we have made it our web individual year. political advisory, fast talking content. so try to keep up. this is al jazeera america. i'm richelle carey in new york with a look at the day's top story. the u.s. military expands air strikes against the islamic state group, targets near the haditha dam were hit for the first time. the president promises to outline his full strategy against the islamic state, in a speech this week. fighting breaks out in ukraine, killing two. the official ceasefire is in syria's jeopardy. a health alert for parents of kids with asthma, a rapidly spread virus is moving across the country.

we'll have full details. we begin with the u.s. response to the islamic state group. this wednesday, president obama says he will address the nation to outline plans for battling is fighters. the president says the strategy will not include boots on the ground. the u.s. launched expanded air strikes against the islamic state group. it's the first time the u.s. hit targets in this counter conflict. >> first the iraqi government ask us for their support in the strikes. second, it was the iraqi security forces on the ground who conceived of the operation. they, too, the iraqi security force air force is conducting strikes. haditha dam is an important

facility for iraq. jane arraf reports from baghdad. >> reporter: the air strikes are part of what appears to be a widening front and campaign by the u.s. military against islamic state targets. we are told they hit targets in between haed eetha and al qaim and they are as close to the syrian border as the u.s. has so far targeted. the area is seen as key to defeating or containing the islamic state group. they are coming back and forth with weapons across that very porous syrian border. an important component of the fight are the tribal fighters. we are told there are several thousands fighters on the ground backing iraqi security forces. they are trying to take towns close to the city of haditha, and reinforce support for the haditha dam. a rational to support the air strikes is to protect the dam,

and back iraqi army troops. protecting the dam is key, it says, to protecting u.s. interest, including in baghdad. the islamic state fighters are opening the floodgates and could flood area all the way to the capital. here in baghdad, a senior security spokesman tells us they are expecting american air strikes on the outskirts of baghdad, and it's traditionally a staging area for attacks. suicide car bombs and other attacks from outside to the south and west. so a widening campaign, the beginning of supported scenes by tribal elements, and the continuing fierce fight against the islamic state group. jane arraf in baghdad. research associate jim walsh joined us earlier to discuss his expectations for president obama's speech on wednesday and what might happen in iraq after president obama's strategy takes shape. >> part of it is setting

priorities, part one is to make sure iraq is not threatened. let's get it done first. that's what we are going, the kurds are pubbing back with u.s. air support. we don't have to fight the battles, there are land forces. we need to support them to be successful. i.s.i.s. will be pushed to syria, there'll be a reluctance to get involved in a syrian civil war. there'll be air strikes, special operations drones, but i don't see us intervening between two sides. bashar al-assad is a war criminal who used chemical weapons against his own people. we can't back him or the streamists on the other side. it's about going after the people we don't line, without sending a lot of troops in on the ground in syria. >> jim walsh with mit. president obama addressed lingering concerns about u.s.

intervention in the middle east. kimberley has more. >> the president expanded to say the goal of the united states and terms of objectives would be to blunt the momentum of the islamic state group, to degrade and destroy capabilities, and key for the united states is to shrink the territory it controls. the president uses language that it heard on friday. really collaborative language. the goal is to work with partners and allies. there'll be a military almost, but as you heard there a moment ago, no boots on the ground, the goal aft united states will be -- of the united states will be to work with partners on the ground to push back the islamic state group. >> this will not be an announcement about u.s. ground troops, it's not the equivalent of the iraq war. it's similar to counterterrorism campaigns that we have been engaging in over the last five,

six, seven years. >> the president has a challenge on his hands. that is because, us know, there's a lot of war weariness in the united states. i can tell you the president faced a lot of criticism up to this point about not having a clear strategy when it comes to dealing with the islamic state group. those criticisms on capitol hill seem to be a little quiet in recent days, because we saw a second video released, a gruesome video at the beheading of another american journalist. that you nighted many on capitol hill, there is a -- unite many on capitol hill. there's a need to be aggressive. the president will speak in advance of that speech. that is the challenge. the person public, the war-weariness. the challenge for the president will be to convince them despite the fact that there are air strikes taking place in iraq, this will not be the equivalent of the iraq war. kimberley in d.c. president obama likened his

