kurdish forces battle to capture of shef sinjar from isil. ♪ ♪ hello, you are watching al jazerra live from our headquarters in doha. also ahead, the polls are open. true neatunisians vote for theit freely i elected president in a run off. the revolution will go on, cuba's president says a better relationship with the u.s. won't change the island's communist system. >> examine and when kids are

smaller they say thank you very much. and you see them with a full tummy that's all we get out of this and that's enough for us. >> tough love we meet the new zealand gang helping hungry kids. ♪ ♪ we begin in tunisia where polls have opened in a landmark presidential run off. it will be the first time tunisians will directly vote for a president since a revolution that overthrew a dictatorship three years ago. two main contenders are a candidate for the secular party. he's 88 years old and seen as an establishment figure from the former regime. his critics say he's too old for the job but supporters point to his experience and a broad coalition behind. he won nearly 40% of the vote in the first round. his opponents is the interim president. he's widely seen as the candidate of the revolution that overthrew the dictator.

he is a well-known former human rights activist. he has served tunisia in his interim role for four year old and took 33% of the vote in the first round. let's go there on the pollin lig station. there had been some concern about security after isil leased a video threatening to disrupt elects. is everything going smoothly? >> reporter: so far it is a smooth process here. and it has been a steady stream of people coming in to this polling station in the center of the capital. there is a security presence. there is soldiers who are at the gates of the polling station as you say this comes off isil issued a threat essentially through a video message posted on the internet where they threatened what they called a blood bath saying that they would target the headquarters of the election commission and other places.

and that's led to several thousand military perspn elk deployed across the country in order to safeguard the process. and so far tunisians will be happy and comfortable to see that up until now things have been running smoothly. and safely. what does this mean for democracy considering one of the front run percent from the old regime. >> reporter: yes, it's seeing so far that tunisia is the success story of the arab spring if you will in the sense that it has largely maintained the track of democracy. and hasn't been any interference by the military, for example, like we have seen in egypt or' armed struggle or armed conflict as we have seen in libya or even a war in syria. and people are hoping that that

remains. however, as you say there is concern amongst the revolutionary forces particularly the younger generation here in tune it's, that the 88-year-old, the front runner in this election does win, that there could be a return to some sort of authoritarianism. not only does he have this history of being a strong man who essentially oversaw a lot of oppression whilst he was the head of security in tunisia many years ago, but also his party already has the majority in parliament and that would essentially mean it would only be one party ruling tunisia and that is why there is people who might not necessarily support the political program, but they will be voting for him because they want to insure that there is some sort of that diversity in the political landscape of tunisia. >> okay, thank you very much. at a polling station in central tunis. now, to other world news.

cuba's president raul castro has stressed his country will not changes a communist system despite closer ties with the united states. he also says cuba faces a long and difficult struggle before the u.s. lifts the longstanding economic embargo, gabriel elizondo reports from havana. less than a week ago they were serving sentences for espionage in a u.s. jail. now the cuban five as they are called are being greeted as heros to hounds russ applause in the cuban national a em isbly. they were released as parts of the historic agreement announce third degree week between the united states and cuba. while everyone has been talking about what will change following the agreement, cuban president raul castro was keen to also reminds people what will remain the same. >> translator: the economic system that will prevail in our country will continue to be based on socialist ideals for the entire country. >> reporter: castro was quick to praise barack obama and the ground baseballing natur breakit

was achieved. but he said it would be left to the cube ab peopl cuban people . >> the changes will continue to take place at the pace we decide here without risking the unity of the cuban people. without leaving anybody behind. without any shock measures and without renounce this is revolution's ideals of social justice. >> reporter: here on the streets of havana and elsewhere in the country there is still real enthusiasm for this deal and what it could mean the lives of every day people. but what most cubans really want is a complete elimination of the embargo altogether and the view here is that any opposition to that in the united states is unwarranted. >> i think down the road the most important thing, i think, is that the cuban people will be better off. and i say to the people who oppose the cuban government, well, if the cuban people are better off, the cuban government is better off, so what. the cuban people are better off. >> reporter: that too was the

message from the cuban president who ended his speech in familiar style. long live cuba. long live fidel castro economy colluded. harkening back to the past in a country still figuring out a brand-new future that is now upon them even if it will take time to fully realize. gabriel elizondo, al jazerra, havana. >> meanwhile hundreds have valid in the city of miami against the norm saying of thnormalization n government. they see the government as oppressive. the u.s. government has transferred four prison from the guantanmo bay detention camp back to afghanistan. the men were held for more than a decade at the military detention center in cuba. the obama administration has been work to go reduce the number of detainees at guantanmo where 132 inmates remain, 64 of those have been approved for transfer.

