>> more deaths in the mediterranean as 300 drown trying to reach europe. >> hello. also to come, more civilians killed just hours before russian and european leaders hold crisis talks in ukraine. >> the u.k. and france follow the u.s. and close their embassies in yemen.

>> the european space agency's testing its new reusable space plane. >> hundreds more migrants are feared drowned as they try and find a new life in europe. the u.n. fears as many as 300 of them may have died after four boats sank in the mediterranean. dozens of others were rescued as the migrants attempted to cross from libya to europe in rubber boats. >> this morning at 7:30, nine survivors arrived. they confirmed what other survivors previously said, that there were 203 people with them. they have been swallowed by the sea.

in addition to that, they confirm that there was a fourth dingy, so we do not know about the fate of another 100 people. >> the survivors are taken to the first reception center that now is working at full scale. they receive assistance, food, medical assistance, clothes they arrive almost neighborhood, without anything. then within 24 hours maximum 72 hours, they are transferred to other centers on mainland. >> we can now talk to barbara on the line from rome, a spokeswoman for the u.n.'s refugee agency. another dreadful tragedy in the mediterranean. i notice that you're critical, aren't you, of the european response so what is a chronic problem affecting europe. yes, that's right. this is a chronic problem.

there are over 2,500 people dead or missing in the mediterranean trying to reach europe. this is the first big incident of 2015. unfortunately, the number of dead or missing has gone up. there were four boats that had departed together, and only three of accounted for so it seems that the estimate is now over 300 people dead or missing just from this incident. >> unhcr is quite critical of operation it true to know, which is the program that exists at the moment to monitor the mediterranean, saying that europe can't afford to do too little too late. what do you mean? >> well, what we mean that is we've been asking now for the past year that search and rescue

capacity in the mediterranean be strengthened from a very good initiative a massive operation conducted by the italian government that has search and rescue as in its mandate and does not compass the capacity and also does not have -- in its mandates. what we think is to happen is that the search and rescue in the mediterranean is strengthened because otherwise what happened this morning what happened in the last few days is obviously going to happen again. last year, 170,000 people arrived in italy alone by sea and most of them were people that were seeing war in prosecution. 50% were coming from syria

alone. people seeking protection in europe find no other way than to come and are forced to put their lives at risk at sea. >> ok. thank you very much indeed. barbara talking to us live from rome. >> the russian president is due to be in talks with leaders from french and germany. this warning was issued for the ukrainian side ahead of the talks. >> i very much doubt that at the height of the fighting, when ukraine makes attempts to improve its military stand on the ground, probably to try and use it as a leverage at the minsk talks, i don't see how representatives from luhansk and donetsk can agree that the control over the border should be considered as the number one

issue and is a preliminary condition for everything else. >> a ceasefire that was signed last september has never really held. since the beginning of this year hub r. hundreds of people have been killed. another two died when a shell hit a bus station in donetsk in the early hours of the morning. charles stratford reports from the scene. this happened at local time this morning. it's one of the central bus stations in donetsk. there were reportedly 30 people here at the time. you can see the extent of the devastation. the people that we've spoken to in local restaurants said they heard a massive explosion panic in the area, it's one of two places that were hit this morning in donetsk another strike on an industrial plant very close by. now both sides of this conflict have suffered in discriminate shelling. obviously yesterday we saw that attack on the ukrainian military

controlled city. it comes on a day of renewed efforts to try and bring a truce to this conflict. it shows basically how difficult that's going to be. >> the u.n. envoy to yemen has warned its on the brink of civil war. houthi rebels consolidate their hold. there have been talks involving rival groups in the capitol sanna. >> the current situation is a result of previous couplelations. the collapse of the state and the breadth of violence, the militias and militant groups in addition to the situation in the south, which are all negative signs and i understand indiana indications. >> it's been four years since the protest that led to the fall of yemen's leader. the southern city of taiz was at

