>> after weeks of protests, iraq orders a crackdown on government corruption. >> you're watching al jazeera live from our headquarters in doha. also coming up, pakistan launches an investigation after videos show hundreds of children being abused. >> a crucial test for haiti's political stability, as people vote in long delayed elections. plus: a success story, singapore

celebrates 50 years of independence. >> iraq's prime minister is calling for six top government posting to be abolished to help tackle corruption and cut spending. al abadi's cabinet has given its support. the proposal must be passed in parliament. the move could unsettle iraq's delicate sectarian balance and here's why. the six posts under threat are the countries three vice presidents and three deputy prime ministers, all of whom represent various political and sectarian blochs. al-maliki is one of iraq's shia vice presidents, a policy rising figure since the u.s. withdrawal in 2012, blamed for stoking sectarian tensions while he was prime minister. allawi is recorded as a moderate

and has been a strange critic of hard line politicians like al-maliki. another prime minister has handled in his resignation in the last hours. we have more from baghdad. >> the political scab militiament in iraq shaken up after the decision to dismiss the country's three vice presidents and three deputy prime ministers. what's interesting about this decision is that already, the cabinet here has approved prime minister abadi's decisions. there was an emergency meeting by the council of ministers in which the action was approved. now, it must move on to parliament. we were out on the streets of baghdad just a short while ago. we spoke with many people here, normal citizens tell us that they were very pessimistic about the prospect of these decisions being approved, ratified by parliament, many telling us they believe that rampant corruption

still existed in parliament. they were glad they told that you say the prime minister had taken these actions. they believe he is doing everything he can to fight corruption, but they believe that it is so strong within parliament, that perhaps the ugly specter will raise its head again and that perhaps debate on these decisions could last quite a while that. it is going to be difficult politically for anybody to oppose these measures. we are at a time here in iraq with a record heatwave, when sit ins are mobilizing, going into the streets. just this past friday, we saw demonstrators in baghdad, tens of thousands throughout the country in varsities, calling for an end to corruption, calling for the government to do more to help them, make sure they had a restoration of basic services, electricity, air conditioning, clean water to drink, bathe in, things they need for their families, things people tell us are basic human

rights and services they should have access to all the time. any parliamentarian who opposes this is going to cause problems. they talked about guidelines issued by the highest shia cleric in which they gave their support to prime minister abadi in order to fight corruption in any way he saw was deemed fit. right now, it is a cross roads for this country, for the politicians here to try to prove that people that are coming out into the streets, they are doing all they can to make this a better country for them and provide services to them. >> almost a year after the u.s. backed coalition began targeting isil positions in syria, activists there say the strategy is not working and might even backfire. the group has lost some territory but still firm lecontrols raqqa. we have this report from across

the border in southern turkey. >> these men are from the syrian city of raqqa, isil's capital for almost two years. they hide their identities to protect their families and cleanings back home. some of them have been killed, but this hasn't stopped them and their informants in raqqa from continuing what they say is a campaign to save their city. their information suggests that u.s. led coalition airstrikes have done little damage to isil inside the city. these activists tell us the coalitions overall strategy that solely relied on the kurds is working in isil's favor. the kurds take territory and push the arabs out. many went south to raqqa and some fear the kurds more than isil. >> the u.s. is trying to put

together an army of its own to fight isil, what it calls the new syrian forces to partner with modern rebel factors on the ground. there are those who warn against this. >> any force linked to the u.s. and doesn't fight the syrian government will be looked upon with suspicion. syrians will see this as a war in islam. there are many groups, but the u.s. won't work with them because they are religious. >> the new syrian forces are supposed to lead the ground assault in aleppo. even before they deployed in the battlefield, some have been killed and captured by syria's al-qaeda linked nusra front. >> nusra is not the only obstacle. the force is not strong enough and many rebels with him not join because it won't fight the syrian regime. >> the activists say it is must not like these who should be given support. syrian supports among them the brigade who consider the government and isil as enemies. >> there won't be any solution

