announcer: this is al jazeera. ♪ hello, this is the al jazeera newshour. iraq's prime minister announces he will resign after weekeks of violent antigigovernt protest. a stabbing in central l london leaves two people dead, while the suspect is shot dead by the police. a food crisis sees every second household in india dealing with a malnourished child. and taking action against climate change.

another round of global protests after a major u.n. conference. ♪ anchor: welcome to the program. weeks of deadly antigovernment protests could finally force a major political change in iraq. prime minister adel abdul mahdi has announced he intends to reside. hisays he will submit resignation to parliament. our correspondent was on the scene as the news emerged, and has this report from baghdad. correspondent: the celebrations were instantaneous. as soon as acting prime minister adel abdul mahdi announced his intention to resign, antigovernment demonstrators practically threw a party. the stunning development came a day after more than 50 people were killed by security forces in one of the bloodiest days of violence since the protests erupted in early october.

it was just over a year ago that abdul madhi was appointed as a consensus candidate. throughout the streets on friday, cheering, singing, even dancing. optimism on full display. areoday, the iraqi people happy, but we only consider this the first step.we demanded the resignation of all lawmakers, and colombo judiciary to put them on trial immediately -- and call on the judiciary to put them on trial immediately. correspondent: it is clear that the cosmetic changes will not suffice. they are after a complete overhaul of the political system. the mood here has turned celebratory, but all around us there are somber reminders of those who have lost their lives during these protests. we see people praying for the memories of antigovernment demonstrators killed by security forces. methis college student told he and his fellow protesters are

more encouraged than ever to keep coming out on the streets. only adelblem is not abdul mahdi. he wants to topple the whole regime. it has been a corrupt system for 16 years, a corrupt system that negatively impact society and politics, the economy, and it has had a psychological impact on us. correspondent: she brought her whole family so they could witness a historic moment together. >> today, we have to come and participate because this iraq is our iraq. this country is our country, and this pain is our pain. the youth who are demonstrating are like all of our children. they have to take their rights because corruption will not last forever. correspondent: inspiring words that may help transcend the deep pain felt by so many, praying constantly not just for the dead, but also the living. the unrest in iraq has

been ongoing for weeks. protests began in the capital baghdad after high unemployment and claims are corruption and spread across the country. despite support from key religious and political figures, about 65 people died in clashes with security forces. protests subsided when the prime minister released a plan that included subsidies and housing for the poor, but crowds returned to the streets. on november 3, the iranian consulate was attacked, and demonstrators set fire to the iranian consulate elsewhere, sparking more violence. the death toll from almost two months of anger stands at at least 500. --have our guest joins us live from indianapolis. how much pressure was abdul mahdi under to quit, and was he

the right person for the job anyway? >> he was always a compromise candidate. or hadbeen in retirement been in retirement for about 10 years. but the parliamentary party is deadlocked on who should become the prime minister after the last elections. he was a compromised candidate. he wields no strength in parliament. he was the right man in the sense that he has been around, and he does have the technocratic ability. but he is part and parcel of the system that the demonstrators were rejecting. yearsaid, after only one in office, he certainly could not have been expected to wave a magic wand and make the problems disappear. anchor: this is not the first time he has offered to resign. when is he likely to go, and what happens next in terms of

his government and who succeeds him? >> when the prime minister resides, assuming parliament will accept his resignation, it is deemed that the entire cabinet has. under the iraqi constitution, what occurs next is the president will be acting prime minister, but he has a certain amount of time to name a prime minister designate, who has 15 days to form a cabinet. to obtain the approval by a simple majority vote of the parliament. this is mechanically what has to happen. but what is difficult to see is the impasse that resulted in abdul mahdi becoming prime minister, that impasse is still in place. it is difficult to see that in a short period of time the parliamentary parties will be able to agree not only on a prime minister, but a new

cabinet office. anchor: we saw iraq's top she a cleric-- top shia condemn the use of force against protesters. he also called for a new government. how much political influence does he have in terms of shaping any new political landscape? to be recalled that the current system is one he largely shaped in the first place, which has resulted in what the protesters are protesting against. there is no small amount of irony that the protesters are looking to him to be the vehicle to form a secular civil state. but he clearly has a tremendous amount of influence with the shia ofrs and with the iraq. protests wielding that now.

