america mobile app, available for your apple and android mobile device. download it now on "america tonight" - israel steps up its bombardment. dozens are killed and gaza's power station is knocked out. exploding hopes of a ceasefire for now, and signalling how far down israel is willing to go to root out hamas. also ahead - a judge's surprising warning a win for firearm advocates and raises questions about gun control in the capital. >> we were not prepared bright lights, bold shows - a danger

face by the best on broadway - how hitting the high notes puts a new generation of vocal superstars is danger. >> expecting that voke aing level day in -- vocal level day in, day out, seven days a week is ridiculous. good evening, thank you for joining us, i'm julie chen. one of the darkest days in more ways than one for the gaza strip , under the most intense bombardment since it started the operation. more than 110 were killed in 24 hours, with 150 sites targeted, including gaza's only power plant. the palestinians are left with no power, running water or sewerage. 200,000 are the shelter at u.n. schools and buildings in gaza, after israel evacuated ahead of its air strikes.

so many that the u.n. relief agency says it's at a breaking point. egyptian mediators are pushing a ceasefire. the iranians report a deal to stop fighting. the hamas military leader rands there'll be no ceasefire until the border blockade of gaza is lifted. nick schifrin joins us from gaza. extremely heavy shelling. what have you seen over the last 24 hours? >> it's the most relentless, violent 24 hours that we have seen in the last few weeks. the bombing started 24 hours ago and extended through the night. this morning gaza woke up to a couple of new things it had not woken up to before, a strike on the power center of hamas, the home of the former prime minister of hamas, the number two in the lift your, and the most senior official

who lives here. he was not in the home. a lot of officials have gone underground. this is more pressuring hamas, sending signals. there has been a lot of government buildings attack ed. the power plant, it was working 20-30% capacity - so people here have 2-3 hours of electricity before the strike. a massive fireball filled the air. smoke could be seen from miles away. because of that strike, what you see behind me - there's nothing. not because there's nothing there, that's because there's a blackout across all of gaza cit city. one more piece of video, this happened a few hundred feet from where i'm standing now.

and there's shrapnel from the israeli air strike landing at our hotel. it's a rocket launcher, and we have seen rockets launch for a few hundred feet, giving you a sense of how close some of the targets are to civilian areas. >> in the background we hear the drones, wondering if that portends additional bombing in the coming hours. there are signals that there's a ceasefire effort under way. what do you hear about that? >> there's a lot of ceasefire efforts. everybody is holding out hope, but here is the problem. american officials admit this more than the israelis and the palestinians. neither side wants to stop. let's look at why. hamas wants two things - it wants the borders open, and the israeli siege lifted. israel has not agreed. hamas is holding out and wants to keep fighting until israel

agreed to that. israel has to be demilitarized. the only way to do that, at least, for the time being, is to continue the operation. you hear from binyamin netanyahu, you hear from other officials saying we have to keep going, have to keep going attacking the tunnels that gazan fighters used to get from gaza into israel and attack israeli soldiers, and the rockets in the people that launch the rockets. israeli officials tell me they are days if not weeks away from covering the tunnels and destroying them. that is why both sides are not running towards a ceasefire, and are resisting efforts by the international community to get them to a ceasefire, to the point where prime minister binyamin netanyahu is basically in a conversation with president obama, refusing obama's request to stop and insisting instead that the operation needs to

continue, and as we have been talking about, escalating. >> nick schifrin in gaza. >> as nick noted, while the israeli defense forces hit their targets, the tunnels are the central focus. destroying them is a challenge. [ singing ] this loss, the israelis say, is proof positive of the dangers from the tunnel. israeli soldiers killed in a fire fight with palestinian firefighters who crawled out of a tunnel near a cab utes. >> how would you feel if your home was penetrated with a hole in the ground and 40 commando terrorists jump out. >> last sunday eight jumped out, disguised in israeli army uniforms. [ gunfire ]