the center of protests and now they're back on the streets to demonstrate against the houthis who seized power in a coup in the capitol sanna. we have a report now from taiz. >> taiz was the epicenter of the jump rising when the yemenis joined the so-called arab spring in 2011. four years on, tens of thousands have come total streets to demonstrate in large numbers but this year obviously the added message is not a celebration of the revolution, but is one of the youth leaders told me, they are scared that the revolution is slipping away. >> syrian state television said government forces backed by lebanese hezbollah fighters captured several villages south of the capitol. tate media says troops gained control of the village on wednesday morning. the british-based syrian

observatory for human rights said the attack was spearheaded by hezbollah, 20 opposition fighters were killed in the area on tuesday. >> president obama is defending u.s. policy of not paying ransoms to hostage takers, because it increases the risk of more kidnappings. the u.s. president has also confirmed the death of the aid worker kayla mueller who was held hostage by isil. the white house challenges the claim she was killed in a coalition air strike. >> relatives and friends of the 26-year-old humanitarian aid worker struggled with the news of her death. they tried to find consolation in a letter that reached her parents last year. >> in kayla's letter, she wrote "i have come to see there is good in every situation, sometimes we just have to look for it." right now, that's what we're all trying to do. >> the news of her death was

confirmed in a private message from isil to her family. the white house said its intelligence agencies verified her death, though not the cause or time. they also challenged isil's assertion that she was killed in a jordanian air strike. >> the information we have is there is no evidence of civilians in the target area prior to the coalition strike taking place. that certainly would call into question the claims that are made by isil. >> u.s. secretary of state john kerry said "isis and isis alone is the reason kayla is gone." unlike the three americans beheaded by isil, she was never put on display. her family requested no publicity for her captivity hoping for a release. isil demanded the exchange of a previous al-qaeda member now serving an 80 year prison sentence for attacking u.s.

soldiers in afghanistan. her parents released a letter to them received last year in which mueller said she had not been mistreated and had a lot of fight left inside of me. she said i do not want the negotiations for my release to be your duty. if there is any other option take it. this never should have become your burden. >> a u.s. special forces mission attempted to free hostages, but failed to find them at the targeted location in syria last year. the white house says at least one other american is believed to be held captive in syria, but not necessarily by isil. >> coming up at al jazeera: >> on the front line in iraq, the elite golden brigade has a major fight on that its hands. >> a breath of fresh air in vietnam, how an open sewer has been transformed.

>> start with one issue. add guests from all sides of the debate and a host willing to ask the tough questions and you'll get the inside story. >> ray suarez hosts "inside story". weeknights at 11:30 eastern. only on al jazeera america. >> these are the top stories. the united nations fear 300 migrants have drowned in the met at her in aian. dozens were rescued as they tried to cross to europe in rubber boats from libya. >> the united states army is to begin training ukrainian troops in eastern ukraine. the announcement was made just hours before leaders from russia ukraine germany and france host crisis talks.

>> shells hit a bus station in donetsk and more were killed on wednesday. >> britain and france are the latest country to say close yemen embassies after the u.n. envoy warned it's on the brink of civil war. thousands are holding anti coo demonstration following last week's takeover by houthi rebels. >> iraqi special forces on the offensive against isil in central iraq are under attack in are a maddy the capital of anbar province, which isil seized eight months ago. victoria reports. >> these are members of iraq's elite gold be brigade on operations in rimadi, engaged in batting with isil fighters every day. rimadi is the capitol of anbar province that borders jordan, syria and baghdad. isil controls most of anbar and wants to seize its capitol.

