>> mayhem in the midwest. severe storms spawns dozens of tornados. in illinois, one of the hardest hit states - homes were levelled, six lives lost, >> a deadly plane accident in russia, all 50 on board a boeing 737 were killed. investigators are trying to determine what brought the plane down. >> an upgrade for the faltering healthcare.gov. politicians debate whether the system is worth fixing. >> prayers in the philippines - the typhoon-ravaged country tries to find comfort in faith as the international relief

effort picks up speed. >> welcome to al jazeera america, it was a repair november tornado outbreak. a storm system ripping across the west, producing dozens of twisters. the brunt felt in illinois. at least six are confirmed dead, most in the central part of the state. the storms passed through chicago, before moving through michigan. washington, illinois, a town two hours south-west of the chicago was one of the neighbourhoods. >> diane easterbrook reports from illinois. >> over here in washington, illinois, it was a clean-up

effort underway. the town imposed a curfew at 6 o'clock this evening. they are trying to keep people the streets. there was a lot of debris. we understand there's 100,000 people in the area without power. now, the tornado came through washington at noon. it devastated the area. we talked through a storm chesser. he's been chasing storms for 18 years, benjamin rock. this is one of the worse he's seen, here is what he said. >> the devastation, it looks like a bomb went through, there's nothing on the foundation of some. a lady we helped said her daughter has a friend that was sucked out of the house by the tornado itself. >> one of the issues being faced here is cell service is out. a lot of the cell towers are knocked down. a lot of people who have friends

and family in this area have trouble getting a hold of those people. power, cell service will be restored. power will be restored to part of the area and the clean-up can continue. >> diane easterbrook reporting from washington, illinois. a team from fema is on its way. >> the storms forced thousands of football fans to take cover in the chicago bears-ravens game. >> ashar quraishi was at the field during the delay. >> half hour into the game at soldier field, officials decided it was too dangerous for players and fans to remain. spectators were advised to move to interror areas to take cover. >> we got everyone in the safe areas before the brunt of the storm came through. the nfl at that point made the call to suspend the game.

>> for some it was chaotic. >> we got down, there was nowhere to go. people were peeing, there was nowhere to go. it was wall to wall people. it took so long to get to this point. we wanted to get out, and we couldn't get out. >> with gusty winds and downpours some fans evacuated the field. two hours later as the clouds passed through without incident the bears and ravens returned to the field as did patient fans. >> he's been a bear's fan as long as we can remember. we are military, it's our first chance to come to a game since living here. >> despite the suspension of tornado warnings and watches, a wind advisory was in effect through the evening. still, fans here realise they were lucky. >> awesome. because we won.

>> at last count the storm prediction center showed there has been 77 tornado reports with a severe weather out break in the mid-atlantic. the states that got the tornados, we now of four - missouri, illinois, kentucky, and into ohio. the storm system started this morning. they broke out first from missouri into illinois. by the time we hit the noon hour we confirmed two tornado touch downs in illinois - one to the north and one to the south. you can barely see a small hooking in the echo of the radar. after the storms hit, they simply continued on to cause taj as it worked through parts of indiana and into ohio. the rain was coming down anywhere from 1-2 inches an hour. a lot of lightening strikes and

wind reports. amazing. 300 wind reports with the storm. the combination of the two makes it more likely we are going to continue, the wind gusts will continue as the storm tracks to canada. >> since 1998 the storm prediction center forecast two high-risk storm days, in 2002 and 2005. here, sunday, november 17th, 2013 - it will go down as day 3 in the month of november for a high-risk forecast. a powerful thunder storms, brought by a difference of temperature and a strong low-pressure system. >> meanwhile the top democrat in the house says her party will not back down from supporting president obama and health care reform. some of her dem democrats don't seem as sure. >> friday house democrats joined

house republicans and voted for insurance reform. >> how's minority leader, nancy pelosi said the democrats have not lost confidence with obamacare. >> i don't think you can tell what will happen next year, but democrats are in support of the the affordable care act. >> problems with obamacare are worry k democrats who feel that it is leaving them vulnerable and suggest incompetence with the administration. >> senate democrat christian dila bran expressed anger and a false presidential promise that people could keep their plans. >> if you are offered a terrible health care plan, and the minute you get sick you'll have to go into bankruptcy. the plans shouldn't be offered. >> were you misled. >> he should have been specific. >> the president met to discuss

his plan to fix healthcare.gov. >> i think it was a good discussion. all the ceos felt that way. we had an opportunity to discuss the marketplace challenges. we have the same goals. we'll work together to get people into affordable coverage. that's what americans want. >> with weeks until a deadline the president is promising to get it done. >> there's a huge task ahead for the obama administration. >> the health care laws requires most americans to sign up for medical insurance by march 31st or face a penalty. the president of the philippines is visiting some of the islands devastated by typhoon haiyan. >> 2.5 million are in need of food. craig leeson jones us from cebu.

