>> more than 4,000 migrants rescued from the mediterranean in just 24 hours. >> i'm julie mcdonald, this is al jazeera live from london. also coming up, isil blows up one of the most feared prisons in the ancient city of palmyra. people in the south sudan on the run in what the u.n. says is the worst fighting in months. why former french president sarkozy has sparked anger with

the political name change. a warm welcome to the program. more than 4,200 migrants have been brought to italy after being rescued from the mediterranean in 24 hours. they were pulled rickety boats. they also found 17 corpses. it has been the most intense mediterranean migrant traffic so far this year. >> in the middle of the mediterranean in was a scramble to stay afloat. a dress operate scene repeated many times over. a german frigate was involved in this rescue. among them the very young. few can imagine how this motor might have felt being reunited

with her little boy. while others exhausted from their journey were finally able to rest on deck. and unprecedented numbers of people are trying to make the perilous trip from north africa to europe to escape war poverty, and persecution. many are gambling on better economic prospects in europe, but they are risking everything in the process. vessels have been working non-stop. among them britain's navy flagship which arrives in the italian port. hundreds on board some under 18 and traveling alone. italy is still bearing the brunt of arrivals, but not all. in recent days dozens have been arriving on the greek island from nearby turkey. this group careful to di study theirs inflateable boat before

walking ashore. while europe's navy keeps rescuing the migrants it's politicians make plans to disperse them throughout the e.u. but many countries don't want them. there has been no slow down in the those trying reach these shores. >> they say that the number of migrants arriving could rise dramatically in the coming days. >> the figure of more than 4,000 migrants rescued announced saturday morning. since there have been more rescue operations. the italians have picked up more people on rubber dinghyies or zodiacs. patrols are going 24 hours a day. there are rescue operations all the time. the figure of 4,000 could easily become 5 6 or 7,000.

what happens to migrants when they arrive here? first they go through medical checks. they are completely exhausted. there are children on board. there are elderly people on board. they look at what they need and then they need to be relocateed. italy has been calling on the european union to step in and share the burden. now what italy has done over the past few weeks is that the government has called on all the different regions to pinpoint empty buildings empty facility where they can relocate these migrants in the immediate--as soon as they land in the short term basically. >> activists say that at least 90 people have been killed in northern syria. after government forces dropped barrel bombs on three separate areas of aleppo province.

neighborhoods in the city but the worst targeted a marketplace in al bab under the control of the islamic state in iraq and the levant. at least 55 people were killed there. >> the scene in aleppo this morning is grim. activists say government helicopters have just dropped barrel bombs on the district. this ambulance is rushing to help survivors and many people are dead, including women and children. many groups fighting in syria is in aleppo, but the province of idlib next door syrian rebels have overrun the town and they're promising more gains. >> we have weapons we've never used before. we promised our brothers that very soon they will see the new weapons. >> the fighters or are reported

to have attacks to plans to attack on the coast. syrian forces have been on the retreat in idlib province in recent days. these military vehicles are set to be heading into the province of ham a and coastal areas beyond. it could be the next crucial battles for the rebels. >> but on the other side of the country there is a fast-moving battle between kurdish fighters known as the people's protection units and fighters from the islamic state in iraq and the levant. the kurds say they've cleared the village from isil. activists have posted this video shown of a church recently overrun by isil. kurdish fighters backed by

u.s.-led airstrikes drove them out. this woman said she lost everything. >> i built this house with my sweat and blood. i don't have anyone and i'm barely surviving. they don't fear god. >> millions of syrians have lost their homes and livelihoods during this four-year war. as fighting continues millions more could face the same fate. al jazeera. >> well, there are reports that isil has built up a major prison complex in ancient syrian city of pal palmyra. the jail had been one of the sinner government's most feared detention centers known for harsh conditions and human rights abuses. it is believed to have been empty at the time. sources close to isil and iraq say they are fighters have repealed a government attack. the offensive in the area was part of an attempt by the iraqi

