. >> european leaders accuse russia of invading ukraine as separatists fighters cement their control of a strategic town in the east. ♪ european leaders push for more sanctions as russia denies its involvement. you are watching the al jazeera news hour, live from london. also coming up, the uk raises its terror alert level from substantial to severe, blaming the conflicts in iraq and syria. 3 million refugees and half of the population displaced.

the bleak new figures from syria's war. we take a look at one of the most dangerous jobs in sew malia -- somalia. and i'm at the venice film festival. one of thousands of festivals taking place across world. so why is there a shortage in movies? find out later in the program. nato and european union leaders have stepped up their confrontation over russia. they criticized russia's continued denial in itself involvement saying it is no doubt it has sent weapons and troops into ukraine. they accused russia of an invasion. the u.n. says the intense fighting means on average 36 people are dying every day.

almost 2,600 people have been killed since the unrest spread to the east of ukraine in april. russian separatists are now in control of large parts of eastern ukraine, including the areas of luhansk and donetsk. they have also taken a coastal town. it is feared they are trying to create a land corridor between russia and the annexed region of crimea. the u.n. says these are the areas where the separatists are getting help from russia. let's just check whether or not we can get to paul beban. paul, can you hear me? no, clearly having a few problems with our link to the east of ukraine, but he was earlier in the captured town and he sent this report. >> reporter: this is a small town in the far corner of eastern ukraine, but the question of who exactly controls

this place has massive significance for east-west diplomatic relations. the fighters who now occupy it refuse to be filmed. the residents were almost as rdz sent. >> translator: i'm worried. i want everything to be fine. i want peaceful sky above us. >> reporter: ukraine says the town is one of several along the border captured by a combined force of separatists fighters and russia regular soldiers, effectively a russian invasion. for at least three days now the separatists have firmly in control of this town. there is no sign of panic, and there is a sign on the wall saying that people who are concerned should get in touch with the local militia heard.

what is unclear is what the ultimate ambitions of the militia in this area are. the frontier with russia is just 10 kilometers from here, and the ukrainian border guards are now prisoners. the crossing is open, and the fighter calling himself the frenchman showed evidence of the recent fighting. separatists have at least six tanks here, but they deny it is from russia. >> translator: there are no russians here. we're fighting with the machinery the ukrainian army abandoned. >> reporter: in their path lies an important city where residents have been helping the army dig defensive trenches at city element -- limits. but ukraine's western allies still remain reluctant to

respond with district involvement of their own. we have reestablished our connection to paul beban in the eastern ukrainian city. we saw your report earlier today, but how nervous are the people there? >> reporter: oh, moderate to very nervous. i mean i have heard the phrase people are sitting on their suitcases ready to evacuate should the need arise. we're not at that stage yet, but as you saw in my report there is sufficient concern for concern and worried residents to actually volunteer to start helping the ukrainian army soldiers stationed on the eastern fringes of the town between the main body of the town and the separatists forces so help the soldiers big fresh trenches. that gives you an indication of just how worried some of the people are here in this steel mill town. that's it.

thor thing we saw was the very confident nature of the separatists militia there. we didn't see any russian military. no regular forces. there were two tanks. we saw an armored personnel carrier well in the fringes of the town. and they didn't appear to be in any rush. they already captured the town. but grave concern here. >> yeah, and you mentioned it already in your report, paul, that there is some uncertainty about what the long-term goal is of these separatists. >> yeah, that's right, felicity. you speak to the separatists in the town, and they say that they want to press on to laviv that's way to the west. that's not really realistic,

it's more of a slogan. but what is their long-term intention? they have halted their push momentarily. and what are they -- >> all right. yet again having problems with paul beban's communication, but you got the gist of his reporting there. nato's secretary general say there is no doubt russia has sent troops and weapons into ukraine. russia's foreign minister say there's no proof. here is our report from milan. >> reporter: these are polish apples that president putin says are poisonous, but i assure you they are very good. >> reporter: sarcasm from poland. >> this is the second time this