if the coalition doesn't focus the fight against the regime, as well. the coalition needs to seriously target isil in raqqa, because it's the main base and from there moves freely to iraq and other areas in syria. >> for now, the focus i also to the northwest. if the campaign succeeds, it would end the armed group's presence along turkeys border and stop the flow of foreign fighters. this won't defeat isil in syria and the coalition and its partners may create more enemies on the ground. >> a police officer and egyptian army conscript have been killed in an explosion in egypt's north sinai. three others were wounded in an attack. jam forces loyal tical had used tanks provided by the saudi-led coalition in yemen to launch

their offense. pro hadi forces retook the southern port city of aden last month. >> the chief minister of pakistan's punjab province called for an investigation after a child abuse ring was uncovered. nicole johnson explains from islamabad. >> police say children were assaulted and abused by a gang of men. seven men have been arrested. there are reports that some 400 videos were made and thousands of these ended up in the local market, sold for as little as 40 cents each. the parents say these videos could have ended up abroad in the u.s., u.k. and europe. reports starting to come out from the parents and victims, saying children had been drugged and families forced to pay money and jewelry to these gangs,

essentially black mailed by the gangs. by that the gangs. the families of the victims are call for a full judicial inquiry. they don't trust the police to properly investigate this. they are calling for military courts to hear any cases of the accused. this has created a great controversy in pakistan and outrage and disgust among the public in a country where children's rights are very poor and many have little faith in the judicial system they say is rife with corruption. >> voting in underway in haiti in the first elections in four years there. there are concerns over insecurity and violence and fears that a low voter turnout could harm the election's legitimacy. rob, we have had reports of violence there on voting day. what are you hearing? >> that's right. there have been a couple of

reports of scattered violence, two polling stations in the capitol, party you a prince trashed and voting materials destroyed. road blocks in an area preventing people getting from polling stations, shooting reported in a city, one of the larger cities in haiti. no fatalities. it's not that that was an intimidation issue, but the big problem here is not low turnout, it's the inability of people to volt where they thought they were going to vote. these people behind me are very upset because their names are not appearing on the list. there are lists here of names on the wall, as you can see. these are the b's of people who's names, surnames begin with b. when they came to this polling place, which they are accustomed to come to and have been registered at in years past, they found their names were not on the proper voting list and

the election officials telling them they cannot vote. people are getting very upset about this. polls have been open for a few hours and things are getting tense, yelling and shouting, even an election observer from one of the parties telling us that he was outraged by this, and so, all of this in this early hour is not a very good sign for a smooth election, an election that many haitians had hoped would bolster their fledgling democracy and bring back a measure of sovereignty to their country. >> in the haitian countryside, live is hard, money is scarce and government services are nearly non-existent. people here in the village fetch their brining water from the same stream that their animals wade in. this family has six children and

a seventh on the day and scrapes by with meager earnings of the husband, a day laborer. >> government doesn't provide any services for us. >> the president was holding a political rally nearby, making promises and asking residents for votes. >> decades of misrule, corruption, foreign intervention and natural disasters have left haiti a hollowed-out state with functions like the military, health care and education largely run by outsiders, u.n. agencies and non-governmental organizations, or n.g.o.'s. >> many haitians resent this. >> it is like those guys, let's help them, but they always want to think for us, to design for us, to do things for us. >> haiti's prime minister admits there's a problem. >> we are conscious how it has affected the sovereignty of our country.

>> this university student says haiti would be better off on its own. >> i think they should go. they brought us cholera, they cause more misery. >> without foreign help, like these volunteers from doctors without borders working alongside haitian physicians, the health system would get worse. education, too, depends on outsiders, 90% of schools are operated or funded by churches and foreign organizations. one bright spot is policing. the head of the u.n. police operations said the haitian national police or h.n.p. is doing the job of law and order. >> it's a myth to think that the h.n.p. is not doing it now. i can tell you i see it every day. my officers are not involved in across the country as much as the h.n.p. is.

>> sunday's elections if successful will be a major step for haiti toward reclaiming its sovereignty. rob reynolds, al jazeera, party you a prince. >> migrants in germany divide public opinions.

