welcome to al jazeera america. counting down to a shutdown. the political power place kick into high gear. american workers discover the hidden costs of being paid. >> a warning to world leaders. israeli prime minister benyamin netanyahu - when it comes to trusting iran's president - proceed with caution. >> the government is one step closer to a shutdown. early this morning house republicans voted on a bill to

keep the government running but delay the obamacare. president obama has promised to veto any resolution that strips his health care plan. we have more. >> a rare weekend session in congression, and a very early morning vote. >> the republican majority will vote to shut the government down. >> why are we doing this? number one, this is a program that is too expensive to afford. >> the house voted on a bill that would keep the government open. but this time delay the care affordable health care act for a year. >> the house voted to keep the government open to fund the government but the house responded to the millions of americans who are hurting under obamacare. the senate needs to do the same

thing. >> what you see in the house is speaker boehner handed the gav ill to speaker cruz. >> in his weekly address president obama urged congress to act quickly. >> if congress doesn't pass a budget by monday, the end of the fiscal year, the government shuts down, along with vital services. >> on the list passport and visa applications, government parks and museums. people waiting for housing loans provided by 800,000 federal workers who will be furlowed. the concern is who is to blame. >> we'll give a choice to the president of the united states. what if democrats said we're going to shut down the government if we don't get gaye rights or guncontrol. >> the health care is slated to

kick in this week. >> the government has been at this .17 sometimes. the shortest lasted a day, the recent one ended in january 1996, lasting three weeks. if the government shuts down, the house included a stipulation in the bill ensuring military personnel receive their pay checks. it's not a guarantee. many military families are not sure how to make ends meet. >> didi shops for her infant grandson at a store in texas. her daughter is a soldier at the nearby army base, fort hood. >> that's how she pays her rent. >> saunders is worried how her daughter's family will get through a shutdown, and is worried about all soldiers. >> they are frightened and doing stuff for the country, why don't the government do it. >> more than 42,000 soldiers are stationed at fort hood.

without a congressional resolution they will report to duty on tuesday and work without pay until the bill gets the president's signature. only then will soldiers be compensated retro actively. >> nothing i can do, helpless. >> this woman works at the tlist store to make ends meet. if her husband, a sergeant, loses his pay check their family of six will be unable to meet their basic needs. >> our rent, our utilities - do you know what i mean? necessities. survival. >> if the shutdown happens the first missed military pay check will be october 15th. it applies to deployed soldiers. usaa, which offers banking services to soldiers says it will allow members to take out no interest pay roll advance loans. >> these are families serving our country.

it's unfortunate they have to deal with the uncertainty. >> the uncertainty will continue until congress decides to fund the government. >> everyone needs to man and woman up in washington d.c. >> military families say that's what we are doing. they are looking for second jobs, and tightening their budgets in preparation for tough times ahead. >> so if congress debates the affordable health care act, across the atlantic great britan is implementing reforms to its national health services. >> as the u.s. prepares for a major change in health care the u.k. is facing the biggest remodelling of the health system since the birth of the nhs. the nation is implementing the health and service care act. intended to have oversight,

streamlined coverage and allowing private outsourcing. >> from 5 july... . >> since its creation in 1946. the nhs is the largest single payer health server. every british system had access to the same medical care, regardless of the individual cost. there has been difficulties and scandals along the way. one of the biggest revealed in a 2009 investigation, uncovered hundreds of patients in two hospitals dying through negligence and poor management. critics say the scandal exposed the nhs as a bloated bure okay rahsy caring -- bure okay rahsy, caring little for the patients and more for protecting jobs. >> julie lost her mother and started to cure the nhs. she supports the idea of a national health care system, but warns americans of creating a

bureaucracy so large in it is abused or mistreated. >> one thing you have to watch out for is accountability. that is lacking in the nhs. nobody is held to account. we have lost up to 1200 people. without accountability it will continue, the harm will continue. you need to have accountability so people do the job they are paid to do. >> accountability is part of the reinvisioned nhs. there has been criticism of measures that the current government pushed through in the 2012 act, making health care profitable by outsourcing to private firms, some of whom get taxpayer money and luke rattive grants. private care has been in the u.k. for decades. studies shows the level of care is the same, but it allows for patients to go to the head of the line when it comes to getting speedier operations. >> that has not been a concern

for transplanted american john reilly who underwent cancer treatment with the nhs for the better part of this year, and is satisfied with the speed and level of care. his message to americans... . >> welcome it with open arms. a small tax increase it costs is worth every penny. end of story. i'm a complete convert. i prefer this system. >> by and large the british people are fiercely proud of their health care, showcasing it in last year's olympic ceremony. and british health care is widely regarded as among the best in the world. the problem underlying all of this is as medical procedures are more advanced they oftentimes become more expensive. people are living longer, further raising costs. the question is how to create a system that treats all those in need, but not at the expense of

others, and on both sides of the atlantic it appears there's no one single simple treatment for that. >> one week after the deadly attack in kenya the government is facing criticism that it ignored warnings. kenyan officials refused warnings a year ago that al-shabab was planning suicide attacks at the westgate mall. the kenyan intelligence report, they were told: >> also: >> israeli prime minister benyamin netanyahu arrived in new york this morning ahead of a speech at the united nations general assembly, and a meeting with president obama at the white house monday.

