>> announcer: this is al jazeera. hello there. welcome to the newshour. i'm here in doha. these are the top news stories. israel resumes bombardment of gaza and pulled back the ceasefire talks. more u.s. air strikes in iraq. president obama warns the fight against the islamic state may be a long one. turks go to the polls for the first chaps to directly choose a new president. we are live from ankara. more than 30 died in a plane

crash in iran. four more palestinians have been killed on sundays. israel's bombing of gaza continues. israel left indirect talks in cairo after a 3-day truce expired. israel will not go back to the negotiating table as long as rocket attacks continue. >> translation: is the no stage did we declare the israel offensive was over. i said at the beginning and throughout the operation that this will take time, and stam jipa is required. andrew simmonds is live in gaza city. it wasn't looking good for the talks in cairo. there are some reports and there could be another ceasefire on

the table. >> that's right. we are hearing that there's another plan, an egyptian plan for a 72 hour ceasefire. now, how exactly that will work in mechanics terms with the israelis not there at this stage, whether or not there'll be rumours that they may be flying to talk with the israelis, and they may join in and come to a deal. there seems to be a change. there's a positive word coming out, that there is the hop of a new process. however the israelis have been kat gorical. in their stance in that that they'll not be negotiating a ceasefire unless the rocketsar stopped from being fired into the territory. it has to be said that so far hamas has made no admission of any use of rockets being fired into israel. it's been the palestinian

factions who have been engaged in this. whether or not there has been a change this stance, and some communications through intermediari intermediaries, that is unclear. there's a signal about a possible 72 hour ceasefire. as far as the people of gaza, the palestinians in gaza are concerned. they are becoming more and more frustrated and straight over the whole situation. the day started with the palestinian delegations insisting that unless israel came to cairo, they'd pull out. we spoke to a number of displaced people sheltering in the main hospital compound living loft, under blankets and to protect from the sun shine and mattresses and little else. people that had houses, vehicles, cars.

bedrooms, living in the safety of the compound. this is what they said with the leadership and feeling towards ceasefire. >> there's no hope of a ceasefire. the palestinian resistance is not willing to give up the blood of 2,000 people. the negotiations in egypt are impotent. they don't produce basic requests. the real needs are hopeless. >> people, obviously, are not optimistic about the success of talks in cairo. in the meantime, what has been happening there today. >> grim, very grim indeed. more deaths. once again, the list grows. we are seeing more dead. a teenager killed in mid gaza.

another adult killed. rafah air strikes. all the air strikes, another dead and another dead in bate ham un. that was the latest attack. there has been artillery fire on the borders and gun boats opening fire early on sunday morning towards the coast. the situation really very grim indeed, and it's not the intensity that we were experiencing before the 72 hour ceasefire. but a gradual move with one certainty. one thing that is not disputed, and that is that the majority of the deaths are civilians. that is born out, and amongst them children children. it's a situation where people want to believe that a report of a 72 hour ceasefire, they want to believe it and want to know whether or not that is the case.

>> andrew simmonds updating us from gaza city. let's get more from the israeli position. nisreen el-shamayleh is in west jerusalem. what is the latest you are hearing? >> what we are hearing is from palestinian sources, because the israelis are tight-lipped about this, especially on the public level they announced that they are not participating in the talks, as long as they are coming under rocket fire and they have withdrawn. we can say that there is a proposal for a temporary 3-day truce to allow for negotiations on a long-term ceasefire. the shans do not want the -- egyptians do not want the talks to collapse or to be unsuccessful at making the ceasefire happen. palestinians are in the process of studying a response to the proposal which has been put forth. but it was frozen, because the

israelis left the talks. we know that the head of the palestinian delegation in cairo is threatening to leave, to head back to ramallah for further consultations with the president mahmoud abbas if there is no progress in the coming hour. the palestinians want to pressure the israelis to respond to the egyptian proposal to agree to a ceasefire to return to the negotiating table. >> thank you very much for that. nisreen el-shamayleh in west jerusalem there. now, let take a look at the human toll since israel began its military result in gaza 64 israeli soldiers and three civilians, including a thai national. gaza's health ministry said air strikes and artillery attacks killed 1,019 palestinianions. 73% are civilians say the united nations. 439 were children.

