dozens of migrants arrive in italy. the eu pledges to do more to stop deaths at sea. you're watching al jazeera live from london. also coming up dozens reported dead after the saudi-led coalition attacks a missile base in the capital of yemen. south africa's zulu king denies attacks on foreigners are

his fault. plus a reporter for the "washington post" is in prison in iran charged with spying. the european union has laid out a set of measures responding to the migrant crisis in the mediterranean. patrol operations will be strengthened and more money will be spent on destroying smuggler boats. as a boat ran aground off the greek coast. paul brennan has been following developments. >>reporter: being battered by waves clinging to what's left of their boat at the bottom of the screen here a woman is seen trying to protect a young child. recent attention has been

focused on africans trying to reach italian waters. this child was saved but three people are already confirmed dead including another youngster. it's not known how many are still missing. >> the captain left us with the boat and ran away and left us alone. >> he ran away with another boat? >> i don't know. maybe. i think so. this small rubber boat do you know what this is? he got in and just ran. >> he left you alone? >> yes. >>reporter: the bodies from saturday night's drowning catastrophe have been brought ashore on malta. as many as 900 died when they capsized off the coast of libya. only 28 were saved. this has been a deadly period for migrants trying to cross into europe. some 11,000 people have been rescued in the last ten days.

an estimated 1,500 people have drowned in the attempts. the compassion with which sicily regards them is vividly illustrated here where this memorial is a monument to those who don't make it. there are 15 graves and two of children. the names will never be known but the words on them are the words of the poet lauriate from nigeria. humanitarian groups say increasing the search and rescue efforts is now imperative. >> over the past week -- 31 times that perished in the costa concordia. this tragedy did not have to happen. >>reporter: there will be a european summit meeting on thursday. how many more migrants will have

died by then? in the past few minutes, an italian coast guard vessel with 28 survivors aboard has docked. these are the live pictures. this ship has been carrying survivors from this weekend's ship wreck near the libyan coast that may have claimed as many as 900 lives. just 28 survivors were rescued. let's get more on those emergency talks because the crisis was discussed at an urgent meeting. >>reporter: a moment silence to mark the deaths of so many migrants. after a day of meetings the eu foreign policy chief said it was now imperative to act. >> i think that today we are developing a truly european sense of urgency and solidarity

and let me add finally so. >>reporter: the eu's proposed new measures include strengthening its mission in niger to try to stop migrants crossing into libya where they're often smuggled from. destroying boats used by traffickers which are often unseaworthy and illegal. to strengthen and give more money to rescue operations and to get member states to share responsibility for the resettlement and relocation of refugees. because the country that has borne the brunt of the migrant wave says it can no longer cope on its own. >> it's a european emergency. it's not the problem to help italy. it's a problem to help europe. you can't have a european emergency and an italian answer. >>reporter: that's a reference to italy's operation which cost more than $100 million during the 12 months it ran for and which was closed down last year.

many of the migrants crossing want eventually to reach germany. it receives more asylum seekers than any other eu country. and while ministers say their welfare is important, they also say solutions need to be found in the countries the migrants are leaving. >> our very first priority has to be improving sea rescue operations so fewer people die. that is obvious. secondly we know that the push back of migration won't let up as long as conditions remain unstable in north africa. >>reporter: if anything long term is to be achieved both of these problems will need to be solved at the eu leader's summit on thursday. coming up later in the program, we're going to hear from one man who made the journey across the mediterranean and what his advice is to those planning a similar journey.

imilar journey. the war in yemen now. the capital has been rocked by one of the largest explosions since the saudi-led air campaign began. air strikes targeted a missile base being used by houthi fighters. it triggered a huge blast flattening nearby buildings. 46 people have died and hundreds are wounded. >>reporter: in more than three weeks of bombing, this was one of the largest attacks yet. the target was an scud missile base. but the massive explosion killed dozens of people destroying nearby buildings and blowing out windows in homes and offices. it also damaged a television station owned by the former president knocking it off air.

picking through the devastation, local residents voiced their anger. >> the munition hit our homes. this is what the cowards use to bombard civilians. >> when we arrived here to help our colleagues and the people there was a big explosion and we found shells all over the area. >>reporter: many embassies are located here. quick to criticize the strike is indonesia. >> i want to strongly condemn the air strike. several diplomatic staff were injured and it also damaged the embassy building and all vehicles belonging to the embassy. >>reporter: for 26 days saudi arabia has led an alliance against howuthi fighters and those loyal to former president

saleh. >> the coalition forces succeeded relatively to destroy the military infrastructure of the deposed president saleh and those of the houthis including weaponry depot which are totally destroy destroyed. >>reporter: in the port city of aden fighting is fierce. here popular resistance fighters loyal to al hadi are keeping the houthis out of the district. those caught in the cross fire are left lying in the streets. but despite these set backs, houthi's leader says his forces will never surrender. the u.s. navy has sent a war ship and an aircraft carrier to waters off yemen.

