>> > welcome to the newshour. we are coming from doha. these are the main stories: 11 hostages are free, waiting to go home as part of a deal involving four parties >> elections off - police cancel presidential polls in the maldives, declaring the votes illegal. >> i'm felicity in london, with the latest in europe, including police and anti-austerity protesters clashing for a second day in italy

>> why this violin is worth a titanic million dollars. >> welcome to the program. 11 hostages are waiting to go home as part of a complex deal involving turkey, lebanon, syrian rebels and the syrian government. among them two turkish airline pilots, kidnapped at gunpoint two months ago while at a stop over at beirut airport. nine lebanese hostages have been released. they were freed on the continue that damascus would release 200 prisoners. andrew simmons is live at beirut's international airport. there seems to be a delay to this very complex hostage exchange. take us through what has been happening there now. >> right now the mood is different to two hours ago. there was a lot of information suggesting that the whole process as under way.

but there was a hold up. i have spoken to the foreign minister mansour and he told me definitively that the two turkish pilots are in the hands of turkish officials and are heading to the airport and will get on a plane which will take off to return to turkey, which will trigger a sequence of events meaning the return of nine hostages back here to beirut, and also a flight from damascus, we think, with a large number of released opposition prisoners. that is apparently the case. now, he said definitively that the deal has been done. he didn't detail what the delays were, but he made absolutely clear definitively that the deal will be going ahead.

it remains to be seen how it plays out. we have been here before. a good person to talk about that is my guest. thank you for joining us on al jazeera. your father was one of the men who went to iran and was returning. he's in his 50s. what is going through your mind now. you have been told that there is definitely going to be a release. >> yes. >> what is going through your mind now? >> we are waiting till they come. it happen two times, they told us they are going to be released. we came here and so we are not convinced until they are here. we are waiting, just waiting. >> you'll believe it when you see it. >> i can't tell for sure that i'm convinced, no. i'm waiting. >> you have fresh roses in your hand. >> those are for my father. i have not seen him for a year

and five months. >> he's not a well man, is he. what do you know of his condition? >> he is a patient. he had two heart surgeries and he take medicine. we don't know anything about it since he was kidnapped, until now. >> as far as you are concerned. you are optimistic that this is taking place. >> of course, you know, it's about a year and a half. you don't know anything about the person. he is sick. he need medicine all the time, care. how could i know that he is safe? >> thank you very much for joining us. >> you are welcome. >> waiting by not only that lady, but a number of others who have been told this is taking place. there has been some misinformation, misunderstandings in lebanese media and elsewhere about the timing of it, but it appears to be taking place. >> andrew, let me ask you - just

talk us through some of the highly secret backroom dealings that went on to get the deal put together, including the qataries who were instrumental in mediating and gluing the deal together. >> sorry, the position is this: the negotiations were brokered, it seems - the latest negotiations - by the qataries who have a hand in syrian affairs. they have a deep interest in seeing through a successful conclusion to a complicated picture, which is, it would appear, humanitarian. it would appear we have two turkish airline pilots taken in retaliation for the kidnapping of these 11 originally men who had been to iran, to visit holy shrines, who were accused of being militia members by the rebels who took them host im.

it transpires that the sequence of event involves qatar, lebanon, it involves assad regime. those that took the men visiting the holy shrine, the rebels, wanted a large number of opposition prisoners. some were taken prisoner before the revolution happened. it was a hard ask - more than 100 women. figures vary, according to who you listen to. a large number of women. some were activists, others involved in rebel movements. we understand that may well have been a far more complex area to resolve than the deal exchange between the lebanese and also the turks and the qataries in the middle. if what the caretaker foreign minister tells me is correct. this will play out over the coming hours, this synchronisation of three

flights - one from syria to turkey, the other from beirut to turkey, with two turkish airline pilots. the turkish foreign ministry would like to know there's a release of the two men who gave the go ahead for the flight to take off from turkey with nine hostages on board, and also the foreign minister for cattar will be with them and explain what happened when he arrives at beirut and general abbas ibrahim, a key figure, head of the lebanese security and he has been every step of the way involved in the negotiations. >> a complicated picture. we'll come back to you as soon as we get movement at all on this story. andrew simmons at beirut airport in lebanon. >> a suicide bomber killed 16 syrian soldiers on the outskirts of damascus. it happened at a checkpoint in a

