>> beji caid essebsi claims victory in tunisia's presidential run-off. his opponents say it's too early to say who's won hello, welcome to al jazeera america, live interest doha. i'm elizabeth prahran am, also ahead. a city divided - new york's police officer says it's in a state of war after the killing of two officers. going nowhere, heavy fog triggers travel chaos in india's capital. plus, a tide of anger rises in nicaragua, as the government

perhaps to break ground for a new waterway. we begin in tunisia where the candidate for the secular tunize party is claiming victory in the historic presidential election. beji caid essebsi's claim has been dismissed by his rival moncef marzouki. the official results are expected on monday. we go to tunis. >> reporter: starting early in the morning, tunisians lined up on the polls, waiting for their turn to make history. for the first time in their lives, people freely choosing their president. on the ballot paper two names - a former minister under the deposed dictator, banally, and

moncef marzouki who took control. beji caid essebsi oversaw mass crackdown on potential, and the suppression. those that voted for him say he's the only one capable of moving tunisia forward even though he's 88 years old. >> i voted for beji caid essebsi, because he has a lot of experience, and we have a lot of faith in him that he will fix the country. >> reporter: tunisia is the only country that is a success story of the arab spring. there has been little violence and it has been resolved democratically. it is this, that supporters. beji caid essebsi say they want to save guard the the former human right advocate galvanized support from across the political spectrum.

>> the reason i voted for beji caid essebsi is i wanted to make sure no single party have the power. >> the reason i voted for moncef marzouki is to have a power share. >> reporter: sunday is the third tine tunisians have gone to the ballot box. some say it has created fatigue in the markets. >> with the polls closed in tunisia, people are waiting to find out who will be entrusted. regardless, tunisians will hope that their new found freedoms will not be short-lived a senior associate at the carnegie middle east center says that there is a fear that mass polarization could ciple tunisia's transition to democracy. . >> a lot of this emerged after

the first primary run off, and with the emergens of beji caid essebsi and moncef marzouki as the two final run-off, the discourse, the language used by beji caid essebsi and moncef marzouki played on the south voting - the poor south versus the north, the richer north voting for beji caid essebsi. and this increased. there was also accusations that the islamists were voting, and somehow this was deemed as an insult or as a way of saying "you don't have legitimacy", so the social polarization of the country has gone beyond - it's not an ideological one. it's not islamists versus non-islamists, it's north versus south, rich versus poor, ruler versus urban. it's a lot. beji caid essebsi played a role

in this. his speech was about his claim to victory. he said that he would work towards uniting tunisians as working for tunisians. hopefully he'll be able to do that to other news and suspected boko haram fighters attacked a town in nigeria's north-east. a number of people are said to have been killed and wounded in yobe state. many people had already fled to safer areas after neighbouring towns were attacked. >> human right watch says hundreds of muslims in the central african republic are trapped and living in deplorable conditions. in a new report, people in those areas face a grim choice - risk being attacked if they leave, and stay and face hunger and disease. human rites watch says u.n. peacekeepers are stopping them fleeing abroad and are not providing enough assistance, and the report accuses the

government of stopping muslims leaving the country and escaping across the border. >> the terrible thing is that the anti-balaka killed my husband and took my 12-year-old son. they struck him in the head with a machete and stabbed his foot with a spear. he survived. we face three main problems. the first is food. the second is shelter, and finally we have the problem of health. these problems took 42 lives in the community. many children, mostly girls. >> reporter: severe cold weather brought the indian capital to a standstill. thick fog is covering new delhi forcing flights to be cancelled and delaying trains. the city recorded its coldest temperature in five years. we received this update. >> new delhi woke up to a dense blanket of fog. at least 50 trains have been

