he sent them here to donetsk but donetsk is run by the separatist government and he says that the separatist government or as he calls them, the russian terrorists refers to say allow those rescue workers in. that's a serious accusation, because the longer you're underground, the more likely that you could die. he appears to be saying that the separatist government has endangered the lives of those who remain underground by not allowing those who are the best experts in getting them out to come underground and carry out their work. >> john, thanks very much. that was from the scene of the mine accident in donetsk. >> 14 syrian soldiers have been killed in the gas told east of homs. sources close to isil say they were killed trying to withdraw from a battle to retake control of the area. >> the refugee crisis in lebanon is deepening. the u.n. says it's been forced to move syrian shelter and temporary accommodation. nearly 4 million syrians live in refugee camps. >> this is northern lebanon. this building may not seem like much but is home to these syrian refugees. the united nations said it w

john hendren reports from donetsk. >> reporter: in separatist donetsk, grocery store went from ten supplies to one here in donetsk. >> it's impossible to find new suppliers. as for the future, we live one day at a time. >> reporter: at this grocery chain not far away, you can still buy meat and fish but choices are slim. you can buy if you can afford it. meat and eggs have double in prices tea tripled. not happy about rampant inflation. >> prices have increased and salaries and pensions haven't. cooking oil used to cost 19 hrivnas, now it costs 30. >> here in separatist donetsk it's much higher. pensioners the unemployment, have to travel outside separatist trair territory to collect their money. for many that's prohibitively expensive and could take days. turning bustling shopping centers like this one into ghost towns full of shuttered shops. donetsk minister of economic development says all new governments go through growing pains. >> does that mean things will get better in terms of prices? >> of course it will get better, much more better. so it will be two changes. first of all it's t

but here in separatist donetsk it's much higher. and that is for those who have access to their money. pensioners, the unemployed and former government workers who remain here have to travel outside separatist territory to collect their money. for many, that is pro tib till expensive and can take days. with inflation and no real banking system everyone here is poorer. and that's turned once bustling shopping centers like this one in to ghost towns full of shuttered shops. donetsk separatist minister of economic development says all new republics go through birth pains. here she says trade with russia will help replace lost trade with ukraine. >> reporter: does that mean things will get better here in terms of prices? >> of course. it will get better. much more better. it will be two changes, first of all, it's a range of goods and the second is it will be changing in the price. >> reporter: before the economy here can stabilize it's likely the fighting will have to stop and the borders between ukraine and itself describes separatist

donetsk has seen heavy fighting in the last few months. our correspondent is at the mine >> reporter: an official has confirming that at least 30 people have died in this accident but we believe many more have been trapped. there have been accidents and the authorities are working to free those other miners. we have seen their relatives coming and going throughout this morning, some looking visibly upset. the explosion which we believe could have been caused by a gas leak happened in the early hours of this morning and there will be questions about the resources and ability of the authorities in this rebel controlled part of ukraine to deal with this type of emergency. given that there has been a war raging here for nearly a year. >>> definitely there would have been hundreds underground normally on any day at any one time. large numbers. as you say absolutely very very deep. apparently this is quite an old mine so they are having to dig deeper and deeper potentially between 900 and 1,000 meters underground. they can be very deep in the mi

john hendren donetsk, eastern ukraine. >>> helping control the spread of swine flu. more than 1300 people have died from the virus and 25,000 have been reportedly infected. workshops are being held in the jamu and kashmir provinces. >>> suspected links to the paris attacks almaden amadieie kulibali. >>> died in a helicopter crash in northwestern argentina. the sports stars were among ten people killed when two helicopters collided mid air during filming for a reality show called "dropped." weather conditions were good and cause is investigated. >>> it is one of the biggest challenges facing drug enforcement agencies in the united states, how to control mexican heroin smuggling. cash tells are using existing routes for crystal meth and heroin. border agencies have told al jazeera a tiny fraction of what gets past it's easy to be smuggled because it can be done in a small amount. >> you can put in a plot of heroin in here. >> reporter: they call it the trophy room, how to spot drugs secreted away in cars ton way to the pluk ra tiff u.s. market. >>> look at the extent t

families of dozens missing are gathering outside the mine in the city of donetsk. according to reports, 30 are dead, others dropped below ground. >> u.s. president obama says the israeli prime minister has no viable alternatives for dealing with iran in a speech to the congress. world powers would see sanctions dropped for strict limits on iran's ability to produce fuel. binyamin netanyahu claimed that it would lead to a nuclear-armed iran. >> reporter: this was unprecedented, a leader of a kunt country, giving a speech criticising the white house. here to talk about iran and the ongoing negotiations over its nuclear programme. >> this deal has two major concessions, one leaving iran with a vast nuclear programme, and, two, lifting restrictions on the programme in about a decade. that is why the deal is so bad. it doesn't block iran's path to the bomb it paves the path to the bomb. >> the white house disputes and the president pushed back personally. the prime minister didn't offer alternatives. binyamin netanyahu invoked images of i.s.i.l. north korea and the holo

