and report... >> kidnapping is a very real problem... >> journalists on the front lines... >> sometimes that means risking death >> getting the story, no matter what it takes >> that's what the forth estate is all about... that's why i'm risking my life... >> killing the messenger on al jazeera america >> as the death toll in gaza reach triple digits we'll speak to representatives of hamas. i'i'm this is "consider this." >> the number of palestinian casualties continue to rise. >> the israel army has set more than 1100 targets.

>> more than 100 palestinians have been killed. >> prime minister benjamin netanyahu said he will not bow to international pressures. >> violence has surged in chicago. >> we have seen too much violence. >> they have access to guns and we need comprehensive gun legislation. >> if we can find the money, $4 billion. >> lebron james says he's going back to where it all started. >> the offer has hit. big with america. >> and of course the sports world seems to be taking over all of the united states. >> soccer was an immigrant sport. now that's changed. my boys will grow up knowing

soccer is an american sport. >> we begin with the severe aerial offensive that has killed 120 people in gaza. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu vowed to press on with the attacks as long as hamas continued to send rockets into israel and signaled a ground invasion may be possible. >> we're preparing for all the possibilities. >> on friday the united nations' human rights raised concerns of the offensive against gaza violates international law that bans the targeting of civilians and called on both sides to respond. >> the reports we're receiving do raise serious doubts whether actions are pa compatible with human rights laws. >> one person was seriously hurt

when a gas station in israel was hit. hamas has sent unsuccessful rockets at airport. a rocket fired from lebanon landed in northern israel raising the specker on a second. >> nick schifrin, good to see you. prime minister benjamin netanyahu is rejectin reject. >> we were out all day on the streets. we were at funerals. there are airstrikes and a lot of carnage. there is going to be more violence here in gaza.

netanyahu came out and said they was not going to bow to international pressure. there was nothing in his comments other than the fact that he would continue, the escalation would continue over the weekend, and there is clearly no letting up in sight. >> israel is accusing hamas of using communities in gaza to hide its commitment. they're getting leaflets to clear out because a bombing is coming. what have you seen? is that the case? is israel giving them warnings? is hamas hiding it's equipment in residential areas. >> it seems the answers to all

those questions is yes. there was a rocket strike just a few blocks away. there are homes around that site. there are businesses like this one where people into the media, where people in normal businesses work. there are rockets coming from areas absolutely surrounded by buildings that are inhabited by civilians. hamas on the other hand has definitely said as you suggested that nobody leave that border area. israel said that everybody get out within a space beyond the wall that separates gaza and israel, and hamas said absolutely don't move. we're seeing the two sides fight rhetorically in the media and for the same people right on the gaza border. >> and people keep dying. we're joined by tel aviv by a spokesperson for israel's

foreign ministry, thank you for joining us. we seem to be seeing history repeat itself. some 700 injured while injuries in israel are minimal. there is growing international pressure to end the conflict. what is the next step for israel. is israel open to mediation to stop this? >> look, for three weeks prior to the start of operation defensive edge, we said publicly and we said privately repetitively that calm would be answered with calm. quiet would be answered with quiet. the only thing that happened was that had a mass, the palestinian jihad and others increased the number of missiles firing on israel. they told us loud and clear that they reject the idea of a cease-fire. so the government has instructed the military to go in and put an end to this. right now we're not in a mood of

putting a band aid on this problem. we think we need to dismantle the terror machine. >> president obama called last night. he spoke to prime minister netanyahu. he offered to help broker a cease-fire but the prime minister rejected that idea. he said this. >> no international pressure will prevent us from acting against a terror organization that is calling for our destruction. we'll attack anyone who is trying to hurt us. we'll continue to defend both with determination and wisdom. our home front, the citizens of israel. >> so you're talking about you don't want to do a band aid. are we talking about a ground invasion, then? >> there is a possibility of a ground operation. i don't think a decision has been made. look, the ball is in hamas' court. they are the people who rejected quiet. they are the people who rejected

