>> a french priest captured and cameron last month has been released. he was being held by islamist group boko haram. the french born in -- foreign minister is on his way to ameren to bring him back home. surgeons were able to operate on a racing legend the second time. some of the brain hemorrhage has been absorbed but he remains in a medically induced coma. israel releases 26 palestinian prisoners. they are welcome back as national heroes by president mahmoud abbas. thanks for joining us on "france 24."

the french priest captured in northern cameroon has been released. father george bunn and bush was kidnapped last month by boko haram, and the french presidency has think cameron and nigeria are hoping to secure his release. the news came from the office of the presidency. george vandenbeusch was released on new year's day. after a month and a half in captivity. >> i want to thank all those who worked relentlessly for his release, especially the cameroonian and nigerian authorities. >> in his former parish, followers are believed. they say he has been in their prayers ever since he was kidnapped. >> politicians have worked to release father vandenbeusch, but here we have also prayed for him for a month and a half every thursday. >> george vandenbeusch was kidnapped on november 14 in northern cameroon.

that they around 15 gunmen burst into his compound and forced him into a van. his success was later found on a road to nigeria -- the suitcase was later found under a to nigeria. the priest chose to remain in his parish in a dangerous area to carry out his charity work. the foreign minister is on his way to cameron's capital to bring the priest home. haram continues to be extremely active in nigeria and across the border. what is the group' likely to be going forward -- what is the group's strategy likely to be going forward? h >> he was the second foreign victim of their houses taking outside of nigeria this year. there was a french family same area ofhe northern cameroon. some analysts went out -- point out that taking foreign hostages

is not really central to boko haram, because the struggle is inside of nigeria against the indeed, government and, both sides have raised the stakes, particularly the , inrian government september and october, and it has pushed some of these boko haram fighters across the board to northern cameroon. it is one reason the northernmost tip of cameron is called the red zone by the french government. he chose to stay there to be with his parishioners. around's --vocal boko haram's strategy and said nigeria, they've continued to targetsolice and army

particularly in the northern states where the nigerian government has a state of emergency because boko haram activity has become so intense there. that is a very tense situation in northern nigeria. and it is estimated that 1200 people have died in nigeria since may. very high number of people in just under a year in fighting between boko haram government forces. in this distinctions between boko haram -- endless distances between boko haram's with operating with foreign hostages and how groups further north operate. that is to say, al qaeda and the islamic network, and in the cases of five hostages being taken by -- french hostages being taken by al qaeda, they are taken for months and

sometimes years and several have been murdered by their captors, which so far has not happened this year at any rate with boko --am in nigeria with these the french family being taken hostage and then later the french priest. >> thank you very much. moving on to the state of health of michael schumacher, doctors see a slight improvement in his condition. surgeons operated on him a second time and some of the internal brain hemorrhage has been absorbed. >> we have better control over the situation. michael schumacher is not out of danger. but we have a bit more time for our medical process. be next few hours will crucial. >> the racing legend remains in a medically induced coma. however, surgeons reviews to give a prognosis could let's get a surgeon's perspective on this.

a neurosurgeon joins us over the phone from bombay in india. sayschumacher's surgeons they are still legions in the brain. -- lesions in the brain. what is the scenario for the next 24 hours or so?' >> kept sedated and probably --alyzed because of the i am not sure when he is rtleased whether he will stae moving or not. it will be important to see what is the movement of his limbs and how is his consciousness. i understand that before the operation he was agitated and moving in with his limbs and considering that scenario, my feeling is that he should have a very they cope -- very big open just keep him regulated -- very

big hope and just keep him regulated and hope that when he group -- hiss movements are functioning. >> how long can he be kept in this artificial coma? >> as long as it is necessary, as long as he is not breathing comfortably, and as long as his lip movements -- limit movements have returned . we should keep it as long as it is possible and necessary. >> does he need to be awake for surgeons to fully assess the damage to the brain? >> it is impossible to assess the old damage to the right side you paralyzed -- when he has been paralyzed. it depends on when the regulator is removed and the drugs are removed, what are his responses.

