come back, we'll have more of "america tonight" unesco world heritage site in danger, isil destroys ancient sites around the city of palmyra palmyra. hello for doha, i am laura kyle. hospitals and morgues in pakistan struggle to cope as the death toll from the heat wave keeps rising. striking port workers cause chaos with nigh grant ceasing the opportunity to cross the champion. plus. >> reporter: i am catherine soi in western kenya where

researchers are focusing on communities like this one to help reduce ma layer ya. i'll be telling you how. ♪ ♪ isil has destroyed two islamic shrines close to the ancients syrian city near palmyra, a unesco world heritage site. this videos show the shrines being blown up. a companion of profit mohamed's cousin. mines have been laid in the ancient city raising fears that more artifacts will be lost. in a statement isil void to destroy statues and shrines which it regards as idol worshiping. a former director of the scientific laboratory. joins us now from athens, ohio in the united states. great to have you with us, how

significant are these tools already destroyed. how significant are they in syrian history? >> in terms of archeological cultural, they are part of syria's cultural heritage from, an archeological perspective. they don't have any arc logical value. their value smoke in terms is more in terms of relidge us and historic connection with islamic worship and the prophet. but in terms of the actual city of pa myra itself. the ruineds listed on the world heritage site are not part of that complex not part of that ruin as such. we need to separate the two issues apart. >> we have seen what are reported to be pictures of isil planting mines around the ancient ruins in palmyra. how much threat do you think is pose today that ancients city? >> i think even those pictures

and i believe it's only within photograph. which looked like two or three jars of, you know, pickle jars almost and they contain a brownish liquid and i think those photos were part of the original set that were associated with the blowing up of the shrines. i have not yet seen any substantiated evidence any photos real photos that show mines being laid around the actual archeological ruins themselves. it's not to say it hasn't happened but i have not seen any evidence that have yesterday. that's not to say that isis wouldn't do that but it's important not to get ahead of ourselves. >> why would isil want us to believe that they would destroy it? >> i don't thinklook isis is very careful in terms of how it controls its messaging isis has

not issued a specific message through its usual channels claim that go it actually is threatening to blow up the sites or is actually laying down mines or anything of the sort. that report came from local activists which was picked up by the news and media. we know that isis, when it does intend to commit an atrocity, like it has in fact in the most recent days, whether it's to behead people, drowned them, blow them up or destroying cultural heritage, it does so in an extremely well crafted manner. it sends a very powerful propaganda message. demonstrating first the ability of isis to act with impunity and the impetus of the international community to responds. we have not seen this with this supposed, you know, preparation of palmyra for bombing and it's not a part of isis' million dollarsm.o.the videos released by isis today associated with the executions those were classic

hallmark isis acts after troughs at thises and usually these atrocities are committed well before and then they are filmed and released at a specific time when isis needs to deflect attention from any setback on his the battlefield. we have seen this time and again with isis whenever they suffer setbacks on the battle field they release that is atrocities i think they are going to save palmyra ray for a really big setback. the importance of palmyra as a say site and the attention it will attract will be tremendous. >> very interesting to get your views there. thanks very much for joining us. >> thank you. now, a car bomb has killed at least 10 people near the syrian capital duh damascus. this video is said to show the scene moments after the explosion. activists say a mosque was targeted during ramadan prayers. the you were says civilians in syria are being killed and injured by all sides of the war. as caroline milone explains people who report involved in

the fighting are suffering at the hands of the military rebel groups and isil. >> reporter: 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 government. a recent u.n. report says there has been such an attack on aleppo nearly every day this year. rebel groups have used weapons in residential areas that also kill people indies crit family. the report also says the military and rebel groups have put people under siege by blocking off their access to foot dispood other sensual surprise. the u.n. gathered evidence from 4,000 witnesses and has compiled a confidence shall list of perpetrateers. >> in this very devastator conflict we advocate the need to stop the use of various weapons particularly barrel bombs which are being dropped particularly by government authorities. on the other front, of course, the nonstage or nongovernment armed groups are also using

