>> announcer: this is al jazeera. ♪ and it is good to have you along for the al jazeera news hour, i'm david foster and this is what we have coming up in the next 60 minutes. the first batch of chemical weapons leaves syria under an international deal to see them destroyed. the battle for iraq's province, iraqi troops readying to storm fallujah to regain control from al-qaeda-linked troops. and the french comic banned

from performing for an aledged nazi salute. and the spanish king's daughter is summoned to court for aledged fraud. so the news is that the first shipment of syrian chemical weapons has now left the country under the un-backed deal to destroy them. syria missed the december 31st deadline to have them ready for transport and destruction. scandinavian vessels have been detroyed to carry the chemical weapons to italy. after sarin gsa attack on august 21st, the western nations blamed on bashar al-assad's forces.

war, bad weather, bureaucracy, technical issues, meant they missed the deadline on december 31st to remove the most deadly toxins. it is not known what percentage has been removed in this first shipment. we have more from beirut. >> reporter: it was a small number of containers that were loaded on to that danish ship. however, it is a significant step, because it is the first time that these toxic chemicals have been removed out of syria, and it is only the first batch. syria has to collect about 500 tons of these chemicals from 12 different sites. and transport them to the port like happened today. the next step is for the experts to try to verify that these are exactly what syria has promised to deliver and the same amount

and the same chemicals. there will be more shipments that will arrive. the syrian government is responsible for bringing the chemicals to the area. the russians and chinese are providing safety and security. the u.s. is providing equipment. the danish and nor nor wean gansz are providing these ships. and then the u.s. will neutralize these toxic chemicals. >> let's hear from the spokesman from the opcw who is overseeing all of this, and he says the danish vessel has now left the port. >> today's cargo vessel has quite a lot of additional capacity for storage, so that vessel will leave the port -- actually it has left the port and it will go out into

national waters off of the coast of area where it will be guarded by a very vessels from china to russia, the russian federation, norway and denmark, i believe. there is about 700 metric tons mostly of what are called precursor chemicals, and those under the destruction plan are all to be destroyed by the end of march. >> an al-qaeda-linked group is thought to be behind the execution of 50 activists in the neighborhood of the city of lepo. the bodies were found inside a children's hospital commandeered as a rebel base. and these pictures appear to show fighting in italy after a

car bomb exploded at a rebel check point. meanwhile activists say another rebel group is actually torturing civilians. the images you are going to see may well be disturbing to you. video put on line showing two men being whipped in front of a crowd. the victims were apparently being punished for failing to pray on friday. >> translator: we have to reach an agreement on the very first principle of the geneva peace conference, which is to combat terrorism. despite the outcome of the conference, the internal dialogue unreformed in syria will continue. >> when the information minister refers to terrorists, i know he generally incorporates everybody who is fighting the regime under that banner, but specifically it

appears he is referring to foreign fighters who have come into syria. is there a possibility that they have hijacked your revolution? >> well, there are foreign parties who are trying to hijack and/or pal loot the revolution. but i would say to the information minister that first of all who is the real terrorist? how about throwing bombs to unarmed -- >> but i am sorry -- i want to keep you to the point of the question. >> right. >> which have these foreign fighters hijacked your revolution? >> not completely. they have hurt us. they have hurt our reputation. and we wish they did not come. now this group that you just mentioned isil, there are big question marks about its entire existence in syria. how did they infiltrate the borders from iraq?