10,000 palestinian yps added to that that have been injured, and 220,000 living in u.n. buildings. some in the besieged areas are desperate to leave the shelters and other places of refuge. >> this is not my house. it's my family house when i heard the explosion, i called my brothers, there's more than 30 people. the israeli army told us to leave the houses. thank god my family is alive, we escaped a massacre. >> translation: i'm 50. i have nine daughters, my mother and father are 7 the -- 39 years old. >> we are acting all the arab countries to support us and return to our houses.

each if we put tents. we just want to return home. the israelis soldiers shot and killed a palestinian boy. 11-year-old hall ill was hit in the back with a live bullet. his uncle said he was shot each though he was not taking part in celebrations. an-israeli spokesperson is checking the report. syria's president bashar al-assad repanted the prime minister -- reappointed the prime minister and asked him to form a government. hall abbingy was ponded in 2012 -- appointed in 2012 when his predecessor fled to scroin the opposition. -- join the position. >> 16 were killed in syria's largest building. witnesses say a government helicopter attacked the old part of aleppo.

>> reporter: one of the children kill at home by a barrel bomb. an international acondemned weapon because it kills indiscriminately. witnesses say the helicopters dropped the bomb. according to a neighbour many of the people are from the same family. >> translation: the bows were asleep. the grandfather is the only one that came out alove. at least he -- alive. at least he did. he has three married children. there's no sign of them, not of their mothers. >> the neighbourhood is under opposition control. >> translation: there's not a single fighter here. for god's sake it seems the front line is safer than a city. this is clear evidence. they want to kill the children, women and elderly. >> youngsters are dying on all

sides. rebel rocket hit a district, killing another group of children on saturday. in february the united nations security council resolution demanded government forces stop using barrel bombs. >> human rights groups say many more of the explosives have been used. barrel bombs are cheap to make, by filling tank and explosives with scrap metal. >> we don't have a final death toll they hosted a large number of people. we are looking for survivors. >> the affects of barrel bombs can be devastating. something experienced for themselves. iraq's human right minister sis fighters from the islamic state killed at least 500 from the minority during an offensive in the north, burying some

victims alive. he added around 300 women have been forced into slavery. thousands of yazidi fled to a mountain. the u.s. launched more air strikes in iraq, targetting. >> s fighters. they are said to be 40km south of erbil. there has been multiple strikes in the region since authorised by president obama. >> the french foreign ministers arrived in iraq. he is set to meet with representatives of christians and yazidi in baghdad and erbil. let's bring in jane who is in erbil. what more can you tell us about the latest wave of air strikes from the u.s.? >> well, it's a town about 40km outside of erbil, the kurdish

capital. it's on the approach to the kurdish capital and there's been fierce fighting. in the last hour we have seen kurdish forces battling to retake the town, but being repelled by more tore -- mortar attacks. attacks were held. some u.s. advisors beat back the is group. they have been unable to retake the particular town. kurdish forces tell us they have taken another village near. it is significant as well, because that is an access point to erbil. >> some disturbing reports about what is happening to the yazidi, that the islamic state catch up with, 500 killed, some buried alive. how vulnerable is the group?

>> stromely vulnerable for a variety of reasons. as a group, it's a small community. there's thought to be 600,000. it's been a small religion, a widely misunderstood religion. no matter what the numbers are, whether it's 500, a furore more, it's a significant percentage of the population. it's difficult to put numbers on this. no one knows, they are in a vulnerable position in sip jar. one -- sinjar. one. one of the ames of the military operation is to safeguard the people on the mountain. there has been u.s. and british air drops. the next thing is to really create a proper corridor in which forces can get them down off the mountain. that has been happening, but fewer than 5,000 have been able to be rescued.