. >> the explosion took place on the edge of donetsk and territory held by pro-russian rebels. local officials say over 70 people were working in the mine at the time of the blast. >> we go now to our correspondent on the ground in mariupol, ukraine, new the site of the mine. what more do we know about the minors the number of casualties, the number who are maybe still trapped, and what more do we know about the calls? >> at this point, we know that there is one casualty. 16 have been taken to hospital. they report being blown off their feet at approximately 5:25 a.m. this morning local time. that's halfway between the central virginia in the airport. at this point, they're still at least 30 people unaccounted for. they were believed to be working deep underground underneath the point of impact the need the explosion, which is believed to be a methane gas explosion. at this point, they've not been able to reach those men or make any sort of contact. the other problem is that ukrainian rescue services from about 60 kilometers away have not been granted access to the donetsk peop

. >>> at least 30 miners are missing in ukraine, after a blast in the rebel-held donetsk region. they are calling on russia's president to tell rebel fighters to give access to rescue workers. >> translator: i gave instructions to send significant brigades, each composed of ten people, but the russian terrorists did not give an opportunity to the ukrainian minor rescue brigades to get to the site and pull out people and save the lives of the people. >> while some of the minors who have been rescued have suffered horrific yir -- injuries -- >> translator: there was a bang and i flew for three or four meters. immediately the heat the temperature rose and here are the consequences. then the temp became a little lower, and we started slowly crawling out. >> let's speak to john hendren who is on the line from donetsk. do we know if the rescue workers were able to get access to the mine? >> reporter: yes, we do. we were told by the separatists government that 198 people were evacuated out of the mine and they responded to that charge by the ukrainian prime minister that his people were

we had an explosion at a mine in the donetsk region. let's go live to ryan chilcote in eastern ukraine. around 100 kilometers east of donetsk. what is the latest on this? ryan: 32 dead, more missing, at least five injured. it just speaks to the danger of working in these mines. a lot of these mines have regular explosions. this very same mine had an accident in 2007 in which 63 people were killed. they've become even more dangerous since the conflict began between the separatists and the ukrainian government. electricity has been disrupted. you are not getting proper ventilation in the lines. some of the lines have been partially flooded. to make matters worse, this is called lining country. -- coal mining country. they are down there in the lines, bringing coal to the service. because the railroad lines have been blown up, they can't sell the coal, so they are not getting paid their salary. i'm at a different mine right now and they haven't been paid since december. they only get $90 a month at that. they only got 40% of their paycheck

john hendon has more from rebel-held donetsk. >> reporter: it's here that separatists fighting against ukrainian government forces prepare for the battles to come. in a battered warehouse the size of an aircraft hanger lie the casualties of war. thanks with broken tracks, many are trophies rested from ukrainian troop on the bat he battlefield in this year-long conflict that has left 6,000 dead. now despite a fragile ceasefire this army is readying them for future battles. a ukrainian army man is fixing them. he asked not to show his face or say his name. >> if you want peace you must prepare for war. our equipment will remain steal with special places to restore it ready for the time when it will be necessary to use it again. >> reporter: this ukrainian armored personnel carrier is still covered from hay from a field where it was captured. the separatists are preparing it if a ceasefire fails to hold they will use the ukrainian's own equipment against them. forces on the ukrainian side of the frontlines are also preparing for the next battle. >> so what we need is what i would call cri

john hedron reports from donetsk. >> it's a nearly daily ritual. every morning but sunday bruce will make the rounds distributing needles, antibacterial wipes and con domescondoms. donetsk is running out of the drugs that they use to help get people off heroin. >> they reduced doses so quickly that i've had a fever for the past month. even if we can find it we can't afford it. we have no money. there is war. >> ukraine's government has long supplied the drugs for heroin substitution therapy but in separatist territory that up a stopped. they use two drugs in heroin treatment, and as substitutions run out heroin use rises and since heroin users tend to share needles, so will hiv. >> we have less medicine, and we have to reduce doses to make it last longer. patients have to live on minimal doses. some have left the programs to live without substitution therapy. >> already 300 patients in the separatist cities of donetsk and luhansk has lost access to methadone. >> h.i.v. has increased because many people shoot up as well as taking the methadone becau

some prices have tripled in the separatist city of donetsk. john hendren is there and filed this report. >> reporter: in separatist eastern ukraine one price of independence is an empty shelf. >> it is impossible to find suppliers, we live one day at a time. >> you can still buy meat and fish but the choices are slim. what's left you can still buy if you can afford it. since january eggs have doubled in price tea has tripled. 45 hryvnias then 95 now. >> things are getting worse and they won't get better until you understand you shouldn't kill your own people. >> 34.5% inflation but here in separatist donetsk it's much higher and that is for those who have access to their money. people have to travel outside separatist territory to collect their money. for many that is prohibitively expensive and can take days. with inflation and no real banking system, everyone here is poorer and that's turned be once bustling shopping centers like this one into ghost towns full of surety erd shops. all new proksshuttered shops. >> does that mean things will g

john hendon, al jazerra donetsk, eastern ukraine. >>> former u.s. police officer darren wilson will not face criminal charges of violating civil rights after the shooting of an unarmed black teenager. michael brown was shot dead in ferguson, missouri last august. the incident sparked widespread protests across the united states kimberly how death has halkett has more. >> reporter: the investigation lasted for months, it was ordered bite nation's top lawyer, attorney general eric holder who concluded. >> the facts do not support the filing of criminal charges against officer darren wilson in this case. michael brown's death though a tragedy, did not involved prosecutable conduct on the part of officer wilson. >> reporter: hole der said his teams of investigators reviewed ballistic, forensic, and physical evidence. they gathered testimony from dozens of witnesses. in the end the justice department concluded the evidence did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that officer darren wilson intentionally violated michael brown's civil rights when he shot a

