ime, >> i give al jazeera tremendous credit, because it's not traditionally what broadcast journalism does... >> the new home for original documentaries al jazeera america presents only on al jazeera america ♪ >> hello there i'm barbara serra. this is the news hour live from london. coming up in the next 60 minutes minutes, snooping on three french presidents, wikileaks shows tracks tracks. isil is put on the back foot. doctors in israel overwhelmedin pakistan

overwhelmed by the heatwave killing people. >> we'll look at olympic dreams, the race to hose the 2024 games. >> well, we'll start the news hour with some breaking news. the whistle blowing website said that the u.s. national security agency has spied on three french presidents. they inclined france's current leader françois hollande flying on him between 2006 and 2012. we have more, tom this has just broken in the a past half hour. what horror can you tell us on this? >> well, we've heard no reaction from the french government or

the united states in reaction to this specifics disclosure, but you can say that there were probably be some familiar language repeated. remember that less than two years ago the french government protested at disclosures by edward snowden the normal nsa whistle blower that france had been spied upon by the united states to the tune of 70 million phone calls in just one-month period. at that time the french government particularly president hollande, protested out loud saying it was totally unacceptable and demanded that it cease. since then the president has met with or spoken with president obama about this issue but it's not clear there has been any kind of resolution. the french president has called for a code of conduct but significantly he has not specifically asked for the same kind of agreement that the united states has had for decades with the u.k. the

canadians, the australians and new zealanders that they would not spy upon each other. of course, there has been more disclosures from snowdon and wikileaks about u.s. spying on the brazilian president and german chancellor angela merkel. >> which moonswhich does mean that it's making them a lot more continuestense, i guess. >> i think that they've become accustomed to these kinds much disclosures. remember just a few months ago german media reported that the germans own intelligence agency had helped the national security agency, the americans, in spying on the french, including french institutions as far as the palace and french foreign ministry. there was not any noticeable

reaction from either side to those disclosures. so it's not clear just how much the outrage is legitimate or basically people conceding that this is just routine for the course of espionage even among allies. >> tom ackerman with the latest from washington, d.c. thank you. kurdish fighters in syria have made significant gains from the islamic state in iraq and the levant or isil. they pushed isil out of the town about 50 kilometers north of the armed group's biggest stronghold. the kurds withheld from u.s. airstrikes has forced them to retreat from a base north of raqqa. that base called brigade 93 is important because it links to other outposts. >> this kurdish fighter said they have discovered a tunnel used by the islamic state in

iraq and the levant on the syrian-turkish border. it's not clear yet if isil used the tunnels to smuggle people or material. they have been making gains on the border and have taken back territory from isil. now that the fight something over hundreds of families are over. turkish borders were reopened in but despite kurdish forces pushing back isil there are concerns over their advances. syria's main opposition group have accused the kurds of driving out sunni tribesmen. >> we were asked to communicate with the ypg forces, but they refused to allow members from the fact finding member to enter claiming that they have a

political position towards the ypg movement and that the committee is bias. >> they deny this discrimination and abuse. they say that the check points that were set up are for insured. >> we share the with all. ypg was for arabs before it was for the kurds. >> accusing kurdish forces of ethnic cleansing inside syria. they have considered the establishment of kurdish held area as a red line. >> you'll probably find europe and the americans investing more resources in particular president erdogan is saying, well look, the americans and the western powers are helping the kurds at the expense much the arabs and syria. this has become a major concern inside turkey. >> backed by u.s. airstrikes the

ypg have taken villages from isil control. opposition fighters are consolidating their gains from nearby idlib province. as people return where isil used to carry out public executions there are concerns of ethnic biases. but they go back home hoping that the worse is over. >> well, let's take a closer look now at the men and win who make up the ypg armed group also known as the people's protection unit. they want to establish their own space and government in syria. the ypg is closely linked to the pkk, which is fighting for interferenceindependence were turkey. but ypg has been accused of ethnic cleansing in areas where they defeat of isil such as the northern syrian town of tal

