>> announcer: this is al jazeera. ♪ hello there. and welcome to the news hour. live from our headquarters in doha. i'm shiulie ghosh, coming up in the next 60 minutes. israel strikes hamas targets after the bodies of three missing settlers are found in the west bank. dozens feared dead in nigeria after a car bomb tears through a market in an eastern city. iraq's parliament fails in

its first step towards forming a new government. and the messy beds that may make them millions. tracy's piece goes under the hammer in london. ♪ >> in israel, mourners are taking part in funerals for the three settlers who's bodies were found in the occupied west bank on monday. the young men went missing on july 12th. benjamin netenyahu says hamas is responsible and will pay. israeli forces have destroyed the homes of the main suspects and a [ inaudible ] was shot dead during a raid. and gaza has been hit by 34 air strikes in response to rocket fire. hamas denies involvement and warning it will open the gates of hell if israeli attacks.

clearly, this is very intense situation indeed especially with the funerals starting for those three settlers. >> it is shiulie, and we are waiting for what the israeli government is about to decide should happen or should be included in a response, because as you mentioned the israeli prime minister said the response will be harsh. benjamin netenyahu is going to participate in the funeral processions for the three settlers just outside of jerusalem. he is expected to give a speech. after that he is expected to join his cabinet ministers for another meeting to discuss a possible or a potential response to the killing of these three teenage settlers. as you know there was a cabinet meeting last night. it was adjourned without any

announcements or decisions. it appears there may be some divisions within the israeli cabinet on how exactly to respond to this issue. as you know this is a right-wing government, and this right-wing government pretty much dictates what action the israeli government could take on the ground. however, there are other voices promoting other ways to respond to this -- this crisis by building a wave of new settlements in the onning pied west bank. but some say this needs to be an extensive crackdown against palestinians and hamas. >> everyone waiting to see what israel will do next. what about the unity go this is

putting a lot of pressure on them. >> well, i think he has heard these comments from israel even before he formed the unity government. this unity government is a -- a difficulty one to keep up. it is -- also has a lot of work to do in terms of paving the way for elections. it won't be a very easy task for him and the unity government to follow through. we have heard statements from the palestinian national authorities saying they have had nothing to do with what happened. and hamas did seem resilient, earlier in june, and insisting this government. but as you mentioned any response by israel especially if it's a military response, could put this unity government under

threat and at risk of continuing its mission and task to set up for elections -- general elections in about six month's time. >> thank you for updating us. earlier we asked israel's government spokesman about the military operation in gaza. >> >> our operation up until now has been primarily defensive. over the last month you have had some 80 rockets fired from gaza into israel. and yesterday my prime minister said clearly, either you shop the shotting or we will do it ours. >> joining me now is a senior fattah official. welcome to the program. the israeli government is saying that these deaths of these three settlers are a consequence of fattah's alliance with hamas,

and that alliance must end. what do you say to that? >> i say it's really a consequence of netenyahu's policies that he has chosen settlements over peace, that he blocked the diplomatic path to release palestinian prisoners, to push ahead with the two-state solution, and you saw what he has done, and the person who is responsible is mr. netenyahu and his government. said we had his minister of war saying that we will build settlements in honor of these three settlers. so they are not taking this as an opportunity to reassess their very ill conceived policy, but unfortunately to press ahead with their very public campaign now. the campaign is first war fair to engage against mainly

civilians who has no international intervention to stop their bleeding. and the second is political, which is the weakening of fattah, hamas and the blockage of any possibility of reconciliation, because he knows coming back to the project is putting life and blood into the dying two-state solution. he doesn't want that -- >> what do you think will happen now? because this is clearly putting not just the unity government but the whole way forward under immense pressure? >> more, more blood will be spilled by us, by the palestinian people. the israel government is going to commit crimes again and again. they have already killed nine palestinians over the last two weeks, as you may have reported,

nosily civilians, mostly kids by the way -- ids by the way -- [ technical difficulties ] >> do you accept the settler deaths were the responsibility of hamas, and has the authority tried to figure out who has done it? >> of course we have the fears and concerns, of course. because we knew -- we knew that this incident will be regardless of who did it and why they did it, and who and where and all of these questions -- we knew this incident will just be a give on