decision to delay executive action on the immigration reform until after the november election. >> i'll act because it's the right thing for the country. but it will be more sustainable and effective if the public understands what the facts are on immigration, what we have done on unaccompanied children and why it's necessary. >> immigration policy has been under the microscope since a flood of immigrants crossed the border. 60,000 unaccompanied minors entered the u.s. since act. >> shifting to ukraine, bombings in the east of that country threaten a ceasefire. two homes were hit north of donetsk and explosions heard in the port city of mariupol. two were killed and four civilians wounded. paul brennan is in donetsk with more. >> these pictures show the ukraine ceasefire going up in flames. a kilometre from the perimeter of the airport. the district has been in the

firing line for months. caught in the crossfire between the ukranian forces inside and separatists. the deal in minsk had some believing the worst was over. they were mistaken. >> we were going to pick up our stuff. i have a baby, we temporarily live in a dormitory. we wanted to get a push chair, clothes for the child. then i got a call from my mother saying the house was burning. >> reporter: each side blames the other for breaching the ceasefire. on this occasion it seems the separatists fired first. >> translation: they were standing with a canon, the ukranian army was aimed at them, and started to shoot. they were standing here, shot there and got the response. >> the responses went back and forth all day sunday. to the east of here, to the evidence of the airport we heard small arms fire and a burst from a machine-gun.

to the north-west we heard the explosions from a system. this is a ceasefire only. tapping out from the mariupol checkpoint on monday. tanks took up defensive positions on the city limits. they braced to defend against more of this. saturday night's pouning of the city limits by separatist forces. a violation of the minsk agreement. nonetheless in kiev a ceasefire is in force. the situation here is under control. over the last 24 hours, we didn't have any information about civilian casualties, we are not talking about a cancellation of the ceasefire agreement. >> for residents of mariupol, inspecting the damage, faith in the truce is understandably low. >> it's terrifying not just for the people, but the whole city.

>> reporter: a few minutes later something in the distance had the soldiers pushing back from the check point. officials from the organization for security and cooperation in europe, the o.s.c.e. is charged with monitoring the ceasefire and a reminder of the monitoring of the task. >> and a reminder that the conflict is not over yet. >> let's talk about mariupol, where fighting took police. >> it's a vital port city, the key to vladimir putin's influence in ukraine. >> reporter: as leaders gather in wales, skepticism over the peace plan. >> we call on russia to step back from confrontation and take the path of the peace. >> reporter: russia's foothold include crimea, annexed in march, and rebel held

territories, the country's vital industrial heartland. pro-russian rebels covert mariupol, it would give a corridor to crimea. if they fail, russia's gains give it influence over ukraine's internal and external affairs. >> it races questions about the ukraine government, and n.a.t.o. and e.u. membership is far away. >> ukraine is not an n.a.t.o. member. the alliance drew a line with moscow. drawing a flank and announcing sanctions. sanctions have harmed russia's economy, but failed to bring the kremlin to heal or damage the popularity of vladimir putin, who denies military involvement in ukraine.

there are reports coming in from iran, saying the country arrested a ukranian it suspects of sabotage at its nuclear power plant. the iranian nuclear says the suspect was arrested at a power plant. no further details are available. hundreds of children and teens are coming down with a potent virus. a spike in respiratory infections has been reported. human intero virus is reported as the cause, landing kids not just in hospital, but in intensive care. jim huli is live in intensive care. if people are in intensive care, i assume it is life-threatening? >> it is. it's dangerous and life threatening for young children who are suffering from asthma already. it's tough for them. in fact, one boy, a five-year-old came here, brought

in by his mum. his mum said he woke up and said "i can't breath." and the doctors at the hospital are shocked at the number of kids coming in here with the symptoms. >> reporter: it was thought this 13-year-old had a common cold. >> he came close to death. he was unconscious at our house, and white as a coast. blue lips. >> the respiratory distress went from mild to life threatening. they want parents to be aware of how serious it can be. >> if you have an asthmatic child and they are feeling sick, and you feel like should he go to the hospital, you may want to go. doctors believe he's dealing with a virus linked to the common cold. >> the concept of symptoms is rapid. hours. >> reporter: symptoms can be

similar to acute bronchitis and are dangerous for children with asthma. >> i started hurting. my lungs started to close up >> reporter: in colorado, 900 cases have been seen in the past month. >> you are looking better than yesterday. i'm happy about that. >> reporter: it's unclear why the virus is spreading rapidly. there's no vaccine, since it's a virus, antibiotics don't work. september is a tough month for kids with asthma, heading back to school at the start of the cold and flu season. the experts say the only thing you can do to prevent the spread of the diseases is wash your hands as much as you can. it's tough, timing is not good, especially with all the kids back to school once again in close contact. the best thing is wash your hands in school. >> do doctors feel they have a handle on the outbreak or

