>> goorning, and welcome to jam. i'm thomas drayton. let's get you caught up on the stories. crews searching for maryland flight mh370 say the crews have detected two more signals. a naval ship picked up two pings on tuesday. they detected them saturday before losing them. >> in eastern ukraine, activists in one region declared a separatist republic. government buildings in three cities have been taken over. around 60 host igements are held in -- hostages are hold in one building laced with explosives. >> a cyber threat alarmed

security officials. engineers uncovered a cyber threat called heartbleed. it allows hackers to steel information from secure connections, user names, passwords, trade secrets are vulnerable. the department of homeland security is telling others to upgrade software. >> president barack obama signed two executive orders designed to reduce the gap for women that work for federal contractors. according to the government full-time women workers make $0.77 for every dollar a man makes. those are the headlines. "america tonight" comes up next. you can always get the news online at aljazeera.com. >> on "america tonight" -

infatuated and in consolable. the blade runner. final morifying moments of his -- horrifying moments of his girlfriend's life, and how his fate. >> never thought it could happen - the vicious spiral swallowing up many middle class and middle aged americans - now the long-term unemployed. >> turning the corner. an immigrants tale on the road to a brighter future. >> they asked me where i was from. i told them, my kids, you never know what you're going to be in this country. >> we learn the blessings and joy of becoming an american in our new series "driven."

>> good evening. thanks for joining us. i'm joie chen. the dramatic saga of south african olympic athlete oscar pistorius hit another emotional high. in a second day of test moany the blade runner tried to explain what happened on that valentine's day night when he shot and killed his girlfriend. lori jane gliha has been following the trial and explains what oscar pistorius said happened after he pulled the trigger. >> in his waivering voice, filled with emotion, oscar pistorius could do little to fight the tears as he explained

to a judge, the moment he knew he killed his own girlfriend, model and law graduate reeva steenkamp. >> we'll take an adjournment. >> judge thokozile masipa, known for her tough rulings in cases of violent against women adjourned court early for the second day in a row after oscar pistorius's emotions got the best of him. she was a former crime reporter and only the second black woman

on the bench. where no jury, oscar pistorius must convince her. in court he told the judge he thought reeva steenkamp was a burglar. >> the gold medal paralympian known as blade runner for the hardware he wears on his legs during sprints told the court he retrieved his gun from under the bed and approached the bathrooms without his prosthetics. oscar pistorius says he bashed in a door panel to gain access to the bathroom. >> with his family looking on and crying with him, oscar pistorius told the courts he

waited months before opening the valentine's day gift that reeva steenkamp wrapped for him that night. it was august, reeva steenkamp's birthday, when he said he had the courage to open it. >> william booth a criminal law expert and defense attorney joins us via skype from cape town, south africa. we appreciate you being with us. this case has drawn a great deal of attention in your country and in the united states, given his celebrity and the dynamics of this case. i wonder if you can help us understand the differences. we were surprised there would be no jury in a criminal trial, in a murder trial. >> absolutely. that's been the case in south africa for many years, since the

early 1960s, prior to that we followed the english system and a jury system. since then, not the case. we've got judges that deal with murder matters. in this particular matter of mr oscar pistorius, you have a jum and two -- judge and two assessors, and the assessors will assist the judge to make a factual finding. they can't determine issues relating to the law. that is in the realm of the judge. if it's a factual issue all three have to come to a unanimous decision. >> does that mean they are lawyers, or are they - we think of an assessor in a different way, perhaps. >> in many cases you are going to have legally qualified people who are then decided upon which the judge. i think that's another aspect that is it foreign in the united states and the u.k. you

obviously have jury selection systems. here, none of the prosecution nor the defense have any say in the appointment of the two assessors. so you walk into court on the first day of the trial, and you'll be introduced to assessors, and you'll have not much say in the appointment. >> i wonder how it is that you have no jury system in south africa. why is that? >> at the time it was a movement away from the english system. we were governed by england, part of the commonwealth, and a decision was made to rid south africa of sort of too much formalistic british, you know, legal system. i think that was one of the reasons why there was a movement away. don't forget at that time you had the apartheid government controlling south africa.

