>> announcer: this is al jazeera. ♪ hello and welcome to the news hour. i'm here life from al jazeera's headquarters in doha. here is what is coming up. a syrian government delegation arrives in geneva for talking on ending the five-year long conflict. a shooting during friday prayers at a shiite mosque in saudi arabia. four people are killed. the united nations reveals allegations of sexual abuse of children by european soldiers in

the central african republic. and how germany integrates newly arrived refugees. ♪ hello. we begin the news hour in geneva, where the talks to end the conflict in syria are on. a syrian government delegation has now arrived in geneva. the u.n. envoy says he will meet them in the coming hours. de mistura has confirmed he will meet other participates in an aim to end the war. but some say they will not negotiate unless certain conditions are met. our diplomatic editor, james bayes joining us live from

geneva to tell us what your sources, james are telling you about the participation of the opposition delegation, whether they will be talking. well, the opposition delegation or some of them seem to be definitely coming to geneva from riyadh. that's the word we are getting. it has been a pretty con flewsed picture of who will be coming here. and what is for certain is if they do some on the ground here another geneva they are not at this stage coming to negotiate anything. they are coming to make their position clear which is they are unhappy for the backdrop for any negotiations here. they say they have conditions that need to be met, and they are conditioned that are outlined in the u. u.n. -- resolution passed at the end of last year, things like lifting the sieges in syria, and

stopping the bombardment, and they particularly point to the russians, because the russians are one of the co-sponsors of this process, at the same time the russians are bombarding members of the groups that are contemplating taking part in peace talks here. >> we are hearing that the foreign minister of russia sergei lavrov saying they will not accept the attempt to dictate what he is calling preconditions. >> reporter: the opposition they not pre-conditions because the agenda was laid out after the meeting of the regional powers of the so-called international syria support group that took place in new york the last of the so-called vienna meetings. and on the day that that meeting ended, the u.n. security council passed resolution 2254, which

staffan de mistura says is the agenda for these talks, and the points they are making are paragraphs in the binding international law that is that security council resolution. >> james thank you for that update from geneva. well, a member of the syrian opposition says as long as civilians are being targeted there can be no progress in any type of negotiations. >> we would like to have negotiation, but if the committee cannot force the syrian regime to provide milk to children who are dying, then i think there is no point of having negotiation and asking the regime to surrender power. unfortunately the opposition and the syrian people have not been given any meaningful alternativetive. the issue now is either to accept this murderous regime, or you are going to be under

continuous bombardment. the syrian people on the ground have asked all of the representatives not to allow the regime to stay. they have to negotiate the transition into democracy out of dictatorship. so we hope that some cool heads will realize they have a moral obligation, they have a legal obligation to force the regime to open up those areas where people are starved and to ask russians to stop bombarding civilians. so far in the last week at least over 150 civilians have died many of them are children because of the russian bombardment of markets, of hospitals, of schools. i mean this has to stop. >> four people have been killed in an attack on a shiite mosque in saudi arabia. it happened during friday prayers in the eastern region. two suicide bombers were involved. one was arrested before he detonated his explosives. the other set off his bomb after

a gun battle. so that am sure footage shows the moment of that attack inside that mosque in saudi arabia. people can be heard saying there is no god except ala. we have more details obtained from the interior ministry. >> there was two shooters, one of them was trying to get into the mosque, but was stopped by the security officers, and when they sound he had something wrong about him, they tried to capture him, so he ran away, and they kept him -- they warned him and kept him alive. the other one managed to get in and shoot at the people inside

the mosque. between the last sermon and [ inaudible ] and they managed to also -- also to warn him with the help of the people in the mosque, and they -- they -- they killed him at the end. so one of the shooters was killed. the other was captured, wounded, and hopefully he will lead to the security forces to other leads. the united nations says it is alarmed over new allegations of child sexual abuse by european soldiers in the central african republic. the cases involve children aged between 7 and 16. some of the alleged victims identified french and jordan troops. >> these are extremely serious accusations, and it's crucial these cases are thoroughly and urgently investigated.