projections on how severe it may be? >> here in denver, the doctors say that is tough to tell at this point in time. doctors at the c.d.c., the centers for disease control believe that we may only see the tip of the iceberg for the spread of a disease, not only here in colorado, and the west, but all around the country, that is how bad it is right now. >> that is scary. thank you so much. >> irreverent is a word to describe a final for joan rivers. >> a private ceremony took place in manhattan. she wanted her funeral to be hollywood all the way. those there say it is exactly what she would have wanted. >> it was irreverent and truly joan. the gay men's choir opened it up. howard stern told hilarious memories and stories. there were words from the rabbi, he's like "that's okay."

great friends spoke. melissa read a funny beautiful letter. it was beautiful. joan rivers died on thursday, a week after she stopped breathing and lapsed into a coma after surgery. she was 81. still ahead on al jazeera america. monsoon season brings disaster to pakistan's bread basket. >> now for a look at severe weather. >> not a place you expect monsoon-like weather, or influenced by a hurricane pushing in moisture. i'll show you where flash floods are a problem in the united states. coming up from the south, details in your forecast. and it's been 13 years since the september 11th attacks. on "the week ahead", we look at al qaeda, and its global standing. that's 8:30 eastern, 5:30 pacific.

palestinian president mahmoud abbas is threatening to break up his unity government

with hamas, saying it could derail efforts to win back a palestinian state in the next three years. we have this report. >> reporter: president mahmoud abbas's comments were made during a visit to cairo, where he held talks with his egyptian counterpar, the remarks following statements by hamas that a number of its members were arrested in the west bank in a clamp down by the palestinian authority. the response by hamas was muted. a spokesman saying that it would be better for mahmoud abbas to bring up the accusations of hamas forming a shadow government in direct negotiations, rather than in the media. >> translation: these tension-filled statements are no reward for the people of palestine standing up to israeli bellagerens, we great to continue dialogue on all contentious points to ensure the implementation of all reconciliation points. the reconciliation was

brought up in cairo, speakers insisted that a unity government was essential if progress was to be meed in securing a viable palestinian state. it would appear it's in the interests of all to maintain unity moves. the political reality is that fatah and hamas need to prop each other up, rather than move further apart. >> inside gaza, residents are in need of humanitarian aid. this is a result on hamas, leaving infrastructure in shambles. andrew simmonds reports on that. delivery runs like this are as crucial now as in the war. aid agencies are providing a life line for tens of thousands of people. this is free drinking water that is filtered and safe. for those returning to damaged homes, when the water supply is working, there's no electricity to pump it from tank and wells.

gaza's only power station had been hit repeatedly by israeli shells. the fuel store and treatment plant was destroyed with generator and turbine damage. it's estimated that full repairs will take a year, and a temporary fix will offer a fraction of the power needed. before the war it only offers gaza 60% of power, some shortfall made up from supplies from israel and egypt. >> it was catastrophic before the war. now, it will be much more severe. >> without a power supply, gaza's sewage is untreated. the coastline is polluted with outlets like this, pumping out raw sewerage 24 hours a day. aside from that there's a health risk from bomb damage to main sewers. >> this entire area was filled

with raw sewerage, sinking down deep through the sand. nothing could be done to repair the pipe or to treat the sue im for a whole month. >> there are fears that underground water supplies for a populated area may have been contaminated. >> we are talking about raw sewage, which was infiltrated to the aquifer. we need someone to come today, not yesterday, to take samples from the resources to give a solution for participation contamination of our resources. >> that is one urgent need of many. the fighting may have stopped. little else has changed. people have to option but to try to cope with the hardship. scenes of devastation in eastern pakistan, which is experiencing its worst flooding in decades. more than 160 people have been killed in the region, thousands are homeless. rob matheson has the latest.