calm. let's not forget we're talking about the ideological siblings of isis in iraq and syria, the spiritual brothers of the boko haram down in nigeria. they sometimes wear suits and look a little sophisticated, but if you look at what they say and look at what they do, this is one of the darkest regimes in modern political history. they have proven that they enjoy war crimes. they deliberately target our civilians and deliberately put their own civilians in the line of fire. i'm not sure that we're looking at a future of negotiation with this school of thought, and i think they're particularly dangerous to the palestinians, first and foremost, and we really need to get to a place where we can dismantle the terror machine, and then find a way back to negotiations with the palestinian authority. >> well, in that context, the u.n. high commissioner of human

rights said on friday that it may violate international laws of targeting civilians. you bring up the position that it's hamas' fault that it's embedding rocket launchers among the civilians? >> well, it's clear. we saw today they came out acknowledgin acknowledging that israel has made thousands of phone calls to civilians, telling them when and where we're going to target, and asking them to move out of the way. in the same statement the hamas minister of interior instructed and demanded their public to ignore their warnings and stay in their homes. now i don't know what pictures you're showing on the screen, but we've had in the last four days a thousand strikes, and 100 people including tragically, including civilians who have been killed. but if you look at that, it becomes clear that in a thousand strikes with 100 killed, israel is making every possible effort

to avoid civilian casualties. we're working very hard at that. it's a difficult situation, but it doesn't mean that we can accept their discriminately firing on our civilians? >> but is it disproportionate. some say that hamas rockets carry 10 tons of explosives versus 400 tons on the israeli size. >> are you talking about di disproportion nataliare emotional sense, it depends on which side on the political fence you lie. everybody has their opinions, and every is going to spin the words in the direction they want to go, but we are targeting very specifically look, we've taken out over 150 rocket launchers. we've taken out, i believe

between 40 and 50 underground embedded rocket launchers. we've hit 70 terror tunnels. two major weapons depos, 18 or 19 arms factories. we're going for legitimate military target, and we're going after them hard, and we'll continue doing so until such time as we have degraded and depleted the terror machine to such points that we will have quiet for a very long time. >> thank you very much for taking the time to join us. >> joining us now from gaza, serves as director of the foreign affairs department and spokesperson for hamas. isra, good to have you with us. i'll start with the same question that i put to the israel spokesman foreign ministry.

>> in the aggression in gaza, and to help the palestinian people to get the health treatment medical. >> is it true that hamas is putting people in areas and telling people to ignore warnings that bombings are coming and hamas is then responsible for the high death toll in this latest air wal war. as you said many of the dead are children. what do you say what the israelis are saying. >> the truth is that they are the side who are attacking. they are the side making disasters in all area.

so the narrative itself spoken about firing from israel, there are few and limited airstrikes at the same time it happens nothing. we have only aggression until this moment. we're taking our palestinian side, 107, 70% are children. 16% are older 60 years old. at the same time they are saying that they call the houses, this is a big lie. the reality. they are targeting the area. the whole area from big, large,

huge massive weapons, and attacking those areas. it's very complicated and sensitive issue in gaza. >> then why continue shooting rockets? because some would argue that hamas is bankrupt. hamas has lost substantial backing from iran and the implication is certainly--certainly the implication is making that a higher death toll in gaza is helping hamas because it's stoking anger towards israel. >> it's not a positive thing to leave this big number here in palestine. we are not only hamas. we're calling israel to stop

using weapons against people and children. and it's not anybody's business to say that iran or the egyptian side, no one agreed in the international community. even right now the egyptian at the border we had 11 patients who went to cross to help treat at hospital there is, but it's not enough. we're talking about a big dangerous humanitarian crisis. you cannot punish thousands. we cannot be just looking towards israel and saying thank you, israel, that you're killing the innocent here. i'm wondering how can we move to stop this escalation at the same time israel must be held responsible. i'm talking to you and i can hear very clear the airstrikes.

