aj. this is al jazeera. >> you are watching the newshour live from our head quarters in doha. the top stories. >> a brazen attack on the busiest airport in pakistan. an overnight siege in karachi. >> who is leading libya now as an election is ruled unconstitutional. >> the iranian president holds talks in turkey to improve ties over the war in syria. >> two men are sentenced to life

for the killing of an investigative journalist. . >> the pakistani taliban has claimed responsibility for an overnight attack on the country's busiest airport. karachi airport was under siege for 5 hours. 29 people were killed including all of the 10 attackers. the attack comes weeks after the pakistani military renewed a campaign of air strikes. the airport has now been re-opened. this report: >> reporter: the attack on one of pakistan's busiest airports, an armed gang carries out the daring operation after storming the terminal in the international airport. this terminal is used for diplomats and cargo. i witnesses inside the building say they could hear loud explosions and gunfire.

>> they said lay down and hands up in the air. we heard gunshots on and off, on and off and loud blasts. >> incoming flights were diverted to other airports as thick clouds of smoke billowed into the sky. the army was called in to help secure the area. local television showed images of the suicide vests and grenades being recovered. >> security forces confronted and killed them. they destroyed them. it is good that this operation was over in about four or five hours. >> karachi is pakistan's financial capitol. there will be certaserious ques asked about how they breached security. military intallations are on a high state of alert across pakistan. ays. >> libya's top court has ruled that the election of the prime

minister is unconstitutional. he was elected by mpeds last month. stefanie dekker joins us live from tripoli. stephanie, just what was the reason for the court ruling that the polls were unconstitutional? >> reporter: well, it all had to do with how he was spoiptd in that gnc and the acting parliament. it has to do with a number of votes quoted. initially 113. the parliament deputy speaker said the session was over and then it seems that more people arrived and kept voting and then he got 121. so this is why there has been this issue that they put into the courts to say it was illegitimate. what we are hearing from the gnc, from the body that elected him is that they have accepted the court's decision. i have to say that is a welcome move in a country that at the moment is very polarized. we spoke to one of the members of the gnc who voted for him and

he said that this whole process has to do with we are trying to rebuild our institutions. we are trying to get this country back on track. we have to respect the rule of law. i think that's a welcomed development here at a time when people were worried how this would play out. >> libya is now without a prime minister. as you say, the security conditions aren't exactly favorable. what happens next? >> well, technically, abdullah, the caretaker, the out going prime minister is technically in charge. the gnc will have to decide how to move on. if they want to remove hymn him, they would need 120 votes and elect a new prime minister is 120 votes. he elections are due for a new parliamentary body. nguyen once that's done, they will vote for a new prime minister. some will tell you it's too late to be electing a new prime minister. why don't you leave it as is to

get the elections on track to establish security for them to take place in a safe way for libyans because this country is, when it comes to the ground, extremely lawless. >> that's something people are looking forward to. they want a vote. they want to feel the next body is legitimate and try to build this country and put it back on track. >> all right, stephanie. >> that's stef dekker from tripoli. >> let's take you to ankara, the capitol of turkey. this is the president abdul a goul speaking right now. he is welcoming the iranian president, hassam rhohani. let's listen on what he has to say >> translator: these meetings on cultural and all others. we have reviewed our relationship, and we have displayed the will the to take them to a much progressed level

and many important agreements have been signed alongside with the these, we have signed today. this will strengthen the legal background legal infrastructure between two countries' relationship and one important aspect of our bilateral relations is, of course, the economical aspect. and it's about the $15,000,000,0 $15,000,000,000, our trade volume and our target volume is about $30,000,000,000 and we have the right potential and the will the existing in both countries and the new policies followed by iran will open up iran's economies to the -- even further and the fact that mr. rouhani deems important for the trades and economies to be more open to private sectors. this will mean there is going to be more volume, more aspects of

trade and commerce between two countries and will be encouraging our relevant businessmen and we have also repeated our agreement, our intention to side favorite trade agreement as two old friends, turkey and iran's relationship is not a matter that has importance for our countries only. the two countries. this has a lot to do with the stability, peace and security in our region. both cust trees' relationship will be contributing to these in the region, and we have had

large scale consultation about the problems in the region how both countries can contribute to resolve the problems in the region and stop the sorrow coming out as a result of this problem and help to prevent terrorists' activities in the area. we have held quiet and protective talks with constru constructive steps to be taken by both countries. we hope this will contribute to the stability and peace in the country. the diplomatic methods to be employed in order to resolve the problems, we hold this hold this position as a country is clear. we do not want any country in