abyad. as much we're joined by our guest. he joins us live now from washington, d.c. sir, thank you so much for joining us here on the program. so first of all i guess it's too early to say how significant these gains will be, but i suppose they are quite impressive considering how close they are to raqqa the stronghold of isil in syria. why do you think that the ypg has been so successful? >> clearly they've had a good day and imhas not. there is nothing not to like about that particular fact. maybe the most important piece of this is not so much that they've closed off raqqa but they've closed off the main root between raqqa and turkey and interdicted the flow of foreign

fighters, oil going north. their smuggling routes. this is a big deal in terms of isolated raqqa and islamic state. >> do you think that the united states might further help the ypg with air support? >> i think the united states has been trying to give air power whenever it can to whoever needs it. they've been doing that with syria, but you know there has ban short supply in syria. to see the ypg doing well here, and simultaneously with pushes against iraq and anbar and up in the morse. you could see pushes on multiple fronts. >> they have independence, which offensely rankelwhich obviously

rankels with the turks. >> i think the map that you showed during your piece and the piece itself laid that out pretty well. all the tensions involved here. the turks' number one concern they would love the assad regime to be overthrown. they would love for isis to go away. but their number one concern is their own turkish minority and what will happen if they develop their own mini state inside of syriaed a jay stent to turkey. that's a--that's described as a red line. it's certainly a very real concern for the turks. >> what are the differences siding ago and iraq? do you think that the

differences are? >> inside iraq you have tens of thousands of soldiers and fighters much various units. the hockey peshmerga. the iraqi army, the protection units, largely shia mill is as. you have tens of thousands of fighters that can push against the united states that they can aid and train and provide intelligence supply. thump to find three syrian army fighters to train as well as document, and up until now the kurds have only be interested in their own areas and largely unwilling to break out. but as your piece has shown the kurds breaking out ethnic cleansing on the pastor kurds. that could be propaganda, it could be true, but it's hard to

tell from washington, d.c. >> thank you so much for having joined us. >> thanks so much, barbara. >> well, at least 36 civilians have been killed in the past 24 hours during government barely bomb attacks in syria. a number of people were in aled poe. nine people were there holding prayers. the u.s. proper said owl sides had a this-- >> there is no doubt that millions of people have been affected by the war in syria. some of them hit by barrel bomb attacks launched by the government. the report said there has been

such an attack on aleppo every year. it has also killed people indiscriminately. it said that the military and other groups have laid siege. the u.n. gathered evidence from 4,000 witnesses and compiled a list of perpetrators. >> on the front the armed groups are using weapons illegally, and indiscriminately. >> according to a report women are increasingly being targeted. the group interviewed some who had been arrested by the government between 2012 and last

year. they recorded women subjected to abuse while in detention. many confessions by women in jill who extracted by women under torture. the human rights network say that 3,000 women are still in government detention centers. 120 much them are under 18. there are other cases of child abuse. this video recently online shows a 15-year-old begging for mercy as he's beaten by pro government forces. another side of a war that's affected all parts of society whether male or female, young or old. >> still ahead on the al jazeera news hour as hungry said it won't follow european rules and take more migrants, serbia with a special report on those trying to cross the border.

[ siren ] a russian company we'll have all the details later on. >> police have released information of a man hunt that lasted 14 hours. roof is suspected of killing nine african-americans. he was pulled over in north carolina over 330 kilometers to the north. well staying in the u.s. a top mississippi politician said he's in favor of removing the confederate emblem from the state flag.

