the predominately shia muslim neighborhood in eastern baghdad is densely populated.me searched for survivors others found the dead. because the early morning attack was apparently planned to maximize civilian casualties, my rackys knew this would be the work of i.s.i.l. it was the third attack by the group in as many days. underscoring just how tenuous the security situation here is. on tuesday i.s.i.l. attacked two other areas where many shia muslims live in the city, dozens were killed and dozens more injured. attempts to deepen sectarian lines at a time when increasing number of iraqis are demanding their government work together. fed up at the lack of basic services such as electricity and clean water tens of thousands have been demonstrating against corruption. a call that has alarmed iraqi leaders who quickly swept proposals. protests planned for friday in the cities and it's unclear how it may attack the turn out in baghdad that experienced a brutal reminder of the security crisis in the country, al jazeera, baghdad. >>> the blast is one of the biggest to stri

>> a truck bomb kills at least 50 people, injuries 200 at a busy vegetable market in baghdad. you are watching al jazeera live from doha. also coming up, two massive explosions rock china's busy port city of tianjin. the head of the u.n.'s mission in the central african republic is fired after his troops are accused of rape and murder. >>> we begin with breaking news out of iraq this morning. 55 people have been killed in a bombing at a vegetable market in taking bad. police and medical workers say a suicide bomber detonated explosives in the southern city district. mohamed will tell us about this attack and has there been a claim of responsibility. >> reporter: no claim of responsibility yet. but already the death toll has gone up. we have heard in the last few moments from police sources that the death toll stands at 55. they are worried that it will go higher. there are 200 people injured in what is called a devastating attack. suicide truck bomber drove into a popular vegetable market in the very densely populated area in eastern baghdad. this is a terrifying attack accord

at least 55 people have been killed in a bombing in baghdad.e third attack by isil in as many days. >>> a military court in pakistan has sentenced seven people to death for their involvement in an attack on a school last december when 150 were killed. >>> and the death toll from huge explosions in china has risen to 50. >>> the army and its allies strengthen their grip ahead of general elections. >> reporter: limited access in and out of the headquarters of the ruling union solidarity and development party. it's been surrounded by security forces locking many mp's inside. for months there has been an internal power strug between the chairman of the ruling party and the president. both are former top military officers, and both have said they want to run for president in november's general election. but a meeting to declare the candidates before friday's deadline also included an announcement that the chairman had been dismissed. >> translator: he is not on the list of the central committee, but is still chairman of the lower house of parliament

. >> reporter: it is a mournful atmosphere for the patrons of baghdad's cafe. here they sip and smoke what small comforts are provided. but not even these decaying mementos of iraq's past are enough to counter the reminders of iraq's dangerous presence. >> what effects on the ground, nothing on the ground. >> reporter: political analyst ali said the year since the u.s. coalition began its air strikes against islamic state of iraq and the levant many iraqis have grown more distrustful than ever of their government's alliance with the united states. >> they have policy and they want to use this war for their global policy. >> reporter: a short walk away just down baghdad's bustling street, the mood is livelier but not much happier. during the recent record heat wave though, age are and anxiety seem to rise faster than the temperature. here in baghdad there is a real sense of concern about the effectiveness of the air strikes against i.s.i.l, especially at a time when the group has a stronghold just 90 minutes away in the capital. wrich history, this is wherwrics

a sad day in baghdad. all of this underscoring how tire the situation remains. it's engaged in a huge fight against i.s.i.l. and other groups. >> the attacks on shi'a areas will serve to heighten tensions at a time they were delicate already. >> that is causing concern amongst activists. people are coming out tomorrow, when there'll be a day of demonstrations calling for reforms from the government. now many actions worried that the crowds may stay home. they are concerned about the security situation, priceal attacks. it could stoke sectarian anger at a time, this is a time in the country when groups must work together to fulfil of the people. that is different before you have attacks of this nature. this will worry that the sectarian lines will deepen and cause more anger to bubble up throughout the society and at a time religious parties work together to pass much-needed reforms. >> thank you for that >>> in myanmar, the country's senior politicians have been removed from office, soldiers surrounded the ruling parties. >>... >>..selection of candidates ahead

