hi everyone this is al jazeera america. i'm john siegenthaler. banner battle. >> this is a moment in which we could say that that flag while an integral part of our past does not represent the future of our great state. >> the charge to take down the confederate flag gains momentum. is it a symbol of heritage or hate? beyond the word. >> it's not just a matter of -- it not being polite to say [ censor bleep ] in public that's not the measure of

whether racism still exists or not. >> president obama's candidate thoughts on race in america. and why his comments are touching a nerve. downsizing for national guard troops at the border as more migrants try to make the desperate journey. >> they are going to find a way to get across. plus island view opening the window to cuba's stunning landscape. extraordinary pictures of a country that you have never seen before. ♪ the spotlight was on the confederate flag today in south carolina as that state took a major step towards healing wounds that have been opened since the civil ward. republicans and democrats stood together to say it's time to take the flag down from the state capitol grounds. the display of unity comes five

days after nine black men and women were murdered inside a charleston south carolina church. dell has more. >> reporter: john take a listen. we have gone from a somber mood yesterday, to -- in case you can't hear it behind me -- a mood of celebration tonight. as you mentioned five days ago when the accused gunmen opened fire inside the church many wondered allowed whether anything positive could come from it. the pastor was gunned down along with the other eight parishioners. today the governor took a bold step forward when she told the legislator that it was time for the confederate flag to come down. >> it's time to move the flag from the capitol grounds. [ cheers and applause ] >> reporter: surrounded by a bipartisan group of state and federal officials, south

carolina governor joined the growing core us of calls to remove the confederate flag. >> for good or bad, whether it's on the state house grounds or a museum the flag will always be a part of the soil of south carolina but this is a moment when we can say that that flag does not represent the future of our great state. >> reporter: she says if the general assembly doesn't act soon, she will call it back for a special session. the governor's comments came hours after religious and political leaders in charleston called for action. >> the time has come to remove this symbol of hate and division from our state capitol. he time has come for the general assembly to do what it ought to have done a long time ago. >> i respectfully ask the general assembly reasonably tired and weary of their long

session, to take the extra step and to tend to this unfinished business, and move this flag to an appropriate historical context. >> the use of the confederate flag became at issue again, after pictures showed dylann roof waving and posing with confederate banners. >> take it down! take it down! >> reporter: on sunday dozens of people gathered in the state capitol, columbia to call for the flag to be taken down. and some spray painted the words black lives matter on a confederate monument in charleston. and a march was moved to couple -- columbia calling for the flag to be removed. the deal requires two-thirds

majority in two houses to make changes. but the sons of confederate veterans say it will fight to keep it. the group issued a statement saying in part: but some political leaders say removing the flag is only the start and that there is more work to be done. >> it will not solve the racial divide in south carolina. we need a positive discourse on the problems that continue to playing our state. ♪ >> reporter: and so at this hour, as you can hear the celebrations based on what happened this afternoon continue here outside mother emanual, the question is now up to the political powers. the state senator said he wanted to do away with the controversy and the flag because he wants

that next to clementa pinkney, who was gunned down in that massacre. he sees doing so will cost him his seat but he is going to do it anyway. >> as state senator pinkney's body lies in the state capitol, that confederate flag will still be on the ground? >> and that is part of the controversy tonight. there was an editorial from the charleston local newspaper saying it concurred with governor haley, the question is exactly the one you are asking now. will that flag be on the grounds as the state senator, the pastor of the church behind me that is scheduled to begin on wednesday, with president obama delivering

the eulogy on friday. >> del, thank you very much. steve benjamin is the major of columbia south carolina. he is in san francisco tonight. you are obviously at the mayor's conference out in san francisco, but let me ask you about the question i raised with del. state senator pinkney's body is going to lie in state and the flag is still going to be there. what does that say about south carolina? >> well as you know the flag should never have been there. raised above the dome in the early 60s. it stood on top of the dome for 40 years. came down as a result of a political compromise and now obviously we're having this discussion about moving it from the monument. i do believe this discussion is very different than the political compromise reached 15 years ago by our state leaders, and this is more of a moral reckoning. this train is moving we're not going to stop until the flag is

