>> >> it's now been two weeks since that malaysia airlines jet vanished without a trace. where the search is centered now, and why it won't include one of the u.s. navy's most sophisticated planes. >> u.n. monitors headed to ukraine. >> michigan's same-sex ban knocked down after called

unconstitutional. the state's attorney-general is calling for a fight. >> when i play with friends on the street, they look at me different. >> how nigeria is trying to keep young girls safe from sex predators. >> good morning to you. welcome to al jazeera america. i'm morgan radford live in new york city. it's been two weeks since malaysia airlines flight 370 vanished with 239 on board. of the focus is on a remote patch of the indian ocean, 1500 miles off the australian coast. that's where satellite images showed two large objects in the water. search clues are focussing on that area, hunting for a sign of debris. six planes and two merchant ships are taking part in the search. malaysia is taking the u.s.,

asking them to provide sonar and under water surveillance. the u.s. has spent $2.5 million on search efforts. officials are analysing transcripts of the final 54 minutes of recording between the pilot and ground control. so far it doesn't appear to show anything out of the ordinary. malaysia's transport minister told reporters who search teems are up againstism. >> generally conditions in the southern corridor are challenging. in the area where the images were taken of there are strong corridors and rough assess. >> grief has turned to anger for the families, because they say the malaysian government is withholding information. >> translation: we will not let the officials leave. the families stayed up to compile a list of questions.

they left before we could ask them. we will have them back, if they leave we'll hunt them down. >> andrew thomas has the latest from australia. >> it's two weeks to the day since flight mh370 disappeared. who would have thought it would be here, at an air force base south-west of perth, south-west australia that all eyes would be on and where the search effort would be run from. australia's deputy prime minister was at the base and asked whether there were any more satellite images of the government, that they weren't releasing, that might suggest it was debris from the missing plane. that was a question they avoided answering directly. they said that this search would go on until it became clear there was nothing to find. the object spotted by the first satellite last sunday, the big object in the southern indian ocean, they may have sunk by now. he doesn't think all objects

would have done and thinks there are objects to find. whether they have anything to do with flight mh370 is unclear. six aircraft, including one behind he are involved in saturday's search. they'll have a combined total of 18 hours directly over the search zone, that's the most number of search horse on any day, and the weather is better in the search zone on saturday than it was on friday, and it's likely to be on sunday. saturday a crucial day in the search for these objects that may or may not be connected with mm-hmm 370. >> that was andrew thomas reporting. >> the p8 poseidon, one of the most advanced planes took a break from the search to give crew a day off and time to inspect the plane. an international team of monitors is on its way to ukraine in an attempt to de-escalate detentions. they are not sure if they'll be allowed into crimea. vladimir putin signed the bill

last week, making crimea a part of the russian federation. european leaders in ukraine signed a deal with the new government, and canada's prime minister and germany's foreign minister are expected in kiev today. phil ittner joins us live from kiev. the u.n. secretary-general is in kiev visiting several locations, what can you tell us about the trip. >> well, morgan, in an exclusive for al jazeera america, u.n. secretary-general ban ki-moon walked along the memorials to the fallen. we, i believe, are showing you video of that now. it was a poignant moment clearly for the secretary-general. he took a moment of silence at a memorial to one who died on

maydan square, speaking briefly to us saying that he felt it was a poignant display, and that they were very courageous people on the square. >> specifically, what did he say about the crisis as it stand now? >> well, this morning was about that walk along the maydan square. yesterday, however, he held high-level meetings with the new ukrainian government. he met with the president and in a press conference said that there needs to be an open dialogue between moscow and kiev. the creme len doesn't -- kremlin doesn't recognise the most. that is a major problem. we are trying to find a way to de-escalate the situation. the longer the situation goes on. the greater the risk of it spilling over into an open conflict. that is what the u.n. is expressing concern about, that

with the troops in crimea facing one another, ukrainian and russian, there's a strong possibility of an accident that could spiral out of control. he carried concern to kiev, expressed to him in moscow, that the russian government feels that this government here in kiev was filled with extremists, and said that the russians are concerned about their ethnic russian population, stressing the jun secretary-general that there needs to be a line of communication opened up between the kremlin and kiev. >> let's talk about the team of international monitors. what are they hoping to do once they arrive in kiev. can you give us any insight on that? >> yes, there'll be about 100 civilian observers sent from the

organization of the security and cooperation in europe, the o.s.c.e. they'll head to the east of the country, where kiev feels there are russian prove okay tours, and the mission will be looking into that. no word whether they'll get into the crimean peninsula. >> thank you so much. in the next hour we'll have more on phil's exclusive interview with u.n. secretary-general ban ki-moon. >> since russia officially thook over, the face -- took over, the face of crimea is changing. al jazeera's jennifer glasse shows us how things look in sevastopol. >> with little fanfare they raced the russian naval flag over a ship that was until yesterday ukrainian. she has ukrainian colours on her side and is now alongside russian ships in sevastopol. the ukrainian naval academy has

changed hands. there was fanfare here, and awkward flag raising ceremonies, where the russian naval officers took it over by decree of the president. sighting the past two years of ukranian control as part of the history. the united states has described what is happening to crimea right now as a land grab. what is happening to the ukrainian navy may be called a sea grab. one ship is holding out, behind me. still flying the ukrainian flag. >> a pedestrian says it's not good that it's the last flag. not everyone is lucky that the russians are here. >> in the bay the take over is complete. ships of both fleets sat side by side. now only the russian flag flies here. many in the military are unhappy about how it's been handled. >> this was one of the dozen

officers thrown out of hours. there's no military honour in russia's actions. >> we have seen in the past two weeks that you can't believe russia. vladimir putin says his troops are not here. >> i'm a military man, i see that these are military men. >> every deal that the ukrainians made with forces, the russians have broken, including the promise not to take the bait. >> blockaded ships should be sunk or blown up. it's a war now, just no one is shooting at each other. god forbid they start shooting. >> at the naval school handover a last show of independence. ukrainians sing their national anthem, drowning out the sound of the russians. >> russia is beefing up troops along the south-eastern border of ukraine, where 20,000 soldiers are stationed for what

rush acalls military exercise. the u.s. is worried they may have something else in mind. >> the russians stated that they are intending military exercise, given past practices, and the gap between what they have said and what they have done. we are watching it with skepticism. >> crimea's residents are not the only europeans eyeing ses session. kata lona is planning a vote. and venice has had an unofficial vote. >> this man is a true venetian. his ancestors lived here for more than 500 years. that's why he chooses to fly the flag of the former maritime republic of venice, rather than the italian colours.

>> translation: our city used to be the capital of an empire. it's underdeveloped. our wealth is in the hands of the state. distributed unevenly. >> he is one of hundreds of thousands of citizens voting in an unofficial referendum to breakaway from itly and go back to -- italy, and go back to being an independent state. >> venice was the heart of a powerful republic lasting 1,000 years. sips it became part of italy in 1866 resentment towards rome has grown steadily. year-long tourism and a strong industrial base made ven eto one of the wealthiest regions in italy. the network of movements that organised the vote are tired of seeing their taxpayers' money washed away. . >> translation: we are victims of an open-air robe. ven eato pays 20 billionurors in

tax. >> not everyone in vhis in veni to break free. >> it's senseless. we live in the european union, why do we need independence. >> my family wants me to vote. >> organizers say they'll appeal for the right to self-determination and to keep the lion's share of their wealth. >> and, finally, temperatures are warming up across the east coast. let's bring in meteorologist eboni deon to bring us the latest on that. >> the first weekend in spring and we are off to a good start. winter will make its comeback.

we'll see snow returning. let's look at what we have seen as far as snow and wintery conditions. from the north-east into the ohio valley, we doubled the average around the snow. as we look at philadelphia, we have tripled the amount of snow. we have seen 68 numbers of of snow, and it's not done. there's a clipper system moving through the north-east. winter weather across northern arse of new york -- areas of new york. yet another round next week. as far as today, the larger cities will be in great shape, getting in a little bit of sun shine. that much colder air will be rapping in behind it. it's not on the tale end of it. we'll see wintery precipitation.

we are watching it closely. as far as temperatures, they'll drop. here is a look at the next push of arctic air. it will make its way cross the north. by the end of the week, across the ohio, and by monday, it looks like the colder temperatures will return. today you can parliamentary secretary '60s. >> syria's war is having a spillover effect in lebanon. tripoli has strong ties to the bashar al-assad regime, as charles stratford reports, syria's opposition has been dealing with major blows from the regime this week. >> this video was filmed by a journal lift in the town of rab rude -- rab rude. al jazeera cannot independently verify the video.

it shows journalists, fighters and weapons. this is reportedly a nearby village. the army regained control here on march the 19th. those residents interviewed on camera at least, expressed relief that the military is in control. >> when they told me that the army is here, i said, "finally, i'm relieved today." i slept calmly. >> the syrian army backed up by shia hezbollah fighters made gains in this region. before the fighters fled, yabroud was one of the last rebel-held towns. it's difficult to say how great the games made by the army and pro-government forces across the country are. in june last year, government forces and hezbollah fighters

recaptured the town of qusair, close to the border. the military then launched assaults on homs. the army has taken control of a number of previously rebel-held areas in damascus. and rebels have lost ground in and surrounding the major cities of hamas and aleppo. a pro-government tv station aired these pictures, showing soldiers on the 900-year-old citadel's embattlements. the latest in a stripping of victories after three years of a conflict that has killed more than 140,000 people. >> in just the past week of fighting 21 people have been killed in tripoli. the ban an same-sex marriage in michigan gets overturned. we'll tell you why the state's

attorney-general wants to turn it back. >> pope francis puts the mafia on notice, saying they could be making a deal with the devil if they don't change your their ways. >> and a deal in nigeria to keep young girls safe from sexual attack.