>> monsoon season in pakistan. days of rain turn roads into rivers. and the region of punjab, this country's bread basket, crops have been destroyed and people stranded in the flooding. >>. >> translation: last evening as the floodwaters entered the area, we climbed on to the trees to save our lives. five of us were stranded for 20 hours. we lost hope and were not away that someone would come to our rescue. >> reporter: the government set up dozens of relief camps for the victims and sent search and rescue teams to the most affected area. >> we evacuated people hanging to the trees. they survived. we have evacuated them. i think that's a great success. >> many parts have been hit by the worst flooding in 20 years.

people in villages like these are suffering the most. their houses are built with mud bricks. cities are affected. flooding in a large city, lahore, distributed commercial activity, forcing some businesses to shut. >> the prime minister is coming under criticism for not doing enough. he has been facing weeks of an opposition movement calling for his resignation. he was trying to focus tanks on the disaster, saying the government would do everything it could to heavy people in distress. in nearby parts of india-administered kashmir 170 people have lost their lives following days of rain and landslides. hundreds of villages are under water. firefighters in california say they are gaping the upper -- gaining the upper hand in a fire

near yosemite national park. it came yn 50 miles of yos gyminy -- yos gyminy. an evacuation order for 3 homes was lifted. an order for evacuation was imposed. it was hampered by steep terrain brought on by the draught. rebecca is here with the weather. >> i'd like to say there's drought relief for california, but we are not getting it. we have plenty of moisture for the south. the former hurricane norbert falling apart as it turns towards the shore in the baa -- baja peninsula, but moisture pushing up from mexico is causing heavy rain falls and causing flash flooding. there's big concerns, because it's a dry area, especially in

southern california. we are looking at the southern - part of the sierra nevadas, the rain fall falling in the mountains, and running down so rapidly. we are talking about record amounts of moisture, up to two inches happening in the atmosphere. all you need is a bit of a lift to get 2 inches of water out of the sky within half an hour, sometimes very fast. we are concerned about the continuation through monday for the southern area. we expect to see them become widely scattered. thickened lines in utah. something to keep an eye on, if you are in the vicinity of southern california, there's a risk of flash flooding. we have a report of a boulder rolling down into the middle of the 243 earlier today. we have a lot of issues going on

for southern california. as monday wearing on, see how the norms and showers continue to the south-west. we have a lot of activity along the east coast. still showers going on. it's dry, it's far less humid in the north-east. you see the showers popping up and from texas. ultimately in the last 24 hours, most of the rain fall has been into florida, some of the storms dumping significant amounts of rain. let's get back to the less humid forecast in the north-east. you see how the temperatures are warming around the great lakes. temperatures dropped, and they are 25 degrees cooler in places compared to yesterday, because of the cool air mass. well, fall is knocking on the door. september 22nd is the day that it starts, meaning the sun is near the equator. we don't get as much sun, days are shorter and temperatures cool off. for a lot of folks it feels

good, but for some it's chilly. >> fall is wonderful, no complaints around here. >> thank you. still ahead on al jazeera america. more on the battle brewing between libya's newly elected government and outgoing leaders. promising news when it comes to developing an ebola vaccine when al jazeera continues.

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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 welcome back to al jazeera america. here is a look at the top stories, hundred of children are coming down with a respiratory illness. it may be caused by a virus. more than 1500 cases have been reported in 10 states, most in the mid west. children with asthma are particularly vulnerable. this week in the u.s., they launched air strikes against islamic state group. it was to support forces near the haditha and mosul dams. the iraqi government requested the strikes.

it's the first time the u.s. hit targets in anbar province in this conflict. two were killed in fighting in eastern ukraine, including a civilian. blasts were heard two days after the government and pro-russian separatists signed a ceasefire agreement. >> two were killed in fighting. blasts were heard in donetsk. two days after an attempt at a ceasefire. we'll have more on that in a moment. in the meantime, syria - government forces are pushing opposition fighters out of major cities. the fighters are making gains along the border with the golan heights. the opposition hopes to cut off the major supply routes to the government in damascus. >> reporter: fierce battles in the country side of this province. after controlling the only border crossing in the area, opposition fighters want to seize more military posts belonging to the syrian army's

90th brigade. >> translation: our aim is to control a number of posts. we have liberated three important posts already. >> reporter: the fighters want to cut the government's supply route between daara and the west of the country. they want to secure a line for forces. they want to bolster control on the west. it's not an easy fight. government troops are holding on traditions. the battle could drag on for days or weeks. >> the rebel games provide the fighters with the feeling of momentum. >> the goal of the battles is to open a route to the damascus country side, and from there to the capital. in other parts of syria government forces gain the upper hand and the syrian army is battling rebels. the government rooted rebels

