>> hi everyone, this is al jazeera america, i'm john siegenthaler in new york. melt down. members of iraq's military give up as another big iraqi city falls orebel fighters. stepping down after an historic defeat. acre cantor speaks about his future and the future of conservatives on capitol hill. controversial issues especially immigration reform. kickoff, hours before soccer's best begin competition. we're in brazil for a preview of

the world cup. and chicago's homeless are helping themselves. >> and we begin with iraq. a country in the state of chaos. an armed group inspired by al qaeda is quickly gaining ground, pushing closer and closer to the capitol of baghdad. islamic state of iraq and the levant, in some places security forces desserted their post. the i.s.i.l. now controlsity cot and moals. mosul. >> they mounted the attack early hours of the morning.

quickly overrunning the security forces there. the takeover didn't take long. iraqi police took back control a few hours later. the fighters are from the islamic state of iraq and the levant, or i.s.i.l. who have also mounted attacks here in kirkuk. >> translator: this is just the latest round of fighting against i.s.i.l. and it won't be the last. we'll continue to fight against them with the help of the people of mosul. they don't have the power to confront the iraqi forces. >> reporter: but on the outskirts of mosul, people continue to flee, carrying what little they can and facing an uncertain future. the vast majority have waded through tigris river.

family and friends, most of them will suffer. the semi autonomous region. >> alongside the humanitarian crisis there is the failure of duty ever mosul. many officials here are very angry of what the army did. this footage shows the moment iraq's army fled from mosul on tuesday. this convoy drove into the kurdish region. >> we've introduced practical steps to try to bring back a new system by mobilizing people in committees and trying to win back mosul. our aim is to try get back i.s.i.l. our enemy is terrorism. we are meeting with

international humanitarian organizations to try to ease the burden on those displaced people. >> reporter: all eyes are now on thursday's meeting where parliament will ask for a staifnlstateof emergency to be d imran khan. al jazeera. >> david shuster is here. david. >> based on his academic background, he would be referred to as doctor al bagdadi. master's in slawk imstudie -- ic studies in baghdad. he has extensive military

experience. coorkd to a biography released by supporter, raised by religious sunni family. sheik baghdadi formed his own armed group, in 2005 he was captured by american forces and he spent the next four years as a prisoner in camp buka in iraq. it is not clear i y the united states released him but -- why the united states released him. shake baghdadi took control. he thinks more strategically than al qaeda leaders. he still employs suicide bombers, but put his force he at too much risk. until this week his greatest military coup wassin wassing --s

freeing 500 members of his group, libertied, john. >> thank you, jamie tarr abay served as baghdad bureau chief. jamie, welcome. >> hi john. >> what is the possibility that this group is really going to target baghdad? >> it is really interesting. the big question, this rapid takeover from an anbar and tikr. i think it's going to be really interesting what kind of response the iraqi prime minister comes up with, whether the security forces who abandoned their duty and their post in such a dramatic way are going to feel a bit more, you know, encouraged or

embottomeddenned -- emboldened or bolstered in such a way to defend the capitol. >> i was just going osay you would have thought the iraqis would care enough about their oil reserves to protect them right? >> hundreds of millions of dollars of trainings, they are hopelessly sectarian. when i was there it's a really interesting way to have a force, you know. it was a lot of these guys they would take vacation every three weeks. there was huge attrition. a lot of them didn't turn up and a lot of them felt very much -- not -- they didn't feel particularly invested in policing areas that weren't their home. you know a lot of them were shia, a lot of them felt they didn't want to protection a population they already thought was hostile. >> does iraq have the forces to take mosul and tikrit back? >> iraq has the forces, whether

it has the strength of will is another question entirely. >> what does that mean? strength of will? >> it depends whether they have the leadership. i'm struck by the idea these soldiers put down their weapons. they gave over their uniforms. they handed over tanks and weaponry. at what point did they all decide to do this? where was the leadership to say okay, we're going oretreat, going owalk away? i think there were so many questions over what happened and the speed of which it happened. really, i know that reading reports that prime minister nouri al maliki,. >> that's an enormous number of people that have just left. is that also an indication that people knew this was coming? >> 500,000 people have left

