aljazerra.com aljazerra.com/americatonight, you can meet our team there and get sneak previews of stories we are working on now and tell us what result like to see on our current affairs program. and join us the conversation on twitter or our facebook page. good night. we'll have "america tonight" >> this is al jazeera america. i'm jonathan betz. live in new york. soldiers sent to the east in ukraine for clashes turned deadly. tonight who the u.s. is blaming. >> we know who's behind this. indeed the only entity in the area for coordinated actions is russia. >> star fish have existed for 400 million years but now they're dying off and no one knows why. >> also, keeping the conversation going. the push to save the mid east

piece talks. the focus on our week ahead. >> three hours from now ukraine says it will fight back from militants. stormed government buildings in the east. ukraine wants them out or warns it will launch a, quote, full scale antiterror mission. russia and the u.s. exchanged barbs. >> you have heard laments about instability as if instability is organic. but the saddest kind of instablght, iinstability is man. choreographed in and by russia. >> it is the west that will determine the opportunity to

avoid civil war in ukraine. some people including in this chamber do not want to see the real reasons for what is happening in ukraine and are constantly seek the land in moscow in what's going on. >> now this comes after a weekend of violent demonstrations across ukraine. pro-russian, crowds took over in eastern ukraine this afternoon but the country for the first time fought back. soldiers were sent in to confront those protesters. it is a scene being repeated across ukraine, pro-russian separatists, swarmed in three eastern cities. roadblocks blocked accessing to

some of those cities. >> after launching a short military operation in slovyansk on sunday, the government is preparing to use force region wide. interim president said prorussian groups in control of state buildings across the east have until monday morning to lay down their weapons and leave. if they don't the military will be called in and will protest the use of force. >> launching a full scale antiterrorist organization using the armed forces of ukraine. we will not allow the russians to repeat the crimean scenario in the east. >> cannot be verified. appears to be a man taking cover on the outskirts of slovyansk. another man sits apparently

lifeless. pro russian activists appear in control. try to retake but retreat because of the risk to the public. >> we are the residents of slovyansk. the national guard has come here. there has already been a shootout this morning. we have nothing to hide. i want to ask conrad putin, pleat come here and protect us. >> here is a scene in the nearby city. purportedly showing the time the north in cha are carr car in khy

will stay until at least the limit, the republic of donetske in referendum. >> once the referendum takes place we'll see what the situation is and then we'll decide our next steps. i consider the request absolutely illegal. what kiev is doing is not right. >> authorities in kiev say the people here do not represent call this an artificial conflict coordinated by russia. kiev is now calling on those in the east to unite as it prepares for its next steps. kim vanel, al jazeera, donetske. >> we talked about ukraine's options. >> there is a bit of a no win situation. we don't know which response will work best. they can let the rioting and

protests continue but then they're going to lose control of those regions. they can intervene with their own forces, but they risk russian intervention. they're in a very tough position because the west will give them moral support, give them advice, post sanction he on russia but they're not going to intervene in a countermilitary operation to save them. >> russia still might not intervene with its military. the instability gives moscow leverage over ukraine's government. stay with us, we'll have much more on the u.n. security council meeting on al jazeera america. not everyone is happy with the government. thousands marched through moscow announcing a extreme clamp down on the press. >> the supporters of free speech were gathering in moscow at a time of real crisis.

those here on sunday claim there is virtually no independent voice left. the media clamped down by president putin,. >> protest by total censorship and lack of freedom of opinion in russian media. >> the opposition is exhausted because it's exhausted. it protests so'. there's no point in protesting because the government doesn't listen to us. >> a well respected news agency lost its long serving editor in chief replaced by a more kremlin friendly journalist. the independent broadcaster why doge was virtually closed down after political pressure on its

subscribers. even blogs can be banned without political recourse. it's not just the fate of ukraine that's under such scrutiny. it's also the freedom of journalists to cover it. peter sharp, al jazeera in moscow. >> united states is looking into claims of another gas attack in syria. online videos uploaded on friday show people trying to escape damaged buildings, others being treated with oxygen. both sides say it's a chemical attack but both sides blame each other for it. an expert on syria's chemical weapons program. thank you for being with us tonight. >> my pleasure. >> what do you think of another chemical attack within syria? >> it's hard to verify.