>> we're here to fully get into the nuances of everything that's going on, not just in this country, but around the world. getting the news from the people who are affected. >> people need to demand reform... >> ali velshi on target weeknights 10:30p et >> the top stories here on al jazeera, the iraqi cabinet

approved a plan to polish six posts. one of the deputy prime ministers has already resigned. it still needs to be approved by parliament. >> almost a year after the u.s. backed coalition began targeting isil in syria, activists safe the strategy is not working and might even backfire. isil has lost territory, but still firmly controls raqqa. >> voting is underway in heat stay for the first legislative elections in four years. there are concerns over insecurity and violence and fears that a low voter turnout could harm the election's legitimacy. >> security forces arrested a number of israelis after overnight searches in the occupied west bank following an attack on two palestinian homes in douma. an 18-month-old and his father were killed and the family serious injured. we have more from jerusalem. >> al jazeera's learned that at

least nine israelis have been taken into custody in these arrests made by israeli security forces in what are northern as outposts in the occupied west bank. they are different from settlements, in that they are also considered illegal under israeli law, not just international law. the people who live in these outposts are typically there for ideological reasons, lend to go what we have heard from the israeli government in that they are cracking down on what they describe as jewish extremists. although we understand that these people have been taken into custody, we also hear that some are already in the process of being released. now in the background of all of this, of course is the case of this family, which was attacked in the palestinian village known as douma in which an 18-month-old baby was burned to death. his father died just a day ago and two other family members remain in the hospital in serious condition. we hear there has been no meaningful progress in that

case, so it really does beg the question that israel is cracking down on jewish extremists, they seem to be making no headway on the case of two palestinians who died from very serious burn injuries. >> the italian coast guard rescued more than 200 migrants in the mediterranean sea. they've been taken to the southern island of lampedusa. the rescue mission was carried out in two stages after the migrants were spotted saturday. so far this year, more than 2,000 refugees have died trying to reach europe by boat. >> migrants who make it to land say one of the most desired destinations is germany. tents are being put up to accommodate the asylum seekers. we have this report from dresden. >> this his the town in eastern germany where tents are being built to house a growing number of asylum-seekers, people this

state says it is struggling to accommodate. >> the drama is that because of the high numbers of refugees, our asylum system is in meltdown. right.rivals mean authorities are extremely stretched. >> another recent problem is the rise on attacks in migrants in eastern germany. in april, a home that was due to house asylum seekers was fire-bombed in the town. part of a three fold increase in such attacks compared with 2014. last week, this tent city saw a standoff between opponents and supporters of the far right political party n.p.d., labeled neonazi. its representative says the arrival of more migrants is worrying. >> it's important to protect our own culture, our identity that we have as a population. it's a nation of germans and that becomes a problem.

>> that view seems not to be shared by many in dresden. >> i think germany is rich enough to absorb it. we can all contribute, so that the misery is reduced. >> i think we have nearly reached the limit. we should try to cater for those who arrive now but soon we will reach our limits. >> the people housed in this temporary tent city come from 20 countries, many from the world's conflict areas. aid agencies say many refugees and migrants here are in urgent need of food assistance and in some cases medicine. many don't know what will happen to them. >> i come here just i feel for now alive. >> i don't know what is about then what happens to me, my

future, but i so hope for the future. >> the red cross says the most pressing concern here is humanitarian. >> it's a crush on the organizations. it isn't a question why do people come to us, only one question here. do people need help? they must get our help. >> it's a question that will grow ever more pressing with suggestions that more than 400,000 new migrants will arrive in germany this year. dominic cain, al jazeera, dresden. >> japan's commitment to pacifism is at risk. the mayor urged the prime minister to consider concerns about his new security laws. the government is pushing bills through parliament that could see japanese troops deployed in conflict for the first time since world war ii.

