>> welcome to al jazeera. i'm del walters. these are the stories that we're working on at this hour. >> i believe the pretext of chemical weapons is false. basils, and even grounds. >> as u.n. inspectors postpone their work the syrian government said it will defend itself if it is attack. the fort hood shooter taking the stand. nadal hassan takes the stand during the sentencing phase of his trial. churches are questioning the use of vaccinations.

>> at this hour the united states and its allies appear to be moving forward with plans for military action against syria. the aim would be-to-deter the use of chemical weapons by the syrian government. ritters says that the opposition has been told to expect a strike president obama has not yet decided on any military action. the u.n. inspection team on the ground in syria has postponed it's chemical weapons investigation due to safety concerns. meanwhile, syrian government said syria will defend itself. >> we all hear the drums of war being beaten around us. if these countries are willing to launch an aggression or military action against syria i believe the pretext of chemical weapons is false, basil base led groundless. i dare them to produce any piece

of evidence. >> we go to lebanon, the capitol of beirut. what are you hearing that some type of military action could happen very, very soon. >> reporter: well, there are two schools of thought on that, at least on the streets of lebanon. one, there could be an attack within a 48 hour period or 48 hours from now if not tomorrow, then the following day. they do not believe there will be a striked launched on friday, the day of prayer. the big concern is people are waiting to see if the u.n. inspectors come back with more information as they continue their research on the ground and in the hospitals in syria. they ask over an over again as they look for proof if someone can point a finger at the actual regime saying they're responsible for the attack "p" even though it's not their

mandate to determine that, but they'll come out with enough information that perhaps they will be able to. they'll work tomorrow. they feel that the united nations will be out of the nation of syria before any strike would occur. it's too dangerous to do anything of the sort while those inspectors are in the country. that's the thinking here, that it could be a 48 hour period from now, but more than likely into the following week and saturday. >> it's not safe for the united nations but people of syria still have to live there, forget about the officials, are there concerns about collateral damage, after all, the target is chemical weapons depots. >> there have been concerns about that, and there have been defectors, so to speak, who have come out of the syrian government during this civil war who had been operatives inside the syrian government, and they have reported to integrators who

talked to them after they left the nation that there are 50 different sites scattered around the nation of syria. syria ma may have the largest supply of chemical weapons. they're only one of seven who haven't signed a convention not to hold or utilize weapons of that nature. they could be scattered all over the place. using that as a target appears fairly unlikely because the collateral damage could be so bad, and they don't want to jeopardize any neighborhood in that way. the target will likely be where the chemical weapon could be produced. >> david jackson, thank you for your reporting. if there is definitive evidence that the syrian government carried out a chemical weapons attacks how could they prosecute the regime.

jeffy knight, an international attorney, thank you for joining us today. legally if there is evidence to go after bashir al-assad on war crimes, how soon might we see them taking place. >> you might not ever see them taking place. the only way leaders or others be brought to the international court is if he regime invites the court in, unlikely, or if it's referred to the court by the supreme council. that has to happen in this case base syria is not a ratifying member of the court. will the security council refer syria to the court? some would say as long as russia is there, not very likely. >> so you must-- >> the unconceivable way-- >> you understand why the public is baffled why there is an

international crime court. >> well, the international criminal court has only been signed up to by a proportion of the countries in the world. america, and russia and china have all declined to be involved in that court. that means that in order to bring people from those countries and other countries that haven't signed up such as syria, sudan, libya, before the court particular circumstances have to exist. none of these circumstances exist in syria at the moment to justify the court going in unless it's referred by the security council of the united nations. and to we have to accept the fact that it's unlikely to happen at least at the present. things could change over time. >> sir geoffrey nice joining us from international court. thank you very much. joining me now is eliott ingalloningal.congressman, thisa

situation now that it's when not if. >> we've not had any official word in one way or another. >> congressman, you have not been shy in calling for military action, do you think united states should go forward unio unilaterally? >> i've never been for the u.s. going in unilaterally. i think this is for its allies. i think there is a meeting today, and again today this is a very difficult situation, but when someone gasses their own people, and you see horrific visions of children foaming at

the mouth and gasping for air and dying, i don't think this is something that cannot be just left and not answered at all. i think there will be discussions, obviously, and action. what kind of action, i don't know. >> congressman, have you before briefed on a military strike? >> no, i've had discussions with secretary kerry, and he said that they are considering all possibilities but in terms of the details, i've not been briefed on them at all. >> let me ask you a concern that we brought up with our reporter in beirut, that being the possibility of collateral damage if chemical websites are attacked. are you concerned that that could happen? >> i'm always concerned over something like that. when you talk about chemical weapons it's something that is very dangerous. i would leave the response and how it's done to the authorities that are planning, and i think that they will know what to do.

