>> announcer: this is al jazeera. hello, welcome to another newshour from al jazeera, at our headquarters in doha. coming up in the next 60 minutes. kurdish forces thwart an assault by i.s.i.l. fighters to cut off the border with turkey. their leader tells al jazeera they need weapons. >> they help us too much. as you know, it is a small town. if you attack it with 40 tanks, they'll destroy everything

yemen tears itself apart - iran offers public support for houthi rebels. a step towards sainthood for an old pope, but a step back for pope francis after his plans to welcome gays are rejected by bishops. >> sanctions - what sanctions. a look at how north korea is defying the u.n. >> i'm here with the sport. the beijing marathon goes ahead despite heavy smog in the capital, participants forced to run in face masks. we begin the newshour in syria. kurdish forces repulsed an assault by i.s.i.l. fighters to cut off supply lines and take control of the border crossing. now, we have the latest pictures

to show you from kobane, where u.s.-led air strikes helped kurdish fighters hold the town. the leader of the kurds told al jazeera that they need more help from the international community. let's cross live to the border between turkey and syria. al jazeera's bernard smith is across from kobane. we talk about an ongoing battle for kobane, bernard. is it too early to say whether any decisive strike has been made, whether the power is shifting on the ground there? >> it's very difficult to say. there has been a few mortars landing near the border as i.s.i.l. fighters continue their attempt to take the border crossing. last night saw what kurdish fighters told us was a heavy night of fighting.

there's still what they would say something of a stalemate. air strikes can only do so much. while there has been heavy fighting, they find it difficult to point to individual buildings where kurdish fighters say i.s.i.l. is hiding out. the difficulty at the moment is getting in there to find out about the i.s.i.l. fighters. despite the heavy fighting, mainly in the east, there's about 30 or 35% of kobane under i.s.i.l. control and has been like that for the last couple of days. (technical difficulties) >> reporter: this person is in charge of a self-declared region in north-eastern syria. he is a man under pressure.

his party, pyd, is at wore with the islamic state of iraq and levant. he has been appealing to the world for weapons, but first the pyd is asked to make concessions. one of them is giving up power to other syrian kurdish factions that are allied to turkey. without political conditions, they want to do it. with the political conditions, it doesn't mooep help, it -- mean help, it means something else. we want somebody, i mean, to change the project we have, to change the administration that we have, because we would like sharing, not changing, not collapsing with. >> he is in the hope for meetings with the kurdistan government in northern iraq, which itself is at war with i.s.i.l. they are also political rivals. so far there is no common

ground. his opponents want him to meet certain conditions, if the pyd wants him to be part of conditions against i.s.i.l., conditions demanded by washington. >> translation: we can't be the only fighting force on the ground. there needs to be a joint demand. they need to work with the syrian opposition. they need to end their times with the syrian regime, and turkey should not be the enemy. the pyd is at war, along the turkish border for weeks. it could be defeated and lose more territory, and the fate of millions of kurds caught in the conflict could depend on a deal between rival actions tied to competing powers. what is clear is the pyd will have to make concessions before the weapons it wants start to

pour in we heard from the leader of syria's curts calling for disagrees -- kurds calling for international help. kurds fighting on the ground in kobane are not part of a unified fighting force. >> no, they are not. turkish president recep tayyip erdogan remained reporters yesterday what his view is of the kurds fighting in kobane, and he sees them as ally to the p.k.k., the kurdistan workers party, and he calls them terrorists, which explains the reluctance of turkey to get involved. it's not allowed weapons to cross. it's been an observer essentially, from this side of the border of what is happening in kobane. yesterday when some of the - a few mortars landed on this side of the border, did the turkish

military set up their own mortar pipe in case it had to take defensive measures. turkey has been reluctant to get involved. it wants the united states to join in a fight against bashar al-assad, as well as i.s.i.l. until the u.s. is ready to do that, turkey is reluctant to get involved further in the battle against i.s.i.l. >> bernard smith on the border between turkey and syria. in every part of syria the war is taking a toll on civilians. these pictures are from the town in homs where hundreds of orphans and widows live. homs is an area where the uprising against bashar al-assad began more than three years ago now. yemen's new prime minister has returned to the capital sanaa where he served as ambassador to the u.n. he was given the top job after