>> obliterating the tunnels is a priority, as is sending the message about a threat. israeli military posts videos like this, underscoring the point. the weapons - part of an arsenal smuggled in by egypt, including rockets used to tart israel. is -- target israel. israel has discovered more than two dozen tunnels, and they have been striking them from the ground and air, and rigging others with explosives so they crash in. >> construction takes months, man power and cement and concrete to shore up the walls. a tunnel can cost $2 million, and they are well hidden in the communities. this video shows a tunnel from the basement of a house, running dozens of feet down, and thousands of feet long. they have been used to bring

supplies in, and have been used for assaults. hamas fighters used a tunnel to attack an army post of gilad shall at. israel -- shilat. israel tried to go after the tunnels before. they are complex, sophisticated and it underscores how difficult it is for his rail to halt underground enemies, and why the israeli prime minister insists the offensive must continue as long as it takes. >> we will not finish the mission. we will not finish the operation without neutralizing the sun else, which have the purpose of killing our children. >> for his rail's strategy we are -- israel strategy we are joined by former general kimmitt. we talk about the tunnels as being supply routes. but now we are talking about

using them as a threat. >> for years we look at the tunnel problem between gaza and egypt, gaza and israel as an opportunity and a which hamas would bring in supplies. we were concerned and israel concerned that they were used to bring in military equipment. that was going from say the sinai into gaza. now the tunnels are used as attack routes. by hamas, being able to ipp vade into israel, to go against settlements and the communities. what makes it difficult to close these things down? after all, if you know where the fighters have come out, couldn't you follow them through? else. . >> it's like sealing the boarder. it looks like it's a small area, but it's a large area.

we have - we have provided equipment to the israelis to help them detect the tunnels. as we see, they are not getting detected. is the most effective solution to do as israel teems to do -- seems to do, spreading out targets, going after anything that may be hiding. is that an effective strategy. that is one strategy. >> after whatever ceasefire comes about, the tunnels will come back. we are now looking at, in the last 24 hours, the number of other targets - a hamas leader's house, he was not there. the power plant. are we seeing a change in strateg

strategy. it seems we'll run out of war. >> in the last few days there has been concerns about israel's choice of targets. there's questions about a strike at school. is there concern that israel is stepping out what is considered humanitarian? >> there are clear rules of conduct in these types of operations. going after a power plant, i think, is something that israel probably had to take some hard look at. anything that effects civilian population is prohibited by international conventions, and

for the israelis to attack a power station is getting close to, if not going over the edge. general mark kimmitt, thank you for your insight. >> across world demonstrators taking to the street to protest the offensive in gaza, but in europe it is seep as cover for anti-semitic attacks. the process, a paris synagogue was attacked. an anti-semitic protestor chanted "jews to the gas chamber." it's not just in france. similar incidents occurred in germany and italy forcing the foreign ministers to issue the following statement, anti-stemetic rhetoric and aattacks against jews and signa society. christopher dicky joins us, editor for

"the daily beast." was this foreseen in gaza? >> sure. anti-semitism goes way back. there's a lot of trouble in europe in recent years. we don't have to go back to the nazis. in france, a big part of the problem is you have a large muslim immigrant population, and a lot of children who don't see much of a future living in the housing problems. and there's a lot of anger. the war in 2008, 2009, 2006 - when those things happen, these kids see this stuff on television, and it's focussing their anger, and somehow they think that they can expression themselves by going out and attacking jewish symbols or people. it can get ugly indeed.

elsewhere you see a more classic european semitism. we have a piece in the "the daily beast" about anti-semitic graffiti going up in rome in recent days. that's traced to far right wing. european italians, and far left wing european italians. the extremists coming together, focussing anger against jews. not because of anything european jews are doing, but the media prosecutors -- appears to be paying attention. >> 48% of local jewish population considers leaving their homes. it's not just the activities of a few teenager spouting ideas, it's intimidating. >> well, i think it is intimidating. you know, a lot of - even young

jews who are well embedded in french society, certainly, are nervous these days. i had a physical therapist helping me with a problem, and she was wearing a star of david. i notice she was keeping it hidden. i asked her why, she said "when i ride the metro, i don't want problems. i don't want people coming up and talking to me and giving me problems because i'm jewish", this is a sat situation. what you need to know about the french jewish population, it's charge, the third-largest in the world. but it's also largely north african. these are jews who emigrated, fleeing arab countries after world war ii, and after the creation of the state of israel, but came to france for safety, and feel threatened here. >> we are seeing other reports, a study from tel aviv, saying

