>> palestinian worshippers garth at the al-aqsa mosque compound after clashes with the israeli security forces hello, you're watching al jazeera. also on the show. the u.s. and the european union lead a diplomatic push for a syrian peace deal at the u.n. polls open in landmark elections that could set catalonia on independence from spain. thousands march in mexico to demand justice for 43 missing students a year after they

disappeared. >> israeli security forces fired stun grenades and rubber-coated steal bullets at worshippers at the al-aqsa mosque compound. hundreds gathered outside the mosque to prevent israeli police going further. ta imtiaz tyab is in jerusalem. how is it looking now? >> the situation at the al-aqsa compound is calm. that, of course, was a different situation just a few hours ago, when israeli police and border police entered inside the complex and began firing stun grenades and rubber-coated steal bullets. as you pointed out there's la large group of palestinian worshippers that were inside the

complex. preventing israeli security forces from moving deeper into the compound than they have in the past. as we have been saying, the situation there remains tense. >> now, it's a complicated one. i wonder if i can get you to explain where exactly the israelis stand on attempts to change the status quo in the mosque compound area? >> perhaps we can explain what the status quo is. when israel seized, an agreement with jordan was reached that they'd be responsible, for the christian holy sites, the custodians, including the al-aqsa mosque compound. part of that agreement meant only muslims would be allowed to

worship. here we are, 50 years later, and we have a number of far right groups that want to change that. effectively change the status quo and to allow jewish israelis or people to pray inside the mosque complex. controversial issues for many palestinians. but the public or at least the stated position of the israeli government, or the prime minister binyamin netanyahu, is that he does not want the status quo to change. in saying that, he still has to look at israeli policy, there's a lot of data to show that the israeli government has been supporting groups that want to change that again. that status quo. although publicly the israeli government doesn't want to the change it, their actions are different. >> what led to - this is the second week where we saw israeli

police enter the compound. what is behind this cycle? >> again, it is these groups, these very powerful groups that want to come into the al-aqsa mosque compound. it must be said jewish people, christian people, of any denomination are allowed in the compound. the reason we see confrontations is when the groups go in to worship. when the far right israel your or for right jewish groups enter, they don't do discretely, coming in singing hms or chant anti-arab slogans, causing confrontations. they don't go in alone, they go in with israeli police and israeli border police. when you go in with an armed escort if you will, and you have an angry group of worshippers trying to prevent the group from

worshipping, preventing the status quo. that's when the confrontation erupts. it's in the last year or two we saw the violence that we saw a week ago in which we saw a number of people injured, and serious damage to the al-aqsa itself. that has made people angry, palestinians angry, and that is why the situation remains so tense. thank you for the ub p -- update from jerusalem. imtiaz tyab united states have approached iran to help find a solution. u.s. secretary of state john kerry, and the european policy chief, discussing the issue with the iranian foreign minister in new york. talks are expected to take place as diplomatic editor james bays reports. >> all eyes will be on russian president vladimir putin, when he makes a whistle-stop trip to

new york, spending a full day in the u.s., spending the day in the general assembly. everyone wants to know what the intentions are regarding syria. on the one hand vladimir putin sent marines, helicopters and tanks to a base on the syrian coast. on the other he said he wants a political solution. in an interview with talk to al jazeera, i asked the e.u.'s representative if she'd been given any idea what russia was up to. >> i was talking about that with our russian friends, with sergey lavrov in those days and last time i talked to him about this, his fear was that of a complete collapse of the state structures in syria. this could be one of the reasons why russia is acting in this way. but it could also be a willingness to...

..to support. >> syria was on the agenda too when the u.s. secretary of state john kerry met iranian foreign minister in new york, but neither was prepared to discuss what was said away from the cameras. >> i view this week as a major opportunity for any number of countries. to play an important role in trying to resolve some difficult issues. >> president obama will address the general assembly on the same day as vladimir putin on monday. he'll be aware of recent setbacks with u.s. policy. the pent rr admitted that -- pentagon admitted that some of those they are training, moderate rebels have handed over equipment, to the al nusra

front. another development involves iraq, a key member to i.s.i.l. iraq will join it, iran, and controversially, the bashar al-assad regime in setting up a coordination centre. baghdad you can watch james bays full interview with frederica mogherini on "talk to al jazeera" at 1430 on monday iran's supreme leader is demanding that saudi arabia apologise for the stampede in which 770 were killed. victims should not be blamed and their families should issue an apology. >> safety is being reviewed bid saudi arabia polls opened in elections that could lead to catalonia breaking away from spain.