rebels rejected the appointment of another candidate. there has been fierce fighting. in what could be an important intervention, iran has given public backing to houthi rebels. a spokesman for the supreme leader ayatollah khomeini said: let's go live to sanaa, and oma al saleh is there. before talking about the significance of the iranian statement, let's talk about the moonumental task laying ahead of the new prime minister. >> yes, he faces a huge challenge, and he arrived in sanaa, and we understand, he's already talking to different

officials within the government from his own party from the different factions, if you will, and we understand that it could take days, if not weeks, for him to achieve his mission. he needs to pleas almost everywhere, and needs to keep the country together. the biggest problem he faces is that the advance of the houthis, they are in control of the capital, they took over key government buildings, as well as military bases. so they are a force to be reckoned with. now, the houthis have a stronghold in the north of the country, in the province of sadr. they are well armed. fighters estimate between 15,000 up to 50,000, and they have convention at weapons, how will the new prime minister face the challenge remains to be seen. critics of the houthis believe they cannot keep the gains they

made without the help of other parties, maim the former president who enjoys incredible intelligence over the military, and the tribes of the country. >> how important is the intervention by iran. it's essential iran taking sides in the chaos that is yemen at the moment, and backing what is essentially a powerful one, but a minority. >> yes, absolutely, that will only support the belief among many yemenis - ordinary people - as well as politicians. we have president mansour hadi blaming iran for aiding the houthis. it is not new, and it's seen as a wider regional proxy war with rain on the one hand.

this statement by the iranians will anger the saudis, and the saudis will probably take their own actions, supporting rival groups, and all this comes at a region where they are facing a sectarian war, and has to be seen in the same context of what is happening in iraq, syria and other parts of the arab world. >> thank you omar al saleh, making sense of it for us. the u.s. and four european allies called for an end to fighting in libya. dozens have been killed in fierce clashes between rival groups in the eastern city of benghazi, the latest from our correspondent. >> reporter: the gunshots in libya are emblem attic of the conflict. no major gains for a single force. these are the latest battle

front in the western towns. a renegade general is pushing his forces between the capital and the city. he is trying to take control and militias who control most of the country. civilians caught in the conflict are suffering. the u.n. is calling for calm. a statement says the united nations support mission: in tripoli and tobruk, the parliament tried to claim legitimacy. attacks intensified after the u.n. chief's visit to tripoli. >> it seems clear that the international community, via egypt and other countries do not support a negotiated settlement

at this point. we realise there's a lot more mileage in the conflict and the violence still to come. having said that, this conflict can only end in negotiated settle ed. >> egypt and the u.a.e. are report to provide support. saddan and qatar are said to back the militias. that is what the people who bring down the muammar gaddafi government are opposing. the dawn of libya, it's £national congress, and prime minister condemned international intervention. anti-aircraft guns fired volleys after military jets bombed the city. it's seen as a last stand to make it back inside benghazi, to declare what he calls terrorists.

fighters for a group labelled as terrorists by the u.s. dug their heels. with a burst of bullet like these, hopes of peace fade in the distance more to come in the news hor. >> i'm reporting in ghana, from a liberian refugee camp, where people are grieving for those they lost at home. >> and a tobacco turnaround. a crop causing disease is used to cure them. >> the comments were insensitive. i thought they were extremely sexist as well as racist at the same time. >> serena williams hits back at comments made by a russian official. jo will be hear with the sport a little later. thousands of catholics

gathered in room to celebrate the beautification of pope paul vi. it's the first step towards sainthood. however, the celebrations are overshadowed by a row over homosexuality. catholic bishops rejected a statement welcoming gays into a church. the church says that people with homosexual tendencies should not be discriminated against, but marriage is only possible between one man and one woman. things are simply, we can repeat it but it doesn't change. >> we bring in an analyst from the national catholic reporter. what do we make of the controversy. how much of a snub is the rejection of the language that the pope wanted. how much of a rejection is it to the pope? >> well, i think what we have is

