>> this is al jazeera america live from new york city. i'm tony harris with a look at today's top stories. a plan for peace from russian president vladimir putin. seven steps to withdraw his troops from the east and stopping artillery strikes. president obama vows justice will be served and the islamic state group kills another u.s. journalist. we're hearing for the first time from the u.s. aid worker who was cured of ebola.

>> there is confusion today over whether ukraine and russia have agreed to a cease-fire to end the conflict in eastern ukraine despite talks of a truce. there was sporadic fighting near donetsk today. and in a speech president obama said russia's egrecian was a threat to peace in europe. phil ittner has you more now from london. >> speaking on a state visit to mongolia russian president vladimir putin outlined a seven point plan which he hopes will end the conflict in eastern ukraine. first and foremost the russian president saying all sides have to cease hostilities. >> aiming to end the bloodshed and stabilize the situation in ukraine's southeast i believe that the warring parties should immediately agree upon and implement in a coordinated way

the following. firstly. to end the active offensive operations by the armed forces and armed you wants of the militia in ukraine's southeast in the areas of donetsk and lou hans. >> however, ukrainian prime minister was quick to dismiss putin's plan saying it was a distraction to take attention away from the upcoming n.a.t.o. summit here in the u.k. n.a.t.o. leaders have started to arrive in wales for that summit. one of them also took today to announce they would be postponing the delivery of a warship until russia withdraws from ukraine. >> as n.a.t.o. allies we'll meet

our solemn duty, our article five obligation to our collective offense. today i want every estonian and latvian and lithuanian to know that you will never stand alone. >> also today military commanders announce in europe that an u.s.-led military exercise in western ukraine along side ukrainian military units will go ahead. that exercise is planned for later in the month. it is something that the kremlin looks upon with grave suspicion. >> reports of a cease-fire to end the conflict could not come soon enough for people in the separatest-held city of donetsk. paul brennan is there and filed this report. >> the shell which smashed into the seventh floor apartment made a hole which will not be easily helped. as a child she survived ukrainian famine. now in her later years she's

having to endure hardship again. >> i survived all that. it was painful, we just started living well again. now they started killing us. we don't need this. >> reporter: bearing multiple scars of the shelling and march tar attacks which have taken playersplace. for an hour on wednesday it appears that the ukrainian president had announced a sudden end to the conflict. a snap truce said to have agreed to a phone call with the russian president vladimir putin. that was until the creme len flatly denied the news all of which left civilians feeling much the same as they had before. >> the yes, we heard about the cease-fire idea but there were crazy explosions today everywhere. they came out and smelling

starte start--shelling started. >> but the russian president who is blamed by the west for stoking the conflict says he now does have a plan with seven proposal which look remarkably similar to the 14-appointmen -point plan back in june. they were in god agreement with the proposals. >> let them just go away and stop bothering us. we didn't bother them. we didn't go to kiev. we don't shell there. do they want us to come to kiev to start shelling? leave news peace. go away. >> the coming days promise to be critically important. ukraine's troubles will be top of the agenda when the n.a.t.o. commit convenes in wales. they will meet again in minsk on friday. and on the same day the e.u. will decide whether to hit russia with yet more sanctions.

paul brennan. al jazeera. >> coming up later in the program we'll dig deeper into what vladimir putin is saying and doing and whether all that talk of a cease-fire will lead anywhere. the state department confirmed today that the video of the stephen sotloff's death was authentic. president hollande promised president obama's vow for justice. mike viqueira joins us live from just outside of the white house with more, mike. >> reporter: well, tony, the president is under fire even from some political allies here in washington for being over cautiously in his approach to the islamic state group and in particular military action he may or may not take into taking that group into the syrian stronghold. he had tough talk, and he tried to really update the statement that he made last thursday, tony, that was so controversial.

