a u.s. judge rules ther iran announces expansion of its ballistic missile program amid u.s. considering new sanctions against tehran hello. happy new year. this is al jazeera live from doha. our other top stories. i firebreaks out in a luxury hotel in dubai close to the world's largest building. security fears on new year's eve. evacuations and cancellations across europe. plus growing concerns over human

rights in thailand. we have a special report. first, iran's president is ordering the defense ministry to expand its ballistic missile program. this is in response to reports that the u.s. is considering more sanctions. washington is condemning iran for test-firing missiles. any new measures would put the agreement if place >> reporter: they're dismissing the threat to it dismiss the my learned friend program. if it does decide so sanction iran it is because of its own national security interest. here is the problem. iran has some restrictions placed on it by the international community to not expand its ballistics missiles program. the u.s. and other western countries considers that a

national security threat. over, on thursday the iranian president said that any idea of sanctioning that country for testing its ballistic missiles in recent months is a violation of its own right to protect its people. so the military has been ordered to go ahead and start expanding that program. however, the u.s. has said that it objects to the testing of these ballistic missiles and it is now reportedly looking at expanding its sanctions regime against iranian officials and businesses in other countries that are supporting it. one thing that the u.s. says it will not do is turn a blind eye to iran's efforts to expand its missiles regime and they say that has nothing to do with the ongoing efforts to dismantle iran's suspected nuclear weapons program the syrian army has launched an offensive as part of a broader campaign to reverse

losses to rebels in the south. the army and allied militia stormed two villages on thursday. russian air strikes have provided momentum to forces operating. the army is seeking to capture the town in the east. a victory there would give the regime a foot hold to push forward south into areas held by rebels for much of the past three years. in yemen dozens of people have been killed in the yemeni sit of thies. houthi rebels have been fighting pro-government forces in the area for months. it is on the road to the rebel health capital. talks between the two sides in geneva last month failed to make an agreement. investigators in dubai are trying to work out what caused a fire at a sky scraper next to

the world's at allest building. the office hotel went up in flames just hours before the celebrations. nobody died but at least 16 people were injured. >> reporter: on a night of planned celebrations, this inferno was the last thing anyone expected. as fire engulfed the address hotel and residences in down town dubai panic quickly set in. >> when we looked out, there was fire on the balcony. we started running out in shock. the sprinklers didn't come out. there was no fire alarm. >> reporter: the cause of the fire which started on the 20th floor of the 63-storey luxury building is still being investigated. it took only minutes to spread across the exterior of the sky scraper. >> translation: it was about 9 or 10 o'clock when it started increasing. i heard a popping noise. my dad thought it was fireworks. we saw black smoke appearing and it got about bigger.

>> there was a fire here in the hotel and also two explosions. it was scary. >> reporter: the media office said four firefighting teams were deployed to control the blaze and at least 16 people were injured in the fire. the address neighbours the world's tallest building and the focal point of an annual fire works show that rings in the new year in dubai. aborigine estimated one million people converged in the area to witness the sky works. it was for seven minutes which went off even as the hotel still smouldered. investigators are trying to figure out what went wrong. there are still far more questions than answers north korea's leader says he is ready for war if provoked, but his annual new year's speech

stayed away from past thefts nor nuclear weapons. it called for better relationship with the south. the director of the department of international studies. he says there is a chance of north and south korea's relationship improving. >> since he took over the relationship between the two koreas has been especially bad. i think the greatest failure of his leadership has been the way in which north korea has alienated the south korean left which was looked inclined to look at north korea in a sympathetic light. i think we could just as well see the light between them improve as deteriorate, but there is little sign of any desire for improvement in this speech. the north korean leader did call on the south koreans to work more closely for union any indication, but he did so in very carefully chosen words

which signalled to his own people that he is kind of laying down the law for the south koreans. he called on them, for example, to pursue autonomous union any indication, which implies that-- union i any indication, which implies that the ties with the united states is the reason it hasn't happened yet several cities have been on alert during the new year's operations. no credible threats emerged. in the u.s., 6,000 police officers were deployed in new york with tactical spying on the roof tops. an estimated one million rebelers crowded into time square to enjoy the night. forces in germany as police shut down two police officers in munich an hour before midnight. a tip off from an intelligence service said i.s.i.l. was

planning an attack in the city. authorities were alert in belgium. the fireworks display was cancelled over security concerns. three people are being questioned in relation to an attack to be carried out there. the annual fireworks supply was cancelled in paris. francois hollande personally inspected some of the police across the city. it remains on its highest terror alert after the attacks in november. global security concerns are reaching as far as russia. for the first time moscow's red square was closed over new years. peter sharp reports. >> reporter: moscow always puts on a glitzy show. it is russia's biggest holiday that sees millions on the move. there is a hard edge to the celebrations this year. security here is unprecedented. many people here say they are fearful that they face a violent

