>> sepp blatter accuses fifa of betrayal after he and uefa's football boss are suspended for ethics violation. i'm lauren taylor. this is al jazeera live from london. also coming up, the taliban takes control of a key district as six nato soldiers are killed during an air base attack. no to peace keepers burundi's reject peace keepers from african union describing it as an envision. >> from port-au-prince, haiti,

where children in slavery is the issue of a program that tackles the problem head on. >> i will fight for me and for fifa, the words of sepp blatter, as he and fellow high ranking official michel platini are banned from having anything to do with the game for eight years. the fifa ethics committee found that they bay used their position when blatter made a $2 million to platini four years ago. both men continue to deny wrongdoing. many believe that accept platter's career is certainly over and platini's hopes of taking over fifa is all by finished. >> sepp blatter once again the center of attention.

the 79-year-old fighting to get into a press conference as he fights for his very future in football. on monday the uefa chief and blatter were given eight year bans over a $2 million payment made by blatter to the frenchman in 2011. blatter's 340-year association with the world governing body seemingly tarnished forever. but the swiss is not going quietly. >> i will fight for me, and i will fight for fifa. >> for years they had a plan. blatter would pass the top spot to his friend michigan michel platini but blatter reneged on the deal and the friendship fell out. now the gentlemen's agreement from the past has continued to haunt them. platini supposedly carried out work for blatter a decade ago with no contract and a payment made in 2011, a presidential election year.

the ethics committee delivered the ban. >> the chamber of the ethics committee have banned mr. joseph blatter for eight years and mr. michel platini vice president and member of the executive committee of fifa and president of uefa for eight years from all football-related activities. >> platini refused to attend the ethics committee hearing. his lawyers suggested that the investigation already decided he was guilty and was seeking a long ban. blatter president for several years, days after an fbi sweep in may he finally resigned. he wanted a hand over on his own terms, the u.n. and swiss attorney general and even his old allies decided otherwise. if platini has any chance of running for the fifa presidency,

he needs to clear his name before the deadline on january 26th. now that will involve going through both the fifa appeals committee and the court of arbitration for sport before he can begin that process he needs a full written statement of the decision from the ethics committee a process that in itself could take weeks. one is a footballing legend. the other fifa's great political survivor both grout there by football's biggest-ever scandal. >> there are reports of two explosions in the afghan capital of kabul. it comes a week after a suicide attack on a spanish embassy guesthouse in the same area which killed a spanish policeman. we'll keep an eye on that news there. taking control of a district in afghanistan in southern helmund province. in recent months the taliban has gained territory in the north, west and south stretching the

resources of the afghan army. >> it's hard to fix your aim on a moving target. these soldiers and police officers are trying to do just that. >> we are fighting to remove the taliban from this area. we need the support of one army to help us. right now the area is controlled by taliban. >> right now they're outgunned. taliban fighters have taken over important buildings in the town junior in helmund province. the governor posted this message to the afghan president on facebook: he also complained that soldiers and police officers are not well-fed, and don't have enough ammunition. it's unusual for a message like

this to be posted on social media. it could either be a sign of how desperate the situation is or how fed up some local leaders are with central government, or both. and this may be why. >> the problem with the government at the moment is that it is concentrating on making piece of the taliban, and not really having a military strategy to chase the taliban away from the centers of population. >> the afghan taliban appears to be gaining larger pockets of territory. two months ago it's fighters took kunduz in the north for two weeks crippling the city. more land they seize, the stronger they will be in negotiations with the government. helmund produces most of the world's opium. if it takes helmund from the government this time it controls the lou contra-titch trade.

>> the taliban has claimed responsibility for an attack in afghanistan, which has killed six nato troops. the three more soldiers were injured in the attack fee near the air base, the largest air force facility in afghanistan. suicide-bomber on a motorbike targeted an u.s.-joint foot patrol, and all six of the troops were americans. those nato soldiers. more details on that story later as well. to spain where voters are facing the possibility of going back to the polls after the most fragmented election ever. the conservatives nor their traditional left-leaning rivals have won enough seats to governor because of a strong showing of two new parties. we have reports from madrid. >> here is the man of the mome moment. pablo iglesias, champion of a new kind of politics that is no longer cosy with big business, free of corruption.

to make that happen he said he's ready to talk to anyone, but the old parties must recognize the changes that have taken place in spain. >> so today is a historical day for spain. we are very happy for the fact that in spain the two-party system is ended, and we are happy because we are starting a new political era in our country. >> but awkwardly for those who want change it's the incumbent's people's party that came first, and mariano rajoh wants to remain as prime minister. >> we're going to do our best. we're going to work very hard to try to maintain the government and try to explain all the different options that we are talking about our country. now there is no time for political opinion or political groups. we need to continue growing and

we need to continue making the reforms that all the injure piano countries are looking at us and saying, spain, you're going in the right direction. >> parliament will sit on january 13th. that's when the king should nominate a candidate for prime minister. if the parliament can't reach an agreement on that choice by the middle of february, then spain will have to hold new elections. barnaby phillips, al jazeera, madrid. >> burundi's parliament has voted against allowing african union peace keepers in to stop growing unrest. the a.u. wants to send 5,000 troops and it worries the countries is heading towards civil war. 400 people have been killed since april when the president decide to run for a third term. the government has called the e.u. deployment an envision. we have the latest from the capital of burundi. >> after a special sitting,