that said he had not a strategy yet. he was still undergoing consultation with the pentagon and regional applies. here's what the president had to say. >> we'll continue to shrink isil's sphere of influence, it's effectiveness, it's financing, it's military capabilities. to the point where it is a manageable problem. and the question is going to be making sure we've got the right strategy, and also making sure we've got the international will to do it. >> the president went on to say that the objective is to destroy and degrade the islamic state group's military capabilities and the threats to the homeland, tony. >> so mike, given françois hollande's comments, the recent strategy proposals. if the president is even thinking of attacking the

islamic state group in syria, what are his options? >> well really there are two things going on here. first would be an attack to degrade and destroy the islamic state group. officials say they do pose a threat. the administration's head of the national counter terrorism center said much the same as a thing tank. the president is wrestling with what the "what if" question. if bombs were to drop what would happen the next day. there is the forming of a new government a as the american air campaign conditions. but in the wake of the second video depicting the gruesome hurt of a second u.s. journalist stephen sotloff, it fell to joe biden who do what joe biden

does, to speak viscerally about his reaction and to vow i in the wake of that video. >> when people harm americans, we don't retreat. we don't forget. we take care of those who are grieving. when that's finished they should know we will follow them to the gates of hell until they are brought to justice. because hell is where they will reside. >> well, you heard biden talk about retribution for that killing. now a military strike inside syria is another thing again. what is needed is a regional approach that includes gulf states led by sunni governments. >> all right, mike viqueira for us at the white house. thank you. james foley's mother says she empathizes with stephen sotlif's

family after video of his death was released. diane foley said that her thoughts are with the family and the families of other is captives. >> we appeal to the international community to protect the remaining hostages throughout the world. i mean, there are many innocent people held captive around the world. so we just pray that we can come together and help them be free. >> a video shows james foley death was released by the islamic state group on august 19th. foley was taken in november of 2012 while working in syria. the islamic state group has captured a russian fighter jet. one of the gunmen in the video threatens russian president vladimir putin of being an ally of president bashar al-assad. russia has provided weapons and ammunition during the country's civil war. and the government also says the

islamic state group will use it to reach russia. after recent gains iraqi forces are preparing to take two cities from in the north from i.s. groups. a number of i.s. fighters have fled the area ahead that have battle. we're live from erbil, north of iraq. josh, what more can you tell us about this ground defensive? >> reporter: well, as they move close for tikrit this is going to be an enormous battle. this is an uniony stronghold. so it's not just the hardcore foreign fighters, but also the sunni tribesmen there. and also tikrit is an really emotional point in iraq right now. this is where the islamic state said they killed 1700 shia officers earlier this summer. we've yet to confirm that, but

they had confirmed that hundreds have been killed. just today in iraq we heard a special session of parliament here from some of the survivors of that. there have been protests here released in baghdad. from the families of those victims. they want their bodies released from the central morgue in baghdad, they want to know how this could happen. i visited that base a few years ago as the u.s. was pulling out, and it was the flight school that the u.s. had helped iraqi air force and army set up there. so these were cade cadets going through training. it's hard to imagine how a base that size with 1700 soldiers could fall to quickly to the islamic state. but the fate of those soldiers is becoming an emotional point in iraq that will drive this battle to come. >> josh, help me with this one. there is word that an islamic state group a has been killed in a battle of islamic forces.

can you add anything to that? >> they did release that they killed a local leader. i don't know if i would put him in the fop three or five of the islamic state, but locally he was one of the commanders. so the iraqi army was happy about that, proud of that as one of the many gains they had made. they now have the oil field under control. i was up near that oil field earlier this week the day that the islamic state blew the lines and the containers there, creating a massive column of black smoke that you can see for miles. it burned all day long while i was in the vinty of it. they did this while retreating off of the oil field. so they're definitely moving forward. >> all right, josh, josh rushing for us in northern iraq. and new details are emerging about the killing of yazidis by

islamic state fighters. a series of interviews indicate up to several hundred men were killed in two massacres. many say iraq failed to protect them. >> these are survivors in an attempted genocide. thousands of yazidis who escap ed to sinjar mountain after islamic state fighters took over their town in north of iraq. they finally ended up here. the remnants of families whose men were murdered and women capture. on august 15th islamic state fighters rounded up the men and teenage boys in a schoolyard. >> they told us they would let us go to the mountain but then they took us to a field and started shooting. i ran away and hid in a neighboring village. >> they said when th they knew

