welcome to al jazeera america, i'm del walters. these are the stories we are following for you. chaos in ukraine, dozens killed today and the interior ministry saying more than 50 police were captured by protesters. al jazeera journalists hauled before a court in egypt after being detained for 54 days. and the emotional family reunions in north korea, many of them 60 years in the making. ♪

the international community is calling for calm as things continue to unravel in ukraine. a trust there is in tatters, the fighting has left scores dead, more injured. andrew simonds reports from kiev. >> reporter: confrontation again. the police are retreating from the area of the square they took on tuesday. they accuse the protesters of attacking with guns after setting fire to a bus. intensive fighting followed. within minutes independence square has turned into a war zone. the police were picking their targets, and using snipers. even under fire the protesters seemed determined not to lose ground no matter how many

casualties they took, and there were many. here a hotel inundated with injured people. medics doing what they could under these conditions. in the square outside, the protest movement seemed more like a war machine with people marching with bags full of rocks. once again the square is a battle zone. the trust seemed tenuous from the outset and now the front line has moveded. everywhere you look, there are casualties. the protesters have quickly organized evacuation of the injured. convoys of ambulances. a steady stream of scratcher parties moving through the square. many were treated on the spot as they tried to get their wounded to hospital, the protesters were also rooting out men mixing amongst them whom they accuse of working for security services.

both sides accused each other of using firearms. this man says i don't know who was doing the shooting, but the gunfire wasn't coming from our territory. right now it's all their territory. they have reclaimed the square, but at what human cost, and despite the methodical way they are preparing for more clashes there is a fear here that this could be the start of a much bigger conflict. al jazeera's jennifer glasse has been in kiev almost since the protests began. she joins us by phone. jennifer what is the latest? >> reporter: darkness has fallen here in kiev. the protesters have shored up their barricades they are burning right now at the moment, as they wait to see what happens, what darkness, as the police moved back their lines after that brutal violence you saw. dozens have been killed. i'm at the ukraine hotel at the

top of independence square. in the lobby there is a makeshift field hospital where people just come and drop off medicine they have brought at the pharmacy, paramedics have volunteered, and they bring in injured protesters come of whom have been beaten or shot, a very, very busy morning for them here. it is also a makeshift morgue about a dozen bodies down there, del. >> and what about the reports that police officers were captured by protesters. >> reporter: that's right. there are about 50 police who were caught behind the protesters line, and the protesters took them cap tiff and are holding them in city hall. they say they have at least one very senior officer in city hall. they were calling for amnesty

earlier today in independence square at the main stage there, calling on the police to lay down their arms and come over to the side of the protesters, and police who did that, would be forgiven by the protesters, so calling on regular police to lay down their arms or go home to their families, trying to calm down things here. >> a woman stopped me on the street yesterday and wanted me to make sure you are safe. >> reporter: i'm very well, del. but that is very kind. we're very cautious here. there's thousands of people in the square. a lot of them with no protective equipment, and out there every day, and we watch our every move, so it's a very changeable situation. you never know what you are going to find the next day, and there is certain that this could

turn into a larger conflict, especially as we're hearing that the police have been issued combat weapons here. but a lot of efforts to try to calm the situation, but there are some militant protesters who definitely were shooting at police today. >> jennifer, she will be happy to hear that. jennifer glasse reporting live from key eh. the white house also issued a statement condemning the violence, stating . . . italy's foreign minister saying the european union has decided to move forward with asset bans. the news coming as foreign

ministers from europe gather in in brussels for an emergency session. several ministers now meeting with ukrainian opposition after wrapping up talks with their president. the russian president announcing that he is ending an envoy to kiev to immediate. phil ittner is in brussels, and phil why these sanctions, why are these people being targeted? >> reporter: well, del, those people being targeted are what the european union representatives say are the ones behind the violence, the perpetrators. they do, however, say that the president himself will not be part of those sanctions or travel restrictions. that goes in line with what the united states is doing as well. in addition to the sanctions against individuals, the european union representatives are now starting to discuss ban on certain sales of items going

into ukraine, and tightening of the trade between the two. notably items that could be used to put down protesters, so things like the combat gear, or tear gas. they want to restrict things that could be used in a crackdown. but certainly the opinion here in brussels is the main perpetrators of the violence are on the government side. >> also strong words coming from russia today. russian's foreign minister also taking a tough stand against those rumored eu sanctions. this divide east and west when it comes to ukraine goes way back snfl >> oh, absolutely. and this is a country that lies on the border between east and west, and that in many ways is the crux of the matter here. the european union says these are cultural and historically

europeans. and they tried to establish a very strong trade agreement with you yan. now what the russians say is what the european union was trying to do was to divide people internally and force them to make a decision whether to lean west or east. and they say that in effect is what has caused this crisis. the russians say this is a european mistake. of course this also lies to the argument of where does ukraine lie, west or east? >> phil ittner thank you very much. step forward in negotiations to scale back iran's nuclear program following three days of talks in vienna. all sides saying that things are going well. the west is concerned about iran getting a nuclear weapon. iran insists it has a right to produce nuclear energy.

