at aljazeera.com/americatonight. tell us what you think and we'll have modifier "america tonight," tomorrow. on the first anniversary of the war in syria agents say they have failed to protect the syrian people. welcome to al jazeera live from our headquarters in doha. also ahead: fighting for control of tikrit that is gaining some sense of ground. more foul out in the u.s. city of fergueson. the police chief resigns after

a scathing department of racial bias in his department. >> i'll tell you how subsidized conflict and a fall in oil price system affecting the economy here. | [music] | we begin with the war in syria that is going into its fifth year. 21 leading aid organizations accuse the u.n. security council of failing the syrian people. these latest pictures show the aftermath of a bombing. the government is accused of continuing to use the bombs in civilian areas. a u.n. backed report says it has cost syria 200 billion and

plunged most of its people in poverty. it is estimated two 20,000 have been killed so far. seven and a half million displaced inside syria and 4.6 million are said to be trapped in hard to reach areas. almost 4 million are reg esterred as refugees in neighboring countries. it syria's second city has been split into control zones. we report on how the fighting has devastated what was syria's former commercial capital. | [music] | >> reporter: it is one of the oldest cities in the world. its historic center is now in

ruins. it has been an urban battle ground since the summer of 2012. syria's largest city has been divided by many front lines and on many of them sheets and drapes are used as cover from from snipers. the only crossing point that allows people to move between the two areas is now a wasteland. it was closed by the government last year. it was a dangerous journey. dozens were killed because of sniper fire, but it was a lifeline especially for state employees relying on their salaries to live. >> the crossing was vital for civilians. this used to allow people to visit their relatives. >> reporter: society has been torn apart.

in many areas there is little sign of life. last year tens of thousands left when populated areas were continuously hit by bombs. many others were wounded. those who have lost their livelihoods have been left to help themselves. >> we need money to be able to go to turkey to get treatment. we have been forgotten. we want someone to feel for us. >> reporter: also in the rebel held east the people of the area manageed to set up makeshift hospitals to deal with the many be casualties of war. they are not up to the standards needed. >> we don't have surgeons. most of the doctors were either killed or fled. we don't have medicine for diabetic be patients. >> reporter: the health system has all but collapsed. the war is entering its fifth year. neither side can claim victory.

an initiative to freeze the fighting in the city didn't achieve much. and the people on both sides remain trapped in what many describe as a deadly stalemate. it's a daily struggle. it doesn't just take hours to buy bread. crowds have been targeted standing in bakery lines. for the warring sides, the battle is strategic but has destroyed the lives of those living in what was once syria's commercial capital. iraq's army backed by shia militia ad vance interrogate center vanceing into the city of tikrit. in the past few days iraqi forces have captured a number of villages near tikrit, the hometown of saddam hussein. they took control of a village

on the east bank of the tig resriver. they want control of the strait that connects to tikrit. iraqi forces are meeting with resistance. >> reporter: from the air and on the ground this iraqi advance is into northern parts of the isil held city of tikrit. they lock into radio frequencees. this fighter says we are coming to get you. where are you? the isil reporter reports saying by god we will come and slaughter you. our martyrs will go to heaven and yours will rot in hell. and that's the kind of gigz division and

hatred at the heart of the conflict. much of the forces made up of shia militias. iran's influence concerns residents. this is the commander of the powerful force near the tikrit battle front. many iraqis resent iranian involvement. >> some countries try to get involved in iraq's affair, not to protect the country but because they don't agree with the government. if we don't stop the militia they will be divide. >> if we hadn't helped them the day the iraqi government requested our assistance though much of the burden is on the shoulders of the iraqi people, the group would have attacked many regional countries.

>> countries. >> this is a repeat of an earlier cycle. in 2007 there was a massive resistance that was overcome. but there was no reconciliation because the suni's do not accept iraqi religious parties that are more shiite than iraqi should be rulers of the country. >> reporter: they realize what is at stake. >> it is something that is concerning to us in particular because the sectarian danger in iraq is the principal thing that can unravel the campaign against isis. >> reporter: unless that campaign bridges the divide, the gains against isil may not last long.

