with winning documentaries and team debts ease, of course. ah, subscribe to youtube dot com forward slash al jazeera english. ah. the u. s. says the leader of i so has died in a raid in syria. i will uber, him, alice, she, me, i could, i, she exploded a bomb. they killed himself and members of his family. ah, hello, i'm barbara sarah. this is al jazeera life from london, also coming up. turkeys president offers himself as mediator to diffuse pensions between russia and ukraine. in ghana, an emergency meeting of west african leaders is held after. another qu further

threatens stability in the region and ski boots and has wet suits beijing gears up for a winter olympics like no other. ah hello, welcome to the program. the u. s. says the leader of ice or has been killed in a special forces operation in north western syria. i will abraham allah, she may, i could, i, she was one of at least 13 people, including 6 children killed during the raid and the town of acme in rebel held italy, province. several homes were damaged. it was the largest us rate in italy, province. since and a pack in 2019 that killed the previous leader of ice. he was president joe biden says that target blew himself up. was take a closer look now at who i believe for him alice, she me, i'll cry. she was. he was born in northern iraq, in 1976. later rose to become an officer for the former iraqi president saddam

hussein's army. he joined and i'll kinder affiliate after the u. s. invasion of iraq in 2003. but he was detained by the u. s a year later, the founder of i so i will back it out by daddy was detained in the same prison. could i? she is said to have cooperated with the americans helping identified dozens of al qaeda and i saw members and that reportedly led to him being released, he later joined the ranks of i saw as a close aid to bug gaddy. he was known for playing a major role in a pax, against the a z d minority group. this operation is testament to america's reach and capability to take out terrorist threats, no matter where they try to hide anywhere in the world. i'm determined to protect the american people from terrorist threats, and i'll take to city decisive action to protect this country. and we'll continue working with our close allies and partners. the syrian democratic forces directly

security forces including the kurdish press, margaret, and more than 80 members of a global coalition to keep pressure on ices to protect our homeland. we remain vigilant. we remain prepared. last night's operation took a major terrorist leader off the battlefield and had sent a strong message to terrace round the world. we will come after you and find you particle dangerous as live now from the pentagon in washington. so patty, the pentagon has revealed what happened during that re dad. tell us a little bit more about what we learned what we know is that the military and the intelligence community had been watching this building for a while, they believe added ever him. l, correct? she lived on the 3rd floor, so it was a building with 3 different apartments. they believe on the 1st floor. there was a family that had no connection to ice on the 2nd floor. they believe it was his

lieutenant. and he was on the 3rd floor. they watched to see if he would come and go, but apparently didn't leave the building very often using couriers and said so just after midnight in syria, we saw $24.00 special forces. soldiers go in on helicopters. they had back up, they had arm drones, fighter jets in the air helicopter gunship. and basically they landed, it was loud speakers and arabic yelled with building needed to be evacuated, that he needed to come out and surrender himself. they shortly after that there was a large explosion on the 3rd floor. they believe the apartment had been wired to explode. they say that in that, in that room was not only hit the leader, but his wife and 2 children, and they were both killed. then they said the, the 2nd floor, the lieutenant and his wife, they started to shoot at the troops as they were or surrounding the building. and they said that there was a gunfight. they believe one child was killed and the family on the 1st floor. they said they got out so in all the civilians that got out there were family,

husband and father and 4 children on the 1st floor. they believe 4 children on the 2nd floor got out. but again, they are looking into exactly what happened to the child on the 2nd floor. we're always mindful of the potential for civilian harm or harm to innocent life. and while the strong indications are here is that, that, that the life that the lives taken in this operation and the lives of innocence taken in this operation were caused by a dollar. and his decision of blowing himself up and everybody else with him on that 3rd floor as well as the resistance of his lieutenant on the 2nd floor. we're willing to take a look to just examine and make sure that there wasn't any action that we might have taken that could have also caused harm to, to innocence. so kirby also said that towards the