they were going to die. the yazidi is an ancient religion. they believe in god and seven angels. they're told they are infidels but they'll be given the chance to convert. to save their lives they do. marad, who was shot while escaping list the relatives he has lost. >> my mother, my father, my brother. eight people in all. there is a lot of anger in the yazidi community. the iraqi government and kurds promised to protect them, but didn't. the international community also failed to prevent a massacre. >> one of her best friends was kidnapped, raped, and then sold. >> what we have seen as whycy

dis, i don't think any others have seen or experienced. we don't feel we have a country any more. frankly speaking i don't feel that i belong to iraq any more today. >> reporter: across the north in the wake of the i.s. onslaught christian also effected by th. the yazidis seem to have been singled out. they're a small community. the killings have captured hundreds of them and has traumatized the entire community and placed in doubt the future of the reasonable here. after such a terrible legacy a lot of survivors say they can no longer live in this land. al jazeera. baghdad. >> an increase of a number of ebola cases in west africa has prompted the center for disease control to call for urgent

action. it comes as another american doctor has contracted the virus. after the entire supply of the experimental zmapp serum has been used up, one of two americans who received that serum and recovered has spoken out for the very first times. robert ray with more from atlanta. >> reporter: it was august 5th that nancy was flown to the atlanta, and an ambulance brought her up to emory university hospital where she remained in isolation for three weeks and was released a couple of weeks ago. today she spoke to the media about her experience. she praised the emory hospital folks here and said they were fun and said good morning to liberia. here's what else she had to say. >> i want to express my appreciation to the lord for his grace, his mercy, and for his saving of my life. there were many mornings i woke up and thought, i'm alive, and

there were many times i thought i don't think i'm going to make it any more. >> so nancy and her colleague receiving top-notch care here at emory university. the problem, the cdc is saying that is an epidemic. the "world health organization" is call forgive all hands on deck. officials and medical doctors to go over to west africa and help the situation. stop the infection were crossing borders. the biggest concern right now according to the cdc is this may go not just in the continent of africa but all over the world. it is a health risk to the entire planet. >> unrest and fear over ebola growing in west africa a man infected with the virus fled a hospital in a quarantined area yesterday in liberia. his escape is raising questions about whether quarantines are actually working. roxana is here with the story. >> doctors without borders say

forced quarantines are not working and they're calling for other steps to stop the virus from spreading. >> this man has just escaped from the hospital from ebola patients. armed with a stick he certains for food in a local market. after a tense stand off medical staff forced him into an ambulance. residents were furious to see him on the streets. >> we told the liberian government from the beginning we don't want an ebola camp here. this is the fifth ebola patient coming out vomiting and toileting. >> there is anger and confrontation. security forces aren't let anyone leave or enter. residents complain about being trapped without any food. liberia's president has said the quarantines are meant to save lives. but doctors without borders say forced quarantines are not borg.

governments need to teach people why quarantines are needed: >> people are scared. they escape or they hide. that's our experience. it's not working. people need to understand what is going on. >> the group is also calling for large numbers of civilian and military medics. trained to deal with highly contagious diseases and it wants more mobile millions and field hospitals with isolation warrants because their sites are running out of room. >> we're running after a train that is going much faster in terms of what we can offer in response. >> she said the world's response to ebola is losin lethally inadequate and losing the battle against ebola. >> in power politics with david shuster both sides of the aisle

becoming impatient with president obama and asking him to take military action against the islamic state group in syria. details next.

>> the dow is up, and nasdaq is down and southboun s&p 500 is down. urging president obama to attack the islamic state in syria, david shuster with more. >> tony, the pressure is growing and several lawmakers are becoming increasingly impatient. bill nelson of florida said it will introduce lengths authorizing the president to take military action in syria. this follows some criticism of president obama from democratic senator dianne feinstein.