in another guantanamo bay detainee a tunisian man has arrived back home. he told al jazerra he never doubted that he would be released eventually. >> translator: i have learned a lot from my experience in guantanmo. i was surrounded by lies. everyone was lying. from lawyers to interrogators to guards. and we later became hardwired not to believe anyone. i no longer believe anything unless i see it with my own eyes. i did not believe i would be coming here until i landed. and left the plane. i expected they may change their mind at any point while i was on board. as a muslim i have deep faith in god. that's why i am not worried about the future. i have served 13 years in guantanmo for better and for worse. now to northern iraq where kurdish forces are battle to go capture the town of sinjar from the islamic state of iraq and the levant.

early in the week, the kurds known as peshmerga managed to break the siege of inning jar mountain. thousands of ethnic yazidis have been trapped there for months surrounded by isil fighters. let's cross over to al jazerra's mohamed who is in you are bill in northern iraq. bring us up-to-date first with the writing for sinjar town. >> reporter: well, heavy fighting going on in sinjar town which is at the foot of mt. sinjar whereas you say that thousands of yazidi, ethnic yazidi people are stranded and there has been a siege on them by isil fighters. contemporary to reports that we have been getting late yesterday and overnight that the town of sinjar had been taken over by kurdish peshmerga fighters, we are now hearing with confirmations from peshmerga commanders that there is heavy fighting and isil is putting up a very stiff resistence, the

commanders say that the coalition aircraft strikes on the towns where positions with e the ice it's fighters are has not softened the resistence, and they are saying the fight is going on for this town. the fighters are keen to take this town because it's where a big. [ inaudible ] happened more than 2,000 ethnic yazidi women were taken away by isil for enslavement as sources say. and it's also very important because this is where most of the people who are stranded up on the mountain have fled. and people really want to come back because the weather is getting really cold. >> all right, and i wonder, mo happening he had, what is happening to the people who have been stranded on the mountain? >> reporter: the people are very keen to come down but because of the fighting going on and isil continuing with its resistence that is not looking possible now. and even if the peshmerga forces

get control of it eventually it will take a while before they clear the improvised explosive devises that isil is known to leave behind towns that they get out of. however, the good news for them is that they have now a humanitarian corridor that has been created by fighting earlier on in the week and the kurdish regional security council has been sending truckloads of food and water to them. >> thank you very much for that update. that's al jazerra's mohamed atow in erbil. a series of bombings have rimmed through iraq's capital killing at least 12 people of the four separate attacks the worst was south of baghdad where an explosion killed four people. two other attacks in baghdad suburbs killed six people, including three soldiers and a fourth attack in the capital killed two civilians near a bakery. u.s. president obama has said he unconditionally condemns the murder of two new york city

police officers who were ambushed while on patrol in brooklyn. the man approached the car and shot them through the window. police say he then fled to a subway station where he killed himself. >> today two of new york's finest were shot and killed with no warning, no provocation. they were quite simply a sit assassinated, targeted for their uniform and for the responsibility they immaterial o keep the people of this city safe. an australian mother has been officially are charged with murder for killing eight children. she is in a has where she is recovering from sta*pd stab wounds the children between 18 months and 15 years were found stabbed to death on friday more than. three people have been killed and four others seriously injured in the bomb explosion in

the city in india's northeastern state. explosives were detonated eight roadside tea stall. it happened a week after a person was killed in a market in the same city. several of india's northeastern state have been battling close demanding independence. still ahead on the program, the environmental group taken to court accused of damaging the earth nba instead of protecting it. plus. how china's infrastructure projects abroad aim to keep things humming back home. stay with us.

welcome back. a reminder of our top stories on al jazerra. kurdish forces are battling to recapture sinjar from the islamic state of iraq and the levant. it has been under isil control for months. but the peshmerga have broken a siege on sinjar mountain. polls have opened in tunisia's presidential run off. it's the fires time people will be able to vote directly for a president since the revolution three years ago. and hundreds of people have rallied in the u.s. city of miami against president obama's decision to normalize relations with the cuban government. many of the protesters were cuban exiles who think it empowers a government they see as repressive. north korea's central news agency has released new photographs of the country's leader. chem jong un is seen visiting a text tile mill in the capital the same day that the north korean government denied it was behind a cyber attack on sony pictures it called for a joint investigation with the u.s. to