we have no place to go. we have no health treatment, hospitals right now. they're targeting innocent people, children. they're making people here very bad. they're damaging people here without any muslim stability. i'm asking the whole world what should the palestinians do more than that? that's what i can say to that at this time of occupation. >> it is certainly a tragedy to see so many innocents getting caught in this tightening. isra, thank you very much. now for more stories from around the world. we begin in kabul, afghanistan, where secretary of state john kerry stride on friday to calm the turmoil over the highly disputed presidential election.

kerry spoke with the candidates, both of whom have claimed victory. ashraf ghani was put head by a substantial margin. the losing candidate abdullah abdullah called for recount. next we head to ukraine where a separatist launched a rocket attack using a russian-made grad rocket system. ukrainian authorities say as many 30 soldiers and border guards were killed, making it one of the deadliest days for ukrainian forces. the ukrainian forces have vow revenge in the attack. >> all those who grad mists will be bound and destroyed. for every life of our service men rebels will pay for tens and

hundreds of their lives. >> we end in new york city where a giant rubixs cube went for a boat ride. the giant toy was towed down the river to mark the 70th anniversary of the man who invented the iconic puzzle oh 40 years ago. it will begin touring the world in december. coming up, chicago is bracing for more violence. the reverend jesse jackson joins us next. also an author who foresaw the danger of boko haram long before the group made headlines. author brad taylor will be here. an >> reporter: the internet giveth, and the internet taketh

away. a soccer player learned that lesson the hard way. and join the conversation we're having on the show. you can join us on eighth aj consider this or leave them on our facebook page. vé

>> turning to chicago where residents are bracing for another violent summer weekend. more than 1200 people have been shot in the city since january. on the fourth of july 82 people were shot, 14 were killed. police say they were committed to curbing the shooting which has given thecy the nickname chiraq. >> they keep the guns and turn on our officers. >> this week reverend jesse

jackson criticized for asking for funds for asking to aid immigrants children before aiding children in chicago. >> joining us now from chicago is civil rights activist and founder and president of the rainbow-push coalition, reverend jesse yankees. reverend, good to have you on the show. >> thank you. let me hazen to say i applaud helping children at the border. we're sending clothes, food and water, but we also have a crisis here. we really need a comprehensive urban policy conference in chicago. i mean, we've lost 4,000 lives in the last ten years almost as many as we lost in the war in iraq. guns are trafficked in, jobs are going out, and there is no

comprehensive plan to alter that course. >> what do you want them to do? as you know, i worked in chicago for many years. this has been a problem forever. people have been dying by the hundreds every year bans of gun violence. >> unemployment, and on the other hand, they've closed schools. that's been devastating. they closed 50 drug stores and 72 grocery stores. interest is a sense of abandonment, and chicago is a sub economy with drugs.

>> governor rahm emmanuel agreed with you. >> for one city, one future, one point. put the guns down. >> but we're showing a map here now that demonstrates what you were just saying a moment ago, how the killings are overwhelmingly on the south and west sides. do you agree with emanuel. >> there are threareis there one city? >> there are three cities. we have areas without a library and truly unbalance of education. last week a kid was shot in front of our office. we couldn't take him to chicago hospital to trauma care. there is a 2000 block.

i hope the president sees the value in having an urban. all the businesses have been taken away. education, a sense of justice. this would be an ideal place to have an comprehensive urban summit. >> what about jason o'reilly, author of a recent book. he criticized your request for more funds. he said it's not about money. it's addressing black criminality. >> it's not about money, and it is about money. why do we do so well on the basket ball court. because the rules are even, goals are clear. jobs do matter. poverty does matter.