members of parliament rejected the african union decision to deploy 5,000 troops to burundi. they said they do not want foreign forces on their soil, and the government of burundi is able to protect civilians. they said they'll appoint a commission of inquiry to look into the killings that have happened in the country since, due in particular the killings have happened on the 11th december. on that friday, 87 people were killed in the capital, with about a run di--about a run diburundi calling it's bluff, the african union will return to a summit to send troops to that country. this can only be done in a summit that is held twice a year. the next one is held in january, and it can only be invoked, article 4 can only be invoked by

an african president, although they have not agreed on invoking it in the past. that's where burundi might get its escape. >> for syrians trapped in their war-torn country the humanitarian situation worsens by the day. most basic services are in a state of collapse and 12 million people need immediate help. we're introduced to a few of the faces among the masses of desire situations. >> her name is oom had hamed. she scours the streets, she looks for things to burn. she gathers twigs, leaves. >> even garbage, anything to burn to make a fire so i can heat water to feed my children. clean them with at least warm water. even heat and oil is too

expensive. everything is expensive. >> oom ahmed's husband abandoned her and their kids. without an income, without any means she struggles to find milk for her infant. every day she worries about how to put food on the table. these are desperate times for millions of syrians. in another neighborhood devastated by bombs dropped by government forces, another bonfire. these keep the kids of the neighborhood warm. >> we were at home, but it was freezing there. we came down here to warm up with the fire behind us. on the way we found nylon bags and paper just to keep the fire burning. at home we have no blankets or anything to warm us up. we come here until the fire goes out. >> aleppo is one of the longest continuously inhabited cities in the world. the fires of this city has not gone out for five thousand years. the fire-year-old civil war has now turned brother against brother.

it has permanently destroyed and changed millions of lives like this man's. an airstrike just destroyed the home he has lived in for more than 40 years. >> i came back to my home four days ago and found it destroyed by strikes. i just picked myself up and now i'm roaming. >> before the fighting, more than 2 million people lived in aleppo. many are now hopeless, some lost, and most looking for a helping hand. >> it's the regular people who feel sorry for me and they're helping me to survive. every few months i get some aid but it's not enough. i yell and screen from time to time, realizing that my situation is so dire. >> drones flying over what was once a favorite tourist destination shows the destruction. the urban warfare in this once cultural and financial capital of syria threatens it's future and it's past.

those who were able to leave have left. others don't know how they will survive. al jazeera. >> in the news ahead we'll have the latest on the search for people feared trap in the massive landslide in china. outrage in india over the release of a juvenile gang rapist. bring your family and friends together to discover the best shows and movies with xfinity's winter watchlist.

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>> sepp blatter insists he'll fight on after an ethics committee found that he and michel platini have abused their positions. districts in afghanistan's helmund province has fallen to the taliban. the possibility of a new vote after a general election failed to produce a clear winner. let's look back at sepp blatter's rise to the top. in switzerland he joined fifa 40 years ago, first as a technical director and then as the organization's secretary general. he was elected president in 1998, and he has held the position ever since. several of his elections have been clouded by controversy and allegations that delegates were bribed to vote for him, but these have never been proven. he's actively involved in awarding the cup to new regions

like africa and the middle east. at least 85 people are still missing beneath a giant flow of mud and construction waste which buried 33 buildings in southern china. it happened in the area of building and construction boom in recent years. adrian brown reports. >> at times like this manpower is not a problem in china. 1500 rescue workers are now searching for signs of life hoping survivors may have found an air pocket. if people are alive, they're in damaged buildings trapped under mounds of mud. it's hazardous work. the ground is wet after heavy rain. but monday afternoon more than 24 hours after the landslide there was, though, still hope. >> since 2:00 a.m. on monday we have rescued seven trapped people and relocated over 900

residents. as 3:00 a.m. the field commander decided to reinforce the rescue works with machinery and we've carried out massive digging. >> more than 30 buildings were destroyed or damages. some simply compacted. testament to the poor materials used in their construction. the mudslide covers a vast area. >> an area of 380,000 square meters of terrain. >> and many people know where that mud came from. a vast tip of a disused quarry above the industrial zone. local residents say that waste from construction sites have been dumped here for years. according to chinese media reports it was at least 100 meters high, and apparently legal. this was china's latest manmade disaster. it's only four months since a

huge explosion at a storage area for dangerous chemicals in the northeastern city. they were kept in a warehouse just a few hundred meters from a residential area. now investigators must find if any laws were broken here as well. adrian brown, al jazeera, beijing. >> india's supreme court has upheld the release of a youngest convict in the 2012 gang rape and murder of a medical student. the convict has served the maximum sentence of three years for a juvenile. the bill has yet to clear the upper house of parliament. thailand's seafood industry has been accused of widespread labor abuses. it's factories it's legal for