removed from any position of honor on our state capitol grounds and put in a museum. it's shameful. we called clem clem pinkney since we were both pagers at the state capitol, a good and decent man. and he deserves better. our state deserves better. our children deserve better. we're going to get this done and with finality very soon. >> you say you are going to get it done with finality and you have good reason to say that i'm sure but you have been through this fight before. and it does take two-thirds in both houses and i can't hear many specifics from the governor about when she expects this to happen. and what she expects exactly to happen? >> sure. i can share with you some of the facts as i know them john. obviously the legislature is still in session. they have to have the final

meeting of the legislative session, and part of that resolution should include some language that they will reconvene to discuss the removal of the battle flag from the state -- >> why not do it now? why couldn't the legislature do it right now? >> well it should have been done yesterday. the reality, is john while there are a number of people of goodwill on both sides of the aisle, there are still some folks who -- it makes reasonable people like you and i and my parents and wife and children it shakes us shutter. there are still some folks who need convincing but we have got to get it done. >> do you expect a fight? >> some folks may indeed decide to fight the issue, but those of us listening to the better angels of our nature we're

going to win it. i feel it in my bones. i have been involved in this issue since i was a college student. got involved in the naacp marching on the state capitol to remove the flag from the dome marching in conway and myrtle beach, protesting and supporting an economic boycott until the flag came down. this issue has been debated much too long but the time is -- is now. it will be a fitting legacy to senator pinkney and the other eight victims and families affected by this issue, but, yeah, it does make you scratch your head that we even have to engage in this type of persuasive banter with folks who should realize this is an oppressive offensive symbol of the past and certainly not the south carolina we're trying to build together. >> thank you for taking the time to talk to us. >> thank you, john.

the flag controversy has purred changes at the nation's largest retailer. wal-mart told al jazeera america that all confederate flag merchandise is being removed from its stores. they sent a statement saying quote: we're going to take on in-depth look at the history and politics of the confederate flag coming up at the half hour. president obama's appearance on popular podcast is in the spotlight because of his choice of words during a frank discussion on race in america. it happened in an interview with mark maren. and mike viqueira has more. >> reporter: it's interesting the president spent three and a half days in california at the end of last week but he took time for the podcast by the comedian mark marren. it's called wtf, and the conversation lasted for about an

hour, but there is one word that no unever expected to hear from the president that is causing a fire storm. president obama was making a point in the wake of charleston. even though a notorious slur can no longer be uttered in main stream society. >> racism we are not cleared of. clearly. and it's not just a matter of -- it not being polite to say nigger? public. that's not the measure of whether racism still exists or not. >> reporter: even in the context, and coming from america's first black american president, hearing president obama speak the n-word came as a shock. >> the president made clear that it's not possible to judge the nation's progress on race issues based solely on an evaluation of our country's manners. >> reporter: the ugly epithet

had been hurled at him personally, but he also repeated a point he made in the wake of the traore case anyone who lived in the 50s, 60s, and 70s knows the country has made progress. >> when i talk to my daughters, and listen to their friends, and see them interact they are better than we are. they are better than we were on these issues and that's true in every community i have visited across the country. >> reporter: it isn't the first time a president has uttered the word, but they used it in a way that made it a revialed and hurtful symbol of the past. mr. obama has used the n-word in the past. in his 1995 memoir the word appears several times. in the podcast the president invoked his speech this spring at selma.

>> a notion that progress is real and we have to take hope from that progress but what is also real is that the march isn't over and the work is not yet completed. >> reporter: and john today the white house announced that president obama and vice president biden will go to charleston on friday. president obama will deliver the eulogy for an individual he says he has known for quite sometime since 2007. the reverend at mother emanual church. john? >> thanks mike. tricia rose is the conductor of the study of race in america at providence university. what was your reaction to this? >> well i was a little bit surprised. but once i listened to the podcast, i thought it made complete reasonable sense in the context, but i'm also not

surprised that there's a lot of outrage and anxiety and kerfuffle about his use of it. >> why are you not surprised that there is a lot of outrage? >> because it's -- it continues to be a controversial word for a variety of reasons. he as you just noted, you know, is the first president to use it in a sense a critical intelligent critical way, as opposed to using it as a casual reference, so that's an important distinction, but there have been debated about how black people should used that word or not for 30 or 40 years, particularly since richard pryor who started using that word in mixed company -- >> that's so different from what the president did today, isn't it? >> definitely, but i'm saying the nation has been debating whether or not this word can be used in a way, even when just historically describing it which is what he did.

