a united front. germany an the united states pledge allegiance against russia or the crisis in ukraine. and despite some differences merkel and the president say they're committed on keeping the pressure on moscow. >> what other means can we put in place to change mr. putin's calculus. >> a vow to destroy boko haram.

nigeria says it will take out the rebel group in six weeks after refusing to cancel municipal elections for now other countries are joining the fight. a creative battle with i.s.i.l. iraqi state tv is using parody videos, and a test of human will undermine extreme conditions. athletes in canada racing their way in hundreds of miles of frozen tundra in temperatures as low as 50 below. good evening and welcome to al jazeera america i'm stephanie sy. >> and i'm antonio mora. today we begin with the growing

concerns in eastern europe. >> german chancellor angela merkel was in the white house today. >> she aand the president promised to stand together against russia. but she refused to give weapons to kiev. she says that would make the fighting worse. >> and putin continues to blame the u.s. for making the cries worst. >> the two leaders say there's no gap in their approach to russia. people moved from towns along the border. angela merkel believes the peace plan joined with the french, all sides meet in belarus on wednesday. willing to give diplomacy a chance for now.

both leaders agree no deal will mean stricter sanctions against the russians. >> if in fact diplomacy fails what i've asked my team to do is look at all other options. what other means can we put in place to change mr. putin's calculus. >> translator: if at a certain point in time one has to say that a success is not possible, even if one puts every effort into it, then the united states and europe have to sit together and try and explore further possibilities. >> european union has backed stronger sanctions at a meeting of foreign minister in brussels. but waited to enact them. >> until we see russia complietion on thecomplyingon the ground, we can't relieve the pressure in any way. >> vladimir putin's spokesman

has warned against imposing deadlines. >> we're getting ready for wednesday if, within that time frame we can agree on a number of positions that we have talked about in the recent past. >> the u.s. and german leaders want russia to believe there is a united approach a common determination to end the crisis in ukraine and there will be harsh consequences if russia doesn't help. all that could hang on developments in minsk and that becomes a hugely significant and important are meeting. >> thank you very much, everybody. >> allen fisher at the white house in washington. >> jamie mcintire, the white house is reluctant. what kind of weapons does ukraine want from the u.s? >> a whole lot of things, secure

communications, and the kinds of things that the pentagon and the white house are considering are things that they referred to as defensive lethal weapons things like for instance antitank missiles that could take out russian tanks. russia has been putting a lot of tanks into eastern ukraine. also something called counter battery radar which has the ability to track incoming rockets and mortar rounds and redirect fire back at the source of those things. and also antiaircraft systems that could perhaps neutralize some of these small drones or unmanned military vehicles that the russian backed troops are using in order to gain surveillance and intelligence. there is a range of things that the united states is considering providing ukraine so they could essentially bolster their

defenses. >> would these defensive weapons give ukrainian government enough to counter the russians? >> president obama touched on this no way no matter how much armament the united states gives to kiev, there's no way they could prevail over the troops backed by moscow and its deep armaments. but it could defend the citizenry, even things out a little bit increase the cost for putin and perhaps even save a few lives. things like antitank missiles can stop a tank. these counterbatteries are effective because they can tell you exactly where a mortar round or artillery round is coming from and if it's powered by another round it could send it back and it could blunt the

offensive of these russian backed rebels. that is one of the things that the president tried to make point of today you couldn't tarm ukraine force he enough so they could be a match for deep arsenals of moscow. >> jamie mcintire, thank you. are kiev says at least 11 civilians and nine military were killed. ukraine received some reenforcements from the u.k. today, thousands of items of nonlethal military aid the aid was delivered to the ukrainian armies fighting in the east, the aid included uniforms and other gear. >> the area around debaltseve has been under siege the city