>> good morning to you. welcome back to al jazeera america. i'm morgan radford, live in new york city. still ahead - michigan is the latest battle ground in ongoing war in same-sex marriage. first to meteorologist eboni deon. >> we are dealing with temperatures down into the teens yesterday and the day before, at least we got into the mid 40s. that will not be the case. the next push of cold air moving across the upper mid west and the northern great lakes. we'll move up to the north-east. already we see the temperatures are about 27 degrees warmer than 24 hours ago.

as we time is out, notice how the temperatures will drop. today 60, but by the time we get into sunday afternoon, 30s and 40s will return. >> a federal judge struck down a same-sex marriage ban in michigan after a lesbian couple fought it, claiming it violated their constitutional right. when the ban was put in place 10 years ago, 60% of the voters supported it. >> u.s. district judge bernard freeman issued a 31 page ruling on this, and in it he basically said that just because voters back in 2004 approved a ban on gay marriage, doesn't mean that it's right. clearly a victory for gay rights activists. i want you to tick a look at a map, including michigan. there are 18 states allowing same-sex marriage. 28 outright banned same-sex

marriage. oklahoma, texas, virgin and utah have stays on legalizing the bans. a lesbian couple in michigan brought the case to the forefront after learning it couldn't adopt children because of the same-sex ban on marriage. >> this is what we wanted for the family. and, you know, we are so happy, and, you know, proud that michigan is on the right side of history and we were able to stand up and say this was fair. >> the judge did not issue a stay. clearly a lot of emotion. >> because of this the attorney-generally here filed an emergency stay, hoping to prevent couples from getting married or marriage licences at least on monday.

the state also plans to appeal. >> that's bisi onile-ere in detroit. the bishop of the catholic diocese kaud the ruling unfortunate -- called the ruling unfortunate and regrettable. pope francis condemned the mob to hell if they don't repent. >> translation: the power, the money that you have coming from so many dirty businesses, so many crimes, it's bloodstained money and power. you can't bring it with you to the next life. repept. there's still time not to end up in hell. >> the pontiff delivered that at a vigil for relatives of those killed by the mafia. it was the first address to organised crime by pope francis. >> black and hispanic students are three times more likely to

beexpended or expelled than white peers. the u.s. department of education report details have white students have better access to maths and science than black and latino. it shows the ability to eliminate racial inequality and the school to gaol pipeline. >> every day represents a life impacted, a feature derailed and a young man or woman placed at increased likelihood of becoming involved with the criminal justice system. >> the comprehensive study tracked education from preschool to high school, representing 49 million students from all 97,000 public schools across the united states. >> the number of sexual assaults against young girls is rising in nigeria. local officials ordered the morality police to bring the

rapist to justice. >> she rarely looks up when she speaks, her voice soft. her father says the 6-year-old hasn't talked or walked like herself since lured by a neighbour and raped in a construction site. he allowed us to talk to her. we are not using her real name. >> translation: when i play with forehands on the street, they look at me different. >> her attacker has been arrested and faces prosecution. one of dozens said to be responsible for a rise in assaults. most of the victims have been young girls under the aim of 10, causing alarm. so much so that the local government has not started a media campaign. community groups have organised sessions to help mothers. a discussion that terms into a form of group therapy as frustrations are aired.

>> people on drugs. people do not have a job and i feel bitter. and it shocked me to see 70 raping a child of 7. a boy of 30, raping a girl of eight. >> there has been an increase in rape cases across nigeria. officials say for the past two months, not a day has gone by. something particularly unusual in a traditionally conservative society governed by islamic law. >> it is one of 12 states in the north alongside state and federal law. the police have been at the forefight of a fight against rape. >> the law initially was week. the governor has given the directive that the rape cases

should be reviewed. they are reviewing the rape cases. the bill processes increasing the penalty of seven years in prison. they would be sentenced to life. 14 years in the case of an adult. the law cannot come soon enough, says this center - the extent of the suffering they have been seeing lately has been overwhelming. >> unanswered questions 60 years later. a passenger plane disappears over the great lakes, and why the search is still on for north-west airlines flight 2501. turkey blocks twitter - why it may be backfiring. >> we have 25-30 opportunities. as of today we no longer have guaranteed apartments. >> the job boom in north dakota that is pushing housing prices

way up.

>> good morning. welcome back to al jazeera america. i'm morgan radford live in new york city. here are the top stories. an international team of monitors is on its way to ukraine in an attempt to de-escalate tensions. they are not sure if they'll be allowed into crimea. russian president vladimir putin signed a bill making crimea part of the russian federation. united nations chief ban ki-moon is in the capital urging talks between kiev and moscow. >> michigan's same sex ban is shot down after a federal judge called it unconstitutional. 60% of voters supported the ban. the ruling was fought, and they

won. >> the hunt four malaysian airlines flight mh370 is focussed on the south indian ocean. >> it's not what family members on the flight 361 want to hear, but there's a possibility that the missing plane will never be found. in 1950 a passenger plane disappeared over the great lakes. ashar quraishi reports from family members with unanswered questions 60 years later. >> late on the night june 23rd, 1950, this flight vapished. it was on route from laguardia, when a report requested descent because of stormy level. >> the request was denied, and that was the last anyone heard of the plane. >> that is an author of the book

about the crossing. >> a search developed. the coast guard, the navy was called in, five huge vessels, install plane, boats combing the waters, looking for debris. they didn't find anything. >> a 1951 accident investigation report concluded none of the 55 passengers and three crew members survived and the aircraft was destroyed. at the time it was believed to have crashed into the water. the wreckage was never found. for the past 10 years, a group of volunteers searched for the sunken fuselage and the engines of the d.c. 4. >> it was a search to solve an historical mystery. now it's a search to provide closure for these family members seeking answers after all this time. >> this man's grandfather was on

the flight. >> you'd like to understand what happened. in this case, you know, the aircraft flew into a thunderstorm, no one knows what happened or where it went. did they try to turn around? i'd like to know what happened. >> pieces of passengers clothing and other debris tell a story. >> they found a debris field 12 miles in diameter. all kinds of pieces of plane, human remains, luggage, none of the human remains were identifiable. they were shredded. organs, flesh. it was a horrible tragedy. >> among the pieces of debris, a shaving kit and articles of clothing. the broken buttons reveal how violent the crash was, but haunting is a personal checkbook showing a check made out to the airline for a ticket on the flight. for the families, decades later,

the need for answers remainsism. >> my father was 18 when his father died. because he knew him, it's not as important to him to know where the airplane is. he's gone either way. for me it's a little more important. >> as for this woman, she'll continue to safe until the mystery is laid to rest. >> there's a chance it's beyond the area we have searched. we'll be back out there this spring, continuing the search. >> for now a 2008 memorial for the 58 victims will sufize, the names etched in granite, a reminder of so many lives lost. >> and the time the north-west airline crashed, it was the deadliest accident in u.s. history. >> according to the committee to protect journalists, turkey

gaols more journalists than any other country, we report on the steadily declining freedoms of the current government. >> in 2012 this reporter alerted the world to a large number of journalists behind bars in turkey. when he found he, himself, was facing an 11 year sentence he sought asylum in germany. >> translation: where there is democracy there's a right to hear the news. the state uses violence and anti-democratic laws. >> there are around 63 journalists in turkish gaols. the committee to protect journalists and reporters without borders cite lower numbers. the largest number is a reflection of a struggle for kurdish rights. turkish journalists say the culture feeds off conflict with

anti-terrorism, nationalist laws used to limit free speech. >> it's not only the kurds, we see those from the left wing - getting arrested too. >> 2013's protests exposed new falt lines in turkish society. many did not report the clashes. and journalists later lost their jobs. >> many turkish journal lifts described a climate of political pressure, explaining that the big media owners have important business interests than the publications and don't want to lose privileges by rocking the vote. >> when corruption naming ministers and officials were launched in mid december, the government pointed to a hidden enemy, a movement led by islamic clerics. the internet filled with rumours

of algagss and the government passed new laws to control them. >> there is a war going on. >> this panel states, which is in the hands of others is illegal and difficult to fight. so the government needs extreme measures. >> turkey is locked in a conspiracy of political theories, and paranoia. the media is under more pressure than ever. >> turkey has also blocked twitter. the government says it's in response to complaints from citizens who said the site was breaching privacy. others say it was because of government corruption that spread via twitter. it is being condemned by turkish citizens and the international community.

the white house is speaking out against the ban. >> we urge turkish authorities to respect the freedom of the press by allowing media of all kinds and support the people of turkey in their calls to restore full access. >> andrew is a research fellow at the oxford internet institute and joins us from oxford england. thank you for joining us. i want to ask you - is there a silver lining in all of this. does it give us an indication of how important twitter has become in keeping us politically connected. >> twitter is apparent in the developed world and turkey. they have a high penetration rate of twitter. 15% of twitter users are about 5 million turks using it on an ongoing basis. >> can us tell us with this ban, what a way to celebrate

twitter's 8th anniversary. what are the creative ways that people are getting around the ban? >> the first way is by changing the d m.s. servers. there's a false book. what the recep tayyip erdogan government has done is change your the default book. and so following simply instructions sent around by youtube and text messages, people are changing their settings, instead of the default turkish ips. >> we hear they are spraying graffiti on walls, showing instructions of how to get around the ban. it's been called the worst menace to society. why is he afraid of it, and why do other leaders think that banning it works in their

favour? >> well, i think that there is a desire by many leaders to control the free flow of information, and turn it to their own ends. social media is a digital equivalent is the of the popular square movements that you see around the middle east and further afield. being able to control the digital square is an important goal. >> because of what we saw, for example, in the yingluck shinawatra -- in the arab spring, to connect people and let them know where the marches are, is that fair to say. >> in many cases, where social media or texting or other technology comes to the street. they are taking heavy-handed tactics to clamp down on free speech. how do you see the battle flying

out in the next few days and months? well it's a bit of a cat and mouse game. depending on how dedicated the regime is, how willing it is to cut off its nose to spite its face, we'll see an escalation. >> thank you for being with us this morning. >> speaking of twitter, you can follow us on our new twitter page: >> good morning everyone. we always seem to be prepared for these types of upsets during march madness. we are surprised when we see them unfold before our eyes, right. the latest stunner in the midwest region, 14th seeded mercer sending a blue blood,

duke, home early. the blue delves -- devils picked by some to be the last four. mercer up by four. bears imbounding. anthony whiter. mercer stuns duke 78-71. >> there was no doubt in my mind that we'd be there and have an opportunity. i didn't know if we'd finish the game. everyone called us underdogs. let's be superdogs. everyone thinks we are underdogs. let's get it. >> in the south, desmond hayman of the lummer jacks hit the free throw. hayman drilled the uncontested three and four. look at this.

