> desperate for food and water - typhoon survivors in the philippines are still waiting for aid. the official death toll from typhoon haiyan reaches for than 2,200 - less than previous estimates. >> israel's prime minister pulls plans for 20,000 settler homes in the occupied west bank. >> egypt ends a state of

emergency imposed after a crackdown on supporters of the deposed president. >> a record-breaking art auction. a painting by francis bacon goes for $114 million. >> welcome to al jazeera, we begin in the philippines. the city tacloban has been flattened by typhoon haiyan. wayne hay is at the airport. marga ortigas is in cebu - reports of people using guns to get aid. first, craig leeson in cebu, on how international aid is not arriving fast enough for some >> reporter: they lumbered into cebu air force base delivering with precision supplies.

those that couldn't walk were carried - the sick, the old, and those that wanted to escape the disaster. >> bodies are on the road. nobody is picking them up. >> reporter: the injured and sick were taken to a military hospital. for many here the horror of losing their families outweighed the pain of their injuries. this woman was struck by her roof as it collapsed in the storm. she managed to crawl out with her daughters, after it passed. they were among the lucky ones. >> we survived. >> the doctors are work around the clock, overwhelmed by the volume of injured. every now and then a ray of hope. >> today we have a spine and pell -- pell vic fracture, mostly trauma injuries. we have pregnant women coming in >> the c130s are loaded with

relieve supply, intended for those facing the hardship of yet another day without food and water. >> the u.s. government is helping us, and other international governments are helping us. we will continue to bring the support for people affected by the supertyphoon. relief supplies are not always getting to those that need it. the government sending in troops to control the looting. also, a few brave survivors wanting to go back in. >> imagine the people at cebu - many at the airport base during the storm, they are waiting for a c130 hercules to take them into the devastated area. why? because in those bags are food and water - things that they say their family needs to

survive. the survivors say the government's aid is not reaching families fast enough. going back is their only option. >> i am scared, but i have - i have no choice. i have no choice. because my family is tacloban. >> international relief is on the way. the united states has directed the carrier, the uss "george washington" to head to the philippines and provide support. u.s. marines are on the ground. as bad weather closes in, the survivors wonder if they'll arrive in time. meanwhile aid agencies are struggling to reach some of the philippines remote areas and continuing bad weather is not helping. wayne hay has more from one of the worst-affected city, tacloban. >> as each day passes the scene at tacloban is becoming more and more chaotic as many try to leave the area because their homes were destroyed in the

storm. a makeshift medical center has been set up in the remains of a building. there are sick people spill gs outside, people on drips inside. while people are waiting for the flights, there has been a baby born and one person has died from illness as far as we know. outside here, beyond the fence, you can see many people waiting for those flights. each day thousands of people make the long walk from where they used to live here to the airport to try to get on one of those military flights out of here, perhaps back to manila or other areas nearby. there are only a certain number of flights going each day, only a certain number of seats available. night time they are not flying because of issues with safety. the runway lights cannot be turned on because of electricity issues. when the gates are closed and the last flights have gone, there are scenes of desperation and anger by the people trying to leave the area because of the

devastation caused by the storm. >> police in tacloban are trying to keep the security situation under control. reports of looting are leaving some residents very scared. >> translation: we have no more houses. it's difficult. the smell is overpowering. there are so many dead bodies that have not been picked up. prisoners have escaped. there has been reports of a rape and robbery at home. it's so difficult. >> the crowd, the people - especially people that are looking for the properties of the other people here. we'll hear from the north of cebu in a moment. first to marga ortigas, where the aid effort is being coordinated. we are hearing the security situation is getting worse, people are getting desperate. what more can you tell us?