the pro independence parties say victory in the election would give them a mandate to prepare independence. the government proposes any mood that they regard as illegal. we have this report from barcelona. the culture of catalonia, distinct from the rest of spain, suppressed during dictatorship, a region that feels the voice is ignored by madrid. will the elections seen as a referendum on independence change all that? >> they are voting, yes, i think it's a great opportunity, the catalan people, to be heard. >> reporter: the spanish state has thrown its full weight behind the opposition, warning of the dire consequences of catalan independence, expulsion from the euro and the european

union. >> translation: we don't want to leave the european union, we want attentions to be guaranteed and a future for our children. industrial power, tourist hot spot. catalonia decided for a fifth of the gross domestic product. the region would pay in more than it gets back. >> given the stories coming out of madrid, is catalonia rich enough to survive as an independent state. >> if the question is would spain propose heavy costs in catalonia, in the dramatic break-up, let's say. the answer is yes, as well. of course it may not be free for spain, because it has hard times coming back. >> if catalonia does become an independent state. maybe this will be its army, in

red and blue. barcelona football club has deep nationalist pedigree, a place where for years the banned catalan language was spoken safe from general franco's police. when barcelona play here at the home ground at camp, the fans go wild. they scream for their idols. players like lionel messi. something else happens here as well. they boo the spanish national anthem, unfurling spanners that say catalonia is not spain. they use this space and those occasions to cry for independence. the spanish association says barcelona may be banned from la liga. another establishment scare tactic perhaps, or an added layer of acrimony between two separate sides still more to come on al

jazeera. >> i'm ready to go home if possible, but don't know where to find my family yemeni children flee the war in their country to seek safety in somalia. plus... ..why more and more women in rural kenya are developing a thursday for success and empower. some are just trying to survive? >> they want to make the city for people that can afford things. >> "faultlines". al jazeera america's hard-hitting... >> today they will be arrested. >> ground-breaking... >> they're firing canisters of gas at us. >> award winning investigative documentary series.

>> what do you want american's to understand? >> there's so much injustice. >> workers are being injured constantly. welcome back. let's recap the headlines here on al jazeera.

israeli security forces fired stun grenades and rubber coated steal bullets at the al-aqsa compound in jerusalem. hundreds of palestinians gathered outside the mosque to prevent the israeli police going beyond the main gait. the u.s. and european union approached iran to help fine solution to the conflict. e.u. foreign policy chief discussed the issue with the iranian foreign minister in new york polls have opened in elections in catalonia. pro independence party say victory will give them a mandate to declare independence from spain. the government in madrid said such a move would be illegal thousands of people marched in mexico city to demand justice for 43 students that went missing. families believed local police handed the trainee teachers to a

drug gang. lucia newman, latin american editor reports. >> reporter: it's been months since 43 students disappeared without a trace, and their families are here to say that they will not mess until they get satisfaction. >> i am so sad, i want my son returned to me along with all the others. >> it was believed the students were attacked and left with the local police. in the country, shell shocked by violence, it's a crime that outraged mexicans. scandalous international opinion, and embarrassed the government. it's become a symbol of the degree of impunity. from which defenseless mexicans gather. >> translation: this is systematic of what is happening throughout mexico, where 25,000

have disappeared in recent years. >> reporter: this was not just a march to remember the missing students. it was the latest opportunity to express anger at the government. accused of covering up the crime with an investigation that authorities acknowledge was flawed. >> translation: it's unacceptable that this is happening. any of our children could be next. >> reporter: president pena nieto who met with the families agreed to reopen the investigation, and vows to keep it open as long as is necessary. the parents do not trust authorities and demand that independent investigators from the inter-american human rights commission remain in mexico for as long as it takes to find the students. the commemorate of one year will continue over the weekend.

underscoring the anger and the impetus felt by millions of mexicans, who cannot believe so much time has lapsed without the whereabouts, or, at the very least there remains as many as a million people are expected to attend pope francis's last mass in the united states. during his whirlwind visit the pope endorsed religious freedom and called for americans to welcome immigrants. >> reporter: for the 78-year-old pope the last leg of an exhausting trip. the final stop philadelphia. the greeting as warm as any. the first engagement in the city of brotherly love, a papal mass. this was about pomp and ceremony, a reminder of francis's role as leader of the world for 1.2 billion catholics, for the pope, politics is never

par away. so there was a speech, and in his native spanish, at the hall where the american constitution was tweeted and adopted. founded by immigrants. >> when a country is determined to remain true to its founding principles, the principles that were foundational based on respect and human dignity, that is strengthened and renewed. >> reporter: for some in the crowd this was the francis to be respected and revered. >> it was a deep message for earth, and knowing that talking about it is giving us more hope and hopefully it will make a lot more changes to us immigrants. >> i think it's wonderful. we can't hear it enough. immigrants have continually

brought so much to the country and especially our church, and we continue the need to welcome immigrants who do so much for this country. >> away from the smiling faces and some distance from the pope, angry voices, anger that he failed to voice the issues. >> it's not part of message, really really. >> i think what a lot of folks want to hafr, i don't think he's -- hear, i don't think he's addressing that. >> some believe the pope is too political. that he doesn't fully understand the country. it is clear that pope francis will use the goodwill he enjoys to make political points about issues he believes are central to his faith. >> estonia and russia swapped spies at a border post.