is home to an important railway hub the rebels want. >> meanwhile cypress is denying reports that it agreed to lease two military base to russia. air base near papos the reports say cypress's struggling monetary system would receive assistance but cypress's government says there's never been conversation with russia about military bases. ban ki-moon is imploring all sides to obey the minsk protocol agreed to last year. >> for the first time almost a year ago a piece of european territory was annexed crimea, the first time a country has an

exed a piece of territories since the 1930s. shouldn't you have been tougher on putin for what he did? >> i have met him two three times on this situation i have been really personally very sincerely speaking to him advising him to really address all these issues by sitting together with the parties concerned. >> but let's be quite clear for our viewers. on the u.n. position, crimea is still in ukraine yes? >> the general assembly has mate its position very clear. >> so crimea is in russia illegally right? >> all these should be guided 50 general assembly general resolution.

>> resolution said that annexation had no validity. >> i'm asking you to be guided by this general assembly resolution. but the member states -- >> you have been very careful with your words secretary-general and i wouldn't ifwonderif you are not being tougher is it because you don't want to upset a permanent member of the u.n. security council? >> it's not matter of upset a certain member-state of the united nations. i'm speaking on the basis of my principle. and the member-states of the united nations have made it quite clear in their general assembly resolution, so that's why i'm referring to this. >> the fighting in eastern ukraine continues to affect millions living in the region. here's a look at where things stand in the war torn country. according to the u.n. high commissioner for human rights more than 5300 people have been

killed and a little over 12,000 wounded. in just the last three weeks of january 224 civilian deaths were recorded. some 5.2 million creuns are still living -- ukrainians are still living among conflict zone. since the war started many have been displaced a lot of them children, a lot of them elderly fled the country entirely with 400,000 heading for russia. steven cohen is a contributing individual arming the ukrainian military you've got europe's are we seeing a good cop bad cop scenario play out or is there divergent strategies?

>> well, play out when and about what? we're at a turning point. the civil war and that's what it is in ukraine could quickly become a war between united states nato and russia. it's already a proxy war. the russians are helping the fighters in the east. we are arming to some degree and giving money to kiev. >> you're giving nonlethal aid right now. >> i don't know what nonlethal aid is. >> it doesn't include tanks it doesn't include buk missile launchers. >> you know that for sure? >> i don't know that for sure. >> we're being told one thing by washington one thing by kiev, one thing by brussels. one thing we know for sure it was unmistakable with merkel's

visit to the white house the united states and europe have utterly split on what to do with this. powerful forces in washington want to escalate the fighting by arming kiev with more than whatever we've given them. we don't know. europe doesn't want this, it fears it. stop and think whap. mernlg and thewhat happens.mernlg andmerkel and the president of france flew to mostly cloudy. when the chancellor of germany has a lot to do at home, europe is melting down financially makes 72 hours to make an emergency trip on a plane you know she thinks war may be looming and she wants to stop it. that's what they're talking about. >> if there is this divide and you say the u.s., and president obama, it's not really clear if he will cave in to the pressure

to arm the ukrainian military, who wins, it europe who wants to continue some sort of diplomacy or the hawks in washington who wants to arm the ukrainian military? >> who wins, is that -- >> would the united states eun unilaterally decide to arm ukraine. >> now we have a growing split between the united states and europe. everyever since the end of world war ii there has been this alliance between the united states and europe its military manifestation is nato. now you have a profound split between the united states and the leaders of europe, france and germany. i'm not saying that's good or bad, but a new reality that might change everything.

if you want to know who's going to lose if we arm kiev, it's going to be the people of ukraine. >> the russian people don't believe there's been an incursion into ukraine. would european leadership sacrifice the transatlantic partnership to appease putin? >> you use the word appease putin. >> contain putin? what would you use? >> you are not asking me a question -- >> i'm asking you a question whether you think leaders in europe would sacrifice the transatlantic paper. >> i understand your question. we sit here and talk, though it's six hours later they may be sleeping now that's a pert question. we do not want to escalate this. powerful forces led by senator mccain and others in the united states want to. are we willing to jeopardize the