they are very vulnerable to attack. >> thank you for that. jane updating us from erbil. the trial against former egyptian president hosni mubarak is due to resume in cairo. hosni mubarak, two sons, and a former interior minister are among those retried on charges of complicity in the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising. he alleged in court that the u.s. was behind the revolution against hosni mubarak, part of washington's new middle east plan. al jazeera's demanding the release of its three journalists who have been imprisoned in egypt for 225 days. peter greste, mohamed fadel fahmy and baher mohamed were falsely accused of helping the outlawed muslim brotherhood. peter greste and mohamed fadel fahmy were given 7-year sentences. baher mohamed got an extra three

because he had a spent bullet picked up at a protest. >> this newshour - reinstating justice. the challenges by police in ukraine as they deal with pro-russian separatists. and how ballet is helping chin in the poor nab -- children in the poor neighbourhoods. rory mcilroy an track to win back to back pga championships. we'll have the latest in sport. turkey's p.m. recep tayyip erdogan has cast his vote in the country's first direct presidential election. recep tayyip erdogan seep as the front runner. he wants to change the ceremonial post. until now, the president was appointed from parliament.

bernard smith joins us. because this is the first time. there's a lot of enthusiasm for this poll. >> this is a country that enjoys the high turn out. back earlier on this year, there was more than 90%. the figures that made any western politician grateful. they are hoping for a high turn out. we won't know the figures until later today. this is a campaign dominated by a man, the charismatic but polarizing figure of recep tayyip erdogan, hoping to walk away with the presidency. i'm joined by a columnist from a newspaper, an potential newspaper. thank you for joining us. why have the opposition not managed to come up with a

candidate that can challenge the popular recep tayyip erdogan. >> there's a strategy, the two main opposition parties, finding a common candidate. the country has been polarized. they thought that a candidate that would be an independent over the parties - apolitical figure may be - might be interesting for the waters. they might prefer him more than recep tayyip erdogan, and ekmeleddin ihsanoglu. the main potential candidate comes from a religious background that recep tayyip erdogan used, the religious background. they thought this may - being of pious flavour may take the advantage.

this was a deliberate strategy. >> it has not worked? >> according to the polls before the elections, there was a two-digit difference between recep tayyip erdogan and ekmeleddin ihsanoglu. we are not sure of the results. if recep tayyip erdogan wins in the first round. the strategy means it did not work out. >> you say people commentate that he's a polarizing figure. recep tayyip erdogan has over seen a growing economy, growth in turkey's economic prospects and enfranchised a group much people. pios masses that felt alienated. he, from what we see, represents them. this is a man that is a democrat at heart. >> you are right. recep tayyip erdogan is election machinery. he has won all the elections.

he participated throughout the local elections you are right. and half of the turkish society was, for him, maybe more. you are right that he is - you know, he managed the turkish economy. good. there has been a lot of infrastructure, and in terms of the kurdish issue. he has done a lot, recep tayyip erdogan. on the other hand, his term as the prime minister will be remembered wep millions of turks have massive protests, because of freedom and right being limit. on the other hand there are crucial corruption allegations against his government. so it's sort of a mix figure, but you are right. especially in the first parts of

his prime ministry in 2003, '04, '05. they have experienced a lot of demographic moments. >> thank you very much for joining us. >> polls closing at the top of the next hour. recep tayyip erdogan will hope to win more than 50" of the vote. if it doesn't do that, it goes to a run off in august. >> bernard smith reporting from ankara. >> 39 died in a plane crash. the small plane crashed during take off from mehrabad airport. there has been several clashes. years of western factions makes if difficult. four civilians have been killed in a suicide bombing. police say the convoy was

travelling on a main road. 35 people were injured. the taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. fighting in the eastern ukranian city of donetsk killed one person as rebels declared a state of seem. black smoke billowed outside the city center at the telekom company. separatists have been surrounded, and they are ready for a ceasefire if the rebels surrender their arms. >> in the city of slovyansk back in government hands, they were on a recruitment drive. they are trying to bombs -- bolster numbers. >> reporter: they are given their orders for the day ahead. rg mug shots of -- receiving mug shots of people that the police want to find. >> the station receives almost

