welcome to al jazeera america. i'm del walters. these are the stories we are following for you. at least 23 people are dead after an explosion went off next to the iranian embassy in beirut. >> i was planning on a thanksgiving down here. we were all looking forward to that. but we don't know what we're going to do now. >> six more counties declare disaster zones in illinois. today marks the 150th anniversary of abraham lincoln's iconic gettingsberg address. ♪

lebanese officials say 23 people were killed in suicide attacks outside of the iranian embassy in beirut. dozens more were injured. an al qaeda-linked group says it is responsible, and it is another sign that syria's bloody civil war has spilled over the borders. >> reporter: scenes of devastation. two powerful bombs were detonated outside of the iranian embassy in beirut early on tuesday. many were killed and the iranian cultural attache was among the injured. >> translator: i am syria. i work opposite the iranian embassy. on my way to work the first explosion took place. i fell unconscious and woke up to find myself here at hospital.

it is a message that says clearly we can hit you anywhere you are. if you are going to be involved in places in syria, then we can also hit you in front of the iranian embassy in beirut or anywhere else. >> reporter: the attack appears to be the latest spillover from the syrian war. it wasn't the first of its kind. in august a massive car bombing killed scores of civilians in the southern suburbs of beirut. they said it was in retaliation for the participation in the syrian war. but for both of them the fight in syria is their fight. >> translator: this message is useless, and our deployment there is not only strategic but also political, yet distant from

sectarianism. similarly iran's position cannot be changed by such bloody message. hezbollah will continue fighting to safeguard its strategic enterprise in the region. >> reporter: lebanese people are already divided about syria's civil war, and both factions support opposing sides. many people now warn of more attacks in the days and weeks to come as syria's war is now also being fought in lebanon. all eyes on washington and wall street again this morning. we might want to call it dow 16,000 day two. the blue chips breaking through the barrier for the first time yesterday before closing a bit below. right now we're at a 27-point gain. i don't know what i'm going to do. i'm just going to take it day by day. i'm so thankful i have my boys.

>> people in the midwest are picking up the pieces after the deadly string of tornadoser to through the area. eight people were killed dozens more injured. perhaps the hardest hit, washington, illinois. andy roesgen is there. and andy, how are residents in washington coping? >> dell, folks are coming back into the neighborhood, car by car, just checking out what is left here. and disaster relief teams have set up in one parking lot handing out things like cleaning supplies. and in another parking lot, insurance companies to help with claims. from the air the damage is easy to see. miles of flattened areas where homes once stood. on the ground a devastating

site. >> it's hard to believe. it's almost like a -- can i wake up now? it's almost like a nightmare. >> reporter: on monday stunned survivors of the storms which ravaged communities in at least 12 states returned to hard-hit washington, illinois to scrape up what they could. >> my neighbor found my daughter's journal that she kept as a kid, so we'll be looking through bits and pieces. >> reporter: it was one of dozens of tornados that slammed through dozens of communities like this one where a brother and sister were killed. >> we was planning on a thanksgiving down here. so amy bought the turkey, and we was going to fry a turkey down here. so we were all looking forward

to that. >> reporter: the southern illinois city of [ inaudible ] suffered as well. after an all-night search and rescue, three fatalities. and here another 38 homes completely uninhabitable. the storms, which have left hundreds homeless and thousands still without power have sent shock waves throughout the hartland where many are not even allowed to turn to their homes which are deemed unsafe. >> once i got back into town, i literally had no idea where i was at. >> reporter: the governor has declared disaster areas in at least seven counties. >> it's important to begin the assessment of the damage for insurance company purposes and for any kind of application we

make to the federal government for federal disaster relief, we must make an initial assessment. >> it's sad. we'll rebuild, but they got the biggest things. sorry. which was my family. so . . . we'll take care of the rest. >> reporter: so much paperwork got blown away by this storm things like mail, medical records, so a facebook page has been set up to reunite people are that stuff. and for photographs especially poignant for some people because they all they have left. >> andy thank you very much. now to the philippines. 12 days after typhoon haiyan hit

the philippines, survivors still say they are not getting the help they need. 18,000 have been injured. that is up from 14,000 just last week, and 4 million people have been displaced by the storm. the world food program says roads are blocked and there are shortages of electricity and fuel, and that's why it is so hard to get to those in need. many say they are worried about what they are going to do for a living now. as far as the dead, forensic experts examining the bodies of over 175 victims before they were placed in those pass graves. experts are having a hard time identifying so many victims. and haiyan first made landfall where the philippines meets the pacific ocean. paul beeben walks us through a

