isil closing in on an iraqi air base housing u.s. marines. the rebel group close to taking control of a nearby iraqi town. ♪ ♪ good to have you a think loss, i am david foster. also coming enough in the next 30 minutes the al jazerra journalists now at home with their families after being granted bail by an egyptian court. plus. >> reporter: i am andy gallagher in north carolina, the bodies of the three victims who were shot here on tuesday and laid to rest we'll be bringing you reaction from the local community.

and the desperate need to save water anyway they can because of the severe drought in brazil's biggest city. ♪ ♪ well isil forces in iraq appear to be getting closer and closer to a major government base housing hundreds of u.s. troops. fighters attacked the we siege the al baghdadi in anbar province. it's close to an air base where the u.s. marines are training iraqis. most surrounding towns fell under isil control last year. more from imran kahn who is in baghdad. i don't know what you have been able to find out in the last 60 minutes, imran update us if you can. and tell us how many u.s. soldiers are there. >> reporter: well, what i found out in the last 60 minutes more details have emerged what we are hearing is that isil fighters were inside the city of baghdadi and what they had what a number

of sleeper cells that's what the iraqis are calling them, that they activated that they were able to take control of parts of that city and use it important a base to try to make a push towards the air base. now, that hasn't happened. they are still fighting inside the town. now, according to the iraqi government source that his we have spoken to, the area has been cleared of isil fighters. but locals and eyewitnesses within the town of baghdadi say that there are still a number of isil fighters and the fighting is ongoing it's a tactic that isil have used before. we have seen it time and time again whenever they have want today take a base they take control of the town and the villages on the outskirts of that area and then use it important a mounting -- important a jump off post to go in to those air bases. now, in the air base, we have about 300 u.s. troops of the americans are very aware of the fighting that's going on. they are saying they are nowhere

near the base but they are -- they are worried about any potential attack. the americans, of course, can call in air strikes a lot quicker than the iraqi forces can. but they would rather the iraqi forces went in to baghdadi and cleared the area themselves. >> what about the rules of engagement for these u.s. troops? because they are there important trainers, they are there, it is said to be simply in an advisory capacity. >> reporter: that's absolutely right. but there is precedent for all of this. two weeks ago we saw canadian troops come under attack by isil, they were able to fight back. they were able to call in air strikes. they are allowed to defend themselves. but everybody involved within the coalition would rather the iraqi forces defend it and fought back against aisles. that's the reason they are there for to train the iraqi forces to be able to go and fight isil forces. the problem here is that that this is happening within anbar province a lot of isil fighters come from anbar province, they

know it very well. they are also aware of the territory and the challenges that they face that this makes them much more of a formidably fighting force than say in other parts of iraq. >> we'll leave it there for now thank you imran kahn in baghdad. well the u.s. senate has approve the appointment of the country's new defense secretary. ashton carter will help lead u.s. strategy in fighting isil. he told the en at armed services committee defeating isil was his top priority. he replaces chuck hagel who resigned in november. well the u.n. security council is trying to stop isil by hitting it where it hurts in the wallet. kristen saloomey has more. >> reporter: the international community has a new weapon in the fight against isil. resolution 2199. that's a legal obligation put on u.n. member states to cut off isil's primary funding sources. oil, ransoms and an increasing concern the looting of cultural

antiquities. >> translator: we took yet another very important step in expressing the suppressing the funding of terrorists first the funding of illegal oil. >> reporter: the united states says the restless likes doesn't go far enough. >> important we applaud this, we los angeles think the counsel sim's persistent fair alls to a address one of the main take tours that led to the group's rise there is no better recruiting tool than the atrocities of the assad regime. >> reporter: iraq and syria who are fighting isil on their home turf welcome the measure. >> we are very pleased to see that the council has moved finally in the right direction. towards establishing and setting a wider framework to combating terrorism. >> reporter: this rez solution shows the security council is you nighted in which it comes it fighting not only isil, but also other groups affiliated with al qaeda. some of the measures aren't new. but this raises the stakes for

countries that do business with them by threatening them with sanctions. kristen saloomey, al jazerra the united nations. u.n. secretary ban ki-moon says something urgently needs to be done to stop yemen become more an arc i can the united states security council has been briefed on the situation there after a coup by shia houthi rebels last week which has led to even further instability. >> agreement en is collapsing before our eyes, we are not stand by and watch. the country is facing multiple challenges. a dangerous political crisis continues in sanaa. the president happened i and the prime minister and government ministers and other state officials must be granted freedom of movement. i am concerned of report of

excessive use to disbus peaceful demonstrators and the used of or barry arrest and detention of journal assists. i call for the protection of human rights, especially the rights of peaceful assembly and to freedom of expression. >> the al jazerra journalists bahar mo halt he had and muhammad familiar me are home now with their families. bahar reunited with his wife and children after spending 412 days in detention. their retrial is due resume in 10 days from now. neave barker has more. >> reporter: this could be the beginning of the end for an ordeal that's lasted for more than 400 days. al jazerra producers mohamed fahmy and bahar mohamed have been granted bail at the start of their retile. it comes important a huge relief for their families. >> translator: i am going immediately to tell the kids that their father is coming home today. and that life will be beautiful.