100 calls from residents reporting crimes committed during separatist rule. >> there's a new man in charge. police force, chased out of slovyansk when the separatists arrived. >> police never had to deal with a situation. we are used to working and living in peaceful times. now we are lying in post war times plus and civilians need psychological help. the three months we were under occupation there was kidnapping. >> police try to deal with crimes of separatists and supporters, there were concerns in the community that people could be wrongly accused of being collaborative. >> outside the police station we met this boy and his motherment he filed a report saying he was beaten by me in military, not just police in uniform.

>> i'm in the. i'm an ordinary citizen that has beaten me and my driver's licence. >> i don't know what kind of justice will be served. i hope i will be returned. >> the editor-in-chief of a local paper returned po work. they stopped printing. he said even though they've gone, they wield some power here. >> the separatists came here and destroyed the infrastructure, and houses and killed people. i thought the people who supported the separatists would change their mind. there were a lot of people who changed their attitude. i'm amazed that there was a lot of people who didn't learn anything. they think the kiev government is a junta. the dpr is good. >> reporter: many here are keep to move forward, forced to hold

back their opinion, a trade-off for peace. greece has agreed to sell billions of dollars of public assets as part of a loan agreement with its euro gown partners -- eurozone partners. but it will prevent the privatisation of water. >> reporter: this restaurant opener and his clients celebrated a triumph. greece's cook told the government to keep a one-third stake in the suage company. it is a mop oply. it will help to keep the bills low. they think greece shouldn't sell off its assets. >> i think the worst case scenario is the table now, and we are aware of the pressure

were the international private players too. it's the first time a court stopped the privatisation demanded by greece's creditors. >> they started out as a private venture. when an american company built and operated. most people do not belief contractors would match the level of investment. it would support subsidies. people see water as a human right. unlike telephony it is essential to life. the need of a company controlling assets is not salentable. since 2000, 86 cities claimed the water works back. >> this raut of failure doesn't

conquer. >> failure doesn't mean that privatisation was wrong. it means the bur couldn't provide a common good. that's why we have regulators. >> greek debt stand at obvious 400 billion. the mandatory privatisations are worth 13 billion. greece may never be able to pay off the debtment but most cap pay the water bills. >> let's stay with europe for the weather. richard is here. europeans are getting excited over a super moon. what is a super moon. >> it's like many things prefaced with the word super. they turn out to be that super. he was mad. others see that i'm right. i don't think we'll see the moon, the stars or the sun shine

for the time being. we have the remnants of hurricane bertha. it's going to get stormy weather up towards scandinavia. at the moment as we head towards the so-called supermoon, people are sad about the prospects of the moon, which will appear 14% bigger and 30% brighter that is normally the case. now, when you go out to take pictures of the moon people are disappointed because the moon doesn't look like what they imagined, and they expect it will look like this. people say yes, it will look as big as a jumbo jet. that rarely is the case what you have to do is make sure the catch the moon as it comes up, as it's above the horizon. that's when you see the moon apt

its brightest. if you go outlet the moon - you have to make sure you catch it. still worth keeping an eye out for. super weather. thank you. thanks for that still to come - bush meat is suspected to have caused west africa's ebola outbreak. a lot of people are still eating it. more than that plus... >> i'm matt ramsay in northern spain where couldn't suing's whackiest race has just taken placement -- place.

hello, welcome back from doha. the top stories - four more palestinians killed on sunday. israel's bombing of gaza continues. israel left indirect talks after a 3-day truce expired. israel will not go back to the negotiation trail as long as rocket attacks continue. >> 500 members of the yazidi have been killed in the north. it comes as u.s. launch air strikes targetting fighters. polls in the first presidential election. the current prime minister recep tayyip erdogan is seen as the front runner. he wants to caping the ceremonial poet of the president

into a more assertive one. back to the top story - israel's air strikes on gaza families of disabled and elderly are worried their loved once may die without proper treatment. many are in hospitals and shelters which are not equipment to provide the specialist care they need. >> translation: they travelled to wafa hospital. it was the op one in the gaza strip to deal with the rehabilitation cases. there's a machine that doesn't exist. >> we are giving nemesisio therapy -- physiotherapy. we are trying to bring the equipment back to local organizations so we can function. now, we not giving our patients the proper medical rehab.

