behind the lens as gotten sing brings his personal story to life. al jazeera correspondent, my own private bollywood. ah . hello, i'm darren, jordan and doha. with a quick reminder, the top stories here on al jazeera, at least 27 refugees and migrants trying to reach britain that drowned an english channel near kelly. out of their boat sank. it's a worst disaster on the crossing since un officials started keeping record 7 years ago. this disaster underscores how dangerous it is to cross the channel in this way. and he also shows how vital it is that we now step up our efforts to break the business model of the gangsters who are sending people to see

or in this way i say to our partners across the channel. now is the time for us. oh, i to step up to work together to do everything a we can to break these gangs who are literally getting away with murder. 3 white men in the u. s. had been found guilty of murdering a 25 year old black man who was out jogging. ahmad albury was chased down and shot dead in a georgia neighbourhood. last year. all 3 men claiming that in self defense, they all faced life in prison. in somalia bomb attack has reported the talk of it, a convoy of the african union mission. it happened in the how the neighbourhood south of mogadishu is nowhere yes, on casualties. several buildings on fire in the capital of a solomon islands after a 2nd day of writing. now, despite the government imposing a lockdown, demonstrators are demanding the resignation of prime minister manasseh cavalry. they said their region lacks infrastructure and has been neglected by the government. officials in the us are concerned about another potential surge in

cobra. 1900 cases that says millions of americans traveled for the thanksgiving holiday this week. and travel is expected to be near pre angelic levels. the son of libya is former leader more. mock adolphe has been barred from running in next month's presidential election. libya electoral commission says cypher, the slum gadhafi is ineligible because he's been convicted of a crime warlord and he for half to along with 72 others remain in the race. the us government does announce a new u. f o task force. the agency will work to identify unknown error objects and determine whether they posed a threat. comes off to the intelligence community released a report earlier this year, admitting they had been a series of u. f. o sightings. where those were the headlines and continued jo now to 0 after the master cale thank you and thanks for watching bye for now. ah,

on the 21st of august 2013 syrian government forces used chemical weapons in opposition held areas, killing hundreds of people, including many children. when you, as soon as the year before, the technical weapons would have led line. however, off to the attack, president obama decided not to intervene because it might lead to heavier u. s. involvement in syria. there were some people in the administration who worried that i sunken at the end be top alden extremists would take over. and those of us who were following siri more closely kept telling them, stop worrying about that. the extremists are no stronger than a lot of the modern elements, and they're not going to take over. it might just shift the fighting a little bit, but there will not be an islamic state declared in damascus. this lack

of a western response seemed to embolden assad. he realised that some western leaders were more concerned about the potential chaos that might result from opposition groups taking over than the were about his staying and power. i saw was quite to exploit this. michelle said that if not as a pot hustle, natalie poet kill whole school me law. she had a unit stem yeap. bill. i showed him how to persuade the challenge level no set up for korea and she had yelled emotional dishes, ian. and she's at mann in mann in nuts. oh, really my food ought to be young to mammon. habit daily shout, hell healthy. ah. 2 said release, many of these members of owned opposition groups from jail since the start of the uprising. some had joined iso. i'm assad realised that this was the group that

the west was more concerned about perhaps than any other in 2014 i. so took the tone of rocca, i moved quickly across syria, largely at the expense of other opposition groups. ah, news of on the market and so the bombs i read those is more, more talk to you. good. you lose it's a village. owed to the good bush that about the de busha way saw repeated instances where the syrian government basically would not attack their sonic state here. sometimes we sciences where the atlantic state might attack a free syrian army unit. and the syrian government would come in and bomb them by air or maybe an hour later, 2 hours later. and i,

it looked like tactical co operation almost. and we saw many instances of that, especially in the area around a laptop. for example, a dash 2 got me social sincerely, don't, don't be thorough. well, oh, it's hard to keep all blue she be on new off when york's washing akita vaughan due to the daughter. oh, boy bell. oh was a toy to so in. so, so obvious, you aiden, ye bellow, jim, i don't mean that they don't ever fight this long stick. sometimes they fight this lamb at state. sometimes they cooperate with islamic state. one of the things that tom, as a professional, i can say i admire about this here. in government is that it is able to do several different contradictory things all at once and it, it's harder to understand them. they can confuse you very well that way.