pro-government neighbourhood. the organisation for the prohibition of chemical weapons said the rebels took over the checkpoint and the government responded with a series of air strikes. >> five people have been injured by a car bomb in northern egypt. it happened near a military intelligence building. it's not known who was behind the attack. >> egypt's government accused hamas of fuelling the unrest. they denied involvement on saturday n the gaza strip. >> we do not intervene in the egyptian issue - whether in sinai or anywhere else. we offered any hep we can in gaza. to assist our brothers in egypt and help with national security, it's egypt's rights to take necessary measures to protect security. >> al-shabab claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack in central somali that killed 10.

others were injured. the restaurant was popular with troops from ethiopia and djibouti. african peacekeepers are stationed in the city, under the control of the somali government. >> the maldives is in political disarray after the police stopped a re-run of the political election. elections were cancelled because of a supreme court ruling. it's the second attempt to hold elections in six weeks. >> for campaigners at the headquarters it was the news they hoped for. party leader qasim ibrahim was one of the parties calling for a halt. police swooped on place headquarters in male doing that. >> there were a lot of police officers down at the ground floor of this building, and they don't allow our staff taking out any ballot papers or boxes or pencil - you know, notebooks or

anything. >> police say they acted on a supreme court ruling made after september's election was annulled because the names of dead or fake people were found on the registry. outline candidates must agree on the list for the run-off to do ahead. two out of three candidates refused. >> if something is going not according to the regulations or the cop stit use or the -- constitution or the supreme court ruling, all the sit dispense have the right to have a say. >> not everyone has the right to act. some believe they overstepped the mark. >> mohamed nasheed agrees. he left office after accusations he was abusing his power. he claimed he was ousted. >> this is a coup. it definitely is. if you find a definition of a coup. this is a coup. >> although an inquiry dismissed

claim. for now the election's commission saysst unclear who will take charge. >> the problem we have in this country because according to the constitution the election commission is the authority to decide on the election space, but, you know, the supreme court is an authority here, like an institution. >> would-be leaders will have a chance to fix the political disarray when voters return to the ballot box. the current president hopes it will happen within a week. >> still ahead - putting the breaks on the baby boom. there's no way the country the size of rwanda can sustain the population growth. it's not just about the number of kids that can be staped, but the number of kids the entire

country can support. >> replying their own tune. we meet the young african musicians standing up to the taliban in song. >> and in sport - details later. >> anti-austerity protests in itly turned violent. let's cross for more on that story. >> that's right. protesters and police clashed for a second day as thousands demonstrated against the government's economic policies. they are angry about the government's decision to raise taxes and continue a freeze on public sector wages. battles between police and others have been centered on the economic industry. >> i know it's a little calmer,

but what has happened earlier where you are? earlier there were occasions of flare-ups. the police are on the defense if for other particular problems that may spring up. now, as far as we can tell the process is concentrating on the site in the square, and they have now tried to erect a tent city. what they said they wanted to do, a certain number of the protesters. a problem for them is they don't have permission to do that. what is most likely that will happen is that the police will move them on at some point in the evening. when that happens there could be more trouble that occurs there. >> it's fair to say it's been a disruptive couple of days to people in rome. >> yes, the austerity - or the

protest against the ongoing austerity measures that have been taking place in italy have been marked by quite some anger felt by protesters, and not just protesters, but if you speak to others who attend the protest in the march, they feel angry with the ongoing situation that italy is facing. the crisis - they feel it's a problem holding the country back, preventing opportunity. during the protest on friday it was mainly the trade unions marching through and again calling for the prime minister to abandon this plan for next year, in order for there to be some kind of road. that's what the unions were talking about, a change on behalf of the government. that has caused somewhat of a delay here in italy, and