weapons illegally and indiscriminately in terms of attacking civilians such as mortars or bombs made from gas cans. >> reporter: according to a report issued by the u.n. mediterranean human rights ins doubt women are increasingly being targeted. the group interviewed some who have been arrested by the government between 2012 and last year. they recorded cases of women subject today abuse and sexual violence while in detention. the report says many conventions were extracted under tour true. near 3,000 women are still in government detention centers at least 120 are under 18. and there are other cases of child abuse this video seen online appears to show 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. caroline milone, al jazerra. at least 18 people have been killed in an attack on a police checkpoint in china. according to local media. regional broadcaster free asia says muslims attacked police with knives and bombs in a district of the city. tensions between the minority and majority have throwed violent clashes in recent years. hong kong police have removed the last protest camps that have occupied the streets for nine months you can 10s of thousands of people have been demonstrated against reforms. giving voters the right to choose their fleertd first time in 2017. but candidates would have to be approved by a pro-beijing committee. legislators voted against the legislation earlier this month. more than 700 people have died from an intense heat wave in pakistan.

medical workers fear the death toll will continue to climb as patients are rushed to hospital. soldiers are out handing out water, but many people report drinking during the debuts of their ramadan fast. gerald tan has the latest. >> reporter: pakistan's commercial hub is at a state of emergency. a searing heat wave has stretched medical services in karachi to their limit. morgues are filled to capacity. and hospitals are overwhelmed with heat stroke patients. >> translator: karachi has never seen this type of weather. this is a very difficult situation. people get fever followed by headaches and fits and then fall unconscious. >> reporter: the army and paramilitary rangers have set up emergency camp as cross the city to help treat people and to happened out water and dehydration salts. >> when we heard the name of the pakistan army we left everything and rushed here because we were sure that the treatment and care would be better than anywhere

else. >> reporter: it's not just about the weather. power cuts are common in karachi an electricity grid collapsed when the heat was at it's worse fanses and air-conditioning were not operable. and fast for ramadan going without food and water from sunup to sundown opposition parties criticizing the federal government's slow response to the crisis. >> translator: the federal water and power has given a fantastic statement saying karachi is not his mandate. ca rach i have is part of the pakistan federation and the minister's responsibility is the whole of pakistan, no part of the country is exempt. >> reporter: that frustration is echoed on the streets on tuesday night people in one karachi neighborhood burnt tires to protect against another power out i believe. gerald tan, al jazerra. u.s. intelligence agency nasa has spied -- the nsa has

spied on three french presidents whistle blowing website wiki leaks names france's current leader francois hollande as one of them. hollande approved secret pleat goes on the consequences of a greek exit from the euro zone as early as 212. 2012. and others were allegedly spied on. the it up under the english channel is open again with thousands the people able to catch the euro star train between the u.k. and france, the crossing was closed after striking workers set fire to the train tacks on tuesday. migrants then tried to take advantage of the situation by jumping onto trucks headed in to britain. andrew potter reports. >> reporter: a blaze blocking the tracks of within of europe's most important railway links the euro star between london and paris halt halted by striking french ferry workers. >> this is the main road heading out towards the euro tunnel

entrance. >> reporter: the strike led to a traffic jam of trucks head in. with dozens of migraines keen to take advantage, some managing to jump on board. here a driver chase a group away. after noticing them try to break in to the back of his truck. >> you go back to your homes. >> reporter: elsewhere, french police tried in vain to keep them away from roads. workers from ferry company my ferry link have been block eighting both the port and the channel tunnel. >> translator: we went to blockade a tunnel until 11:00 a.m. when we were summarily moved by security people think one of our colleagues has been quite seriously wound odd his head. it's a shame. >> reporter: this was the guard in paris passengerrers expect to go ride the euro star train left stranded. >> we arrived here very excited to actually find it to get up there only too find all the steps are closes and we read on the sign that everything has been postponed.

>> reporter: back in town, police eventually cleared the striking ferry workers from the tracks. stopping migrants from boarding trucks is an increasingly difficult problem. drivers have been advised to stick together and make sure all of their doors are locked. there are thought to be around 3,000 migrants living in cal a wait for this that chance to make it a is who the english channel, andrew potter, al jazerra. still to come here on al jazerra. anger over electricity price hikes leads to the biggest protests in armenia in years. plus. >> reporter: i am nicole johnstone report on the ground how afghanistan's highly prized land. [ inaudible ]

we go to the threatened marshall islands... to talk to the peo

hello again, the top stories this hour here on al jazerra. isil has destroyed two ancient islamic shrines close to the syrian city of palma rah. a unesco world heritage site. these amateur photographs show the shrine is being blown up. the death toll from a severe heat wave in pakistan has risk to over 700. hospitals in the port city of karachi are strug to go cope with the number of patients mostly elderly suffering from sun stroke and did he hide vague. train services through the channel tunnel are back up and running a day after being shutdown. the crossing was crossed when striking ferry workers set fire to the train tracks on tuesday.