. >> also on the, a series of bombings in baghdad. more than 20 people are killed. a survivor is pulled from the rubble of the blast in china. it's reported more toxic chemicals have been found at the scene. mixing child's play with politics. donald trump's foreign policy statement on iraq. >> first of all, the iraqi officials are a crooks wrooiringsdz. >> in distress. they say they rescued 320 people. the captain of the italian navy ship has referred to distressing scenes, bodies of suffocated people being found in the holes of the ship that was in distress. yet, these kinds of tragedies are hardly unusual in the mediterranean now. i am speaking to you from a ship belonging to the a group, doctors without borders heading at the moment through the messina straits. it's been running an operation since may. no time, it has rescued thousands of people from the sea. the aid workers on this ship say they are performing a role that european governments are not. >> meanwhile, a brawl has broken out on the greek island of kos where thousands of refugees and other migrants a

a truck bomb went off in a market in baghdad, killing nearly 70 people.nd tracking a comment as it reaches its closest point to the sun. thanks to the rosetta spacecraft, scientists can follow its every move. >> it's absolutely amazing -- the images, the data. wonderful. katty: welcome to our viewers on public television in america and also around the globe. other explosion is the only way to describe the scene in tianjin attitude of explosions wednesday night. numbers are expected to rise. the blasts were in a warehouse that was holding hazardous materials. was with daybreak that the full extent of the destruction became clear. a modern industrial zone in one of china's biggest cities had been blown apart. [explosion] >> no way! [beep] ? are you filming >> i'm filming! [explosion] john: the first explosion was equivalent to three tons of tnt. the second, 21 tons. the blast wave rock hill things buildings -- iraq's miles away -- the blast wave rocked buildings miles away it was detected in the u.s. as a seismic event. have beenspitals overwhelmed, having

at least 55 people have been killed in a bombing in baghdad.d attack by isil in as many days. >>> a military court in pakistan has sentenced seven people to death for their involvement of an attack in a school last december. >>> and the death toll from two huge explosions in an trial area in china has risen to 50. >>> five people have been arrested over an attack in bahrain last month. the july 28th bombing targeted a bus carrying policemen. two officers were killed and six others wounded. the chief of police say investigators have connected the suspects to ooish's revolutionary guard, as well as the lebanese hezbollah group. >>> the syrian city of aleppo has access to water again after being cut off for three weeks. unicef has restored supplies to the city, and they were cut off in july after al-qaeda's nusra front closed the city's main water station. residents were forced to drink untreated water from wells. around half a million people are still struggling to receive enough water to survive. >>> turkish opposition parties say talks between

zana hoda is on the phone line now from the baghdad.tell us a bit more about these protests, what is happening at the moment, and why they are demonstrating. >> reporter: well, it is a large crowd like you mentioned. they are gathering in the square in the heart of baghdad. and the momentum of this protest movement is only growing, and the number of protesters, especially now that a political party, an influential political party has joined what really began as a upon -- spontaneous movement. he has millions of supporters in the capitol alone. he is backing the prime minister's push for reforms. like i mentioned before, it's civil rights movement. and i asked some activists here, and they said we don't mind the political parties to join, but we understand that we do need their support. and abadi does need backing. he has the backing of some in the streets. he has the backing of the influential cleric, the highest shia religious authority in iraq, but he is facing powerful allies in the government. the people -- the protest movement star

well, mohamed joins us live now from baghdad, great to see you there and what are we expecting to hearparliament later today? >> thanks. and do you know what is interesting iraqi parliament are not exactly known for their promptness and quite the difference and it's set by multiple delays and yet today on a day when the parliament is under so much pressure by thousands of iraqis demanding reforms parliament already in session and they are meeting and met on time and this meeting was called for this hour and they are in there and it's being broadcast on iraqi state television so it really goes to show how much politicians here are trying to proof to the iraqi people they are listening to demands. what are we expecting? the measures we expect by hadi will be discussed and voted on and not just those measures there were 16 additional measures that were proposed by parliament yesterday and all measures are to fight corruption and pair down parliament, other governmental institutions that people here are saying have become too fat with bureaucracy and cutting down body guards and pm and par

atmosphere for the patrons of baghdad's historic cafe.ey sip and smoke what small comforts are provided. but not even these decaying momentos of iraq's glorious past are enough to counter all of the reminders of its dangerous present. >> the majority they didn't think that america -- [ inaudible ] it affects on the ground. nothing on the ground. >> reporter: political analyst tells me that in the year since the u.s.-led coalition began its airstrikes against the islamic state of iraq and the levant. many iraqs have grown more distrustful than ever of their government's alliance with the united states. >> they think the iraqi side have global policy and they want to use this war for their global policy. >> reporter: a short walk away, just down baghdad's bustling street,ed mood is livelier, but not much happier. during the recent record heat wave though, anger and anxiety seem to rise faster than the temperature. here in baghdad there is a real sense of concern about the effectiveness of the airstrikes against isil, especially at a time wh

stay with us. >>> a bomb explodes in a baghdad market. dozens killed >>> you are watching al jazeera live from doha. also coming up. g up. >>> a warehouse belows up, many dead or missing. tension in myanmar. soldiers lock down the hours of a ruling party

how would you assess sectarian relations within baghdad and baghdad in particular? >> they do create certain sectarian tension, but i think the tension will not be as isil wants, because most of the iraqis know that those behind these attacks are not iraq sunnis. the terrorists have very extreme discourse, clearly not sectarian, all the motivation behind the attacks is sectarian, because isil believe that shia and moderately sunnis should be killed, they are not muslims. this is not going to raise any tension. this is going to draw maybe distract the attention given to the areas where daish is occupying, distract the attention of the government from focusing on basic services, from solving the political problems, maybe this is going to be the main negative or the main problem that this attack or such attacks will create, but i'm very confident that they are not going to raise any sectarian sentiment or going to raise any tension between the sunni ires and shia ires. >> talking to us live from ball dad, thank you very much. >> thank you. >> al jazeera has learned tha

