renovation work started after emergency measures started to patch up what had been neglected. but it grew into so much more focusing on saving a part of the island's past for future generations. more as ever on our website, the address, aljazeera.com. debt crisis greekest demonstrate in athens ahead of the country's crucial referendum. a warning from homeland security and the fbi this holiday weekend. talks intensify in vienna as the deadline for an iran nuclear deal looms. round the clock negotiations planned throughout the weekend. ♪

this is al jazeera america live from new york city. i'm bisi onile-ere. thousands are gathered in athens this hour protesting for and against an austerity referendum slated for sunday. a no vote would mean rejection of european proposals for reforms in exchange for more bailout money. the prime minister went on national tv today saying a no vote would give him a mandate to negotiate better terms. >> translator: the moment of responsibility and democracy has come. it would be best if the sirens of danger and ts catastrophe are silenced. when people take their future into their own hands, they have nothing to fear. let us go to the poles calmly and make your decision weighing the arguments. >> these are live picture from

athens. john siegenthaler is in athens. i talked to him a short time ago. >> business is taking place here. there are plenty of tourists in this city as usual in the summertime, but anecdotally what you hear from taxi drivers and hotels is that business is down a bit. but in general, what you are seeing is people -- the people who stand in those lines at atm's don't look happy, and they don't sound happy, and i think there's a lot of uncertainty that exists in athens today. and they are waiting for this vote on sunday. >> so you are close to the square, can you at all describe the atmosphere there. >> there's a huge crowd. thousands of people. it's a friday -- friday night. you know, you can -- you can see the parliament. up above you can see the ruins,

and the crowd is enthusiastic but -- but relatively calm and as i say it's more of a festival at motion fear as opposed to a political rally. >> you mentioned the vote coming up on sunday any idea which direction it will go? >> it's anybody's guess. there are plenty of polls here. one of the newspapers that had an english headline today in athens described the situation as chaos. that might be a little much. i don't see chaos in athens but i do see -- and according to the polls it is going to be a very close vote and if this rally is any indication, the prime minister and his supporters are going to work hard to try to turn out no votes.

an estimated 42 million americans are hitting the road today heading to independence day celebrations. but federal law enforcement is on heightened alert. john henry smith has more on the precautions authorities are taking this holiday weekend. >> reporter: homeland is 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 had sent out an alert to police across the country, and they in turn are responding by ramping up their preparations. >> happy 4 lt of july. >> reporter: 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 homeland security and the fbi warn of potential terrorist

attacks over the weekend. >> it is not driven by any information or particular threat as much as it's driven by the unfolding world events. >> reporter: last week's attacks are just the latest world events that have security experts concerned about isil and so-called loan wolves drawing inspiration from the group. in that threat has already caused the u.s. air base in england to cancel its july 4th celebrations, and in this climate 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, and our posture remains extremely high and will continue for the 4th. >> reporter: law enforcement is preparing for an influx of tens of thousands at the washington mall. new york officials say they have set up a special command center and have put heavily armed units on the ground, in the water, and

in the skies. civilians are well aware of what could happen on 4th of july weekend too. >> it's always in the back of your mind let's face it. you always have it in the back of your mind that something could happen. >> am i going to hide in my house and lock my doors and pull down my shades? no, because life is worth living. >> reporter: security experts caution that the 4th of july holiday coincides this year with ramadan. isil has called for an expanded campaign of violence during the holy month. the state department also conducted a securery review at its posts overseas but the department calls that routine before any major holiday. the obama administration is calling it a significant blow to isil. a coalition air strike last month in syria killed a key leader and recruiter for foreign

fighters. he was known as the emir of suicide bombers. this comes just a few weeks after the announcement that al-qaeda's second in command had been killed. but there is still thoughts that the fight of isil is not strong enough. >> one of the ways to do this is to do what michelle is suggesting which is putting more ground troops in special operations forces. and what you are looking at is the pentagon trying to move in that direction with the 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 now. this week marks one year since isil claimed that it created a so-called caliphate. egyptian air strikes targeted isil linked fighters across the northern sinai region this morning. the gaza strip is right next to the sinai peninsula. and another effort to expand itself reach isil is 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 islamic state of iraq and the levant egypt affiliate, sinai province claimed responsibility for the coordinated assault, which