transatlantic alliance, that's what european leaders are asking themselves but those in the united states should be asking too, over the issue in ukraine. do you want to know who loses we don't mo who's going to win. but if we give weapons to kiev they'll use them against cities in the east as they have been and the numbers about the dead -- >> 5300. >> way-low. even the u.n. says it's not sure, there are way higher numbers that seem more plausible. what we know is a humanitarian disaster is unfolding in eastern ukraine and if it wasn't that we hated putin so much we would be having a different discussion. we would be saying, what should we do for those people, women and children who are trapped what should we do for it? shouldn't the united states be opening up safe quarters? shouldn't the united nations what are we talking instead? giving the people who are bombing those cities more weapons. how do we know they won't use

those weapons against other cities? merkel's no fool. she speaks russian. she talks to putin when she's angry, he speaks german. this is a different relationship altogether. here is what's interesting and i'll end. notice how the united states has been left out of all this. this is a european initiative. this is no american making these initiatives, there is no american invited to minsk. where is kerry? where is obama. >> kerry was in kiev last week shortly before merkel and hollande arrived. >> i'm bringing to your attention, the european union leaders have purposely cut out the americans which shows you there's a rift there.

thank you for being here. >> coming up next to another conflict in context segment. boko haram. >> after african union states join we are helped to understand the rise of the rebel group. >> and the propaganda war between iraq and i.s.i.l.

>> tonight in our context segment we are talking a closer look at northeastern nigeria where boko haram has make an effort to carve out a islamic state. >> group set off a bomb that killed at least one person. this follows several days of fighting in the region including an attack on the city of bosso. >> in cameroon, reports say between 20 and 30 people were taken captive and that the bus was driven across the border back into nigeria. last week a boko haram attack on fotocol killed nearly 100 people. >> a source told al jazeera nigeria will try disarm all boko haram camps in six weeks. haru matassa reports.

>> they say they're going to try to defeat boko haram within six weeks. they know it's a difficult task, but convincing nigerians that they can do it will be harder. together with forces from chad and cameroon and african union they are trying to identify the camps where the boko haram fighters may be hiding and living and then from then on they want to contain the situation. people who fled to northeast where the boko haram attacks have been most vicious the election will be at the end of march. do nigerians believe this is going to happen? some are skeptical they have heard the talk so many times before. in a few months, few years they would be able to defeat boko haram, that hasn't happened. a lot more people are coming other african countries coming in to help nigeria make with

that force and -- maybe with that force and backing they could deal with boko haram within six weeks as they say. >> haru matasa, reporting. mmedz mohammad adow withreporting.mohammad adow with the story. >> once a stronghold for boko haram fighters now under control of the chaddian troops. they patrol around the town in case boko haram decides to come back. >> we have combed the whole area. no one is here now. probably some of the injured are hiding in highways particularly remote abandoned houses. >> reporter: for nine months, boko haram inflicted strict islam law on people in the town.

most of the people were forced to leave for neighboring chad and cameroon. for the chaddian troops everyone left in gamboro is a suspect. these men are suspected of belonging to boko haram they are finally released but only after convincing the forces that they are not affiliated with the group. chaddian army lost 17 of its fighters while fighting against boko haram. the town said they didn't mind control of boko haram. >> only thing boko haram asked us to do was to teach our children the koran when when we told them we had the koran they left us alone. >> they put together 8700 soldiers to fight boko haram. caused the delay of nigeria's

elections by six weeks. the chaddian troops are part of an original effort against radical group and think town or village taken from its fighters was taking the realities of the postponed election a little closer. mohammad adow, al jazeera nigeria. group's leaders said the areas of chad, niger and cameroon will not be able to stop him. the third video released in as many days. ambassador robin sanders good to see you. the coalition of chad, niger and cameroon although previous problem offing ineffective? >> i think it's important that the situation is coming to bear

in the northeast, whether or not they can defeat boko haram in six weeks or certainly contain it in six weeks is a question. i was concerned about their elections being postponed as a slippery slope to elections not being held at all so i fall in that camp. i wonder whether or not in six weeks the situation on the ground will change. the fact that you have au forces coming in i think that's also good but au forces will take four to six months to stand up to identify where the troop contributing countries are going to come from. and get the u.n. mandate. that will certainly take more time than six weeks. >> but the story we just showed showed us how chad's military has crossed cameroon and had some success against boko haram. i know other armies used to cross borders in order to fight boko haram.