the u.s. insists they're there to conduct maritime security operations and not to intercept iranian arms shipments. iran has been accused of backing the houthis and supplying them with weapons. in another potential blow for improving relations between washington and at the ran, the lawyer for an american reporter detained in iran says he's facing charges including spying. he's been held by iranian authorities since july last year. his lawyer says the charges including conducting propaganda against the establishment and collaborating with hostile governments. the newspaper's executive editor says the charges are baseless and ludicrous. >> we believe his conditions in prison have improved somewhat and we appreciate that but the court and the iranian government appear to be going on their own independent course. it's gone from bad to worse over this period of nine months and while we continue to hope for

improvement, in fact we continue to hope for his release, the -- what has happened so far is very concerning and now he's having charges, absurd charges brought against him that could put him in keep him in prison for decades. >> for more on this let's speak to ounce lynn at the state department. what is the u.s. government saying? >>reporter: the u.s. has not been able to independently confirm that jason indeed is facing charges of spying but in any case they are calling on at the ran to release him and other americans who have been held by the iranian government immediately. officials here also at the u.s. state department say that they are very concerned about his well being because they do not know whether the protecting power that acts on behalf of the u.s. government has been able to see him to basically assess how

he is doing. they say they've seen the reports. they say they don't anticipate there's going to be any linkage between his case and the case of the other two americans who are known to be held and the ongoing talks over iran's nuclear program and so they're calling on the iranian government to do the right thing and release these men right now. >> it's a very sensitive time as you were alluding to in the relationship between iran and the u.s. we have this issue of trying to come to some sort of agreement on iran's nuclear program and we also have the war in yemen with iran accused by some of actually arming the houthis. it's a sensitive time and this american journalist is caught up in all of this at a sensitive time. >>reporter: that's right. he's been working in iran where his family is from for the past ten years and so to have this case come up -- washington and

at the ran. they say that even though the negotiations on the nuclear program seem to be yielding some positive results so far, they say that iran has many other problems in washington's view namely dealing with human rights dealing with political freedom. and they say that just because they seem to be making progress on the nuclear issue does not mean that they approve of the way that iran handles all of these other issues. so as far as they're concerned, washington says release these men now. release them to their families. we will deal with you when you show some good faith interest in trying to improve your human rights record. >> thank you. still to come on the program, car makers unveil their new models at the shanghai car show but even the word's largest

car markets, the economy is in the driver's seat and as u.s. cuba ties improve, business people from both countries start to consider the investment opportunities. nt opportunities.

yemen's capital has been hit by one of the larnlest explosions since the saudi-led air campaign began. the target was a missile base being used by houthi rebels. the european union has

proposed a new plan of attack on the mediterranean migrant crisis including the destruction of smuggler boats and more funding for rescue operations. it comes after another migrant boat is run aground off greece and in the last half hour an italian coast guard vessel has docked with 28 migrants on board. they are the few survivors from this weekend's ship wreck near the coast of libya that may have claimed as many as 900 lives. every year thousands of people from north africa risk their lives trying to reach europe by crossing the mediterranean. al jazeera has spoken to one man who made that treacherous journey. joseph set off from ghana and made his way to libya where he paid people smugglers for a place on the boat. that boat was then intercepted by italian authorities.

from there he was flown to rome where he's been ever since. >>reporter: it is a journey that represents a new life. a new start. and joseph got that new life five years ago. >> they said you have now entered italian waters. i was glad. >>reporter: he had to get out of ghana. made his way to libya where smugglers put him on a boat for a price. >> the first time i was lucky. the first time they promised me to to move today. i went in and they didn't take me. they said the boat is oversold. it's full. so i have to go. about one or two days time i heard that the boat sank on the sea. all of the people died. >>reporter: so you had a narrow

escape. >> yes. the people were about 125 passengers, people all of them died. all of them sink including the boat. >>reporter: but the boat he did board also got into trouble and had to be rescued. joseph still remembers vividly the moment he arrived in europe. >> people were very kind to us. they were happy to receive us. they checked us and gave us medication and treated us. after that they took us and we came to rome. >>reporter: but life has not been as kind as he had hoped. joseph takes odd jobs where he can. he barely gets by. >> i struggle to get money to

feed myself. >>reporter: you struggle to eat? >> yes. struggle to eat. in italy, there's a room here. the jobs have been limited. people are working. if you're not lucky, you just pray one day somebody will call you to come and work for them. >>reporter: and he has a message for those driven to risk their lives to get to europe. >> it's better for them to stop coming. i would tell them to stay where they are. >>reporter: the words of a man who's been there, is there now, but words that many will ignore so desperate are they for that new start. south africa's zulu king has condemned a wave of anti-immigrant attacks describing them as vile.