year we have seen russians in ukraine. >> reporter: meanwhile nato ambassadors held an emergency session to discuss the situation. >> despite moscow's hollow denials, it is now clear that russian troops and equipment have illegally crossed the border into eastern and southeastern ukraine. this is not an isolated action, but part of a dangerous pattern. >> reporter: russia's denial came quickly, you could almost hear lavrov sighing. >> this is not the first time we hear all sorts of conjecture, and not once have facts been

presented. there have been reports of photographs from space showing russian troops, but it was a computer game and the images were taken from there. >> reporter: but in kiev the prime minister has upped the steaks by asking parliament to back a renewed bid to join nato. >> translator: we would like the parliament to reconsider a law to request joining nato. >> for me it's clear that all european countries which are ready and which want get the membership, but it can take time. >> reporter: this meeting was planned sometime ago, but the events in eastern ukraine has given it more urgency. behind the smiles the anger is

clear, but as for what new action the eu will take, well, that's anything but. nadine barber al jazeera, milan. the united kingdom has raised its terror level threat to severe. the prime minister said the threat posed by islamic state group is the catalyst. >> we need to defeat the terrorist group at its source. we need a firm response, international cooperation on intelligence, and counter terrorism or uncompromising measures against terrorists here at home.

a counter terror special said this: >> we also have stand on a very critical risk level against the threat and although the threat hasn't been raised for the last three years this could coincide with the fact that there is the large nato summit being carried out next week in wales. now this in it's a presented a considerable potential terrorist risk, and from sources that i have spoken with, there has been chatter around this event, which evidently would lead the government to believe that we need to raise the general public's awareness as well. the u.s. says it sees no reason to raise its threat level. the u.s. considers the islamic state to be a very serious threat. so what is it prepared to do?

>> what officials at the pentagon are stressing is that they are still trying to get the best possible information in order to make recommendations to president barack obama, on how the u.s. should engage if at all against i.s. forces inside syria and iraq. ongoing air strikes have been carried out since earlier this month, august 8th, but there is a very vibrant debate in this country about whether the u.s. should be taking military action inside syria in order to try to stem the threat from i.s. let's listen to what the spokesman at the pentagon had to say about the pentagon's planning. >> the president yesterday was speaking specifically about options for potential military action in syria. that's what the president was referring to yesterday, and that's -- those are the plans and the options that -- that he is looking for from us and that we're working on, specifically

with respect to syria, and it's important to remember, missy, i mean, we have been operating inside iraq from a humanitarian perspective and conducting air strikes, nothing has changed about those missions. we're up to almost 110 air strikes total since they began, so the discussion of operations in iraq continues because the operations in iraq continue. >> despite all of that talking, and the warnings, the u.s. isn't prepared to change its threat level though? >> no, it's not and the secretary of homeland security, jeh johnson said that the u.s. is very much watching the situation in syria and in iraq. it is consulting with allies in the region. obviously as we just heard, rear admiral kirby say, the u.s. is still carrying out air strikes. there were air strikes on friday

in and around the mosul dam to push back i.s. fighters who were trying to retake control of the dam as an example. but the u.s. says it does not see any eminent credible threat against the united states or its interests overseas, so they see no reason to change the threat level for security reasons in this country. it's a marked change from what we saw during the presidency of george w. bush, where it seemed that one development overseas could trigger a change in the terror threat level in this country. however, the administration is stressing that it does take the threat from i.s. very seriously, it's just trying to be very precise about how it is going to respond to it. >> thank you roz. the number of refugees who have fled syria's civil war has

reached 3 million. and half of the population has been displaced by the conflict. the u.n. says not enough is being done to help. when fighting began three years ago, few could have predicted how quickly the crisis would escalate. in 2010 the u.n. said the number of syrians who left the country had crossed the 5,000 -- 500,000 mark. and now 3 million syrians have crossed the border for safety. al jazeera's reports from a refugee camp. >> reporter: they endured the