but with the au force he coming in to further regionalize the boko haram insurgency? >> even then you saw cross-border attacks happening then you saw kidnapping happening across borders as well. what you have now is an onslaught by boko haram in the border areas of niger chad and cameroon. one thing good about it is having the chaddian forces, they are used to asymmetrical forces, they have a different mindset and a different capability than nigeria, which traditional forces have had dealing with asymmetrical warfare. that is a good thing. once you have refugees crossing all three borders it makes it a different issue. it's going to take a long time for forces to get there but it's possible with chad and niger forces along with nigeria

they'll be able to push back but whether that's enough to hold elections in those areas is going to be a different question. >> what do you think about postponement of the elections? they were supposed to be held this week, but boko haram pushing they couldn't provide security to the elections. >> i fall into the camp of being very disappointed that the elections were postponed. one of the main points of antiterrorism 101 you would try to maintain the status quo and what you would do as a nation. and the fact that boko haram was able to affect a national election gave boko haram an upper hand that they were able to affect a national political decision. i think if nigeria really wants to show the international community, show nigerians that they can push back against boarm they need to go forward with the elections on march 28th if at

all possible. i think it's a slippery slope not to have elections, if you can't stop boko haram. i think it falls in the face of credibility, it worries most nigerians and they're worried about more than just the security issue. >> ambassador andrews, thank you. >> thank you. >> i.s.i.l iraq is preparing a major offensive against the rebels with the help of the u.s. >> and a politically charged case in malaysia could send a leader to prison for sodomy. why some are saying the charges are trumped up.

>> welcome back to al jazeera america i'm antonio mora.

>> and i'm stephanie sy. coming up this half hour, we are shining a spotlight on a trial that is off the radar. >> also, we're taking you inside the most extreme sports in the world. competitor sports that could hit 40 below. >> we given in the half hour by the wrar against war against i.s.i.l the oil producing city of beji. john allen u.n. special envoy in the fight against i.s.i.l u.s. and coalition force he will support the effort and i.s.i.l. released a video appearing to see captive british journalist john cantley reporting. will be his lat video. he was an deducted in 2013.

>> poking fun at religious extremism. jane arraf are reports. >> this is one of the front lines in the fight against i.s.i.l. at state run iraqi television, the videos are part of an attack against i.s.i.l.'s wide ranging propaganda. the campaign is aimed at undermining the appeal of islamic state of iraq and the levant. its most effective weapon, a satirical series called state of superstition. in this imaginary video the devil arrives in iraq with help from friends. instead of paradise, it promises would be suicide bombers would end up washing dishes. each the 27 episodes explores a

different segment of life under i.s.i.l. this news anchor struggling to cover her face interviews a hospital official. he explains since there was no medical equipment a thousand years ago they use knives and sewing needles. i.s.i.l.'s statements that it upholds islam. >> we are trying to scrape away the different layers of i.s.i.l the idea of parody is to say they don't belong among the most sacred but rather they are a group of people that hold a destructive ideology aiming at descroitiondestroying nations and governments. >> inspiring laughter rather than fear. around the world the danger from i.s.i.l. isn't so much on the battlefield, it's in the battle for the minds of young people and in that struggle is played

out in popular culture in all forms. this artist's new project uses the soles of new shoes to represent soldiers, there is no more where greater insult. >> it is a way to say i won't be silent. >> he came up with the idea after i.s.i.l. seized erbil a city representing culture. the shoes are as damaged and deformed as i.s.i.l. jane arrafer beal. >> leaving small towns near aleppo observers say the group's tactical withdrawal may turn into a larger retreat since i.s.i.l. members were seen