>> i've learned one thing about this president. that is he's very cautious. maybe in this instance too cautious. >> after the beheading of american journal stephen sotlo sotloff, senator lindsey graham said: >> but the president is bound and determined even in the face of criticism to make the kinds of decisions that he believes are in the best interest of american national security and the american people. >> this is not going away. >> in a battle over control in the u.s. senate there is big news in arkansas. health insurance officials say obamacare premiums will decrease by an average of 2% the projection undermines senator tom cotton who said that

obamacare would skyrocket in the state, and it's a major boost for mark pryor. >> no one should be fighting an insurance company while you're figh fighting for your life. >> an ad embracing obamacare without mentioning the controversial phrase obamacare. well done. and in kentucky the senate race is hammering minimu mitch mcconnell tha for blocking legislation that would have expanded veterans benefits. >> senator mcconnell, i did my duty. after 30 years in washington you failed to do yours. time for you to go.

>> followpolls indicate that mcconnell is slightly ahead, but that was before this ad. >> this is the image pushing, motorcycle riding man of the people dressed in baggy jeans, plain white shirt and cowboys when in truth he's one of the richest men in the straight. >> how rich? he confirmed that he belongs to an elite wine drinking club. joining the club costs $100,000. if you listen closely you can hear the corks popping of pat quinn who is sale to go re-election. meanwhile, do you remember mark sanford who claimed to be walking the argentinian trail when he was with his mistress. he is now in the midst of ugly child custody proceedings with

his ex-wife. >> jenny sandford wants the congressman who have psychiatric and psychological situations and enroll for anger management program and sign up for a parenting program despite those kinds of reports all over south carolina sanford is still favored to win re-election this fall. amazing. >> good stuff, david. coming up, should n.a.t.o. accept vladimir putin's plan for a cease-fire in ukraine? we dig into that as putin claims he could take ukraine in two weeks if he wanted to. and three decades after convicted of murder two brothers are freed thanks to dna evidence.

>> russian president lad vlad put forward a plan to end the

fighting in eastern ukraine and calls for ukrainian troops to be pulled away from the city's of donetsk and luhansk. joining me now with more is lincoln mitching, a research scholar at colombian university. it is good to see you again. nice to have you back on the program. i'm a little confused. earlier in the day it appeared as though the ukrainian president greed to something but we're not quite sure it was this seven point plan. >> it doesn't look like we have an agreement. >> agreeing to stop the fighting if you're poroshenko the president of ukraine right now is to agree that let russia win. i don't see that happening right now. >> what do we have, a seven-point plan. the prime minister calls the proposal, i don't know if you heard this, a rescue plan for the russian terrorist. so what exactly is going on here? what do you think came out of the talks between the two

presidents? where are we? >> you have to look at the domestic politics of russia. he knows that this conflict in ukraine is not going to end quickly. it's going to end badly to for ukraine and could end badly for russia as well. if that happens he will be weakened at home, but because of the nationalist rhetoric that he has been creating over the last months within russia he has no wiggle room to back down. so russia more than ukraine needs a way out of this where they can save face. this is that if you're sitting with vladimir putin is sitting. it's not that if you're sitting where poroshenko sits. >> can you figure out what it is ultimately that vladimir putin wants here? he seems to be working counter--his own interest. nay to is fired up again. you're hurting your own economy. have you figured out his motives? >> a big part of this motive is

to make it impossible or close to impossible for ukraine as it is currently instituted to meaningfully move to the west. through the european union. to a great extent putin has accomplished that. the second thing he's trying to accomplish here is to weaken n.a.t.o. have they actually done anything? >> right. >> until they do something. until n.a.t.o. shows a willingness to fight back putin can plausibly say i have weakened n.a.t.o. i have n.a.t.o. on the run. this is coming at a cost. for russian economics. i'm just talking domestically. he's becoming increasingly unpopular on the world stage, i'm pretty sure he was ready to take that hit. >> reinforcing sanctions russia, are the sanctions work? >> they are working in the sense

