reciprocity. but ukraine is more hoping on russia than russia is dependent on ukraine. >> that is our show for today thank you for joining us. ng us. >> a motive for murder - chapel hill mourning the loss of three muslim college students. >> we ask that the authorities investigate these senseless murders as a hate crime. >> were they killed because of their religion? war powers. >> we submitted a draft resolution to congress to authorise the use of force

against i.s.i.l. >> the man in charge of costa concordia sentenced to years behind gaol. while appeals may stop him spending any time and u.s. leaguers. why the title could be taken away. >> accusation of race plays a part informant digs. -- part in the decision. a major loss in the world of television journal u. bob syme onward a 60 minute correspondent was killed in a car crash in new york city. roxana saberi joins us with life on the legendry reporter. sad day. >> very sad. the 73-year-old c.b.d. reporter was a passenger in a limo when tragedy struck. it rear ended a mercedes benz

and lost control. simon and the driver had to be cut out of the car. simon had been with c.b.s. since 1967. in 1996 he joined '60 minutes" becoming a more familiar face known for his distinctive voice and one of the best storytellers in the business. in his 50 year career he covered many topics. in the opening days of the iraq war, iraqi forces took simon and his crew hostage. he spent 40 days in on iraqi prison, and spoke about the experience on al jazeera this past december. >> when you are there, in prison, you become obsessed with hunger with food. pretty much that's it you can't get your mind off food. and you lose sense of time. i mean here today is thursday isn't it.

and tomorrow is friday. in prison it doesn't make a difference what day it is or frankly there's a difference between two weeks and two months a minimal. >> simon not only reported on hard news but covered the beatles break up in 1970. he won pea body award, and is survived by a wife and daughter randall pinkston worked with bob simon at pbs and joins us on the phone. i never had the pleasure of meeting bob. i admired his work. you, however, covered stories with bob simon. what was he like? >> bob simon was the best of the best. a reporter's reporter as you heard roxana report on his many awards. many in danger zones, including the one that got him imprisoned

for 40 days. he was also a generous person. i met him in haiti during the exile of the president. i covered for the story for a few weeks. and bob, as the senior correspondent was coming in to relieve he and cover the crisis. about nine years later our paths crossed again, when i was in baghdad, and bob worked on a story for '60 minutes" i was assigned to evening and morning news. the day came when i had to leave. the way most of us got in and out of baghdad was over land an 8-hour tortuous trip across the highway from iraq to imam. when bob heard he said randall, if you wait a day, go with me i'll go to tel aviv. i said "we'll ride together", he said "no, i have a charter, you

can fly with me", i flew in bob's plane from bob dad into tel aviv. we landed. we received vip representationception. i never have been dealt with so past as bob. >> we know many people on the air, sometimes they were different when the cameras topped rolling. is that the case with bob. >> the bob simon you saw on airways the same bob you saw in an office same voice, mannerism, style. generous kind someone who would never hesitate to ask the hard questions. he'd ask them kindly. >> our condolences to colleagues at c.b.s. thank you a college community in north carolina is in mourning. three college students syrian americans and practicing muslims were shot dead inside their

home. police say they were killed over a parking spot. their families think they were killed because of their faith. paul beban choice us from chapel hill. >> good evening. you can see behind me here the candles from the vigil held on campus, a few flickering here after hundreds more than 1500 students and members of the community gathered to mourn and remember the students. people have been telling me that the muslim american community in the area is large, old, well-established and well integrated. people cannot under whether this was a hate crime for a dispute over parking, how it could have spiralled into a senseless tragedy. >> together they gathered. more than 1500] people from this diverse but tight-knit college community. the faces of three victims shining on a screen on this night, for mourning and

remembering. as am grew um with deea barakat. the two studied together. tell me about them generally. >> the most genuine guy. the greatest guy you would ever meet. every life he touched, a ray of life. >> barakat's sister was trying to come to grips with the shooting. >> they inspired us serving as roll models for the youth. we ask that you celebrate the members. >> craig hicks appeared in court. the killer charged with three counts of first degree murder in the death of barakat, his wife and her sister. the motive according to investigators was a dispute among neighbours over parking. that was backed by hicks' wife who said religion was not a motive. >> i can't say that this incident had nothing to do with

religion or victim's faith, whether it was related to the long-standing parking disputes that my husband had with the neighbours. >> that was met with skepticism in social media and relatives of the victims. the father of two of the victims told a north carolina newspaper: hicks facebook page suggests he's an athiest. the manner at the top reading:. >> that is enough to convince family members that hicks' motivation for the killing was

