said we need to come up with the plan about what it is that we would like to see in syria after bashar al-assad. whether that happens next week, next month or next year, i think it is going to be a very long process. if, along the way, bashar al- assad tries to cut a deal, well, we will have to see. but my experience of that regime is i do t think anything is going to create the necessity for them to truly loosen their ip on power. president obama is giving him -- ushering him into a way or an avenue toward the kind of change we would all like to see. it is not just the united states. it is also the turks who a believe will be hosting an opposition conference. turkey is the closest country to that regime perhaps other than iran. this shows that the is a consensus among not only allies of the united states, but also countries like tkey and so on that his regime needs to go away. >> i just want to add very quickly, one quick point on this. i think to the extent that ther is a strategy involving, clearly as the president has not moved entirely to the position that bashar al-assad has to go, the im

the same must be true of bashar al assad. but we still can't really break with him. want to read you just a little note and maybe jill may want to say something about this. this is from an exchange between jeffrey goldberg of the "atlantic monthly" and our chief diplomat, secretary of state hillary clinton. she's asked by jeffrey goldberg, would you be sad if bashar assad's regime disappeared? the answer, "it depends on what replaces it." it depends on what replaces it. so even american diplomacy as we point to the syrian regime and what it's doing on the border with israel, even american diplomacy hasn't seen fit to do the right thing, which is to declare this man, bashar al assad, a war criminal and to give him the same treatment we have given someone like gadhafi. >> jill, the president has given a speech on the situation in the middle east on thursday. do we have any indication that he's going to change his stance on syria? >> reporter: yeah, that is what -- that's what u.s. officials are telling us, that they are -- the president is expected to move closer and g

the mask has flen fothe regime we now know bashar al-assad r what he is, ailler. we know tha his lovely wife the rose ithe desert, is also a fraud. we wouldove to see t falof this rgimeut they have strong sectarian routeots in the army. in the long run, thi regi is going to withstand thistorm >> this theeakns of the arabprin en it hits ainst sectarian rimeswhether in bahrain or yria where a minority els s back is agast the wall and has no where to go, we will he scenes le we have i syria and willot ha docra flour and ckably's. >>i think you are a student o the arabastnd there you have that. the sctarn ankle is te settg see of this regime. where there is n ctarianism, as w saw tme a egt, yocoul ve a democratic volution. when you tn to a placeike chra where a cy dysty is oppressing a shiit population or where te communy is preing a cine majority, you are fcinghe limits o the arab spng. the arabs bring has t its teston to brittleplaces -- in libya and fundamentally syrias well. >> moreewsrom theregion, ecurity forces in yeme have oped fire on anti-government proteste

. >> president bashar al-assad was shown on state television friday at an official function. business as usual for a government that says it is taking decisive action against terrorist groups and armed criminals. the united states has described the regime's crackdown as barbaric. the international community will not come to serious aid as it did in libya. the army is -- to syria's aid as it did in libya. the army is too powerful. help, if it comes, will be from within. >> a short time ago, i did speak to a reliable source in damascus. to protect his safety, he cannot be named, but i asked him first about the current situation in the capital. >> it is more or less you could say it is quiet. today, after friday prayers, immediately people took to the streets and clashed with security men. the police reacted by violent tear-gas and some violence to disperse the crowds of protesters. >> as you say, this has been happening every friday to some degree, and it seems to be getting worse. where do you see the situation developing? >> the fact that this is happening in the heart of dam

the pressure -- that is what washington did today, slapping sanctions on syria's president, bashar al- assad, for human rights abuses. the move comes after weeks of a violent government crackdown which left hundreds of people dead. but while the u.s. sought cover, russia vowed to oppose any for the united nations resolutions against its longtime ally. from the border with lebanon. >> they are among thousands of syrians seeking refuge in lebanon. they say the violence began when they joined a protest calling for the release of people detained by the syrian authorities. in response, the syrian army, they say, came to their towns and villages. >> there were 10 tanks entering homes and killing everyone in them, men and women. they were destroying everything inside the homes. the same thing happened in the village of zarah. >> he is not a president. we elected him to protect us and give us shelter, not to displace us. he and the managers of the security forces are all gangsters. >> they took my father yesterday. they killed my father. may god kill those who murdered him. >> in a rare mission -- a