>>> a bomb explodes in a baghdad market. dozens killed >>> you are watching al jazeera live from doha. also coming up. g up. >>> a warehouse belows up, many dead or missing. tension in myanmar. soldiers lock down the hours of a ruling party after two senior coalition members are removed from office. >>> playing to pyongyang, the slovenian band set to become the first western rock group to perform in north korea. >>> i.s.i.l. fighters in iraq claim responsibility for exploding a bomb in a crowded market. at least 55 were killed and asia saddiqui. a shi'a area of the iraqi capital. 200 others have been injured. the blast is one of the biggest to strike since haider al-abadi took office. i.s.i.l. attacks escalated in recent months as government forces moved to drive the group out of its stringhold in anbar. monday 58 mr skilled and 100 injured in two blasts, a market attack in july killed around 86 people moan of those killed were women and children, gathering to mark the end of ramadan. according to the u.n. 15,000 civilians h

. >>> more than 20 killed in baghdad by a series of bombings, one at a car dealership. survivors of wednesday's explosion still being asked as more homes are evacuated for fear of chemical contamination. 70 years on, is it time to stop apologizing. >> a warning from the all blacks, new zealand and their record-breaking captain return to form leading for the world cup. >> 40 migrants thought to have died after becoming trap in a boat crossing the mediterranean. more than 300 others were rescued by the italian navy. the captain of the vessel who picked them up said that those who died were found in the hull immersed in water, fuel and human excrement. our correspondent barnaby phil phillips. >> it's been another day of tragedy in the mediterranean. the italian navy saying some 40 people suffocated in a ship that was in distress only 40 kilometers off the libyan coast. they say that they rescued some 320 people. the captain of the italian navyshinavy ship finding suffocated people found in the hull of the ship that was in distress. yet these kinds of tragedies are hardly u

we are live in baghdad. what is the intention behind these types of attacks that target innocent civilians shopping in a market? >> well, the intention is twofold, first to target as many civilians as possible. this is one of the most densely populated areas in all of baghdad. millions of people live in the predominantly shia neighborhood. the second intention is to stoke sectarian anger here. this is a time when the sectarian balance in iraq is very, very tenuous, people demanding that the government work together and unify the iraqi people. isil on many occasions has stated that it is their intention to battle the shia muslim population in this country and other countries. they consider them enemies, her particulars, in infidels. this is the third such attack in as many days. >> we talked about the government reforms, as it tries to address the basic needs of the iraqi people, where is security in the priority list for this government? >> they have been spoke to the concerns of the basic needs of the peopl

strategy in terms of deference to the shia-led government in baghdad here., the kurtish forces as well as the sunni tribes on the ground that both seek to be armed in order todish forces as well as the sunni tribes on the ground that both seek to be armed in order to fight against isis cannot get the approval to have the weaponry they need, the mortars, the artillery and so forth. so as a consequence, what you see instead is baghdad sending in shia militia. you can see how that goes on -- goes over over there in sunni-led ramadi. and in the neighboring anbar province. the province that ramadi and fallujah are in. this is a problem of iranian influence having so much influence on the government in baghdad. the shia government is still dictating terms and saying no to arming those who are actually fighting isis from the sunni tribes with the equipment they need and arming the 180,000 fighters in the peshmerga, the kurdish forces that are fighting isis. they cannot get the weapons on the ground. and you hear a lot from them about that in protest. >> weapons is

a massive truck bombing at a busy market in baghdad. the attack struck a major shiite neighborhood. and greek lawmakers on the third international bailout. 85 billion euros over three years. members of the prime minister's parties say they will vote against the deal. ♪ anchor: first, and explosions so massive that it could be seen from space, at least 50 people killed after a blast at an industrial plant in china's northern city of tianjin. hundreds were injured and hospitals have been struggling to cope. promised ant has thorough investigation into what happened. residents were filming the port going up in flames when suddenly -- >> whoa! reporter: a second explosion, this one much bigger. estimated to be the equivalent of 21 tons of tnt. daylight, the full scale of the damage was visible, thick smoke still rising from the blast site. three clawrocked matters, leaving apocalyptic scenes. containers,ndows, and cars, as well as residents trying to understand what happened. >> i was so confused. i did not know what had taken place. i thought it was an earthquake. reporter: hundreds of