hate. >> we ask the authorities investigate the senseless and heinous murder as a hate crime hicks has been charged with three counts of first degree murder, a hearing set for march. this will be a community asking question about relations between muslims and the rest of the community, or whether it was a dispute over parking that spiralled way out of control and proportion. >> very sad. the victims were remembered at vigils on the campuses of nc state and the university of north carolina. erica pitzi has more on who the three young people were. >> they were gems of their communities, and left a lasting impression on the people around them. >> solemn and shaken susan stands before a microphone the day after three members of her family were killed. she wants the world to know her

brother and sister lived happy lives. deea barakat was a second-year student at the school of dentistry, his twitter page showcasing a vibrant young man that loved basketball his work and wife. >> they are kind red spirits. >> they were love birds celebrating every moment together. engaged in 2013 married in december. >> six weeks ago i cried tears of joy at my baby brother's wedding. today we are crying tears of unimaginable pain. >> they loved their parents. diaposted pictures saying the greatest kids. known for a calming presence the 21-year-old was on track to start dental school. they believed in charity, deea planning a mission trip to turkey. >> i'm embarking on a trip to

turkey with 10 dentists. >> the youngest of the three victims is youse jor's little sister. >> gifted studying architecture. giving generous and a loyal friend. dias's brother posted his pain, writing: we are in a state of shock and will infer be able to make sense of this tragedy. in washington president obama asked congress for authorisation to fight i.s.i.l. he is requesting war powers for a limited military campaign. air strikes would continue there'll be no ground troops as mike viqueira reports, some in

congress on both sides of the isle are not on board. >> the president said he has all the authorisation he needs. now he wants congress to weigh in. six months after ordering the air campaign again-i.s.i.l. president obama is asking congress for authorisation to fight. the president insisted no american ground combat troops would be deployed as part of a plan. local forces on the ground that know the country best are best positions to take the fight to i.s.i.l. that's what they are doing. one page in a 3-page proposal was a focus. the resolution: enduring operations raising alarm among those wary of the mission creep. there would be no combat roles for americans the president has

said. >> i want to be clear american forces in iraq do not and will not have a combat mission. >> wednesday some democrats said they want stronger language. >> no one knows what an enduring offensive combat operation means, and deliberately drafted to be ambiguous. >> the white house conceived that point. the phrase applies to a limited set of circumstances. >> request we had active intelligence about a gathering. and partners didn't have the capacity to get them you would be prepared to order special forces to take action. >> reporter: the authorisation would last three years, not be limited to iraq and syria, and tack the 2001 authorisation passed in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. the white house insists that despite the request for congressional consent, the administration has all the

authority it needs. this proposal the spoegsman said, is the right thing to do. >> the president believes as a matter of principle, it's important for congress to make their voice heard and to pass an authorisation to use force, more tailored to what the united states faces today. >> republicans thinks the resolution does not go far enough and don't want the troops ruled out. "inside story" is taking a closer look at president obama's request for war powers greg craig, former white house council will be part of the panel in 15 minutes. >> in yemen, houthi fighters seized vehicles from the u.s. embassy, the facility was closed nester day. the state department says the security situation in yemen deteriorated. britain and france are shutting

their embassies. >> the first testimony in the trial of a man accused of murdering the deadliest sniper. today the sniper's wife took the stand. >> a keystone pipeline bill is heading to president obama desk but don't expect work to start any time soon.

talks over ending the fighting in ukraine went late into the night. leaders from france germany and russia sat with a separatist leader trying to negotiate a ceasefire. no word if there was progress. an earlier ceasefire fell apart shortly after it took effect. the republican controlled congress is challenging president obama over the keystone xl pipeline. the house passing a measure allowing construction to begin. president obama promised a veto. as of now. there's not enough votes in the house or senate. an emotional day in the courtroom when the widow of sniper took the stand. heidi zhou-castro was in the courtroom. >> eddy ray ralph was in the

court. with a shaved head and heavier is pleading not guilty by reason of ipp sanity. >> he took their lives. . >> the crime happened at a texas gun range. kyle and little field invited ralph to shoot targets. it was the first time they met rous. chris was in the driver's seat and he text chad littlefield.

he had been released from a hospital, was treated for six rounds. his mother begged and pleaded for him to be talked to. per cent per cent the state said the mourning of the killing routh used marijuana. she scott kyle and littlefield using two guns, kyle's weapon was found next to his body spent. >> he shot all the bullets out of his gun at the time that he was shot.