end of this to our operation, they saw a group of people coming up the street. they engaged with forces. 2 people were killed in that exchange. they said the rest left, one helicopter had some mechanical issues, so they say they landed it nearby, decided it wasn't safe to fly it, so they blew it up again. we heard you president joe biden talk about the impact that this man they believe had the use of the community, but they're also keep in mind in this building. they've been very focused since the fall. busy of cobble, when 13 years service members were killed, but they believe highschool attack president that at the time they would cut down the ice and they're saying today that isn't the fact that they do it practical have with the late that from washington dc. patsy, thank ah

us intelligence officials say they have new information suggesting russia plans a so called a false flag attack to justify a military invasion of ukraine. it's alleged to involve a fabricated video showing an attack by the ukrainian military on russian targets. meanwhile, in the latest diplomatic effort to ease fears of our russian invasion of ukraine, turkey's president has made president willow the mere zelinski. turkey has good relations with both countries and hopes to act as a mediator. this comes as russia condemn the u. s. decision to send more troops, the eastern europe nature says the gremlins that move the $30000.00 more troops along with weapons to bill of roost over the last few days, or the bill. hm. it has more from here. i think it is a relationship that is improving by the day. i mean, these economic ties are very important for both countries, and in turkey has always said that it, the territorial integrity of ukraine must be respected in the past president air to

one has also said that it would be very unwise of russian president vladimir putin to have a military escalation or indeed to invade ukraine. so turkey was very clear on his position or all along. and actually, i think there was a very symbolic imagery when he arrived at the presidential palace earlier today. he was received in rad pomp. and then the turkish president stopped, looked at the parade there and said, slab o gray, you know, which means glory, jury crane, i think that says a very strong message on where he stands when it comes to this crisis. the problem is, he is a nato member. of the suit employed, he is also in a difficult position because he does enjoy duke. he does enjoy a good relations with russia even though they don't agree on certain files. for example, on syria and olivia. but turkey would like to keep that relationship while going

ahead with his relationship with ukraine and being and they to member the 2nd largest army of nato's as it is certainly a very important position there. meanwhile, the german broadcaster deutsch avella, says rushes decision to shut down its operations. and moscow is an over reaction. it's director promised to take legal action saying it's being made a porn in a way that media only have to experience in autocracies. russia shut down the state funded news organizations bureau and revoked the employees accreditation after a german regulator band, the russian broadcaster r t a key west african leader has warned that a string of recent cruise has become contagious and could prompt even more canadian president, nana, a qu for outdoor our doe who also chairs the economic community of west african states, made the remarks that an emergency summit in accra, despite his warning,

the a if p news agency reports that the block decided against further sanctions on booking a fossil soldiers there toppled the government last week, it's the 3rd country in the 15 nation block that has been taken over by soldiers in the past 18 months. acquitted risk is following developments from a cra. the options before these lead days is to see how they can see from the funds. i guess based against the coup doctors and stuff like that. however, we've seen over the past one and a half years, how the money in readers or the money inventory rulers call the block of west africa, needed and continue washing out there in transition program. supposed to be removed, just sitting or setting aside the suggestions meant by a course. now, some analyst security analysts and political analysts are wondering if the next approach to dealing with a problem in west africa is the deployment of security forces also just to deal

with pockets in the region. however, there is no much appetite to do with that. at the moment, if you look at the continent or the sub sub region, if you look at the problems coming into those countries, many countries are having to do with their own internal problems. now, the biggest contributor to any west african military deployment is having its own problems. dealing with book, dealing with iceland, dealing with bender, free kidnappings, taking hostages for run some in the region. you're talking about talking about value, which is having its own security problems. you're talking about booking a process. you're talking about several countries including char. we could also get a bucket ready or buckle hardened in dealing with crisis like this in west africa. rescuers off the coast of nigeria, searching for 10, missing oil workers. after a super tanker used as a storage depot sank, following a massive explosion. the 130000 ton trinity spirit blew up on wednesday with around