we are heartened from the initial response, which shows that they take these terrible allegations very seriously. we will continue to closely follow up on these cases, and any others which emerge as the u.n. team on the ground continues its investigations. >> gabriel elizondo has more. >> reporter: these are very troubling new allegations, there's a lot of new allegations as well, and i want to run down what we know as of right now. there are currently two new allegations of sexual misconduct by french troops in the central african republic. these allegations date back to 2014, but just came to light now. there are also four new cases alleged wrongdoing by e.u. troops in the central african republic. these came to light also recently, also date back to 2014. there was apparently four young girls, teenagers, all of whom said they were sexually abused

by e.u. troops. three of the girls pointed the finger at jordan troops. we are also hearing new information that the u.n. has confirmed that they -- as part of this investigation also have new allegations of sexual misconduct by u.n. peace keepers themselves. sources tell al jazeera that there are five new allegations of sexual misconduct by peace keepers from morocco, niger, bangladesh, and the democratic republican of the congo as well as senegal. we expect to hear more about this in the coming hours. >> let's speak to paula donovan, joining us via skype in the

states. paula, are you confident that these allegations will be followed up as the u.n. human rights agency says they should be? >> i am confident that they will not be followed up. these are allegations dating back to 2014, and the idea that they are just being revealed now after the united nations finally seems to have followed up on the allegations that were -- that were revealed to the public in april of last year by my organization and its code blue campaign, it's appalling. i don't know why the u.n. keeps saying that they are alarmed by these cases. no one else is surprised anymore. >> so how should the u.n. be handling these cases of sexual abuse that keep coming up? >> well, for one thing they should stop deflecting attention on to the non-u.n. peace keepers. the entire press release focuses

on the non-u.n. peace keepers, and then the last 64 carefully worded words say that, oh, and by the way there are also allegations about u.n. peace keepers and there are no details provided about that, except to say that that is being handled by a different defendant of the u.n. the u.n. has to divest itself of the responsibility for handling these cases. it has done a horrible job for two decades, and the united nations member states have to move in and take this issue into essentially receivership. >> is there a political will to do that, paula, within the u.n. member states? >> there is. it is clear, certainly over the past year, the united nations member states, key members and people who have not previously paid sufficient attention to

this among the member states are now what they calices -- called ceased the issue. they have been betrayed by that faith, and it's now time for them to move in and say we are going to appoint an oversight board that will report directly to us, not to mr. ban ki-moon anymore. and the staff will continue to do what they are doing but on a day-to-day, minute-to-minute basis. this board will be watching every step that is taken, so we don't have to find out two years later that the u.n. have uncovered allegations that have absolutely no hope of being prosecuted. >> what happens to the children and the victims of these cases of sexual abuse? are there any sort of agencies that step in to protect them? what happens to them? >> one would think that unicef would be in the primary position to do exactly that. but what we saw was -- this sounds like very harsh judgment,

but there's no other way to describe than a lie. that unicef said that they had provided medical and psychosocial support and protection for the six children that skam forward in 2014, who's allegations were covered up, and unicef claimed to the member states and to the media, that they had -- they were protecting those children and handling it. when an investigative team went in, the so car report panel, their findings were that unicef blatantly mislead everyone. the children were interviewed for two hours, and then sent on their way. no services whatsoever. >> okay. paula, thank you for giving us your perspective on the news hour on al jazeera. thank you. >> thank you.

well, staying with the central african republic and opposition protesters have called for the cancellation of last month's presidential election results. they say the vote was full of irregularities and should be annulled by the constitutional court. a second round of the presidential election is scheduled for february the 14th. >> translator: we ask the international community that has already helped us very much to not let their efforts go to waste. >> at least eight people have been killed and 28 others injured in an attack in northeast nigeria. a suicide bomber debt indicated explus a -- detonated explosives. the region is often targeted by boko haram.

african union leaders are meeting with the situation in burundi high on the agenda. last month the government rejected the proposed deployment of au peace keepers saying it would be seen as an invading force. do stay with us. still to come -- >> i'm a maniac, and everyone on this stage is stupid fat and ugly, and ben you are a terrible surgeon. now that we have gotten the donald trump part of this out of the way. [ laughter ] desperate pleas from inside the yemeni city of ta'izz for the outside world to come that air aid. . in sport, andy murray will face his nemesis. all of the action from melbourne