how did they get financing in all of those? and they -- those people have not -- have not been welcomed by us. we -- we don't want them with us, they don't share the same agenda with us. and now we found ourselves forced to, you know, direct our guns and efforts from assad to this group because we have reached enough of -- of you know -- >> and this was a question -- >> -- provocation from them. >> this was a question i put to the head of the free syrian army not too many weeks ago. and i said when you began the revolution, did you imagine you would be fighting other forces as well, and how much of a drain is that for you? and let me put the same question to you. >> i think the west and the united states in particular is in part responsible for this situation, because from the very beginning we asked -- when we

had only the free syrian army, we asked the west for weapons so that we can fight the assad regime with its huge arsenal of air force and all of that, and we did not get that, so extending the fight helped, unfortunately radicalize the revolution, and allowed people from, you know, with other agendas to come in. and part of the problem, i would suggest is that the images we now see almost daily, and if you search from them some even more revolting pictures of foreign fighters inside syria, are turning off people who previous i will sympathized with your cause. >> well, you are right. but will are two points here that have to be taken into consideration. number 1 in the revolution, there is no central command that controls everything and everybody. while on the regime side yes,

it's centralized and we would say, 95% of our rebels are clean, and would not do anything like that -- >> but that's not the perception. >> but the perception because there are media focusing putting that spotlight on that 5%. and we ours said many, many times we would be more than happy for third-party to come in and investigate and punish anyone proven to be criminal -- >> but if there are only 5%, why are you having to devote so much of your time to them? if they are just a rump of foreign fighters? 95% are good, why is it such a problem? >> because they keep provoke k people and fighters. this group in particular have killed several of the leaders of the -- you know, rebels and including recently a doctor who went to them, unarmed only

to -- mediate between them and others. people are complaining and saying we're not going to suppression of assad to this group. so we found ourselves -- we at the beginning we said we're not going to let this group direct us from our main objective of fighting assad, but unfortunately they did, and we found ourselves forced to fight them in order to clean up the -- the revolution, and then turn -- >> and so far you haven't succeeded? >> well, we are succeeding. in fact if you are following the news for the last four days there are big gains of power fighters -- >> well, 16 fighters is what i was reading on the news the other day. but -- >> in terms of territories. >> okay.

let me come back to the snc and geneva 2, you are a member of the council. the council has decided already it isn't going. we had over members saying we don't really agree with an awful lot of what is going on. is there any point in these talks in switzerland? >> you know, i was one of the minority that was leaning towards going, but after i got explanation from my colleagues in the snc, i found indeed it is a waste of time, because i said what does the regime -- you know, what does the regime offer anything as a good gesture, nothing actually. we asked also from the super powers, mainly russia to pressure the regime, because number 1, geneva 2 is to be a step after geneva 1. and in geneva 1 there were six conditions and no a single point was met -- >> so there's no point in

anybody going? >> i don't see anything. plus there is enormous pressure from inside, from all of the polls that we take from the syria people, none of them have any hopes of geneva 2. although i have to mention one thing very quickly that many people still hope of a political solution, but they are not necessarily going together. >> thank you very much indeed for giving us your thoughts. >> my pleasure. al-qaeda-linked fighters belonging to the state of iraq are also active, you might assume in iraq, and the government struggling to regain control of the two biggest cities in the northern province. an iraqi missile strike has killed 25 people, and in fallujah much of the city deserted, the army threatening to attack. andy gallagher has more on that

story. >> reporter: a military offense if could be just days away, but for now the streets are deserted. but help may soon be on the way from the u.s. go who promised to speed up delivery of military equipment. >> we're looking to provide an additional shipment of hell fire missiles as early as this spring. >> reporter: on the edge of another city controlled, the iraqi army are edging closer with soldiers and equipment, backed up by shoeny tribes loyal to their cause. iraqi hoc iraqi helicopters have begun attacks as well. >> translator: the measures we take today are because of the situation in ambar. god willing, we are here at the service of the people, and we vow to protect the homeland.