>> exactly where we are - it's busy just about 10 minutes ago. they were packing and they were going to transport across to leyte, by truck. the first time this particular company behind me has worked with donations, sending it over by land, is yesterday, when they packed a truck full of goods with food, rice, medication as well as some clothing. now, you mentioned the security situation. this is one of the things that people are very afraid to begin to do because there were reports of armed men basically stopping relief convoys, taking what they could, generally robbing those trying to help the victims of the typhoon. it seems the escaped convicts are aggravating the security situation. already security forces have been amped up in those areas.

the police and the military that have been stationed are now casualties themselves, quite traumatised by what happened and lost loved ones in, indeed, some of their belongings. more than 500 police are in tacloban city alone to try to ascertain the security of the road so the goods packed in places like this can get to the people that need it most. from here, it's being packed on to a truck. it will go on to a ship. it will travel five hours to the southern tip of leyte, and from there another five hours on roads that only now are becoming safer. that's according to government forces. >> marga ortigas there in cebu. thank you. let's gross to steph, she's in northern cebu. what is the aid situation there where you are? >> i'm in a village in northern

cebu. it's 6 o'clock at night. it's pitch dark. there's no power at all. according to the local authority, it can take another two months before the power goes back on. people basically are sitting in front of their half destroyed or totally destroyed houses in their makeshift shelters waiting - waiting for help to pass by. and people to drop off food and water for them. it's been a long, long night for them for the last six days. basically people are just waiting and are sitting around. they have basically no aid. they say people are stopping sometimes to drop off food, but very often they pass by to go more affected areas. >> yes, we can see the tents behind you, and see people sitting down behind you there. i mean, you have been talking to many victims of the typhoon over the last few days. what are they telling you? what

is the feeling there? >> they on the say one thing, "we need food. we need hep." that's all they are telling me. everything seems to pass by going to other people. authorities tell me they are handing out food packages every day. of course they have to hand out so many, that they simply don't have enough food. sometimes we give them a little food, but at least we do something. they say that more people are helping. more private people, more companies are volunteering to help so more people are coming in. no major aid organizations are helping in this area of cebu in the north, where there's a huge disruption. >> steph there in northern cebu. thank you for the update. >> now, the filipino boxer and national hero mannie perform -- pakio or the packman says winning is the best way to win

hope. he's facing a chinese. >> he's a popular figure in the philippines. he's not visiting the disaster zone, so he can continue training. >> there's more on the website. you'll find a gallery of striking images on aljazeera.com. it's updated 24 hours a day. the address aljazeera.com. >> still to come on the newshour - we all have to put our differences aside. we have to get on and work together. >> white farmers in zimbabwe want to help black landowners show their crops. is it a sign land reforms failed. >> the busy chief of kabul - he's a busy man trying to thwart the taliban. >> and lebron james puts the heat on track. action from the nba still to come.

. now, we'll take you across the middle east, a geeio political jigsaw where nothing is as it seems. the major pieces involve the united states and a struggle for influence in the region with russia. the latest tussle is military deals with egypt. we'll look at syria. government forces appear to be winning the battle or aleppo. then israel - a u-turn on settlements from benyamin netanyahu, a story linked to rain. the u.s. secretary of state john kerry says congress imposing sanctions on iran over its nuclear program would be a state. talks between iran and major powers broke down on saturday. they'll meet next week. a temporary pause on sanctions would be helpful. here is white house spokesman jay carney.

>> when it comes to the issue of new sanctions legislation, it's important to remember no one is suggesting an open-ended delay for sanctions because there may come a point where additional sanctions are necessary. at the same time it is important for congress to reserve its ability to legislate in order to give the p5 + 1 to achieve a goal of preventing iran obnanning a nuclear weapon. >> israel's prime minister is delaying the building of 20,000 settler homes in the west bank. benyamin netanyahu fears diplomatic interruptions. >> the israeli housing ministry triggered the latest threat to the palestine talks by approving money for the first stage of construction planning in some contentious areas of the west

bank, including 1200 housing units near jerusalem where palestinians believe more settlement ends a palestine state talks. >> we were surprised by the announcements and are seeking further explanation. our position on settlements is clear. we do not accept the legitimacy of settlement >> last week secretary of state john kerry used tough you are language. john kerry said: prime minister benyamin netanyahu said the housing ministry's announcement was made with no prior notice and had been cancelled and he said:

>> but benyamin netanyahu did not signal a decision to scrap long-term development of 24,000 jewish housing units in the west bank in east jerusalem. before benyamin netanyahu cancel the orders the palestinian authority said it would have destroyed the peace process. >> translation: it means that the negotiationers over and everything the united states -- negotiations are over and everything the united nations planned is not working. with all parties in the peace talks would hold israel responsible for the collapse of negotiations. >> in july john kerry sent a 9-month deadline for the talks, to reach an agreement. with time running out the latest episode puts those negotiations in deeper doubt than ever. >> let's get more on this and talk to mike hannah. he's in jerusalem. what prompted the u-turn by the israelis? why are they doing this now? >> the israeli prime minister made clear ta the decision was

tactical and emphasised that he did not want the controversy over further settlement development at this point hamper israel's efforts to get a deal with iran off the international table. the most telling words in the flurry that happened over the past 24 hours were from a spokesman for the prime minister who said the plans for development had been suspended for now. clearly this is a suspension, it is not a scrapping of the plans. benyamin netanyahu making this decision also castigating his housing minister out of a tactical need to keep pressure on those attempting to negotiate a deal with iran. >> mike, let's rewind a little bit. just remind us why the settlements are so controversial. >> they have always been a red line in ongoing negotiations with the palestinians. they made clear that it is

difficult, if not impossible to conduct negotiations while settlement conditions. the secretary of state said settlement building, clearly, is legitimate. let's take a look at what it means on the ground. the israeli activist group, peace now, says the housing ministry's plans were for 24,000 homes, 4,000 in east jerusalem, and the rest in the occupied west bank. that includes 1200 homes in the deeply contentious e1 area, which cuts e 1 off from the west bank. and a large settlement put forward, positioned between jerusalem and ramallah, the palestine seat of government. important to note that this plan has not come into being suddenly. it has been on the table for a number of weeks now, and it was only peace now flagging it that

alerted palestine negotiators and the u.s. that this was being considered at this point. the israeli prime minister put a halt to the e 1 development immediately, but only hours later he took the decision to scrap the plan as a whole. this indicates once again that this is a temporary position, and in no way any formal u turn of the benyamin netanyahu government on the issue of settlement building. >> mike hannah in jerusalem. let's go life to the egyptian capital k capital cairo, where the group of volunteer lawyers visit the mohamed morsi in prison on tuesday. when they start the press conference, we will listen in to what they have to say. let's gross to al jazeera's rory chalens in cairo, monitoring the situation there. this is a group of lawyers who went to visit the deposed president yesterday. what are we expecting them to

say? >> yes, that's right. they spent 2.5 hours with the president on tuesday. it's a group of five who went in there, including some lawyers, and mohamed morsi's son, in his capacity as a lawyer too. there was a spokesman that went along with them. what they were urging mohamed morsi to do is to name officially his legal counsel, because he has not done that. when he appears in court on november the 4th, he essentially was undefended. they have been urging him to name his counsel. we have spoken to the spokesperson who we think is about to talk in the press briefing. he told us that mohamed morsi still hasn't named his legal counsel; that he is, essentially, defiant, that he thinks that the courts that are trying him at the moment has no

right to try him and under the constitution of 2012 it should be a different court trying him. this is exactly what we are expecting to come out of the press briefing, along with a statement that we think will be read out from mohamed morsi himself. >> i think we can listen in to what of the lawyers have to say. >> the message conveyed by the president to the defense team is summarised in a statement. once again i welcome you, as the legal affairs of the farsi and the head of the people defending the president movement, and present mohammed rabati the

president of the association bar, and one of the defense team members, and he is the legal council of the campaign. also present mr samal heil one of the advocate team members. i request you to maintain quiet and calm in order to start the press conference. please i request you to maintain calm. as god says in the holy scriptures, god is defending those who believe in him. we dealt a blow to mr mohammed, secretary of the association bar.