the spread of iceland is increasing violence, preoccupied and shocked. much of the world. aside to use this opportunity to launch a different kind of campaign aimed at the west, a charm offensive got war in syria is about winning the heart of the people. but i felt media was part of the war on syria when we fill it, it is an opening, you know, and that wasn't counted and started to die to listen, we started to intensify our communication with the west until in by jen managed until talk to jam manage the syrian president, gave interviews to several major media outlets around the world.

nobody should have got that. i'm me, daddy stammered gifted tom and my little media, let it be. it gives the time on my letter it army letter b or door acting on a sore on you, lila had a better but any to float mccartney? i'm delighted at all. la michelle. i said i send anybody in all his interviews. he insisted, eats me or chaos. you have invasion of terrorist coming from abroad and the government is doing. it's a job in fighting and defending it said it's country her saddle, thought it out of the demonica jani folder equipment booklet and shuttle and also he alyssa dominy, i'm a fool alderman, thought he over here, let's come. i kind of thought for that and phil and i'm a little be, be and not all the a thought a shabby, long, long young line. charlotte, she took the di match the bashar to said, did you go deep contributed passa,

dumpsters to not meet is what's on there? monte approval. deborah, key for miss wood. gilmore, you know, you know, she will be them all the ship. i think for bashar elisa to present himself to the united states and to europe as the, as the alternative are 2 crazy sectarian people. i think this has been part of his strategy since day one day one ins. oh. by presenting himself as the alternative to what he called terrorists, i felt convinced many to overlook his government crimes like these camps, where 17000 people, including women and children, were tortured to death. latino ah, ah evening. they took me to the full and yeah, mr. to man,

the 1st question, why you don't like the shuttle us it? oh, shut it smart to new and celia. and this is usually a tools to collect on formation. after that and the 5th, i'm in 2012 at become the thought. shut up a tools for collecting information. it's a goals tortured for torture, torture for destroyed verb her of the blizzard. meanwhile, our side presented himself as a protector of minorities, including christians, and as a buffer against violent on groups. some political leaders visited damascus and were warmly received

with the west, prioritized it's fight against iso. in the autumn of 2015, they decided to launch their 1st air strikes in syria against i saw rather than government forces. they also cut back on their support of opposition groups. this took the military pressure off the salient army. i'm gave asset, precious breathing space. ah, i don't know how the skill in us law will do, but it will not only look gas under your deductible on the left. and i thought, oh you were off god, visual of your ideas, only alco on it. i don't know, one of the other there

are sad situation remained to quite precarious. after 4 years of war, he left the country for the 1st time to visit vladimir putin. he calculated that russian military support would shift the balance of power and the war in his favor today than oh, do in the trooper what could have known in what can be in june olivia come to be her a while and see us in the day of the month we asked that oceans to come and help us with a air force and that ocean did not ask for anything at from us. by the way, our relation would that ocean, as you know, is very historically a who's in, wanted to stay a step ahead of the west and to revive russian influence in the middle east. and your delivery on toby has a while. and he thought that having survived so far,

suggested that aside could be relied upon a warning. most people had been at now called for a new model of the scottish oh, what the nation is now most get on the weasel. examine the washer. okay. national. there was social, but for most of both of them. okay. now recorded to still annoying army on we'll of earth would steven our food chicken though in la city was not but got no more stir at. yes, sir, when you were legal bullshit, my dears. li, or personally, but them was good in there were young up of that though, won't come on the ocean in a move. the took the west by surprise. russia now intervened in sylvia in a big way. officially they were fighting ice all, but the fights suggested otherwise. ah,

it cost us its lot loose. city. does that up walk up plenty. these. got a c, v laportia with ya, a b, d sir mark or bash. get did loom just safety like ah, drugs. 2016 russian military support enabled the serial army to regain large parts of the territory. it had previously lost the u. s. and europe did little to counteract this relentless offensive other than make token the protests they failed to react when government forces used chemical weapons again. ah.