backlash because of russia's participation in the war in syria. the bombings have been going on since september, more than 5,000 sorties have been flown and russia drawn into annex tended campaign. railway stations, full luggage screening has been brought in with 15,000 additional police an troops deployed. visitors to red square have also been subject to body searches. among the people a degree of anger and frustration at the end of a very difficult year. >> translation: the year was complicated even for us. i lost my job, but i am really gad because now i work for myself. what shall i expect from next year? maybe our government will get smarter. >> reporter: this man is a former kgb officer now an opposition leader. he predicts protests will grow. >> translation: i think ratings will fall, but one has to

understand that only a war can prevent that. what war, will it be a war in syria, a ground praying, some other conflict or on ow our borders. we can't say, but any war consolidates people around their leader. >> reporter: president putin's popularity jumped after the wars in ukraine and syria, but they haven't produced the results he was looking for. >> translation: today i would particularly like to congratulate those service men who are fighting international terrorism, making a stand for russia's international interests far away and showing their strong will and decisiveness. the whole country's success depends on the effective work and xhooechlts of all of us. we are-- achievements. we are united and our responsibility is for our designee. >> reporter: if he truly

believed that his ambitious foreign policy initiative in syria would divert international attention away from his land grab in ukraine, he will be disappointed. there has been no concession in foreign sanctions against russia. the price of oil and the value of the ruble will continue the spectacular fall. they may find themselves with the president on a rocky road. fire works will welcome in the new year, but seeing it in on red square has been scrapped. 90,000 rebelers gathered in one place was considered an unnecessary risk in these times lots more still to come here on al jazeera. deep in the red. a one billion dollar payment due in the next few days.

cape town, one of the world's richest heritage sites at risk of being lost. of being lost. bring your family and friends together to discover the best shows 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. 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.

>> get an in-depth look at the problems facing professional sports: see what you've been missing. hello again. the top stories here on al jazeera. iran is expanding its missile capabilities. any new measures by the u.s. could jeopardize the nuclear deal signed in august. investigators in dubai are trying to work out what happened

when a hotel went up in flames before a new year's celebrations. security forces have been on watch, but no credible threats have emerged. fighting continues in the iraqi city of ramadi. around 700 i.s.i.l. fighters are reported to remain in parts of city. they're believed to be holding hundreds of people hostage as human shields. the iraqi government is maintaining it can defeat the group this year. our correspondent reports. >> reporter: it's a victory that iraqis describe as a major blow to islamic state in iraq and the levant. the recapturing the ramadi has been good. i.s.i.l. was also pushed back from central areas, but these achievements came with the help of shia militias or popular

mobilization forces. they have been criticized for their tactics after taking areas from i.s.i.l. much of the town of sinjar is with the peshmergaing forces. retaking sinjar has made the leadership confident that the forces can take on the group. >> translation: 2016 will be the year of the big and final victory when i.s.i.l.'s presence in iraq will be terminated. >> reporter: 2015 began with i.s.i.l. taking more areas in iraq and syria. despite the fact that the group has lost control over many places, it still remains active around those areas that it has lost control of. the coalition against i.s.i.l. says that its strategy to target the group's leadership is working in iraq, but with limited intelligence coming out of syria, same results have not been achieved there.

the group lost large parts of the area. i.s.i.l. advances in other areas continued through the year. there are now more than 60 countries fighting i.s.i.l. in various coalitions. despite facing a common enemy, many of them have competing interests. the coalition against i.s.i.l. wants to go after strong holds like raqqa in syria and mosul in iraq. not just to defeat the group but also to solve the unprecedented refugee crisis which has caused many to be fled from their homes. the group has been pushed back but defeating it remains a major challenge the island of puerto rico is entering the new year with a looming debt default, being able to file for bankruptcy

protection would help them, but so far the u.s. congress has refused to allow it. robert ray has the details. >> reporter: the island paradise of three and a half million u.s. residents, puerto rico, has run out of time and money. >> what we are asking is to restructure the debt. >> reporter: in a rare one-on-one interview, puerto rico's governor spoke to al jazeera. >> we have been answering every distress call from congress. there's people in congress that puerto ricoans are only good at a time of war, but there is also people there that think that we deserve to have the tools, not a bail out, the tools for us to solve our problems. >> reporter: trying to pay down debt, the island has slashed health care and public transportation services. let go of 30,000 public sector workers, closed over 100 schools

and increased the sales tax by more than 50%. outspoken attorney-general john mud says the government is mishandling the situation and that the governor doesn't grasp how bad it is >> there's people from everywhere in the u.s. who has investment in puerto rico. most of these individual bond holders are retired people. they're not going to be able to go outside and get a job or do something about the reduced income they're going to receive. >> reporter: debt levels on the island expanded from about 25 billion dollars in 2000 to 73 billion today. the poverty rate is a staggering 45%. last year alone over 80,000 people left for the mainland u.s. no matter what side, if you talk to them and you ask them what is the reason for recession and massive debt, they will point to

