see it yourselves. >> taking viewers beyond the debate. >> don't miss al jazeera america's critically acclaimed series borderland on al jazeera america also available on demand hello and welcome to al jazeera america. i'm del walters. these are the stories we are following for you. an explosion rocks the ukrainian air base while moscow and kiev engage in a bitter war of words. president obama continuing his diplomatic mission to asia. we're with him as he talks about the issue of ukraine. and the nation's top gun lobby convenes its annual convention in indiana.

today ukraine's government saying russia is bent on world war 3, now a bus of mediators is missing in eastern ukraine, according to both the governments of ukraine and germany. and earlier today, tensions literally exploded. ukraine's defense minister saying that one of their military helicopters was hit by a rocket propelled grenade in the east. and in a western town another grenade attack, this one injuring seven people at this government check point. meanwhile the war of words is showing no signs of abading either. >> translator: the west wants to seize control of ukraine because of their own political ambitions. not in the interests of the ukrainian people.

>> translator: the world has not yet forgotten the second word war. but russia is already keen on starting a third world war. all responsibility for aggression on ukrainian territory and for undermining international security and stability rests with the leadership of the russian federation. >> all of this on a day that russian state media reporting that russian president vladimir putin expanding its military exercis exercises in the black sea. >> reporter: they were deployed here in mid-march. the ukrainian border guards have

set up base near an abandoned farm. they would be the first to face any russian trips that cross into ukraine. >> translator: i don't think anyone is going to come, but if that kind of situation comes about we will be the first to meet them. >> reporter: russia already has tens of thousands of troops stationed across the fields. there were troop movements not very far from here. moscow says they were military exercises. they have been digging trenches along the border, an obstacle, they hope will hold back russian tanks. armed pro-russian protesters took control of the towns in the east of the country. ukrainian soldiers say the russians have moved closer, but there is nothing they can go for

now is except monitor their movements from the sky. this woman lives in one of the villages. she feels at home in both russia and ukraine, and has been concerned about the military buildup. my sister lives in russia with her two children. i always go to visit them but if something happens i don't know how i will see them. i see tanks on my way to college. >> reporter: the border has never really existed for people living here, and now it has become a barricade. also today the international criminal court announcing it is looking at the situation? ukraine, focusing on the violence at the protests in kiev. and president obama trying to coordinate more sanctions against russia. the existing ones now evidence

they are already taking their toll. standard & poors cut russia's bond rating to just one step above junk status. this comes as money flowing out of the country sored to $50.6 billion since the start of 2014. in south korea, president obama pledging to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with south korea, meeting earlier with the south korean president in seoul. both leaders discussing the nuclear threat from the north, but that was not the only issue on the table. >> reporter: president obama landed in a country still gripped by grief. it's just nine days since the ferry capsized more than 300 people are dead or missing, most of them children from the same school south of seoul. the u.s. president suggested a moment of silence, before

presenting his counterpart with a flag that was flying over the white house on that day. soon it up back to business. >> the united states and south korea stand shoulder to shoulder both in the face of north korea's provocations and in our refusal to accept a nuclear korea -- north korea. threats will get north korea nothing other than greater isolation. >> reporter: but for the u.s. dealing with north korea means dealing with two allies in seoul and tokyo at loggerheads over history. obama came from a meet we are japan's prime minister? a week that honored war criminals honoring the dead. such behavior has infuriated south korea, still calling on japan fully to adz dress the abuse of south korea's so-called comfort women, or forced

prostitutes by japanese soldiers during world war ii. >> this was a terrible egregious violation of human rights. >> reporter: truthfully facing up to history is a form of works used repeatedly by president park. the fact that president obama chose to use a similar phrase is something that will go down very here in seoul. president park held out the prospect at least of improved ties with japan. >> translator: i think what is most important that we go back to the pledges made by the prime minister, and that truthful actions will implemented from the japan side. that is very important. >> reporter: the obama administration has been filling this four nation hour as demonstrating its commitment to its rebalance to asia after allies here as noted

washington's preoccupations in the middle east and ukraine. but it's not just friends who noticed ukraine's current plight, a country that gave up its nuclear weapons in 1994 in return for security. >> translator: the message this gives to the north krooenl leader giving up the weapons becomes the reason for what is happening today. it has woesened the pros expect of solving nuclear weapons on korean peninsula. >> now satellite images show increased activity at north korea's nuclear test site. meanwhile the official death toll now standings at 181 from last week's ferry accident in south korea. also today south korea's shipping authority announcing the ferry had three times its recommended weight in cargo on board when it capsized. and an update on flight 370,