>> iraqi forces have reportedly killed more than foirt isil fighters. car bombs were detonated in a coordinated assault. it is reported 17 of the fighters who died were suicide bombers. 13 people have been killed in a series of car bombs in baghdad. 11 died when a suicide attacker rammed his car into a building. at least 30 were injured. the attack happened hours after another explosion in the area and another blast in eastern baghdad killed two people. the u.s. secretary of state has criticized a group of republican senators for trying to scuttle a nuclear deal with iraq. john kerry said the law makers were wrong to send a letter to teheran. they are in talk with iran to curb their nuclear program. we get the story. >> reporter:

republicans in the u.s. senate are on the defensive after sending an open letter to iran's leader broadly seen as an attempt to kill the negotiations over its nuclear program. >> it's about stopping iran from getting a nuclear bomb. >> reporter: if the headlines are any indication it back fired big time. >> this letter is a hard slap. >> reporter: democrats and some republicans say it was out of line for the republicans to warn iran the next president can throw out the deal or congress could change. it john kerry says it's also not true. >> it's incorrect. when it says congress can modify the terms of the agreement at any time. that's flat wrong. they don't have the right to modify an agreement reached executive to executive between leaders of a country. >> reporter: secretary kerry will travel sunday to continue negotiations. many say they don't think the letter will impact talks but could help iran.

>> they will have an easier time saying we conceded. you didn't have your house in order. this lettener the event there is no agreement this summer makes the problemmalitylet regime will stay intact that much harder. it is hard to see how they will stick to the hard liners of the republican party. >> reporter: the democrats are less likely to stick with the republicans now meaning if north northers can reach a deal it will stick no matter what they write about. the police chief of the city of fergueson in missouri has resigned. thomas jackson has faced criticism since one of his three officers shot dead unarmed teenager mike brown. >> reporter: police chief thomas jackson had maintained there was no racism on his watch. on wednesday he became the sixth

official forceed to leave their job in a small midwestern city accused of systemic racism. >> the city of fergueson and police chief thomas jackson have agreed to a mutual separation which involves the police chief's resignation. >> reporter: his departure had been demanded by a protest group formed after the shooting of michael brown in fergueson. the belief the police force disproportionately targeted the african/american community was vindicated by the department of justice report finding the police and courts saw the local african/american community as a means of making money. millions was raised by targeting, ticketing jailing and keeping black residents in what has been called modern debtors prisons. a movement called black lives matter is about more than

fergueson. when a youth is killed demonstrations follow. in madison wisconsin there have been daily protests since the killing of an unarmed 19 rear-year-old last friday. >> this is a bigger issue, it's a universal program with law enforcement in light of what has happened over the summertime. >> reporter: protestors around the country demonstrate against an entire judicial and economic system they say is racist and unfair. the resignations have been welcomed by those who have taken to the discrete. fergueson is a tiny city of some 21,000. a change in its municipal personnel is not going to be enough to appease those wanting greater change. coming up: clinics are running out of drugs to get addicts off heroin in ukraine. the next generation of

pioneers at the most prestigeious science compnition the u.s.

>> weeknights on al jazeera america. >> join me as we bring you an in-depth look at the most important issues of the day. breaking it down. getting you the facts. it's the only place you'll find... the inside story. >> ray suarez hosts "inside story". weeknights, 11:30 eastern. on al jazeera america. >> good to have you with us. these are the top stories on al jazeera. 21 aid groups have accused the security council of failing to protect the syrian people. the fighting shows no sign of ending. iraqi government forces backed by shia militia and suni

tribes men are moving toward tikrit. the army has re-captured a number of areas on the out skirt. it is police chief of fergueson in missouri has resigned. thomas jackson faced criticism since a white officer from his department shot michael brown last august. the monitory fund has approved a financial package to ucane. the money will only be paid if they slash spending. the u.s. will give ukraine 75 million in non-lethal military air. they say the impact will be felt immediately. russian forces are still operating in eastern ukraine

despite a ceasefire agreement. nato says it is not enough. >> we have seen and still see a russian presence and strong support for the separatists in eastern ukraine. we see the delivery of equipment force, training. russia is still in eastern ukraine. and they have over a long period provided substantial support for the separatists. we ask russia to withdraw all forces from eastern ukraine and respect the agreement. joo dwindling supplies of methadone means addicts are not getting adequate supply to clean up. an upsurge in the sharing of needles has led to an increase

in hiv infections. ukraine is the worst country affected by hiv/aids in europe. the world health organization says more than 3,500 died in ukraine of aids in 2013. >> reporter: it's a nearly daily ritual, every morning but sunday, he makes the rounds distributing needles wipes and condoms to the heroin addicts. and since the conflict in separatist eastern ukraine there are more than ever. they are running out of drug it uses to get addicts off heroin. >> they promiseed to look after us ask now they have reduced so quickly vihad i have had a fever the past month. we can't afford it, we have no money. there is war. >> reporter: ukraine's government has provided the drugs for therapy

but it stopped when the year-long war began. this clinic used two drugs for heroin substitution therapy. it ran out of the first in january. without new supplies that don't appear to be forth conditionalling it will run out of the second by the end of the month. as heroin substitutes run out use rises. and since users share needles so does hiv. >> hiv has ines crooked because many shoot up as well as taking methadone. the methadone dose is small. many on substitution therapy started family, got jobs and no longer had problems with drugs. now they are back on the drugs it has become harder because needles are exopinionsive. needles are expensive. >> reporter: 300 patients have lost access to methadone since the conbe flict conflict