the scenes on this, is that the community as a whole may not prefer to jump off the cliff that bashar al-assad and his family is leading them toward. so, if they were to get rid of bashar al-assad, then perhaps there could be a means of negotiating a settlement that would lead to a fall on transition -- full on transition. barring that, i think andrew is right. it is going to be a long, bloody, drawn out conflict. >> trying to get syria to the negotiating table. do you think syria could buy our good will, if you will, by talking about opening up negotiations with israel now? >> yes, this is an interesting question, isn't it? you are saying basically, if he can stuff this genie back in the bottle and really put a clamp down on it and all of a sudden really start talking about peace, would we buy it? i think that what the protests call into question is his legitimacy. that is not always important for a dictator, is it? but it is indirectly important. there are basic principles on which bashar al-assad rules. obviously, he does not have very much -- or any -- legitimacy based on reform. there are

the arab league is afraid of bashar al assad. russia came down eventually on moammar gadhafi, but russia supports the al assad regime. alas, unfortunately, we have to say that the syrian regime still has assets and the opposition, driven by the sense of outrage, has its own power behind it. so i think you are going to see this standoff, and it will continue for a while, the regime on one side, and the people on the other, and the people are not afraid. >> professor ajami, arwa, thanks. we'll stay on top of this story. we promise you that. we will watch these heroes in the streets. thanks for helping us tonight. tell us what you think. we're on facebook or follow us on twitter @ac360. we'll be tweeting tonight. up next, where is sarah palin, and what's up with her bus tour? she says she's contemplating a presidential run. so is this part of it? >>> and later, new health information that could change the way you use your cell phone. is there a cancer connection? anderson talks with "360" m.d. sanjay gupta. first, though, let's check

the scenes on this, is that the community as a whole may not prefer to jump off the cliff that bashar al-assad family is leading them toward. so, if they were to get rid of bashar al-assad, then perhaps there could be a means of negotiating a settlement that would lead to a fall on transition -- full on transition. barring that, i think andrew is right. it is going to be a long, bloody, drawn out conflict. >> trying to get syria to the negotiating table. do you think syria could buy our good will, if you will, by talking about opening up negotiations with israel now? >> yes, this is an interesting question, isn't it? you are saying basically, if he can stuff this genie back in the bottle and really put a clamp down on it and all of a sudden really start talking about peace, would we buy it? i think that what the protests call into question is his legitimacy. that is not always important for a dictator, is it? but it is indirectly important. there are basic principles on which bashar al-assad rules. obviously, he does not have very much -- or any -- legitimacy based on reform. there are many pe

the sanctions target syrian president bashar al assad and six other leaders. on wednesday, u.s. president barack obama ordered the sanctions, freezing any assets the syrian leaders have in the u.s. the obama administration has been cite sided for being lukewarm in its handling of syria so far. last month, the u.s. imposed sanctions on three syrian military and intelligence officials. also freezing their assets. they are accused of oppressing the protesters. president assad has since toughened his stance against opponents demanding his resignation. the united nations says 850 people have died since thepr pro-democracy protests intensified in march. >>> russian president dmitry medvedev says he will reveal his decision on whether to run for re-election in 2012. wednesday, medvedev held a news conference for international reports outside moscow for the first time since taking nofs 2008. asked about the presidential election next march, he said he'll decide with prime minister vladimir putin which of them will run for the post. >> translator: i will discuss with prime minister putin