uncover what actually happened. now a report. >> reporter: a north korean news reader warned of grave consequences if the u.s. didn't agree to to the following. >> translator: we propose to conduct a joints investigation with the u.s. in response to groundless slander being perpetrated by the fuss by mobile public opinion. >> reporter: but the fbi has concluded that pyongyang is responsible and confirmed by president obama. >> the fbi announced today and we can confirm that north korea engaged in this attack. >> reporter: however, many cyber security experts say they are unconvinced by what they described as circumstantial evidence. sony was attacked with soft their f bit. says has been used by north korea in the past. the trouble is that sort of malware is freely traded by hackers around the world. and, in fact, the software used to delete sony's data is commercially available. it was previously used in a

cyber attack on the saudi oil company,'s incidents not blamed on 2340rg9 career actual the fbi says north korean internet addresses were used but hackers often use false addresses to cover their tracks. and some are asking why those who claimed respond for the attack did not mention sony al jazerra's film about the assassination of kim jong un until after media speculation was widespread about a possible link. it's difficult to pinpoint the source unless the hackers incriminate they feel selfs i tg or there are human evidence. however the u.s. are experts in this field they pioneered the state sponsored cyber attack according to documents leaked by the whistle blower edward snowden in 2011 alone, u.s. intelligence amounts is a is as mounted 231 offensive cyber operations, some of them against north korea. al jazerra, washington.

egypt's president has dismissed his security chief. it's unclear if his removal signals a change in policy. but he was regarded as a hard liner loyal to president abdel fattah el-sisi. meanwhile, sisi has held talks with qatar's deputy foreign minister. it's the first such meeting since i took office last year. the talks have been described others an attempt to start a new chapter in relations between he just a minute and qatar. egypt says it will reopen the rafah border crossing with the gaza strip on sunday for the second time in two months. it will allow around 3 1/2 thousand palestinians stranded in he just a minute to crass in to gaza it's the only passage not controlled by israel. it was shut in late october following a suicide bombing in the sinai peninsula. al jazerra continues to demand the release of our three journalists who have now been in prison in egypt for 358 days.

peter greste, mo ham he ha and s were jailed on false charges of helping the outlawed muslim brotherhood. they are appealing against their convictions. now to syria where there has been intense fighting near the northern city of aleppo. as rebels try to out of the government forces from strategically important positions. the village lies on the main road in to aleppo. for the last 10 days it's been fought over by both government and rebel forces. dominique kane reports. >> reporter: rebel forces open fire on government positions in the village. using a variety of heavy and light artillery, they are targeting army strong holds. for the last 10 days, they have been fighting president bashar al-assad's forces here. they say they have killed 15 soldiers and forced others from their positions. >> translator: we have managed to capture one building held by regime forces and we will continue our operations here until we can open a supply

route. >> reporter: and that is why the fighting here is intense. it lies on the main road to aleppo. so control it and you control a main route to bring reinforcements in and the wounded out. the government has three armored battalions there. despite this considerable presence, the rebels claim they are making progress. >> translator: we have managed to cause massive damage to regime forces. both in terms of men and material. today we destroyed one heavy machine gun and a government outpost. >> reporter: but for all of that, assad's forces appear to be largely intact and operational across the country. this is the district on the outskirts of damascus, it has long been a strong hold for the rebels. but in recent weeks it's face aids very heavy bomb boardment. as government troops try to take

control. reducing an area that once houses thousands to nba to a crumbling urban battle ground. dominick kane, al jazerra. china is expanding its influence by undertaking a number of large infrastructure projects around the world part of a strategy to gain access to the natural resources that the government needs to help sustain the economy's rapid growth. adrian brown takes a closer look at china's international portfolio starting with a major waterway project in nicaragua. >> reporter: the business man behind this ho ohio profile deal tends to keep a low public profile. he made his fortunate in mining and telecommunications but has no experience with such large infrastructure projects. he insists he doesn't have a political backgrounds yet the company's website boasts of his links to government leaders. whatever the true nature of the relationship. the deal is very strategic for

china. >> this project is not just a canal. it's about roads, airports, and also tourist resorts and it will create a lot of jobs for the local people. the local people will definitely benefit from it. >> reporter: this week china signed another contract that it says will create jobs and help one more small economy. this time in europe. the project to fund and build the new highway in mon monteneg. the cost just over a billion dollars. small change compared to china's investments elsewhere in the world. only last month a state-owned company signed off on a $12 billion contract to expand nigeria's rail network with a high speed train serve effects. the problem for china is not money, but cooperation with local people says one analyst. >> so which china is proposing all these institutions it has to have the capacity to interact with the local community, the

