>> unanswered questions, a botched withdrawal lives lost. examining the impact that still resonates today. a special report starts tuesday, 10:00 eastern. on al jazeera america. european leaders are to hold an insurgent summit on how to stop refugees dieing in the mediterranean. ♪ ♪ i am darren jordan you are watching al jazerra. also on the program saudi jets launched more air strikes on generally as fighting rages on the ground in aden and tiaz. nigers military says it's innervatedinvaded boko haram's last nothing strong hold. and a vol caning sending ash in to the sky. ♪

♪ european leaders are to hold an emergency summit in brussels on the crisis in the mediterranean see, more than a thousand people have arrived at italian ports in the past 24 hours many on rickety boats. let's go on live to barnaby phillips. we know the italian coast guard is still pick up hundreds of people. >> reporter: yes, that's right darren and perhaps you can see them on the boat behind me. the latest information we have been given is some 220 african american, i am not seeing any women or children so far on that coast guard boat, they were picked off some -- picked up at sea something like 15 miles -- 15 nautical miles off the libyan coast. not far off the libyan coast. they were brought in to catania within the last half hour and

will be disembarking now and we'll get more information about what sort of condition they might be in. what sort of vessel they were traveling off. the circumstances of how they were picked up. but the important information to convey i suppose is that the italian coast guard the italian navy is very, very busy and these arrivals are daily occurrences. >> barnaby we know the italian prime minister says he needs more help from the e.u. to deal with the crisis. is he likely to get that help when the e.u. council meets in brussels later today? >> reporter: yes, i think he will get more help. whether it's enough help is a different point. but i think there is a political momentum and a degree of horror and indeed shame shared by european governments about what's happening in the mediterranean. so i think what you are going to see is the existing operation

which is called triton which we have been talking about in recent days and it will expand considerably by as much as double this year and next year at least that's the commitment. more boats more helicopters and, more planes and that in theory should mean more lives saved in the mediterranean. then looking at the draft recommendations, there are some interesting proposals. i am just going to quote this is what the proposals which e.u. leaders will be looking at today. one says we also undertake systematic efforts to identify capture and destroy vessels before they are used by traffickers. that suggests some degree of military force. and when we say before they are used by traffickers the clear implication is that you might be going to libyan ports typically because that's where 90% of these boats disembark from, and br*destroying them at source and it

will be very interesting to see the debates around that today and how far european governments actually commit themselves in that direction. >> all right barnaby fill nips catania. barnaby, thank you. as barnaby just said there the pima driving in catania now were picked up 15 miles off the libyan coast and that's where the i own government says nearly all of the people who cross the mediterranean with the hopes of a better life leave from. in the libyan city we have been talking to some of those willing to make the perilous journey across the sea. >> reporter: they escaped war and poverty. traveled for weeks sometimes months to reach libya. the gateway for a better life in europe. he had nearly made it when the boat he was sailing on was intercepted by the libyan coast guards. it was on the same day another one carrying 400 migrants capsized. >> they caught me and put me in container.

and i come here. i don't know this place. [ inaudible ] they will help us, to live us free. >> reporter: mohamed was on the same journey he escapes sierra leone after both his parents died of ebola last year. >> we are orphans. we don't have anybody. anybody care for us. that's why this gives us hope. we don't have any hope from anybody. >> reporter: now they are in a detention center on the outskirts of misrata. about a thousand people are held here. the building used to be a school. the draws classrooms are now cramped they come mainly from subis share vinnie countries but some as far as bangladesh. there is only one toilet here available for everyone here, men and women together. living conditions are extremely difficult. authorities do acknowledge. that but they say they are doing

the best that they can to cope with the situation and do fear in the coming months things could get worst. with the on set of summer many more migrants are expected to each here. many here heard about the loss of lives in the sea. still it's a risk they are prepared to take. >> translator: yes it's dangerous but there is no work in my country. maybe i'll dieism am scared but i have no other option. ii have not spoke tonight my mother in months, she doesn't know if i am alive or dead but i have to work, earn some money and then i can see her again, it will take four or five years. >> reporter: it's this fear that made them flee. despite the risks escape war-torn libya by sea to europe remains their only hope for a safer future. al jazerra misruata.