that they're damaging the economy. however the way russia works, people have referred to it as a gangster state, while it's strong language, it is a state where the people at the top worry about what happens to them and not to the state in general. if they can run up the rhetoric they can survive this. there is no accountability or free media to report that hey, the sanctions are killing us. we got to stop this because we're all taking a hit in our pocketbooks. those institutionings and structures don't exist in russia. >> what about the latest report here that putin has said he could conquer, take over, whatever the language is, kiev in two weeks if he wanted to. maybe tactically it is true, and he has the armed forces to do it, but is it anything more than bluster? >> well, certainly it is a lot

of bluster. and putin if anyone has sow seen him wrestle with wildlife, it is a reminder of the russian strength. one of the things that we're hear something a call to ar dearm the military. as we know, they'll be fed by russia's military. there is a call to do that. this is putin's response to that call. i believe that even if we arm the ukraine military, if we do that, that won't be enough. and the real debate about arming the ukrainian military should at least include to what extent are we willing to put boots on the ground. that's the next question. not a happy question if you're sitting in washington. >> no one seems to be willing to take that leap. >> no one wants that question.

what do you make of the timing of all of this, the announcement of the plan. we can take kiev if we want to. is it to take some of the attention away from nativ n.a.t.o.? >> there is a picture in timing as well. why did putin choose this timing to invade ukraine. the four-letter word is isis. the attention is on isis. the story leading the headlines is we'll follow them to the gates of hell and all of this. we spend a lot of time characterizing putin as crazy and insecure, but he's also smart. he made this move at a time when western attention and media is focused elsewhere. that's a big part of the timing on this. >> hmm, lincoln, good to see you. research scholar at columbia university. he has worked on democracy and

governance issues in the former soviet union. as always, a pleasure. >> thank you. >> in syria the u.n. is negotiating for the release of 45 kidnapped peace keepers. the syrian rebel group al nusra front. the u.n. peace keepers have been monitoring the buffer zone since 1974. in nigeria many are escaping the boko haram fighters. and in cameroon boko haram is changing its strategy. it is now trying to take new territory to set up its own so-called caliphate. in china, tensions between china and japan are as high as ever. >> we gather here today--

>> amid the sky scrapers of hong kong a commemoration and a memorial. a small batch of green surrounded by concrete. marking 69 years since japanese forces surrendered at the end of world war ii. victory day over japanese aggression as it's called by the government there was also a large ceremony i. after the ceremony in hong kong a small group of protesters marched at the japanese consulate. >> i wish japan would recognize this part of their history, their invasion of china. they should not erase it. it should be included in japanese education. >> reporter: a history china is making sure its people and the world don't forget. this is china's first commemoration of septembe september 3rd victory day earlier established in year.

now the conflict history with japan has always been a very tense issue here. are these commemorations being used as tools. both countries claim a group of islands in the china seas. some feel the commemoration is a message designed to maintain the power of china's central government. >> so when you talk about the china-japan relations, there is a major story for china to come back the threat, and that's is the only means to unify the general public. [♪ music ] >> with that many feel that the tension is amplified for the public while official ties between the two countries continue. so as the youth of china are taught about the war the older generation fought the current tensions of japan remain a war of words for political

maneuvering. >> well, the man who shot and killed the woman on his front porch has been sentenced. maria ines ferre has that headlines and other news making it's way across the u.s. >> reporter: he'll spend 17 years behind bars. he shot 19-year-old ranisha mcbride when she showed up drunk on his front porch before dawn. he apologized at his sentencing. >> i caused the loss of a life. she was too young to leave this world. and for that i'll carry that guilt and sorrow forever. >> waver was convicted last month after a trial that centered on whether the 55-year-old had reasonable belief that he was in danger. he woke up to hear pounding on his doors and shot mcbride because he feared for his life.

in ferguson, missouri, a judge said that michael brown had no felony convictions or charges. the disclosure came after a media request for browns july recordjuvenile records. juvenile records are normally confidential in missouri. the police say he had no adult record either. the ruling breaks the streak for gay marriage supporters who had won more than 20 consecutive rulings. the judge also upheld the state's refusal to recognize same-sex marriage performed legally elsewhere. this is the ruling to up holding the state ban. since it was struck down last year. in new york, organizers for the event ended a century-old ban that became a political

issue. mayor bill de blasio refused to march this year and sponsors had dropped their sponsorships. a plane was struck down by bird strikes. the latest bird strike was when captain sully landed a plane in the hudson river. >> two brothers wrongly convicted of murder. casinos close down in atlantic city. @

