♪ this is al jazeera, i'm richelle carey. these are some of the stories we're following. the house prepares to vote today on defending the participate's health care law. devastation in mexico after back-to-back storms. the search for the missing goes on. and answer to the age-old question, is there life on mars? ♪ the debate over the debt officially underway on capitol hill. the house of representatives is about to vote on bought bill

that would avert a government shutdown but defund the health care reform law. randall have the voted started? >> reporter: this one has begun with an amendment and then there will be a main vote. we didn't got to the debt limit issue yet. we're dealing right now with the end of the fiscal year, the government running out of money at the end of the month. they are voting on a continuing resolution that would keep the money flowing, however the republicans are attaching a provision that would refund the affordable care act. debates on both sides of the issue. let's listen first to house minority leader, nancy pelosi. >> this place is a mess. let's get our house in order.

we are legislators. we have come here to do a job for the american people, and that job means we have to make the government run for the good of the people. we are not here to expand government, but we're not here to eliminate government. if the idea is to limit government, let's work together to do that. >> reporter: house house minority leader, nancy pelosi, the democrat really wants to just vote on one bill. that is the continuing resolution to keep the money flowing. but the republicans want to do that and get rid of obamacare. their mission in congress. here is congressman lee terry. >> i want the senate to join us in acting on eliminating obamacare. let's start over and really help folks get the health care they need. >> reporter: so what we will

expect to happen in the next few minutes is the house of representatives will indeed pass the continuing resolution, which will include a provision to defund the affordable care act, that will go to the senate where it is almost certain to not be accepted. they will strip the affordable care part from it, and send it back to the house. and then we'll either agree to keep the government running or have a shutdown. >> all right. randall thank you. hurricane manuel has weakened significantly, but the storm had a devastating impact on mexico. the acapulco area is still bracing for more storms. david mercer has more from mexico city. >> reporter: this is the result of days of torrential rains,

dozens of bridges and roads laid to waste. thousands of homes destroyed, tens of thousands of people made homeless. people wait anxiously for emergency rations. many have gone without food or water for days, and are desperate for help. >> translator: we just want support, something to eat. >> reporter: more than one million people have been effected by two tropical storms that slammed into mexico last weekend. rescue teams are finding more bodies as they reach isolated areas. survivors say the mud slides came out to nowhere. >> translator: i was walking down the street, when i heard a loud noise, and i just stood there. i saw how the dirt and burst began to billow up. when i saw it was coming down to the field, i started running.

>> reporter: the government is appealing to mexicans to help out. food banks have been set up across the country. we're hear in the heart of mexico city, and more than 30 tons of food and other goods have been collected. and volunteers are going through, sorting these things so they can go out on an air lift to the areas where they are really needed. some the government hasn't done enough to help them. >> translator: the coup is kilometers long. there are no tents. elderly people, pregnant women, sick children. >> reporter: but with more storms bearing down on mexico, the government's work here is far from over. colorado is tracking several oil and gas spills in the wake of all of the massive flooding. state officials don't no if flooding is responsible for the

spills which are classified as minor. meanwhile residents are returning home to lyons. one of the strongest storms of the year is packing 127 mile per hour winds and torrential rains. the massive storm is 680 miles wide and has already caused major flooding in northern japan. >> reporter: in the philippines they are making sure that villages are stocking up on provisions and getting out of me most exposed areas. last year a typhoon hit the philippines and killed about 1100 people. the fill marines be first hit, and then as the typhoon moves across the straight, the southern part of taiwan will be

hit, and then it is expected to slam straight into hong kong, if that happens it will cause a lot more damage in the southern parts of china, in an area that has already been severely damaged think tropical storms this year. ♪ that's right. it is barrelling towards hong kong. right now we are looking at a supertyphoon, necessary -- take a look. when you are talking about 680 miles, that is about the distance of [ technical difficulties ] flooding downpours are expected across portions of taiwan and into the philippines. flooding rain is the primary threat and damaging winds, and

we'll see mud slides out of this system. we expect it to make landfall really on sunday afternoon, so we'll continue to monitor that system. meanwhile on the home front, we're looking at a cold front ushering its way into the east. from detroit down into portions of the midwest including places like chicago all the way down into st. louis. we had severe thunderstorm watches in effect yesterday. those have since expired, but as this front pushes towards the east it will cool down areas behind it. but the severe thunderstorms are going to be a problem. meanwhile across mexico, moisture continues to push into texas, and heavy rain a expected to cross the state today. 13 people were injured when someone opened fire in a park in chicago. the most seriously injured a