a situation where the bishops want to do two things. they want the church be a loving mother, but a clear teacher. this is a problem that parents over the world can relate to. they want to reach out and recognise and welcome everybody - divorced, remarried. catholics, gay people, and people living outside a marriage. at the same time they don't want people to be confused that somehow the relationships are okay, and that they are just as good as any other kind of union. so they are balancing this. they are trying to find the right language. i don't think they rejected being welcoming, i think they are trying to find the right way to do it so people are not confused. >> how much of this controversy is down to the fact that there are changes in procedures within the synagogue, which, of course,

the pope himself wanted. >> absolutely, this senate is different from the senates that -- synagogues that occurred under previous popes. it began with the pope saying i want you to speak freely, and say what you think, even if you disagree with me. this was important and welcomed by the bishops, but it's a different way. there's arguments going on. disaghts among the bishops. and again, this is just of the beginning of a process that will continue until next october 2015 when the bishops will meet to discuss the topics. >> many urge pope francis to intervene in the debates, which are more open and honest, if you like. why won't the pope take sides on an issue, friendships, like

homosexuality. >> i think what the pope wants to do is have a conversation, a dialogue. he wants the senate to be collegial. if he wants to make decisions like a dictator, he could. this is the way to do it. that's not his style. what he wants to do is have a conversation in the church, and move the church towards consensus on the ideas. he trusts in the power of the holy spirit, to guide the church in this process, to find the best way of responding. >> it's been great to talk to you, thanks, indeed. a jesuit priest and senior analyst at the "national catholic reporter. " the ebola crisis is bringing together unlikely allies. the father's of cuba's

revolution, fidel castro, says his country is ready to cooperate with the united states in the fight against ebola. cuba sent 165 doctors and nurses it treat patients, and plans to send 296 more medical staff to libya and guinea. 1,000 experts will meet in berlin to stop ways. organizers say the outwreak those neglecting to bring health systems in poor countries can have catastrophic effects. we have been speaking to libyan refugees in the ghanaian capital. >> jefferson escaped wore in liberia as you young boy. he spent time in the ivory coast before living here. he managed to go to school and

had plans to return to liberia. ebola changed all of that. >> in another way i see it like a war. after we went through the 14 years of civil war, trying to recover from everything that we lost. on the destruction of life and poverty, it is ebola. this disease has come up again. >> he doubt know when he'll be able to go home. he started his college here. his family is on his mind. he lost cousins to the disease. there are more than 10,000 liberians in the settlement. many are staying slept about those they have lost back home. so many liberians have been touched by ebola. but the stigma associated is such that it's not something people want to talk about openly. it's home to thousands of west

africans and gardenians. the only government -- ghanaians. the only organization is running out of funds. >> ventilation is a challenge, it's a plates where there's a fear if -- place where there's a fear if ebola erupts, it will spread like wild bushfire. many people move out. >> reporter: the borders are closed. >> yes. they are porous. >> reporter: the settlement will be dismantled, liberians will be repatriated. some want to stay on. jefferson wants to go back, and prays every day that ghana will be stable so he wan raise the funds -- he can raise the funds to fulfil his dream at least 22 people have been killed in an attack in a veil aim in the democratic republic of congo. many victims were children, it's

the second mass killing in the area. malcolm webb is there and met some of the survivors living in fear near the town of beni. >> what happened to my mum, aunt and sister - this girl cries. more than 20 were killed in a night-time attack near the town of beni in the democratic republic of congo. the government says a rebel group, the allied democratic forces, or adf, is responsible. they heard screaming in the night. like many, she hid. >> translation: in the morning we found a lot of people dead. my in laws and child were killed. >> reporter: under the blanket are the bodies of five small children, the youngest of whom was two years old. survivors are among the people that live in these houses. rebels came out of the bush, pulled everywhere into the

courtyard and killed them with machetes and axes. people in the community don't under why they have been targeted. >> it's the latest in a series of similar attacks. >> i want the government to bring security. when people are slaughtered like this, it means there's no peace. we are not animals. >> governments and u.n. troops come to take a look. the adf rebels controlled the area for 10 years, but the army forced them out this year. nearby in beni, the government told us the rebels are fighting back and they are trying to spread terror. >> they are intelligent. they are not targetting an individual or collaborators. we think this is a strategy to cause confusion in the military, panic among the people and drive a wedge between the two. >> reporter: back at the site of the killings, red cross workers come to take the bodies.