certainly has not just in rome, but other major cities such as milan. the economic heart of italy. this and the protest there are focused towards antigovernment protests. there was definitely a marked president of a younger italians here, but the clashes occurred when there seemed to be a group of - a group appeared of masked people with helmets on their head, making a defiant attack towards the police, and that's when the clashes broke out. many protesters that had been there sips the start fled - some of them angry at a collection of people sabotaging the protest. >> thank you. >> there has been protests in portugal. thousands marched in lisbon and porto from where barnaby phillips reports. >> the portuguese government

says light is shining through the gloom. the first hints of economic growth are showing. here in porto, it's hard to find signs of it. . >> the latest austerity measures brought thousands on to the streets. in a march organised by the trade unions. many are angry with the port fees government's laidest government raising taxes on people earning as little as 600 euros. they are pinning their hopes on the constitutional court which is rejecting some of the government's austerity measures. >> the union members tend to be older workers. the young are often in casual labour and have higher levels of unemployment. in a porto backstreet i met pedro, a nurse in a state hospital. like his colleagues, he striked this week.

>> we have a bigger workload and no increase salary. at the end of the month it means we worked more hours and have less money. >> nearby i met mario in his barn, where he mixes cocktails and worries about how few customers walk through the door. >> we invest money. nowadays it's almost impossible. we have to fire people. next year i think it will be the same. it's been a struggle for us. >> in the cop tall lisbon, there were -- capital, lisbon, there were protests. buses drove over the river. crowds were told they were not allowed to march on the bridge because of safety concerns. >> in porto they filed through the city center. the fine says enough - meaning we can take no more.

the portuguese now doan know where to -- don't know where to look for the signs of recovery. >> 11 people have been killed when a plane crashed in belgium. it was carrying sky divers, crashing shortly after take off. the plane broke up in midair. none of the par chutists were able to escape. >> still to come - we'll hear from the kosovo schoolgirl detained in front of her classmates op a trip to france and deported. >> president francis hollande has been dragged into the round. we'll have the latest in 20 minutes. now, it's back to doha. >> stronger winds and higher temperatures in australia are forecast to make bushfires there worse. nearly 200 homes have been destroyed in new south wales. here is andrew thomas.

>> in the bount -- blue mountains west of the sydney volunteers are fighting fire with fire. they are hoping by the time the bushfire reaches here, there'll be nothing to burn. >> we'll put a burnt line around the properties. then we'll look at burning out the smaller valley, the offshoot of a bigger valley on fire. >> the firefighters are working close to the homes. just 50 metres up the hill people's houses i can see from here their woined and doors. the the volunteers firefighters are trying to stop the flames from reaching them. these are all volunteers, practicing firefighting is normally a weekend hobby. this, though, the real thing, is what that is all about. gina is a mother of two children. darryl manages a concrete

factory. >> i manage a cafe, make coffee. he is the builder, greg does garden maintenance. >> you are all volunteers. >> we are volunteers, yes. >> at the top of the slope are the homes they are trying to protect, and the people. this is an area often prone to fire. >> we are so metres from the bush. you can get burnt out easily. we are taking all the precautions we can with a sprinkling system, shutters on the windows. a rainwater tank feeding the system that covers the whole house and water. >> others took similar measures and still lost everything. >> very frightening indeed. you watch the flames coming and don't know - personally, you don't know how to stop them. >> on a nearby road many homes are rubble and ash. >> on the fire front the work is 24 hours a day.

the firefighters taking advantage of the cooler winds and temperature, grabbing moments to sleep. >> the chinese government sacked another official. je jianye was the mayor of nanjing. the commarty said they are carrying out a crackdown. >> the black market industry is worth $10 billion. tigers, bears and elephants are frequently targeted. they are used to make medicines, clothing and food. thai forces are killed trying to stop the illegal animal tracking. an elite force has been developed. scott heidler followed the progress. >> thailand is losing ground

against illegal wildlife tracking and poaching. the enemy changed tactics. the park rangers are in the cross hairs. >> as the commodities, the wildlife, gets valuable - there's more money involved. the criminals are wanting to protect profits and not want to get caught. they are bringing in weapons. instead of running they stand their ground. >> outgunned by the poachers. an average of 12 rangers are killed each year. the first members of the king of tigers is a new breed. there's no other force like them in the world. the 8-week training course exposed the rangers to hostile enemies, how to engage them from the air, land and sea. >> many of the trainees were in thai and's army, we are not using names as they are in