closing crumbling schools and hospitals do matter. you have a rank pattern of discrimination in jobs, education, healthcare and housing. that's all very well documented. >> there also has been criticism about discrimination when it comes to more aggressive police tactics, specifically stop and frisk, which is not something that has been big in chicago but it has been big in other cities, is that something that needs to be done? does there need to be more aggressive policing? >> not necessarily. i think we need more teachers and coaches. not more police. many youth are on the street, there is no organized recreation. no horseback riding, no swimming, no skating rinks, no ice rinks, they're not here. they have no art, no music, no

athletics. i hope that we will see the need to--if we can find $4 billion quickly, and we should invest money to show what can be done with investment. we need housing, education, healthcare and jobs. >> are you hopeful? >> i am hopeful. i refuse to give up. the president is aware to the area. i appeal to him. it's a moral appeal, a merciful appeal. we need help, we need help desperately, and we need it now. >> reverend jesse jackson. good to talk to you. >> thank you, sir. >> curbing violence in the streets of chicago to a best selling author's insight to spying, covert black ops.

n.a.t.o. was a russia partner no longer but an adversary, playing a double game as it played a hybrid war in ukraine. a former special forces as a corner includinas a colonel. it's good to have you back on the show. this includes russian resentment to the west, particularly the u.s. for winning the cold war and one of your characters said, russia is worse than it was under the u.s.s.r. and the kgb is alive and well, is it really that bad? >> it is. the kgb was an unit under the russian state. after the cups theft with yeltsin and everyone else, the

kgb took their services to the highest bidder. all these olagarts came up and they were all protected an and serviced by the kgb. putin came in and consolidated the kgb and it's indistinc indistinguishable who they are. >> in comments telling reporters saying nat toe is an adversary, not a partner, and moscow was conducting a hybrid warfare in ukraine, combining military, do we have a cold war-- >> it's not so much whether we want one or not. our country is tired of war. isolationists is coming in.

putin wants to regain a lot of prestige that they had before, and a lot of them are afraid of the west. >> and then you have these two spying incidents on germany. that's another thing you address in the book. you're talking in this case about u.s. spies and israeli spies and some tension there is. do we have that kind of spy versus spy tension going on. >> with the germans it's been blown out of proportion. they've seized on what's going on, they call it recruitment. what really happened was this guy walked into our consolidate and said i'll tell you information. we didn't recruit anybody. he got caught because he did the same thing with russia. that's how their intelligence

service caught the him. he was selling the information to the russians, of course nobody is screaming about the russians. there is an unique relationship with israel because much--they live with the wolf at the door all the time. we kind of realize that and down play it in the united states. they do spy on us. people say this is unprecedented and the first time the chief of station has been persona non grata. it does happen, and i thought if you want to send a signal. there is no damage done here. there are a lot of people in germany and the government that would side with russia over us because of historical reasons, but chancellor merkel is on our

side, and she said i have to do something, and this is least damaging. >> another aspect of the book. you have a main character who is a a boko haram terrorist. you obviously wrote this book before all these atrocities became knowledge. the mass murder and kidnapping of 200-plus girls. how did you focus on them? >> i was looking for an oh two-legged leverage. when isis broke away from al-qaeda, i studied and thought well, russia is back, and fighting assad, little chance of leveraging them. boko haram has been around for a long time. nigeria killed the leader back in 2009, that's when they've been virulent. people who study that kind of thing, i knew they were there. and there are others like that. people say you predict the

future. well, no, it's going to happen. boko haram will get worse. >> you talk about how edward snowden's revelations have changed the intelligence community. and you wrote, people sleep peacefully in their beth at night only because rough men stand re ready to visit violence on those who would do them harm. you also said that there are pike logans out there. not as many as we need but more than people believe. >> that's true. the problem is you can't mass produce them. we certainly would need more. there is a huge strain on the forces, especially special opposite ration operations, but there are only so may be nba teams. it takes a long time to get to that level, and they're definitely out there.