began. >> with methadone it's nearly catastrophic. we have less medicine and have to reduce dozes to make it last longer. patients have to live on minimal doses. some have tried to live without substitution therapy. >> reporter: a few, the strong, go cold turkey. the rest return to the street and addiction. to the breaking news out of the u.s. now out of fergueson missouri, where we are hearing gunfire has been heard at a protest outside the fergueson police department. gunfire has been heard at a protest outside the fergueson police department. this comes after the police chief of fergueson resigned and that follows criticism over a white police officer from his department in august last year

fatally shooting an unarmed black teenager, michael brown. we'll get you more on this as we get it. venezuela's government has given their president approval to rule by decree. the move comes after washington warned that caracas was a security threat and imposed new new sanctions. a jury decided that blurred lines infriged on a song marvin gaye released in 1977 and musicians worry it could set a dangerous precedent. >> reporter: music isn't what usually come to mind when people think about washington. it's here some of the greatest

musicians in the history of american jazz sprung up. all had an influences on marcus johnson. >> influence is key. i grew up and listened to people quincy joan, george duke. influence is very important. >> reporter: how much influence is too much? that's what a injury decided tuesday in a land mark legal case. it involves this song released in 2013 called blurred lines written by farelwilliams and robin thicke. the family of the late soul singer of marvin gaye scai they plaijarrized his work on they qlaim the hit blurred lines was just a little too similar to gaye's hit got to give it up. >> they thought the gaye family

would not have the resource, not have the ability and the where with all to fight this fight. they learned wrong. >> reporter: the jury sided with the gaye family awaring his heirs millions. >> they know they wrote that song innocently. independently. >> reporter: singer tom petty settled out of court, sam smith stay with me sounded like his hit i won't back down recorded in the '80s. in an industry where the majority of music is down loaded off the internet, johnson says copyright laws haven't kept up with tech technology. >> a system that allows musicians to create derivative works the opportunity to do so while still working within the

copyright construct, where the original composure gets their credit and money. >> reporter: and would allow artists to pay homage to their musical mentors without breaking the law. oil production in south sued sud suddan has fallen by a third. the economy is struggling. >> reporter: this is how you will find most university lecture halls in south sudan mostly empty. many are on strike. they had a pay cut last year and now they want that money back. but the government say its cannot afford it. here's why: since the conflict started in 2013, oil production has been reduced by more than half. oil accounts for 90% of the government's income. >> i must try my best to increase production.

and then if i increase production i will be selling at different prices. >> reporter: the fall in global oil prices has made it worse for south sudan. they are selling crude mainly to china at one of the lowest prices in the world because of its lower quality. let's break it down. a barrel of crude oil is now selling at $45 more than half is paid to sudan's government. the government remains with less than $10. some analysts are worried the economic situation here will get much worse before it gets better

better. >> the economic collapse is real. unless we take drastic measures very soon, yesterday not tomorrow. >> reporter: industries including this water bottling company are having a hard time dealing with the overhead. south sudan imports almost everything including refined fuel for generators used to power the company. and foreign currence currency is scars currency is scarce. many people here are afraid south sudan's economy will get worse unless there is peace among the warring parties.

the u.s. boasts the largest number of noble prizewinners. >> reporter: scientists and those who admire what they do gather each year for the climax of intel's national talent search. out of 1,800 who competed, the judges pick just 40 students for the final round. this project to find out what triggers polar vortex. >> the more you learn the more connected everything seems and the more beautiful it is. i have been drawn to topics like this. >> reporter: she focus otd maneuver of the flick. >> they think they know what they are doing you about i want to take a scientific approach. >> reporter: her conclusion, the coaches were wrong. michael winier's interest has

practical benefits many might not appreciate. >> qleen appreciate. >> clean energy. wires that would make energy half as expensive. >> reporter: there is quite a bit of fortune for the three top winners. each teen selecting -- collecting a record one 50,000 prize that michael won in the category of innovation, amazing and delighting his parents. >> oh, my god he won! >> reporter: eight noble prizewinners have been finalists. one laweate says science is falling short on two opportunity've counts. >> high risk-high reward research and the other was second for young people. both of those indicate the future both of those must be supported at both national and

international levels. >> reporter: on this occasion comes recognition that what they do really matters. >> a reminder you can always keep up up-to-date for all the news on our website. >> flap point ferguson missouri missouri. a town ruled by a mostly white city council but not for long. for the first time the people of ferguson has a chance with four blacks on the