snow and bitter cold, extreme heat, and lack of electricity. lost their jobs, lived on food rations and survived on charity. but all parents will tell you their children not going to school is one of the most devastating aspects of this life. >> it's a crime. but there is not much i can do. >> reporter: after this man came from aleppo a year and a half ago his children have not been to a popper school in two years. less than 40% of syrian refugee children are enrolled in schools across the region. in lebanon, 70% of refugee children are not receiving a formal education. and the dropout rate is on the rise. some of the refugee children are lucky to be enrolled at public

schools in lebanon. but they have to struggle to catch up with a circumstance lum they are not familiar with. some ngo's offer basic alternative schooling, but the children won't get any credit or si certificate for us. it's unlikely children will be able to enroll this year. >> translator: my children's future is destroyed. we used to dream that our children would become doctors or engineers. now our ambition is to find a place to sleep in and stay alive until the next day. >> reporter: a whole generation of syrians is under threat, and so is the future of syria. iraq is home to more than 200,000 syrian refugees, but as our correspondent explains, people in this refugee camp have tried to keep their lives as normal as possible. >> reporter: i'm deep in the

refugee camp about 50 kilometers from the syrian border deep in kurdistan, and this is perhaps not the usual image you see. cooking fairly delicious food in a restaurant set up by one of the refugees. he came here just over two years ago with just a shirt on his back, but like quite a few of the syrian refugees there is an entrepreneur spirit if you like, and he set up this restaurant. the islamic state fighters came to within 20 to 30 kilometers of this camp just a few weeks ago. and he said many people are worried. but they have decided if they come back, they will send their women and children away and take up the fight with the kurds.

over 40,000 of the syrian refugees are staying here of the over 200,000 that came across. and it's not just these refugees that are staying, the number is going the other way. we're hearing that 300 a day are going back because they are so worried about the islamic state threat. this is a wedding dress shop. i'm told a number of weddings are still going on. just shows love concurs all. and there is plenty more still to come on this news hour, including, hundreds of thousands demonstrate in yemen's capitol. we'll have more on the growing sectarian divide. ebola outbreak spreads to senegal, but an experimental test offers new help. and the nfl sets more

penalties for domestic violence. more coming up in sport. ♪ first hundreds of members of the armed wing of islamic jihad have rallied ied in gaza after friday prayers. one of the issues is the status of gaza's border crossings. there are six entry points, only three of which are used at the moment. one is used primarily for pedestrian traffic. the second crossing is used for trucks delivering goods. it's the only commercial passageway. the rafa crossing lies on the border between gaza and egypt. the other three crossings remain closed for the time being.

from gaza andrew simmons sent this report. >> reporter: more aid supplies for hundreds of thousands of people in gaza are getting through. but control of the crossings that dictates the level of hardship here have so far only returned to what it was before the war. everyone is waiting to see what changes the ceasefire agreement will make, because the level of need is so high. >> in order to feed a half a million people we'll need to develop new ways and means to do it. we need access. we need security. we need the capacity to receive those goods. >> reporter: not only that, gaza somehow needs the capacity to rebuild. but supplies to do that are nowhere in site. u.n. officials and building contractors say unless border restrictions are lifted, the future looks grim. >> it will take five, ten, 20

years, god knows, it depends on how the ease of the siege. this is why we're asking lift the siege. >> reporter: that's one of many calls for the reopening of a point like this one. this is the carney crossing point, it was blocked off in june 2007, that conveyer belt was used two days a week to bring in goods, such as construction materials and food projects. but that was stopped in october 2008, since then nothing has come in or out. and that's the way it might stay. israel says it was closed for security reasons. now it wants guarantees that palestinian fighters won't rearm and build tunnels despite what their leaders have been saying, many in gaza believe a lifting of the blockade is still a long way off. they want to know will it really