the search area now getting wider. the robotic sub didn't find any debris. they plan to wrap up their current search of the indian ocean in a few days and expand it. opposition groups in syria saying a government sar strike there has killed at least 30. it happened on thursday in aleppo, syria's largest city. this massive explosion rocking a fruit and vegetable market. 1 million people in that city are in urgent need of assistance. >> reporter: aid workers manage to cross into the rebel-held east of aleppo city from the government controlled west earlier this month. it was the first time since june

humanitarian assistance crossed through this front line, since then the only crossing road has been closed. >> for the past two months they have been repeated ly requesting authorizations from the government to access areas that are directly affected by the fighting in aleppo. however, today there is an additional challenge there are roads that link both sides of the government and the opposition-controlled areas in aleppo together that have been blocked. there are roads around the city that lead -- that connect the city with other major cities in damascus that also these roads have been blocked. >> reporter: a new push by the rebels have threatened to cut off half of the city. the highway in the southeast links aleppo to damascus. this has forced government

forces to use a dirt road to reach the city, but even that is threatened. the opposition denies it is responsible. >> translator: it is the regime who closed the humanitarian corridor inside the city. it connected the east and the west. the regime wanted to besiege rebel territories but now it is under siege. >> reporter: people living in the government controlled west say praises have increased. but 75% of aid distributions across the country occurred in areas controlled by the state. from turkey's border it is about an hour's drive to aleppo city. but the syria government won't allows the united nations to use crossings that are not under its control, and un agencies need to respect that if it wants to continue operating in state-controlled regions.

with all of these obstacles, very little aid is reaching the hundreds of thousands of people living in the divided city where the battle has been over supply lines. a u.s. military group has been kicked out of ecuador. they have until the end of any month to leave the country. the president complaining months ago the u.s. had too many military officers there. gun owners are in indianapolis at this hour for the national rifle association annual convention. the three-day event fushlly got underway just a few minutes ago. 70,000 members are expected to attend the convention. several republican politicians are expected to speak at the

convention. there was a $10 million study that was to be conducted by the center for disease control on gun violence. is there any chance of that money getting approved? >> reporter: del, good afternoon. no time soon. the u.s. house appropriation committee in 2014 scrapped it aside, and with 2015 ahead, it doesn't look like it has a chance. [ applause ] >> reporter: in georgia this week, republican governor nathan deal signed a bill making it legal for licensed gun owners to have loaded weapons in bars, schools, churches, and some government buildings. >> house bill 60 will protect law-abiding citizens by expanding the number of places they can carry their guns without penalty.

>> reporter: the u.s. house appropriations committee with its 29 republicans, and 22 democrats dismissed the president's request for a gun violence investigation by tele-cdc. so you are a member of the nra and a gun sportsman? >> uh-huh. >> reporter: in the 1990s, as gun violence gained attention, rosenberg was leading cdc research on violence and guns. but the congress cut off the money >> the cdc wants to both protect the rights of gun owners and reduce injuries. they have been portrayed by the nra as wanting to take away everyone's guns. >> reporter: in 2012 it looked like the ban on research might

end. after the mass shooting in connecticut, president obama proposed giving the cdc $10 million for gun studies. at that time one of the few republicans who wanted to reconsider gun laws was jack kingston . . . those words came less than a week after newtown, today kingston is running for reelection and leading the effort to block the request for research funding . . . among the research proposals he is trying to block, fire arm violence presense and other interventions, and the influence of video games and other media. the cdc says firearms kill or

injure 100,000 people a year. some gun advocates argue that president obama is an anti gun heard and that any research done would be propaganda. we talk to the head of the lobby indianapolis group, and that's what he thinks. >> and that's why we feel it's best that we are armed ourselves and we can protect ourselves and we can stop it, and most places where people know that there are armed people in that area, they are not going to go in there and start anything. >> reporter: dr. mark rosenberg is still hopeful. >> we can make this country safe and protect the guns. >> reporter: del you could see the live pictures inside the nra convention. if you noticed in our story there is not an official comment from the national rifle association, that's not because we didn't try. we have been trying for the last

two days. everyone was very polite that i got on the phone. they all promised a statement in response to the report that you just watched. sure enough, as the time ticked on, we never got that response. and if any folks from the leadership are watching this, we would like to report the facts from all sides, we would appreciate a statement or even an on camera interview. we feel that's the only way to tell the story appropriately. please come out from your cloak, and we would like to tell it in your words as well. del? >> robert thank you very much. when we come back a preview of this week's episode of "borderland," and tackling an issue that could change college football.