in september 2016 u. s. president obama reached an agreement with putin to divide syria into 2 operational zones. he no longer demanded assets to parcher. the u. s. was much more concerned with defeating iso ah. at the end of 2016 after weeks of bombing, syrian government forces retook a lap of the country. second largest city had been an opposition stronghold and a symbol. oh, you didn't like it at the other than a pool and although less of a whole before the orders will be replaced,

that is on the duty of lithia followed by the 5th of one of the whole of the money that while us had remained in power obama's turn ended in 2070, and donald trump became us president from relative inexperience and his perceived closeness to vladimir putin. may have encouraged asset to authorize further chemical attacks in april 2018. and we begin tonight with the horrific attack overseas and a forceful threat here at home. the pictures coming in a warning, they are difficult to look at. children being hosed off, treated after an alleged chemical attack. and duma president trump responding on twitter, vowing a big price will be paid, slamming syrian president bashar al assad, calling him, quote, an animal. i believe that the aside regime thought they could get away with it. i think i had seen a year more of donald trump ah, a disorganized erotic inattentive

a president the 1st 5 days i was at the white house, at the u. s. had to decide what the response would big. this telling us was homeless and bombed several military targets. they were backed by france under president emmanuel, michael presidio, to maturity prices on mom to the for this fall may be gone. was of fishy sydney huck. remiss sash josh or sue sad c. it's similar, fuss me. uniform household homer, not the new quite year, rossi, damascus, or the trough to deliver it asi couldn't. demos, has shown the fitness blow in everybody's, you know,

then these political promises and we're going to end, we're going to get out a war going. and these wars, you know, these are no good. it was a huge mistake. you know, if a sod fell, who was going to take over was going to be a very radicalized component. ah, the west did not make any further military interventions, opting instead to impose sanctions on syria. but sanctions had little impact on the government's military capability. as asada gradually took back control of more and more of the country, his critics claimed that he saw himself as his country's muggy or savior. he thinks his the maddie, thus they one of the problems. and sometimes he act like al maddie, when he speaks with his surroundings and friends,

this is what we heard from our deaf friends in damascus. the quinn, nathan nevada, cliche for were death are looking for the sheila hump well to thought ali aladdin. ah, ah, what a 3rd of the country still remained beyond docile control the carts alongside european and american special forces controlled. the ne, turkey controlled the northwest to contain the carts and back the opposition and it label in the south. a large zone was controlled by us forces and israel carried out regular air strikes against iranian positions in syria to completely reclaim the rest of his country. aside would ultimately, after confront all of these conflicting forces.

ah, i got it with you again and had it within, within a few minutes, vladimir putin came to this is the russian base in syria, but the war was becoming expensive for him on the outcome was still uncertain. starting a war was one fe, ending, it was quite another he had a number that of follow up discussions with pohden. i believe that the russians were very much interested in reducing the russian true presence in syria. but to do that, to avoid losing their entire investment in the country, they had to have

a more stable assad regime. in 5 years, the russians had not only kept the syrian government in power, but it also largely eliminated and marginalized. the moderate opposition articles criticising aside appeared in the russian media suggesting they might have preferred some one with a less checkered history in power. but when i said last support from one on i, he always seemed to identify another to turn to for help. michelle said the fellow, what a lucio ely, ethan. daniel hunt either by the light, looking to full beaten lea, 2, always the horse will be caught the la he went to lee putting on sapp shakeela. what's what followed? i'm michelle said zed. what did he at any auto let me get on. and norton wish it

act out to be a be soria probiotic a half as i don't have no doubt the table put out feelers. they already have, we've even had some americans go over our side himself. are very good at understanding how to try to gain leverage against opposition or other countries that are pressing them and absolutely expect him to reach out. in fact, there were a couple of occasions when we tried to reach out to them and ordered a free american prisoners hostages, that the assad or his surrogates still had an in prison and we had no success. with that, we believe that assad at that point was simply carrying out iranian orders, and that there is really no chance we could reach an accommodation with him. i had no desire to see a side remain in power, but i didn't see a side as the real cause of the problems in syria. the central thread was iran,