that was before the constitution, which came in in 1994, and before the release of nelson mandela. one must remember that you had an all-white judiciary at the time. information, you didn't have women, and you certainly didn't have any judges of colour presiding over any type of case. so things have certainly changed quite markedly in sav coe. there's a major change, and a lot of women on the bench, as is the case here. >> do you think mr oscar pistorius's testimony has influenced public opinion in. >> some people said they feel sorry for him. they are starting to kind of believe his story. they are saying it's an act. it's him trying to get out of trouble and this whole emotional break down. i think testifying in your

defense in a trial of this magnitude, it must be an horrific experience, causing major trauma for anybody. clearly that is the case with oscar pistorius. >> attorney william booth joining us from cape town south africa via skype. us. >> following up on ukraine, and the dire warnings about the crisis there. the ukrainian military is scrambling to re gain control of cities in the east. russia warned that any use of force could send the country into a still war. secretary of state john kerry described the recent events as deeply disturbing. sheila macvicar now with our story. >> in ukraine's parliament tempers rose and fists flew after one legislator accused the government of playing into russia's hands and destabilising the country.

>> overnight more protests erupted, saying east mukolaiv, the third city where demonstrators took to the streets, battling police, demanding a vote on where their future lies, in ukraine, or like crimea, with russia. >> separatists occupy government buildings, including the local headquarters of the ukrainian secret service. it reads like a script from the russian annexation of crimea in march, which ukraine and the u.s. say was illegal. the ukrainian government said police cleared separatist protests from government buildings in carr kiev, in what they called an 18- minutes long anti-terror operation. secretary of state john kerry blamed what he called russian ates, prove okay -- agents, provocateurs, for the violence.

>> russia's clear and destible itsing active -- destabilising activities is disturbing. no one should be fooled, or is fooled which what could be a contrived pretext for military intervention like we saw in crimea. >> russia agreed to stit with u.s., u.n. and ukraine to forge a way ahead. the foreign minister sergei lavrov suggested changing the came with seats at the table for russia. >> we are in favour of south and east ukraine being represented. >> russia needs to take concrete steps to disavow separatist actions in east ukraine. >> with warnings that more russian interventions in ukraine would lead to sanctions. >> it would be an historic mistake. it would have grave consequences for our relationship with

russia, and it would further isolate russia internationally. and in other news that may concentrate minds in moscow, the economy ministry more than have the official growth forecast for 2014, highlighting a negative impact of continuing international tensions over ukraine, and that is a best case screrp, that to be -- secretary general that to be achieved calls for government spending and setting aside government pools, and does not take into account additional sanctions. >> this is not hurting vladimir putin's popularity at home. >> it's close to a high, running at about 80%, with 18% saying president. >> that's a sharp contrast. what leaders? >> if you look at european leaders, vladimir putin is the most popular of all of them, including the president of the united states. but his popularity clearly is a

reflection that his moves in ukraine, in crimea are playing to a solid core of russians who want to feel powerful and remember the lesson of the strength. >> with this, how does it figure into the west, in the sanctions. >> there's another piece of economic news suggesting that the economy of u.s. and germany has a stronger recovery, they may be prepared to risk more in relation to economic sanctions, because a reason they are kaushes is because there's cautious is because there's a lot to be loss. there's a lot of talk in europe about frack, frack, frack,

easing up on the dependens and fracking the shale gas in europe, lessening the dependence and russian hold. >> the teeter totter between vladimir putin's pop u latter ie the european leaders. out. >> the economy was doing very, very well. this is before the global recession. this time the economy is not doing well, and people may have rising expectations in russia. the economic neems will be met. >> second, that he will be able to suk steed in eastern ukrainian in the way it was able to succeed. >> everyone is watching closely. much. >> up next - digging deep. "america tonight" correspondent adam may continues his look at

the coast a paradise. the coastal everglades. neighbours fear what a gusher here might bring. >> these oil wells inject water into the ground. where does it go. >> in florida, we are at risk. >> the fears that it may be a paradise