i think you should be -- he should be -- it is very crucial that we keep watching his -- howes and see how he he is breathing is, how does limit movements are, and all of those things will be very important. doctor, based on well enough for the moment, is actually possible for him to make a full recovery? >> it is impossible to say at this point in time. my only feeling is that we have to keep hope. >> medically speaking, doctor, is that a possibility? about hisno idea preoperative clinical situation so i would not be able to confirm and say that he would come out or he would not come out or how much he would come out or whether he would come out

completely or partially. it is impossible to say at this point in time. my feeling is that we will have until thed watch doctor decides to see how his ventilation is an decides to remove the drugs. >> all right, neurosurgeon in bombay, thank you very much for your insight. 26 palestinian prisoners were released an israeli jail early tuesday morning. they are the third group to be released over the past few months as israelis and palestinians try to revive peace talks. as to the prisoners went back to ramallah in the west bank, where jubilant crowds celebrated the return. homecoming.us more than 2000 palestinian prisoners -- more than two dozen palestinian prisoners released from israeli jails early tuesday morning made their way to resolve. jerusalem,ir way to

the gaza strip, on the west bank. friends and family gave him a hero's welcome. >> i have a feeling i cannot express. for 20 two years, my sons got married, we had holidays, but we were not happy. today this is a huge joy because of the release of my husband. released, 5 men were delivered to east jerusalem. gaza. ramallah and to the west bank, where they were greeted by president mahmoud abbas. >> this day is a happy day for all of us, for our people, for our families, and for our hero prisoners, who were freed today to live free. the freed inmates served 19-28 years for killing israeli civilians or soldiers.

while they are held by palestinians as euros for fighting against the israeli occupation -- as heroes for fighting at the israeli activation, israeli families see them as murderers and protested against their release. more than 150 people marched on monday night in jerusalem bearing pictures of their relatives. the latest release of palestinian prisoners is the third of euro for such mass releases as part of the peace talks that resumed in july. under a formula drawn up by u.s. secretary of state john kerry, israel agreed to release a total of 104 long serving palestinian prisoners in order to restart peace talks with palestinians. vladimir putin has ordered security to be stepped up across russia after the twin bomb attacks that killed 34 people in volgograd. thousands of security officers employed in the city, which is began to bury its dead. >> heightened security across russia after 2 suicide bombers

targeted volgograd. the first blast struck the city's main train station on sunday and left -- less a 24 hours later, second bomber blew himself up on a packed trolley bus during the morning rush. the attacks come just months after chechen rebel leader threatened to target civilians, including at the upcoming olympics in sochi. the city is close to the caucuses, where islamic militants have been waging an insurance -- waging an insurgency. international condemnation has been swift, with offers of assistance coming from the united states. >> article and its attorney personnel have been working with the russians for many months unsecured -- our diplomatic security personnel have been working with the russians for many months could we provide assistance to folks traveling there. we're ready to support anyway we can to help with the precarious situation. >> no one has yet claimed responsibility for these attacks. the russian investigators believe the same people may have

planned both the bus bombings in the blast at volgograd's railway station the day before. >> the latest on the crisis in south sudan. the president and his rifle, arel leader riek machar, heading to ethiopia for face-to-face talks. the fighting in the country is not stopped to spite the offer of a cease-fire by president salva kiir. rebels say they have recapture the key town of bor in the north of the country after a government assault earlier in the day. a suicide attack in southern yemen has killed at least 3 soldiers. the car bomb was driven to the gritty headquarters. -- security headquarters. police say they averted another suicide bombing and arrested 2 people with links to al qaeda. hundreds of security officials have been killed over the past 2 years as the government fights an islamist insurgency and separatists in the country. finally, 74 people aboard the overwrought australis -- aurora australis are planning to begin

the new year in antarctica. the ship has been stuck for a week in at the sacrifice. the latest attempt to airlift the crew and the people on board the ship has not worked. helicopter did take off from an icebreaker, chinese icebreaker a few miles away from the russian ship, but unfortunately extreme weather conditions do not allow it to complete its mission. there have been 3 separate attempts by icebreakers to reach the russian ship and the ice is so thick that it has not been possible until now. formula one legend michael schumacher has been put into an artificial, as he continues to fight for his life after a skiing accident on sunday. the 44-year-old underwent brain surgery in a hospital on monday and remains in critical condition. doctors treating the seven-time world champion announced that had he not worn a helmet in his

fall, the impact of the rock would've killed him. post members of his family are at his bedside -- close members of his family are at his bedside. tennis now. a winning start to the season. after a tough opening set against santiago, the frenchman ranked 31st in the world, couldn't convert any mystery break points in the opener. tiebreaking 7-1. he found his range in the second with 2 rights against the colombian opponent unable to muster a single brightpoint throughout. 76-justhe final score. towering croat is always a threat behind this serve, tipping the opening set 9-7 with the tie-break. tiebreaking second set in suit with the fourth-seeded unable to

unlock the world's number 78. meanwhile, roger federer is in queens land preparing for the opening tournament of the season at brisbane international. first formal event ahead of the australian open. the rankingsth in last season, having not moved pass any of the majors. he is taking it one tournament at a time. >> the goal is short-term for now. i want to try to win big tournaments, hopefully the grand slam, go up in the rankings as high as i can. is only focus right now trying to stay well here in brisbane and move on to the australian open. it is really it, and then we'll see what play at the beginning of the year and reassess. >> the seven-time major champion has won only one clarence lamb -- only one grand slam title