i'll wait to welcome him back. life has changed today. >> reporter: fahmy was asked by the judge to pay a security bond of around $33,000. >> we will play by the law and follow everything, abide by everything in the egyptian law and i am sure he's been vindicated by this and completely vindicated laid ore in this case. >> reporter: the judicial fight will continue until the charges have dropped. bahar was initially sentenced to 10 year old and fahmy seven years in prison that, decision was recently overturned. egypt's highest court of appeals has challenged the evidence presented by the prosecution. saying the proceedings were flawed and ordered a retrial. [cheering and applause] >> reporter: earlier this month another al jazerra journalist peter greste was deport today australia after 400 days in detention. fahmy, who is an egyptian

canadian was told by the authorities that his only way to freedom is to renounce his egyptian citizenship. which he has done. the three al jazerra journalists bahar, fahmy and greste were arrested in december 2013 they were falsely accused of promoting the banned muslim brotherhood. >> the bail release is a small step in the right direction. but it's a step that should have been taken 411 days ago. there is no evidence that they have been complicit with the muslim brotherhood. no evidence that they have been involved in terrorism. journalists are frightened. they have been made frightened and their organizations have been frightened by the fact that these journalists are in jail. >> reporter: their trial has been widely condemned by the international community. and human rights organizations. protesters from around the world demonstrated in solidarity with the detained al jazerra journalists. six other colleagues from al jazerra were sentenced in

absentia to 10 years in prison. al jazerra continues to call on egypt to have all of its journalist exonerated. neave backer, al jazerra. myanmar state media says 47 soldiers have been killed in 47 days of fighting with ethnic chinese rebels. it began on the border with china. myanmar's government says the troopstroops tied trying to stop the rebels from taking over the capital of a region. kind's foreign minister has called for calm and says refugees from myanmar are escaping the fighting. greece's prime minister says ideal on renegotiating a billion dollars bail out can be reached before his government runs out of money. he was talking in brussels ahead of a key meeting of euro zone finance ministers and says he's hopeful that a compromise can be reached. >> translator: this bridge agreement will lead to us shall

i say a social contract with our european partners within six months a contract for growth, social cohesion and getting greece out of a crisis. the peace deal on ukraine has been signed but fighting is still continuing. ukraine saying that eight soldiers have died in fighting in the last 24 hours. the separatists also seem skeptical about any kind of ceasefire. charles stratford has more from theukraine. >> reporter: we drove across the field to the frontline. only hours ago the ukrainian military fired rockets at this road. the separatist fighter with us said we should switch off our mobile phoned and drive fast. there are a few fighters here at this former ukrainian military base. they say their primary role here it "america tonight" to try to monitor ukrainian army movements. we are at a separatist defensive position south of donetsk the fighters tell us that ukrainian forces are about a kilometer in

that direction. they tell us that we can't go in front of this building because there is a stranger of snipers. the fighters here are unsure what the minsk agreement will mean for them. >> translator: we will stay here unless get honored from our commanders to retreat or advance, we are holding this defense position to help protection the town. >> reporter: the separatist leaders said the agreement could have far-reaching implications. >> translator: we can't deny ukraine this chance because the whole country will change important a result. the attitude and the people will change. in fact, the people of ukraine we are still with them. we totally consider them our people. this chance is given to ukraine to change its contusion which is specifically mentioned in these agreement documents to change eights attitude. >> reporter: the minute evening agreement fails to define the status of the people's republics. some of the people in donetsk are in favor of independence. >> translator: donetsk should be independent. unity won't work.

to return to ukraine means to be governed by an inadequate government. >> translator: how can we return to ukraine after everything they have done to us? >> reporter: thousands of people have been killed in indiscriminate shelling on both sides of this conflict. three shells hit this hospital in separatist-controlled donetsk on wednesday night. at least one person was killed. >> translator: we hid where we could. the patients were laying under the dust. one bed was destroyed by shrapnel it was terrifying. >> reporter: so many people have died since the last ceasefire collapsed in september and there is great uncertainty amongst the people here important to whether this latest truce will be implemented and hold. charles stratford, al jazerra eastern ukraine. we have this when we come back. [speaking at the same time] >> we'll see who has been interrupting the president zaps state union speech in south africa.