can it be used? or should be it used? i can imagine why i don't use that word in public or private, but us specially think careful about public settings so i think he had an intentional effort that was much more important than the word itself. but it signals a feature we have not yet reached. >> i hear all of what you say, and i agree with it. but there is something about the president of the united states who is african american using this word to make a point, about -- >> uh-huh. >> -- racism in america. and i -- and i'm -- i'm sort of -- you know -- to some extent african-americans using this term especially the president, and talking about race it -- it -- it offers some power, does it not? >> yes, this was my point about referring to richard pryor and

then hip hop and many other venues, where the question is look, this country has not only used this word but ina shrined this word as a symbol of tremendous hate as he pointed out 300 years in terms of the length of time that institutionalism, jim crow et cetera has gone on so for him to speak to that legacy by reminding people of the commonality of the use of this word i think is pretty powerful. i don't think it was a casual decision. i think it was a very intentional effort to say, look avoiding this word doesn't do the work that needs to be done and this word which as you have pointed out, he has been called repeatedly, and many political figures have avoided challenges the negative use of it so to now get on the bandwagon to claim he shouldn't use it as an

historical fact word shows the hypocrisy. but this is a very difficult time we're in -- >> you don't think it was off the cuff? >> no i definitely think it was intentional -- planned i can't go that far, but if you listen to his voice, you'll hear a very measure, careful articulation. he begins with the word but then he goes to jim crow slavery, and this casts a long shadow it's very careful language. >> i mean given all that has happened this year it really is a remarkable turn of events and now for the president to raise this issue, we continue to talk about it. tricia it's good to with you with us thank you very much. now to afghanistan and a deadly attack on the parliament

building today. [ explosion ] [ screaming ] >> this was the scene inside as the taliban suicide bomber instruct the entrance. but security forces shot back. afghan officials say a woman, a 10 year old girl and all seven attackers died. more than 30 civilians were injured, no members of parliament were harmed. the u.n. says last year's war in gaza broke international humanitarian laws. it says palestinians and israeli forces are both to blame. >> reporter: should there now be war crimes charges following last summer's gaza war? that's the key question posed by the release of a report by the u.n. commission of inquiry into the war, a conflict that killed well over 2,000 people. the findings criticize

palestinian armed groups for extra judicial executions. but there was particularly strong condemnation of israel's bombardment. >> the attacks on homes and families, which lead to large numbers of family members dying together when their homes were instruct in the middle of the night or when they were gathering for the evening meal. approximately 551 children died last summer. >> reporter: the prime minister attacked the commission. >> the united nations human rights council has a singular obsession with israel. it has passed more resolutions against israel than against, syria, north korea, and iran combined. it has passed more resolutions against israel than against all of the countries of the world combined. so israel treats this report as flawed and biased.

>> reporter: in gaza there was criticism too from hamas. >> the fatal mistake that all the time they tried to be balance and tried to make a kind of equality between the killers and the victims, and this is not accepted. >> reporter: the latest report comes just two months after another internal u.n. report which said israel was responsible for attacks on seven u.n. buildings. the timing is significant. earlier this year palestine became a member of the international criminal court. the chief prosecutor has already launched what is called a preliminary examination, a process to decide whether to launch a formal investigation, and in the next few days she'll have more evidence to shift through, as palestinian diplomats are expected to happened over a batch of

documents to the hague. coming up next on this broadcast, national guard troops on the u.s. mexico border. plus today's historic announcement from south carolina on the confederate flag the history, heritage, and hate. ♪ just because i'm away from my desk doesn't mean i'm not working. comcast business understands that. their wifi isn't just fast near the router. it's fast in the break room. fast in the conference room.

