>> the u.s. giving a helping hand to the iraqi government announceing they will send 450 nor trainers. we're live from london. also coming up, al jazeera claims evidence children are being recruited a year after the iraqi city of mosul was captured by isil. the u.n. discusses how to improve it's darfur peacekeeping mission described as the world's most dysfunctional. and in south korea tries to contain an outbreak of mers,

which killed nine people. the u.s. state department has told al jazeera that deployment is about empowering sunnies. >> these are sunni fighters. they have a stake in this. they have a stake in this fight. this is their region, so it's about giving them. >> let's get more on these troops which have been sent to iraq as it tries to battle with isil. let's go to roslind jordan. she's at the state department in washington. roslind,.

>> it's really a slight reinvestigation to an answer going policy.ongoing policy with the u.s. providing training and assistance to the iraqi military but in this case they're going to be providing a lot of intelligence support, a lot of analysis sport and strategizing support to the members of the iraqi military. who are going to be tasked trying to claim ramadi from the isil fighters who took it over in recent weeks. >> the u.s. focus seems to be on military support, what about reconciliation. that's the key root that keeps driving sunni communities into the arms of groups like isil.

>> that's the part that does not lend itself to television, sammi. that's the work of people talking with each other coming up with policies that are very inclusive of sunni shia, kurdish and other minorities inside iraq, and it takes a long time to recover intentions that were aggravated by nouri al-maliki, the previous prime minister of the country. this is a situation that can't be fixed overnight. certainly the obama administration would like to see the work carried out by hyder al abadi and his government as quickly as possible to send the mission to sunnies inside iraq that they are a welcome part of the community. that they're not going to be shoved aside so that the shy i can'tshia population.

some say this could take some time. some say generations to repair. >> directly arming and funding sunni tribes? >> they're going to be working with the iraqi military so, the military knows who is being trained, who is using which weapons and how they're being used. this is not going to be a decision made by u.s. military planners and washington is very keen to make certain that this is iraq's fight not their fight. >> roslind journey in washington, d.c. it's been a year since isil first declared it's intent in iraq when it took control of mosul, iraq's second largest

city. we have more from northern iraq. >> beyond the bridge is isil territory. some 2 million people are breeze to still live there cut off from the rest of the country. >> the people who want to leave but they have to pay isil huge amounts of money that they don't have. they have 20 provide guarantee to prove they plan to come back. they live in a prison. >> these people are born and raised in mosul. they fled to the north when isil took over. journalists have contacts inside who secretly film. they explain how isil uses every opportunity to brain watch the people of mosul. they even breach in malls. according to these journalists isil hides its weapons in civilian neighborhoods so people will turn against the u.s.-led coalition when they target the

area. but else has some sport. support. some in the community have long felt argentina targeted by the government and by militias. many prefer isil over the kurds who they believe want their land. >> they have managed to hold the lines with the airstrikes but for now they don't plan to move towards the sunni. their leadership say they'll play a supporting role if and when iraq is able to capture iraq us's city. isil has been preparing for that battle. it has been burying concrete barriers as a line of defense

and it is creating a new generation of fighters. >> they will be sleeping cells in the future. they have been brainwashing children. [♪ singing ♪] >> a major part of isil's strategies to control every aspect of the lives of the people under its rule, and even if it loses ground insure its ideology will endure for years to come. al jazeera northern iraq. >> united nations say attacks on its peace keepers in darfur are increasing. the announcement game as the security council discussed what has been described as the world's most disfunctional peacekeeping mission. james bays reports from the u.n. >> the situation in darfur is certainly deteriorating.

these are among the 150,000 people forced to flee their homes since the beginning of this year. the size of the current peacekeeping force in place since 2008 has already been reduced just 15,000 troops and police to patrol the territory the size ever france. on the security council one diplomat told me unamed, a joint mission by the u.n. and africa union, was the most dysfunctional peacekeeping mission in the world. but there are disagreements of how to change things. some are calling for an exit strategy. >> now is not the time for unamid to withdraw. we need to reconfigure its mandates and focus on its core role, which is protecting civilians. any other task we want to focus

on the core role. the acts head of the mission was pretty clear when i asked him about the problems she faces. >> these conditions have to do with the security, the protection of civilians, the ability to go back home without fearing to be attacked. we need to engage and address the root of the problem. >> an example of the problems in the relationship between the government and u.n. was indicated when it was questioned that an ethiopian peace keeper