vcu down. misses the corner three. steven wins it 77-75. 29 straight wins for the lumberjacks. >> in the midwest, wichita state unbeaten. the top-seeded shockers look good. leading cal pale at the broke and cruised home. 64-37 to wichita. they face kentucky tomorrow. >> in the east regional, a close call for sixth north carolina. hills down three. he let unc with 19. bryce johnson shoots. michael mca due with the rebound. he is fouled after hitting the first free throe. mca due misses, but gets a rebound and is fouled again. carolina hangs on to win. >> let's check out the interesting match-ups in the south. two of the top four seeds are in action led by number one

florida, facing pittsburg this afternoon. in the east, harvard in the spotlight after beating cincinnati. the crimson take a step up. michigan state is next. in the west. all eyes are on the four seed. defending champion head lines the action. after 25 games in the n.c.a.a. tournament. no one was left in the running for warren buffet's 1 billion black et challenge. all eliminated by late last night. >> thank you. >> an fbi agent in florida cleared in the fatal shooting of a friend of one of the boston bombing suspects. one of the suspects was shot and killed. he was questioned about his friendship with tamerlan, one of

the suspects. he died in a gun battle with police, and florida's state attorney will release a report on tuesday. >> north dakota is booming thanks to the oil industry. the job search has a downside for people trying to move. it's difficult for people trying to find a home in places like williston. in part one of the series, diane eastabrook looks at the housing crump. >> eric kirby makes the best of a cramped situation. in this mobile home the living room functions as an office. >> there's no room for tools and other household items. they are stashed in a shed. >> it's packed. >> it was the most affordable action. he and his wife and son moved. >> 18 months is a good deal in

the town. two bed room apartments are going for over $2,000. >> williston north dakota is not only a boom town, it's the most expensive town in the nation. thousands flock for work. the population has doubled from 15,000 residents to roughly 30,000. but work is plentiful, housing is not. developers are rushing to fill the void. >> it's a typical room. >> danny hogan is one of them. his firm is building 3,000 modular homes. rent here will not be cheap. >> we have corporate contracts coming in. depending on the agreement coming in. we came for 139 a night. north dakota has a major problem on its hand, spending $50 million over the past few years building affordable housing, but mostly here in the

oil patch. so far the state subsidised 12 hunt apartment buildings. communities like williston say it's hardly put a dent in the problem. mercy medical center got a state grant to build an 11 billion apartment complex. c.e.o. michael grimm rented out all 66 units and is worried about how to accommodate new hires. >> we have 25-30 full-time opportunities. we no longer have guaranteed apartments that we can fly someone into. >> as housing is built, developers think it will be less expensive. eric is not waiting for that to happen. he's building is $75,000 home

the family will move into. >> that's a heck of a lot of money, my house in oregon was half of that. >> in oil country that's the price you pay for the american dream. >> many military veterans are headed to north dakota looking for the high-paying jobs. we'll look at the challenges they are facing in the next hour. >> a place where water is in such short supply that millions go without drinking it every day. >> plus, majoring in big top. there's a new school that let's you cloud around while getting an education. >> spring is here. the snow will not let up. where windy weather is expected this weekend.

>> good morning and welcome back to al jazeera america. just ahead in our special series

on water shortage, we show how one country is conserving water by cutting off acked to millions every day. first to meteorologist eboni deon. >> first, we are looking at where we are talking about snow returning and a bit of rain. most of the country will be on the quiet side. notice across the southern half of the nation. not a lot of activity on the radar. snow is coming down. it's not quite reaching the ground. it will, especially across upstate areas into vermont and newhampshire. we are dealing with a bit of rain. back to you. >> today is world water day and is intended to draw attention to 750 people around the globe who do not have access to clean drinking water. al jazeera's correspondent reports that the government has

been forced to ration water for millions. >> they say still waters run deep. but not here. after two months of virtually no rain in malaysia the reservoir north of the capital is barely half full. there's enough water in it for another 2.5 months. it's the same story quas the kuala lumpur -- across the kuala lumpur area. reservoirs are at low areas, meaning rationing for the first time since 1998. water is being cut off every two days. if people don't store water beforehand, there's no way to wash dishes, clothes or themselves. villages here were the first to get cut off in february, with some houses without water for 18 days. >> translation: not only before, but even now people are wasting

water. we have to conserve water for emergencies. >> in places where a continuous supply is needed, like hospitals, water companies use tankers to keep their water levels up. >> malaysians are the heaviest users of water in south-east asia. at around 214 litres a day compared to thailand at 90 litres per person per day is the singapore at 160 litres. >> with totals down 75%, attitudes must change your. >> that is not easy in a country at 2,500 mill litres a year. >> if you look at the current dry season, this is not something new in malaysia. this is the normal dry season and we are entering a serious shortage. this is a wake up call. >> the weather is changing to a

north-east to a south-west monsoon. more rain should fall in malaysia. many more days of rain are needed if the reservoirs are to refill, and the water supply to return to normal. >> coming up, we'll see how a dry spell is driving up global prices. a prime minister held an election, opposition protesters kept more than 10% of voters casting a ballot in thailand. protesters have been calling for yingluck shinawatra to step down, saying her government is corrupt and ineffective. all votes must be placed on the same day in order for elections to be valid. >> folks no longer have to run

away to join the circus. there's a new university where clowning around is part of the curriculum. >> circus has come a long way since the days of lion tamers and clowns, it's more strength, acrobatics and strength. this building was a power station, now it turns out young people destined for careers. and they have been doing it for 25 years. charles -- charlie is one of the best in the business. >> on tuesday the center was renamed the national centre for circus arts. a boost for its image and what it does. >> this is an art form as much as ballet or opera and theatre. we are coming out from the side lines and taking center

statement, gaining a level of legitimacy that perhaps circus hasn't had. >> there was a government minister on hand to say a few words and pull a cord. modern circus was invented in london. the hope is the place will once again put the uk at the center of the business. it's the only place in the u.k. that offers a full degree in surface art. for a society concerned about the fitness levels of the youth, it so far as an anecdote. >> rebranding the place is about raising its profile and recognition of the commercial potential of the circus art form. the u.k.s creative industry earns a lot of money. it's hoped that the children of the future will be able to tell

their parents they'll run away and join the circus, and it will sound like a good idea. >> and don't expect students to clown around already graduation. the school says that 93% of students find jobs in either the circus or the theatre. >> at the end of the first hour, here is what we are following - the search for the malaysia airlines jet is entering its third week. planes and ships are scouring a remote area of the indian ocean off the coast of perth australia where satellites detected several pieces of debris. >> russians said thousands of troops gathering along the border are there for training exercises. russians are concerned that forces may be trying to take over another part of ukraine. >> temperatures on the rise for

the eastern u.s. with highs rising above average. the next cold blast is around the corner. >> thank you for watching. al jazeera is back with you in just over 2 minutes. don't go

>> remembering the fallen. ban ki-moon pays tribute to those that lost their lives during the unrest in ukraine. >> family frustration boiling over two weeks after the malaysian airliner completely vanished. where today's search is focussing for the missing plane. >> tweet this - turkish

president challenges an attempt to block twitter. >> melding the old into the new - a master bicycle builder using old technology to make new racing bikes. >> good morning, and welcome to al jazeera america. live from new york city. i'm morgan radford. an international team of monitors is on its way to ukraine in an attempt to de-escalate tensions. they are not sure if they'll be allowed to enter crimea. >> vladimir putin signed a bill last week making crimea a part of the russian vasion. ukraine is trying to create closer ties with the west. leaders signed a deal with the

new government amid canada's prime minister and foreign minister. both expected in kiev today. >> phil ittner is in kiev. phil, while the international monitoring team makes its way there the u.n. secretary-general is in the city visiting several locations. i heard that you spoke to them. can you tell us what he had to say? >> well, al jazeera america was fronted access to secretary-general ban ki-moon. he toured the site of the memorals on maydan square. he took a moment and had a silent prayer at a memorial for one of those ukrainians that was shot dead by a sniper. it was a poignant moment. on his way back to his cavalcade he stopped and turned to me and said "these are courageous

people." the u.n. secretary-genera clearly moved by the memorials on the square, and he has been working on the diplomatic front. one of things that needs to be done is opening up lines of communication between moscow and kiev. the kremlin doesn't recognise the government. that's a primary job he has, trying to open up the lines of dialogue. but, you know, he carried a message from the kremlin to the government. vladimir putin expressed concern about the elements that the russians have. there's a caretaker government and a number of other issues regarding the crisis. the important thing on the diplomatic front, ut u.n. general says he's trying to de-escalate the situation. the longer it goes on. the greater the chance that there's an incident that would spiral out of control. >> you mentioned opening the lines of communication.