dismantling a bakery. escalation of air strikes raqqa remains the group's stronghold. >> i.s.i.l. is also taking a hit in the town of kobani. stefanie dekker reports coalition air strikes and syrian opposition groups are helping push i.s.i.l. even further east. >> they are making gains these villages have been under the control of the islamic state of iraq and the levant for months. they surround the border town of kobani. seemingly under the momentum and i.s.i.l. is being pushed further back. the kurds are also helped by other factions uniting to fight a common enemy. >> god willing we will head to the country side of manbeach city then on to aleppo. >> it seems that i.s.i.l. has melted away here without much of

a fight but that doesn't mean the battle is over. i.s.i.l. has threatened to return and it still holds large areas along the border with turkey. whereas the victory at kobani is symbolic the air campaign against i.s.i.l. doesn't seem to lessen the threat and four years on a political solution to the war remains a long way off. stefanie dekker, al jazeera beirut. >> top recruiter for i.s.i.l.'s position in the country were killed. five other fighters were killed. first drone strike against i.s.i.l. in afghanistan. >> foreign final arguments in the case of frances coe scatino face multiple counts of manslaughter as well as abandoning ship. his defense attorney is asking for a full acquittal saying the

deaths were caused by other factors. >> translator: what i can say from the evidence that emerged during the trial as i represent a civil plaintiff and had to show the damage suffered by several passengers. i believe the verdict can be nothing other than a conviction for scatino. without doubt. >> 32 people were killed in the 2012 shipwreck. lawyers for survivors as well as the company are calling or the damages. >> we're waiting to hear whether opposition leader anwar ibrahim will return, anwar returned to court, he says he's innocent and sodomy acts are politically motivated. homosexual acts are considered illegal in malaysia.

>> this is anwar ibrahim. he has been walking in and out of court for a decade trying to clear his name. his previous acquittal was overturned in march. now guilty of sodomy and sentenced to prison for five years, he's on bail pending the appeal. being removed from office, it was 1997, and he was the deputy prime minister. charged and convicted he spent several years in jail until the verdict was partially overturned in 2004. whether he was released on -- when he was released on appeal. he is a charismatic and divisive figure in malasian politics. >> as long as this case is pending and hanging over his head he probably wouldn't be able to focus 100% in leading this country towards change. he is still seen as the most

significant political leader to bring this country to a better place. >> he has been a traditionally plan figure among young people and those disaffected with a government that's been in power for over 50 years. often speaking about the change he can offer thousands are willing to listen to him at gatherings like this in the capital. >> students, our future leaders if if if i'm not going to be here to help them to defend them to give them who else is going to be here? >> no one is writing his political owe beneficiary owes owe owe obituary quite yet. it's this court that will have the final say on anwar's future. whatever the decision it's

inevitable that a new chapter is about to be written in the anwar ibrahim story. the verdict in itself may change the future of malasian politics and the reaction of its people to this event. sahal raman al jazeera, kuala lumpur. >> one cartoon shows a judge being held a script by prime minister najib rajak. he is now being investigated on possible said sedition charges. if he had been at his office at the time he probably would have been arrested. >> yet another free speech debate. >> yes. >> a soccer match turns into a deadly riot between fans in egypt. >> now survivors are searching for reasons of who was

responsible for the melee. >> immigrants from across the globe answering the call.

>> egypt is investigating a stampede outside a cairo soccer stadium that left 40 dead sunday. security forces fired tear gas to disperse thousands of fans without tickets. but outlawed muslim brotherhood are accusing police of using excessive force. soccer also spawned some ugly scenes in brazil. massive brawls broke out over the weekend riot police used tear gas to break up the crowd there. dozens were detained. authorities had anticipated violence and had initially banned one side's fans from attending.