from the so-called capital of the syrian revolution. it's making gains. syrian jets are bombing aleppo. in areas in and around the capital damascus, the syrian army struck reconciliation deals with rebels, ending months of siege, destruction and starvation. >> damascus appears to be more secure than three years ago when syria's war started. the main opposition is largely weak and divided. unable to convince western powers to provide much-needed weapons to turn the tied against government forces. as pore president bashar al-assad, his plans are clear. he's just started a new 7-year term in office with a promise to end the war and defeat what he calls the terror campaign against his country. >> in yemen, security forces

clashed with i'm not government demonstrators, trying to clear a camp set up in sanaa. security forces fired tear gas and used water canons on the shia minority. protesters condemned the action and vowed retaliation. they called for cuts to fuel prices and the government's resignation. on the streets of libya battles rage on. the fraction of power runs to the top. rival government is sworn in. the outgoing government in the east refusing to hand over power to those in the west. stefanie dekker reports. >> reporter: he's one of libya's two leaders. hasi and his government has been worn in. the product of the general national congress, the previous parliament that should have disbanded after the june elections. that vote elected a new parliamentary body, the house of representatives who reappointed

the former prime minister and asked him to form a government. they are based 1,000km away from the capital in the eastern city of tobruk. the general national congress refused to break up, opposing the newly elected body leaving libya with two prime ministers. violence brought libya to a stand still over the last few months and divided the country. on the tripoli front, al-hasi and his government are deemed to be religiously conservative and supported by powerful militias, calling themselves the dawn of libya. in tobruk, they are more moderate supporters of general khalifa haftar. he has been battling militia. it spilled to the city, the air part is now in ruins.

modelling from regional counties, have been blamed for air strikes supporting khalifa haftar's offensive. saddam is accused of sending a plane with amupics, and -- ammunition, and qatar supporting some millish area - all denied. it's three years since the death of muammar gaddafi, and libya is facing its worst crisis yet. tonight an al jazeera documentary series called "edge of 18" premieres, following 15 high school seniors as they prepare for a leap into adulthood. give producer alex gibney introduces us to three teens. >> some of the kids in the series are asking powerful questions - where do i fit in, how do i make a difference, how can i better my life, is there a place for me when i'm out of high school. this is a time of uncertainty,

there doesn't seem to be a clear path for anyone to follow. >> my application process is a little different from normal high schoolers. not only do i have to apply for the colleges and get in academically, but i also have to apply for the dance school separately and go audition to these places. >> so is there mail for me today. >> yes, you have one from arizona. >> whoou hue. >> what does it say? >> i don't know. >> i want to thank you guys for accepting me for me. [ clapping ] . >> this is a university. this is my dream school. >> california? >> yes. >> i always want to go. >> it's the other side of the count country. >> i know. >> i kid like happen oi, come

og -- hanoi, coming out as gay. his father can't accept it. >> any problem you have, someone cry you are gay. we can't help you. you know this is right. >> papa, it's 2014, no one cares if you are gay any more. >> and yet he has a forthrightness about confronting his parents, that i don't thuping i had the courage to do -- think i had the courage to do when i was young. >> it felt great confronting my father letting him know just because i'm gay doesn't meet i'm week. >> are you guys going to bible study, right now, yes. after high school i have two options whether to go to ministry full time or going to college this fall. >> he's a preacher at the age of 17. he's trying to reckon with his faith, at a time when his parents don't share it. that teaches us a lot about the power of religion.

>> i don't want to be someone telling you you can't do ministry, but i don't want you to waste hard work you have done by making a decision not to go to school. >> i think the biggest challenge for the kids is how to find a way forward with a sense of both ambitious and compassion. >> my parents have a plan that they want me to follow. i will do what god asks me to do before god asks me. >> i don't want to be gay, take this curse off me. >> i feel i won't get in and i won't know what i'm doing. >> the first episode of ege airs tonight at 9:00 eastern, 6:00 pacific, here on al jazeera america. still ahead - a fall from grace. >> neglecting a woman, being a coward. accusations of abuse of power plagiarism and bullying

are breaking down the empire of a megachurch pastor. the co-owner of the atlantic hawks is selling because of a racially charged email he says he wrote. details when we come back. @j

news... another n.b.a. owner is selling a share of a team after releasing a racially charged email. we have the details on this. it's very layered, it's packed, dense. >> it's disturbing. >> it is. >> it was donald sterling, now bruce levinson will sell his interest after he admitted writing on email in 2012 that he called inappropriate and offensive. in the letter that levinson sent to co-owners he detailed beliefs

that the hawks fan base was too heavily african-american, saying the cheer leaders were black and hip-hop was played, he said: he apologised in a statement and said: n.b.a. commissioner adam silva was notified of his intention to sell the team and released this statement: loo the league will look for a clir. the l.a. clippers was sold for $2 billion after donald sterling was banned for life after his racist comments were public. another blow to the n.b.a., especially with how the openers run the teams. >> let's talk about the email.