>> the florida everglades have become, of all things, the latest battle ground over oil. industry and government officials say drilling is safe, local residents don't buy it, fearing it may poison the area and ruin the landscape. adam may took us to this place last year, and tonight he continues the story. >> air is dying, water is dying.

people are getting sick. >> so it went for more than four hours at a recent hearing of state and federal officials in south-west florida. >> what do we want? >> this is about clean water. >> among those in the cloud, pamela and jaime duran. they live next to one of the proposed oil wells. as part of the drilling, millions of gallons of lace water laced with chemicals will ground. >> if there's a spill it the get to the water well. >> you feel confident now the water is good. . >> if the well goes through. >> if the well goes through there's a possibility the well may be tainted. >> it's less than a mile from the panther sanctuary. the florida department of environmental protection says the wells meet its requirements:

>> it says the fish and wildlife service which runs the panther drilling. >> this is a special place. would they let oil drilling at the grand canon. where will it stop. is anything sacred. >> i sat with jennifer hecker from the conservansy of south-west florida, the world's biggest environmental group. the oilwells inject oil into the ground. where does it go? >> they are injecting it into the boulder zone, but they have a lot of holes in them, we are sitting on porous limestone. in florida we are at risk given our unique geology. our watertables are high, interconnected above and below ground. it makes it a more sensity area to do the drilling.

>> how will a couple of dozen new florida wells impact the endangered panther? >> a primary cause of death for the panther is being hit by vehicles. vehicling collision. the truck traffic associated with drilling is a huge impact. with all the the added vehicles, you are increasing the risk and likelihood that they'll be killed on the road. >> what is the history of drilling in florida, and why is the resurgence happening? >> in the 1940s, they discovered an oil deposit. >> in the "40s. >> yes, quite a while ago. they discovered a formation, and they had vertical drilling for a while in this area. not a lot of horizontal drilling. the technology increases the yield from the wells. >> it's more profitable.

>> it's much more profitable, oil and gas, combined with the technology that it increases yield, has made a surge of applications for surge activity. as you comb through all of this information, and you've begun researching it, who are the laws written to benefit? >> well, we were really surprised, because we didn't know a lot honestly about the type of activity, because we haven't seen new applications in a while. we started learning that the federal law is - you know, very lax with records to application of resources. there are special laws for oil and gas waste water, where even if it's the same chemicals classified as hazardous, they are the nolle prosequi hazardous if -- non-hazardous. >> one of the things we are concerned with is the state has done almost a cursory type of

permitting review, and issued the permits without responding to the public's concerns. we have seen the state's legislature offer two buildings that would shield the companies for centring to provide the information to the public. it would exempt them. anything they consider to be propriety information. there are loud voitss that want the -- voices that want the oil exploration expanded. environmentalist. >> i understand the need for energy independence, and we are not saying there should be no drilling anywhere. there are areas that are inappropriate to drill, next to people's homes, right in the middle of critically endangered species, habitat, next to wetlands. it doesn't make sense to drill everywhere, and that's why we need a balanced approach that protects the environment.

also, recognises the need for energy development appropriate. >> the florida department of environmental application which approves oil wells in the state told america the residents of south-west florida were made well aware of the proposed drilling before the permits were granted, and said inspectors will be at the drill site day and night to monitor conditions. >> when we return, our look at the other america, the surprise on the street, even success and education can't protect america's middle class from joining the ranks of the long-term unemployed. >> aljazeera america presents a break through television event borderland... six strangers... >> let's just send them back to mexico >> experience illegal immigration up close and personal. >> it's overwhelming to see this many people that have

perished. >> lost lives are re-lived... >> all of these people shouldn't be dead. >> will there differences bring them together, or tear them apart. >> the only way to find out is to see it yourselves. >> which side of the fence are you on? borderland only on al jazeera america