delayed. they are facing delays and cancellations. now, the city is experiencing much lower temperatures than we see this time of year. and this is terrible news for the hundreds of people left out on the roads. there are government shelters but there's not enough room for everybody. as you can see, the people are very poorly equipped to deal with these extreme conditions. now, at least eight people died because of these extreme conditions, and another three people here in new delhi reportedly suffocated when they were trying to warm themselves with coal, burning coal. so a very grim week up ahead, a grim christmas week ahead for new delhi's homeless. officials are saying they do not expect the conditions to improve, at least for the next day police officers and tribesman in central iraq have

retaken the town of rafa, located west of ramadi city, and is under the control of islamic state of iraq and levant. 22 i.s.i.l. fighters were killed in the operation. people the president of iran's kurdish region ashraf ghani vowed to crush i.s.i.l. he made the comments as he went to sinjar. kurdish forces are facing resistance from the town of sinjar, and it's far from clear people laid flowers in brooklyn where two police me were shot while on patrol. the gunman fled to a railway station and took his own life. the killings exposed a rift between some in the police force, and the new york mayor. bill de blasio has been criticized for not doing enough to support officers following

nation-wide protests against police brutality. >> his directions data, he does a 2-day prison term in georgia from august 2011 and that's for criminalisation of a weapon, from what we ascertain now. he did stints in local gaols in fulton and other count yois ... >> reporter: the criminal record of a man who shot two police officers at point blank range. 22-year-old ismaaiyl brinsley had a history of depression. cell phone captures the scene where ismaaiyl brinsley shot himself, after shooting the officers. he shot and wounded his girlfriend in baltimore. and posted intentions to kill two police officers on social media. authorities in social media are reported to aly -- alerted police half an hour before the

shooting. the shootings were condemned by the families of african-americans killed in the past few months. their death spurred national protest. ismaaiyl brinsley mentioned their names. >> we depend on our police to protect us against forces of criminality and evil. they are the foundation of our society. when they are attacked, it's an attack on the concept of decency. >> a new york police leader blamed the mayor and demonstrators. >> there's blood on many hands tonight. those that ipp cited violence on the street under the guise of protests tried to tear down what new york city police officers did every day. we tried to warn it must not go on, it cannot be tolerated. >> the blood on the hands starts

on the steps of city hall, in the office of the mayor. >> since the police killing of unarmed teenager, police officers have demanded a change to a system in which young black men are killed at 21 times the rate of white men. mayor bill del blasio expressed fears for his own son who is bi-racial. >> we have had to talk dante for years about dangers he may mace. >> the police union turned their back on the mayor. it is now a war time police department they say. the question they ask with some, is with whom is it at war more to come on al jazeera. kicking around ideas for the future. we speak to young people in havana, as cuba enters unchartered political waters plus... >> this is a gift which i received from my friend saddam

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good to have you with us. i'm election puranam in doha. the presidential candidate for tunisia's secular party is claiming victory in the run-off boat. beji caid essebsi's claim has been dismissed by his rival moncef marzouki who says it's too early to call a winner. official results are expected on

monday human rights watch says muslims in the central african republic are trapped in enclaves, facing hunger and disease. they face violence if they leave and u.n. peace keepers are not providing security assistance cold weather and fog forced flights to be cancelled and trains delayed in new delhi. it recorded its coldest temperature in five years monday oil producing countries in the arab gulf say they will not cut output levels to lift oil prices out of a slump. saudi arabia and other states are meeting in abu dhabi. the fall in prices had a huge impact on other countries that depend on oil exports to keep the country afloat. i have this report. >> reporter: saudi arabia is the world's biggest exporter of oil. it accounts for around 13%. world's supply. but six months of falling prices

dented the profit margins. at a meeting of arab oil minister, saudi arabia blamed non-o.p.e.c. countries for the fall. the saudi arabia minister said oil producers outside the block lacked cooperation and are oversupplying the market driven by greed. >> we do not know what can happen in the future. what we know is those with the most and best reduction will control the market. >> reporter: gulf ministers said they are confident that the market will stablilize again and soon. a refusal to drop the current price of oil by around a million barrels a day could hurt other countries. brent crude dropped from $111 a barrel in june to now at $61. countries like venezuela, who rely on oil revenue are struggling to balance the books. >> we are not at disaster. this happened before. this happened before.