municipal building. >> reporter: you can see this building was torn to sleds by the winds of typhoon haiyan. they are setting up a temporary medical clinic that was flown in on those two blackhawks. and they are distributing antibiotics and tetanus vaccine and doing wound care and assessments for patients who may have more serious conditions. they are expecting to see hundreds of patients here today. the question is are they going to have enough supplies to care for the number injured here. now that the roads are open, it is going to be easier to set up a steady flow, but today the urgent need was to get the vaccines out here as quickly as possible. a russian court granting

bail to seven of those 30 jailed green peace activists. bail has been set at 62 thousand dollars apiece. they were arrested in september protesting an oil drilling rig in the arctic. today president obama is going to be briefing senators on negotiations of talks between the iran and six other countries, including the us. mike viqueira is in washington. >> dell, it appears there are many who are angry over these talks are iran. they simply believe the united states and its allies, these six powers that are talking with iran about giving up any military implications for the nuclear program, believe

they are giving up so much. the saudis are very upset with the united states. they think this is ill timed and ill conceived. and there are senators, democrats and republicans, in congress who believe what is needed are tougher sanctions against iran, not an easing of sanctions, and that is just what is on the table now as secretary of state john kerry heads back to geneva. the white house calls for is on the table now in exchange for curtailing the nuclear program, a temporary easing of sanctions. the white house says this is reversible if iran does not prove it citizen sere. >> we believe there is the potential to initiate the first

phase of an agreement that would see iran halting progress on its program, and rolling back certain aspects of it, and as we -- and then -- and therefore, basically stalling progress on their program and rolling it back as we pursue a more comprehensive agreement. >> president obama says in no way, shape, or form, there is no scenario under which the united states would allow iran to develop nuclear military weapons. the implication is that a military strike against those facilities would come. >> sometimes washington is like a battleship that turns oh, so slowly, just five years ago even talking about talking to iran was considered heresy.

>> reporter: you are absolutely right. it was just two years ago when netenyahu has that cartoon-like bomb drawing with the red line. the united states has convinced israel and other allies that iran is not close to developing military capabilities in its nuclear program, but still that hasn't nullified a lot of critics. >> mike viqueira at the white house. mike, thank you very much. kathleen sebelius is on the road again today. this as the fallout with the affordable care act continues to grow and grow. julia is in orlando where she will first stop. and the president obama participate wants to do

something when they go to florida. what do they want to achieve? >> well, this morning she spoke to students here, and her goal was to let the students and administrators know that the government is addressing issues regarding the website so users can enroll. she spoke about the fact that this is still a new system. enrollment runs through march of 2014. she said we're still in the first quarter of a four-quarter system, and we're working to make everything is working right. this is just one of the latest stops in a series of meetings. they wanto make sure people know the system is working, the government is addressing issues, and as people log on, it will be

a success. and the target of letting young people know they can get affordable coverage. dell? >> do we know what the schedule will be in florida? >> they were very tight lipped about that. even when the secretary was taking questions, a number of reporters asked questions of what type of price ranges, pregnant women, and those with special issues, and at that point the secretary was whisked out. so we don't know where she will go next. i think their message is come to the website. we're fixing its, but beyond that, not much else was discussed. >> thank you very much. authorities in virginia are investigating a deadly attack at

the home of an influential senator. she was stabbed in his home in western virginia earlier this morning. he is now in the hospital in critical condition. and his son was found dead from a gunshot wound. deeds was the democratic candidate for governor in 2009. we continue to follow this story and we'll bring you more. coming up neck on al jazeera america, celebrating the 150th anniversary of a famous address, gettingsberg. live coverage: typhoon haiyan. >> relief efforts are well underway here in cebu. >> we have a problem with no homes to go back to. >> clean water, food, medicine, all vitally required. >> the australian medical team arrived. >> this is a government warehouse that is preparing relief for the families most effected. >> al jazeera america is there with continuing live coverage. >> the water rose to half-way up

to the second story. >> to find out how you can help, go to aljazeera.com.

>> while you were asleep, news was happening. >> here are the stories we're following. >> find out what happened and what to expect. >> international outrage. >> a day of political posturing. >> every morning from 5 to 9am al jazeera america brings you more us and global news than any other american news channel. >> tell us exactly what is behind this story. >> from more sources around the world. >> the situation has intensified here at the border. >> start every morning, every day, 5am to 9 eastern with al jazeera america. seven score and ten years ago today, president abraham lincoln went to the gettiesberg battlefields in virginia. it was only a two-minute long

speech, but his words have endured for over 150 years. lisa in gettiesberg, and walk us through the day's events so far. >> it's a cold day out here, but that didn't stop thousands from coming to mark this very, very special occasion. as you mentioned that speech 150 years ago today. i spoke with ken berns who is a documentary filmmaker. he called it the most important speech in american history. i would say most people would probably agree with that. today a number of ceremonies right here. wreath laying, speeches, invocations and talk also of the divisions in the country. of course very divided politically, the reverend said give us the courage to heal our divisions. speaking for the administration was interior secretarial salary