>> and now a snapshot of the stories making headlines on "america tonight". is there life on mars, making us wonder - n.a.s.a. released this photo which appears to show artificial light beaming from the planet's surface. it was taken by one of two rovers, and thatta has not offered an explanation of it. >> a los angeles police officer is recovering from multiple gunshot wound. he was shot during a shoot-out in a police station. the suspect walked in, started a

conversation, whipped out a handgun and opened fire. the officers returned fire, critically injuring the suspect. >> president obama signed measures aimed at narrowing the pay gap between men and women. mr obama's move was in relation to a narrow group. >> for many americans, the challenge is getting any pay. the number of long-term unemployed, people out of work for more than six months, hit record highs. congress let unemployment benefits for the unemployment workers run out. by the end of this year as many as 5 million workers could be left with nothing. senate voted to restore unemployment benefits, but the bill may face a battle in the g.o.p. controlled house. >> what lawmakers must come to grips with is this - not just the sheer numbers of long-term

unemployed, but that they are changing and in many ways changed population. the ranks include the well-educated and eager workers taking steps back to support their families any way they can. in our continuing series focus gz on work and the loss of work, we meet a man doing his best to make it in the other american. >> welcome. what a beautiful day in chicago. i have three hours of stuff. we have a lot of fun, a lot of callers. whatever you want to talk about, it's your dime, your dance floor. that was my intro. let me start over. i haven't done it for a while. my name is scott vandersnyf, i'm 53 years old. i have been living in bart the illinois for the last eight years. it's 35 miles west of downtown chicago.

i have two daughters, my daughters 19 and 16. my wife laura is a part-time dietician. i literally start a radio career with no experience, never took a class in radio, and there was a test in radio, and out of 300 submissions they chose me. i went into the audition, i did okay. they offered me friday afternoons, and i accepted. the salary i made from the radio was a good salary. it was not top notch, it was incredible. >> losing the radio show, it devastated me. emotionally, financially and that's where my depression came in.

i have been battling depression. i don't go to a gym and work out. i enjoy time with my dogs and going for a walk. good girls. this is my therapy. this is my relaxation. economics has hurt my memory, this is my way of getting away with my dogs, clears my mind and soul. they are there every day, when i wake up, go to work. they are man's best friend. i get up every day, go to the computer and really try to find jobs. it caused a major problem in my marriage because entertainment is not steady. minus 3 degrees out. i'm going to go to sales. call the people, one after another and try to get someone in sales and get commission. it's not much, but it's

better than nothing. i'm currently working part time as an inside salesperson. like any contractor, i call after call in wheaton, trying to get the lead and give it to those guys. they do painting, renovation. woods, decks. i get 99% hang-ups. literally nothing. last week i had two or three leads, this week one. this is the list i made since 8 o'clock this morning. all the scratch-offs is what i go through. sometimes it's annoying when you don't get any leads for the day. my name is scott from aaa contractors. could i speak to the facilities manager.

>> there are times when you battle depression, and you go through four days and get constant nos, it's di. >> you are getting 1% impecunity for a job. if i drive to milwaukee, and it's 90 miles, think about the gas and my time, it's half a day at a minimum i'm sitting in a lobby waiting, and he gave me 12 minutes. we have to be specific about what types of people are out there when we travel outside the country. >> no problem with the feedback appreciate it. have a nice weekend. >> i have had a variety of jobs - driving plumbing trucks, labouring as a concrete labourer, washing trucks from 10 at night until four in the morning. high-rise window washing. i painted and prepped the window in 95 degrees weather.