we are just at a short-term of oversupply. this oversupply will be fixed because the market is strong. some analysts say another factor in the volatility of the prices is the rise of shale gas. >> what is clear is that there's increasing concern in the gulf about the rising levels of u.s. out put from shale gas, and concern that they'll increasingly lose market share and the united states will become oil independent. >> reporter: shell gas represents around a quarter of u.s. gas production, but such is the demand that the figure is expected to double in the next 20 years. leading o.p.e.c. members from the golf say it will run out. as thinks stand, that could cost $350 billion a year. david nelson is a chief strategist at bellpoint asset management and says the downward trend in oil prices has a lot to

do with saudi arabia's decisions. >> saudi arabia realised that $100 oil probably is no longer defencible in today's world. there are too many producers out there. o.p.e.c. enjoyed the prestige of the world and enjoyed the ability to kind of manipulate oil prices. let's face it, o.p.e.c. has been a cartel dominating the oil scene for well over 50 years. for the first time in over four decades oil is floating as a free commodity and it will be subject to supply and demand. i think saudi arabia understands that they have the reserves to withstand the fall, and they no longer want to subsidise iran and iraq. russia and venezuela. oil export driven economy - for some it will be harsh, especially a country like venezuela. it's on the brink of collapse, and for a country like russia,

whose budget consumes 50% of oil export - it's a serious issue for them. syrian war suspect says he will not return to hear the outcome of his case. he's using the chance to statement a return to politics. we met him in belgrade. >> this is a gift which i received from my friend saddam hussein. >> reporter: he's one of the last political strong men of yugoslavia's civil wars. after being released by the hague tribunal to receive cancer treatment he is back at work. >> translation: in the last 12 years the hague tribunal failed to prove a link between me and any atrocities. >> reporter: this ended in the massacre of hundreds of ethnic crow at. he's accused of the persecution of non-serbs, murder,

imprisonment and torture. the return comes at a tentative time as it edges closer to e.u. membership. there are those that are concerned that membership will lead to a loss of sovereignty and be damaging for close ties to russia. he has made no secret of his desire to create a pan slavic region, uniting russia and serbia. >> interrupting the interview, his mobile phone. [ ♪ music ] >> reporter: the russian national anthem - his ring tone of choice. >> translation: all of our traditional enemies are e.u. member. russia is our traditional friend and ally. e.u. countries bombed us in 1999 and grabbed kosovo. russia, throughout history, never attacked us. >> reporter: from the start

obstacles and delays be set the trial. the biggest upset was caused by the hague. infighting between the officials forced the replacement of one of the judges, setting the verdict back by months. serbian prosecutors accused them of being irresponsible. >> translation: after the court proceedings were finished and they were reaching an agreement, the process was returned to square one. this is unacceptable. a new verdict is expected next year. he says he will not return. >> no, never. >> reporter: he remains in serbia, his influence will grow. this is him at a rally. as the balkans struckle to come to terms with history, the return of one of the most repentant nationalists threatens

to inflame tensions. pakistan has carried out four executions days after lifting a freeze on the death penalty. the men were accused of being involved in an attack on the former president. the moratorium was lived on tuesday. since the syrian civil war began three years ago soldiers and troops loyal to the government defected. al jazeera spoke to an intelligence officer who left the military to join the armed opposition. they decided to leave armed groups and become a media activist. here is his story. >> i used to work as a security guard. part of the military intelligence division. by the end of 2011, at the beginning of the syrian revolution, as we received orders from the regime, and command to shoot and kim, i decided to defect.

i started to coordinate to see the residents of the area. the regime's forces besieged hula at the time with roadblocks in and around the city. the situation was difficult. i reached my town in february 2012. i am married with four children and started quickly to move my family out for fear of the shelling. through the revolution, i managed to get them out of syria. they are currently in al jazeera camps. we lacked coordination and discipline. after a massacre, i became involved with media activities, i joined the media bureau. media activists suffer from a look of support because we used to be public emploughs.

