>> and why novels are a key to success. >> education is the future of the economy. >> every tuesday night. >> i lived that character. >> go one on one with america's movers and shakers. >> we will be able to see change. >> gripping. inspiring. entertaining. talk to al jazeera. only on al jazeera america. world health officials warn more people will be infected with the m.e.r.s. virus in south korea. 14 have died so far. hello, you are with al jazeera live from doha. pakistan launches air strikes from north waziristan. a second major data brief in the u.s. a breach targetting military personnel and government

workers. >> i'm andrew thomas in a helicopter above the andaman sea. under international pressure the government is determined to show they are taking the migrant crisis seriously. first to pakistan where 20 fighters have been killed near the afghan border. the pakistani military says they died during an air strike on north waziristan. as part of an operation launched last june against the taliban and other armed groups in the area. hyde kamal hyder is our correspondent and has the latest from outside the capital islamabad. >> according to the military they moved into the area since

june, leading to the displacement of nearly a million people, this bombardment took place near the border. many fighters escaped that area. some are remaining in a difficult mountainous area and, therefore, the military pounding them months after launching the offensive i have been speaking to a retired general in pakistan and said they are changing the focus of their operation. >> i think most of northern waziristan is cleared. there's 10-15% of the area under the control of or partial control of militants, and there are other militants which ri side there -- reside there. pakistan has been trying to sustain and clear the area. the toughest area is the one they are operating at the moment. this is the valley the toughest

nut to crack at the moment. but they have been successful and we hope that in a month or two they would be able to completely clear that area that pakistan has been categorical that it will not tolerate other groups, and especially the ones that ab amicable to afghanistan and the taliban itself. at the same time i would say honestly it has not been as harsh towards them. i think it tried to push them out, rather than launch a military operation, because it feels that these groups will continue to have a sway, in the areas which is the pakistani

border, and would not be too wise to engage militarily, and get into a conflict where the own operations against the taliban, pakistan, which is indigenous will be affected. at the same time there has been an qualitative change as far as pakistan's position is concerned. and that is so you know it's with the civilian government and the new military leadership, which is committed to improving its relations with afghanistan, and the basis of that is that we will treat your enemy as our enemy. now to afghanistan, 20 police officers killed in helmand province. 10 fighters said to have died in the battle lasting several hours. afghani forces are suffering record casualties, more than 5,000 are reported to have been killed so far this year. >> the world health organisation is warning of more people being infected with middle eastern respiratory syndrome or m.e.r.s. 138 cases have been confirmed and 14 people have died. richard thom set reports.

>> reporter: at this market in seoul, they have brought out the big guns in the fight against m.e.r.s. the government repeatedly called for calm. as fear of contamination spreads few are listening. shopkeepers say many customers are simply staying away. >> translation: sales have dropped by 40 to 50%. not many people are walking around. kids are hiding at home. >> the numbers of people have gone down significantly. i hope the m.e.r.s. situation is solved soon, so that our business improves again. >> reporter: on friday the south korean president visited the heart of the m.e.r.s. response operation, along with a team from the world health organisation which later gave this warning... >> the outbreak has been large and is complex. more cases should be anticipated. because of this the government should remain vigilant and should continue to intensify disease surveillance and prevention measures until the outbreak is over. >> more schools have been shut as a precaution.

close to 3,000 have now closed their doors. earlier the health ministry said the outbreak was coming under control with four new cases reported on friday. but the announcement of fourth generation infection, an ambulance driver, is a worry. and with several governments in the region warning against citizens travelling to south korea, seoul is bracing for economic fallout. earlier this week the central bank cut the key interest rate to an unprecedented 1.5%. for now though, the priority remains, containing the spread. the next few days could be crucial in determining whether the worst is over we'll go live to talk to world health organisation's spokesperson alison clements hunt. she said effort to combat the spread of the virus is encouraging. >> we are really pleased that the korean authorityies asked us

