>> living in hope. the iraqi family see seeking a new life as croatia cracks down on refugees. >> i'm lauren taylor. we're live from london. also coming up, controversial votes in japan. the u.s. discusses its shared interest with russia in defeating the islamic state in iraq and the levant in syria. and tough times in tourism as

unrest takes its toll on touregs. >> croatia i has closed seven of eight road crossings from serbia. more than 14,000 are in croatia at this hour. it's government said that it has reached its limit. first laurence lee reports from southern very way shah. >> it's all relative, and no doubt this miserable line of people hoping that someone will take them further looks absolutely desperate. but in relatives terms it's certainly better than being tear

gassed by the hungarians. and as the day goes on buses come regularly to ship them north. to the untrained eye the idea that a three-year-old could think this is anything but a nightmare seems impossible. but her iraqi family has told her it is a great big game even if the game has lasted for weeks, is exhausting and seems to have no end. >> these european countries that say they don't want you, what do you say to them? >> i don't want them, also. >> which countries do you want? >> i don't care. i just want peace, and i hope to find this place. >> the boards might close at first light as they continue in from serbia. but only one border road remai remained open, a pointless exercise when no one was there any way.

>> we have tried two times before and the third time we reached safely. >> as he was talking the bus came, and many ran with hope. but they came back deflated. >> what has happened here, the man who was crying on the ground turned out to have been taking money from some of the refugees and promising them that they will go to hungary. one of them just looked on his phone on the gps and realized they were not in hungary at all. they were in croatia, and somebody bunched them in the face. >> they said that they cannot put up much more, but they will let people through who does not want to stay here. that is basically everybody. welcome to europe.

now go away. laurence lee, al jazeera, southern croatia. >> we are free now. >> for refugees, confusion was only compounded. >> every question has a thousand different answers. there are no right answers. no clarity on what we're supposed to do. >> on an extremely hot day optimism was apparent but the waiting seems endless. >> i'm sure there will be a solution, but we don't want it to take too long. there are a lot of people here without food or water. a lot of babes without milk to drink. they need aid. >> after they boarded buses they were not sure where they were headed. >> we got word that they opened the border to syrians, from ve

croatia to very vienna. slovenia. >> they thought they were going to slovenia. they had no information that the border had not been opened. >> we're going to be patient until we get to where we need to be. after all this distance we traveled we can't go back. >> on croatia's border with slovenia where another make-shift camp has sprouted, volunteers donate food and clothes. kindness tempers the desperation of the journey, but still i it is nowhere near over. >> let's look at the routes used

by refugees in europe. hungary announced it has closed it's borders for 30 days. they would look to croatia, and despite letting thousands of people enter the prime minister said that it can take no more as the numbers are just too high. refugees are trying to make their way to slovenia to cross into austria. most refugees are syrian, and they're on their way to germany. well, a spokesman for the hungarian prime minister said that croatian authorities are participating in human smuggling and are failing refugees. >> what we see today is a complete failure of the croatian state to handle migration issues. what is more, we see intentional, intentional

participates in human smuggling, taking these migrants to the hungarian border. there was a major incident today. a train has arrived carrying a thousand migrants with 40 croatian policemen on board. this is a major violation of international law, and obviously of the border. >> japan has passed controversial new security bills into law. it means that japanese troops could fight abroad for the first time in 70 years despite criticism that it will reshape its pacifist nation.

>> finally the votes were taken and carried in favor of these controversial security bills. but not before a final round of i am passioned speeches with the leaders of the opposition parties so apologizing for not having the strength of the legislation. they've been holding up against the vote to no avail. prime minister shinzo abe has always made it his intention to bring up-to-date the rules by which the japanese defense forces are deployed. he wants to see them take a more assertive role the fear for the opposition party, and also for the thousands of protesters who have nightly been outside of the parliament is that this is a betrayal of the pacifist

constitution and japanese troops may now be caught up in conflict not to their making. the sub text of this is the fear here in japan that japan should take more responsibility for its own defense given the drawdown of american force that japan should be more assertive when it comes to deploying it's own forces especially given the build up of the military now in china. >> the united states said its defense secretary has spoken to his russian counterpart in serie-a. both have been at odds for years in finding a peaceful solution to the conflict. talks with russia are a positive first step. >> the president believes that the conversation, it was an important next step, and i think

hopefully we'l we will it will take place very shortly, and it will help to define some of the different options available to us as we consider the next steps in serie-a. >> president jordan has--roslind jordan has more from washington, d.c. >> ash carter spoke to his russian counter part on friday. the suspect, syria. the u.s. has been very concerned it doesn't want to get in the way of the russians and vice versa possibly leading to a larger conflict inside of a country that already has been dealing with for than four years of civil war as well as the rise of isil. now, it's not clear yet whether there will be more military-to-military contact, but it's worth pointing out that they had been suspended because of russia's incursions into