in terms of chlorine, it's not like the se serin gas used last august. it's used in any swimming pool. so that the opposition or the syrian government both sides could have got their hands on it and could have used it. >> you don't think this reveals possibly the government dipping back into its chemical arsenal? >> it's hard to imagine the government with its hard-won compromise of handing over its chemical weapons stock, it's hard to imagine the syrian government risking that arrangement by deploying chlorine gas. the benefits of deploying chlorine gas in that town would not be kind of worth the consequence he. >> help us understand exactary what chlorine gas does to the body. how effective a weapon is it? >> chlorine gas was

introduced -- one of the first chemical weapons introduced in worlworld war i and it affects e respiratory system. it's deadly. it's the same substance used to kill bacteria in the swimming pool but on a much more intense scale. >> so how do you think this may impact the international community answer response to syria? you mentioned the fact that syria is removing at least you think they are their chemical weapons in the country. this recent attack is not sparking the kind of outrage in the west as some would imagine. >> it's unfortunate simply because the fatalities and casualties are not large enough to gather attention. before the serin attack outside of damascus, there casualties and fatalities weren't large

enough the international community didn't respond. >> you think it's risky though for the rebels or the government to use chemical weapons, especially sids, when chemical weapons are introduced that does seem to be a can game changer. >> that would be risky for the government. if the rebels could use these weapons and not have it traced back to them it's a win situation among any of the rebel factions. keep in mind the various rebel faction he. but if a rebel faction would make it seem like the government is using the chemical weapons it would be a win for them not a risk. >> but the type of technology to be able to carry out such a chemical attack? >> it's a tricky but not impossible. now, we do have a precedent where the rocky insurgents in

2007 tried to use the chlorine bomb against american soldiers and in that case the exploarve e device was so rudimentary, we don't know how the circumstances of how the chlorine gas was used. but it's just finding an efficient dispersal device. in this case the casualties are low enough that a kind of rudimentary chlorine device could have been used to achieve the desired effect. >> still nonetheless that we're talking about chemical weapons again in syria. thank you for your time tonight. >> my pleasure. >> well, it is turning into a tight rate for president of afghanistan. early results reveal two clear front runners, abdalla abdalla

is slightly in front. first time ever that country has democratically transferred power. bernard smith has more. >> to win afghanistan's presidential election outright, the leading contender would need to get more than 50% of the vote. results coming in, some released next week. the final tally, the final announcement will be mid may. but at this change, it looks like abdalla abdalla and ashraf ghani, are headed for a runoff vote. both have said they will take part of that runoff if they consider the election was been carried off fairly. while there has been fraud there hasn't been as significant enough a level for the outcome of the poll. in that case there might surely be a runoff but the afghans will

not know until their new president will be until well into the end of october and the results are all in. >> report warns the planet is warming faster than some have expected and urged the world's governments to act fast. >> this is the third and final chapter of the panel's report on climb climate change. the world must are cut its reliance on coal and oil. and change to wind power. some call it a clash of interests between politics and science. it offers reasons for hope but also some stark warnings. >> the longer we delay, the higher would be the cost. i mean that's something which is very clear. but despite that, the point i'm making is that even now, the cost is not something that's going to bring about a major

disruption of economic systems. it's well within our reach. >> global surface temperatures are predicted to rise by up to 4.8 degrees celsius by 2100 if no action is taken. the ippc target is to keep the rise to 2°, regarded as the point beyond which dangerous impacts of climate change will be felt. tto achieve that, carbon emissions will need to be cut between 40% and 70% by 2050. welcoming the report urging world leaders to act on the recommendations. >> there is hope. this is a strong message of the report, we have the solutions, we have the time to prevent grairve climate change. >> there are still many skeptics alarmed at the costs involved. tough negotiations are ahead if agreement is to be reached on a