i want your reaction to what he said about president bashar al assad in damascus. he was pretty tough saying assad can lead that transition to democracy, if he will, or get out of the way. i think there are very few observers who believe he will actually lead a transition to democracy. but the president stopped short of saying that bashar al assad must do what mubarak in egypt did or gadhafi in libya is supposed to do, namely -- leave. what did you think of the way the president finessed the words on syria? >> wolf, that is the one part of the speech that i was a little puzzled by. because i think that we are clearly moving in the direction -- when i say "we," i mean u.s. foreign policy -- of calling for regime change in syria. i'm not sure why we are phasing it out over several weeks. because as you say, there's almost no prospect that assad will be part of a democratic transition. the syrian regime is a minority regime that rules over a majority that really do not want to be ruled by this tiny minority that they, by the way, that they regard mostly at heretics. t

find the latest news as well as l th background a analysis, incding look a the inner circle of bashar al- assad. simply go to bbc.com in libya tay, the rege muamma gaddafi reaed arily at the use o fron aets to nd the rebels. just how mucdo we know about thepposion forces? young men have preously been sent abad to fight ains america, and that is raising concernsbout aiding them now. we have bee to libya a hav this report. >>f there is a hidn under side to the libyanevolution, th is aood place to loo for . his coastal cit not far fr e egyptianorde has become famousor i radicalism. it is not hardo fi out why. la atigh i w taken to meet a man who came part of -- who became rt ohe well- knn fighting industry this manigneup toighthe amicans in iraq. a few wee late he was inred in battle. today, theoung menre traing f a different fight to oust colonel gdafirom por. th now havthe suppt of western powers, of course, b mit th soon be marchingto a mo milant, anti-weern tune? not all, ts man tells m we are fhting for fedomnd demoacy. we are for moderation. it is gaddafiho keeps telling the world tt we a is

. >> president bashar al-assad said some of the groups have made mistakes. human rights groups say 800 people have been killed over the last two months. the news agency says be a violent -- the violence in the area is being carried out by armed gangs. gunfire can be heard, most -- some people have been killed and injured. international journalist are not allowed in syria. the refugees insist that their story is correct. they are blaming the syrian army for the violence. they said they have no idea when they will be able to go back to their homes. >> for more on events unfolding, i am joined by a our next guest. he formerly served as the u.s. ambassador to moscow. we do not know exactly what happened in syria because we do not have foreign journalist there. we have seen enough stories like that one. why did it take the white house this song to impose sanctions? >> it is a very good question. it is the combination of the president's speech tomorrow on the middle east, and the blood being spilled and all of the syrian cities has ratcheted up calls for internati

that -- that includes asset freezes and travel bans including the brother of bashar al-assad. a video posted on social media sites reportedly shows protests in the capital, damascus. the secret police are said to be whisked away demonstrators in an unmarked van. other video shows tanks on the road. as the violence escalates, the un has called on syria to stop blocking a humanitarian mission to the country. thousands of volunteers and emergency crews are battling high waters along the mississippi, the biggest river in north america. the national weather service says the river has peaked in memphis, tenn., but warned of the situation remains critical for a least another 24 hours. states downstream are scrambling to secure lobbies as the flood crest rolls toward new orleans at the mouth of the mississippi river. it has swollen to six times its normal with in the worst flooding in decades. >> emergency workers are patrolling the flooded area in special and tibias vehicles. they're looking out for people who need to be rescued. the waters of the mississippi have involved some low-l

president obama yesterday said syrian president bashar al assad must allow dissent or step aside. >> he can lead that transition or get out of the way. >> reporter: syria isn't listening. president assad is fighting for his own survival. he has decided to crush the opposition, to silence the protesters. what you have seen today is basically a clear example of the strategy of the syrian government. >> reporter: hundreds of refugees have escaped syria, many entering lebanon. we have been imprisoned, banned from using our voices, our minds, our intellects. we have to have a little freedom, said a refugee. in homa today, security forces used tear gas to break up a protest. an activist tries to film him. when he's spotted, a soldier takes aim and fires, but misses. the united states has imposed sanctions, it has made strong statements, but it does not appear to be making much difference. david. >>> richard engle live for us in cairo. thanks very much. >>> dominique strauss-kahn has left his jail cell on bail, but he had to find another place to stay because the fancy manhattan apartment bu