ukraine in 2014 and 2013. that said the obama administration is very interested in trying to find a way to both deal with the problem of isil, and to trying to end the civil war and possibly move the president bashar al-assad out of power. to that end several administration officials said on friday that they're willing and interested in listening to what the russians have to say about ways of achieving these goals. certainly nothing is going to happen any time soon with the u.n. coming in to session for the next couple of weeks. there will be plenty of discussion of russia, syria and isil. monitoring groups said that there have been carried out 25 airstrikes on the people.

palmyra contains ancient roman ruins and was captured in may. this video shows the aftermath of another government air attack. the city is an isil stronghold. 30 people were reportedly killed in the strikes, including women and children. still to come on al jazeera what donald trump didn't say. why protesters shot down parts of finland across the country.

>> i kept trying to make him not be a boy... it's not working. >> transgender children. >> i'd sit alone, i'd eat alone, i have no one to talk to. >> some dismiss it as a phase. >> we're trying to pigeon-hole him into "tom boy". >> but is it reallt a crisis? >> when your child wants to die... that's what changes parents. >> meet the families on a life changing journey. >> i finally get to blossom into the beautiful flower i am!

>> a reminder of the top stories here on al jazeera, trains packed with refugees are coming in from croatia. a government spokesman said that it raised the suspicion of the violation of the border. japan has passed controversial security bills, soldiers will now be able to fight overseas for the first time since world war ii. and russian and american defense chiefs have spoken for the first time in over a year as they spoke about islamic state in iraq and the levant. airstrikes have targeted an air base in sanaa. it was reportedly being used by houthi rebels to store weapons. the taliban attack on a military base in the north of the city has left 43 dead. 16 reporters are among the casualties. nicole johnston has this report

from the air base. >> it's the type of the text that the taliban is known for, but it has not carried out one like this all year. early in the morning fighters attacked a guard post. some of them wore suicide vests. they force their way in and start shooting. many were killed. most of them from the air force who lived inside the base. >> they're targeting. they were trying to attack the children, attack the mosques. >> the fighting between the military and the macstan any taliban continued all day. it was the first major vaul assault since the response force designed to respond to attacks like this. >> the tackers came from afghanistan. thioperation was planned in

afghanistan. controlled and executed in afghanistan. >> this is a significant attack on the military. the fact that the pakistani taliban was able to get into a base behind me and into a mosque at a time when the group was under pressure shows the ability and resources to strike. the last time the taliban attacked was in december of last year. it's fighters killed 150 students and teachers at an army public school. the military then launched a wide scale operation against the group. since then people have enjoyed a long period of calm. but the fighting isn't far away. the city is surrounded by pakistan's tribal belt. the army has been battling fighters. the military said that it's broken the back of the taliban. but this attack suggests the armed group is still a serious

threat. nicole johnston, al jazeera. >> police in the democrati democratic of congo said that filings and resignations of some politicians in the ruling coalition is nothing to worry about. >> members of the ruling coalition say that there is no crisis in the democratic republic of congo. more are resigning. her followers say that it doesn't mean that their leader is losing support. >> if they're thinking by jumping out of the boat it will sink they are wrong. we have a good, strong person steering our boat. the country will be all right. >> the officials say that they're following their own

parties to stop them from hanging on to power. >> some of the politicians will challenging the government. they say that is not true. they want those who do not back the president should leave. >> if the collision continues, there is nothing that they can do about that. >> he has to go by force. and as i told you again we are--we'll give all the road map our timetable what we'll do every mark. every day what we'll do to send him out. >> members of the ruling party say logistically it may be impossible to hold elections on time. the people hope that there won't be violence. the opposition is planning mass protests across the country.

>> police have arrested a high ranking drug member who is suspected to order the killings of 43 students. lopez was detained on wednesday. the students disappeared in september of last year after a protest in guerrero state. thailand's military government has released an outspoken critic from the tension. the second time that journalists were held for the attitude adjustment. he used his up in columns as well as social media to condemn the army's decision to overthrow a clemcally elected government. parts of finland was shut down as workers walked out on austerity members. the country has a strong history of generous benefits. >> 30,000 people rallied in

helsinki square in the biggest strike that finland has seen in decades. unions calling for the highly unusual protest in response to a pr proposed austerity package. they say that finland's economy must cut the cost of labor by 5% and reduce over time play, weekend compensation, sick leave and do away with two annual paid holidays. >> we're very angry about it, yes. >> it would put a big hole in my wallet. >> they're cheating and they're lying, and they will break down all the system that we have had here in this country. >> trains, planes, ships and public transportation were idle for the day, and many shops and factories shut down as this country of 5.5 million people came to a standstill. the government tried