let's get back to the team of international monitors. who is part of the group and what are they hoping to achieve in kiev where you are? >> well, they've come to kiev first. this is about 100 civilian monitors from the organization for security and cooperation in europe. they'll come here, but hen head out to the east of the country. they are doing that because kiev is concerned that there are russian agent prove okay tours stirring up tensions between the various groups, to those that are pro-western and pro-russian, and kiev says that moscow has been sending the agents out there to create tensions so it builds a pretext for them to expand past the crimean peninsula. whether they get on to the peninsula, the o.s.c.e. observers is yet to be seen. they are going to take a look in the contentious area in the east

of this country. >> how is russia reacting to their visit. are they going to be allowed into crimea. that's the big question. you know, there's a lot of attention on the peninsula. you have ukrainian troops, and as ban ki-moon says to us and during a press conference, you have two armed groups out there. the lodger they sit looking at one another, the greater the chance for something to go wrong. will the o.s.c.e. get on to the peninsula, that is a matter for moscow to decide. it is, de facto their territory. if the international community doesn't recognise the law signed by vladimir putin adopting the peninsula into the russian federation, there's the fact that there are russian troops there. will they allow the o.s.c.e. in, russia is a member. we'll have to see if they can

negotiate getting the team on to the peninsula. >> finally, we are talking about negotiating pretty big issues here. are people there in kiev confident in the interim government. that they can handle the issues, given how new the government is. >> well, that's a good question. yes, indeed, there's an awful lot of doubt about the capability of this new government. filled with people who many of them are not career politicians. there's a growing sense that the interim government may not. you have to keep in mind they are in the middle of chaos here. trying to start a new government in the best of conditions is doing to be difficult. when you have russian troops, you have - you know, agent prove okay tours to the east, and the shambles of the finances, it's hard to get started, much less get competent. >> that's a lot of factors that a government in full swing would

have difficulty with. >> absolutely right. that's what they are having to contend with. can they do the job, set up a government and in addition set up a diplomatic mission to moscow. that is a lot on your table. a lot on the menu. >> al jazeera live in kiev. always a pleasure, thank you so much. >> the ukrainian crisis bears similarities to the 2008 invasion. at the same time the president of georgia was asked how n.a.t.o. could fight back? >> i think n.a.t.o. has a lot of leverage. before it goes to military options. as i said, there are so many economic options. >> this is a defense analyst at a russian newspaper. he joins us now from moscow this

morning. >> it's a pleasure to have you with us. first off, is there really anything the u.s. and n.a.t.o. can do to deter russia? >> well, importantly they can apply diplomatic pressure. they have been doing that. there has been sanctions and that. some of the sanctions are causing pain, minor pain in the russian definition industry and the russians economy. their effect is limited. the main message coming from washington and the western europe is that if russia conditions further, moves more troops into ukraine and out of crimea to other parts of russian-speaking ukraine, then the west will get serious and

punishing punitive sanctions will apply. >> you said the west will get real serious, do you think they haven't been soars up until this point. >> well, there are different pngs in the west. mostly the main idea is to show russia, moscow intent, and at the amount weave a path for retreat for the croatian, not to press russia too far off the cliff. >> you mentioned economic sanctions and earlier you said they are causing minor pain. how specifically? >> well, yester day there was quite a bit of a panic in russia because several banks, middle rapped, one big, suddenly the customers of those banks found

that their visa and mastercard credit and debit cards are not working because of american sanctions. people believed if there's going to be sanctions, they'll apply to ministers and billionaires, and people on top. this applied up to a million russian card holders. there are sanctions applied to the germany and britain have stopped supply of some essential though minor essential military components up to about 300 million. this is not very good. this is a special training computurized ground. britain stopped allowing russia to make sniper rifles. these, of course, are small

things, but they impede with the russian program of rearming and modernizing the military. >> before we go, what is putin's end game? is he trying to make a point after viktor yanukovych was ousted or is he going after more territory? >> well, the russian official position is that we demand from ukraine that this turps into -- turns into loose consideration in which russian speaking regions have their own foreign and economic policy and become de facto russian protectors. that is not really done, and the ukraine is rejecting that, russia will say the ukrainian government is illegal, and that means there could be more action. there'll be sanctions, and there'll be sanctions. russia against ukraine, ukraine against russia.

there's a lot of trade over the border affected. there can be more military action happening. >> thank you, defense analyst, joins us from moscow. thank you for being with us. >> crimea's residents are not the only europeans eyeing succession, scotland and spain's kata lona vote and venice completed a poll where 89% of voters said they wanted independence. the ballot was non-binding and not recognised by italy, but others say it's the first step towards ses session and keeping tax money in the region. >> it's been two weeks since flight mh370 vanished, with 239 on board. the focus now is a remote patch 1500 miles off the australian coast. chinese authorities have satellite images of debris in that area. the images are about 90 miles

away from where australian authorities spotted debris. authorities are pouring over the transcript between the pilot and ground control. a review of the cargo list showed nothing suspicious. >> the search for flight mh370 has taken many twists and turns. from satellite images to eyewitness accounts. we have followed every league and investigated every possibility. today we are focussed on leads from the satellite images, announced by the authorities on thursday. >> andrew thomas has more on the investigation from perth, australia. >> it's two weeks to the day since flight disappeared en route from kuala lumpur to beijing. who would have thought it would be here in perth, western australia, where all eyes would

be on, and the search effort would be run from. australia's deputy prime minister was at the base and was asked if there were more satellite images that the australian government was not releasing that might suggest there was debris from the missing plane. that was a question he avoided answering. he said that this search would go on until it became clear there was nothing to find. he said the object spotted, the big objects floating in the southern indian indian ocean, they may have sunk. he thinks there are objects to find. of course, whether those objects have anything to do with flight mh370 is unclear. six aircraft, including ones behind me are involved in the search, with a combineded total of 18 hours over the search zone. it's the most number of search hours on any day. the weather is better in the search zone on saturday that it was on friday, and is likely to

be on sunday. saturday a crucial day in the search for these objects that may or may not be connected with flight mh370. >> now as andrew mentioned it's been two weeks since the malaysian airliner vanished. upset families want answers. frustrated relatives are there, accusing the government of delaying or concealing information. malaysian officials met with chinese families to give the latest search and rescue information. officials did not answer questions triggering anger from the families of missing passengers. >> syria's war is having an effect in lebanon, where tripoli has strong ties to the bashar al-assad regime. 21 have been killed in tripoli. syrians have topped the world's

refugee list. new data from the u.n. says the number of syrians seeking asylum doubled last year from 2012. 36,000 syrians filed for asylum, six times higher than the start of war. syrians make up half the asylum seekers in europe. >> a federal judge struck down a same-sex marriage ban, claiming it violated constitutional right. 60% of voters in the state supported it. michigan's attorney-general plans to appeal the ruling. if it stands they'll be the 18th state to allow same text marriage. at four states, oklahoma, texas, virgin , and utah put off enforcing bans until appeals courts can weigh in. >> the investigation into the

so-called new jersey bridge gait scandal is myered in legal wrangling. two aids are asking for sweeping unity. governor fired brigit kelly and campaign manager bill surviven. they are accused of ordering a slowdown as part of a political payback against a mayor that didn't endorse christy. the governor said he didn't know anything about the plan. >> the governor said it was int response to breaching privacy. >> allegationless spread via twitter, including tapes implicating the prime minister and his son. it is being condemned by the international community and

turkish citizens. >> good saturday morning to you, i'm meteorologist eboni deon. winter weather advisories posted across new york, vermont and new hampshire. the clipper system moves in. across upstate areas of new york, it's going to be a little longer until 7:00pm, when the snow will wind down. we are expecting to see a few inches. the heaviest will be in canada. anywhere from 3-6 inches of snow. they have to factor in the whipped. making it a little difficult to see. be careful if you have plans in the area. here is what we are dealing with. already moving in to the eastern great lakes and rein on the warm

side of the system. it's light rain, buffalo. do expect some of that to spich to know. we are expecting to see accumulation. it's going to clear the coastline. colder air will pour in behind it. it will bring storms through the rest of south-east on sunday. >> first lady michelle obama says open internet access is a universal right, making the comments to college students at beijing university, where it encouraged china to give its people greater movement. without software it's impossible for users to access information about controversial topics. >> a building explosion sparks greater fears. >> so many american cities are facing an ageing and in some

cases decaying infrastructure. >> why so many communities nationwide are concerned that vital infrastructure may be compromised. >> in the heart of the coffee growing region of brazil, where a drought is likely to lead to a bad harvest and higher coffee prices all over the world. >> a message to the mob. why the pope is warning them to repent or risk wiping up in hell. -- risk winding up in hell.

>> good morning. welcome back to al jazeera america. i'm morgan radford live from new york city. >> first, let's have a look at temperatures we cap expect to see at the start of spring. it will be one of those weekends. the first half nice, but the second half not so much. winter does not want to let off across the eastern u.s., and much of the nation across the northern tier. we'll keep it on the cold side. we are going to see a nice warm-up today. temperatures into the mid 70s

around atlanta, 68 around d.c., and going into the low '60s. there'll be 20s out there across the upper midwest. a little further east, south and east, cold air spilling across the eastern u.s. here is a look at the next five days. textures dropping back into the 40s by sunday. >> a gas explosion in new york city levelled two buildings and killed eight people last week. as al jazeera's correspondent reports, it is raising concerns about america's vital and ageing infrastructure. >> it was an explosion blocks away. rescue teams rushed to the scene to dig out the injured. investigators suspected a gas leak. the blast levelled two 5-storey buildings, and raised questions about new york's ageing infrastructure. >> many people are surprised to

learn that the gas line serving this area is more than 125 years old. it's too soon to say if that hype or something in the building is the source of leak that caused the explosion. that is what investigators are trying to find out now that most of the debris is clear of debris. >> tests by the national transportation safety board revealed a leak in the main. half of new york's gas lines, 1,000 miles, are more than 50 years old, and made of cast iron or unprotected steal. materials prone to leaks. the utility company says it's doing as much as it can to re place the pipes with financial resources available. >> for the next several years we are planning to replace 65 miles of gas main per year. it's up from 30 to 40 miles over the last several years, and is an aggressive program.

>> the center for urban future says new york is far from the only city with the problem. the federal government if has shirked its responsibility to invest in infrastructure. it's not just new york. so many american cities are facing an ageing and in some cases decaying infrastructure. >> the investigation is ongoing, as is the debate for fixing the face's crumbling infrastructure. one thing is clear, the devastation from one old leaky pipe. >> north carolina regulators are asking a sug -- judge to pull a proposed settlement. it would an allowed duke energy to pay a $99,000 fine, but would not have been made to clean up the pollution. look at this. officials intend to work with

the environmental protection agency to go after the power company. >> fighting a flawed system, woman who are risking their lives. a big problem with preschool. new finings suggesting young children are being punished because of the colour of their skin. >> harry fawcett reporting on the kerin track cycling and a man whose workshop produces its prized bikes. >> several sindh relas are making their -- cinder aleas are making themselves felt.