a gold plate for mr. netenyahu. somebody who was under attack body who was under attack [ technical difficulties ] >> open the gates of hell if israel attacks. >> it's because of people who pay, not the hamas, it's the west bank people, the palestinian people, it's the chances of really striking a political deal, it's the chances of living as neighbors that are being struck here, not hamas. and israel has used this policy

for many years, the policy of siege and blockade and bombardment. let us succeed in trying to really build a inclusive political system, and ensuring that even hamas is part of our political system. at least what we offer here is real, real chance for advancement, given the last 60 years of mayhem here. and we are going to international solutions to the united nations, insisting on our people on engaging in non-violence resistance. and building an inclusive platform. if mr. netenyahu means business and really, really wanted a two-state solution, this would have been an historic opportunity for him. but he doesn't want it. he wants his cake and eat it too, he wants the land without the people, and he will keep

doing what he is telling his people to do, annex the land. this is what is coming of israel. the greater israeli project is the only agenda mr. netenyahu has. >> thank you so much for you time. a car bomb has exploded in northeast nigeria, killing at least 17 people with many more feared dead. the explosion happened in the strong hold of boko haram. andrew simmons joins us live from the capitol. andrew have we got any more details about that explosion? >> shiulie, the ministry of defense is saying there was a van, which was packed with improvised explosive device, covered over with charcoal, and it drove up to a busy market area in this city, and detonated. it was a suicide bomber. there are varied reports because

four hospitals are involved in the casualty operation. but really the estimates vary between 15 to more than 30. i think you can expect a lot of dead here. undoubtedly according to the security forces, all of the hallmarks of a boko haram attack. it is really a scene of chaos. these cell phone images we can -- i think we just got in, give you some idea of the situation there. it's not a very well constructed market. it's a typical african market. it is normally teeming with people around 8:30 on tuesday when it is thought the bomb went off. a lot of people shopping and milling around, directing at civilians obviously. a tactic by boko haram to attack urban areas with bombs, and the

rural areas with gunfire, burning homes. it is an absolutely appalling situation in nigeria right now. >> yeah, and they are very high profile attacked. people killed. people kidnapped. has the nigerian government got any kind of grip on this situation? >> it would appear not. certainly any observer would tell you that the situation is out of control. there is the occasional good news but it is quickly taken over by events on the ground. one businessman and two women have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping of over 200 schoolgirls. the military are struggling, there is no doubt about it.

and i saw -- when i visited recently, we spent time with the vigilante forces, and so much responsibility rests with these vigilantes. they are paid by the state. they are really the front line against terror. the military do what they can as well. check points all over a very large area, incredible area, really, it takes you more than 12 hours to get here from the capitol here. it should take really more like seven or eight if it wasn't for all of the roadblocks, and of course, still despite all of the efforts they are unable to secure anybody's lives in this area. three states involved, millions of people, and terror throughout the area also here in the capitol, which has been subject to attack last wednesday with that car bomb that killed 22

people right in the very heart of the city. a very bad situation. >> yes, thank you andrew for bringing us up to date. still to come here on the news hour. former french president is held for questioning over a corruption probe. anger in japan as the government expands the role of the military. and algeria puts up a good fight, but it goes down to germany as the final african team is knocked out of the world cup. we'll have all of the details in sport. ♪ now iraq's parliament has adjourned for a week after they failed to agree on a speaker for a new unity government. prime minister nouri maliki is under intense pressure. imran khan has the latest from bagdad. >> a disappointing performance

by iraq's parliament. many here in iraq are wondering just quite what went wrong. they were supposed to meet, and elect a speaker of the house, that then triggers a constitutional process, giving them 45 days to elect a prime minister. they net -- not very long, but they didn't come up with speaker of the house. now both the international community and iraqis are going to be disappointed. the international community has been pushing hard, saying we need to get an elected government in place so we can move on and give you more help in the crisis that iraq faces. the iraqis themselves were looking forward to seeing a speaker of the house, giving them some hope that their government was going to be formed quite quickly. in 2010, it took them nearly eight months to form a government. this session has been delayed a week, so we'll see what happens then. but a lot of iraqis very