>> reporter: but the coalition of al-qaeda-linked fighters are continuing to cause serious problems and says that anyone who helps the iraqi government or its allies will be punished. >> translator: the revolutionaries have resolved to pun lish the tribesman who support the sectarian forces and decide to join the military council, the revolutionary is also determined to shoulder the responsibility of foiling the filthy scheme run by the government. >> reporter: they hope to get aid to those still in fallujah, are being hampered by an increasingly dangerous situation. >> translator: the supplies are expected to be shipped to fallujah this afternoon. we have loaded the supplies and got them ready for shipment in one to two days. it's difficult for us to

approach the city. >> reporter: iraq's prime minister has urged residents to help drive out the al-qaeda-linked fighters, but if that doesn't happen, all out military action could be the next step. we have the former head of national security in iraq, and he says the fighting in the province is not sectarian. >> the western media says this is a shiite versus sunni fight. this is not, it is a political battle. now some of the tribal leaders are mislead now, and they are coming back to the hold of the government and they have now started to fight with the government to expel, to exjekt the al-qaeda terrorists. they are circling fallujah, and

there is going to be a real graveyard now. a long-term measure is definitely there. there is going to be humanitarian aid immediately of the operation, there is going to be a huge number of political measures for political reconciliation, and inclusion of the local government and local leader in to the temporary government. in israel, thousands of african migrants have been out on the streets of tel-aviv protesting against a law which allows undocumented immigrants to be detained for a year without trial. the prime minister says israel wants to stop illegal immigration. >> translator: just as we managed to completely stop the illegal infiltration of our borders, we're also determined to remove those who succeeded to

enter before we closed the border. these aren't refugees. they are illegal infiltrate fors seeking work and we will bring them to justice. >> reporter: in this the third day of their work strike, we can say this has been a peaceful demonstration of their grievances being represented, and police have not attempted to interfere in their demonstrations or in these speeches being held in this part of tel-avitel-aviv. the question here is what happens after the strike is over and these people attempt to go back to work? first of all whether their employers will take them back, given the fact that the authorities are making it increasingly difficult for them to work. they only operate under conditional visas which actually bar them from working, and yet for the past few years that is

exactly what has been done -- what they have done. in fact that has been the magnet that has draw them to israel from sudan and other areas, where they feel that their lives -- if they are not in danger than their economic livelihood certainly has been. right now the government says there will be no compromise, that steadily these people will be persuaded to go back home, because israel simply cannot afford to keep them here, and by staying here that would endanger israel's character and future. >> that was tom akerman reporting from tel-aviv. we have this coming up. >> these liquid image goggles soon you can see live as your run continues. >> we have that and all of the other cool gadgets being showcased at the las vegas tech

show. coming up find out why more women are being encouraged to become police officers in th this -- in pakistan. a downhill ski champion withdrawals from the sochi games. we have that and the rest of the sport coming up. ♪ it is no laughing matter, a number of french cities have banned the controversial comic after he was accused of making nazi salutes. barbara has more. david the comic's stage name [ inaudible ], and insists the so-called sign is a gesture against the establishmentment, but the president has backed the local authorities who want to stop him from performing. jackie has the latest. >> reporter: from the stage to the courtroom, the controversial

french comedian finds himself under a different spotlight. the latest to speak out against him is the french president. >> translator: we must approve and support the government and the interior minister when it comes to statements and acts which are undeniably anti-sem anti-seminic. here he is making the so-called kanell salute, the trademark sign. it has been linked to the nazi salute. the french interior minister is leading the campaign to ban the comedian. >> translator: the law is applicable everywhere. it's unacceptable. it will be complicated but we must find judicial means by

which we can ban these shows. >> reporter: he is planning on taking his show on tour around france, but various mayors say they will seek legal injunctions to stop the spread of what they call hate speech. and the owners of this theater want to stop him from performing here. the case raises important questions about freedom of speech. the authorities may want to silence him, but he has a strong following and his show plays to packed audiences. >> translator: it's not meant to provoke hate. it's just humor. like jokes about other races. it doesn't bother the others. >> reporter: lawyers say they will challenge in court any attempt to silence him. jackie roling land, al jazeera, pairs. the youngest daughter of the

king of spain is to be the first royal to appear in court following a long-running investigation into the business affairs of her husband. >> reporter: princess christina has rarely been seen in public since her husband was placed under investigation in 2010. the former olympic handball player is being questioned over claims he embezzled over $8 million of public funds. the king's youngest daughter now a formal suspect will be forced to explain her role in the dealings. >> translator: -- >> reporter: the court's decision is a major blow for the already battered image. spaniards grappling with a bleak economy and high unemployment were outraged when the king

