>> new moms forced to choose. >> the united states does lag behind other countries on this. >> now a revolution in workers' rights... >> my story is so many peoples' story. >> that could decide the election. >> it can be different. 2016. psh psh a luxury hotel goes up in olympic games in dubai, hours before the city rang in the new year. >> court return. >> we are dealing with people who committed genocide. and we believe they had enough to do. rwanda's genocide tribunal

closes after two decades. people say the work of the court is far from over. >> ringing in the new year - from sydney harbour to london... ..to new york city's times square. revellers gather to say goodbye to 2015. good evening, happy new year to you. welcome to al jazeera america. i'm jonathan betz in for antonio mora. in most of the world it's 2016. people welcoming it with celebration and child works. in dubai, 16 hurt in a luxury skyscraper, despite the flames, the middle eastern city did not call off one of the biggest

parties. >> flames brought the draws down to dubai. about two hours before 2016 began. >> we were waiting for the fireworks to start. near the hotel there was, like, a - more like an orange light. we thought they were maybe rehearsing for something. we didn't care about it. they kept growing and growing. there was smoke. we started recording. there was a fire. >> the 1,000 foot tall skyscraper, apartments and appellants. thousands rung in the new year, as flames rang above them. >> explosions heard from the tower. >> the fireextinguishers stopped the flames spreading. >> the most important thing was to support of the sprinkler

system. it was protecting the spread of the fires from the outside to the inside. the skyscraper located near one of the largest shopping centers. the city's tourism department would be given other accommodations. >> this was the second major skyscraper fire. no one there was killed or injured. one of the world's largest fire works and light displays. hundreds of thousands of people watches the show. as the skyscraper burned nearby. >> inside the burning tower, this woman was having dinner with her family, and i talked to her on the phone about the fire

and the evacuation. >> we saw pieces - that's when we panicked - square debris falling off the side of the building. we have to be honest, the response teams were incredible, and knew what to do in terms of getting people out. very well organized. >> turning to europe, police say there's an imminent threat of an attacker at the central train takes. authorities sent out alert on social media. >> munich's central station along with a second station were shut down. police warned people to stay away from the station. the minister said he received information about i.s.i.l., saying that i.s.i.l. is behind the threat. >> five men are in custody in belgium in connection with a plot to stage an attack in

brussels. the men were linked to a terrorist organization, one is suspected of supporting i.s.i.l. the plot prompting brussels to cancel the new year's eve celebration. >> a man in upstate new york has been arrested. 25-year-old emanuel wanted to impress i.s.i.l. he planned to stop a bar. the city cancelled the celebrations. he was caught in an fbi sting. and served five years prison for robbery. the battle destroyed 80% of the city. the local government urged residents not to return. i.s.i.l. is still fighting in other areas. in northern iraq many christian who fled after i.s.i.l. took control of the city are settled

in erbil. they hope to return home. >> reporter: this man's holidays have not been the same for the last two years, since he lost his arms in a car bomb explosion. it's hard to write with one hand. he goes to a class with younger student. >> i.s.i.l. had arrived telling them to pay a tax. they left. when they came to that town, they left again. it's the cheerful time at the end of the year. >> translation: my family and i can't celebrate. my son lost his amp, my brosser is missing. i.s.i.l. took him as a prisoner. it's hard. >> more than 50,000 families are from mosul. although they have been wild in.

they miss their holes. they were so close to the front lines of i.s.i.l., known as d.a.e.s.h. >> this man was a priest. >> we like to give our people hope. i.s.i.l. is close to where we are, a threat to the christians. every year the congregation at this church grows with more displaced christians, and many that lost everything hold on to the one thing they can - hope. >> i and everybody hope to stay in our home. >> translation: we want to go back to our lives, home to peace and safety. as the politicians search for

conflict, in areas like this, christians fled, and the locals that sheltered them hope that the coming year is better than the last iran is denying u.s. claims it carried out missile tests near warships. u.s. central command said several guided missiles landed 1500 yards from the u.s. harry truman. i.s.i.l. said they did no such thing. the action was called highly provocative the u.n. tribunal investigating genocide finished its work. still ahead, the controversy surrounding the international court, and questions if justice was served. >> forced out of china, journalists spoke out about accusations she supported terrorism. meantime. they are welcoming in the new

year in rio de janeiro. hundreds of thousands gather said to watch the fireworks abo above copacabana beach.

