this is al jazerra. ♪ ♪ hop hello, welcome to the news hour. live from al jazerra's head quarters in doha. the top stories. a pitiful response to a refugees crisis. amnesty international accuses the world of abandoning syria's most vulnerable people. a bahrain-y activist gets three years in jail for tearing up a photograph of the king. we'll speak to her live in this hour. also in this hour a second day of frosts across the united states to demand justice for eric garner a black man choked

to death by a white police policofficer. and i'll all have all the sport include. a racing yacht hit a reef leaving the crew ship wrecked in shark-infested caught waters. ♪ ♪ the world stands accused of abandoning the most needy of people. saying it is a pitiful response. amnesty says 380,000 people are in need of recess. but nobody will take them in. some of the world's richest countries have failed to offer a single person the right to move there. while the burden is overwhelmingly being bourn by syria's neighbors. accord to this the nighted

nations lebanon has taken 1 million refugees, nearly the same around to turk i more than 600,000 people are now in jordan, most of them in camps. iraq has over 200,000 people. and 137,000 are in nearby egypt. well, joining us live now from london is amnesty internationa international's head of refugees and migrant rights. thank you so much for being with us on al jazerra. syria's neighbors are bearing the brunt of this refugees crisis. why aren't rich every countries, european countries, for instance, taking in these refugees. >> it's extremely unfortunate the crisis has been going on for three years now. it's been very clear for a long time that syria's neighboring countries cannot cope with that number of they have gees. but unfortunately what they are seeing is people living in extremely difficult circumstances in places like lebanon, jordan and turkey. that all the countries in the world have only pledge today

take in 60,000 of the most vulnerable people. even this number hasn't been -- this hasn't actually happened. they have said they will take them. but just a fraction of the people have been able to make it to other countries. >> what are the reasons for them not taking them in? >> you know, the only thing i can think of it's apathy. you know, people are in need. it's for everyone to see. we hear world leaders all time talking about how we should support syrian refugees and syrian civilians, but, in fact, it's only talk. we don't see any real action on the ground. if you look at the european union, for example, if we take germany, if we exclude germany which has pledged to take 30,000 people. all of the 27 other members of the european union combined, have only pledged to take 6,000 people. >> what i find even more surprising is that the gulf states, which include some of

the world's wealthiest countries and some of which have directly supported the syrian opposition, financially supported the opposition, have not offered to take in a single refugees from syria. why is this? this is quite surprising, isn't it? >> no, absolutely. we would expect that they are close to the region, they have many historical ties with syria. there is a common language, common religion for many people. but despite that, they have not taken a single person. they have not offer today take one person from all of the syrian refugees. some of them arguing money. kuwait has given lots of money to the humanitarian assistance. others not so much. but it's not enough. just money will not solve it. there are people, people who have survived torture, rape unaccompanied children who node who needa place with healthcare, education and housing. the countries like lebanon and jordan are not able to do that.

>> so a shortfall in the number of recess. places, sharif and even more worrying there is a funding crisis when it comes to food ada cord to this world food program. so which is the most needy in your view. is it the issues of resettle. when the care and refugees populations don't even have food? >> it's not a matter of one or the other. turkey has spent $4 billion of its own money to look after syrian refugees. it's taken more than one and a half million people. you can do both. it's very important to do both. because, yes, the money is needed for the humanitarian assistance it's absolutely needed. the food crisis has to be solved immediately. but that's not enough. you also need to take the people who are vulnerable, who are not able to find adequate protection in neighboring countries. if you look at germany, for example, germany has is taking half of the number of people of

resettlement places in the whole world is going to germany. in addition they have given hundreds of millions of dollars to humanitarian efforts and countries can do both and should do both. >> thank you so much for speaking to us and shedding some light there the head of refugees rights live from london. let's take a look at the countries taking people and those that are not. bernard smith is near the turkey-syria border. we have been saying turkey has been bearing the brunt of this refugees crisis. how has it been coping? and can it take in anymore? >> reporter: well, 1.7 million refugees from syria are in turkey. but only 260,000 of them in official refugees camps. the rest of them are essentially fending for themselves, they are staying with relatives, or they will be looking after their ona come days and for them, being,

