let the journalists live. >> announcer: this is al jazeera. hello. this is the newshour live from london. coming up, syrian government air tricks kill dozens in areas held by i.s.i.l. kurdish forces recapture more iraqi villages from i.s.i.l. we look at what is left behind. nine dead after al-shabaab fighters attack the african union's main base in mogadishu during a christmas party plus...

..cinema goers brave online threats to watch sony's controversial film "the interview" - but is it any good? rogue hello there, thank you for joining us. we begin in hour in syria, where medical sources say government air strikes killed 45 people in areas held by the islamic state of iraq and levant. amateur video posted online shows the aftermath of the violence as people rush to pull bodies out of the rubble. >> the attacks targeted a couple of towns in the north-east of aleppo. a child is reported to be among the dead. this comes as five armed factions in aleppo unit into one rebel group. they have chosen a commander. they have come together to fight

against the government, bashar al-assad. syrian activists say government air strikes have hit the city the zuma. this is said to show the aftermath of the attack. 10 people, mostly children were injured. >> well, meanwhile human rights watch accused the syrian government of indiscriminately targetting civilians in a besieged area of homs. 100,000 are said to be trapped, which is one of the last remaining rebel strongholds. we have this report from beirut in neighbouring lebanon. >> government snipers surround the distribute - moving and and out is severely restricted. according to human rights watch residents are harassed and detained. it has become a prison for residents. the government wants fighters inside to lay down their arms.

the opposition wants guaranteed. >> i'm an army defector. there's others like me. what guarantors do we have that they will not kill us. >> the state gained control over the third-largest city. the rebels say they had to surrender because the districts were besieged for months. this is the last one in rebel hands, and government attacks intensified since ceasefire talks collapsed. many have been killed in the neighbourhood. some 100,000 people, many that fled from other conflict zones in the city live here, and they are growing desperate. >> when we were act bring in supplies, the so-called traders in the district used to take advantage of our situation, and there's a government seem, and

we cannot bring anything in. the people want the fighters to leave, they want it to end. >> the government blockade and shelling had defecating consequences on -- devastating consequences on the people there. we understand the people are engaged in u.n. negotiations with the authorities, and the government says the wants to make a deal. it has to involve restoring state sovereignty to the neighbourhood. some have entered the area since a blockade. since november, it was tightened. the government had been accused of using starvation as a weapon of war, a tactic that worked in the past. the father of the jordanian pilot captured by i.s.i.l. on wednesday in syria appealed to captors to treat him well. i.s.i.l. took the first lieutenant captive after his

plane came down near raqqa. the u.s. military says it's likely that the fighter jet crashed. the pilot is the first taken by the coalition. the pilot has been called a symbol of heroism and sacrifice. >> i send a message to our generous brothers from islamic state of iraq and levant. i ask them to host my sop, not to be ungenerous, and for god to fill their hearts with love and for him to be returned it his family, wife safely. fighters have been attacked in the west and central provinces. one involves local tribesman in tricks. a separate offensive has been launched in the neighbouring provinces. >> kurdish fighters appear to regain ground near the iraq border. they are fighting to recapture sinjar, which has been under

i.s.i.l. control since august. we have this report on what is left behind on the towns and villages that have been taken back. >> kurdish peshmerga fighters raise their flag in a village they recaptured from i.s.i.l. they want to make clear who is in charge. they engaged in an oppression to push back land from i.s.i.l. this is the man leading them. the general says their offensive has been a success. >> we have seized roads, particularly ones that run along the iraqi syrian border. whoever controls the areas has the upper hand. >> up to s and villages that have recovered are deserted. most of the residents live in camps or have crossed the nearby syrian border. >> this newly taken town

revealed takes a number of tactics. here they create a smoke screen to hide them. to my left, are a network of tunnels that they have used to navigate their way around town. >> they used doors of abundant houses to cover the tunnels. as the fighting hit the town, so did the air strikes. here a house used as a base lies in ruins. it was hit by coalition jets supporting the peshmerga offensive. >> the air strikes have been helpful to our offensive. we have been guiding the coalition judgments on where to target. the peshmerga break an i.s.i.l. siege. fighters have been trapped on top of the mountain since