killed civilians and military personnel. this is a resident of rafa. >> translator: it's been terrifying for us. we heard so many explosions. our children couldn't sleep because there were so many loud lasts 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 israeli propaganda to deceive the world. but i think to understand very well that there is no comparison, and there is no connection between hamas and daesh. >> reporter: the view some analysts don't entirely disagree with. >> by presenting hamas as isis

by presenting islamic fundamentalism jihadism as one ideology it's easier to persuade the world. and present hamas as an evil. >> reporter: hamas is an offshoot of the muslim brotherhood, and has been fighting its own battle with isil affiliates in cent months one group claiming ties to isil has said it was responsible for a series of bomb attacks across gaza. hamas responded with a major crackdown and arrested dozens of people which could explain why earlier this week, isil warned that it would topple the movement for agreeing to a truce with israel and for not being religious enough. hamas finds itself increasingly under pressure to deal with the growing isis threat. northeastern nigeria the latest boko haram raids have

killed nearly 250 people. nearly 150 of them were in borno state. eyewitnesss say gunmen raided homes and stormed mosques after prayers were finished. the attacks come during the muslim holy month of ramadan. secretary of state john kerry has been meeting with iran's foreign minister and diplomats in vienna today part of their joint effort to finalize a deal. the original deadline passed four days ago. negotiators hope to finish talks by this tuesday. the head of the nuclear watchdog agency says there are still unresolved questions about teheran's nuclear stockpile. james bayes has more. >> 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 foreign

ministers of iran that went on until 3:00 a.m. some have left european foreign ministers are trying to [ inaudible ] but the worlds of the french foreign minister as he left i think are 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. despite the announcement that a u.s. embassy will open in cuba, it may take some time before a u.s. ambassador is formally approved. mitch mcconnell says the republican majority is unlikely to confirm anyone to the job. he called cuba a thug regime and a haven for criminals fleeing prosecution in the u.s. that's not stopping flights to the island. in fact starting today it will be easier to get there from the u.s. jet blue will lunch its first flights. it's the first major carrier to run a direct flight from new york city to cuba. you still have to buy tickets through a charter company, however. it took mronths of negotiations to restore ties between the u.s. and cuba mart

of that included the release of a cuban spy serving two life terms in the u.s. lucia newman shows us how he played a key role in situation. >> reporter: this man seems an unlikely character in a drama that changed diplomatic history. he had been sentenced by a miami court to two life terms. and the last thing he expected was to suddenly -- arrive home to a zeros welcome. >> i learned about it on december 16th. >> reporter: he has spent the last 16 years in u.s. maximum 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.

so cubans were dumbfounded when they saw that she was nine months pregnant when her husband arrived. >> i had frozen by eggs anticipating that when the time came it might be too late. >> reporter: the daughter was born shortly after his return to cuba. she was conceived as a diplomatic gesture of goodwill. the u.s. government allowed her to undergo fertilization treatment in panama with her husband's sperm flown in from prison in california. a small part of top secret negotiations leading to a startling announcement. >> i have instructed secretary kerry to immediately begin discussions with cuba to reestablish reestablish diplomatic relations. >> reporter: cuba demanded release of its agents before

moving forward. two intelligence officers and an american contractor imprisoned in cuba had suddenly become key. >> for us it was big news personally, that we not even realized the consequence. >> reporter: hernandez's release has outraged many in florida's exiled community. but he is 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 neighbor. a landmark decision in which

they inadvertently played a role. up next a drastic jump in the number of prisoners over the age of 50. ♪ >> it is no place to be. especially 57 years old. >> growing old with a prison record, and what happens when they get out? ♪

officials near knoxville, tennessee are putting plans in place to lift evacuation orders near the site of a train derailment. the train was carrying a toxic chemical when it came off of the tracks and caught fire. dozens of people had to go to the hospital to exposure to potentially toxic fumes. san francisco is running short on affordable housing, so when treasure island opened years ago, offering inexpensive

homes, many people jumped at the chance to move there. now they say their health is paying the price. >> reporter: part of the long-term plan to help san francisco's housing shortage involves building new units on land that used to be belong to the navy. cleanup is underway. some people living nearby blame their health troubles on exposure to these hazardous materials. >> people that have moved into my community and been here anywhere from 10 to 25 years, we have discovered their children all of a sudden now, they are having asthma they are developing skin rashes that they never had, dryness of the scalp and the skin so it's irritating when they scratch it. >> reporter: where do you think it's coming from? >> i believe it's coming from here. >> the dust is blowing. the chemicals are in the dirt