life is challenging. when this conflict in syria first started and refugees first started coming over the border to turkey, they were allowed to work, they were given work permits, that isn't the case now. there are no work permits for syrian refugees in turkey. so they are not allowed officially to earn money, but many of them are still working. and there is a bit of a gray area, because while turkey isn't giving the work permits it's not going after syrians who are working. but they don't have the legal protection that his turks would have. so, for example, the minimum wage in turkey, the legal minimum wage is about $500 a month. but many syrians are only working for 150 to $200 a month. so they are vulnerable to exploitation. turkey says it's struggling, it doesn't turn refugees away, who come over the border from syria, so if more want to come turk is a accommodating them and it is building another refugees camp we understand. turkey complains, though, it's

costing it billions of dollars and it's not getting enough help from the international community to cope with these refugees. >> inside syria, bernard, the fighting continues. there is a stalemate real any this fighting, despite the air strikes from the u.s.-led coalition. how is it all going to end, you wonder? what's been achieved through hess air strikes? >> reporter: well, day 82 of this particular battle for kobane, and the only thing that we can think has been really achieved is the large scale destruction of the counsel behind me. many areas of it completely flattened as those air strikes come in and isil forces fight back. but really the control of the town remains pretty much 50/50. long ago this seemed to become more a symbolic battle for cobane. symbolic for isil as they have swept through iraq and syria and

they want to prove that they can win this fight here. symbolic for the forces ranged against isil as well. the u.s. coalition, the kurds and now the peshmerga fighting isil, they want to show that they can push isil back. an indication of this of the importance perhaps toots u.s. is that in the last -- since the begins of the december, since december 1st the latest figures say there have been 14 air strikes in syria plus one we have seen this morning. that makes 15 around kobane, compare that to 11 air strikes in all the areas of iraq under isil control. they say it's because isil are pouring fighters in but it's the storm pollack importance that they want maintain or at least stop ic isil from taking over. thank you very much. bernard smith reporting live from the turkey-syria border. well, let's take a look now at the countries that haven't

been helping with this refugees crisis. amnesty international have named and shamed the country that his have failed to help syrians fleeing the war. not a single syrian has been resettled in the six countries of the arabian gulf. even though ther they are some e richest in the world. in europe, britain has admitted just 100 people. within the european union germany has accepted the most refugees, a total of 30,000. followed by sweden, which has resettled 1200. and is going through more than 50,000 asylum applications. finland and france have each resettled 500 syrians. al jazerra's lawrence lee has reported ex-trenches i feel on the plight of refugees trying to make their way to britain. he joins us live from london. lawrence, of course, we remember your report from just a few weeks ago. first of all, why are some of these european countries so reluctant to take in the refugees? is it a question of lack of resources or a lack of political will?

>> reporter: i don't think it's apathy. certainly in the case of the u.k., i think it's really very deliberate. what has happened, if you look at this pictures that we have found just south of the syrian orphans living in a ditch between farmer's fields and some afghans with a tiny baby girl. they had gone there, found it full and literally had been backed up down the road so they were a good half an hour south of outside a little village. but the french people in the village knew exactly where they were because they showed us where they were. but they weren't prepared to help them any more than the british work it's been a policy certainly in u.k. to stop people from coming in. two main reasons why, one is this supposition that the government keeps putting about here that people that go off to syria then would come back and pose a terrorist threat to the u.k. the courts at the moment in london in particular are full of people who have been arrested by the police on the allegations that they want to go to fight in syria.

and so this is sort of overarching sense that anybody syrian who comes in to the u.k. might pose a them. that's one thing even if it's clearly not true. but the other thing, which i think is almost worse, is that the differentiation is now being lost in the u.k. between asylum seekers and migrant workers. they are all being bundled in to the same group really by almost all the political parties here on the ground that britain is over crowded and there are too many people and we are being swamped with migrant in the youkilis. the government says we have given more money to the refugees than any other europeans combined. and they that's enough. but it clearly isn't enough. but they would rather shunt the problem off to somebody else. and just throw some money at it than accept people i think to come in to the u.k. >> so a lack of differentiation between is sigh lum seekers and migrant as you say, also a lot of disparities within the

european union, sweeped, germany for instance, hosting the greatest number of syrian refugees, how can we explain the disparity? >> reporter: clearly sweden has a terrific history. it took more iraqis after the iraq war in 2003 than any country in the european union put together. some countries regard it partly as a moral obligation but partly see these pimas being a benefit to their own country. that certainly is what the french refugees workers said to us, is that they regard the u.k. in particular as having lost the capacity to understand that people seeking asylum can be a benefit to the community. and so but that is one thing. but even if you, for example, say that germany is taking 20,000 people, even hypothetically they haven't taken that many people yet. it's absolutely tiny against the numbers. and i think a lot of these countries just don't know what to do with the numbers. it's just too many.