that's what i did. that was my work. painted, prep. by the end of the week he threw my money on the ground and told me to pick it up. >> i've been the easter bunny this year. i was a rodeo clown. i was doing every type of mascot job you can find. the average mascot age between 22 and 26. i was in my early 50s, wearing a costume in 100 degree weather, 20 degree weather, trying to survive, make a living. >> this is a fun costume, it makes kids happy, it's been an income it's work. it's under the entertainment umbrella. i did - this past year i did 21 shows. here i go. if it's a 2 hour show i do 50 to 100.

everyone loves santa. i haven't been home on a christmas eve for the last three years. effi cruz eve i do two or three shows. that's my big night -- usually christmas eve i do two or three shows. one of the most bizarre jobs i had, i held a sign as an alligator, for a college textbook. and i had a bunch of punctuation throw a milk shake at me - now i can laugh about it - in the head. i suffer depression. we are one or two pay checks away, you know, from being homeless. recently, i was very close to suicide. i was - i felt as though my life

is not worth living. i'm financially struggling, like a lot of people. i felt i'm just a waste of talent. i was really down. being the characters that i do, santa, as all these goofy mascot performances that i have done, yes, i do it because i need the money. i need the income. but, at the end of the day these kids are so happy this they've got a picture with whatever goofy character it was, omin the background. they don't know me, who i am, but as that character. that makes me feel good.

i just want to try to, you know, rebuild myself, and, you know - it is like starting over. there's a lot of people at my age, 53, nobody wants you. i mean, it's hard, it's difficult to, you know, to get back to where i was. i don't think that will ever happen again. better. >> scott vandersnyf sharing his story. not much of a surprise for our next guest. christine owens, executive director of the national employment law project. today. >> no, sadly it's not. there are over a to 4 million long-term unemployed workers. >> that's more than six months. >> that's more than six months, actively looking for jobs for more than six months. many of at least are older workers. workers who are at least 50. for them it takes longer to find a job, and the jobs they find

typically don't pay what they had earnt previously. scott's example is typical for many of them, they piece together whatever they can peace together to hold together whatever they can hold together, and there seems to be little hope, a lot of the time. >> is it worse for men, women, holder, younger. who has the oldest time. >> it's bad for everybody. i don't want to pick who it's worse for, but it is worse for older workers generally, and that's for a lot of reasons. age discrimination is a real factor in the labour market. there's no question about that. it is - i don't know if it's worse for older men than it is for older women, but because women tend to have lower salaries, it's sometimes easier to go back into another job, because they are not facing such a big pay cut. looking at long-term unemployment in history, is it

different in a way to other crisis of these types. think about it. people who are educated, and have had success. >> this is unprecedented in our lifetime, at least sips the -- since the labour department started keeping data. this is the highest rate of sustained long-term unemployment we have experienced. roughly 40% of an employed - employer have been unemployed. >> 40%. >> that does not take income tax people who have dropped out of the labour force because they are too discouraged to look, or people who take early social security retirement at age 62, which comes with a penalty in terms of lower benefits. it's the only option they have no order to have income. looking forward these folks are

in their 50s, and dipping into their retirement savings. >> exactly. they have depleted their retirements and other savings. they have often lost their homes. they have no real assets and are facing a situation in which in order to survive, they have to take early social security, coming with a steep reduction in benefits, and i feel like we'll see a crisis of rising poverty among the elderly. we haven't seen that since 1968, since medicare became the law of the land. we saw a steep reduction in poverty and the elderly. we are facing a situation in which millions of long-term unemployed workers who couldn't get new jobs, or unemployed workers who took a long time to get a job and got one at less

salary, or people that got jobs but were underemployed. >> it's a crisis that will gone on for a moment. christine owens, director of national employment law project. >> when we return - on a long and winding road - expectations and surprises. >> i told my kids you never know country. >> living the american dream, as seen through our new series "driven."

