horror. for their families and for their friends, it's an unrelenting nightmare that the rest of us cannot even begin to imagine. as a government, we should always do everything in our power to bring these americans home safe and to support their families dedicated public servants across our government work tirelessly to do so. our military personnel, risk their lives in dangerous missions such as the operation i authorized last year that attempted to rescue americans held in syria and yemen, and there have been successes, such as the rescue of captain richard phillips held by somali pirates and jessica buchanan rescued from sewomalia. more than half have ultimately come home. tragically too many others have not.

and at this very moment americans continue to be held by terrorist groups or detained unjustly by foreign governments. for them the nightmare goes on and so does our work day and night to reunite them with their loved ones. as i have said before the terrorist threat is evolving. the world has been appalled by isil's barbaric murder of innocent hostages and the families have told me directly about their frequent frustrations in dealing their own government how different departments and agencies aren't always coordinated, how there has been confusion and conflicting information about what the government is prepared to do to help how they have often felt lost in the bureaucracy, and how in some cases, families feel that they have been threatened for exploring certain options to bring their loved ones home.

that's totally unacceptable. as i have gotten to know some of these families and heard some of these stories, it has been my slalom commitment to make sure they feel supported in getting their family members home. and a linking up of the efforts in government and the families who obviously have one priority, and one priority alone and that's getting their loved ones back. these families have already suffered enough and they should never feel ignored or victimized by their own government. diane foley who's son was killed last year said as americans, we can do better. i totally agree. and that's why i ordered a comprehensive review of our

hostage policy. i want to thank everybody who contributed to this review some of whom are here today. i especially want to thank the former hostages and families who contributed. i have come to know some of these families often under the most heart breaking of circumstances. when her son peter, was being held in syria, his mother wrote me a letter and she described how on clear nights she and her husband would look up at the stars and moon and wonder if perhaps their son might be able to see them too, a reminder of the bond they might still share. i have called these families to offer our condolences after they received gut-wrenching new, i have visited with them hugged them grieved with them i just spent time with some of the families and former hostages

here at the white house, and needless to say it was a very emotional meeting. some are still grieving. i thank them for sharing their experiences and their ideas with our review team. in fact many of the changes we're announcing today are a direct result of their recommendations. i acknowledge to them in private what i want to say publicly that it's true that there have been times where our government regardless of good intentions has let them down. i promised them that we can do better. here is how. today i'm formally issuing a new presidential policy directive to improve how we work to bring home hostages and how we support their families. i have signed a new order to ensure our government is organized to do so. and we're releasing the final report of our review which describes the specific steps we

have taken. they fall into three areas. first, i'm updating our hostage policy making it clear that the top priority is the safe and rapid recovery of american hostages. and we are use all elements of our national power. i am reaffirming that the united states government will not make concessions such as paying ransom to terrorist groups holding hostages. i know this can be a subject of significant debate. as i said to the families gathered here today and as i have said in the past i look at this not just as a president but also as a husband and father. if my family were at risk i would move heaven and earth to get those loved ones back. as president i also have to

consider our larger national security. i firmly believe the united states government paying ransom to terrorists risks endangering more americans, and funding the very terrorism that we're trying to stop. so i believe our policy ultimately puts fewer americans at risk but we are clarifying that our policy does not prevent communication with hostage takers by our government the families of hostages, or third-parties who help these families, and when appropriate, our government may assist these families and private efforts in those communications in part to ensure the safety of the family members and to make sure they are not defrauded. so my message to the families was simple. we're not going to abandon you. we will standing by you. second we're making changes to ensure our government is better

organized around this mission. every department that is involved in our national security apparatus cares deeply about these hostages prioritizes them and works really hard but they are not always as well coordinate as they need to be. under the national security council here at the white house we're setting up a new hostage response group who will be responsible for ensuring that our hostage policies are consistent and coordinated and implemented rapidly and effectively, and they will be accountable at the highest levels. they will be accountable to me. soon i'll be designating as well a senior diplomat as my special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, who will be focused solely on leading our efforts with other countries to bring our people home.