>> reporter: three days of talks lead by the foreign minister and the chief official were, we are told, positive and constructive. for now negotiations on a permanent deal are on track. their next meeting will be held in about a month's time. the eu and iran came to read a statement to the press. >> there is a lot to do. it won't be easy, but we have made a good start. in addition to our political discussions, we have started the technical work, and we have set a timetable of meetings initially over the next four months with a framework to continue our deliberations. >> reporter: the positive atmosphere was evident as the iran prime minister read the

same words. >> it's the same statement only in persian. it takes a bit longer to make it in persian. [ laughter ] >> don't worry. i'm not saying anything that she didn't say. [ laughter ] >> reporter: so a positive start, but this is the first round of talks that will go on for months. and when you have tough negotiations like this, you tend to leaf the sticking points until the very end. james bayes al jazeera, at the united nations in vienna. three al jazeera english journalists have appeared in a cairo courtroom all pleading not guilty to charges against them. their next court appearance has been set for the 5th of march. al jazeera continues to reject the charges and is demanding the immediate release of its staff. the brother of peter greste speaking in egypt today.

>> prepare himself financially for a long hall. obviously we're all hopeful that he'll be released very soon, but he understands if he gets his hopes up, and, you know, has any kind of expectations about today and that they don't go his way, that it will be extremely tough for him to get himself out of that hole emotionally. african's youngest nation facing a number of challenges. one fighter once called the most wanted man in south sudan. he talked to us in an exclusive report. >> reporter: he emerged from the bush. they demand their own land within the newly independent south sudan. until recently he was the most wanted man in the country.

>> based on all of the atrocitied that have been committed [ inaudible ] they wanted to have their own state together with [ inaudible ] communities. we have no development, we have no school, we have no facilities, we have no road, and we have not everything. so we are not within the consideration. that's why we need to have our own state. >> reporter: a call that resinates among the youth that have swelled the ranks of the cobras. this 16-year-old became a fighter after his mother and brother were killed by government forces during a violent disarmament campaign. >> translator: i am a soldier because there's no school for me to learn in. this is why i have a gun, so i can fight for my freedom and stay alive. >> reporter: they are marginalized people, in the least developed area in south

sudan. elizabeth says people are left to depend on what nature has to offer. in many ways the struggle is very telling of south sudan itself, where people fear that armed rebellion is the only way to make their voices heard. it's the message given to the presidential envoy at a heated community meeting. >> so i think they have a point, and that point we need to pay attention to it, and address it, because they have a right to complain. what i'm contemplating on now is to tell them look, this is our country, we are new generations, and it is up to us to address our own problems. >> reporter: the challenge for the government is to rise above tribal and ethnic differences for the sake of national unity.

a challenge that will be tough to overcome. we have much more coming ahead on al jazeera america, including. f. >> reporter: i'm natasha ghoneim is miami, with one careless click a cyber thief can hijack your computer files. we'll show you how was victim had to pay a ransom in bitcoin to get his files back. and chris christie is trying to look and sound presidential at a townhall meeting. so far, no mention of bridge gate.

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of america to be heard. >> our shows explore the issues that shape our lives. >> new questions are raised about the american intervention. >> from unexpected viewpoints to live changing innovations, dollars and cents to powerful storytelling. >> we are at a tipping point in america's history! >> al jazeera america. there's more to it. >> start with one issue ad guests on all sides of the debate. and a host willing to ask the tough questions and you'll get... the inside story ray suarez hosts inside story weekdays at 5pm et / 2pm pt only on al jazeera america embattled new jersey governor chris christie holding a townhall meeting. this is the first time he has met in a public forum since bridge gate broke out. john what is christie's to en?

>> he has been going for about an hour and there is another 60 minutes or so to go. and the tone is he is trying to look and sound very presidential. there has been a range of topics to autism, toment family law, and flood insurance, and on each occasion he has attacked the federal government, and not taking any of the blame himself. he turns everything to his advantage by doing that. the question was about federal flood insurance. and you'll here how he does what we're saying. >> you hear this administration yelling and screaming from the roof tops, these greedily corporations who take your money hah don't pay you, guess who is doing that now? the federal government. [ applause ] >> christie making the point he has a very good working

relationship with the obama, but not missing any beat when it comes to attacking them. >> what seems to be in the minds of the audience? >> reporter: we spoke to many members of the audience who was queueing in line this morning. and most still support him and encourage him to run for the presidency. people are very, very angry about the distribution of federal funds after hurricane sandy. they say they are still out of their homes, fema, none of the organizations seem to be helping them. here is one woman. >> he used our funds to get reelected. he paid off all of those people. he gave money to all other towns that didn't need any sandy funds. he has been ripping office.

