♪ a large explosion rocks sanaa, a scud missile base is hit in the yemeni capitol. ♪ hello and welcome to al jazeera, i'm sammy and also coming up, european foreign minister meet for crisis talks after 700 migrants drown in the mediterranean and china president is on his first official visit to pakistan with 46 billion of investment and flying high where the kite capitol of the world where hundreds gather for a once banned sport. ♪

saudi-led coalition bombed the weapons depo in the capitol sanaa causing a huge explosion. apparently it was targeting a scud missile base for the shia houthi rebels in the mountain and in a separate development yemen foreign minister says thousands loyal to the former president have been killed since the operation started. our correspondent is joining us now from saudi arabia and mohamed let's start with the explosion, what are we hearing now? >> yeah sammy, these explosions perhaps is the biggest that has been documented by the media. we have seen the saudi coalition spokesman everyday showing us the explosions from air but this is the most dramatic one because it has been filmed by the media from close range and has been a

huge blast and rocked not only the mountain itself but also a adjacent district and the mountain overlooking the district of western sanaa and also where the presidential palace is located and the concentration of special forces loyal to all former president and we heard from the reports that the windows of residential buildings were smashed and civilians were frightened and flew even though reports did not show there were casualties among civilians and that is good news about it. if this base turns out to be really a scud missile depo that has been hit, that is a very interesting target for the saudis and exactly what they have been after since the beginning of the air strikes and also particularly there were reports during the last few days from the saudi side that they observed a probable movement of those scud missiles towards the border with saudi arabia and that if it happens is the most

dangerous development for the saudis. >> mohamed also a statement by the yemeni foreign minister talking about how 95% of infrastructure has been destroyed, now it is a given infrastructure never has been great in yemen but must be raising questions about the situation there. >> yes. he said to the media that 95% of the yemeni infrastructure is destroyed and put the blame on houthis and the former regime saying this infrastructure was not good anyway and not serving the people it was below what the yemeni needed to be served and also he was not very clear particularly about whether a part of this infrastructure means the military infrastructure or all civilian and infrastructure means vast things and monies scores and hospitals and dams and bridges

and it's strange if 95% of the infrastructure has now been destroyed, it takes heavy bombardment to do that. >> all right, that is it with mohamed. let's take a closer look at the situation on the ground in the southern port city of aiden and it has been the scene of some of the heaviest fighting and humanitarian situation is fast deteriorating and we report. >> reporter: aiden is one of many battle grounds in yemen, for weeks the southern port city has been witnessing fierce fighting these men are loyal to president abd rabbuh mansur hadi and say they have made advances against houthi fighters and forces loyal to former president saleh and they seized important buildings in aiden and with the saudi-led coalition air strikes they managed to expand their control. >> translator: they came and invaded our territory and humiliated us and they took our

money and came with weapons, so many women have become widows and so many children are now orphans. >> reporter: humanitarian situation is only worsening, there is a lack of fuel as well as essentials like food and water, efforts to find a political solution failed and u.n. is hoping the warring sides would agree to a ceasefire but the leader of houthis rejected the call and showed no sign of backing down. >> translator: the saudi regime has absolutely no right interfering in our issue. this is our problem. this is our country. this is our regime and we should determine hour fate and we should choose our government and we as yemen should decide our regime. >> reporter: pro-hadi forces regained what was held by houthis but this is one of many front lines in yemen, al jazeera. the eu presidency called on the union's executive arm to

urgently propose new measures to beef up the blocks border agency. eu foreign ministers meeting in luxonburg and top of agenda is the migrant emergency in the mediterranean and german chancellor is appalled by the situation that europe needs answers and the maltise says it's the key to the problem and starting point for 90% of migrants reaching italy by sea and follows the worst maritime disaster in the mediterranean and 700 feared dead after the boat capsized and 28 survived and now been taken to italy, 24 bodies that have been recovered from the disaster have arrived in malta and the meeting will take place in luxonburg where al jazeera dominick cane is and talking about the cold air for new measures and new policy what are we expecting to get out of