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a year ago the flow of undocumented migrants entering texas turned into a flood. a record number of them were children traveling on their own. then governor rick perry sent a thousand national guard troops to help patrol the border. tonight heidi zhou castro takes a look at what has happened since. ♪ >> reporter: see everything going on on this side? >> i'm pretty sure they do. they have eyes everywhere. >> reporter: even now? >> oh i'm pretty sure we're being watched. >> reporter: the officer of the police department says hidden scouts for the drug and human smuggling cartels across the river constantly monitor his patrols along the rio grand. he sees signs everywhere. >> around the bin is usually the high-traffic areas. >> reporter: what he doesn't see is any sign of the national

guard. since their deployment a year ago, the presence has shrunk from nearly 1,000 to just 200 soldiers and airmen scattered in small pockets along the border. then texas governor ordered the guard here as part of a state-wide response to the record number of immigrant children crossing into texas. >> you can see they have little rafts stashed under the grass. >> reporter: after the deployment, the number trying to cross illegally dropped dramatically. the flow is now down 50% from this time last year but even with the downturn thousands continue to make the attempt. almost a year into the national guard's deployment here you are still finding evidence of frequent crossings across the rio grand. a migrant's first steps are places like here with a climb up these makeshift steps.

do you think this is really a solution? >> they are going to find a way to get across. it's big money for the cartels and drug traffickers. if they get picked up they still got their money. >> reporter: so people will continue to try no matter what? >> yes, ma'am. >> reporter: at police headquarter's the chief says even if the flow has not stopped, he is grateful for the slowdown. >> we were i would say averaging about -- maybe two chases a day, approximately. they've managed -- we've managed to stop them. i mean they have taken a lot of our traffic, which is a good thing for us. >> reporter: but not everyone believes the deployment of national guards was a good thing. just up the road in san juan people had this meeting of labor rights activists, who say the troops only brought problems.

many here are or know undocumented immigrants who have lived in this community for decades. >> it's a sort of terrorizing effect to some degree, because you are scared i might drive to go somewhere and don't come back. >> reporter: when a migrant knowingly crosses a border illegally, knowing they are taking on that risk? shouldn't they expect to be apprehended? >> i think you would expect that, yes. >> reporter: so what is wrong with that being a reality? >> what is wrong with that being the reality is those resources that the state is using for that could be used to alleviate a lot of problematic situations in our communities. >> reporter: it's a dilemma this officer is aware of. he says poor neighbors on the texas side are ripe recruiting grounds for the cartels searching for new smugglers. he sees the immigrants as

victims. you see them as more than illegal crossers. >> oh yeah. we're all brothers and sisters. >> reporter: but sympathies are put aside to enforce the law. heidi zhou castro, al jazeera, stexas mexico border. coming up next the confederate flag debate the history, future and the divide it has created across the south. plus why many fear the changing demographics in charleston are driving a racial divide in the city. ♪

hi everyone, this is al jazeera america. i'm john siegenthaler. ♪ >> take it down! take it down! >> a symbol of heritage? or a symbol of hate? >> i think it's disgusting. >> the flash point over the

flag reaching a boiling point after the charleston church massacre. >> it's time to move the flag from the capitol grounds. >> should it fly in the capitol of south carolina? should it be seen anywhere outside of a museum? >> you can't separate the heritage from the hatred associated with it. >> we should not go another week with that symbol of hate. >> the history and the future of the confederate flag. the massacre of nine people allegedly at the hand of a young white supremacist was almost immediately followed by calls to ban the flag. today nikki haley said she agreed, but only to a point. she wants the flag removed from the grounds of the state capitol in columbia. >> the evil we saw last wednesday comes from a place

much deeper much darker but we are not going to allow this symbol to divide us any longer. the fact that people are choosing to use it as a sign of hate is something we cannot stand. the fact that it causes pain to so many is enough to move it from the capitol grounds. >> in south carolina the governor does not have the authoritity to remove the flag only the state legislature does and it requires a two-thirds majority. while legislators debate the future of the confederate flag del walters takes a look at the past. del is in charleston tonight. >> reporter: john, in case you can't hear it has been a dramatic 24 hours here in charleston south carolina from a mood of somber yesterday, as mother emanual opened its door for service for the first time in five days, to a mood of celebration here tonight.

it followed word that the governor nikki haley, did call on the state legislator to remove the confederate flag. what we know now is the confederate flag wasn't the original. in that one was inspired by the united states flag the one we see flying next to the south carolina state capitol is derived from the battle flag. defenders say it represents southern heritage. but opponents see it as a symbol of slavery and white supremacy. after the south surrender, confederate flags were destroyed or moth balled but they weren't forgotten, and a battle flag was revived less than a century later. >> senator bigly and i will win this election and raise the flag. don't you forget that.