be eased? >> translator: what we are hoping for is the opening of all crossings, but we're convinced the israeli occupation is not taking the necessary steps to facilitate this. >> reporter: and also crucially there is still no official decoration from egypt on whether it will permanently reopen the rafa crossing. hundreds of thousands of people have taken part in demonstrations in yemen as the sectarian divide there continues to widen. government loyalists, and their houthi rivals held separate protests from the capitol. here is our report. >> reporter: a day of mass gathers across yemen. here government loyalists gathered in this street. it was the focal point of the 2011 prodemocracy movement that topped the previous president.

but now they say they are united against the shiite houthis. >> translator: we're here to [ inaudible ] hatred and terrorism. if violence erupted here, it would spread across the country. >> reporter: talks have reached no where. the standoff between the rebels and the president has lead to the worst crisis the country has seen since all of the feuding factions agreed on the transition to democracy two years ago. there doesn't seem to be any indication that the government and the houthis are willing to reach a compromise. for the time being they are calling their own people to take to the streets on a daily basis to show they have legitimate demands. another defiant crowd on the other side of the city. the houthis dismiss accusations they are plotting to seize

power. >> translator: we took to the streets to denounce corruption. we have huge natural resources, but we have very poor because of wide-spread corruption. >> reporter: inspired by their leader's fiery speeches the rebels insist this is a fight for democracy. the man who held friday prayers was a sunni cleric, an attempt to silence those who say they want a sectarian government. baher mohamed's wife has given birth to his third child. he released a letter from prison written to his newborn son:

baher mohamed, mohammed fahmy, and peter greste have been in prison now for 244 days. falsely accused of helping the outlawed muslim brotherhood. in june, peter greste and mohammed fahmy were given seven year sentences, and baher mohamed got an extra three years for having a spent bullet casing in his possession. in south africa four men have been found guilty of trying to murder a former military general. who other men were arquitted. he was shot and wounded outside of his home in johannesberg in 2010. he had gone into exile after a fall out with the former president. one of the most dangerous jobs in somalia is being a tax

collector. dozens have been killed after the government began collecting taxes again for the first time in years. >> reporter: this is a tax man. perhaps one of the most dangerous jobs in the somali capitol mogadishu. he asks one shopkeeper after another to pay up. he only charges the daily tax of $0.25. an armed policeman escorts him as he goes about his business. >> translator: most people are willing to pay up, but there are some who reject it. i wish i was doing my job under different circumstances. the need for an armed escort frightens me every day. >> reporter: dozens of taxmen have been killed in the last two years. this woman is still mourning the death of her husband of 50

years. he was killed while collecting taxes a few weeks ago. >> translator: we still don't know who killed him. we received a call from the mayor's office and were asked to come collect his body. he was our only breadwinner. >> reporter: herr family was paid just $250 as compensation. taxation is a new concept here for many people in somalia. as the current administration tries to assert its influence, its efforts to introduce taxes are meeting steep resistance. just this week, the capitol's main business center was shut for three days in protest, of what traders are calling exsoesh important taxes. >> translator: what we disagree with is being asked to pay taxes on goods just 20 minutes after

they leave the port where we fully pay duty on them. >> reporter: the idea of paying tax on social services may seem outlandish, but officials say if the somali government is ever to rid itself of foreign aid and provide services to the people, businessmen will have to pay their part. for now, though, that remains an uphill task. still to come, the elite police force sent to an exclusive resort town to protect mexico's rich and powerful from kidnappers. germany considers a law making it illegal to email employees outside of work. and we'll have sport later with sunna.