is coming up. ♪ first, though, germany's health ministry says that there have been five confirmed cases of the zika virus in germany over the last four months. it comes as the world health organization has raised a global alarm over the virus, which is suspected of causing birth defects in thousands of infants. it warns zika is spreading quickly. the w.h.o. is holding an emergency meeting on monday on how best to respond to that outbreak. brazil is the worst-hit country with some 4,000 suspected cases of microcephaly in new-born babies. the president is inviting other latin america leaders to a conference on wednesday to tackle the rapid spread of the mosquito-born disease. lucia newman reports from the

chilean capitol, where officials are taking special precautions to deal with the outbreak. >> reporter: chile's health minister arrives at the international airport to distribute leaflets alerting travelers to take special precautions against the zika virus. as they embark on their ha hall -- holidays. >> the possible links only cently suspected have rapidly changed the risk profile of zika from a mild threat to one of alarming proportions. the increased incidence of microcephaly is particularly alarming, as it places a heart-breaking burden on families. >> reporter: back at the airport, me minister announces another measure. >> translator: there's an important festival in easter

island next week, it's a number one tourist attraction, so we are distributing insect repellants to everyone who gets off of the plain there. >> reporter: this was one of the first places outside of africa to be infected with zika, but when it experienced a new outbreak in 2014, it raised no alarm bells. >> translator: the number of in -- inhabitants on easter island is small. but in brazil with no immunity, the consequences are being clearly perceived. >> reporter: the majority of the people you see here, are going to countries where the zika virus has already been detected. chile's main airline has agreed to refund women because of the

unforeseen danger that traveling would represent to them. as they prepare to 234r50i -- fly to rio, this couple says they are using birth control. >> translator: we have taken travel insurance and we will use plenty of insect repel ant. >> reporter: and as the world health organization w.h.o. considers declaring a world-wide warning next week, the epidemic continues to spread unabated throughout the americas. republican presidential contenders in the u.s. have squared off before their last debate. donald trump skipped the debate, complaining of unfair treatment by fox news. but as alan fisher reports, the front runner still cast a shadow over the event. >> reporter: the biggest name, the front runner missing.

donald trump's no show had to be the subject of the very first question. >> let me say, i'm a maniac, and everyone on this stage is stupid, fat, and ugly. and ben, you are a terrible surgeon. [ laughter ] >> now that we have gotten the donald trump portion out of the way. [ laughter ] >> as trump and cruz top the iowa polls this is shaping up to be a battle between outsiders like them and their republican establishment. >> let's begin by being clear what this campaign is about. it's not about donald trump, he is an entertaining guy. this campaign is about the greatest country in the world, and a president who has systematically destroyed many of the things that has made america special. >> reporter: across down, donald trump held his own event. explaining his boycott shows he will be a strong president. >> you have to stick up for your rights. when you are treated badly, you have to stick up for your rights. [ cheers and applause ] >> you have to do it, and

whether we like it or not, whether it's something we want to do or not, and that's what our country has to do. for example, iran, this deal is one of the worst deals i have ever seen negotiated under any circumstances, and we just take it. >> reporter: the events sparked several protests, which produced loud exchanges in the hall. >> now we move on to the topic of immigration. >> reporter: one of the most spirited parts of the debate, the question of immigration, and if candidates had switched position over offering a path to citizenship. >> when that battle was waged, my friend senator rubio chose to standing with barack obama, and harry reid and chuck schumer and support amnesty. >> ted, you worked for george w. bush's campaign. you helped design george w.

bush's immigration policy. >> reporter: this is a night that shows how bizarre this campaign has been. on one channel almost all of the candidates explaining why they should get votes, and on -- almost every channel, the candidate explaining why he should be the nominee. he claims he has raised more than $6 million for his event. well just 4 occupiers remain on a u.s. wildlife refuge taken over by an armed militia last month. the fbi released video showing how one of the group was shot dead by officers. >> reporter: the fbi says it released this video to dispel misinformation about what lead to the death of a spokesman for

the occupiers seen here at the national wildlife refuge. two weeks are seen stopping at the roadblocks established by oregon state troopers. he is driving the white pickup. militia leader ammon bundy is a passenger in the jeep. if you look carefully one person who left the truck can be seen in the lower right of the screen with his hands in the air. nearly four minutes passed as the agents demanded that the others surrendered. and then the man speeds off. >> there is a spike strip across the road, but it appears he missed it. he nearly hits an fbi agent adz he maneuvers to the left. the truck gets stuck in the snow bank. >> reporter: that's when he gets out and reaches towards his jacket, where according to the fbi, he was carrying a weapon. state police opened fire. >> we did everything we could to bring this situation to a peaceful resolution.