>> translation: at the outset i extend all appreciation to the independent party for hosting this press conference. secondly, i extend all appreciation to the people defending the president campaign sponsoring and organising this press conference together with the independence party, represented by mr akmed misare. the team that visited president mursi yesterday was comprised of dr mohammed salem mahawa, mo ham ad del awati, an advocate and

the son of the president. the visit lasted for two hours, and more, where we discussed with the president a number of issues. as his usual habit he was in total composure, steadfast and calm. and his calm is derived from the steadfastness of the people supporting him. he conveyed a message through us. this message was noted down and then rewritten in a statement. this is the statement conveyed by the president to the people of egypt in their entirety. however, i would like to point out that when mr mohamed morsi

the president is holding steadfast to his legitimacy, this is not something new. as we go back to the last address given by him, he reiterated that he will sacrifice his own blood for legitimacy. and when he was questioned by the prosecutor, he refrained from answering any question simply because he was adhering to his legitimacy as the lawful legitimate president of egypt, and those entergaiting him have no right or entitlement to question him. and, finally, he demonstrated a great deal of steadfastness in

his appearance before the court, where he reiterated to the court that they are unlawful and invalid court panel as he is still adhering to his lig massy as the lawful -- legitimacy as the lawful president of egypt. again, when we raise the issue of nominating an advocate to defend him, he replied saying it is too early to name one, as i am still adhering to the legitimacy as i am the lawful legitimate of president of egypt. we visit him not as defense team, for president mursi, we

are defending 15 other defendants, including the president mohamed morsi. this must be made clear before we start as we know what is going on in your heads. we will open the floor for questions once the message is read. the message send by president mursi and outside of honesty he has verbally conveyed a number of points. we, out of honesty, as i said, we paid a visit to him as attorneys, defense advocates, not politicians. he verbally conveyed the

message, and afterwards we redrafted them in a statement. a statement by the president of egypt, mohamed morsi. oh, the people of egypt, i was given you this opportunity to put you in the picture of what has taken place from june 30th until today. what has happened is nothing but a military coup. with all the components and elements of a military coup. aiming - it is our duty to maintain harmony and the people of egypt should treat this coup as a crime and treason. crime violating the lows by way

of mobilising the armoured forces. treeson, again as gods, as the defence minister has fallen in treasury. again is the oath he has taken to defend the people of egypt and egyptian army. it is a treeson to the whole nation, driving awedge among the people of egypt. the one family of egypt. egypt cannot go back unless the military coup is removed and eliminated together with all its consequences. and those shedding the blood of egypt are held accountable. the families of the victims cannot rest with - unless

retribution is achieved in the manner though leads us to gods, and families of the victims. let the people of egypt know that i, since july the 2nd, i repeat, since july the 2nd 2013, i am kidnapped against my own free will and the revolutionary guards headquarters until june 30th. i repeat - i want transferred to a military unit of the armoured forces, together with my personal aide for full, complete month. i was met by no person, but mrs ashton and the e.u. delegation, and the four

intergators, where i refused to answer any questions simply for the reason that all the procedures taken against me are in violation of the procedures and regulations i have taken oath to respect and abide by. the first measure was on 4 november, in the police academy when he says - the police academy, it means that he is not recognising the panel as a court. i, since then, i have not met any member of the armoured forces or the media, and all the reports attributed to me are false and untrue. they are also baseless. he continued saying i wish to seize this opportunity to extend

deep appreciation to the people of egypt who rose in revolt against the coup from the very first moment and are still rising...

>... is a clear, strong message - the time of coup has gone, and the coup is deteriorating and it will fall by the will and power of the people until we restore our freedoms and rights. on this occasion i would like to honour the memory of those who have fallen, and i appreciate and pray to those who have been injur

injured, offering condolences to their families, assuring them that their blood will water the tree of freedom for the homeland. here ends the message. president. the president reiterated to us that he is holding steadfast and adhering to his legitimacy as the lawful legal president of egypt. this was a message dig tated verbally to -- dictated verbally to us by the president mohamed morsi, and the team later on, redrafted by ma hammed salem and o-sama el-halum. you are watching a live press conference from cairo. a group of volunteer lawyers giving a press conference. they visited the ousted president mohamed morsi in

prison in alexandria yesterday and are recounting that trip. these are not mohamed morsi's defense lawyers, they are a group of volunteer lawyers that went to visit the ousted president. they were talking about the 2-hour visit to the prison and said that mohamed morsi, in terms of his demeanour. that he was calm, steadfast, and they recounted his appearance, his first appearance in court where they say he refused to answer prosecutors questions because mohamed morsi said that the court was unlawful, and that he was still the lawful president of the state of egypt. one of the lawyers said - or the lawyer giving the press conference said mohamed morsi said it was too early to name an advocate to defend him, and he insisted that he was the lawful president of egypt. the lawyer read out a statement which mohamed morsi conveyed to them, which he then read out in