>> "inside story" takes you beyond the headlines, beyond the quick cuts, beyond the soundbites. we're giving you a deeper dive into the stories that are making our world what it is. they literally ring in the new year in seoul, the bell ringing marks the beginning of 2016. >> well, in an unexpected move. china freed two brothers of an american journalists after

holding them in contention. the three brothers of ethnic uyghurs were arrested and charged with leaking state secrets. it was seen as a move of intimidating, reporting on the treatment of uyghurs. he currently works for radio free asia, funded by the u.s. government. the remaining brother is serving 5 years for "endangering state security." a french journalist has been forced to leave china for not apologising for an article. the first foreign reporter to have press credentials not renewed since melissa chan was expelled from that country three years ago. aidan brown has more this woman was used to deadlines, this is one she couldn't miss. china's government told her to

leave after a decision not to renew media credentials. >> there are some crazy, silly, and i cannot understand it. >> authorities demanded that she apologise. the report suggested china had ulterior motives after the attacks in paris. the real reason was to try to win support for the chinese government's own providences. the area home to a muslim minorities. this woman says she has nothing to be sorry about. >> i cannot apologise about

something that is not written. >> her home is around the corner from the foreign ministry where an official said the article incited the outrage. chinese people. >> china protects the lawful lights and interests of foreign agencies and journalists, but there never tolerate the act of speaking. >> this is now the first foreign journalist to be expelled from china when melissa chan was also asked to leave the country. >> the guy was hurling abuse earlier. >> reporter: she has been subjected to death threats and abuse online. one celebrated her expulsion, with a poll purporting to report

it to her. part of a campaign that is believed to have been officially sanctioned. >> it was incredible. sexual and dirty. even facebook did censorship. >> she left china as an anti-terrorism law came into effect. >> the legislation is similar to measures adopted by many countries 21 years after the genocide in rwanda, the u.n. court said up to prosecute the war criminals closed. the end of the war tribunal for rwanda doesn't mean it's finished. malcolm webb reports on the continuous call for justice.

>> reporter: these men kill dozens of their neighbours, they'll spend time in prison. it was through the genocide and they all say the mayor organized it in the area. >> translation: i killed because he filled our hearts with hate. if you refused to kill he'd order others to kill you. >> after months on the run. he was arrested. he was flown to kinshasa. the u.n.'s criminal tribunal inkited him in 1996. in 1994 thousands gather said around this church. according to the indictment. villages were ordered to kill them all. >> now there's a memorial. if here are the clothes and some of the people killed here. here, a skull and other remains, and weapons to killed them.

he oversaw the killing of country men and rape and sexual violence against women. >> the tribunal that indicted him sat in neighbouring tanzania. it's now closing. rights groups criticise it for trying people from one side of the conflict. the rebel patriotic front. which was the rwandan army, defeated those involved. >> those killings by rtf troops are in no way critical of the genocide. nevertheless they were crimes against humanity, falling within the remit of the icr. snoop they deny it and say they bring their soldiers to justice at home.

i don't believe both sides should counter in the question of the i.c.c. r. i believe they have enough job to do. the government criticized it for being slow and expensive. there are many on the run. if they are caught, they'll have to be tried elsewhere. >> he may be pride here, but only if congo extra diets him. they want rwanda to hands over. groups say the trials are fair. the killings led to a conflict. >> i c.t. r was unprecedented and brought justice to some of the victims of one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century joivening me now is mork kerrs ten, an international justice researcher in toronto.