let's take you live to malta where the funeral services are being held for some my grants that drowned while trying to cross the mediterranean sea. these are live pictures coming from malta. of course, this is a very being very dangerous journey that migrants continue to make despite the risks involved. and many of them have paid with their lives. so live pictures coming in from the funeral services of some of the body that his have been recovered. saudi-led coalition plains have once again struck yemen. iranian ships coming towards the country some fear will be carrying weapons. the uss roosevelt that was deployed three days ago is moving to em request en. carter warped iran not to fan

the flames. but the u.s. did not say whether they would board any iranian ships. the world health organization is warning that the human tear i didn't know crisis cries yemen is identity door or eighting rapidly. hospitals could be shutdown because the a lack of power and fuel. the death toll has topped a thousand. close to 4 1/2 thousand injured. and 150,000 people displace the since the strikes began. but while saudi-led air strikes have become listen tins tiff since the announce thement that their campaign has entered a new phase, there is still fierce righting. here is mohammedded vall. >> reporter: street battles in the identity of identity of taiz the day after saudi arabia a announced the end of physician fairsfirst phaseof their air strikes. they are loyal to president

hadi. supported by soldiers but still unable to push the houthi rebels and the soldiers loyal to former president saleh from the city. further soul in aden a similar situation. fighting continues here on tuesday night and since the early hours of wednesday. the saudi ambassador to the united states says it requires continued military action. >> we are seeing movement by the houthis that is very disturbing in the city of aden where we see skirmishes and we see movement of houthi troops in to aden from three different directions. >> reporter: clashes also resumed in the areas of the provinces. [ inaudible ] on wins the

saudi-led coalition targeted houthis and saleh fighters. but the houthi seem far from being broken they have marched in the capital of sanaa which they still control. they chanted victory. did he joined the saudi-led strikes and renewed allegiance to the houthi leader. yemeni army soldiers and officers loyal to the duties and to the former president saleh joined the march. >> translator: we took to the street to condemn shelling of civilians, bombarding of residential areas, we are telling them shame on you. why don't you face us on the ground. why don't you fight us like men. we will always face you as the yemenis are solid like rocks. >> reporter: the houthis say they won this war and any peace deal should be based on their early agreement with yemeni political parties which was signed last september the day after they took control of the capital sanaa. meanwhile the human toll of the

conflict is continuing to rise. >> translator: houthis target any woman any child or any man. they simply were blindly targeting all of us. >> translator: we are no longer able to receive more cases it's gone i don't understand our capabilities in this hospital. we are putting patients now in the corridors and reception. at least nine patients in each room. we are short staffed and we don't have enough medical equipment and medicine. >> reporter: the international committee of the red cross has declared the human humanitarian situation in yemen as catastrophic and called for better access to aid. the saudi-led coalition says it's launched a new operation with the aid of restoring peace in yemen. but so far no signs of a peaceful resolution to the conflict. mohammeded vall. al jazerra, on the saudi border with yemen. government air strikes in syria have killed 32 people. according to activists. the syrian observatory for human rights says the biggest loss of life occurred when a hospital was hit in the northern province

of a help open. these pictures released on line appear to show the aftermath of strikes on the outskirts of the capital damascus. too on rack now the u.n. says more than 114,000 people have fled their homes in ramadi. in the last two weeks there has been intense fighting between security forces and isil. aid agencies say displaced people are in urgent need of shelter. meanwhile, in northern iraq the war against isil has hit the region's economy despite rich oil fields. the kurdish regional government is renewing its effort to his convince international oil firms to stay and develop the region, kim vinnell reports from erbil. >> reporter: with the governor arer in town exhibitors at the international oil and gas fair put their best feet forward. it's a chance to network. and take stock of what has been a rocky few months. there is the fight against isil. plummeting oil prices and an ongoing budget dispute between erbil and baghdad.

but kurdish authorities wants to make clear northern iraq and its oil fields are open for business business. >> there is agreement with baghdad and development monthly. it will be increasing. but in reality things aren't running quite so smoothly. in simmer bill agreed to produce 550,000-barrels of oil a day in order to receive its allotted share of the national budget from baghdad about a billion dollars a mom but the kurdistan regional government is falling slightly short on its promises. the government says its not yet meeting its oil quota because of technical problems and pipeline capacity problem on the iraqi side. critics have you go ahead that perhaps the region wants to keep some oil to meet local demands but that's being rejected. money from baghdad is coming only in fits and starts compounding problems. the deputy here the peshmerga says it's having a follow on

effect for fighters on the front line. >> translator: because of the economic crisis in the region, especially because of the issue of oil, for example, we are in april, we have only received the money from february. and there are two or three months that we haven't received the mon. iinternational oil companies are waiting for their money too. the kurdish regional government owes the biggest investor more than $230 million in export payments analysts say investors won't hang around forever. >> the not has to pay them for their research and. [ inaudible ] and when they get the returns they sell the oil and they will be part of it. but if things are going the same way and the regional government cannot provide the payments for these international companies they won't be able to proceed anymore. >> reporter: kurdish authorities they say will have to face the music and prove to investors it's safe to keep digging in northern iraq. kim vinnell, al jazerra erbil.

lots more still to come on al jazerra. a chinese female activists detained by the government for a month speaks to al jazerra. and we find out the true worth of one of the world's greatest resources. stay with us.