the european union ministers' meeting behind you? >> well sammy, it's a day of meetings and of high-powered meetings of minister the foreign ministers who were due to be here today and interior people have been invited as well perhaps the indication of seriousness of which the eu is taking the unfolding situation in the med strain yanukovich sea and the eu foreign policy chief spoke to reporters on her way in to meetings and stressed from the eu point of view it was now imperative to act. >> i felt it was our moral duty to concentrate also on our responsibility as europeans to prevent this kind of tragedys to happen again and again. let me say that the main issue here is to build together a common sense of european responsibility on what is

happening in the mediterranean, knowing there is no easy solution, there is no magic solution but there is a responsibility we have to exercise together as europeans and in consistent and coherent way. >> a lot of people involved, a lot of countries involved in this problem dominick any sense or indication there there will be a bigger effort involving more than simply the parties which are on the receiving end of this problem? >> well, that is the question sammy, the german foreign minister spoke about the need to try to solve the situation in north africa and now the reason that the germans are important is because they receive more applications from refugees and asylum seekers than any european country and it all comes down to money from a certain perspective. italian government was paying in the region of $140 million insofar as operations here and the rescue operations that did

save very many people in the 12 months that it was in operation for. but eu's version now operation triton is much less well funded compared to operations and the question is whether the money is there and whether the big countries like the united kingdom and germany and france are prepared to add their navel assets and military assets to try to really beef up the operation underway in the mediterranean sea and whether we will get an answer to that here today in luxonburg today is open to question. >> dominick cane there. another incident in the mediterranean nearly 100 migrants from syria rescued by the italian coast guard and found on a boat off the coast of sicily and the migrants left syria via turkey and 13 children were among those rescued. in the past hour the greek coast guard said at least three people have died after a boat carrying 83 migrants ran aground there.

the latest incident in the mediterranean happened when it ran on rocks in the island of rhoades and 23 are in the hospital and say there may be more unaccounted for. they received the first shipment of french weapons in a deal over 23 million by saudi arabia and used to defends the groups against i.s.i.l. operating in neighboring syria. egyptian group linked to i.s.i.l. says it carried out attack on soldiers on the sinai peninsula and captain and two soldiers killed by the roadside bomb on the border with gaza and 22 members of muslim brotherhood sentenced to death for attack on a police station and another defendant a juvenile sent to ten years in prison and targeted in the town and violence following removal of former president

mohamed morsi in 2013. chinese president ping arrived in pakistan's capitol for his first state visit. expected to unveil $46 billion of investments in energy and roads and buildings. the move is being seen as part of beijing's drive to increase its influence across asia nicole johnston has more from islamabad. >> reporter: high in the mountains, close to the border of china and pakistan china is expanding the highest international paved road the karakorum highway and expanding its influence. this is part of a $43 billion project called the china, pakistan economic corridor and go from china's providence all the way south through pakistan to the port city of guarda. >> when the china/pakistan

corridor becomes operational, china would be directly connected to the middle east and gulf states and to africa and this would be a big dividend coming directly from the corridor. >> reporter: construction started on a chinese funded deep see port there and take the time it takes for goods and oil to reach china from the middle east from 12 days to 36 hours and there are all sorts of deals linked to it coal, solar and wind power, oil and gas pipelines and highways and rail ways. this is one of the most impressive buildings in islamabad, $30 million convention center paid for by china and they have a long tested relationship one based on cultural economic and strong military ties. china is pakistan's biggest supplier of weapons and helped

develop the latest jet fighter the jf 17 thunder. >> pakistan is a country that has been plagued by problems from all around unless on our own feet we cannot depend on others. china has been far more trustworthy and much more reliable friend of pakistan and i think that is known universally. >> reporter: the china/pakistan economic corridor revives the old silk road traders used a century ago and a note to the past and developing new industries for the future nicole johnston, al jazeera, islamabad. ahead on al jazeera, a show of solidarity in south africa following a series of anti-immigrant attacks plus shopping for opportunities, visitors head to cuba but they are not on the tourist trail. ♪