september. four days ago the road was impossible. it was under the control of i.s.i.l. it's an escape route for the thousands of yazidi, trapped on the mountain. most of our houses were destroyed in the fighting, says this man. there's danger around us. you are vised to leave. >> i.s.i.l. left behind improvised explosives in villages and towns lost. one more thing holding people from returning to their homes. >> pope francis has used his christmas day address in st. peter's day square to condemn the persecution of ethnic and religious authorities. tens of thousands appeared. he called for an end to the conflict in africa and called

for dialogue: i asked him to look at our brothers in syria, who for too long suffered the threats of conflict, and who, along with ethnic and religious groups suffer a brutal execution. may christmas bring hope to them, exiles, refugees, children, adults and the elderly. from this region and the world, may the difference be changed to closeness and rejection. that all who are suffering return to their countries and live with dignity. >> al-shabaab fighters, some dressed in somali uniforms. al-shabaab said it was

targetting a christmas party at the base. five attackers were killed, three captured. three au soldiers and a civilian contractor died. >> a short while ago i spoke to the head of west african mission. he said that al-shabaab is changing the way that it launches attacks in somalia. >> it's beaten in the field. resorting to warfare - iuds, car bombs, suicide bombs, like elsewhere in the world. we are worried. this is why we are adapting to this new - the new tactics, and we will investigate what happened and quickly take the measures to prevent events happening again. clearly it was - we learn every

day. >> obviously amisom a lot of focus is on your organization. the idea is that security would be handed over to a somali government. how far away, in light of what happened op wednesday, do you think we are from that -- on-wednesday, do you think we are from that. ? >> we have a long way to go. training is happening. somali national army is occupying places all over luke somers. that does look at where this country is coming from. somali. that does look at where this country is coming from. why we in a hurry to exit somali. it's clear that they are supported by friends of africa. we can adjusted - move away on the very way, and leave it to

people that have lost humanity, that they don't care about life. so in that case, what will happen, obviously we'll be discussing with our friends in the world, and those in the united nations to be in something, in somalia. remember again. this is not only somali government's battle of war. this is a global war. this is it also war of the countries and the regions that have the troops there - kenya, all over, uganda. all over west africa, like sierra leone. al-shabaab has taken war to kenya, uganda and other places. it is a cardinal brother elsewhere in the world. this is not really somali's battle of war. if we understand that, all of us

would have a patience to help somalia - help somali to get the army to stand up and face it. >> and that is the head of the african union mission in somali. we are joined by african affairs writer, joseph. thank you for being with us. your rehabilitation to the head of amison. he admitted they were worried about the attack on christmas day. does it surprise you? should they have known that christmas day would have made them a target? >> yes, it's commonsense for the head of amison to say that. three days ago, a different force hit nigeria on christmas day. christmas day is the day when the guys needed to have been more prepared in somali than any time. should going that the guys are adopting a new tactic.

amuson ought to know better. there's a series taking police. if there's a war without a front line, the guys will target soft places. to me, i think, it's a credit to al-shabaab. that the main business, on the other hand, is a sign that they were more complicit. unfortunate. seven years into the process, so many troops, lots of money wasted. >> you say that, but you could argue that al-shabaab goes for the big attacks. there was another in september. in an air force base - pretty much there. they gained a lot of ground in al-shabaab. it seems they are getting there. >> it's a credit to them. >> it's an area they need to emphasise in the civil element

of the process, strength thing united nations in somali. split cat, economic and social, and making sure that somali people are engaged. some of the guys were dressed in somali national army's uniform. how did the guys get the things. >> an element of corruption between the weak institution. perhaps we need to take it behind discussion and look at the broad spectra of somali today. >> as you heard me ask the ambassador, i asked when there would be a handover to somali government and army. he didn't give a date or an idea. how far do you think we are from that moment. >> consider the mandate was renewed in october, that's seven years on, if you hear the head of the mission, the guy saying what he's saying. it tells you that no one can give you a date. i don't think the african union