second, as was noted in the video, and as you will see when you download the video, that we waited a very long time. we were able to get one individual out of that truck, safely, back, and in custody. >> reporter: the fbi say negotiators are working around the clock to get those remaining out of there safely and quickly. just four people remain on the refuge, three men and a woman, who say in videos posted online, they will leave with assurances that they want be arrested. >> we want to go home peacefully, safely. >> reporter: speaked through his attorney, their jailed leader called on them to leave. >> my message still remains, turn yourselves in do not use miss call force. use the national platform that we have to continue to defend

liberty. >> reporter: he vowed to continue their fight for local control of federal lands through the courts. kristen saloomey, al jazeera, burns, oregon. still to come on this news hour, the legacy of sri lanka's civil war. we take a look at efforts to rebuild a nation torn apart plus a new law aimed at protecting wildlife in china will actually create loopholes for poachers.

>> a critical first step on the road to the white house. >> you have to find common ground.

>> i'm doing what's right for you. >> that's the kind of debate that we need to have. >> stay with al jazeera america for... >> it's going to be about getting people out to the caucus, which is not an easy thing to do. >> comprehensive coverage that's... >> the focus will be on south carolina tonight. hello, the syrian government delegation has arrived in geneva for talks aimed at bringing an end at the hour. some prominent opposition groups insist they won't negotiate until their conditions are met. four people have been killed in an attack on a shiite mosque in saudi arabia. it happened during friday

prayers in the eastern region. no one has yet claimed responsibility for that attack. the u.n. says it is alarmed by new allegations of child abuse by european soldiers in the central african republic. more now on the efforts to ebb the war in syria, and the conflict is in its fifth year. nearly 6.6 million syrians have been forced from their homes. it that's largest displacement of people in the world right now. the number of besieged areas in syria's conflict has risen to 18, up from 15 earlier this month. in all, more than 13.5 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance inside syria, and more than 4.5 million

have registered as refugees in other countries. let's speak to the former political advisor to the u.n. special advisor for syria, staffan de mistura. as i reveal those numbers, as you know, talks are going on to bring an end to the event. you have seen enough conferences, two of them already taken place. this one cannot fail. he is right, isn't he? >> i'm afraid he is wrong. i mean if you look at the headlines today in the international press. the only real debate is about whether what is happening in geneva now is a fiasco or a farce. you know, the preparations for this have -- have been extremely wanting. and perhaps more importantly,

the first point i would make is that the future of syria is not going to be decided in geneva, it is being decided on the ground in -- in syria, and any negotiations, i think, at the end of the day can only be a reflection of what is happening on the ground. having said that, the preparations for these talks have -- have really be abysmal. just something as simple as a list of invitations of seeking to compos a unified delegation to represent the various strands of the syrian opposition, and then yesterday, you have the special envoy, a man who claims a command of colloquial arabic, issuing a statement without any real english and without a sub

text. >> so what is the alternative be then in your opinion? >> well, my advise was never really asked, so it's difficult for me to answer that question. but clearly, if you are going to have negotiations, they need to be well prepared. they need to have a clear agenda. they need to have a time line, and perhaps above all, they need to have realistic targets. the fear at the outset was that we were walking into a syrian version of -- >> hang on a second. let me ask you this, because the targets that have been put in geneva are the immediate priorities are a brood ceasefire, humanitarian aid deliveries, halting the threat posed by isil, so you are clearly saying that those are not going to be achieved and the priority is not for those to be achieved and implemented? >> no, what i'm saying is -- is

that if you -- if you look at the kind of the meat of these talks, they have identified three priorities, which are a transitional government, a new constitution, and internationally supervised elections within 18 months. now anyone who knows anything about syria can tell you very clearly that that is simply not going to happen. now i think these other items you mentioned -- or at least now are going to happen under the present circumstances. these other items you mentioned, i think do need to be on the agenda, but the reason they are not is because one of the parties that is meant to negotiate them, is basically sending an errand's boy rather than a full delegation, also on the understanding that they will refuse to engage in substantive discussions at this point, for the very simple reason that it has been so extraordinarily

