kimberly halkett, al jazeera, washington. >> there is a state of emergency in parts of colorado as officials try to contain dangerous levels of heavy metal spilled into a river, into a creek and then filled the river in durango county turning the water orange. that's three times the amount originally believed. the mine is still discharging about 500 gallons per minute but the epa says it is treating the contaminated water. officials say it is only dangerous if people are exposed to it. the epa triggered the spill when it was investigating pollutants at the mine. >>> today, summer's rise in gun violence. a look ahead at the invisible wounds caused by gun violence. >> the new york police department says it is expanding its arsenal of stun guns. the pharmacist already has 1700 tasers. only about 700 are currently in use. the nypd plans to buy more tasers, they hope to encourage officers to use more nonlethal means when dealing with criminals. so it has been a violent summer in many parts of the country. today al jazeera is taking a look at violence. researchers are trying to figure out how deep

kimberly halkett has more from washington. >> the u.s. president appealed directly to jewish americans in an online web address that an agreement with iran is israel's and the region's best hope for peace. >> this deal blocks every way, every pathway that iran might take in order to obtain a nuclear weapon. >> reporter: the online appeal comes just weeks after israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu addressed the u.s. jewish community online as well, to rally support in opposition of the nuclear agreement. the argument it would make the middle east less safe. >> this is a very dangerous deal and it threatens all of us, there will be more attacks and more people will die. >> support for the agreement between iran and the six world powers designed to limit iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief has deeply divided the jewish community. 46% support the deal, 31% oppose. the american israel public affairs committee or apac are spending millions to lobby congress to oppose the deal. >> i think president is trying to overcome

al jazeera's kimberly halkett explains. >> syrian fighters trained by the u.s. now refusing to fight. this video released on social media appears to show it will of the trained recruit, have been detaid by el nusra and a sixth has been killed. >> the white house is disappointed, the president is disappointed with the mission so far. >> we have been pretty forthright the department of defense about the significant challenges that that mission has takingsed. but it has not significantly encumbered the other aspects of our strategy. >> reporter: the syrian fighters known as division 30 accused the pentagon of misrepresenting its mission. the u.s. backed group said it fest signed up to fight i.s.i.l. not el nusra. the pentagon denies it distolerated its battle plan. >> we acknowledge that there's challenges. but the idea that we were caught totally flatfooted by the idea that we were sending people into a very dynamic rapidly changing war zone is not accurate. >> still, the united states spent money and months training fighters, supplying them with sophisticated nig

kimberly halkett reports. >> reporter: the u.s. president appealed directly to jewish americans in an online web address that an agreement with iran is israel's and the region's best hope for peace. >> this deal blocks every way, every pathway, that iran might take, in order to obtain a nuclear weapon. >> reporter: the online appeal comes just weeks after israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu addressed the jewish community online as well to rally support in opposition of the nuclear agreement. he argues the agreement would make the middle east less safe. >> this is a very dangerous deal and it threatens all of us. there will be more attacks and more people will die. >> supports for the agreement between iran and the six world powers designed to limit iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief has deeply divided the u.s. jewish community. roughly 46% support, 31% post o. spending millions to lobby congress to oppose the deal. >> president has to overcome some perceptions that he is not for the deal. >> white house b

al jazeera's kimberly halkett explains. >> reporter: syrian fighters trained by the united states nowusing to fight. this video released on social media appears to show some of the fighters in captivity after an attack last week north of aleppo. five of the u.s.-backed recruits have been detained by al-qaeda's affiliate, the al-nusra forces. the white house is under scrutiny for the apparent failure of the operation. >> would you say that the white house is disappointed? that the president is disappointed with the mission. >> we have been pretty forthright about the significant challenges that that operation has faced. but it has not, um significantly encumbered the other aspects of our strategy. >> reporter: the fighters known as division 30 accuse the pentagon of misrepresenting its mission. the u.s.-backed group says it signed up to battle isil not al-nusra, and it is opposed to u.s. air strikes carried out in recent days. >> we acknowledge that there are challenges, but the idea that we were caught totally flat footed by the idea that we were sending people into a very dynamic and

