cardinals. the superbowl is february 7. >> announcer: this is al jazeera. ♪ hello and welcome to the news hour. here is what is coming up in the next 60 minutes. the e.u. looks at tightening border controls to deal with the growing refugee crisis. tunisia declares a nation-wide curfew after days of protests against the government. at least 22 people are killed in an attack in

mogadishu, al-shabab claims responsibility. european union leaders are expected to meet on monday, they are discussing bringing back border controls to control the flow of refugees. right now angela merkel and the turkish prime minister are addressing the media after their meeting in berlin. let's listen in. >> translator: people endanger their lives, and people earn money when they really do not have the best of these human beings in their minds, and that's why we have to make sure that this illegal immigration has to be changed into legal immigration. turkey has taken the first steps and we will certainly work very intensively together until the 18th of february. turkey will receive our support

where it is necessary. that what we have agreed. we will have a very intense exchange here. of course that also means that we will have to share the burden, number 1 on a financial level, but also with legal contingents that will make it possible for people to come to europe without endangering their lives. i think all of the subjects that i have now mentioned show you that we have had a rather full agenda, and that there are many things that we have see as our common tasks. the last thing i would like to add is that both countries also look very closely to the donor's conference on the 4th of february in london. this will be about improving the standards of living of refugees in lebanon and jordan as well,

just as we are doing in turkey. and i can only say that today's exchange has certainly deepened our relationship, and that we will have further days of very close cooperation where we will certainly attack all of the challenges. thank you very much, and i'm very much looking forward to the cooperation. thank you very much. first of all i will say a few words in german. dear chancellor, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, the terror attack in istanbul has hurt us badly. during this attack we lost unfortunately friends from germany. they were our guests and now they are our eternal friends. we are still in mourning together with the families of these victims.

and also we wish all of the injured people that they may heal soon. this was a terrorism act against humanity, and that showed us that terror has no religious or ethnic origin. we will continue our cooperation with germany and with other friends in order to show our strong will against terrorism. we all know that terrorism cannot be fought on your own, and that's why we need to stand together, shoulder by shoulder. terrorism must never achieve its dirty aims. we will all together strengthen ourselves against terrorism and therefore increase our chances of the future.

>> translator: esteemed chancellor, dear guests, i would like to offer my condolences to those close to the ones who lost their lives in the terrorist act in istanbul. thoughtless, those responsible will be captured and punished accordingly. today in berlin, we have taken a -- >> so that is the turkish prime minister, and standing next to him is the german chancellor, angela merkel. they have been discussing the refugee crisis as well as the

security situation, and that comes ahead of a meeting for european leaders that is expected to be held on monday. and they will be expected to bring back border controls. nadim baba standing by listening in, joining us from berlin. so what was it that merkel was seeking from turkey? and do you think she got it? >> reporter: it has been fascinating listening to those comments by angela merkel because they stand in such sharp contrast to everything comes out of other european capitols. show was saying that those refugees are going to keep coming, but europe needs to find ways of turning illegal immigration, into legal migration, making it possible for those hundreds of thousands of people who are risking their lives as she put it, crossing the mediterranean in places like the greek island of lesvos,

coming from turkey, trying to find alternatives to them having to risk their lives to make it into the european union. this comes at a time when so many country toughening their border controls, and germany has started to implement some checks at its border. this all goes against the schengen idea of free movement within the e.u. angela merkel seems to really be allying on ankara to start stopping the flow from turkey, but in terms of turkey's wiggle room, it says it hasn't received enough money. it hasn't got any of the $3.3 billion or so that was pledged at the end of last year to help it integrate syrians into turkish society, and then

there is the matter of all of the other people fleeing countries like iraq, afghanistan, and so on, who are still coming, who show no signs of stopping, and with germany already haven taken more than a million refugees and migrants last year, some of angela merkel's coalition partners are warning her that she has to get tougher. but i haven't heard anything that really suggests that she is willing to do a u-turn right now. >> back to turkey's position, nadim, how far is it willing to go to help? in >> reporter: turkey says that it's 100% willing to -- to help its european partners. it says that it is not a question of money. in that it's a question of doing the right thing morally, but the prime minister warns before he rived in berlin that that sum pledged would not be enough.