disappointed right now. there is a kurdish group fighting the rebels in iraq. here is our report. >> reporter: this kurdish general has been losing men on the front line. they show me a piece of the mortar that hit their makeshift base. they blame fighters belonging to isil now renamed simply the islamic state. >> translator: this is strategic territory, and we are obliged to be here to fight it. they want to reach kurkuk city. >> reporter: when sunni armed groups swept through the sunni heartland a few weeks ago, they

laid claim to the districts, and they managed to take over a village, and they are now based here. >> translator: the iraqi army fled the area when islamic fighters stormed it. we had to take position here to protect the people. >> reporter: the forces were never based here, the sunni offensive allowed kurdish forces to expand their areas of control. this is part of the district which lies on the front line. it's an area populated by shiite turkmen, well it used to be at least. people have fled. it is now under the protection of forces, but the iraqi flag is still hoisted here. the armed men don't want to be filmed. they are turkmen members of the iraqi police force and still wearing their uniforms, but they

feel abandoned by the government in bagdad and cheated by the kurds. >> translator: there are those who want to divide iraq in to three regions. the kurds are involved in this plan. they are just protecting the territory they grabbed. >> reporter: shiite turkman fighters have tried but failed to retake the area. they reluctantly admit without them, the flag of the self declared islamic state would be here instead. turkey's prime is running for president. it will be the country's first vote for directly elected president. one group he is trying to court are the kurds. bernard smith explains why. >> reporter: for turkey's kurds the political outlook has never

been brighter. they are now being actively courted by the prime minister as he runs for the presidency. significantly, he is kick-starting a two year old peace process with kurdish activists. for almost 30 years they have been fighting for a separate state in turkey's southeast. >> translator: it's very clear the calculation is to attract the kurdish vote. there has been foot dragging over the past two years. but he still man ages to keep up the expectations of the wider kurdish population, by telling them that i'm the only person to solve this problem. >> reporter: the presidency has generally been ceremonial. this is the first time turks will vote directly for their head of state. if he wins he is expected to use

that popular mandate to make his office more executive and less ceremonial. kurds make up around a fifth of turkey's population. >> for the first time they are in a very strong compared to before, position. but they are dealing with a very skillful politician, foxy, more often than not, shrewd and always able to make moves for his positioning more than anything else. >> reporter: when these people were school children they were banned from singing or speaking in their language. they have now improved their cultural rights. the kurds will rely on him to continue doing that if he assumes the presidency.

bernard smith, al jazeera, istanbul. tens of thousands have taken part in a prodemocracy demonstration in hong kong. it's the 17th anniversary of the territory's return to chinese rule. demonstrators want beijing to grant the special administrative region, full electoral freedom. adrian brown has been covering the situation, and says the protests could be bad for business. >> reporter: hong kong is a noisy place at the best of times, it will be extra noisy today. this is a belief that china is interfering too much in hong kong's affairs. people here are angry that the new leader will not be elected in a free vote. china says that cannot happen. remember, this is the only place

in china, which enjoyed the sort of democratic freedoms that hong kong has. but hong kong says it wants more freedom. china says that goes against the spirit of the joint deck collation that was signed in 1997. so you have a deepening polarization of views. hong kong is a very law-abiding place, but the potential for civil disobedience is there, which is why so many police will be on duty. some protesters will be staging a mass takeover of a business center. former french president is being held for questioning by fraud investors. it's alledged he was getting

inside information about a separate investigation into his 2007 election funding. >> reporter: on his way into police custody, he becomes the first former president of france to be detained by the police at this station near paris. he is being questioned over allegations that he tried to convert the course of justice. that he offered a prestigious job to a judge in exchange for inside information against him. the police want to know if he was illegally warned that his mobile phone had been tapped by police who were working on an ongoing investigation into the previous election of him. there are claims he took money from the former libyan leader. he says that is ridiculous.