migrants then tried to take advantage by jumping onto trucks waiting to cross the tunnel. now, hundreds of protesters have spent a second night on the streets of the armenian capital refusing to go home until the government release -- reverses a decision to raise electricity prices. the country's power grid is owned by a russian firm. >> reporter: the water cannon knocks him straight off his feet. and he comes back for more. again. and again. protesters stage a sit in all monday night. angry over the government's decision to allow a russia-owned power company to increase electricity price buys as much as 22%. tuesday morning riot police move in. they arrest more than 250 people. more than a dozen are hurt in

the skirmish. the demonstrators regroup joaned by thousands more in the freedom square. >> translator: we cannot be stopped by beatings. it's not the first time we are beaten in the street by our lovely police officers, this time they were especially brutal. i do not know why. >> translator: today i wouldn't allow them to touch these young men even with one finger that's why came here even though i am not that healthy. >> reporter: earlier in the day these opposition walks out of parliament over the actions of the police. they demand the the release of all those detained. the crowds move on. this time about 7,000 strong towards the residents of the president. once again, they are stopped by riot police. but this time, not confrontation, but negotiation a support for the pro -- as support for the protesters grows. as the sun goes down the authorities invite protesters to

sends a delegation to see the president. the offer is considered and turned down. the sit-in continues in toy a second night. those have that have been arrested are released from custody but there is no sign of a solution to the most serious civil unrest in armenia in years, rob matheson, al jazerra. the united states will send 250 tanks armored vehicles and other navel i equipment to their nato allies in eastern our think of the u.s. defense second ash carter announced the move at a meeting of defense chiefs in estonia, they see it as a reassurance against possible russian threats after it annexed crimea in ukraine last area. it's said to be the first such deployment in a former communist country since the end of the coal war. greece's prime mill ter alexis tsipras is headed buts follow another round of talks. it needs to secure a debt deal bite edge of the month before a

default. as john reports from athens people are not convinced. >> reporter: they have heard the latest news from brussels and don't like it. after five months of tense negotiations leaked documents suggest that the government is proposing to take $8 billion more from a shrinking economy this year and next. pensioners are no longer convinced they are safe from further cuts. workers face higher taxes and that makes the politics of a greek deal have a complicated at home. the latest proposals have divided the lawmakers they do not want to bring down the government after just five months in as, but they have also promised in every to pass more austerity measures. greece's choice may ultimately rest between a bad deal and no deal. he is the leading back bencher. likely discussal party unity if he gets a whiff of austerity in whatever deal the government brings back to par lamb. for him the fight is as much about ideology as it is about

number. >> translator: europe is currently a new liberal europe, it has surrendered to markets it feeds and cultivates innie quality and stagnation, this europe needs a fundamental change, people need hope if a future. greece is fighting the battle to break the liberal kabul in the european i don't know union. >> reporter: they could pass the measures with the oppositions help. but divided the government would likely to have to hold new elections ushering more political uncertainty that has stopped the economy in its tracks this year. there divisions and conflicts elsewhere. only a day earlier in the downtown agent athens, there were clashes. the frustration with the government increasingly obvious. >> they promised our lives would clang for the better for five months we are living on the edge of our seats. we cannot plan for the future or even team hopeful.

>> reporter: the approval ratings are high it, might well risk an election without a deal and no financeing from its partners. but that would likely lead to default on the last day of the month followed by capital control on his banks. a broadened victory would dawn on a devastated economic landscape and exodus from the euro might then be closer than ever. john, al jazerra athens. well with all parties signed up to the mali peace deal the head of u.n. peacekeeping says the implementation phase must begin. >> it is a time when everyone has celebrated, hard work has been done finally. the perseverance, the efforts that have been put forward by the international media and by algeria and the united nations has finally paid off.