the adf fought for islam, and are on the list for terrorist groups. that does not help people here, losing mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters. the dead are tape away for a mass burial. the rebels can attack anywhere soldiers are absent. people here don't know who will be next now, the weather and as usual there's a lot about, particularly of the wild west and windy areas. >> things are calming down. particularly for the satellite. you can make out a tiny speck of bermuda. now the storm is moving to the north-east. this is what it looks like in

bermuda. you can see the rocks forced across the road. it doesn't take a small wind to remove a rock that size. many of the roads are impassable. people working around the clock to put things right. now the storm is working to the north. many areas were seeing heavy rain. in the system, it will work its way across the atlantic. it has a move on now. we are expecting it to work its way into parts of scotland as we head into monday night, tuesday morning. that's when we'll see stormy weather over scotland and much of the u.k. as well. i'll take you to hawaii, where a massive cloud here is another storm. this is a hurricane ana, it's more intense at the moment. for the time being we are seeing

cloud and rain, nothing worse than that. >> thank you, steph more confrontations between police and demonstrators in hong kong. further clashes in mongkok. demonstrators are angry over beijing's refusal to allow free and fair elections. only candidates vetted by beijing will be allowed to stand. north and south korean troops fired across the border. the second such incident this month, more from harry fawcett, who joins us on the line from seoul. what started to this time. >> what we know is that it happened an hour and 40 minutes ago at the local time. they fired across the border. it doesn't seem that they were targetting troops.

>> sorry, harry, i'm afraid the line is breaking up. we'll try to re-establish a connection. after we have taken a look - a rather rare look inside north korea itself, the country has been targeted by u.n. sanctions on banking, travel and trade because of its nuclear programme. as teresa bo reports from pyongyang, this has not stopped north korea's elite enjoying the high life. . >> reporter: a new water mark in pyongyang is for people here the symbol of prosperity. new swimming pools and slides, 12 different types of saunas. for the government, places like this is an act of defiance. >> according to u.n. sanctions all luxury goods can not be traded. some of the equipment is imported. most of the things we did it

ourselves. this is luxury places for the high class, they say, but this is a place for normal families, citizens, coming and enjoy the rides. >> in the last year, import of luxury goods soared in spite of sanctions. most are seep in the capital pyongyang, where it's not difficult to spot imported wipes and cars. at this center a few minutes outh the city, more and more are learning how to ride. >> these forces are considered a luxury good. the government is finding all sorts of ways to bring him into the country. the definition of luxury item varies from one country to another. in this case they are aimed at hurting the leadership class, and not the fast majority that

does not have access. this is the first time they brought their children to the equestrian center for a ride. he works in the government ministry. >> reporter: with all the newly built facilities in the parks, we feel that we were having a happy life and a more civilized and cultured life, thanks to the care and love of kim jong un. >> reporter: many of the instructors have been learning about horses for a while. >> what does he think the united states andiations don't want -- and united nations don't want to bring horses like this here. no. >> reporter: these workers may not speak about politics, it's clear that his place of work itself is a political statement, and that the leadership of this government will continue to press on with its defiance of u.s. sanctions. >> there are many sanctions

involving this. but there is a thing - our party and leader decides, we do it. >> reporter: nobody here has any doubt about that. since coming to office almost three years ago, kim jong un saw the capital get buildings and entertainment facilities. whether such transformation will extend further remains to be seen. we are at the midway point in the newshour. still to come. >> i'm imtiaz tyab in gaza, where israel has begun to allow building materials in for the first time since a 7-week bombardment. many say the supplies have not come quick enough. >> and for the right reasons, the red carpets roll out for the more ailia film festival. >> find out if erbil can become

the first team from iraq to win an asian club title.

intense fighting has taken place in kobane, on the border of turkey. kurdish forces propelled a new assault. u.s. air strikes helped fighters hold the town yemen's new prime minister arrived in sanaa from new york, where he was serving as the ambassador for the u.n.