ize as i will offensive is being pushed back by special forces. >> the golden brigade are now in the district. we have achieved progress and we will continue, despite difficulties. explosives and i.e.d.'s are everywhere, in houses and streets, there are rumors that this area will fall to isil, but these are false rumors. >> witnesses say most of the enables in rimadi have become regular battle grounds and intense fighting reduced the city to rhines. some iraq soldiers have been battling isil fighters for more than a year. despite the current standoff, they're determined they can win. >> we have been like this for a year now. our morale is very high. we are still keen to do our job. every day isil attacks our positions, but they have suffered huge losses approximate. >> it's been eight months isil swept all the way to iraq and

the outkiters of baghdad. across anbar pro government tribes complain they are not getting support to defeat isil. >> news we've had been the last hour or so, the u.s. president barack obama has asked congress for authorization to use military force against isil. we can get more details now from our correspondent alan fisher. what does this mean, alan? >> it doesn't change anything on the ground, the operations against isil will continue. what barack obama is trying to do is give himself a legal framework for operating against isil. there is no geographic restrictions to the efforts against isil, but there would be a time limit, three years. also says that there would be no continuing effort by ground forces which means that they could use ground forces under words that would have to be agreed but there is the possibility that after three years, they couldn't be used.

this wouldn't be ongoing wouldn't be open-ended. that is to try to assuage concerns on the democratic side. this is really just a legal framework to give barack obama some sort of wiggle room. how soon will it be in place it's going to take several months of discussion on capitol hill. they're going to be hearings, there will be discussions committees will meet, people called to give evidence. this isn't going to change anything legally but it is a legal framework. it's the first time that barack obama has gone to congress to ask for these powers. >> he's got a republican dominated congress. how will congress respond to this request. >> the republicans seem to be very much on his side when it comes to this. they are very keen on taking the fight to isil. exactly how it's worded is going to be a discussion. congress wanted the white house

to come up with a form of words first and white house wanted congress to do it. the white house have now come forward and said this is how we want to progress. there will be discussions committee hearings, a rupp largely by and large supports what congress wants to do. it is democrats that have voiced the kind of concern does this mean they are going to be signing blank checks for an operation against isil. does it mean they will be tied in to operations beyond the three years. barack obama says no. certainly democrats aware when it comes to domestic politics that voting for action that we can see the consequences further down the line could lead to problems if any of them have add operations for running for higher office. they don't want to be tie tarred with the brush. barack obama can come out and say he didn't vote for the war in iraq and that was a big thing inside election campaign first time round.

the wording is going to be hugely important. republicans are more likely to support it, many democrats will, as well. those will want to make concerns are addressed before they vote for anything. >> live in washington d.c. >> sharia for belgium leaders have been sentenced to 12 years in prison, founded guilty. >> this has been belgium's biggest trial the trial of its kind and quite possibly one of the largest in europe, as well. the judge crucially in the passing of his verdict and handing down of his sentences decided that sharia for belgium the organization established in 2010 itself is now passed as a

terrorist organization, the man who was leading that organization who had the man who received the 12 year sentence for being the leader of this organization, he was allegedly a charismatic person who was actively recruiting dozens and dozens of young belgian muslim to say go and fight for the cause as he would see it in syria and iraq. interesting that there were only nine defendants in the court to hear the verdict, 46 in all, 10 we think have been killed fighting in syria now 30 are still thought to be out there. the clear message i think that the belgian authorities were trying to deliver with this mass trial, if you like, was to any other young belgian muslims thinking of going out to syria that regardless of how serious their activities are out there if they decide to return to belgium, that the belgian

authorities will pursue them and prosecute them and based on what we've seen from the judge in antwerp on wednesday, they will receive very stiff jail terms. >> the captain of the coast at a concordia denies multiple man slatter charges. the prosecution is demanding a 26 year jail sentence. 32 passengers and crew died when the ship was steered too close to the italian island. >> i shared a painful moment with the survivors, that should not be allowed seeing i did not want it to happen. ok that's all that's enough. >> the mysterious death of a prosecutor in argentina rekindled wounds in the jewish

community. the president was accused are covering up the bombing of a jewish community center. daniel reports. >> sofia lost her only daughter in the bomb attack on the army jewish community center at 9:53 a.m. on the 18 of july, 1994. she's been waiting fighting ever since for answers. >> at first the pain was unbearable and it continues to be unbearable, but one learns that live with it. we believe everything they promised us that within a year, all would be resolved. >> more than 20 years later so fee i can't and the families of the other 8460, mostly jewish are still waiting still marking the anniversary. their pain highlighted by the death last month of investigator alberto misman.