covert exercises. >> i like being a covert officer. when i started working i experienced it myself. i don't worry too much. i believe my past experience and strength will carry me. >> the new unit will have better tools and technology, and the ability to share information in real-lifetime. >> illegal wildlife tracking is controlled by maiming junior criminal ganks. the king of tigers's job will be to investigate but they there do some hupting of their -- hunting of their own, goingar the heads of the -- going for the heads of the game. >> you have to go for the king pins. >> the new group is eager to take their skills to the jungle. the rangers are outnumbered. the goal is to increase their

ranks. >> rwanda is dealing with a population problem. it has more people than the country can afford. the country is rolling out a campaign energying men to be sterilised. >> a group of villages gather for an unlikely association. this is the vasectomy club - a gathering of men who have been sterilised and those they hope who will follow them, along with their lives who must agree. in this deeply conservative community as awkward. there are rumours of impetus and massu massualinity. the ministry of the health needs to challenge misconceptions about what vasectomy does to men. >> we need to explain that you

will be strong. and it will help your family to grow and country to grow. when you try to explain to them, they understand it. >> it's not hard to see where there's a problem. the primary school has almost 2,000 students. it's so crowded here they teach in shifts. this is exactly why the government thinks the birth control program is critical. there's no way a country the size of rwanda can sustain this population growth. it's telling families it's not just about the number of kids they can taken, but the number of kids that the country can support. now the average rwandan couple has five children. the aim is to reduce it to three. keeping population growth in step with economic growth. >> nyrenger emanuel and his wife agree the time is right. he has nine children, and admits

that is enough. they go through one more counselling session to deal with last-minute worries. >> translation: people say it makes men impotent and you'll never be sexually active again. i decided to do it for the good of my family. the doctor explained everything will be will. >> translation: i'm happy about the decision. it will take about the burden of family planning. i found that difficult. >> in an adjacent room after the vasectomy meeting nyrenger emanuel has the operation. the technique is new, fast and free. he'll spend half an hour under local anaesthetic before the next operation. the government believes there's no time to waste. >> it's been six months since venezuela's new president took office. it's not been smooth sailing for nicolas maduro. we report on the challenge of

filling chavez's shoes. they may be fun to look at. waste is toxic. the canadian goose-busters - trying to stop the birds taking flight. >> he has the look, but has rory mcilroy got the gape. more on that later.

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>> you are watching al jazeera. nine lebanese hostages have been freed by syrian rebels more than a year after being abducted. it is part of a complex development two turkish pilots have been released as part of a deal. >> presidential voting has been cancelled in the maldives after police said it would violate a court order. the first was annulled over fraud. >> tens of thousands of anti-austerity protesters marched through the capital. >> french president francis

hollande says a 15 year-old girl deported during a school trip can go back to france, but on the if she leaves her family home. let's cross to felicity. >> the president made the offer after a report found the deportation showed a lack of judgment. the schoolgirl leonarda dibrani says she's not going back without her parents. tim friend has more from paris. >> leonarda dibrani has won her battle to return to france, but she is still not happy with the offer from president francis hollande, the man she described as hardness. . only leonarda dibrani, not her family would be allowed back from kosovo. >> translation: no, i don't want to go without my family and especially her. she's my dear sister. i can't leave her behind here. >> during the week her case brought thousands of protesting students on to the streets,

appalled at the way her case was handled. the president admits it was heavy-handed to detain leonarda dibrani in front of her friends, but the expulsion itself was legal. >> translation: if she requests so and wants to continue her education in france, she would be welcome. france is a republic. that means firmness in tnot of the eyes of the law. >> president francis hollande's difficulties is not over the the leader of the socialist party says the family, with the exception of the father should be allowed back. the interior minister is reported as saying that he will quit if leonarda dibrani is allowed to return to france. president francis hollande is caught between two camps - those outraged at the treatment of some asylum seekers and others