global pact to curb greenhouse gas by the end of next year. harry smith, al jazeera. >> civil rights activists tonight say there suspect is a long time member of the ku klux klan. three separate people were killed at a separate location in jewish assisted the residence a mile away. the suspect is well-known antisell iantisemite and kkk gr. unknown if today's shootings are related. well there's still much more ahead on al jazeera america, including secretary of state john kerry will soon head back to the middle east. negotiators are trying to jump start stalled peace talks. a look ahead in the week, next.

fast moving wildfire are taking several homes. rebecca. >> tornadoes in oklahoma, missouri and texas, i'll show you where the tornadoes have potential overnight, next.

al jazeera america. we understand that every news story begins and ends with people. >> the efforts are focused on rescuing stranded residents. >> we pursue that story beyond the headline, pass the spokesperson, to the streets.

>> thousands of riot police deployed across the capital. >> we put all of our global resources behind every story. >> it is a scene of utter devastation. >> and follow it no matter where it leads - all the way to you. al jazeera america, take a new look at news. >> now back to our lead story sunday night. the ukraine protesters are refusing to leave government buildings in eastern ukraine. growing crisis in ukraine. cat turner reports from the united nations. >> the russian ambassador to the united nations came to the security council in a feisty and combat ant mood. the russian ambassador said he want the west to take control and it was up to the west to avoid civil war.

said there was immense antirussian sentiment in ukraine. >> the authorities do not want to listen to those who do not accept the imposed dominance in kiev. seeing in them a threat to their human dignity and to their very lives. the grotesque russophobia has come in the ukrainian parliament as well. >> this was an open session. the ambassador said that russian troops were massing on their borders and said this is a final warning cry. >> russia has not only been constantly increasing the number of its troops outside the ukrainian border but also sent subversive groups into the ukrainian territory to destabilize the region.

main intelligence directorate or general staff of the armed forces of the russian federation were infiltrated ininto ukrainian territory with the task of formally organize the militant units. >> all 15 members of the security council addressed the subject. china took a neutral stand. said the best chance of a resolution was through diplomatic marines. they are still open to dialogue but a prerequisite must be that russia puls pulls back the miliy troops. the blame must lie specifically with russia. >> you have heard that instability is organic but the sad fact is this is the saddest type of instability, completely man made. this instability was written and

choreographed in and by russia. >> conflict in ukraine still very deep division here in new york. russia was clearly worried enough to call the emergency session but didn't find too much sympathy in the chamber. russia seems to be looking for a diplomatic solution but ultimately what happens next it loobltion like will -- it looks like will be decided on the ground. forest fire in chile. president michel bachelet, are why emotional 100,000 people were forced to flee, victims say they had little time to escape. >> we couldn't do anything. no one could. i didn't take anything with me, nobody did. we didn't take anything. we couldn't do anything. i don't know if you realize what it was like. you would have to see it to believe it. >> the blaze destroyed hundreds of homes.

it was sparked yesterday afternoon and is being called the worst fire there in 60 years. extremely dangerous situation rebecca. >> had tornadoes touch off in three different states. large hail has been reported from missouri to oklahoma and mainly nickel to quarter-sized, but it's the tornadoes, the most recent has touched down in lovelady texas, from waco, from south to southeast. it's still a rogue storm, developing intense heavy rainfall and increasing the chance he of some areas or localized flash flooding and a lot of dangerous lightning stretching from texas into oklahoma, missouri, arkansas as well. these are some intense storms but note the snow coming in behind it. well it's a huge temperature difference that's causing these storms to really spin up and

have more power and energy to keep the hail stones suspended in the air so they can grow and come down and cause the damage. wind gusts impressive. look at these. anywhere from 44 mile-per-hour wind gusts lincoln, oklahoma city, dropping temperatures 30 to 50° within a matter of hours. now you could see where the cold front is lined up when you look at where the wind direction is going. we still have very warm, moist area slamming into the very front edge of that cold air mass. and here's the temperature drop, 41° of a drop in temperatures for denver. much cooler day ahead for dallas. you're just getting going with your cool down. and you can see where the freeze warnings and watches are in place for the morning hours. meantime, getting snow in denver nebraska and kansa kansas.