the state says routh took kyle's truck and gun. ate at a taco bell drove to his sister's home, and he confessed. kyle and chad littlefiedl leave behind grieving families. jurors heard testimony of littlefield's mother and kyle's widow, two widows who say justice must come in the form of a guilty verdict. >> young athletes learnt a tough lesson. we'll take a closer look at the little league team that loft a national championship title because of what their coaches

did. a video treat from n.a.s.a. we explain what the pictures of the sun are all about next.

chicago's mayor is demanding little league baseball reinstate the championship title for a team from his city. jackie robinson west was the champion, but was disqualified for breaking the rules. >> reporter: last august jackie robinson west beat a las vegas team to win the championship. after months of investigating it was concluded that they violated residency rule to add players to the roster from outside the district. >> the boys had no inside dealings or willing on borders or boundaries. i am the mother had no idea that there are boundaries and

rules beyond living in the city of chicago. >> reporter: the theme has been stripped of the title and the coach suspended. today the coach's father came to his defense. >> my son is doing fine. i mean he's not guilty of anything. >> suspicion that the team violated league rules were raised by the head of another little league division. >> prior to going public we dig behind the seconds. last thing we want to do is make an accusation and feel like we didn't have the facts and possible which be wrong. this is a tough accusation. some say the punishment is too severe, questioning the motivation for the investigation of the team. >> why is it that every time african american children rise ahead, someone has to question it destroy d and pull it back. i'm speaking for myself. i definitely believe race is not

part of this. >> little league international says it's a question of integrity, and no team can strengthen itself. in a statement the organization called it a heart-breaking decision. it is unfortunate that the actions of adults led to the outcome. the team's success was a source of play not only for the players, but for chicago. in a statement. the mayor said the city is unit in the support of the children. and in our hearts they'll be champions in chicago. a sentiment not lost on the catcher brandon green. >> we weren't involved in anything that could have caused us to be stripped of the championship. we do know that - we know that we are champions, our parents know that we are champions. and chicago nose we are champions. the jackie robinson little league is on probation,

tournament privileges suspended until the leadership is replaced. we are joined by doug eld ridge, managing partner of dle a sports agency in washington d.c. what is your reaction to the action that was taken disqualifying jackie robinson west? >> in a word unfortunate. by rule standards it is appropriate based on the information thus far. more than that it's unfortunate. while the team is punished the young players are the losers. >> the kids are punished for something they had nothing to do with. do you think race had anything to do with the decision? >> i'm not at a point to say that race was a driving issue. from the sound of it it was an indes corrects of coaches driven by a desire to win. it's athletic gerrymandering.

pushing the boundary line. unfortunately, you know the young guys and girls, when you look at the african american jackie robinson west programme and monet david. it was a positive story, at a time in the united states where participation among young african men's, whether in urban, suburban or rural areas was on the decline. it was a positive recruitment tool to reach and engage talent young men and women. hopefully it will not be a step back but a stepup for success within the african american community. they are talented young guys and girls there. let's talk about sports. there's controversy in the news surrounding deflate gate. we have major league baseball, the steroid issues. are you concerned that we have gone too far at all levels of sports in this need to win at

any cost? >> you know i think that's a great question. and i would make the distinction. if we had a 12 or 13-year-old player failing a test for performance enhancing drugs. there would be more of a causal connection there. you could go back to roman gladiator days with match fixing. in the context of sport, as much as i hate to say it cheating or bending the rules has been there. when we look at the trickle down effect. be it n.f.l. or m.l.b. i don't see the causal connection between something like this unless you go to the black sox in the world series fixing. i don't see something like this as being an aftereffect or trickle down effect from what we are seeing. you have to remember. these kids - they identify and

idolize tiger woods. the sports idols replacing firefighters and astronauts as new role models when you ask about a-rod or the lance armstrong cheating scandals and the impact that has on the youth of today. there can be no arguing that that will make an impact. in each case they were disciplined. it's a sad story. feel sorry for the kids. thank you finally, n.a.s.a. released new time lapse interview of the sun. he is are images taken once every eight hours since 2010. tape every eight hours until a few days ago. they represent wavelengths and use the footage to analyse energy for the latest news head to

aljazeera.com. "inside story" is up next. hello, i'm ray suarez. the president said our objective is clear - to degrade and destroy the islamic state of iraq and levant. but only now is he asking congress to authorise the mission six months after committing u.s. forces to it. >> we are strongest as a nation when the president and congress worked together. a draft resolution was