>> fresh fighting threatens to derail a deal to form a new government in yemen i'm here in al jazeera's headquarters in doha. also ahead - calls for a 24 hour strike in bangladesh after a second islamic party leader is sentenced to death a hero's welcome to burkina faso's new leader. the takeover condemned voting in eastern ukraine -

the west says it's illegitimate in yemen 18 soldiers have been killed during overnight fighting between the army and al qaeda-linked fighters. it happened in the city of al-hudiara. it happened as a deal was being produced. omar al saleh is in the capital. what can you tell us about the fighting between al-qaeda and yemen security forces in al hudaydah? >> yes, well, i'm having trouble hearing you, but let me start with an update with regards to the death toll. it has changed slightly. we confirm at least 20 yemeni soldiers were killed in the clashes that took place on

saturday in the western province, it's a mountainous area, and the fighters launched attacks on a number of position, including security and check points. 20 soldiers killed, three kidnapped, and the number of vehicles were set on fire. also the fighters withdrew to a nearby mountains now, omar, in the meantime, in the capital sanaa a political deal has been made. are we about to see the houthis withdraw from the capital? >> well, that is the big question. now, according to the deal and the u.n. top diplomat, yes after forming the technocrat government, the houthis should

withdraw, and go back to sadr in the north. there are no indications that they will do so. there are reports from a number of sources within the political spectrum that the houthis plan otherwise, because we are hearing that they have installed a number of officials in security forces and other government institution, and they are the power on the ground. >> thank you omar. speaking to us from yemen's capital sanaa. >> kurdish forces begin a battle against the i.s.i.l. armed group in syria. they have fired rockets at targets in the northern border town of kobane. the armed group has been trying to capture the town for more than five weeks. around 150 iraqi kurdish soldiers known as peshawar crossed into syria from turkey.

eight people have been killed in baghdad after a bomb attack targetting shia pilgrims. the explosion happened after pilgrims from leaving for kabula. 22 others were injured during the blast. >> forces loyal to libya recaptured parts of the cities of benghazi from rival militias. it included areas that were seized in july. more than 250 people were killed in offensives that began two weeks ago. army forces are loyalists to general khalifa haftar islamic courts sentenced another jamaat-e-islami leader to death. mir quasem ali has been found guilty of 10 charges, including the torture of fighters in 1971 in the pam stanny war.

mir is -- pakistani war. >> mir quasem ali was a senior leader. the party's leader was given a death sentence for similar crimes. the jamaat-e-islami called a country-wide strike on thursday in protest. we have the latest from dhaka. >> mir quasem ali one of the senior leaders sentenced to death. he was accused of forming a palestinian unit that col minated in the war of independence from back-stan. the senior leadership were convicted and accused of war crime during the 1971 war. he is also one of the chief financiers. he owned several businesses, the director of the bank, tv takes and retailer. it was a major blow to the party. thousands wanted justice. they feel like justice was done.

there was a jubilation outside the court. family members, and ex-freedom fighters were there. they were jubilant about the verdict today. we have to see how the sentences were carried out down the road. the government doesn't seem to be in a hurry, because they didn't want the protest. by carrying out the sentence, they don't have much political mileage to claim. jamaat-e-islami is seriously marginlized. the election commission cancelled the election commission. most of its leader are behind the bar. we have to say how they progress as a political opposition party council the road. >> millions of bangladesh levis that have been left in the dark for hours -- bangladeshi's, that have been left in the dark. key buildings, like hospitals were forced to rely on jeerntors

until the -- generals until the power group could recover the potential in burkina faso are calling for a new round of protest. they are against the armed seizure of power after the president resigned and float to the ivory coast. gerald tan has the latest. >> reporter: burkina faso's president of 27 years is now in neighbouring ivory coast, with his family. his brother's home became public property, and invited businesses, taking and selling whatever its they can. with blaise compaore out of the political scene, the military stepped in, naming isaac zida as the head of state. >> translation: starting today, i assumed a responsibilities of this transition as head of the government. i call on the international community and friends of burkina faso to support our people in this difficult time. it was people power that forced

blaise compaore out when he tried to extend his rule. those behind the protest rejected it. >> translation: the civil opportunity insisted that the victory in public uprisings belong to the people, and the transitional government falls to them and should not be confiscated by the military. >> it was feared that the country would face a coup. the opposition is calling on supporters to protest. they want civilian authorities to be in charge. under the constitution, the head of parliament should take office if the president resigns, and hold elections within 90 daze. >> the way in which everything will be set up to make possible to organise elections will be difficult. because if it last too long, it could be, indeed, a real danger. a danger the african union is