the region to hold nuclear weapons. we would like a middle east that the has been declared clear of any thooushling weapons and no country should be deprived of usage of nuclear energy to be used for peaceful purposes. we do not think it is a right to take such measure and international institutions have been approached. if they are properly consulted, the international organizations regulating declare research, will resolve problem. the level we have arrived in talks of this matter is very pleasing and these indicate they should be resulted hopefully in sachlingsz upon iran should be removed completely and turkey has already taken efforts to

resolve the matter in this respect and we are going to continue in that way and dr. hassan rouhani, dear brother, we had i want mat friendly talks between us. we have on many matters and our will is clear. we would like to carry the level of our country's relationship to a much higher and i am confint our governments will take relevant effort in this respect. and i would like to welcome him and his colleagues to turkey again. and i hope the visit will be very productive all in all. >> traranslator: in the name o god, the been first and the merciful, myself and the leading

delegation are happy to be guests today of the government of our neighboring and brother country, turkey. we are sure that we are taking steps in a direction that is in the interest of both countries. i need to thank the other did president for his hospitality. i would also like to think the rest of the government cabinet members of turkey. the will of my government is to expand ties with friendly

countries especially our neighbors. among our numbers,tie has a very special place both because of the tall he wants that exist in both countries, the add vantages that both countries enjoy. and also because both countries enjoy a very special geo political position. today, during our conversation with mr. president, and true

other meetings, we have reached the decision to expand our commercial and economic ties. so, from what we saw last year in terms of the level of our ties, we will try to expand that doublefold. our stilts show that if we could not on this path, and pursue with our efforts the level of our ties will be elevated. with respect to communications, speci especially in terms of -- in

terms of railways, we are trying to join both countries along the borders through a railways so that we can connect the persian gulf and the ohman sea to the black sea by rail. the commercial ties between the two countries and the expansion of exhibiting ties will be to the interest on both countries and will also benefit the entire sensitive region of the middle east. in terms of investment, in terms of the investment of turk

investors inside iran, we exchanged ideas. we reached agreements in many respects and we hope that in tomorrow's meetings with these investors we can take effective items to expand ties between the private sectors of both countries. also in terms of scientific issues, we agreed that ties between education centers and universities should be expanded with regard to tourism, both countries should be more active

in expanding ties. we see in iran are prepared to see investment by turkish investment in many of her cities that enjoy tourist attractions. in respect to the banking sector, we hope that the monetary flow between the two countries will continue and we agree that necessary strips should be taken in order to facilitate these ties. iran andtie, as two important countries in the islamic world are determined to stand against violence, terrorism and extremism and we both will use

all -- everything in our power at our disposal to present the truth face of islam to the world. in our region, there are certain centers of instability which is not get either for the countries in the region and -- nor for international stability. we are determined to expand our cooperation towards achieving more stability we call on all countries to have a role in this to expand all efforts to achieve

stability. on the nuclear issue, we have a common stance in that all countries who have signed the entity to enjoy peaceful nuclear technology and to have a middle east free from nuclear weapons, which is the proposal of iran, which is the plan put forward by iran, which is also agreed by turkey. our region should not be free only of nuclear weapons but of any weapons of mass destruction. at the same time, peaceful nuclear technology is the right of every country. turkey has been supportive of us in this respect.

and this is why we see thank turkey for its effective support with respect to the nuclear issue and we hope that the other issues in the region can be resolved through further cooperation between our two countries. and i thank the president and all members of the turkish cabinet for their hospitality. thank you. ? >> you ha've just been watching iranian president has a.m. rouhani holding a press conference with turkey's president. this is the first time a high-level iranian official has actually been invited and welcomed to turkey, the first time in almost two decades. very momentous ocean. certainly very significant. let's get some insight into this

meeting, joining me life from ankara, a needle program coordinator with the cita foundation, a nonprofit research institu institute. thank you for being with us today. both sides stressed the importance of the commercial and trade ties between the two countries. gul, in particular, talk about the need for reamingnal security, cooperating on regional security. how do you see this meeting influencing both government's roles in the syrian conflict? >> well, there is a historical meeting more than 18 years that presidents of iran visit turkey, but there will be, i guess, two separate meetings. the first one, as we just mentioned will be centered on economy and tourism or other technical cooperation areas. and will be conducted under the

framework of high level cooperation council. and this council will be convening for the first time. and several will talk about how to improve the bilateral ties between the two countries, especially in the economic area. i think both countries have been successful in separating the economic and other types of relations. >> oh we seem to have lost our guest. well, of course, try to get him back. i believe the satellite feed has come back. you were saying that both sides have been able to sort of separate the politics and commerce, economic ties, shall we say? just give us an idea of how significant this meeting is when it comes to the syrian conflict.