army to regain control of ramadi which was taken by isil forces earlier this month. the video is showing ammunition left behind by iraqi security forces as they retreated from the area. north to baiji where popular mobilization forces are fighting against isil. it is the home to the country's largest oil refinery. they say they have weapons they seized from government troops in battles west of beiji. now a suicide-bomber has attacked a mosque in maiduguri. eight people have been killed and 20 injured in that attack, which happened as people headed to the mosque for prayers. it's the second attack to maiduguri on saturday. earlier rocket grenades killed 13 people. thousands of people are fleeing violence inside sudan's

unity state. the u.n. said that the situation is the worst it's been for months. catherine soi reports now from bentiu. >> this men have just arrived at a camp for displaced people in unity state. they come from a village they've been on a road for 24 days. they only dare to walk at night in fear of government soldiers. they carry their father, who is too weak and sick. he died on arrival here. >> my dad's health had improved. he was even walking and talking. i went to look for his food. when i returned he had died. >> after days on the road one-week-old has also just arrived. her mother gave birth to her on the day they escaped from the village after an assault by who she claims one man in military uniform. >> they beat us and killed some people. after burning our homes we ran

to the bushes. that's where i delivered my baby. >> he has had to undergo surgery. he came with a gunshot wound to his arm. dollars without borders have received dozens of patients with bullet wounds since april. >> my son was with other people at the cat tall shed when the armed men came. they started shooting and took our cattle. my son hid in in the swamp for the night. we had to leave the next day. >> people continue to come to bentiu many have come to seek refugee here, at least 21,000 in the last few weeks. overburdening the overcrowded camps. >> they come here for registration so they can get humanitarian help. they'll be able to receive food,

blankets, mosquito nets and utensils. some of these people have been through the process before, and they say it seems to be an never ending cycle of suffering. >> the family is making funeral arrangements. he'll be buried in bentiu, a town he never visited before and so far away from the home he lived in and loved all thinks life. they will start their lives here so far from home. >> fifa president sepp blatter has defiantly declared he does not fear being arrested. blatter also denied that he's to blame for the unprecedented scandal that is rocking football's governing body. >> he won his fifth term as sepp blatter is not happy. >> i have said i forgive but i don't forget when it comes to

persons and to facts. >> he just chaired a meeting at fifa's executive committee the panel that makes football's big hebiggest decisions. some did not attend the meeting saying that they could not see changes while blatter was in charge. it was just one detail in a growing split between fifa and uefa who backed blatter's rival prince ali hussein. >> you have the best competition, you have the best players. but when it comes to clubs if you don't have the players from the other continents then they won't be so rich or so good in football. but they have to be an example not only to say fifa, they shall help and come in and take responsibility and

responsibility you cannot take when you're elected and you don't come even to the first meeting. this is no responsibility. you are elected. you have to come who ever is the president of fifa. >> blatter does have loyal sport in many countries beyond european borders. that's why he was able to survive the week that saw seven high-ranking fifa members arrested on suspicion of corruption. he said >> the congress, they are of the opinion that i'm still the man to go into this problems and to solve this problems. >> uefa may find it ironic being told to set an example by the head of an organization that currently has seven senior officials residing in a swiss prison on corruption charges. uefa member countries will meet in berlin next saturday. the topic of pulling out of fifa will be discuss: andy richardson al jazeera, zurich. >> still ahead how india's

deadly heatwave is exposing the country's oldest problems. plus uniting against a common foe. ukraine and georgia make a deal that is likely to inflame tensions with russia.