international community's position is important because a weak position gives the impression to bashar al-assad that he is backed by the international community. they would like him to stay so they will look the other way if he suppresses the opposition. he interprets this as a carte blanch. this is like giving him a license to kill if you are hesitant on that. he has been sending all of these signals to increase the tension and frighten the international community. he sent tanks into deraa to give them the impression that this is like libya. he is fear mongering. the bottom line is that there is no going back. he has crossed the line. >> at least 8 people have died in a shooting in mexico. the authorities say that the government opened fire on a group of people on tuesday. police are still trying to find a motive for the killings. the highest court in guatemala have approved the divorce of the president and his wife the decision allows her to stand for election to be his successor. there is a constitutional ban on close president -- close relatives of the president running for office. organize

exactly what we thought and there were some people in our own administration who thought that bashar al assad was going to be a reformer. i don't think there is any evidence of that. this is a thug regime. the think the only thing that comes out of it is we're not likely to make any progress in the middle east right now. i know senator mitchell decided two years was enough because it looks to me like we're kind of reached another stalemate in the palestinian talks with israel. we're not sure what comes next in egypt. i think this is a period of great unrest in the middle east and probably not a time when we're going to make serious progress in any of these countries. >> let me turn you to politics. mitt romney often called the front-runner in the republican race for the presidential nominee, gave a big speech on thursday, he talk about how his health care plan in massachusetts, which required mandates -- which had mandates for people that they must have health insurance, was different from the president's, which republicans are so critical about. was it enough to satisfy you? would you have a

thousands of people held a protest march in the area last friday, demanding the removal of president bashar al-assad. jim is watching the situation from beirut. foreign journalists are not allowed into syria. what is the latest you're hearing about the troops moving out of deraa and into the damascus? >> there's no great contradiction there. they feel they have done the job. they have captured well over 500 of them. and a lot of arms and ammunition. they have also killed at least 50 or more. meanwhile, of course, there's more work to be done elsewhere in terms of trying to head up demonstrations, perhaps, on friday and in the suburbs of damascus itself. the regime is very careful that there should not be big trouble in the capital. that's why they're focusing on the suburbs, to make sure that people do not march into the center of the city from the outlying towns. as they went into this place in the middle of the night, they rounded up quite a number of people, a list of wanted people from the known activists -- some are 70 or 80 years old. they do not really fit the profile of the armed terrorists

. -- president's bashar al-assad has a choice. he can leave or get out of the way. >> today, there is more criticism for their handling of the shiite population of the country. >> did president obama manage to convince all arab protesters he's on their side? those who believe america supports them will continue to look to washington for moral support, but the skeptics will not have been swayed by the rhetoric. they will be watching mr. obama's next move. >> how did the president's speech play here in america and throughout the arab world? joining me to discuss this is the senior u.s. correspondent for nbc television. here is an american president for the first time saying quite clearly a two-stage solution with a palestinian state within the 1967 borders -- is that throwing down the gauntlet to benjamin netanyahu? >> absolutely, and he has rejected it. he says the borders are not defendable and we're not going to negotiate. >> soap and the delay. >> a media elite. the president -- immediately. i was told he would address this more

in spite of yesterday, the government said bashar al-assad has ordered not shoot and still they shoot us. they are arresting people. they are killing people. i have two of my friends arrested. they weren't protesting, and people are missing. they are killing us. i think the government is lying to us. they don't allow us to demonstrate or to protest. and every neighborhood, you have between 5,000 to 10,000 demonstrations. they weren't allowed to join together. they separate each neighborhood from the other. and still people don't have any fear today. they broke the wall of fear. we want to take our rightful demands, we want to take our peace, we want to take our freedom and we will refuse the government -- the government is lying to us. >> would it have made any difference if the president had made any concessions? does his national die log mean anything? >> we don't believe him anymore. he had his chance to negotiate with us. but no, he lied to us and people lost any trust in him and the government. so really we don't think he'll do anything. he's just lying. i think he is lying. >> a