i think there is some sympathy for that approach, but there is certainly no idea of where extra funds might be coming from at a time when so many countries are still trying to tighten their belts financially. and also politically, it is really something that is extremely, extremely sensitive, in terms of the terrorist aspect, the security aspect, to migration, because we have heard references from certain european leaders ahead of meeting here, of the impact of the paris attacks. people like the prime minister of france, saying that attacks like that are forcing europe to reexamine its migration policy, whether you agree with that or not, it's something that electorates are leaning on their leaders to look at, and all the while, turkey finds itself accused of being too soft. it will turn around and say

unless you start working with us, we are doing all we can to stop people from coming from places like syria. we need more help. >> okay. thank you. at least 42 refugees have drowned off of the coast of greece in separate incidents. 17 children are among the dead. the coast guard has rescued 26 people and recovered several bodies. > at davos, the u.s. secretary of state john kerry says he is encouraging donors to increase financing for worldwide humanitarian appeals. >> president obama is going to host a summit at the u.n. this fall and the summit will be the culmination of a sustained rigorous effort to rally the world community on several

fronts, to increase by 30% the response to humanitarian funding appeals. the number of regular humanitarian donors, to increase it by at least 10. to at least double the number of refugees who are resettled or afforded other safe and legal channels of admission. to expand by ten total number of countries admitting refugees. and to get a million children in school and a million people working legally. a nationwide curfew has been declared in tunisia, as authorities struggle to deal with protests over a lack of jobs. the demonstrations have now spread to the capitol tunis in the worst unrest since the 2011 up riding that ousted the former president. let's speak to hashem ahelbarra who is in tunis, and i suppose

the nation is waiting to hear what the president is going to say later today? >> reporter: exactly, it is going to be a crucial speech for him, and i think one of the biggest challenges he faces since he was elected president a few months ago. basically he is expected to explain why he made the decision to implement the curfew nationwide as of today, and further explain what is happening across the country, and the movement that started and spread -- spread to different cities. it is going to be a speech where he is going to highlight some of the decisions that his government is asked to make in terms of providing jobs opportunities for thousands of unemployed tunisians, and at the same time tackle the issue of poverty and corruption. the biggest problem we have now in tunisia, we talk about bases

[ inaudible ] they say that say have been marginalized for decades, and that the government cares more about rich areas, and it's time for the government and the president to reach out to those who have been forgotten for many decades. i think this is something that he is going to stress and focus on in his speech. >> okay. hashem, thank you very much for that update. earlier hashem met the family of one frustrated young man that triggered the violence. here is his story? >> reporter: a family mourning its son. he was frustrated over lack of job opportunities. he climbed an electricity pole and threatened to commit suicide. he was electrocuted. his death sparked anger nationwide, and he has become the symbol of a younger generation that feels

increasingly let down by its government. >> translator: my son died. the government is responsible. it breaks my heart. those responsible for his death should be held accountable. they destroyed a whole family. >> reporter: he was relentlessly hunting for a job to look after his parents and seven brothers and sisters. his father is a retiree and struggles to make ends meet. >> translator: my brother was put [ inaudible ] government jobs then suddenly his name was taken off of the list. he was dreaming of a job, and instead he ended up in a graveyard. he is a martyr. >> reporter: this neighborhood is called karma, it's one of the poorest areas, and where he spent most of his life. after the revolution that ended the regime five years about, he

was hopeful. here anti-government sentiment is on the rise. karma, and other poor areas have become the focal point for spontaneous mass protests. anger soon spread through the area with unemployed young people protesting. they all say the government brakes its promises. the government is under growing pressure to show it is on top of the situation and show its people it cares about their skrobs, but at the same time, it runs on a tight budget and may not be able to fund programs for jobs across the country. hashem ahelbarra, al jazeera. tunisia's minister of local affairs told al jazeera he understands the growing frustrations of the people, but this unrest cannot be compared to the 2011 uprising. >> people are defending their

