town.e government in the >> rosalyn jordan has more on the decision to keep u.s. forces in the country where it is technically no longer at war. >> the u.s. president wanted to leave office with almost no troops deployed in afghanistan. but circumstances have forced barack obama to give up that

goal. 5500 troops will be stationed around afghanistan after 2016. >> the mission will not change. our troops will focus on training afghans and counter terrorism. but these bases will give us the presence and the reach our forces require to achieve their mission. >> right now, there are about 9800 u.s. troops in afghanistan, they are training and providing battlefield advice. under the president's original plan, the number of troops would drop to about 1,000, by the end of 2016. >> the political pressure on obama to cancel the troop draw down has been building for some time. on wednesday, more than 30 former u.s. officials sent him a letter warning of chaos if troops leave. >> i think it would be a great -- it would be a great loss for all of us, if a too rapped withdrawal of american capabilities and counter terrorism capabilities led to

a deterioration in the situation just as the new president is coming into office. >> also key factors say analyst the taliban's temporary take over of kunduz city, and continuing instability in iraq. >> the obama add min vagues is taking a hard look at their plan, in light of what has happened in iraq. now without saying it was the right call or wrong call, i am sure it is raising red flags. >> last year, president obama made a promise to young military officers. >> you are the first class to graduate since 9/11. who may not be sent into combat in iraq or afghanistan. >> but presenting the disintegration means that obama is breaking that promise, both to the troops and his political legacy. al jazeera, washington.

>> okay, patty could haines with us, have there been signs that obama had been. coming around to this for a long time in light of all the advice. rather sudden. i shut you saw the commander from afghanistan, she testified recently, and put the president in a bind. he said if he had to go down to 1,000 troops just stationed. he wouldn't be able to perform counter terrorism. and it's important to point out negotiate a deal and they have that in affan stan have & have

faith in the new leadership they say the fact he is keeping the status quo is proof the strategy is working. the president himself said he was always going to be flexible on this. if you look at statements from the campaigns and every time he announced a troop draw down he was definitive. it is clear when he leaves office the promise the troops would be home is a promise not kept. >> january 2017 he leaves office and wasn't able to say how long the troops will stay there, that will be down to his successor. >> it will be it becomes an issue on the campaign traim. the more than public are weary of this war. at the beginning of it 9-11 had huge support numbers and 42% of

merns say it was a mistake to go into afghanistan. this is going to be controversial. we are waiting to hear what the democratic campaigners will say. there is one candidate that said the president isn't listening to his military commanders. we have heard a lot of people 5,500 in 2017 not enough. this is a flexible situation and the president says this is what he is going to do now and says he reserves the right to change his mind. >> thank you very much reporting in washington, d.c. >> gen for glass is in the afghan capital and says the extent of the american mission will be welcomed news for the afghan government. >> reporter: it comes against the back drop of the taliban taking kun du city and holding it for three full days and having a presence

before withdrawing. security forces taking that back. we saw fight negligent south the taliban taking control of the main high between kabul and kandahar stranding travelers there and crilling transit between two major cities. hitting more than 20 afghan policemen and the security forces were able to repel an attack on gasny city but the taliban making their presence known and security forces will have the help of u.s. forces for another year at least. israel's continuing its expansion of security operation in east jerusalem and the west

bank. there palestinians and seven israelis have lost their lives since the beginning of october. we hear how israel's security measures are having an impact on the people who live there. >> reporter: intense security at enterance to the old city. police ordering palestinians to lift their shirts, some instructed to remove their shoes. but this group waving israeli flags passes through unchecked. it is related to the degree of anxiety among jewish israelis. false alarms about impending attacks have sparked panic in a number of locations and have budget several reports of israelis with dark complex yons being attacked by fellio jews after being mistaken for palestinians. >> we have a large understanding

of the secure issue involved and the intense period we are in. there is not panic. >> reporter: even the police spokesman is wearing a stab vest. >> my own personal safety is important. y walk with an religious man. i could be targeted. all residents have to pass through police checkpoints this. area has an hour of commuting time for those needing to go to work or university. only a handful of individuals have been involved in the attacks and the dominant emotion is anger that so many are being made to pay for the actions of so few. this man is a prominent community leader here and voices the frustration of his fellow resident says. >> putting pressure on the

