russia's foreign minister confirms that military and humanitarian aid has been flown into syria. you are watching al jazeera, i'm jane dutton, live from doha. tens of thousands of people are forced to flee their homes in japan as unprecedented rain fall triggers severe flooding. coming up, we'll be

investigating the water mafia and fining out how gangs control the water supply for millions of people. ♪ russia's foreign minister has confirmed that military and humanitarian aid has been flown into syria, his comments come after u.s. secretary of state john kerry expressed concerns of increased military activity in syria. peter give us an update. >> reporter: really, russia has been supplying syria with technical and military assistance for the last 60 years, so it's not new that russian personnel are on the ground there. they have a base there, and it is estimated to be 3 to 400

naval personnel there. what is interesting, though, is that the foreign ministry -- minister, sergei lavrov has said that flights have been stepped up, and they are not just taking humanitarian aid. they are also bringing in military equipment. as a result of those flights, russia's neighbors have been busy shutting down their air space. bulgaria has closed its air space, a few hours ago, ukraine closed its air space, and russia is very reluctant to fly over turkey. turkey grounded one of its aircraft in 2012 when it was carrying radar spares to syria. but in the last hour or so, we have heard from the russian spokesman in tehran that iran has agreed to allow its air

space to stay open, which would live the russian flights a clear run into syria, without crossing turkey or the other countries that have banned their air space. >> thank you for that. europe is continuing to struggle with a huge number of refugees. there are reports of chaos at budapest train station after austria canceled trains to and from hungary. austrian police had been organizing trains to take people to austria, but it is now organizing its own trains. police say 3,300 refugees were put into camps on wednesday. that's the highest number in a single day. many refugees find their problems don't end when they

cross the border. jonah hull reports. >> reporter: the passage through hungary on the road to austria is among the most forlorn. >> translator: no one has spoken to us, for even a bus to take us to budapest. >> translator: from serbia to hungary to budapest, they hold you for three days. everyone is going through the forest, homeless, sleeping on the floor, getting lost. >> reporter: human rights watch has described conditions in hungary, as horrific, calling it unacceptable that people are being treated like animals on the doorstep of europe. it's a charge the hungarians deny. they have been on the road for days. fleeing countries at war or lives of desperate poverty. most of these people are heading

to germany. there, chancellor angela merkel continues to hold the door wide hope. she said the families would integrate into german society. the pressure on society, though, will be enormous. germany has already registered 450,000 refugees and migrants this year, 105,000 in august alone. but not all want to stay in germany. on wednesday denmark became the latest flash point when it briefly suspended train services. europe's refugee crisis is spreading northward and it's getting bigger. >> for my son and my wife and my life, because in syria, don't have life.

>> reporter: the latest e.u. plan to share out 160,000 refugees between states would be the block's biggest formal gesture yet, but with thousands arriving on the beaches of greece each and every day, it's nowhere near enough. jonah hull, al jazeera. floods in eastern japan are affecting up to 800,000 people. at least 100,000 have been force from their homes. the flooding has lead to a leak of radioactive water from the fukushima nuclear plant. >> reporter: a wall of water rushed into this part of eastern japan, taking all in its way. rescuers are overwhelmed with people needing help, especially in this city. they are signalling to the emergency services and military helicopters flying over head for help. the river broke its banks after

a second day of unusually heavy rain, overflowing across low-lying areas. >> translator: these heavy rains are undprentsed. we can say this is an abnormal situation and there is imminent serious danger. serious landslides have occurred and are still happening. >> reporter: it comes after a topical storm that crossed japan on wednesday. the government says it is doing all it can. >> translator: the heavy rains are likely to continue. the government will take every possible disaster measure. >> reporter: some people have made it to emergency shelters. >> translator: we have had heavy rain in the past, but we haven't seen this much water in decades. >> reporter: thousands of others

are caught up in the floods and still need assistance. china's premiere says the country will achieve its growth target, but it will be difficult. adrian brown has more from beijing. >> reporter: well the chinese premiere appeared a very nervous man as he addressed this economic forum. among those in the audience, ceos from around the world who were trying to understand the stran stran strange guy rations in the economy right now. it is the first time he has addressed the country since the stock market began falling back in june. since then it has fallen by more than 4% against the u.s. dollar.