all mali parties have now sign ed in to the agreement. so this is the hope and the caution that there are plenty of obstacles. the forces we do not wish to see peace and instability in mali. >> reporter: isn't the problem though, that the armed groups in the north who are attacking your peacekeepers on a regular basis aren't the people who signed this peace deal? >> yeah. armed groupings are what are referred to as terrorist groups and criminals and traffickers of drugs, they are the ones that try to attack us and the ones that try to derail the peace process instability is not good no -- peace and stability is not good to their business that's why they are making all efforts to did derail this peace process. but the main groups, the main political groups coordination on the platform, the main movements. [ inaudible ] the arab moves all ofmovementshave committed themselves

to the peace process and we are fully behind them. we will be fully behind the government in implementing this historic agreement. burundi's ruling party has boycotted u.n. led peace talks ahead of next week's election. opposition politicians as well as civil saturday groups attended the talks following weeks of violence. the central african nation has been in price is over the president's controversial bid to stand for a third term. although it is easily preventable malaria is still en december anything many parts of the world. particularly in africa. basic measures have reduced infection rates in cain i can't but now scientists are turn to go new technology to fight the disease, catherine soi reports from one of kenya's most affected regions. >> reporter: it's strange not to find people suffering from ma

layer in this part of the country. it has one of the highest malaria differentiates. scientists and researchers have been here for decades studying the mosquito and the pair sides it carry that his causes malaria. >> as much as we have people working in the community level 100 percent coverage, but use is at 56% which means that people are not using mosquito nets. >> reporter: this team of health workers from the international control for insect ecology is yet to install a solar-powered mosquito trap. it's one of 4,200 that have been installed in the last three years. the pilot project is a first globally. this has nylon raced with a human sent that attract mosquitoes before get in the house, the trapped mosquitoes die from hunger and dehydration.

>> we are seen many mosquitoes resistance to pesticides. they are using this technology to the already existing mechanisms for eradication. >> reporter: more excited about the new light in her house after a lifetime of using kerosene lamps. the solar slightly bonus to entice people to allow researchers to carry out their studies. >> translator: by god's gracie see the light but facing health problems like other old people. if there is a way to protect my health then i am glad. i don't have much energy anymore and all of my 10 children have died. >> reporter: not too far from where she lives this fishermen on the shores of like victoria have returned from a night of fish, that's a time when chances of contracting malaria are highest. the forecast now is shift -- focus is shift to go outdoor control of malaria many people here get up frequented after being bitten by mosquitoes while

away from their home either out fishing at night or just going about their other daily business. the mosquito is constantly mutatingmutating and is able to resist new insect side and medicine so they have to be a step ahead. monitoring and knowing learning there is still a long way to go. the falling price of afghan lamb skin is affecting the county's fur industry. some traders say exports are down by as much as 80%. nicole johnston reports from northern afghanistan on how sheep farmers are there coping. >> reporter: under the harsh midday sun, he is trying to feed his sheep. without much success. >> translator: we don't have grazing land. this sheep is very thin. there is no grass. we don't have water. they drink at a garbage dip and

get sick. >> reporter: these are sheep highly regarded for their meat. wool and slam skin. which has tight soft curls when times are tough and farmer can't afford to raise the lambs they kill the newborns for their pelts. from the farm, it is sold in the market to these export traders. now a lot of bargaining goes onto try to secure a deal. as well as checking the quality of the skins to see if they meet export standard. he has brought some skin to his sell. but he can't get the price he wants. neither can this man. he walked out in disgust. farmers say insecurity across the north has made grain prices more expensive. and prevents them from taking sheep to the mountains to graze. exporters have problems too. >> translator: our business has almost collapsed exporters have

sold only 10% of their stocks this year at a loss, a skin we bought from $40 has later sold for only 10, it is a crisis. >> reporter: those of people are employed washing drying, and sorting the pelts. last year over half a million were sold. it sound like a lot. but not when you consider that 30 years ago afghanistan was selling over one and a half million a year. regardless, the country's largest exporter is optimistic. >> translator: at any price people who like fashion will buy it. evening though we made a loss we still pay the farmers a good price for the skins. >> reporter: many farmers it seems don't agree. so the pelts pile up at the main auction house in helsinki finland. and afghan traders talk about the good old days hoping someone discovers a major new market for them. the question, however is where?

nicole johnston, al jazerra. you can always keep up-to-date with all the very latest news and views on our website, there it is on your screens, right now aljazerra.com. strait. plus up close and personal. how a documentary film can help change the conversation in america about gun violence. this week or next the united states supreme court is expected to deliver a potentially history-making decision on gay marriage. right now, as the map shows, gay marriage is legal in 37 states and the district of columbia. everything in orange - gay