palestinian people and the people of geriewses lem. that will create a bigger explosion. it won't calm things down. you need a political decision not a security one. >> reporter: the warning the structured humiliation may threaten the very security israeli contend its is designed to enforce. >> there has been violence in the west bank city again of bethlehem. a number of masked palestinians have hit an israeli military car with some sort of molatov cocktail. they have responded using what appears to be teargas. israel is bolstering security along the security with gaza. they are deploying two

battallians there. they say they stand united despite the distance between the two territories. the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu responding to some of the violence. he said he is open to meeting the palestinian leader. a statement he is prepared to meet him, but anything concrete about setting up a meeting between two leaders hurling insults at each other for weeks now? >> very good point, david. in reality the likely head of a meeting taking place is pretty remote. it has to be said. the leaders couldn't be further apart.

there is a visit planned by secretary of state john ker toe try to find a way out of this cycle of violence. this is a foreign media briefing and netanyahu was pressed on the issue with face-to-face talks. he did say it could be a positive potentially useful move that didn't really stand in line with accusing him of inciting palestinians. pressed on the issue he said i've called unconditional for unconditional negotiations immediately. i'm calling for them immediately. and he pressed the point that king abdullah from jordan could be invostled involved.

it could be said the only thing possibly these two leaders have in common is they are both under pressure. they are under pressure from constituents and abas is under pressure from the palestinian youth and the israeli prime minister is under pressure from security forces and israeli people and all shades of politics to do something about this. he keeps using this firm iron fist as it is known in the israeli media. could it be kicking back and not work? that is the real fear, this could drag on. really, the context of this briefing was yes, again the prime minister was attacking abas who did make an address to palestinians on wednesday in which he attacked, in turn, the

israeli prime minister accusing him of incitement. >> you are watching the news hour. coming up in a moment: >> ukraine 177. >> five counties among them ukraine elected on to the u.n. security council. and leaders try to stem the flow of refugees into europe. and we have the details of a bad-tempered game decided by the toronto blue jays and the texas rangers in the american league baseball play-offs. >> the word out of syria is the army there launched the much anticipated offensive in the

countryside. focusing on two areas on a road that links the provinces they want it to bring supplies and where the russian naval base is. and the capital damascus. we get more. >> reporter: the battle in the northern homs countryside has become this. is a coordinated assault between the syrian army on the ground and russian air force. it's the second offensive of its kind. its air forces providing support to allies on the groundsa they try but civilians are caught in the mide.

>> this is a civilian area,i sill is not here. you russian dogs. the whole world should see this. >> reporter: they are reporting fighters as well as civilians are being killed and injured. tens of thousands live there, many displaced from fighting elsewhere in the country and this corner of syria has been surrounded for years. the only roads out lead to government controlled territory. >> people are afraid and starting to leave the areas that are being hit, but they can't leave the countryside because all the roads are blocked. only one route out but it's under government control and people are afraid they will be arrested in they go there. >> reporter: the syrian military say it is to restore security and stability. it would help the territory linking its seat of power in damascus to the heartland.

>> homs is the area they wanted to control and there is are roads that lead across the country. it's important for the regime and opposition because this is the capital. revolution and we will fight until the end. >> reporter: the opposition is under attack on other fronds. the northern country side and southern areas are battle grounds it is linked to a broader military campaign when targeting opposition controlled in the west of the country. the syrian government and allies are on the offense and i have have stopped rebel advances in the area. the immediate aim is to

re-capture territory and weaken the opposition and bring about political concessions. ukraine managed to win a seat on the u.n. security council to give it a new platform to spar diplomatically with rushia. egypt, japan, senegal and uruguay were elected to the council. all five went in unopposed for theirid abouts for non-permanent seats. there could be contronitation between japan and china who is also a permanent member and with russia and japan that has territorial disputes with both countries. the two year term starts january of next year. the u.n.'s nuclear wawatch dog has given what it needs to see if past activities are