dylann roof, the man charged with the killing of nine african-american women in a shooting last week posed with the flag in pictures that he posted online. in thewalmart said it will remove confederate merchandise from its stores. we have debate about the confederate banner. just how divisive is this issue where you are? >> the very contentious. since 1862 when they would wave the flag over state grounds in south carolina. but in terms of what happened in south carolina with the deadly

church shooting, they've decided, the legislature, the governor, many other people have decided that if is time now to take down the confederate flag, and the state legislature who was swelled to make now has this issue to deal with, and they are. some opt milkthere are atism here. >> a battle flag to represent seven states which seceded during the civil war. it erupted because northern states wanted to abolish slavery while the south wanted to keep it. the south has lost the war but

since it has had what is called southern pride. critics call it america's shameful and racist past. governor, thank you for joining us on al jazeera. this is a hugely debated topic around the world since topic around the world since that tragic shooting, but it has been a divisive issue certainly in the united states for decades. just explain to us, why you, for example, why the battle flag should be taken down from state ground. >> well thank you so much for having me. i think those who know the state's history and know a little bit about the united states history know that the confederate battle flag never had any official status. the flag that is on the grounds

of the state house today is really the battle flag of northern virginia. that flag was flown in battle by those men who fought in the civil war in the state of virginia. of course, robert e lee was the leading general. he fought under that flag. but you know, when the wars a over, when he sort of turned over surrendered if you please he asked all of the people of northern virginia to furrow that flag. he, in fact, did. for some or reasons other states in the south mississippi georgia, arkansas, they incorporated in their flag certain replicas of this flag.

when the people of northern virginia never fly that flag anywhere. it's a change for me to see the celebration of a pattern that even the people who have rights of ownership of it refuse to celebrate it. i think those who live in out south carolina, who lives it is high time that we saw the cloak you will of a. alityyou will, they have put in place the defiance and rebellion. let us go forward with compassion for each other and not celebrate this emblem and slogan. >> it's interesting that you mention the emblem.

of course now there is this huge debate around the flag. when actually the huge debate is about the racial tensions that obviously continue to exist in the united states. do you think it's worth having the debate just from the flag if you will. do you think it's that important as an emblem? >> i think testimony is very important for anyone to see everybody in a nation rallies around that flag. we rally around the north carolina flag. churches have flags. that is what we use as banner to rally around. we ought not to be rally around anything that was put in place to be rebellious defiant.

the flag of north carolina was just that, a battle flag. when the wars was over it should have gone in amuse in a museum. and that's where it belongs now. when you fly it now it suggests that it means something to the people in the state when only. it seems to me that you ought to have sympathy for those. when it offends.

when there was voting for the flag, it was 60% for it and 40% against it. if that's not divisive, i don't know what is. >> we've seen black men killed mainly by white policemen. what do you think is changing or do you think anything is changing in the race relations in the country? do you think there is a momentum now because of all these things that have come out in the open. >> one thing we have to keep in mind is that our society never progresses on the linear plane. we never go from point a to point b to point c. our society has always moved like a pendulum on the clock. it goes back right back left,

back right again. the supreme court gave us the voting rights act and of course the civil rights act has now been passed in laws that cut back on that. these legislative--because it's gone back to the right. so to elect barack obama in 2008, and we saw the country move decidedly to the right after that election. the country has always been that way, and i think we tend to make a mistake. there is always going left to right, back to left. back to right again and the extent to which we participate in the process determines how

far right and how left we go. i do not believe it is good to move too far in any direction. >> thank you so much for joining us. >> thank you for having me. >> at least 700 people have died in a searing heatwave in pakistan's where the biggest toll is is karachi. what is making worse are calling systems and water pumps fail. >> widespread heat sketch in karachi where hospitals are treating for dehydration and exhaustion.