to be evacuated. it was denied and he died. >> the actions of the government of sudan is one of the reasons why it's not working. some will tell you if unamid will continue to fail, then u.n. should withdraw, but that's exactly what sudan has made clear that it wants to have happen. >> let's look at some of the plain headlines now. talks reaching an agreement to end libya's power vacuum has ended without a deal in berlin. on tuesday the u.n.-backed meeting say that it gave its rifles too much power. two gunmen werein egypt a

suicide-bomber attacked the temple in luxor. two gunmen were shot, one died and the other has been critically injured. president vladimir putin met with the head of the catholic church. it was afternooned that he start talks. so far nine people have died from the middle east respiratory syndrome virus and hundreds affected. >> at the medical center the common cold is being taken more seriously than ever. anyone with even mild symptoms are brought to the center.

and anyone diagnosed with mers is quarantineed. this will be a water shed moment. >> they'll protect staff and other patience. there are apatience patients with mers. the risk of infection elsewhere within this facility is very minimal. however, the government is saying that other patients have been presenting themselves and other facilities and they're concerned about the spread from hospital to hospital. the acting prime minister telling anyone who suspects they may have mers to stay put and call authorities. everyone else should live life as normal. please refrain from over reaction such as avoiding consumption in the mers affected

areas. and do engage in regular activities such as traveling over the weekends. >> nearly half of the confirmed cases were contracted here in southern seoul. officials say that the numbers should start to decline through this week if it has been limited to a hospital outbreak. inside visits experts from the "world health organization" were trying to establish why mers has spread so rapidly in south korea. and concern that the virus has gone out into the population has caused companies to take precautions even if employees are not reassured. >> some are already showing symptoms which means that their virus has already dispersed. it's like prescribing medicine after a death has already occurred. >> there is a real attempt to show unified concerted response across south korea.

real assurance will come when there is a sustained decrease in the number of new infections. harry fawcett seoul. >> still ahead on al jazeera, we'll show you how south america's football tournament is being affected by the fifa candle. scandal. >> we'll find out what development there has been. with xfinity from comcast you can manage your account anytime, anywhere on any device. just sign into my account to pay bills manage service appointments and find answers to your questions.

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>> welcome back. a reminder now of our top

stories here on al jazeera. u.s. president barack obama has approved a plan to deploy an extra 450 military personnel to a base in anbar province. they will help to fight against isil. the troops will train and advise iraqi forces and sunni tribal forces. the announcement comes a year after isil took control of mosul, iraq's second largest city. they have discovered evidence of the group recruiting thousands of children within the city. the u.n. security council is discussing it's peacekeeping mission in the darfur region. more than 150,000 people have been forced to leave their homes due to ongoing fighting between government troops and rebel factions since the start of the year. swiss prosecutors have sized it data from football's world governing body fifa as part of its corruption investigation. earlier it was announced the

bidding process for the 2026 world cup has been put on hold. last month officials opened critical proceedings on suspension of accepting bribes during the bidding process to host the next two world cups. those were won by russia and qatar. well, the opening match of south america's football tournament kicks off in chile's national stadium on thursday night. in the shadow of the fifa corruption scandal hangs over the tournament while the stadium itself house as dark history. we have the report from santiago. >> the final touch has been applied to the national stadium ahead of chile's opener here against ecuador. it's the grounds that has hosted many sport sporting triumphs.

colo-colo would go to the 1973 championships. >> it's amazing so you something builthow something built for entertainment could house torture. >> more than 40,000 prisoners were tortured, some executed in the stadium. manuel mendez was one of the survivors, held for 50 days in what should have been a changing room. >> when they opened that door we never knew whether it would bring good or bad. they came to take people away. 10 or 15. we didn't know what for. >> a former political prisoner has insured the stadium houses this memorial to the victims.