kimberly halkett reports. >> reporter: this is the teheran revolutionary court where washington posteporter jason will appear for yet another secret hearing i in iran's case against him form more than a year he has been held in the country's prison in solitary confinement. he and his journalist wife were arrested in jewel 2014. along with two photo journalists. all remember eventually released, exempt for jason, who was charged with espionage. his family maintains he's innocent and has been appealing for his release. >> every day that you continue to hold him in prison is a dark day for his family and for iran. >> reporter: he was born in california, and holds duel iranian and united states citizenship. he moved to iran in 2008 and joined the washington post as it's a teheran correspondent in 2012. his family says he's faced numerous health problems from a lack of medical care while in prison. his employers have called his imprisonment an abomination. >> every aspect of this case, his inning cars vague, trial, conditions of his imprisonment has been a disgraceful violation of human r

kimberly halkett, al jazerra, washington. >>> california's biggest wildfire of the year continues torth of the napa valley. the fire has already burned more than 26,000 hectors and forced thousands of people to evacuate. more than two dozens fires have been started in recent days and that's due to lightning strikes in drought-stricken areas. >>> police in mexico city have released security camera video it shows three men outside the apartment of a murdered photo journalist. the footage shows three men leaving ruben espinosa's building before getting in to a car. he was found shot dead in the apartment on friday. before his death, espinosa had said that he had felt threatened by the governor of eastern veracruz state. he had fled to mexico city for fear of his life. vera cruise is one of mexico's most dangerous state for journalists. >>> first it was to you lit paper no now coffee no, sugar and milk now flour threaten to leave venezuelans with no bread. the country is struggling with shortages of basic goods but it's prompting local bakers to find new ways to feed the peop people. >>

kimberly halkett, al jazeera. >> both countries have recalled their ambassadors and deported colombians since venezuela closed its border last week pmg virginia are lopez has the story. >> to clean the country of paramilitary activity smuggling kidnapping and drug trafficking that is why i have decided to extend the closure to sector 2. >> reporter: the closure of several border crossings began what has been a quowns escalatiocontinuousrising of tee two countries. both countries have now recalled their ambassadors. in the streets, people continue to line up for hours waiting for scarce food to arrive. >> done nothing. it is us venezuelans who do this to ourselves because reselling cheap goods is so profitable it became a way of life. >> reporter: while critics blame heavy food and petrol shortages, they refer to the colombia oligarchy is to blame. >> the magnitude of illicit trade is beyond our capacity. because we subsidize socialist goods, food, petrol and everything. we tried to establish a quota but it was impossible. >> venezuelan authorities report mass quantities of illicit goods

kimberly halkett explains. >> a new bus rapid transit or brt was constructed for some of the most congested parts of the city. >> i used to take four buses to arrive at my job. now i only use one and i have time to make the trip and i think it's very great. >> the city's high speed was built with the anticipated olympic crowds in 2016. but the comfortable coaches are just part of the $16 billion urban investment plan that rio is installing for the games. new homes and shops are replacing an unsightly waterfront highway. attracting residents to an once run-down city center. >> if you want the olympics, come to rio. we've got lots of poverty transportation is a mess. sewage is a mess. >> that's why 80% of the buildings will be permanent. the temporary stadium will be broken apart and used for public schools. the aquatic center will be a pool for the poorest residents. this villa next to the olympic park has been demolished to make access roads for builders. residents were compensated at market value but the relocations remain controversial. and at times violent. about 50 families are refusing