the unhcr going to hold a huge meeting on december 9th where they will appeal to western countries to take a lot more people. i don't think they are going to get very far. >> thank you very much, that's al jazerra's lawrence lee live for us in london. now to other world news, a court in bahrain as sentenced a young activist to three years in prison for tearing up a photograph of the king. she has been detained several times since pro-democracy demonstrations erupted in the gulf country in 2011. she was given the option of paying a fine to remain at liberty until her appeal, she is part of bahrain's most prominent opposition family her father is serving currently a life sentence for his role in the 2011 protests. she joins us now via skype from bahrain. thank you so much for being on al jazerra. now, when you were leased last month, before the court's final decision, you said that you were not happy about being released,

because there are still so many political prisoners in your country bahrain. now you have been sentenced to three years in jail. you have just given birth to a baby boy. how does it make you feel? what are your sentiments right now? >> well, tearing up the picture of the king is not about tearing up the picture of the king and it's not about the king himself. nba our country. it's symbolic to try to break the fear that governments are trying to control people through. in a country like bahrain and many of the other arab countries as well, monarchies are controlling us through that fear. my feelings right now, of course, as a mother i worry about my five-year-old daughter. i worry about my one-week old son, but as an activist i know it's necessary. we have chosen a path and what we see, democracy, human rights, liberty, things like that, they are not just a dream. they are a goal. and when you have a goal you have to work towards it. and we already know that this

goal that we have is something that we are willing to endure, sacrifices so that we can get closer to this goal. so that some day maybe my children, other bahrain children, other arab children can live in a country that is free. can live in a country where they don't have to be afraid. >> you are saying that you are actually prepared to go to prison today? >> yes, i am prepared. and i have three other cases that i will be sentenced in on the 99th. i very very prepared to go to preurbgsz this is a sacrifice i am prepared to make, my father as you said is sentence today life to prison and he is prepared do that so generation to his come can some day live in a free bahrain. >> i wonder what can be achieved. as you said your fa they are is in prison, thousands of activists are in prison in bahrain, you ar you yourself are prepared to go to prison. what concretely can you do from

this. tearing up the king's picture what does it achieve right now in bahrain? >> for us we believe that when we do things like that, what we are achieving is that we are standing up to a government that has been ruling this country for more than 200 years and trea trg us as basically slaves to the government of the people that live fearing every day that they might go to prison, that they night get tortured, that they might get killed. standing up to them showing them that we are not frayed of these things that democracy and freedom mean more to us. >> you are standing up to the government you say, but what you are behind bars what can you achieve behind bars this. >> behind bars i am exposing, every single day i am behind bars and i am innocent and every single day by baby son is behind bars and he is innocent we are exposing this government and showing their true face to the people in this country and to the world. >> thank you very much for taking the time to speak to us. >> thank you. >> by skype from bahrain. >> thank you.

al jazerra's peter greste has been honored as australia's major journalism award his bro through andrew received the award for the most outstanding contribution to journal immaterial on his behalf. he has been held in egyptian prison with two other al jazerra journalists for 342 days now. all three insist that they were simply doing their jobs and are appealing against convictions. still ahead on the al jazerra news hour, birthday celebrations for the thai king are called off over fears for his health. plus 25 years after the fall of the berlin wall we'll tell you how the communists are making a comeback in east germany. and tiger woods returns to golf but it doesn't go quite as plans, we'll have the di details during the news hour.

but first to the u.s. where has been a seconds night of protests demanding justice for a black man killed by eye white officer. one of the biggest protest was in new york where eric garner died in july after being held in a choke hold. kristen is reports. >> reporter: what was once considered a minority issue now has the makings of a national movement. demonstrators hit the streets of new york and also chicago. shutting down traffic, and facing arrest in washington, d.c. their goal, reforming a police force which they say does not place enough value on black lives. >> i think every american is affected by these issues. and i think us, know, white people are affected by racism because white privilege blinds us to how broken our system is. it's a huge injustice and people need to wake up and realize that if it can happen to them it, can happen to you.