>> we just got new numbers from the donetsk people's republic. according to the officials now which is possibly conservative. there were 230 miners who went into that mine this morning and the blast occurred shortly before 6:00 a.m. local time. 198 have been evacuated. of those, one was dead and 15 injured. that leaves 32 people. those people are still trapped turned ground and presumed dead. these numbers have been shifting all day and it's difficult to offer a perfect tally. as you say this is a mine that has had blasts like this before, the separatist government now says that it believes no foul play occurred in this blast that what happened was a methane gas overload that caused that blast and that is what has happened in the past. there was apparently no shelling, the government tells us near the mine, that is despite the fact that that ceasefire between the separatists and the ukraineian forces has been violated daily here sips the ceasefire occurred. >> separatist rebels are said to be holding up the rescue effort. >> yes indeed. the ukrai

it happened in donetsk, over 30 are feared to have been killed. the rescue operation is on going to reach those at the zasyadko mine. john hendren is on the phone from donetsk, with more of what happened. reports do say 30 dead right now. 70 trapped in that mine. it's a coal mine in donetsk, which is a rebel held territory held by the separatists in this part of eastern ukraine. there was a number of ukranian parliament who said 32 people have been killed. i'm not sure where he got that member. officially the people's conservative party confirmed one is dead. in these snaps the government reports lag military number. they tend to want to notify the families, and confirm those sorts of things before they give out new numbers. in this case it may be the case that that mine was run for the benefit of the ukranian republic even though it's in rebel hold territory, we have not confirmed that. that might complicate the information from getting in. now, we are with 30 dead and trapped. >> mines in that area don't have a good reputation when it comes to s

>> the mine here in donetsk is one of the largest in the country. that's why the casual rates can be quite high. this has been a very stressful date for families. first families were told that 30 people were killed. 70 interest trapped in the mine. and then they were told by the local separatist government that they could only verify that one person has been killed. that death toll has toned to rise as the rescue effort has gone on. we spent a day outside that have mine with the mourners and the miners who are waiting there and this is what we found. after the blast came the confusion. >> suddenly there was dust everywhere. and people were groaning. >> outside of the mine things were difficult. >> there was an explosion. it's unknown where the people are, what condition they're in. no one knows so far. >> most of the 230 men who entered the mine were evacuated. some with horrific wounds. >> there was a bang, and it threw me so far. i threw three or four meters. the heat, the temperature rose, and here are the consequences, and then the temperatures

donetsk peace's republic has told access the conflict on the country is on a knife edge. he blames ukrainian forces for breaking the cease-fire but ukraine is pointing the finger at rebels. john hendren reports from donetsk. >> reporter: as daily bullets and mortars break the silence of a fragile cease-fire both say they are bracing for an offensive that could come at any time. the ukrainian side has not withdrawn heavy weapons and now we are balancing on the razor's edge of a new military conflict. >> the head of the separatistly parliament says ukrainian troops would likely be to blame for provoke agnew onslaught. >> in this conflict it is ukraine that is pullculpable. any fire toward residential areas of donetsk would lead the situation to explode in an instance. >>> do you have reason to believe that that might happen? >> yes. certainly. it we have had many civilian casualties casualties. >> reporter: so all it would take is for one more martyr to land here for rebel forces to feel justified in launching an assault. not far away on the front lines, ukrainian troops, t

john hedron reports from donetsk. >> reporter: it's a nearly daily ritual. every morning but sunday bruce makes the rounds distributing needles, wipes and condoms. since the conflict in eastern ukraine, they are more in need than ever. donetsk is running out of the drugs it uses to get addicts off of heroin. >> they promised to look after us now i've had a fever for the past month. even if we can find t we can't afford it. we have no money. there is a war. >> reporter: ukraine's government has long supplied the drugs for heroin substitution therapy, but in separatist territory that all stopped when the year-long war began. they would use two drugs it ran out of the first drug in january, and without new supplies, which don't appear to be fourth coming it will run out of the second by the end of the month. and heroin substitutes run out the use of heroin rises and since drug users tend to share needles, so does h.i.v. >> patients have to live on minimum doses. some have left the program and have gone on to detoxification to live without substitution therapy.