to come in and share information. this is a relatively new virus, m.e.r.s. we need to share what knowledge and experience we have. they have responded since the beginning, they are looking for help and support and that is the best way forward to combat any virus. we know from previous outbreaks of m.e.r.s., that this is mirroring. we know the measures put into place can stop the outbreaks. in ford for the prevention measures to have a full impact, it will take time. this was a new virus for the country. the first virus moved around. that was before the virus was identified. it's complex, as the doctor said, it's a complex outbreak. however, we are confident that, yes, there'll be some more cases until these controlled measures are completely having their

impact, but ultimately, this will bring an end to the outbreak. now, shots have been fired at the police headquarters in the u.s. city of dallas in texas. a shoot-out be gap when an armoured van pulled up and opened fire. police say others may have been around. a bag of explosives was found nearby prompting the area to get evacuated. the dallas police chief said one of the suspects fled in a van. he has been surrounded in a parking lot and has been talking to police negotiators. >> the suspect told our negotiators that we took his child and accused him of being a terrorist and he will blow us up, and cut of negotiations. u.s. investigators say there

has been a second breach of sensitive data related to government employees. last week it was revealed that the data of 4 million people could have been compromised. in both cases washington said chinese hackers could be involved. john terrett reports. 24 hours after the biggest federal employees union warned in a letter to the obama administration that last year's hack of federal employees was far wider than led on comes confirmation that may have been a deeper breach. white house spokesman josh ernst saying evidence suggests there was a separate intrusion, affecting a different part of office of personnel management systems and data. >> at this stage i don't have details about the ongoing investigation into this particular matter. >> reporter: a senior administrator tells al jazeera a newly revealed hack may have targeted forms government workers fill out to qualify for security clearances, information about mental illness, drug and alcohol use, to arrests and even bankruptcies.

the apparent breach and the one revealed earlier could add up to 14 million federal record compromised. on thursday, the biggest american trade union, the american federation of employees wrote to the administration accusing them of hiding behind the criminal investigation as a reason not to give out too many details. ernst is adamant protecting government systems is a big task given the size of the databases involved. >> protecting the computer networks of the federal government is a daunting challenge and it does require the federal government to be nimble, something difficult when you talk about an organisation this large. >> in thursday's letter union boss wrote: he backed his accusation up with specifics saying social security numbers, birthdates,

pay history, life insurance and pension information has been stolen. the row spread to capitol hill, with terse changes between majority leader mitch mcconnell, and minority leader harry reid in the senate over who is to blame for the hack. reid saying openly for the first time it may have been the chinese. indonesia says australia would have stooped to a new low if allegations that it paid people smugglers to turn back are found to be true. >> it was revealed that they were told to turn back in return -- to turn back to indonesia with the people on board in return for $5,000 each they received. this is part of an ongoing

investigation they are being investigated for people smuggling. the australian prime minister tony abbott, neither confirmed for denied the report. when asked he said boats have been stopped by hook or by crook. but refused to say if the allegations are true. meanwhile thousands of people make the dangerous journey, as andrew thomas reports. >> reporter: the islands off thailand's west coast are exquisite. this is no joy flight. the captain is flying a team over the andaman sea looking for boats of trafficked migrants. in mid may, thailand was criticized for pushing back rohingya boats. helicopters dropped them food, but would not let them land on shore. under international pressure, thailand promised in future a better response, air patrols started and the thai navy based a large ship off shore ready to accommodate any immigrants.

>> when boats of desparate in the andaman sea there was thousands floating out there. thailand's navy has been sending two helicopters and two planes on patrol every day since, and so far have not found any other vessels. at least not ones with migrants visible on deck. this is though, a busy sea. every fishing boat has to be checked near impossible given each aircraft flies for two hours each day. that, though, the captain insists, is enough. >> if there are the migrants out there, that the rumours suggest, and if they come through thai waters, we'll find them. so far we have not seen anyone. >> reporter: for now a home for this woman is a woman's shelter, last november this woman was tricked to leaving her children in myanmar and getting on a boat with a promise of work.