kimberly halkett reports. >> traffic gridlock into rejoe de janeiro is among the worst in the world.tes can take hours. that is until a new bus rapid transit or brt system was constructed for some of the most congested parts of the city. >> i used to take four buses to arrive to my job. now i use only one and i have the time to make the trip, and i think it's very great. >> the city's high speed bus lanes were built for the anticipated olympic crowds in 2016, but the comfortable coaches are just one part of the more than $16 billion urban investment plan that rio is installing for the games. new homes and shops are also replacing an unslightly waterfront highway attracting residents to an once run down city center. >> that's what we said to the ioc people. okay if you want the olympics to have change, come to rio. we have floods, lots of poverty transportation is a mess. sewage is a mess. come here. and then you will meet change. >> that's why 80% of rio's olympic building will be permanent. temporary stadium will be broken apart and used for four public schools. the aquatic center w

kimberly halkett, al jazeera, washington. ♪ >>> united nations says greece must take control of whats described as total chaos on several eislands. 50,000 people rived in july alone. the u.n.'s refugee agency says the situation is totally shameful and has urged other e.u. nations to share the burden. >>> the u.n. is also pressing for urgent action in calais. thousands have been attempting to cross into britain from france through the tunnel. an estimated 3,000 have set up camp close to the border. the minister says risks are being taken every day. >> we believe that security measures alone, though are understandable to a certain degree are unlikely to be effective by themselves, and they will likely push people to take even greater risks, and greater risks that could result in more of the tragic deaths that we have been seeing. >>> there have been arrests in italy over wednesday beets disaster which is feared to have killed more than 200 people. claudio has the latest from sicily. >> reporter: on friday italian police said they arrested five crew members of a fishing vessel believed

kimberly halkett reports. >> reporter: it started in late june, but the dozens of fires attacking thehington have now grown so large, thousands of local firefighters are struggling to contain the flames. that's why help has been brought in from as far away as new zealand and australia. >> we're able to get over here. >> reporter: they are battle a record forrest fire season that has scorched more than 400,000 heckers of land in the united states. and has yet to be contained. >> this is driven by the dry conditions, the rugged terrain and the winds. >> reporter: the fires have bumped to just a few kilometers to the border of canada. officials are on alert for fear of high winds dropping embers on homes. in washington state, hundreds of thousands of residents have been ordered to leave. >> a lot f those people have followed those evacuations and they are in sherlts. >> reporter: a congressional hearing is being held in washington state to discuss how to finance the high cost of battling the fires. the governor has also been touring the damage that has scarred the state typically known f

kimberly halkett reports. >> reporter: she was just a baby when her u.s. land in cuba was taken at gun point by fidel castro's soldiers. still it haunts her. >> it wasn't just the, you know, monetary stuff, it was the personal things that, you know, were taken as well. >> reporter: wedding photos, jewelry, everything her father had worked decades for was gone in a single night. the family fled back to the united states but she says her father never recovered from the economic orie motional loss. her parents died in financial rue glynn castro didn't just cop if i skate our properties but also took the hopes, dreams that our parents once had for our future. >> reporter: that's why carolyn and other property heirs we want to testify before u.s. congress. amy's family farm was also seized by soldiers in 1960. her family is among thousands fighting for compensation. >> when my father filed the claims it was in good faith that they would be honor asked settled fairly. >> reporter: more than a half century later, the obama white house restores full diplomatic tie

kimberly halkett reports. >> the u.s. president afield directly to jewish americans in an online web address that an agreement with iran is israel's and the regions best hope for peace. >> this deal blocks every pathway that iran might take in order to obtain a nuclear weapon. >> the online apole comes just weeks after israelis argued against the deal arguing that it would make the middle east less safe. >> this is a dangerous deal that threatens all of us. there will be more tax and more people will die. >> support for and against iran and the six world powers has deeply divided the u.s. jewish community. roughly 46% support the deal. 31% oppose with so many still under desided, major u.s. lobby groups like the american jewish lobby will try help the president close the deal. >> he's trying to overcome some perceptions that he's not favorable to israel and that he's not taking israel's issues in account. he'll continue to try to win over their support. >> if you have a group spending millions to try to oppose this, to tr