right to work, and they are calling for more job opportunities, and we do understand this, and the constitution -- the tunisian constitution protects their right for that. this is important because i heard some comparison with what happened in 2011. it is totally different. in 2011, the movement was different. it was a reaction to political and social repression against people in, against human activists, against workers. but it was also an [ inaudible ] employment, this is true, but there is no comparison. today you can see how the police is dealing with the demonstration. this is a republican police that is dealing with democracy, with the demonstration. the national curfew is a response to the violent act that we saw yesterday. we understand all of the

demonstrations regarding employment, and development issue. we cannot understand any act of vandalism, and here i would like to really thank your security forces that are doing a huge job every day, and every night. so the curfew will stay until the situation will become better. coming back to unemployed people, we are in communication with them. those people are tunisian, and we are working day and night to give them solution. warring parties in this south sudan have until the end of friday to form a unity government. the president and his rival leader signed a peace deal in august, but the two men have been clashing about how to share power. south sudan's spokesperson said the government is committed to the peace deal and logistical

delays are standing in the way of progress. >> the agreement requires that the security arrangement has to be in place, and the list of the names of those who will be appointed, you know, i mean the names of the stake hole hold -- holders have to be submitted before the 22nd. if they are submitted then the government will be formed. we recognize the challenges that the south sudanese are undergoing, but we with looking for the way forward. and the way forward is that now the [ inaudible ] are now in place. all of the governors have returned to their states. what we are looking forward now is the formation of a transitional government of national unity to that we start to work and make [ inaudible ] for the people of south sudan.

and so we are just waiting for the stakeholders to do what the government is doing. the government is committed to, you know, to implement peace agreement fully, and the stakeholders should implicate the government positions. >> let's speak to a spokesperson for the south sudanese opposition leader. so your initial reaction to the comments made by the spokesperson saying that their camp is committed to the peace deal, and these are just logistical delays that are standing in the way of progress. >> it is one thing to say that the government is committed. it is another to implement the peace agreement. on our part [ inaudible ] we are fully committed to the implementation of the peace

agreement, and we want to implement this agreement as it was signed. unfortunately, the government has rejected the very agreement they have signed. [ inaudible ] which are not in the agreement. and these [ inaudible ] the amendment of the constitution, which should have been the basis for formation of the unity government. so [ inaudible ] ability to [ inaudible ] so we are calling on the government to abide by the peace agreement, to drop [ inaudible ] and implement the deal -- >> okay. so when do you envision all of this happening. you say your people are committed to the peace deal, but you are also speaking to us from nairobi. when do you see all of this happening and coming together? >> well, i have been in communication, in direct contacts with the leadership on the ground [ inaudible ] meeting

that has taken place in [ inaudible ] back now to [ inaudible ] to implement the peace agreement. and the message is clear that they want to fully implement the peace agreement based on the [ inaudible ] and this is the [ inaudible ] as was the other [ inaudible ] including the [ inaudible ] arrangements that the government should be withdrawn from the capitol, and for [ inaudible ] military [ inaudible ] to be deployed in the council. so we are for the peace agreement. we don't want to [ inaudible ] on the peace agreement. >> okay. james, we thank you for speaking us to on al jazeera. you are with the news hour, and here is what is coming up. inside indonesia's prisons, many say the jails are becoming a breeding ground for

radicalization. and syria's legitimate opposition and the assad government must come to the table. and novak djokovic undergoes his toughest challenge yet at the australian open. first just says after libya's two rival factions agreed on unity government, there is a rift in one camp. the spokesman for libya's national army says he has defected from his leader. the brigadier general has accus accus accused halfta of embezzlement. >> translator: by god we have had it with the constant violations, the assassinations, the abuse, forcing civilians to flee. i can no longer be associated

with him. >> reporter: so he has been on different sides of almost every power struggle in libya since the 1960s. initially loyal to gadhafi, he turned against the leader in this the late 1980s. he returned from exile in the u.s. to support the uprising that toppled gadhafi in 2011. he has been commanding forces loyal to the internationally recognized government in tobruk. political analyst is the founder of the tripoli-based institute. he says that the defection shows deep rifts within the unity government itself. >> on the one hand it is