here in separatist donetsk, it's higher. and that is for those that have access to their money. pensioners. unemployed, and government workers that remain here have to travel outside separatist territory to collect their money, it is prohibitively expensive and can take days. with inflation and no banking system, everyone here is poor. that has turned bustling centers like this into ghost towns, full of shops. donetsk's minister of economic development says all knew republics go through birth plains. >> does that mean things will get better here. >> of course it will get better, much more better. it will be two changes. first of all maybes a range of goods. and the second is it will be changing in price. >> before the economy can stablilize. it's likely the fighting will stop. borders between ukraine and separatist neighbours will have to settle. despite the ceasefire, neither has appeared within reach >>> greece is under pressure to come up with a details proposal and bailout talks in brussels we have a deadline for wednesday to protect the plan. we have extended a bailout in j

we have more from the mine in donetsk. >> the death toll in the mining disaster conditioned to rise. the donetsk people's republic the separatist government established a commitment looking into what happened here and why. rescue workers continued to remove bodies. it is the heart land of the mining industry and this is the biggest mine. because of high levels of gas, it's the deadliest, there has been seven major accident killing more that 300 workers. each time investigations ask whether the mine is safe, and each time hundreds of minors return to the shaft. unless something unusual is uncovered in the investigation, that is likely to happen this time. >> the president of chad has warned the leader of the nigeria based group boko haram to surrender or be killed. they know the whereabouts. the nigerian army claimed to have killed him. they are among a regional force to help fight boko haram. >>> meanwhile, the u.n. says an decisional 15,000 fleeing have arrived in cameroon bringing the numbers to more than 60,000. >> in zimbabwe the 2015 tobacco selling season got off to a chaotic s

ryan chilcote visited donetsk. he watched firsthand as the cease-fire failed to lift the fog of war. >> we are a driven to the donetsk international airport, the most fought after piece of real estate in the war. two truces have collapsed already. crimea think this one will too. he says a ukrainian militia that enjoys a billionaire's backing is shooting at right now. keep a low profile. there could be snipers. a series of strange moments awaits me. it is international women's day. a big holiday. they have come with other gifts for a member of the battalion. ukraine's been hundreds of millions of dollars building the airport. the jets was about to host the european -- donetsk was about to host the european soccer championship. it's now a wasteland. its only value is that of a buffer. this is utter destruction. i have been in demolition sites war zones. i have never seen anything quite like this. it's not everyday you see an armed personnel carrier in an airport terminal. it's more than clear no one is going to fly h

god, i've had enough of it all, says this man in donetsk. this person is 76 and widowed and lost her home to shelling. >> i pray to god the war is over. i wish there was no war at all. >> with schilling in the suburbs, people have gone to underground shelters or stay with relatives in the city. like lydia, these are some of the few position she minister bring with her. her parents lived with the terror of stalin and hitler. and a family wedding after ukraine became independent. did you have any sense that the war was coming? >> i never thought that. i thought we would live quietly and peacefully, being at home and having fun. we never thought there would be this war, never. on the ukrainian side, where a linen is draped in national colors, the state still provides for the vulnerable. these children are either orphans or have been placed in care. there is peace now, but the people at this home have known the fear of war. >> it is quiet here now, but before, in the canteen, there was shelling. without there was only one bombing, but it happene

continues on a daily basis despite a truth between government and proseparatists and we report from donetsk. >> reporter: daily bullets and mortars break the silence of a fragile ceasefire in eastern ukraine both sides say they are bracing for major military offensive that can come any time. >> translator: ukrainian side has not withdrawn heavy weapons and we are bouncing on the razor's edge of a military conflict. >> reporter: ukrainian troops would likely be to blame for provoking a new onslaught. >> translator: in this it's ukraine and any fire to residential areas of donetsk would lead the situation to explode in an instant. >> reporter: do you have reason to believe that might happen? >> translator: yes, certainly, it has not just happened once or twice over six months we had many civilian casualties. >> reporter: so all it would take is for one more mortar and not far away ukrainian troops say they expect assault and are convinced it's pro-russian separatists who will launch it. >> translator: in this village there are spotters to the so-called rebels and mortar from the army and we a

donetsk minister of economic development say all new republicans go through pain and trade with russia will help replace lost trade with ukraine. does that mean things will get better here in terms of prices? >> of course it will get better, much more better so it will be to changes. first of all it's the range of goods and the second is it will be changing in price. >> reporter: before the economy here can stabilize it's likely the fighting will have to stop. borders between ukraine and the self described separatist neighbor will have to settle. despite the ceasefire neither is in reach any time soon. john with al jazeera in eastern ukraine in donetsk. >>> hearing about a tropical cyclone hitting reunion. >> it's sinking away through the next couple of days and showers in the forecast mind you, lots of wet weather, swirling away just around reunion and you can see how it has passed its way to the southeast of the islands there and it will continue to make its way in a general southeast direction over the next couple of days. we have seen copious amounts of rainfall and 176 millimeters