>> reporter: this is the largest demonstration that we have seen here nba new york so far with thousands of people converging on lower manhattan and perhaps as many police officers here to keep the peace. worth noting that the police union today came out in support of answer daniel. cell phone video of eric garner's death shows him with hands in the aaron armed and clearly struggling to breathe after officer participan pantalm down in a choke hold banned by the police department. yet a grand jury found no ground to criminally charge him. a move applauded by the police officers' union. >> you cannot resist arrest. ngrrest leadsting arrest leads to confrontation, confrontation leads to tragedy. >> reporter: but activists are vowing to keep up the pressure. >> we are not going away. it will not get too cold. it will not snow too high.

this is going to be a winter that we are going freeze out police brutality in this country. >> reporter: and increasingly these voices in the streets are being echoed in the hollings of congress. with many lawmakers now too calling for changes. to cashing mer kashmir now e are reports of more attacks. following an early morning attack on an indian army camp that killed eight soldiers. let's get an updates from new delhi. so new reports of more unrest in indian-admin starred kashmir, what are you hearing? >> reporter: i couldn't quite catch that question, but there has been a series of attacks in the cash near state today. it started off early this

morning 3:30 in the morning a group of gunmen stormed in to a military base operations were going on throughout the morning, i recently -- i just spoke to a police spokesman and he said that just in that one incidents eight soldiers, indian soldiers, plus three policemen and six militants have been confirmed dead. now, just within the last two hours, we saw another incident, this time in the capital of kashmir on the outskirts of the city. two armed men engaged the police in a gun battle. the police said that one of the gunmen has been killed. and operations are still onto grab the second gunman. >> this is a region, of course, that's seen violence in the past. but we seem to be seeing an he is ca raise right now in violence, why is this? >> reporter: well, the state is in the midst of elects, there are five phases of elections

across one month. two phases of those elections have already taken place. separatists have called for a boycott of these polls. however, in the two phases that we have already seen voters have come out in force, more than 70%, in fact, of voters have come out to vote. on monday, the prime minister of india, is also due to attend and address a rally in the capital. security analysts say that because of the successful nature of these elections, that some -- several separatist groups that are active in the region have stepped up their attacks in and around the capital. now, we are also just now hearing reports of a third attack where several people have been killed and injured in the state. we have to, of course confirm these reports. but we'll have more for you as soon as we get a chance to speak to some officials. >> thank you so much. live for us in new delhi.

thousands of well wishers in thailand are camped outside the hospital where the king is being cared for. public celebrations for his 87th birthday have been canceled over fears for his health. now a report. >> reporter: there aren't many mon actor left in the world that attack as much public affection as the king of thailand. the king might be out of the public eye on his 87th birthday resting in this bangkok hospital after an operation in october, but his presence is felt. >> translator: he couldn't come out today because he's still ill. i wish him a speedy recovery. i am here to show my love and loyalty to our beloved king. >> translator: it doesn't matter whether he's appearing in front i've public audience or not. i am just happy that i am here to show my loyalty to him. i am happy no matter where he

is. ♪ >> reporter: the king is the world's longest reigning monarch in a nation that idolizes him. and has some of the world's strictest laws against criticizing the royal family. he's been on the thrown for 68 years. and has seen multiple governments come and go, often mediating between conflicting parties during political upheaval. just six months ago the military deposed thailand's elected government in a coup. the country is broadly divided between a bangkok based royalist middle class and the rural working class loyal to the former premier. people are still living under martial law. many ties across the political divide were eager to hear the king speak at a time of political uncertainty but the king has so far remained silent about the army's coup. al jazerra. time now for an update on the world weather. and a huge storm heading towards

the fill teens. >> meteorologist: that's right if you remember only a year ago we were hid by haiyan which was the strongest typhoon ever to make landfall anywhere. so this one is certainly one to watch. you can see it on the satellite picture. this huge area of cloud here, it measures around 900-kilometers from north to south. and you can see the eye that's just developed there. an eye very clearly like this, is an indication that the storm very organized and an organized storm is capable of being very powerful this and one certainly is at the moment. in fact being the sustained wins currently are around 230-kilometers per hour, which would make it the equivalent of a category four hurricane. they have given slightly different classes and categories in this part of the world but that's what it would be if it was around the waters of the americas and that's the second strongest category that there is. so this one, thin is expected to continue its journey west but the thing i want to stress is the amount of uncertainty there

is with it. you are not used to seeing this. i normally show one line, this is where we expect it to go, on this occasion i have to show you the different models that we have and the different locations that each model says it's going to hit. if i takeaway the cloud it makes it even more obvious the errors that are built in to these systems, many of them take to the islands, but many others just take it just to the north so there is a great deal of uncertainty as to exactly where it's going to hit. and there is also a lot of uncertainty to the speed of the winds when it hits as well. some of them are saying that it will be the equivalent of at category one when it makes landfall, others saying it's the equivalent to category four. this storm is one to watch. what we do know is it's most likely to make landfall at around 18 gmt tomorrow. >> thank you very much. now, 25 years after the fall of the berlin wall the communists are making a comeback in east germany. far left leader is expected to