supposed to be a unity government, but on the other hand it does have to ruffle feathers and it will engender a degree of conflict from within the actual camps themselves. so this is just one of the major signs that those rifts are really kind of emerging at the top level now. the unity government is faltering at the last final steps and the motion of just trying to install this in the capitol, it's like the man who says i have the flu, when the flu has him. trying to capture the capitol is trying to capture is place with many militias, and the militias will end up capturing the government. the names that are joining -- well, the key is you will be paid a salary, and the central government will only pay one legitimate government. so there are a lot of signs that are playing in the minds of

those who have been in the civil war. as many as 22 people have been killed in an attack in somali. police say a gun battle with government troops followed and lasted for several hours. our correspondent reports. >> reporter: daylight in mogadishu revealed the full horror of the attack, as the grim task of identifying the dead begins. al-shabab say they are responsible. >> translator: it was 7:00 at night when we heard gunshots followed by explosions, one after another. there was so much confusion. we didn't really know what was going on. >> reporter: a wedding ceremony and a graduation dinner were underway, when arm fighters rammed a car into the restaurant

and began shooting at customers. >> translator: many have been killed. i have seen mothers, fathers, children, and young people, all were civilians. >> reporter: a well-planned attack from an organization which authorities had thought to be struggling. >> unfortunately security services even in the west seem to really understate the threat of groups such as al-shabab. they have been very good at planning operations even outside of somali. >> reporter: last friday, fighters from the group attacked an african union military base. al-shabab says 100 kenyan soldiers were killed, but the kenyan government hasn't confirmed that figure. and then there was an attack on a university college in kenya. and september 2, 0113, fighters

stormed the west gate shopping mall. four years ago the government pushed al-shabab out of major cities with the help of african union soldiers, but attacks like this show that the soldiers and supporters have much more work to do. in kenya, a memorial service was held to honor the soldiers who were killed in somalia last week. al-shabab has claimed responsibility for that dawn attack. at least 100 soldiers died, but the kenyan government has yet to release an official death toll. catherine soi reports. >> reporter: the military honors the soldiers that were killed. >> we commit to you, our country

in this moment -- >> reporter: many soldiers are said to have died in the blast. the remains have been difficult to identify. it has been a week since the base was overrun. several families were at this memorial service, some inconsolable. jam jam james's brother is still missing. military commanders say that special forces are carrying out a search and rescue mission, and have killed the man who lead the attack. but we still don't know how many soldiers were killed or may still be missing. the government is facing heavy criticism for its silence as to details of the attack. the fact that the troops seemed to have been caught completely off guard is particularly embarrassing for the military,

but the focus here was on unity and a renewed resolve to fight al-shabab. >> every kenyan must understand that this is a war that requires that we all be united as a nation, and that we stand shoulder to shoulder to face the enemy of humanity. that we should not be deterred no matter the challenge that they try to push our way. >> reporter: the injured are at this military hospital. some walks for days before being rescued. they all say the death of their colleagues must not be in vain. catherine soi, al jazeera, nigh rebee. the world health organization says more than a quarter of a million people have been living under a virtual seize in ta'izz since november.

also in ta'izz, an al jazeera news team has gone missing as they covered events there. the correspondent and crew members were last seen on monday evening. they are leave today have been kidnapped. al jazeera is calling for their immediate release. the government of myanmar has begun releasing more political prisoners as it winds down its time in office. more than 50 have been freed on friday, and there may be more to come in days ahead. >> reporter: there were emotional reunions as inmates walked free from prison. some had been held for years for their activism for having voiced opposition to the governments. but their joy at freedom was mixed with sadness for the political prisoners left behind. >> translator: the government is releasing prisoners separately.