jonathan it's an extreme day. >> thank you rebecca. it's a go on tomorrow, despite problems with the international space station. the scientists say they figured out a solution that will allow a safe docking. the x dragon will lift off loaded with 5,000 pounds of supplies. the company has a contract to shuttle supplies to the space station for that' nasa. new orleans has a fun loving reputation but here is a story on brain power. >> new orleans is fast becoming a brain power city, ranked number 1 according to forbes study. despite the devastation of hurricane katrina, the big

easy's population of can graduates grew by 20% from 2007 to 2012, nearly double the national average. >> people are all telling me back home, why are you going to new orleans? it was hit by a big storm. >> she came to new orleans from iran. >> all of the entrepreneurship that's going on here for my case, that i really enjoy, that i can actually apply what i learn throughout all these years of learning science. >> she met her colleague, elaine horn renne through tulane's are engineering program. her ties to the university brought her back. >> i started in biomedical engineering, enjoy the program, enjoy the city and want to be part of the recovery. >> new orleans's population shrank after hurricane katrina. but with when one saw a lost

cause, some saw an opportunity. now it's attracting young educated people. are new orleans, a city known for its revelry, now becoming home for tech companies around the world. >> like paris based game lot of and global star who moved to the loft of coventry in 2010. >> louisiana is attracting mega-markets. >> global star ceo jamon rowe. >> sloven was a challenging place to work. it was crowded. it was expensive. competing for best talent became challenging as well. >> but in new orleans, global star likes the prospects and playing field. >> we have a whole series of confluences that are allowing people to come, to stay, and to thrive, in different businesses

that a few years ago just didn't exist here. >> paris and elaine want to stay in the city after graduation. >> people have always wanted to visit new orleans but it's a new thing that people want to stay. >> they are optimistic about a city that has a track record for overcoming extreme circumstances. robert ray, al jazeera, new orleans. >> quite a come back for the crescent city. still ahead on al jazeera america, the latest efforts to restart the mid east peace talks. and why a cuc cup of coffees likely to be costing you a lot more money. >> the death toll could be much higher than anyone known. >> posing as a buyer... >> ...people ready then... >> mr. president >> who should answer for those people

>> we're glad you're watching al jazeera america. here are the top stories. ukraine says it will fight back against militants. ukraine wants them out or warns it will launch a, quote, full scale antiterror operation.

two clear front runners have emerged from afghanistan's election. if no one secures a clear majority a runoff vote will be held in may. in kansas city, word tonight the suspect in a shooting spree is a long time member of the ku klux klan. three people were killed in two separate locations. two outside a jewish community center, a woman killed outside a jewish residence. a well-known ant antisemite. >> u.s. special envoy, martin endict, we begin with background from courtney ke keely.

>> secretary of state john kerry has made more than a dozen trips to the region since he began his tenure a little over a year ago. >> it is a little bit of ego that he thinks he can achieve this. but he's right that israeli-palestinian peace agreement would help restabilize the area. >> in testimony before the senate foreign relations committee last week, kerry's testimony of the new settlement was the cause of this rift. each says the other is not keeping up its side of the bargain. israel promised to release palestinian are prisoners but now wants to tie that release to the extension of the talks which are due at the end of the month.

