malaysian airlines flight m h seventeen over ukraine in two thousand and fourteen on thursday international investigators said the missile used to shoot it down came from a russian military unit all two hundred ninety eight people on board died russian president vladimir putin has dismissed the allegations and island is holding a referendum on whether to relax some of its strictest abortion laws in europe voters are being asked if they want to repeal a law that effectively bans women from terminating the pregnancy the government says it would then introduce laws allowing abortion in some cases you're up to date with all of the top stories more news coming up in twenty five minutes time off to rewind which is next.

hello welcome to rewind i'm richelle carey here and al-jazeera english we have built a library of award winning documentaries over the past decade and on rewind we're taking another look at some of the very best of them this week on back to two thousand and ten on al-jazeera follow the heartwarming story of one man's determination to leave the poverty of us west african home in the liberian capital of monrovia risking his life to cross the sahara desert on the back of a pickup truck and the hope of

a better life in the west his name is joseph lamo and his drive to make a new life for his family was fraught with setbacks from two thousand and ten here's the extraordinary story of one man's journey from liberia to the shores of america's great lakes this is joseph journey. and we're you know yeah this is a green truck you're here in front of the green jug you can see you. know that just you see that. as you did this superstore. now we're on the right we need to.

do. after two years and i first met joseph blamo while covering a story on illegal immigration that was a chance encounter two years ago little did i know that juice if journey would take him from the sahara desert all the way to new york city. this is the way out of africa the sahara desert begins just outside the town of in the northeast of mali. thousands of sub-saharan africans come through here every year many without documents but with enough money to pay for a truck ride across the desert. the smuggling of people is a big business here and we couldn't risk filming in town that's why we're out here in the desert trying to meet up with the travellers already on their way to.

fifty kilometers out of town is where the smuggling route begins we wait until nightfall when most of the pickup trucks leave. traveling on the smugglers route we came across this broken down vehicle with about twenty guys inside all going tell the jury and then on to libya and some even to europe. let me. tell you my tire my tire busted while traveling in the desert the passengers knew the dangers of traveling in the desert packed into old vehicles. joseph is from liberia this is his second attempt to cross the border. a stop it will even though better him a present. of migrant yes yes migrants what kind of. know what. about what often ina does it want but. somehow they get the truck

running again and it's time to go. tens of thousands make trips just like this one it's dangerous people fall off the back in breakdowns leave entire groups stranded hundreds continue to die a year after year these young men have already come a long way conditions are tough but nothing will stop them after reaching. they will look for transport to either libya or morocco the launching pads for southern europe but for now they still have four hundred kilometers of desert in mali on a twenty seven year old toyota pickup. back in liberia. older brother received bad news. usage journey ended when he was caught by the algerian peace. we don't know how those were real actual migrants.

i don't one but i was foreign concerns were very vicious to do with migrants. the authorities took his belongings in abandon him on the mali inside of the desert border. the family was worried they came together and raised one hundred fifty us dollars hoping he would come home and call us and it was i knew i would see that. no i but he would see the money but then what he summoned up to come back. to life . mr and mrs blamo were upset with their son and hadn't even told them where he was going and you know what they would. have bought i begin to trust. his rule is that it won't cost to the one i want with bill. and with him think about this let me give you my blessing.

joseph was back but liberia hadn't changed. just it has a computer science certificate from a vocational college but it's not enough for stable employment here day work holding boats at the beach was still the only job available to him and his friends . i'm fed up you don't know and then i doubt. you know. joseph wanted out once again so he took a chance in played what is called the u.s. green card lottery if you win you can live and work in the united states legally. so. long. but finally

a glimmer of hope he was randomly selected for a crucial interview at the american embassy here in monrovia it seems like joseph luck was finally changing. its josephs big morning but it's important for everyone with a job in the u.s. to sift can be a vital life to his father's household of fifteen people. well you go what is the atheist who said thank you for all who if they do it. well i just. i will find out who will buy the one. guy again i don't. even want to. know i'm feeling what fox it was my mom was a kid. i'm in love. with him to go to.

a few steps away is the american embassy in the interview that could change use of slightly. more than thirteen million people from around the world play the lottery each year. but the u.s. government only grants fifty thousand visas. millions of the lottery entries come from places like liberia which was recently torn apart by a vicious civil war. seventy percent of the people here live in poverty juice if blamo is not the only one trying to. what are the chances.

better than he ever could have imagined. there you go out there. doing. well we can just see myself getting never ever. gambon if the walking want to have. to go they were. told that there's so many told. where. a convoy of three cars carrying thirty four people bring joseph to the airport for

a late night flight. his immediate family staying the closest to him. that. was. because of the way you were. was. going to. i'm. over. it but i'm nobody. it's the start of a new life for joseph blama. he's one of a million legal immigrants who enter the u.s. each year in new york city is his port of entry. joke.

yes let's hope. we all give those up just for everyone and i welcome you to do you all. and i wish all the best kept that in your back you've got to get up and go forward think you can do so. just has a sister he hasn't seen in years who lives in the state of pennsylvania but he wants to test the waters here first he has an acquaintance who lives on staten island this is a good place. from my childhood days i'll smallville watching the news to see. on screen so i'm very much helping the little famo said don't. know how to talk. but i think doesn't without you i have my sister in pennsylvania . oh good truck.

ok what i'm going to do when i cross or break i'm going to call you back. but i did this. to us i thought of this moment you know i know you have to do is good your. truck on is also from liberia and they knew each other through a friend back home. well there is this is not known. as well really the park kill housing project was also truck on its first stop in america that was in one thousand nine hundred nine and he's been here ever since. most if you want it.

for the only difference is the number of. lives that. he lives here with his two sons and his cousin and after the long trip this is where joseph will spend his first night in america. just. drop by.