i want all of the activists, political prisoners, students, farmers, and workers, still left in the prison. >> reporter: the current government is made up of former generals who ran myanmar for years. after an election in 2010, the government embarked on a series of reforms, including a gradual release of political prisoners. this party won the last election. after campaigning for democracy and human rights for so long, there is hope that she will finally be able to help myanmar move on. >> translator: i highly believe our problems will be all right, because our country is now under our mother. this will be different. that's what i believe is our mother is in power now. >> reporter: there is still many political prisoners to be freed

and many more problems for myanmar to overcome. the army will remain powerful, but it seems the old guard are trying to right some wrongs before they step aside. north korea has detained a u.s. student on charges of committing a hostile act and wanting to destroy the country's unity. the man entered the country on january 2nd. harry fawcett has more from seoul. >> reporter: this came through saying north korea has detained a u.s. citizen, a student for a hostile act against the state. also saying that act was tolerated and manipulated by the united states government. the u.s. embassy here in seoul is confirming it has seen these

media reports, it is referring any other questions to the state department in washington. young pioneer tours says this man was on one of their tours and was detained on january 2nd. they say they are acting closely with the swedish embassy, which looks after u.s. interests in north korea, also with the north korean ministry of foreign affairs, and the u.s. state department trying to get this man released. he is not the first u.s. citizen to be detained. in 2014 three citizens were released. there have been instances of missionary activity. one tourist who left behind a bible in a hotel. these kinds of things have got people in trouble in the past. last year, there was a student with a u.s. green card, he was detained after crossing illegally into north korea from

china. he was kept for some six months before being handed over. certainly this is a new development, a new u.s. citizen reportedly detained inside of north korea. coming up later, two west african governments come together to take on an al-qaeda affiliate. and manny pacquiao is looking to settle a score before ending his career. details coming up in sports.

>> water is a human right! >> flint in a state of emergency. >> this can cause death... all kinds of health effects.

>> we're already having trouble, but now what little i have has to completely go towards water. >> only on al jazeera america. ♪ top stories on the al jazeera news hour. germany's chancellor, angela merkel, has said that she will make sure turkey receives aid money pledged by the e.u. to cope with an influx of syrian refugees. the funds will be used by turkey to improve living conditions of syrian refugees. at least 42 refugees, including 17 children have drowned off of the coast of greece in two separate incidents. one boat carrying 48 people sank

all of the coast of one island, and the other beat off the coast of another island. authorities in tunisia are grappling with the worst uprising since the uprising of the president in 2011. the german chancellor, angela merkel, says that her country will work together with turkey to ensure that people taking their way to europe do not put their lives at risk. >> translator: turkey will receive our support where it is necessary. that is what our interior ministers have agreed. frontex will work together with the turkish authorities. of course that also means that we will have to share the burden, number one, on a financial level, but secondly, also with legal contingent that will make it possible for people

to come to europe without endangering their lives. >> translator: turkey is determined to make refugees lives easier, providing humanitarian aid to them. we have passed legislation to allow syrian refugees to gain employment in turkey. the refugees crisis is not germany's crisis, europe's crisis, it's not turkey's crisis. the best way to deal with the crisis is to come together and stand shoulder to shoulder. >> kamal santa marie has spoken with david cameron. cameron said the syrian government must come to the negotiating table. >> the first choice of most refugees, of course, is to go home, and until that is possible, i think the second choice of most refugees is to try to live and work in

the -- one of the neighbors states, and i think jordan and lebanon and turkey have done an amazing job at supporting the refugees, and it's right that we support them with aid. but we have a new plan which is to encourage those states to allow the refugees to work. in jordan it's very exciting, because it's a combination of support for jordan, and then making sure that europe changes its tariffs and origins so those businesses that will invest will see it as advantageous. >> reporter: why jordan in particular? >> i think jordan has got particular pressure because of the number of refugees. and they want to be a host to these people. we don't want to disadvantage

our own people, but these people want to work. many have come to europe because they have run out of money. and so they have to move. and jordan, i think has a very innovative approach, and i hope others will follow. >> reporter: on the subject of taking in refugees in europe and united kingdom, i have been speaking to different charities, and what they seem to keep saying is europe could take in more refugees and it isn't. and it is hiding behind some sort of protectionism that we need to look after our own people first before we start taking in refugees. how do you respond to that? >> i can answer for what britain is doing, because we said we'll take 20,000 refugees from the syrian refugees camps. we don't want to provide an extra pull factor into europe.