emerged on a luxury hunting safari in 2012. by the end of 2013, more than 60% of people wanted him to abdicate. princess christina and her husband both deny the charges. putting a princess before the court is seen as at least one step towards transparency. a new year has brought few signs of improving economic improvement. workers kidnapped two of their bosses for over 24 hours. the bosses have been released but the french president's attempts to win over the people appears to be failing. >> reporter: two managers at the goodyear tire factory held hostage for 24 hours by

disgruntled workers. >> translator: we'll being humiliated and insulted and not treated well. >> translator: i consider myself kidnapped i'm doing my best to adapt. >> reporter: they were released on tuesday afternoon escorted from the factory by police. it shows, however, just had bad things are. 1200 jobs will go after years of dispute in which unions refused new pay and conditions, a sign for some of the urgent need for france to change the way it does business. it has not been a good start for france's president. he is desperate to dick start an economy weighed down with 10.9%

unemployment. >> translator: i suggest a pact of responsibility to businesses, based on a simple principle, lower cost labor, and less constraints on business activities, but at the same time, more hiring and social dialogue. >> reporter: short on detail, but cutting labor costs and public spending are hardly classic socialist policies. a poll found more than 7 out of 10 questioned were unconvinced by his speech. 2013 was a year marked by simmering industrial strife as unions and workers braced against attempts to fiddle with the economic model, and chip away at treasured terms of employment. from the evidence so far, 2014 may be no better. millions of dollars worth of cocaine have been discovered

hidden beneath banana crates in german supermarkets. investigators say it is the second largest cocaine find since 1978. it's thought that traffickers sent them there by mistake. we'll be back later this hour from more from europe, including russia mounts one of the biggest security operations in olympic games history. barbara thank you very much indeed. we also have this coming up. i'm in new york. right now it's minus 15 degrees celsius, with a wind chill fact for of minus 5, coming up how the city's homeless shelters are coping. and in sport, can manchester united ease the pressure on

david mois? coming up, stay with us.

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rescuing stranded residents. (vo) we pursue that story beyond the headline, past the spokesperson, to the streets. >> thousands of riot police deployed across the capitol. (vo) we put all of our global resources behind every story. >> it is a scene of utter devastation. (vo) and follow it no matter where it leads, all the way to you. al jazeera america. take a new look at news. consider this: the news of the day plus so much more. >> we begin with the government shutdown. >> answers to the questions no one else will ask. >> it seems like they can't agree to anything in washington no matter what. >> antonio mora, award winning and hard hitting. >> we've heard you talk about the history of suicide in your family. >> there's no status quo, just the bottom line. >> but, what about buying shares in a professional athlete?

you are watching al jazeera news hour, i'm david foster and these are the top stories. a judge in spain has summoned the king's youngest daughter to appear in court. princess christina has been linked to her husband's business affairs. iraq's government is struggling to regain control of the two main cities in one province. al-qaeda-linked fighters have warned tribesman that they will be punished if they support the army. the first shipment of syrian's chemical weapons have now left the country to be destroyed. well, aid organizations are now asking for a billion u.s. dollars to help syrian refugee

children. they want to focus the support on education and protection programs. over a million syrian refugees are children, of whom nearly half are under the age of five. the majority of these refugees have fled to jordan, turkey, egypt, or iraq. and among them nearly 5,000 children who have been separated from their families. there are more than 3 million displaced children inside syria, and they are even harder to help. we have a spokesman from unicef who say millions of syrian refugee children have been deprived of their childhoods. >> there are something like 5 million overall who we are calling a potentially lost generation, who have been excluded from all chance of education, of learning opportunities and who are increasingly exposed to the risk