but the premier sent out a message of reassurance. he said that china's economy was still a sound bet. yes, there would be ups and downs, but that was to be expected, but the gave a guarantee, that china will achieve economic growth of 7% this year, but hinted it would be difficult to do that. so overall the premi premier -- suggesting that china's government was in this for the long haul. and he said have faith in us. now on the day that the premier was speaking new figures came out to show that china's inflation rate is now at 2%. the inflation rate is basically the same as the interest rate. that means there is a lot of cheap money sloshing around the system at the moment, and there's a reason for that, the chinese government wants people to spending more, and shift its

economy to one that is based on consumpti consumption. analysts say this is a high-risk strategy, but it's one the rest of the world hopes work. people in singapore vote in a general election on friday. this vote is expected to be the most keenly contested in the city state's history. >> reporter: at 95 this man has had to wait much of his life to vote in elections where he has the choice of more than one candidate. he flew for the nationalist chinese army against the japanese. he has witnessed the founding and development of singapore, but unlike many of his generation, he says he welcomes the change. >> people thinking, should move on and that they should -- they -- they should have competition, they have

contests, that sort of thing. >> reporter: but it will be the younger voters who will have the most impact in this pole. this election will see the highest proportion of young people voting. a younger generation born well after independence who don't necessarily have the same loyalty to the ruling par par -- party as their parents. >> i think everyone is really concerned about housing. and how they can afford a house and move out before they are 50. >> reporter: jill and her boyfriend both work, but they live at home with their families. at least now, concerns like housing and other election issues, they can share with other voters, thanks to social media, another big influence in

this election. >> honestly, i don't know man. it's a scary choice for everyone, but i think change is good. people in singapore need some change, and they need to step out of this -- this bubble that they -- they -- they have. >> but i think certainly we're looking at, you know, a very different political landscape, the people, the actors, as well as the voters. >> reporter: this election may not produce a huge change, but the way this and future ballots are conducted is changing forever. still to come on al jazeera, we look at a project in south sudan, leading the way to ensure foreign aid helps the people who need it most. and we report from the vineyards in california that sprouted a landmark change for american unions. ♪

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♪ >> hello, again the top stories on al jazeera, russia's foreign minister has confirmed that it is supplying military support and humanitarian aid to the syrian government. pictures show russian fighters supporting syrian forces. hungary says it is declaring a state of crisis as refugees continue to make their way into the country. austria is also overwhelmed. its railway company says it is halting trains from hungary, carrying refugees. at least two missing and more than a hundred thousand

stranded in japan. a spokesman for japan's prime minister told al jazeera the site is being monitored. students of india's top film industry have begun a hunger strike. they are boycotts over what they say is a political appointment. faiz jamil has more. >> reporter: it's day one for these students on an indefinite hunger tribing -- strike, but all of these students have been protesting for months. you can see what that have set up here. many braving the elements in the day and nighttime to get attention to their cause. they are protesting the chairman of the group. they say he is a minor actor and lacks prestige to lead one of

india's top institutions. the government, though, on its part, says he is completely qualified and is refusing to hear out the students, this despite the students getting support from faculty, alumni and many big names in the film industry. the students, though, say they won't let up. some have even been arrested by the police. but they say they won't give up, and today's protest and now the hunger strike is just the next step. gunmen in karachi have shot dead a technician working for a tv network. it's the country's largest private broadcaster. it is the latest attack targeting members of the media. for years criminal gangs have controlled the waters in the city.

the so-called water mafia have stolen millions of dollars of water, and sold it on the black market. but the police are finally cracking down on them. >> reporter: on the outskirts of the city, hidden from view, is an illegal water station. the owners have tapped into an underground pipeline owned by the state. all days trucks fill up with stolen water and sell it across karachi. >> we sell it for $4, and they resell it to the people a whole tank for $45. >> reporter: the water mafia thrive on the fringes of the city. so what is here? slr >> [ inaudible ]. >> reporter: this is one of the illegal water pumping stations. the water comes from a sewage well, it is piped through here,

and sole on as drinking water to the people of karachi. karachi only has enough water to meet 50% of its needs. this is a powerful business worth millions of dollars, water barons with 30 to 40 tankers earn around $16,000 a day. but the water board is cracking down on them. over 200 pumping stations have been raided. >> this illegal money is also supporting other illegal activities. because if they can survive in an area which is [ inaudible ] this area is infected with these terrorists, with these gangs. >> reporter: over 70% of the stolen water is sold to industrialists. five years ago this plant was

closed because there wasn't enough water. now the owner buys from the black market, just to keep his clothing business open. >> they are holding us from our necks. and this is all because a few big people are involved in this, and -- who are the caretakers, and who are the people who are making money, good money out of that, from these people, because of course the mafia cannot operate such a big operation like this. >> reporter: despite the crackdown, the leaders of this underwater world are still operating. and the cost of illegal water in karachi has now doubled. somewhere, someone is still making a lot of money. nicole johnston, al jazeera, karachi. fighter jets from the saudi-lead military alliance have bombed targets in sana'a. witnesses have described the

attacks as the most intense in the city since the offensive began. the air strike hit houses of political leaders of the houthi rebels, as well as military bases. there are no immediate reports of casualty. south sudan has received billions of dollars in aid since it gained independence. but there are concerns about where the money at gone, natasha ghoneim reports from juba on one project that has been held as a success story. >> reporter: this is south sudan's first and only paved highway. since it was completed almost three years ago, it has become a vital trade route. it leads to the border of uganda and is the quickest way to reach the border. about 50 kilometers in, drivers can stop at this tiny store for a drink or even a diaper. >> translator: before the highway was built, i used to

make 50 sudanese pounds aday, now i make 200 to 300 a day. >> reporter: this was funded be the usaid. not $0.01 was given directly to the south sudanese movement. they designed the project, hired the contractors, and oversaw each mile of the highway until the end. >> we have a responsibility to american taxpayers. oftentimes the governments around the world would prefer that we give them the money directly. it's more efficient and effective to go through a local non-government organization, or a partner to make sure that the resources get to the people who need them. >> reporter: south sudan's auditor general says the americans have the right approach. >> it is not enough to write a check and go away.