supporters gathered to hear him in the city where the violence started. >>reporter: he's one of the most powerful men in south africa respected and adores by millions. many people say he should have made this speech weeks ago. >> i have come to declare a new war. this war is to protect every foreigner here. every foreigner must be safe. as your king i call for calm. he said the media should be investigated for misinterpreting another speech he made last month. many say that speech in which he blamed foreigners for the growing crime rate has led to these attacks. he says the violence has brought shame to south africa. >> we should hold hand with the police. those who have committed crimes must be brought to justice.

because the law must stop those trying to destroy south africa's image. >>reporter: supporters say the media has lied about him. >> it's good that the king came here because he set the record straight. >>reporter: the government is also being blamed for failing to address the high unemployment and poverty among huge sections of south africa's population. many of whom accuse migrant workers of taking their jobs. there have been flare ups of violence against migrant workers for years. there are more than 1,000 people at this camp. they came to durbin to earn money for their families in countries across africa. salma fled from fighting in the congo and has lived in south

africa for eight years. she says her hair salon was attacked and a group of men beat her as she ran trying to protect her baby boy. for thousands of people like her, the king's speech offers little comfort in a place they have come to think of as home. more clashes between antigovernment protesters and riot police on the streets of guinea's capital a week since the last violence. demonstrators launched stones at police who responded with tear gas. the protesters are angry about the election timetable and the

fragile security situation in the country columbia's farc rebels promise to maintain a cease fire with the government less than a week after rebels allegedly broke the cease fire killing 11 soldiers. the oil company chevron will not have to pay compensation after a u.s. court rejected an appeal by residents of a rain forest in ecuador. they blame tex echo of dumping toxic waste in the region. a teacher at a school in barcelona has been killed by a pupil who was armed with a cross bow and machete. two students and two other teachers were wounded in the attack. the boy has been taken to a hospital for psychiatric examination. it's more than four months now since president barack obama and his cuban counterpart raul

castro announced they would normalize relations between the two countries. last week the u.s. took cuba off its list of countries accused of supporting terrorism. now this report 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. >> obama finally came to the realization. so we're trying something else and something new at long last. >>reporter: many on both sides of the florida straits are anticipating and planning for

substantial financial investments. 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 remains restricting growth of the cue man 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. >> they come as tourists but when you talk to them you find they're lawyers, people working for american companies asking about the opportunities available in cuba. >>reporter: the cuban authorities have been paving the way with development for instance of this container port west of havana. while many smaller cuban

businesses are already well placed and are keenly anticipating the changes. >> we're 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 to 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. now one of the world's most important car shows has just opened in shanghai. the chinese auto market is growing quickly but it's under threat from falling sales and a

slowing economy. adrian brown sent this report from shanghai. >>reporter: 25 years ago, owning a car was still a dream for most chinese people. today the country's the world's fastest growing auto market and this is arguably the industry's most important trade event. dominated once more though by foreign brands. >> i think it's still growing. it's an exciting place in the world. there's a lot of opportunities. >>reporter: but it's not all good news. car sales are declining here falling from 13 to 7% last year. one of the reasons, china's slowing economy. and there is another reason. the government's anticorruption campaign means that many local officials don't want to be seen driving around in vehicles that could even be vaguely described as a luxury model. and that is denting the market for premium cars. sales of electric cars also remain in the slow lane.

as part of efforts to curb pollution and promote a domestic car industry the government wants 5 million energy saving vehicles on the roads by 2020. so far, the figure is fewer than 100,000 but manufacturers say they are optimistic. >> when you walk around at this show and not only look at the manufacturers committed to this you see the interest we're get, the future in china is potentially brighter than in the rest of the world. >>reporter: last month, tesla confirmed it's cutting jobs. with the government now promoting austerity and discouraging excess organizers have been polishing a new image as well. models in less clothes are normally a feature of the shows but they've been banned this year making the focus, say officials, more auto than show.

adrian brown, al jazeera, shanghai. and that's it for us this evening. just to remind you, aljazeera.com has all your updated stories. aljazeera.com. aljazeera.com. intersection of hardware and humanity but we're doing it in a unique way. this is a show about science by scientists. tonight techknow investigates gold at any cost. we travel deep into the rainforests of peru. these illegal mining operations extend for miles and miles away from the main highway. to uncover a gold rush