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al jazeera, nato and european leaders have accepted up their condemn nation of russia over talks on the ukraine crisis. russia denies involvement. the uk has upgraded its terror threat level from substantial to receive veer -- severe in response to the conflicts in iraq and syria. the online signs journal "nature," say clinical trials of the drug zmapp shows 100% success on monkeys. the ebola virus has now killed more than 1500 people across west africa. >> reporter: a new temporary laboratory in sierra leon's

capitol, free town. one of just two other labs in the country equipped to test for ebola was closed after a staff member died from the virus. >> in the past if you would like to test ebola, you would have to send the test results overseas. the results would be issued within a few days, a week, or longer. here we can see the results, and issue the results within three to five hours. >> reporter: in guinea u.n. agency unicef has donated motorbikes to the government to help health officials reach remote villages. it says the outbreak has changed the lives of thousands of children. >> translator: with an average of five children orphaned with each deceased parent due to

ebola, there are thousands of children made vulnerable by this epidemic. >> reporter: clinical trials in the u.s. are likely to start next week, in the uk next month. vaccine development and testing usually takes up to ten years. drug company galaxosmithkline hopes to finish the first round of trials by the end of 2014. the vaccine has successfully been tested on chimpanzees. a study just published in the journal of science suggests the ebola virus in west africa is mutating fast, and this could blunt the effectiveness of diagnostic tests and experimental vaccines. >> from long experience with developing vaccines, you have got to be careful to make sure above all that it is safe; that

there are no unexpected adverse reactions, and that's the reason why you go in very slowly with very few people and follow them carefully. >> reporter: with the number of new cases last week at their highest so far, the w.h.o. has warned that it could take months even years to bring the outbreak under control. to indonesia where drivers with stocks up on fuel. >> reporter: long lines at petrol stations in indonesia. the reason, the budgeted supply of subsidized fuel this year has nearly run out. >> translator: people will suffer when prices go up.

if they make fuel more expensive, it will be really difficult for me. schools are expensive and electricity has gone up already. price for food will go up too. >> reporter: raising fuel prices is one of the most sensitive issues in indonesia. after huge protests in 2012, the government implemented a 33% increase in fuel prices one year later. but still the country spends a lot more on fuel subsidies than health care and education. indonesians pay a maximum of $0.55 a late -- liter, but it is clear the country can't ford it any longer. those who benefit most from the subsidies are not poor. something analysts say has to be better communicated to the

public. >> translator: we have already conveyed the message to the people that most of the profits around 70% are only being enjoyed by rich people. so poor people hardly enjoy them. we are telling this to the people, but maybe we should do it more often. >> reporter: despite mounting pressure by economists the national oil company, and other parts of society, the president has refused to raise prices once again. >> translator: there is no justification as to why we're still using oil as our main source of energy. we don't look for other sources. it's because of the oil mafia in our country making big prices. i don't know if the president refuses to raise the prices because of this or because he is worried about the response of the people. >> reporter: whatever the

answer, it's clear the current president refuses to solve this issue. so indonesia has to wait for the next president to come in to power in late april. charges have been dropped against hundreds of protesters who rallied against venezuela's government earlier this year. 276 people no longer face prosecution. more than 3,000 people were arrested during the demonstrations in february and march, 74 are still in custody. a new elite police force has been deployed to the mexican resort town after a surge in kidnappings. it's not the only place in mexico where abductions are common, but it is where the business and political elite spend their weekends. >> reporter: this quaint town, a few hours outside of mexico city

is the last place you would expect to see these men and women. instead of the usual tour is, members of mexico's elite crowding these streets, it's federal police and soldiers, because in the last month more than a dozen kidnappings were reported. and are new federal police force is being deployed to try to stop the violence. 5,000 newly trained recruits tasked with protecting key parts of the economy from drug gangs. >> translator: they will help contain and dismantle those criminal organization which undermine activity through robbery, extorsion and kidnapping. >> reporter: this has always been family community just outside of mexico city, so when business leaders started getting kidnapped, the federal