>> her brad pressure shot up. >> this is the muslim fasting month of ramadan. in this city used to severe power cuts, many are blaming the power cuts. >> i've been looking for ice. i got very little ice. >> there is no ice available in the market. the heat is unbearable. people especially the elderly are dying in the heat. >> the army and paramilitary range verse set up heat stroke centers around karachi while schools and public offices are

closed until temperatures slow down. now many are looking forward to the rain predicted in the coming days. >> as the pakistan heatwave continues to claim lives angry mobs have gathered in karachi. they've protest against power outages and lack of water as the mercury continues to rise so does the anger on the race. in has been flash flooding in china. flooding has cut off power supplies phone lines and roads. in the streets cars were swept away and in farmland crops were ruin: there have been no reports of casualties so far. coming up on al jazeera we'll tell you how rwanda has reacted after intelligence members were arrested in london.

and the failing to stop the spread of a deadly respiratory illness.

>> a reminder of the top stories on al jazeera. documents released by the wikileaks claimed the u.s. natural securityu.s. national agency spied on three of french presidents. >> in heatwave in pakistan has now killed 600 people. the u.s. has announced it will send about 250 tanks armored vehicles and other equipment to central and eastern europe. the move is meant to reassure nato allies. the equipment will be sent to bulgarian latvia poland and romania. >> we just had an informative session with the minutesster

and unfortunately we had to talk about russia's recent attempts to turn back the clock in europe, especially here in the baltic region. we each agreed while we do not seek a cold let alone a hot war with russia we will defend our allies. the rule based of order and the positive future it affords us all. >> meanwhile russia germany france and ukraine are meeting to discuss the ongoing conflict in eastern ukraine. the conflict has killed more than 600 people last year. >> the foreign ministers of france germany ukraine and russia met in paris on tuesday with a situation looking pretty bleak. and to understand why you really have to look at the facts on the ground.

the osce was also speaking on tuesday earlier in the day and said that the situation in eastern ukraine is deteriorating. there is very very little between the two sides. it said that both sides have been breaking the agreements get back from that and look at what is happening in minsk on tuesday as well, meeting of the trilateral contact group in which the osce is involved in. it brings together ukraine russia and also representatives of the pro-russian representatives. it's the third time they're meeting with minsk and again they're breaking up with very little agreed.

>> they may be bringing heavy weaponry in eastern europe, and giving confidence though those countries which believe that russia is an increasingly belligerent force by russia itself saying deeply, deeply provocativing. >> more than 2,700 migrants have been rescued from boats off the libyan owe boats. the influx comes as one of libya libya's rival governments warn the e.u. that any unauthorized vessels entering their waters will be targeted by airstrikes. thebut until there is approval from the u.s. security council and libya's two governments the operation is to be limited to intelligence gathering only.

the initial e.u. plan was to capture and destroy smuggler ships possibly inside libyan waters. meanwhile, hungary has suspended its participation in an european union scheme which requires it to take back refugees who first enter hungary and then travels on to another country. hungary is the most over burdened and most effected by illegal immigration. there was another shock from hungary when they announceed they would about a fence. >> they've been on the road for weeks. crossed several countries tired, dehigh grated. dehydrateed.

>> many who left family behind in war zones prefer not to be identified. >> where do you all come from? >> the police beat you up? >> y strongly. in my whole body i feel pain. >> where are you going? >> i'm going to austria. >> austria? >> belgium. >> london. >> they seldom stay a night or two in these little encampments. in the long grass here desperate people resting their we'rely legs and aching bones before continuing on their journey. leaving behind afghanistan

syria, yemen and iraq and not far ahead of them along a well- well-warn path the human gearan border and european union. people are often in quite bad shape when they reach this point of the journey. >> yes, they come and they're really exhausted and really tired, and they really need help and medical care. >> a prosecutor who fled afghanistan with his wife and two children. she needs medical attention. the children asked for sweets and chocolate. >> what do you tell them about the future? what could you tell them about the life that they can expect in europe? >> i would like to see that we leave the country for them. they should get an education. >> another frequent visiter is

hungarian priest with a van full of donations of bread and water and basics of socks and shoes. >> i've seen thousands of people here, but this is just a fraction of the people crossing the border. and many of them are not coming right here. just going directly because they have money, they have their ways. they have smuggleers systems working. >> within hours most would have left on a road that they hope would be a better life. the uncertainty is that many more will follow. al jazeera certain serbia. >> a strike in the port city of calais has seen a surge of migrant workers getting on trucks heading to u.k. the port workers cut off access to the tunnel which links the two countries. andrew potter has more. >> a blaze blocking the tracks of one of europe's most