court. he said he was overthrown in a coup and kidnapped and held against his will. the press conference is still going on. i remind you, these are a group of volunteer lawyers, they are not mohamed morsi's defense team. we'll cross to rory chalen, who has been monitoring the press conference. we heard the statement read out by the group of lawyers. are we any clearer as to mohamed morsi's state of thinking from that message? >> well, i think we are. clearly what has transpired from what was read out there is that the predictament, the situation that mohamed morsi is in essentially removed from power, and on trial for crimes that could potentially lead to the death penalty that he is

encouraging from that team of lawyers to at least go some way in defending himself by choosing someone from that team to represent him in court, has been spurned by mohamed morsi. he's so defiant he says, as you pointed out there, darren, it's too early to name his advocate in court. he is still the president, the rightful president of egypt, and that essentially the court has no right to try him. the message that he gave there provision, i think, how resolute, i suppose, he is in this position. you know, he calls this coup a treeson for the whole nation, and those responsible for shedding blood to egyptians should be accountable and calls

his kidnapping treason. in the four months held the only people visiting was catherine ashton, the foreign affairs chief of the european union. he didn't anyone from the army or media. reports to the contrary were false. he spoke to the egyptian people urging them to carry on their rising up against the coup and unite and fight for the homeland and the coup will fall. they are not light words from someone essentially in prison and may spend more time in prison. >> let me get a final thought from you. mohamed morsi is in a bit of a legal dilemma. on the one hand he says, "i don't recognise the court, it's uplawful, it's illegitimate." if he accepts the defense team of lawyers - he says it's too early

to nominate an advocate yet. if he accepts a defense team i suppose by default he's recognising the legitimacy of the court, which he says he does not. >> yes, that's a bind. it's a bind out of - with no real solution for mohamed morsi. the lawyers were speaking to him. i understand they were saying by naming a legal team didn't mean he was recognising the limbing massy of the courts, that he could choose a team and object to the way he was being tried. there is, still, quite a lot of time for some of those issues to be resolved. the next hearing in his trial is not due until january, the 8th. there's a couple of months before that comes along, for these legal issues to be resolve. we will see some movement over the next couple of months before the next hearing in a trial. he's in a bit of a conundrum.

does he choose a legal team and give some credibility to the legal system that is putting him on trial. does he stay defiant defending himself and questioning the legitimacy of the court. but then he's essentially defenseless in what the court wants to do with him. >> thank you, rory. >> let's draw breath and recap on the top stories on the newshour - the official number of death after typhoon haiyan hit the philippines has risen to 2,200. there's widespread looting as hungry people search for food. robbery suspects have been shot at in the devastated city of tacloban. israel's prime minister is delaying the building of 24,000 settler homes in the occupied west bank.

. let's go back to our main story in the philippines. as aid arrives from countries around the world, many people are struggling to make do on their own. residents in tacloban have been forced smash open underground pipes to get access to trig water. with so many dead bodies lining the streets, the spread of disease is a real threat. >> it's really very difficult. we source the water from an underground pipe that's been smashed. we don't know if it's safe. we need to boil it. at least we have something. it's difficult, there has been a lot of people who died here. >> these are some of the latest pictures from the philippines the seen is one of destruction in tacloban city. the ground zero of the typhoon. bodies are yet to be removed. those who have survived the typhoon have been seeking supplies that have arrived.

many are still without proper shelter. some rather iconic and moving pictures from the philippines of the aftermath of typhoon haiyan. joining us now on skype from manila, the philippines capital is chris de bono, the regional spokesman for unicef. let me ask about the security situation. reports of looting, some reports of aid convoys being attacked people seem to be desperate for help. what are your teams seeing and hearing on the ground about the worsening security situation? >> i don't want to go into too much comment around the security situation. i can say that our people on the ground are repeating again and again that the utter devastation that has effectively ruined the lives of so many people in tacloban is making it very difficult, as is the frustration that's rising at the inability to get aid in.