and it was the, a rainy and presence in syria that may, the us under trump keep large numbers of troops in ne, syria. but aside has been left walking a tightrope. he has had to tread carefully to avoid provoking major powers, like the u. s. are exhausting the patients of his backers, russia and iran. he also faces serious domestic challenges. his country is in ruins. half of the pre long population of syria have been forced from their homes. most of those remaining are destitute with 80 percent of people living on less than 2 us dollars per day. lou, the coven dynamic has made the situation even worse. even our sides own ela,

white community has shown signs of discontent. fresh protests had broken out in some cities reclaimed by the government. there is pressure on the syrian government to make peace with its remaining opponents and concentrate on reconstruction in the territory under its control. but it lacks the funds to rebuild the country and its backers, russia and iran are rather unable or unwilling to come to the rescue. assad has also approached the e. u, and certain gulf states to help fund the reconstruction. a will tell the gulf states that give me the money in order to separate myself from iran a and you would go to iran. you said

that, raise your hand, because otherwise i would be fallen under under russia. you would go to russia until then if you need to help me more because i'm falling into under a lawn and you would go into your old telling them if you need to help me for the deconstruction. i need your money. i will otherwise would. there will be a new wave it for a few days and you would go to u. s. you need to cooperate with me in the security matters because we have a lot of fights for all the stories. and i says, this is how we play the game from my from a lot. okay. ah

. 2 what keeps you awake at night? what? kissing awake at night. many a reason that could effect any human life could because anon could be a work your job could be shown. you could be personal, like any on a human december on and just either a hose, the fever, erica, a momentous event for the region, and

a glimpse of what's in store for the 2022. welcome. people in power investigates the use and abuse of power across the globe. a world exclusive interview with joint nobel peace. lori recognize the safeguarding freedom of expression as a precondition for democracy and lasting peace from shore. documentaries to in depth explaining portal showcases the best of al jazeera digital content. as the year draws to a close. we look back at the events that have shaped the new and look ahead to next year. december on a j 0 with a couple of significant miles coming up. the 1st one is a light ish one with a little bit of dustin and as to when that comes out of iraq and down towards the uri. but, and his return it is like it'll be dusty into saturday. but the shower of the tougher very the rocky dusty rocky does it again to suppress that,

that to some degree proper. right and still laced up through here. i grind of north and turkey where tends to snow in the caucasus with rain or in for thunderstorms. in northern iran, at is the picture. if i close in little bit by time you get to friday winter, which is tried to come in, is trying to come back in again through tajikistan. might even try reach the finals last, garza won't get there once it's gone through left. it's no, it's all quite good. it's not particularly cold just yet. not here. at least try to look like a friday. looks like a dry day for turkey, for the most popular, more rain coming in. it's coming through greece than not through the boss for us to end the day wet. i think in istanbul, dry in cyprus, dr. lebanon, and in syria subsidies. big picture shows a stronger shamal bringing dust than these inside of saudi through battery, and possibly cut up in solid after after dry and hot spell. it's all turning sundry, particularly in south africa.

ah, discover a world of difference, determination. i'm talking about when we am with freedom shop soldiers, only 16 people with corruption and compassion al jazeera, whoops, a selection of the best films from across our network of channels. and less than a year. how will host the middle east 1st? well, in preparation, the country is stage and a major with 16 nations going head to head in thanks, porpoise built stadiums, put 2020 to keep you across the action as council prepared for the regions. biggest

ever sports events that be for our cup on al jazeera loo ah. 6 joining the fight against to grind rebels, hundreds are recruited by the european government. has the prime minister vows to lead from the front. ah, hello there, ms. dawn today, this is al jazeera, like doha, also coming up the west migrant tragedy in years on the english channel bases and along in both france i'm the u. k. this is austin, under schools.