>> welcome back. a reminder of the stop hires here in al jazeera. more that 4,200 migrants have been rescued from the mediterranean sea in the past 4 hours. 90 people have been skilled in northern syria as government forces drop barrel bombs on aleppo province. a bomb has exploded inside a

mosque in maiduguri. leaving eight people dead and injuring dozens more. in india scorching temperatures have compounded problems faced by communities who have long struggled with the lack of water. >> this man's father died from heat stroke. he was 85. >> my father got sick from the heat. he was not well for a few days. we gave him water but that didn't help. we decided to take him to the hospital but he died on the

way. >> stories of illness and death have been told despite the enormity doctors say they're equipped to deal with the growing health crisis. >> water liquids those are the basic medical treatment required to treat sun stroke patient. >> but what has been described as unprecedented heatwave by meteorologists have once again raised questions about an old problem. water supply. for communities across this area pools like these are important source of water for farming and drinking. but over the years many of them have run dry leaving villages parched and desperate for alternatives.

villages tell al jazeera they're lucky if their taps run for more than an hour a day. authorities have long struggled to fix the problem and as a result residents here have learned to live with very little. >> over time our water problem has gotten worse. we've had drought and we don't get as much rain as we used to. it is getting hotter and this is a very serious problem for us, particularly for the elderly. >> in twist of irony it's water that villagers use to cleanse themselves purifying themselves with the life-saving resource that is in such short supply. al jazeera. >> the death toll from storms and flooding in the u.s. has risen to 29. 25 of those victims died in the state of texas where 11 people are still missing. president obama has signed a disaster declaration freeing up federal funds.

well the latest from texas let's go live to al jazeera's jonathan martin. hi there jonathan, what's the situation like at the moment? >> right now it is bright, it is sunny here in texas but the big question is what will happen tonight? what will happen later? in this particular area, and really across a lot of texas some three to five inches of rain is in the forecast. if that happens if we get that much rain, it could be trouble for here in this community. if you look at rosenberg there is significant flooding. this is a community 30 miles southwest of houston. people in this community have been told to leave. they're under a mandatory evacuation because the river has yet to rests crest and it has yet to rise to the level that it could. many people we talked to today say they're not taking any attentions. as you mentioned it has by disastrous in a lot of this community not only into houston but in dallas texas and parts of

oklahoma. as you mentioned 20 people have died. the numbers at this point close to 30 people have died. right now people waiting to see what happens. forecasters say if the rains stalls over this area, it could be trouble. but if it moves through pretty quickly it may not cause serious damage. rain in the forecast tonight and we'll see what happens. >> jonathan, what mr. president obama's disaster declaration mean. >> it essentially means that people in the affected area that are listed in that order already eligible for federal aid to help in recovery and clean up going back to may 4th. even though the more serious flooding happened in the last week or so, this is an event that has been going on for several weeks. dating back to may 4th, people will be able to get that money and none profits that help with clean ups will be eligible for cost sharing as well. >> jonathan martin, thanks for that update.

now toed saudi-led coalition has been bombing across yemen. planes targeted the air base in the capital of sanaa. it set off secondary explosions and fire. it has reportedly killed dozens of houthi fighters. meanwhile, two civilians were killed by houthi shelling, local sources say the rebels have been boosted by the arrival of reinforcements in the province, but there has been heavy fighting in aden where seven houthi fighters reportedly killed and three from the popular resistence forces. ukrainian president poroshenko has appointed the president of georgia's former leader and he has a reputation for being fiercely pro western. simon mcgregor wood reports. >> president poroshenko called

his new governor of odessa a great friend of ukraine. the former president of georgia has been advising the president in kiev for several months already, and has long been a vocal supporter of the country's move to the west. he's also a foe of vladimir putin. his appointment is a clear sign of defiance to moscow and may also be part of president poroshenko's continuing drive to root out local corruption. we must all work together under this new ukrainian president to build a new ukraine without a new ukraine there will be no future either for the region or for our town. everything is being decide now. a lot in odessa itself. >> as president of georgia until until 2013, he steered his country away from moscow's sphere of influence towards closer ties with europe. in 2008 they fought a war over control of a breakaway region. saturday's surprise appointment