>> reporter: when president truman supported anti-lynching bills, southen democrats expressed their opposition by waving the confederate flag. at the democratic convention that year nine south urn states backed georgia senator. his supports waved the confederate flag. when they nominated strom thurmond for president, sales of confederate flags exploded and it become the symbol of segregation. the confederate flag received new prominence in 1962 when it was raised over the capitol as an act of defiance in south carolina. >> not everyone is still living in the 18th century. >> reporter: four decades later after a heated debate, protests and boycotts south carolina legislatures reached a

compromise, the flag was moved to the south side of the complex next to a monument for confederate soldiers. georgia's state flag once incorporated the confederate cross, but vocal protest lead to its redesign. so what happens next? now it is time to see if the governor's words can be put into action. just moments ago i walked to the pastor who delivered the sermon here yesterday. he said he believes what the governor did is a positive step in the right direction to bring some sort of good in a tragic situation here. but he said now it's up to the state legislature, and he said as far as the church is concerned, the pressure will be on. >> a survey taken last fall

suggested that at the time most south carolina residents were in favor of flying the confederate flag on the state house grounds. 61% supported it, 33% opposed it. in a new nation ool survey, 64% said they opposed, 21% support it, 15% said they were not sure. progressive website, moveon.org launched a petition that demands the confederate flag be removed from all federal places in south carolina. more than 120,000 people have joined the petition. the results will be delivered to the governor. the shooting has brought the issue of race and gun control front and center. republicans in particular are trying to balance a national tragedy with voter's concerns.

>> reporter: the charleston shooting has forced republican presidential candidates to face several sensitive issues. most agree that dylann roof was a racist. what is less clear is what they think of the confederate flag roof apparently still loved and for now still flies on the ground of the state capitol. >> everyone is being baited with this question as if somehow that has anything to do what so receiver with running president. >> lindsey graham's position has evolved. two days after the shooting he said this. >> to revisit that decision is fine with me but this is part of who we are. >> reporter: on monday he called for the flag to be moved. and he tweeted: former florida governor said he was confident south carolina

would quote, do the right thing. less clear are republicans like scott walker who is exploring a presidential run. he says he won't address the issue until the victims are burr buried. marco rubio say it's the state's right to make the decision. >> it needs to be made here in south carolina. i think the opinion of people here in south carolina and having them work this through this difficult is much more important. >> reporter: the confederate flag is a divisive symbol of the south, and candidates clearly risk offending somebody by taking a stand. >> i have always seen it as a symbol of racism. >> i do believe it does mean pride in the south. >> reporter: dylann roof associated himself with a right-wing group called the council for concerned citizens that describes it's a.

it has donated thousands to g.o.p. candidates. santorium denounced the group. ted cruz said he'll return the 8500 the group gave his cam bane. and rand paul can devoting the money to a group for the victims. a critical state, where symbols carry a lot of meaning. john than betz al jazeera. as jonathan just mentioned the council of conservative citizens was apparently an important influence on dylann roof. david dade talked today to the group's spokesperson. >> he said black people are raping white women. and he is absolutely right about that. every year there are about 20,000 rapes of white women by black men. that means 50 a day.

that means even at this very moment a crime of that kind is probably taking place. >> there are also thousands of rapes by white perpetrators on white women. >> i'm talking white men on black women. that number is so small it is statistically around to zero. when was the last time you saw any kind of media notice that interracial rape is almost exclusively a black on white crime and hardly exists at all when white rapists are involved. >> we'll have much more on the conservative group that influenced the alleged charleston mass killer tonight on ali velshi "on target." james is president and ceo of the urban colleague in columbia south carolina, where he joins us tonight. james, welcome. i'm -- i'm kind of at a loss because after listening to that sound bite -- well just -- if

you couldn't mind give me your reaction to what you just heard. i'm afraid you can't hear me. mr. mcelhorn can you hear me? >> i'm sorry we're -- >> i can here you. >> mr. mcelhorn with you hear me? i think we're going to have to see if we can work that out. we apologize. a number of statutes are demanding change. less than three miles from the emanual ema church black lives matter was spray painted on a confederate statute. the neighborhood is changing, and it's unsettling for some residents. del walters has more. >> reporter: there is a growing