anbar problems of. -- province. that's a really great indication of what exactly is ahead of the iraqi security forces whether it comes to you know -- when it comes to you know what is a real pride to them in taking mosul. >> do you think i.s.i.l. has the forces to take baghdad? >> i don't think the numbers are strong enough. they're certainly accumulating the weaponry, they're certainly accumulating the funds. this is a matter of time. it is not just a rolling process and it's going to happen in the next week or so. i really can't see it happening that quickly. >> jamie, thanks so much. >> thank you. >> we'll have more on the iraqi cities coming up. a reporter on the ground talks about the fears facing hundreds of thousands of are iraqis fleeing, and an american war vet who served in mosul.

biggest upsets in recent history. following the primary defeat of eric cantor. randall pingston is on como capl hill. >> in the loss cantor made history. he is the first sitting house majorities leader to lose a primary election. >> effective july 31st i will be stepping down as majority leader. >> reporter: house majority leader eric cantor looked pleasant despite the biggest defeat of his career. the only majority leader to suffer a defeat in a primary election. >> i couldn't be more optimistic

about the future of this country. >> rode a tea party wave to office. >> reporter: after suffering a string of losses, the tea party claimed their biggest prize yet. >> what is impossible with man is possible with god! >> reporter: unknown college professor david brat defeating house majority liter eric kahn tor. >> taxed enough already. all our conservative republicans believe in that. >> conservative jockeys replace him. how could cantor lose to brat, who spent a mere $122,000 in his campaign war chest?

because cantor was a fixture on fundraising nationwide, some believe he lost touch in his suburban district. >> i whereas in my district every week. there's a balance between holding a leadership position and serving constituents at home. but never was there a day that i did not put the constituents of the district of virginia first and i will continue to do so. >> criticized his position on immigration. he favored a path to legal status for undocumented chin irn. any legal status amnesty but cantor's stance was enough to anger conservatives. >> you better represent the interests of american citizens and american citizens need to come first and foremost over illegal aliens. >> cantor's next move? >> probably between my wife and me, and i will be look at that to see how i can best serve.

>> a reporter asked, whether he would run for elective office again. cantor didn't answer. we have to point out that david brat, the man who beat cantor, does not credit his constituency. john. >> he testified that the swath of five taliban prisoners for army sergeant bowe bergdahl, may have been the last and best chance to secure bergdahl's freedom. conservatives are not buying it. lisa stark reports. >> the secretary of defense detailed a negotiation that came together very quickly. was so imprecise as he put it that the u.s. didn't know the exact location of the handover of sergeant bergdahl until just one hour before it took place.

defense secretary chuck hagel walked into a packed hearing room and didn't mince words. he strongly defended the administration's deal to hand over five taliban prisoners in exchange for sergeant bowe bergdahl. >> i would never sign any document or make any agreement, agree to any decision, that i did not feel was in the best interest of this country. nor would the president of the united states. >> reporter: hagel said the administration had to move fast to free bergdahl who was felt to be in poor mental and physical health, that the qatari government warned the risk to bergdahl's safety were growing. >> for all these reasons and more the exchange needed to take place quickly, efficiently and quietly. we believe this exchange was our last, best opportunity to free

him. >> reporter: but committee members, particularly republicans, blasted the deal. >> this transfer sets a dangerous precedent in negotiating with terrorists. it reverses long standing u.s. policy and could incentivize other terrorist organizations including al qaeda to increase their use of kidnappings of u.s. personnel. >> both republicans and democrats were angry that the five taliban were released from guantanamo without giving congress 30 days' notice as required by law. >> if the president can violate the law and say in this case we're not going to give you the information, it undermines the position we have with the intelligence community. >> underlining, leaving no soldiers behind, this soldier is accused of being a deserter. he and some committee members denounce the character