other allegations surround this woman. some call her the richest women in france. he was accused of taking envelopes stuffed full of cash by her. but he and several other officials are awaiting trial in that case. supporters say he is the victim of a witch hunt. it is a complicated tangle of affairs, but one thing is clear, that his path back to political power, he has hinted he would like to run for president again -- is running into more illegal obstacles. >> this is clearly a very interesting case. made even more so that this is, i believe the first time a

former first head of state of france has been actually taken into custody and held for questioning. >> true, you can say it is good news and bad news. the good news is it shows that nobody is above the law in france. the investigative judges are very powerful in france. but it's also bad news because it smells like political revenge by a socialist government, which is very, very, very low in the polls, which polled like third, number three in the last election, and only 3% of the french citizens wish him to do a second term after 2017 because they -- they -- the way the socialists are managing france is a catastrophe.

there's a big economic failure. and germany is quite successful in terms of employment, exports and so on, and france is a catastrophe. so economically the government is in a very dire situation, and of course you have political consequences and they are below. so it smells like political revenge, and what you said in your report, you said that he promised a good post to this judge that would have informed him. he is not in a position to promise any job, because he left powers -- he left power in may of 2012, and the former president had no power at all. >> but he is being accused of using his influence, isn't he? investigators are saying he had a whole network of informants that he was getting information from, and this came to light

after his phone was tapped? >> yeah, i mean the case is very slim. he has been listen -- i mean there was a huge police effort to listen to -- to be his phone calls, as if he was a huge drug dealer or criminal, and people don't think it's decent. i mean nobody believes that he took money from [ inaudible ] if he had why he did not show the receipts, look this man is fighting me -- >> but was he -- >> $50 million for his electoral campaign. >> what do you say that he wants to make a comeback in 2017. is that going to scuttle his chances? >> yeah, of course.

because everybody is fighting everybody in france, and the only one who has got a name and can come back and feel young and very energetic is this man. yes, he made a lot of mistakes when he was in power, but for the moment the only name that could unite the right to at least have some kind of motivation for the right-wing supporters would be sarcozi. i don't see anybody else that could gather the right-wing supporters behind him. you have to remember that the right -- the conservative party of france if you would like, is number two in the last elections, because number one is the formal nationale who is an extreme right party. >> thank you very much indeed.

>> you are welcome. so he is obviously facing a big storm there, and there are a lot of storms on the way, the first one of the atlantic hurricane season is here. we have steph with all of the weather. >> we have already seen a lot of rain in parts of the u.s. you can see exactly where it has been. miami. that's where the clouds have been. and that's where we have seen 98 millimeters of rain in the last two days. it is this area to the east that has become a tropical depression. and we're expecting to run its way northwards, and that will give it the energy it needs to become a hurricane, by the time it edges towards north carolina, that's when we're expecting it to be at its strongest, but there's a great deal of uncertainty as to its roots. so we'll keep our eyes on that

storm. certainly over the next 24 to 48 hours, it's florida where we'll see the wettest of the weather. this will stick around for the rest of day and through wednesday as well. so do expect there to be a lot of rain. the only storm we have got with us, though, if we head across the west of mexico, we can see two blobs of clouds here. they are going to work their way towards the west, though, so stay away from mexico, but they have intensified across many parts. >> steph, thanks very much indeed for that. a reminder of our top stories now, in israel funerals are being held for the three settlers whose bodies were found in this occupied west bank.