3-year-old boy. the boy is in critical condition. he was shot in the cheek and was at the park with his mother. it took place at cornell square park. at least ten ambulances responded to the scene. investigators say this may have been gang related. >> there were a lot of shots, it was like boom boom boom boom boom. >> it happened so fast. i heard shots and came over and there were a lot of people down. >> this comes nearly three weeks after chicago saw an outburst of violence over labor day weekend. a car bombed exploded at a camp in yemen. killing 20 soldiers and wounding many others. an army officer said another

attack happened in another area. yemen's government said the assaults were care rid out by al qaeda members. the company this did a background check on aaron alexis also did the clearance on edward snowden. earlier this week the company said it had not handled navy yard shooter aaron alexis's case, but a spokesperson later confirmed that it had in fact screened him in 2007. alexis had a history of psychiatric problems and committing violent acts. despite this he had a security clearance. iran's president has hinted that its country may be ready for talk withs the us. scientist steven hawking is

showing the world how he planses his brain and mind in a movie.

♪ iran's new president has an op-ed in the "washington post" this morning. he says he seeks constructive engagement with the west, saying the age of blood feuds is on. and here is a quote . . . james bays is live at the un. that's quite a message in this op-ed, james. how would you summarize it.

>> this is part of the ironian charm offensive, making it clear that iran has changed. there is a new regime and they are going to do things differently. he specifically raises the key issues. he raises their nuclear program. he raises the situation in syria, and relationships with the us. and he says it's time to sit down and talk about these issues. it's time to have engagement on these issues. now we have to see how the west will respond. already the iranians in new york. >> it's such a contrast when you think about people walking out on his speech. let's talk about what this could mean for the un next week. >> it could be a huge break

through. i have heard so many of his speeches, and you really had to work your way through the rhetoric, they were very difficult to decipher. we know that some western leaders will be meeting with the iranians. it -- certainly the white house for now saying no meeting is scheduled. but here you have all of those world leaders mingling in this building for a few days. people bump into each other, and it's also possible to arrange a meeting that you could tell the word afterwards was just an accident. >> oh. it could be a significant pivot, you never know. james bays at the un, thank you

so much. iraqis that worked with the american military after the invasion in 2003 could now be shut out of the country permanently. thousands of iraqis who served as interpreters could be left stranded in iraq. >> reporter: there is an unbreakable bond between military men that you tend not to find amongs civilians, and this may be why. tim and his iraqi interpreter were targeted half a dozen times in iraq. falah now retired asked us not to use his last name. >> what do you do? >> such events happen? and you don't think about it. >> reporter: working with the u.s. army in iraq was okay at first, but soon got dicey for his family. one of his sons were hurt when their car was blown up in their

driveway. >> he got burned on his arm and leg. >> reporter: so when he wanted to bring his family to live in america, tim pulled out all of the stops. >> we could not, i repeat, could not have accomplished our mission without him or his fellow interpreters. >> five years visas were granted but now time is running out. the state department says we welcome any actions by congress to extent the iraqi siv program, and are working with our partners and interested members of congress to extent our authority to allow for the continued issuance of special immigrant visas. the lawyers working on behalf of

iraqis who are still seeking visas say thousands could be shut out permanent. >> there wouldn't be a problem if the program was run efficiently and expeditiously has it should have been. >> reporter: tim says looking at those who risked their lives to save americans' lives, should be a number one priority. at least falah and his family are now safe in the u.s., grateful to the town that has made them so welcome. >> i never forgot, you know. something is imprinted in my mind and my kids and my wife. something we couldn't have back there in -- in iraq.