real reporting that brings you the world. giving you a real global perspective like no other can. real reporting from around the world. this is what we do. al jazeera america. football players at

northwestern university voting today on whether they want to be part of a union. results aren't expected for weeks, but a yes vote could have a major impact on the way colleges operate their athletic programs. diane eastabrook has more from everyston, illinois. >> reporter: northwestern football's wild cats are the talk of college sport, but this freshman has little to say about efforts to organize his team. >> i'm not eligible to say everything. everything is supposed to be kept inside of football right now. >> reporter: they stunned the sports world in january when the team captain announced the team would vote on union representation. a regional director said the team could organize. >> touchdown! >> reporter: since then colter has been lobbying on behalf of

all college athletes. >> it's time for players to be a part of the discussion. >> reporter: opponents say organizing could jeopardize division i sports . . . the school's head coach has been discouraging the team to organize. >> we have to ed gait them to help them understand the whole aspect of what this decision is. >> reporter: the team's current quarterback has taken a stand against the union. >> i don't support it. i don't think a union is the answer for my team. >> reporter: but opinion is clearly split. a former member of northern swim

team says there is value in having a union, and points to what she calls rigid ncaa rules. >> i just wrote an article for a swimming magazine that was a glowing article about one of my teammates and it turned out that violates an ncaa policy. >> reporter: the vote is having a conversation that could change the relationship between universities and athletes everywhere. and oregon advisory campaign says it wants its state to drop its website and switch to the federal system. the full cover oregon board is going to be considering the panel's recommendation later today. also cases of measles are on the rise.

according to the centers for disease control, the highest outbreak number has occurred since 1996. most new cases are brought here by travelers. this weekend another chance to see an immigration controversy like nowhere else. it's all part of our series borderland. we follow them as they walk in the footsteps as they try to get into this country. >> as rumors spread that the beast will leave in the morning, migrants scramble to claim a spot on the train. for women this is a desperate last resort. many purchase contraceptive injections ahead of the trip accepting that rape is a price

they may have to pay. >> there are a lot of migrants out here, prime mire loi men, not many women, so i wanted to speak to a woman, and she was a mom. and we just ended up talking. so are you and your daughter going to take this train? >> why are you leaving? is it bad? or just family? >> she has a 9-year-old daughter from honduras, and she is going to make this journey, the same journey that claudette made, the only difference is with a nine year old. you are about the same age as someone that we met her family and she never made it. so it makes me sad to know we're

sitting here talking to you and you are about to do this, but with your daughter. >> as you are walking through the desert and you can't make it anymore, would you turn around and come back? >> i totally understand, but by going into that desert you are sacrificing her. i have been in that desert and i couldn't make it an hour, and i can't see a child making it. please if you feel tired just stop. there are people there that can help you.

>> so you are putting your nine year old on a train where she could die, she could get raped. she can't sleep on that train. what if she dies and her daughter lives. she wants this american dream so damn bad, and it's not that great. these people believe that america is this amazing great country. i love my country, but it's -- it takes hard work, it takes dedication. nothing is handed to you. ♪ and that is just a sample of why so many people are watching boarderland. a third episode theirs sunday at 9:00 p.m. mark your calendars. coming up on al jazeera america, andy warhol's last works, a rare treasure, think of all things, foppy disk.

welcome back to al jazeera america. i'm del walters. here are your headlines at that

hour. ukrainian defense minister saying that one of their military helicopters was hit by a rocket propelled grenade in the east. and a bus of mediators is missing. the president is in south korea today warning north korea that more threats will lead to further isolation. the president also promising to stand by the south during the ferry d&asker that has left almost 200 people dead. the nation's largest gun lobbying meeting right now in indiana. well andy warhol was without a doubt one of the most influential artists of the 21st century >> and now we're learning he even used the computer to create some images. a team of artists unveiling a dozen digital works by war hall all of these hidden on floppy

discs for nearly 30 years. they will be part of a documentary that will air in may. we want to thank you for watching al jazeera america. i'm del walters in new york. "techknow" is next. s rachelle oldmixon takes a test to find out what's in her dna. kyle hill is an engineer. tonight he's got the innovation that will light up las vegas, a unique plant that stores light during the kay, to light up the