on al jazeera america. nepal is shaken by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake with trefrs felt across india. ♪ ♪ hello for duh ho, earn, i am kamal santa maria live from doha. desperate to cross land and see samardzija he to reach europe. the polls open in togo, will the president win another turn and continue his family's 28-year dynasty. world leaders meet in turkey to mark the 100th anniversary of one of the bloodiest battles of the swears formed war.

so to nepal first of all magnitude 7.5 earthquake has struck 80-kilometers east of the town of. [ inaudible ] the epicenter of the quake half that way between there and the captain kathmandu where there are reports some some buildings have collapsed. tremors felt as far as away as new delhi and other parts of india. on the line more about what you know. >> reporter: well, i am walking around. the entire ground was shaking. [ inaudible ] on the floor. [ inaudible ] we could see earlier just clouds. and the trembling we can still feel tremors occasionally. we are feeling conversations -- people having conversations kids are trapped in buildings.

but we haven't been able to go to those places yet. >> is this a part of the world which gets a lot of tremors? are you used to this sort of thing there? >> reporter: sorry, i didn't quite catch you. >> just wondering if this is a part of the world where you get a lot of earthquakes or tremors a lot of the time? [ inaudible ] by earthquakes need 34 is where we had the last big earthquake where thaws of people died. that was over 8 on the richter scale. and asman due is in the tremor zone it's one of the areas where people are actually quite scared of earthquakes and the other problem is the buildings are not built according to earthquake standards, they are quite fragile. [ inaudible ] a lot of buildings falling down. >> thank you for that. on the line from kathmandu. the latest on that 7.5 magnitude

earthquake. more on that as we get it. the i italian coast guard has rescued 228 people in two separate ins incident. the source of the crisis a town from ethiopia with hundreds of people a year risk smugglers desert and the sea. where most the nigh grant begin the journey. and sicily where many migrants are being held after being rescued by the italian coast guard. let's start in the oath open vinnie capital with catherine soi, where many migrants are dreaming of a better life. >> reporter: almost everyone here knew at least five young men killed alongside other ethiopians men killed by isil last week. they were headed to europe through a well-traveled

smuggling route the plan was to cross the mediterranean see to italy. in the neighborhood where many grew up. many joined their families in mourning. they were inconsolable. the pain hard to describe. they were looking for a better life. many of their friends here are also desperate to leave. those we talk to say that life is difficult. and staying in ethiopia is not an option. these are some of the childhood friends who saw them off two months ago they hope to follow soon. even as they grieve they have not abandoned that plan. >> translator: i know the roads are dangerous. it's better than being stuck here. i know my life will be better when i go. >> reporter: he attempted to join them. but he never got to his destination, they were turned back at the libyan border, he said smugglers failed to agree on a payment for the border

police. >> translator: the smugglers are brutal. they don't care about anyone. they only care about money. they treated us badly. they beat us. >> reporter: ethiopia has one of the fastest growing economies in the world still it's a poor country, many people are unemployed. some analysts believe it's mentality rather than poverty that drives people to leave. >> this mind set this collective social psychology of going to dream land countries of destination, with plenty of opportunities, has been a driving factor. >> reporter: but in the neighborhood, the vigil goes on. even as some of the young people here dream of plan to his leave the country. no matter what. catholic soi. al jazerra. >> reporter: about 25 to 30 nautical miles off the coast of libya facing the towns of homs

where a good number of these boats packs with migrants depart from. now, this is a tug boat that was meant for civilian use that was taken over by the libyan coast guard and you can see here they have just adapted it with an anti aircraft, they say this is for their own security. apart from that, they don't have much. now, this is one of two vessels that the coast guards have -- who have the responsibility over 600-kilometers of coastline this is the only thing that they have at the moment. they say that their means are limited and unless they get support there is little that they can do on this side. they raise another issue at the moment there is no. [ inaudible ] with the italian navy. they say that would be

absolutely necessary if the onus is put on them to try to stop the boats before they cross in to international waters. now, i did ask them what they thought about the e.u. initiative of maybe targeting the smugglers they said that would be extremely difficult. because the network of smugglers is extremely extended. >> right. so that's over in libya. now in italian court two men have been -- well, the court huh ordered two men suspected of being traffickers in one of the mediterranean's worst migrants disasters, to remain in jail. >> reporter: is this the face i've trade never human misery? that's what a court in catania must decide. mohamed from tunisia says he was only a passenger on the overcrowded boat that capsized with the loss of hundreds of lives. other survivors say he was the boat's captain. but even if guilty. he will surely only be a small

