>> welcome to al jazeera america. i'm richelle carey. here are the stories that we're following for you. merrill newman i has been relead from north korea and freed overnight. and the largest art show in the u.s. what many cities want to have. at this hour the american war veteran who has been detained by north korea is on his way back

home. he was released early saturday. melissa chan is outside of the community where mr. newman and his wife live. i'm sure they're eagerly awaiting for him to come home. what about the time of his release and the fact that joe biden is in south korea. now vice president biden said he had no direct connection to this, but what about the timing of it. >> any time you have the vice president in asia and with the situation of merrill newman, you would think that there would be negotiations. vice president biden said that he was not part of any negotiations. he was in south korea, and we all know that south korea and north korea do not get along. he was not home for thanksgiving, but thankfully he will now be home for the holidays.

when merrill newman made the trip to north korea, he would not have known how much more of a difficult journey it would turn out. but now he's departing for the u.s. a great relief to his family. >> i'm very glad to be on my way home. i'm i appreciate the government allowing me to be on my way. >> vice president joe biden also offered to give him a ride home. but there is a direct flight to san francisco, his home. i don't blame him. i would be on that home, too. >> he was no ordinary soldier. the north korea released this confession video, likely forced by newman, admitting his

affiliation of the white tigers. for newman korean war was history. but for the north koreans knew n is an enemy of the state. why north korea decided to let newman go now remains a mystery. >> after he gets home and has a chance to get some well-deserved rest we'll have more to say about his unusual and difficult journey. we ask that we allow him to be with his family, and we ask that we not forget kenneth bay.

what does the release of merrill newman's possibility for bay's release. merrill newman was part of the korean war and he was less of a threat than bay, who is a missionary spreading christianty. for kenneth bay it is not when he will be released. it's if he will be released before the end of his prison sentence. >> and tell us again what that prison sentence is? i think that bears repeating. >> yes, well kenneth bay was sentenced for 15 years in prison because he was in the country, and he tried to spread the word of christianity. he is very religious. he went into that country with missionaries work as his purpose. what is really interesting and telling about this, this is

something that in the united states you just wouldn't see as a problem, people spreading their religion and expressing opinions, but in north korea it is an issue. it has a propaganda ministry. there is a certain way of thinking that the state inculcates into its people and which bay thinks sub version. >> thank you very much, melissa. two days, vigils and memorials continue in south africa. we go to nelson mandela's former home where the tribute goes on since the passing of nelson mandela. tell us what it is that we're seeing behind pup there seems to be this energy with the crowd there. >> it's an incredible energy. i think that's absolutely right.

we're talking about losing an icon or mourning this man. but here there is a celebration, a real aor how we transformed this country. how he improved this no carrierg ñ