[speaking russian] we are being driven to the donetsk international airport. by a pro-russian fighter. two truces have collapsed already. crimea thinks this one will, too. he says a ukrainian militia is shooting at the right now. keep a low profile. [speaking russian] a series of strange -- it is international women's day. a big holiday here. the fighters have come with gives for another battalion -- gifts for members of another battalion. ukraine spent hundreds of billions of dollars building the airport -- hundreds of millions of dollars building the airport. the country wanted to show the world it too could have a first class airport. it is now a wasteland. its only value is that of a buffer. this is utter destruction. i have been in demolition sites, war zones, i've never seen anything quite like this. it is not everyday you see an armed personnel carrier in an airport terminal. it is more than clear, no one is going to fly here for a very long time. the apocalyptic scenes go on and on and we cannot even see all of it. half of the airport is guarded by ano

john hendon, al jazerra donetsk, eastern ukraine. >>> students in myanmar's biggest city are locked in a standoff with police who are preventing them joining protests against a new education law. the students say the legislation curbs academic freedom. florence looi reports. >> reporter: it's a small gathering on the outskirts of the town, attracting more onlookers than demonstrators. it's in solidarity with a sit-in protest by students in another turn calling for the amendments to the recently passed educational law. fear of the for being arrested without demonstrating without a permit they disperse after 10 minutes. >> translator: education is not just related to students, it concerns the younger generation, 50 million people in the new generations to come are subject to the education system. so it needs to be better and more democratic. this is why we support the protest. >> reporter: for the past few days activists have been trying to evade police, holding protests in different places, announcing the locations just a day before the protests. and sometimes turning up hours later to

these men belong to the military mountain rescue service of donetsk people's republic. if necessary the head of the hubble will ask for help from the russian ministry of emergency services and the luhansk people of republic. >> and then there is the question of what caused the blast. the donetsk people's republic said that a build up of methane gas is to blame. >> accidents happen enough that they've developed a tradition of burying the miners here. >> an isn't in incident in 2007 killed 100 people. it was the deadlyiest mining accident in ukraine. >>> italy's coast guard rescue more than a thousand immigrants. and more on the goals coming up a little later. >> india's home minister has ordered an investigation into how a film crew managed to interview a man sentenced in the gang rape and murder of a student. the attack in 2012 prompted widespread protests calling for the protection of women. at a new documentary on the subject is fueling debate. gerald tan reports. >> reporter: more than two years after a fatal gang rape in india sent shockwaves across the world, the c

donetsk is the heartland of ukraine's mining industry. it is also the deadliest. there have been 17 major accidents here since 1999, killing more than 300 workers. each time, investigations ask whether the mine is safe and each time, hundreds of miners afterwards return to the shaft. unless something unusual is uncovered in the investigation here that is what's likely to happen this time. >> ukraine's former finance minister has been arrested in southern spain. he has been on the run since august and is wanted by authorities for fraud. he was a member of ousted president victor yanukovych's government. >> under pressure to sign a lasting peace deal in ethiopia, regional leaders made thursday the deadline to reach agreement. we report from south sudan's capitol. >> she still can't talk about her father without choking up, anyway. simon young a pastor was shot dead here at the start of the conflict. she and her family never found his body. she has a message for political leaders in addis ababa. >> the leaders they need to do is look at this innocent blood for them t

john hendren, al jazeera donetsk, eastern ukraine. >> the government was criticized for being unprepared and covering up a number of people who lost their lives. al jazeera's harry fawcett reported in the days immediately after the disaster. 19 months later he returned to try and find more answers. >> the river that runs through is a trickle now. the destruction it left in the summer of 2013 is still visible. we arrived four days after the flash flood to a town full of grief and anger. they were accusing the authorities of covering up the true extent of the death toll. another person has tried to talk to us to tell us what he believes has really happened here. once again the police are stopping us from talking to him. so in 19 months we have come back to find out what really happened here. on the 24th of august, 2014, 30 were dead, 58 missing. it never released another figure. li do dodu said, that is a serious underestimate. >> translator: i know this place very well. >> she said then officials reassured people the water would flow past the town. she lives in a free apartment far superi

but here in donetsk it's much higher. and that's for those who have access to their money. many have to travel outside separatists territory to collect their money. for many that is prohibitively expense and can take days. with inflation and no real banking system everyone here is poorer and that has turned once bustling shopping centers into ghost towns. donetsk separatists minister of economic development saying all new republics go through birth pains. here she says trade with russia will help. does that mean things will get better? >> of course. it will get better. it will be two changes. first of all, it is a range of goods, and the second is it will be changing in price. >> reporter: before the economy here can stabilize, it's likely the fighting will have to stop and the borders between ukraine and itself self-described separatists neighbor will are have to settle. neither appears within reach any time soon. john hendren, al jazeera, donetsk, eastern ukraine. >>> crowds in south korea have held a rally in support of u.s. ambassador mark lippert. lippert has left hosp

john hendren has more from donetsk. >> the machinery of war keeps rolling through a fragile ceasefire. the silence is broken daily by the sound of small arms fire and mortars. that's ours he says. >> translator: in principal the ceasefire is holding but there's regular small arms fire so complete ceasefire can't exist. before you arrived here several small shells landed on our side. before we fired back there were grenade launchers firing on us. >> reporter: as occasional volleys continue to violate the ceasefire, separatists say it is ukrainian forces who are violating the ceasefire. >> we are not just trying, we are upholding it completely. the firing yesterday started to open fire. >> a year a into the conflict in eastern ukraine the death toll continues to rise, on a landscape transformed by the war. and with each passing day the front line continues to shift. in weekend fighting, few were killed, but few in pietske expect the ceasefire to hold. >> we are preparing to deflect their attack. >> reporter: if that happens with separatist troops appearing to want to expand on the gains