but of course it's a concern. >> congressman, the latest poll seems to show that the american public is not hyped answered type of military action. in fact, more than

>> i think the way n.a.t.o. mobilized in 1999, it can be similar to this, or even the way n.a.t.o. mobilized in the libyan war with turning the tide against qaddafi, i believe that can be done with no boots on the ground. >> what about a no-fly zone. >> that is something that has been talked about. we've also been talking about the possibility of using cruise missiles to destroy the runways, to make the syrian air force up able to hurt it's own people from the air, to bombing

munitions depots. these are things that we've been talking about. i'm not a military planner. >> but you are a member of congress. what do you think about the possibility of trying to enforce a no-fly zone? >> i think that a no-fly zone is something that should be looked into, but i think the military really needs to decide that. i think in terms of destroying the runways with cruise missiles, that makes sense to me, and making it impossible for assad's air force to murder any more of its own people. >> congressman eliott engal, joining us from capitol hill and know that it's very busy these days on capitol hill even though many members are on recess. thank you very much. nag is committed t--and nagd to bringing you the very latest updates. we encourage you to visit

www.aljazeera.com. the fire being battled at yosemite national park, city officials are transferring water from other reservoirs. they are confident that the public can be protected and the fire still covers 250 square miles, by the way that is about the size of the city of chicago. it is now 20% contained, and the fire chief said they now have the blaze boxed in, which will allow them to drop fire retardant and slow its spread. are there evacuations even though they say this fire is now 20% contained? >> there are evacuation advisories, which is not a mandatory evacuation but an advisory. while they hope they can keep fire interest those areas, they

cannot guarantee it, and if people are being extra prudent they would be advised to leave. it is snowing ash here at the command post. the fire did grow an additional 10,000 acres overnight to a total of 180,000. the cost estimate has gone up to $27 million. also apparently more structures have been destroyed. yesterday, 24 homes have been destroyed, and today that has swelled to 31 homes and 80 outbuildings lost to fire. they're focusing on the northwest quadrant of the fire that is still a particularly difficult area. they're making efforts against the fire from the ancient sequoia groves. they're digging fire lines by hand and putting in hoses and sprinklers to protect these 300

years old trees. sequoia, as people know, sequoias need fire to propagate and to bow grow, but this fire s simply too hot, and too high, and could threaten the trees. >> thank you very much. a manatee mystery industry. what is killing some of them along florida's east coast. >> meteorologist: and we're looking at temperatures starting to heat up in the west. we'll have the numbers and the numbers and the national forecast coming up.

>> welcome back to al jazeera. i'm del walters. the reuters news agency is saying syria says it will defend itself if it is attacked. the senior white house spokesperson said that the president has not decided on any action. firefighters have gained ground on the fires burping at

yosemite national bark. and talk about your trip of a lifetime. two companies say they're going to send flights to outer space at prices $60,000. a jury will decide the fate of army shooter nadal hassan. heidi zhou castro joins us now from fort hood. heidi, what are we learning from that testimony. >> hassan indicated he will not present any witnesses, and he will not present any evidence. so what we're left with is most likely an unsworn statement given to the courtroom. this is not suspect to cross-examination nor is it subject to runningses from the judge. right now we're having a lunch break from the proceedingses and for hassan to have time for his

daily prayers. we should expect to hear from him. in the courtroom will be many of the survivors and families members of the 13 people that asan cooled. among the survivallers i surviv, he was shot two times by hassan and lived with ptsd ever since. he said, quote, when i go to the pharmacy, they have all the chairs lined up. when i go in there i don't do well. the signs from the trauma of the shooting that happened four years ago still visible in the survivors and the heartbreaking stories of parents and spouses who lost their loved ones. >> heidi, this has got to be the other side that have double-edge sword. in one sense he has been awarded a fair trial. on the other sense prosecutors are very fearful of what he

would have to say. >> that's true, del. but the thing is he's not really saying anything that might help his case. you know, from step one he has been condemning himself in a self-destructive pattern. what we do expect to hear from him in a couple of hours is what he's indicated before as his motive. he said that he found himself on the wrong side of the war, and that he was killing u.s. soldiers in order to protect the lives of muslim fighters in afghanistan. that argument never made it into evidence as a legal defense, but soon the stage will be hassans, and he can do whatever he wants. >> heidi zhou castro thank you very much. wildfires burning out west and crushing heat in the midwest.