>> there is a debate in parliament to change national security. there is growing concern that the ideal of our peace constitution is starting to waiver. i asked government and parliament lills total worries and concerns of the people and debate this using wisdom in a careful and sincere manager. >> a typhoon tore through parts of china. it made land fall and caused massive flooding and left more than a million homes without electricity. it's now weakened into a tropical storm. earlier, it lashed taiwan, killing at least 10 and injuring more than 100 others. >> singapore is celebrating 50 years of independence. since breaking away from malaysia, the island city state has become one of the world's leading economies. the prime minister led the celebrations, complete with marching bands and a military

air show. we have this report. >> a cast of thousands assembled for a celebration of nation hood. onward singapore is the slogan, promises that no one would forget, they kept that promise. nearly 3,000 meters of l.e.d. screens and a spectacular light show wowed the 50,000 spectators who managed to get tickets to the venue. a trip doen memory lane, it showed singapore's beginning, progress, strength and identity. on it went, the army and the navy on the ground while the air force treated the crowds with precision flying. groups paraded past the v.i.p.'s. many wondered how lee would cope without his father, the first prime minister. his death earlier this year

brought thousands on to the streets to pay their respects. his vision created a vibrant economy, the envy of some who aspire to do the same. those gathered for the celebrations had time to reflect on a moment in history. >> i think the general sense of singaporian pride is there. i really feel they have their nationalism and patriotism together. >> we plan to view the fireworks. >> there was pageantry but the celebrations will not last long. there are important decisions to be made in the coming months. >> the stage is set for the next general election, the prime minister is making a lot of remarks about the future, the ruling party announced the retirement of several m.p.'s, so i think we are going to see an election sooner than later.

>> this is the electorate, young, educated, tech savvy and inspirational. many people, including expats have come back to say thank you to a country, system and vision that came out of a developing island and transformed itself into a first world economy. they know that the present reality that they live comes from the decisions that were made in the past. while they soak up the atmosphere of this unique occasion, for now, the party goes on. al jazeera, singapore. >> protestors in venezuela rallied on the streets of caracas against food shortages. the opposition called the protest after a man was killed trying to loot several grocery stores last month. there have been more reports of lasting of supermarkets as the country grapples with food shortages. jam the mayor of rio de janeiro is fed up with being asked about his city's water.

he was attending the world's rowing junior championships, a test event ahead of next year's olympics. brazilian authorities are accused of not reducing virus us and bacteria in waters that will hold olympic events. he said the international olympic committee hasn't asked him to test the waters. >> if they say to someone, going to be the state, actually to the organizing committee, i heard that question two or three days ago and what he said was that there was not any request, but if there was a request, we would do it. i mean, this is our virus water. enjoy it. >> more than 40% of having a's children under the age of five have stunted growth because of malnutrition. it is hoped a new addition to the afghan diet will ease this. >> muhammed says he has trimmed

his soybean crop this year. the flour from last year was such a success. >> we give some to our neighbors to persuade them. they mix it with their regular flour and people liked it. it kept fresh a longer time and it had lots of protein. >> soybeans are high in protein and other vitamins and a cheaper option than beef, chicken or eggs. malnutrition is still a nationwide problem here, despite billions of dollars in aid. four out of 10 afghan children are stunted and almost 15th of women of reproductive age of under weight. >> bread is a staple, but thousands of bakeries, only 60 use so i flour. >> this family has run this business for three generations. he started adding soy to his

bread six months ago. >> some people understand. an american charity subsidizes the farmers, giving them seeds for their crops. >> in this factory, we have soy tofu, cookies, soy milk. >> their only kabul store doesn't have many customers. soy is a new product here. around the country, an estimated 12,000 farmers grow soybeans, only a fraction that could be cultivated. much more land than that is used to grow opium poppy. farmers are making a start, an area that was once dominated by the taliban could be on the new front line in afghanistan's

battle against malnutrition. jennifer glasse, al jazeera, kabul. >> do stay with us for the headlines, if you can. get the very latest updates and developments on our top stories on our website, there it is, aljazeera.com. >> as the world's most elderly nation - japan is dancing with a demographic disaster. people are living longer and birthrates are falling fast. no other country has a greater percentage of old people. the government has responded by raising taxes and the retirement