the capital of baghdad. they've been protesting about corruption and let's hear now from our correspondent who is in baghdad. ed. >> momentum is only growing, and so are the numbers of protesters. some of iraq's most powerful political parties, they have million of supporters in baghdad alone, said backing prime minister hyder al abadi's push for reforms. >> we need different message in iraq. this is very important to us, the valuation in baghdad is. maybe 50/50. >> people are no longer asking for better services. they can't corrupt officials to leave office and reform at the political system, and they say they won't back down. >> no one can stand in front of the iraqi people. >> but that won't be easy. abady has announced reforms but he has not reduced the number of government seats and cut spending. >> he's the prime minister and commander in chief. he has power in his hand, but he can't change things quickly because corrupt officials are in the government, and they are strong. >> this is being seen as one

he has instructed military commanders in baghdad and other provinces to open roads which were closedpoliticians and security factions to protect their homes, or to protect their headquarters. he is also calling on these commanders to give civilians access to the green zone a heavily fortified area in baghdad where the parliament and government are bases where foreign embassies are based. this is not going to be easily implemented on the ground. one official said that this is going to take time. this city is still not safe. we spoke to the prime minister's office. they are saying, of course, we understand this is not going to happen overnight, but they are pushing for this to be implemented very soon. later today, there are going to be protests in baghdad and in other provinces every friday people have been taking to the streets to support the prime minister to push ahead, but this time around an influential political party has called on their supporters to attend. some there has been accused of trying to hijack the protest movement, especially since his members are in government and

hopes as faded as the pictures that surround them, it's a mournful atmosphere for the patrons of baghdad's historic cafe. here they sip and smoke what small comforts are provided. not even these decaying mementos of iraq's past are enough to counter all the reminders of its dangerous present. >> the majority didn't think that america - that it affects on the ground. nothing on the ground. political analyst tells me that in the years since the u.s.-led coalition began air strikes against the islamic state of iraq and levant, many iraqis have grown more distrustful than ever of their government alliance with the united states. >> they think they have a proven policy, and they will not use the war for global policy. >> reporter: a short walk away, down baghdad's bustling streets, the mood is livelier, but not happier. during a heatwave, anger and anxiety seemed to rise faster than the temperature. >> here in baghdad there's a concern about the effectiveness of the air strikes against i.s.i.l., especially at a time when the group has a stronghold 90km from the capital. >> rich with history, th

zana hoda has more from baghdad. >> reporter: the u.s.ilitary advisors in iraq have been training and equipping sunni tribesmen in anbar province as part of their strategy to defeat isil. hundreds are already on the front lines. the obama administration believes their role will be crucial to recapture the mainly sunni region. the program is backed by the iraqi government. but there are powerful voices who are raising questions. he is a top commander of the popular mobilization forces which groups paramilitary forces that have lrjly replaced the iraqi army on the ground. >> translator: if the americans are concerned about the sunnis then they should not violate iraq's sovereignty. they should give the government the capabilities to train them. this is a plan to divide iraq. >> reporter: he heads the military wing of the supreme islamic iraq council, which has a strong presence in parliament. he doesn't hide his good relations with iran, after all the party was founded there in the early '80s. sunni politicians fear that leaders like him ar

we were just a short while at the protest being held here in baghdad.eason these protests are being held in the evenings is because of the scorching heat. it is just so hot outside. there's no way the crowd could have been out there earlier in the day. when we were out there, we saw a lot of youth activists, as many as a couple of thousand. they had iraqi flags. they were stressing that this is was a apolitical protest, and they were coming out en masse to protest rampant corruption in this government. we heard chants calling for a return to lek -- electricity. one of the big issues there are so many power cuts at a time when people need air conditioning more than ever before. you also hear people decrying about the corruption here. and many activists said they just don't feel like they have any future. one man i spoke with said he is a recent college graduate. he can't get married. he can't get a job even though he has a degree. >> and how worried is the government that these protests might continue? >> they are quite worried. in fact over the last few

watching al jazeera live from london and also coming up, tight security with anticorruption protests in baghdad have the latest from the iraqi capitol. also on the program the government's new finding force in yemen looking to recapture territory from the houthis. president obama tries to seal the iran nuclear deal with a win cast for the u.s. jewish community. ♪ our latest events in europe and the borders and high growing refugee crisis on the continent, four people have been arrested and among them the owner of a truck which the bodies of 71 refugees were found in an austia died and 50 are missing after a boat sank in libya and chaotic scenes in belgrade for fights for food and water in particular. as the refugees continue flooding over the border from serbia, hungarian police arrested 21 suspected human traffickers in budapest and we begin with this report from barnabie phillips. >> reporter: they are taken for autopsy and 71 people crammed in the back of a truck must have suffered an agonizing death by suffocation and police can look for scraps of evidence as to who they were. >> translator