the palestinians promised to not join the u.n. or other organizations but went back on that agreement when the israelis quealcancelled the release of prisoners. >> john kerry doesn't do anything without barack obama's approval. so it would be a case of this administration making the decision to devote time to the peace talks. it was the administration that made this decision. >> david rhodes suggests that perhaps it is time this accept of attempt at peace has met its end. >> if the americans do too much they're blamed or if the americans do too little they're blamed. >> for an administration already in its second term time may be running out. courtney keely, al jazeera, new

york. >> the u.s. mid east envoy martin endick, will return before the april 29th deadline but faces an increasingly difficult task. each blames the other, each is breaking their own promises. the core issues are settlements in the west bank. israel continues to build there, angering palestinians. other problems remain, notably who should control jerusalem. recently i talked with, asking if they are trying to stall progress. >> i don't think there's in anybody's interest to stall them. john kerry went there 15 times. he is reassessing reanalyzing and reorganizing his team and his ideas. what's gone right now is the same of the old.

the united states has not put anything new on the table since 1993, the os lowlo accord. that's why we fail once again once again and once again. the u.s. has to present a new idea and say to both parties that we will continue let's say our military aid to you if you really cease building in such and such and such. >> what if they say the palestinians are not holding up their deal as well. patricia. >> since 1967 it was decided that this would be a two-state solution and there were borders and since that they have been moving step by step into the west bank and that's where they control, they monitor movements, they now have a wall. so again they're the stronger party. so it's like an older brother or sister, you have to set the ground when you're the stronger one or the more -- or the one

with the greater amount of resources. >> you say they have set the ground. they released dozens of can prisoners. they won it, years ago. >> it's a site over both parties over the land. before 1948, there are palestinian inhab talents theree now. the politics and position of the israeli lobby makes it very difficult for congress to decide to change any policies within the context whether the administration wants to or not. >> let's go over quickly the current deal we're talking about. it was the attempt to get the sides talking again after years of inactivity. it requires the palestinians to refrain from violence, not to secret trseek retribution.

but descrailing israelis, do yof this does fall through, if we see another failed mid east peace talks perhaps the time is now as she suggested to further maybe isolate or punish israel? >> i don't think it's like are punishing the right way, what we are looking for is the american supreme national security interests, how they will be served and by doing what. i believe americans national security interests will be served by reaching a two state solution, why, we're leaning more towards asia, we want to stop the expansion of china, we have to turn more to asia, the united states of america. if israel doesn't cut the deal

within five to ten years, and the united states is withdrawing slowly from the middle east, who is going to negotiate on behalf of israel the best-ever deal that israel is going to get? here what we talk about, when you look at the united states, you see the united states by doing this it's doing israel a favor. >> by what, holding the peace talks? >> exact li and by insisting there must be a peace talk. a transfer of the palestinians, the international are community would not allow. israel is not ready for, two stage. where are we going are from here? how do you roll the dice? the palestinians by 2025 will be almost 9 million between the river and the mediterranean. how is israel going to answer this question in ten years?

>> let's talk about settlements, because international law prevents them from building those settlements but israel has been pg doing that for quite a while. we see a graphic how many are there in the settlements. in 198315 years after israel took over the west bank there were nearly 23,000 settlers living there but ten years later that number quadrupled from 23,000 to close to 111,000. by 2011 there were more than 328,000 west bank settlers there in land that most of the international community considers illegal. if this is as simple as do not build in the west bank why not just stop building in the west bank and then we finally have peace? it's knot that simple, is it? >> yeah, let's say that settlements oar huge problem. they've been increasing every year, every time there's a peace process they increase.

i think bill clinton came closest to the peace produce and at that time, ehud bar ak had the highest number of settlements in the west bank. >> but, after the u.n. voted to divide western palestine, 1978, camp david accords followed after led to peace between israel and egypt, but for years israel refused to talk. the palestinian authority but no palestinian state obviously and the two sides almost came close to a deal at camp david in 2000, lasting deal to end the conflict, then in 2010 the obama administration, credit launched the peace talks. why launch into this now,

