. >> good afternoon. welcome to al-jezeera america. thank you so much for joining us. here are the stories we are following just for you. the fighting continues in iraq where the battles on the ground could soon be overshadowed by a political crisis. president obama requests $2 billion to crack down on immigration. up, and up and away. nasa gets ready for a mission to mars.

♪ the iraqi army stands poised to take back tick tikrit as government forces are said to be within striking distance of sadham hussein's hometown. nooiblt three weeks now, imran khan brings us the latest from baghdad. >> the battle iraqi ready to go into the city. they say that they are amassing reinforcement and they will go down they are amassing there. pro-isil and social media accounts say they are ready for the fight in the town and they have brought in reinforcements. while all of this goes on, there has been a delivery of hardware from the russians to the iraqis of five fighter jets.

the f-16s that were promised by america to iraq haven't been delivered and that has an oiled many senior iraqi politicians including -- conclusions the prime minister, himself, at the very highest levels. there have been conversations between the iraqis and americans about trying to speed up this delivery they gone to the russians who have managed these five aircraft within 24 hours. >> means the iraqis say that they will have superior air power nuhopes could be de-railed by the country's infighting. the national alliance party headed by former prime minister eyott a's alwai say they will skip this month's in his own

way, he continues to wage war against his long time enemy, prime minister nouri al-malaki. there can be no political reconciliation. there can be no peace unless an interim salvation unless he takes control to carry out reforms. >> wi-informed sunni politicians, in fact, we warned them not to aetend the pardon me parliament meeting they will be accepting the killing of sunnis by al-malaki's malishas. >> a national salvation government has been dismissed instead he called for the recently e elected parliament to meet on july 1st to start the process of forming a government.

>> washington is in a difficult pog. suleiman once cooperated with the u.s. years later, he is refusing to fight the isil until the u.s. reviews its policies. >> it needs to review its support to this government. some of their statements are unacceptable when they say they will support the iraqi army. what army? there is no army in iraq. thermalmal's sectarian militias. they are the real threat to

iraq: three members of somali security forces were shot and killed today in mogadishu. al shabaab has vow today wage attacks during ramahdan. a suicide attack on thursday that killed two african union peacekeepers as well as a somali officer. israel warplanes struck targets in gaza overnight. those attacks were in retaliation of rockets launched from gaza. one hit a building until israel. 60 rockets have targeted israel this month prompting a warning from israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu. three ukrainian soldiers were killed today in fighting with separatits in the east.

al jazeera paul brennan has the latest. the latest official army footage showed yet another exchange of fire just north ofslavslav this weekend. the army patrol speeds past a burned out ukrainian checkpoint where it was said three soldiers had been killed in a separatist attack. nearby kramatorsk is controlled. the new commander here says he takes his orders from the russian known as igor strakov. deals proposed elsewhere don't concern him. >> translator: we have one boss and his demancommands will be cd out. regarding that, i don't think it's politics. i am a military man. >> it's important to appreciate that in this part of the world, the separatist command structure is actually a patchwork of different authorities. cease-fires which are proposed

by separatist leaders in donetsk in that direction are routinely rejected and ignored by separatist militia leaders inslavslav, five kilometers in that direction. we have heard art illery fire while we have been standing here. finding piece here in eastern ukraine means resolving sxleks differences, rivalries between these different separatists commanders all of which leaves residents caught in the crossfire. many people have simply left. but the elderly are often too frail to flee. >> it's so scary. we suffered so much in world war ii and now we have this war. it's scary. >> others are just weary of conflict. probably the whole population here wants just peace and quiet. it will be difficult to find people who support either side because you can see how the city is. >> in kiev president poroshenko is faced with a dilemma and

growing dissent. his original ceasefire did not result in a surrender, extending it a second time risks angering his own supporters. >> a week of unilateral truce did not bring any results except deaths of soldiers. ab extra truce will not bring any results either. >> poroshenko announced a truce a week ago. 20 people died within that time. then he extended it by three more days. our young boys awere killed yesterday. four were killed the day before yesterday. how long can it last? . >> it cannot last. a crucial decision is looming. paul brennan, al jazeera. . >> northern nigeria, attacks on four churches today killed at least 15 people. the assault took place in two villages a few miles from where nearly 300 girls were abducted by boka haram rebels back in april. andrew simmons is in abuju with