important railway links. >> this is the main road heading out towards the tunnel entrance. >> the strikes led to a traffic jam of trucks head forgive calais with dozens of migrants keen to take advantage. some managing to jump on board. here a driver chases a group away after noticing them try to break into the back of his truck. elsewhere french police tried in vain to keep them away from roads. workers from ferry companies have been blockading both the port and the channeled tunnel. >> we went to blockade a tunnel until 11:00 a.m. when we were moved by security people. one of our colleagues had to be seriously wounded. >> this was the north in paris.

those expecting to ride the eurostar train left stranded. >> i think they found that all the steps were closed and we read that everything has been postponed. >> stopping migrants from boarding trucks is an increasingly difficult problem. tigers would stick together to make sure all their doors are locked. there are reported to be 3,000 migrants waiting for their chance to make it across the english channel. >> eurozone request a deal with greece could be reached within days. they've been discussing proposals put forward by prime minister tsipras that includes new taxes owed by wealthy greeks

greeks. there is exchange of urgently needed bail out funds. they have to pay back imf $1.8 billion by next week or risk leaving the eurozone. we're live in athens, john, once again it's not resolved. it could be resolved in a few days. what is the feeling urgent now. on the one hand i guess they put off the prospect of exiting the eurozone. on the other we're talking go concessions, taxes and ending early retirement. what is the feeling relief or perhaps resignation. >> that's right, you have a he seen tensions rise and tempers fray as people want to compromise sooner than i am pacing. they feel that things are running out: they have taken the tactics of brinksmanship too

far. those people have demonstrated twice outside of parliament on the main square, but earlier tonight you saw the people whom the government has vowed to defend such as pensioners, low wage earns who don't any longer, i feel, that the government is going to be able to defend those red lines. they're beginning to feel not particularly because of the government proposals which amount to $8 billion worth of new taxes on the economy this year and next are going to be very very difficult to get past creditors, and also to exact to actually extract. from a clinking economy. clink-- a shrinking economy. >> what reaction has there been

across europe to these talks? >> well not great. there have been statements which sound encouraging. for instance, from the european commission. perhaps on monday. they were hailed by a good basis for talks. even the euro base president tough talking and they were called a good welcome step, and they were moving in the right direction. christine lagarde said that they fall short of what is expected because the taxes that the greet government proposed are not going to actually remove any of what the imf sees as persistent waste in the state sector. they would like to see more cuts in government spending that would alleviate taxation on the

middle class and on the business sector. instead, they're going raise it. for instance, social security cuts will be increased. that imf feels is not the answer. that's going to rae recession through a different means. so there is a diametrically opposed view of what should happen in the critical phase now which is to be on the brink of renewed recession after suffering over the last six years. >> john, thank you. >> the u.n. wants to boost its presence in mali to monitor a cease-fire deal between the fau faureg rebels and the

government. al jazeera's senior diplomatic editor james bays' interview found had there is more work that needs to be done in the country. >> perseverance j. >> isn't the problem though, that the armed groups in the north who are attacking your peace keepers on a regular basis are not the people who signed the peace deal?