8000000 liters of oil on board. the tanker was permanently more than shallow water off the coast of the niger delta. there is no confirmation yet of how much crude oil might have spilled into the ocean. still to come on, al jazeera, an uptake in attacks on the colombian border as rebel groups. battle over drug roots and resources and the barren landscape that could be the center of california's new gold rush. ah, i'm sure you're familiar with this picture. old weather tumbles in across the north of europe, down through the middle, down towards the east, where it redeveloped into a storm system without still going on. but this is potty bit hard and to what was

a fatty settled, middle admitted to have been snow showers, all overcast conditions quite often in eastern europe. but now we're going to change that a little bit more. so here's the overall picture for friday. then the winds are cold ones, the british isles, and same to norway in sudden scanner. maybe a line of rain stretching back to france is still relatively warm. spain to put you in a bit more clouded a few more shares. and whilst the case recently for saturday, proper stormy picture that in northern parts of norway, the wind is strong again, with snow for scotland, increasingly light if you wet but london at 10 degrees paris system at 9 degrees. this snow proper isn't extreme. it's just snow. the light to potter winter, we're in february now after all. and here's the picture for the south metro and a scattering a showers bit windy maybe for some of the islands in the mediterranean, maybe in italy later. but largely it's a sunny picture, as it is increasingly in turkey. rush out blowing into the coast of levant and briefly to no need. in fact, let me take you to friday picture briefly to shoot. so show you that northern egypt

is not the place to be ah, join the debate. they eraser of like people from the american and global story was very powerful on online, at your voice. the comment section is right here. join our conversation. we had all protected when everyone is protected. it is not by being nationalistic about this. you just look at it in a very different way, said that perspective, men and men meeting each other and they don't have any solution. let me put it clear for you this dream on al jazeera blue. ah,

a reminder now of the top stories on al jazeera, the u. s. says the leader of ice, so has been killed in a special forces operation in northwestern, syria. i will abraham alice, she, i'll a she, me, i could, i, she was one of at least 13 people including 6 children killed during the rate in the town of ultimate in rebel held italy. the province turkeys president has met his ukrainian counterpart as he hopes to act as a mediator with russia while military pensions build. it comes as russia condemned the u. s. decision to send more troops, the eastern europe, and a key west african leader warrens that a string of recent coups has become contagious and could prompt even more. canadian president at 9 o'clock for idaho, was speaking at a summit following the qu in burkina faso last week. there is concerned that the mild lists of the on the court variant of coping 19 could be

stopping africans from getting vaccinated. variant is now known to be in 5 african nations and the director of the continence centers for disease control. and prevention says it's not yet a concern, but the world health organizations regional head says she's worried that the milder infection could be harming vaccination rates that were already too low. only around one and 10 africans are jagged with vaccines, score scar, city, and a lack of trust. often blamed new zealander as stranded abroad, have welcome the easing of it's of the country. strict pandemic border controls. the been in place for almost 2 years, leaving many people abroad, unable to visit family of friends. in the initial stage of a phased reopening, vaccinated, new zealanders in australia will be allowed home without having to quarantine later this month. when have reports, for almost 2 years, new zealand has been largely shut off from the rest of the world. tight border restrictions have seen it control the spread of coven 19 better than most countries,

with only 53 deaths from the virus. and now with the army kron variant, already circulating here, the government feels the time is right to open up. there was life before, and now life with covered. but that also means there'll be life after covered turn . a life where we have adapted where we have some no melody back from the end of february, fully vaccinated you zealanders will be able to return from australia without having to quarantine. soon after, it will be extended to new zealanders and other countries and to all visitors by october, key to this decision was the vaccination rate, which is recovered from a very slow start. more than 93 percent of the eligible population is now fully vaccinated. and the minimum time between the 2nd and 3rd doses has been shortened to 3 months. the government was also coming under increasing pressure politically, economically and legally to open the border. thousands of diesel and as are stuck

overseas, unable to return home because there aren't enough quarantine or m i q hotel rooms. and some are taking the government to court. it's easy to hear the word in my queue and immediately associate it with headache. there is no question that for new zealand, it has been one of the hardest parts of the panty mac. but the reason that it is right up there is one of the toughest things we have experienced is in pat. because large scow, loss of life is not at this stage, quarantine will be replaced by home isolation for 10 days, which is expected to be shortened to 7, possibly fewer in the months ahead. wayne, hey, al jazeera towed on a new zealand as for to is already underway, and the official opening of the beijing 2022 inter lympics is in less than 24 hours . more than 2800 winter sports athletes have gathered in china from 91 different