the latest on today's attacks. >> suspected insurgents appear to have attacked at least three settlement in a district known as katakari, five kilometers from chibok from where school girls, 276 of them, were abducted 76 days ago. 219 still missing. according to reports, both guns and explosive devices were used and four churches were attacked. it was clearly an steplite to intimidate and to tear arise the people living in this area which is a no-go zone from anyone apart from those who lived there and the nigerian military. we are hearing that these attacks were prolonged over a period of around four hours but are now over. this is a really intense part of the operation involving boka haram, it would appear, with attacks all over the northeast and indeed here in the capitol on wednesday. 22 people were killed in a

bombing. and the president, "goodluck" jonathan had called on a country for vigilance right across the board, and he warned people that they shouldn't keep criticizing the security forces but should help them instead. but it would appear that there is now confidence on an all-time low basis here no one is satisfied with the level of protection in any part of the northeast or, indeed, the capital. as far as the attacks go, they are happening almost on a daily basis. >> and in india two construction company directors are under arrest after a building collapse in shanai on saturday. at least nine are dead and more than 100 are believed to be trapped in a building collapse in deli delhi. those clasps have become common where people build extra floors on top of old structures that don't have permits. >> a me from the white house to congress, the president asking for more than $2,000,000,000 to

help security the nation's borders addressing a growing human maintarian crisis. president obama will send a letter to lawmakers tomorrow asking for emergency funds just to stop unaccompanied children from crossing into the united states to central america. >> our direct message to the families in central america: do not send your children to the borde borders. if they do make it, they will get september back. more importantly, they may not make it. >> according to the white house, obama hopes to give homeland security even more power so they can make it easier and quicker to deport immigrants back home. also, the president will push for tougher penalties for smugglers also called coyotes who guide these kids across the border illegally. since late last year, more than 52,000 kids and 39,000 women with children have been caught making that very journey. al jazeera's paul beban met with people in honduras who were willing to split up their entire families just for the possibility of a better future. . >> in the stands of a

neighborhood soccer field in san pedro sula, alex fernandes told me how much he misses his little brother, axel. >> translator: we were always together, him and me. it was like that connection between two brothers. i tried to take care of him. yes think he had it in him to leave. now, i am basically alone. >> this spring, 15-year-old axel headed north. i met him in april after he traveled more than 2000 miles from san pedro to nogales, mexi mexico. after a failed attempt to cross the desert, he surrendered. to the u.s. border patrol and was allowed to join his father in houston where he has been living undocumented for nearly a decade. axel's case is now in u.s. immigration court. >> back home, alex, a college student told me studies hard and keeps his head down but he said the bad guys had his eye on their popular and out going younger brother, afraid of being forced to join a gang he decided to leave.

>> alex was getting to the age where he was going to have problems with delinquenc and gangs. they were the ones that forced him to go to the u.s. . >> san pedro sula is often called the murder capitol of the world, grand zero for gang battles. it's the deadliest city on earth in a country not formally at war. we were told without a military escort we would be killed or kidnapped immediately if we went anywhere near alex and axle's home. it's in a part of town completely in the grip of the gangs. >> this is a neighborhood outside of san pedro su will. a where his brothers and sisters grew up. we will not take you to their neighborhood because being here with police protection would draw attention to his family and that's what they are very concerned about. all of these businesses pay protection extortion money. these communities pay extortion money. it's the kind of place where you are either in with the gangs or you are out. axle decided to get out. >> many who don't get out end up in a place like this, juvenile

prison. most of these kids are gang members. prison social worker carlos peniera says they face a grim future. >> what kind of options do kids this anal have? is it either the gangs or head north? >> the sad reality is the day they age out and step out of the door of the facility, they are going to find the same situation that put them here in the first place. >> they threw a grenade in here. >> and inside is just as dangerous. a few weeks ago, five kids were killed here in a gang clash. in a town square not far from her home, alex and axle's mother, dora agreed to meet me. even here, she was wary of being overheard talking about the gangs and her sons. >> i have to be very cautious to say what i am about to say. there are some things you are not supposed to say here. you join or you are killed. boys as young as 12, 15 years