we are in a bit of a catch 22. worst the security situation gets the harder it is to distribute aid. we are hopeful that more aid will arrive tomorrow, and we are starting to get numbers in - nothing like the numbers we need. i think the only solution really is to try and get these people what they need. >> we touched on the issue of a challenge of a security situation, chris. what are the other challenges that your teams are facing on the ground as they try to get the aid into people who need it most? >> to be honest with you today was not a great day. it started off with the good news that you point out of the president reducing the original estimates of the number of dead. but it's rained today. security has gotten worse, and we are struggling. the aid is moving. it's inching towards tacloban. we are getting aid in.

it will arrive soon. what is getting there is very difficult to distribute - largely because the infrastructure - you know, distribution is, in itself, a complicated process. you don't drop bags of food amidst crowds of starving people. all the bits and pieces are... >> all right. apologies, we seem to have lost chris de bono - not surprisingly - with some good and bad lines coming out of the philippines. time for a short break an the newshour.

. welcome back, now in zimbabwe white farmers evicted from their land are offering help to black landowners who replaced them. the aim is to make farms productive again. if black farmers accept the offer of help is if sign that president mugabe's land reforms failed? we have this report. >> zimbabwe's land reform in 2000 was controversial and racially divisive. most of the country's 4,000 white farmers were the back bone of the economy. they were forced off the land and it was given to black farmers. the new landowners are trying to revive the farming sector. the country is struggling. white farmers' unions are proposing to work with the black landowners and their union of. >> we are trying to achieve one

voice for agriculture, a unified agriculture industry which can lobby government and get policies that will benefit agriculture in zimbabwe. we have to get on and work together. it's the only way to get agriculture going. >> this is a commercial farmer and doesn't trust the white's offer to work together. >> what is their agenda? given the situation, they should have realised that from the onset, "let's share", and then we'd look at the modality, and them coming in with experience and so forth. >> it has not been easy running commercial farms. zimbabwe's economy is struggling. bank loans are not favourable. equipment needed to farm properly is expensive or can't be found. black zimbabweans have started farming. there's a few white commercial farmers. they survive because they mind

their own business, stale out of politics and try not to antagonise the government. >> many evicted white farmers may work as consultants or farm managers. land use and ownership are sensitive issues. some feel allowing whites on to the farm the rest of the world could get the impression that black farmers can't cope and land reform has famed. >> let's talk to the zimbabwean analyst george shera. the issue of land reform in zimbabwe is divisive. are black farmers right to question the motive of white farmers who want to come back into the sector? >> well, let me put it this way. what we have in zimbabwe now is an irresistable position in which the land subdivision is complete. almost anyone can get into

commercial farming and anyone who needs access to land to conduct a farm can do so. the atmosphere existed where black and white farmers can work together to stablilize the agriculture sector for the good of the economy. that's the first. the problem for the white community is that - is an historical one. they have been part or seem to be part and parcel of the network of people interested in regime change. resisting land reform. they come on to the table without that package. people are right to ask questions about it. i think the challenge for white farmers is to demonstrate their commitment to the land reform program. >> that point about the history is an important point you make. many critics will say hang op,

white farmers would have their chance to share the land and its resources. many chose not to, which ise mugabe took the land off them in the first place. >> the question of the land has been going on for more than 50 years, it's the issue at the center of the liberation struggle. the pattern of distribution of the land in zimbabwe - it was a contentious one. what it did was to address it and resolve it. the challenge that white farmers face is to work with black farmers in the country as one unified force. they do have a credibility issue in the sense that also at the same time in the last 10-15 years have been involved in the regime project. they should change this that

direction to gain the confidence of black farmers. >> we are starting to rug run -- run out of time. it raises the issue of whether land reform failed. is letting white farmers back on to the land a sign that black farmers have failed? >> no, it isn't. i read about 10 books published in the last 10 years, all talking about the success of that program. the key issue - no one is allowed back. no one has been allowed back on to land. people are talking about working together. which is two different things. there's though sign whatsoever. what we have is evidence of success. if it's the evidence of that success, that explains the overwhelming features in the last election.