sign ideal that will see him become prime minister of the region next month. more on this tim friend is there in the capital. tim, over to you. >> reporter: well, the latest is that he has won the day. he won it on the second round, the vote was extremely tight. so now for the first time since the fall of the berlin wall there is now a leftist in charge, he's the premier here in a former east german state. very controversial given the history of germany. angela merkel in the run up to this election said do not let carl marx back in the state premier's office. well, that has happened. and now we'll have to see how this plays out because it resonates across the country. there is possibilities that it could now impact on national politics, let's talk to one of the members of the victorious

left party here. suzanne henning, congratulations to you and your leader. >> thank you. >> reporter: what is the significant vance of this do you think? [ inaudible ] the moment i think. we have a beautiful day and it's the first time that we have a first position with the left party in germany. >> reporter: but what about people's concerns because the ancestry of the party, and i know you yourself will say you are a new type of party, but it goes back to the oldies. and some people have spoken even of the election of him as kind of an insult to the victims of the oldies attorney block. what do you say to that? the oldies attorney block. >> i don't think we need fear, we feed politics in these days and we are not.

[ inaudible ] >> reporter: so things have clanged? >> reporter: what are your priorities? he spoke about addressing employment. the ordinary people speaking about voters' frustration, what do you think the priorities are for this state. >> education. >> reporter: employment is another one? >> employment. energy. making sure that people have enough money and we want a change in energy and. [ inaudible ] >> reporter: thanks for giving us at least a hints of what you have got planned in your upcoming program. con gamingcongratulations agains for inning us. as you were hearing they have a lot of challenges ahead. this is a region of high unemployment. lower than average german prosperity. but, of course, as i was saying early the result here will start to be felt across germany because of that legacy of the

old communist rule. and some pimas i was saying still regard this as highly controversial. back to you. >> thank you so much tim, tim friend live there for us in germany. stay with us on this news hour. still ahead, debate breaks out in ghana over genetically-modified seeds. plus the australian government amends his controversial policy not to give permanent residency to refugees and in sport the 20-20 against new zealand in dubai, that's coming up after the break, stay with us.

welcome back. you are watching the news hour on al jazerra. a reminder of our top stories now. amnesty international says 380,000 syrians are in need of urgent recessment. but nobody will take thi them i. the world organize blames doesn't ricountries to not takie person. a bahrain activist says she's ready to go to jail for tearing up a picture of the president. and there has been a second night of protests in cities around the u.s. people are halling after a grand jury decided not to insight kuyt a new york city police officer for killing an unarmed black man during a an arrest. several protest, have been detained. to egypt in an audiotape

said to be from the egyptian president's office has been released in what's thought to be the first leak of its kind. the tape appears to document a high-leave squabble over former president mohamed marcy's imprisonment. they were published by the mud limb brotherhood channel. one appears to be a conversation between the military's legal adviser, and the head of egypt's navy. now the only voice that can be heard is allegedly. [ inaudible ] tasks let's take listen. >> trapp we have to be residence for the course stays scenario otherwise the spying case will fall apart. the cases will be undermined. the place morsi was detained from july 3rd until he was sent to torah prison would be proven illegal. this will undermine all of the legal cases against him. >> our senior political analyst has now joined us in the studio.

how should we understand this leak? what does it mean? >> well, there are probably three important aspects to look at. the meaning of it. the timing of it. and there are good questions. in terms of the meaning of it, it does basically confirm what so many have suspected or argued over the last year and a half. that the so-called deep state in egypt, meaning the old establishment, the bureaucracy, the security service and so on and so forth have been undermining the democratic process, you understand mining the state. those who pretend to be the protectors of the state have actually been undermining the contusion and the laws of the state. and that's pretty severe. but that all, you know, is what so many have argued for more than a year now. in terms of its time being timid reveal that there are cars under mubarak and sisi.

