pro russians seize two military basn eastern ukraine after days of fighting. you are watching al jazerra live from london. also coming in the next third minutes. >> all of us, all nations have a responsibility to tried to end this conflict. the u.s. announces hundreds of millions of dollars of aid for countries hosting syrian refugees. the taliban he releases video showing the moment the

u.s. soldier bo berg dal is released in afghanistan. the discovery of two planets one of which may be able to sustain life. ♪ ♪ pro-russia separatists have now seized two government bases in the eastern city of luhansk which were abandoned by ukrainian government forces. intense fighting there has forced many people to flee from the city and there is continued violence in and around the eastern city o. here is our correspond effort david chater. >> reporter: after another night of intense clashes in the city, some of the girls and boys ended up on this school bus without their mothers. >> translator: who is going to look after them, one woman demanded? >> reporter: they have been driven across the russian border and will be found a safe half then crimea. a last look at the streets in the country where they were born. anxiety etched on their faces,

not knowing the dangers they will face to the road ahead but leaving behind a city now engulfed in a war. the bright sunshine belied the somber mood. it was a day filled with funerals. the people of the city and its leaders came to pay their respects to the separatist fighters who died this week defending their self-declared republic. nobody knows how many more candles will have to be lit in memory of the dead here. the ukrainian government are calling their military offensive an anti-terrorist operation. the people here say the real terrorists are the ones now in power in kiev. the base behind me is still refuse to go surrender. they have heavily out numbered and are being attacked each night. this is the national guard base in luhansk that was over run by the separatist fighters during fierce clashes overnight. surrounded by high rise apartment blocks, the residents

here were still shocked and afraid. the streets where they take their dogs for a walk. >> translator: yesterday at about half past 9:00 the shooting began, we were very scared. the fighting did not stop when we turned off the light because our windows overlooked the base, we could see trace surround. >> reporter: the troops inside must now be running short of ammunition and food. despite promises from kiev to break the siege, there has been no attempt so far by the ukrainian arm toy rescue them. we joined the family funeral of a separatist fighter shot dead in the clashes around the base. a pair troop veteran of the soviet occupation in afghanistan, he survived four years of bitter fighting there only to be killed in his hometown by a ukrainian snipers bullet. his brother cursed americans and

vowed revenge. >> do you hear me, for my brother, hundreds will die, we will never forget our fighters. >> reporter: as a final honor a volley of shots was fired over his brother's grave. the bitterest war is always a civil war. this will not be the last time the bullets will fly above the pines and populars of this graveyard, david chater, al jazerra, lo luhansk. david live with us now. you used the word civil war, is definitely what is coming, do you believe? >> reporter: well, it's been happening in the city a lot of the people who are living in this city have their friends, relatives, sons in the post that are being attacked by the pro-russian separatist fighters. and there really is an intense feeling here of anger about what

is happening that the ukrainian government using all of its armor and aviation here against what many people here still believe to be part of the ukraine. this is a point that needs to be made. they are feeling that now they are caught in a civil war. that is certainly the feeling here. and david, there have just been air raid sirens sounding above the city. we have heard it once again you i didn't know vinnie fighters above the skies here, it means that just before we came on air the people of the road block her were forcing us to take our cameras down pointing rifles at us. the exodus of civilians from the city has now started. and it's women and children first but many people are trying to get out. they have nowhere to go. no safe haven, the humanitarian corridors which the russians

want to take them to the frontline. it's getting increasingly tense here and people feel the fight is moving in to the sent of their city and they are all at risk. >> we'll leave it there for now, david. thank you very much, david chater there in luhansk. the international community must unite in showing its support for ukraine's new president the view of the u.s. president barack obama and his message to the g7 summit. it was to have been in russia, it was to be have been g8 but moscow has been excluded for taking part because of its annexation of crimea. jonah hull has more. >> reporter: touch do you think in brussels, barack obama will join other leaders of the world's most exclusive club to talk about the country that's no longer a member. russia kicked out in march because of its annexation of crimea so that the g8 became the g7 again.