muhammed is in baghdad, where many of doubtful that the anti isil strategy is actually working. >> with hopes as faded as the pictures that surround them, it's a mournful atmosphere for the patrons of the cafe. here, they sit and smoke what small comforts are provided. not even these decaying mementos of iraq's glorious past are enough to counter all the reminders of its dangerous present. >> the majority, they didn't see effects on the ground, nothing on the ground. >> a political analyst tells me that in the year since the u.s. led coalition began its airstrikes against islamic state of iraq and the levant, many iraqis have grown more distrustful than ever of their government's alliance with the united states. >> they think the exercise, they have global policy and they want use this war for their global policy. >> a short walk away, the mood is livelier, but not much happier. during the recent record heatwave, though, anger and anxiety seemed to rise faster than the temperature. >> here in baghdad is a real sense of concern about the effectiveness of the airstrikes against isil, espe

later today there are going to be protests the baghdad and every friday people have been taking to the to support the prime minister to push ahead but this time around an influential political party and a movement called on supporters to attend and we are expecting a much larger turnout and accused of hijacking the unit since members are in government and some have been accused of corruption. really, this is a very dangerous crisis and dangerous times in iraq. you have the ruling establishment involved in a power struggle and if abadi pushes ahead he is going against people who will not want to give up power and privileges without a fight. >>> mass protests in guatemala calling on the president to resign and he has become recently isolated in resent days and most of the cabinet have already stepped down, from guatemala city david mercer reports. >> reporter: tens of thousands of people packed into guatemala city central park and want an end to government corruption and harsh punishment for those involved. there is widespread anger and frustration and a political system that people say

our correspondent is in the iraqi capital baghdad. remember a year ago there was none of the equivocation, was there, with the coalition, when it came to bombing i.s.i.l. territory in iraq, that they expressed when it came to syria? how is the iraqi situation now? >> it's a good question. this is a country that is yet again faced with another crisis. you have a situation here wherein most of the folks we come across feel they are in no better or more secure position now than they were a year ago, despite repeated promises by the iraqi government that i.s.i.l. will be vanquished here. that territories overtaken by i.s.i.l., especially in anbar province will be reclaimed by the iraqi government. in the last few weeks, you have the anbar offensive, and the territory overtaken. it has not happened. it's a tough fight. all underscoring how difficult a going this has been not just for the iraqi security forces that many feel are under prepared, and the coalition that is supporting the iraqi security forces. we went to an historic and vibran

look at the capital here in baghdad. people say that they are suffering from the threat of suicide car bombs, they are afraid that the security forces here are not protecting them, and you have to factor in the extreme heat. there is a severe heatwave going on here in iraq, and even in the capital, where basic services should be guaranteed, people say they are not getting those basic services, they are not having access to clean water, they are not having access to electricity they mean, so many hours a day. they don't have air continuing, aside from the threat that they are feeling in baghdad, they are worried that they are under threat of i.s.i.l. coming in at some point. they don't think security forces are doing enough to protect them and are worried that the battle front is not doing enough here. they show that in fallujah the fighting intensified between security and fighters. it's a population caught in the middle. this is a scenario that has played itself out in so many parts of iraq when it comes to insurgencies

later in the day as thousands gather in baghdad's tahrir square, the celebration is joyous one. the crowd feels empowered. men and women of all ages can be spotted throughout. but it's the youth groups who really dominate here. many clearly enjoying themselves as they chant against iraq's political history. the beginnings of a civil society movement that will empower them and so many other iraqis to demand much-needed change. >> the group can barely contain its excitement. at long last, they feel a budding sense of optimism. >> translator: i'm happy and i'm feeling proud because our groups have become bigger and bigger. we are keeping up the momentum, friday after friday, demanding our basic human rights and doing that in the most legitimate and peaceful manner. >> reporter: while this youth movement may still be in its infancy, renewed hope for old and young is growing far faster than anyone expected it to. mohammed jamjoom, al jazeera, baghdad. >> lots more to come here on al jazeera. can he pull it off? have i lahave isri lanka's presa come back. more, stay with us >> welcome

roadside bomb exploded in western baghdad near a chain of commercial shops. more than 100 people were injured in both those explosions. let's get the latest on this n now. this attack, the latest in a series of bomb blasts we've seen in the iraqi capital, tell us about the inhabitants and the area specific to these latest blasts. [ silence ] >> hello? >> hi, mohammed, not sure if you can hear me, but let me try putting that question to you again. just asking you a little bit about the area where these specific attacks took place i in the city which has been the scene of a number of attacks in the iraqi capital as of late. >> i hear you. can you hear me? >> apologies for that. we'll try to establish a stronger connection in baghdad where over 20 people have been killed in series of blasts which took place in the capital today in a busy commercial part of town. more on that later. let's move on here with news from china. media reporting that highly toxic chemicals have been found at the site of deadly explosions. [ explosions ] >> multiple explosions were so po