meaning there is a generational confrontation going on under the sure as in h in egypt where siss people are trying to undermine mubarak's people. that's why they are trying to praise the january 25th up rising against mubarak even when they are letting hill go. in terms of rep cautions it remains to be seen howie gypses will take and run with it in terms of their protest movements against the sisi regime. whether they consider it more of a reason try wyoming to revolt against the new government there, against the new regime. and perhaps as mubarak is let go and morsi the old president is put on trial that, this will give more momentum if you will to the protest movement in the countries. >> i what does this suggest about the fate that could be reserved to morsi? what is going to happen to him? >> well, certainly, you know, we heard a few days ago how mubarak

was basically released or not indicted on basis of technicalities. and apparently, the pass cuter back in egypt was quite careful about not letting morsi go off on technicality, meaning that the fact that he was not impressed in real prison but was actually put in some kind of detention in the navy facilities and by that, the whole arrest was illegal and morsi got off on technicalities. that's why if this is true the system in egypt was trying to recreate a paperwork and destroy a good number of the evidence and the way this thing -- you know, morsi was held in order to make sure that a trial does take place and that morsi is not let go on any basis of technicalities. so basically they are covering your tracks. >> you say if this is true, but do you think it's credible what we have heard? is it true? could it be true this. >> look, you know, audio is -- >> it did did appear on a pro muslim brother today channel.

>> it actually appeared on a good number of repeatable channels as well. had meaning it's been circulated throughout the arab would. this is a good number of reasons why which is true. i can imagine very well that they actually did mistake by the way they arrested him and detained him and there is a good reason why they want to make sure that they bury a lot the paperwork in on toured make sure that he's not le let go. but audio is always a tricky business. how do you make sure that something is authentic. is there a good reason for it? there is a very good reason why they would have done that. they have done many other things similar to it. is this specifically 100 percent sure? i cannot vouch for it. >> thank you so much. as always a pleasure. >> thank you. more demonstrations in egypt today, protesters from different provinces took to the streets. earlier this week there were a series of protests against the verdicts that cleared charges against former president hosni

mubarak. sudan has called for an end to the u.n.'s peacekeeping mission in the country. relations have been strained since an investigation in to allegations that sudanese soldiers raped up to 200 women in october. james bays reports from u.n. headquarters in new york. >> reporter: this is the aftermath of an air strike. this part of the city is controlled by fight us from isil. making it a main target for the air forces of president bashar al-assad. this area is close to a government-controlled air base from, there, assad's air units can attack all of the city and much of the wider area the province. the strategic importance of the area is not just military. in the countryside around the city, are oil field that once supplied considerable revenue for the jean economy. control of them has been fought over by all sides since the start of the civil war in 2011.

last year, the al news rah front was active here, but more recently. their influence has waned. in june, the free syrian army sent a convoy of its men through the streets of the city ace show of force. but now it's isil that's fighting for ascendancy within of their main targets is the ammunition depot which contains a large number of weapons and government soldiers reportedly. on thursday isil up loaded picture to his social media from the nearby village. in the video their fighters humiliate a captured government soldier. the man is opportunitied and asked where is bashar to help you. if the government forces were to lose their air base and arms depot in the area, it would be a serious blow. which explains why the fighting here is so intense.

and why so many casualties are being taken. dominick kane, al jazerra. apologies there, that was not the right report from james bays but a report on the fight against isil in syria. hopeful wail be able to bring you that report from james bays in the next show. in the meantime there's go to ghana where people are celebrating farmers day but controversy looms over the fess afestive ifestivities. because there is a debate over genetically modified seeds. >> reporter: honor began i can farm, he grows all kind of vegetables including maze, opens against legislation going through parliament that is thinks is did he nined to use genetically modified seeds. >> it's not a question of bringing them in, it's a question of let's find solutions

of the problems within the sector. bringing disease and rots. bringing disease and. [ inaudible ] >> reporter: these scientists at the savannah ago culture research institute in northern ghana have been conducted trials. at the moment they are growing. [ inaudible ] and cotton. >> this quality is improved because of professional reviews and the farmers. [ inaudible ] insecticide is also reduced. >> reporter: the trials are funded by multinational seed companies like monsanto. anti-g.m. campaigners say the bill gives too much power to these companies. >> in terms of seed technology, water,. [ inaudible ] technology we have it. and farmers understand it. improve upon that science, that is what we want. depending on mare commercial --f depending on others.

in which we have to pay and. [ inaudible ] >> reporter: ghana's minister in charge of crops says his anti-g.m. crittishs are missing the point. >> it is a technology that's available. it is a technology that is safe. it is a technology that can enhance our productivity. let us add it to the basket of options that are open as technologies to our farming system. so that farmers can have the opportunity to choose what seeds that they want. >> reporter: but will shoppers be able to choose? as a consumer, there is no way to tell the difference between a g.m. crop and a conventional crop like this cotton. one of the issues for consumers is will they be given the information to make an informed choice. no firm plans on the labeling of g.m. products. leaving another question mark over this contentious issue. but those in favor of g.m. insist its introduction in to

ghana is inevitable. and it's about giving farmers and the public onses. al jazerra, ghana. south africans have been marking the first anniversary of nelson mandela's death. to commemorate his 67 years of public services bells, hooters, sirens, chimes have been wailed for three minutes and seven seconds, three minutes of silence then for the anti-apartheid icon. just ahead on the al jazerra news hour. how this grou crew found them themselves in troubled waters in a yacht race. detail coming up.