>> for the past few weeks there has been pressure from the palestinian authority to join the international criminal court to file war crime charge. palestinian authorities foreign minister is willing to do so and they have clear evidence of war crimes, the i.c.c. headquarters set up to prosecute war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. it exercises jurisdiction when national authorities are unwilling to prosecute. israeli officials believe an investigation would implicate hamas and the palestinian authority itself. i speak to a senior fellow on palestine studies.

what do you think? is it possible that israel could face war time charges at the i.c.c. it never seems to have been held to act for any of its operations before. >> i think that one. main reasons we see the hor ipic offensive against the gaza strip is because there has been no accountability for previous israeli offenses against the palestinians, and israel fools that it has international coverage to do these things. as far as your question is concerned, we need to separate it into two issues. is there a persuasive war chromes and crimes against humanity there the question is an unambiguous yes. the second is will is ril by prosecuted by the criminal court

in the hague. it requires conditions that the palestinians sign the statute. that is less likely what we have seen is he's tapsy to sign their own statute or join the i.c.c. the main reason is the extraordinary american and european and israeli pressure that the pa is under, not to hold israel accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity. it would need to feel greater line yn and public pressure. >> it would need to feel it has more to lose than by moving

forward. >> what does it say about the level of tolerance to high numbers of casualties. that the palestinian authority is having to consider taking the step to the i cc, rather than the normal routes that you have. >> we can imagine that if the shoe had been on the other foot, and over the past month or two, we had seen palestinians engaging in mass murder. wide spreaddestruction. i picture the international criminal court would be booked solid for the next decade. we have to understand the fundamental reality. in the west, there's an institutional disregard for palestinian life. that is considered at best cheap and dispepsible. that is why we are in the

situation we are in now. >> it is not just the west. there's not been that much fury from arab countries. we are hearing reports that the palestinians are agreeing to a possible 72 hour ceasefire to allow more negotiations. do you think that's a hopeful sign. is there life in the negotiations yet? >> well what we see is the israeli government, which has consistently insisted in its deals with the palestinian authority, that it will not accept reconditions. it's insisting on a ceasefire to continue in gaza. it puts the lie to the israeli approach, which is preconditions apply to the palestinians, and

israel under such conditions should be free to continue with its colonial expansion, violence and so on. what is happening here, i think, is that the palestinians have clooded that israel is simply not serious about the notions. it is only willing to negotiate the degree to which it still will exercise control over the gaza strip. rather than the lifting of the blockade. it may be that the palestinians agree to a further temporary ceasefire, but my understanding is that they will only agree to do so if they receive unambiguous signals, that israel is prepared to negotiate. on that i don't think it matter is clear. good to get your thoughts. that report live from amman in

jordan. >> university in the rates accused of withdrawing a job over. season made a series of comments. we have this report. this could have cost the job. >> as the body count rose over the past three weeks, the tweets were more charged,like this one. this point if binyamin netanyahu appeared on tv with a necklace made, would anyone be charged. he was set to begin a tenure at the illinois university. the appointment was blocked. the university said it was a perm matter. he has an active twitter present and had been slept. he did not respond to the email

and phone requests. >> they can hardly be called a secret. >> university professor kerry nelson wrote in support of the decision. >> i think the tweeting has become aggressive. sometimes there's violence, he sees at times to step over the line into what some feel is anti-semitism. there's support for the professor. reversing the scandalous firing. it garnered 11 thoz signatures. the illinois committee said in a statement if the job offer was voided, that would be a clear violation of the academic freedom, and an affront to free