>> reporter: he is trying to track where every dollar of government money is going, that includes billions donated by other countries. >> i haven't seen much in terms of the kind of things that we would expect in terms of infrastructure, in terms of cultural investment, in terms of invest inspect human sources. i haven't seen it. and if i haven't seen it, it means the money hasn't gone there. >> reporter: he can't say what may have happened to the money donated through charities. his mandate doesn't give him the authority to investigate that. his advise, donate money and oversee the project to ensure every dollar reaches its intended destination. natasha ghoneim, al jazeera, south sudan. more border crossings between venezuela and colombia have been closed. one of them is one of the

region's largest trade hubs. it was closed on tuesday. the standingoff between the neighbors began three weeks ago. venezuela began a crackdown on smuggling and started deporting colombians. taxicab drivers with protesti protesting against uber. republican politicians in the united states continue to debate the iran nuclear deal. on thursday the president got the support he need. a hundred billion dollars worth of assets would be released to iran in return for limits on his nuclear program. >> reporter: the house was

suppose to be filled with congress members arguing over whether to support the agreement with iran. >> at this point, i think the president has lost this debate with the american people. he lost it the moment that he agreed to a deal that allows iran to stay on a path to develop a nuclear weapon. we're going to do all we can, to continue to try to stop this bad deal. >> reporter: the republicans say the white house has not fully disclosed what they call side deals between iran and the international atomic energy agency. until congress has that information, some members are refusing to vote on the agreement, negotiated by six world powers, including the united states. the secretary of state and energy secretary went to capitol hill to explain the science behind the deal to convince undecided lawmakers the

agreement is the only way to ensure that iran cannot create a nuclear weapon. >> we spent many, many hours, learned jargon and details about nuclear material and centrifuges. >> reporter: but outside the halls, two prominent republican presidential candidates rallied against the deal. >> in prison for the crime of preaching the gospel, including "washington post" reporter, jason, it is a disgrace for this administration to abandon americans in iranian hell holes. >> reporter: but at this stage the opposition is likely to have little impact. there are now enough senators backing the deal that even if congress rejects it, the president can veto the resolution, and the senate does

not have the support to override it. and the clock is still ticking, whether or not congress chooses to vote, the agreement is set to go into effect on september 17th. 50 years ago farm workers in california mounted a strike that lead to a nationwide consumer boycott of grapes. today the once strong united farm workers union has lost much of its power. tom akerman explains. >> reporter: pedro left mexico for california more than 30 years ago, but what he grows in his backyard still reminds him of his home. tending the same vineyards that sprouted a landmark in american labor history. ♪ >> reporter: lead by caesar chavez, filipino and hispanic farm workers walked off of their jobs in 1965 to demand better

pay and health conditions from the growers. chavez's non-violent tactics gained him support through the first nationwide consumer boycott. but since chavez's death in 1993, alvarez and many others don't see the union offering them much help. >> translator: yes, the boss will pay a little more, but when you say it is not enough, he says well, you can go elsewhere. >> reporter: it is weakened by internal splits, competitions from rival unions, and a more hostile environment for organized labor across the u.s. >> workers are entitled to a 10-minute break every two hours paid for by the company; there will be additional shade, and cool drinking water provided.

>> reporter: but it has far fewer employers under contract, and many workers have been fighting to revoke the ufw's authority to represent them. meanwhile the flow of mexican-born farm workers have been dropping. >> that indicates this shortage that we hear farmers talking about is actually occurring, that is also consistent with the data we signed. >> translator: a lot of my friends are going back home to mexico, and i would like to as well. >> reporter: but he says what is keeping him in california is his seven children, a few of them still work in the fields. scientists in south africa have discovered a new human-like species. researchers found the fossils at a site known as the cradle of

human kind. it's thought the species was alive up to 3 million years ago. it had feet for long-distance walking, human-like hands, and a brain a third of the size of the human brain. you can find more on our website, aljazeera.com. ♪ house republicans trying to derail the iran nuclear deal in the 11th hour, why they say the white house is not sharing enough information. cars and trucks being shot at in arizona. police try to figure out if it's the work of a single sniper. and a major discovery that could help unlock the history