keen to avoid. it's called on the military to transfer power to the people. what happens next will determine burkina faso's political future. joining us on the line is a journalist. thank you very much for speaking to us. what do you see on the streets. are people heeding the potential's calls to protest? >> yes. in the streets, nothing in between. people are in evolution square, waiting for the leaders, and leaders to come and to give them the news about what happened yesterday, and the position towards the new leaders of the country. >> now, some people call it a coup. others say it was not a coup, it

was people power that pushed the president out. at this stage, however, there's confusion as to who is in charge of the country. what is your feeling on the situation. is the country heading towards political chaos? >> not political chaos as we can see now. but i think that it's just because they were not prepared for the departure of blaise compaore. they wanted his departure, but they didn't have anything to say in this kind of situation. they position leaders, they didn't prepare anything. now they are concerned that this kind of situation, that everybody wants the civilians to leave. well, it won't be a cure.

i think that they need to regroup, and the opposition leaders will reach a kind of agreement from today going to tomorrow. so that they find somebody to lead the country, whom i believe the actual president, the military leader will stay in power, that it will be with civilian, the opposition parties to leave. >> we'll have to leave it there. thank you for updating us on the situation in burkina faso. our correspondent there speaking to us. still to come on al jazeera - virgin galactic plans to push ahead with plans for space,

despite the deadly crash in the desert uprooted and destroyed. we report from northern argentina where huge swathes of forest are lost every day.

welcome back. the top stories on al jazeera. at least 20 soldiers have been killed in the city of al-aljs hudayd hudaydah, during fighting bean al qaeda and fighters. it comes after a deal is being reached between rebels and the opposition ruling party

a death sentence imposed on a second islamic leader has led to the calling for strikes. mir quasem ali was accused of crimes from the pakistani war opposition parties in burkina faso call for mass rallies after the ltcol isaac zida was named the new head of state. the united states and african union condemned the army takeover. >> voting is underway in eastern ukraine where pro-russian separatists are holding an election, denounced as illegal by the west. residents in the self declared people's republic of donetsk and luhansk have been urged to vote. russia says it will recognise the vote. the election is designed to bring some legitimacy to the makeshift military rage seem controlling the republicing in donetsk and luhansk. people are voting for two new

parliament and presidents, to confirm the unelected chiefs in their coasts. 3 million ballots have been printed, coming a week after the parliamentary election, which millions of pro-russian separatists refuse to take part in. hoda ab dell hamid has the latest. >> over 400 polling stations in don everybody and luhansk regions are open. and the electoral commission says that three million ballots were printed. they'll be able to vote online, and there'll be polling stations opened in russia. what is at stake is legitimacy. we have heard that over and over again. we heard that throughout the week.

they've been trying to impose themselves as religious leaders. the counter prime minister of the donetsk people's republic was the first person to vote in the polling station, and he was dressed as a civilian. this is the first time we see him without a green military fatigue. he said that the vote was a step needed for the region, and was hopeful that after that the economy could be kick started again. there is a huge problem, the separatists are cash-strapped, and the pensions and salaries that came from kiev are not paid any more. he did admit that there was issues of international recognition, and we know the west and the u.n., for example said that the vote went against the minsk agreement. on the other side moscow said it would recognise the vote, even though it stopped short of indicating whether it would

recognise donetsk and luhansk as independent regions. students across egypt held protests. the international development center says 185 of these took place at 25 universities. the most popular demand was the release of gaoled students. al jazeera continues to demand the immediate release of journalists who have been detained in egypt for 309 days. peter greste, mohamed fadel fahmy and baher mohamed are falsely accused of helping the outlawed muslim brotherhood. al jazeera rejects the charges against them. >> november 2nd marches the first international date to end impunity for crimes against journalists. human rights and press freedom have been meeting, making a call for the release of al jazeera staff. >> unfortunately, this is not the first case, not only here, but in either place. of course, we have to discuss

with the egyptian authorities in this case, and find a way. we know that this - that the problem is political, not judicial. and there must be a way to short out this issue. >> reporter: the world health organisation issued new guidelines on how health workers should protect themselves from ebola. the virus continues to take lives in sierra leone, guinea and liberia. >> reporter: these health workers are learning how to street ebola patients. it's the first time it is taking place, at a newly built center outside the capital. the personal equipment is hot and uncomfortable. it is necessary to protect health workers. >> the treatment center can take

up to 10 patients. the government wants to reassure people that it is making investigations in the event of an ebola outbreak. preparations are not moving fast enough. we should have the matters in place. every health worker should have an idea of how they would manage such a case, before it is passed on. >> the man in charge rejects the accusation. >> you do not go training everyone, you focus on the response team to give them the training, and focus on the second level of team to let them know how to identify a case. it will take a long time. it's one step at a time. if not you get the case. at least what we have done is to prioritise and that is what we have done. >> ghana is in the spotlight