whether it is to protect the system that he helped design in the first place or whether it is truly to bring about a secular state remains to be seen. anchor: a final thought from you. heh abdul mahdi announcing is going, will this placate the protesters? over 400 of them have been killed in the violence. they want much more than the prime minister's resignation. would beo, although it more accurate to say that they reject more than the incumbent prime minister. we don't know what their positive vision is. we know what they are against. it is not clear to me that they know what it is they are for or how to get there. stateogans of the secular and opportunities for all is a slogan. this is not an agenda. there is no leadership to these demonstrations, it appears.

and a way forward is not immediately present itself where it is likely to present in more chaos than a happier and state -- happier end state. anchor: thank you for talking to al jazeera. two people have been killed in a knife attack in the heart of central london. a suspect was also shot dead during the incident. theyity's mayor says showed breathtaking heroism in bringing the incident to a close. police investigating the attack say they are treating it as terror related. bystanders wrestled a man with a knife to the ground before arms police moved in. prime minister boris johnson left the campaign trail to attend to downing street to receive updates. we have this report from london. correspondent: it was a life or death struggle witnessed by hundreds of bystanders. the man in the sweater is pinning the attacker to the ground. armed police dragged him clear, and as the man rises, the police fire.

>> i started running, and i heard gunshots. i see more police officers running toward the bridge as i am running back. >> police were running up. as soon as the police passed us, there were gunshots. i assume there were gunshots. i don't really know what a gun sounds like. but there were gunshots, quite a few of them. correspondent: mobilephone footage shows several members of the public overpowered the attacker before the police arrived. the man in the black coat is seen removing one of the two large knives the attacker had been holding. an explosives dealt, which the man had been wearing, turned out to be fake, but the police did not know that. by this point, five people had been stabbed and seriously wounded. despite the immediate attention of paramedics, two victims later died. >> my heart goes out to their loved ones and to the three further injured victims, who i understand are being treated in hospital.

but of course, to everybody who has been affected by today's terrible and mindless events. correspondent: the police are treating the attack as a terrorist incident. the prime minister returned to downing street with a meeting with his security chief's. he then briefed the opposition leader, jeremy corbyn. >> this country will never be cowed or divided or intimidated by this sort of attack, and our values, our british values, will prevail. >> we have to remember that we live in a democratic society, and those that would seek to silence us will not succeed. our democracy must be alive and vibrant. correspondent: it was just two years ago that eight victims lost their lives in another attack at london bridge. in that incident, three men used a van to mow down pedestrians, then ran through the nearby market area, indiscriminately stabbing people before being

shot dead by armed officers. in that attack, they were inspired by so-called islamic state. the background and possible motives of this latest attacker are the immediate focus of the police and security services. there is an intensive ongoing operation here in the south side of london bridge. people are still filtering down from where they have been held in quarantine in their offices and homes, now being allowed out. we have also seen an unmarked police car moving at speeds to the bottom of the bridge. this investigation will take many more hours, many more days. still to comeore on the newshour, including uruguay because a new president. we take a look at if you can deliver on his election promises. after a fiery standoff between protesters and police, what was found inside hong kong's polytechnic university.

and the abu dhabi grand prix. ♪ thousands of people across the world have taken to the streets to demand more action on climate change. the day of global protests have been spurred on by students who skip school to make their voices heard. and sydney, they were gas masks as smoke from nearby wildfires hovered over the city. thousands marched, demanding more action on climate change. in new delhi, protesters demanded the closure of a waste management plant. 2.5 million people in india die from poor air quality every year. protesters in belgium beat drums as they marched to the capital of brussels. in london, demonstrators took their fight to parliament. they want climate change to be a big issue in month's general election. at one ofpondent was those protests in london. correspondent: the protests

started in australia, and moved westward. another in delhi, india. we want the government and the people to realize that right now we have a climate emergency and to treat it the same way. some environmentalists cannot keep doing their work separately, as we believe society needs to start doing the work. correspondent: greta thunberg started skipping school on friday a year and a half ago to protest climate change outside parliament. she has inspired a worldwide movement of young people and parrots, worried about the future of the planet -- movement of young people and parents come a worried about the future of the planet. consumerism ise, part of the problem. [chanting] correspondent: such disruption

