♪ ♪ welcome to al jazeera america. i am del walters. these are the stories we are following for you: laying down the law. the supreme court curbing the president's recess appointments and calling buffer zones in abortion clinics unsonstitutional. a regionwide conflict. america taking the field in the match against german. as you can see the fans are everywhere

♪ we begin with those two major rulings by the supreme court today as their session nears its close. the first is presidential power and the other is buffer zones at abortion clinics. mike viqueira is live. those appointments have been controversial since day one. >> reporter: the supreme court handing president obama and the white house a decisive repudiation on their practice of making recess appointments. this is shroallowed for in the constitution but senate republicans over the course of the obama administration have refused to go into recess to begin with. they have what are called proforma sessions. they come in once every three days, bang the gavel, say the pledge of allegiance. nothing is said on the senate floor but technically, they are in session, not in recess. the president cannot make appointments. appointments, incidentally they have blocked time and time again, not only for executive branch posts but also for the judiciary. so what did the white house do?

they said we will make these appointments anyway. we think it's nonsense. you can't say you are in session. they started making appointments, most notably to the national labor relations board and that is the origin of the case today. a certain soft drink bottling company, after the norb had ruled against them say that ruling is invalid because they were made by recess appointments. the case went to the supreme court and the supreme court saying today essentially, sorry, the senate was actually in session. you can make recess appointments when the senate is out of session but when they are in session, as they were technically, you cannot make these appointments. it is a blow to the white house. no question about it. mitch mcconnell is the republican leader in the united states senate. he took to the floor this morning to react. >> the supreme court unanimously -- unanimously agreed with us. today's ruling is a victory for the senate, for the american people and for our constitution. the supreme court unanimously rejected the president's

completely unprecedented assertion of a unilateral appointment power. >> reporter: now, it is a -- it softens the blow somewhat for the white house and democrats. democrats about two months ago exercised what they called the nuclear option. they are saying no longer can these appointments be filibustered. they can be confirmed, advise and consent rule can be done with 50 votes as opposed to 60. and so now, many of these appointments are going through the president has not had to make a recess appointment recently, phil. >> that law imposing buffer zones around abortion clinics is unconstitutional. >> this stems from a law that says a 35 foot buffer zone had to be maintained. the supreme court threw that out saying it violates the free speech of those who want to protest at abortion clinics. however, they are saying that states do have the right to pass a law that says that abortion protesters cannot obstruct the

entrance and bar people from actually entering abortion clinics. so something of a split decision there. >> what's left for the court now? >> well, the biggest case of all, and that is the hobby lobby case that stems from obamacare, the affordable care act. the hobby lobby taking it to court. they don't want to be compelled to have to provide contraceptive coverage, i should say, under the affordable care act to their employers. >> that's a big one. >> comes down for all intent did and purposes on monday. >> will be the last decision day of the supreme court session, phil. >> mike viqueira, thank you very much. in iraq, it seems the enemy of my enemy is my friend. there are new signs that country is becoming more and more divided. sunni isil rebels are getting strength from iran and syria as nouri al-malaki who says parliament will convene on july 1st. more from baghdad. >> reporter: in a rare positive development, the new iraqi

parliament is scheduled to meet for the first time next week. now, it has constitutional deadline to do that. and it will stick to it. after that, it's still the tough, tough work of putting together a coalition government. prime minister nouri al-malaki is under increasing pressure from the united states, britain, and other allies to speak to his political partners and come up with a government that looks a little more like iraq. >> means more sunnis, more kurds and an end to this political infighting. on the ground, the iraqi government says it is continuing to make gains with its special forces and the iraqi army in places where there has been fierce fighting with the isil. as always, it's difficult to verify the iraqi government claims there is continued fighting along the border with syria where syrian air force jets actually bombed isil positions. now, that's one of those cases where there is a rare cooperation between syria and

iraq. the u.s., not unhappy apparently about that even though it doesn't welcome other countries becoming involved in this. there is a real fear here that this could spread, has spread already, but could spread even further, bringing iran, turkey and all of the countries in the region. >> that's what everyone is desperately trying to avoid. >> that's january arraf. one markos moulitsas iraqis have been forced to flee their home since fighting began. some are in make-shift camps in the kurdish north. three are hundreds waiting to go to a checkpoint to enter the area. one man describing the brutal violence he and others are trying to escape. >> translator: they have cut off heads. there are eight dead bodies in the river banks. no one knows what they want. they are looting. they are pillaging our homes. they blew up a shiit mosque. they raped women and now we have come to the kurds, and they tell us, you are not believers, an arab.