netenyahu accused has -- hamas is responsible and be pay. and iran's parliament has filed in its first step towards forming a working government. the hope is that a unity government will end the political dead lock. the prime minister has lost popular support while rebels in the northwest have claimed it is an islamic state. first of all, let's start with the fact that the iraqi parliament failed to elect a speaker. it had to adjourn. it's not a great start. are you surprised? >> no, actually i'm not surprised. i think people have stopped having high expectations of iraqi politicians judging by their track records over the last 11 years, but even by their

standards this is really a new low. there seems to be no appreciation for the gravity of the situation. there's no sense of an emergency pervading the country, or a crisis that needs to be solved. this seems to be business as usual. no sense of unity. just absolutely unable to grasp the gravity of the situation. >> sources in iraq are saying it could take weeks for a cabinet to be put in place. is there faith that nouri maliki is going to be more inclusive and have an effective power-sharing deal. >> well, again, i'm not hopeful, but this entire episode is bigger than nouri maliki. this issue is far bigger than maliki. on the one hand you have a threat that is existential not

just to the government, but to the entire order. and we saw it's not just maliki or state of law. the entire political class seems to lack direction and sense of purpose to really address this. so i'm not sure where maliki can come up with an inclusive power-sharing deal. and i think he has lost so much credibility, and the levels of mistrust against him are so deep, that even a sincere and workable plan might fail if item nates from a government hailed by himself. >> let's just say that a power-sharing cabinet is agreed on, it's one that is representative, is that going to actually solve the problem? you have this group the islamic state saying they have established a leader. if you resolve the political

problems, can you still resolve the security problem? >> i don't think so. inevitably there needs to be a political solution to suck the venom out, but there has to be a mill stair solution as well. groups like is or the [ inaudible ] groups, i don't think they are interested in negotiations or an inclusive go, i don't think a cabinet position is going to placate them. a military solution is required for that threat. and i do not have faith in the iraqi government being able to really handle that. i don't think they have telecapability. they might not even have the will to actually try to retake all of the territories lost. and even if they are able to do that, how are they going to hold on to this territory? a political solution or what might look like a political

solution, say an inclusive go, whatever that means is not a magic wand. and on that we shouldn't forget that the previous government, part of the reason it was such a problem is it includes every iraqi government. if it is just dishing out cabinet positions and just dividing up the national pie to silence opposition, that clearly didn't work the last time around with the so-called national unity government that meant that no one was willing to take up the vital role of a democratic opposition. >> thank you very much indeed for speaking with us. japan has made an historic move away from its passfist post world war ii policy.

harry fawcett reports. >> reporter: there's no doubt that japan's military trains to fight, but since the end of world war ii it never has. japan's constitution has limited its soldiers to defense of the nation on home soil until now. the prime minister announced that he has won cabinet approval to allow japan come to the aid of an ally. >> i have the heavy responsibility as the prime minister to protect the livelihoods of our citizens. taking that into account this cabinet revolution will begin changes to lay the framework for a new security situation. >> reporter: he said he had to respond to a changing environment. >> translator: for the sake of world stability and peace, japan will contribute more than it has up to this point.

any conflict must be resolved bt any force but through international law and diplomacy. >> reporter: and poll out this week put opposition at 50%. many of those protesting are angered by the fact that the people or the representatives have been bypassed. as controversial as the change is the way he has gone about it. rather than trying to amend the constitution, which would require a two-thirds majority, he has simply chosen to reinterpret the existing language. >> translator: he acted rashly and ignored the constitution. as a japanese citizen it is simply and absolutely astonishes me. >> reporter: it has also provoked predictably hostile reaction from its neighbors. this was the scene outside the

japanese embassy in the south korean capitol. confrontation between the two countries over disputed islands was cited by the administration as one reason of updating its policies. the united states is now welcoming its emergence as a more active military partner. villagers in india say they no longer want to live in the firing line of an army artillery range. instead they want tourists to enjoy think beautiful region. >> reporter: this woman can't forget the 19th of may. that's when her grandchildren, 10-year-old, and 6-year-old were playing with something that looked like a ball. it turned out to be a shell that exploded on the front steps of

their home. it killed her granddaughter and seriously wounded her grand son. >> translator: they told their father they were just playing. he left, and i heard an explosion. when i came out my granddaughter was in pieces. >> reporter: years ago this man found a shell close to his village he was carrying it home when he accidentally dropped it. >> translator: when i see that those children were hurt, i have flashbacks of my own accident. >> reporter: for 50 years the indian army has test fired artillery from this shot. the shells land in a sprawling meadow that is also used by sheperds from the surrounding villages. the government and army say many of the accidents are the result of curious villagers finding

them in the field. but despite that community leaders say that since the firing range was established dozens have been killed. >> they are leading a campaign to have the firing range shut down. >> the government must start a comprehensive search operation to clean up the area from these unexploded shells. >> reporter: along with the safety concerns, people say the firing range has prevented them from benefiting from a region-wide boom in tourism. the state's chief minister agrees, but cautions against oversimplifying the issue. >> you have incidents where people are looking for scrap, and end up with live ammunition causing death and injuries, so it is an emotional situation.