he was given the top job after houthi rebels rejected the appointment of a previous capped date. >> thousands of catholics gathered in rome to celebrate the beautification of pope john paul vi. it's been overshadowed by a row over homosexuality and a rejection of gays by catholic bishops. the israeli government lifts a ban allowing shipments of construction material to enter the strip. as imtiaz tyab reports, many restrictions remain in place. >> reporter: this is the beginning of what many hope is the rebuilding of the gaza strip. 15 trucks carrying cement. 10 loaded with steal, and 50 holding gravel are in the first shipment of materials entering

gaza. the israeli government let the supply through the crossing, after an oversight agreement was reached with the united nations. the plan restricts what construction materials can enter, which companies supplies can be transferred to, and a promise where teams supervice prospects. they manage the warehouse. he tells me that although his company has been given approval to sell the cement. it won't be easy. >> translation: there's a special committee that will make checks on every bag of cement. it's not like in the past. >> mahmood's home was damaged during the 50-day assault on gaza, and he lives in shoe jar ear. he tells me that he is one of the lucky ones, part of the

house is standing, which is why he said construction material should be given to people like him. because our house is standing, we were told it is a requirement. cement is here, we haven't been told anything. >> israeli officials say they remain concerned construction materials could find their way into the hand, factions that could use them to build underground tunnels into the territory. with the need so fast and increased pressure, 5.4 million was used to reconstruct the enclave. the government agreed to ease the blockade. >> indirect talks will resume on other core palestinian issues, like the establishment of a gaza seaport and the release of prisoners this month, for those whose homes were damaged or destroyed during the conflict, the main priority is the

reconstruction of their homes to happen quickly. many are not convinced it will be. palestinian president mahmoud abbas called for the al-aqsa mosque to be defended against israeli senators. violence broke out after right-wing separatists were allowed to visit the compound. >> translation: assault and abuse by israeli settlers escalated. the purpose to goid the city. we stand our ground not to allow the israeli settlers to desgrate the holy mosque, and we are in the process of taking action. >> al jazeera demands the release of its journalists in egypt. peter greste, mohamed fadel fahmy and baher mohamed have been in prison for 295 days, they are falsely accused of helping the muslim brotherhood, and are appealing their convictions. >> in india, more than 150,000

people who rely on free medication to fight h.i.v. and aids could go without the drugs they need. the government is running out. despite the fact that many of the drugs are manufactured in the country, we have this report from new delhi. >> this daily dose of tablets means life or death for 2 million indians. they rely on a programme to get the drugs. an upcoming shortage is worrying them. >> after getting my medicine last month, i went back and got enough for 10 days, they said there's a shortage now, after 10 days there's no guarantee if the drugs will be there or not. >> i'm upset because of this. i say give me 20 days supply. we are poor and can't come back and fourth. >> this h.i.v. and aids activist

is a patient and says it's ironic that india has a shortage at all. >> we have the money. india is a pharmacy of modern countries. 80% of perps are supplied by -- persons are supplied by india. >> reporter: past shortages were buffered by surplus supplies in government reserves. requests for an interview with the health minister and the organization that distributes the drug went unanswered. they are trying to boost the drug, while the government looks abroad. those depending on the drug say it shouldn't have got to this point. missing a day of the medicines will be catastrophic.

>> you don't understand, it's non-negotiable. we need to bombard every 12 hour. >> reporter: patients say missing a day's dose would detail the point of the current programme. >> rescuers say hope of finding survivors. villagers have been asked to join the search. a cyclone triggers blizzard conditions and avalanches. a russian containership carrying hundreds of tonnes of fuel is atrist. it was heading home from the u.s. state of washington when it lost power in bad weather. it was located 46km from the queen charlotte islands south of

the u.s. state of alaska a global decline in smokers meant ginling profits from tobacco farmers. the market is experiencing a surge. this report from the fields of ken. the plant known -- kentucky, the plant known for causing disease is curing. >> kentucky's tobacco harvest changed little. they happening the leaves to dry in curing becames. what has changed is the uses. these leaves will not be smoked. the vilified plant is used for research from fuels to treatment for the ebola virus. >> major discoveries have been conducted. tobacco is not just an evil weed that causes cancer. we can use it to make - buy farmo suit calls.