different interest groups and that is the challenge for beijing. >> reporter: many of china's other projects are very strategic, working with pan stack to develop a port on the indian ocean that will be link today china by road and rail. the president is encouraging this expansion, to gain access to the natural resources china needs to fuel its economic growth. and infrastructure projects are often thrown in as part of the deal. the most important of these investments is perhaps the plan to reconstruct the ancient silk road trade route linking china with europe via new high highways and rail ways in central asia. how do the chinese government pay do all of this? well, it's currently sitting on savings of more than four thrill i don't know dollars. adrian brown, al jazerra, beijing. the government is peru has threatened legal action against green abouts that'because accur.

archeologists a foot presents left by the activists could remain in the desert ground for decades. david mercer has more. they are one of peru's famous monuments, giant images scratched in the desert more than a thousand years ago. when activists used the line for a publicity stunts an action that was meant to draw attention to climate change backfired. on friday, an angry crowd hurled insults at green peace's executive director as he arrived at a pa rule vinnie courthouse . >> the people are angry. the people are saying we want justice. >> reporter: peru has accused greenpeace of causing irreparable damage to the world heritage site after activists went in to the desert to place their sign, around 20 activists are accused of leaving footprints and overturning stones in the ecologically sensitive area. the stunt coincided with a major

climate change conference that took place in peru's capital lima earlier this month. >> translator: i am saddened that this happened in the middle of the conference as a country we felt so proud to be the host country of the c.o.p. and this is an event that fills us with shame because it should never have happened. >> reporter: bag at the courthouse green peace's director apologized for the group's action. >> there was no justification to have put our foot on that sacred place at all. i have indicated that i am willing to provide whatever assistance the peruvian authorities need and i will be willing to come back and they have responded positively to that which i am grateful. >> reporter: but the assurances among them that green peace's leadership had no knowledge of the plan failed to quell people's anger. experts say someone in the group must have had inter natural knowledge of the site. >> translator: this was

preplanned in someone's office. they said let's go in there to get some attention. but why the hummingbird? because it's known worldwide and it's the main icon of our culture. they haven't gone to damage it, they have gone to attract attention. but they didn't take the proper precautions. >> reporter: green peace now says it will assist with an independent investigation and work to protect the lines. but for many the damage both to the archeological site and to greenpeace's reputation has already been done. david mercer, al jazerra. now to new zealand where 40,000 children are dependent on charities for foot. wayne hay reports on a region where kids are getting help from tough gang members with big hearts. >> reporter: it's first thing in the morning and these gang workers are busy at work. but nothing elicit is going on here just a military like operation to feed hungry

children. >> very nice. >> reporter: every morning members of the tribal gang meet at this suburban home to make 500 sands witch to his deliver to schools around the province. the ideas came from the leader, who remembers what it was like to go without. >> if the kid grow up hungry they haven't got a good start in life. you start wanting what someone else has got and straightaway animosity is born. >> reporter: the program has been well received judge buying the thank you letters on the walls by 9:00 in the morning, jamie pink hits the road. saluted by his members who have now become known as the sandwich gang. on his tour he stops at 25 schools and hand delivers the lunches that will ultimately be given to children who go to school with nothing. new zealand's economy is doing better than most right know, but at the same time, there is a growing feeling that the gap between rich and poor is getting wider. and there is also a greater discussion around the issue you of hungry children and poverty in general. the government in partnership

with the private sector has introduced a program that provide breakfast to school children. but they won't support a proposal before parliament to also provide lunches. >> it should be the parents' responsibility. and we shouldn't get way from that. parents have a responsibility to make sure their children go to school, having had breakfast and having something for lunch. >> reporter: in the meantime, jamie's operation is growing all the time. despite the fact that they are made by a dang, the sandwichs are always welcomed. >> we look at it as a group of people who are committed to insuring that children are given every opportunity to be able to learn. >> reporter: most of the food comes from donations, but the gang also runs several small farms supplying meat and generating money to pay for ingredients. >> they are looking good too. you are doing a good job,. >> reporter: jamie says critics who say the program is being used to recruit young members are wrong. >> what we get out of this is when they are small they say thank you very much. and you theme with a full tummy that's all we get out of this and that's enough for us.

>> reporter: he says they just want to do some good and give children something he and many of his members never had. wayne hay, al jazerra, new zealand. a reminder that there is plenty more news on our website aaljazerra.com.