>> and they play an important role. >> oh, yes, you can see on libya, two al-qaeda caught off the street. and captain phillips in somalia. it happens all the time. >> and then bin laden. it's amazing what these guys can could. a lot of courage involved. brad, good to see you. "days of rage." time now to see what is trending on the web. let's check in with hermela. >> a soccer fan saw her dreams come true, but just as quickly it was taken away. last month the 17-year-old became one of the faces of the world cup when this photo for cheering on her team went viral. after all the exposure the teen announced tuesday that she was given a modeling deal. she made her decision, signed the contract with loreal. things took a sour turn

wednesday when someone discove discovered a facebook post that she wrote the day belgium took on the u.s. in it, her posing with a rifle and dead animal. she said hunt something not about a matter of life or death. ready to hunt americans today, hawaii. some people were offended by axelle's comment about hunting americans. others about her posing next to a dead animal. axelle quickly apologized saying hi, i didn't mean to offend anyone. it was a joke. thanks for understanding. on friday loreal had completed her contract with the company adding axelle is not one of their spokes people. they collaborated with her on an ad hoc basis to produce a video produced in belgium. this has now been produced. the company is not saying if

they cut ties with axelle because of the post, but in the past loreal has been heavily criticized for testing on animals. >> easy to get in trouble using social media. ahead lebron james heads back to cleveland and gets cheers from the nba. and the federal shutdown, babies. hard to believe that it's been 15 years since randy lifted the victory of the women's world cup. and an issue that could impact your kids. >> al jazeera america presents a self portrait of generation now... >> so many of my friends is pregnant... >> i feel so utterly alone... >> you need to get your life together >> i'm gonna do whatever needs to be done... >> ya boy is lookin' out to becoming a millionaire... >> an intimate look at what our kids are facing in school and beyond 15 stories,

1 incredible journey >> in this envelope is my life right now... >> edge of eighteen coming september only on al jazeera america

>> the king is going back home. lebron james announced he'll return to the cleveland cavaliers for the 2014 season. after much anticipation and speculation with fans, camping outside of his ohio home for hours even days at a time the announcement came ends a brief time with the miami heat. the question is can the king recreate his success i when he returns to ohio. host of engine of sports, dave,

it's good to see you. for our new year's show we asked you to make prediction force 2014, and you said this. >> will lebron james and miami heat three-pete. >> not only will they three-peat, it will follow lebron james will opt for free agency and finish his career with his old team the cleveland cavaliers. >> you came close on the three-peat, but you got it on the cleveland cavaliers. and you got grief for it. >> i got a lot of grief. i wrote a year ago that lebron james would go to cleveland notten theory that not because cleveland was a better place to stock pile championships, but lebron james strifes to be more than an athlete, more than a mercenary chasing rings. more than someone who wants to stock pile mvps in miami beach

with all due respect to miami beach but someone who feels a real affinity and connection to his ohio home and someone who wants his own legacy to be one that we have never seen before, which is someone starting in their hometown and then returning home at the height of their powers. >> he did something that michael jordan didn't get to do. he could become a folk hero by making that move. >> absolutely. that's something that he appears to. early in lebron james' career he said his goal was, quote/unquote, was to be a global icon like mohammed ally. you don't become a global icon by having the most ads or rings, but you do something that is bigger than sports itself. now i don't know if lebron james had that full sense of consciousness when he made that statement, but i also don't think that someone throws down the named muhammad ali lightly.

i'm not comparing lebron james going to cleveland with muhammad ali in the 60s, but it has made it in the sports page. >> he's holding up the league, even the vaguest sports books were holding back putting out odds for the next season until lebron figured out what he was going to do it. but he did it in a much more mature way. last time he turn it into a spectacle with a whole tv show deciding where he's going to go. but this time did he it with more class. >> some of this is about lebron james being more mature four years later. just shy of his 30th birthday. some of it, i think he's just more pr savvy. insiders have said he has long dissected how he went about th the 2010 decision very self critically. this time he did it in a different manner. it manners the way jason collins

came out of the closet as the first openly gay athlete in the nba. instead of doing it with a lot of fireworks. it was done with an as told to story in "sports illustrated" as you see, with all due respect to espn, it was a respectful way of doing it. >> it was very well put. he said i'm not promising a championship. we're not ready right now. i want to win next year but i'm realistic. it will be a long process. much longer than 2010. which back then he predicted all sorts of championships with the heat. do you think what will happen with the cavaliers? and what will happen to the heat? >> i'm glad you're asking that. that's a key part of the story that a lot of folks are missing. lebron james, he's really competing against history. is i really going to win six or seven championships? probably not. but if he wins even one