assassination. >> i really fear for his return to this country. with the kind of rhetoric that is being spewed in this very room. >> reporter: there's no word on when bergdahl who is still in a military hospital in germany will be back in the u.s. which prompted a heated exchange. >> you're trying to tell me that he's being held at lonsdahl, germany because of his medical condition? >> congressman i hope you're not implying anything other than that. i don't like the implication of the question. >> answer it. >> he's being held there because our medical professionals don't believe he's ready. until they believe he's ready -- >> reporter: and when that happens says hagel, bergdahl should be judged by the facts and not hearsay or innuendo. there is talk about the taliban

five could pose a threat in the future. the best intelligence chuck hagel said, that would not pose a threat to americans. but john, many on the committee were consistent cal an skepticat that. >> lisa stark, thank you. concerns for conditions at the facilities to change. plus, ready or not, the world cup is here. and brazil, is it set for kickoff?

>> there is growing pressure on the u.s. border patrol over its treatment of immigrant children. young migrants crossing the border into texas, so many of them that hundreds of them are being bussed into arizona.

jennifer london in nogales with more on that. jennifer. >> john, there have been concerns over what has been called the surprise nature of this operation. we have been told officials only learned of busing these minors to this detention center, they were told about this last thursday and the first buses began arriving last friday. now they're concerned about the care and treatment of these children now that they're here. when you are this close to the arizona-california border, and you see kids wearing camouflage, you only think that they are ready to cross over with the clothes on their back. most over the age of 17 make the desperate crossing. they are flee gang violence and crushing poverty in central

america, el salvador, honduras.and guatemala. overwhelming, daily at this makeshift detection center in nogales, arizona. turning immigration enforcement into a humanitarian crisis and diplomats from the three countries are angry. >> and you have you know these children in one place, restricted, every movement is restricted, no, it is not a place for a child. >> tony is the honorary consul general for honduras. on tuesday he spent the better part of seven hours meeting with the 368 children being held inside. leaked video shows the children corralled sleeping on mattresses. >> children all over the place, sleeping on the floor, plastic crates, mattresses very thin

mass rests they told me they were going to order 2,000 mattresses they were still waiting for. because they have no clothing for the children, they haven't been able to using a shower. very few have been able to take a shower. >> jose chacon also visited the center on tuesday. >> these are not appropriate conditions for minors. we are seeing a look of hygiene. the children don't have the best conditions to get a good night's sleep. they told me they have gone up to six days without bathing. >> the question yet been answered. >> i know honduras pretty well. like many of our neighbors we have been facing challenges for the last three years. the numbers are there, they don't lie. but the reason why they're coming now i don't know. >> reporter: for now the children are caught between two countries. the one they so desperately wanted to leave and the united

states. which is struggling to care for them. and they ultimately deny them a place here. the challenge, in addition to providing proper care for children, is also trying to locate their relatives. this john so they can be released from custody as they await their immigration hearing. >> jennifer you may not have the answer to this but let me try this on you. a few days ago we got a sense from some officials that had been inside that facility that the conditions were okay. now we're hearing something different. how do we reconcile that? >> well, that's a really great question, john. we're not entirely sure how to reconcile that. when we spoke to the mayor of nogales and a representative from the state senate here, who toured the facility earlier in the week, they said they heard reports of the conditions being quote unquote dire. what they saw was encouraging. there was adequate food for them

and they had received some portable toilets were brought in, portable showers. yet just last night when we spoke to the diplomats from honduras and el salvador, they had conflicting feelings. the question is what is really happening inside the facility. >> thank you very much. wendy carillo is a radio talk show host, joining us tonight. welcome. >> thank you for having me. >> what do you make of the two reports we're hearing about the conditions inside? >> the conditions inside for minors? >> for minors in the facility. >> well, i think it's devastating. i think it shows a lot about a much-needed humanitarian issues when it comes to young people that are coming into the u.s. that obviously need help and assistance and it shows that immigration has a lot of nuances. that it's not just about the

