jordan's king abdullah promises to step up the fight against isil after the brutal killing of an air force pilot. ♪ ♪ you are watching al jazerra live from dough doha: also on the program, rescuers are still searching for the missing after a plane crashed in to a river in taiwan their one people are dead. under siege a report from the frontline in eastern ukraine as the battle for a key town intensifies. and back home al jazerra journalist peter greste thanks his supporters and appeals for

the lease of his colleagues still in jail in egypt. ♪ ♪ jordan's king has vowed to step up the assault against the islamic state of iraq and the levant after isil murdered an air force pilot it was holding hostage, king abdullah has been meeting senior military and security officials in the capital of amman on wednesday jordan executed two iraqi convicts in retaliation for the pilot's murder. here is the latest. >> reporter: king abdullah of jordan vowed a relentless war against the islamic state on their own territory. king who had cut short his visit to the u.s. and returned to jordan met with his top military chief to his plan the way forward. we will hit them in their own ground the king was quoted. a day after the islamic state released a video appearing to show a captured jordanian pilot being burned alive. the jordanian government was did

he find and did he everred. the killing of the pilot will not stop jordan from playing an active role in the international coalition against isil. jordan already is launching air strikes against isil. now military efforts may be intensified. >> nobody was talking about ground troops, we are talking about helping the iraqi military, we are talking about helping the syrian moderate opposition or the peshmerga troops in order to fighting on. but we are talking about a collaborative effort between coalition members in order to intensify our efforts and work to top extremism and terrorism and to undermine and degrade and eventually finish. >> reporter: jordanians lines up to give con condolences to the family. the brutal killing of the jordanian pilot has shifted the public opinion here from pressuring the government to give in to isil's demands

pressuring the government to strike against isil and punish it for its crime. the government is trying to mobilize the public against the armed group. and use the momentum to rally support for its decision to take part in the international coalition against isil. but some of the core dane jordanian opposition is not on board. >> translator: our message to the jordanian government to pull out for the international coalition and we should have no involvement with a war led by america in the region. >> reporter: but the rage at the horrifying killing has people more focused on revenge than politics. al jazerra. the united arab emirates which is a key ally in the u.s. led coalition against isil has stopped flying combat missions over syria. the uae was one of the first to join the coalition last september. it reportedly suspended flights after isil captured the jordanian pilot.

rescue workers in taiwan are working to salvage the remains of the trans asia airways plane which crashed for a river to wednesday, at least 31 of the 58 people on board were killed. the fuselage has been lifted from the water but the search continues to 12 more people the plane had taken off with the pilots reported engine failure. the latest from the crash scene now. >> reporter: what was a search and rescue mission on wednesday after flight ge235 crashed no to the rift soon became a recovery operation. over a thousand personnel both from civil emergency services and the military are involved in this operation. a pontoon has been erected on the river and from there motorized dinghies containing divers taken in turn and shift to his try to locate the number of people that are still missing. 31 at the moment are confirmed dead. 15 injuries, nine seriously, 12

bodies are still missing and they have been scouring the riverbed overnight. it also required two large heavy lifting cranes that weighed over 500-tons to lift that fuselage out of the river shortly after that it was a two-hour operation, shortly after that, the dock pit containing the captain, copilot and navigator was found. it's taken long tore find the wings of the plane. now, what has been found of the two black box recorders they will now be analyzed and it will hopefully reveal what happened to the plane shortly after take off from the airport. for the moment, though, it's very touch very much a voir i operation and taiwan is in shock. al jazerra journalist party greste has spoken about his relief the being released and his joy of returning to his family in australia. after spending 400 days in an egyptian prison. speaking to the president in prisonbrisbane he thanked all those

that worked to free him. bahar and mohamed are still in prison and al jazerra continues to call for their immediate release, andrew thomas has more from brisbane. >> reporter: peter greste describes himself as ecstatic to be facing the australian and global media in a press conference a a freeman normally as a correspondent he would be on the other side of the microphone listening to what people had to say but, of course all ears were on him free after 400 days in a cairo prison cell. he arrived overnight in to thursday. australian time. the press conference first thing thursday. and there were well over 100 members of the media there to listen and broadcast that to the world. peter greste's thoughts straightaway were still about his colleagues left behind in a cairo prison correct. he spent a long time with them. he want them out too. and this is what he had to say about spending that much time in cairo with them.