we are told grenade launchers are being used to fire on the donetsk's people's republic positions. right now, we are just hunkering down and waiting for the firing to stop. on the other side of the front line, ukraineian forces said it was they who were firing on them. >> in principal, the cease-fire is holding. there are regular small arms fired, so complete cease-fire can't exist. before you arrived here, several mall shells landed on our side before we fired back there were grenade launchers firing at us. saturday was the deadline for both sides to remove tanks, artillery and other heavy equipment from the front lines. both sides say they are complying though we spotted this separatist tank concealed bhiemd a building in a residential neighborhood of donetsk about 10 kilometers from the front line. each size accuses the other of violating the heavy weapons ban. >> the rebel army has withdrawn art art. the right sect offer have not withdrawn any items of heavy artillery. every night they move forward their military equipment and heavy artillery. every night, they are coming close

. >> the interior ministry of the donetsk people's republic, being a separate authority, they are still not confirming the death toll. only one minor -- miner is confirmed dead, and there are separate sources talking about 30 to 32 minors being killed -- 30 to 32 miner5s having been killed. more than 200 were underground at the time of the blast. more than 50 of them in the area directly affected by the blast. i think more than 100 have managed to come to the surface but it is still unclear how many will manage to make it come and whether they are really trapped, or whether it is just taking time to get them out. what the authorities, if i can call them that, in donetsk have stressed is that this is an accident and not in any way related to shelling or military activity. and that is probably true, since this mine has a very bad security reputation. as it goes deeper, more and more builds up in the mind, due to the conditions there. and the miners have already warned that the conditions controlled by the separatists are probably not very mindful of ensuring safety and security. but that

any firing towards residential areas of donetsk would lead the situation to explode in an instant. >> reporter: do you have reason to believe that that might happen? >> translator: yes, certainly. it hasn't just happened once or twice over six months, we have had many civilian casualties. >> reporter: so all it would take is for one more mortar to land here in the separatist capital of donetsk for rebel force to his feel justified in launching an assault. not far way on the front lines ukrainian troops too tell us they expect an assault and they are convinced it's pro-russian separatists who will launch it. >> translator: in this village there are spotters for the so-called rebels. and mortar operators from the russian army. now we are strengthening the trenches preparing to respond to their attack. >> reporter: each sides accuses the other of violating the ceasefire and a ban on heavy weapons, but both seem to agree that it is rebel forces shown here train this is week, that would launch a new offensive. while the rebels say they want the ceasefire to hold, there might be military re

she had 10 supplies all around ukraine to one in donetsk. >> translator: it's impossible to find new suppliers. for the future we just live one day at a time. >> reporter: at this grocery chain not far away you can buy meat and fish, but the choices are slim. what's left you can still buy if you can afford it. since january eggs have doubled in price, tea has tripled. this first was 45 then and 95 now. separatists might consider themselves proudly independent, but they're not happy with rampant inflation. >> translator: prices have increased and salaries and pensions haven't. cooking oil now costs 32. >> translator: things are getting worse, and they won't get better until they understand you shouldn't kill your own people. >> reporter: the inflation is an annual rate of 35.4%, but here in donetsk it's much higher for those who have access to money. the pensioners and unemployed and former government workers that remain here have to travel outside separatest territory to collect the money. for many that's expensive and can takes days. with inflation and no real banking system everyon

the truce is said to be largely holding despite continued fights near donetsk and other flash points. but a car bomb in kharkiv left two people injured. >> reporter: the car exploded as it passed through a suburb. it belonged to the heard of a pro-ukrainian militia. he was injured so too were his wife and bother. the local police say they think the explosion was caused by a magnetic mine. just the latest act of what they are calling terrorism. they have accused russian-backed groups of trying to open up a new front. on the 22nd of february a bomb exploded during a pro-ukrainian rally in the same city. four people were killed including a police officer. but this police video shows a car packed with explosives in the city of mariupol. the ukrainian authorities detect the hand of russia. >> translator: we have confession testimony saying who recruited them where they were trained, and it was on the territory of the rushing shan federation. we know the exact people they made contact with in russia. it was representatives of the russian security services. financial support came from the ru

he is now on the frontlines near donetsk airport. this is where he lives now. the opposing forces are 300 meters away. this is the life he left behind. volunteering to fight because he believes ukraine is being dismembered by russia. igor, and all front-line fighters on both sides that is an ever present possibility. -- death is an ever present possibility. >> i knew this place before the war. look what is happening now. we don't want this to happen to hometowns. that is why we are here. >> in the base children's patriotic drawings. and those in their teens are well practiced in the business support. relentless fighting induces weariness. >> a week at home will sort my nerves. it is so tense here. it is difficult for my nerves. >> the soldiers here are volunteers. four civilians were offers no choices. it sweeps them up. a five minute drive from the front, old and alexander have moved five times before the cease-fire about the to come home. >> we have not have our pensions for four months. we have had no help, no humanitarian aid. next-door, her mother-in-law v