current people that are within the borders but those that are coming and need help and assistance. >> let's talk about immigration. we are told that one of the issues that affected majority leader cantor's upset last night was immigration. why did you think that is? >> well, i think it's very simple to say that he's been flip flopping from the very beginning. he pretty much held the dream act hostage. and a lot of those young people that trusted him that went the ohim for support, he told them he would support then in public said he wouldn't and he would support some kind of pathway but not amnesty. so there's been a lot of controversy as to where he actually stands and he's tried to play both sides and obviously that didn't help him. >> do you believe -- i mean the president sort of indicated he still has hope for immigration reform. do you? >> well, it's very complicated. i would like to say that there's some hope. but looking at it before the

august recess, if republicans don't step up, if speaker boehner doesn't really take leadership on the issue, there may not be and then the president is going to have to do something about it. republicans are at a very difficult situation that they either do something before the august recess or they risk alienating voters. >> how much that is the republican party alienated latino voters? >> it's an interesting question. the republicans have more latinos in leadership than the democrats do. but those who have been elevated to positions of leadership do not actually represent the viewpoint of the majority of latinos living in the u.s. so it's an interesting situation to talk about. but i would imagine that at the end of the day, if the way in which you describe latinos, as illegal and taking away american

jobs, and not in a way that's human hade, that's they're in a sticky situation to say the least. >> the reason i brought up that situation in nogales, there are real implications what impact that type of story has on the political process. does it hurt immigration reform or help immigration reform? >> a little bit of both. how young people are being put into detention centers and how there's very inhumane treatment and just that there's no -- like the report said they can't even take showers or have a change of clothing, so it shows you that there's a real human element to immigration and to immigration reform. and so hopefully it opens up americans' eyes how we need change and how we need this to

happen. we don't want to be the kind of country that does thisto children. >> wendy correa thanks so much for being with us tonight. >> thank you for having me. >> consequences of the growing crisis in iraq. building a better life through photography, putting cameras in the hands of the homeless. homeless.

>> hi everyone, this is al jazeera america, i'm john siegenthaler in new york and coming up the parties are underway in brazil for the world cup to kick off tomorrow but some soccer fans are not happy by the big sporting event. how an app can help, sparking a major protest in europe. iraq's government is promising to take back parts of northern iraq as the situation on the ground grows more violent. and there are reports tonight that iraq's prime minister has asked the u.s. to consider launching air strikes against those rebels.

fighters from the islamic state of iraq and the levant have taken control of tikrit. they took possession of mosul. hoda amid is on the road from mosul to the turkish border. >> there's a queue of cars that stretches for several kilometers maybe more. for the kurdish authorities this is a logistical challenge. every car gets checked by the peshmurga. authorities are giving priority to families or to people who have some connection to the ku kurdish territories, but everybody has to register here first. and the wait is long.

it's very hot. and sometimes, tempers flare. now we've been talking to a lot of these people coming through. they have been describing a calm situation for past 24 hours or so in mosul. they said that members of the i.s.i.l. are roaming around the city. most of them have their face covered but they say that they're protecting government buildings, banks, even though they do say that police stations have by and large been destroyed. now people here are extremely worried what's going to happen next. they do expect a reaction from the authorities in baghdad and what they fear the most is that that reaction will be similar to what has been happening in the anbar province since the beginning of the year where the u.s. government has actually used air strikes to go against the islamic state of iraq and the levant. even though they're extreme

angered priessments maliki. >> -- prime minister maliki. >> that is hoda amid. john terret has more information. >> oil rich town in the north of the country in the kurdish region, they already control tikrit, regain control from the iraqis of samara and in the last 48 hours they control mosul, iraq's second largest city. it's a bit like them controlling chicago or l.a. if we're talking about our country. it shows i.s.i.l. fighters bulldozing the border between

syria and iraq, and have stolen fighters that belong to the united states. i.s.i.l. which stands for islamic state of iraq and the levant, they are fighting to create a caliphate in that country. last march by the forces loyal to president assad in that area, and the blue areas are areas controlled by the so-called moderate opposition. al qaeda and the al nusra front, while i.s.i.l. is coming under fire from security forces trying to dislodge it in iraq here in syria, i.s.i.l. is coming under attack from its former islamist groups. so many i.s.i.l. fighters have been deployed into iraq into