the quote you pulled said "my theory is the black crowds scare away the whites. and there's not enough affluent fans to build a fan base", he said, "don't get me wrong, there's nothing threatening going on in the arena, i never felt uncomfortable. i think southern whites are not comfortable being at an arena or in a bar where there is minority, and calls it racist garbage." he said if the white people were not comfortable. they were not comfortable, but at the same time he says he wants to cater for the white fans. he calls it racist but is catering to the racism. >> he went on to say the people in the crowd did nothing wrong. crime was not up. he was catering to the southern whites. >> it's interesting. >> it could be a study.

there could be a college course taught on everything exposed. i encourage people to read it. >> thank you. turning to a mega-church controversy, a fourth pastor left. pastor mark driscoll has been accused of bullying and abuse of power. >> reporter: in the pull pit of mars hill, mark driscoll used blunt talk and a male-sent rick vision to build an empire. >> you are a nag, disrespectful, quarrel some. being married to you is like a life sentence, and the guy is scratching on the wall every day - one more day, just one more day. >> i think we are seeing the slow demise of very talented individuals. >> dr james wellman studies megachurches and calls pastor mark driscoll a major figure, a flawed but brilliant preacher appealing to a generation looking for moral guidelines..

>> if you are on the computer doing porn, if you do games online, stop it. study the bible. repent, pray, become a disciple of jesus christ. find a woman and marry her. >> how dare you? who in the hell do you think you are? abusing a woman, neglecting a woman, being a coward, a fool. >> thousands of mars hill members report a dark side to driscoll. members for five years, rob and merrill smith ran a ministry in africa. the two broke with the church over leadership and the disciplining of two elders. >> he said he would destroy me, my ministry, and make sure i could never minister again. over the next three months we did what he could to do that. >> smith calls driscoll

brilliant, and calls him a bully and a monster. >> people will wonder why i will call him a monster. the reality is he preaches well on a sunday. >> anti-driscoll websites blossomed and 30 former and current pastors levelled charms against him. plagiarism, misuse of funds, verbal abuse, making himself more important than the jurch. >> at that point mark driscoll was the brand, and all the resources went into improving that brand in the name of reaching more people for christ. i think mark driscoll fell in love with himself. >> reporter: late this summer driscoll told the congregation he's taking a 6-week leave, but never addressed the charges against him. >> i am deeply, genuinely sorry for the times i have not done my part to live peaceably with all

men. >> smith and others doubt the sincerity of that repentance and say they'll need to see more. >> when he lives with the individuals, he emerge a changed map, humble and more powerful. i look forward to that day. >> we asked several times to speak to pastor mark driscoll for the story, but church leaders say he's not doing interviews. his final survey, posted online, will serve as his statement on the counter situation at mars hill. the national institutes of health announced a promising step forward in the fight against ebola. researchers conduct a human study in an experimental vaccine. researchers are hoping the vaccine will be used to fight the outbreak in west africa. in nigeria, a quarter of the population is at risk of going blind. a quarter, the scary part is it can be caused by going to get

water from a river. river blindness is cip thing communities. >> reporter: this is a village deep in the jungles of northern nigeria. it's in lush corn fields, concealing a community devastated by river blindness, a disease blinding victims. children leading the blind is a ston sight here -- common sight here. this 50-year-old is a victim. >> what hurts me most is i cannot work. i can't help myself. i'm always at the mercy of others. i want to do so much more others, but i can't. >> river blindness is a leading cause of preventible blindness. >> the fly causing river blindness, known as black fly, breeds along the river banks and bites people as they draw water or do their washing.