one-third declined attending jewish events was of attacks on places like sina gocks. >> is it symbolic, sippa goings, other places where jews would homes? >> it is pt in homes, synagogues will be defaced. there'll be graffiti, attacks on the buildings more than against individuals, but every so often something happens that sends an absolutely icy chill through the community. a couple of years ago you had a young man down in the south of france who identified with al qaeda, and thought that he was going to be a great jihadist. and he started out killing a couple of french soldiers who came to look at a motorcycle that he offered to tell them. when he thought he was about to get caught he thought how could

he get more attention. so he went to a school and shot some children. that's other aspects, because the jewish population in france is large, there's a push to get french jews to go home, as it were, to israel. what actually happened in the past is they often think about leaving france. some go to israel. some go to the united states. but a lot of them are very, very nervous in france these days. >> christopher dicky, foreign editor for "the daily beast." appreciate you being with us. >> thank you. on another flash point in the region, the power struggle in iraq rages on. kurdish leaders turning to western powers for hep in a fight against the islamic state. as al jazeera omar saleh

reports, it's a tough battle. >> reporter: heading to the front line. it's a battle kurdish forces or the peshmerga cannot lose. their enemy is the islamic state group and other rebels. here, south of kirkuk, the fighters fortified their positions. a gas field and energy complex is hundreds of metres away. signs of fighting remain. >> our mission is to defend kirkuk and prevent advance. they use precise mortar shells and fighters. the iraqi army abandoned weapons and fled after an assault by sunni rebels. kurdish troops moved in and took control. that puts them at the forefront state. >> the flag of the islamic group is raised over a building, about

800 metres away from where i am. kurdish forces are engaged in battles with the islamic groups on a number of fronts. they are overstretched. >> this is the peshmerga commander in kirkuk and shows me the hot spots in the area under his command. he says the battle is wider. >> translation: we have eight different battlefields, 1,000 borders, from syria to iran - we are ready for them. they are well trained, former army officers, arabs, afghans and chechens. >> not far from kirkuk. this is a show of force. fighters from the islamic state parade the streets. tens of thousands determined to carry on. these fighters are armed with modern weapons seized from the

iraqi army. back at the kurdish front, the peshmerga are preparing for a long battle. the kurdish region managed to secure themselves away from the violence, but it is being dragged into it. ahead on "america tonight" - one of the nation's biggest school districts, and it's stunning discipline programme - gaoling teachers. >> i saw in teacher gaol many individuals that were broken, depressed, suicidal. >> correspondent michael oku on l.a.'s teacher gaol and the lessons learnt from it. later in this hour - hitting the high notes. some of broadway's best voices and why reaching the top is putting a dangerous strain on their most valued instruments. >> al jazeera america presents a

breakthrough television event. borderland. six strangers. >> let's just send them back to mexico. >> experience illegal immigration up close and personal. >> it's overwhelming to see this many people that have perished. >> lost lives are relived. >> all of these people shouldn't be dead. >> will there differences bring them together or tear them apart? >> the only way to find out is to see it yourselves. >> which side of the fence are you on? borderland, sunday at 9 eastern, only on al jazeera america.

>> al jazeera america >> this is the very tail section it was burning when we got here >> unbiased reporting... >> the violence has continued >> the violence has continued just a couple of miles from here >> in depth coverage... >> we've got a military escort allowing us to feel a further than everyone else... >> real global perspective >> this was clearly an attack against them... >> from around the world, to the issues right here at home >> ...shouldn't been brought here in the first place... >> we're not here to take over >> real stories... real people... real understanding... >> where you scared when you hear the bombs? >> al jazeera america real... news...

in the ongoing fight to improve our schools there's no figure more central than the classroom teacher. in "america tonight"s special series "school's out", we look to california, where the teachers are at the heart of a battle over school reform. michael oku brings this report - do educators belong in teacher . >> reporter:. >> reporter: this is the voice inspiring thousands of high school students to sing out much this is the passion for music that brought awards to one of l.a.'s toughest schools. and for iris, this peiano is the

life line to a 30-year teaching career frozen when the los angeles unified school district september her to teacher jail, a detention center where teachers facing disciplinary action are sent on unpaid leave. >> i never heard of what they called teacher gaol. i didn't know. i was very naive about that. what steven son knows is how music inspires students. teaching in nationally acclaimed programme in crenshaw. every year since 1985, steven on has taken her groups on the road. students have performed at musical festivals in jamaica, korea, belgium and france. last december they were capped by a private performance for the president at the white house.

