he has two disabled grandchildren to care for. he heads out every day looking for something to bring home. adam raney al jazeera, mexico. you can catch that story many more as well as the latest news analysis, and opinion pieces on our website. that's at aljazeera.com. the nation's police on high alert, a warning from homeland security and the fbi this holiday weekend. talks intensify in vienna. round the clock negotiations are planned throughout the weekend. and free at 50 the tough life middle age inmates face when they are released from jail. ♪

this is al jazeera america live from new york city. i'm stephanie sy. an estimated 42 million americans are hitting the road today heading for independence day celebrations but federal law enforcement is on heightened alert. john henry smith has more. >> reporter: first it's important to point out that homeland security is not saying they know of any specific threats set for this weekend in the united states, still in advance of the holiday weekend, the department of homeland security has sent out an alert to police across the country, and they are responding by ramping up their preparations. tourists are already out in force, getting an early start enjoying this 4th of july weekend. also out in force, police security bulletins issued by the department of homeland security and the fbi warn of heightened

potential for terror attacks over the holiday period. >> this may be potentially the most complex counter terrorism effort ever. this is not driven by any particular threat as much as the unfolding world events. >> reporter: security experts are concerned about isil and loan wolves drawing inspiration from the group. in that has already caused some 4th of july celebrations to be canceled. and a mistaken report of an active shooter sparked a massive response thursday at the washington navy yard. >> we take every event here in washington very serious. >> reporter: at the nearby washington mall law enforcement is preparing for an influx of tens of thousands this holiday weekend. new york officials say they have

set up a special command center and put heavily armed units on patrol on the ground water, and skies. civilians are well aware of what could happen on 4th of july weekend too. >> it's always in the back of your mind you get on a plane, no matter what you do today, you always have it in the back of your mind that something could happen. >> am i going to hide in my house? no i'm not going to do that. >> reporter: security experts caution that the 4th of july holiday, coincides is this year with ramadan. isil has called for an expanded campaign of violence during the muslim holy month. back to you. thank you. the obama administration has announced what it calls a significant blow against isil. the pentagon confirmed that a coalition air strike last month killed a key leader and recruiter of fighters. his death comes just a few weeks after the cia announced a drone

strike killed al-qaeda's second in command. there is still criticism that the u.s. strategy to fight isil is not a strong one. president obama insists u.s. combat troops will not be part of the plan. one expert says there are viable alternatives. >> one of the ways to do this is to do what mish sell suggesting which is putting more ground troops but special operations force, not standard grounds troops, and what you are looking at is the pentagon trying to move in that direction with a lilly pad strategy that general dempsey articulated a little while ago, but that strategy has to be coupled with a clear commitment to get things done in terms of isis fighting against them in a way that makes it very clear that we're doing that and we're not making that message very clear right now. this week marks one year since isil declared it created a

so-called caliphate in syria and iraq. egyptian air strikes targeted isil fights or across the sinai region. any gaza strip is right next to the sinai peninsula. isil is now threatening to overtake that area as well. >> reporter: this is the view of egypt's north sinai from the gaza strip. black smoke can be seen rising into the sky after a series of egyptian military air strikes. the action followed one of the biggest attacks against its forces in modern history. the -- isil claimed responsibility for the attack. >> translator: it has been

terrifying for us. we heard so many explosions. our children couldn't sleep, because there were so many loud blasts at night. we pray for the safety of egypt. >> reporter: less than 24 hours before the coordinated attack on the egyptian sinai, israel's intelligence minister accused hamas of being affiliated with fighters operating in the egyptian sinai. an accusation that hamas denies. >> i think this is part of the israel propaganda to deceive the war, but i think they understand the fact very well that there is no comparison and no connection. >> reporter: the view some analysts don't entirely disagree with. >> by presenting hamas as isil by presenting jihadism as one ideology it's easier to persuade the world. it's easier to prevent hamas as

also an absolute evil. >> reporter: hamas which controls the gaza strip, has been battling with isil affiliates in recent months. hamas responded with a major crackdown and arrested dozens of people. which could explain that isil announced it would topple the area. whatever the case hamas finds itself increasingly under pressure to deal with the growing threat. in northeastern nigeria the latest boko haram raids have killed nearly 250 people. nearly 150 were in borno state. eyewitnesss say gunmen raided homes and stormed mosques after prayers were finished. the attacks come during the muslim holly month of ramadan.