since 2010. it is very different to when he was enjoying his peak years. >> now to change things up a little bit, just a different, getting used to making sure i -- i don't want to say have never looked unprofessional in the past, but you have to be ultra-professional. it is like a car. you have to warm it up more than in the past could back in the day, 10, 15 years ago, i would jump up-and-down for 2 minutes and go out and play a five-set match. today it takes 20 or 30 minutes to get ready, which is ok and i am happy to do that. it is an interesting time. i don't mind doing it. it is just a different part of my career today, and i love the game, so that is not going anywhere. i am very excited that 2014 is just around the corner. >> 1 big addition to his team has been his childhood hero,

stefan decker, who is joined the crew. he is on a 10 week basis taking them through the aussie open and hopefully beyond. >> a bit of a wait and see. i'm just happy spending time with him because he was my childhood hero. i admire him so much that it is just nice chatting away with him about tennis, about my game, about his ideas, about what he used to do and so forth, taking his brain-- picking and giving me good advice. we are really eager to talk to him and he is coming to melbourne in a couple of weeks. >> that are managed a single title in 2013 -- fedor managed a single title in 2013. with his enthusiasm still intact, the 32-year-old hopes there is a little magic left in his racket. now the football. he is available to play while the faa investigates his alleged

anti-semitic goals old version. the former french international celebrated the first of his 2 goals with a hand signal. this coach says he will check on a state of mind ahead of wednesday's game in new castle. i need to speak to him tomorrow and get a feeling of how he is feeling about the last couple of days but from the football point of view, felt it was a decision to bring him back. hopefully from the focal point of view it proves the seeds -- proves he is capable of doing it. >> he has promised not to use the celebration again as he looks to score more goals on new year's day. >> hello, and welcome to today's

weather news, where we look at the stories making online headlines. -- web news, where we look at the stars making online headlines. volker gratis in shock after suicide bombings. documents from the investigation into the sandy hook massacre. and it american website works out the cost of the damage done in the "die hard" film. russian web users are in shock following deadly bombings in the volgograd as russia gets ready to host the sochi winter olympics. as you can see from this footage going about online, an explosion hit a trolleybus on monday morning the day after sunday's blast at the volgograd main train station. the attacks sparked panic in this russian city. there was another suicide people and another tram, began speculating on social networks. people in cities across russia prefer to avoid public transport and have been getting around by

car or taxi. many web users have been paying 29-year-old police officer killed in sunday's bombing. he tried to stop this female suicide bomber from entering the train station waiting room. the process named one of the suicide bombers, a 26-year-old woman who had reportedly ties -- [indiscernible] web users identified another person with the same name. the recordt straight, saying she was alive and well and had nothing to do with the bombing before deleting all her photos. telephone call from a panicking witnesses one of 7000 documents in the police investigate into the account massacre now available online. -- the newtown massacre, now available online could just one

year on from the terrible sandy hook shooting, and the interest of transparency they made public the results of the massive investigation. as the police commissioner states in the letter explaining the move. of the investigation up in black that were hidden but police have released imris reports with photographs from -- numerous report with photographs from the crime scene. the killer arrived in the car to where he entered the building where 26 people were gunned down and killed, some of them hiding in a classroom bathroom. lanza, formerdam student at the school, is at the center of the investigation. he killed himself before he could explain his actions. his houseathered when was searched revealed aspects of his personality. childhood drawings and press cuttings were found along his personal blogging, showing an

early fascination with violence and weapons. as you can see from these photos from an early age. police photographs showed a substantial collection of weapons he kept at home. these documents will no doubt fueled debate on gun control in the u.s. as calls to toughen up legislation continue to grow. believed to have been written in the eighth century bc, the home of "the odyssey" has been -- odyssey" has been translated into millions of linkages. bookworms, at for --"lization of "donkey quixote," the harry potter series, and mao zedong's "little

red book." in the harry potter universe, the ministry of magic is the government that oversees the wizardry world. withs been brought to life a portal designed for the british government website, including all sorts of useful information for witches and wizards. the welcome page tells that the international magic holiday will 2014, and the community should make alternative travel arrangements for christmas as the transport network will be close down during the holiday period. the miserable men instagram account shows what men get up to at the shopping mall. there are some 380 photographs of men looking none too excited about the whole thing as they nap on the bench or are glued to the telephone. the page has over 10,000 followers, the consummate their own photos. it brings a compassionate smile to the face of any man who has been dragged out shopping.

with the kick here and mass explosion there, action heroes have the annoying habit of destroying everything in their path. in the "die hard" films, bruce willis is no exception. how much does the damage cost? a site has added a dollop and provided a detailed account in this video, entitled "what's the damage," available on the youtube channel. the grand total, $48 million.

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