can give you a date. i don't think any government can give an end date on this. this is a work in process. >> african affairs analyst, thank you for being with us. >> still to come in this hour - marking a grim anniversary. people in romania gather to remember a dark time in the country's past. >> jim john hendren in the mountains of kentucky. coming up, i tell you why jin sending is big business. >> -- ginseng is big business here. >> lebron james faces his former team. will he get a warm welcome from the heat. >> 19 soldiers have been killed in an attack launched by a rebel group in libya. the soldiers died in an offensive launched by the movement in siat. a rocket hit a tank at the

biggest oil export port. the port has been closed for two weeks because of the sighting between forces allied to libya's competing governments. >> gunmen belonging to the houthis kidnapped the country's second highest intelligence official. the major general was taken from his home. he is in charge of internal security in yemen. >> it's now 362 days, nearly a year, since three al jazeera journalists were detained in egypt. peter greste, mohamed fadel fahmy and baher mohamed were gaoled over false allegations that they helped the outlawed muslim brotherhood. they are appealing against their convictions and sentences. mohamed fadel fahmy and peter were sentenced to seven years. badr with an extra three after

have a spent bullet in his possession, which was picked up during a protest a young girl was injured. a father suffered light burns. an attack happened, and both been taken to a hospital in central israel for treatment israel gave preliminary approval for the construction of 243 new homes in the occupied west bank. the land is an extension to east jerusalem. occupied by israel. authorities have approved changes to pre-existing plans for 270 homes, which is also in east jerusalem. such rooms run counter to calls by the u.s. and the u.n. for israel to freeze construction of new settler homes. palestinians say the new homes reduce their chances of establishing a state with east jerusalem as its capital.

>> from 1st january viewers in the middle east and north africa will no longer be able to watch al jazeera english on arab frequencies. please swach to: -- switch to: more information on all of that on the website aljazeera.com/en russia warned ukraine against aligning itself with n.a.t.o. the foreign ministry says the moves to move towards n.a.t.o. membership will sprain relations between the countries. >> a possible expansion of nato to the east will lead to a serious military and political tilt. not only in europe, but the world, directly impacting the security interests.

forcing the country to take necessary adequate messages. >> the president scrapped new year's holidays because of the currency crisis, after a price cap was ordered. russia's experienced the raft of economic woes due to falling oil prices and western sanctions over ukraine. russia's former finance minister says russia will enter recession next year. >> the measure may be extended to other products. >> there's talk in the government that other prices for food may be regulated. vodka is an important product in russia, not just economically, but culturally and socially,

particularly because the new year is one week ahead. in russia the tradition is to celebrate big time with a lot of drinking. >> vodka is important. when it becomes no longer affordable as experience shows. people tend to consume alcohol-containing liquid? bad for health. >> romanians nostalgic for the communist era gathered at the grave of former leader who was executed along with his wife, 25 years ago. we have this report from the capital bucharest on huh romanians remember their dark past of the. >> central bucharest disease 21st. with class sweeping through the soviet states, the crowd began to boo their dictator president. >> nicola's nervous hesitation

is a defining moment of his downfall. he cheereded the army to break up the demonstrations by force. some could see that the old regimes were finished. >> the whole country rose up against the regime. fed up over social difficulties this was the foundation on way the army could intervene. >> these were dangerous days for all involved. >> 2010 the 20th and 25 december, i was between two fighting squads. some groups knew i was against them. others did not know i was with them. >> on christmas day a military tribunal was convened, passing death sentences. 25 years on, it's a museum, the rooms preserved as they were. >> the trial took less than two hours.

after it, 2:30 that christmas day. he and his wife from dragged out here, and lined up against the wall. the paratroopers opened fire, the dictator and his wife fell dead. this person witnessed the execution. >> translation: that moment was crucial. i thought we had escaped from commune itch. we were led to the disaster we are facing now. >> the revolution didn't bring an economic boom. the man that followed says romania was too far behind its neighbours. >> we were strated from developed countries of europe. we made a lot of progress.