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>> al jazeera's investigative unit has tonight's exclusive report. >> stories that have impact. that make a difference. that open your world. >> this is what we do. >> america tonight. tuesday through friday. 10:00 eastern. only on al jazeera america. ♪ ♪ let's update on you head lined, isil fighters in iraq are threatening a major base in iraq which houses hundreds of u.s. troops. fighters attacked the bee seconded western town of at baghdadi which is close to an air base where u.s. marines are training iraqi forces. myanmar state media says 47

solesoldiers have about killed in four days of fighting with ethnic chinese rebels. they are trying to take over the capital in myanmar. the al jazerra journalists bahar mohamed and mohamed fahmy are now home with their families. the men spent more than 400 days in detention. that trial on charges of colluding with the banned muslim brotherhood is due to resume in 10 days. now, we are off to pakistan now. there has been an attack on a mosque. let's go to our correspondent kamal hider who is there. we are looking at pictures coming in from pan stack i tv. a lot of smoke forces on the ground and emergency vehicles, what do you know about what happened? >> reporter: the attack is still ongoing. there are reports of firing explosives important well. according to an eyewitness. who of the attackers are said to

have been in security forces uniforms, while others others hand grenades and were outside. it appears the crisis is now inside the shia mosque. it's situated in a posh location location. and it is also literally with the border of the. [ inaudible ] a tribal area. so it is indeed an attack still ongoing. security forces are trying to control the situation. we have report of fighting there. dozens of people wounded and they are fearing that there may be a number of people dead important well. >> for viewers worldwide help us to understand why friday is a day when this often happens in such places. >> reporter: according to the report today is friday, the

mosques are jam packed with people. last friday there was an attack on a mosque. and this friday the attack has taken place here, it's still ongoing. it appears to be the shia mosque situated in a posh location important i mentioned early. [ inaudible ] major attack on a school that killed 150 children in december just last year. >> any idea who may well be behind what is happening? >> reporter: well, it appears that this attack again carries the hallmarks no one has taken responsibility somebody will take responsibility important we have seen in the past, but it appears that the taliban in pakistan they have already warned of multiple attacks across the country. some of the splinter groups have been targeting the shia community in pakistan trying to.

[ inaudible ] a sectarian conflict or a clash. the taliban in pakistan it appears may be behind this ongoing attack. >> it is important you say still going on, thank you kamal hyatter important we look at the pictures i will sum up what we know so far. >> the fighting is still continuing there have been been explosions a shia mosque in an exclusive part of that town is likely to have been very full, it it can friday, the most important day for muslims to have their prayers. and the town where so many children died not so very long ago in an attack by the pakistani taliban. this is still continue and we will keep you up-to-date with the developments. thousands of mourners have attended a funeral service for three muslim students killed in

the u.s. state of north carolina. the police have charged someone with murder allegedly after an argument over parking. fatlies of the victims say they are killed because of their faith. andy gallagher reports. the local community was determined the victims families wouldn't be alone. thousands came from across the region. so many that the prayer services had to be held in a sports field instead of the local mosque. the loss of three has shocked this tight knit university town and there is anger amongst many. >> we are concerned that the rising anti-muslim rhetoric in our society maven couraged some to commit violence against american muslims. so we urge the law enforcement to investigate this case important a possible hate crime.

>> reporter: craig stephen hicks has already been charged with first degree murder. by it's the early findings of investigators that has upset muslim americans. police here believe that hicks shot the three students in an argument over parking. but their families say it was a hate crime. >> i do want to talk this opportunity and i won't speak much about the investigation today at all this is a time to be together. i will recommit that we are examining every possible investigative angle to include the potential for a hate crime. >> reporter: in a smaller more private ceremony those who knew and loved them, said their final goodbyes. their families and the local community, their loss will be deeply felt for years to come. the last knew days here have been killed with sadness and displays of solidarity, but this community will not be watching the ensuing investigation closely. many here remain convinced that this was a crime motivated by religious hatred and nothing more. the fbi have now launched their

own investigation but many here are upset that the deaths of the three students weren't treated important a hate crime from the beginning. >> the fact that we have to think is this a hate crime shows where we stand important americans. you know, important a nation. that's sad. why is that the case? >> reporter: the exact reason why three young lives were taken in such a senseless way may never be known. but it's not going to stop those left behind seeking answers to difficult answers. al jazerra wendell, north carolina. well unfortunately weather forecasters have no good news at the moment for people living in brazil's biggest city. sao paulo suffering from a severe drought. the restless reservoirs pretty much empty and no train is falling. lucia newman has been seeing the drastic and innovative measures people are taking. >> reporter: in this middle class home the awareness of the need to save water has transformed everyone's life.

