>> he learns how difficult working ther can be. >> how do you say..."get out the way"? >> shoro >> can this brittish man find common ground with his local host? >> "must really take it out of mr. loteef"... >> toughest place to be a ferryman on al jazeera america >> good morning to you and welcome to al jazeera america. i'm morgan radford live in new york city. family members notified of the malaysian crash. warning shots in ukraine talk of diplomatic solutions and sanctions. plus fukushima three years after the disaster began.

>> an oil slick may be the first sign of a missing malaysia airline jet. searches spotted a slick just off the coast of vietnam. the boeing 777's last recorded connection. many have assisted in the search. we have more. >> reporter: anxious families wait for news for flight 370 which is disappeared off the radar. the flight left the airport at kuala lumpur on its way to beijing. in beijing, it's a similar scene. the fact that the crew did not send a distress signal means what may have happened, may have

happened quickly. >> we'll work with first responders and mobilize full support. our thoughts and prayers are with all affected passengers and crew and their family members. >> reporter: vietnamese search and rescue members said that the last signal from the plane was detected 225 kilometers southwest of vietnam. international efforts are under way sending help. here heirs what we know about the flight path. the 777 left and was expected in beijing at 6:30 p.m. but then disappeared. the plane has been flying for 19 years and experts praised its safety features. >> we've had aircraft flying 20

years that have flown more hours and more flights than this particular one. if it was going to be a structural breakup, we would have expected it in older flee fleets. >> reporter: without knowing what happened no one is willing to guess what went wrong. >> the crisis in ukraine in many ways is becoming an international stand off. officials say there were warning shots, and no one was hurt. the polish government is closing its consulate in crimea. phil ittner live in crimea. the gas company is threatening to cut ukraine off, how nervous is the yo ukrainian government t about now? >> well, morgan, very nervous for a variety of reasons. you mentioned the issue with the

natural gas. they basically said to russia's largest gas provider that they couldn't pay their bill for february. in return the gas company said we'll cut you off. this is a long-standing issue for ukraine but ex-s i ex-sasstr baited by this crisis. crisis. soldiers are walking around in unmarked uniforms, and many want to see they are locals looking for supervised, but the accusation is that they are russian soldiers without markings. interesting to note, russia is a member that have body. >> phil, you mentioned n.a.t.o.

demand that russia allow observe eobservers, but they were shot at. >> reporter: as it stands now russia is taking a very hard line. they say there will be no cooperation, certainly not with the government here in kiev as they see as illegitimate. the west would like, in particular the united states, for russia to sit down face to face across the table with this standing government here. but moscow said that that's not going to happen. they don't recognize them. they don't let them in the room when there are negotiations going on between western powers and russia. so as far as making some movement on the diplomatic front unless there is some steps from moscow, it's a non-starter. morgan? >> phil, you mentioned the standing government.

the big question becomes with all these russian boots on the ground in crimea, is this a russian occupation of the territory? >> reporter: certainly not militarily. you cranes military has been slashed over the last few years. even at their strongest it would have been a very difficult situation to go toe-to-toe with the russia's military. so what the ukraine and acting government is trying to do is to gain international support, get those economic sanctions that have been floated by the european union, and more pressure on moscow. that's the only way that they think that they're going to regain crimea. but this is pretty much a done deal as far as the peninsula is concerned. the russians are sending more troops into crimea. and while the world is trying to figure out how to respond

diplomatically or geopolitically, there are so many troops there now it will be hard to dislodge them. >> phil, always a pleasure. many ethnic russians in crimea are pulling to a future with moscow. they've been welcoming russian troops with open arms. nick schifrin has that story. >> reporter: on the gateway from russia into crimea all the trucks drive in one direction. the steady stream shows russia has doubled its forces. this is one of the ukrainian armies eastern most bases. soldiers who admitted to me they are russian outside making ukrainians prisoner inside their own base. and the air space is entirely controlled by russia whose

supporters are happy to brave the cold. >> there is no ukrainian army left, he says, so we need protection. but there is going to be a referendum on crimea's future this city has already voted. this is the first place where activists lowered the ukrainian flag and raised the russian flag on city hall. this is the first city where russian troops arrived, taking over the ferry terminal, and russia is only three miles away. the family has lived in this spot for decades, and they have always looked east. >> i served in the soviet army, he said. i feel it's unpleasant when i'm forced to speak ukrainian. today he relies on a well.