anbar province that they're taking this moment to try oweaken i.s.i.l. in syria in the battle to gain the upper and in that country. john. >> john terret reporting. pierre hine is member of the truman security project. pierre welcome. >> thank you for having me john. >> i don't know if you heard the news at the half hour about the prime minister, al-maliki, sucking he might want help from the u.s. for aerial attack. what would you make of that? >> i do not think -- obviously, the u.s. military is always ready for these type of counter-contingency operations. and i imagine that the u.s. military could be ready in a matter of days to carry that out. i'm not sure what it would accomplish, even if we did you know take over -- tack back over

mosul, get rid of the insurgents. it is not clear to me that in a week or a month that the same thing wouldn't happen again. >> i mean is this frustrating for someone who served in iraq? >> there -- it is very frustrating that you know after years of being in mosul, that was one of the last bastions of hope as we saw it. when i was there in 2008 and 2009. but the mission carried on. when we were there, you know our mission was to create a space for iraqi government and the iraqi army to secure itself and to provide security for its citizens. you know i believe we accomplished that mission in the time we were there but obviously, steps -- steps had been taken by the insurgents to bring us back to how it was years ago. >> and what do you make of the reports that the iraqi military just simply gaifd up and -- gave up and walked away?

>> that's unfortunate. without being on the ground it's hard to say. i remember that in mosul the reporting wasn't exactly accurate. i'm going to reserve judgment on whether that's actually the case. if it is case then it's pretty troubling. you know they have weapons, they have our old m-16s. they have our old hu hum vees, i don't know them holding over their weapons was something else involved there are other reasons they would do that. >> in some of our reporting we have heard that these security forces are not that disciplined, they take time off when they want to. they don't want to work in areas that they don't want to work in or areas that they don't live. i mean, how did you find the security forces there? >> i do -- i think iraqi army is most definitely more capable than the iraqi police and the

iraqi army is seen as more professional. they do not work on the same schedule as u.s. forces. u.s. forces that are operating in iraq are operating 24 hours a day, each soldier is operating at least 12 hours a day, seven days oweek, but we're over -- a week, but we're, to be fair with them we're over there for a year at a time. they are living this year in year out time after time so it's understandable that they would take some breaks. it's a whole different world, whole different mindset the way their military operates compared to ours. >> pierre, thank you very much. >> thank you. >> new information in ukraine on the human toll, the conflict along the russian border. 270 deaths in donetske and luhansk. , fighting has intensified between rebels and are government forces.

here at home as military veterans get ready to return to civilian life many can be overwhelmed by the transition. new smartphone technology may be able to help. allen schauffler has the story. >> studying lard for the transition from military life to civilian life. something they both admit is intimidating. >> a little. i'm scared. i'm scared like i said i'm so used to this way of life. and already knowing everything that's expected of me, knowing what i'm supposed to do. >> it worries me little bit. i'm a father too. i have two kids. so it's not just me. >> reporter: getting out of the military isn't as simple as saying i quit. the pentagon requires service members to start planning at least a year ahead. it's essential so it can get veterans benefits and it's often abewilderina bewildering proces.

>> robin wilson runs the transition program here. classes, require veterans options, job hunting and more. this base will send over 8,000 air men and officers into the civilian unit. >> you are trying to get your unit to sign off saying you have turned things in. >> to help service members first navigate the complicated exit process and then put veterans resources at their fingertips. >> when you push that button,

food shelter cash hot lines. >> mike schindler runs one of the programs, in a pilot program with the army he plotted all the steps it takes just to leave the service. he says the information needs to be updated for the modern soldier. >> they text more than they talk. they view things on their mobile platforms. so what systems do we have available that are catering to this generation? >> reporter: a generation in uniform looking for new ways to take future. >> anything that helps like an app of some way to help you i'm all for it. >> robin baker says anything like that proposed app would be a welcome tool for veterans to supplement current programs. operation military family hopes to see a user friendly solution rolled out to all army installations, next year. allen schauffler, al jazeera, are seattle. police and prosecutors rely