is a risky strategy. it is inevitably and alienates people. alienatesitably an people. the student movement gets criticized for being disruptive. >> i think people have opinions about that. do, manyt of people people will listen. correspondent: there needs to be some disruption? >> there needs to be some disruption. correspondent: each country has its own domestic dynamic. the u.k. is an election season with the country going to the polls on december 12. the strikers are hoping their message can put pressure on the politicians who increase their climate credentials. greenhouse gas levels are still breaking record highs. global temperatures are already 1.1 degree hotter than before the industrial revolution, and

still rising. the european parliament has declared a state of emergency. in madrid, preparations are finishing for next week's climate change conference. many have already agreed to a carbon neutral world by 2050. [chanting] correspondent: these young people expect global leaders to honor that commitment. it is their future at stake. in frankfurt, protesters stormed the main shopping precinct, trying to block access to the black friday sales. they demonstrated out some of germany's biggest chain stores. some say that shopping frenzy is bad for the environment and want to see an overhaul of consumerism. the u.s. andetween afghan taliban have resumed. the taliban confirmed negotiations as u.s. president donald trump made an unannounced visit to afghanistan. talks were canceled in september

following an attack. correspondent: it was a surprise visit, and is often the case, a surprising announcement. >> the taliban wants to make a deal, and we are meeting with them and looking for a cease-fire. they did not want to do a cease-fire, now they want to do a cease-fire. correspondent: trump's admission comes after the president abruptly broke off talks in september following the killing of a u.s. soldier in a bombing claimed by the taliban. talks had been making progress until then. the taliban has confirmed that some meetings have been taking place to pave the way for the resumption of talks. the group also recently released two western hostages and 10 afghan soldiers in exchange for three of its senior leaders. but officials say there is no sign the taliban is ready to give up its weapons in exchange for a role in afghan politics. demilitarization is a key demand

afghanisident ostroff -- from president ostroff donnie. -- president ashraf ghani. he is keen to show he is relevant in the peace process. for donald trump, the process is cutting down the number of u.s. troops in afghanistan from 13,000 to just over 8000, and helping the afghans cover their own security. >> we are bringing it down substantially. it is a good number, and we are going to say until such time as we have a deal or we have total victory. they want to make a deal very badly. correspondent: it has been 18 years since the u.s. launched its war in afghanistan, pushing the taliban out of power. the irony not lost not almost two decades on, both sides are negotiating. willdeal can be struck, it more than likely see the taliban return to play a part in ruling afghanistan.

michael semple is from queen's university belfast. he says there needs to be compromise for talks to move ahead. >> the taliban have to accept some form of violence reduction, whether it is partial or global, one being a full cease-fire. but possible they could agree to a more limited measure to reduce violence. to start to agree turning off the violence, and they have to agree to a pathway to direct talks with the afghan government. what the taliban have bid saying the past several months since the protest -- the process broke happy tohey are reenter negotiations, but only if the americans give them everything they felt had been whereas in that deal,

on the others, the americans have been telling them quietly that that deal became impossible because there was zero support inside afghanistan. strongly opposed by the afghan government. public opinion in kabul, something is going to have to budge to make this process acceptable to the afghan people. on taliban's insistence restarting where they left off, essentially reviving the deal that was dumped on the seventh of september, seems to be like a nonstarter. anchor: india's economy is experiencing its weakest performance in more than six years. the --ent figures say the prime minister announced reforms in restrictions in foreign investment in hopes of reviving the economy. let's take a look at what could be causing this slump in growth. weak manufacturing and a fall in

consumer demand. india has been experiencing a drop in exports, a result of a global slowdown. most circulated banknotes were de-monetized. experts say the indian economy never fully recovered. malnutrition is a chronic problem in india, and a slowing economy could make the problem worse. our correspondent reports. correspondent: she says she never had enough to eat when she was pregnant, nor after she had the baby. now, her daughter, 13-month-old anita, is suffering from malnutrition. she is below the normal rate and height for her a. -- foreign agent. the recent -- for her age. countryer level in the has been changed to serious. >> some days i don't get to eat. my husband does farm, but there is no guarantee we will have a