poorly prepared. having said that, i think we need to be clear that the u.n. is not really the prime decision maker here in fairness. it's -- ultimately if there's no consensus, among the international and regional powers about the next step. it's not going to be possible to make any progress. it's true that there is growing shared vision, if you will, between moscow and washington, but the real problem and the nut that still has to be cracked is within the region, and what has happened since the security council resolution is that you have two new conflicts, essentially concerning syria. to accept assurances from riyadh and tehran that their differences will not be allowed to get in the way of a successful conclusion of these negotiations, if you believe that, there's a bridge from

brooklyn i would very much like to sell you for a nice discount. >> all right. we'll have to leave it there. thank you for joining us. shell fire by houthi rebels in southern yemen has killed at least 13 people, including five children. >> reporter: they live in fear, children too young to understand war, but forced to cope with death. >> translator: my friend was killed by a shell. he was 11 years old. >> reporter: these are the most recent victims of a bombardment by the houthi rubbles and forces loyal to former president saleh. there's no more food. hospitals have run out of medicines and supplies. the u.n. was able to deliver emergency supplies this week after it trucks had been blocked

since november. the latest attacks targeted residential neighborhoods far away from the battlefield. the president's government says it considers the murder of civilians an acted of genocide. more than 6,000 people have been killed since the saudi-lead coalition entered the conflict last march, half of them have been civilians. the united nations says more than 80% of the yemeni population now requires emergency help to survive. a search for survivors is continuing in the mediterranean sea after a sinking boat was found. six bodies were recovered by the crew of an italian navy ship, and 290 rescued. the deaths are the first to be recorded this year on the route from north avenue to italy. the german chancellor will meet to discuss the refugee crisis.

merkel has said it is now vital to encourage integration in the country, as dominican republic reports. >> reporter: their struggle to get to germany is over. now the main task is to learn a new language. safely installed in a classroom, these syrians are glad to have left their country's troubles behind. >> translator: i came here to have a peaceful life. it feels good. i have security. and i have the peace i have been longing for. but it was hard to leave home and family. >> reporter: the teacher came to germany herself 12 years ago from dubai. she says her experience has made her want to help these people integrate. but in recent months things have gotten much tougher. she says the attacks on women in

cologne on new years eve has changed everything. >> there were a lot more german people that were excited in the beginning than they are now. telling a german now that more refugees are coming is like slapping them in the face. >> reporter: for the first time, a majority of germans believe their country cannot cope with the refugee influx. more than two-thirds expect crime will rise as a result. and nearly three-quarters favor tougher laws for dealing with asylum seekers who commit crimes. that is a particular concern for social workers like this one. he gives advice to new refugees and migrants. he believes one problem is that though most of the recent rivals are looking to integrate into society, other new arrivals want to prey on it.

>> translator: there are people that want to live here and enrich our society. and we have people that are hostile through their actions. it's not only that money plays a role, but also that they are hostile and dishonest. >> reporter: angela merkel's grew on refugee policy has long been we can do it. but now several senior members of her own party are demanding radical changes. whether they get them may well depend on public opinion. and the first key test of that will come in six week's time in the parliamentary elections. bodies of 23 indonesian workers have been found in the sea after people smugglers tried to illegally take them to malaysia. their small boat was capsized by large waves on tuesday. more than half of the 2 million indonesia workers in malaysia are thought to be that

illegally. our correspondent reports from the home of one of the workers who drowned. >> reporter: after visiting his family, he flew back to malaysia to return to his job in construction. he deported soon after he landed. the 36-year-old father of five paid a smuggler to take him on a boat which later capsized. the bodies of 23 men and women have so far been found. his was the first to be identified. >> translator: he had called our sister to say that he wanted to cross to malaysia, because he had been waiting too long, and needed money to pay for his children's school. when he was at sea, the boat first turned back because the waves were so high. next thing we know he has drowned when they tried to cross again. >> reporter: every year millions of indonesias try to find work

abroad. it's good business for recruitment agencies which charge six month's salary or more to get them there. >> translator: you need money to officially work in malaysia. you have to pay the agents more than $700. that's why for some it's difficult to travel legally. >> reporter: the governments have tightened regulations for migrant workers following the murders and abuse of workers. despite their loss, his relatives insist they have no choice but to work in malaysia. and are pleading for help. >> translator: i want to help the prime minister to help us indonesias. it's very difficult for us to find work here, and as farmers we can't make enough money to pay for our childrens' schools. >> reporter: his body has arrived back home, while police try to identify the other

bodies. this happens a few times every year, but this morning relatives say they will still go to malaysia to work even if they have to risk their lives. >> reporter: indonesian government leaders have announced they want to stop the indonesians from having unskilled jobs abroad. but they are still finding ways to go. it's been just over a year since the president of sri lanka was named. he promised national reconciliation to include the tam tamil minority. but things are far from returning to normal. >> reporter: it's a bittersweet moment. this woman and her brother had not seen their family home since