>> tobacco is ideal. it is susceptible to 80%. scientists inject viruses into the plant in place of a human host, then work on vaccines. >> the effort to find new uses for gianna tobani, came from farmers, who started looking for new ways to make money in the 1990s, as smoking declined. the crop known for causing diseases is used to help treat them. >> not far away, a company called kentucky bioprocessing together research one step further, developing a serum for ebola, used to treat aid workers who contracted the virus. at the university of gianna tobani's -- tobacco research and development center, it's used to make biofuel for cars. >> the next generation of

biofuel will be similar to diesel and gasoline. you can put it in the pump. now we are engineering plants to directly make the compounds in the leaves. when we harvest the leaves we can extract them out. that would cut the time it takes for organic material to transform into oil by millions of years, and open a market for a plant going out of style. >> in mexico, the 12th more ailia film vestial is under way and is -- film festival is under way and is attracting some of the finest film-makers. >> it's showtime. demand is high. welcome to the morellia international film festival. morrellia is a u.n.e.s.c.o. site. battered by drug violence.

the festival shows that mexico is not just a bloodied landscape. >> mexico has 3,000 years of history. this is one of the most important scenes in mexico. it makes sense to make a film festival in this beautiful city. >> some of the films on offer deals with mexico's violence and impunity. one is a documentary that follows mothers of the missing across mexico and the u.s. as they search for clues as to their children's whereabouts. a famous director opened the festival with his film "birdman", it's a chance to show another side of the country. >> no one can understand the reality and the perception. people, destroyed by an imaging representing one estate in one

country. >> mexico is a complex country, but the people, like everywhere, have a taste for life's simple pleasures and want to take advantage, like seeing a film under the stars ahead on the newshour, we are following this close encounter as a comet travels on a near-miss route to mars chaos at the oun motogp as some -- australian motogp as some of the top riders crash out. >> will be here with that in sport.

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for more than a million years a comet has been travelling toward the sup and in the come -- sun, and in the coming hours it will brust past mars -- brush past mars so close that it may change the planet's atmosphere. >> named after an observatory in australia where it was spotted, it has come from far reaches of the solar systems. for more than a million years, it has travelled towards the sun, slowly warming and develop aring a trail of -- developing a trail of dust. it will swing by mars, 132,000 kilometres from the planet. >> at the time of a closest

encounter with mars, it will be close to the sun - releasing material - dust, solid particles, gases, water, hydrogen, and all these particles, injerktor will interact with the atmosphere of mars. >> that will be recorded by no fewer than five spacecraft. three orbiters, and two n.a.s.a. rovers prepared for the comet. >> it is going to look at shape and rotation. the darkness of the nukely as, study the coma compostation, and it will look at the atmosphere of mars, to see if it can detect changes in the interaction between the comet and mars. >> it is to understand how external forces affect the atmosphere. billions of years ago it was sick and supported water. they are believed to be erode

the by solar winds, leaving a thin coat of carbon. the interaction with the comet could shed light on how it occurs. >> the dust may be a hazard to the spacecraft. we believe na when mars is close to the dust, 100 minutes after the approach, all our spacecraft will be on the opposite side of the planet. >> reporter: scientists believe the gas from the comet could awes auroras, and the spacecraft will be in a position to record it, and the motion of the comet, information that will help to better prepare for the next close encounter fascinating stuff. time for sport with jo. >> thank you. 30,000 runners have taken part in a beijing marathon, despite

smog reaching hazardous levels. many will protect themselves from the dangers of breathing in the air. the marathon organising committee said late saturday that postponing the event would be difficult because of the planning that has gone into it. >> translation: running in this fog i felt i couldn't sweat. my body has been sticky and moist. >> chaz pope lives in beijing, and competed in the event, and he told us his experience. >> i, like a few other friends lined up for the beijing masters, and te were forecasting bad smog. a lot of people pulled out, but i turned up at the start in a mask anyway. more than anything, to see what would happen, whether they announce to take care because of

the pollution, how many would turn up. there was wasn't much. we got going on time. it was comfortable, but nowhere near as fun or enjoyable as running in nice air without a mask. i took it off to have a drunk of water, and look at what happened. this is the mask here. this is the filter, and this was pristine white and is now grey. i thought what was the point and gave up at that point. >> serena williams hit back at comments made by the head of the russian tennis federation describing her and her sister as the williams brothers. the comments were made on russian television. he has been banned by the women's tennis association and fined $25,000. >> well, i think the wta did a great job of taking initiative and immediately taking actions