cog in the huge business of taking desperate people across the mediterranean. we traveled, like in every sicilian town there are migrants in the public squares, in the bus stations, bored frustrated, planning their neck next move. we are not allowed in to the reception center but spoke to julia who forbes a charity inside. she never imagined that she would be an aid worker in her hometown. >> people dieing in the sea is very -- we cannot stands it. it's crazy. people should have the right to move. to ask for asylum. it's not possible to digest because they need to escape war or past at this. >> reporter: they are from eritrea, they asked us not to show their faces. a microbiologist who dreams of getting a ph.d in europe. she arrived this week after eight days at sea. they paid about 3,000 u.s.

dollars each for the smugglers. >> they are not bad they just try make a business, it's a very big business to take from $1,003,000. >> reporter: you don't field angry toward them they are just doing a business? >> no, no, no, they are just doing a business, they are not forcing you it's your wish. >> reporter: they did not mistreat you on the boat. >> no no, no, nothing at that. >> reporter: at the station a group of sudanese are trying to cobble together the money to take the train north. this is the escape route for many migrants, the majority that we have spoken to say they have no intention of staying here. they think of the sweeden germany and the united kingdom as countries that they would like to. thirds sicily and italy is just one stage of their long and dangerous journey. but all the time more are arriving on sicily's shores. back at catania harbor the italian coast guard brought 80 africans in to port.

they celebrate their survival but know they face many struggle to his come in europe i a continent that does not want them. barney phillips, al jazerra sicily. polls have just opened in the west african country of togo where the president is the clear favorite to win another term. his family has ruled the country for 48 years already. live to togo's capital now with a report from there. i am just wondering think about the significance of a vote like this when it does seem to be fate afait accompli, the family has been in power for 50 years and he's been in power for 10 already. >> reporter: that's right. i mean, that's the issue you. how long should a president stay in power. right now in africa there is a debate about presidential term limits and he is going through a third term as president so that is why people are watching this election just last year in neighboring burkina faso we saw the then president blaze come parry being force the out of

office because he tried to change the constitution so he could run for a third term and sort of took the region in particular by surprise that the speed with which events happened there. so people are watching to see very much what will happen here. so the timing is very important. and as you have mentioned polls have opened. people are eager to cast their vote. this time they feel that they really want too take part. and yes make fait accompli but the opposition wants to put up a showing. this particular polling station is where the main opposition candidates of the combat for political change will be casting his vote. we are pecking hill a little later. >> i hate use this is old phrase but free and fair election is his what we always look for and i am sure there are election observers there how is their job going? this is interesting for togo togo. for the first time in elections

the local observers will compare their votes with official results, they set up a system where they can monitor the results coming from the polling stations that is interesting because he because if there are any discrepancies they will be flagged up and then what will happen. the election observers say they would have to alert the head of the electoral commission and hope and trust in him that he will do the necessary to resolve these discrepancies if not they will make the observations known. that's a particular interesting point to this election. and also in addition to the main opposition candidate, we have four other candidates who are from the same region as the president. so, i mean, while the president is the front runner, there could be some interesting dynamics there. >> thank you. we'll talk to you again later on. the former yemeni president saleh has urged his rebel allies to withdraw so that air strikes can end.

the saudi-led coalitions continue to go target houthis and air allies who control large areas, fighters loyal to the exiled leader hadi are getting control of large parts of aden. memorial services being held in turkey to commemorate of 100th anniversary of the bloodiest battle of the first world war britain prince charles and turkish officials and others are there. where they repelled an attack on the peninsula, more than 130,000 people were killed. that centenary also being remembered in australia and new zealand. dawn services were held across the countries, more than 100,000 people gathered at the australian war memorial in the australian capital. in the news ahead on al jazerra, we'll tell you what tikrit and nba iraq remains a ghost town despite say aiyegbeni

victory for government fors over isil. plus indonesia's plans to deter its citizens from joining isil in iraq and syria. >> my yard is gone. >> are we destroying our way of life? >> contaminated water from the fracking activities come here. >> they stick it into the core of the earth. >> but this cutting-edge technology could be the answer. >> the further of fracking is about the water. >> protecting the planet saving lives. >> how do you convince a big oil company to use this? >> "techknow". monday, 6:30 eastern. only on al jazeera america. >> part of al jazeera america's >> special month long evironmental focus fragile planet