>> unfortunately, the stadium emits a double message. the supporting message, which is marvelous that excites us, we love our team which plays here, but it has a price that is the emotion of thousands of chilean families like no other site in the country. >> the idea that sports and history could mix. these benches are preserved at a memorial to those who suffered in one of chile's darkest histories. the soviet union refused to show up for play.

they were disgusted by its human rights practices. >> chile said that no prisoners were at the tight. site. but my friend said that's a lie. that day he was there. >> the counter chilean team hopes that the stadium will be remembered for their victories and not the painful ghosts of the past. >> let's go to the capital of santiago for the big kick off. talk about ghosts of the past. what about ghosts of the present. how much of a cloud is the whole fifa issue casting over the game? >> the inaugural game will take place at the stadium. the president will be there

michael and we don't know who will be sitting in the vip box. it's going to be a huge crowd. what they'll do now is insure that the focus is very much on what is happening on the pitch and away from what is happening off the pitch. >> expectations are very high. >> very much so. messi has been playing and winning everything for barcelona, but very little with the national side. many of the players his colleagues are in the peak of their career so i think the

focus will be on them to perform here. they have not won the cope at a copa america since 1991. they have got home supreme support and they'll have very good focus on them. great expectations with 12 teams taking part. any one of six probably likely winners of the tournament. >> all right daniel thanks so much. >> there were fears that greece might default on its default on its debt in the next 12 months. it's rating has reach junk territory. that means the country's lost

investment grade status. on strike over government plans to allow the sale of non-prescription medicines in supermarkets. the country's creditors are demanding the deregulation of the market. pharmacists say they can barely make ends meet. we have reports from athens. >> battling a rare form of leukemia. she manages to hold down a job teaching economics and swimming every day. >> i take medicine. it's totally covered by my insurance. i couldn't afford this on my own. >> she has helped other uninsured cancer patients through a local support group by donating some of her pills. the government is trying to provide for everyone, but charity and solidarity play an increasingly important role because state healthcare is

struggling. head of the staff unities in units at one of the the largest hospital in greece. >> austerity has reduced public spending on medicine during the crisis from $5.5 billion a year to $2.5 billion. :of the difference has rolled on to the shoulders of patients, whose copayments tripled to 30% of the shelf price and some of the difference has been absorbed by drug makers and sellers who have been forced to accept lower prices. thatpharmacies say that government has not reimbursed

them in six months. one in six say they're in danger of going bankrupt. >> we reached an point to a point where we have 1% margin profit. the prescription maker says i have to pay them within the month, but the government does not pay me for four months. do you call that trade. >> a third of greeks are uninsured and the biggest insurer, the state cannot pay in a timely fashion. she always hopes that her cancer will one day go into remission. until it does her insurance and her endurance are the only things keeping her alive. >> well, bamyan province in

afghanistan is regarded one of the safest parts of the troubled nation. the taliban were driven out 1 years ago. while security has improved people are still struggling for a lack of infrastructure. nicole johnston traveled to one of the few modern roads to find out more about the area known as the place of shining light. >> there were no paved roads in all of bamyan until three years ago when this one was built. it now connects dozens of poor, remote villages to the provincial capital. unfortunately, it ends here. 14 years ago the taliban destroyed the town's market and killed 300 people in one day. now it's peaceful. because those who live in bamyan are shia muslim and they don't support the taliban. but there are no jobs. >> there is no work or business

for shop keepers. the government helps other provinces but in bamyan they didn't do much. i don't know why maybe because we're peaceful. i'm here all day and i can't even feed my family. >> there are few signs. electricity can be turned on for only a couple of hours a night if they can afford it. there is no transportation. we came across students walking to school because there is no bus. 13-year-old tells us she walks three hours a day to school and home again. the principal said it's too much for children.

>> some of our students are walking for two or three hours to get here. they're young children so they're tired by the time they arrive and fall asleep. >> in the classroom things aren't much better. no desks not even chairs. however, banyam has the highest enrollment of girls in school. from here our journey takes us over rough mountain roads travel is slow, but in the end you're award ready with this, a string of six natural lakes. this national park is a symbol of how much potential bamyan has. while there is some development it is still far behind the other provinces in afghanistan. there is, however, one major advantage in bamyan. that is security, a rare thing in afghanistan. nicole johnston, al jazeera,

banyam. >> well, that brings us two an end to this show. we'll be back with another full bulletin of news at 23 g and of course there is our website www.aljazeera.com. you can see our front page there with our lead stories on the situation in iraq. >> it's christmas eve and u.s. soldiers are preparing for their last month in afghanistan. about 40,000 are still here.