>> he died for us, dedicated himself exclusively to the cause. i hope his death won't be in vain. we call him the 86th victim, but i hope we won't see the same immunity as for the other 85. >> while the victims's families want justice they don't all agree how that should be achieved. they are divided. some support the government, many do not while others take a difference course. his ex-wife was one of the victims. >> we're not going to say what others want to hear. we are not going to play politics to win supporters. we tell the truth. if that upsets people, that's their problem. >> this is election year in argentina. which further complicates the issue. while everyone says they want justice for both the victims both the government and the opposition have been accused of playing politics with the case. >> we don't want anyone using

the army of dead or the death of nisman petitioner political purposes. it should be debated at the blot box, not with the dead. >> the attack on the israeli embassy two years earlier in which 29 people were killed remain unsolved. the community has lived under tight security since then. while so many questions remain unanswered and justice still not done after the bomb that exploded here on this site nearly 21 years ago, the wounds remain unhealed. with this latest scandal the death of nisman, those wounds have reopened in argentina in general and the jewish community here. >> big fog in south korea is blamed for a massive motor way

pileup. two were killed near the international airport. more than 100 vehicles were involved in multiple collisions. fog limited visibility to around 10 meters. to vietnam where a once filthy water way through the heart of ho chi minh city has been transfolder. the project which took a decade has made the city a mod el for improving infrastructure. we have a report. >> enjoying the air and the view was unthinkable when growing up in this house. her family lived along the banks of the canal for 50 years. >> the mud was black, mosquitoes all over the place. >> it took more than dredging and trash removal.

this was the first phase of an ambitious plan by the government, the goal to clean up and reconstruct the canal that had become an open sewer for 1.2 million people. it took a decade and some were resettled by the government. the improvement on the surface is obvious, along the eight-kilometer long canal that snakes through the center of the city. it's the 56 kilometers of sewer lines dug beneath the canal that are the key to making it all work. >> the price tag shows the depth of the government ambition. this phase cost $316 million nearly 80% of that came from world bank loans. >> our project is the first large-scale operation with solutions and technologies being built at the same time. we constructed several layers of sewage and drainage lines. >> there are more areas of the city to be cleaned up. the project's phase two funding,

again, loans from the world bank was approved late last year, $450 million. >> this man moved near the canal after the cleanup began, seeing promise and investment. >> the houses' value has increased. it has given the economy a new chance. >> for those who lived through the canal's dark past, the cleanup gives them something to pass to later generations. even if it's simply fresh air at sunset. >> a test flight of a new reusable space plane has blasted off. the european space agency is testing the technology for its verse of nasa's space shuttle.

it has 300 sensors including infrared cameras to record the flight which is hoped will last 1:40 and european space agency scientists hope that this is going a collect an awful lot of data. let's hear from the mission director. >> this is a fundamental step to master the technology, eventually being able to look at this type of application for bringing back people from orbital infrastructures not only that, but also the capability to bring back launcher stages, for example for reusable launch vehicles, as well as to open the way to the possibility to bring back samples from asteroids or other planets. this is a fundamental step today. we are putting together a lot of

data. we have sensors infrared cameras, so we are going to master old critical reentry atmospheric reentry phenomena. >> you can keep up to date with all the day's important stories and a lot more on the website aljazeera.com. com. rosie perez was three years old when her schizophrenic mother put her in a catholic children's home where she was often abused. >> i had to physically fight back or else, you know, my ass was going to get kicked. >> the oscar nominated actress's new book explains how she overcame odds? >> i felt like i was always acting, always escaping into different realities.