diplomats expect to work around the clock to finalize a deal finalizing iran's nuclear program. the head of the u.n. nuclear watchdog agency says there are still unresolved questions about the nuclear stockpile. >> reporter: negotiators have already been working around the clock here. we understand there was one meeting with the lead u.s. negotiator, the lead e.u. negotiator, and two deputy foreign ministers of iran that went on until 3:00 a.m. some of the foreign ministers have left. but the words of the french foreign minister as we left i think is significant. he said he will be back with his colleagues on sunday evening, and what we're hearing is that it's likely that the foreign ministers from the p5-plus-1, that's the six countries negotiating with iran will probably stay here from sunday

working through, trying to get a deal. remember the interim deal has already been extended extended only until tuesday, so time here is running out. certainly european diplomats saying they don't see any prospect for negotiation beyond tuesday. we really are in the final part of this very long process of negotiation to try to find a final deal a deal for ten years, first and then the period beyond ten years to deal with iran and making sure on behalf of the p5-plus-1, their aim that iran has only a civilian nuclear program. james bayes reporting from vienna. despite the announcement that a u.s. embassy will open in cuba it may take some time before a u.s. ambassador is approved. mitch mcconnell says the republican majority is unlikely to confirm anyone to the job. he called cuba a thuggish

regime and a haven for criminals from the u.s. that is not stopping flights to the island starting today it will be easier to get there. jet blue will launch its first direct flights from new york to havana. it is the first major carrier to run a direct flight. you still have to buy tickets through a charter company, however. it took months of negotiations to restore ties between the u.s. and cuba. and part of that includes the release of a cuban spy who was serving two life terms in the u.s. lucia newman reports. >> reporter: the man you seay arriving in havana seems an unlikely central character in a drama that changed diplomatic history. cuban intelligence officer had been sentenced by a miami court to two life terms. the last thing he expected was to suddenly arrive home to a hero's welcome.

>> i learned about it in december 16th, the day before. >> reporter: hernandez had spent the last 16 years in u.s. max couple security prisons, a cuban spy implicated in the killings of four american pilots shot down by cuban fighter jets. his wife had repeatedly been denied a visa to travel to california to visit him in prison. so cubans were dumb founded when they saw that she was nine month's pregnant next when her husband arrived. >> translator: i had frozen by eggs anticipating when the time came it might be too late. >> reporter: her daughter was born shortly after her father's return to cuba six months ago. what know one knew was she was conceived as a act of goodwill. her husband's sperm was flown in

from prison in california, a small part of negotiations leading to startling announcement. >> i have instructed secretary kerry to begin discussions with cuba to reestablish diplomatic relations. >> reporter: two years earlier both governments started exploratory talks. the freedom of the cuban intelligence officers and an american contractor imprisoned in cuba alan gross had suddenly become key to ending decades. >> we didn't even realize the consequence. >> reporter: hernandez's release has outraged many in florida's exiled community, but at home he is being treated as a hero still loyal to his government even after spending 16 years in

prison. >> i see myself trying to recover the time with my family my little girl and my wife and the rest of my family and i see myself serving my -- my country, which is my only goal my only dream. >> reporter: a country that is ending the half a century-old cold war with its northern neighbor a landmark decision which they inadvertently played a role. lucia newman. up next a drastic jump in the number of u.s. prisoners the age over 50. growing old with a prison record. and what happens when they get out? plus -- >> they are not sending their best. they are bringing drugs. they are bringing crime. their rapists. >> reporter: donald trumps comments about mexicans drawing

new fire from some in his own party. ♪

welcome back to al jazeera america. it is 10:45 eastern, taking a look at today's top stories. four kentucky couples, two gay and two straight are suing a county clerk who refused to issue them marriage licenses. the clerk won't issue the licenses to anyone now, including straight couples. the state say she is violating her duties. a string of shark attacks along the east coast have officials warning swimmers to be extra cautious. north carolina will add extra beach patrol rangers this weekend. officials are strongly encouraging visitors to stay in shallow waters. and officials near knoxville, tennessee are putting plans in place to lift evacuation orders near the site of a train derailment.

dozens of people had to go to the hospital for exposure to potentially toxic fumes. greece's prime minister went on national television today to urge his people to vote no in sunday's referendum. a no vote would mean a rejection of proposals for more austerity in exchange for billout funds. >> translator: the moment of responsibility and democracy has come. it would be best if the sirens of danger and catastrophe are silenced. when people take their future into their own hands they have nothing to fear. let us go to the polls calmly. >> reporter: don't forget that we have had dire warnings from creditors and other government leaders in europe saying that a no vote means ultimately

has no place in the euro zone but it's clear that not everyone here is take those warnings very seriously. about four-fifths of greeks are polling as wanting to stay in the euro zone. and about three-fifths of them are saying that a no vote will seriously endanger that status. and yet, about two out of five are willing to risk that. they are willing to vote no. so why is that the case? i think there's an indication in the fact that half of all greeks uphold a saying that even a no vote won't make any serious impact to soften their creditor's stance towards them. i think what this vote is really about for the no camp is preserving the government in power, because they sense that they are trying to oust them and manipulate the greek political process, but even more than that perhaps, it is to establish greek sovereignty, to