demanding tougher immigration laws. >> all right. let's talk to simon milay from the organization of the voice of the roma. good to have you with us on the program. >> the majority show that they doan want the family to return. is the government policy projecting what the people of france believe? >> this is a joke. this is a bad joke. the way in which this family was depicted during all these three or four days, and especially the father - it was totally bias. and i don't believe in these pollings, in these matters. >> the french interior minister

previously talked about the roma, saying they can never integrate in france. do the roma themselves want to intre grate in the country or prefer to stay in their own communities because they feel safer? >> there is absolutely no confrontation between staying within the community and being integrated at the same time. the reality for 500,000 or so people in france. they are both in their commupties and integrated into the sewedy. this is still for the homeland minister, minister of the interior, who has been naturalised himself 30 years ago. and this is totally fake, it is not true. as a matter of fact, these people are living in france for years. they want to live, to remain in

france, respecting the laws, while being also respected. this was also the case of the dibrani family. they came actually from italy, in which they stayed for years with no recognition from the italian authorities. this is a case for many families, actually, who left yugoslavia, who are not recognised in italy or france nor kosovo. >> prolifically, how do you see this playing out for prt francis hollande, who appears to be trying to keep a foot in each camp, if i can put it that way? >> he's reply to the young girl is in dissent. it is stupid and illegal. it infringes directly the international convention on children's right.

how come a girl of 15 years old who has rer parents, sisters, brothers - how come and why should she choose between being in her family and being in france for having a future. this is totally inhuman and i'll say illegal. >> i apologise for interrupting you. we are out of time. we appreciate your time. >> a violin believed to have been played on the "titanic" as the doomed vessel sank has been sold at auction for more than $1.5 million. the instrument was owned by the bandleader, amongst the 1500 drowned. >> corroded by the ocean and no longer playable. it's what it represents. this initials stand for hart. he was band leader on the ocean liner "titanic," which famously

sank on its maiden voyage in 1912. hart and the band played to comfort passengers as the ship went down. it's thought this was the instrument used. >> it represents bravery. the way this young man and his colleagues stayed and fulfilled their duty. >> it represents a substantial investment for a collector who paid $1.6 million, five times the expected value. >> it's not about the cash, but what it is. it's the most iconic there is. it's history. it's a brave man. the money is secondary. it is a valuable item. no doubt about that. >> the violin was discovered in an english attic in 2006. there has been fierce debate about its authentisty. the auctioneer is adamant it's

the real thing, saying hart strapped it to his body in a protective case, before the "titanic" went down, taking him and 15 others to their death. there's no word on who the buyer is. it's hoped the instrument remains on public display. >> you're up to date with the latest news in europe. back to doha. >> a group of hackers lipped to syria's government says it's behind the shut down of many qatar websites. the "syrian electronic army" said it had taken control. . qa websites. >> little is known about the "syrian electronic army." >> this is not clear. there has been reports that they are based in syria. they might have members all around the world. it's difficult it tell. they are a shadowy organization.

in the world of hacking this is the norm. this is part of how they can carry out attacks and not get caught. it's difficult to get verified information about them. i mean, so far bashar al-assad spoke about them as if they were a wing of his army. members of the sea said they share information with the regime. there's a direct working legship. where they are based and how they conduct work is a mystery. >> it's six months since venezuela's president nicolas maduro was sworn into office. he's dealing with series of economic problems. in the first of a 2-part series we look at the challenges facing vensans. >> in venezuela baseball

pitchesar a sacred place. antonio brought his twin boys to see his home team play for the first time. >> when we are in the stadium, it's all about baseball. the political difference - keep aside. we enjoy the game. we support our teams. >> when the fans go home, the political crisis gripping venezuela is har. >> after six months in office nicolas maduro faces inflation running at 50%. power cuts and growing protests. in view of these crises he's asking lawmakers to grant him special powers to pass laws unilaterally. many here, even some of his supporters are uncomfortable with the move. like selia who spends three days a week going from market to market trying to find hard to