crop to harvest. correspondent: activists say dealing with the crisis involves mitigating that agricultural crisis and increasing employment. >> in every other house, there is a child suffering from malnutrition. the food given by the government to the child is consumed by the whole family because they do not have enough. they are failing to provide them jobs in nonfarm sectors. correspondent: according to an unreleased government survey, rural spending in india has plummeted for the first time in four decades. expenditure for food items is an indicator for increasing malnutrition. the government to focus on policies that increase consumption. >> i think this will prolong, in the absence of any intervention, because a large segment of the population lives there. growth inigher income

rural areas. correspondent: a middle income farmers says while forming is risky -- while farming is risky, the last few years have been politically trying. >> because of the monetization, we did not get our money on time. then it rained, so we lost a lot. correspondent: frequent droughts and floods have wreaked havoc in the farms, reducing earnings. >> the indian government says all is well in the economy. if there is any slowdown, it is because of global dynamics. for these villages, the farmers say the reasons are domestic, whether it is too much or too little rainfall damaging crops, or the lingering impact of the government's changes to the national currency. some economists linked to the government question the methodology by which the data on hunger was collected. nevertheless, many farmers have migrated to the cities for work. she wonders if her family should.

anchor: police in hong kong say they have seized about 4000 petrol bombs from a university barricaded by protesters for almost two weeks. a cleanup has begun at the polytechnic university after hundreds of bottles of chemicals were reportedly found. police say students were using the campus as a weapons factory. dozens were arrested as they tried to escape the campus, following the most violent clashes yet after months of antigovernment protest. meanwhile, a protest was held after a man says he was tortured by police in china. he was detained when visiting the mainland. protesters are demanding the british government investigate. sarah clark was at the rally. correspondent: the people are here to support the former british consulate worker. andas detained in china, beaten and tortured by chinese authorities.

china denies the accusations and says he broke the law while in shenzhen. investigations should be held by the british government instead of the hong kong government because simon is a british national overseas, born before 1997. he is a staff of the british consulate. correspondent: the siege at the polytechnic university has now come to an end. police have entered the campus and collected evidence for the investigation. that includes around 4000 petrol bombs. police say around 1300 people have now been arrested. the cleanup at polytechnic university has just begun. anchor: the president of the south american country of sarin has been -- of suriname has been sentenced to prison. he was convicted for the killing of 15 political opponents in

1982 when he became the de facto lideader following a coup. the new president of uruguay can get some advice from his father on how to lead the country. s lacalle pou is the son of a former president. >> [chanting] correspondent: he is the youngest president in uruguay's history. the6, luis lacalle pou won second round of elections in this tiny nation. even though the elections took place last sunday, the results have only just been confirmed. it was a tight race. engineer from the centerleft party brought front was his opponent. supporters say it was time for a change. >> a change is needed for all

uruguaians. we cannot continue to be like we were. really, this change is for all of uruguay. happy, happy. theespondent: for 15 years, broad front's party w implemented a series of politics like legalizing marijuana and abortion. but a slowdown in the economy and rise in crime is what allowed a conservative party to return to power. daniel martinez earned more votes in the first round in october, in the days that followed, lacalle pou confirmed on alliance with other parties that helped him gain victory. >> we are very satisfied with the work we did all those months and for the support we received from across the country. and people from all political parties make up the agreement. correspondent: lacalle pou comes

from a political family. his father is a former president, and his mother was a senator. many countries in latin america are in turmoil, uruguay has been considered a country of civility in recent years. lacalle pou's main challenge will be to maintain a consensus after such a tight victory, to ensure the stability continues. break. time for a short when we come back, the murder investigation that sent shockwaves through the government. who could be next to resign. >> people are very angry about it. people do not support what he is proposing. anchor: why divided communities in northern ireland are uniting against boris johnson's brexit plan. that.n stay with us. ♪

>> toward saturday, look the snow. down here toward the southeast, it will be the thunderstorms. across the ohio river valley, expect to see a lot of rain, as well as some icing across much of the area. saturday and sunday, a lot of the snow makes its way across the great lakes. a lot of rain across the east coast.

the major cities, expect to see delays in your forecast. indianapolis also a big city for travel. we will see mixed weather on saturday. as we go to sunday, it will be very heavy snow in your forecast. monday, things improve, but it will be cooler with a temperature of minus two degrees. across much of central america and into the caribbean, we are looking at mostly cloudy conditions with a temperature of 31 degrees. ♪ ♪ anchor: welcome back. iraqi prime minister adel abdul mahdi has announced he intends to resign. the announcement comes after calls for leadership change and antigovernment protests that have left more than 400 people dead.