assert an opinion in europe and to tell other european powers who are, after all greece's creditors, that they need to have more of a say in the bailout process; that they cannot be cornered the way they are being. i think that is what this is about, sovereignty rather than wealth. there is growing republican backlash against presidential candidate donald trump over his recent comments about mexicans. >> they are not sending their best. they are bringing drugs. they are bringing crime. their rapists. one republican party official called the comments unhelpful. i spoke earlier with republican strategist joe watkins, and asked whether temperature's comments make him in an outlier in the g.o.p. >> it's still early. but he is a serious player right now, because he is number 2 in a number of the national polls,

and if you look at social media right now, he is leading by far in social media, everybody, including hillary clinton. so there are a lot of americans that are listening to what he is saying, and on the republican side of the aisle he has a strong enough base of followers to be hanging in there at number two. >> how do you explain that joe? >> well think about it in a crowded field, where you have 13 or 14 announced candidates you don't need that big of percentage to be a leader so if you get 10%, 15%, you are going to be one of the leaders. so he has managed to lock in a solid percentage of primary voters and is doing very well early on. >> hispanics make up the largest ethnic minority in this country,

joe, and they voted overwhelmingly for obama over romney in 2012, how much could these comments affect the 2016 presidential elections being played up hugely in spanish language press in this country? >> i think it really matters who the nominee ends up being. if jeb bush ends up being the nominee, i think there's a great chance to get a lot of latino voters. jeb's wife was born in mexico speaks fluent spanish, he has a track record as the former governor of florida, and he is reaching out right now to hispanic voters. you have other candidates as well on the republican side who are reaching out to hispanic voters. you have marco rubio, and ted

cruz. one candidate, that being donald trump, doesn't speak for everybody. >> and yet you have senator ted cruz calling donald trump terrific. are you surprised by the lack of condemnation against these comments from other g.o.p. candidates? >> well, think about it, it's early in the process, and you are nothing if you don't win the nomination. so they are all jockeying for position to win the nomination. and what donald trump has been able to do is get the attention of the press. he is right now controlling everything in the press that you read is about him right now, and so if you are a candidate in a crowded political primary for the presidency, that's where you want to be. you want people reading about you, talking about you, he is dominating the news media right now, and as a candidate for the presidency, that really helps

him. not as a businessman so much but as a candidate for the presidency, it helps me. on the democratic side there is another presidential candidate in the race. jim webb launched his campaign on his website. he is a former secretary of the navy and assist important secretary of defense. he joins hillary clinton, bernie sanders, martin o'malley and lincoln chaffy. american's prisons are dealing with a major issue. more and more inmates are over the age of 50. and that means more health care cost for the states. >> reporter: jeffery washington has been in and out of the criminal justice system for the past 24 years. one of the fast-growing group behind bars older prisoners. in just a few days he's getting

out. >> and the last thing i want to do is come back in here in orange. >> reporter: there are about 250,000 prisoners over 50 in the u.s. thanks to stricter laws and mandatory minimums many have been in prison for a long time. when they are released, the world they are entering is vastly different than the world they left. jeffery is in a block known as the re-entry pod. the first of its kind in the country. it helpsen mates re-enter the real world. >> repeat offenders is not something you are able to stop overnight. this requires attention. >> reporter: san francisco sheriffel helped launch the program. he said the justice system lacked a mem-- mechanism to help

them re-enter society. what do seniors face that perhaps younger men and women do not? >> significant arthritis issues diabetes. their own -- just overall general health. >> reporter: where do you think you would be in this day if you weren't housed in a pod where you were getting these kind of services? >> i might be ready to go back to crime. >> reporter: really? you say that without pausing. >> it's true. it's either change for the better or find myself back here in orange and it is no place to be. especially 57 years old. f is for fair well. sesame street says good-bye to one of its long-time iconic cast members. ♪

jazeera america. millions of americans have grown up with her, loved her, and learned from her. but after four decades teaching

children their abc's and so much more maria from sesame street is leaving the neighborhood. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: the days will be a little less sunny on sesame street now that maria is saying adios after 44 years, she is retiring. ♪ >> you look beautiful. >> reporter: she joined any cast in 1971 at age 22 and grew up on the show getting married and having a baby. she broke barriers as the first latino in a major role on tv. she taught children vocabulary words in english and spanish, and helped them understand goods times. >> geronimo!

[ choking [ >> why do i do anything for him? why! >> reporter: and bad, like in the special episode after the 9/11 attacks. >> come on,el low, stay low, and go. >> reporter: along the way maria was a gentle voice of reason. sesame workshop said: >> hey, what is that for? >> i'm just happy that you are okay, mommy. >> oh honey, me too. >> reporter: so this morning's letter is g, for gracias. >> the announcement lead to an outpouring of sadness and gratitude on social media. thanks for watching the news

continues next live from doha. have a great day and a great 4th of july weekend. ♪ >> announcer: this is al jazeera. ♪ welcome to the news hour live from al jazeera's headquarters in doha. coming up in the next 60 minutes, the greek prime minister tells the nation vote nothing in sunday's bailout referendum will not mean a switch from europe. boko haram killed more than 100 people in multiple attacks in northeast nigeria. china's left behind children, why four