millions in need of aid. how much is getting to typhoon survivors? >> well, you can probably see behind me here at the philippines airbase in cebu, some of the aid going through to the hercules c130s that are behind me. they are coming in from all over the world - australia, indonesia, france - the british are here, the swiss are here. truly it's a united effort. all the aid is coming in to this point and is taken to tacloban, which is the epicentre of where the disaster happened. it's pouring in. it's hitting high gear now. we are seeing the aid relief is turning the corner, particularly in getting the aid to the remote areas. it's been a massive task. 13 million have been affected by the typhoon. 4 million are without homes. part of the effort has not only been taking the relief down, but

bringing them back to cebu and giving them shelter and medical attention, badly needed medical attention. now doctors are seeing on the ground in leyte province, the worst affected areas, incidents of cholera and typhoid becoming a problem to tackle. >> speaking of medical issues, i understand there are almost 25,000 pregnant women due to give birth each month within the disaster area. are they getting the support and hep they need? >> well, it's been very difficult on the ground in tacloban for them to get the support. there was the story - tragic story of a baby born during the typhoon and died this morning because the parents - they had to keep the baby alive, keep the lungs clear by handpressing oxygen into the lungs because there was no power and machines to keep the baby alive.

there's also stories of survival. a woman gave birth after the typhoon in the shattered remains of the airport tower. we have seen babies coming into cebu shortly after the typhoon, and they are being taken care of at the medical centres, the field hospitals set up in the gymnasiums and the sport complexes that the government is setting up. >> so many challenges. craig leeson reporting from cebu in the philippines. >> a deadly airliner crash in russia. officials are looking for the cause. >> france's president reassures israel on their tough stance. >> back to the voting booths,

chileans cast ballots as presidential contenders fall short of votes needed to win.

. investigators are searching for clues after an airliner crashed and burst into flames while landing at an airport in central russia. all 50 aboard were killed. as stefanie dekker reports, the accident worsens their aviation record. >> not much is left of the boeing 737. tatarstan's flight crashed on landing in the russian city of kazan. not one survivor. the plane aborted a first landing and attempted a second. when it lost altitude the fuel tank exploded on impact. >> translation: we are looking into all reasons for the crash. the main ones are failure of

machinery, fault of crew, weather conditions and quality of fuel. >> in 2008, 88 passengers and crew were killed in a plane crash near mount yins. in 2011 a plane went down, a yak. and a further crash in siberia. >> investigators have been deployed from moscow to determine what went wrong. the plane took off from the capital an hour before it exploded at the final destination. >> among the victims top local security officials and the son of the russian republic tatarstan. >> pakistan will try the former president for high treesan. if agreed pervez musharraf will be the first in pakistan to face trial for treason.

it stems from a decade-long rule. he is accused of ordering the assassination of the benna zeer bhutto. >> the bombing of a building killed 31 soldiers, according to a group monitoring syria's war. it happened at damascus. what time of bomb used is not known. >> france is standing firm with israel over iran's nuclear program. >> president francis hollande met with benyamin netanyahu. they'll keep the pressure on iran when talks resume this week in geneva. mike hanna has more from jerusalem. >> it's a large french delegation that arrived in israel. including the president, there's nine ministers. there are a lot of economic ties between france and israel and strong ties. discussions during the day and

into the evening will also include iran. benyamin netanyahu thanked the french president for what he described as his intervention in negotiations in geneva, where france rejected a deal on the table, many believing stopping the deal. benyamin netanyahu insists that not only should sanctions not be lifted, but they should be intensified, and will look for support from the french president on this issue. it's the beginning of a campaign. benyamin netanyahu will travel to russia with the russian president vladimir putin. again, expressing these sentiments to the russian president. and then on friday a critical meeting where the u.s. secretary of state john kerry, who will be returning to the region after an acrimonious visit - central to the discussions the iran

matters. >> the 3-day visit is francis hollande's first trip to israel since taking office. >> nigeria say two u.s. sailors were kidnapped and released off the cost of the nijer delter. a statement saying the rebels received $2 million for the sailors. they were abducted on november 23rdrd. >> two miners were hospitalized after an accident. it happened sunday morning. 270 miles south-west of denver. two work ert were skilled and 20 injured. the accident was probably caused by the relief of chemicals and not a cave in. >> navy investigators are trying to determine why a droneml functioned. two sailors suffered burns when the droep hit the ship.