because the u.n. emergency response has its headquarters here. supplies are being sent to the ebola-effected countries, and u.n. officials move frequently between the countries, and led to a debate about whether the country is exposing itself to further risk, and is all the more reason for ghana to be prepared. the health workers are experiencing a small taste of what those doing it for real are going through two vietnamese men have been arrested in south africa over the largest seizure of rhino horns. 41 kilos of rhino horn were seized. >> billionaire richard branson says his fans for space tourism will continue, despite the crash of a rocket. a pilot died, and another is badly injured after a section of

the aircraft exploded. veg reports. -- veg reports. >> strewn across the desert, the wreckage of an ambitious dream. investigators are combing what remained of spaceshiptwo, the graft offering the first ride into space. careful to strike the right tone, the man behind the plan, richard branson says claire friday's tragedy was a set back, but as long as lessons could be learnt, space travel would go ahead. >> pushing the knowledge of stays travel comes with unavoidable risk. testing the boundaries of human capabilities and technologies, we are standing on the shoulders of giant. yesterday we fell short. we'll comprehensively assess the results of the crash, and are determined to learn from this,

and move forward together. >> the spacecraft's last flight was nine months ago. this promotional video by virgin galactic shows what was supposed to happen. the passenger shutting disengages and powers upward. the only known difference drag the flight on friday was the use of a different fuel. experts say the cause of the crash is likely to impact when the first passenger boards, but not much else. >> it sets back the project until the investigation is carried ahead. but it will not stop it. i think space tourism is a fantastic adventure that will happen in the next few years. normal citizens will pay a little bit of money, of course, but going into space, he's fighting new generations.

>> glossy advertising campaigns has helped to presell several hundred seats at $250,000 each. the first flight was to take off in 2015. refunds are being offered. richard branson is convinced the sun has not set on the galactic goals. >> investigators are checking mass kerr aids to see if they contain the remains of 43 missing students. people living near a sight say bodies have been dumped in their neighbourhoods. >> reporter: this poor but peaceful neighbourhood is where some mass graves were found. a warm afternoon, friends, family. inside the humble shacks, people are afraid. they tell stories of horror and

fear. . >>: >> reporter: people around here keep to themselves. why risk crossing anyone. they know the price they could pay. i asked a federal policeman on duty here in he heard the same stories, that this had always been a place where cartels buried their victims. . >>: >> reporter: police will not let us go any further beyond the point. but some of the ground found here outside of iguala are 2km up this road. locals tell us day and night they see cars go up the hill quite full. when they come down, they were

pretty much empty. this man lived here for three decades and sleeps on a cement floor. he would rather be poor than join the gangs. >>: >> reporter: three of his nephews have been missing for years. he writes poetry to deal with the pain of living amidst so much death. his latest poems are in honour of the 43 missing students.

>> the students' fate is unknown. this man, living so close to death, can only imagine the worse. a volcano in costa rica has erupted again. it rumbled into life on wednesday and seismic activity remained high. vol can ig ash spread to the capital. 65km away. environmental groups have been protesting against deforestation in northern argentina. they say the provincial government is colluding with landowners. daniel schweimler reports from salta province. >> reporter: the damage on the ground is brutal. huge areas of forest ripped up by chains, dragged between two bulldozers, the extent of the

damage stark by the air. 100,000 acres ripped up to be filled with soya bean and crops. agriculture is moving into areas considered unproductive. salta is a new frontier. the rate of deforest ace in recent -- deforestation in recent years has been among the highest. this is the thick forests that thrive over the soil in the north of argentina. some of the trees take hundreds of years to grow. it takes a day to destroy 120 hectares of forest, to leave the land looking like this. greenpeace erected a blockade to stop fuel deliveries to the bulldozers, saying the provincial government working with landowners is manipulating, sometimes flouting the law. >> the forest is the same, but they re-categorize it in the

paperwork. they say there's no indigenous people, or it's badly concerned. then it authorise the deforestation. >> it's a charge denied. the legal framework would griften, which will respect, allowing us to make the changes. we are ready to listen to objections by the environmental groups. >> the community numbers a few thousand. it's been whittled away why don't they respect us. we need our pace. >> michael mendoza count speak spanish. she said through a translator, that no one else was listening. >> the fear in our heart for

children and grandchildren. she doesn't know what they'll do a reminder you can keep up to date with all the latest news and analysis on the website. that's at aljazeera.com. >> adults can buy recreational marijuana legally in colorado today, and reformers hope it's the beginning of a wave that will sweep across america. but in places like louisiana in the southern united states, legalization is off the agenda. the state has the country's highest incarceration rate.