>> quit tobacco, the company pulled all tobacco products from shelves at 7700 stores. it also took on the new name of cvs health. it's part of a massive rebranding effort providing medical care. patients can get lab tests, vaccinations and treatment for minor infections, injuries and skin conditions. >> we look at oh ourselves as a pharmacy innovation company. with it it's bringing products and services into the marketplace that are helping businesses, communities, people manage their health in more effective and affordable ways. >> well, cvs plans to lose money from pulling its product, but

it's worth it. thousands of newly unemployed casino workers file for unemployment as casinos close their doors. we spoke to that lovely woman who was heartbroken about losing they are job. >> she yesterday was very upset. i think it was more about what she didn't say than what she did say that to do it us about many in the atlantic city feel. they're losing roughly 20% of the gaming industry. 8,000 people if you include those who last their jobs earlier. it was a mass signing on for unemployment money. 6,000 are eligible and they'll deal with them over the course

of the next six days. it was organized by the county, the city, the local unions, local 54, and more than 20 community volunteers groups trying to help. take a look. >> in their hundreds they came. herded into different language lines. the fourth floor of the the giant convention center helping 6,000 laid off casino workers looking to sign on. >> we didn't think it would happen. >> this is louis, his one-year-old daughter has no idea that dad is out of a job. he said he knew it was coming. >> whatever ideas i had when working, they weren't willing to change. it was too late. >> showboat closed sunday. next door revel, a gaming behemoth closed tuesday.

a fourth casino, the atlantic club closed in january bringing the grand total of gambling jobs lost this year in atlantic city to around 8,000. the city's gambling revenues reached their peek in 2006, but since then more and more casinos opened around the state. >> at that time all the casinos in the region were here. 100% of the revenue, 100% of the casinos. turn the clock forward eight years to 2014. ten casinos here. 25 in the region. >> atlantic city is accused of failing to branch out beyond gambling as las vegas has done, something that city managers say they're on to. >> we still have 25 million visitors a year coming to atlantic city. they're just not coming to game in the same numbers. but they're come together beach, the boardwalk and the dining and shows. >> limited transportation options and high crime areas just blocks away from the a famous boardwalk, but it is

still the number one beach coast destination outside miami. >> i think for a lot of people in new jersey it's close and convenient. it's tough right now money-wise. >> they expect to see 5,000 people in three days to sign up for unemployment benefits. the unemployment benefits is virtually guaranteed. so many people out of work at once finding a new job is literally a roll of the dice. >> it's the roll of the dice that could come in any of the eight casinos that are left in atlantic city. there are still eight casinos. it's a very large concentration of casinos in the area. why did they close these casinos? it was a strict business corporation. when you're a company that owns revel or show book they own three other casinos in atlantic city. people are not citing atlantic city the way that they did

because they have casinos closer to home. it was because of various business reasons they closed the new orleans showboat but it does not take away from the fact that peopl 8,000 people are laid off. >> thanks to see you. two brothers are free after spending critique case three decades in prison after dna testing. john henry smith has more on this particular case. >> reporter: friends and family cheer in a north carolina courtroom after a dung cleared two half brothers of raping and murdering a young girl over 30 years ago. >> it just wasn't in them. they wasn't raised that way. i'm glad they're coming home. we waited. we were patient. >> until last week 50-year-old

henry mccallum was on death row. his half-brother lyon brown has seen his sentence reduced from death to life after retrial in the 90's. they were 19 and 15 when the police arrested them for the rape and murder of an 11-year-old back in 1983. their attorneys argued both men had fourth grade level iqs. and the police took advantage of them. >> with no legal representation and no parent, they're going to tell me they asked to sign something. >> reporter: after years of examination at the scene they claim there was no dna present to link the men to the crime. it was pointed to roscoe artist, a man who the brothers attorneys