old had to leave. leaving seems to be the only solution. >> axle is in the u.s. now, but he may have to come home. he may be deported. what's going to happen to him if he has to come home? >> if he ended up back here and he didn't go back to the states quickly, they would kill him. >> that's what would happen. >> beban, honduras. >> from libya to washington, the next steps with the man accused of mather mining the attack on the u.s. consulate inbi benning benjamin plus, we are in seattle. get arrested for some types of drug or prostitution activity here, and you have less than an hour to decide. get help or get booked. we will have that story coming up.

libyan suspect accused in the 2012 attack on the u.s. facility in bennibin benghazi ik in court next week.

he pleaded not guilty yesterday to a federal terrorism charge at the u.s. district court in washington, d.c. authorities believe he was the leader of the attack that killed u.s. ambassador christens and 3 other americans. the war on drugs has been fought for decades. now, police in seattle are trying a new approach. instead of offering offenders head cuffs, they are he can tending some sound advice t. >> reporter: seattle police patrol on bikes. >> are you doing okay, man? you are not looking good right now. >> looking for and talking to people using or dealing drugs. they encounter skylar. >> what's your drug of choice. >> heroin. >> they are familiar places to police, long-time addicts who often get arrested but instead of handcuffs, officers now offer hope. >> we got subpoena here that could expedite that today. would you want us to do that. >> definitely. >> police team up with social service agencies in an innovative pilot program called lead or law enforcement assisted diversion. officers can choose to arrest

non-violent law breakers or put them in contact with a lead counsel lor who can help them get food, housing and medical care. >> he was smoking crack cocaine in the alley. i could have arrested him for that. instead, officer burns works to convince michael, this long-time street resident to get help and avoid more jail time. >> this is the seattle neighborhood where police are looking for drug and prostitution activity. the non-violent offenders have less than an hour to decide, be directed to social services for help or be booked. >> you have been sober for over a year. >> two years, two months and six days or seven days. >> abraham decided to enter lead after several years in and out of jail? >> it may be 20 miss demeanors and seven felonies. >> his case manager connects him directly to the services he needs and makes sure he follows through. >> doing this work, not to just do it, you know, get all of these services for them but to teach them how to do it so they

can be self sustaining. >> services which can be initially costly but king county prosecute dan satterberg things long-term, it's the solution. >> we are going to save more money than we invest in emergency room costs and courtroom costs and jail and prison costs. all of those things. we don't expect perfection. we are there to provide that kind of support, that gradually leads to somebody getting off of the street and having more success in their life and not being a burden to the public. >> abraham agrees. >> programs like it should be implemented across the nation. >> during patrol, officer burns tells michael he's better off going with this lead counsel lor than staying on the streets. >> leat's go do it. >> good job. >> doesn't take much convincing. >> sabrina register, al jazeera, seattle. >> ebony dion is here with a look. what can we expect this beautiful sunday?

>> it is beautiful. spots here across the northeast, great wrap-up but in the parts of the upper midwest, we are looking for more strong storms to develop. we have been shing storms popping up around duluth. watching a batch of rain moving through parts of kansas and nebraska and our flood warnings do remain up all along the mississippi river, just north of the st. louis area. we have been dealing with this flooding for quite some time around minneapolis-st. paul. we have some video i want to show you where the rivers have overrun their banks. the ground has been very saturated and so far this month, we have picked up over 11 inches of rain. typically, we only see a little under four inches. nearly three times as much rain as we wouldstrum get. it's got roads washed out completely and even playgrounds under water. now, as we go through the next couple of days, we will keep that rain threat around. it's going to be scattered showers and storms. so not an all out rain event but as far as the rivers are concerned, flooding will persist