the president began the day in warsaw as poll and celebrated 25 years of demi. >> the days of empire and spheres of influence are over. bigger nations must not be allowed to bully the small. or impose with beguns or taking over buildings. and the stroke of a pen can never legitimize the theft of a neighbor's land so we will not accept russia's occupation of crimea or its violation of ukraine's sovereignty. our free nations will stand united so that further russian provocations will only mean more isolation and costs for rush. >> reporter: while in warsaw, obama meant ukraine's president electric. the chocker hallelujah lat billionaire, assuring him that the u.s. would remain committed to the ukraine for years to come. all sets up a question for the rich nations of the world, excluding china, of course, which isn't invited. >> just how committed are they to keeping up pressure russia

and increasing it if need be at the cost of the important trade ties and energy supplies. it's a question at the heart of the g7. angela merkel said she wouldn't hesitate to impose further sanctions in russia didn't react to separatist fighters in ukraine. >> translator: president putin must use his influence to get the separatist to refrain from violence and intimidation, hands over their weapons and stop the occupation. >> reporter: but at a pre-summit press conference, g7 hosts. the european union presidency, indicated that no new sanctions would be decided upon now. and asked what it would take for russia to rejoin the g8? >> it will be for the g7 leaders to agree on when and if russia has sufficiently changed its goals. again, we will assess on a regular basis the situation.

but this only is a suspension it is not a permanent exclusion. >> reporter: not most resounding display of the g7's commitment to resist russia in the long-term. jonah hull, al jazerra, brussels. our diplomatic editor james bay is his at that meeting in brussels joining us live. the new president of ukraine says he has a peace plan, it won't come out he says until after his inauguration, but i am sure some details are circulating. what have you heard? >> reporter: yeah, we are getting some details of that plan. because in poland, he briefed president obama on the plan before obama came here in brussels. and i think he will share the details with the other g7 leaders. it's going to have to be a good plan, though, if it's going to satisfy those separatists on the ground in eastern ukraine. you heard the anger there of those people who are speaking to david chater reporting from the ground where there is that heavy

fighting. the details of the plan, though, that we have so far, there is going to be a decentralization of power, there will be a wide amnesty, and there is going to be an election for all local government officials. those are the measures that are aimed to appease i think some of those in the east. in addition to those, there is going to be economic growth of ukraine and trying to reduce the country's energy dependance on russia, david. >> so this is a nato meeting before they all get together on the beaches of nomady. it where you are is excluding -- the g7 meeting will be excluding president putin but he will go to nomady. and he saying i may meet him. is it he mate bump in to him or have a meeting. >> reporter: that is certainly what the ukrainians are saying, both the president of ukraine and the ambassador saying a meeting might be possible. but nothing official yet.

nothing fixed yesterday. in some way we know know what wl happen with the g7 the big story is it is the g7, not the g8 that putin is is not invited here. it's possible, although friday is very important commemorating what happened 70 years ago, but the real business might actually happen in norm i did not brussels when they are all there for the commemorations. >> entirely symbolic that would be, jails, thank you very much indeed. james bays there in brussels. the u.s. secretary of state john kerry has had a meeting with lebanon's prime minister in beirut and announced $290 million in aid. >> today i am pleased t to announce on above of the american people and on behalf of president obama, another $290 million in humanitarian assistance for those affected by conflict, both inside syria and the communities throughout the region where they have taken refuge.

>> coming here on al jazerra, we have a report out of china where the country is telling the world to stay out of its affairs after criticism of bay jinx 25 years after the bloody tieniman square track down. and strong winds, baseball-sized hail and bloods causing widespread damage across the u.s. midwest. stay with us if you can. ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ you are watching al jazerra. i am david foster these are the top stories.

ukrainian military has abandoned two border bases in luhansk after days of fighting with pro-russia separatists. our correspondent there says people are talking openly of the possibility of civil war. president obama says this week's g7 meeting will be important to show the international community stands behind ukraine's new president. the two-day summit taking place in the belgium capital. u.s. second of state john careyy has criticized the syrian elections, calling the vote meaningless, talking in lebanon where pledged financial help to syrian refugees. china is blunting rejecting international criticism of its bloody 1989 crack down in tieniman square. wednesday and it is 25 years since beijing's suppression of student-led pro-democracy protests in and around the square. police there at the moment stopping any attempt to commemorate the incident in

public. separate governments, among the united states, demand that go china's leaders account for those who were killed, detained or are still missing. here is how beijing responded. >> translator: we demand that the u.s. site respect china's judicial sovereignty and not make irresponsible comments related to china's internal a fierce. adrian brown was in tieniman square during the crack down in 1989. speaking to us earlier on wednesday, he described the heavy restrictions which are currently in place. >> reporter: tourists are being allowed in to the square, but they can't get in without i.d., that's the way the authorities are able to filter out journal assists. an al jazerra cameramen was able to get in the square but was prevented from evening taking a pick with his phone. that is a measure of the official nervousness over this anniversary. the police are also backed up by hundreds of thousands of volunteers, they are paid informers, in effect there to