the scenes there's a lot of diplomacy going on involving turkey, which has been very close to bashar al-assad which has the most leverage in the situation. but i think that's why the administration didn't take the rhetorically easy and attractive option of saying "assad is a butcher, assad must go tomorrow." it's because thoplt see if there's a way to work something out. >> rose: and the turks are in there. as you know, i just got back from turkey talking to erdogan and his foreign minister and you get the sense that they clearly... that there's a series of conversations going on between assad and erdogan. syria, richard. what's the status today? >> brutality. if you speak to any... it's hard for us to know. we're not allowed to get in there. every journalist i know has applied and they just say no. t what we hear from witness accounts, what we hear from refugees cing out is systematic cckdo with syrian troops going from to to town arresting people, killing members of the opposition and it has become a police state where pele are afraid for thr lives. 10,000 plus people arrested. that's a big

. >> reporter: well, today, president obama imposed sanctions on syrian president bashar al-assad, and six other top syrian officials. those sanctions would freeze their assets in the united states and make it illegal for americans to do business with them. the president ordered the sanctions in response to assad's brutal crackdown on antigovernment protests in which about 850 people have been killed. now, assad is in a strong position in syria, so it's not clear whether the sanctions will have much effect, but they're significant because this is the first time president obama has pointed his finger directly at assad, essentially declaring that he is now the new bad guy in that part of the world. tomorrow, president obama will deliver a major speech in which he'll argue that the mass protests in the middle east and north africa present an opportunity for the united states to advance american values in that part of the world. but in recent days, the president's critics have questioned how he could give a speech on freedom and democracy while not condemning assad directly. those critics

willing to wait for bashar al assad to get out of the way? i will ask the united states ambassador to the united nations, susan rice. >>> and harsh new comments about the president by an african-american scholar and former supporter who is now questioning whether the president of the united states is black enough. ♪ ♪ one, two, three, four ♪ you say ♪ flip it over and replay ♪ we'll make everything okay ♪ walk together the right way ♪ do, do, do, do you can do this... get the ball, girl. hmmm, you can't do that. but you can do this. bengay pain relief + massage with penetrating nubs plus the powerful pain relief of bengay. love the nubs! there's another way to minimize litter box odor: purina tidy cats. tidy cats premium line of litters now works harder to help neutralize odors in multiple-cat homes. and our improved formula also helps eliminate dust. so it's easier than ever to keep your house smelling just the way you want it. purina tidy cats. keep your home smelling like home. >>> leaders around the world listened very, very closely to pr

the demonstrators were demanding the end of president bashar al-assad's regime. we have a report narrated by jonathan miller of independent television news. >> reporter: in this, the latest day of defiance, activists claim thousands demonstrated in 63 towns and cities across syria. some even waved turkish flags, thanking their neighbor for its tough stance against assad. it's by far the biggest, most widespread day of protest so far. deraa, the hearthstone of the revolt, from which some tanks and troops withdrew yesterday, remains ringed with steel. unable to enter deraa, thousands of protestors converged on tafas, eight miles northwest. government tanks surround banias, as well as al-restan and homs, where soldiers fired randomly into crowds. after friday prayers, spontaneous protests erupted in damascus' old city, and the suburbs of barzeh, al-midan, and saqba. there was a huge demonstration in the city of hama, which was also met with gunfire. other protests reported in aleppo, syria's second city; in qamishli in the kurdish northeast; as well as in dayr as za

city of daraa and other areas country's been gripped by protests against the rule of president bashar al assad it's estimated more than five hundred people have been killed in a crackdown on protesters since the revolt started live march. more than thirty people have been reported killed in southwest poland and traffic accidents caused by unseasonably heavy snow fall tens of thousands of homes have been left without electricity forecasters predict wintry weather will continue for another few days. remoteness is its main attraction and now locals are hoping to use that and it had to drop visitors in and make it one of russia's new must see locations artes you are going to have now was one of the areas early explorers. so. most of it was located beyond cool it's a remote it takes eight hours to. fly here from western europe it's so a spectacle that stalin built his prison camps here welcome to russia's new tourist cold spot your mile and minutes. nobody doubt the striking natural beauty of your mother or the exotic foreigner that they have here what does this place look like a thirst paradise to