>> agary residents stuck to haiti's capital to protest high fuel prices. they called on president michel ameliami mycheflmichelmartelly do not reflect the global drop in prices. >> many cities around the world struggle with population growth. >> in some places population loss is equally challenging. compounded by aging populations and a shrinking workforce. tom ackerman tells us why one american state is trying to win over young professionals. >> the city of bucksport maine its plant shut down permanently

leaving hundreds out of work. >> now there's no mill. >> you think of bucksport you think they make paper. that's what they do and that's what bucksport was about. so now we have to find something else to be about. >> reporter: in this rural state the decline of such natural resource industries compounds its demographic dilemma. more deaths than births and a shrinking workforce due in large part to the oldest median age in the u.s. >> the truth is not that we drove young people away. it's that we didn't make enough.them. >> but in places like the city of bangor, the problem is being attacked by promoting the ingredients that can make it a population magnet. >> we have greatly housing stock here that's affordable. you can buy a house here for $125,000. that's a great deal and combined with strong job opportunities make bangor a place where young professionals are looking at

maybe for the first time. >> but short of prime factors for growing america's population. hispanics whose birth rates are higher than ore groups and immigrants from overseas. but in portland political asylees and other immigrants have settled from africa and eastern europe. his job to help them adjust, arrived here 25 years ago. >> people really love maine. they love it because it's small people are really welcoming refugees and immigrants. it's a safe place. >> it's a safe place to raise the children. >> iraqi refugee faisal, owns a grocery store that draws

customers from around the city. >> i can leave my family alone. crimes, i hear a lot of crimes around in united states but maine, we don't have. >> if maine can capitalize on its assets it stands a good chance of reversing its reputation. from a points of departure to a desired destination. tom ackerman, al jazeera in maine. >> officials in maine say a lot of counties expect to see a decline in population in all those decades. >> it's a wonderful state with all that snow they've gotten recently. british bank hsbc is under fire again. accused of helping its clients hide billions of assets in switzerland. some of those clients included drug traffickers weapons traffickers and celebrities. now the united states could reopen a deferred prosecution

deal entered with the bank over money laundering a couple of years ago. >> a true test of willpower. >> you're not kidding me. up next, athletes under extreme conditions. why snow and freezing temperatures are problem offing to be no match to the human spirit. >> fire, causing an entire village covered in rock and ash. ash.

>> guatemala's fire volt cane owe is finally calming down but over the weekend it wreaked havoc. it spewed ash and rom for miles. blanketing nearby towns in ash. temporarily closed guatemala's international airport which is more than toart miles 40 miles away. humans created pollution.

believed to have been caused by silver mines run by the spanish in the 16th century. the mines were probably in what is noun bolivia hundreds of miles away from where the evidence was found. previously researchers were only aware of pollution that had been caused near the site of those mines. >> tonight we begin a new segment, looking at headlines campaign event late monday, prime minister benjamin netanyahu rejected the critics saying he is determined to address the u.s. congress on iran's nuclear policeman and it is not at all political. it is interesting to see this story covered in israel. some people feel netanyahu should not cross the white house to agree to address the u.s.

congress. >> a they bring it back to iran. >> and we go now to the south china morning post beijing executed a mining billionaire said to have ties to organized crime. put to death monday, han reportedly told family members before the execution to accept his fate and not seek any redress for the injustice he believes. >> part of the anticorruption campaign we haven't seen the likes of this in china for decades. >> making the headlines london's guardian, netflix into cuba. the company will enter cuba's entertainment, the service will

cost $7 per month. the average wage 17.50 a month. and only a few have broadband internet. they are dipping a toy into that pull. >> the yukon arctic ultrabegins in the yukon territory of white horse. setting off with survival gear and little else. those seeking a bigger challenge can extend the race another 200 miles the peley crossing. to pelley judge crossing. temperatures can plunge to 40 below zero. >> needless to say -- >> you won't be doing it any time soon. >> not for us or the faint of heart. there is no shortage of people signing up for it every year.