watch for any signs of trouble. the media is also being making much of the 650 dogs pressed in to service. there is also another battle ground and that's the chinese internet, try typing in june the 4th or remember tieniman and you come to a deadened. so 25 years on, the regime appears stronger than ever. but could what happened here happen again? i think that's doubtful. i think the people realize that there is invisible line that they cannot cross and that means calling for the end of the 1-party system. >> joining me professor robbie who is is from columbia university. good to have you with us. what what is china treat ended of. >> it doesn't people to remember that it got to its position now a major power by having to get its arm toy shoot its only people. it's a communist party that says it represent the people. so 1989 is a real problem for

its claim. >> china is a massive country, huge population, but the rest of the world knows what happened. is it possible to keep it away from everybody else inside chi china. >> china is a new state. the world's first economically successful communist state and retains the instruments of authoritarianism. it controls the media. except what is a large group of elite that do remember what's going on and do jump the fire wall. but a massive part of the population doesn't know what happened in those years. >> is there any kind of intellectual argument within those at the top in china that perhaps now is the time to ease off, to let people know the truth? because inevitably it will filter down. and that could cause more discontent, possibly, than letting people know who actually did happen? >> we don't see any signs of any break among the official on his their line that this was a necessary act and that it was good for china. there is no change in official

language, but behind the scenes a new leader has come in, a year or so go and there are definitely advise ores hoping to see a change in the attitude of china towards the history. but there is no sign they are getting any traction with the top leadership. >> was there any sense that the events of 25 years ago today, did, in any way, hold china back to change the way that it might have developed had it not been for those student protests and the crack down? >> you know, china and the communist party, they argue on the base of economic really. they say we have produced the money that has made you the population rich. as long at they can keep doing that, they can keep arguing that their ride to make people forget the past. if they lose that economic success, if the population starts to feel discontent and there are signs that that could happen in the next few years, then the government will lose the gamble that it's relying at the moment. >> looking back over 20 knife years, and understanding the

chinese psyche the way that you do, do you think that the government at the time in 1989 reacted out of necessary brutality in its opinion or out of fear? >> i think that they reacted out of a long traditional of being communist rebels fighting through the hills against other enemies, which is finally a traditional where when you are under control pressure, when you phrase real questions, you turn to the gun. and that's what we saw in 1989. and the real problem now is not really about human rights, it's whether china is, again, beginning to turn to the gun in other ways with the maritime struggles, the challenges that we are beginning to see in the last six months with japan, the philippines, and now vietnam. it's whether there is hey link between that kind of aggressive chinese state at home and the hints of a new emerging aggressive china in the international arena. >> frightening then, but

fascinating. thank you, professor, thank you very much indeed. another teenage girl in india has been found hanging from a tree after she was allegedly murdered in sure village. it was just a week after two other girls were said to have been gang raped and hanged in the northern state there. now a report. >> reporter: the whales of these women have filled the village for a week. they are mourning the death of two young girls who were allegedly gang raped and murdered after leaving their homes at night. the attack has shocked the nation. the family says local police had refuse today act because they are from what is considered a low cast. or the so-called untouchables. >> translator: if the authorities had wanted, my daughters would have been found alive. they told me to wait for an hour and a half. and my daughter would return home. but then this happened. how long can i tolerate this?

>> reporter: his 12-year-old daughter and her 14-year-old cousin were found hanging from this mango tree at dawn. after walking in to fields to go to the toilet. he says a neighbor heard their screams, but instead of helping him, the police abused and slapped him for making a complaint. >> translator: there is no doubt that the i incident is very unfortunate. the government has taken steps and all the five accused have been arrested. and the government has started a probe in the case. it is being directed to frost track court and show justice to the victims. >> reporter: but in the village, people are angry at the state government and the police for failing to protection women. >> translator: these men have no fear at all. they think the government is theirs. the we can catch anyone's doubter and do anything. they can get away with even

shooting someone. they think who can do anything to us. >> reporter: a steady stream of politicians has been visiting the village promising more than $8,000 to the families in compensation. but they have refused to accept. saying their daughters' dignity is not for sale. the families of the victims say they want the perpetrators tried and hanged. they say there is no fear of the law here. and punishment is the only way to stop violent crimes against their women. al jazerra. two new planets, i'll call them planets for just a moment and you'll find out why i am being a bit sir company spect in a moment. two new planets have been found and scientists believe one could contain life. in a so-called cloud of stars surrounding our galaxy. let's get some more detail.