before leaving israel benyamin netanyahu told reporters he was coming to america to tell the truth about royal adelaide hospital and discuss the smoke screen that iran's president used to fool western powers. >> translation: i tell the truth in the face of the sweet talk and the onslaught of smiles. what are facts, and one must tell the truth. telling the truth today is vital for the security and peace of the world and, of course, it is vital for the security of the state of of israel. >> israel security services says they arrested a man believed to be a spy for royal adelaide hospital. the man is a belgium citizens of iranian origin recruited by the iranian revolutionary guard to set up business ties in israel as a font for tying. peter sharp has more. >> the israeli intelligence services said the man was

arrested at ben gurian airport on-september 11, two weeks ago. it was alex mans, travelling on a belgium passport, of iranian dissent. -- descent, born in iran, arrested on suspicion of working with the iranian intelligence service, spying in israel. he told interrogators that he was promised to be paid $1 million to carry out spying operations inside the state of israel, and he said that he had been involved in making contact with businesses in the tel aviv area facilitating regular access to the country. he visited israel three times in the last year and is being held by the intelligence services. >> peter sharp reporting there. when it comes to reading, writing and my favourite - arithmetic - things will change. we look at the new normal when

it comes to testing students in the u.s.

o

((conversation >> children around the country are back in school. many are following the common core curriculum, an educational standard adopted by 45 states and the district of columbia. along with it, there is controversy. melissa chan has more. >> change is coming to public schools across the country. common core is a national program setting maths and english standards, but it's not run by the federal government, it's led by state grandfather nurse and education commissioners. as part of it california will role out a test, called smarter balance. whether it is smarter or balanced and fair is to be

decided. >> in the short term, from what i see i believe there's a learning curve in terms of switching to a new format, but in the user interface of the testing. >> california plans on using something called computer adapt if testing. for example, a student who answers a question correctly will receive a more difficult question next. an incorrect answer generates an easier question. test makers say this provides accurate scores, identifying which skills a student has learned. >> the common core standards examine a few key concepts for each level, instead of covering a lot of ground. they focus as much on why and how a student arrives at an answer as the answer itself. >> it's like, "okay, you know how to do your times table, why does multiip lickation work the way it does?" what does it mean. being able to apply that is

going to the store with mum and dad and applying it in the real world. >> teachers and school districts exercise the freedom of setting lesson plans. critic worry benchmarks means pressure for some. for many students the new exams are more difficult. >> we have seen this play out. in new york they implemented the new assessments. they have seen test scores drop dramatically. >> 45 states signed on to the common core in a first and historic multistate plan. whatever short-term challenges lie ahead. the states believe the long term play-off will be words it by replacing a patch work testing system. >> we need to create consistent steps in education.

>> because we are in a transition period, it's important to speak specifically to your child's teacher about what it looks like in the classroom, and then i would ask to see samples of work that are tied to the common core state standard. >> it will be several years before state's know whether they made the right decision, whether new tests and standard have improved public education. >> more companies are switching to payroll card systems. millions of americans are being hit with extra salary fees. some workers earn less than minimum wage. the new york attorney-general is investigating whether the system is legal. kath turner reports. >> natalie used to like working at mcdonald's until the company

gave her a pay roll card, loaded with a wage, and used at an atm like a debit card. the problem - fees, and lots of them. natalie didn't have a choice. >> i called hire ups to see if they could find another way of direct deposit, a cheque, something. they told me i could activate the card or not get paid. she quit, hired a lawyer and sued mcdonald's. >> let's look at the fees. if natalie used the card now each time she checked or balance it would cost between $1-$3. each purchase break-ins a fee of $0.50. withdrawing cash costs $6. if she was cautious and did not use the card she could be charged a fee of $7.50, not much when you earn $7.20. the card is becoming popular. companies can save millions a year by switching from pay