a man killed two people in central london. armed police killed the suspect on london bridge. it is being treated as terror related. dozens of people across the world have taken part in rallies demanding more action on climate change. the day of global action is spurned on by students who are making their voices heard. killed in the democratic -- funerals were initially phoned -- initially postponed, demanding militaries leave the area. they claim not enough has been done to protect them from armed groups in the area. correspondent: the morgue in the hospital is too small to hold the bodies of 28 people killed by allied democratic forces in an attack this week. the caskets have to stay outside. family and residents are still

in shock. they are also frustrated, accusing congolese security forces and united nations peacekeepers of not doing enough to protect them from rebel attacks. >> what is happening here is unacceptable. we need to be united to solve these security problems. most of the bodies are decapitated, others burned. we cannot accept this. >> we don't want to see soldiers, police ortho u.n. i don't have a family now. they aredent: many say angered by the insecurity. at least 100 civilians have been killed by 80 rebels since the offensive against them started in november. protesters have been out on the streets.

police have been trying to clear this road all morning, but are failing because people keep bringing back the stones. saying they want to get to a u.n. base to express their anger. they say they do not want the u.n. here because the u.n. and the government soldiers are not doing enough to protect the people. correspondent: some human rights campaigners also accuse security forces of failing to do their job. congolese people bear the brunt of the battle for resources here. >> it is not the congolese army that is going to solve it. but it is to cut off the supply channel of blood minerals. that is number one. second, there need to be talks.

people we call these whatever, we need to engage them. that is to be done honestly, regionally, by the neighboring countries. correspondent: the bereaved not only mourn their loved ones, they also hope the rebels will not return. anchor: rescue operations in kenya after heavy flooding are hampered after damage to roads and bridges. there are fears the number of dead could rise when rescue workers finally gain access to remote areas. we have more from the capital, nairobi. correspondent: a week of torrential floods in northwestern kenya. many bridges remained down. flowing water washed away long sections of roads. workers are repairing this road. the government is pleading for help. >> we need all the assistance we can get.

we are appealing for help. the priority is to take food and medicine to the affected people so they can cope with the disaster. correspondent: this village is one of the worst hit after landslides followed days of rain. families were wiped out in a torrent of water and mud. that emergencye help is going to arrive. but in some cases, villagers -- without the bodies of missing relatives. >> we are really sad we have not yet recovered the bodies of our children. it is not just my son's body, but my neighbor's seven children who died. we need urgent help. correspondent: traders and their families are working together to clear the debris away so they

can open their businesses. but it is not over. kenyans and affected villages are being urged to move to safer ground. >> the government does not issue the necessary mornings. the -- the necessary warnings. the danger is real. they must return only when we tell them to. correspondent: for the many flooded out of their homes, it could take months and months to recover. there will undoubtedly be questions in the coming days and weeks about whether more should have been done to protect lives and property. sudan's former ruling party has condemned a new law seeking to dissolve it and sees its assets. the party has reacted with fury by what it calls an illegal new government. it was a key demand of protesters after months of demonstrations.

our correspondent reports. correspondent: it was once the dominant party in sudan, ruling the country for more than 25 years. now more than six months after sudan'suted, transitional government has announced the former ruling party will be dismantled. >> the law dismantles the national congress party and seizes its assets, money, and properties, and gives it to the government's minister of finance. committee will be formed to ensure any organization, institution, company or partnership with links to the former ruling party will be dismantled. correspondent: the national congress party came to power in 1992, a few years after omar al-bashir overthrew a democratically elected government. bashir went on to create the party, until he was ousted in power in april of this year,

following antigovernment protests. the protests in momentum after the burning of the national party headquarters. despite it being the only party, the demand for it to be dismantled had become one of the protest movement's main aims. >> dismounting a party has to be remembered that establishing a new country includes establishing coexistence with those from the dismantled party. she regardst: herself as a victim of one of the signature laws that came to define it, the controversial public order act. severely a late -- it curtailed women's rights. >> when i was arrested for refusing, the officers called me names, saying i am not a real sudanese because i did not follow the rules of the government. they said they expected me to be from the south, a christian. correspondent: during its time