a lex terror in a storm m astrom gene mary college. it doesn't take much for you guys to get excited. >> we can look at them very easily, and characterize what we find around these stairs and eventually these are the ones that we will be able to try to find life or -- >> and when you say nearby, it's 13 million light years away, but that's almost like our next door neighbor. >> 13 light years. >> 13 light years. >> we receive the message. >> why haven't we found it before if it's that close? >> it's a matter of spending the right time. it's a result of 10 years of collecting data. we took data last year just more intense to get the a confirmatin of the signals, it takes time. >> you were just going to tell me a little bit about the possibility of it being able to sustain life. what conditions are there that make that a possibility?

>> what we know, what we call these planets potentially habitable because all the properties they have are compatible with having water on their surface. water is the essential element of life, at least as far as we know or as far as we understand. so these properties are there and there is nothing about this planet that tells us that the wrong signs, so it's potentially habitable. >> we are running some picture on his your screen at the moment. take a look under there and tell me, this is from your university, what are we seeing? >> this is a simulation of how the cloud of stars around our galaxy is formed, we have the milky way which is a disk of stars. >> the red dot? >> yes, we know it's very old because it comes from a dwarf galaxy that fall in to the milky way and was disrupted many millions of years ago it's flying through the galaxy and visiting us in the last million years, it's been very close to the sun but in a million years it will be very far it's a cloud

of stars that fell in to the milky way and moving armed. >> we are getting a lot of discoveries lately which reflects the advances you have in astronomy, but where do you with something like this to take it to the next level where everybody gets very excited not just experts? >> well, yeah, first this discovery is important because it's exciting in the sense it's very old. it's almost as old as the university itself. it means that habitable planets or we potentially habitable planets have around for a long time. these planets that are around nearby stars are really habitable, we will look for molecules in three, four years we'll look for water, math able, oxygen, the instruments will tell us that. >> and you can do that with radio signals, et cetera, et cetera. through eyes. you don't have to go there? >> no, we would like to. but we don't have. next generation space telescope. this is a giant telescopes on

earth, these instruments will be able to do that in three, four years time skills as long as they are built and funding continues. >> thank you, thank you very much indeed. come back and tell us when you find out some more, please. >> yes. thanks. the afghan taliban have released pictures which show the hand over of the u.s. sergeant bo bergdahl in afghanistan. 17-minute video which cannot independently be verified, appears to show bergdahl being handed over to the u.s. military on saturday. he was freed in exchange for the release of five taliban leaders from the u.s. prison at guantanmo bay. thousands of park stan is arpakistan is asare protesting d day in a row about the arrester of a lead never london suspected of money laundering. there was a charge sit in on the streets where his supporters demanded his release. the m.q. mounter party lead

hears been living in britain since the 1990s and is wantsed in pakistan over a murder case. for a second day the city has been locked down, shops and markets closed and people staying at home fearing violence over the arrest. the u.s. national weather service meteorologist says it's, quote, shaping up as very dangerous in parts of the midwest, homes and cars in parts of nebraska and iowa have been pummeled by baseball-sized hail stones and damaging winds. forecasters say storms are also expected to affect parts of illinois, kansas, and south dakota. now a report. >> reporter: first came the warnings. >> tornado warnings in effect until 5:30. >> reporter: and then a blackened sky signaling severe weather to come as report of a tornado touched down in omaha, nebraska. packing with it 160-kilometer winds. knocking down trees, tearing off rooftops, and flipping over a

tractor taylor. >> hold on. that's about it: that's all you can do. wait it all and hope to god nothing bad happens. >> reporter: tornado sight says reportereported it wyoming and h one doubt on video in missouri valley iowa. it's all part of storms and rains crossing the great plains and now making their way east. in the storm's wake extreme flooding making streets, rivers, as rescue crews work around submerged cars leading residents to safety in parts of omaha. further north in nebraska, and iowa it was hail of size of tennis balls wreaking havoc. the residents warn today stay indoors. the hail soar fierce it shattered wins at this car dealership. ripping paint off the homes. >> it cane through like a freight train, sounded like the world was coming to an end

almost. it was bad. >> reporter: the sun managed to make an appearance in nebraska, but quickly disappeared when strong winds kicked up this dust storm. al jazerra. you will get details of the world weather and all the global news stories by logging on to aljazerra.com. that's aljazerra.com. >> dadu, southern pakistan, just