>> reporter: locals say this is a beautiful paradise that should be shared, but it may be a while. the army has resumed the targeting of pro-russian bases in ukraine. russia says the decision to end the ceasefire [ inaudible ] repeatedly broken by attacks including the shelling of a separatist strong hold. vladimir putin says ukraine should stop its military activity. >> translator: the president chose to renew military reaction. we were not able to convince him that the road to peace does not lie through war. after the trust was announced talks to improve the situation didn't even get started, only the ultimate um of disarmament was given, but on a long term

basis, peace is not possible with ultimatums. >> paul what has been happening in your area, and what the end of the ceasefire means for people there. >> it means frankly not a huge amount of difference, and that's because the ceasefire had been broken particularly by the separatist side. don't forget the army side of the ceasefire, they had always reserved the right to a ceasefire. and the separatists did launch attacks against army targets. so the ceasefire as it was really included firing between both sides, and all it has done is intensify in the last 12 hours, since the president announced the ceasefire would not be extended. on the outskirts -- we actually pulled out to the outskirts because there was some artillery coming in over the tops of our

heads, so we made a tactical retreat to where we are. many other people have fled. this morning we saw two bus loads of women and children essentially being taken to the russian border where they will go to guest houses and to a -- a children's home which will open its doors to them in order to provide safety. i'm absolutely pet -- petrified of what the renewed resolution means to them. we saw craters right next to a school, which is doubling up as a.com -- bomb shelter, and the separatists are using the blocks as makeshift barracks. so it's a very fine -- it's a very fine distinction, and it's not always to make those fine

distinctions in the heat of conflict. >> indeed. paul thank you. coming up here, we have all of the sport. will messi's imagine -- magic ensure victory?

al jazeera america, take a new look at news. ♪ welcome back. now it's one of the most controversial artworks in recent history. it depicts an unmade bed with crumples sheets, underwear, and cigarette butts lying around.

now it is scheduled to sell for a lot of money. emma heyward reports. >> reporter: tracy has never been one to shy away from the cameras. often controversial, always interesting. she has been a darling of the british contemporary art scene since the 1990s. now her most famous piece is going up for auction. >> it means something different then than now. now when i look at the bed it's like a ghost of myself. it's like a time capsule. >> it tells the story of a break up. it's raw and in your face. >> i don't see something ugly. i see something that saved me. i don't see something shocking that tried to hurt me. i see the complete opposite. i see the softness and gentleness about it that protected me.

i am now still protected in this bed. i still love it. >> love this piece, although 15 years after it first went on display, it has come to embody an important moment in british art. it triggered a big debate about what constitutes art. the mid-1990s saw the emergence of a new breed of artists with the formation of the young british artist movement. since then it has been a part of the prestigious royal british art. >> it has become famous and has stories behind it which adds to its value. is it a work of art in my opinion? no, it's not. it's merely an illustration of a

bit of [ inaudible ]. >> reporter: tracy's bed is expected to fetch more than a million dollars when it goes under the hammer. if only my bed were worth that much. now to sport. >> shiulie thank you so much. germany will face france in the quarter finals of the world cup. nigeria's coach has resigned after their dream ended. sarah coats reports. >> reporter: this was nigeria's first chance of ever reaching a world cup quarter final. and for 78 minutes of the game the f african opponents stood up to everything that france through at them. but then their hopes were fully dashed. france got the opening and deciding goal. then a loan goal from the