assume his ukrainian citizenship as he faces criminal charge in his native georgia. the russians are also stirring up tensions. these are military exercises taking place on ukraine's borders, which have kiev and the west fearful that russia will initiate another round of fighting in eastern ukraine. sporadic clashes continue. this hospital in donetsk was hit by shell firing on friday. the minsk agreement was meant to end the fighting and separate forces still hasn't been fully implemented. the ukrainians accuse the russians of continue to go send weapons and troops into rebel-held areas of the country. the appointment will do nothing to improve the atmosphere. simon mcgregor wood, al jazeera. >> former french president nicholas sarkozy is giving his center right party a fresh look, rebranding it as the republicans. he hopes that it will help

unload political baggage but jacky rowland reports from paris . >> nicholas sarkozy is back in the lime limelight. he's reinventing the center right party that he leads and he's unapologetic of the choice of his name. >> the others have less right to call themselves republican. we have saved the republic time and again. >> the name is designed to have a broad appeal, but sarkozy is also reaching out to the far right to people who might otherwise might vote for the national front. >> the republic says to the citizen to have rights you need to fulfill your duties, and above all the republic says to religions the republic respects you, but you must respect the

republic. it's not the republic that has to adapt itself to you but you who has to adapt yourself to the french republic. >> the party has changed its name five times in the past 70 years. but this new name is the most radical break with tradition. the last time that sarkozy ran for president in 2012, he's rebranding his party. away from the party congress nicholas sarkozy's fellow citizens are citizens are less enthusiastic to laying the claim to the name republicans. >> i don't like it at all. it's not for everybody not just for one party. >> the french are republicans. sarkozy is trying to cash in on

that. >> sarkozy was the star at the party congress but he still needs to win his party's nomination to be their candidate for presidency, and he can't take that for granted. jacky rowland al jazeera, paris paris. >> human rights activists who was on hunger strike in an egyptian prison is heading to washington, d.c. after the u.s. secured his release. he washe is a citizen of the u.s. and egypt was arrested when police came for his father. bb king's death earlier this month ended a chapter in blues music, and with the genre's biggest names now dead, it is hoped that they'll be able to keep the music alive. we have reports from mississippi. >> on his front porch strumming his guitar, his vocal chords in

full throttle. leo bud welsh is in his element. he plays a unique strand of blues that is steeped in history, life's struggles growing up poor he still is. virtually unknown to the music world he played his music in church and for his friends. a master of his craft, a dying breed of american blues music. a genre today mostly played by men in their 80s or 90s so there is a rush to preserve the music before it's too late. but two years ago welk was discovered and signed to a small record contract. his first album came two days before his 83rd birthday. >> the music could die out but we're going to bring it back alive now. >> leo tells me he's going to be singing and play his guitar until his final day, but he's still going very strong, as you

can see. leo represents a generation of old time mississippi blues musicians, and they won't be for long. the question is where does this music go after men like leo are gone. that will be left to people like leo's son leo welsh jr. who learned to play by watching and listening to his father, he's part of the younger generation who feels optimistic about the future. >> all the people, all the folks, black white brown. >> a self described blues aficionado said it won't be easy to replicate rios' style of music. >> leo plays the blues the way it was played on the farm before it was taken normal and urbanized, so to speak. >> on this day leo was on full of energy and wants us to hear one last song. the lyrics are titled "a long

last journey." he's hoping that his style of mississippi blues will be on a journey with no end even after he's no longer around. gabriel elizondo al jazeera, mississippi. >> you can find much more on our website. www.aljazeera.com. >> the rwandan genocide began twenty years ago. in 100 days, almost one million people were killed. today, rwanda is thriving. as the president credited with stoping the slaughter and putting the country back together, paul kagame is also accused of brutally suppressing dissent. so is kagame a savior or a dictator? we sent journalist sorious samura to find out. >> for centuries the tribes of this country lived together without tribal atrocities, and