millions flee as the biggest storm on record smashes in to the philippines. ♪ ♪ hello, i am jonah hull no doha. the other top stories here on al jazerra. hopes rise for a nuclear deal with iran as john kerry changes his plans and heads to geneva. we report on the forgotten crisis in the central african republic, aid agencies warn of a humanitarian catastrophe. and the u.s. moves to ban so-called fran frankenstein fatn the latest attempt to make americans healthier. ♪

♪ the strongest recorded typhoon to hit land is battering the fi philippines it has caused power blackouts in the central philippines where storage surges reached identify meter as many as two have been killed and 2 million affected. >> reporter: the philippine is his no stranger to tropical storms. but even by its standards, this is no ordinary storm. the tie fa typhoon is one of tht powerful ever recorded with gusts reaching 370-kilometers per hour, there aren't many buildings that can stand that force. >> it made landfall this morning and provided by storm surge and incredibly winds. roofs have been ripped from buildings, windows been blown

in. >> reporter: once it clears the philippines it won't be as strong but still pack winds over 150-kilometers an hour as it heads for a collision course if vee he had tsunami. the pill fine philippines govers evacuated thousands of homes in coast the areas, people have been moved to shelters or are staying with friends and relatives in safer areas. >> populations were evacuateed from low-lying areas and areas that traditionally flood and are affected by high winds. so all the april raise that his could have taken place, frankly, have taken place. this is a country affected by many storms every year, and they did a good job in clearing people out of the path of danger. >> reporter: when people emerge once the storm has pass the, theipassed, theirhomes and comme been swept away. >> nikola jones is part of the emergency communications team at the international federation of the red cross, she spoke to us a little earlier from the

philippines. >> in the area we based we are in the main county the power is cut and the water supply has been affected too, so there has been damage, some minimal damage in the area where we are based at the moment. but our main concern is the areas on the island northwest where the storm hit harder and where the area had already been devastated by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake three weeks ago. so that's going to be it the main focus for the philippines red cross base on this island today. this week the philippine red cross has been directing emergency aid items and also giving advice to people to prepare for the storm, obviously because we have known for a few days that it was coming and that it would be serious, so people have been given emergency kids and emergency shelter. but they are still extremely vulnerable because you are talking about thousands of

people who were already living in makeshift shelters because their homes had been destroyed in the earthquake. u.s. pr*es barack obama says significant relief from sanctions is on the table if iran cuts back its nuclear program. his comments come as the secretary of state john kerry holds three-way talks in geneva with both the iranian and u.e. foreign ministers. his decision to change his plans has raised hones that i deal can be done. >> we can provide them some very modest relief, but keeping the sanctions arc tuck tru architecn place, the core sanctions in place so that if it turned out during the course of the six months when we are trying to resolve some of these bigger issues that they are backing out of the deal, they are not falling through on it, or they are not willing to go forward and finish the job of giving us assurances that they are now developing a nuclear weapon, we can crank the dial back up. simon mcgregor wood joins us now in geneva. he's covering the talks, simon,

good to see you. john kerry making an unscheduled trip to join day two of the talks, the french minister is also on his way we now here to geneva what are you hearing there of the prospect of success. >> reporter: well, i think the general feeling here, jonah is that the arrival of the big guns if you like on the international community's side. don't forget the iranian foreign minister himself has been here throughout the process is a harbinger of perhaps ideal being tantalizingly close. the language being used generally is that katherine ashton the u.e.'s high representative for foreign affairs has asked mr. kerr toy come here to help narrow differences. so some hinting that there may still be gaps between the two sides decisions but the mood is being interpreted for his till. hvery positively. he was on tv suggesting a draft could be finalized today.

so that there is a feeling of anticipation, he's not here yet, i believe he's in israel. that might be an interesting meeting, he's dead set against this kind of deal. but i think we are assuming it's a good sign. >> that said, of course, everything i would imagine pretty finally balanced as these talks get underway a second day of talks or shortly anyway with mutual -- years of mutual suspicion behind these parties, the plus one and iran. and, of course, still fundamental differences between them as well. >> reporter: yes, and i think those fundamental differences won't actually be resolved in this first deal if they pull it off. the fundamental differences remain over what iran's nuclear program will look like in the final phase of this process. this is a first step in which the west essentially wants the iranians to freeze further progress. there are details and hints about the enrichment process

being curtailed, about there are other commitments being made by the iranians in return for light sanction relief. but the usual differences will remain during this perhaps six-month period as to what the eventual program will look like. the ey iranians adamant that thy want to retain the right to enrich yo you are rain yep. the american officials that spoke to us a few days ago insist that iran does not have that right. so there is a lot of very, very hard issues to be discussed think but if they can get the deal on the table, it will massively change the atmosphere. it's taken years to get this far. this will be a first step breakthrough if it's achieved, but it will tell be an historic one. >> okay, simon, thanks for that. simon mcgregor wood there live for us in geneva. now, we can take you next, i think, to -- i think we can take you next to live pictures in geneva. yeah, i beg your pardon to the

west bank where we are expecting a press conference to take place shortly. the palestinian investigative committee looking in to the alleged assassination of i can't siyasserair fat, talking about w results, russian test results looking at clothing and bone sap samples from yasser arafat. i think we have her to talk to now just as the press conference begins to get underway. tell us about what is expected from this press conference? we have swiss results already. russian results as well? two different investigations? >> reporter: correct, jonah. now we are expecting any time soon the head of the investigative committee to

announce the conclusions of the investigative committee here in the pal spi pal palestinian ters after receiving results of the swiss report as well as the russian report and now i than we can listen in to the conference. >> i think we have lost picture there. let's see if we can go to the press conference. we seem to have lost the press conference as well. i am sorry, we have lost the press conference. can you pick up again where you were? >> reporter: of course. we are expecting any time now to hear the results and the conclusions of the palestinian authority after studying two reports, the swiss one that you mentioned which provided evidence conclusive evidence that or fatwas, indeed, poisoned and another lab test which was submitted by the russians on november 2nd. we are expected to hear about that as well. we don't know know why it was taken so long to publicize the russian results --