linked to nuclear weps. it calls for sanctions wre leaf for restrictions on nuclear activities. the higher council approved the nuclear accord despite opposition from a number of members. iran state tv's air footage of what appears to be an underground missile base, broadcasters say it was given access by the revolutionary guard and didn't say where it was but 500-meters below the surface of the earth. government in mir an mar signed a so called nationwide ceasefire it hopes will end decades of violence. less than half of the minority organizations around that area have actually signed the deal. we get the report. >> reporter: the deal which has been years in the

making was finally signed at a ceremony in the capital in what is described as the nationwide ceasefire agreement is one of the top priorities when he took office four years ago and 50 years of military rule came to an end. >> today is a very important historic day for my an mar we have a new road to a peaceful future. >> reporter: it's an agreement in name only. eight signed the deal and seven others didn't. the independence army is fighting to maintain control large parts of the country and there is fighting in other areas areas. the president says the door remains open for all groups to sign so the suffering will end. >> there have been conflicts since we won independence. hundreds of thousands living in

the conflict area have sufferedi mensely. >> reporter: political talks are centered around the federal system to give the states greater autonomy and there will be talks about putting monitors in conflict areas and troop withdrawals. but much is in doubt given a general election is due to be held on november 8 and so many groups are refusing to sign. >> after election one thing we will see is can the constitution be amended. and and decentralization of power and. >> reporter: there is still much mistrust between the rebel groups and the military leaders who remain a powerful political force. china is going to be the host of an informal meeting of defense ministers of southeast

asian nations. let summit come amid territorial tensions claiming 12 nautical mile aroundi lands being within china's borders. that over laps with a number of other countries laying claim including vietnam and taiwan. beijing de denounced a activityn the region. >> reporter: two world powers flexing their muscles over seven small islands in the southern south china sea. it includes what the u.s. suddens will be the latest of three air fields which the u.s. says are in international waters. u.s. plans for a military

exercise in the disputed area is adding to existingtentions. >> it will add to tensions in the area and, of course, a lot of the countrys are looking at this carefully and hope it will not create more tension joorkt china deny its is militarizing the reeves near disputed islands claimed by several others. u.s. armed forces have increased their presence and intensified navy exercises like this one off the coast of indonesia. >> the u.s. navy is committed to helping provide security to southeast asia, the water surrounding these countries. i think it is part of america's rebalance to the asia pacific. >> reporter:ure doing the exercise, 600 u.s.

marines and sailors took part in several large beach assaults with tensions rising, exercises like this are seen as a show of force in. many hope the two super powers will be able to control themselves. planning plan >> reporter: southeast asian nations hope to speed up negotiations about the so-called code of conduct. it aims to regulate freedom of navigation at sea and over flying rights that contribute to peace in the south china sea, but it may be too late with u.s.

plans to test the waters and carry out its freedom of navigation exercise very soon. a medical emergency is looming for snake bite victims in some south african countries. the last batch of venom antidote expires and doctors aren't sure how to give any kind of treatment. we get more from northern nigeria. >> reporter: this hospital in northeastern nigeria treats snake bite victims. this person travoltad more than 100-kilometers to get to this facility. it may be run down, but at least he is being treated. like most victims here is a poor farmer barely able to feed his family. >> i was weeding my farm and grabs the snake unknowingly. it bit me.

shortly after i felt dizzy and fainted. it's a very painful bite joocial an average of 370 patients come to the hospital for help. they give urgent attention after getting bit by snakes. because facilities and doctors are stretched many who are brought to the hospital don't survive. it could get worse next year when a batch of antidote expires. >> if their is no venom, we will -- antidote we will be in for trouble. they are not specific for snakes so there will be a serious negative consequence. >> reporter: this hospital has to make due with an antidote limited to treating three snake venom. outside the hospital the farming community is facing another

crisis. a growing population means an increase in demand to grow food and sets up a conflict with the people and reptiles who also call this rocky community home. it has reached a point where a bownt seplaced on every snake killed. >> just to give some relief. we bring pay for snakes and a professor said if we kill them all, there will be nothing to produce ante snake venom for others. >> reporter: if it does run out, they may be forced to ignore that advice to protect themselves. still ahead: do stay with us if you can. once common now rare we are in the united states where there is

a mission on to save the orchid. and in sport alistair cook adds his name to the record books as he keep fights to keep england in the fight.