speech. this was a growing trend on the growing campus. this is a debate about israel. i think it is essential in this case to recognise that stefan is not alone. nelson says there's a difference between protecting the academic freedom and what is acceptable. >> much of this is protected by economic freedom. they are not required to give someone a job if you don't think they'll wok well in the community. >> he is a professor without a classroom. >> a nigerian man in hong kong has been pleased in quarantine after he was suspected to be carrying the ebola virus. in liberia a state of emergency was declared. they apologised for health

workers. they have been demanding more pay and better conditions. the liberia president pledged up to 8 million to tackle ebola. >>. >> if we have not done enough. i've come here to apologise to you for that. we don't have time. we can't buy some things off the shelf. there was pick ups to build bodies and turned them into makeshift ambulances, responding to the need. the world health organisation says clinical trials may start next month. kills thousands of people. despite repeated warpings, some people are eating the animals suspected of carrying the virus. we have this report in lagos.

>> vivian, a former husband selling game meat. she ran the restaurant outside lagos. the commercial capital. on the menu was monkey and antelope. she prepares the meat for customers that may not come. >> bush meant, as it's called here is suspected to have been the bridge that caused the deadly disease to go from the animal world to the human one. all it takes is a single transmission from animal to human, caused by handling fresh carcasses of animal. game meet is the food of the app assessment juniors and they have been consuming it for as long as anyone remembers. at times like this when the

authorities discourage its consumes, it's available on almost every street corner. the chairman of nigeria's national association of hunters. he is livid. >> it's lie. it's all lie. if they don't want bush meat, don't. they should not ate it. but they cannot say we cannot eat it or tell the public they cane be eating it. >> for now it's the brave and ardent of consumers who continue to demand for it. for them, abandoning the tradition is out of question. >> bush meat - i continue to eat it. i like it. i've been enjoying it and i wish to do so. >> poor knowledge and superstation in the rural communities, poor health care and cross border movements continues to the spread. >> there's a refusal by some to

believe bush material is safe. in carving the disease. after the break we'll have all the sport including the williams sisters renew a great source of siing lipping rivalry.

welcome back. for many decades contemporary dance in south africa was dominated by the rich.

apartheid presented black south africa from taking part. now things have changed with ballet. we have this report from johannesburg. [ ♪ music ] >>reporter: russian dancers bring an international flare to the south african ballet it's a rare treat. most of them come from poor neighbourhoods where poverty and violent crime is emp. for a fewer hours they are transported into pirouette, style and beautie. i love teaching and choreography. it's part of the what i like. >> reporter: the children practice after school and the lesson are free. they start with the bakeses. getting it right is difficult and painful. they endured the discomfort.

>> i want to dance like a ballet - i want to be a ballet girl. >> today there is a special treat, a lesson from russian choreographer. he wants them to learn about team work and focus. >> i hope that - that they will be happy. i hope our show will make them like ballet and makes them love ballet, and hopefully after the shows they start to work hard, work with the soul. >> ballet in south africa is for predominantly white. partly because the lessons are expensive. there's a few ballet cancers, some day they hope it one day change that. >> a little pierio wet to sport.

>> rory mcilroy looks to be on course to win the u.s. b ga champ kwonship. the world number one is going for back to back wins and has the leader board in the chime day on saturday. the northern issueman birdied three of the last four holes, leaving him 13-under par. he's one shot killed. >> the guys were close to me at the open championship. they were close today. i was able to respond like i did on the back in my opinion. it's not the biggest lead i had, but i'm in control of the golf tournament, and it's a great position to be in. golf was condemned as a pastime and communist leaders. the new leader is taking up the game. >> it could boast about the

world's biggest golf resort. there's hundred to come. china likes its goal. >> there are more young people playing and it's becoming more popular since it became an olympic sport. >> weekends are busy on the course. weekdays, more people are playing. >> growing at 10% a year, china is a country of one million. it's huge participation for growth, especially when it's to easy. >> making it look easier and without cheating are younger players. with parents able to afford summer coaching camps. >> you'll probably see this throughout the next two months. and turned up in countries. i have never seen them do this before in my life. >> once condemned in an elitist sport, golf club membership is