for three days. large rivers starting to recede some. we crested around thursday and friday along the mississippi and it looks like we will stay at least above flood stage until next weekend. so just keep that in mind. more rain is expected as well as the threat of strong storms. we have this cold front stretching up. it's going to be heading off to the great lakes as we get into the day monday on into tuesday. so, multiple day event is what we are dealing with. really watching out for not only the heavy rain threat but damaging winds and hail as well as a few toranados. by monday and tuesday, here is a look at the progress of that frontal boundary. st. louis, chicago. it looks like you will be in line for the start of the work week. and then the northeast, high pressure hanging on. we will start to get a little more moisture moving here as we continue to see temperatures climbing, it will feel a little more human and as we take a look here across the southern plains, lower mississippi valley, mainly quiet. however, into tennessee, we have had a persistent rain event and it has brought seven inches of rainfall into memphis. flash flooding there as well.

>> not so pretty. thanks, epknee -- eboni. it might look like something out of sciencefication movie. the newest craft is designed to land on mars. it was hauled 23 miles into the atmosphere by a balloon and then it was released. the saucer is known as the low-density super sonic decelerator. while its parachute didn't fully deploy, it did splash down safely in the pacific ocean. stay tuned because still ahead, an update of our top stories plus what exactly is in a name? a lot of bad memories for a resident in a city formerly known as stalin grad. >> and more coming up. don't forget to tune in for the week ahead. we will take a look at sex assault cases in the military and again, that's tonight at 8:30 eastern, 5:30 pacific.

>> good afternoon to you. welcome back to al jazeera

america. thank you for joining us. i am morgan radford. hear are today's headlines. tikrit has become the center of the rebellion. it's believed the rebels are still in control. there is more fighting in ukraine today where the defense ministry released this video showing government troops exchanging fire with rebels in the east. >> president obama said to ask con congress tomorrow for $2,000,000,000 to crack down on illegal immigration. last year, more than 52,000 children and 39,000 women with children have been caught trying to cross the border. >> so consider this a sign of the times. in russia, there is a debate about changing the name of the city of volgegrad. until 1961 that city was known as stalin grad. some want that name back. al jazeera's sue turtin has more.

recounting moscow's darkest day on a tour of the city's mohammad most infamous locations, this is the secret police headquarters of those who were taken inside in the 1930s and '40s, 1% were ever seen again. there are no plaques on the walls to tell the story of the stallip purges and just joining this walk is a risk. >> if somebody wants to detain us, they can according to the few law as an event not sanctioned by the body of executive power. >> i had relatives who suffered during these times, but you hardly read about this. the government has done two things, downgraded t.v. and education. no one knows anything. >> joseph stalin enforced an at pos fear of persecution and distrust. anyone deemed an enemy of the people was arrested on the flimsiest of evidence, tried and sentenced within 24 hours. neighbor told on neighbor to try to save themselves.

a budding actor was september to the gulag for five years. >> a car pulled up as acame back from class. they grabbed me an said the need to ask questions and then i would be released. they took me to the counterintelligence offices as they searched my house, they find my diaries and saw i had written something that shouldn't be there. it was my personal diary. yes age tate anyone. >> by 1939, almost half of the 500 apartments in this one block in central moscow had been sealed. their residents sent to the gulag, just some of the millions who were imprisoned or executed in what seemed a very dark passage in soviet history but there is now a growing campaign to rehabilitate stallip's image, not least in the city that used to hold his name. >> stalin grad was renamed

volgograd in 1961. 60,000,000 people have signed a petition urging president putin to turn the clock back. >> translator: stallip is not personally responsible for any repress. otherwise, this would have been proven in court that the leader of the ussr was intensely killing his own people and would have explained why. no one has managed to prove that yet. . >> putin who has credited stallip for winning the second world war and turning the soviet union into an industrial giant didn't dismiss the idea. . >> in accordance with our law, it is a decision of the region. the citizens of the city should hold a referendum and make a joint decision. we will do what the people decide. >> but for those whose relatives were killed in the purges, this would be an insult. for them, stalin is one historical figure who will never be forgotten but will never be

celebrated. sue turtin, al jazeera, moscow. >> thanks so much for watching al jazeera america. i am morgan radford live from new york. stay tuned because 101 east is coming up next.