>> good morning and welcome back to al jazeera america. i'm morgan radford live in new york city, and these are the stop stories, an international team of monitors is on its way

to ukraine in an attempt to de-escalate tensions. vladimir putin signed a bill last week officially making crimea a part of the russian operation. ban ki-moon is in the ukrainian capital urging talks between kiev and moscow. >> michigan's same sex band struck down after a federal judge called it unconstitutional. 60% of voters supported it. a lesbian couple fought the ruling and they won. >> a hunt for flight is focussing on the south indian ocean. china announced it had new satellite images off the coast of australia. they are in the same area where australian satellites pick the up potential debris this week. china says it's sending ships to the area immediately. >> jim walsh is a research

associate with the security studies program at the massachusetts institute of technology. thank you for joining us. china has announced they found satellite images of what could be the wreckage not far from where australian satellites spotted debris. can we consider this a solid lead. >> like everything else in the stories, it's suggestive, but not a smoking gun. the ocean is filled with debris. but when you have two reports that are in the same area. that's more than we have had so far, and there's an indirect sign as more and more shift their resources to the southern zone. that's an indicator that governments believe it's the best place to look. let's talk about the recordings for a minute. there are more than 15 minutes work between the pilot and the air traffic controllers.

do they tell us anything conclusive. >> you go through that, and there's nothing unusual in it at all. it's pilots having conversations with the radio tower. there's nothing revealing about it. it may be by indirection, but by that there's no mention of mechanical problems, or with the crew or passengers, it doesn't fundamentally change your the puzzle we have been wrestling with. >> it's business as usual. what are the possible scenarios at this point? . >> they are the same set they've had, it's a result - it's the result of a mechanical failure that came on so quickly that it overwhelmed the crew and passengers. why did it take a westward turn. it's exactly between two radio towers. if you do something. that is the moment you would have done it.

is that coincidence or not. the second scenario is it was done by intention. with the theories there's gaping holes and contradictions. that is why this, with new evidence, each piece of new evidence that's emerged over the last several days. has been suggestive, but there's alternate explanations, at the end of the day there's more sea, land and chance of being detected had it flown over land. my best guess, thinking of it in the simplest term. >> as the questions float around, we have to recognise in some countries of military is stronger than the civilian government. in pakistan, where the military can overrule, but can things like that complicate the investigation. we see that this satellite intelligence is shared late in the game. and there's several reasons for

this. one of the reasons for this. it's control by military. military are loathe to share it. they don't want to reveal the lack of capability. there's a situation where inned pan pakistan >> there was a malaysian airline. it did not have standing processes or rules for sharing. no protocols in place, and no history of sharing. the malaysians are starting from scratch. you are not going to share information if it's going to be leaked or leaked to the press or to a potential enemy. there's no system in place for sharing. the reluctance added together with organizational disarray. >> still possibly more that we don't know than we do.

>> there's more that we don't know. nation states - the government has information they wish to share. >> research and mit securities program. thank you for being with us. >> new data shows racial ipp equality is common in the public schools, and that inequality begins as early as preschool. attorney-general eric holder released a report saying student of colour are three times more likely to be expelled. the study tracked education from primary school to high school in about 49 million students in all. david shuster breaks down the numbers. >> this report on inequality on the u.s. department of education, based on 2012 data on every school in the country. according to the survey, 5% of white students were suspended, compared to 16% of black

students. suspended at a rate of 12%. numbers are stark when it comes to preschool, kids that are less than five years old. black students represent 18% of preschool enrolment. but they account for 42% of preschoolers suspended once. 48 prz of students suspend -- 48% of students twice or more. >> 40% of all public school district do not have any preschool, where it is available, it's mostly part day only. regarding access to math and science opportunities in high school, 81% of asian american students and 71% of white students attend high schools where the full range of maths and science courses are offered. algebra 1, calculus, physics. 57 frz of black students and 67%

of latino students attend schools with access. course work, preschool suspenses - it doesn't explain why it exists. it underscores that when it comes to equal opportunities, our nation has a way to go. >> a social worker is making history with the women's right campaign in pakistan, accusing that country's justice system of ignoring domestic violence. as simmonds report, she's setting up an all-women's youringa. >> a sick woman who is mourning the loss of her daughter. her son tries to comfort her. her sister was 12 when married. 10 years later, she's dead, the

victim of an acid attack. it was a slow painful death. she made her brother make this recording on her mobile phone before she passed away. >> she accused her husbands, mother and father of attacking her. >> i want them to be banned in the same way i have been banned. >> it was her dying wish. she wanted justice. in this country, how can we as poor people get justice for her. it's a question without a positive answer in a place where women are rarely seen. >> this is a culture where women's right are few in number. for many here. not necessarily surprising. >> this woman is trying to bring change your by setting up the first ever women's youringa, a pash tune forum dealing with issues regarding complaints

about garbage and murder. >> i get threatened so pane times. my own family was against me, i'm determined to seek justice for oppressed women even if i have to sacrifice my own life. >> a lawyer took her case to the court. but a judge cleared the girl's husband and parents of murder. the lawyer says the police ignored the video. i have been trying my level best. it is the vigil. way can i do? this is a lone figure mounting a tough campaign for better justice. it would seem she needs more support if she is to succeed. >> pope francis takes aim at the mafia condemning mobsters to hell if they don't repenalty.

the pope delivered a warning at a prayer vigil for relatives killed by the mafia, and the names of 842 victims were read aloud as francis looked on. the leader of the world's roman kath like stood up to speak. >> people in britain will have objection to meningitis vaccine unavailable in the u.s. babies are at risk of contracting meningitis b which can kill or leave victims disabled. >> sophia is in great health, she has turned nine years old, but she nearly died when she was two. sophia got ill quickly. a strain of meningitis, called meningitis b was to blame. it didn't claim her life, but took a leg. >> we thought she was not going to make it through the first couple of days. two weeks down the line she recovered from intensive care.

a few weeks later the damage to the legs was so bad, one had to be amputated. >> steve spent years campaigning. his fight through tragic experience. meningitis b killed his baby, spencer, 31 years ago. >> spencer, you know, naturally believes that meningitis will never affect families, but unfortunately it does. meningitis b is common in children under the age of five years old. especially babies, they are at risk before the first birthday. the disease infects the membrane surrounding the brain and the spinal court. it can cause brain damage, septembera seemia and death. if that's one in 10 children that contracts meningitis usually die. one in three are left brain or skin-dammed or have to have a

limb removed. it's why the vaccine has been approved in europe, australia and canada, but not in the u.s. it led to panic in recent months. especially in new jersey. several students came down with meningitis at prince fop university in november. the authorities shipped it in, but as an emergency response. it is spread by bodily contact, coughs, sneezes and kissing. that is something that i believe university students do a certain amount of. >> meningitis is a parent's nightmare. but one fewer are expected to go through, at least in the u.k. >> speaking of university students, the first week of n.c.a.a. tournaments is littered with upsets, and yesterday a cinderella grabbed the glass slipper again.

mark morgan joins us with more on that. >> we brace for the upsets. this one surprised a lot of people. this is what march madness is about. those words from mercer's lapping ston hall after helping lead the bears. mercer had five seniors in the line up, but the lack of three or four-year college players at traditional power houses may be helping cinderellas crowd out the blue bloods. >> march is the pip abbingle of the men's college basketball season. the n.c.a.a. tournament is a jewel in the society of the sports. since 1939 the one-year university is crowned king. it's at the top of the collegiate basketball world. up until the 1990s, the mould of the brand to what it is today.

>> today we don't see that, in that era there were a lot of players, and i don't want to disrespect anyone, but there are a number of players that played in that era that were game challengers, not only for the team, but for the fan base. >> the key to it is they were in school for a longer period of time than one or two years. there's a period of time where you got familiar with teams and players, and i think that allowed basketball fans in general to watch teams for a longer period of time. >> great rivalries and there was a connection between the fans and the players, bus you got to know them. you saw the players develop, saw their games evolve over four years. that was the key. >> in 1971, a supreme court decision allowed high school basketball athletes to be drafted. some opted to go that rout, it was not until 1975 when kevin

gar net announced his decision that changed the game. the n.b.a. announced the one in done rule. allowing them to attend college for a year or 19 years of age. >> most of the kids coming in now are crazier than ever. one and done. i have to leave in six months. you know, we don't recruit on that. everyone things we do. i tell kids you need to stay two years. if something happens after one, you know i'm not holding you back. you are kind of out the door before you enter. coaching and college, it's not about the individual, but the team, the school, the coach. having the foundation before you come into the n.b.a. would benefit the nb axe. the days of the four-year player

may be a thing. past. for these it created a pure style of basketball. players who are left playing in the college game are those that may not be the most supertalented guide, but they know how to play and they are fundamental at the statement. it's a better cohesive possess. the men basketball college icon may be gone forever. the athletes that created the mystique will live on etornally. the game is still reaching rivalries, and this is evidenced by the 14 year 10 point deal the n.c.a.a. side with c bs and the networks in 2010 for the right to air the tournament and over $1 billion a year in ad revenue garpered since 2012. >> thank you so much.

the lowest seeds to advance so far in this year's tournament. 14th seweded mercer, and three of the four 12 seeds won their first games. >> north dakota's oil boom is creating a lot of jobs for military vets, those opportunities do have the draw backs, at least in the northern plains. diane eastabrook has details in part two of the series, the new frontier. >> with a once over on the truck, randy reeves sets off with a cement delivery, the 53-year-old came to the north dakota country to find a job when work at home in florida your dried up. reeve landed a position, crediting his experience as an air force veteran. there's a front on the application of being a veteran. and i think that strata looks out for its veterans. oil service companies are

recruiting workers for thousands of jobs in the field. sometimes giving preferential treatment to vet wraps citing their skills, discipline and adaptability. this recent job fair in williston opened an hour early to veterans so they can get a leg up on other candidates. 41-year-old jason went from one booth to another looking at a variety of jobs. >> i'm getting a field, doing what i need to do. i'm not worried about anything. >> some companies, like continental resources used veterans to recruit others. >> so many times in the military at an early age of responsibility they put resources going into the millions. they make sure that you go to

work every day on time and hold you accountable. mop say that they are eager to hire vet wraps. like a lack of housing and veteran services. >> housing is so tight in towns lick williston. that's if you can find one. while they are local medical facilities, the local hospital is 400 miles away. reed said he's adapted to some harshness, including work hours and frigid temperatures. there's one thing he hasn't adapted to, being 2,000 miles from his wife. >> the physical part of it, having someone sit on the coach is a little rough. >> not even the military could prepare him for that. >> ahead in the next hour, we'll

look at how schools are tackling the flood of new students in the final installment of "the new frontier." building bikes the old-fashioned way. technology that is taking over in a modern world.