of exploitation. children being pushed into child labor, for example, or early marriage. we have a whole range of programs already in place or being modeled at least on a small scale and can be scaled up as we get these resources. these are programs that aim to put children back into school, and in those cases where formal education isn't feasible because of the security situation inside syria for example, or because there are no places in schools for them in the countries where they are refugees then we'll fine other ways of getting them to acquire the basic skills and keep up their learning. so this is a chance to appeal on their behalf and reach out to a public audience all around the world who we hope will join us, join hands with the different organizations who are launching

this campaign, and that's particularly important just ahead of a very important doner conference next week. a 10-year-old girl said her brother wanted her to be a suicide bomber. she says she changed her mind at the last minute. >> translator: my brother told me enter the water. once your clothes are wet then wear a black jacket and go to the checking point. when i entered the water i felt cold and dropped the west. my brother picked the vest up and ran. a note has been found next to executed victims.

two were beheaded the others had their hands and feet tied and then their throats were slit. police in pakistan are trying to double the number of female recruits they have. this is the future of policing in pakistan's northern province. these female cadet are in the first few days of training. this is their mentor, she joined in the mid-1990s, and is now one of the province's most senior female officers. she is pleased that the go is trying to recruit women, but knows how difficult it can be. >> translator: my family was not happy when i joined, society wasn't ready either. i had too confront many men and

convince them that i was capable of doing the job. it makes me proud to know other women are following in my footsteps. >> reporter: but recruitment remains the biggest challenge, women only make up around 600 of province's 60,000 strong police force. the superintendent is determined to change that, and he other local police chiefs push the go to ensewer 10% of all knew recruits are women. are >> in pakistan 51% females are part of the population, and if you will not involve them in the police department, this means that you are cutting half of the service to population of pakistan. >> reporter: this summer the province opened women's police desks in 60 police stations.

female dormitories have been built, and women no longer have to wait months for basic training. yet female officers still have a long way to go before they are equally represented. but says more women in law enforcement can only lead to better security. >> translator: our pri vince is dealing with so much terrorism, and many women in our society don't have a voice. with more female police we cannot only help them but also change the community. >> reporter: change these cadets are determined to be part of. just a month or so to go before the winter games start and russia has launched one of its biggest security operation in the history of the olympics. barbara now back to her in our european news center. >> david the two recent suicide bomb attacks have obviously

intensified safety fears in russia, so now some of the precautions include that only officially registered vehicles will be allowed into the host city of sochi. only visitors with special passes will be allowed into the region. fred weir has more now on the story from moscow. >> well, this is the final countdown to the sochi games. apparently almost all of the facilities are up and running, and today this huge security operation got fully underway. the entire zone around sochi, around 100 kilometers long and 40 kilometers deep will be sealed off patrolled by regular army groups, and inside the city there will be tens of thousands of police and special clean clothed police officers, and

electronic surveillance devices keeping track of just about everybody, every move they make. so this is the beginning of the period when sochi will or will not safely make it through the games. britain has been battered by a succession of winter storms which have caused wide-spread damage and flooding for tens of thousands of people. the government is facing allegations that the emergency services have been hampered by the ongoing ah stairty measures. paul brennan reports. britain has been battered which storms since mid-december, one after the other, a succession of low pressure weather fronts.

thousands of households spent christmas without electricity after high winds brought down power lines, and in england alone, seven people have died and 1700 homes have flooded. >> as far as you can see over the back is all field. all greenery. >> that's right. >> and you even have the [ inaudible ] and all of that all over the fields. >> reporter: but could the damage have been limited. the government department for preparedness's budget has been put by 20% over the last three years. >> 148 million in hardship funding, we'll be spending more than any government has in the past. >> reporter: the environmental agency has an annual budget of $1.9 billion, but just last week, as a result of ah stairty

measures it announces it would have to shed some 500 jobs. the cuts are being imposed by central government. and central government says it will try to protect the so-called front line services. in 2012 flooding has cost british businesses almost $1 billion, but it also estimated that around $2.8 billion of economic damage was prevented thanks to flood defenses. but funding is always a question of priorities. >> it cost about 15,000 pounds to protect -- on average to protect a property. that's equivalent to about three hip transplants. so it's a question of how many hip transplants do you not want to have to protect more property. >> december was officially the