she and her family use a bowl to catch the water when they watch their hands when it's full it's used to flush the toilet. a bucket catches the water they used to waste while the shower warms up. when full, she takes it downstairs to be used for the dishwasher. or the washing machine. the soapy water is collected for a second lot of clothes. and then used to wash the floors or pots and pans. nothing is wasted in an effort to economize on what has become the most scarce commodity of brazil's economic capital. >> translator: sao paulo is such a large city, i don't know what we will do if there is a water rationing. the government has admitted that it's considering totally cutting water five days a week. >> reporter: there are already severe shortages in sao paulo's poorer neighborhoods. where the worst drought in southeastern brazil's history forces them to rush home to gather water before the tap runs

dry. >> translator: we gather water in buckets and bottles sometimes it disappears for days. >> reporter: in this case the washing machine is being used simply to store water. according to brazilian experts the ongoing defor he is station of the amazon is to blame for this country's changing rain patterns. but while the cause of this unprecedented drought may be environmental. the repercussions are economic and political. many disgruntled residents accuse the state and national governments equally of not investigating in sufficient water infrastructure ahead of what was a foreseeable crisis. the drought is now in its third year. this drought is already impacting industry and it's now threatening to unleash an energy crisis given brazil's did dependence on hydroelectric power. >> depends on this duration of the drought, we will certainly going in to recession.

certainly. there is no reason why to think otherwise. >> reporter: afraid of what's to come, one of sao paulo's most traditional restaurants has devised a plan "b"." top of the line disposable plates and cutlery. >> we are prepared. we must be. if we have no water, there is no other way to operate the restaurant. >> reporter: sao paulo's government says he will hold off until the end of the month. in the unlikely event that it will rain enough to avoid imposing stiff water rationing in this entire city of more than 20 million. lucia newman, al jazerra, sao paulo. venezuela's president nicholas maduro has once again accused his a point of attempting a coup in a televised address to the nation he said i foiled a plan to bomb the presidential palace. the opposition says it's nonsense and the president is trying to distract people from the country's growing civil

unrest. police clashed with students on the streets of the capital caracas. they were taking part in rails marking a year since anti-government protests left 43 people dead. protesters threw stones and petrol bombs and police responded with rubber bullets and tear gas. there were protests too in other parts of the country. well, his state the nation speech hasn't gone according to plan for the president of south africa. jacob seoul zuma has been heckled over his luxury home and opposition m.p.s thrown out. >> reporter: just seven minutes in to his annual state of the nation address the president was interrupts. >> mr. speaker, which rule are you using -- >> reporter: they were forced to stop proceed and goes call in security to eject the leader the economic freedom fighters party or ess and all of its members out of the chambers.

>> please allow. [speaking at the same time] >> reporter: minutes later anger over how it was dealt with also led to the walk out for the main opposition democratic alliance party. he promised weeks ago that he would use the occasion to demand the president payback some of the tax payer funds that it had used on making security upgrades to his private home. last year the public protect tour found he spent more than $20 million on the upgrades, they said he should bake are payback some of it from his own money, so far he's paid nothing. the stayed of the nation is the president's chance to highlight the country's achievements over the past year. and the challenges lying ahead. but this year's address has been unprecedented in terms of anticipation and controversy. in part because of the scandal and also because of the electricity crisis which is

causing rolling black without as cross the country. but others say interrupting the state of the nation speech is the wrong way to demand the president payback the money. religious leaders did try to mediate before it even got to this point but they failed. it's concerned now this may set a precedent for future state nation addresses. >> it's not about the party it's about the president making a statement and addressing the nation. >> whatever issues that you have against jacob zuma it should be resolved in a. [ inaudible ] following the procedures of the parliament. >> reporter: analysts say while the stunt has succeeded at creating a parliament the circus it won't have achieved much. >> i think what it does do is it's titillating for the media it's interesting for people who are watching. but at this end of the day it's not going to take them very further substantially. >> reporter: everyone if some don't agree with the way the opposition parties have dealt with their grievances, many say they are suffering from real issue. the president has failed to deal

with. erica wood, al jazerra cape town south africa. not only that story but all of the global headline this is on your website aljazerra.com. top story there being the isil fighters in iraq. aljazerra.com.