we're creating for the first time one central hub where exports will work together side by side as one coordinated team to find hostages and bring them home safely. the fusion cell is already up and running. and one person will be responsible for chord chord -- coordinateing the intelligence. third we're changing how our government works with familiesover hostages. many families told us they at times felt like an afterthought or a distraction, that too often the law enforcement or military and intelligence officials they were interacting with were begrudging in giving them information, and that ends

today. i'm making it clear that these families are to be treated like what they are, our trusted partners and active partners in the recovery of their loved ones. we're all on the same team and nobody cares more about brings home these americans than their own families and we have to treat them as partners. our new fusion cell will include a person dedicated to supporting the families ensure that we communicate with families better with one clear voice, and that families get information that is timely and accurate. working with the intelligence community, we will be sharing more intelligence with families and this coordinator will be the family's voice within government, making sure when decisions are made about their loved ones their concerns are front and center. everyone will be given additional training to ensure

families are treated with the dignity and compassion that they deserve. and in particular i want to point out no family of an american hostage has ever been prosecuted for paying ransom for the return of their loved ones. the last thing we should ever do is to add to a family's pain with threats like that. so the bottom line is this when it comes to how our government works to recover americans held hostage, and how we work with their families we are changing how we do business. after everything they have endured these families are right to be skeptical, and that's why it's so important as i told them today, that we will be setting up mechanisms to ensure accountability and implementation. i directed my national security team to report back to me including getting feedback from the families to make sure these reforms are being put in place

and are working. several families told us they wanted to spare other families the frustrations they endured. some have created new organizations to support families like theirs such as the moral foundation for steven satlaugh, who wrote everyone has two lives, the second begins when you realize you only have one. as a government and as a nation we can learn from the example and strength of their lives. the kind of strength we have seen in all of these held hostages including kayla mueller, you know. kayla devoted her life to serving those in need around the world, to refugees in syria who lost everything. she was a source of comfort and hope before her tragic death she was held by isil in syria for a year and a half and during her captivity she managed

to smuggle a letter to her family. she said none of us could have known it would be this long but i know i'm also fighting for my side? the ways i am able and i have a lot of fight left in me i am not breaking down and i will not give in no matter how long it takes. today my message to anyone that harms mefrns is we do not forget. our reach is long. just diswill be done. my message to every american being held unjustly around the world who is fighting from the inside to survive another day, my message to their families who long to hold them once more is that the united states of america will never stop working to reunite you with your family. we will not give up no matter how long it takes. thank you very much, everybody. >> that was president obama announcing a new policy on the part of the u.s. in handling situations where people have been taken hostage.

the president announcing that no longer will families be even feeling like they are being kept in the dark; that they are be treated as partners and given information quickly whenever one of their lived ones is taken hostage abroad. mike viqueira is live for us in washington. mike, this is a pretty significant change. tell us what prompted the president to initiate this review. >> reporter: randall it's clear the president was responding to many of the complaints some of them going public as being treated as an afterthought or distraction even by some in the military who were in charge of hostage recovery or in law enforcement. there are so many disparate entities in the government working on there. there was conflicting information given to the families. the families felt as though there was no coordination, and the various entities whether

it's the fbi or department of defense was working at cross purposes. the president appearing in the roosevelt room responding directly to some of those concerns, and at least one whistleblower who testified before congress who works on hostage policy. so what the president is saying number 1, they are not going to change the bedrock policy of the u.s. government not officially negotiating or paying ransom to free u.s. hostages held overseas while at the same time saying they are not going to be burdening the families by harassing them or threatening them with prosecution if they were to try to establish contact with the hostage takers the holders, the captors and try to negotiate a ransom. the president all but saying they are going to facilitate the communication to ensure they are not defrauded or toyed with in

any way, shape, or form that the fbi is going to do that. and the president announcing a restructuring there, of several different entities within the government. a fusion cell that will be the overarching coordinator, an envoy who is going to take care of international relations in trying to locate and secure the release of these hostages. and several other entities within the government and that again, has been the nut of some of the criticism we have seen and that is there is no central hostage czar if you will an overriding authority that can run rush out over these various agencies. some lawmakers saying that is what was needed. someone under the white house roof to take care of it. but the president was responding to the criticisms we have heard over the course of the last several years in announcing this policy change today.

>> the president did make it a point of saying these things we have heard about, families being threatened with prosecution, if they attempt to pay hostage takers, he says no family has ever been prosecuted for paying hostage takers. but on the final page i was interested to note that they are setting up new protocols for families and their dealings with media. and not only will the government be sharing information with the family it is offering to act as a buffer with the media, even preparing statements. what do you think of this mike? >> i think that will be controversial for many reasons, however, it is a well-known concern, and this is part of the friction that existed between the families and the

administration and law enforcement down the line. they are being told do not mention anything about your loved one being held hostage. and the president had an emotional meeting by his description with many of the family members today, they have been in washington being briefed on the final plans here. the president noting that they were taking many recommendations and putting them to paper in this order, but part of the friction was the -- there was a de facto gag order against many of these families imposed by the government, or strongly recommended by the government, something that was resented by the families. this is clearly an effort to coordination communication with the public and the media, which can be a useful tool. >> mike viqueira thank you very much on the president's announcement on a new u.s.-hostage policy. we'll be right back. ♪