1990. during the war, the area had been designated a high-security zone. everyone living here was expelled and the army moved in. now both barely recognize the house they grew up in. >> translator: we were really sad the first time we saw it. we kept on looking and then we left. this was a sitting room. visitors used to come here. it was always alive and nice. the only thing left is this paining. everything else is gone. everything is broken. >> reporter: six years after the war with the tamil tigers ended, the soldiers are slowly pulling back. about 700 hectares were returned to their families. the land needs to be clear, and there is no water. still, they are glad that after so many years they got their property back.

a first steps towards national reconciliation, even though many say the government needs to do much more. many members of the tamil tigers are still in jail. others like this woman a her husband were detained after the war ended. she doesn't know when he'll be back home. >> translator: all of this time, my husband hasn't been with me. if you are alone, society doesn't accept you. there are many females like me who are alone and isolated. >> reporter: the war has effected everyone here. the tamil tigers have demanded that one member of each family join their ranks. so this woman was drafted one day after she turned 18.

>> translator: we were in the same situation, but because we were injured in the fighting, i wonder if they would have taken better care of us now. there is still work to be done if they want to reach real peace. it would take time for things to settle, and it won't happen overnight. >> reporter: hundreds remain stranded in camps. some have been here for 25 years. for them, the pledges made by the president to restore sri lanka's tattered democracy, and unite the country will only come true once they finally end their lives as displaced people. hoda abdel hamid, al jazeera, in northern sri lanka. for more on the political situation in sri lanka you can -- talk to al jazeera will be meeting with the president, and you can see that here on al jazeera on saturday 4:30 gmt. as well as on monday it will be repeated at 1430 gmt.

china is amending its law on wildlife protection. conservationists are not happy. they are saying the draft law gives too much weight to businesses breeding formally wild animals for profit. >> reporter: once running free, now in captivity, the siberian tiger, and the south china tiger used to roam china in much larger numbers. but only a dozen of these subspecies are estimated to survive in the wild. now china is revising its law on wildlife protection. but conservationists say some of the proposed amendments are worrying. in particular, the provision that allows wildlife to be hunted for captive breeding, and other special services. >> it's not natural, first.

and also they are going to -- probably going to influence and damage the wild population of the wild animals. >> reporter: captive animals cannot contribute to a healthy gene pool. there is also pressure to poach from the wild to supplement farmed populations in species which do not breed successfully in captivity. and there is concern over wording that would allow the commercial use of wildlife resources. it is a crime to consume rare and endangered species, but a black market already exists, not just in china, but worldwide. wild animal parts are sought after for use in traditional medicine. black marketeers will no doubt be looking for a loophole in the

law. wildlife organizations say there are some good points in the draft law. it spells out that animal's habitats are to be protected, but on the whole it is vague and unhelpful, and could leave some species even more vulnerable than before. now time for the sports news. >> dareen thank you so much. andy murray has advanced, but had to overcome a tough challenge from his canadian opponent. >> reporter: the adrenaline rush, a long rally, this last encounter between andy murray and his opponent, had all of the atmosphere of his final. he was looking to reach his first grand slam final. the big-serving canadian was

brutal in the first set and took it 6-4. murray looked sharper in the second set as we fought back to level the match 7-5. the third set, back to his best and murray at his most resilient. the scott's serve was constantly under threat, causing him to scrap for every point, as the canadian forced the set into a tie break, and the tables turned once again for murray, taking advantage of the medical time-out for an upper thigh problem. murray saved two break points to win the fourth set. into the fifth, the pressure mounted for the canadian, so close to his first major final, he dropped the opening game and received a warning after smashing his racket. murray maintained his high level of play and composure, winning four successful games before he finally put himself on the