we remained. >> reporter: the average wage is half now in money terms of what it was back in 1989. buying power is 25% higher. the country joined the european union. romania's skilled and educated 30 to 40-year-olds are driving the country forward. >> the monument to the revolution forms a traffic island. the fall has long since succeeded. there was a more than # 0% turn out for voting in the election, and faith in a democracy urged in bloodshed remains strong while american ginseng has been popular in china and other countries, it's helping to

revitalize a sluggish economy back home. john hendren reports. >> reporter: from the shaded mountains if the autumn gold rush has begun. chris and his family have been digging up ginseng roots in the kentucky wood lapped, waiting years and -- wood lands, waiting years and dodging copper head snakes. >> most have theed idea that you can sow seeds in the ground and stay in there 10-12 years before coming up. >> reporter: chinese and koreans value it as a medicine, a sting u land, chinese -- sting u land, chinese med sen. >> most of the dry market goes to china, and the chinese consumers prefer the wild root.

it's grown slower. they feel like in their philosophy that they have more energy, information from mother earth. >> the boxes hold more than $5,000 of ginseng, brought from local pickers from 500 to 700 a pound, and sold to consumers for more. >> this plant is too young to pick. if you get a big one, a digger can get $40 for this. is could be worth thousands by the time it reaches markets. those prices lured newcomers whose shafts have shut down and poachers. several states limit the season to prevent overharvesting. >> all had is ginseng that was prior to the season and sold. >> during two weeks in september in west virginia, natural resources officers confiscated

more than 190 pounds of illegally dubbed ginseng. grown in one of the few climates on earth that can sustain it. >> might be god's planet, god's gift. >> if you work at it and keep trying. >> here, many are happy to get by on gifts from the sword. >> still to come in the newshour - the 13-year-old girl who says her father gave her to boko haram to be a suicide bomber. >> 10 years after the gr tsunami, we return to acha, where they are still rebuilding and we tell you about a gift received this it christmas. eh, where they are still rebuilding and we tell you about a gift

received this it christmas.

a reminder of the top stories here on al jazeera. syrian medical sources say

government air strikes killed 45 people in areas held by the islamic state of iraq and levant. the attacks targeted towns in north-eastern aleppo province. >> kurdish fighters appear to be graining ground with iraq's forces. they are fighting to retake sinjar, which the group sees the backing of. >> five al-shabab fighters, three african union soldiers and a civilian contractor died after the on-group attacked the base in the somali capital. two states in north-eastern nigeria imposed travel bans for fear of attacks by the boko haram group. police warned people to be on alert. it comes as a 13-year-old was arrested with explosives trapped to her body and tells journalists that her father gave her to boko haram. >> detonate the suicide bomb, or

be buried alive. that is the choice this 13-year-old was given after her father handed her over to boko haram. >> i was asked if i wanted to go to heaven. when i answered they said i have to go on a suicide mission. if i attempted to run, they would kill me. >> the girl says she and two other females were sent to the textile factor in mid-december. others detonated their bombs killing four people. when the girl saw the carnage, she couldn't flip the switch on the bomb strapped to her. >> when we came to the market, one of us said i should go separately. i refused. >> boko haram has been using girls and women as weapons to kill and insight fear, as it tries to impose an islamic state in nigeria. since june 5th others launched

attacks. girls continue to be at risks of kidnappings. the boldest example was the kidnapping of 276 girls from a boarding school in april. some managed to escape, most of the girls are still being held hostage. thousands of people in the north where boko haram has a stronghold has been driven out of their homes. they might be safe, the misery persists in displacement camps. >> i asked to sleep in a shack made of nylon bags. it is cold, there's no work. we are unemployed. if it weren't for the charity people, we would starve. >> from the people that lost homes to the families, grieving the loss of those killed, or praying for the safe returns of loed ones, this holiday season is filled with little cheer for many in nigeria staying in nigeria, three years ago worshippers at