the ship is in san diego to be checked for damage. it was used to check radar. >> chillans will go back to the poll to choose between two different visions for their country's future. michelle bachelet will square off against someone from the right. >> michelle bachelet will be the number one choice in this election - that was never in doubt. with nine candidates the former president fell short of the 50% needed to win in the first round. >> in one month we'll have to choose between someone defending rights to public obligations and health and one who sees these things as commodities. michelle bachelet's supporters celebrated. at evelyn matthei's office they

attempted to sound optimistic. >> translation: we defend the right of chileans to live in peace. >> michelle bachelet left a top job at the united nations to run and has an ambitious agenda. she has a strong platform - taxes in a country where business elite has clout among her reforms. >> michelle bachelet has bigger problems. it's challenging the unprecedented demands of chilean society that will be the real challenge. to underscore she's under pressure to deliver. students occupied her campaign headquarters on election day. we'll maintain the protest. we know the changes we need will not come from within the institutions. >> without the three fifth

majority to push through reforms, michelle bachelet is counting on a resounding victory to show she has the will of the people on her side. >> michelle bachelet became chile's first female president in 2006. she was constitutionally barred from seeking election in 2010, after her first term. >> using art to pay for health care. some are putting their skills to work to cover medical costs. >> pain and punishment. people that sacrifice their bodies to compete. >> a nobel-winning author - the life and writings of doris lessing. nsh

>> medicine and the arts are coming together in mohammed sanu through the barter system. as al jazeera's bernd lisa

bernhard reports they are working through pop-up clinics. >> this man is creating a mural at the 0 positive festival. he is not getting money. he's getting access to health care. >> going to the doctor is like buying a new car or something. it's something that i'm like, "wow, wouldn't it be cool if i get to go the doctor. i guess i don't", 43% of artists and 53% of musicians have no health insurance. a barter system is under way at the center fs, a community-run healing arts organization. joe dreamed up the idea. but, he says, the concept is hundreds of years old.

it's direct exchange. we are showing the value of culture to the community. it gives back - the community gives back saying, "we value u" >> doctors and nurses are giving back and helping the artists. more than $50,000 of music, art, health and wellness services are being exchanged as a result of the event. >> lower back pain. >> maria performed at the festival in exchange for treatment. touring is tough. she is grateful for the help she got. >> we've been in car accidents. i have a physical injury for that, which was treated. >> it's not just traditional medicine, cairo prac tur, acupuncture and mass arch. >> there are yoga classes and body work.

an optometrist is helping an art ist. the artists feel their work contributes to the wellbeing of their communities. >> when you look at a muiral or see a performance, you are uplifted. it keeps you healthy. >> the program is working. >> what treatment did you get? >> chiropractic adjustment. >> how does it feel? >> great. it feels better. my neck was messed up. >> now he can return to work. >> and the bartering was not just for the artists and meeuwsicians, volunteers were given clinics for working one 2-hour shift. >> military style mud runs are a booming business. nearly 2 million people will pay to punish themselves in extreme challenges. emily drew reports from the toughest mother. mark holloway will run for

24 hours, competing against hundreds of people. he'll climb these walls, make the jumps and get electrocuted. >> holloway is at the toughest mudder event, billed as a hard endurance course in the world. the race would test anyone. being here is an achievement. until this year, he had no use of his arm. i have heart and i'll push through. >> holloway was wounded in an explosion in afghanistan where he served with the british army. after months of recovery, now he's running for charity. >> there has been a lot more seriously injured people than myself. >> tough mudder has an obvious target. all the competitors spend hundreds to run in the mud. tough mudder started a few years

ago with $20,000. it made more than $75 million. despite the growing popularity and cult-like policy safety is a concern. the biggest test came in june in west virginia, a 28 yooert died after jumping from an obstacle called walk the plank. the american college published a report on that event, calling for research into the vool um and unique in juries happening in these event. tough mudder is one of several course competition, others like spartan dash and warrior race face the same difficulties. tough mudder says it takes every precaution within its control. >> we design safety first. we think about how it will impact participants. >> of course, danger is part of the draw. >> it's like a drug.

>> definitely dangerous, yes. a lot of times i ask myself, "why do i do this", after 24 hours, 20% of participants drop out. holloway was not one. >> i ended up doing 60 miles. >> he can't wait until the next mud run so he can do this, this and this all over again. >> the study's authors say obstacle races are nearly impossible and it's difficult to prevent injuries. nobel prize author doris lessing died. she wrote plays, and nov ills including "the golden notebook", and "the terrorists." in 2007 she became the oldest author to win the nobel prize for literature. she was 94.

that will do it for this edition of al jazeera. thanks for watching, have a great evening. >> a rally in san salvador, capital of central america's smallest and most densely populated state. on the streets the chants are about the onward march of social justice, in a country that's seen bitter civil war and the transformation of former left wing guerillas into a political