go back. >> reporter: we have talked about sunnis, shia and now christians are fleeing the violence. hoda abdel hamid has more from a chur church. >> reporter: these people fled in the middle of the night and they are christians from a town along the border of so-called disputed area not very far from mosul. they left in a hurry. they are elderly, babies as young as two weeks old. now, just a week ago, i was in that town. and people were worried. but they said that so far, they had been spared from the violence. a lot of the people who are among them are several times displaced, like this lady. she first fled from bassarah. then she was in mosul. she had to flee mosul and now she is in erbil in the kurdish north. now, she says she doesn't know where she's going go next. we are in a sports club.

this building is three stories high. and wherever you go, it is absolutely packed with people. there is another similar room this way, and then there is another one this way, and it's the same pattern on each floor. now, these people do wonder what is the government doing to protect minorities like them. they say that the kurdish, their positions were intensified and they are protecting them at the moment. but they do say that in this crisis deepens further, there is certainly no place for them in this country, at least for the moment. >> that's hoda abdel hamid. we are receiving reports right now of an explosion near baghdad. so far, we are receiving reports that 19 people are dead, 42 people have been injured. that was a major concern as those isil forces move closer to the city.

19 while in washington, there is a stern warning from the u.s. to leaders in iran and syria: butt out. iran is said to be flying drones and syria is launching airstrikes. >> puts the u.s. at odds with iraq who says it welcomes those airstrikes. libby, washington continuing to get mixed signals from baghdad. >> that's right. from primae minister nouri al-malaki himself. he is following through on his to secretary of state john kerry that they will move forward with a constitutional plan, on july 1st, the newley elected parliament will hold its first session. al-malaki holds the power in that scenario and he is pushing back against some of his opponents as well as some of his allies for a call for a new unity coalition, a new unity government. >> that's raising some concerns here in washington. we heard earlier today from secretary of state john kerry who said that he wants to see the rapid formation of a government, that best represents

the country, the diversity of iraq. >> well, we may have a common enemy, we don't always have same strategic interests. iraqi's security situation cannot and should not be resolved by the assad regime, rye airstrikes from the assad regime or by malishas from the other country stepping in. we need to see the army get back on its feet. >> what you are hearing is marie harv, spokeswoman for the state department. she is talking about the u.s./syria relationship. del, as you mentioned just a few minutes okay, it's getting complicated because syria is getting involved. iran is getting involved. and even though iran, syria and the u.s. os sentencebly have some of the same goals like pushing back on the isil forces and helping the government of iraq in their efforts to get control of the kwucountry, ultimately they may have different goals. >> she is wearing the u.s.a. sweatshirt because of the

ongoing world cup game against germany but in the meantime, prime minister al-malaki welcoming the airstrikes. is the u.s. receptive to that action by syria? >> that's what's making this complicated because as you heard from ms. heart, they have to push back against some of the techniques. they are ultimately talking about trying to find unity. it's not just in the government of iraq but unity among outside forces. so working with nato, secretary kerry, in the meetings he has been having and the meetings in iraq and trying to get middle east partners as well since they are all on the same page and they don't do what secretary carry has warned could happen and essentially ignite even more of a powder keg and make a situation worse on the ground. >> libby, thank you very much. coming up next on al jazeera america, you saw the sweatshirt from coast to coast and overseas. all eyes on brazil for the big suspension and today's world cup showdown between the u.s. and

german. . >> we are live in downtown chicago where thousands have come up for a world cup viewing party to watch the u.s. faceoff with germany. the bad guy... >> others say these tactics are racist >> discrimination is wrong >> 99 percent of those arrested in drug free school zones... we're not near a school at all! >> are they working? >> this time i'm gonna fight it. >> the system with joe burlinger only on al jazeera america >> now inroducing, the new al jazeea america mobile news app. get our exclusive in depth, reporting when you want it. a global perspective wherever you are. the major headlines in context. mashable says... you'll never miss the latest news >> they will continue looking for suvivors... >> the potential for energy

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if you needed more proof that at least for today americans are soccer fans, look at the evidence. fans can be seen across the country gathered for today's match between the united states and germany. this is a crowd inside the shopping mall in kansas city, missouri. we are seeing this image coming out of the nation's capitol, a huge crowd of fans in dupont circle in washington, d.c. they can also be found on the beaches of rio de janiero watching the match from the beaches. the game, itself, is in the second half. we can say now that germany is now up 1-nil. this is a crucial game for team u.s.a. they have to beat the heavily favored germans to guarantee a

spot t in chicago right now, thousands of soccer fans are watching the match. usher, i gather moments ago a gasp went up from the crowd. >> that's right. moments ago you see saw the crowd flying down as germany scored the first goal making it 1-0. but, you know, this is a crowd that has been catching this team for some time. on sunday, about 12,000 people came out to downtown to view the game against portugal. they expect a bigger crowd today. they are prepared, they say, for some 30,000 fans to come out and watch this game so am people are jumping on the band wagon following the u.s. team. that's something some people have said, you know, is good, bad, has a bad connotation but most people say, the more support, the better. we talked to somebody today who is a diehard soccer fan who talked about the idea of people coming out when they don't know what's going on.