scoreboard, but it was too little too late as the australian-run came to an end losing the final set 6-2 and the match. >> when i'm playing a match, i'm not thinking about what he was going through. i'm just trying to, you know, use what -- kind of what he is giving me on the court, and try to make adjustments to my game if -- if need be. >> murray now faces his old nemesis, novak djokovic in the final on sunday. the top seeds defeated andrea, and her partner, 7-6, 6-3 in the final. this is the first australian open title for the pair. >> like i said, like our

fairytale kind of continues. the run that we have had was amazing since winning wimbledon. we have only lost two matches and it seep -- keeps going. when i saw the ball floating, like going out, i was very relieved, because we kind of feel like we can dig it out, even if we don't play the best tennis, but we find a way. >> the women's final takes place on saturday. serena williams faces number 7 seed. williams will being looking for her seventh title in her record 22nd grand slam title. she won the trophy last year. this year the 34 year old has yet to drop a set. serena has played her six times before, with the german only winning once in their previous meetings, and that was back in

2012. >> everyone has expectations on the favorite. i was the favorite in new york. i feel like i could have done better in new york. but that was a learning experience, so i'm going to hopefully take that to the court for not only this tournament, but for the rest of the [ inaudible ]. >> i can go out and try to play like i'm playing without pressure, without nothing, because yeah, i think when you ask a lot of people, i think most will say, okay, serena will win, but this is the challenge i can take. i have nothing to lose. i don't have so much pressure like she has. football now, south korea and japan will play each other in the final in the under 23 championships on saturday. both sides have already qualified for the olympics. right now qatar are playing iraq to secure the final

qualification spot. qatar will be looking to qualify for the first time since 1992, when iraq last qualified in 2004. the score there right now, qatar leading 1-0. the toronto raptors beat the new york knicks to extend their winning streak to ten games. the pacers snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the atlanta hawks. atlanta won 111-92. in the nhl calorie flames defender dennis wideman has been suspended indefinitely for knocking down an official during a game. it happened during the loss to nashville on wednesday. he was first hit by predator's [ inaudible ] watch what happens next. he strikes linesman don

hinderson while trying to get off of the ice. they will have a hearing next tuesday. >> my career i have been around for a few years and i treated every official with the utmost respect. and it was completely unintentional. golf now, paul lauri had a two-stroke lead. blustery conditions made it a challenging day in doha. the scotsman who lifted the trophy in 1999 and 2012 is going for a record third title. he is two shots clear of brandon grace of south africa, and denmark's [ inaudible ]. american scott brown and andrew loop share the first-round lead in california. big names are struggling. jason day who has been suffering with a virus, carded a 72 on the

north course. and that's all of your sport for you. back to you dareen. >> thank you for that update. a traditional form of art in argentina is seeing a resurge. unesco is now trying to save the age-old way of drawing as our correspondent reports from. >> reporter: painting so that this art does not fade away. it's a way of painting that is part of argentina's history. it's a type of street art that eventually died out. >> translator: they are from the same time period in argentine history. in the 1940s they were very popular and then they started disappearing. then in the '70s, it was banned from the streets. >> reporter: this type of art

uses an ornamental design. it is a typical art of buenos aires. it was created in the 19th century by european immigrants who brought elements of art, and created a unique argentinian style. it started as a way of decorating carriages but later became an emblem of buenos aires. for years buses were decorated with the art, until it was banned by the military government in the 1970s. the reason given, it was distracting to drivers. many say that it was an attack against popular art. this man says that the art is part of the soul of buenos aires. he managing a bus company and has struggled to keep this type of art live. >> translator: when buses appeared decades ago they were painted like street carriages. everybody wanted to have the

nicest bus. they had the flag, homes, among others. >> reporter: he says that the military government's ban was in part responsible for it no longer being used, but also that buses became more commercial. >> translator: when buses are owned by companies, the buses don't belong to the drivers anymore, so that changed everything. >> reporter: this year, unesco has declared the art as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. >> translator: this is a way of putting the art out there again. it certainly helps us to promote an art that was disappearing. >> reporter: even though it was on the verge of being wiped out, it can be seen on the streets, on furniture, and decorates many other things in buenos aires. people like this man will work to keep the tradition alive. more news coming up on al jazeera in a moment.

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the fbi releases video to