nigerian captain settled the match 2-0 in this tie. france is one step closer to claiming their first world cup title since 1998. they set up a clash with germany after they managed a 2-0 win over a brave nigerian side. in the 92nd minute, germany found the nest from just 3 meters out. the close-range strike then put the result beyond dash. algeria managed a late consolation goal. but it was too little, too late. germany now through to the next round, and algeria begin their long trip home. cameroon's football association are to investigate

seven of their players over allegations they were involved in match fixing at the world cup. they lost all three matches. the allegations were made in a german newspaper by a match maker from singapore. both ghana and nigeria were embroiled in disputes over money. all eyes will be on messi on tuesday. argentina's coach says messi is the best player at the world cup. the south american cup is just one of four teams to have won all three of their world cup games, but they face a tricky switzerland side packed with experienced players from across europe. >> translator: messi is having a great world cup. that's what all of us expected. that's what he expected. that's what his mates expected, and the whole argentine public

expected. so i'm very happy for the team in general, and also for him. it's obvious he is a key player for us. our correspondent joins me now life from bane necessary ireries. how are people there feeling about messi right now? >> well, i think maybe surprised by his grandfather's opinion. i think the opinion of most people is the only one who is really performing up to expectations is lionel messi. the rest of the team really needs to raise their level. it begs the question what game has his grandfather been watching up until now? >> do you think argentina will get any better in this

tournament? the >> i think the expectation here is that they can only really get better. obviously they won their three group matches without really performing as people here expected them to perform. okay. we're now -- argentina is now in the last 16, and i think the expectation is that really that team will gel, the rest of the team will raise their game to the level that messi has set in those opening group games, and argentina recognizes it has had it relatively easy up until now. switzerland is not the toughest of opponents. the next round will be belgium or the united states. so they really need to up their game, and for many people i think the world cup really is beginning today. >> explain what happens where you are when argentina plays. >> you can see a little bit of

action behind me, but with a little over two hours to go until kickoff, most of argentina pretty much grinds to a stand still. the streets are deserted, shops closed. people will gather in some of the cities where the councils have put up big screens, but in general absolutely dead. anybody who is not wearing an argentina shirt really isn't involved and really should be involved is infectious, the enthusiasm for the national team increasingly so as the tournament progresses, myself included. >> okay. good to talk with you daniel, we'll watch up with you a bit later. well, the final round of 16 games also features the united states taking on belgium. the belgiums won all three of their games to hop group h.

gabriel reports from salvador. ♪ >> reporter: the calming notes reverberate off of the walls of the old city. salvador was once brazil's first capitol, it is now one of the most historic places in the entire country. fitting as fans from both the u.s. and belgium are looking to make history when they face each other. on monday night hundreds of hard core supporters of the u.s. packed a ballroom in the city, a festival of red, white and blue. carry their side to victory, in a tournament the americans came in to with low expectations. they now find themselves in the final 16. >> go usa! >> go usa! >> one win away from equalling their best-ever world cup

performance in modern times. >> we have to beat belgium. we beat belgium. we go on and most likely play argentina. that will be an amazing game. >> reporter: very confident you. >> you have to be. americans we're confident people, and we have an amazing team. >> reporter: the belgiums have other ideas. where they cram into their unofficial base. the president of the belgium football federation clearly having fun. hoping some brazilian good luck would rub off on his side. >> we hope to a little against the united states because the alternative was germany, so i think we have a serious chance. don't say that -- that we will win, but i think we have a serious chance to win. >> reporter: they say the colorful city of salvador is a place that everyone is always

happy. i can't make any predictions, but i will say the fans from one of the two teams will be leaving here without a smile on their faces. the fans hope that it won't be them, that they will be able to continue this world cup party a little longer. ♪ >> reporter: back at the u.s. party, they went late into the night, not wanting this improbable ride to end. al jazeera salvador, brazil. and don't forget to join us every day for our world cup update and daily wrap of everything going on a at brazil 2014 at 1540 gmt, that's in less than two-hour's time. that's it for me for now. shiulie back to you. >> there will be a lot of people looking forward to that match. thanks very much indeed. that's it for our news hour for

me and all of our team here in doha, bye for now. ♪

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