nicole johnston, al jazerra. >>> french, u.n.ces have launched a joint operation against rebels. they have deployed to an area alongside the river. on wednesday two u.n. peacekeepers were killed there. the government says al qaeda-linked fighters are to blame. >>> voters in madagascar are choosing a new president. it's the first national vote since a military-backed coup in 2009. the election has already been postponed three times in year. tana paige reports now from the capital. >> reporter: these sisterses used to earn $30 a week sellingg baskets but that was before the political crisis now they struggle to earn half that. yet with 11 children between them their need has never been grater. they supplement their diet with vine leafs because food prices are so side. the family has one wish from friday's election. >> we are hoping for a president who can managed country, someone who will help poor people and craft people like us. >> reporter: madagascar has been gripped by eye political crisis since 2009. in a military backed coup

nicole johnston reports. >> this is a residential area of damascus - a typical suburb.n friday a car bomb exploded outside a mosque. it's difficult to find out how many people died. there were reports that it was more than 40. this video can't be independently verified. still the united nations humanitarian chief has told the security council there are 2.5 million people in syria who need help, but can't get it. the agencies appeal for aid has failed. >> i need the political support of the security council members, but also other members of the united nations to really make a difference. >> months of fighting has destroyed syria's basic infrastructure. roads, power and sanitation. that creates another huge problem - the threat of disease. the world health organization is warning there could be an outbreak of polio and more than 20 people may have it already. the united nations is increasing its vak sination programs. >> routine immunisation systems are critical - they've been disrupted or broken down. children are at higher risks of diseases such as polio and meselfles.

nicole johnston, aljazeera. >> charlie manuel. >> a severe storm system is hitting the middle of the country from cincinnati to houston. >> it's nothing like the perfect storm that slammed the northeast 22 years ago today. we have a look at the past and present. good morning. >> good morning, thomas. we are talking about the 1991 storm that actually did not get a name, known as the halloween perfect storm. here's a look at what it looked like on the radar satellite imagery back in 1991 as it made its way clues the atlantic. today, it's quiet, but this storm killed 12 people back in 1991, produced plentiful amounts of snow across the northeast and across the atlantic portions of canada and down across the east coast, we had heavy rainfall. we're going to continue to monitor the atlantic basin, but today, thankfully, it's quiet. so is the gulf of mexico. the largest storm is making its way across the plains into the midwest. this is a photo of the coastline after that storm, really did make a major impact in 1991. today, it's quiet for the most part across the east coast. we had rain p