in fact, she says she was kidnapped. after five weeks at sea, she was held for a ransom she couldn't pay in a jungle camp on the thai malaysian border. some died. she managed to escape. my experiences in myanmar, my journey on the boat and at the jungle camp was horrific. for the first time in my life i feel like a free person. >> june marks the start of a stormy season here. that may be why the thai government thinks fewer boats are taking to the sea. but it says systems are in place if boats come again. for desperate humans, it has a humane response. sunday we'll continue our special "desperate journeys" coverage out of asia. scott heidler will report from northern thailand where he found rohingya people crossing into the country from myanmar. sunday on al jazeera. coming up in this programme - greece sends a

delegation back to brussels as the clock ticks down on a deal. we meet former u.s. soldiers coming back from iraq to join the fight against i.s.i.l.

>> the new al jazeera america primetime. get the real news you've been looking for. at 7:00, a thorough wrap-up of the day's events. then at 8:00, john seigenthaler digs deeper into the stories of the day. and at 9:00, get a global perspective on the news. weeknights on al jazeera america. hello again, let's look at the top stories in al jazeera. pakistan's army says 20 fighters have been killed in air strikes, north of waziristan. part of an offensive against the taliban launched last year. the world health organisation is

warning of more people affected with middle eastern respiratory syndrome or m.e.r.s. since the outbreak 138 cases have been confirmed, 48 have died. u.s. investigators say there has been a second breach of sensitive data. the office of personnel management was the target. there was 14 million federal records may have been compromised greece says it will present a counterproposal to reach a deal with international lenders. it sent a delegation to brussels to negotiate debt relief. thursday the i.m.f. pulled out of talks. greece needs a deal by the end of the moth to secure the 8.1 billion it needs. this is the final part of the $275 billion bailout. it will use the money to pay

back $1.8 billion, and another $3.8 billion next month. we can talk to a political analyst in athens. so how significant is it then that the greeks sent back a team to talk on a saturday in brussels. yes, the message. i.m.f. was a message for both sides. for greece and the european lenders. european central bank and commission. it was a message that gave momentum to the negotiation. they stress that the negotiating teams have to address, were at the lines for each side. a red line for the european side. here on the break public debt and the red line for a break

government side. it's the pension system for retired people. the i.m.f. after... >> sorry to interrupt. what do you think the greeks would be prepared to offer, if they say they won't touch pensions, that's a red line. what do you think they could be preparing to offer? >> yes, the greeks suppose it's ready to scrap their retirement possibility for some categories of working people. and given the greek system, it will be a very important step to reform the pension system. both sides do. >> if that's the case would that be enough. would that satisfy the eurozone creditors, and bead the i.m.f. the i.m.f. that pulled out the team the other day saying the differences are too large.

would that be enough? >> the i.m.f. is returning back to the negotiations from technical level tomorrow in brussels and both greek side institutions are forced to find a solution. because there is no plan b. there is no will to travel to unchartered waters in very very critical moment for international economy, especially when north american are trying to net the ppi treaty in the eurozone and is trying to find an noougs reform. -- institutional reform. >> thank you our time is up. thank you for talking to us about this important and very happening story, george talking to us from greece.

german investigators have closed their file on the tapping of german chancellor angela merkel's phone. german prosecutors are unable to find evidence that would stand up in court. the african union peace and security council is meeting in south africa to talk about the crisis in burundi and in south sudan. that is ahead of the full heads of state summit beginning on sunday. for more we are joined by our next guest in the northern suburbs of johannesburg. over to you. >> that peace and security council is expected to meet in the coming hours in johannesburg to look at as you mentioned, a couple of hot spots in africa ranging from burundi to libya and south sudan. joining us to give us a better

idea, we are joined by a member of that peace and security council. looking at the situation in burundi, elections, presidential lecks, have been poewes -- elections have been postponed. president pierre nkurunziza will pursue a third term in office, how is the au tackling the pursual of longer terms in office, change in constitution and the fall out from that. >> i'm not a members of the peace and security council, but as a member of south africa cabinet. we are believing the au needs to discuss the hot spots in africa in order to shore transparency. in countries where the instability, it gives rise to people fleeing the countries.