♪ ♪ welcome back. china has condemned rich nations for not doing enough to help deal with global warming. the chinese singled out australia for failing to donate it a multi billion dollars green fund to help poor countries cut emissions. now australia's government meanwhile has passed a law reintroducing the controversial temporary protection visas. well, this means for the 30,000 asylum seekers is that even if fountain to be genuine refugees they would only be allowed to stay in the country for three years at a time. andrew thomas has more.

>> reporter: in afghanistan, he ran a human rights organization. and did work for the american government. when his brothers were killed and he was shot in the leg, he fled to indonesia i can't and thrown a rickety boat to australia. that was in april 2013. he was initially held in a detention certainty before being released on what australia's government called a bridging visa. his life since has been in bill limbo. not allowed to work living on a subsistence government income. it has, he says, broken him. he has felt subhuman. he and 30,000 like him who came by boat will now be put on what's called temporary protection vehicles as. they will be allowed to work but the dry criteria by which their refugees claims are assessed will be stricter with few rights of a people most are likely to be sent back from the countries from which they fled. a australian's government is unapologetic. >> not only the government is sending a strong message to the

people smugglers about our resolve to end their business forever, but it has sent a strong message of resolve from the australian parliament. and that is something that will only further strengthen our country's borders. >> reporter: to get the new law through parliament. the government made concession to his poll tin tins whose suppt they needed all children currently held in detention centers will be released but using that as a bargaining chip has angered those who weren't won over. >> i am appalled. many people in this country tonight would be appalled. using children as hostages is never okay. and only a sociopath would do it. >> these kids are been sit hearing for 15 months and you want a pat on the back? you've got to be kidding yourselves. these kids could have been out 15 months ago. >> reporter: most children of asylum seekers are held on

australia's christmas island the government says they hope to have them on at mainland within three weeks, by christmas. they may be tough by judged by their own criteria of stopping boats the policies are working. members of the government likes to say that that stops people from drowning from sea when overloaded boats sink but their policies have a human cost too, andrew thomas, al jazerra, sydney. it's been 100 years since british explorer earnest shackleton's ill fated attempt to reach the south pole bench his expedition is remembered as one of the greatest feats of courageen and done in human history. emma way hard was more. >> reporter: ants arctic at that al jazerra one of the most innininhospitable place on his h 100 years ago one the greatest survivals stories of all time when he set off on his journey which kneel i cost him and his team their lives. he left south georgia in the atlantic and would be more than 500 days before they would

zealand again. this was at a time when competition between explorers was fierce. in early 1915 shackleton's shippen done became trapped and crushed on the ice forcing him and his crew to abandon it and camp on the floating ice, they waited five months for it to melt sufficiently so they could launch small life boats in to the icy owner. then sales more than a thousand kilometers in to safety and to raise the alarm about the men left behind. miraculously, no one died. now the an arctic one of the last wildernesses on earth remains a great saying fire about the health of the planet drawing hundreds of scientists and adventure you are youers ev. >> time knew all the sport here is jo. thank you very much. after almost four months out injury tiger woods has returned to the golf course and a new swing consultant has joined him as well. but after his first competitive rounds tiger still has a lot of

work do richard nicholson reports. >> reporter: tiring woods' latest comeback from injury at his own tournament the world challenge couldn't have got off to a worse start. driving out of bounds with his very first shot. his short game wasn't much better. former world number one missed hitting his chip on the tate on the way to a double bogey. and 5 over par score for the front 9 holes, but glimpses of the game that have won him 14 major titles were also on show, this approach shot on 12 almost going in for a eagle and bringing a smile to wood's face. the now world number 24 followed up that bird we a shot all amateurs will be familiar with, getting yet another bogey to close with a 5 over par 77. 11 shots off the leader, jordan spieth after the first rounds. >> i have shot 80s a bunch of time here actually. usually when it's a cold north wind and it's about 30 out. but not like this.