one southeast of baghdad. another on, one, a roadside car bomb. at a time when many are insisting they have the upper hand in the fight against isil. it was just a couple of days ago when they announced phase two where they're going after isil in anbar province in western iraq. they say they're cutting off the supply lines. one more thing to add, no one has claimed responsibility for these attacks. but there have been a string of attacks in parts of baghdad and other parts of the country in the last few days. all claimed by isil, and i can tell you having been on the streets of the capital a lot the last few days everyone we've come across is afraid there will be more such attacks in the days to come. >> thank you very much. >> more commemorations have been taking place around the world. at the end of world war ii, 70 years after japan's surrender. in tokyo japan's emperor expressed his deep remorse. >> they didn't find out about cease-fire until two days afterwards. it made little difference for him and comrades. he said his naive nationalism had

we are joined in baghdad with an update. presumably a busy time in the morning at that particular market. has there been a claim of responsibility? >> reporter: not as of yet. in fact, it was targeted specifically because it is a densely populated area. this was a vegetable market. clearly, the planners behind this attack meant to cause as many casualties as possible. 55 now dead according to police. it's expected that that number will rise, over 200 injured. so it is a very dire and devastating scene in a predominantly shia neighborhood. and while nobody has claimed responsibility, it is expected that perhaps a group like isil could be behind this because in the past, the city has been target would because it is home to so many shia citizens. this is an area target would by sunni fighters, different groups over the years because they tried to stoke sectarianism at a time when there is a delicate balance in this country. so a very difficult time for security. now there are a lot of fears these types of attacks can happen in

al jazeera, baghdad. >> there is much more still to come on al jazeera this half hour.eeking better treatment, why cuban doctors are protesting in columbia. and we'll tell you how brazil's once mighty middle class has fallen on hard times. >> welcome back. you're watching al jazeera. let's update you on the stories. after beating people back from the border with gas grenades and baton, macedonia police are allowing refugees to cross from greece. >>> french president franÇois hollande has thanked a group of passengers for overpowering a heavily armed gunman on a train to northern france. now to other stories, seven people have died after a jet crashed into several cars in an airshow in southern england. the jet that dates from the late 19 50's came down on a main road to bryant. witnesses say that the aircraft hit trouble when it tried a loop during an arabatic display. >>> in china there are reports of an explosion in the eastern province of shandong. about one kilometer away from a residential area, but so far no casualties have been reported. earlier this month 116 pe

. >>> demanding an end to government corruption in baghdad. their government protests has been backed by the top shia cleric. zeina khodr reports. >> the momentum is growing, so is the number of protesters. for the first time, joining a spontaneous protest. muqtada al sadr. , has supporters in government and parliament. >> we need support from different forces in iraq. so sadr members very important to us, actually the evaluation in baghdad is too much maybe about 50-50. >> reporter: people are no longer just asking for better services. they want crups official corrupo leave government service. they won't back down. >> no one can stand in front of the iraqi people. the people taking the wealth of the country won't be able to do that any longer. >> that won't be easy. abadi has done nothing but reduce the number of government seats and cut spending.. >> abadi is president and commander in chief but his hands are tied, the government is strong. >> the power struggle among iraq's shia factions is now out in the open. this is not an anti-governmen

mohamed, al jazeera, baghdad. >>> the blast is one of the biggest strikes on baghdad since hadi tookice in 2004 and i.s.i.l. attacks escalated as they move to drive the group out of the stronghold in anbar and monday 58 were killed and more than 100 injured in two blasts and the market attack in july killed around 86 people and many of those killed were women and childr children. u.s. army chief of staff on friday is quoted as saying it could be the only solution and they say the reported comments are irresponsible and with me now is a former iraqi diplomate and director of the iraq foundation works for democracy and human rights in iraq and just to go back to the comments the reporter comments what did you make of those? >> well, serve the iraq world and has his own problems with the administration, how to run the world and what he is saying is a simple fact iraq's future is grim and the political process has reached an impasse based on sectarianism and factionism and this way they cannot come to decision. also the question of fighting i.s.i.l., da'esh, is also not as efficient as t