the tribunal closes after 21 years, it's a long time, is the job done. >> that's a good question. justice is never really done. there'll be excesses of justice, unresolved issues. there's a number of perpetrators, who have not been brought to the courts. there are those issues. there's other issues, crimes perpetrated by other arrangements during the rwanda genocide. and it's unclear whether those people will face justice. justice is, in a sense, never truly done to its fullest extend. i think after 21 years. >> considering there's only 93

individuals indicted. 2 billion spent on this, how can you sigh it's success. >> judges decided rape was an act of genocide. and it changed the way which thivening using rape as a spoil of war, setting an important precedent. >> the tribunal should consider it a success that prosecuted individuals, it's not just instigated and perpetrated by people with machetes and guns, but the people in the media, that organized parts of the genocide, creating a frenzy that people should kill each other and toot sis, they have to be

brought into act. there are valid criticisms of the tribunal and its posteriored. here, even though a billion or whatever it may be was spent on the tribunal. we need to think about cost in relative terms. i was looking it up. the yearly budget is about the same as the payroll. >> there was a difference between the for profit sports league. there was anger within a lot of rwandans that after 20 years. only a few thousands were convicted. you can see why there's anger. people's expectations about how efficient the processes and tribal's needs weren't met. i think the cost issue should be

considered relative to other cost. the fact that the expectations - maybe it's not an issue of success. it's how difficult it is for the tribunals to do the work they are attempting to do. >> do you feel the counter rwandan president should have been prosecuted? >> i don't think i'm in a position to say that. intiffed you wills under the rue wand jan patriotic front were indicated in mass atrocities. no one is suggesting that we should equate them with what happened with regards. there's ample evidence to suggest that this type of tribunal should have opened prosecutions into individuals allied with paul and the rpf. that leads to a claim of

justice. not a single rpf official has been prosecuted. thank you so much for your time. still ahead - ringing in 2016 around the world. live pictures from new york. coming up, counting down to the bam drop from times square. and crowds in moscow break the cold weather to welcome in the new year. fire works lit you will the sky, temperatures hoverering above zero, stay with us.

when you're on hold, your business is on hold. that's why comcast business doesn't leave you there. when you call, a small business expert will answer you in about 30 seconds. no annoying hold music. just a real person, real fast. whenever you need them. so your business can get back to business. sounds like my ride's ready. don't get stuck on hold. reach an expert fast. comcast business. built for business. to discover the best shows friends together and movies with xfinity's winter watchlist. later on, we'll conspire ♪ ♪ as we dream by the fire ♪ a beautiful sight, we're happy tonight ♪ ♪ watching in a winter watchlist land, ♪ ♪ watching in a winter watchlist land! ♪

xfinity's winter watchlist. watch now with xfinity on demand- your home for the best entertainment this holiday season. [ bell tolls ] big celebrations in london when the clock struck midnight. big ben tolled. the new year under way for our friends in the u.k. new year's is not official in new york until the ball drops in times square. let's go to john terrett, live from the crossroads of the world. john, what is it like out there? i know security is a big concern. >> yep, it is. this is the international news half hour from al jazeera. and you understand that among those that want to hurt america, new york is target number one.

authorities took it seriously this year. there are 6,000 officers around times square. radiation detactors and sniffer bombs -- dogs are here, there's probationers loose on the people of new york out here hoping an army and 1,000 cameras looking at us. there's 14 entry points. the crowds and the checkpoints in and outs. i had difficulty getting here myself. it's tight, no threat against new york, but no one is taking chances. >> what is the reaction like on the ground there with the people looking to have a good dime.

>> the crowd is waving the balance. they have the crowd being entertained by the star. a singer song writer. demi devado. cary underwood appears want. it's a wonderful evening, there's 90 minutes to go. everyone is having a good time. the weather is warm. big crowds. a lot of fun. happy new year to you. >> thaw does it for the international half hour of news

on al jazeera. "america tonight" is next. but first a look at some of the biggest celebrations around the world. world.

. >> on "america tonight", a special look at the force beneath the wave. >> i felt i was in a washing machine, i was tossed and turned. >> what's the next thing you remember? >> this would be an ugly way to die. this el nino is larger than the 1991-1998. >> 20 years ago we talked about it being destructive. in california. they are asking for it. >> reporter: what will el nino bring, are we ready for