chain of events that brought war with libya and no on full doing its whole first syrian leader bashar al assad was invited for talks in paris as was colonel gadhafi but at the same time france reportedly was funding opposition groups in both states no nicolas sarkozy's government is slipping damascus with. the precursor to the version of libya humanitarian aid says one also will again be their excuse to go in the logic of their intervention in libya is that they should intervene in syria also syria was once under french occupation it's only safe rolls behaves as if it's still in control france they've had their spies there for decades now and the religious movements have had their people there for breaking it so they're going to do whatever they can to use their influence to change the regime in a way that they see fit intervention would leave france fighting in four walls that hasn't happened since it was a colonial power the french defense ministry hasn't been this busy in over fifty years already fighting in afghanistan libya and the ivory coast is now turning its lie. on another former col

brutal crackdown washington is even preparing to examine whether the eleven year rule of president bashar al assad is lawful as artie's got a sticky on reports many believe the u.s. may be laying the foundation for more drastic action against the regime. who easily jeered him an international leader and who is not it seems america will decide a white house source said the obama administration is edging closer to the clearing assad's ruling syria illegitimate and that it would be just the first step. we will continue to work with our international partners in the e.u. and elsewhere on additional steps to hold syria responsible for its gross human rights abuses sounds familiar united states is helping to lead an international effort to defer deter further violence put in place unprecedented sanctions to hold the gadhafi government accountable when the u.s. says it's going to hold someone responsible expect action once the u.s. has officially declared the syrian government illegitimate. it it would open the door to various steps taken to remove the governor but the south proclaimed position of the u.

has also set an arms embargo on president bashar al assad's government washington claims that iran's revolutionary guard is aiding the crime down across syria and a blogger stephen leatherman says it's tehran that's the real endgame for the u.s. operations in the region. i think iran is the end target and the game may be to dealing with countries in iran's orbit what's going on in syria right now is regime change if they can be and not incitement is to get the syrian people there and of good leads to a new regime in syria that they're very good care that accomplishes the objective by regime change revenue go into war but if it doesn't work then watch for the marines to come in maybe the idea is that change what's going on and it isn't worth the two well getting new faces in there is a daunting waste and frankly overseas in syria so it can be separated in camps along. the links from the other. experiment. and of course we are keeping up to date on the latest from the middle east to rival palestinian groups and hamas agreed earlier in the week to unite their governments in the west ban

president bashar al assad is some hierarchical genuine reform or relative or another. so they're trying to send the regime trying to present and if you like his english relatives to stop him from which they can somehow or other emerge from this as respectable leaders when you syria i think the problem is after the bloodshed we've seen. anger on the side of the liberals because they are not going to be hard to say when the opposition rugger on the other hand significant minorities in syria. will resume alawite group very rich minority. of the christians in syria. iraq and the christian community there has been almost wiped out since liberation since if you like. democracy do they really want to happen in syria so yes you can see there's a lot of protests in france but also there are significant groups who say could be worse not better syria. israel iraq next door to so turkey a nato ally to the north he doesn't want to see chaos in syria as a choice in syria not just between democracy and the digital age. and while some are concerned the crest changes there are royals m

withdraw from the southern city of their rar following an uprising against the rule of president bashar al assad the town itself has effectively been under siege for ten days with electricity and telephone services cut off and it's night was deployed on the rooftops the violence has left more than five hundred fifty people dead since the underestimate seven weeks ago. british voters are going to the polls in a series of national and local elections today but also vote on a referendum to decide the way m.p.'s are elected to the commons the public is being asked if they want to switch to the alternative vote which ranks candidates in order of preference currently the candidate with the most votes wins the election pritish prime minister has said he fears the country could be sleepwalking into disaster if people vote for a very powerful supporter say it will give a voice to the voiceless. and for the first time since the fukushima nuclear plant catastrophe the radiation inside the station is at its lowest level this according to the data collected by robots the station operator to the decision to a