find basics like sugar, rice and cooking oil. >> translation: if he hasn't done anything yet, why is he asking for more power. >> analysts believe supporters are disappointed with nicolas maduro. >> people had a rational love for chavez. nicolas maduro doesn't have that. chavez militants are asking where the movement is going. >> back pat the game, antonio admits he is unsure what lies ahead for his country. >> we are worried about the future. the crisis is going deep and deep. venezuela are great countries. we'll go, you know - we will move forward. >> a sentiment he and the rest of the country hope to hold on

to. >> to more of nicolas maduro's first term in office i'm joined by david smylie. nicolas maduro has in office for six months, and faces inflation, rising prices, power cuts, shortages. how much trouble is the government in, and why is nicolas maduro failing to get a handle on the problems. >> many of the problems that nicolas maduro is confront are inherited from chavez. the economic model was showing signs of wear. it was not sustainable. during 2012 it was capped to note through loans from china. in 2013, a lot of problems are coming home to roost. they are confronting serious problems with inflation and a

really crazy exchange rate where the parallel market is seven times the official rate, causing economic distortions. venezuela is sitting on a lot of oil, has a lot of income. it's not really on the brink of a huge crisis but is sliding into serious dysfunction. >> one of the things that nicolas maduro is doing is get lawmakers to end him extraordinary executive powers to run the country was he pleases. is it likely to happen. he hasn't been there for more than six months. why does he want extra powers already? >> it's hard to understand. he would have a clear majority. pretty much any legislation he wants to put forward could get through. this is something that chavez did many times in the past, asked for an enabling law even though he had a majority. it would increase his power.

they could legislate and put the past laws without having debate. it wouldn't give the opposition, for example, a chance to immobilise against what they want to do. it increases nicolas maduro's power in the government. a problem is that the governing coalition was tailor-made by chavez for chavez. he's having a hard time keeping it together. a lot of people are disgruntled thinking that nicolas maduro was not the right choice. this would give him more power within the coalition. >> with the problems surfacing do you think nicolas maduro's honeymoon period is over. people would readily forgive chavez, nicolas maduro is understood chaff. >> it's interesting. you know, nicolas maduro never had a honeymoon period.

the election was contested. after that he went into serious food shortages, then the economic crisis, and now, you know, a building economic problem. so he never had - he barely won an election when chavez left him. he left him with a 17-point lead within six weeks. he barely squeaked out an election. it's remarkable how government supporters have really given nicolas maduro the benefit of the doubt. the last trustworthy polling from mid-september showed he had positive 45%. his negatives climbed to 50%. his numbers looked close to president obama's. they are not bad numbers for somebody at this stage. >> david smylie, thank you for talking to al jazeera.

>> thank you. >> have you been bothered by birds in the park. it's a common problem across europe and north america and a canadian firm came up with a clever way to battle back against the furry creatures. >> they flock to our parks for food, but they leave behind unsightly and toxic mess. they spread disease. sea gulls plagued petrie island. what to do that is effective and humane. in the canadian capital city, they called in drone strikes. the founder of goose busters, steve, buzzes the birds with remote controlled helicopter. he stays clear.

>> they get scared and fly off. colleagues will follow. >> fewer birds are coming. beach goers play in the sand and steve's chopper patrols near. >> it's a fabulous idea to bring the kids to the beach, have it cleaned. no birds bothering you when you try to eat. we are not harming the birds. snow next year air patrols could happen or other waterfront parks plagued by birds if the council approves. >> there's global interest. >> we are getting calls from across the states and europe. it's something that a lot of major cities have problems. hopefully we've found a resolution for it. >> there's no threat from above here or other city parks. as you can see the birds are making themselves at home. if the project is approved, this

drone helicopter project one day hum jps and birds may be in cle cleaner surrounds. >> time for a break. sport back when we come back. stay with us.