>> i think they have a little bit. but i think it's a good movement. the more soccer fans, the better, so go u.s.a. >> del, really, the people here are supporting this team and, you know, win, loose or draw, they are seeing whether or not the man is going to advance forward. right now, it looks good. they need to win or draw. either way? >> a perfectly beautiful day. >> usher karishi. it is one of those mathematical probabilities. team u.s.a. can get into the final round if there is a tie. we want to go to john terrett who is across the river in brooklyn, new york. john, we saw chicago what are the crowds like where you are? >> well, i have so -- i am so impressed with the crowd here we have about a thousand people crammed into one of the archs underneath the manhattan bridge,

the jumpbo district. they call it down under the manhattan bridge overpass. >> that's where we are at the moment. the crowd is following every kick, every move. they cheer or sound disappointed depending upon what's happened. let's deal with the goal that just happened. alongside me, i have nick, and you can see they are both ver central u.s.a. supporters. nick, first of all, you saw the goal. unfortunately, you said to me just now. what do you make of it? >> i am not happy. it was a decent goal. germany is a good team. i don't care. we are begin going to win. or a tie. all we need is a tie and we need to play harder and get the ball in the goal adam, they did well in the first half. germany is the number 2 best team in the entire world. we are number 13 and they held them at bay for 45 minutes plus a minute of overtime? >> yeah. >> that's cool? >> i was very surprised because german is a top team. they are good and we are not

known for having a good soccer team for men. we came out there and showed them how we played. >> do you think it's helped having a former german player, head coach, a u.s. head coach? >> i would say kind of, but i, to be honest, i kind of don't like it. >> it seems that we are having problem with john terrett's audio coming to us live from brooklyn. by the way, if the world cup isn't enough, you can get down and dirty if you want to watch what is called the swamp soccer world cup. these are chinese teams battling it out to respect their country in scotland at the end of july. it is, believe it or not. the swamp soccer world cup started in finland in the late 1990s. people are made up of six players, men and women of any age for skill level. checking weather right now, rain

causing problems across the country, raining on the world cup as well. raining here at home. >> a little too much rain. flash flooding, river flooding and more rain in the forecast so that is a big problem. the u.s.a. radar shows we are dealing with more showers and possibly severestorms developing coos the isn't tree part of the country. heavy rain came through eastern new york and this caused problems. this was flooding that occurred here overnight and this morning around valley falls new york. this was flash flooding the water worked its way into some of the smaller creeks and rivers, foundation dealing with some problems. there is the erosion there from under the house. >> that's a big issue currently. the rain's cleared out. we are seeing it dry out a bit. there are flooding concerns. now, we are going to the central portion of the country and the northern plains. another storm developing builds up a lot of moisture. gulf coast dealing with the forecast. north earn plains with areas

that don't need it. you can see over the next three days there is a helpful rain along the gulf coast of texas working its way up the missile valley nowt we are dealing with the river flooding as well as flash flooding. two warnings, river flooding warnings in effect and flash flood watch in effect for south dac tote a and wyoming. it can occur quickly in a short period of time. a heavy drenching thunderstorm that lasts less than six hours. river flooding is lasting for days. this is a river gauge in st. paul. this is major flooding occurring. here is the record flood stage, 20 and a half feet. but it is slowly cresting. this is thursday of next to week, friday, 4th of july, still could see some major flooding definitely still above flood stage. another week at least. water level so high. well we have rain on top of that. we are looking at rain and the

possibility of severe weather in parts of south dakota. a lot is happening here a little too much rain in the same areas. >> too much indeed. dave warren thank you very much. the u.s. has a reputation for being a nation of workaholics. we spent more hours on the job that other countries. there is a growing movement toward a less traditional work week. >> it's thursday at the online education tech company, treehouse in portland, oregon. >> for most companies, this doesn't mean anything special. but here, thursdays are really fridays. treehouse as a 4-day work week. >> wednesday comes around. you start to panic a little bit. tomorrow is the end of the week. i have got to get stuff done. we have found a huge correlation between working less and being more efficient. and you know, when you look at it, it makes sense. you know, this idea of if i constrain myself to what i need to get done, we find there is a