>> since i have been at cim shaw high school, we started travelling. i believed in a classroom without walls. i believe that learning in classroom. >> stevenson was stunned when she returned from the trip to find she was this detention, ordered to report to a room in district headquarters every day, instead of the classroom. while the district has initially told her what allegations she face, unofficially she is said to have jetted her students to paris and washington without permission. she and supporters anot true. the district -- say not true. the districts approved the trip. >> they knew the item inry down to the telephone numbers. >> reporter: whilst in gaol she met another teacher, schiller's alleged misconduct allowing students to create experiments

with the word gun in the title. >> this is a project done many times at the koulenty level in -- country level in california, and the state level. i feel comfortable with the students working. at a certain point i was polled and told to go home. and stay home. for five days. after five days i was sent to teacher gaol. . >> absolute complete and total shock. i worried about my students, what would they do. for teachers in gaol, the experience varied. whatever they are assigned reality sets in quickly. they are restricted to a set of cubicles, facing blank walls

with no phone or computers. were you instructed to be quiet. >> you talk. you sit. sometimes you get in trouble for talking. i asked would it be okay to send the lesson plans to the substitute, so i could stay on track, the students could be prepared. i was told no, i was not allowed to do so. >> i saw in teacher gaol many individuals that were broken, depressed, suicidal. >> reporter: suicidal. >> very, very sick, and we had to lift their spirits. >> that is what steven son did, detention. >> i wrote music. so it was fun. then i involved others in getting - okay, come on, sing with me. we began to sing. >> alex is the new president of united teachers los angeles. he says getting exact figures

impossible. >> we have made did not requests to the district for demotraffic information, for -- demographic information, time information. we can ballpark it. we haven't got that information from the district. we have people in teacher gaol for over three years. without - without any completed that. >> reporter: that, say teachers, is where the injustice lies. what seems like an endless wait to investigate behaviour they say poses no danger to students. >> to be clear, no one is arguing that educators that are an imminent danger to kids should be out of classroom or school. i have a daughter and son, they go to these schools. many do not rise to the level of pulling someone out of a school

and destabilizing programs, and the kids of iris steven son, she's a life line to kids. >> reporter: the district policy member calls for making any attempt to complete investigations been 120 working days, those that don't require law enforcement, 30 days. >> yet people are sitting in teacher gaol for months and months, sometimes years, without that basic district memo. >> and a number of teachers used, we use the term housed. it's approximately 251. there are other employees as well. not just teachers. >> reporter: john davey has been the superintendent for four years. he defends the counter policy in

progress. are some of the investigations taking too long? >> no, as long as necessary to ensure the rites of the adult and safety of children. >> each if it takes three, four, five six years with a stacher in the district for decades. >> the length of teachers working in the district has nothing to do with the making sure a child is safe. >> does the system need fixing? >> i don't think so. we have done a tremendous amount of fixing. i think that the way that lsud operates is under the safety of the child safety and no decision will be made for an adult information. >> the union charges the districts lingering investigations may be an attempt to force out veteran or outspoken teachers. >> do you have a sense that the

administration is targetting specific types of teachers? >> now, what i found out is that they are over 40, many are over 40. many of them are minorities. schools. >> unlike many, greg schillea didn't stay in limbo very long. campaign. >> then in april, students and teachers staged a walk out. two months into his detention, schillea was reassigned into his classroom to prepare students. >> i had a job do. the kids were supportive. the parents were supportive. on the heels of the protest superintendent john daisy changed district policy to relocate teachers on detention to their homes rather than to the office. >> they are on the defensive.

that's why they made the move. we have to make sure it's not used to sweep it under the rug. >> the district investigation is not closed. like the unity that rallied to support him. schiller rallies fellow teachers to action. >> i meet with my colleagues. we meet at the union headquarters and once a month i offer whatever suggestions i can to help with circumstances. i advocate for change. >> on the day we visited her, iris stephenson was honoured for community. >> dr iris stevenson. >> hardly dispirited. >> i keep going. i just keep going. i'll always teach. that's what i'm called to do.