>> we would support one another very very directly. we knew that people had their ups and downs -- excuse me their updates and down days and we were very careful at helping one another out listening to one another, talking to one another supporting one another and at the same time, giving space when we needed it. and so i think we have all grown very close as a result of this process, as a result of this experience. >> reporter: peter greste described his own dark days in the cairo prison cell. he said that it had taken an awful lot of mental strength and physical strene to this get him through. he had meditated. he had started a university degree from within the prison. and he kept himself physically fit as well. all three things he said were absolutely essential to getting him through. and he thought about a holdiday that he had taken with his family to some island just up the australian coast. that image kept him going. >> now he can go on another

holdiday. all tempered by the fact that the fight to free our colleagues still goes on. bahar mohamed's wife said the deportation law that allowed peter to be released excludes her husband because he's egyptian and fears he will remain behind bars. >> translator: i don't know why he's still in prison. i really don't know. his colleagues are being released. they were declared innocent. the new law was only made to set the foreigners free. to give them an opportunity to leave jail. but for him being in an egyptian is the price he has to pay. if he's still in jail for being an egyptian? sear request isyria a rebel group called the army of islam has called the capital of damascus their zone. victoria gatens by reports. >> reporter: most of damascus is still under government control but opposition fighters regularly fire rockets in the to

capital from bases in the surrounding countryside. an armed opposition group has declared the city a a military zone warning people to say away from cars checkpoints and military bases in a statement the group said: >> reporter: this is what's left of the city of douma after the latest attacks by government forces the syrian observatory says government planes carried out 127 air strikes on tuesday and its helicopters dropped 78-barrel bombs. one of the many cities cities targeted barrel bombs exploded over the rebel held district.

the syrian air force controls the skies and it's proving fate follow opposition fighter andville vinnies alike the injured were taken to temporary hospitals but the number of patients far excited the medical staff on hand to treat them. on the ground rebel fighters continue their battle to shape syria's future of the syrian-armed opposition says it's taken control of the area in northeast aleppo. >> translator: it was rain on the ground aleppo but by recapturing this area they retreated and are no long never a position to lay siege to the city. >> reporter: but territory has changed hands mean takes. territory has changed hands many time victoria gatenby, al jazerra. argentina's president is on a four day visit to china. hoping to improve ties to the

country. argentina's biggest trading partner after brazil. despite the fact that she made jokes on twitter about the chinese accent. now a report. >> reporter: china gave the argentine president christina fernandez a red carpet reception. china is now argentina's second biggest trading partner after brazil. and both countries believe the relationship is ripe for furniturefurthergrowth of the trade with china in 2013 was worth $17.5 billion. >> translator: chinese interests in investing in argentine is clear and important. chinese company have his many projects planed in south america and argentina particular a country with lots of natural resources but we are also an important market. >> reporter: the president distancing herself from a scandal back in or teen tina argentine is accompanied by more than 100 business men and most of her top

ministers. negotiating 15 major agreements. which include two huge hydro electric i go dams in patagonia. tons of soy ex-pouredded to china and military hardware. the chinese presence in argentina as much of latin america is increasing. like in bank like this one less vice i believe but equally valuable is the long-term investment in argentina's crumbling infrastructure. the president's trip is building the chinese president's visit to argentina last july. relations are strong. likely to supersede comments she made on twitter nothing chinese pronunciation of some spanish words. she apologized. but these bilateral relations are about more than just trade. >> translator: i would say there has been a reorientation of

priorities reassignment of political resources economics the search to unite interests with a country as important as china the world has changed which is fantastic to the economic and political opportunities it offers for a opportunities are you like argentine 56789 china 56789. >> reporter: china is the world' largest economy and argentina default on thedefaulting on its foreign debts may not seem like a match made in heaven but both both have plenty onto offer the other and that makes good business. al jazerra. still to come here on the program. why text messaging has been banned in dr congo and why that's hurting a community. >> reporter: i ams at the jamil at a book fair, we'll see why this is the most popular celebration of books and reading in the world.

and create a better future? an al jazeera america special report race in america all next week part of our special black history month coverage on al jazeera america