kimberly halkett, al jazeera, washington. >>> this week's boat disaster killed about 200 people.laudio lavango reports. >> five crew members of a fishing vessels believed to be carrying over 600 migrants, officials managed to save more than 500 from drowning and pulled about six from the sea. but smig ler smugglers locked 2o the hold after most of the migrants rushed to the deck to look at the boat that came to their rescue. smugglers who are from libya and algeria will face charges of human trafficking and multiple plan slaughter. because of good weather conditions there is a chance someone could still be alive after 48 hours since the accident even though it is quite unlikely and they say they are realistic about the chances of finding someone alive at this point. in the meantime the more than 300 migrants that are taken here to the important of palermo have been distributed to other parts of the country. relatives are still receiving psychological assistance. >> if i,000 people arrived in greece in july alone many to lesbos kos and kios, situation is totally shameful and has u

kimberly halkett, al jazeera, washington. >> in united nations relief and works agency center in aman, a 100 million shortfall, could affect half a million palestinian students. >> we've been deprived of food rations and that's okay, but they can't deprive us of learning. >> jordan is also swamped by an influx of refugees from syria. as many as 90,000 syrian students have not been able to secure places in jordanian schools. >>> political violence continues to flair in burundi after president pierre nkurunziza has been reelected, human rights caves who opposed the government was shot and wounded. locals call it a revenge attacked. and a head of security was ambushed and killed. >>> indian government is offering some compensation to families of dead and to the wounded last year 25,000 people died in train wrecks in india. critics say that money for victims isn't the solution. they're calling for improved railway safety. fez jamil reports from madia damesh. >> it happened, train coming from the opposite direction a few minutes later, some, survivors said it could have been worse. >> tran

kimberly halkett al jazeera, rio de janeiro. >> thanks for joining us. i'm del walters. i'll be back with mother hour of news at 11:00 p.m. 8:00 pacific. and a reminder to look up if neur' in new york at the empire state building. . >> thanks for joining us, i'm joie chen. when we think of torture >> on america tonight. life on the outside. for a generation aging out of the system. america tonight's michael with a struggle these seniors face in their second acts. and also ahead the house of screams. the torture that took place inside this chicago police department lisa fletcher with the victim forced to confess and the truth that set them free. >> what does that say? >> i'm a free man. that i was

kimberly halkett reports. >> reporter: former naval officer eric gardner and his interpreter john haven'tch other since gardner's unit left afghanistan. it was a difficult good-bye. >> he put his life on the line for our unit, and everyone came back here except him. >> reporter: john's identity has been concealed for his safety. he receives regular death threats from the taliban because of his work with u.s. special forces. he was assigned to some of the coalition's most dangerous missions, and now he lives under self imposed house arrest with his elderly parents, fearing for his life. >> if they find me [ inaudible ] we knew about that, there was a lot of risk [ inaudible ] afghanistan for those guys that were working with the u.s. forces, but when i started, i never -- i never thought that one day the u.s. forces would be leaving afghanistan and leave us behind. >> reporter: in 2008 the u.s. congress created this the special immigrant visa program to help iraqis come to the united states. in 2009 the program was expanded to include those who assisted the u.s. in afghanistan. but the pro

kimberly halkett reports. >> the u.s. president appealed directly to jewish americans in an online web address that an agreement with iran is israel's and the region's best hope for peace. >> this deal blocks every way, every parpth that iran might take in order to obtain a nuclear weapon. >> the online appeal comes just weeks avisisi prime minister benjamin netanyahu addressed u.s. jewish community online as well to rally support in opposition of the nuclear agreement. he argued the deal would make the middle east less safe. >> this is a very dangerous deal. it threatens all of us. there will be more attacks and more people will die. support designed to limit iran's nuclear program has deeply ditch i'ded the u.s. jewish community. roughly 46% support the deal. 31% oppose. with so many undecided, major groups like the american israel public affairs committee are spending millions lobbying members of congress to oppose also deal. >> i think the president is the trying to overcome some perceptions that he is not favorable t