unease settling over the skies of charleston these days. an unease that can be summed up in one word, gentrification. this corner store has been in the family of joseph watson for 57 years. now one by one, the houses around it are being sold off. the poor are being pushed aside by the wealthy. >> you have one company coming from whales is buying up a lot of develop, and developing it. >> reporter: wales? >> wales, yeah. >> that's not black. >> that's not black. that's totally white. >> reporter: there are 5,000 black familiar list moving out of charleston each and every year, the same report showed during that same time period 4,000 white families are moving in. but that only tells part of the story. >> over time, you know what i'm

saying, people want to stick together, so they have to move out, and, you know, they just, you know, seize the land and it's gone. >> and some of that is what has happened right here within the city because you got a tax structure here that does not advise the elderly on what they can do to bring their tax down. >> the refrigerator in his store tells the rest of the story. it is a who's who of the good the bad, and the still unsolved in an area now being gentrified. you would think watson would be against gentrification. he is not. >> some people see it as being something bad. but i see it as something that we need to use so you can strengthen the community and america. >> you are the white guy moving in. >> well it's tricky -- >> mike morris is one of those white people.

he moved here ten years ago from new jersey. he is aware of the issue that simmers just beneath the surface. >> if you are a black family that lived here for 30 years and you own your house, it's great for you, because your house has quadruples in the last few years. but for those who are renters, it's very difficult for them because they are being prized out of a home they may have lived in for 20 years, and, you know, to get them to pick up and leave after 20 years is very difficult. >> reporter: but joseph watson says the solution to that problem is the same as all others that come with changing demographic demographics,ed demographics,ed -- education, not more discrimination. >> the city of charleston needs to require that you have a livable wage within this area. you don't have that. >> reporter: as the changes occur the face of a neighborhood

once dotted with black faces, is now changing. too big reasons behind the gentrification here back live in charleston south carolina money and pourism. it's cheaper to live here than in larger cities like new york washington, d.c., chicago, and l.a. the other is tourism. one of the biggest spots in the world now, charleston south carolina. it is a destination spot. almost daily the cruise ships line the harbor they come they look they like what they see, and then they want to buy, john? >> so it's not just about race. it's also about money. >> it is a lot about mronny. one of the things that is interesting is this city is not only being integrated in terms of race, but in terms of money and culture, a lot of the people are coming from the north, they are black, white, asian, they

are young, and they are not sons of the south. so the south is changing one family and one moving van and one for sale sign at a time. >> all right. del, thank you very much. let's bring back the ceo of the urban league of couple beeia, south carolina. and that's where he is tonight. i hope you can hear me. >> yes, i can. >> give me the reaction to the announcement by the governor today. >> this is a great day for us in south carolina. we're moving towards the future. the confederate flag is a relic of the past and it has been a divisive symbol that has also terrorized so many people. i often hear folks who come to visit us particularly in columbia, where they go to the state capitol, particularly african american people. they have a sense of uneasiness.

they feel somewhat intimidated. that flag has hurt the progress of south carolinans. >> the governor announced that if the legislature makes a decision and takes the flag down, that it would be moved to another location. where would that be? >> the best place for the flag to be moved to as well as preserve the heritage of those who see the flag as part of their heritage would be to a museum. >> we posed this question earlier tonight on this broadcast and online and on twitter, and we said heritage or hate? and a lot of people said that's the wrong question to ask. you need to be talking about a hateful heritage. or a heritage of hate. what do you think? >> well i think the history of the confederate battle flag shows a history of terrorism, a history of intimidation a

history -- history of divisiveness, a history that's trying to keep people oppressed. i think that is the history, but there are many people who don't see it that way. it's interesting when you look at things it depends on who's eyes you see it from. there's a native american proverb, unless you walk a mile in my moccasin you really don't know what is going on. african american people see the flag for what it is. i think those who have seen it as a symbol of heritage the thing i ask them why have you not protected your heritage? when you see people using it as a symbol of racism intimidation divisiveness why -- why have not the heritage people come forward and said to those persons who have used it as a symbol of hate you can't