top stories for you once again on al jazerra. pneumonia pal a mag sued 7.5 earthquake has struck 80-kilometers east of the town. the epicenter of the quake was huh way between there and the capital contact man due where there are some reports of buildings collapse collapsing. italy's coast guard as

rescued 280 more migrants. the captain of the boat that sank killing 800 will remain in jail. polls open in togo for the country's presidential election. the incumbent is slated to win a third term in hospital, his family has ruled for 48 years already. almost a month now since iraqi government forces drove isil fighters out of tikrit. but as we report now from baghdad there are still residents scared to return fearing sectarian attacks. >> reporter: that crete remains a ghost city. many parts of it destroyed. there was furious fighting between isil and the government forces backed by shia paramilitaries. battle scars are everywhere. there are also signs of looting and arson attacks carried out by the militias. the government admits some members. popular mobilization forces committed these acts. it says it will hold them

accountable. security forces here say all pairparamilitaries have left the city and calling on the people to return home. >> translator: i am from tikrit and i tell the people and the families to return. we are your brothers. the conditions are good and your neighbors are returning. >> reporter: al jazerra's request to accompany the popular mobilization force to his a trip to tikrit has been penning for almost two weeks. but our camera person got in and was able to film inside the city center. no families were found signs written by isil fighters have been crossed out. but the new slogans signs and flags may reflect the sectarian nature. some residents we spoke to on the phone say the burning of property is still ongoing. many live outside of the city and fear reprisal attacks if they return. shia paramilitaries are still in tikrit but away from cameras.

isil fighters are also present and still fighting in the surrounding areas. the big battle for tikrit could be over, but winning the trust of its residents is not easy. >> translator: the people can't return now because there is a lack of basic services, water pipes are broken, a shortage of electricity. there is a battle in tikrit that is now destroyed. security is good. no popular mobilization fighters or isil but we need to restore the services. >> reporter: we found this family. >> we came back three days before at that crit was liberated we came back to our home thank god. >> reporter: the fight against isil is not over. but many people feel they are caught between isil and government forces backed by shia power militaries. there are growing fears that what happened in ca tikrit could be replicated in the city of mosul and anbar province, isil remains strong there but winning back the trust of the people in tikrit and other areas could prove to be much harder

than winning this war. omar al saleh, al jazerra baghdad. indonesia wants to tighten its terrorism laws after hundreds of its nationals joined ice it's fighters in iraq and syria. if the new plan is approved the government will be able to cancel people's citizenship. step vaessen reports many fear these measures might have an opposite effect. >> reporter: he left his village to stud any egypt two years ago. but 18-year-old never came back. he died as the first known indonesian suicide bomb air broad. allegedly killing dozens iraq, fighting for isil. he lived in the same vellum as two brothers who were executed for the no thousand two bali bombings we went to their boring school. >> since he was 15 years old he wanted to dais a martyr. i asked him to come back, but he didn't want to. he said this is what he really walted.

i was shocked when i heard what he did. was this his solution? did he really dare to do this. >> reporter: according to the government he is of one of around 200 indonesians to join isil. the daughter of this shop owner left to syria with her sister and children but she was turned back at the border. she didn't want us to show her face. being something who have joined isil were long-term activists but others fish traders here in the market. the appeal of ice oil a new generation of indonesias has resulted in a government crack down an approach analysts say may be counter productive. a so-called did deradicalization program involve 252 people convict today terrorism has yet to start. meanwhile police are making a arrests and the government has

announced measures to prevent the growing support for isil including longer detentions. >> we have to revise the terrorist law in the near future because so far the terrorist law the citizen law does not allow to us do that. so -- >> reporter: do what in. >> to -- what do you call? invalidate their passport or cancel their passport or something like that. yeah. >> reporter: some here warn that could lead to further radicalization. >> i think the most important initiative needed is for work at the community level. because i think it's fine to have a law but the indonesian police are doing a pretty effective job using the laws they have to arrest people who have already been involved in violence. and i don't think very many indonesians would like to see a law coming back reminding them of the old authoritarian days. >> reporter: an example of community work is a program at the former boarding school of

sue same bomber headed by the brother of the two executed bali bombers. some say he has start today successfully deradicalize the school and its surroundings by countering violent teachings. >> translator: i think what has to be done is soft power. because if you only use hard power, this could lead to more violence. something we are trying to prevent. >> reporter: attacks in indonesia have decreased significantly in recent years but many worry the greater threat will be when those were initially inexperienced return home with new military skills, step vaessen, al jazerra east java. syrian activists say israeli jets have carried out air strikes on three army bases inside syria. the sites that were hit. the united nations aid chief valerie amos has urged the security council impose an arms