in power, the national congress pieces that many continue to feel. are acute -- accusations of supporting terrorism abroad, and supporting a nation. it now remains to be seen how straightforward eradicate in it from sudanese political life will be. pop turnednda's opposition mp is directly challenging the president in elections expected to be held in 2021. he has been in power since 1986, but his opponent's rise has not been without his problems. it is relatively recent that you have emerged on the political scene. you were before that a musician. why did you decide to go into politics? >> i am a musician, a social activist. i call it recent, but it was two

years ago. recently, i decided to run and become a member of parliament. correspondent: you have been an mp for two years. your targeting has continued. not only is your music and concerts banned, but you have faced attacks. tell me about the incident when your driver was killed. >> the day i went to parliament, though parliament refused to come to the ghetto, so the ghetto will come to the parliament. it brought a lot of attention of the common people. they started pushing me and insisting that i run for president. this infuriated the president that we have, who has for a long time been regarded as all-powerful, and i started getting attacks. one was the assassination attempt on my life, which took the life of my driver instead of mine. correspondent: if you look at the history of uganda, since

independence from the colonial rulers, it can really be summed up with three names. .ilton about a, eddie yamane, two of them were very brutal. would you accept that when he came to power first, he rescued your country? >> i will say without fear of contradiction that his rule is much more brutal than the rule that was there before. the president has always cast this image of a democratic background. he has stepped on all rights and freedoms. he has ruled uganda with an iron fist. correspondent: there were allegations that previous elections were not free and fair. in your view, is the president the president a legitimate president of uganda? convinced that he

won the previous elections, and i will believe that if indeed the president could have won the previous elections, the way he handled the people of uganda makes him lose legitimacy. tothe president tries rebuild like he has been doing, the people of uganda will rise up and stop it. correspondent: are you saying there could be an armed revolution against the president if your efforts at the ballot box are blocked? >> i don't think people could rise up. i think people will rise up, because it is evident everywhere. we will not take it any longer. anchor: you can watch the full interview on saturday. colleagues were told that he plans to resign. the journalist died in a car

bomb after investigating corruption. we have more. correspondent: two government ministers resigned. so has the prime minister's chief of staff. and now, joseph muscat himself. accusedrnment has been for months of mishandling the murder investigation which goes right to the heart of the political and business community. the journalist was killed in a car bomb explosion two years ago while investigating corruption involving politicians and is miss executives -- and business executives. as protesters rallied outside parliament in the capital, demanding his resignation, the prime minister met his government ministers without two of them. they resigned on tuesday, along with the prime minister's top

aide, who was taken away for questioning and released on friday. >> this is a national security issue. as is the case with all prime i haver'ss, i believe that to be briefed on national security issues. for us, this was not just the burner. this was -- this was not just a murder. this was a major case that shook our democracy. correspondent: the case focuses on the richest man in the country. he was arrested for the fourth time as he attempted to leave the island on his yacht. before she was killed, the reporter had revealed a secret offshore company called 17 black. a reuters investigation last year named him as a company owner, which was allegedly used to fund shall companies linked to government ministers. they are accusing the government of covering up the murder. >> my family knows nothing.

the journalists know nothing. the people know nothing. that is why we are here. the police released a statement of one sentence. we are investigating, found no evidence, and released him. they want us to believe that. correspondent: three men are now awaiting trial for the reporter's murder. with the investigation dragging out for two years, the patience has run out. and it seems so has the prime minister's time in office. anchor: the irish border has been one of the main problems for sorting a deal for the u.k. to leave the european union, but northern ireland's traditionally divided communities have united against boris johnson's brexit plan. there is not a single political party in the province which supports his proposals. cityspondent: belfast, the never at peace with itself,

decades divided. the walls and fences separating the two communities remain. it is like a patient never sure if they are recovered from an illness. but now they have something in common. the irish republican side always hated brexit. the pro side supported brexit, until boris johnson came along with a plan to separate the northern irish economy from the rest. they see that as a betrayal of the foundation of the united kingdom. >> people are very angry about it. people do not support what he is proposing. certainly, i think he has underestimated the feeling across northern ireland where we very clearly and people on the ground very clearly cherish being part of the united kingdom. correspondent: if that is what your friends think, what about your enemies? this neighborhood has no murals, no symbols of a sectarian divide. it is middle-class and