>> al jazeera's daniel lack got himself bundled up to go meet some of them. >> call it organized chaos the official start of one of the toughest athletic events of all. fat tire bikers with alongside jogging marathoners. leave a vast city for a daunting wilderness. there is no one reason they race. >> i look forward to being on the trail my own. i look forward to meeting with god out there. >> i lost 115 pounds in eight months and i worked very hard to get here and hopefully i can feel the marathon. >> reporter: among 30 racers helping to conquer 690 kilometers of frozen landscape james binks. a little amused at the attention

he gets. >> nobody took any notice of me when i was 30. they all think god if he can do it when i'm that age i should be able to. >> all spots in trek mode, please. >> roberts polehammer makes sure everyone has a working tracking slight device. a labor of love you might say. >> you have so many different people right? all ages, women men different athletic backgrounds people with hardly any athletic browns, just love the out-- athletic backgrounds, just love the outdoors. >> wilder more mountainous terrain to cross in the daysto ahead. you know for most of us, minus 30° snow and some north wind there behind me on the yukon river it's not a great winter's day, it's rather cold.

but if you are a competitor in this race it's a pretty good day for running in the yukon ultra. the first of many checkpoints where long distance athletes can warm up at the fire is also the finish line for those running the marathon. up the snowy trail she got here in less than four hours with a little help from a furry friend. >> tired but the trail was really nice, it was really outback so everything went well, it's good. >> it goes on for most competitors. those tough enough to make their distances will have slept wild in minus 40 degree temperatures, many would regard a nightmare but to them, it's just an adventure. daniel lak. eu conterritory. >> james binks has completed the race before. few facts only 16 canadians are

taking part, perhaps they know better. a tv crew is following the only japanese athlete and the center for space medicine in berlin is using this race to study the effects of extreme environments. >> joining us from reno, nevada, scott jurik the author of eat and run my unlikely journey to ultramarathon greatness. we hear it sounds like a nightmare to me. some are racing up to 400 miles in subzero weather. why do you want to take on such challenges? >> we are always thinking of new ways to explore boundaries and for a lot of people these days with life so comfortable they're trying ogo outside of the normal comfortable everyday life we get to experience, it's about

challenge being one self and going beyond what's possible. >> this is really outside what one would think is physically impossible. you heard one man say he lost more than 100 pounds, how tough are these long races for you mentally? >> it's more mental than physical. a lot of these athletes prepare you know they're of all ages of all backgrounds. they aren't typically professional athletes. they do it because they have a passion. and they're very physically prepared for this but they're also more than that. mentally prepared. you don't get through these challenges without that mental component. and you see it time and time again, where you know somebody looks at somebody, how do they do this? really it's that strong mind and that will to just keep going when all odds seem against you. >> i can only imagine it must require a tremendously strong will. how about the dangers? here they're out in the wilderness especially dangerous subzero temperatures but in

general how dangerous are ultramarathonning or extreme races in general? >> i think really again most of these individuals prepare. there are some dangers there's no doubt whether it's weather whether it's the conditions the environment you're in wild animals, there's definitely some hazards out there but overall it's very safe. the human body was built for endurance. we've been doing these types of endurance activities since the beginning of basically our struggle with surviving and so the human body is very adept to it. you do have individuals sometimes that have physical conditions. out of habit. >> scott jurik. pleasure to have you with us. thank you. >> tomorrow night on the broadcast, a look at the black market trade in human organs. we'll take you to a country where hundreds of victims have been tricked into selling their kidneys to traffickers. >> very powerful story.

>> that's it for this edition of al jazeera's international hour. >> fault lines is next. next. children once sacrificed their childhoods, even their lives working in american mills, mines and factories. the us rooted out child labor practices 75 years ago. but today, us agriculture remains a stronghold for child labor. >> i know most kids come out here to help their parents out get the money to pay the bills. >> it's just another day on the fields of america.