he accuses ukrainian government of letting crimeaens live in the stone age. >> i don't believe in any ukrainian government, not the old one. not a future one. not the current one. thanks to these men he now lives under a new crimeaen government. they leave the headquarters. he is a political organizer and militia leader. he said he has 4,000 fighters. >> we can mobilize a big arm within an hour. he wants to join russia because he feels that they're culturally different and spreads hate towards europe. that hatred targets this city's few pro-western activists.

a journalist in human rights. last week she withstood a furious crowd but she's not sure how long she can hold out. >> if this referendum passes what happens to people like you. >> reporter: i will leave this city, she said because in russia there is no democracy and no free press. but her heard is already in russia. and increasingly becoming a home for those who have just arrived. nick schifrin, al jazeera america, ukraine. >> the warning of a backlash if obama goes through with sanctions. randall, what is the latest on the u.s. response? >> reporter: well, as we know president obama is in florida, but he is obviously keeping close watch on the crisis in ukraine. before leaving washington he did state in touch with his european allies. especially angela merkel. both agree that russia needs to

pull back its forces. russia has been moving thousands of troops into crimea all week. the estimate is 20,000. but the pentagon spokesman said that they don't know exactly because they can't get what he calls perfect visibility. however, what they do know is that it's cause for concern. >> it's in clear violation of all the national obligations that russia has not to mention the agreement with ukraine. which prevents him from the activities he's concerned with. we're concerned with the activities blocking off ukrainian naval bases, sinking boats in the waterways and establishing control of the crimeaen. >> cry maycrimeaen official sait

there was prevention of a vessel going out to sea. they have one wa warship in the black sea that is there because of a routine deployment planned months ago. >> randall thanks, joining us live from washington, d.c. thank you for being with us this morning. the crisis in crimea is creating fears in ethnic minorities. there are fewer than 300,000 tatars living there and they are strongly anti-russian. many parents are taking their children from there they hope to be part of an independent ukraine. the soviet union forced thousands away from their home and many fled to turkey.

we are more from istanbul. >> reporter: the new blockbuster on turkey's tv starring turkish actor, he play asmus limb soldier in the russian army whose loyalty to his homeland crimea led him to switch too sides and help turkey. touturkish speaking tatars lifes grim. half dying from starvation and disease. >> they have 15 minutes notice. just time to grab a piece of bread and the qur'an. >> reporter: the lucky once found sanctuary in turkey where we're watching closely what is happening in crimea. >> we will not suffer the operation like the 1914. we are receiving calls and

e-mails from them. we are a very different group here in turkey. we're educated, democracy, and will not behave like the russians. >> and the crimeaen tatars have the backing of turkey's government. he jetted to kiev last saturday and stressed the importance of crimea and turkey and stressed the territory of ukraine. when word spread that the ukrainian navy ship was passing through istanbul and might have changed its flag to a russian one, the turk association came to make sure that it had not and to show support for ukrainian independent. this connect area is connected e black sea. europe that way and russia that way.

they warn russia to be careful. >> there are muslim soldiers in the russian army, and we know that some put down their guns and refuse to fight other muslims. russia needs to keep this fact in mind. >> without turkey support many believe the tatars would have been wiped out. they said they learned from their history. al jazeera, istanbul. >> coming up on al jazeera america international women's day marking the progress made and challenges left for women all across the globe.

>> twenty five years ago, pan am flight 103 exploded in the skys above lockerbie. only one man was convicted of the attack >> the major difficulty for the prosecution, that there was no evidence... >> now a three year al jazeera investigation, reveals a very different story about who was responsible >> they refuse to look into this... >> so many people at such a high level had a stake in al megrahi's guilt. lockerbie: what really happened? on al jazeera america >> events are being held all across the world to mark international women's day. some are highlighting the need for increasing rights, reducing poverty and increasing health.

>> in the philippines more than 10,000 people turned up to support equality for women. participation of men was crucial to the stunt. it helped highlight the fact that philippines are ranked the fifth more gender-equal country. the u.n. said men's help is important in changing global attitudes. >> one thing that we're doing where we're going out to recruit men to participate actively in promoting the emancipation of women, women's rights, and women's empowerment. >> reporter: afghanistan is one place with women's rights have increased over the past 12 yea

years. >> i think women's issue is national. and we need to look at it from a national need. >> reporter: giving women more rights such as to education is important in and of itself. but it can also change everyone's lives. educated women lead to lower child mortality, and when educated women join the workforce they reduce poverty. movement in the gaza strip hundreds of women took part of the march to the u.n. office. people there know all to well how women fare in many societies. >> women's progress is human progress. >> reporter: earlier in new york a group of high profile women walked down the streets of the city. even in the world's most

developed nations more can be done to encourage gender equality, and men, whether husbands, fathers, of women need to help make a real impact. >> the gathering of conservatives known as c pac is wrapping up it's convention in washington, d.c. newt gingrich and sarah palin to take to the stage. on friday kentucky senator rand paul's speech under scored libertarian values lifted the crowd when he criticized government spying on every day americans. >> the nsa monitors your every phone call. if you have a cell phone you are under surveillance. i believe what you do on your cell phone is none of their damn business.