we think it's right to take the most vulnerable from those camps. we said we would resettle a thousand by christmas and we did that. look, the pressure on europe here is very great, the movement of people into europe and the support that they require, and it's better if you can meet people's needs in the region, because as i said, their first choice is i think, to return home to syria as soon as they can. >> reporter: on the peace talk side of things, we have those talks that are supposed to start on monday in geneva. i was speaking to the special envoy to syria, and he said he hasn't even sent the invites out yet. >> i think one has to state optimistic, and john kerry has been an absolute dynamo on trying to make these talks work. we need to get around the table representatives of the regime in syria, even though many of us

have huge misgivings about what that regime has done. we need to get them around the table with the moderate opposition leaders. and that's the aim. i think it could still take place, but it is going to mean give and take on both sides. >> reporter: and the international players with a stake in it as well. i'm referring to russia here. for you does what happens with the report into the death of alexander litvinenko change how you will deal with russia? >> there's no doubt when it comes to syria, we need all of the players, whether it's saudi arabia, or iran, or russia, everyone needs to be involved. obviously, we have real difficulties with our relationship with russia, because of what has happened, and it's right we take the action we announced yesterday, but when it comes to syria, difficult as it is, we have to discuss this issue with them, because the crisis in syria will

only be solved when all of the players recognize that it's in their interest to have a settlement. the indonesian government has ordered a review of its prisons, after it emerged that one of the gunmen in jakarta had recently been released from jail. >> reporter: relatives waiting for a body. ten days ago the 32-year-old became the face of the worst attack in indonesia since 2009. four members of the public were killed in the attack. just five months earlier, he has been released from prison, where he was serving a term for attending an armed training camp. >> translator: when he came out of prison, we offered him to live here. although our house is very small. we tried hard give him a new

place. we even built a temporary small house for him, but he refused. so even if we had been angry with him, he would have probably done the same thing. >> reporter: he visited his family just ten days before the attack. he refused to take part in the government's so-called deradicalization program. he even managed to secure an early case. it shows the failure of the prison system to prevent radicalization of prisoners, and the failure to rehabilitate those convicted for terrorism. authorities admit they lose track of prisoners soon after their are released. in the past two years an estimated 130 prisoners jailed for such offenses have been released. >> translator: we have not been able to relocate him, because he

refused our effort. he was released before we could get more information about him. there are so many things we have to do before we knew it. this attack had already happened. >> reporter: the police have announced that six men suspected in connection with last week's attack are still in prison, but were able to communicate with the attackers. >> there's so much wrong where the prison system it will take years to fix. but some things can be done immediately. for example, no effort has yet been made to ban mobile phone communication, and that should be something that is quite simple to do. >> reporter: meanwhile, the family had to face fellow villagers who were angry about what he did. after some discussion village leaders decided his body can be buried in the village. trp as family we want to

apologize number so the victims and others we apologize for what has happened. >> reporter: the government has announced that indonesians who have joined isil in syria may lose their nationality. step vaessen, al jazeera. two countries have been victims of attacks by fighters linked to al-qaeda and other group. our correspondent reports on how violence has forced hundreds of people from their homes. >> reporter: at the mercy of the elements this is a camp for refugees on the border of burr kimo fossa and mali, about 500 families who fled the 2013 intervention in mali live here. this woman is one of them. she has no plans to return home

any time soon. >> translator: there is nowhere to go back to. our land has been turned into a battlefield. there is a lot of insecurity and unresolved political issues. >> reporter: she is referring to the activities of al-qaeda. it recently stepped up its activities in mali and beyond. in the three years since the french military oppressions cut off the group, the ranks from splintered. an algerian staged one of the fractions. the troops stationed in mali seems to have finally brought the groups together. late last year, he once again pledged allegiance to akeem. since then the group's affiliate

have stepped up attacks. in november they skilled 27 people. last week the group struck in neighboring burkina faso, killing 30 people in an attack on a luxury hotel and cafe. most of the victims were foreigners. al-qaeda and the other group has shown its ability to carry out attacks that are planned and carried out across borders. people living along burkina faso's border are now living in fear after a number of cross-border attacks by the group. the government of mali and burkina faso have agreed to work together. >> translator: what we are forced to do now is coordinate our anti-terror measures, exchange intelligence and strengthen border security. that requires close military and

strategic operation. >> translator: mali and burkina faso are facing numerous challenging, they are both seeking true stabilities. their militaries are not well trained or equipped. >> reporter: so once again the two nations will be depending on the military fight of france to stem the threat from armed groups. still to come all of the sports news, including -- >> reporter: i'm andrew thomas on sydney's beach where ocean swimming is an institution, but i'll be explaining why sharks are keeping the number of swimmers down. ♪