especially since the region seems peaceful especially compared to years in the past, so why do you think secretary kerry and president obama even bothered going through this now? >> if israel doesn't get the best deal now when america is the greatest power on earth, israel is not going to get any better deals when china or when russia becomes or when the european union becomes, when china, russia, european union and the united states are ruling and voting and having the same weight. now we are moving towards china, middle east must be stabilized. we don't want to throw them under a bus or under the bus, make them a deal. >> patricia de jenarro, and professor, we thank you both for dmomg tonight. peace talks leading up to

the april 29th deadline. on monday pulitzer prize winners will be named in new york city. monday will mark the first anniversary of the boston marathon bombing, ukraine, russia, eu and the united states will all be at the table. no president in guinea basao has, plagued the small west african country but today voters are casting ballots and hoping for a new start. credit in basao. >> people in guinea basao stand in line to vote for their preferred presidential and parliamentary candidates. 30 men want to be president. this man holds his identity card ready to vote. he has been in this process many

times since his country gained independence from portugal in 1974. he is under no illusions about what his future may hold. >> translator: i voted because i must. i can't possibly know. >> in the same polling station, manuel, the country's interim president also casts his vote. >> a chance to complete his mission. let's forget about the past because guinea basao is inned in of unity. >> closely monitoring the election are credit officials from many.

>> security reforms in the generic sense require of course how you may prepare for restructure, military, how the relationship, civil, military relationship, is redefined. >> many people here are cautiously hopeful that this election is going to give them the change that they want. they hope that the man whom they vote for is going to be strong enough to solve the country's problems. he'll have to deal with a crippled economy, a destabilizing drug are problem, and a military that's reluctant to disengage in the can country, for whoever becomes president of these west african state. katherine soy, guinea basaao wet

africa. >> new the ugandan border suffering to survive. >> these women played homeless by war, struggle to survive every day. many in the queue go back empty handed. >> there is no other water. the other place that has water is very far. you'd have to walk for three hours to get there. that's why we come leer and dig in the ground to -- here and dig in the ground to get water. >> these are only some of south sudan. calling for immediate action. thousands of children have been facing high levels of mall nutrition since the world's newest country separated from sudan in 2011. tens of thousands were forced from their homes due to the fighting between rival military

groups. there is no food, water or medical care. conditions here are not good. as you can see, children are sick, no food, no water. i call on our government to look into our situation. >> rfertion orefugees are on thr say they haven't received much help. they say local farmers are hesitant for refugees to stay on their land. the situation of refugees in minilay and milgo has not been addressed. other than letting the refugees to remain there. >> in recent weeks the instability has also put the planting season at risk. raising fears that a lack of crops will further deteriorate the situation. u.n. experts warn that the worst is yet to come. yet despite these warnings most of the affected still await

help. sama benjave, al jazeera. >> there is a pretty good chance the cup of coffee will become more expensive this year. the global cost of coffee has shot up. indonesia's farm are cashing in. >> credit coffee berries are ripe and ready oto pick. this harvest looks like it will be well above average. >> translator: along this stem i can see in november the production will be really good. when it rains the coffee will turn red and the price of coffee is also going up amazingly high compared with earlier years. >> reporter: it's not only the season that's looking good but the prices as well, farms and exporters are factoring in a huge increase at least 50%. and the reason for that is a drought in brazil. so brazil's bad luck is good for

indonesia. three years ago, prices doubled in one season. now they look to be on the same run. they export 80% of their organic crop to the u.s. >> brazil and other countries have had a bad harvest, making coffee a hard crop to get. we have our own signature product. >> reporter: there's also more people drinking coffee in markets such as china and india. which will put more pressure on supply over the next few years. for coffee connoisseurs a cup of instant just isn't good enough. >> coffee is the blood for these people. it is in our people. right now other than export, the people love drinking coffee. the consumption is going on. >> high price and a bumper harvest.

it sounds like a perfect bland for are the coffee growers. nicole johnson, al jazeera. >> still to come on al jazeera america, many americans living overseas are giving up their citizenships. the reason why, ahead.