>> weeknights on al jazeera america. >> we're still here every night, just a little bit later. we're still taking a hard look at the most important issues out there to get you the answers you deserve. >> "real money with ali velshi" at its new time. 10:30 eastern. >> we're just doing it a little later every night. ♪ ♪ welcome back. a reminders of our stop stories now. jordan's king has vowed to step up the assault against isil after the group murdered an air force pilot it was holding hospital tilling king abdullah has been meeting security officials in amman. rescue workers in taiwan are work to go safe individual the remains of a trans asia airways airways plane at least 31 people were killed when it crashed if a river in pie too pay. freed al jazerra journalist has again called for his two fellow

journalists to be freed. party was released after spenting 400 days in prison. now to eastern ukraine where fighting is intensifying between the ukrainian army and pro-russia separatists. a flash point between the two sides. the town is strategically important to both sides in the 9-month long conflict. charles stratford reports. >> reporter: ukrainian army fire a volley of rockets towards the frontline. the separatist say they have surrounded the town under seen. volunteers like this man are trying to drive civilians to safety. >> translator: you can hear shelling and shooting. at night it was very intense he says. i have to go says this man. it's bat in there. very bad.

>> reporter: we followed a bus along the mud roads in to town. attempts at negotiating a temporary truce for safe passage had failed. >> go, go, go. catch them. catch them. >> reporter: the shelling is intense. the very few people on the street run for cover. what sounds like artillery or mortars fires towards targets we cannot see. there have been -- there have been repeated efforts at trying to get some of the wounded out of the town, there have been calls for ceasefire some of the ceasefires have been ignored and we followed a humanitarian aid convoy in to the city to try to deliver aid to the people trapped here. the men tell us they are going to an area that is too dangerous for us to film.

>> translator: we are trying to deliver aid to people still here at our own risk. we could not organize a temporary truce to come here. >> reporter: approximately 25,000 people used to live here. after weeks of heavy fighting, it's not known how many are living here now. only the very brave remain. i walk to deliver aid to people every day shouts this wallace another shell explodes close by. this town is of strategic importance to both sides in the conflict it's a major railway hub linking territory the zeb tests control with russia. it's believed up to 8,000 ukrainian government troops have been deployed to try and defend the town. they are suspicious about what they say are separatist surprise surprise. this armored personnel carrier

blocked our path as we left town. the soldiers questioned us before letting us drive on. this road is the only way in to from the ukrainian millie controlled side. while the fighting intensifies it is the only route out for many civilians who remain inside. charles stratford. al jazerra eastern ukraine. the u.s. secretary of state john kerry and vice president joe biden are heading to ukraine for talks. the obama administration is considering whether it should provide weapon to his ukrainian forces. ross lands jordan reports. >> reporter: the fighting in eastern ukraine shows no sign of ending. and the u.s. and the even u. blame russia. >> i think russia knows what it can do immediately to be of helpful we hope they will. >> reporter: in other words top sending russian tanks guns and soldiers across the border to

back up separatists fighters in the south north. it's been a year of turmoil in ukraine the fall of victor yanukovych the russian inning fake and annexation of cremia. the downing of a malaysian airline ladies and gentlemen italy bicep 50. the response, taking russia out of the g8. the theory the russian economy will sufficienter and president vladimir putin will change course. that hasn't happened. so far the u.s. has only given ukraine helmets body armor and other nonlethal equipment. but the u.s. reportedly is now considering giving them lethal weapons as well. >> have you haven't taken option on or off the table it's an ongoing discussion we take in account events on the ground but i don't have anything to layout for you in terms of internal deliberations. >> reporter: analysts say the west does share some blame to the crisis, going book its

efforts in the 1990s to get ukraine to join the e.u. and nato. steven of the german mar that would fund says western policy makers didn't consider how russia might react. >> they tended to make this almost a zero sum game either or choice either you are a part of oureurasian union of russia or the european june ao*upb i don't know. i don't think they tried to find a solution that would make sort of beaching side happy. and not force the ukrainians in to a choice of one or the other because the problem is ukraine is it doesn't block to either side. it blocks belongs to both. >> reporter: both president poroshenko and former u.s. diplomats say the obama administration needs to provide lethal aid. but the pentagon says it's focused on giving troops more training. as secretary kerry meets with the leaders his job will be to determine whether the u.s.' strategy of providing nonlethal aid is enough but seeing the facts on the ground might not be

enough to persuade the obama administration to change course. roslyn jordan, al jazerra, the state department. in the your honor, a man has been convicted of operating' underground website that sold illegal drugs ross william was found guilty of seven charges including drugs and money lands irrelevanting, as well as a kingpin charge which is usually reserved for drug cartel leaders. he is due to be sentenced in may, he could receive life in prison. the armed group which is based in nigeria attacked a town along the boarder between the two countries. the town's main mosque is said to have been torched. well troops from three countries have launch -7d the biggest offensive against boko haram in five years nigerian and chad jets have been bomb being boko haram positions. on tuesday chad's arm a taxed and destroyed boko haram bases