the catholic church in the town of modalla were attacked during christmas day mass. dozens were killed. we have this report from abuja on the recovering. >> reporter: a sombre service at this christmas mosque. a reflection of difficult times nigeria is passing through. peace and prayers are the two dominant praises. targetting places of wor have been like this has taken a toll on many. christians across the country gather in churches despite violence. here in the community, it is recovering from a devastating attack on the church that killed dozens. >> reporter: he is back home after the morning mass. this is the moment the family and the children are locking

forward to. the 2011 attack changed the community. >> the church used food to capacity. in fact, they have a lot of members. because of that incident, that 2011 bomb blast, or whatever so we are losing our members. i am so much worried. looking at the kids and thinking of what will the next hour be, the next day look like. >> a few years ago, this park in the middle of the city would have been full. many have stayed away despite security presence. a few front seekers came anyway.

before we left with fear. boko haram changed the way a lot of nigeria work and have fun. an increase in the attacks, and how deadly they became changed the attitude of nigerians. unless security problems are resolved, that fear and uncertainty will continue. >> part of northern sierra leone have gone. >> lockdown for five days as the government steps up efforts to contain the ebola epidemic. shops and mosques are closing and mosqueses and churns are not allowed to hold services except for christmas day. >> crowds head to christmas markets in the capital freetown. all around there are reminders that the ebola virus is a

threat. in the north of the country scenes like these are impossible. the government declares a lockdown. in free down, where restrictions are not in place, christmas celebrations are neutered. -- are muted. >> we are not enjoying the festival, we are trying to work hard. we can't enjoy ourselves when we are suffering like this. >> the government announced travel restrictions and a ban on public parties over christmas and the new year. in nib ouring liberia more than 3,000 have been killed by ebola. there are a number of new innections in the country going down. people have struggled to find much to kel brat. >> we are celebrating because of ebola. if it from me, i told my family

and the team. most of that was moving. >> reporter: unlike liberia, the virus in sierra leone is spreading in some places. experts say restrictions on movement, and the influx of foreign medics and money will soon show results a technician at the u.s. center for disease control in atlanta is being more tonne tored for possible ex -- being monitored for possible ex-percentage of ebola. a small alt was moved into a room where a tech initial was working. the worker will be monitored for 25 days. >> "the interview" debuted in the u.s. tickets sold out in many of the 300 independent cinemas that screened the film and will be available online. the star attended a screening in

los angeles. it is about an assassination plot against the north korean leader, and was pulled by sony leaders after threats from hackers. public pressure saw the company reverse its decision. reviews have been mixed. >> the killing of kim jong un was a little intense in the movie. overall big dumb fund. >> this is a film i probably would not have come to see. because of the controversy, i thought i would come up to stand up for freedom of speech. >> people are staying i'll watch the movie because it's a statement. i don't know. actually, it's a statement to come here, and it's super funny. >> u.s. senator john mccain visited the african capital ahead of the american troop withdrawal. he met his executive, and offered support. african security forces will

assume responsibility for their own security at the beginning of 2015. >> when u.s. led forces entered afghanistan back in 2001, the priority any was to rid the country of al qaeda. as the u.s. prepares to wind down its military preps, ray allen is re-establishing training examples. >> jennifer glasse reports from kabul. >> from a mountain top base soldiers are sending a message. fighter keep the soldiers combined to the roads and bases. there are al qaeda training centers, 20-25km away from us. it's too far for us to launch operations. we don't have access to air sport or have proper artillery. >> they used to get the pore

from n.a.t.o. troops. that is ending. a maul support group is remaining. >> fighters are re-establishing their examples, because the african army will reach them. >> if we have military air force, tanks, fighter planes or guns, we'll destroy them. >> the top n.a.t.o. commander admits al qaeda is here after 13 years of war. >> there is a small presence in afghanistan. there's other insurgent groups that continue to facilitate al qaeda. so we have a mission to continue. >> that will be left to afghan forces. it will not be easy. one reason is al qaeda fighters have intermarried, bringing them loyalty. as someone from the village is married to them, and they have grandchildren, of course they'll