donetsk, eastern crane. >> ukraine's military said one of its troops has been killed and another wounded in fight pro-russian separatists despite the ceasefire. >> in the u.s., republican and democratic leaders urge president obama to authorize military aid for ukraine quickly. >> an ukrainian diplomat kidnapped in lebanon 20 months ago has been freed. he was freed in an operation by iranian special forces. he was abducted in july 2014 by suspected al-nusra gunman. houthi rebels took power. flights resumed between yemen and iran for the first time in many years. >> peace talks for sue dab will continue after a deadline passed without an agreement reached. negotiations were described as the last chance to end 14 months of civil war. le fature to agree means the u.n. could impose sanctions on leaders deemed to be obstructing peace. >> security forces in nigeria say suspected boko haram fighters killed 25 in borno state tuesday. this is as the president threaten to say kill the leader of boko haram if he doesn't give himself up. he said his hiding place is known and boko haram will be wiped

wealthiest suburbs of donetsk. everyone apparently wanted to live -- and look what has happened to it now. constant fire. so he's taking us to the ukrainian position at the front line. well technically a cease-fire line but this doesn't really sound like a cease-fire to me. he wants us to run, one by one. no -- he's suggesting we go inside, which is probably a safer place to be. >> translator: >> reporter: so he says the ukrainian army and military are respecting the cease-fire but they're from the volunteer military and he says, we return fire. >> reporter: it's 900 meters from here to the position of the separatist forces and that's well within the kalashnikov's firing range and the firing hasn't stopped since we've been here. that's some cease-fire, huh? we heard the incoming now we heard the outgoing. they're definitely all carrying on. >> natalia in eastern ukraine. >>> in the pakistani city of karachi, there is a bus tour you can take but it's with a difference. karachi is infamous more targeted killings for

donetsk is the heartland of crane's mining industry. this is its biggest mine. because of high levels of methane gas inside, it is also the deadliest, seven major accidents here since 1999 killed 300 workers. each time, investigations ask whether the mine is safe and each time hundreds of miners afterwards return to the shaft. unless something unusual is uncovered in the investigation here that is what's likely to happen this time. >> ukraine's former finance minister has been arrested in southern spain. he has been on the run since august. he's wanted by ukrainian authorities for fraud. he was a member of ousted president victor yanukovych's government. >> in liberia the loft ebola patient has been released from hospital. people are urged to stay cautious, but if there are no new cases for 42 days, the world health organization will declare liberia ebola-free. >> in zimbabwe, the 2015 tobacco session season got off to a chaotic start with farmers protesting against low price. anti riot police had to restore order. prices are down $2 a kilo from last year. >> wa

john hedron reports from the rebel-held donetsk. >> the silence is broken daily by small arms fire and mortars. that's ours, he says. in principle the cease-fire is holding but there is regular small arms fire so complete cease-fire cannot exist. before you arrived here several small shells landed on our side. so we fired back. >>> occasional volleys continue, they found that 6,000 people have died so far. separatists say it is ukrainian forces who are violating the cease-fire. >> the cease-fire is from our side. we're not just trying. we're holding it completely. the ukrainian fire again violates the minsk agreement and starts to open fire. a year into the conflict in eastern ukraine the death toll continues to rise on a landscape transformed by the war. with each passing day the front line continues to shift. in weekend fighting three were killed. few here at the ukrainian front line trenches expect the cease-fire to hold. >> we're strengthening in preparation for the next offensive. we're preparing toe deflect their attack. >> if that happens with operatist troops appearing wanting

john hendren filed this report from the separatists held city of donetsk. >> reporter: in separatists eastern ukraine, one price of independence is half empty shelves. >> translator: it's impossible to find new suppliers. as for the future we just live one day at a time. >> reporter: this grocery chain not far away you can still buy meat and fish, but the choices are slim. what is left you can still by if you can afford it. eggs have doubled in price, tea as tripled since january. separatists might consider themselves proudly independent, but they are not happy about the inflation. >> translator: cooking oil used to cost 19 now it costs 32. >> translator: things are getting worst, and it won't get better until kiev understands skwlouldn't till your own people. >> reporter: here in separatists donetsk inflation is much higher than the rest of the country. and that is for those who have access to their money. pensioners and others have to travel outside of the separatists area to collect their money. for many that is too expensive and can take days. everyone here is poorer and that has

here in donetsk, it is higher and that is those that have access to money. pensioners and unemployed who remain have to travel outside the separatist area to collect money. for many it is expensive and can take days. with inflation and no banking system, everyone is poor. it turned bustling shopping centers like this into ghost towns. donetsk's minister of economic development says all new republic goes through birth pains here trade with russia will replace trade with ukraine. >> will things get better in terms of prices? >> of course. it will get better more better. it is a range of good and the second is it will be changing in price. >> before the economy can stablilize, it is likely the fighting will stop, and the borders between ukraine and its separate nab will have to settle -- neighbour will have to settle. despite the ceasefire, neither appears within reach soon >>> greece is pushing for the release of more funds, and a meeting of u.n. finance minister. creditors are insisting on a detailed reform. the greek government faces a cash crunch within wee