to pick out suspects and recount crimes. but in this week's episode of the system, a look at how sometimes witnesses can get it wrong. >> you know every day in this country thousands of suspects are identified by eyewitnesses. but a shocking number of these eyewitnesses get it wrong. >> in this location two gentlemen went in to purchase drugs, gun fire he be sued and a resident -- ensued and a residents in this area was killed. the victims had given that description. >> how accurate are eyewitness identifications you know? >> studying not only people in the research lab but also witnesses in the real world. 30% of the time witnesses in real cases who pick someone and say yes, that's person who complit the crime are wrong. >> -- commit the crime are wrong. >> what jennifer and others believe, the are methods used

are outmoded. >> they put me in front of a big window, handcuffed me to the bench. but everybody else in the room was pushed to the other side where they could not see these individuals. they could only see me. >> you can see the episode at 9:00 eastern, 6:00 pacific. the first match of the world cup, thousands will not make it to the match subway workers threatening to strike. lucille newman has more from rio. >> brazil is bracing for the best and also the worst. the social networks are calling for protests in at least a half a dozen cities including sao paulo where the inaugural game will be held. security is extremely tight

around that stadium where that will happen. authorities do not want to allow the protesters, the people who are protesting against the high cost of these games to ruin the party. and there will be a lot of parties all over the country in the 12 host cities of the world cup, including here in copa cabana beach. where hundreds of thousands of people will come out to this fan fest including a lot of foreigners who will come out to celebrate. for world cup visitors the party is already underway, where for the next month will be the world capitol of football. this european fan saved up for more than two years to make the journey to brazil. >> i'm ready for gland festival, then ghana. >> it's a world cup event like no other. a sport that brings the mooses together and stirs patriotism no

matter what your country's problems, says this man from spain the current world cup champion. but visitors from all competing countries are convinced now it is their chance. in rio de janeiro, fans from every continent take photos outside the maracana said yum -- stadium where the final match will be be held. but a few meters away, public servants are outraged by the allegation of public corruption and waste. >> it's totall totally amazing r government to pay millions and millions to football and the people, nothing. >> reporter: residents of this middle class street have put out the welcome mat for the world cup. but they're the exception. as we saw for ourselves from one of the city's highest vantage points. be it in poor or richer neighborhoods what most stands

out is what's mittsing -- missing. the houses the streets the buildings are not plastered with decorations as they have always been before the world cup. even hosted in countries thousands of kilometers away. >> these football lovers tell us they will be watching the game but not celebrating the expense associated with hosting it. a somber mood yes, but one that many believe will give away to passion that brazilians are known for once the action gets underway. john as you saw, there is only anticipation and excitement ahead of this first world cup game, not same mood exactly amongst brazilians but you know i would bet once the game begins between brazil and croatia, you can see almost everyone rooting for their home team, no matter what their criticisms.

>> that's lucille newman, are reporting. are why hundreds of taxicab drivers were bringing cities to a halt. and seeing chicago through eyes of the homeless. homeless.

>> weather around the world. weak hurricane category 1. cristina spelled in the spanish way. the track is continuing to move away from land. but it is expected to increase significantly before it hits the baja peninsula. monsoon season, significant amount of thunderstorms along the western southern coast. india has had three and a half inches of rain but to the

northeast we've gotten a lot of monsoonal rain and even the rickshaw drivers have pulled out the umbrellas. eight to ten inches of rain. and then as we get to a separate portion, a little further into india, triple digit heat not fit for man nor beast. southwest that's where we've been hot. in germany it has been a story of storms bringing down trees and an inch and a quarter of rainfall. that's been the case too in the northeast. al jazeera news continues.