>> killing of journalists is a question that is directed to society. >> they are impartial. >> if you wanted to be a good journalist in iraq, you had to risk your life. >> they observe and report. >> kidnapping is a very real problem. >> journalists on the front lines. >> sometimes that means risking death. >> getting the story, no matter what it takes. >> that's what the fourth estate is all about. that's why i'm risking my life.

that's are the global headlines this hour, president obama will keep troops in afghanistan until 2016. benjamin netanyahu says he is quite prepareed to have a meeting with the palestinian president. and his comments come as israeli military expands its presence. the syrian army launched an offensive and the fighting has focused on two hours. -- two areas. reports say the european union has reached a deal with

turk toe stem the flow of refugees trying to cross into europe. they offered $3.4 billions in support to turky and they are to increase the incentives to entice syrians to stay put. they the countries say they cannot cope with the influx. 3.4 billion and turkey has to use that money to stay to the refugees we want you to stay here. we don't want you to go off to europe we'll make life better for you. what do they have to do with that money. >> with that 3.4 they hope turkey will provide all the incentives to stop such large

numbers of people flowing into the european union. as man as three 50,000 people have passed through turkey but only 50,000 people have stayed. what the eu wants turk toe do is make life more appealing for people to remain in turkey. that means improving conditions for refugees and also better levels of integration so people feel they can and want to stay in turkey that. raises question fist they will have access to the labor market as well. this is early days. this does need to go to the european council it's important is the possibility for the liberalization of visa restrictions on turkish citizens f. we look closer what it mean

system greater freedom of movement for 75 million turkish people across the european union. we have seen and brought added complication about silent claims. we might see from outside eu and turkey it could mean more turkish people want to try and settle here in the european union. a whole load of complication expais double-edged sword and a lot of tension about whether or not this deal could actually work. the french president was asked about visa liberalization when he arrived early in the day and he made his opinions clear. >> we cannot have a situation where in exchange for turkey helping holdback refugees we

liberalize the visa system with no condition attached. allowing visas for individuals for identities we can't know or check. there will be a process with a lot of conditions attached. it's normal to discuss with the turks but france and other countries will make sure conditions are not only set, but respected. >> the devil is in the detail as far as he is concerned and that will be throshed out in the weeks and months to come. you make sure nobody comes our way? >> it is not it and there are questions being asked here to work out what is going to here. it hasn't come from the leaders only ambassadors. there are questions about where

this three and a half billion is going to come from. earlier in the week they mentioned 1.5 billion and last week a sum of 250 to half a billion. the figures just keep going up and nobody at this current stage knows where that monsegoing to come from. the eu is being beset by financial difficulties and it appears the eu is being pushed into a corner and most certainly turkey has gained a significant degree of leverage in pushing for this deal. >> thank you. hungary's foreign minister says he expects the number of refugees crossing into his country to double by the end of 2015. as such he says he is ready to shut down and seal off the corrosion border to keep them out.

>> it cannot be used so the whole migration pressure will be put on the western balkan land group. the situation will get worse and woarts. with strict protection of our borders and southern borders we give the message it doesn't nomake sense. vehicle will have to recall 8.5 million cars in europe over the emissions cheating scandal. it had software designed to beat or cheat emission tests. this was first uncovered in the united states and it has wiped billions of value off the german company. scottish prostitutes have identified two libyan suspects

in the locker bee bombing. they were involved in i think abouting down the pan am. scottish prosecutors and the attorney general want to work with libyan authorities in tripoli. the only person was convicted was this man and served time in prison and died in libya in 2012 2012. the european union's court says the mass killing in turkey whond years ago was genocide. it ruled the politician should never have been convicted for saying that, quote, the armennian genocide is a lie, unquote. he was found guilty of racial discrimination in two two to hundred7 but is being ruled of his infringement of his right to free speech.