>> come the new school year, steven son will face detention in her home. the investigation is ongoing. she doesn't know when it will end or when shell connect with the students and community that she's been making music with for years. >> how long is this process going to take? following up on an indepth look on american education, michael oku reports on a rule thatting could dramatically -- that could dramatically change our public schools - teacher tenure and why a californian court ruled it unconstitutional. >> what is wrong with californian schools? >> they don't put the children as the number one priority. it's never acceptable to knowingly put an ipp effective children -- ineffective teacher in front of a child.

>> a look at teacher tenure and how it may change public schools tomorrow. after the break. washington d.c. in the cross-hairs - could it become the easiest place in america to carry firearms openly, etch. -- openly, everywhere. >> now available, the new al jazeea america mobile news app. get our exclusive in depth, reporting when you want it. a global perspective wherever you are. the major headlines in context. mashable says... you'll never miss the latest news >> they will continue looking for survivors... >> the potential for energy production is huge... >> no noise, no clutter, just real reporting. the new al jazeera america mobile app, available for your apple and android mobile device. download it now

now a snapshot of stories making headlines on "america tonight" - hours after the european union imposed sanctions on russia for the involvement in the ukraine crisis, united states drew in, announcing measures in the banking and energies sector. president obama called them

date. the deadliest ebola outbreak claims another doctor among its nearly 800 victims. sierra leone's top doctor died from the virus, days after a liberian health official and nigeria. the n.c.a.a. settles a head injury lawsuit. unlike a similar n.f.l. lawsuit. it will not set aside money for blares suffering brain trauma. players will have the option to sue for damage. >> a can on carrying handguns in washington d.c. will stay in place for 90 days. a federal judge's ruling declared the ban unconstitutional. opening a 72 hour span during which d.c. gun owners could and did display guns outside. they tell "america tonight"s

lori jane gliha, the judge's ruling and their public coming. >> this is a glock 26. i should verify it's unloaded. >> reporter: george is a gun opener in the nation's capital and a plaintiff in a lawsuit pushing for the right to carry a handgun in public. >> you would walk out of the house with your two guns, when and if it was allowed. >> probably one of them. >> your main reason for carrying or wanting a gun? >> personal application, and to vined kate my -- vined kate my second amendment rights. >> over the weekend a judge ruled in his fave, lifting a ban, and allowing registered gun owners like these people to carry handguns outside their homes in public, without fear of being arrested. lions says it's a right he enjoyed.

one he should have enjoyed long ago. >> i was happy to have and exercise my constitutional right. carrying a handgun is not an inherently evil thing. if it was, police carrying guns would be evil. it's not. gunning are tools. they can be used for good, they can be used for bad. >> the legal battle lasted nearly five years already, the judge's weekend ruling caught the mayor off guard. how prepared was the city for the ruling over the weekend. >> we weren't expecting it. >> reporter: did you encounter anyone with their guns out? >> i don't know that we had. we were not prepared for the ruling. we didn't know it was coming. >> reporter: other city officials, like the former mayor safe. >> it's outrageous. i've been a strong gun

control advocate. i believe we have a right to have a gun, register it. what do you need a gun out here for. get in a gun battle with someone? it's crazy. >> d.c.'s metropolitan police department scrambled to issue instructions to officers. there are 15,000 registered gun openers. d.c. police chief said: . >> that's why the city asked for more time to comply with the ruling. stay. >> people were confused about guns. >> we are saying to stay tune. we didn't control the timing on the release of this. we know that people have lots of questions and we'll do our best job as quickly as we can to let folks know what is acceptable. lyon is an attorney, and