support them. african force the monitor the bases. controlli controlling but they know it's an uphill battle it's 10 years since one of the worse natural disasters in mode modern history, the indian ocean tsunami. 170,000 died. we return to the city to find a community still rebuilding. >> 10 years later, it's hard to tell it ever happened. >> they have removed reminders of one of the world's disasters. more than 130,000 houses were rebuilt. 1,700 schools and 3,700km of road. >> they are back to life. many have picked up their lives,

but to the many december 26th, when the waves hit. >> the last thing my child screamed was "mummy", and i held her as tight as possible. i went down with her for more than an hour. the only sound i could hear was the sound of banging. >> reporter: i meet her again 10 years later. not only did she lose her family, most of her family, husband and parents died. two days later she showed me the body of her sister. >> sitting here i can see the face of my sister lying here. the tsunami was a long time ago. it feels like it has just

happened. >> reporter: this girl was nine when the tsunami killed her parents and 2 70 of her school mates. she wrote a poem. >> children lost their mothers and fathers, we, the new generation, are take it back as a great province, a city of peace and welfare. my lovely aceh. >> now, 19-year-old says her words came true. she remembers her parents at a mass grave with 15,000 bodies, she wants to look at the future. >> in these last 10 years, if i compare the situation before and now. there are many changes. now aceh is beautiful. we have lost so much. we have resurrected. >> she studies english and wants

to become a tv presenter. we have moved to a taup away from the sea. and lives with a new husband with her 3-year-old daughter. >> now she works as a nurse: i wonder why i'm still alive. this question keeps haunting me. there must be a reason for this. maybe i have been given a chance to become a better person. >> new lives have started. the dark images of the past will stay with them. a stark reminder is this boat pushed by the wake. by preserving it as a museum, she wants to show the world the worst disaster can be overcome. >> we'll have more coverage phone friday from aceh. we'll have reports from veronica

pedrosa in kalak in thailand and millel in paralia in sri lanka. still ahead. we'll look at how christmas day football match between british and german troops being world war i is being commemorated 100 years on. and why christmas midnight mass is so popular in china. you have to get tickets for it. you chief justice

s now time for the sports news. >> thank you very much.

it's been 100 years since there was an apparent outbreak of peace duringpeace during world christmas day during 1914. british and german troops laid down their arms to play a game of football. lee wellings reports. >> the horror of life and death fighting in world war i has been commemorated throughout the 100th anniversary year. it's the outbreak of peace and goodwill on christmas day 1914 that stood out at a symbolic moment. a ceasefire in the trenches and a game of football between the troops in no man's land. >> it's probably the only time in any conflict or the history of the world that had two armies lay down the arms and be friends. it's a unique moment. re-enactments have taken place across europe, including the paddle grounds of belgium,

germany and the u.k. in alder shot in southern england the blish and german -- british and german army united in football. >> we have many days to commemorate this year, 100 years of world war i. 75 of world war ii. this is the greatest event i have experienced. during a lull in fighting and before the fighting began, as young people do all over the world when they are in close proximity, sport took place. the power of the story of a cruz truce has been utilised by advertisers in the u.k., such as supermarket giant. the moving film has been received well by some of the public. others question the integrity of companies attaching itself to a

poignant event. and describing this as one football match between enemy troops appears to be a mixture of table. letters from serviceman exist describing some footballers as having taken place. it was a small part of a truce. >> the main things that took part were soldiers coming out into no man's land, swapping food, badges, buttons, and also burying the dead from those attacks. that was a major part of it, preparing the trench lines much ipted the need for people to say thanks to those that serve their country was captured when hundreds of thousands brought popies for an unforgettable memor yam. the christmas story showed an opportunity for people to show understanding and empathy for those gone, but not forgotten. new generations want to believe and celebrate the incredible day