released from i didn't wantian jail has been welcomed back to our network's do ha headquarters. he was pardoned in september by the egyptian president. they were sentenced to seven-10 years in prison and spent more than 400 days behind bars. others who were sentenced in absentia were not released from their sentence and called for press freedom worldwide. >> thank you so much. we need to continue. i hope one day we will be able to celebrate the freedom of every journalist over the world. we'll continue that because we are not only journalists we are advocates of press freedom.

more nuclear powers being switched on in japan despite objection. a dozen such reactors were shut down after an earthquake and tsunami caused a meltdown at the fukushima plant. south korea's president has been in talk with the u.s. defense secretary at the pentagon. â [music] it is expected he will include the missile and nuclear programs. the south korean leader will meet obama on friday. the relationship between the u.s. and china is increasingly delicate task. >> reporter: south korea's president began her postponed visit by it is an

alliance showing some president day strains. last month she was in beijing as china commemorated 70 years since the end of world war ii with a huge display of military power. her efforts efforts to improve l relationships risk unsettling her country's main ally. >> on the 100 china has enormous economic ties and we have and we realize it is critical to understand our biggest level congress comes with ties with the americans. >> reporter: the u.s. desire to deploy anti-missile system on south korean territory. china is pressuring seoul to push back on the plan on the basis it would not just be targeted at north america's but

china's own they are quick to point ought that despite president park the issue will not be on the agenda. the fact they felt the need to do that shows sow sensitive it is when they are trying to balance their relationship. the north korean leader didn't mention nuclear wep expons held off on a promised long range rocket launch. >> the americans long ago realized that north korea is not going to surrender its nuclear weapons. at the same time the threat of the nuclear weapons i -- white house is in no hurry and they

are likely to continue the current policy. >> seoul is hoping for the transfer of more technology for its own spaigz policy. it is as much about symbolism. it is like towly to affirm the continuing strength. partnership. the prime minister of bangladesh visiting small enclaves of bengal. for nearly 70 years there has been no police presence there because of an unusual border arrangement. as it is reports, the number of murders and other criminal cases are still unsolved. >> reporter: it looks like a patch of over grown bush, but this is the grave of his father. he feels it sullies the memory

of his father but what bothers him more is his father's killer was never brought to justice. >> my father's murderer was punished by made to put his nose to the ground and crawl in front of a crowd. i guess that must have been embarrassing for him. >> reporter: it is due to the location where it took place. he lives in a village that used to belong to india until july of this year. because it is inside the borders india's police and courts have not had access since the british left behind a divided sub-continent. police can't enterhere either. so enclave residents have to come up with their own solutions. his father was killed when he was a child. when he grew up he became the chair man of the citizens justice committee. >> when we proved someone was

guilty we would punish them with fines and physical torture. that stopped people from committing crimes. >> reporter: he insight ofs -- insists physical beatings were necessary because safety was deteriorating. now that it has been handed over to bangladesh they can resolve any disputes and prosecute crimes. but victims families want to know if authorities will look into crimes committed in the past. official records are non-existent here but officials and local prosecutors say 20-30 murders have taken place since 1971. >> the state does not discurnlg people from seeking justice but they will face many obstockles. many of the wents have died in indin years and it will be

difficult. >> reporter: he says he doesn't finish the man who killed his father is still alive. he wants justice to be served, but he is not looking forward to the uphill battle he will have to fight in order to achieve that. stay with uwe'll be back with sport in just a moment. a tough time on the courts for nadal as he battles to make the quarter finals. we'll have that and the rest of sport in a couple of minutes.

for centuries orchids have been the rarest and most collectible of flowers. the entire species has almost disappeared. there is an ambitious scheme in the united states that should make the flowers blossom again as we hear. >> reporter: at this school in miami they are planting for the future, but this isn't your average gardening project. >> you will measure from where it comes out here, the base of where the life is coming out. >> reporter: this school and dozens of others are taking part in a scheme to reintroduce native orchid tharps once commonplace. the idea is based on a similar project in singapore and the aim is to bring the blooms to miami's urban streets. >> this is the future and almost a bleak reality of it, we are lose habitat and populations are growing and we have to be creative to make biodiversity.

