The last two americans being detained in north korea are coming home. The state department made the announcement. Flor washington. The days of life in a prison camp are over for kenneth bay and matthew miller. On saturday, north korean authorities released the two men, and they boarded a plane for the u. S. A wonderful day for them and their families and obviously, we are very grateful is for their safe return. I appreciate a great job on what was obviously a challenging mission. Director clapper is james clapper, the u. S. s director of National Intelligence. In a statement, the u. S. State department called clapper key to the mens release. We are grateful to director of National Intelligence clapper who engaged on behalf of the United States in discussions with dprk authorities about the release of two citizens. Its not clear why clapper was brought in to negotiate or whether he had a second reason for meeting with the officials in pyongyang and the north core ans purportedly like to
The last two americans being detained in either former president or highprofile diplomat on the fate of u. S. Citizens. There is some speculation that by releasing the men, Kim Jong Un Kim might be trying to soften his countrys image. North korea faces sanctions because it refused to stop the Nuclear Weapons program and the u. N. Security council could soon refer kim and others to the International Criminal court for human rights violations. Bay, a christian missionary, had been convicted nearly two years ago for trying to convert North Koreans. Miller was jailed earlier this year for disturbing the peace. Neither will be prosecuted for traveling to north korea but the Obama Administration is warning other americans, its not a good idea to visit. Ross cylinder jordan, al jazeera, washington. Joining us is isaac sto stonefish, a former beijing correspondent with newsweek. We appreciate your time. Are you surprised by this . Thank you for having me. I am surprised but a lot of what north
Tripoli. The price tag is breaking records. We begin with the developments in Northern Iraq where u. S. And iranian war planes teamed up today to attack Islamic State fighters and break a crucial siege. But iraqs military suffered a setback when a suicide bomber drove into a community in ramadi. Shia militias have now entered the small town of amerlie. The pentagon is not talking about the is coordination with iranian war planes. Still the break through today was significant. Amerlie is in a province controlled by Islamic State and the l capito capitol baghdad. Sue turton reports. For 80 days and nights they have faced the threat of Islamic State fighters taking their town. A threat that had led some of the shiites turkmen community to consider taking their own lives. Their plight provoked an unlikely alliance. With peshmerga, Shiite Militia and Iraqi Army Soldiers banned together in a fight that began at 4 00 in the morning. We began the fight under Muqtada Al Sadrs forces. We came to
Athens on the 6th anniversary of the Fatal Shooting of a routine ager. More than half a Million People fled homes in the philippines seeking shelter as the typhoon lashes the nation. Despite being downgraded to a category 5, its the most powerful storm to hit the country this year bringing down trees and knocking down the power. It made landfall a few hours from takaman city devastated by tie off and on haiyan last year. This report from manila. Reporter makeshift homes like these are all that stand behind some people left in tacloban and a powerful tie off and on. The city was badly hit by a powerful cyclone and storage surge only last year. Now, it has sustained wins of 175 kilometers an hour is headed their way. Hundreds of thousands of people have left the most vulnerable areas. Mistaken are crammed into temporary shelters. They telltises the waves will get bigger. Thats why i am worried it will be like what happened last year. Others are trying to get the last of their valuables t
Releasingreleasing more territos nonnegotiable. At least four children have been killed after iraqi troops carried out attacks on the city of fallujah. A fighter jet bombed targets including a mosque and Water Purification plant. Fallujah has been the scene of antigovernment attacks for months now. , Islamic State group moved into the area of mt. Si sinjar. Humanitarian crisis in Northern Iraq one of its top level emergencies, and kurdish authorities second that. There are more displaced refugees than there are full time residents. The area is full of people no place else to go. A lot of the people from sinjar mountain have now managed to come around. They come across into syria and Northern Iraq. That doesnt mean their difficult journey is over. This floating area is the place for displaced yazidis. Thousands have come this way with the hem of Syrian Kurdish rebels. The yazidi live in the kurdish region but with their towns taken over by Islamic State fighters here they rely on the ki