together. >> reporter: he has an allie in the fight against kalt and other left in george davis who owns the johnson county cattle auction. you can tell they give you

the address is not right. there will be something. they may not have a license plate on their trailer. >> reporter: high ca cattle pris are why it's on the rise it's up 25% from two years ago. a good 500-pound calf is worth $1.50 a pound. >> reporter: it's gone from ten case to 16 so far this year. stealing cattle is not that hard. all they need sa property where no one lives a $10 bag of feed and less than an hour to get the cows on a trailer and out of here. >> i'm doing more livestock now than i've done in a long time. >> reporter: he spends much of his work hours investigating cattle left the. he's not just a detective, he's a victim. >> i did it for 19 years and ahead three baby calfs stoleen in that time. >> reporter: he says many thieves stay away from branded cattle because they know the cows are more likely to be

traced back though owner. you work all yearlong to accumulate something and then they tpraeubgt you. they take it from you. someone drives in to your place, that's pretty bad. >> this has my brand. >> reporter: but the sheriff is disappointed how so many ranchers don't both tore brand their cattle. if we can get them all branded it's easy tore get them spotted. >> reporter: alford says as long as prices are high, kalt kalt ce wrestling is going to continue. thieves around here end up in jail. mark schneider, al jazeera, cleabo ow rne, texas. documents just declassified and published by "the guardian" newspaper says the explosion would have been 260 times more

powerful more than in japan. develop tkropl barack obamas werbarack.after a b-52 bomber bn mid-air. you get more u news on our web-site. .