begin to lose it all told. me to. and i missed. the news. is jam packed to capacity the cycles as i did in the rain to come together and. they did then i would feel good even when people seem to say yes. to all the good will not make you are going to those things so many ways when we need a lot i mean. that evening truck on take joseph out on the town think. the old. george is the brand zero zero zero zero zero zero zero zero zero. this is your. most of truculence friends are liberians who have been in the us for years in they still believe they are living the american dream is the fourth of what it was felt

that it. was not a bulls logo will have to come out of you. to. tell those who. think it's going to be. good that's my right now making me feel i mean everybody you come to love you're nobody got out and then you make. me look just like you i want to marry you really want to but i don't see this park there was a park kill is bustling with house parties on saturday night. in one of truculence friends is celebrating his birthday was was. the music and faces are familiar but the atmosphere has an edge. to see if it's finding it hard to fit in. and he's alarmed when a fist fight breaks out of the party. juice

it isn't in danger but he doesn't want trouble. but my god he. was a good god. god god was. joseph has seen enough. the next morning josephs is on a greyhound bus. he thinks the liberians he met in new york have lost their focus in news that his sister will provide a more solid foundation for his new life. what joseph doesn't know is that he is heading straight into an economic crisis. erie pennsylvania is in the middle of america's dying manufacturing region. joseph is hoping to find work in

a place where jobs are disappearing. i think he believes that those are the. order from the president. he said. you still hear that perfect. credit for job. once again shows it is prepared to take a chance. oh oh. aneta hasn't seen her little brother since she immigrated to the u.s. in two thousand and four. she came here after liberia's civil war as a political refugee from. the u.s. government set her up in erie in her job as a caregiver has provided a good life for her family her children now see more american in liberia and. new

moon is my favorite scene is when the anyone doing it will tear at me she would say and where you she told you she's nothing that you maybe don't you if you continue to think and they say grazie advice i was. ok i don't know. that you know the only a. few. of her but the fourth of july marks america's independence day and then it brings the family to a public picnic and its juice its first real look at middle america and you feel. you look even look at very dark. city streets are well you know. we. get these police you see it. you just don't feel like i'm even. thinking about the show or can just sit down you know snark and just sit.

with the speaker. and jordi doing a. report on how the little you doing that is he. he can think about his future tomorrow today is finally content. just as journey an incredible insight into one my parents pursuit of the american dream that was more than eight years ago now and i'm sure you're wondering whatever happened to joseph rewind went back recently to arion pennsylvania to find out how life is new don for joseph since we last saw. i came to you he tells you to. join some one time it was nice for scheme because it was just like africa the well.

it was good. because my sister lives here so i choose you if. you want to go somewhere else where i don't know anybody i thought it was going to be hard for me to get started. at the end of the year we lost our you know what in the winter bought new film not dissimilar. first went off and then this new style fall out was my first time to see snow back in africa i only used to see snow on watching movies on t.v. i have no excuse that it was surprising to me that i was there a first time a little while we knew i was and why. this news just out of fall for it was so amazing to me joy of a first time. our first game ah how they're you know look at. things a little bit difficult you know starting point as time progressed to sterling

getting better at both joe starr working as an immigrant although good food costs. will live the american dream you know and i believe i'm living the american dream because the kids better than before who. know how a job can revive see you're still living living good lives and living the american dream yes or everything is good good. good thing how to bring a move. out of memorial. thing that's only one of the best thing a bit. of fog died. my mom. was in the house with all the kids things were going by. because she stayed a long time will not follow the marvel of forty years. i only used to talk to on the phone while i really miss hawk and i wanted to see a lot i wanted to come and see it without. you know the how about life experience

to. only want to sell the war. to the house well. you did well open. source says but what he's doing ten years ago and limited your own ego to it. does mark each. time a room. and . it will move. and there's

more room. he must feel that i can make you can do anything that i won't do to see we've got it all in circumstances i'll stick with upcoming a week. just coming coming out just. so that's why i believe. that's why i got into it and i was reminded every day well look up in the morning like squat with a bible i see you only don't believe. if i get out above my head be myself justice from like area this is a second attempt across the border this. is the first you have to go back to them or above or welcome us so the unarmed teen of zero one see this is your book boss. a few of the

sources on the progress that's not. being here you're miracle i'm sitting now i'm settled down here. i get a house i've got a job i've got a car. and. the struggle to struggle continues but i leave. a huge distance from by did to. of course huge histories. that's it for this week and you can find out more about joseph incredible story and watch other films from the series by going to the rewind page on the al-jazeera website but for now until next time the back.

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forty eight are events that are still shaping the president. seventy years on al-jazeera tells the history of what palestinians call the catastrophe. we understand the differences and the similarities of cultures across the wound. so no matter where you call home al-jazeera and that will bring in the news and current of things that matter to you. al-jazeera. al-jazeera as investigative unit exposes the criminal gangs fixing international cricket matches sixty to thirty percent that is a good thing you say fix it fix bribing professional players but send beautiful goes to the players or give them houses rolex watches. pictures.

for five children. al-jazeera investigations cricket match fix as. ban. hello i'm maryanne demasi in london his around up of the top stories on al-jazeera the u.s. president donald trump says it's possible a planned summit with north korea could still go ahead on june twelfth despite sending a letter a day earlier canceling it welcomed a conciliatory statement from pyongyang saying it remains open to having talks. to see what happened we're talking to them down. there was a very nice day to day without you know we'll see what happens to the degree that while we're talking to them now they very much want to do it we'd like to do it we're going to see what happens for now though it looks like it is still off south korea's president has described the cancellation as shocking and regrettable bright as the riyadh.