patiently waiting for a quick resolution. he drafted legislation to help the city develop a process for handling hand guns in public. for now, his weapons will indoors. following up on handgun bans, michael mclively, an ownery with the law innocence sentence to protect gun violence. talk about how big a deal the judge's decision was, is this about league at technicalities, or does it tell us something wider about open carry. it's a disappointing decision. i don't think it's too unexpected given where second amendment law has been going. while we are disappointed by the decisions, the last area to not have any form of public area or firearms either to conceal or open carry. it's not too surprising that

this tradition was struck down. >> is there a regard to the law about this being a different environment. this is a ceded government. there's a lot of targets for those that many to do harm in the city. is d.c. different in any way? >> d.c. suffers from an epidemic of gun violence as do major cities. as far as the second amendment is concerned. it's applied crass the united states and -- across the united states and columbia. chicago has alarming levels of gun violence. >> d.c. said it will try to change its policy to accomplish its goals in terms of gun control, but maintain it here to the law. i wonder what your suggestion would be here. what is the approach that makes it work? >> yes, there's several options

that dc has, and this situation was encountered in illinois, where the system was struck down, and they had to re-establish a new system. the last center to prevent gun violence has been tracking this. there's a discretionary system, where someone who wants to carry a gun in public has to apply for a permit and law enforcement aprofits it -- approves it. the alternative is it law enforcement has to approve a permit as long as requirements are met. a person may look into a background and make sure they are responsible before they can carry a handgun in public. that makes sense. >> michael is with the law center to prevent gun violence. thank you for being here. >> thank you so much. >> after the break on "america tonight", the sound of strain.

big voices behind some of broadway's biggest hits. sheila macvicar tells us why they are at more risk than ever of falling silent. >> 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

awe been to a broadway show, the modern musical is not so much musical as it is pop and rock

with conplex melodies swung in a loud brassy style. performers that can reach the high notes are impressive, but it is risky too. sheila macvicar tells us today's women of the stage is more vulnerable than after for injuries that could be career [ singing ] >> i started doing theatre when i was in third grade. when i got to college, i went with the intent to pursue theatre. i was going from the small town where i was known for my ability, and where everyone knew i was going to make it to new york city, where it was scary and everyone was

phenomenally talented. when kimberley towns end moved from manhattan to new jersey, the odds were stacked ahead her. to pursue a broad way dream. >> i'll work hard, and i may not make it. >> reporter: townsend suffered an ipp jury -- injury, one that was common. >> i was forcing my voice, i was anxious. and i felt "am i able to do it?" [ sings ] >>. >> potential for injury exists in every genre of music. >> david is one of new york's most renowned vocal instructors. >> on stage in "wicked" shows are written where the female

voice has to go higher. >> many have gone under the knife to prepare their instruments. a new wave of broadway musicals are pushing female performers to the edge. until recently, broadway ladies were much lower. like here in "oklahoma." but now big time belters have come into favour, the notes higher and requiring more vocal left. [ singing ] broadway singing breaks down into two categories. [ singing ] >> and the pat

[ singing ] >> so what do you do when you have to get way above that. in "wicked" there's an f and "brooklyn" an a flat. and in others gs. you have to increase air pressure, so it's the increase of air pressure that pushes on the vocal, and their resistance - they have to resist more. it's like going to the gym and picking up 300 pounds. you'll sprain something. >> these are high level vocal athletes. >> doctors milan, and ryan bransky treat some of broadway's renowned performers. >> to expect that level day in day out - it's ridiculous.

this is a young musical theatre performer, successful. the goal is a smooth strait 'em. you can -- straight edge. there's iregg u latteries. we expect that because of the load on the organ. >> they conducted the first ever study of vocal health in broadway singers. the results - over 25% of performers had a diagnosed vocal injury. one of those injuries is a voekal noedual, a bump forming in the vocal cords. they are common in adult women. >> they don't happen overnight, but over months to years of chronically beating the heck out of your vocal cords. >> reporter: kimberley townsend is working through her injury. she exercises her voice for hours each day. >> three hours every day, for

sure, sometimes a lot more. i do vocal range work, warm ups. >> she sings scales and practices songs, slowly strengthening the muscles weakened by her injury. she'll make a full recovery. doctors say it could take years before she's as good as new. >> i know they have talent. it's raw, as broadway braces for another year. singers are putting it all on the line. and now a look ahead to . >> we lost over $20,000 from planet hospital trying to do surrogacy in mexico. >> you put so much funny and emotion into the process, and you are so close, so close. and then - and then it explodes.