>> what excites me about detroit is the feeling of possibility... >> the re-birth of an america city >> we're looking at what every city can learn from detroit, >> the industrial revival

entrepreneurs driving growth communities fighting back... >> we're fighting for you and we're taking these neighborhoods back, for you. >> a special look at the moves adding fuel to the motor city five days in detroit only on al jazeera america. >> and welcome back. well, some plairns are going to great -- americans are going to great lengths to avoid the tax man. they're giving up their citizenship. phil i.tphil ittner has more. >> a significant rise in u.s. citizens renouncing their citizenship. a new tax law coming into effect this year, the foreign account tax compliance act or fatca,

means all institutions abroad must report to the u.s. treasury, accounts held by american citizens. it is thought that is a big reason more americans are giving up their passports. the singer tina turner decided to renounce her citizenship in 2013. the actor jet lee also made that choice and ricardo severin. since this law came into effect in 2010, more americans have renounced their citizenship than all the previous credit decade combined. diane gelin is a lawyer helping americans with this process. there is a sense of frustration. >> it is making people think, do i really want to reveal this

information? is it fair i'm revealing this fairgs? most people who live outside the united states have bank accounts because they need to go to the supermarket, they need to put petrol in their car and live in the currency in which they're living. why shouldn't they have a bank account? there is nothing sinister in holding a bank account. >> financial institutions say they no longer will take on american clients if they fail to report to the u.s. treasury they could face fines or levies. christopher hecht helps people deal with american laws. he says giving up citizenship just because of fatca is an overreaction. >> there are ways to mitigate it, if you have the correct professional advice.

the issue is more on foreign companies failing oreport. >> modify it so it targets more effectively those who are really trying to hide money overseas instead of a blanket pleasure on every single citizen living abroad. for estimated 6 million plairns living abroad -- americans living abroad there is a choice to be made. make the life altering decision to renounce your u.s. citizenship give up your passport and live completely overseas. phil ittner, al jazeera, london. >> a replies tri from the sea. star fish are -- a mystery from the sea. star fish are dying. more when we come back. can

>> for centuries starfish have

fascinated people. some consider them good luck but they are dying at an alarming rate. as rob reynolds reports, scientists have no idea why. >> in this rocky wave washed corner of the california coast, researchers are gathering a marine mystery. they are searching rock by rock, crevice by crevice. normally, many specious of star -- species of starfish thrive here. today however the researchers can find hardly any of them. >> today we only saw two sea stars here today. last year, we saw 145. to go from 145 down to 2 is pretty drastic. >> starfish have lived in the oceans for 450 million years but now they seem to be in trouble. all up and down the pacific coast, starfish also known as

sea stars have been dying off in huge numbers. and scientists have no idea what's killing them. divers started noticing large numbers of dead and diseased sea stars from alaska and british columbia last june. >> a very widespread phenomenon, a massive mortality event. >> divers say the disease kill in a matter of hours. >> it starts off as a little while lesion usually and then basically they get deflated and their arms just come off and kind of creep away from them. so at the worst state you'll see like four or five arms that have obviously spread away from the center of the body. >> scientists believe that some sort of virus or bacteria is killing the sea stars but they're baffled by why the animals have suddenly become so susceptible to the infection. pete raymundi is the top

biologist at u.s. santa cruz. >> given the consequence is on the community, why now and why here? why this passage has become virulent now, why it hasn't moved here from wherever it was before. >> possible causes are man made chemicals, ocean acidification, waste water discharge or warming oceans due to man made climate change. scientists say they aren't ruling anything out. rob reynolds, al jazeer al jazes verdes, california. >> tonight another race wrapped up in the city of boston. there they are. month long coast to coast race. more than 2,000 runners ran across 14 states from santa monica to.

nearly half a million is raided. bubba watson is the masters champion. he beat out jordan spiegh spiet. border land starts now. >> we made border security a top priority. >> it's not really immigration. it's an invasion. >> they're a constructive part of our society.