>> flooding is feared to have killed 300 in somalia. hundreds are missing after two days of heavy flood. united nations food and agriculture organizations says entire villages have been destroyed. let's check occupant the whether with steph. >> let's have a look at somalia and see what caused the flooding. it was thanks to a tropical cyclone. it slammed into the coast and disintegrated. here is a picture over the past 24 hours. you can see it disintegrate there. the energy is in the atmosphere. the showers will bubble up. again thursday and for friday some of them will be heavy, pushing towards the south. mogadishu will see heavy showers and through parts of yooeth i don't knowia it will be wet. the area of heavy rain will stick around as we head through the day friday.

there could be more flush flooding as the rains are going to stick around for 48 hours. we can go to roam and look at what is going on in the philippines. there has been plenty of cloud over the past 24 hours. this has given heavy rain, 113mm in places. the rain is easing. >> syrian government forces are advancing on rebels in the northern city of aleppo. opposition fighters have called for reinforcements to be sent to the front lines. >> a battle for aleppo. opposition forces dispatched reinforcements. this video appears to show the first batch to fend off advances by the syrian army. over the past few days government forces believed to be backed by hezbollah and lebanon forces have been pushing in.

>> the north-western city was a commercial hub and syria's most populist. it's val ubled for opposition fighters who have been using the routes to control what's coming in. fighters belonging to religious groups, including those linked to al qaeda called for support for the front lines. it was in july of last year that the first push was made into aleppo. managing to control eastern parts. aleppo international airport remained under government control and army appears to have secured most of the area around it. it appears to have captured a number of towns, including those that opened the road to government forces to besieged places and power plants.

intense fighting killed many. at one point the rebels cut off all government supply routes to aleppo. fighting among opposition fighters who have been battling over turf and ideology is costing them. divisions are sapping the energy in the battle for aleppo. >> some other stories are expecting to develop later on wednesday. president obama is to host a conference of native american tribal leaders at det of the interior. sustainable economic development, better access of health care and improving educational opportunities. >> two of europe's far-right leaders will meet. dutch politician and a french nationalist will discuss a coalition to contest the european elections. immigration is a more important issue during elections. >> the most valuable diamond to

be put up for auction is going under the hammer. it's believed it's 60 carr rats, it fetch $60 million. >> but even that is small change when compared to the next item. a record-breaking artwork. >> >> the title of the world's most expensive auction goes to this series - there is it, by francis bacon, "the three studies of lucian freud - 1969 ." sold for $142 million at christie's in new york. extraordinary. >> now, the new world trade center power in new york has been declared the tallest building in the united states. but the official record did not come without a fight from chicago as we explain. >> one world trade center rose from the ashes of september 11th. its highest floor equal to that of the ordinarily north tower.

the spire on top makes it the tallest building in the united states, bringing it to 1776, or 351 metres, well above chicago's willis tower. one world trade is the tallest building as we see if in the united states. the willis tower has a higher occupied floor. we see it from the architectural top. >> the council on tall buildings rejected the argument that the spire was more antenna than architect tur, granting new york more than bragging rights. the seeds of emotion and pride and defiance or whatever my mix of motives that might come together in the building originally have an echo in the symbolic tower. one world trade center stands as a monument to those

killed. the height is symbolic. 1776 is the year the founding fathers signed the declaration of independence. >> it is significant. it's an icon for everyone in the city. >> it's a symbol not only of the united states, but what happened here around it. >> i don't put too much importance on it being the tallest building. the importance that i see is what it stands for. >> world trade center one lu be considered the third highest building in the world once occupied next year. that standing my change, but the building will forever loom large in symbolism for americans. before i go let me recap the official number of dead after typhoon haiyan hit the philippines - 2,200. stay with us here. more news at the top of the hour. stay with al jazeera. thanks for watching. bye for now.

a desperate relief effort in the philippines, panic sets in among the survivors - waiting for food, water and medicine. >> the president should honour the commitment made to those people. >> a critical comment a problem for president obama. why bill clinton says if you like your health care plan, you should keep it. >> are you on cholesterol medication, you may be - drastic changes on who gets the job and who doesn't. >> a video game designed to find a perfect employee - howe