1996 action that cut the taxes. most companies left the island. >> those are to blame. >> reporter: a member of the puerto ricon senate says the island cannot stop the crisis without help from congress. >> it is not surprising that the current migration, massive migration of people, started precisely in 2006. >> reporter: that's when companies who employed thousands, whose tax incentives ran out because of congress's repeal, left the island. this man's creditors have spent time on lobbying against the island. they're trying to seize their accounts. >> we hawant to keep it that wa but we are american citizens. >> reporter: as for congress and a path towards economic restructuring, only time will tell as people will pray for a

prosperous 2016 in the u.s. flood waters are receding in some communities on the mississippi river. millions of people are still facing flood warnings. at least 28 people died in heavy rains and flooding over the past few days. hundreds of roads have been shut and shipping hall turret. hundreds of protesters in chicago. they demanded the resignation of the mayor. tensions arose between police in october when 17-year-old was shot dead by police. a suburb in cape town has been placed on the world monuments fund watch list. the organization says the site is of major cultural importance and is also at risk of being lost to development. >> reporter: this is a suburb that became known as the m allay

quarter when freed slaves from indonesia, mad gas car and india move in 90-year-old has lived in one of these houses all her life. show shows us family photos taken back to the 1900s. this man says the area's character is linked to its islamic heritage. >> for some people it is a place that is so close to their hearts, it's part of their soul. it has been in many ways sometimes exploited for commercial reasons. in many ways it has been protected in other ways. >> reporter: the suburb is emwho the oldest mosque in the city. once democracy was realized the areas act abolished, no longer reserving the area for

residents, it began attracting outsiders. tour guide works in this house both in 1763. it is now a museum. >> this is what it is. they always have to share their life and houses, they have to share the culture and everything. people come in and look and take photographs and they don't have the privacy. >> reporter: she says this has contributed to the younger generation selling their homes and moving out. homes here are now fetching high prices with municipal rates rising 400%. >> they have to bear the cost of maintaining a heritage house. neither the city nor a heritage western cape or other authorities have any funding which is available for the upkeep and restoration of heritage houses. >> reporter: this is in a heritage overlay zone which is

to protect the houses. the nonprofit organization, the world monuments fund, has declared this area one of the most significant cultural heritage sites at risk of being lost. in spite of the high profile and the protection it is being offered, many fears the worry they won't bel able to fight-- be able to fight in burundi's president says he will fight any african union peacekeepers sent to his country. people were hoping the new year would bring peace after nine months of political turmoil. >> reporter: deep in the hilly countryside and under heavy security, burundi's president participated in a peace march. this is the final lap of a peace run organized by young men concerned that their country is on the brink of civil war. >> translation: it is god that

granted us a peaceful festive even and it is got who will grant us peace in the new year. >> reporter: but peace has been elusive in burundi since the president decided to run for a controversial third term in office. that led to street protests. hundreds of people were killed. the capital bujumbura has become the main area of the conflict. entire neighborhoods have been deserted as thousands try to retreat from the violence. this is a district almost empty. shops and houses have been abandoned. it is from here that this man fled with his family. >> translation: i don't see peace returning to bujumbura as long as the president remains in power. police come every night arresting people and most of the people they take away and are dead. the youth have been forced to take up arms and defend

themselves. >> reporter: burundians are flocking to church. top on the list of their prayers is for calm to return to their country. >> translation: every burundian has to fight for peace. we appeal to them to do that. >> reporter: as burundins do just that, the hope is that the talks that suffered this week in uganda will diffuse the crisis and present a way out. few, however, expect the president to step down or significantly change his government a new set of u.n. global goals came into effect on 1 january. a new set to tackle poverty, climate change and other ones.

sdgs replace the millennium goals. they will use the objectives to phrase the policies over the next 15 years. global health is one of the biggest challenges for the u.n. >> reporter: it is the start of a new chapter in fighting one of the world's most fatal diseases, owe bowl a. only-- ebola. at least 11,000 people died in the most recent outbreak. >> we have to be very clear that although today is an important milestone, it is only a milestone. it is not the end of the ebola response in west africa because what we've learned is while we've stopped the original chains of transmission, we're also seeing small flair, one to three cases occurring. >> reporter: there's no cure for ebola, but two vaccines look promising. they're undergoing human testing

and could be ready for be tested soon. a vaccine that imewe nices two-thirds of people from the age of nine and prevents all the dangerous forms is now available in the philippines, brazil and mexico. >> translation: the relevance this vaccine could have in terms of prevention, it could have great benefits, not only in mexico, but also a greater number of countries in latin america and asia. >> reporter: another kills many around after. a new vacuum even on trial and it could save many lives. the world health organisation says the number of cancer cases is likely to rise by 70% in the next 20 years. more than a third of cancer deaths can be prevented. in 2015 it released a set of

guidelines putting processed meet and added sugar on the things to reduce. to improve global health, there are people in certain parts of the worlds who are healthier than others. doctors from the university of athens studies people there there. they eight local fresh produce the headlines in just a moment, but now a look at how the world has been welcoming in 2016.

ewel on america tonight, keeping a seek resided, and the silent pain that can cause. >> on a daily basis, i would have nightmares, tremendous stress and anxiety. i was sort of experiencing constant vigilance. >> america tonight on the risk of silence and the possible remedy. >> thanks for joining us, i'm joie chen. give a moment to yourselves and