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>> on al jazeera america ali velshi looks at the issues affecting us all... >> we're taking a hard look at the most important issues out there that get you the answers that you deserve. >> real money with ali velshi only on al jazeera america ♪ you are watching al jazeera and let's recap the headlines now, a weapons depo bombed in yemen capital sanaa causing a huge explosion and saudi-led air strike was apparently targeting a scud missile base for the shia houthi rebels. italian prime minister is leading calls for an emergency response to europe's deepening migration crisis at least one other boat carrying migrants has

sunk the day after hundreds are believed to have drown in a separate incident. and breaking news of another sinking incident 300 migrants said to be on board a ship that went down in the mediterranean and we will bring you more on this as soon as it becomes available to us. let's look at some other developments across yemen now and forces loyal to president abd rabbuh mansur hadi in exile in saudi arabia has been involved in fierce battles and shelling destroyed a number of mosques, stores and residences in aiden and people loyal to hadi and trying to secure a camp to stop houthi advance and this was the scene in aiden where there have been demonstrations against the houthi movement. and we have the editor in chief of the arab news channel and

says houthis could reach a deal through peaceful dialog. >> the objective is simple and could happen today if houthi agree to join other yemeni's peaceful dialog and put their arms aside and enter in the room like every political party in yemen and start dialoguing and debating with them to create a new yemen and that is the objective often the war and could be achieved tomorrow but we have not seen sign of that. and i ran who are not helping with the houthi to stand still and we saw that in the speech made by the medical houthi yesterday and others and eventually that is the end of the game. just to accept dialog. >> reporter: and sorry about

that next let's find where we are, there we go. and the editor of the post and says the attack is the biggest the capitol has seen since the conflict began. >> the problem is he is downtown sanaa and everybody is closed. this is by far the largest explosion that sanaa had over the last couple weeks of war and the explosions m daed hundreds if not thousands of houses and right now hospitals in the area are full with injured. the death toll is seven. yes, the strikes targeted the assad storage and it was so large it was heard and effected even six miles away so these kind of weapons are new to yemen and have not been used over the last few weeks or 23 days and if it continues we really do expect it to be a ghost town by tomorrow. the u.n. is condemning an

al-shabab attack that killed seven staff in somalia and it was going to the compound in the region, four foreign nationals and three somalis died in the assault. neighboring kenya residents are recovering from an al-shabab attack there two weeks ago. assault on the university which killed 148 people was the biggest carried out by the group in kenya. and it promised a security clamp down and affected local businesses and we report. >> reporter: on the wrong side of the law, this is how police deal with those who defy a dusk to dawn curfew on an attack on the university. a massive security operation has also netted dozens of youth suspected of involvement in the attack. security shows once a wave of

terrorism unit and he was in the family mobile home shop when security agents came for him and his older brother said he doesn't know where his brother is. >> translator: we have been every police station but cannot find him. we have sent people to nairobi and still could not find him and don't know if he is alive or dead and our brother is innocent. >> reporter: attack at university where 149 were killed this is a town in shock. an exodus of visitors from the town and stores closed. this was the first business to close. we have been hit and lost people and we have lost our children. we are now seeing teachers going away doctors going away. >> reporter: lack of trust between security forces and the local population has been blamed for the worsening situation here.

local leaders saying town residents urging them to talk with security agencies. >> it's a problem of the region and they who can really help with the cold war we have to play in addressing that challenge and the fact that time has come now to face the reality, not to deny, not to live in denial but look at it in the face and address it. >> reporter: the leaders also held talks with the non-muslim population and urged them not to leave and there are fears the massive flight of teachers, doctors and other professionals will severely affect basic services in the town. al jazeera, kenya. the united states is taking cuba off the list of countries accused of supporting terrorism and investors awaiting for the trade embargo to be lifted over 50 years and daniel reports from havana. >> reporter: the americans are coming but not in the way the cuban government had for so long anticipated.