jewel. she said his words are chiseled in our hearts. they tell us what it means to be an american. and that's what a lot of americans talked about this morning. as ken burns told me, lincoln was doubling down on the constitution. he really did mean equality for all men, not just white men. there will be other ceremonies throughout the day, but the main event is wrapping up. it also included a recitation of the speech by someone dressed as president lincoln. and a number of women shows up in hoop skirts and men dressed in civil war military guard. >> the president did not attend. what was the reason given and what was the reaction? >> he was invited to attend

today. and some were surprised he did not attend given the fact he announced his run for the presidency at lincoln's home. they have said americans will remember president lincoln's words on these day. some say he was right not to come, others say he should have been here today. dell? >> lisa, thank you very much. ♪ so far it is the largest find to stem from the housing collapse. the justice announcing that jpmorgan and the government have agreed to a 13 billion dollars settlement. the agreement would also resolve

civil investigations against the bank of new york and california. it does not mean the bank is off the hook for possible criminal charges. and the government looking into those recent fire involving tesla's electric cars. no one was hurt but the investigation effects more than 13,000 cars sold in the u.s. the ceo says he welcomes the probe. the holiday shopping season creep continues. the latest news coming from wal-mart which will begin its black friday sales this friday, a week early. it says it needs to get a jump on thanksgiving, just because of the late date of thanksgiving. a voice for veterans. we'll tell you about a radio station that lets veterans tell their story.

and a host willing to ask the tough questions and you'll get... the inside story ray suarez hosts inside story weekdays at 5pm et / 2pm pt only on al jazeera america

♪ welcome back to al jazeera america, i'm del walters. here are today's top headlines. the justice department could soon announce a large settlement with jpmorgan chase. it would require the banking giant to set aside 4 billion dollars to help homeowners who lost their homes. a group linked to al-qaeda says it is behind the suicide bombs in beirut. rescuers are digging through the refuge of neighborhoods in illinois, leveled by tornados there. the tornados left behind a path of death and destruction. chances are if you have been to an arbor, michigan, you have

heard them and if not this is definitely for you. it is the first in a special series of reports we're calling veteran's stories. >> reporter: first light in ann arb arbor, michigan, and these two celebrate a decade of radio with their team. a few laughs and a hearty breakfast before going live at 9:00 from tiny studios. >> this is veteran's radio tenth anniversary program. >> reporter: the first guest ten years ago is back on the air again. john dingell on the line from washington, d.c. >> good morning, my friends and congratulations to you for ten years of great service. >> reporter: they were fed up with their jobs in the insurance industry ten years ago, when dale first floated the idea. >> i'm thinking about putting

together a program about veterans. and he said, oh, really, and he reached across the table and said i'm with you, because he was a veteran. i didn't know he was a veteran. >> reporter: it is mainly about storytelling. war tails. >> so often we hear he never says anything -- and they do, they open up, because it's veterans talking with veterans. >> reporter: the web gives dale and bob a global reach beyond the radio stations they are on, which are part of the catholic radio network. >> our audiences just keep growing. >> reporter: this man's daily program is heard on more than 200 stations worldwide, and he is their boss. >> there are few people who can do it week after week after week

and that's what these guys have done. >> reporter: they have big plans for the next ten years, more stations, more stories, and even taking the story on the road. but -- >> until then you are dismissed. >> reporter: yes, sir. ♪ i'm meteorologist dave warren, we are in the midwest now, the areas hit hard with that severe weather, not seeing anything on the radar, but the temperatures are just cold. temperatures at 34 in chicago, 30 in minneapolis. you think this is cold wait until the weekend. we're talking about an arctic blast. out in the pacific northwest it's a storm we're talking about up over canada, bringing a lot

of moisture in off of the pacific there with showers and in the high elevations dealing with snow. winter weather advisory in effect, southern montana for some light snow developing specifically in the higher elevations. you can see this picked up on the radar and the clouds together with wind and rain coming in. temperatures are warming back up over the great lakes but look what we have up in canada, an area of low-pressure just to the north of that some very cold arctic air, and it will plunge south on saturday and sunday. you might wake up to a warm temperature, but then temperatures will drop. you will see wind gusting between 30, 40 miles an hour, and the temperature could easily drop as the front passes a good 30 degrees. dell, back to you. dave, thank you very much. and thank you for watching al jazeera america. i'm del walters.

"inside story" is next. check us out 24 hours a day on aljazeera.com. wall street, positive territory right now. ♪ as americans open their wallets for the cause, the best practices of giving is the "inside story." >> the sheer scope of the disaster in the philippines is hard to imagine. thon edition of inside story we're going to talk about the long haul and the best way to help the victims and the government of the philippines to rebuild after haiyan. is it cash or physical aid or a combination of the two? welo