government started to worry. fear is keeping many people from enjoying the clear lake and alpine forrests. in the 20 years since this man has been serving fresh seafood, he has never had so few customers. business is down almost 50%. >> translator: it has been a well-kepted secret that we have been suffering from violence for a while. if you go to the outskirts sometimes you find dead bodies. we don't know why it took the authorities so long to deploy. >> reporter: this is the first security force created by the president who is struggling to fulfill his campaign promise of making mexico safer. but miguel worries that the strategy is nothing new. it has been months since the military was deployed, and his rich clients are still not buying luxury speedboats because

they are too scared of drawing attention of criminal gangs. >> translator: unfortunately we're in mexico, and even though they increase security it doesn't mean much. >> reporter: making the environment safe is the first step towards luring tourists back to this town. it's a luxury they can't afford lose. germany is considering a new law that would make it illegal to have employees being called outside of work hours. 83% of workers were stressed while using email. their blood pressure, heart rate and the stress hormone rose while reading and sending messages.

employees at the car firm for example can set their inboxes to automatically deplete emails while they are on holiday. so what do people in berlin think about this proposed law? >> translator: i honestly wait until the next work day. if i see there is an email or phone call after work hours, then i have the right to say, listen, this can wait until tomorrow. >> recuperating from their day's tribulations, so it is better for their rest not to check all of their emails. that's my personal opinion. do i follow my advice? no, i don't. [ laughter ] >> translator: even if the law takes care of this and then the employer asks the employees when hiring to be reachable after work, it's more the pressure that i want and need this job, and that's why i am doing it. >> still to come this news hour, a formal u.s. open finalist

steps up her campaign. plus, a company of canadian opera singers takes an original route in search of a broader audience. ♪ >> 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 ♪ hello again, film festivals the world over of course try to attract the bigs premiers and the hottest stars to their events. but increasingly they are having to share and reshow each other's films, due to what they say is a look of good content.

phil takes a look. >> reporter: they love recycling here in venice even when it comes to the world of movies. look at the film festivals drury. there is a director that won an award at cannes only a few months back. william defoe is about to make the same trip. different festivals, different jobs, but the same faces. there really does seem to be a lot of playing the same hand at the festivals this year. this film was first shown in berlin back in february, and is now being massed to venice. likewise all of these move i haves have been screened here, and once this festival raps up, they will be passed to toronto and screened there as well. all of these festivals are fierce competitors, and yet there is this increasing feeling

they are becoming ever more reliant on each other, and the reason? apparently there is not enough quality films to go around. >> the good films, i mean, are fewer and fewer. it's much more easier and cheaper to produce a film today. but the quality is not always the one we should expect. >> reporter: getting the stars on the red carpet gets the headlines, the cameras there, and that in turn attracts another type of person looking for screen time. >> politicians around the world have realized that they are great for promoting a city. >> so it's not just about the films? this >> oh, no. no. it's about putting a politician in front of a camera with a famous actor or director and saying we are bringing the best of the world to you. that's what we're using our

money for. >> reporter: with 3,000 film festivals held worldwide, numbers appear to be growing not falling. but the question is how long before the sun starts to set on them. all right. it is time to get caught up with the latest sporting action. here is farah. >> thank you so much. american's football governing body, the nfl have announced a new domestic violence policy in response to the outrage at the league's decision to hand only a two-game ban on a player who attacked his fiance. >> reporter: ray rice dragging his unconscious fiance out of a -- casino after allegedly striking her.