unsuccessfully to get the union to agree to measures that it says will boost competitiveness. the timber and technology industries are floundering and leaders call the situation exceptionally serious. finland's economy has been in recession for three years and unemployment is over 9%. economists expect thinks to get worse before they get period. what upset many of these workers is what they say is the government reaction of the traditional finnish system of three-way consensus between the state, business, and unions regarding changes to social points and pay. the leader of sin fan's biggest union with 32,000 thousand 32 million nomination. we negotiate. and we have build this together.

now this government says that they know best. >> but they say the traditional finnish model is out of date. >> we have these new phenomenal global indication increased creating competition all over. so this consensus type, it is too slow to make rapid changes. >> the government said it will wait until the end of the month for unions to come up with alternatives before asking parliament to pass austerity measures in law. al jazeera, helsinki. >> entry haindonesia has deployed firefighters to fight fires that has crossed indonesia. they are caused by the slashing and burning of the indonesian forest during the dry season. it was started to clear land for farming and palm oil plantations.

it has led to an increase in illness across the area. the hospital in the area said that it has seen double the number of patients since the fire began. the breathing difficulties have been seen in the children and elderly. what was once a thriving hub for tourists in niger. it used to attract people from around the world with its interesting architecture, but the abduction of foreigners and local tribal disputes are keeping people away. >> the twilight call it the jewel of the sahara. the city was for centuries the crossroads for desert travelers on camel caravan routes. this is what remains of those days. the historic red-hued buildings and palaces. >> the local band performance

the taureg dance. in normal times they would be seeing thousands of tourists, but they see tough times. the tourists have left, and business is bad. >> we used to sell items for $1,000. now we can't even sell them for $100. artifacts are almost vanishing. we need to find clients who can buy our goods. >> forced out of school when he was six years old. his father wanted him to work in the tourism industry. he became the family bread winner but things are now different. >> i have not met a single tourists over the last six years. my dream is to see them back to the days when it was packed with foreigners.

>> this hotel used to be fully book for most of the year. now it's owner faces bankruptcy, and the only guests are his relatives. the local tourism authority said that there is a plan to bring tourists back. >> there was a decline in tourism activity, but our plan it to improve security in the northern part of the country so there is peace. >> but peace may be elusive in this area. a toureg heartland, it has been marred by difficulties. >> a rare public appearance to receive an award from a new university in his hometown in

louisville, kentucky. muhammad ali is considered one of the greatest heavyweight in the history of his sport and an outspoken activist civil rights and antiwar movement. he battles parkinson's disease. he's known for not holding back, especially as he tries to become the next president of the united states. now donald trump, a frontrunner for the republican nomination, is being criticized for what he did say but what he didn't say. >> donald trump was making a public appearance on thursday with potential voters. a man in the audience stood up to ask a question and started a controversy. >> we have a problem in this country, it's called muslims. you know our current president is one. he's not even an american. anyway, we have training camps,

really, where they want to kill us. that's my question. when can we get rid of them? >> we're going to be looking at a lot of different things. a lot of people are saying that. and a lot of people are saying that bad things happen out there. we're going to be looking at that and present other things. >> the muslim student who brought a homemade clock from school was arrested and accused of making a bomb. despite one republican speaking out against trump, the white house press secretary is criticizing the party for not rebuking the candidate. >> we have seen far too many leaders in the republican party successfully use that strategy in a cynical way. >> trump said that the critics and the media miss the point. obama is waging a war against christians in this country.

christians needs support in this country. their religious liberty is at stake. still critics argue that the incident is in sharp contrast in 2008 when another republican, john mccain, was running for president when a voter criticized then candidate barack obama and received a sharp answer from mccain. >> he's an arab. no. >> no? >> no ma'am. he's a decent family man assist that i just happen to have disagreements with. >> he stood up to the party's base when people express these feverish imagination. it's a risky thing to do politically because those types of sentiments do exist in the conservative base of the republican party, and it takes courage to stand up to it. >> which is something that trump's opponents have seized on that he did not kimberly

halkett, al jazeera. >> and a quick reminder you can take up today any time with our website. www.aljazeera.com. details there the border closures in crew way shah. hungary has seen trains packed with refugees arrive from croatia. >> with syria continuing its downward spiral into destruction and death, an old ally, russia, is showing renewed support for the country's leader, bashar al-assad. putin and obama hasn't seen much in common, but theve