>> also later today the correspondence will release the results of its presidential straw poll. expressing concern over egypt's use of violence against protesters. please with tear gas and 48 people were wounded nationwide including four policemen. egypt has been in turmoil since the army ousted mohamed morsi last july. meanwhile morsi's political party the muslim brotherhood, has been ruled a terrorist group. anyone who joins the group could face up to 30 years in prison. they have been labeled an extreme u.s. group and the group said that they are surprised by saudi arabia's decision.

three al jazeera journalists are detained in egypt while their trial has been pushed back to march 27th. they have been in prison for 70 days. they're accused of having links with a terrorist organization although al jazeera denies those allegations. japan's prime minister finished the fukushima nuclear power plant. we have reports japan's leader said he'll begin taking steps to revive an area that is still devastated by disaster. >> reporter: a journey into the heart of japan's nuclear disaster has become an almost daily routine. the once thriving town that adjoins the nuclear power plain. >> just because we're retired does not mean that it's not our business any more. we need to do all we can to keep

this place alive. >> reporter: so these men in their volunteer colleagues clear the waterways and maintain a stake in their town. their exposure is not a problem for admitting it equals twice the permitted limit. amidst all this optimistic activity there is a sense of realism, for anyone to live here at a time when nuclear disasters continue to unfold, it will be very difficult. they say it will be a task they'll have to pass onto the next generation. a few kilometers out of town no masks and hazard suits here. this is all about confidence. japan's prime minister here to

assure locals of government efforts. tight circles prevented us from hearing from him. he visited homes of nearby evacuees. here where they feed migratory swans there are plans for storage from around the region. >> it's not the first time that this town has suffered hardship. think of what our ancestors did. now we have to do the same for our future generations. >> right now they admit a number of their neighbors ever considering coming back here get smaller every day. al jazeera, japan. >> an update of our stories, including the missing airliner and developments in ukraine.

you're watching al jazeera.

>> welcome back to al jazeera america. i'm morgan radford live in new york city. the search goes on for a missing malaysian jet that dropped off the radar as it flew over the south china sea last night. searchers spotted a large oil slick off the waters of vietnam. 239 people were on board including three americans. european observers were shot at when they tried to observe crimea unsuccessfully. the vowing retaliation if the west follows through on sanctions. >> c pac met with remarks by g.o.p. hopefuls and closing remarks by sarah palin.

>> meteorologist: i want kate to get outside. it's absolutely beautiful. >> i love how 50 is beautiful now. it's been such bad weather. >> meteorologist: spring is coming, and i'm so happy about that. the temperatures will climb to a high of 41. philadelphia coming in at 53. our nation's capitol at 60 and high pressure building. you'll see nothing but bright, beautiful sunny skies. i can't say the same on the west coast. look how big this storm is ranging from portions of the northwest packing all the way back towards the pacific, and it's going to bring a ton of moisture into oregon and washington state. we need that rain, also down in california but i think it will make a run of northern portions of california. a lot of it not reaching the ground right now. but later on tonight and into tomorrow and on monday along i-5

it will be very wet. along the northwest it's very west. bill i guess could makbillings a 54 degrees, and temperatures are 10 degrees above what they should be this time of year. but with that sunshine in portions of montana and down into idaho we'll see a lot of snow melting. if you're on the roadways, particularly along i-15, be careful. the rain is going to be coming down as well later on today. we've been talking about the warmth, but it's still cold across portions of minnesota, back towards north dakota where temperatures are 15 degrees below what they should be this time of year. the milder air will come and be

mucher comfortable. >> i'm morgan radford live in new york city. and "techknow" is coming up next. for news updates all throughout the day you can always head over to our website at www.aljazeera.com. >> hello and welcome. i'm phil torres here to talk about innovations that can change lives. we are going to explore the intersection of hardware and humanity and we're doing it in a unique way. a show about science by scientists . lindsay moran, science versus the deaf takings of ptsd. soldiers december pri battle.