nations. but that is causing major concerns over cove at 19 and as katrina. you reports now from beijing. the pandemic isn't the only issue facing a highly controversial games. ah theme song welcoming the world to watch the 2022 winter games while the olympic torch makes its way through bay. jake. china has promised to deliver a safe and splendid global event with our but achieving this. is it going to be easily mo, from a nation wide outbreak of curve at 19 record cases abroad? a testing it's 0 tolerance. pandemic strategy. participants are greeted with helpers in hazmat suits, and must undergo a rigorous testing rating before and during the event. for it's found to be positive, are immediately quarantined and could miss out on competing. there's been a lot of acids that are testing positive right now. and it's scary because you put

in for years since the last games you know, johnny put in 20 or years to get years and for all of that to go to waste in the last week last couple days it would be a tragedy. and so that's always kind of on your mind and it is stressful tickets won't be sold to the chinese public. instead, spectators will be hand picked by authorities. this will be the 2nd olympics to take place during the grown of iris pandemic. witnesses here a much stricter than during the tokyo games. participants are sealed off in a closed loop system. the road lane just below me, is restricted to gains vehicles only, and local residents have been warned to stay away. even in the event of a crash break down heavy handed measures has led to an olympic atmosphere unlike any other. but for beijing, the message is clear. there's not going to be the great crap crouch, you're not going to have the tourism boast. ah, that would have accompanied something like this. and so for beijing,

what they want to show the world is that they're able to carry on, regardless of how difficult situations become. difficulties also include crit, ism of china's human rights record, and diplomatic boycotts by the united states, canada, britain and australia. chinese officials have dismissed this as political grandstanding . but analysts say china's president is eager to avoid further embarrassment during the event. if he does not get at the game happenings as expected, and it will be quite a bit of a slap in the face is not ah, a fatal punch in any sentence. but he will be very embarrassing for she. jimmy chinese rights activists living in the capitol say they've been visited by authorities and want to stay silent during the olympics. within the bubble, the i oversee says athletes are free to express their views outside of formal

events or ceremonies. but organizers say those who break chinese laws with behavior or speech that is against the olympic spirit will face certain punishment. katrina, you al jazeera, they jing and the president of the international olympic committee is to meet chinese tennis player. pang shy inside the olympic bubble in beijing, there's been concern over pangs. well being since november when she alleged that she had been sexually assaulted by a senior at chinese official and was then not seen or heard from for almost 3 weeks . frank is not a competitor at the games, but she's agreed to the face to face meeting after speaking on several video calls, assuring her safety. we know we're from from her explanation. so during the video conferencing, so that she's living here in

a beach in that she a, she's are reporting that she can move for free leave that she's spending time with her family and friends and all we will be able to do the next step in a personal meeting to convince us in person for their offer well being and not for a state of might bomb explosions and kidnappings, in colombia during the past month have killed at least 50 people. rebel groups are battling for concur for control of cocaine smuggling in the oil, which region of idol wilka. i listen that empathy is there and as he reports, the attacks are terrifying. the local communities, workers are busy, reconstructing the actor martinez building in the center of that avina. last month, a car bomb exploded, destroying much of this lock dissidents of former fight grab both are being blamed

for the attack, which killed one person, the buildings house, human rights groups, social organizations, and unions, lane armika, we were holding a security meeting because of the way the conflict was evolving with direct attacks against social organizations and community leaders about the park dissidence are accusing us of sympathizing with the ellen. and that's how they justified attacking us at an oil rich region on the border with venezuela has been mostly calm since the signing of a peace deal between the government and 5 rebels in 2016. but violence returned as far as this in groups began to fight e l. n. rebels for control of drug trafficking in contraband routes. since the beginning of the year, more than 60 people have been killed, others kidnap are forcibly displaced. at that time though, they've got a sister of security guard, see me on this guy. the killed in the explosion says locals are terrified when this