up to 130,000 are blighted by the disease in nigeria. river blindness caused major disruptions for the community. many children are forced to drop out of school to care for blinded relatives. disease has been a curse. you see young men and women wasting away. they are so weak they cannot farm or work or earn a live. as a result agricultural production dropped significantly. >> effort are under way to stop the spread of river blindness, including drug programs and surgery for those that have a chance to regain their sight. >> we have gone far. considering where we are coming from, a lot of people at risk of the disease are not only getting the drugs to treat them, they are getting the drugs donated free. they are getting treatment, and they are beginning to see good signs. government aid agencies and

numerous individuals are dedicated to the same objectives. elimination of a sent jury's old -- century's old scourge. >> in afghanistan, a swift trial for seven men accused in a gang rape. similar cases have been in the headlines with high profile rapes in india, australia and england. prosecutors want to send a strong message, one that ends with a death penalty. jennifer glasse reports from kabul. >> the death sentence came after a few hours in court. seven me convicted of a series of creams. that it was the abduction, robbery and gang rape of three women on the outskirts of kabul that brought the case to national attention. the trial was broadcast live, with a packed courtroom. outside demonstrators demanded harsh punishment. >> we want the supreme court and the justice system, and the afghan government to punish the

people as soon as possible so that this kind of thing does not repeat again and again. the demonstrators say an attack against women is an attack against the nation, and want justice in the most public race case the nation has seen. >> african president hamid karzai was calling for the death penalty before the me went to trial. one of the defense lawyers says the police violated basic rules of law, and physically abused his client who he said are belimbingerent and poor. >> security forces didn't respect my client's right to silence or to have a lawyer, which is against a constitution. he criticized police using tv and social media to update the public on the case, making the identities of the me public before going to trial. the police chief posted photos of the women pointing out the me

that attacked them. the men have a right to appeal their sentences. they are not just for ski slopes, next - how cable cars are creating a new way of life for a city of more than 3 million people. and need to borrow a saw - libraries - yes, libraries - are stocking up on more than just books.

libraries are struggling to remain relevant in the digital aid. some are thriving. we have another part in our series "reading the future." >> before the digital age, like ris were temples where books saved lives. now they are struggling to stay relevant. where the shelves stocked things other than books, some thrived. at a not-for-profit tool library in toronto, people can borrow

source, tools, plumbing equipment. >> you don't need a drill, you need a hole in the wall. you take the drill, make the hole and bring it back. >> reporter: just like tools, kitchen appliances are expense i, taking up space in a small apartment and are used rarely. borrowing them makes more sense, especially in the dense centers of we were cities. >> counter top space is prime real state. you need it for cooking. if you have a library like this, you can go and borrow applian s appliances. the latest library offers seeds and garden tips. the new institution is thriving as the young donate possessions and give them a new life as community property. >> younger people are more accustomed because they grew up using the internet. they want to share, and want to

see the trapsition. >> reporter: clothes, toys, tools, even a bike can be borrowed at a library. a concept that began with books as sharing is a concept. the mountainous city of la paz in bolivia is mostly uncheap changed over the centuries, the opening of a cable car system is changing that. it's giving the local community a boost. >> reporter: at first glance la paz looks far from the cutting edge of public transport. most parts of the city have remained unchanged for centuries. narrow cobblestone streets are jammed with people and traffic. the andean mountains criss-crossed by paths. the modern cable car system has changed that. >> translation: time is precious and hard to come by.

we expect to help customers save 12 million hours of their time a year. >> the cable car is about more than beating traffic. it's about integrating two distinct sectors. the poor and the wealthier living down up to. the part of the city atop the mountains is home to more than a million people, most ethnic indians, many living below the poverty lone. the arrival of the cable car set up a bonanza. this woman set up a stall selling orange juice outside the station. it changed her life. >> translation: i was thinking of emigrating to brazil to look for work. now i don't have to. i can support my sick husband children, pay the utilities and

my debt. >> reporter: that is the purpose, to integrate the neighbourhoods, making the economy flow. jamie saves two hours a day in her come ute to a small book stand maintained downtown. she no longer has to pay for daycare as she can take her baby's trolley in the cable car. even though they cost more than $200 million to build, the three lines are already delivering benefits. a paint by pablo picasso displayed at one of new york's famed restaurants for half a century is no longer there. the painted stage curtain was taken down to repair the wall. the piece weighs 300 pounds and took hours and dozens to move it. it will be placed in a museum.

the four seasons had increased reservations leading up to its departure. thank you for joining us. "america tonight" is next. check out the website aljazeera.com. have a good night. >> on "america tonight," the weekend edition: tough cops, zero tolerance. a community overrun by an unruly immigrant population fights back. >> did it make anything better to change that negative behavior, no. >> turns out there was a solution just not the ones the cops thought would work. chris bury on novel approach to what works. >> also, young and rest