. >>> thousands of iraqis marched through baghdad.the measures came in response to weeks of protest against corruption and poor public services. we report from baghdad. >> reporter: tired, seemingly endless road blocks, they decided it was time to hit the streets. >> translator: i'm left with no other option but to go out and fight corruption. >> reporter: the medical student and activist like so many other members of his generation, says he's tired of feeling despair and decided to do something about it. >> translator: we created groups to help our friends and families. we are all in need of important services that aren't being provided. the most basic ones are electricity, clean water and jobs. >> reporter: now he meets regularly with a growing group of like-minded activists discussing and debating strategy, they use every tool to plan demonstrations. social media has become as important as physical publications in spreading the word. and conveying their most important message. all these protests are peaceful in nature. but it's not

and it has millions of supporters in baghdad.ecision has been criticized by some and accused them of hijacking the movement for political gains because at the end of the day he is part of the government and has members of parliament, members in parliament and some of these officials and opponents accused him of being corrupt. and the office has told us this is a natural decision because for us we support the people and we would like to give support to prime minister abadi to push forward with his reforms and abadi needs all the support he can get. he is getting support from the street and getting support from the highest religious authority, shia authority, but he is up against his ruling alliance. and what we are seeing really over the past few weeks is the power struggle coming out in the open between the shia political factions, the rival shia factions and that is why this crisis is very dangerous. we know that they had long power struggles amongst each other and cannot imagine them giving up power and privileges without putti

he identified them and a group of captives in baghdad.e was one of the interrogators working with the special operations forces, fingered him. we were ecstatic because we found if he was ever captured he had to know saddam's location and he did. he was brought up the next morning of december 13 to tikrit iraq and colonel hickey immediately alerted all of us and he said not only do we have bourgeois but we likely will have the location of where saddam is in a matter of hours. he alerted all of us to get everything ready. so the rate ultimately that captured saddam was so sophisticated it was planned on a sheet of butcher paper with magic markers. john and colonel hickey and brian reid jour things on a sheet of butcher paper and that became the element of what the raid was. two farm hudson orchard on the bank of the tigris river on the east bank across from his birth village. i had troops in osha and occupied sub ivan had responsibility for much of the area but further rate colonel hickey because he was across the river this location was ac

now it must move to parliament, we were on the streets of baghdad and spoke about many people, normalitizens telling us that they were besistic about the prospect of this being approved, ratified. many believe that rampant corruption exists in parliament, and were glad that prime minister haider al-abadi took the actions, and believes that he's doing everything he can do fight corruption, but believe it's so strong that perhaps the ugly spectre of sectarian politics will raise its head again and the debate on the issues, the decisions could last a while. all that said, it will be difficult politically for anybody to opposed the measures. we are at a time in iraq when there's a record heatwave, when citizens are mobilizing, going into the streets. this past friday there were thousands of demonstrators in baghdad, throughout the country, in various cities, calling for the government to do more to help them, make sure they had restoration of services, electricity, airconditioning, clean water to drink and bathe in, things they need for the families, that are basic human rights and servic

roam. >> there are been mass rally it's on the streets of baghdad. the demonstrators calls have been backed by the top shia cleric. >> the momentum is only growing. so is the number of protesters. for the first time one of iraq's most primarily parties has joined what began as a spontaneous moment. they are pushing for reforms. the. >> we need support from different groups in iraq. >> it's very important to us. >> people are no longer just asking for better services. they want corrupt officials to leave office and to reform a political system, and they say that they won't back down. >> no one can stand in front of the iraqi people. they won't be able to do that any longer. >> but that won't be easy. al abadi has announced reforms but he has not done more than reduce the number in parliament and reduce money. >> corruption officials are in the government, and they're strong. >> this is seen as one of the biggest challenges yet. the power struggle against rake shia factions is now out in the open. this is not an anti-government protest, at least not ye

this is a scene in baghdad after the latest attack that happened on wednesday. you can see the remnants of a mini bus exploded, killing seven and children were among them. no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but there are regular anti-government protests over corruption and a lack of basic services. power cuts in the middle of the heatwave are adding to the anger. the government's problems are piling up. iraqi forces are struggling to defeat isil in anbar province. fighters from the group seized the capitol rimadi in may. while the number of civilians being killed in this conflict is climbing, people in fallujah say they are living a nightmare. you may find some of these images disturbing. >> in fallujah, bullets and bombs don't discriminate and the wounds have only grown deeper. residents say the young are now just as likely a target as the old, that civilians of all ages of under siege from both isil and the iraqi army. >> look at this, this happened as a result of artillery shelling by the army today. look at this, are we terrorists waging the w

able to keep up with all of the day's top stories, and you see isil claiming deadly truck bombing at baghdad market. aljazeera.com. [ explosion ] [ screaming ] >>> thousands evacuate after explosions in china. fears of toxic chemicals now spreading force rescuers to stop searching for survivors. >>> the chief of epa acknowledges fears of long-term effects from a toxic spill in colorado. >>> and a county clerk in kentucky turns a same-sex couple, asking for a marriage license, defying a federal judge's order. ♪ >>> this is al jazeera america live from new york city. i i'm stephanie sy. at least 50 people are dead after a massive explosion in china. it is one of china's largest ports. officials say the death toll is likely to rise as the search for survivors is temporarily paused. they are concerned about toxic chemicals leaking on-site. 36 more firefighters are missing, and 700 people are injured, dozens critically. adrian brown has the it willest. >> reporter: this is very close to the epicenter of wednesday night's detonation. people we have spoken to say what happened was like an earthquak