♪ time for the sports news. here is farah. dareen, thank you so much. novak jock -- djokovic is through to the to the next round but with a tough match. >> it's almost like, you know, after the season that i have had, 2015, anything aside of a title or final is not a success. sometime even though you don't think that way personally, but, you know, there's a kind of

a -- just an energy, and -- you know, a feel. >> he could be on course to meet roger federer in the finals the bulgarian won the second set, but federer came back to claim the next two. defending women's champion serena williams sailed through her match. williams was dominant from the start, cruising to a 6-1, 6-1 win in just 44 minutes. the american is bidding for a 22nd grand slam title. former champion sharapova has won her third-round match. the five-time major winner lost the second set, but the russian

regained her composure to close out the match. this is the 600th win for sharapova. manny pacquiao insists his upcoming fight with timothy bradley will be his last. the april showdown will be the third time they meet. although pacquiao won the last match, bradley won in a controversial split decision the first time. >> decided to fight tim bradley again, because with our two fights, there's a lot of questions, and doubt from the fans, so i decided to have a third fight to answer those questions. and of course i think he can bring more action in the ring. competitive ocean swimming is a popular event in australia, but this year a series of shark

attacks have some questioning whether they should get into the water. >> reporter: it's 6:00 on a friday morning, and sydney's beach is already busy. among those exercising is this man. since coming to australia from france three years ago, he has become a regular ocean swimmer. >> i swim every saturday all year long with a group. i also try to have a couple of swims during the week. >> reporter: in australia more than 80% of people live within 50 kilometers of the coast. the oceans, beach, and pools that straddle the two are part of the psyche. there are ocean swimming races on the weekend, many of them. there are comment taters.

most races are between half a kilometer, and 3 kilometers long, with serious athletes and occasional enthuists all throwing themselves in. patrol boats look for any swimmers in trouble. the best know how to use waves to their advantage on the way back in. >> it was the first swim of the season after a long christmas break. it was good to be back at the water. >> reporter: hang on to your goggles and hope for the west. >> the wave zone where all of the waves break, it was hard getting out of there. >> reporter: until last year, the number of races and participants were growing. this year, though, that has changed. these races are tough, but hundreds of people do them every weekend, but the numbers are down, and there aren't quite as

many races as there have been in previous years. a fear of these is why. in late 2015, there was a spate of shark attacks. a swim north of sydney was canceled because of the perceived risk of an attack. not that fact that puts off ron white, at 74, he is not going to stop. >> hundred of people swim here every day. they are there. that's their backyard. >> reporter: some people welcome the increasing number of sharks. they are a sign of a healthy ecosystem in ever-cleaner water, and clean water is something every swimmer loves. >> and that's all of your sport for you. it's now back to you dareen. >> thank you very much. thank you for watching the news hour on al jazeera.

felicity barr in just a moment with more news. do stay with us. ♪

>> coming up tonight, we'll have the latest... >> does the government give you refugee status? >> they've marched to the border. >> thousands have taken to the streets here in protest. >> this is where gangs bury their members. >> they're tracking climate change. >> from the time i was 3 years old, music was what i loved above all else. >> grammy winning artist moby talks about his work outside the studio. >> what led me to animal rights activism, is every animal wants to avoid pain and avoid suffering. >> and the future of the music industry. >> maybe i shouldn't admit this but i don't really buy music anymore.

hello there, i'm felicity barr, and this is the al jazeera live from london. also coming up, germany's chancellor urges turkey to help diffuse the refugee crisis, and e.u. states move to close their borders. free after years in prison, celebrations in myanmar, as the government releases dozens of detainees. and we're going to be looking at who is making the news, and w