there's more to finical news than the ups and downs of the dow. for instance, can fracking change what you pay for water each month? have you thought about how climate change can effect your grocery bill? could rare minerals in china effect your cell phone bill? or, how a hospital in texas could drive up your health care premium. i'll make the connections from the news to your money real. >> the driver's seat of a taxi cab is a life in motion, chosen by those who have have uprooted themselves to navigate a new country. as the number of foreign born drivers skye rockets, we take a ride with those adept at mapping the streets and cities in a

series called "driven." our first stop is chicago. we meet a map who bobbed and weaved in the ring to bobbing traffic. >> my name, culture, religion... >> taxi driver estaifan shilatia likes to engage penningers with his own little competition. >> they ask me where i'm from. i say this is my cash cab. >> customers don't win money, but estaifan shilatia offers them a free ride if they guess his country on first try. the winning country is iraq. he grew up in basra. his journey from the middle east to america's midwest is a classic tale of an immigrant

seeking freedom and fortune. literally. >> i was a champion. i beat every champion in iraq in my way. >> this chicago cab driver dominated. from 1968 to 1976 estaifan shilatia was the national champion in the weight class. he could not represent his country beyond its borders because of his religion. born a christian in a muslim country. >> every time i step in the ring, sometimes they boo me. >> they boo you because you were a christian. >> right. my family say estaifan shilatia, don't stay here, you are a good boxer, run away from the country. you be a good boxer. >> in iraq, estaifan shilatia was seen as an outsider on two

counts. he is christian and an assyrian, a proud ethnic group that trieses its heritage to ancient babylon, as estaifan shilatia reminds his passengers. >> we were the first to believe in jesus. we speakera may abbing. >> estaifan shilatia had to keep his christianity cit. in his taxi he displace it. >> you have a cross in your car. >> all the time. i'm christian. >> the pride and fear ta his faith would end his boxing career led him to leave his trophies behind, back a suitcase and flee. first to jordan, and then to greece. he was thinking about going to australia but a young woman caught his eye and life took an abrupt term.

>> she said my family is in america, and i go to schick , and we were going to stay in chicago. >> i told her "do you want me to change my plans? ". >> she said "if you love me, come with me." i checked my plan from love to go to chicago. >> young love brought you here. >> right, right. i swear to god, she hit me in my heart. life. >> in 1979 the young lovers came to chicago. the city of big shoulders, lake shore drive and wrigley field, so far removed from the desert landscape of boss ra. he married anna, like him. 35 years later they are still happily married.

>> from that time until now, my ring in my hair. >> same ripping you wear today. >> -- ring you wear today. --. >> same thing. i put it in my right hand because my hand is broke. >> from boxing. after arriving in chicago estaifan shilatia got back into the ring as a professional. he signed up with a big-time promoter. as an american pro he won five bouts and lost two. by then he pushed 30, and the last fight, the one that broke his hand and nose was enough for his young wife. >> she said "no, no, i want your face straight. i don't want you to fight no more." >> now estaifan shilatia's only fights is with chicago's traffics and windows. this is how he supportize his family.

he saved up to by a chicago taxi medallion, worth $4 4u7bz thous, so -- boss. >> the money ut got from this job sends your kids to college. >> and they are educate, and thank god. i told my kids you never know what you will be. god bless america. i told them three years ago, four years ago, who believe is going to be black president. estaifan shilatia's hard work earnt him a modest home in a suburb of chicago. a moment where he raised four children, now young adults. they now how lucky they are. lucky that we are here in the united states, that we get a chance to get an education, and a chance - lucky that we have opportunities, more opportunities than he had. >> was something drilled into

you, growing up as a girl, about what you had that was special, being an american-born child. >> you have to be number one, be on top of everything. you have to prove yourself. >> like immigrant families, they embraced two cultures, the old world and the new. >> he taught us to be proud of who we are, and never forget we are assyrian. >> and that they are americans. >> all the good times. he said this country is the best. i came with nothing. the typical "i came with lint in my pocket, now i have a company." his was fascinating, because it was your father. >> did you buy it? up. >> 13 years ago, not long before september 11th, the iraqi boxing citizens. >> i told my kids you are born