embark owe on syria. the u.n. has invited ther is queen government and opposition groups to talks to geneva next but. our diplomatic editor james bays has more. >> reporter: the u.n. security council is briefed about the humanitarian situation in syria every month. and every month things get worse. it was told that more than 220,000 people are dead. 7.6 million forced from their homes. this was the last briefing buyout going humanitarian chief valerie amos. and she used it to criticize the divisions within the council itself. >> the failure to stop the violence has undermined the credibility of this council and eroded confidence in the international community to take its responsibility seriously. >> reporter: she called for an arms embargo targeted sanks and a referral of the situation in syria to the international criminal court. invited to the meeting the u.n. refugees agency's special envoy

the actress angelina jolie. >> i wish that some of the syrians i have met could be here today. >> reporter: officials hoped presence would force the vice us back in to the international limelight. she and all of the other briefers stress that ultimately the only solution in syria can be a political one. the man charged with finding that stefan seemed unhappy with an al jazerra report quoting a former senior political adviser as saying he's completely out of his depth. after briefing ambassadors he announced he was giving up on his ceasefire or freeze plan and now he has a completely new proposal. >> this is not a conference, this is not a geneva dream. this is a series of consultations one on one between myself my team and one each delegation from each country but each delegation from the syrian environment, all of them. >> reporter: so a series of new proposals on syria but

humanitarian coordinator valerie amos' ideas would almost certainly be vetoed by russia if they were put to the security council. as for the new plan from special envoy stefan, even he admits he has a near impossible task. james bays, al jazerra, at the united nations. okay, we are going to update on you the situation in nepal. we told you earlier magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck 80-kilometers east of the town of poke there are actual the epicenter between there and the capital kathmandu where there are reports of some buildings collapsing. tremors felt as far away as india. on the line from new delhi our correspondent faiz jamil. did you feel it where you are faiz? >> reporter: yes, i was actually just at home when the tremors came through. a lot of people came out of their building, feeling a tremor in delhi is not uncommon, but it was rare enough that people take

precautions and there are reports all throughout north india in the states that border nepal they felt it much more strongly delhi is about 100,000-kilometer ways from where the epicenter is said to have taken place, we were feeling the first tremor last aid good 20 seconds in about 10 minutes we felt another one, i felt one recently a lighter one as recently as about 205 minutes ago. so we are still feeling it here. there has been no reports of sear yeah damage on the indian side though, but that's a different story from the information coming out of nepal. >> forgive me, this is not common you were saying is that right for you to feel this sort of thing in new delhi? >> reporter: themmers have been known to hit delhi when there is some seismic activity here. it usually happens i would a maybe less than once a year. whenever it does people take precaution heres and there is a

worry that there might be a worry that there is an earthquake in north india itself. the fact it happens in nepal shows there could be much more damage there. i am still trying to get verification on there. ma pal and india have similar i want from structures in terms of the building and the material used but the infrastructure is poor in a lot of areas in ma ball. one worries that there could be more damage because of the infra infrastructure as it exists today. >> thank you faiz jamil. looking at pictures from associates media show the -- sorry the first pictures we are seeing of buildings coming down in nepal. can we have the nap again and show our viewers where we are talking about. it is an area which has been hit it seems the epicenter was actually halfway between pokhara and kathmandu where we were talking to one of our

correspondent earlier. some of the latest lines from the reuters news agency sake quake survivors with bring limbs are being rushed to kathmandu hospitals, witnesses say that. and i believe the earthquake has actually been upgrade today 7.9 magnitude according to the united states geological service. on the line can you hear me? >> reporter: yes. >> yeah, tell me about what it was like when the quake hit. >> reporter: it was really scary. the entire earth started shaking. our cameraman was pointing the camera out and it fell flat on the floor. people started screaming. and when i came back to the older area, you could see like dust everywhere. and bikes and cars on -- just stopped on the road. people had hart fallen down, we saw a few buildings that had fallen down, people are trying to pull people out of these broken buildings. and the scary part is the earth

is still shaking so nobody is going to their houses yet. so everyone is gathered around in small squares and on the main road wondering what will happen. >> okay, clear something up for me, i am -- i want to get two things -- >> the truth about taxes in america. politicians love to call to deep cuts to court voters but it all back fires when services are cut too. i'll talk to the man conservative power broker grover nor quist. >> what you're seeing here is the front line and the battle between man and nature. it is a scene that plays out all