>> taxi drivers clogged up the streets of several european cities today. they are angry about an app. the uber app lets users call a taxi with a swipe of a finger. it's hurting taxi business. >> the traffic is slow at the

best of times, never mind when taxis are deliberately clogging up the road. this is french fury, vented by cab drivers and not for the first time here, they have the smartphone app uber the new kid on the block. >> it's organized robbery. really. they are their own bosses. they don't declare their arves. they work 24/seven. the government should address this. it can't continue like this. >> reporter: tradition state, you want a ride, you physically get up, you flag down a cab. sometimes that's really easy. sometimes it's not. technology says you stay where you are. let your smartphone sort this out for you. which is where uber's app comes in. it locates you, shows you all the cars nearby and sends one to pick you up. the driver has an app. it uses gps to calculate the

cost of the journey. but it's not hard wired into the car. this is basically just a bit of software on a mobile phone. which brings up the question can this be classed as a meter? uber says no. taxicab drivers says yes. it will be the judge that settles this argument. the language different sentiment the very same as france. this is going all the way to the high court. >> we believe the uber ask an illegal app. >> this is a row on europe streets for europe streets. german drivers are insensed too. claiming uber is ruining their livelihoods. >> you have an industry that is extremely regulated, hasn't faced any type of competition. companies like uber are bringing choices to citizens.

>> uber's gun in san francisco but traveled around the world since. 76 cities, 36 countries and all of this covered in just five years. last year it was valued to $3.5 billion, last week, valued at $18 will thanks to buy in by google and goldman sachs. with the protests come more publicity. phil lavell, al jazeera paris. >> a nornlts restaurant serving more than great -- a new orleans restaurant serving more than great food. plus divisive conservative and charming. my conversation about supreme court justice antonin scalia.

people who live on the streets of chicago have a different perspective on the world. some of the city's homeless are putting their inner artist on display. diane eastabrook reports. >> mike becker rolls along chicago streets in a wheelchair, captivated by the ordinary. >> i like to get the sun behind the flowers a lot. >> a spinal cord injury two decades ago left him paralyzed and unable to work. but six years ago ago the 49-year-old discovered a talent for photography. >> i see a lot of things i like, i'm wheeling everywhere. i have a lot of things in my mind that i would like to take pictures of. >> becker's photographs were on sale at an event presented by catholic charities.

catholic charities started the program 12 years ago, giving disposable cameras to a handful of homeless guests who attend dinners. creating perhaps a little bit of cash. >> i figure like i only blow dust off. >> she's astoind by the caliber of talent she's seen. >> our guests have profound troubles but they really have an eye. you know being poor or being -- or struggling doesn't mitigate dependence creativity. >> kelly fitzgibbons is a regular participant. purchasing photographs including one from mike becker. >> they are proud and excited to just show how they portray chicago. >> each print is $100.

half is given to the photographer. becker says, he makes about $1,000 per show. but it's really not about the money. >> it's being here, having fun. >> reporter: and finding a place in a city that becker says always inspires him. >> that's a good city shot. >> diane eastabrook, al jazeera chicago. >> finally tonight's freeze frame comes from a checkpoint in east mosul, a boot litters the ground near a burned out vehicle belonging to iraqi security forces. a group inspired by al qaeda now controls the northern part of the city, that controls the area's biggest oil refinery. we'll see you back here at

11:00, 8 pacific, for the news. news.

>> welcome to al jazeera america. i'm dave of david shuft. here are tonight's top story.

closer to baghdad, the group i.s.i.l. took tikrit today, a city less than two hours from the capitol. iraq's second biggest city on tuesday. called into question the iraqi army's ability to protect iraq. republican house majority leader eric cantor will step down from his party's leadership at the end of july. he made the announcement after a major political upset. he lost his primary to a little known tea party candidate named david brat. a new election is held on july 18th. chuck hagel defended the prisoner swap, grilled by members of the house armed services committee. several of them questioned the decision to free five taliban

prisoners part of that deal. hagel said it was the best way to get bergdahl home. br >> i'm sitting on the couch and next thing you know i got like three 9 mm just pointed directly at my face, i'm going what is this about? what you comin' in with guns drawn for? they laid us on the ground, out of everybody they picked me. i was like ok, what's going on? they said do you know who this detective is? i 'm like no. he says this "guy is colombo." i said "colombo?" he said, "have you ever seen the tv series colombo?" i says, "growing up. you know growing udo