these visitors are here from a washington organization to talk about mutual understanding and political cooperation. >> finally came to the realization, look if you do the same thing year after year for 50 years and it doesn't work, maybe you should try something new, something else and so we are now trying something else at long last. >> reporter: many on both sides of the florida straits are anticipating and planning for substantial financial investment. the tourists are already here. but this is just the beginning. plenty more visitors will be coming from the united states but they won't all be following the tourist trail, many are coming to invest and in a way that cuba has not seen for more than 50 years. but the u.s. economic embargo cuba calls it a blockade remains restricting growth of cuban economy but not as intended

toppling the government. intense negotiations are underway in both washington and havana to have it lifted. in the meantime preparations are being made. >> translator: they come as tourists but when you talk to them you find they are lawyers, people who work for american companies that are asking about the opportunities available in cuba. >> reporter: the cube the cuban authorities are here, west of havana and many smaller cuban businesses are already well placed and keenly anticipating the changes. >> translator: we are not happy just having foreigners here, we want them to come and meet and mix with cubans from every social and cultural background and we as cubans want to know people from different countries and cultures to create a space where we can talk share and exchange ideas. >> reporter: for most cubans however, not much has changed. not yet.

with all change comes uncertainty about what will be lost as well as what will be gained. the americans are coming while cubans wait with great expectation and some fears over what they may bring. daniel with al jazeera, havana. teacher has been killed in attack at a high school in barcelona and police say it appeared the attacker used a cross bow although that is yet to be confirmed. and they arrested the person suspected of carrying out the crime, four people were slightly wounded. finland's main opposition party is celebrating victory in parliamentary elections. and party leader took 21% of the votes in sunday's poll winning 49 seats in the 200 member parliament and millionaire business man who entered politics four years ago has tough talks to form a new

government. in china they are gathering for the 16th shanghai motor show and china is the biggest auto market and demands for new cars is not rising as fast as it used to and sales for 2015 are set to rise by only 8% that is almost half of what it was two years ago. foreign car makers set to unveil new products at this week's shanghai show despite the slow down and estimated that china invested close to $13 billion in the auto industry last year and the slow down is also being blamed on increasing number of cities placing restrictions on car sales in order to tackle pollution. and brown has more now from shanghai. >> reporter: this is arguably china's most important trade event, certainly the biggest auto show anywhere in the world, that is astonishing because when i came to the country 26 years ago private car ownership was basically unheard of. last year some 23 million

vehicles sold in china but% percentage terms it's falling from 13% in 2013 to 7% last year and there are a number of reasons for that. china's economy is slowing. also the government is intensifying campaign against corruption is hitting the premium market and means government officials no longer want to be seen driving around in luxury cars and hastily selling them off. also local governments including shanghai limiting the new cars they allow on the road to help curb china's chronic pollution problem and there is a puritanical feel for the show scantily clad models are banned and this year they are wearing clothes and authorities are also banning children in the interest of safety so the focus is much more on auto than on show.

now china officially welcomes spring this week and in the eastern city of way fang means one thing, yes, kites, hundreds have gathered to take part in the celebrations and we were there. >> reporter: an swath of color against gray sky a sign of better days ahead, nothing can stop kite enthusiasts from ushering in the spring where kites originated thousands of years ago as an instrument of war but it has become a sport and joy now for enthusiasts and they kept it in the 60s and deemed impure as part of a cultural revolution. >> translator: the difference between chinas kites is overseas they normally use big blocks of color and focus on flying while chinese ones focus a lot on the

shape and paintings on kites. >> reporter: it's a traditional art form that he has turned into a business using only the strongest bam boo as framework and the finest paper and silk as a canvas for traditional paintings and when completed each tells a story with shapes and colors symbolizing harmony to prosperity to long life they become flying works of art. tens of thousands of people come here every year for the quite festival from around the world vying for the honor as being recognized as a kite master. anyone can learn to fly a kite but takes experience and special skills to master it and learn to dance with nature with grace beauty and longevity, the dragon symbolizes china and people look at the sky and see a master piece and once a year it becomes a giant canvas celebrating their

heritage. al jazeera, china. before we go let's update you on breaking news we brought you a few minutes ago media reports of at least 20 people dead in another ship that sinks in the mediterranean and bring you more on that and can get it on our website at al jazeera.com. >> another boat full of migrants runs aground just one day after what may be the deadliest mass drowning in the mediterranean. an emergency meeting this morning to deal with the crisis. >> six people in the u.s. accused are having ties to isil. what prosecutors say they were planning. >> a small step towards true democracy in cuba, somet