it's one heck of a day weather-wise. >> meteorologist: yes, trying to look for areas that are cool, and that's the northeast. but look at these numbers. this is the temperature and local time at noon or a little before, and it is already up to 90 degrees. the heat continuing to build, and this comes with humidity. so these numbers will climb. when you factor in the humidity you will get a heat index seizely. we have the temperatures in the 60s, but that could be it. a thunderstorm storm and then 60s and 60s. develop not cool here for the next few days in the chicago area. the temperatures may be trying to cool off just a bit in the midwest. the tropicals were heating up aa while ago. a tropical storm could develop into a tropical system in the

pacific ocean. this moisture comes up with the southwest, and them the showers and thunderstorms, and there could be more today. expect ref rain in surgeon cart an let the flooding and strong storms mighting a repeat today. we have hot and dry weather conditions that will continue. >> thank you very much. back at it again. get ready for another showdown between the white house and congress over the nation's debt ceiling, and time is running out to strike a deal. today with us. ç]

>> welcome back to al jazeera. i'm del walters. a newly released video showing eye-witness testimony to the 1975 assassination attempt on president gerald ford. now the testimony is coming from the former president himself. the videotape shows ford answering questions from an attorney. the gun in the case was never

fired, and this is the first time a sitting president gave oral testimony in a criminal trial. >> she was three to four feet from me when i first noticed her. she appeared to want to come forward. i had the impression that she did come forward. i zipe th didn't see the precis. i got the impression that she wanted to speak to me or shake my hand. as i moved to shake hands or speak to her, i noticed the gun. as i indicated, it was in her hand, and approximately two feet from her. >> and fou she was sentenced toe in prison. she was released to parole in 2009 and now lives in up state new york.

the white house says it won't negotiate with the government over its ability to pay its bills. the president said it's vital to avoid a repeat of 2011 when congress' bickering led to possible default. on home prices increased 2% from june, buts down from may which signals moderation in the housing marc market: americans seem to be liking american cars a little less these days. consumer satisfaction gap

between the big three and the overseas brand is the larges ilargest infive years. the drop is in part of concerns of product liability. they believe the cars have suffered. the survey says that americans like european cars best followed by asian cars. we want to show you the numbers on wall street. the dow down 137 points. we invite to you tune in to "real money with ali velshi" to find out exactly why things on wall street are not going well and where they'll rebound between now and then. an ecological nightmare is unfolding in florida. hundreds of manatees and dolphins are dying there. and thos they want to know why.

>> this is ngo's indian lagoon. >> we've had over 50 bottlenose dolphin deaths in the same area, and 250 to 300 pelicans die this past spring. >> reporter: the indian river lagoon spans along central utah's east coast. the estuary and surrounding area is home to a million people who have seen the sea life disappear as the population has increased. peter is a fisherman who has felt the impact of the vanishing sea life first hand. >> i've a beautiful view, but it's not teeming with sea life but it's deep, black and flat and most of it is dead 1234 the

disappearance of vast rings of sea grasses. >> we've lost sea grasses in the last two years, that's 60% of what was in the lagoon. >> they're known as the rain forests of coastal water bodies. >> reporter: politicians, scientists and concerned citizens met last week to find out what is killing the lagoon's habitat. eric draper executive director of autobahn florida. >> we're dumping billions of gallons of polluted water in ouresourestuaries, and we've goo something about it. >> reporter: the water dumped in the lagoon is nitrogen rich contaminant were septic tanks.

scientists say it has upset the estuary as delicate balance. officials agree with a four-point plan to look at solutions, meanwhile they look to restore that balance. behind me are white pvc pipes that marks a spot where scientists are transplanting sea grass to see if it will take. but their efforts might not work, and more animals and habitat will likely die. al jazeera, palm bay, flog. >> the first solar powed train. the one-car train hit the tracks in hungary and could one day replace electric trains. the news continues on

al jazeera as always with much more at the top of the hour. we'll see you then.