cheques to pay roll cards. >> the card industry is rapidly growing. it's been around for a while. it's relatively new. there's a wide range of companies involved, a spectrum of costs associated with the cards, protections that people get, and other kinds of abusive processes. >> corporations insist that they offer staff multiple ways to be paid, and the pay roll card helps low-wage workers who do not have bank accounts. wall greens used the cards as a pilot. the employees could be paid by direct deposit or check. in a statement they say: >> natalie is looking for applications online and at job fairs. she has a seven-year-old

daughter to support. >> they are taking advantage of kids that don't understand fees and debit cards, and people who are less fortunate or struggling to find a job. >> natalie would rather be unemployed than watch her small salary become smaller, without touching her money. >> the consumer financial protection bureau issued a bulletin warning employees that it's against using pay roll cards to pay workers, workers must be able to choose how to receive their wages. >> decades of debt and a losing streak ahead on al jazeera. the marlin stadium and how it

did not deliver.

welcome back. let's look at the top stories. congress moved the federal government one step closer to a shutdown. this morning the house of representatives passed a bill funding the government past

monday, only if congress agrees to delay the affordable health care and kill a tax to pay for the act. the bill moves to the senate where democrats promised to reject it. international inspectors will start looking at the chemical weapons in syria. the u.n. security council voted to destroy syria's weapons. >> israeli pm benyamin netanyahu will challenge iranian president's hassan rouhani's charm offensive. he's hoping to challenge perceptions that iran is less of a nuclear threat under president hassan rouhani. >> we are tracking a typhoon, expected to make land full in vietnam. >> we are monitoring the system and will make landful in vietnam

tomorrow, in the afternoon, on into the evening. we'll see rough seas, damaging wins where the system will make landful south of hanoi, vietnam's capital, but where 7 million live. it will go across the mountainous terrain. heavy rain could lead to mudslides around coastal areas. it's quite across the pacific. making your way into the east there's a system making its way across the north-western portion of the u.s. you can see the circulation in the atmosphere, and it continues to draw on the moisture. last week we told you about the tropical storm. we are seeing enhanced shower activity, overcast skies across the north-west. tracking into this afternoon into this evening flooding rain, up to 5 inches in some areas to

the south of seattle around the tubing oma area. we'll monitor that. this is footage from the north-west. folks trying to make their way around, difficult, and trying to see another round of that. these are the warnings that we have out. flash flood watches and warnings to the south. because of cloud cover, 57 for seattle's high, it's below where they should be at this time of the year. it's cooler because a frontal boundary is pushing through, staying cooler across portions of the north central plains into chicago, where we are expected to climb to a high of 69 degrees and we will continue to monitor the front as it pushes to the east. back to you. >> thank you. build it and the fans and the money and the spotlight will

come. that's a common promise echoed across the country by the big business of sports. the end game a shiny stadium. in miami the promises fell short and the fans were left holding the bill. >> it's been another lack lustre season for the miami marlins, with empty seats and storefronts in and around their half a billion stadium, paid for by taxpayers. fans are disgusted with the marlins losing streak. unless you bring a winning franchise, the stadium is only as face as it promises. >> there was the promise of an economic boom and revitalisation of the surrounding little havana neighbour hoot. when the commission voted to pay for the commission. as the owner of a liquor store, orlando padron envisioned fans taking a seat at the bar or

buying liquor next year. he said since 2012 not only has his profits not risen, but on game days regulars stay away afraid of traffic. >> translation: the politicians may be talking about jobs inside the stadium. here, as a business owner we don't see changes, it's hurting us. >> taxpayers will by $2 billion through 2049 thanks to interest rates. the scc is investigating the financing to see if there was irregular itties. the the miami mayor carlos gimenez has opposition to the deal. he said a good deal could be netted, but in this case it didn't. >> a change of ownership is the only good deal. hopefully in the future more economic development will go to the area and you'll see more activity. i don't see it happening in the near future. >> the marlins refused to speak to us.

own owner took his message to the fans, saying: many attack the county's method for financing. but the marlins had nothing to do with that. there is anger over the stadium price tag and the politics behind it. >> transparency is key, accountability is key. people learn from experience. this experience here in miami has become a national conversation. >> in florida the aftertath of the marlin stadium deal lingers. flo florida legislators torpedoed a request to fund the club. >> an american daredevil has done it again.

jed corless went through a mountain, through a cef ace that is 10 feet wide. it was unlike anything he has done. >> i have never experienced any more hard core period. >> he did it himself. he has completed 2,000 jumps over the past 15 years, some from landmarks like the eiffel tower and the space needle in seattle. >> that is it. working man's debt coming up next. you are watching al jazeera america. thanks for your time.

[[voiceover]] in today's technological age, is heavy manual labor disappearing, or is it just becoming invisible? physical work was once celebrated with hymns of praise. but workers today must be content that their hard work is better than no