this boy to work full time but with certain restrictions like not working past 10:00 in the evening. >> sometimes i do overtime, and i finish at 1:00 in the morning or even at dawn. all extra work is supposed to be paid as over time. they don't pay me as they should. >> he works for golden prize, a large tuna processing company just outside of bangkok. the company sells $230 million worth of tuna to overseas markets each year. management would not comment, and instead sent security to move us on. >> the fis issue is about over

time. they are not paid what is stated in the labor law. >> recently 1500 staff walked off the job for a day in a bold protest. the negotiations between the workers and golden prize have amounted to nothing. this is certainly not an isolated case. in fact, thailand has always had a problem with labor rights, particularly when it comes to migrant workers. and it's an issue that could be about to hurt the economy. the european union has put the seafood industry on notice. it will decide soon whether to ban all imports of products from thailand because of illegal fishing practices and labor issues. >> we can say that we are not perfect. in thailand we have about 3.5 million migrant workers. no one can clean up 100%, but at least we have the mechanism, we allow the press. we allow the ngo to monitor us.

>> thailand's military government has altered labor laws and introduced tougher punishments and some companies are making changes. but for workers the law will mean nothing unless it's enfor enforced. al jazeera, thailand. >> well, the thai government said that although they don't believe everything reported in the initial investigation hell prosecute anybody found guilty. >> there are a number of things found, sanitation, forced labor, these kinds of things the police under the command of the police chief are interested in, care about, and will prosecute in every way possible. >> rwanda's president praised the change that will clear the way for him to run a third term. commission said 98% of voters back changing the constitution.

>> it is a privilege and a duty to serve rwanda. not an entitlement. no individual is there forever. but there are limits on the values, institutions, or progress. >> passengers of air france flight forced to make an emergency landing because of a bomb scare have arrived back in paris. it was diverted to kenya after an device was found in the toilet. the fake bomb was made of cardboard and a kitchen timer. the police have detained two people over the incident. about 180 kilograms of almost pure cocaine has been hid no one boxes containing bananas in warsaw, poland. the police search the hall in

the country's largest-ever seizures. it has a street valley of $27 million. 36 million people around the world are thought to be trapped in modern day slavery, including one in ten haitian children. one show looks to tackle the issue. >> a group of young actors are going through their lines. it's a passionate affair, and with good reason. this team of writers, actors and directors produce more than a dozen radio shows every month. they aim to entertain and educate their audience. one of the biggest issues that they write about is child slavery, and the show's director said they've recorded scenes both powerful and disturbing. >> i had goose bumps listening to that. this is why we're here.

to help people face the reality, and really realize how hard it is. >> in haiti radio is a dominant medium, and the show reaches over 1 million listeners. the idea is that this is a soap opera for social change, and those involved say it is working. >> this actress tells us many livers never miss a show, paying close attention to the plot lines and understand the issues behind the drama. in are a country where child slavery is a huge problem, it may just save lives. it's estimated that a quarter of million children are slaves in haiti, many sold by their own families. but thankfully there is a place of refuge for them to escape and stay safe. >> for those who break the bonds of slavery there is an obvious sense of relief. the lives they left behind is a constant reminder of a shameful

problem. >> we try very hard. we have to do the domestic work, the cooking, the cleaning, and everything else. they treat you badly. if you speak out you get cursed at and receive a beating. >> this kind of serial drama has never been brother cast in haiti before. it's hard to quantify the success of a show that has been on air for a couple of years, but it's producers say they now have a loyal audience and a voice in the fight against slavery. al jazeera, port-au-prince, haiti. >> nigeria's rivers have been busy hubs for shipping and lifeblood for local fishermen. these sources of income have been drying up fast. we have reports from nigeria. >> this man has been a fisherman all his life. the skills have been passed down from one generation in the family to another.

he considers the river his life and home. >> it is very important. this is where we live. our fathers and grandfathers were fishermen, and so are we. >> the overfishing effects his economy. the rivers aren't no yielding as much as they used to. this is a pointing point of nigeria's two largest rivers. for generations this used to be a very busy hub for shipping, fishing and farming activities, but in recent years people earning a living from the rivers have seen their fortunes dry up. the appearance of small islands in the rivers have added to the fishermen's woes. fish breeding grounds are disappearing as the water becomes shallow. as a result many fishermen had to switch jobs to feed their

families. you just cannot sustain yourself with fishing today. >> boats don't use these waterways as much as they used to. a government project to dredge the rivers has made the situation even worse. >> they have attempted to dredge the rivers most people dredge, everybody is glad, and the flow is improved, but we have not seen that. my understanding is that only certain channels have been dredged but it has not come to the level that it impact correctly on the economy of the state. >> for now fishermen can only watch and hope that some day soon the fish will return and

restore their livelihoods. al jazeera, nigeria. >> much more for you any time on our website. the address for that is www.aljazeera.com. that's updated 24 hours a day. >> a taliban attack in afghanistan, american soldiers are now among the dead. that crowded field of presidential candidates on the republican side shrinking by one. panic on a las vegas strip, and refusing to go out a fight, the head of international soccer now vowing to appeal his eight-year ban.