and he is smiling in people's facing pretending to be this governor who cares. he could careless. >> reporter: well so far the audience has been very mild and the issue that all of the media who are here, they want to hear and bridge gate, so far no question. >> john, thank you very much. ♪ wall street making a comeback after yesterday's selloff. the dow right now up 86 points. the harsh winter and declining government food stamp subsidies seem to be hurting wal-mart. wal-mart's sales dropping in the last quarter, and say the profits for the full year will fall short of analysts estimates. coca-cola is raising its dividend.

the news comes two days after the world's largest soft drink maker says its profits are being hurt by currency problems other seas >> cyber hackers are holding your files hostage. natasha ghoneim reports. >> reporter: 48 hours. that's how long this doctor says he was given to pay a random to retrieve his computer files. he says like a terrorist, hijacking is business. the email warned him he would lose data if he didn't pay the random. he is a victim of vicious computer software hackers. >> all we knew that there were

these internet blackmailers saying we had to pay them in bitcoin immediately or we would lose all of our files forever. >> reporter: they open up an email that looks like a legitimate business and then download a file. that's when this screen pops up. then they see this clock ticking. it's the time they have to buy a key to regain access to their files before the program locks them out of reach forever he contact the police. the fbi says that is not uncommon. instead one of his employees sent an email begging for more time. after paying more than $500 in bitcoin, he received the key and regained control over the file. >> it was like a birthday. so happy.

>> reporter: the fbi has received more than 400 complaints. no arrests have been made. >> software like this is really hard to respond to. because people behind this software are always one step ahead. >> reporter: he and his employees are now especially vigilant when it comes to opening emails, and they are now backing up files off site. he hopes the cyber thief is arrested or he or she can pay for this crime. natasha ghoneim, al jazeera, behar boar islands, florida. and when we come back on al jazeera america -- these emotional reunions in korea. families attorney apart since the war. some meeting for the first time in 60 years.

the stream is uniquely interactive television. we depend on you, >> you are one of the voices of this show. >> so join the conversation and make it your own. >> the stream. on al jazeera america and join the conversation online @ajamstream. welcome back to al jazeera

america. i'm del walters. here are your headlines at this hour. in that ceasefire in ukraine has collapsed. dozens of people have been killed. this morning the white house calling on ukraine's president to withdraw forces from the main protest site in keefe. a step forward in negotiations to scale back iran's nuclear program. at the close of the clock in vienna, all sides are saying things are going well. the trial of three al jazeera journalists in cairo has been adjourned until the 5th of march. mohammed fahmy, baher mohamed, and peter greste all pleading not guilty to charges. many have been waiting for 60 years. today a few hundred koreans hugged, kissed, and embraced relatives they haven't seen since the end of the war. >> reporter: the last few

shuffles steps before he ends a wait that has lasted most of his lifetime. he is off to meet his sister. she is 13 when he last saw her. >> translator: the first thing i will do is thank her for having survived. i'm 87. the only reason i'm still alive is i was waiting for this chance. >> reporter: the frailty of bodies all too evident, so too the determination to make what will be the first and almost certainly last chance for a brief reunion. these busses are going through the south korean border gate to pick them up and take them into north korea and to their loved ones. a few hours later, and decades of stored up love, loss, and grief, find relief. [ sobbing ] >> reporter: embracing family,

strangers, in a country cut in two by war and ideology. they are one in the same. these reunions, the first since 2010 almost didn't happen. north korea threatened to pull out last week. the open question, whether this harolds the start of trust building, or will eventually be written up as another false dawn. the 83 people will have just three days of structured meetings, then it's the turn of 88 north koreans to have their family members brought here. the final good-byes have been at least emotionally charged as the first encounters. ♪

i'm meteorologist dave warren. big changes expected here across the east. as the storm develops it tracks up over chicago, and brings a lot of warm air up, plus the potential for severe storms. in iowa a storm moving off to the east at about 65 miles an hour. just a short distance west we have a blizzard warning. so blizzard conditions, severe conditions all within this one area. you have this big storm intensifying and continuing to push up from chicago. we have a lot of blizzard warnings in in effect because of blowing snow. and all pretty much in the same area right now. look at these temperatures, 60s, 70s, and 30s and 40s. so a big contrast. low-pressure so the southeast is the warm air, to the west is the

cold air. severe weather potential throughout the day today and tomorrow across the southeast. del? >> dave thank you very much. thank you for watching al jazeera america. i'm del walters in new york. "the stream" is next. hi, i'm lisa fletcher, and you are in the "stream." avoiding law school in droves. enrollment is at its lowest point in decades, and for those in school, tuition is really high. and the jobs that will pay those loans are square. what is it going to mean when you need a lawyer? ♪