>> today is world water day. it's meant to draw attention to the 750 million people around the globe who don't have access to clean drinking water. in brazil a lack of rain is leading to a rise in coffee prices. rob reynold teaks -- takes a look. >> a drought, the worst in memory struck brazil's coffee it schedule. >> how much rain have you had? >> 10%.

we had just 10%. >> fifth generation coffee planter is worried. >> we see that these beans are not well formed. when you cut it in the middle you'll see this part should be bigger. >> to the updrained round the arabica bushes on this plantation look green and glossy. but a closer look shows how the beans are shrifelling, some ripping to a red colour too soon. some black and others drying up. brazilian farmers say they'll harvest 30% less coffee than expected. that means higher prices for coffee drinking consumers all over the world. >> at the coffee warehouse, o

workers are dwarfed by towering piles of coffee bags. 40% of the global supply. >> the price for futures has surged more that 80%, topping $2 for half a kilo. every day the job is to slurp up endless cups of steaming coffee. he's a coffee taster and broger, determining the quality of each batch with growers, beers and exporters. he summed up what the drought will mean. >> translation: inferior quality, higher costs for produces, and higher prices for consumers. >> back on the farm, they can only hold out so long without

rain. >> if he with have another dry season like this, i don't know what we can do. >> nature put brazil's coffee country in a predicament as bitter as the beans themselves. >> in our next hour we'll show you an entire like that has vanished into thin air in the middle east. >> in new mexico two film companies producing a game about a legend are forced to stop for not having permission to dig. they are exploring atare burying many unsold games in a desert in mexico. >> in the cycling world some are doing it the old-fashioned way. we meet an old-fashioned bike builder. >> it's eight. this man makes his way to his

workshop. this is no employederly tinkerer or hobbiest. in the basement some of japan's finest bicycles are built by hand, by this man. >> as i work, i are have been image of a -- i have an image of a bicycle in my mind. that is a foundation for everything. these skills are learnt in italy. famous frame makers, no aluminium fibre here. a master brayser of steel, the beauty of the metal matched by its strength. this is a man with little use for false modestry. >> in terms of passion, there's a difference between this and the rest. if i am different. i should go all the way. go my way.

>> on japan's race circuit, dozens do. this man made his name as a frame builder with success in the 1980s. this man has ridden his bike for more than 20 years, and says each hand-made frame is different. >> that can be good and bad. hit or miss. >> for this man everything is a hit, and he wants us to ride it. that's his style. >> kirin relies on gambling, not ticket sales. if the bikes have a retro feel, so does the sport. for the attempts to broaden the appeal, it's something of an old man's game. if he is worried about that or the future of a brand reliant on old man's hands and eyes, it

doesn't show. >> it makes me hope when they come back for a reapart. i fix and make them beautiful. i sent you out to the world 30 years ago, and you came back. i'll cheer you on again. >> he has gone all the way through bike builders, past maestro, all the the way back. >> and at the end of the second hour, here is what we are following for you this morning. word that a chinese satellite spotted debris in the indian ocean that could be the missing malaysian airliner. >> thousands of troops around at the border. >> a federal judge strikes down michigan's 2004 ban on gay marriage. >> colder air moving in.

>> i'm morgan radford. al jazeera america continues in just 2.5 minutes. don't go anywhere. >> you can follow us online at twitter or at aljazeera.com.

>> the head of the united nations paying tribute to those who lost their lives in ukraine. plus, new debris spotted in the indian ocean hopes it could help unlock the mystery of the missing malaysian airliner. >> and a house of horrors, three children, two of them adopted found living in deplorable conditions. >> women nearly twice as likely

as men to develop alzheimer's. we'll talk to a doctor from columbia about the findings of a new study. >> good morning to you. welcome back to al jazeera america. live from new york city. i'm morgan radford. >> international observers are arriving in ukraine. the group is not actually sure if they'll be allowed into crimea. russian president vladimir putin signed a bill last week making crimea a part of the russian federation. russian naval glass are flying in sevastopol, while ukraine is forging closer ties with the west. canada and germany's foreign

minister are both expected in kiev today. >> what is on the international monitoring team's agenda when they arriving? >> well, this is a group of 100 civilon observers from the organization for security and cooperation in europe - the o.s.c.e. they'll head to the east of the country. kiev is concerned about what they call russian agent prove okay tours stirring up differences between the communities out in the east of the country where there are folks who are sympathetic to russia. there is a flash point potential there, because there are people out who are still faithful or still loyal and supportive of kiev. so the government here says moscow has been sending agent prove okay tours. they want the 100 civilian

observers to stee if it's been orchestrated, see whether it's a grass roots movement. who are looking to follow examples and move towards the russian federation. there's a question as to whether or not there'll be an o.s.c.e. mission on to the peninsula, on to crimea. that is up to the russians. russia is a signature to the o.s.c.e. they are a member. there's tension between ukrainian and russian forces. that is yet to be determined. the o.s.c.e. making its presence known in the ukraine during the tense period of time. >> fill, as the things are happening. the u.n. general is in the city. what exactly is he focussing on. i know he had a chance to speak to him. what did he say. we had actually exclusive access to secretary-general ban ki-moon

today as he toured the memorials to the fallen on maydan square. he took a sombre and poignant moment. he had a quiet prayer at one of the memorials to the ukrainian activist shot by a sniper. he toured the area there. we were able to briefly talk to him. he said he had come to show his solidarity, and expressed that he felt the people were courageous for what they did my coming out on to the maydan square during the uprising. previous to that, this is a second day. he had high level meetings. he met with the president, he carried along with him a message from the kremlin, that they have concerns about the ethnic russians and vladimir putin is concerned about extremists that he sees within the interim

government. bangui moon carried the message for the united nations to both parties on saying that they need to open a dialogue and start to talk. russia doesn't recognise the new government. the longer it goes on with no communication and tension in crimea, the greater the chance there is for an incident and this to still over into an open conflict. >> thank you for being with us again this morning. >> the face of crimea is beginning to change your. now that it's a part of russia. russia's forces are removing all trieses. jennifer glasse shows us how things look in sevastopol. >> with little fanfare they raise a flag over a ship that was, until yesterday, ukrainian. >> on the side are ukrainian's colours. she's alongside russian ships in

sevastopol. >> the ukrainian naval academy changed hands. there was an awkward flag-raising ceremony where officers took it over, citing the past two years of control as the unbreakable history of glory. the united states described what is happening to crimea as a land grab. what is happening to the navy may be called a sea grab. there's one ship holding out, flying the ukrainian flag. >> a passing pedestrian says it's not good that it's the last flag in the bay. not everyone is happy that the russians are here. the take over is come pleat. ships sat side by side. now only the russian nothing

flies here. many are unhappy about how it's handled. this was one of dozens of ukrainian officers thrown out of ukrainian's officers on wednesday. >> we have clearly seen in the past two weeks that you can't believe russia. troops are not here. i'm a military man. >> every year the ukrainians made, the russians have broken, including a promise not to take the bait. >> in my opinion, blockaded ships should be sunk or blown up. it's a war. no one is shooting. >> at the naval school handover, a last show of independence. ukrainians sing their anthem trying to drown out the sounds.

>> we'll continue to bring you the latest on the developments in ukraine throughout the morning. you can get up to the minute information on the website. a new development this morning in the case of that missing malaysian airliner. chinese authorities say they have spotted objects in the water, hundreds of miles off the coast of australia. a chinese satellite captured this image 90 miles north of where australian authorities captured pictures last week. >> it is suggestive. it's not a smoking gun. the ocean is filled with debris. when you have two reports in the same area - that's more than we had so far. there's an indirect sign. as more countries shift resources, plains, satellites to the zone, that's an indicator

that governments believe it is the best place to look. >> relatives of the missing passengers are growing impatient. two weeks into the search they feel the government is withholding information. all the latest developments in the next half hour. >> turkey blocked twitter. the government says it's in response to complaints from citizens who said the site was breaching privacy. twitter was taken down because of allegations of government corruption. that includes audio tapes implicating the prime minister and his son. this is being condemned by turkish citizens and the international community. late friday the white house weighed in. >> we urge tush yish authorities to respect the agreed om of the press. -- freedom of the press. we respect the people of turkey in their calls to restore

access. >> turkey gaols more journalists than any other country. we have this report on the steadily declining freedoms under the current prime minister. >> in 2012 this reporter alerted the world to the large number of journalists behind bars in turkey. when he found out that he himself was facing an 11-year sentence, he sought asylum in germany. >> where there is democracy the public has the right to access news. the state uses violence, and antidemocratic noise. >> there are around 63 journalists in turkish gaols. the committee to protect journalists and reporters site lower numbers, but turkey tops the list. the largest number are a

reflection of kurdish rights. seeds of conflict and anti-terrorism, nationalist and religious laws are used to limit free speech. >> we see journalists writing for the press. they are getting arrested to. >> 2013s protests expose fault lines and mainstream turkish outlets did not support the clashes. journalists later lost their jobs. >> main turkish journalists describe a climate of political and commercial pressure. they explain the media owners have more important things to report and don't want to rock the boat. >> the government pointed to a new hidden enemy, a movement led