windiest since 1999. extreme weather and the damage it brings is becoming less and less unusual, and a response has to be found. paul brennan, al jazeera. the bad weather in europe isn't limited to the uk, treacherous weather conditions are also happening in spain. two others are missing after the waves swept a woman and her father and uncle into the sea. the fierce weather all thes lead spain's weather industry to put seven areas on alert. the german chancellor fell

skiing late last month, and doctors have now advised her to rest for three weeks. she will continue to preside over cabinet. that is it for me here. now back to david in doha. >> thank you, barbara. the u.s. banging giant jpmorgan is going to have to pay more than $2 billion for its part in the bernie madoff fraud. it was considered the largest financial fraud in u.s. history. jpmorgan admitted failing to monitor the money laundering, and says it is working on improving its controls the major of u.s. states in the midwest and coastal area are in the grips of a brutal cold snap. and the homeless are the most

vulnerable during these extreme weather conditions, especially in a city such as new york. tens of thousands of people are having to sleep in shelters every night. >> reporter: it's a full house here. the shelter opens its chapel and dining room to accommodate extra demand. monday night temperatures fell to minus 15 degrees celsius, the shelter took in 179 people who had nowhere to go. matt helps run the mission. >> you are already dealing with guilt and shame. many years that i fought it off and tried to do it on my own, but there were folks that approached me in a way i didn't feel bad about where i was at. >> reporter: the homeless population is now at record levels. every night shelters take in around 55,000 people. that number includes 22,000

children, who suffer most in extreme weather. >> children can't go to school. they can't go get a lot of their meals, which they get provided at the schools, so that starts to put pressure on a family's budget. >> reporter: a parallel decline in affordable housing and wages in new york has been widely blamed for the increase in homelessness. addiction, overcrowding and mental illness are also determined to be conditions. the major is already making policy changes which one group says will have an immediate impact on thousands of people. bill de blasio has reinstated the no questions asked policy. people can stop in at anytime and bypass the normal process.

>> and ask the people of new york city if you see a homeless concern in distress, please call 311. >> reporter: without a roof over your head, it can seem much colder. if you love gadgets, then las vegas is the place to be right now, i'm told. that's where the latest gadgets are being launched, the newest tvs, smartphones, tablets, appliances, and one of the big themes is what they call wearable technology, and we got jay grey dressed up for just that. >> reporter: hey there, this massive convention center in las vegas filled with some of the neatest, coolest, high-tech gadgets. a lot of this stuff still not

available at retail outlets, but it will be soon and you are seeing it first. audio is a big player here. id america with an amazing little box that produces wonderful sound for just under 80 bucks. the beam wrist speaker will connect wirelessly with your smartphone, your tablet, this is the ar purse that plays your music, it's a bluetooth speaker as well. mobile is a big deal. it is something that everyone is really focused on at this convention. if you have got the smartphone or the tablet or pad you want to make sure you keep it safe. you have highly fashionable cases. this one made of cork. just all of the colors you can imagine and many of the materials you can imagine.

wearable technology, that's a big deal. look, this is the narrative clip. you clip it on, it will take a picture every 30 seconds, and second it to the cloud. it will stay charged for two days so you can keep a log of what you are doing and where you are going. exercise important as well. wireless head band here with speakers inside. it will urge you to pick things up on your workout. maybe you want to go snow skiing. these liquid image goggles with a camera on the side soon to become wireless. if that is not for you, maybe it's swimming. here are the goggles for swimming. do the same thing. there is so much more but not a lot of time. now back to you. >> great stuff. thank you very much indeed. we have got a race against time in sport in just a moment, brazil facing criticism over

delays in getting its stadium ready for the football world cup in june, and -- [ cheers and applause ] the wedding guest who stole the show in japan. details on that and some real sport as well. ♪

it is only, what, six months, probably until the football world cup in brazil, and tensions -- tensions over the country's preparations, rather than going away, they