we suffer from a lack of resources from cameras to laptops. the main problem is electricity, which is restored for an hour every 24 hours. we chose forces of power. for more than 2.5 years, we have not seen the wife or children. i missed them a lot. i pray the crisis comes to an end and i'm reunited with my family. i hope we can go back to the old days and normal way of life al jazeera continues to demand the release of three journalists imprisoned in egypt for 359 address. peter greste, mohamed fadel fahmy and baher mohamed were gaoled on false charms of helping the outlawed muslim brotherhood. they are appealing against their convictions. now, the diplomatic breakthrough between the united states and cuba has triggered mixed rehabilitations in the cuban capital havana. there are hopes that the new relationships will bring more

opportunities that years of mutual distrust left their mark. we have this report. on a side street, kids being kids, not a worry in the world. watching on the side lines, these two wait in line for a chance to play. at their tender age they say they have a view on what changes could be coming to their country with the promise of better relations to the united states. >> translation: without this blockade we won't have to bring everything from china, maybe our school lumps will be better, everything will be modernized. >> reporter: most do not have internet at home. this boy hopes that will change so he can do what others take for granted. >> it will be better, because we have the power to communicate

why people. to connect with them, send emauls, like to my father who has been living in the u.s. >> reporter: cuba is a country where big important decisions are made by a small group of leaders by fidel and his brother castro, in their 80s. they have shaped cuba into what desist. >> reporter: cuban children, they have no context of where the country has been. they could gain in the long term. either way, they'll be the first generation that could be growing up in a new cuba. >> that's if they decide to stay. look everywhere around havana, and you'll see signs of americana in u.k. places. for kids it's not a political statement, but a fashion trend, put is more symbolic than ever of a decision to leave or stay. >> translation: for sure, i

wanted to live in the united states, it's better for my future. i want to visit the u.s., but i still want to continue to live here in cuba. >> reporter: as the sun sets on the city boardwalk kids gatser to catch the last rays of the sun. the youngest knowing that their country is entering unchartered waters nicaragua is set to begin construction on a contraial canal. the waterway will be funded by a chinese businessman. small communities will be affected as many families will be forced from their homs. we have this report. >> reporter: this ranch has been in the same family for more than 100 years. now it's feared she'll lose elf. 130 hectares of land, the new 50 million canal will run straight through it.

there's uncertainty. we feel bad and centered because the government has not thought about us. this will not benefit us, it will destroy our home and family. >> she is a lawyer, and will do everything she cap to protect her home and family. >> like her, they were worried. >> neither the government for the mayor told us where they'll send us. how much they'll be paid, it's up in the air. >> the canal will be 278km long, crossing the great lake, affecting 300 communities. activists are going from one community to the next, organising people to take action. thousand of nicaraguans have been protesting for months and say the project was negotiated, and the project is that of a

businessman. >> translation: it will enrich companies and million areas, not solve our problems. it will create new problems and destroy app important part of our territory and heritage. >> i see a project on the scale it's taken into account, the views of the people. they should have been a referendum. >> opposition to the canal is growing, the more people learn about it. the government says it must go ahead because it will create thousands of jobs. it says the canal has been a dream for many nicaraguans. but some that supported the project have questions. >> it could be a great investment in a short time, that would transform the infrastructure and bring benefits. i was enthusiastic, but now i'm worried about how the project is managed. >> from her home, she sees the government determination to go ahead. a police pal roll is stationed nearby. this will not deter her from her

fight just a reminder that you can keep up to date with all the news on the website. which is leading with the kurdish fighters moving to i.s.i.l.'s hub. aljazeera.com. >> hi, i'm lisa fletcher and you're in "the stream." 9 million americans are taking prescription drugs that may have dangerous interaction. are you one of them? find out in the next 30 minutes. if you're like nearly 70% of americans, you're taking at least one prescripon