to his comments. i thought they were insensitive, and extremely sexist and racist, and i thought in a way they were bullying. >> i'm glad that many stood up, including the wta. it was very inappropriate. specially in his position. and all the responsibilities that he has not just in sport, but being part of the olympic committee, it's really irresponsible on his side. >> lionel messi is closing in on the la liga record. two goals away. second half goals from shabby and neymar broke down a defense manufacturer messi backed his 250th league goal. one short of equalling the record held bay zara. incredibly they have yet to

concede a goal. >> saturday saw the iraqi football team missed out on history. they have a chance to become the first side from their country to win an asian club title. andrei richardson reports. >> reporter: a last-team meeting before they took part in an important game. erbil in with a chance to become the first iraqi side to win an asian club final. this year it should have been played at erbil's home brand in the kurdish region of northern iraq. the game was meant to dubai because of security concerns, and it was witnessed by a handful of fans. >> an a sweltering night it looked as though one goal would decide it. neither team had the quality or composure required. it went to penalties, and serbian born switch striker step

up to win the title. a victory ensuring that this trophy stayed in kuwaiti hands for a third straight year. it was a triumph to have progress revved. it was of little con -- progress revved. it was of little moment. the wait for a title goes on. >> translation: i was desperate to win this. i wanted to take the title and make the people hope. i'm sorry. >> the last domestic season had to be cut shore, and erbil was unable to play home fixtures in this competition at their stadium. runs would indicate a bright future, but there's only uncertainty ahead for all of iraq's football clubs football's homeless world cup is about to get under way in chile. teams spent months getting ready. as marianna sanchez reports from

peru, for many it has been a life-changing experience. >> these are the last few hours. training has been tough. the young athletes say they are ready for the next kick-off at the football homeless world cup that beginning in chile. >> i'm nervous. it's the first time i'll play at the world cup and go abroad. we have great expectations and worked hard. with a good attitude we'll prevail for the end. >> this boy never dreamed he could play a part in the tournament. he has down syndrome, but is one of a few chosen to represent peru in this competing. kids who are discriminated against or united at rick. >> we see kids with problems. one was a gang member. another had drug addiction

problems, and another from a dangerous province. >> reporter: they are motivated. they beat wales. more than 60 countries participate, and most do not have resources. >> it will take him and his team a 3-day bus trip to reach chile. his mother says that she will encourage him to do anything to continue, because it has been a life-changing experience. >> translation: he's not insecure like before, nor disciplined. he gets things done. he's more mature, his character changed and this will help him. athletes can only participate once, and they are not the best players, selected from among those that show discipline and want to improve their lives, for the kids it's a one-time chance

to play at an international tournament. many may have won the live challenge of building the foundation for a better life > valt eeno rossi won the australian motogp, after marquez lost control with 10 laps remaining. cal cochly grasped out. valentino rossi stayed upright, speeding past opponents to claim a win at the track. >> back on the first position. it's one of the best and more important trackers, and beautiful track of the season after my last victory. >> the search for a replacement rugby coach for australia national team.

ewan mckenzie quit following a loss to the all blacks on saturday. it left the wallabies without a coach. they are due to leave on friday for a european tour. >> i have a list of options and a lot of work to do, right. i did not expect euan mckenzie to rezip. i found out -- resign. i found out at 10k. i have -- 10 o'clock. vi had no discussion. the next step is understand where we sit in terms of options we have got and try to make progress. >> more sport on the website. check out aljazeera.com/sport that is all the sport for now. >> that is just about it for this particular newshour on al jazeera. stay with us, we'll update you straight ahead. thanks for watching, see you

again.

>> i wanted to be in on the big

>> many of these involved violence claims more lives in yemen, can the new prime minister end the ^ break violence claims more lives in yemen, can the new prime minister end the fighting? >> hello, welcome to al jazeera, live from the headquarters in doha. also ahead - kurdish forces thwart a new assault by i.s.i.l. on the border town of kobane. the leader tells al jazeera, they need weapons sanctions - what sanctions? we get a look at how north korea is defying the u.n.