in 1914, which provided respite, hope, humanity for the millions who suffered on the battlefields former italy forward has been given a christmas present, a new managerial job. he takes over from the coach that was sacked with the team third bottom. z zolo ended his career. it's a busy friday, with a boxing day program. 10 matches in total. chelsea hosted west ham. a month ago the champions were nine points behind shell see, but six wins in a row saw them close the gap. we are not thinking about chelsea. it's important to have our own

pressure to win the next game. as i said before, you never win the game in december, so you have a lot - five months to continue playing. that's what we are doing so far. we'll see you at the end of the season well, arsenal will host g.p. r. arson wenger hoping his side can boost their position. they face west ham and south hampton above them. we have to focus on the performances. and specially make sure that we take advantage of the schedule we have, and put the performances in. we have - we have a good opportunity over christmas to show that we are much better than people think we are. >> as i said, 10 games in total, chelsea gets things going with an early kick off. liverpool have a tricky trip to

burnley. tottenham to lester, and manchester united host newcastle. >> to the n.b.a. miami heat dwayne wayne doesn't expect awkwardness when he comes up against lebron james. he returns to the beach for the first time since resigning with cleveland. he won two championships and four commorches titles in -- conference titles in four years with dwayne wayne. >> obviously it will be exciting for the fans, and being christmas. it's the first time playing. with the weirdness, awkwardness that it could be. >> earlier i spoke to danie. radio hosts. sports radio in miami. >> this is a huge deal especially down here in miami, with the way that lebron james left. it will be interesting to see

how the fans react to him coming back today. obviously lebron james took a lot of time to make the decision. he wasn't able to go out and get the players to go around. they worried about a resigned chris bosh. with the heat, they are struggling, three under 500, and are feeling what it's like in the post lebron james era. coming off of a tough loss. this is a big deal for a lot of different aspect. >> you touched on it. there was a lot of bad feeling from cleveland when lebron james left to go to miami. do you see a similar situation this time around? >> the fans have to be grateful to lebron james. four years down here, they went to the finals every season and won two championships, it was an historic run. the fans have to be grateful. they are going to play a video tribe ute to lebron james during the game. lebron james - while he thanked

the players down here in miami. he never thanked the fans of miami. it will be interesting to see how he reacts when they play the tribute video and introduce him to the crowd. how do they respond, and how does he respond to the fans, does he give a wave and a thank you for the first time. >> that is all for sport for now. >> christians from i can't say the world gathered in bethlehem to mark christmas. bethlehem is revered as the birthplace of jesus christ. more than 10,000 locals and foreigners are expected to visit over the christmas season. >> now, christianity will not be the leading religion in communist china, that doesn't mean they don't celebrate christmas. this report from beijing. >> cisz mass is a popular

service. they -- christmas mass is popular. though they no longer life in the neighbourhood. they make it a point to come back here. >> we fast on christmas eve, and after midnight we get together. the whole family has a big meal. it is the fastest growing. it's not just christians that come to church. it acontracts the non-believers. an opportunity to experience something different, a chance to come and take pictures of the demonstration. >> among the younger chinese, attending midnight mass is seen as the trendy thing to do. the service is so popular. the church has to give up tickets. many of the faithful preserve the day's service. a quieter time for prayer and celebration. for many, it's a regular work

day. >> we go back to the office after attending mass. he wishes religion wasn't so tightly controlled. >> sometimes i feel a little isolated being chinese and catholic. i learnt that you should stick to the faith. believe what you believe. >> freedom of religion is guaranteed under the constitution. religious organizations have to be approved by the government. it has given rise to under ground churches, existing along state-sanctioned houses of worshipment christians hope for the day they no longer have to distinguish between the two well, that is it for me and the rest of the team here in london for this newshour. stay with us, in a few minutes i'll have an update of all of day's news.

hope you join us then. bye-bye.

>> when the framers wrote america's operating manual in 1789 it made it hard for any one branch of government to run out on its own and make law. is that what president obama did on immigration enforcement ? it's inside story. >> hello, i'm ray suarez. the pendulum has been swinging