by islamic clerics. the internet filled with rumours of allegations, and the government passed laws to control them. >> there is a war going on. this state, which is in the hands them is illegal, but difficult to fight. so the government needs extreme measures. turkey is locked in a vicious circle of conspiracy theories, political paranoia. an independent, free and professional media can break the cycle, but it's more under pressure than ever. >> interestingly citizens found ways to get around the twitter take away, even using graffiti to scribble instructions. >> first lady michelle obama says open access to information, especially on the internet is a universal right. she made the comments to college

students, at the beijing university. >> my husband said, we respect the un neekness of other cultures, when it comes to expressing yourself freely, worshipping as you choose and having access to open information, we believe those universal rights, they are universal, the birth right of every person on the planet. >> censorship is widespread. twitter and facebook are blocked. it is impossible for internet users to access the situation. two women have been arrested for chaining their children up. three children were abused in this home, and an 8-year-old girl and two boys, five and three, were living in deplorable

conditions. >> the little girl, the 8-year-old was, from time to time, chained to the wall in the resist dense and denied food. she's been described as someone who looked like she'd been in a concentration camp. >> both women pleaded not guilty. one was the 3-year-old boy's biological mother. the girl and the 5-year-old boy was adopted. >> the investigation into the brige gate scandal was mired in cangling. two to -- wrangling. governor christy fired his campaign manager and another. they are accused of ordering a slow down as part of political pay back against a local mayor who did it. the governor said that he did not know anything about the planet. >> sports enthusiasts across the

u.s. can't wait for warmer weather. pam is training for a marathon on the north pole. 48 people will be running in the conditions. if you are not running, you are probably craving warmer weather. eboni deon is joining us to tell us if the worm weather is here to stay? >> no, it's not going to stay. we'll have it briefly and we'll have to take advantage of it. we are looking at a snapshot of snow, seasonal totals, and many areas from the great lakes doubled the amount that we typically see op average. look in pittsburg, there's 60 inches of snow, 20 more than what we'd usually see. it's been one of the snowiest seasons so far, and we are expecting more snow.

it's only going to fall across northern areas of new york. these are areas where we could see 3-6 inches of snow. that's why we have winter weather advisories. it will stay in a little longer across northern maine. that's where the snow will start up and last longer. here is a broad view, a quick clipper system. it's moving in so the north-east. we are not expected to see rain. the snow gearing up here across western areas of new york. a trailing cold front moving out with it. we'll get colder air making its way in. we warm up '60s, into new york city. on the tail end we watch out for stormy weather. >> thanks, ebionie.

>> banks in saudi arabia joined the united states in sanctioning sued. it's a big below to the main bank. >> the decision by the saudi banks is economically more significant than that of the european counterparts. >> hundreds of thousands sent money home to their families. >> sudanese bankers are putting on a brave face. >> there are still banks dealing with sudan, and there are still bangs continuing their relationship with sudan, and that would be adequate for exports. not everyone is as optimistic though. the situation is bad. it would be impossible. no way could we spare money.

existing investors would have to rethink their preps. >> sudan's economic problems have been increasing when south sudan separated with the bulk of oil. the sudanese pound has weakened. inflation is increasing. creating social pressures. >> includingizelation is affecting private and government transactions. the import of supplies is jeopardised, causing shortages in hospitals. they are now increasing and calling for a change your in policy. >> unless we have a change in government policy and put the interest of the people of sudan first, the problems would not be resolved. >> the u.s. enforced sanctions

over charges of terrorism and human rights abuses. the movements by the banks expressed a cautious attitude. they department want to risk violating u.s. sanctions. >> it was once the largest lake in the middle east. >> the lake dried, people stopped coming and we lost our income. >> a body of water up and vanishes - leaving economic problems in its wake. >> plus, earth, wind and fire wrapped up into one. a natural phenomenon you don't want to miss. >> we are used to seeing them in captivity. >> what happened when this panda wandered into town?

>> a rare fiery death devil was caught on camera in colorado. it is a whirl whipped of air catching dust and debris, and this one, happened last week during a controlled 150 acre burn north-east of denver.

the dust devil swept fire and tumble weeds into the air. firefighters say the video is a reminder of how unpredictable wild fires can be. >> the largest lake in the middle east completely disappears in a moment. first eboni deon meteorologist is here with a first look at the weather. >> we are starting on the good side of it. we are in advance of a cold front. the cold front will make its move south and east and will usher in a next branch of air. winter is trying to hang on. temperatures are in the teens, 39 in chicago. there'll be a warming trend. low '60s, and behind the front we are dropping off 20 degrees. as we get into next week a storm system developing along the east coast.

more snow returning for tuesday. for now, enjoy the warmth. we have cooler air along the coast for sunday. >> an environmental disaster is unfolding in north western iran, where lake urmia was the largest. it's trying up. it's not the only one. >> iran's great lake now a great dessert. the waters of urmia in the north-west used to draw holiday makers in the thousands. they'd come from everywhere. now the ancient lake is empty, tourists gone. around the lake the bungalows are abandoned. the colourful resorts a coast town. in the village opposite, the same. >> that person was in the tourist business, but left it long ago. >> translation: compared to the

past when the lake was not dry, it was different. when there was water there are tourists and everything was flourishing. we had no water for agriculture. if the water didn't exist, would you come here, the water stopped coming, we loved income. >> the environmental organizations say there are many reasons they are disappearing. government, water ms management and a lack of rain. the creation of the dam is another, and the bridge which divided the lake in two. there's 5% of its water left. and it's eight times saltier than sea water. scientists defined what has happened as nothing short of an environmental disaster. they warn that it could get worse. one of the reasons is the surface. when the water dried up. it left behind the salt. when the wind blows, it creates

storms, and that is blowing into the villages and towns. that put the region's agriculture and economy at stake. then there are the ecological effects on wildlife. they are obvious. the lake used to be full of migratory birds. the government is desperately trying to save urmia. it has 19 plans to do so and bought in japanese experts to help. >> the situation in urmia did not happen in a day, it's not something that can be reversed in the day or a year. if we start now, it's optimistic to think we'll see an improvement in the next 3-5 years. one of the most important keys in saving the lake are the people in the vicinity. >> the local kids turned the abandoned boats into toys.

this tells you they want the water to come back to play in the lake. >> there are reports that more than 500 of iran's 700 cities and towns are on the verge of a water crisis that could lead to drinking water as the hot summers months approach. >> an injured panda wondered into a street. look at them crawling over the rocks. he was frighteneded by onlookers and covered his eyes. experts says he's likely injured by another male and has been treated for malnourishment. >> debris found floating in the indian ocean. what investigators are saying about the missing malaysia airlines flight, as grief turns to anger for many of the families. >> there is a stick ma with the persons, that the police are not

there to help them. >> a clash between the cops and the citizens they are sworn to protect. police have become more like death squads. >> we are at this point where the buildings are maxed out. >> a school district in royal north dakota. how an oil boom is becoming a bust for students. >> i'm mark morgan. several cinder aleas are making their presence felt. we'll tell you about the shocking upsets so far.

>> it's been two weeks since malaysia airlines flight 370 completely vanished with 239 people on board. the focus is on a remote patch

of the indian ocean where chinese and australian satellite images showed debris in the water. >> six planes and two ships are taking part in the search with more help coming on the way. malaysia asking the u.s. to provide sonar equipment. this as the pentagon says the u.s. spent $2.5 million on search efforts. >> this assist reportedings between pilots and crew doesn't show anything unusual. >> generally conditions in the southern corridor are challenging. in the area where the possible objects were identified by the australian authorities, there are strong currents and rough

seas. >> for family members, the grief turned to anger. they say they feel the malaysian government is intentionally withholding information. >> we will not left the officials leave. the families stayed up through the night to compile a list of questions. if they try to run, we'll hunt them down. >> andrew thomas has the latest on the investigation from australia. >> it's two weeks to the day since flight mh370 disappeared. who would have thought it would be here from an air force base that all eyes would be on australia, where the search would be run from. australia's deputy prime minister was at the airport and was asked if there are images that the australian government was not releasing. >> it was a question he avoided

answering directly. he did say that the search would go on until it was clear there was nothing to find. the object spotted by the first satellite - the big object in the southern indian ocean. they may have sunk by now. they don't think all objects would have done. there are objects to find. whether they have anything to do with flight mh370 is unclear. six aircraft, including one behind me, the car involved in the church, they have a combined total of 18 hours. it's the most number of hours that there has been on any day. the weather is better in the search zone on saturday than it was, and than it is likely to be on sunday. saturday a crucial zone. it may or may not be connected. >> that was al jazeera's andrew thomas reporting. >> the p8 poseidon, one of the

u.s. navy's advance planes took a break from the sorch to give crew a day off. >> it's not what the family members want to hear. there's a possibility that the missing plane will never be found. in 1950 a passenger plane disappeared over the great lakes. family members still have unanswered questions, 60 years later. >> late on the night of june 23rd, north-west airlines flight 2901 vanished. it was on route from laguardia guardia to seattle when a radio call was made requesting descent. >> the request was denied. it's the last anyone heard. >> author and explorer valerie wrote the giptive book about the pght -- definitive book about the crossing. >> the coast guard, the navy was

called in. small planes, private boats combing the lacks, looking for -- lakes, looking for debris. they found nothing. >> an accident report concluded none of the passengers or three crew survived and the aircraft were destroyed. >> it was believed the doomed airliner crashed into the water. the wreckage was never found. for the past 10 years, a group of volunteers searched for the views large. it was a search to solve a mystery. now it became a search to provide closure for the family members seeking answers after all this time. >> rescue craft and planes searched the waters. >> you'd like to understand what happened. in this case, you know, the aircraft flew into a storm.

no one knows what happened. or where it went. whether it tried to turn around. i would want to know what happened. >> pieces of passenger's clothing and debris tell a tragic story. they found a debris film. all kinds of pieces of planes, human remains, luggage, personal effects, none were identifiable. these are shredded. flash, organs, it was a horrible tragedy. among the dory recovered, a shaving kit and article of clothing. the broken buttons on this tattered jacket revealing how it must have been. >> most haunting is a checkbook made out for a tick on that night. for the family and years later the need for answers remains. my father - it was 18.