successful, and does not like brexit in any form. wherein places like this northern ireland is most at risk. >> i think it has transcended the constitutional question. that is not to say the conversation is not life and people do not have strong views, but i think you are seeing people who are prioritizing brexit rather than their views on the union because it is a clear and present danger to us. correspondent: politics in northern ireland has never been like the rest of the u.k. people don't argue about whether they are socialist or conservative, left-wing or right-wing, but much more as whether they see themselves as irish or british. but what is remarkable is how political opinions, from the most staunchly loyalist and staunchly republican, are united against boris johnson's version of brexit. opinions are shifting. at the university, we spoke to students. brexit has changed the way that

they and many others think and how they will vote in this election. >> there are a lot of unionists i know within my own community. if there was the referendum tomorrow and it was either to remain as part of the eu or leave, we would vote to remain for northern ireland. much. done so funding for our transport has come from the european union. correspondent: to the untrained eye, belfast looks like anywhere else. but it isn't. both police and politicians are warning for the potential for civil unrest. the mantra of getting brexit done has trouble written all over it. anchor: time for another short break. when we come back, we take a deep dive in search for gold at the southeast asian games. stay with us.

♪ ♪ ♪

♪ anchor: welcome back. time for the sport. correspondent: one of the men at the center of the fifa corruption scandal has been given a lifetime ban from football for taking bribes. he was the former head of the brazilian football confederation. fifa say he took bribes from marketing and media rights for competitions like the copper america between 2006 and 2012. he lives in brazil and is still wanted by u.s. authorities for

his part in the fifa corruption scandal that eventually led to the downfall of the then president. english premier league arsenal have fired their manager. in a statement, the club said the decision was taken due to results not being at the level required. previously were led to the french league title, but they are enduring their worst run since 1992, and were beaten by frankfurt in the europa league. there have been some words of support for the outgoing manager. >> he is a fantastic coach. happy, obviously, but a fantastic coach with a proven record. club will come for him and his career will be back on track. you will getnd

another club. correspondent: the early avorite to replace him is portuguese manager who led his team to the final. possibility. the players are in open revolt, and it leads some to believe that angela body could leave -- angelotti could leave. on friday, he said however long he oversaw the team, he would give everything and try to put smiles on faces again. it has been a huge fan for qatar of the arabian gulf cup. they beat yemen on friday for their first win of the tournaments, having lost their opening match. they were 6-0 winners at the khalifa international stadium. that man scored a hat trick.

iraq beat the united arab emirates to confirm their spot in the semifinals. there were goals from two players, securing a second straight win for iraq. they are due to host the next gulf cup. sunday's race will be the final of the season. for this racer, not a single finish. his engine caught fire, been shot petrol all over. secondamilton was quickest during the second session. also caused a crash, for which he received a reprimand from the stewards. qualifying takes place on saturday. the host of the philippines are taking a deep dive in their pursuit of gold medals at the southeast asian games.

hockey is making it debut. correspondent: holding their breath for the biggest sports competition in their career, these athletes have been promoting underwater hockey in the philippines, a largely unknown sport in the country. underwater hockey is making its debut at the southeast asian games, the sea games, this month, the fourth time the philippines have hosted the game. underwater hockey originated in britain. helping divers stay fit during the cold winter months. in the philippines, a number of makers have been trying to the sport popular for years. >> our objective or our wish or goal is not underwater hockey it. be part of advantage.ery big

outs by water, so we are there. we would be very good. correspondent: southeast asian game hosts are allowed to add or remove preferred sports. there are teams from 11 countries across southeast asia, and underwater hockey is just one of the six new sports this year. obstacle racing is another, a sport that requires ninja-like speed and resistance. it is gaining popularity in the philippines. >> we are aiming for a sixth gold and a silver. and we are target, doing our best so that we can deliver and bring the metals for

our country -- bring the medals for our country. correspondent: 10,000 athletes are expected to compete in 56 sports. the filipinos hope to do enough to claim the overall championship the country won when they last hosted the games in 2005. but for these underwater hockey players, representing their country for the first time is a victory in itself. and those are your sports. anchor: thank you very much. you can find much more news on our website and the latest on iraq. al jazeera.com. we will be back with more. ♪