they wanted a baby. an international surrogacy agency left them with nothing but empty promise and empty wallets. adam may broke the story a few months ago. tomorrow night the c.e.o. of the company sits to defend his actions in interview. next - surf's up. it's not hawaii. hanging 10 in haiti, and big ways to attract big money to that island nation. >> israel's invasion of gaza continues tonight. >> we have been hearing a lot of tank shelling coming from where we are, here. >> every single one of these buildings shook violently. >> for continuing coverage of the israeli / palestinian conflict, stay with al jazeera america, your global news leader.

>> there is a tendency to downplay human rights in favor of commercial interests >> harsh realities of a world in crisis >> governments care about their reputation... >> can roth, head of human rights watch >> with adequate pressure you can stop anybody's abuse. >> every saturday join us for exclusive, revealing, and surprising talks with the most interesting people of our time. >> talk to al jazeera only on al jazeera america al jazeera america. we understand that every news story begins and ends with people. >> the efforts are focused on rescuing stranded residents.

>> we pursue that story beyond the headline, pass the spokesperson, to the streets. >> thousands of riot police deployed across the capital. >> we put all of our global resources behind every story. >> it is a scene of utter devastation. >> and follow it no matter where it leads - all the way to you. al jazeera america, take a new look at news. >> it's also impossible to see... >> israeli aggression... >> coverage of the middle east conflict continues al jazeera america [ ♪ music ] so when you think about haiti, tourism is probably the last thing that comes to mind. the country has a reputation for poverty and violence. the government has launched a campaign to change that, doubling the tourism budget and making a push into a lucrative mark. on the south coast al jazeera's

andy gallagher hits the surf. >> reporter: here on haiti's southern coast surfers are not an unusual site. a few months ago some of the boys couldn't swim. now look at them. they are all part of surf haiti, an ambitious project aimed at wringing tourists and their money to the beaches. surfing here is about more than catching waves. >> you have to be - you have to take pleasure, to take the waves. the pleasure is to share the life of people. >> and at a place where most live on $2 a day, that sense of community is vital. the boys are thought about the environment and there are plans to show them how to make

surfboards, and run surf haiti themselves. samson, one of the first boys to learn to surf here, tell us us the promote has the potential to change the lives of his entire community. road. >> i have travelled over haiti, but for surfers with a sense of adventure, it doesn't get getter than this. the biggest change is getting people to come to haiti in the first plus. for many, haiti is seen as dangerous and dirty. the beeches in the capital are not pristine. the passion is unmistakable, and it's a chance to be part of the lives of people like samson, that organizers will bring to the waves and help tourism grow. >> i would like to be part of the surfing circuit professional.

really, really, because once they announce this kid is from haiti and is out there ripping it. people go haiti, surfing, and the industry pays attention. >> surf haiti is for now a small project with few customers. waves like this - it's hoped that will change. and that is it for us here on "america tonight". please remember that form on the programme michael oku will follow up on his indepth look at american education - should californian teachers have guaranteed jobs. the state high court says it's unconstitutional. we look at teacher tenure tomorrow, on "america tonight". if you would like to comment on stories you have seen on the programme, log on to the website aljazeera.com/americatonight. and you can join the

conversation on twitter or at facebook. gooment -- goodnight, we'll have more of "america tonight" tomorrow. >> a shocking america tonight investigative report... >> you take someones hopes and dreams of childhood, and then out right steal their money >> wishing to start a family >> we lost over $20,000 trying to do surrogacy in mexico >> but left with broken hearts and empty pockets

>> how much money do you owe people >> around $350,000 >> praying on the vulnerable >> i have nothing to hide, if i was a scam artist, i would have cut and run from here >> surrogacy inc. an american tonight investigative report only on al jazeera america hamas rejects a peace plan from palestinian partners as israel knocks out gaza's main power source for hospital, sewage and water. i'm antonio mora, welcome to "r, that and more ahead. -- welcome to "consider this", that and more ahead. dead. >> conflicts in gaza enters a fourth week. >> 100 have been killed in israi