meanwhile estonia released former officials accused of spying. >> they were swapped. gunmen have killed 21 people in the capital of the central african republic, at least 100 more wounded in the worst violence this year. gerald tan has the details. >> reporter: taking whatever they can carry, residents of this mainly christian neighbourhood tried to escape the attackers, saying muslims came at them with automatic weapons, grenades and knives. houses and cars were burnt. according to witness, the assault was in retaliation to the killing of a muslim man, whose body was dumped in the streets. >> what we are seeing now at the moment, is a replay of what we were seeing last year in those tit for tat violence and attacks between communities, and that really highlights the fact that

in car now, the situation really - at the death of the - the depth of the problem has not improved. >> reporter: violence divided the central african republic since the president was ov overruled. this gave rise to christians who fought back. a conflict stepping from poverty is being fought along religious lines, thousands have been killed, hundreds of thousands more driven from their homes. despite a deal signed in may, violence persists with u.n. peacekeepers and troops trying to keep them apart. >> the government is challenging. the country is meant to held presidential and parliamentary elections next month and the head of the interim parliament says it's likely to be postponed again nigeria's military launched

an offensive against boko haram in the north of the country. bangui and bona state is the latest town to be retain. nigeria's military says more than 200 boko haram fighters surrounded on friday. bangui was used as a staging post for cross-border attacks into cameroon. al jazeera is travelling with the nigerian army, and sent the update from borno state. >> the nigerian military is gaining grounds, and captured one of the last hands. and it's conducting mopping up operations, driving from the capital to the front line in the north-east of nigeria, it's easy to see the relief on the faces of many nigerians. coming up. hundreds coming nonstop to be here. people have started coming back to their farms, their homes. some of the areas are not

particularly safe for people to return. >> that's why the nigerian army said operations are being conducted. people fled their homes. right now the nigerian military is saying that boko haram fighters, because of the pressure applied on them by the nigerian forces, from cameroon, niger and chad. and those commuting to the effort. the chief of army said they were gaining more on bok are through intel challenges. the level of cooperation is high. in the next month they'll end the insurgency in north-east nigeria yemeni's fleeing war, crossing the gulf of aiden to reach camps in somali that are

already crowded. >> translation: it's meal time for the refugees in the port city. this is all they will get today. those here are the latest to arriving. this person is one of them. he was injured in fighting in the yemeni city of aden. >> translation: i was driving an ambulance when i was hit by a mortar, i had three surgeries on my leg. i feared for my safety and couldn't provide for them. >> there's no let up from those escaping somalia, hundreds have been moved to the town, 4 hours drive. the town's only universities are home. >> officials from the yemeni embassy in somali comes to check on them. he is unwelcome. refugees are desperate. and tempers are lost here.

>> translation: we want to be taken out of the country, somali is not safe. we can't live her when we don't feel secure. somalia has no capacity to care for us. >> reporter: among the refugees are unaccompanied children separated from their families in a rush to escape. many don't know the whereabouts of their relatives. this 12-year-old is one of them. >> we eat sometimes, at other times we don't. we have nothing, no milk, juice. i'm ready to go home. if possible, but don't know whether to find my family. >> the flood is overwhelming agencies and local communities. thousands have been living in yemen as refugees, returning home to escape the war. >> it's a situation made worse by more than a million people displaced across somalia by conflict, drought and hunger.

the u.n. says at least 3 million in somalia are in need of aid. despite their own problems, the local community gives to the refugees. this tribal king has been leading efforts to feed them. he has brought them a fresh supply of food. >> what we give the refugees is not enough. they require urgent and adequate help and importantly shelter. >> reporter: most people here are happy. they say life in somalia is hard, but it's better than being trapped in the violence in yemen gender inequality is one of the most important issues on the agenda at the u.n. secretary general assembly. less than 3% of women can read and write. some women are demanding their right to education.

>> pakistan's tribal belt. there's a major difference between this and other women that live there. her father wanted her though be educated, rare from the federally administered tribal area. >> here there is no education system. they don't know their basic rights, that education is their right. decision making is their right. >> for the last few years pakistan's military has been fighting against the taliban and other groups inside the tribal belt. tenses of thousands of people have fled to camps like this one on the outskirts of peshawar. the tradition of keeping women indoors and uneducated remained strong. all these women are living in the regional capital peshawar, waiting to return to their

homes. >> when we were in the tribal belt we were blind and didn't know anything. now it's open and i'm trying to educate my daughter and son. >> the displacement of more than a million people has had one positive benefit. >> they have seen the lifestyle of other people, seeing that men, families are seeing the difference between the educated girl and uneducated girl. >> as more women speak out. they are becoming braver and bolder. in the past some have been killed for demanding rites. >> my family opposes girl's education, i struggled for it, and they tortured me like hell. i still feel the pain. >> if there's a chance tore education, the boy gets it over the girl. they'll send their son to a good school and say to the girl, no more education for you after five years. >> now they found a woman from

their own community giving them the courage to demand more. it's likely to take years of struggle to change centuries of tradition. >> a reminder - you can keep up to date with all the stories if you head to the website aljazeera.com. jazeera - sonia manzano, otherwise known as maria on 'sesame street'. >> i can't believe i did it. if someone had suggested that this was gonna be my future, i would have suggested that they commit themselves to the nearest insane asylum. >> manzano also wrote for the children's television series and would share in 15 emmy awards. she was a trailblazer - the first leading latina on american television. but after 44 years, manzano is retired. >> it's very hard for me to get across to kids, or people who weren't around in '69, how