championship in cleveland, a city that has not seen a championship in any sport since the 1964 cleveland browns, that actually elevates him to a much different kind of status than even winning ten championships in miami would bring. >> people in cleveland are thrilled. i know people in miami where i live are not happy with this, but one of the things that you brought up in the "sports illustrated" peac piece is that his wife and mother--they were ambivalent because of the anger expressed in cleveland including cavaliers owner dan gilbert who wrote a very harsh letter. >> yes. >> do you think his going back, bygones will be bygones? >> on behalf of the cleveland faithful, but i tell you, dan gilbert has done a mea culpa talking about how he has sat

down with lebron james and the regrets he had. that had to be a prerequisite with this whole thing because lebron james will have power in cleveland to assemble this team, put it together, coax and mentor terrific young players and win that one championship that has been so elusive for cleveland over the last five, six years of his primary. a prerequisite to all of that was knowing that dan gilbert would eat some humble pie, and dan gilbert certainly did that. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> the world cup is coming up on sunday, and it's bringing up an issue that could impact your kids. first did the government shutdown lead to a mini baby boom? we'll explain next in our data dive.

>> today's day at a dive has found an u upside to the government shutdown--babies. it lasted from october 1st to the 16th. turns out government workers who had forced time off may have used that time for more pleasurable pursuits at home. we have proof nine months later. dc area hospitals have a big surge in the number of deliveries they normally have. that's right, shutdown babies. we've seen simple things happen before. people stuck at home with nothing to do followed by mini baby booms nine months later. natural disasters help nature take its course. we saw hurricane sandy babies in new jersey, hurricane ike babies in texas. in 2005 parts of florida had a mini baby boom after charlie, francis, ivan and jean hit the area the year before. a study from byu and johns

hopkins look at the, quote, fertile the effect of catastrophe. researchers found a spike in pregnancies especially in case where is areas were moderately impacted by hurricanes but still livable. advertisers have had fun with the theory. hyundai's new world cup ad shows if a team scores so do their fans. [♪ music ] here's hoping a new generation of soccer fans will come from this one. coming up we'll keep up the soccer talk 15 years after the u.s. victory of the women's world cup. germany and argentina's men take center stage in brazil on sunday. >> hi, i'm randall pinkston in new york. right after "consider this," our

primetime newscast. military operation will continue in gaza despite international pressure. the cdc said dangerous strains of the flu and anthrax was sent to different labs.

america mobile app, available for your apple and android mobile device. download it now >> the death toll could be much higher than anyone

known. >> posing as a buyer... >> ...people ready then... >> mr. president >> who should answer for those people >> the world cup has gripped america, but will it hold after sunday's final match? 15 years ago this week randy won for the mental kick. it helped fuel women' soccer and women's sports. brandi chastain has won two gold medals. we'll get to the world cup in a

moment, but i want to address something, traumatic head injuries among kids who play sports. you have pushed for important changes for kids who play soccer so they're safer? >> absolutely. i think what we have banded together for was to leave a legacy of soccer and for soccer that was--it's going in a better place than it was when we found it. and as mothers, we know the importance of keeping our kids safe, and as coaches we understand that it's our responsibility to make sure that the kids that come in our care to our field leave as healthy as when they got there. you know, what i found working with the institute of sports law at santa clara university, and learning the scientific side at the sports legacy institute is repetitive heading can be dangerous, and young kids

especially young kids who are not physically developed. they're not at their maturation stage, it could be problematic. why would we consider heading to be that important at young ages? i think with all that information we decided that we feel that it's best that kids don't head the ball until they're holder. >> right now the guidelines say ten years old. you think it should be pushed and the sports legacy institute and people who we also have had on this show believe it should be pushed to 14? >> absolutely. when you look at a ten-year-old versus a 14-year-old, and the ages between those ages, the soccer ball they're using is the same weight and size. a 14-year-old compared to a 10-year-old, there is no comparing them in terms of what is going to happen when that ball hits their head and the strength of which their neck is.