that's why the question of burundi. the initiative of that taken, you will recall many converged in tanzania to look at this matter. we do hope that the head of state, a solution will be found, where this will come to an end. >> another area where there's a regional response and the lead has been taken, negotiations have not borne fruit. will they address a different manner. >> definitely, they have to look at the issue as well. whenever there is instability, like in south sudan. many dying, the war raging on we need to bring about the stability in the country. south africa is involved. our deputy president has been

showing on behalf of the south africa to bring about peace in south sudan. we hope that all those people in south sudan heed the call that has been made by the au in order to bring about peace in south sudan. >> all right okay. just to wrap up. what is the response to the situation in libya, in terms of western intervention. how will the au balance that with african center. the position that first and foremost solve our problems. if there's african problems, let's find a solution. that's why there's this initiative of getting a stand by force. we hope that sooner rather than later that the stand by force will come to fruition, so that we can, as kav cans. -- africans. >> thank you very much. talking ahead of the peace and

security council meeting due to take place today. >> thank you. our correspondent covering that important meeting taking place in johannesburg now, the united states has transferred six yemeni detainees from guantanamo bay to imam. it's been five months since destainees were moved out. so far president obama transferred half the detainees, and campaigned for the presidency on a promise to shut down the facility. there's 116 people held there. >> the body of tariq aziz has been welcomed by his family in jordan before his journal in a few hours from now. there were reports that remains. former deputy minister and foreign minister were snatched at baghdad airport. iraq's aviation authority says missing documents caused the delay. aziz diedate days ago at the age

of 79 after a heart attack. he was sentenced to death because of close links with saddam hussein. >> the u.s. sent military advisors, but ruled out sending in ground forces. there are a few former u.s. soldiers that believe they should be on the ground fighting the islamic state of iraq and levant. zeina khodr has spoken to some of them in southern

kirkuk. >> reporter: they once fought in iraq. years later they are back. this time they are here on their own. these men used to be in the u.s. military. a few months ago they came to the north as volunteers, to help the iraq kurds fight the islamic state of iraq and levant, and brought their experience with them. >> so you can guarantee that this field is laden with i.e.d.s, they utilize ghosts a lot, what we call ghosts, hidden snipers, they could be out here, in the trees, in the bushes, or crawling up to us now. >> reporter: they are a small unit, but the kurds welcome any help they can get. that's what the former soldiers say they want to do. >> i just thought it was the right thing to do. i saw a lot of atrocities via the news, the slave trade. i found a group helping to facilitate the travel of westerners, called frame. it's disbanded now, but pretty much is a group i utilised to get here. >> reporter: since arriving they have come face to face with their new enemy and experienced what they described as a deadly force. >> they have a lot of volunteers, a lot are prior military service. they understand flanking, basic military tactics. >> reporter: the men have military experience, but don't have the weapons to match i.s.i.l. the arms they carry are good for urban warfare, not a battlefield

like this, where it is open to rain. >> this is realisticall good up to 200 meters. these are good after four, if you have a nice one. >> reporter: the volunteers operate in southern kirkuk. this sector is controlled by the patriotic unit of kurdistan. one of the two kurdish parties in northern iraq. the american volunteers are not welcome on other front lines much the iraqi government doesn't want foreign groups on the ground. this doesn't concern the men. for these volunteers, they say it's not a job, a duty. they say the islamic state of iraq and levant is a danger to the world, not just iraq. the u.s. has been bombing i.s.i.l. from the skies, and has ruled out deploying combat forces as part of a strategy to defeat the group. the americans who are on the ground don't represent the

government, but say their presence is a message that troops are needed if the war is to be won. ja you can get the latest details on the website on all the stories, updated on a minute by minute basis. aljazeera.com. >> this week on "talk to al jazeera": international piano superstar lang lang. >> the art, you know, it's about, you know... the distance and in and out, big picture, precision. >> billions of people around the world have seen him perform. at the beijing olympics... the world cup in rio... even jaming at the grammys.