do this. and they should have snatched the flag from those groups who have used it as a symbol of hate but they have been silent. so when you allow someone to high jacket or co-op your heritage for an evil purpose, you no longer have a legitimate symbol. >> whether they take down the flag or not, there are plenty of groups who use it for a hateful message today, and will continue whether it comes down there or not. >> i think so. >> go ahead. >> i think they will. but i think in south carolina we have to send the right message to all of the citizens of south carolina. the state house is a public place. it's a place that is supported by citizen's tax dollars. african americans and others pay taxes in south carolina. we cannot tell the state that because you have a symbol that

is disgraceful, and hateful to us as a people we're not going to pay taxes. we don't have that option. so what the governor said today is that the state house is a place for all south carolina ns and we should not have significant on the state house grounds that is divisive of the population. >> yeah. we will see -- i have to end it here. we will see what the legislature does in south carolina. it's good to have you on the program. thank you very much for speaking with us tonight. violent crime has gotten so bad in venezuela that even the police have become targets. >> venezuela one of the u.s.'s largest oil providers faces a number of major problems. its economy is in ruins, and leadersover the opposition of the socialist government have

been in prison. but it's the crime wave beeel focus on. they had more than 16,000 homicides this issue. and now police are even under attack by gangs that want their weapons. >> translator: when we're off duty the risk is higher because people recognize us and they know we carry guns. >> reporter: the first of a two-part al jazeera series. we'll ride with officers as they struggle against the crime outbreak. sitterable there. >> antonio thank you very much. the hunt for two men that broke out of prison in up state new york has shifted again. today there is a new lead and a new location. paul beban has more. >> reporter: the net appears to be tiening around convicted killers richard matt and david sweat. police are swarming the area around a cabin about 20 miles

from the clinton correctional facility where the men pulled off a daring breakout more than two weeks ago. >> the suspects may have spent time in a cabin in this area. we have law enforcement officers from around the state and nation here today searching for more evidence. >> reporter: there are multiple reports that dna from the two men was found inside this cabin, possibly from boots, bloody socks or toiletries even a pair of prison underwear, and the evidence suggests the men were there within the last 48 hours. police wouldn't get into a details, saying only whatever they found has been sent out for testing. >> we have recovered specific items from that cabin, forwarded them to the appropriate laboratories, but we're not prepared to release the evidence at this time. >> reporter: the discovery in

the cabin in the remote resort of mountain view marks the latest twist in the sprawling search for the two men. over the weekend the focus swung south with police flooding the area around friendship. that tip like so many others went nowhere. >> we continue to aggressively pursue the leads in this case. we have developed more than 2,000 leads as of today and more continue to come in. >> prison worker has been charged with helping the men escape. she has pleaded not guilty. the latest tip came from a man checking on his cabin on saturday, who reportedly saw a man dash out the back door. authorities are urging people in the area to be vigilant and careful, as long as they are on the loose, they say, they should be treated as armed and

dangerous. the area is popular with hunters and filled with remote cabins and hunting camps that the men could be using. police are asking people with surveillance cameras to check the footage and call in anything that looks suspicious. coming up next the cuba you have never seen before. ♪

>> is there a plan? few tourists will get the

view you are about to see. he is the first person to professionally photograph cuba from the air. he hear is story in tonight's first person. ♪ >> to get permissions to shoot the images of cuba from above, it was close to impossible and apparently nobody has done that before. so i -- i have become a first man on the planet to take aerial pictures of the whole island. i think people who appreciate the natural beauty it's interesting to see something that was being so -- so hidden and so secretive for a long time. never in the world i have seen such interesting architectural and natural similar beosis it's a very frozen-in-time country, i would say after the revolution of 1959, not much has been changed, and so -- you see a lot

of things -- like conservatived, and preserved in time. and this secret and restrictive regime has produced a lot of side effects, such as unspoiled nature because not much industrial pollution. people who are very used to hardships of life but at the same time are very friendly and welcoming. there is a lot of history and architecture in the capitol, havana, and other historical cities. well as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, and a lot of people probably have heard about cuba but not too many people have really understanding that it's such a big and diverse place. so there's so much to see, and so much to get to know about -- about cuba. i think it will inspire people to visit it to pay more

attention to everything related to cuba. >> that's our broadcast. thanks for watching. i'm john siegenthaler. the news continues next with antonio mora. ♪

>> greek standoff. >> we want greece to stand up and hopefully we will have a solution.