in this country, you are citizen of this country. while i get the citizen of this country i say now i am the top of the world. i am citizen of this country. >> now on top of the world estaifan shilatia backs on easier path to citizenship for other immigrants, but has no patience for new coxers that com -- newcomers that complain. >> you come here, if you don't here. >> in truth he would rather talk about boxing than politics. >> mike tyson. the stronger boxer in the world, but the best boxer in the world is muhammad ali. as for the abrupt turns in his life, from the ring in basra to the front seat of the cab, estaifan shilatia has no regrets. he's slugged it out in the streets for 15 years, and

passengers that slide into his cab are certain to hear him say one thing again and again "god bless america." >> that's a map going on a great ride. next time on the program. our series "driven" continues, to new york city, the cabbies and the sales pitch. nepal? >> absolutely, each and every person has an merch dream. everyone wants to go to america, see america, what is there. they have big dream about america. >> living a different big dream, a lawyer making a sacrifice that is driving his family forward in pursuit of the american dream. "driven", in new york. that's next time on "america tonight". >> this weekend on al jazeera america presents an original

documentary series "borderland" begin. average americans premiering sunday. >> and ahead in the final thought this hour, the amazing race. it's a test of endurance you can't imagine, in the middle of the sahara desert, what is considered easily to be the toughest foot race on earth. the stream is uniquely interactive television. in fact, we depend on you, your ideas, your concerns. >> all these folks are making a whole lot of money. >> you are one of the voices of this show. >> i think you've offended everyone with that kathy. >> hold on, there's some room to offend people, i'm here. >> we have a right to know what's in our food and monsanto do not have the right to hide it from us. >> so join the conversation and make it your own. >> watch the stream. >> and join the conversation online @ajamstream.

>> finally from us this hour, in morocco hundreds of runners take on one of the toughest races in the world. the marathon des sables. who knows why. along with the distance and selledering heat runners must deal with sandstorms that can send them off course. in 1994 an italian runner was lost for a week in the desert and survived by eating bats and scorpions. as andy richardson explains, the trek is not only a test of endurance, but planning.

>> adrenaline, nerves and no little fear. runners getting ready to take the first of oh so many steps on this year's marathon des sables. >> i'm feeling ecstatic and i can't wait to run and have fun. this is why we are here. >> i've been following this for 20 years. 20 years it's taken, wanting to do it, and i'm here. >> six stages covering more than 250km of brutal desert terrain lie ahead. the sahara desert dunes may look beautiful, less so, when all the food and kit you need for a week is on your back. >> the dune is so draining on your lecks, and you go up -- legs, and you go up and down - no end in site. >> a marathon veteran described the runners as being like rottizery chickens, marinated in sweat and sand and cooked by the sun.

it won't sprays you to know the medics expect to hand out 6,000 days. >> with waters rationed and feet reddoned, the medical tent is set to be a busy place. >> it's difficult, and we are sure to see nearly all the runners at the clinic. there's a lot of business. placing yourself in harm's way is one of the perverse attractions of the race. i find it life-changing when i did it before, and it makes you appreciate what you have at home, giving you time to think, taking you to some dark places. it gives you time to get your head strait. the challenge for many, not just getting through the days ahead, over. >> i'll tell you what they should do - they should just sit down. the 6-day ultra marathon covers 176 miles, the equivalent of six

regular marra athonmarathons. that's it more "america tonight". for more, log on to aljazeera.com/americatonight. you can see what we are working op, and tell us what you'd like to see. join in the conversation on twitter or facebook. goodnight. more of "america tonight" tomorrow.

>> they are agreeing to talks. hopes of a diplomatic outcome to the crisis in ukraine - e.u., u.s., moscow and ukraine meet next week. >> hello from doha. i'm here with the world news from al jazeera. a bomb attack at a fruit market in pakistan killed at least 20 people. >> i'm now optimistic that we will find the aircraft >> renewed hope in the search for the