highly prized bit the upper class. a 10-year-old ban on new course construction to protect the environment has been ignored and the industry boomed. development has been patchy with a number of failed pronts. parts of china are facing an oversupply. resort developers believe in a position of china. >> the opportunities for cost development in this country is limitless, with 1.4 billion. all it takes is 3% of the population, 40 million plus golfers, which is the biggest golfing country. with many players, courseslike this are probably already hosting future chinese champions. football now, and the first

silver ware of the english football season is up for grabs. manchester ci manchester city take on fa cup holders arsenal. arson wepinger's bep go in. the wenger's men go in. they are hungry for success. >> i think the players see it as a trophy. i think it will be sold out. it will be a massive game. as you said, on one side it's friendly. i think us, i think manchester city. there's another opportunity to get a trophy. into moving to tennis. 2-time winner roger federer reach the final of the rogers cup in toronto. the 17-grand slam champion was

in great form, taking and dispatching the spaniard in great sets, reachingities 120th film. roger federer will face tsonga. >> joe has had an agreed tournament so far, beating novak djokovic and andy murray, he's clearly in great form. it will never be easy in a time. i give it everything i have - one more match and i can rest for a day. not bad. something to look forward to. having beaten a pair of wimbledon champions in novak djokovic and andy murray. the world number 15 will face his when in an hour and a half. taking the match in straight sets. >> in the women's draw venus williams is flow to the mainly m

montreal, beating serena williams in three sets. veep us, 26th in the world, broke the world number one in the sixth game to wrap up the match 6-7, 6-2, 6-3, her first victory against serena williams in five years. competitors from all over the world descend to northern spain for what is the lamond of canoe racing. the race dates back to 1929, and this year's ept attracted 200,000 spectators. >> reporter: what you are about to witness seems like sporting madness, one of canoeing's biggest, oldest and whackiest races, 900 competitors sprinting to the can use and fighting into 50 square metres of water.

it's chaotic, so different from when the race began in 1929. >> the first race was a funny experience for friends, paddling, and enjoying. but with the next year, they moved to more competition event. probably they lose the original idea of funny celebration. >> this the 78th ept attracted events competitors from 16 different countries. >> we heard about it and couldn't miss it. >> we heard that it's a nice race, and famous. >> we heard that it's one of the most prestigious races in the world. we thought we better come and experience it for ourselves. >> a remarkable 200,000 spectators dress up.

every year many of them model giant heads. there's meaning to the madness. it's a celebration of mythical water creatures, giants and kings said to protect local crops, the river and kayakers. the party that follows the race is a costume bon jnsa. the competition is a 20km hall two men won the grace, greg and andy from south africa claimed the third spot on the podium and will never forget the start. >> i think i have to get in the boat and with your partner, and not fall out. from there it's, yes, see would can outlast the other boats. >> whether you are a man in a barrel, a professional canoeist or like messing about on or in the water. they say a river race attracts a

host of pilgrims. cricket and sri lanka beat pakistan in the first night of their 2-test series. the host bowled pakistan out. meaning they had to score 99 for victory. they lead the series 1-0. >> there's more on the website. check out al jazeera/sport. there's details on how to get in touch with the team using twitter and facebook. there's blogs and video clips. the address aljazeera.com/sport. that's it, more later. thank you for that. see you later on. and that is it for this newshour from me and the team here in doha. bye for now. thank you indeed for watching. watching.

>> hundreds of days in detention. >> al jazeera rejects all the charges and demands immediate release. >> thousands calling for their freedom. >> it's a clear violation of their human rights. >> we have strongly urged the government to release those journalists. >> journalism is not a crime.

>> on the stream,

>> they sacrifice their lives for the country. so why are some are some of america's men and women in uniform stuggling to put food on the table join us on the stream. on aljazeera america >> this is puerto galera in the philippines. i've been coming here for over a decade. for me, it's like a second home.