. >>> the russian ruble is now being used in the donetsk. the move by the government of the self-proclaimed donetsk republic. it is suspected that some salaries and pensions will be paid in rubles. pro-russian troops have been fighting in donetsk for over a year. >>> a yearlong joint mission to the international space station. the crew aride in the early hours of saturday. the russian cosmonaut and american astronaut will be the first to stay 12 months at the station. they >> that is the latest news from here in europe. back to elizabeth in doha. >> now guinea has deployed extra security to the board of sierra leone. people living along the border area say a large number of people have arrived in guinea this week. the quarantine that will last until sunday has been overseen by the army and police in sierra leone. >> reporter: the only people allowed on the streets of sierra leone are health workers. and the police and military officers enforcing a 60-hour lockdown to stop ebola from spreading. while the country's 6 million people are home, t

john henry, al jazeera donetsk eastern ukraine. well the 11 month battle against the pro russian separatist means ukraine is fast running out of cash. it has hiked the sapless rates to 30% in an attempt to avoided bankruptcy. the currentsy has plunged more than 60% in the past year. you crane is now hoping to get more than $40 billion from person parties the former cia director will plead guilty to mishandling classified information. investigators had been looking into whether he improperly shared the material with his biographer with whom he had admitted having an affair. the plea bargain spares him from a high profile trial. still to come, forces battle to regain territory in the south. as degaits how to keep fighting the outbreak. and in sport afghanistan prepare for the biggest game in these history as they take on co-host australia at the world cup. tonight, 10:00 eastern. only on al jazeera america. >> protestors are gathering... >> there's an air of tension right now... >> the crowd chanting for democracy... >> this is anoth

john hendren, al jazeera, donetsk, eastern ukraine. >>> pam has struck the eye lackeds. it is cleared the system could trigger storm systems and landslides. it has called damage to the solomon islands. the u.n. says up to 260,000 people are potential in its path. where is she headed next? could pam spell trouble further south? >> i think it may well adrian. it will weaken though. it has pretty much hit its peak. that's the position of the storm at the moment making its way pretty much due south actually it's just to the east. we find out really heavy rain though. and we may well see a similar amount of rain over the next 24 hours. it is moving pretty quickly. it will head towards knewnew zealand. it will steadily weaken now, as i said but that is quite an impressive storm. very strong winds sinking their way further south. caledonia feeling some of the effects of that as is fiji and as we go into sunday you can see it's pretty close to new zealand. the flooding will be there for quite sometime. we have already seen some flooding further west just around the cape peninsul

a gas explosion killed 32 miners in the city of donetsk. john hendren has the latest from outside of the mine. >> reporter: the death toll in ukraine's mining disaster continued to rise. the donetsk people's republic has established a commission to look into what happened here and why. meanwhile rescue workers continued to remove bodies. donetsk is the heartland of ukraine's mining industry and this is its biggest mine. because of high levels of methane gas inside it is also the deadliest, there have been seven explosions. each time investigations ask whether the mine is safe and each time hundreds of miners afterwards return to the shaft. unless something unusual is uncovered in the investigation, that is likely what will happen again this time. >>> ukraine's parliament wants to increase the number of troops in its army by nearly a third. russia's defense ministry says air forces and ground troops will be holding drills in areas near its border with ukraine. >>> north korea has called an attack on the u.s. ambassador to south korea a deser

john hendon reports from rebel-2ke8d anheld donetsk. >> reporter: the machinery of war keeps rolling through a fragile ceasefire the silence is broken daily by small arms fire and mortars. that's hours he says. >> translator: in principle the ceasefire is holding but there is regular small arms fire so complete ceasefire can't exist before you arrived here several small shells landed on our side. before we fired back, there were grenade launchers fire at us. >> reporter: as occasion volleys routinely violate the tenuous ceasefire, a report released monday by the united nations found 6,000 people have died so far. separatists say it is ukrainian forces who are violating ceasefire. >> translator: the ceasefire from our side, we are not just trying, we are upholding it completely. the firing yesterday was because the ukrainian side again violated the minsk agreement and start today open fire. >> reporter: a year in the to conflict in eastern ukraine the death toll continues to rise on a landscape transformed by the war. and with each passing day the frontline continues to shift. in week

in donetsk in eastern ukraine where an explosion has left at least 30 miners dead. with poisonous gases escaping rescuers have been held at bay. a local spokesman said seven bodies have been recovered but it is thought up to 50 miners were working underground in that blast area all seven years after previous explosion was left more than 100 dead. we start with this report. >> reporter: outside the mine the families have been arriving desperate for information about the fate of their loved ones. and after hours of confusion it is being confirmed that dozens of miners have been killed. this expert said there had been an explosion around 7:00 in the morning local time and it wasn't known where the miners were. some rescue teams have gone in to try to find those trapped deep below the surface and to retrieve the bodies of those killed. but there are questions whether there will be enough emergency workers to deal with an accident of this scale. the coal mine is in the eastern city of donetsk which is controlled by the separatist rebels. it's a huge complex, one of the b