war is absurd. and my brother is just one of many victims. everybody's anxious because we don't know what will happen tomorrow. at the moment that even on a quiet day, people can't sleep, can't rest. well, they see a leaving the house. yes. everything has been affected. i normally at 6 30 pm, the streets of the center of said, i mean i would be alive with people shopping. but since the conflict started, shops are closing early and people are hurrying home, fearing another possible attack. and on top of that, the mayor has imposed a curfew every night, starting at 9 pm. the government has increased, its military presence in the area under. the violence has pushed more than a dozen health workers to quit after hospitals were also threatened by the groups. hey, catholic priest, albert here, al dos, holding healing sessions to help workers deal with trauma. we love what he says.

part of the problem is that the military is mainly protecting the oil infrastructure in a region long neglected by the government, as always thought equal. it's a problem that goes back in history. the government has always prioritized, protecting military infrastructure. instead of the people, the church has asked the president to re open the door to a piece dialogue with the yellow divorce. supposed to be a meeting in stockholm. the government didn't go. we're also trying to talk to then dissidence, but we are on our own for hundreds of left, others like sonya lobbyists promised to rebuild and continue their work for the people, even if it might cost them their life. allison that i'm p a t al jessia said of in them the value of shares in facebook's parent company collapsed by 25 percent as markets open to new york, wiping more than $200000000000.00 off the firms value may have reported weaker than expected profits on wednesday, after revealing that lost a 1000000 daily users worldwide,

the companies found their mark zuckerberg says it's facing tough competition from rivals. facebook's growth has stalled in the u. s. and europe with declines now in africa, and latin america. lithium is a key element in defined to slow global warming. if you've been batteries the power electric vehicles, which had hoped, wilson replace fossil fuel burning cars and trucks. reynolds reports on a california community at the center of the race for lithium, california's salt and see shimmers like a mirage and an arid land. but its waters are nearly lifeless, full of salt and agricultural chemical run off the farming communities near the sea are among the poorest in the us with high unemployment and nearly one and 4 people living in poverty. frank salazar is a local resident and activist, but we lack is opportunity. you know, i think opportunity is what we need here in this. in this county,

the sultan see is shrinking as streams are diverted. to farming on windy days, toxic dust from the dry lake shore fowls, the air. when you look at the asthma levels of our local children, when you look at the cancer levels of our local residence there through the roof but far below the seas, flor lies a vast reservoir of super heated water rich in lithium. the element used to create batteries for electric vehicles and a key to slowing global warming. we have what some of described as a saudi arabia of lithium here in the state of california. the stakes are high, not only for the regions, future prosperity, but for us national security. the u. s. wants a domestic supply of lithium to day. more than 80 percent of all, lithium is mind in australia, chile, and china. but the salt and seas, treasure trove of the mineral,

could change those numbers dramatically. we expect to produce about a 3rd level in from this site. it's incredible. resource companies are already drilling what you say in the background there to production wells full diamond wells that will produce enormous mence abroad to fade the plant that which will be located. he stayed in local officials, envision a lithium based industrial complex with battery factories and electric car manufacturing, while paying jobs with benefits that currently are in here in imperial county salivate. when i think about it 510 years down the road, how big it can be? conservationists like aileen anderson, approve of the environmentally friendly extraction process, powered by geothermal energy. they hope lithium projects will generate funds to restore the salt and see which is a crucial stop over point for migrating birds. and she's looking at the big picture . if we're going to transition to clean energy and get off our fossil fuel

induction, the fans going to being changed from opponent, hope for a region down on its luck, and a planet heating up. rob reynolds, al jazeera, imperial, california. ah . and now the top stories on al jazeera, the u. s. as the leader of iceland has been killed in a special forces operation in northwestern, syria. i believe for him alice, she, me, i could i, she was one of at least 13 people, including children, killed doing the rate in the town of ottoman in rebel held the italy, the prophets. it was the largest us rate in italy, province since an attack of 2019 that killed the previous leader of iso. this operation is testament to america's reach and capability to take out terrorist threats no matter where they try to.