dr. bob kantz has shown what happens. why not, let's spend time on that, and when our kids are stronger, they've learned about how to handle pressure of an opponent, they recognize time and space and have better spatial awareness, then we introduce heading in a time when physically they can handle the demand much better than they can when they're much younger. >> the discussion is focused so much on the consequences of repetitive brain injuries on football players, but we now know that soccer players are having serious issues, too, later in life. >> well, unfortunately, i think it's inherent in sports that there is contact. you know, soccer, football,

back, whatever it is that players are next to each other. times you can't avoid the contact, and so what we want to also teach our kids is how to protect themselves in space. how to recognize those potentially dangerous situations, and avoid them if we can, and then also learn how to fall. learn how to jump. learn how to land. by doing this we can take care-- >> we've seen patrick grange, who died. we believed he had cte. cindy barlow kone has had some issues, too. and are you concerned about the player who was knocked out and then stayed in the game. the player who stumbled around, he fell, but he also kept playing. >> i think we're all concerned. soccer players, coaches, organizations alike are concerned, obviously we want the safety of the players to be

paramount to anything else, wins, losses, who cares about those things. the players should enjoy the game. the fans can come and know the players are protected. i think ultimately, i heard on espn, a player who had suffered from concussions and cte, there should be an independent organization that can evaluate the players when they come off the field. it would benefit fifa, the teams and players alike. >> you must be in soccer heaven with the world cup final coming up on sunday. people around the globe obsessed with soccer. are you surprised how much it's grown in the united states? >> absolutely not surprised at all. from the time i was a young girl soccer was here, but it was considered an immigrant sport. what i've seen as the generations have progressed, and after 1999 that people really

enjoy soccer. they're enjoying it for a lot of different reasons. it's a very family-oriented sport. young kids can play. they feel they can contribute to the outcome, and it's great exercise on top of that. i think what happens when the world cup comes around every four years everybody gets excited. patriotism is high. everybody loves to cheer for their team. they love to watch the elite play. >> but doesn't it seem like there is more excitement this year? do you think this might be the tipping point where the enthusiasm will translate into more widespread support for soccer at all levels? >> well, i think the answer is yes, but i think its just been growing. like my sons will grow up knowing that soccer is an american sport. it's not brought to them by somebody else. they can watch it on television on multiple channels. they can read about it in the newspaper. it's getting hits like never before. that to me and the millions of kids playing across the country, tens of millions of kids, and

hundreds of millions of kids around the world that play tell me that soccer is to stay. mls is at an all-time high bringing in new teams every year. i think soccer is at a comfortable space. i don't think we're competin competing with nfl, basketball, baseball, there is an appreciation value with the technical ability, i think soccer is here to stay, and it's got a wolf place in the hearts of americans across this country. >> who is going to win on sunday? [ chuckling ] you know, i think germany is so incredibly organized and talented top to bottom, from t down to the players on the bench. but this one man on argentina, i feel like he's on some spiritual quest. it's not about him in his opinion, i think for what is

happening in soccer he is so special that i would feel that it could almost not be--he can't be denied, leo messi. it's like he's destined to win the world cup. i'm wishing for a great game, but i think something spiritually is happening for him and argentina may come out victorious. >> with the pope coming out of argentina, it might be. >> possible. >> thank you. >> if anybody would like more information they can go to www.safersoccer.org . we would love them to join this crusade to keep our kids safe on the soccer field. >> that's all for new. coming up monday on "consider this." tony goldman will join us with a new project that is shedding light on our justice system. coming up, fabien cousteau will emerge after a month

underwater. you can find us on facebook and twitter. we'll see you next time. > hello, welcome to al jazeera america. i'm randall pinkston in new york, john seigenthaler has the night off. it's 11:00pm on the east coast. 8:00 p.m. in the west. won't back down. israel's operation against hamas will continue despite international pressure. calling for action - three of the world's richest men urge congress to