huge increase in productivity. >> we do know that a work force that is on shorter hours and with flexible arrangements tends to be happier, more loyal and more stable and all of those things tend to be good for the business bottom line, if you like. >> worldwide, kucountries that work shorter hours tend to have higher productivity. take for example the g 7 companies. germans work less but they are one of the most productive with an avenue gdp per hour 30% higher than italy or japan, among the hardest working current trees in the g7. >> carson says there have been unexpected benefits on. people take fewer sick days leaving doctors' appointments for fridays. he said it's a powerful recruiting tool. >> i get some angry cos that accuse us of stealing their people. i always laugh when people say that because what they don't realize is that we treat people

like humans here. >> 36% of employers nationwide allow at least some of their employees to have a 4-day work week. usually, that involves flexible hours during the summers on fridays. >> i think it has to come from the cos or executives or founders. you know, and the trouble is a lot of those folks like working. a few gm and chrysler plants . d manufacturing are more likely to work a 4-day 10 hour week. >> we work 48-hour days. we don't work 4 tens. not trying to trick anybody. >> it's easy to think people are slacking but stakes at treehouse are high. >> we have had to let people go. you have to be able to perform here. >> his bottom line. : employees are efficient and happy even if the company grows more slowly as a result. >> i think short-term, we probably have been hurt a little bit. but we are still growing at over

100% year in revenue. so, i am okay with that. you know, it seems good enough. >> jen rogers of "real money". the terrifying experience some migrants go through after they have been caught trying to cross the border. you are watching "al jazeera america."

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welcome back to al jazeera america. i am del walters. these are your headlinestises hour. two supreme court rulings, the court limiting the use of recess appointments and said buffer zones around abortion clinics are unconstitutionals. prime minister nouri al-malaki said parliament will convene july 1st. we have learned in baghdad, a bombing has left 19 people dead, 42 people injured. every year, thousands cross the borders of the u.s. entering the country illegally. many now being held in immigration centers before being deported. in our series on the border, we

meet an immigrant suing over her treatment at a customs center in texas. natasha ganame has her story. >> maria says she was traumatized by the two weeks she spent in federal detention centers in text as in february, 2013. >> translator: i thought i was going to die. i was desperate, very desperate. i needed help. no one would help me. >> the 26-year-old undocumented immigrant is afraid to show her face on camera but she wants people to be held accountable so she is suing customs and border protection or cdp. >> my wife is not the same because i have horrendous memories. yes deserve to go through this. >> she said she wore these blood stained clothes for almost two weeks while detained after agents refused to provide enough feminine hygiene products and a change of clothing. >> i felt embarrassed. no one deserves that treatment. >> maria says there wasn't enough food or water and it was so cold in the cells, her lips

cracked and she had to huddle with others to stay warm. she says she has a heart condition, die interpretiabeted hypertension and depression and wasn't allowed to access her medicine. she says agents also denied her proper medical treatment even when she passed out. finally, she signed papers agreeing to be deported after she says agents threatened her with imprisonment. three rights groups say hundreds of others echo her story. in addition to her lawsuit, at least eight complaints have been filed against c bp. >> honestly, you know, i have heard so many stories, we treat our animals better. >> we have repeatedly asked cpb to address a little bit and tell us its policies regarding detention facilities. a spokesman would direct us only to this comment saying the complains will be investigated. >> i have demonstrated my commitment to not only those types of investigations and the

transparency but let me make a really significant point. in my multiple trips with the border patrol agents, i have been watching them do absolutely heroic efforts. >> a cbb sxwishl who did not want to be named said the holding cells are kept at 70 to 75 degrees. people are fed every six hours and sanitary products and blankets are provided upon request. the official says there are no showers or bedding because the goal is to move i am grasped out within 12 to 18 hours but with the crisis of the border, that may not always be possible. maria's attorney says c bp fails to enforced its own policies. >> there is a culture of impunity that actually encourages bad behavior. >> they don't have the right to treat people this way. someone has to put a stop to the situation. >> maria is now seeking asylum and hoping to bre her 10-year-old daughter to the u.s. natasha ganame, al jazeera, new

york. >> thank you for watching "al jazeera america." i am del walters "talk to al jazeera" is next. your work-up update: -- world cup update the: germany 1. the u.s.a. nil. the match continues in brazil. independence 2.0. >> the gettysburg address, the america's most important speech, the words of abraham lincoln is the latest of burns work. >> the flawed hypocrisy of thompson jefferson's original declarations. >> one doubling down to one of the families, the rooz veez