>> reporter: the million orchid project funded by donation and grants hope to host a healthy population in five years but the challenges are hyg. the single orchid can produce a million seeds but if conditions aren't perfect they will die. some of the rarest species flowers once in every few years and the germination process is a mystery. those behind the project know it's high risk with potentially high rewards. to ensure the project's success they are grown in liberties and are nursed to -- laboratories and they hope to restore the population it its former glory. >> i would love for people tongue of miami as an orchid city and come here to see the show of orchids that will come into bloom at various parts the year. >> reporter: orchids here and elsewhere have

gone to low levels because they were ripped from trees and sold. they hope miami's next generation will be part of the rebirth. >> new plants i help grow and knowing that you helped them. >> reporter: there are few orgids left in the wild here. if all goes well, south florida streets could be home to a healthy population of rare and delicate blooms. now to sport. >> thank you. members have pledged their support split for fifa meeting. initially got the fullbacking of uefa but the absence of written

contract for the payment. many say he should have the chance to clear his name. >> we will show he is right to a due process and a fair trial and to the opportunity to clear his name. we strongly call on all instances involved in the process, ethics committee and appeal committee and the court of regulation for sport to work to ensure there is a final decision on the merits of the case by at the latest mid-november 2015. one month from now. >> the big question now where does this leave him? sport. >> this is an extremely

difficult situation for uefa and difficult meeting between the executive committee and, of course, the 54 member nations. that have been given backing for now and say he should have a fair trial and there is plenty to be said about that situation involving them. but what happens going forward however it is resolved. uefa needs someone representing them when the new president is announced. do in a look outside of europe and get behind a candidate from the middle east. they want to give their support

he was representatived by his lawyers and all 54 nations have released a statement say and that could change in the future. the resignation created a a vacancy and he warned against delaying the meeting that could create more instability. if elected he says this time of crisis at fifa is an opportunity for positive change. many good ideas have emerged over fifa's future. a better future will only come if ideas turn into action and that will only happen if fifa has the right leadership.

he takes over from blatter who is on a 90 day suspension. resurfaces iterated the main areas is the reform process and supporting the current on-going investigations. tennis news now, djokovic has booked his place in the shanghai masters. he was taking on lopez and losing only five games on his way to a win. he will be joined by nadal. he wrapped up the match by clinching the tie break in the second. the tront toe blew jays won a controversial game five over the texas rangers.

the game at 2-2 the rangers went ahead when the umpire judges a blew jays player hit the back of a rangers player. the decisive homerun was hit the first post season win at home since 1993. >> the kansas city royals won the seedings. the royals winning seven-2 and will play toronto. day three in the first cup and 75 balls for the opener. continuing to make the most of the good batting conditions. efng. day two of the first half

against the west indies and and finishing the day on 66 for 2. >> that is your sport back to david in london. >> not just me, but things are tough there. we'll look at high definition imagings of jupiter. dramatic changes in its atmosphere. the pictures were taken by the hubbell space telescope and showed this red spot, the most powerful storm anywhere in the solar system it is more than 16,000 kilometers across and getting smaller, half the size it was 100 years ago and becoming more circular. nobody knows why. that's it for me and the news team. i'll see you next time. bye-bye.

>> puerto rico's debt crisis. >> they're gonna demonstrate right outside where the governor lives. >> are hedge funds offering a fix? >> those investments will spark the economic recovery. >> or just fixing the odds? >> they're trying to force us into one course of action.

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♪ afghan forces are still not as strong as they need to be. >> in a dramatic shift of strategy president obama announces the u.s. troops will stay in afghanistan to combat a resurging taliban. ♪ hello, i'm marian and you are watching al jazeera live from london and also coming up, the syrian army launches a major offensive north of the strategic city of homs. leaders agree a mulil