>> reporter: he just wants his countrymen who also risked their lives for the u.s. to live the dream too. ♪ colorado farmers are bracing for the worst following the state's devastating floods. agriculture is one of the state's economic drivers and rows and rows of crops underwater. this could cost hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. it's a big step in the president's plans to address climate change. they are proposing new coal technology that requires the plants to capture greenhouse emissions. financially strapped home

owners are placing a higher priority on their mortgage payments. consumers that are having trouble paying their bills are choosing to pay their mortgage over credit card debt. a technical glitch could cause major problems for a key element of the affordable care act that is set to begin october 1st. the "wall street journal" reports software is not yet able to reliably determine what price people will have to pay for coverage. if the problem isn't fixed by launch day, consumers in 36 states could be effected. live pictures now from capitol hill, the house has passed a bill that would prevent a government shut down, but take away money to implement the president's health care reform law. harry reid says the bill, though, is dead on arrival. so it has passed in the house

and now it will pass to the senate where it almost certainly will not get out of the senate. steven hawking, a brilliant scientist, who wasn't supposed to live past the age of 23. 50 years later he is the subject of a documentary. phil la belle takes a look at his new film. >> reporter: >> reporter: this is no ordinary film. is no ordinary man. >> there is nothing like the movement of discovering something that no one new before. >> reporter: the subject is profez or steven hawking. and this is his story. his words. his idea. his life. full, uncensored reality tv. the life of a scientist through

a microscope. >> i have lived over two-thirds of my life with the threat of death hanging over me. >> i think he thought now is the time to do it in his own words to talk about what has made him who he is really. he was very accepting of it. >> reporter: steven hawking is adored, loved even here at cambridge and in many parts of the world. it is the fact he has achieved so much while suffering so much. by his own admission, he is also a celebrity. this is a man who took center stage during the opening of the 2012 pare are olympics. he has been on chat shows, the

simpsons, even star track. >> you bluffing. >> wrong again, albert. >> i think my celebrity has a lot to do with my condition. the wheelchair makes me instantly recognizable. i fit a stereo type of a disabled genius, though i am not a genius like einstein. >> reporter: when he was diagnosed he was given just three years to live. that was 50 years ago. his book became one of science best sellers. his movie is just 90 minutes, but gives the world a glimpse into his history. the red planet is no longer looking as though it is inhabitable. why the chances of finding life on mars, suddenly slimmer?

that's all i have an real money. victoria azarenko >> every sunday night al jazeera america presents

welcome back. live pictures from capitol hill where republicans are celebrating a victory. the house voted 230 to 189 to

pass a bill to prevent government shutdown but take money away that would implement the president's health care reform bill. it is unlikely to pass the senate. hurricane manuel is no more, but had a devastating impact along the gulf coast. the storms are blamed for nearly 100 deaths. iranian's new president wants to have talks to the west. it is a big step in the president's plan to address environmental change. there is a proposal to add new

coal plant requirements to capture greenhouse gases. the next time you go for sushi you may not mind tuna on the menu. the u.s. and japan is trying to limit how much tuna can be caught, but the efforts may not be enough. >> reporter: tokyo's sushi fish market does a brisk trade in the morning. the fish are packed and loaded, destined to end up in a restaurant like this one. a typical sushi bar in japan. >> translator: it is not because i'm japanese. it comes to me naturally, as i have been eating it since i was

born. >> reporter: this dish explains why the japanese consume close to 80% of blue fin tuna. the consumption of tuna has always increased as japanese cuisine food becomes more popular worldwide. the population has been decimated to 3.6%. now there is a proposal to cut the catch of young tuna by 15%. this man is a scientist who is working on a method he hopes will help the blue fin. researchers harvest cells from

te testees of tuna and implant them in mackerel. >> translator: in order to seek a full recovery of the population, we should have a ten-year closed season, but it is difficult to impose this because there are so many concerned. >> reporter: already some restaurants ban atlantic blue fin from their menu. people in japan will hope they don't have to resort to that to save the pacific blue fin. an age-old question, is there life on mars? maybe not. the curiosity has been searching for life-producing gases, has come up empty.

that's will do it for us. i'm richelle carey. thanks for watching. up next, "witness."