and people are breathing this. and it's what kills you. it's the invisible dust that you can't see, that will kill you. >> reporter: the city says the sites are safe. >> the navy has measures that they take within their work sites to control dust, to -- and monitor dust. they have monitoring equipment up around the perimeter of their work sites to make sure they are continuing any concerns within the excavation areas. >> reporter: i'll take a look at how the neighbors feel about the cleanup and the future plans for this property once cleanup is complete. >> you can see her full report tonight at 8:00. america's prisons are dealing with the issue that more and more inmates are over 50. that means increased health care and other costs for the state. america tonight's michael oh cue

has the story. >> reporter: jeffery washington has been in and out of the criminal justice system for the past 24 years. one of a fast-growing group behind bars. older prisoners. in just a few days he is getting out. >> reporter: and the last thing i want to do is come back 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 a long time. when they are released they are at a unique disadvantage 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. >> repeat offendered is not something that you sort of are able to stop overnight. this requires attention. >> reporter: san francisco

sheriff's office helped launch the program. he says at the time the u.s. criminal just -- justice system lacked the ability to help these people. >> reporter: what specifically do seniors face when they are released back into society that perhaps younger men and women do not? >> arthritis, diabetes their over all 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 getting ready to go back to crime. >> reporter: 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.

coming up human smuggling along the mexican border. >> you are never going to for get that. that's nine people that you killed it's hard to forget. >> reporter: mexican cartels recruiting american teenagers next.

human smuggling remains a problem along the mexican border. and despite the attention from last year's migrant crisis some americans are still taking part. as heidi zhou castro tells us they are often recruited by cartels, including one 15-year-old who wound up killing the nine people he was transporting. >> reporter: junior benjamin rodriguez was raised in this neighborhood sharing a trailer with his mother stepfather and ten brothers and sisters. this impoverished border community is like many that dot the texas side of the rio ground. it's a haven for organized crime, and where the promise of 500 bucks turned rodriguez age

15 into a human smuggler. >> [ inaudible ]. >> reporter: like some on the ground -- >> yeah, some on the ground. most were on the floor. >> reporter: on a dark night in 2012, two months before middle school graduation junior picked up 16 undocumented im undocumented -- immigrants. just over the border. a human smuggling ring recruited the 8th grader. he said yes to the $500. >> i just wanted to help them out, and so i could get to their destiny. >> reporter: so you thought you could just drive them no one would realize what you were doing. >> uh-huh. >> reporter: the swerving van made it less than two miles

before it was spotted by border patrol. the teen panicked flooring the gas. he lost control on this frontage road rolling the van, and killing nine passengers. junior escaped uninjured. did you look back to see what happened to your passengers? >> not really. >> reporter: why not? >> i was scared. i was scared. i just ran. >> reporter: two days later junior was arrested. he's now serving 20 years for manslaughter, the gravity of the accident allowed the state to try to convict him as an adult. there are many young teens who believe their juvenile status will shield them from trouble. >> they know we don't have the facilities to put [ inaudible ] and they know more than likely the juniors are not going to end up in prison that they are recruiting them to do the dirty work for them. kids are coming to school and

wanting to recruit other kids to join their gangs, and telling them you are going to have money, drugs, sex. >> reporter: but even as police have redoubled their efforts to combat gang activity in schools, cartels have stepped up their recruitment on kids. police fear that now more kids are being lured into the human smuggling trade. a solar powered airplane has broken a world record. the solar impulse two as now flown the longest non-stop flight by a solar powered plane. the trip across the pacific was the longest leg of the around the world journey. thank you so much for joining us. i'm bisi onile-ere. the next news continues live from london, and remember for the latest headlines you can go to our website, aljazeera.com.

♪ >> hem low, this is the news hour live from london. rival rallies in greece as the people prepare for a referendum on the bailout. the prime minister said a no vote is a vote against blackmail. >> protests in the egyptian capital marks the second anniversary of the overthrow of in the morsi. one person's been killed. >> boko haram is blamed