but what drew more criticism was the two-game ban for punishment. now gaedel outlined a new nfl policy on dealing with domestic violence. it calls for a six-game suspension for a first offense, and indefinite ban from the league for a second offense. perhaps the most telling of the new policy is that it applies to all nfl personnel. >> what came out of the nfl today is extraordinary in terms of its leadership, decisiveness and commitment to really make a difference on this issue. >> reporter: gaedel acknowledged that his handling of the rice case: the policy applies to all incidents involving force not just domestic violence. the policy is not retroactive,

and everyone starts with a clean slate. jessica taft, al jazeera. >> for me we're joidy steve almond authorf "against football," and he is live for us from boston. is this a fair policy in should players be penalized for things they do off of the field? >> that's really something for abemployer to decide, and i don't know what roger goodell's motives are, maybe it's pr or a genuine act of conscious, but it's a net positive when any executive is talking about and taking seriously violence against women and domestic abuse. >> the nfl is trying to be a global brand, but do you think it has a serious image problem? >> well, i think it's an

inherently violent game. and we reward the players for being violent and aggressive from the time they are very young. that's why there are mics set up on the sideline, so we can h the bone crunching, we're and olence.layers for aressn to be gtle role models off of the field. americans consume a form of entertainment that is violent enough to cause brain damage amongst the people who play it. that's a fundamental moral quandary that fans have to face. >> players being violent off of the field, is it very surprising that they are being violent off? >> well, like i say a player from the time they are very young is not rewarded for being

empathetic in football. the idea is that we reward them channelling their violence and aggression. and as for the larger question of gender roles in the nfl, roger goodell can do nothing about the fact that the game consists of big strong women in uniforms and the women's role is basically sexual, sitting on the sideline cheering. the nfl is a huge corporation, they are going to do what is in their economic interest, but the fans are the one that built the complex. if this story teaches us anything, it's that the fans are the ones that will have to take the charge morally. >> all right. we're going to have to leave it there. thanks so much for your time. >> absolutely. former u.s. open champions

roger federer and maria will be at the u.s. open on saturday. the 29-year-old serbia was the runner up at flushing meadows in 2008. the chinese veteran went on to defeat the 28 seed, 6-4, 6-3. mercedes says they have taken disciplinary action against their driver following his collision into his teammate. he has been told that another such incident will not be tolerated. they said that he apologized for his error in judgment. [ inaudible ] has bid farewell to real madrid after signing a two-year deal with munich.

he won the champions league this year. a few days ago, the 2010 world cup winner had also announced his retirement from international football. >> translator: surely today is a sad day, because i'm closing a wonderful stage in my life. now a new door is open to me, but undoubtedly it has been the most difficult decision of my life to leave real madrid. [ inaudible ] has become the first zimbabwen to achieve his victory. this is part of a try series also involving australia. cycling has been an incident filled stage with a number of requireds needing medical attention.

this man crashed when his wheels slid out from under him. but not up and recovered well finishing second. alejandro maintains the overall lead. and that's all your sport for now. and now back to felicity. >> thanks very much indeed. opera is often considered to be an elitist art form, but one group in canada is using pedal power to take their music to a much broader audience. >> reporter: on tour with the bicycle opera company. they carry almost everything they need for a show in bike trailers or backpacks. they fix their own cycles and put their lungs to work. >> opera singing is actually a very athletic activity.

>> reporter: this is the third season that bicycles have brought opera to small towns and cities. usually singers take july and august off, now this group spends its time in the saddle. >> it was great. i really thoroughly enjoyed it. we had almost perfect weather the whole time. >> reporter: there are no big formal concert halls, orchestra pits, or even proper stages. they arrive on a bike and sets up in a gymnasium or country church. making a highly specialized fine art available to anyone. >> i think we break down the barriers already just even by the concept of the project. i think people are already

intrigu intrigued. ♪ >> reporter: the material is modern and by canadian composers. each segment is short and lively. even the very few lyrics in italian are subtitled and beamed from a projection powered by a bicycle generator. >> a lot of people have never had the opportunity to see opera, so taking it to the people and throwing a little gimmick behind it is pretty smart. >> reporter: it has helped spread opera that much wider in this part of the country. they hope to broaden their audience even further. it's a long ride, but they seem to have the pedal power to keep going. daniel lack, jaal jazeera, toronto. all right. that's it for this particular news hour. join me again in a couple of

minutes. bye-bye. ♪

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