we know that it's very important meeting in terms of expanding commercial and trade ties, but what about the syrian con conflict? i believe both leaders will have talked about it as well. >> i do beg your pardon pardon. we seem to have lost that satellite feed that and that is really quite unfortunate, of course we have been trying to get some insight into the iranian president hassan rouhani's meeting with turkish president ab duala gul. it is a significant meeting. the first time in 20 years a high-level iranian official has visited turkey. in the meantime, let's move on to other news now and particular stories out of russia where five men have been convicted of the

murder of journalist and criminallin critic. two men were sentenced to life in prison. three others were given lesser sentences for the shooting in moscow eight years ago. let's go now to rory chal lands. what more do we know about these men who have been sentenced? do we know what the motive was for the murder? >> no, we don't know that because they stayed pretty silent, i suppose, through the course of this trial. we know that four of them are from the same family, a chechecyn family, three were brothers, the mahmoudoff brothers. and guydakaov. one of the brothers and he were given the life sentences. the rajjist cal brains and

rustan because he was the one who actually pulled the trigger. the two other brothers and a former policeman were given slightly less sentences ranging between 12 and 20 years. he they performed various answer si ancillary tasks. there is another who is serving a sense. he was convicted last year and he got an 11-year sentence. >> brings the number of men guilty in this particular to six. the five who were sentenced today are all going to appeal against these sentences. but i think there is some degree of satisfaction that this game appears to have been wrapped up and put behind bars by the friends and family. >> this case may have been solved. the suspects may have been sentenced. are we seeing the end of the case? >> no, because there is much

that are still murky about this. the prosecutors are happy about what's happened today and over the past few months. they say this case essentially is astream achievement of the russian criminal justice system and you can sympathize with that view to a large extend considering how many enemies, how many powerful enemies anna politkovskaya had because of what she wrote about. also, considering that three of the men who were acquitt today acquitted in 2009. to get to this stage is a significant change. politkovskaya's son say the ones who wanted anna politkovskaya dead is still out there and has never been brought to justice. the russian investigative

committee has acknowledged that and is announcing a separate investigation to prosecute that still very shadowy figure. >> the case continues. rory thank you. reporting from moscow. ukraine's new western-backed president, petro porono is vowing to halt nearly two months of blood shed in the eastshenko vowing to halt nearly two months of blood shed in the east. one group is bringing together some self high declared neo fascist. david chader joins us from donetsk. what can you tell us about this operation? >> reporter: we have just come back from mariopol, which is about 2 hours' drive south of donetsk where i am at the moment. it's a poor city on the sea the special forces it are in the

area. there was a large explosion of the airport. it was on fire as we left to come to report to al jazeera it was while we were there that we came across a special training camp. it was exclusively with volunteers who declared themselves to be near fascists. they weren't afraid to express those opinions. let's have a look at it. >> training on a shore. the latest recruits to crain's separatists. they have joined the so-called azoff battalion. they are getting basic training in infantry tactics before being september to the front line in the self declared people's republics bordering russia. >> over the horizon behind me is the crimean peninsula. some have come from crimea. they have come from sweeden and

italy and most surprisingly, some of them have come from russia. >> the one threat that makes all of these men's getting the basics on how to strip and reassemble klasnokovs is they believe until socialcism. this russian volume intear from the urals has adopted the battle name of mermam. >> in another 10 years, i will not belong in my country. a lot of people won't belong in their country. we will we will be like america. >> also among their ranks, we found a 52-year-old italian who left behind a wife and child who volunteered to fight for ukraine. i fight where my comrades are. i felt immediately at home. and they let me feel at home, too. >> further east towards russia, a boarder guard came over a

rocket attack overnight. this in a city that is supposed to be backing kiev. i found the separatist fighters downtown where they showed me around their fortifications in the old greek quarter of the city. >> this is a strain and i don't know what the future holds. in the region, we have a lot of people but less support in our city. the beaches were full of sunbathers making the most of the weather. most of them seemed unaware or uncaring about the wall being fought around them. but just along the coast, the members of the azov battalion were standing at dusk under the ukrainian flag. the past is rearing its head again into the future of ukraine. >> david, fascinating story. what is the government's reaction to this? >> we try to get a reaction of

the government we went to the interior ministry to raise these troops and establish protective battalions. they denied any knowledge of it. they said they knew nothing about it. why don't you contact the national guard. we contacted the national guard units. they said we don't know anything about it. we are not responsible. contact the regional headquarters and trs and they e said dle knew nothing about it. i am telling all of them that the responsibility must like somewhere and all of these volume up tears, extraordinary group of men, all of them expressing extremist views. some from germany. the man i spoke to from italy and the bulk of them were neo fascists from russia and they said she would not have freedom to fight for their cause. they would be put in prison. they joined the ukrainian army and have been given klasnokovs