it's not as important to him to know where the aeroplane is. he's gone either way. as for van heist. she'll continue the search and recovering mission. until the mystery was laid to rest. >> there's a chaps, we are not willing to give up. well be bark over there in spring. >> for now a 2008 memoriam, the name etched in granite. so many lives lost. >> at the time the great lakes crash was the deadliest commercial accident in history. the police force in jamaica was under attack. human rights activists say the police are the bad guys.

rachel evan reports from kingston jamaica. police officers on control in a kingston neighbour hood controlled by warring games. without warning they searched anyone they suspect could be carrying guns or drugs. there was more fear and faith than police. >> the police are not here to help them. that's because of killings like this one. an officer shoots dead an unarmed man. over 250 people killed last year, and each year the number is rising. >> this man was gunned down days before christmas. his girlfriend said the police killed the innocent with impunity. >> leslie says this family and their son were at the barbers

when police raided the neighbourhood. after the hair cut, he used the bathroom. when he walked out there were up to 15 police men masked and shot him dead. >> hundreds of killings like ef ions are reviewed by an independent commission. it leads to fresh allegations of squads directed to kill are true. former senior officer spent 40 years on the front line. he was investigated and acquitted for his role in multiple murders. in such a violent society police must outgun the criminals. >> if a guy is so reckless, so clueless, so dangerous to take on society and the police force, and if they are shot and killed in circumstances like those, they have only themselves to

blame. >> a witness to his father's killing, he has never talked about it. he and his mother want answers. they may have to wait. >> it is not supposed to go that way. >> in over 2500 killings by police, just two officers have been convicted. >> angry residents blocked several streets in kingston protesting another police killing. police say the man was a gang leader who died during the shoot out. >> north carolina investigators have been asked to withdraw a settlement, allowing duke energy to pay a $99,000 fine, but not require them to clean up the pollution. a coal ash spill coated 70 miles of the dan river with that toxic

sludge. officials are working with the environmental protection agency to go after the company. >> north dakota - a strain on schools in the region trying to keep up with new kids. in the final in stallment of "the new frontier" diane eastabrook visits a district facing overcrowd and a dwindling budget. >> pam has watched a parade of new students come into her classroom all year. most are the children of workers soaking jobs in north dakota's oil feeds. each new edition brings an element of chaos. >> we get to a point in learning and we have a backtrack, depending on where they are coming in from different areas. >> in the past few years enrolment in the city and high school has doubled from 500 students to more than 1,000. overcrowding forced the district

to build an edition on to the elementary school and add a modular classroom. >> superintendent steve holland says it has not helped, because more and more new kids keep coming. >> we moved classes around, reconfigured, repurposed areas and found ourselves at a point where both buildings are maxed out. >> the best solution is to turn the high school into a middle school. >> that will cost $50 million, stretching the budget. >> watford's city population has increased. property tax has not. many new residents are renters, not home owners. voters approved a bond referendum to fund the high school. >> in order for us to continue to grow and keep people, we need a good school system. if a town is not growing, it's dying. >> you are 23 million or so

short. where is the money going to come from. >> we indebt ourselves to the max. our local contribution is the best it can be. we are going to have to pull from some opportunities and we are asking the state for help. >> it could come if the state opts to send oil to the towns producing crude. those countries receive a quarter, with the state getting the rest. it's a bone of contention in wen north dakota, and may be addressed later this year. ? if watford city does not get funding it may have to go further into debt. or find a way to squeeze more students into its schools. >> despite the excitement over oil in north dakota, it's a different story in south carolina, where the oil-rich

city of it carson imposed a ban. resist departments are afraid hydraulic fracturing or fracking. >> a lot of brackets are busted. mark morgan is here with more. >> how is your broct. >> it's great good. i don't think anyone saw this coming. we seem to be prepared for the upsets. we are surprised when we see them unfold before our eyes. the latest stunner, 14th seated mercer sending the blue bloods home early. a 3-seat pick to the final four. mercer up by two. a foul. mercer up 67-63.

a minute to play. bears ipp bounding. anthony white junior, and mercer suns duke and celebrates the final 78-71. >> there was no doubt in my mind that we'd be there and have an opportunity. i didn't know if we were going to finish the game. i told them before we ran occupant, there would be superdogs. let's go get it. >> steven s austin - the lumber g jacks get fouled. >> the game tied at 67 after that. hayman contesting. vcu nids a three. steven austin wins it 77-75. in the east region, a close call

for sixth-seeded north carolina. he led unc by 19. there's another three, and james michael mca due will get a rebound. he'll get fouled. he misses the second and gets a rebound and is fouled again. carolinas hangs on to win it. >> in the midwest a top-seeded shocker led cal powelly. the final 6437. 35 and o, facing kentucky in the next round. scores from the action to make note of. so far, so good. the wildcats beating beaver state. virginia a winner over coastal carolina. after winning a play-in game, the balls possiblyinging at the right time.

keep an eye on the team. kansas pulling away late. not indicative of the game. the j hawks winning 80-69. >> let's check out the interesting match-ups. two of the top four seeds led by florida. in the east, fifth-seeded harvard, taking a step up in glass. out west all eyes on san diego. it takes on one of the tournament cinderellas, something has to give. in the mid west defending champion louisville - cardinals to play st. louis. before 25 games in the n.c.a.a. tournament, no one was left for the $1 billion challenge.

8.75, all eliminated. >> does harvard beat michigan? >> no. >> wait a minute. we move up in class, we are out of there. >> no, no. >> that's what you meant. >> women nearly twice as likely as men to develop alzheimer's. the findings that could be a game change yourer. >> a big rig may not be the best get away car if you're running from the cops. >> what is store for the first official weekend of spring.

>> so this isn't exactly your run of the mill police chase. this in kentucky featured a speeding truck, police say was

stolen, so they followed the truck across four interstate, and two counties. it ran away but was tackled and arrested. >> alzheimer's takes a toll on women. they are far more likely to get it than men. they are likely to be caregivers to the men who develop the disease. >> alzheimer's disease left 66-year-old john wallace a fraction of the man he used to be. this storey is not about what alzheimer's has done to john, but the impact it has had on his wife. >> when you are in your mid 50s, you are looking at retirement, and what will happen. john and i had a plan. all of a sudden that was not going to happen. >> an-xie -- anblack anjie is

one of 15% of women comprising of caregivers. >> women report that they are more likely to suffer from depression and stress than men are in a care gaving role. >> angie had to change your her way she saw her relationship with her husband. >> i'm a widow and i have a child. then it made it bearable. >> being a caregiver can be lonely and a financial burden. angie had to move john out of their home and into private care. >> this is private pay. it's all on us. i don't know what will happen. >> the monetary value of unpaid caregivers tops $220 billion. >> the alzheimer's association report found women, ages 65 and

older are twice as likely as men to get alzheimer's. a 65-year-old woman had a one in six chance of developing alzheimer's and that compares to a one in 11 chance for men. >> joining us for the weekend conversation is a social endeemiologist at columbia's university, the school of public health. a lot of whys floating around the topic. women are twice as likely to develop alzheimer's as men. why is that? >> a main reason we have to dig behind the statistic and think about why is because women live five years longer than men. we know the risk of developing alzheimer's is related to age. as one ages, the risk greases. so if you imagine women have five years, being the highest risk years. that likely explains the

disparity. >> women in their '60s are twice as lookly to develop aalst himmers. >> again, if we think about the demographics of who gets breast cancer as alzheimer's. women are likely to get breast cancer earlier on. if you compare women through the life course, substantially more have breast cancer by the time they are 60. after, the risk is there. many women have gotten it. when you look at the numbers, women are more likely, after 60, to get alzheimer's, even though risks are high. >> is it the equivalent of prot tat. >> yes. >> when you see it happen and ageing differential. >> alzheimer's is - what we do is called age adjusting. we compare people of similar

age. men and women are relatively similar. the five-year extra window in which men live. 81 life expect si: >> i understand that the likelihood of alzheimer's presenting itself is expected to triple. as we move generally, life expect si increases generally, we see people moving in older and older. the risk of developing alzheimer's - those who are 80 will have a high risk of developing alzheimer's, as we push the life expect si window. as a result of that aging. >> let's take a look at how alzheimer's will affect brain

function. we understand that scientists call it a neuron form. describe for us what a healthy brain looks like, compared to what one with advanced alzheimer's looks like. >> aum the neurons allowing us to do what we are doing now. they are communicating seamlessly. the shares gain with time. that's what happens in a healthy break. >> i understand the doctors see the effects. we look at the brain tissue. what do they see. the first is a protein outside of the cells. they are beta proteins, they gunk up the machinery.

you can imagine 10 billion cells and it rips up the accumulation. inside of the cells, and the to you prophone is a result of normal physiology. it creates differences that we see when we look at the brain. >> overall, does the study show us that we are closer to finding a cure? >> unfortunately, no. we know relatively little. if we think about the dynamics, it's a huge disease. while we do have effective treatments that delay alzheimer's, we don't know how to cure it, because we don't know much about what is causing it in the first place. >> thank you so much for joining us. looking live at the nation's capital where the first official

weekend of spring is in full swing, let's take a check of the forecast. >> we are seeing overcast skies. you might have to dodge a rain drop. we are not expecting to see widespread weather. we are talking about a little snow coming in with the clipper system. only northern areas of new hamp sire and maine will be dealing with that. across the south-east we see the moisture in place. rain around memphis. >> a norwegian museum says it will return a painting. the artwork was looted by the nazis. it was taken by a jewish art dealer forced to leave his collection behind. "woman in a blue dress in front of a fireplace" has been did i

say displaced since 1968." the master piece is worth $20 million. >> that does it for this edition of al jazeera america. i'm morgan radford live in new york. thank you for watching. have a great morning.

>> welcome to another hour of news from al jazeera. our top stories. anger in the occupied west bank has three palestinians are killed during a raid on a suspected hamas fighter. egypt's biggest-ever trial, 1200 muslim brotherhood supporters face violence-related charge. new clues in the search for the missing malaysia plane. china spots