>> fall of saigon, forty years later. >> we have no idea how many were killed. >> unanswered questions, a botched withdrawal lives lost. examining the impact that still resonates today. a special report starts tuesday, 10:00 eastern. on al jazeera america. quick reminder of the top stories al jazerra. european leaders are to hold an emergency sum knit brussels over the crisis in the mediterranean sea. more than a thousand people have arrived in italian ports over the past 24 hours many on rickety overcrowded boats.

saudi coalition planes have launched new strikes in yemen. there is fierce fighting in the cities of aidan and taiz. u.s. is concerned that iranian ships may be carrying weapons for the houthi. 140,000 have fled their homes in rah made. after fighting between security forces and isil. aid agencies say displaced people are in urgent need of shelter. nigeria's military says it hayes invaded boko haram's last known strong hold. it's in the forest in the northeast state of borno. a regional force involves troops in chad and cameroon launched an offensive against the armed group in february, it's recaptured large parts of territory. an update from abuja now. >> reporter: these reports that nigerian soldiers are now in full control of the forest seem like they could be reliable and accurate because over the last few weeks we have witnessed a

significant decrease in the number of attacks by boko haram in the northeast area. we have also managed to speak to a member of the civilian joint task force. those are ordinary nigerians who have been supporting military operations against the group. now, the source we spoke to, confirmed the line that his we getting. he also we want as far as to say in the fighting five members of the civilian joint task force were killed and for nigerian soldiers. president goodluck jonathan has said that he will eliminate this group before he leaves office at the end of may. he said for months now that the group is facing extinct. it's incredibly difficult to independently verify the information that we are getting from this region because access has been very limited. governmental organizations civil rights organizations human rights organizations and the media have not had access to this area. if the information is accurate, this could pave the way for the

return of over a million people who have been internally displaced by boko haram violence. hundreds of zimbabweans who fled from attacks in south africa have returned home. al jazerra spoke to one man who has returned to his village empty handed. >> reporter: people who fled from attacks on after ran migrants in south africa, leave the board are post in zimbabwe, disappointed confused and worried. he rarely got to see his wife and children when he was work ago cross the border as a brick layer, he's back home sooner than expected. there was a moment when he thought he would never see his family again. >> i could sigh there was something like about 30 to 40 people those people were there. [ inaudible ] and then in the end they said to me -- >> reporter: he says he only survived by pretending to be dead. >> they were acting by

themselves. but one of them said let's leave him. he's dead. then they decided to leave me, that's when i struggled to walk to where i met the policeman. >> reporter: on a good month in south after car, he would make around $700. event most it have to zimbabwe, money his wife, children, aunt and, mother desperately needed. they are heart broken he is battered and bruised but say at least he's alive. >> translator: when my son was in south africa, event money home, we could buy food and pay school fees, now what are we going to do? >> reporter: the family has every reason to worry. the unemployment rate is high. between 80 and 90%. according to some economists. the city nearest them is known as fort victoria during the colonial years. it was built on mining and

agriculture but no longer thriving. many farms and businesses have closed or are not operating at full capacity forcing many young people to go to south africa looking for work. he says he still gets calls from clients in south africa. asking when he's coming back to work. but he is afraid he will be killed. >> they wanted to cut my hands so i think i have to wait. [ inaudible ] >> reporter: but he knows team safe is not enough. he says he needs to make a plan. because if he doesn't his family will have a hard time surviving. al jazerra zimbabwe. the president of sierra leone has called for africa to be represented at the u.n. security council. he made the comments at the opening of the asian african summit in jakarta. he called on asian leaders to support an african seat sought security council. a woman's rights campaigner has spoken to al jazerra about her experience in a chinese

jail. she is one of five female activists china has released on bail after detaining them for more than a month. marga ortiga reports from beijing. >> reporter: 25-year-old calls herself an ordinary citizen who has been fighting for equal rights and studying law on the side. but a month ago chinese authorities came to her home and took her in to to the to custody. at the time she and her plans for pushing for simple lesion like protection against sexual huhharassment on public trans tailing. >> we were only planning to go to businesses and give people stickers with their consents. there were only five of us, i didn't think it was a big deal. but they said, how do you know it's not a big deal? those street pedalers got arrested for disturbing social order. it seemed they were really nervous about it. i didn't expect to be arrested. >> reporter: her detention caught international detention with many seeing it as another example of china's lack of human