... is a western based av afghan singer, singing all over the world. performances in her home town is ricky. >> when i'm in afghanistan i'm

almost a prisoner. in my motel room. i cannot get to go outside like normally we do when we are outside of afghanistan. i lock myself inside. whenever i have a show or concert, unfortunately i have to take body guards with me. a proper car and everything. >> she sings about issues important to her. >> i have songs for women's rights and things like that. you know what, i'm working on another now. my concentration mostly is on that now. afghan women - their rights and peace of mind, things like that. i work on something like that which is not popular in afghanistan, and ladies love the song. i'll perform it tonight. >> the event brought together musicians from afghanistan and surrounding countries. the songs carried antiwar messages, but outside the war

goes on. >> this concert is a musical. with lack of security, it's difficult to attract large crowds from different sections the society. young modern afghans attend - those with the most to gain from peace. 13 years ago music was banned under taliban rule. the crowds hardly compare to other capitals around the world. for the young people it's a crucial start. >> time for the sport with andy. >> gareth bale made a belated but important contribution for real madrid. the world's most expensive footballer wanted to take a benty during a brief second-half appearance hepping to a 2-0 win. >> returning from a back injury, the world's most expensive

player gareth bale started on the bench. after a goalless first half, maliga together took the lead. his cross missed cristiano ronaldo and flew into the net. >> he came on for the last quarter of an hour. he went down under the pressure of we'lling don. cristiano ronaldo with his i think. a 2-0 victory for real s they have a tough week ahead. >> tom greasman gave them a first-half lead. >> ruben doubled their advantage on the hour. vallen sia got a goal back in the 93rd minute.

societe won one. they'll travel to old trafford to play manchester united in the cheeing. >> right now barcelona are off. mesz not fit -- lionel messi not fit enough to start. barcelona aiming for a ninth straight win. it's half time. >> arsenal put clear daylight between themselves and the premier league. jack wilt shire with that move. one from aaron ramsay ended the challenge of a norwich side. arsenal a couple clear of chelsea and liverpool. >> we come out of a long period where post of the time in the recent years, in october we were looking forward than behind. at the moment we are in a better

position. >> chelsea are up to second. liverpool are third. mexico city beat manchester united. manchester united drew 1-1 at home to southhampton. >> we should have put the game to bet earlier on. we had a couple of chances and opportunities. there are pocket of play where we were god, and others where we weren't. we had the chapses which i'm -- chances which i'm hoping we'd finish off. >> cardinals are through to the world series, beating the la dodgers. it was must-win for dodgers, trailing 3-2 heading into game 6. the cardinals took control with a 4-run innings.

michael walker outpitched clayton kershaw. 9-0 to the cardinals, winning 4-2 advancing to their second world series in three years. the boston red sox could close out their seen on saturday. >> any time you face clayton kershaw, you probably have to match zeros against him. our guys battled. it was fun to watch in the doug out. when they put up the in my opinion runs, it makes my job ease year. >> on friday st louis were beatsen by. the game had to be stopped in the second period. the player going head-first into the board. he was taken to hospital.

he's been released. he'll be the third nrl player going off the size on a stretcher. the game was decided by a shooter. rory mcilroy is showing no signs of a drought. making an effort to embrace the culture. he is now 10-off - after a 4-over par round of 75 - mcilroy without a title win. oh, yes. defending champion jorge lorenzo is doing his best to hold onto his title for another week. the spanish wrote the record and claimed poll position for the australian motogp. jorge lorenzo finishes lower

than second, marquez will maintain the championship. >> i expect the lap, 27, 28, is a lap you can only do with the playstation. today we made it. we improved 0.7 from the first try. it's impressive how fast we can go. >> new zealand's rugby players maintained their is00% record. the -- is00% roared. the all blacks beat australia. this was their 10th wins from 10. ensuring a bleddise low whitewash. >> next up japan, before the autumn tests against france, england and ireland. more sport coming up later. that is it for now. >> thank you very much. stay with us here on al jazeera. another full bulletin of news is

ahead. thanks for watching al jazeera america.

>> this is al jazeera america live from new york city. i'm jonathan betts with a look at the top stories. a deadly blast rocks sir ja. an explosion near damascus killed 16 government soldiers, several were hurt. it happened after syrian rebels freedom hostages held for a year. an in my submission wade manhunt continues to two killers released from prison by mistake. both were serving life sentences but were able to walk free using forged documents. they are believed to be hiding in the orlando area. >> no deal on a contract betwe