>> the many groups, the main political groups, have committed themselves to this peace process and they're fully behind them. they're fully behind the government in complimenting. >> rwanda has reacted angrily to news that the head of its intelligence has been arrested in london. >> due to appear at this courtroom on thursday where we'll hear the outcome of that

extradition request from spain. the passion authorities have indicted him for war crimes committed allegedly in the mid 90s. in the heard where the rpf took power, and when the minority suffered a genocide in rwanda. the allegation is that the rpf itself carried out retaliatory killings, masters of the majority and that karake is involved in this. he is also wanted for the murder of three spanish aid workers who they say knew too much in killing. now authorities deny this. and it puts the british authorities here in london in an awkward position. they have close ties they have

tended to turn a blind eye because they've been impressed by social and economic process. so the british authorities will be watching the outcome of this extradition hearing with some trepidation and concern. >> samsung has apologized that one of its flagship hospitals has become the epicenter of the mers cases in south carolina. south korea. at least 27 people so far have died during the outbreak. >> our medical center was unable to stop the mers infection.

i bow my head in apology. >> well, coming up on the program, the short just ahead including one of the nfl's biggest stars will clear his name in new york.

>> time to get all the sports news. >> thank you so much. >> coming firming that five

cities are in the race and more to follow ahead of the september 15th deadline. well, the final decisions won't be made until september 2017. if they win this time it will be exactly hundred years since paris last hosted the games. >> we tried to get it four years ago. and now in 2008, but i think this city deserves to get the olympic games. the guy we put the olympic game 1-years ago, i think prayerries deserves if. it has been a long time. i think this country deserve it. >> budapest followed peterson say announcing they were going to run although their bid needs final approval.

they've been motivated by the plan for lower cost olympics in the future. paris hosted the olympics in in 2014. failed in their bids in 2008 and and 2012 games. germany's olympic committee has put the northern city of hamburg ahead, and boston beat the u.s. capital washington, d.c. as well as los angeles and san francisco for their official bid. but a recent poll shows 55% of residents are against it. well, beijing hosted the summer olympics in 2008, and they're hopeing to stage the winter games in 2022 with the decision next month. now beijing's winter sports

relies heavily on manmade snow, so with a little bit more is needed before the final decision is made. >> you have cold, winter, which is another factor for very good snow making, and the quality of snow is also very good. >> super bowl winning tom brady's appeal in a four-game nfl ban is underway. he has been punished for his part of the nfl deflate gate in which they illegally let air out of super bowl balls.

he said that they were ease area to hold and throw and he has denied any wrongdoing. football now in italy, 17 people arrested in a suspected match fixes. one of them is the cub president it is understood that there are those who are accused of bet matches matches. >> women's football team may only be a decade old but it has become the strongest female team in the middle east. jordan is the socially and

religiously a conservative country and many beef that football is not an appropriate sport for female. >> i don't think that's going to change. there will always be a group of people who have a negative side of women playing soccer. this will never be 100% of people who will encourage this thing. but what keeps us going are our parents, our friends and our passion for the game. some had to stop playing football for a while before fifa lifted the ban on head scarves. >> his royal highness prince ali interred at fifa when several female players refused to wear a watch instead of the head scarf because that's against our religious practices so we stopped play. >> the country is making big strides in women's football and

is getting explore and will be hosting a major event in october 2016. the first world cup ever to be held in the middle east for female footballers will kick off in jordan next year. these women hope that the award of such a significant tournament will win the game even more acceptance and recognition across the arab and muslim world. the football association's goal is to make the sport more widespread for women. >> we completed in the fashion asiaen cup. >> advertising campaigns aim to put these women under the spotlight and garner respect and admiration for the team.

they hope to encourage female football players who are shy to join a football center. >> bangladesh cricketers are on the verge of another historic achievement. again to the final capital of dhaka on wednesday. england has won the final match against new zealand. new orleans fell 56 on short despite the half just. that is the sport. thank you so much for watching. we have more sport later. >> thank you so much for that and remember we can get more on everything that we've been covering on this news hour on our web website. the address is right there on your screen, www.aljazeera.com. i'll be back with more of the

day's news.

>> snooping on three french presidents documents on wikileaks show that the u.s. spied on three french presidents. >> hello i'm barbara serra. coming up in the next half hour. taking back territory kurdish fighters in northern eastern syria put isil on the back foot. doctors overwhelmed in pakistan where severe heatwave has killed at least 700 people.