seem to be actually growing. tensions were on display in a public spat between the head of fifa, and the brazilian president. gabriel reports from pitch side. >> reporter: in this city construction workers are still building the new stadium with little signs that it is anywhere near completion. with only six months to go until kickoff, six of the 12 host cities are in the same position with unfinished stayed -- stadiums ready only by march. the delays are clearly cause friction between fifa and brazil. the president of the football

body told a swiss newspaper that brazil's preparations are the most delayed in this the last 40 years. the president took to social media to say her country is ready to host, as she called it the world cup of all world cups and obvious rebuke. the back and forth spat is symbolic of what many brazilians consider unjustified and heavy handed public pressure placed on them by fifa. >> translator: having successfully organized the confederate rations cup is proof we have what it takes to put up the world cup in june. it is not right to say brazil is the most behind of all of the world cups, because it isn't the

case. >> many brazilians seem little concerned with the stadium progress. >> >> translator: i think in the end everything will be fine. the world cup will bring in lots of visitors and that will lead to more jobs and better infrastructure. >> translator: is everything going to be fine? people are anxious and want to know whether it will go well or not. >> reporter: most believe in one thing, brazil is a country with no extra time to spare before kickoff. don't think i'm rude but i may have to go to an interview about chemical weapons in syria. >> not a problem. >> you understand, i know. >> reporter: we'll get to the sports news today. american skier lindsey vonn says she won't defend her medal in

sochi. she has suffered multiple setbacks since tearing her interior ligament almost a year ago. vaughn is the recognizable, most accomplished u.s. female skier in u.s. history. she is one of only two females to win four cups, and she has won the downhill event for the last six straight seasons. and four years ago she became the first american to win the gold medal in the women's downhill. heading into tuesday's english league cup, the first leg comes two days after being knocked out by swansea. they are set to return to the stadium of light later. they face a sundayerland side

that has been struggling. >> it's our job to get the cup final and win it. so we'll do that. and overcome a two-game march. we'll see what we can do. >> we're trying to forget about it and concentrate on this nice composition, and take advantage of the first leg, but i think we're not thinking about the second game yet. we're just trying to win this one. the nfl have agreed on a $765 million settle to compensate players who have suffered head injuries. it's a big step forward in a long-running legal battle. more than 4,000 former players lead the lawsuit accusing the league of hiding the dangers of

concussion. $665 million will be used to cover the players. payout amounts will be determined by the age, career length, and other issues. $85 million will also be reserved for research and testing of existing players. the total will be nearly $900 million, the league's annual revenue about $9 billion. the chicago bulls have agreed to trade players. they ended the 76ers four-game winning streak. the world's claim at 126-95 win in philly. that's minnesota's fourth win in

six. thousands of fans flocked to the sydney opera house including the prime minister tony abbott. the only man missing was chris rogers. he slept through his alarm and arrived late to the festivities. >> there was plenty of michael jackson last night. so perhaps that's why i'm late today. >> did you bring out the moon walk? >> amongst other things, yeah, i think i brought it all out last night. the last warmup before the australian open, the first grand slam of the year, of course. the italian on the near side is agencieded third in sydney. she got to the final of the french open and semifinals in the us. dispatching lauren davis in straight sets. [ applause ]

football fans may well remember this japanese player, this time the former player has been showing off his skills in a tv game show in japan. here he is lining up to take one of those free kicks for which he became famous, only this time the target was a wedding cake. [ cheers and applause ] >> no question about who the best man is on this particular tv show. these days he is playing in japan's league. >> why did he do it three times? >> i don't know. for more check us out on aljazeera.com/sport, details on how to get in touch with our team there as well. >> stay with us in a couple of minutes we'll be talking to the un organization taking care of

syria's chemical weapons.

welcome to al jazeera america. these are stories we are following for you. winter blows an arctic blast and freezing temperatures across the map. >> i am unemployed and affected by this decision. >> president obama letting this unemployed workers stating the case. >> russia beefing up security ahead of the winter games. >> millions of americans are dealing with theit