rights, she was kept in a did detention center for 37 days cut off from family and friends that feared they would never see her again. >> translator: everyone was nice to me in the living quarter. they thought i was fair skinned educated and i. [ inaudible ] for them and -- i always sang for them and they liked me n the interrogation room it was a complete different story. they they wanted me with my girlfriends' safety. once one of them puffed smoke in my face. it was say serious insult to me. another time they had a very bright light on my face. my eyes were so sensitive i almost cried. but i didn't want to cry in front of them. i didn't want to show my weakness. if i cried, they would laugh at me. so i held back my tears. >> reporter: lee is now out on bail pending further investigation. there hasn't been much attention given to lee's case locally. none of little, there were conditions given by the authorities for her release. that she not leave home, nor

speak to journalists. but lee believes keeping quiet about her detention would be a disservice not only to her cause, but also to her country. >> translator: it's hard to say what's next. because it's not like you always get acknowledgment for doing the right things, especially in china. if what i did could encourage more people to help feminism in china i am very please today do so. i i am not special, i don't have special experience or background i grew up in the countryside. there is nothing outstanding about me of. >> reporter: but some say by taking lee in to custody the authorities may have just done exactly what they didn't want. turn an ordinary citizen in to an unintentional hero. al jazerra beijing. a new report by the worldwide fund for nature has assessed the raw economic value of the world's ocean at almost two and a half trillion dollars a year rivalling the wealth of

the richest countries but it's in danger of collapse. the. >> reporter: ore oceans cover two-thirds of our planet. a trillion dollar resource but crucial in life itself. on the shores of the gulf a research team on its way to study a vital component of the world's oceans, mangroves. the silk mash are marshes here and home to all types of animals animals. and capable of storing more times of co2 and tropical forests and important to understand how they work. >> we are looking at the capability of the mon grove to absorb nutrients the capability to it store carbon. the support it gives to the local fisheries. and species diversity in the gulf. >> reporter: and the bottom line is fragile ecosystems like mangroves are fundamental to the

general state of health of the world's oceans. the problem is that mangroves are being ripped up and detroit along coastlines all over the world. in fact, the rate of loss is more than three times that of deforestation on land and, of course, as far as oceans are concerned, it doesn't end there. according to a worldwide fund for nature report, the entire multi trillion dollar marine resource is in danger of failing of the oceans are changing faster than at any other point in 10s of millions of years with intense fresh from over fishing pollution and acid if i indication. >> it's staggering. and ecosystems can recover very fast approximate we don't reach the tipping point. if you don't reach the no return point but we are at risk in the next 20 years or so if this continues the ocean will not be

able to recover for hundreds of years fork generations to come. >> reporter: the message is we are running down our ocean assets and pushing the marine economy in to the red by coaching the flagging health of the ocean in management terms they hope they are speak a language the world's decision makers may just understand. nick clark, al jazerra. there is a state of emergency in parts of southern chile after a volcano erupted twice within hours it had been dormant for almost 50 years thousands from the surrounding areas have been forced to evacuate. >> reporter: a reminder of the earth's fury. as the volcano roars in to life. sending ash and smoke in to the sky. this time lapse video capturing the moment it erupted for the first time in 43 years. >> translator: at the beginning it was small. but later the cloud grew and then there was a huge cloud over me and i got really scared.

>> reporter: chile has issued a red alert closing local schools and airports. and ordering anyone nearby to leave quickly. >> translator: we are going to increase the evacuation zone from 10-kilometers to 20-kilometers and we are asking anyone nearby to he is vac wait the area and take all precautionary measures for safety. >> reporter: that send locals scrambling. as the cloud crew so did the queues for the petrol pumps. >> it was impressive to see the enormous mushroom crowd and the volcano and the ash that point there was panic chaos traffic jams. people going to supermarkets, everyone looking for water. >> reporter: it is considered one of the most dangerous of chile's 90 activeville canoes and while there has been no lava yet, authorities are watching this eruption closely. alexei o'brien, al jazerra.

and a quick reminder that you can keep up-to-date with all the news on our website. there it is on your screen, the address aljazerra.com. that's aljazerra.com. more on those dramatic pictures that have volcano erupting in chile. >> there is only one earth and mankind must do everything it can to protect it for itself and our future. tonight i'll take you to the front lines of the fight from the amazon fighting an oil giant in ecuador, and unconvinced about the science behind climate change. can saving the planet be both profitable to businesses on main streets and palatable to