washington has introduced a new perhaps of sanctions wits for the first time target syrian president bashar al assad's he's accused of human rights abuses dollar and violent crackdown on anti-government protesters well the measures include an asset freeze on the prevention of americans dealing with our son and the european union also agreed to tighten its sanctions against syria the only arms and bar which was already in place this raises fears that the western nations could go even further and the country may repeat libyans. something russia strongly opposes. is a loser but syria support resolutions on syria frankly speaking they were disregarded by the actions that some states took even their own usually russia supported the first resolution and didn't veto the second what happened afterwards demonstrated that these kinds of resolutions can be manipulated this is deplorable because it undermines your thirty of the u.n. resolutions against the syrian leadership will affect civilians rather than the country's political views according to middle east experts tara alley. i don't think sanctions work i t

after hereditary nations not from entering the southern city of there are not despite president bashar al assad agreeing last week to allow medical supplies to reach the city's refugees. cuba is pushing through some major economic reforms rest for fifteen years designed to move the country towards a free market changes when i'm out here against trying sell property because it's on the conscience of tourists thank legs since taking them from his brother in two thousand and eight year old custer has to boost the economy introduced him to the private business employees and went because. a small group of evacuees have briefly been allowed inside next missions that are around and earthquake and tsunami at the moment because she knew nuclear problems the first time the government gave permission for short visits to gather belongings chicken houses only about one hundred people they want of tens of thousands of refugees boarded buses for the trip. let's cross over nothing is news desk. hello and a very welcome time for your business update greece has become even less creditworthy standard and poor's c

has already imposed sanctions against the country and started sounding whether president bashar al assad's eleven year rule is legal human rights groups say as many as eight hundred fifty people have been killed since the start of the revolt against assad's regime. but you can always get all the latest information on everything that's happening in north africa and the middle east on our facebook and twitter page there you can also find more not developing stories as well as photos videos and polls or make sure you have a look next time you're writing. now with. the winter olympics in sochi are underway most of the construction final stages. and the developments the country's most anticipated sporting event has brought with it. oh this is a fantastic opportunity for russia to show what it can do on a ike a global sporting scale winter olympics in general the biggest thing a round when it comes to sporting events and there's also huge support for the for the for the this will take place those winter games here in russia i mean russia of course has some of the the top athletes when it comes t

the president bashar al assad is some horrible genuine reformer and all his relatives and other are holding back so they're trying a sense to split the regime. and who like his english relatives family they can somehow or other emerge from this as respectable leaders when you syria i think the problem is after the bloodshed we've seen. the facade stays in power and they're not going to be hard to say when clearly opposition was wrong proposition but on the other hand significant minorities in syria. the assad regime there is their own alawite. minority also the christians in syria. iraq and the christian community there has been almost wiped out since the liberation if you like instructions democracy do they really want to see that happen in syria so yes this is the whole truth. and but also there are significant group who say could be worse much better syria's much more sense to. iraq next door to turkey a nato ally to hope he doesn't see chaos in syria as a choice in syria not just between democracy and possibility education and. other iraq. and while some are concerned the quest for chan

humanitarian mission was blocked from entering the southern city of the there are not a spy president bashar al assad agreeing last week to allow medical supplies to reach this is used refugee you call. a small group of evacuees have briefly been allowed inside the exclusion zone around japan's earthquake and tsunami damage for pushing a nuclear plant for the first time the government gave permission for short of visits to gather belongings and check on houses only about one hundred people out of tens of thousands of refugees ordered buses for the two hour trip. here now to something a little bit like a lifelong nigerian i did board with conventional forms of flight is breaking some interesting new barriers in aviation with a series of tricks well his first beat was relatively risk free arm corking a level eight on the fly boasting that the strong wins out it's a much needed challenge well after that he took it up a notch with. flying in circles which you can see here the balance of paul two hours of water on a spatula keeping every drop in the cart and in a climatic chris shouldn't he gives a clean