in approximately northern nigeria. 200 rebels remember killed in the fight ago long with nine chad soldiers. in the democratic republic of congo opposition groups are frosting against the president who they believe is trying to extent his rule. his government has blocked text messages and mobile internet services for more than two weeks. and as malcolm web reports it's hitting one group particularly hard. >> reporter: at this school for deaf children it's time for physical education. students here use sign language to communicate with each other and their teachers, corresponds that they depend on text messages and mobile end net. the government switched off those services two weeks ago following anti-government protests. he says people use them to instigate violence and looting. and the children that we meet are not happy about it.

phone calls television and radio are still on. but are of no use to them. they say they are completely cut off. >> translator: my parents live far away from here, i have not been able to commune date with them for two weeks. i ask the government please to reopen the text messages. i am really crying. >> reporter: they write sign to his show us, this boy is inspired by the protests against the charlie hebdo attack in france last month. the children here learn skills that help them to get work when they leave. these girls are learning how to sew. normally the things they make are sold to raise money for the school but they depends on text necessarymessages to communicate with the buyers now they can't and there is no business and the completed garments are left hanging on the wall. she throerpdz sew at the school when she was a child now runs a sewing co-op for death women the people that supply the fabrics and buy the items don't know sign language ask she's not open to talk.

>> translator: communication by text message is one of the only ways we can make money because we are not communicating now we have lost a lot of money. >> reporter: the deaf community here in congo is struggling and they are many, there is no accurate data but health charities estimate over a million. the lack of healthcare here means untreated en following the accidents during pregnancy and childhood often cause loss of hearing. this association for the deaf has more than 500 members throughout the north province but without tech messages or the internet the only way they can matt meet or ask the group for help is walking around for hour looking for each other. >> translator: sometimes our members have accidents and need help. for example, if someone is hit by a car. without sms he can't contact us or contact his family to come to the hospital. >> reporter: the group secretary says he wants to watch this store on line, won't be able to hear what we say and he won't even be able to see it either unless the i want net comes back. and deaf people need if more than most. there are few services to support people with

disabilities. the children here at the school are luckier than others in the villages but one of the few things that makes a hard life a little easier has been taken away. malcolm webb, al jazerra in the democratic republic of congo. now, readers from far and wide are gathering in india for one of the most popular book fares in the world. the calcutta book fair celebrates international literature and reflects india's much-loved reading tradition. fez jamil leafs through this year's global page turners. >> reporter: they come for the love of books frankfurt and london's book fares may be larger but more pima tends calcutta's. for lolla thors, there is little profit in books but plenty of passion. >> i join it and. i sold my first book and i go and until then it's a struggling

job, though it is my passion i lover it. >> reporter: the fair started back in 1976, and every year since it has drawn huge crowds of book lovers from all over the country and the world. the u.k. is this year's feature country as it's the 450th anniversary of william shakespeare's birth. the british delegation says despite modern distractions people at the fair see the value of books. >> they want the knowledge. they want to be well are well read and part of a network so that they can go out and be part of discussions and thing likes like that. >> reporter: which brings people out to the fair year after year. >> there is so much variety over here that you just don't run out of it. run out of options. it's never really boring it's always new. >> particularly i love books i buy looks books and i always feel like come back and seeing new books. >> reporter: the popularity of the fair and books has as much to do with the vent as it does with the city it's in.

more people live in mumbai and delhi but calcutta's book fair is the most popular because of the city's long held love for literature and reading and why it's considered the literary capital of india. a few kilometer as way it's famous for its book market the popular saying is if you can't find a back here, it probably never existed. organizers say the importance of books and being well red here is what makes this book fair popular. >> the status of a passion is determined how how they read. how they love books. parents, from childhood always specialize on the children, to read books that's the main reason that calcutta has got a huge foot fall for books and book lovers. >> reporter: they make a few sales at the fair, but following

and others, the real profit is being surrounded by their passion. fez jamil, al jazerra. and you can keep up-to-date with all of the day's news on our website. al jazerraaljazerra.com. >> on "america tonight": >> the manor of his death how does that play -- >> i think the jordannians are infuriated. so there is going to be a backlash. >> his blood is the blood of the country and i demand the revenge be bigger than just executing prisoners. >> when jennifer and dave simon took their six month old livia