♪ beginning in many the next hour, the body of the pastor of

emanual ame church in charleston south carolina will be laying in the state house. people will be able to pay their respects to the reverend who was also a state senator. president obama will deliver the eulogy on friday. the other eight victims will be laid to rest from tomorrow through next week. another state is taking action against the confederate flag. alabama's governor removed the battle flag from the civil war memorial at the state grounds. he said the flag was becoming a distraction and it was the right thing to do. he also took down three other national confederate flags at that memorial. corporate america also weighing in. wal-mart the first to announce it would stop selling any merchandise involving the flag. since then amazon target sears, and ebay all announced they too will take confederate

flag items off of their shelves and websites. south carolina's state representative doug brennan who was friends with reverend pinckney joined us and he says he doesn't think lax gun laws were the reason for the mass cure at the church. >> we have already mandated criminal background checks before you can purchase a gun, and last year we passed a bill that says if one is deemed incompetent they can no longer possess a firearm. i just heard in the piece before you came to me that the shooter legally purchased a gun. this shooter had been arrested but not convicted. i'm not prepared to get to pint where we're going to take one's rights away for a charge. we still live in a country where you are innocent until proven guilty, and i'm not willing to cross that line.

>> south carolina does not require background checks on private gun sales, but the state does bar residents from bringing their weapons into churches or other religious sanctuaries. some emotional statements in boston courts today, as the boston marathon bomber faces victims and family members. he will be formally sentenced to death after the hearing. the jurors teared up as the victims and family members discussed their situation. president obama has spoken be france's president over revelations of spying by the usa. wikileaks says the nsa eavesdropped on french leaders for years. >> reporter: an emergency meeting in the wake of reports that the u.s. spied on the past

three french presidents. french newspaper sited nsa reports released by wikileaks, appear to capture officials talking. three were reportedly targeted. >> translator: not only the phones of the presidents their mobile phones. the presidential air fleet, but also the headquarters of the government transmissions, ministerial switchboards. >> reporter: the leak coincides with a vote on a new bill. >> there is big debate inside the opposition as well as the opinion that we don't want in france to do like the nsa does in the world. >> reporter: despite the uproar there seemed to be little surprise. france's defense council writing:

>> >> france really needs the u.s.'s partnership especially in some military operation outside of the country, like in -- in africa, or in iraq and so on. so you cannot destroy such a strong partnership. >> reporter: the u.s. national security council spokesman said: the statement made no mention of previously spying on hollande or his predecessors. a wiki leek spokesman says he is confident the document authentic and promises more publications to come. good but not good enough. the economy has rebounded since 2008, but many small businesses

are staying cautious.

♪ well the dream of homeownership in the u.s. is becoming less of a reality. according to a report from harvard university the number of people who own their own homes dropped last year to 64.5%, that's the eighth straight year of decline, and the lowest level in two decades. researchers say rising prices stagnant incomes, and tougher lending standards are partly to blame. businesses are hiring more than before but some small businesses say the economy is not growing fast enough for them to compete. kristen saloomey reports, some companies are taking a more cautious approach. >> reporter: ever since kelly took over her father's sheet metal business the work force has become like family. in that made the tough economy of 2008 all the more painful. >> it was horrifying.

it would just shut my door and cry. >> reporter: the company, called sound manufacturing, lost a third of its business and kelly had to layoff more than half of her work force, but sales are finally picking up and so is the hiring. job growth in the united states remains strong companies are hiring at rates that haven't been seen since before the recession, still the economy isn't growing as much or as quickly as anyone would like. tony says many small businesses are held back by uncertainty. >> businesses don't feel like it's predictable. what they can expect next year in terms of cost whether it's taxes or labor costs, or health care costs, so they remain very cautious, and although employment is rising not to the degree that anybody likes. >> reporter: kelly agrees. until recently she avoided

having more than 50 employees. since companies that size are required to provide additional benefits, she worried about the cost but she feels the economy is getting stronger. >> our sales levels are back to prerekegs numbers, and the order quantities are starting to return to higher quantities and we're really optimistic. >> reporter: optimistic but taking a cautious approach to growth. sound manufacturing now boasts 53 employees, and plans to add three more this summer. kristen saloomey al jazeera, connecticut. ford is launching a new car-sharing program in six u.s. cities. drivers who have financed their cars through ford will be able to rent them out for short-term use. that will put ford in direct competition with companies like zip car, some 14,000 ford owners will be invited to take part. that's it for us thanks for

joining us. i'm randall pinkston. the news continues next live from london. keep up on aljazeera.com. >> at least 12 people are killed by a suicide-bomber in somalia. >> hello there i'm felicity barr. this is al jazeera live from london. also coming up france calls on ambassador to speak to the allegations that the u.s. spied on three french presidents. the landmark victory for climate campaigners as the judge orders a