at least 55 people were killed in a mainly shia muslim district of baghdad.round 200 others were injured. mohammed jamjoom reports. >> reporter: in the blink of an eye, the scene turned from mundane to murderous, as a truck plaqued with explosives blew up in a crowded market. the prom dominantly shia muslim neighborhood is one of the capitol's most densely populated. as some searched for survivors, others found the dead. amid displays of the cruelty that had been committed. because the early-morning attack was apparently planned to maximize civilian casualties, many knew this would be the work ochl isil. it was the third attack in as many days. on tuesday, isil attacked two other areas where many shia muslims live. dozens were killed and dozens more injured. attempts to deepen sectarian lines at a time when increasing numbers of iraqis are demanding their government work together. fed up at the lack of basic services such as electricity and clean water, tens of thousands have been demonstrating against corruption. a call that has alarmed iraqi leaders who qui

but on this front line the main concern is to protect the iraqi watch tall of baghdad--capital of baghdad, which is only a few kilometers away. >> under mounting pressure to resign after tens ever thousands of people dressed in yellow rallies against him in the capital. they deified the ban that prevents them from wearing the color that has come to symbolize democracy and anti-corruption. it comes after allegations that he took $700 million from the investment fund. something that he denies. he said it came from a private middle eastern donor. check out www.aljazeera.com. www.aljazeera.com to get the latest breaking news and sport. your best place for international developments. with spectacular landscapes- new zealand is a pristine paradise- ranked the freest country on earth. but this south pacific nation has the second highest imprisonment rate in the western world.

al jazeera, baghdad. >> a member of the iraqi parliament doesn't think enough is being done to defeat isil. >> from the beginning, we say the air campaign is not enough to fight isil and now after one year, we find isil, they have more ground, they have more power, they get more cities in iraq and we are facing a very organized criminal organization, >> former egyptian president mohamed morsi deposed in a military coup in 2013 complained he is being given food he suspects may have been tampered with. he made the comments in a court in cairo where he and 10 others appeared an charges of espionage and leaking qualified documents. he said there were five attempts that were life threatening. his son spoke through a translator and said his father has stopped eating because of fears over the prison food. >> my father, president mohamed morsi said there are certain extra judicial measures with regard to the bad health care and food he receives in jail. the contents of that food could represent a threat to his life. we have not been allowed to visit him since november, 2013, so are reliant an

baghdad making an effort to reform the iraqi government >>> and more on the bomb, and civilian rights. >>> we begin tonight with a possibility that the days of president dilma rousseff could be numbered. tens of thousands marched in rio de janeiro, brasilia and sao paulo. the protesters wanting her impeached. smaller gatherings are taking place in towns and city, the third time people have taken to the streets after protests in march and april. it's on political corruption, and they blame rousseff for the bad economy.

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

. >> he has made baghdad more dependent on tehran and they were a year ago. , working in the open with designated terrorists, and the bank that funded his organization was delisted. so he is winning and now we just gave him more money, and now we just gave him the ability to buy advanced weapons. he can't help but smile. >> this may, in fact, prolong the syrian campaign. coffersinto the arabian because they have provided tremendous financial support. the captain has directed and coordinated across the region, orchestrating involvement from hezbollah and syria, sponsoring iraqi shia militias. he is directly behind the aerial bombings of centers, the destruction of bakeries and food centers in syria in order to impact the population. human conducted numerous rights violations under his organization and direction and tutelage. this is occurring in iraq. he has ethnic cleansing, assassinations, torture, all this at the behest and guys of s soulaimani. in some americans think we will be able to work with him. >> the president of iran and the military, the conventional military overran, is n

they are in baghdad. and there is no claim of responsibility at this point.ttacks and violence become normal. in the city people are used to bombings taking place, this kind of attack we have not seen in a long time in baghdad specifically. a truck bomb, this kind of single deadly attack is something people say is reminiscent at the days of the height of the sectarian violence in 2006 and 2007. in recent weeks we have seen attacks. just a few days ago, also, northeast of baghdad in the province that iraqi officials say they have, quote, unquote, liberated from isis earlier this year we have seen a number of deadly attacks taking place there. very high casualty figures. this sort of spectacular attack with big bombs ripping through markets and civilian areas. but at this point, no claim of responsibility for this baghdad attack. >> many thanks to you for talking to us on the phone. >>> croatian's prime minister cannot confirm claims that isis militants have beheaded a croatian hostage in egypt but he says the situation looks horrible. tomislav salopek was abdu