>> i am so sorry. we have the press conference and a translation coming in. let's cross to the head of the palestinian investigative committee talking now. >> in the second and fifth of november, 2013, in both [inaudible] we are meeting here today, where yasser arafat used to pray in order to tell you the available information that will never contribute with the professionalism of the -- or the safety of the investigation in order to reach the mere truth.

we know -- we know and understand the need of the palestinian people to get the information about the killing of president arafat that's why we stress that the committee works within the commitment of the palestinian people to know the whole truth.

that's why i said we have chose the time and place in order to tell you these information within our commitment. i will start this conference by stressing the following: the russian and swiss reports stress the result of ongoing investigation. number one, he did not die because of disease.

third, he did not die a natural death. the ongoing investigation since three years and will continue. and that the report that we are about to speak about provide scientific points that bring us to the final fact, but are final yet.

now the doctor, the head of the medical committee on the council will speak. the medical committee has already started it's work since a long time. and i would like to summarize our work since the start of the work of the committee until this moment. because it is well connected. the committee will establish that the foundation including membership of specialists, legal

experts and others. the major mission, the mission of the committee was not a criminal or political investigation. but it was a scientific investigation to find the facts or the reason for the death if it was a natural death or otherwise. the president was 75 years old, at that time did not suffer any chronic diseases or at diabetes, blood pressure or heart disease or any other. he was not a smoker or a

alcoholic or taking any other such medication. the committee conducted an in-depth review and studied all examinations and x-rays and medical reports and samples. >> and discussed with all the doctors who examined him and also specialists and all the doctors that had do with his illness. as he appeared in the courts in their timing and also according to their reports by the center that treated the late president until his death.

a committee is reviewing both the russian and swiss reports. the committee has concluded that the illness development of the case was a result of a poisonous substance. that was not examined or the examination of that sample was not revealed. and this was the view of the international centers who were consulted. but the nature of this toxic substance was not known to --

until it was revealed in december 2012 in the swiss center there. that revealed the loan yum substance 2010. but the swiss specialists they are said they needed to do more examinations to confirm that this toxic substance was the cause for that. and this process needs the agreement of the palestinian authorities. mr. arafat also submitted a complaint to the french court.

and so the court decided that was important to bring out the documents and for the body to be examined. the french requested the cooperation of the palestinian authority to cooperate in order to take the samples. in spite -- in spite of our complete and full scientific conviction in the theory of poisoning or toxic death.

yet the decision of the palestinian leadership was speedy in allowing to open for the body. and to contact the centers and the luzon center. and to provide all facility in order to arrive at a fair with complete transparency. the french request was accepted. to that purpose judicial and medical agreement were signed between the french government and the palestinian government. it was painful for the palestinian people, the

palestinian leadership and the family of the late president. it was maybe it could have been not possible to arrive at the analysis of the body if -- if the body has been subjected to postmortem since the death was not known according to the knows known. and if the french support included all examinations relative to toxic substances used in political assassinations including the alpha radiance.

or if the samples of the blood and body have been kept for 10 years since the cause of the death is not known for the [inaudible] center. considering all these circumstances and the importance of arriving at the facts with complete transparency, we were looking for a third party of assistance to us. this was suggested based on their experience in this area. and they met the russian foreign minister on november 11th, 212

and requested thei their assist. the russian government agreed to send a specialized team to provide that assistance. there are three teams, the swiss, the french and the russian arrived on november 25th, 2012 to open the case. we requested the three teams to examine and try to find three points. if.polonium 210 is the toxic substance is there another toxic yosubstance other than the

polonium 2010. what is the cause of death. the three teams left after the samples were sent and the diplomatic packets. the agreement was that the three teams will submit their reports within three months. we continued communication with the three teams all the time. the communication between the french and russian teams were exchanged all the time. they informed us that the situation was complicated and would need more time than expected.

the french team, however, in spite of all communication with all levels with them, yet we did not receive any response from them negative or positive whatsoever. the russian team on march 14th, 2012, to take samples from the body of the ex-president in order to be tested. and september 13 they informed us that they did the testing and they were about to come out with the results. they asked the final report to

be submitted to the palestinian side. the russian side submitted its report to the palestinian side on november 2nd, 2013. the swiss side submitted its report also on november 5th in geneva. the committees reviewed the two reports and the approaches in this report. and compared their findings. and this review naturally will continue. to examine all points in order to find the complete facts.

the two sides presented their findings and there was a complete discussion of these findings and the findings were as follows: genetics proved that all samples belonged to the late president. the russian report proved that all the belongings taken from the president on march 2013 were free of any toxic or radiant or their substances.

testing proved the remnants of medications and other remnants which is natural within its limits. the presence of polonium and other radiant substances, both reports, russian and the swiss proved the presence of polonium 210 in large quantities. at the same time there was another rate cen radiant substa. which is radiant 210. and these two rate cent radiante are existing in parallel levels.

this is al jazerra america. we'll return to this program after messages from our local affiliate.

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