admitted to them over the years that brown and mccallum is innocent. he's in president for another rape and murder that occurred a month after the 11-year-old died. >> i'm hurt for the family. they're hurting for their sister. they feel that the family has been done wrong. >> reporter: al jazeera. >> today's the exonerations come on the 25th anniversary of the first conviction overturned with dna evidence. since 1989 more than 300 innocent prisoners. 300. have been released are the help of dna. we go to a senior attorney with the innocence project. it is good to have you on the program. 14 years you have been with the innocence project. how has the justice department our justice system changed in your opinion in that time? >> well, when i started at the innocence project 315 had been

cleared, and today it's now 317. people who have been proven innocent through non-dna means. >> based on the fact that innocent people freed. we try to make the system more exact. >> we look at the exonerations today. the most noteworthy exonerations. they mostly have as essential factor african-americans. let me just ask the question. it's in the room, i'll ask it. to what degree is race a factor in wrongful convictions? >> well, it's definitely predominant factor in the

criminal justice, and the most prevalent wrongful conviction involves a caucasian victory and african-american defendant or assailant. and when you look at the statistics of just who is wrongfully convicted 70% of people who are sentenced to prison, you know, often for decades for crimes they didn't commit are people of color. >> is there a case in your 14 years that come to mind of how the justice system works or doesn't work, a case that comes to mind that shows the importance of the work you do with the innocence project? >> absolutely. you know, most recently we helped exonerate a man in louisiana nathan brown, who was convicted in his early 20s. he was home one summer evening playing with his two-year-old daughter, home with his family, and police knock on his door and say a woman in the argument

complex, a white woman had been attacked on the way home. can you come out of the house and see if she can identify you. is that him sitting next to you? >> yes. he steps outside and within a few minutes the victim said yeah that's him. highly suggestive identification procedure. it's one person being brought to the victim with the police around him, and she said yeah i think it's i am ultimately. that's it. he never goes home. 17 years later dna is able to clear him. >> which brings me to my next question. are you and the innocence project advocating for the wider use of dna testing in criminal cases? >> absolutely. dna should be used where it can be used to determine who committed a crime. but dna is not the answer. it's available in less than 10% of violent crimes, so we are pushing to take lessons that we learned from the dna cases and apply them across the boards to

the criminal justice systems because most cases don't have dna to get to the to the truth. >> what is the legacy of the program 25 years later? >> well, hopefully what we're doing is reforming the criminal justice system. what i started we were one of a handful of projects. now there are over 60 innocence projects in the u.s. and there are projects throughout the world. really, we're trying to reform the criminal justice system. we have 2.2 million people in prison in america. you know, we're starting to see peoplery think the drug war and how we're doing eyewitness identification procedures. we really need a complete overall. >> and prison, complex. that's it. good to see pup thank you t you. a senior attorney with the innocence project. thank you for your time. >> thank you so much. >> images of young people in lebanon burning the islamic state group's flag.

going viral. details coming up. >> hello, i'm ray suarez. president issued a warning to the islamic state today saying our reach is long and justice will be served. the president said his objective is to destroy and degrade the insurgency. but he didn't say exactly how. what should he do? what can he do? we'lwe're live at the top of the hour. join us for tonight's "inside story."

>> well images of young lebanese citizens burning the flag of the islamic state group has now gone viral. the government is now weighing in. >> it all started when this image of three lebanese teens burn what appears to be a print out of the i.s. flag went trial. this follows when i.s. beheaded

a leib niec lebanese soldier. this woman here is burning the isis flag and you have a twitter account started on @burn isis. as far as the religion image is concerned. the campaign did prompt a response from the lebanese minister of justice. he said the islamic symbol displayed on the flag is a religious relic and not a symbol of isis. he's concerned this could spur sectarian conflict. >> all right, ines. thank you. let's squeeze in one more. we have amazing pictures to show you. how about this. that's a view from above. lava is coming from a small

fissure. it's coming where minor gas explosions are expected. no lava yet. inside story is next. >> while responding to one crisis russia's threats to ukraine, president obama talked about another, the growing power of the so-called islamic state. he said he'll degrade and destroy the islamic army, but how? it's the inside story.