today was -- it's weird. i didn't feel like i hit it that bat. my short game was awful. i didn't make anything. but you know, i missed it on a few times on the front nine on the wrong side. just can't miss it on like two. but it was just one of those days where just really nothing went my way. >> reporter: so tiring woods' return to competitive golf ended him with bottom of the leader board and a long way off closing in on jack nicklaus' record 18 major winds, richard nicholson, al jazerra. >> woods said afterwards his physically felt pain free, that's the first time he has that said in a while. his past comebacks have not been without their problems, us his longest injury lay off was eight months after he broke his leg, his first tournament back from that was in february 2009, the match play which he lost in the second round. then in april 2010, woods played his first events in five months, following revelation about his

his private life that forced him to take a break. tiring finished in a tie for fourth at the masters in agusta then. just over a year later in he august 2011, tiger came back after two months, this time because of injury, but it was an unhappy return as he finished joint 37s at the wgc bridgestone invitational. his last comeback ended in tears as well. that was in last july at the open. a 69th placed finish for woods at royal liverpool. well, another man who has made his return to sports is three-time stanley cup winner martin brodeur bus had i debut for his new nfl team the st. louis us blues ended in defeat. the goalie who signed a one-year contract with the blues after 21 are seasons at the new jersey devils made 20 saves but failed to keep his new keep from defeat against the nashville predators. the predators winning 4-3 to stay top of the western conference central division.

former captain daniel alfredsson a send off before his side lot to the islanders. he scored 426 goals in 1,178 games with at ought what. once he left the ice his former side lost to a game-winning goal as the islanders won 6-1. australian cricket captain michael clark could still play in next week's delayed first test against india, clark has struggled with a hamstring injury for a third time in three months. his rehabilitation has also been disrupted by the death of teammate and close friend firm hughes. -- philip hughes but the coach says it will do the team good to return to the pitch. pakistan has beaten new zealand in their first 220 international until dubai on thursday after sending new zealand in to bat pakistan took

early wickets to put the tourists you were pressure. 135 for 7 off their 20 overs, pakistan never looked in much trouble in this trial. leading the charge with 76 of 64 balls. pakistan went onto win by seven wickets. european football chiefs say they are fed up with the crisis at fifa and have once again reiterated the call to fully publish a report in to corruption. last month fifa's ethic committee found some problem attic conduct by individuals involved in the 2018 and 2022 world cup bid process but not enough evidence to recommend a revote. despite that allegations of corruption continue to plage the world governing god i. >> every day there is something new coming out. it would certainly be helpful to have once and for all some clarity i think that the uefa

president has said it already as well several times that it would be helpful, for example, as much as possible to publish this reports because as long as only a few people know what is there and some things are leaked here and there, everyone says what he wants without any shred of any evidence of anything. now, footage has been released of the moment a yacht taking part in a round the world race hit a reef in the indian ocean. the 65-foot team yacht sparked in to the reef tearing a huge hole in the hull and leaving its nine-man crew stranded. >> five hours of daylight were on the reef. >> oh. >> bow section is fine were the cast can't quite say the same. what you just heard was a bit of cracking behind the bulkhead doors. behind me.

there is zero boat left. >> the australian skipper told the crew to abandon the boat in knee deep water to a try position on the reef. that's despite the coast guard telling them that they were in charge infested water. the crew was stranded for three days before being rescued. plenty of time then to ponder their mistake. >> the other night was definitely the toughest night of my life and i am sure the same for the guys. you know, we hit the reef hard doing 19 knots and you know, the impact is undescribable. >> pretty surprisingly they are thinking of refloat that go boat and going back out in the race glynn credible. thank you so much. that's for this news hour on al jazerra. stay with us, there is meant i more ahead. we'll have the latest from i indian administer kashmir where there has been another attack, stay with us.

>> a dirty deal. struck at the heart of government. >> egypt mismanaged its gas industry. >> taking the country to the brink of economic ruin. >> it's obvious that egypt was being ripped off. it's basically saying to the israelis, "look if you want to screw us, here's a tool you can use to screw us". >> al jazeera exposes those who made a fortune betraying an entire nation. >> you don't feel that you owe an explanation to the egyptian people? >> no... no... >> al jazeera investigates. egypt's lost power. december 17th. 10:00 eastern. on aljazeera america.

>> you are k look at protests of the grand jury not to indict a white police officer in the choke hold death of an unarmedr. ♪