>> welcome to al jazeera america, i'm del walters. these are the stories we are following for you. a major winter storm threatening holiday travel. pope francis cracking down on the catholic church. and the controversial cia program exposed. a program turning guantanamo bay inmates into double agents for the us. ♪ that winter storm that dumped snow across the west and midwest now moving east and could effect your holiday travel plans. dave warren has more on the

storm's track. robert ray is in atlanta with the impact on the airports, but we're going to begin with diane in pittsburgh with a look at how the storm is effecting the roads. and diane, based on what i'm seeing, those roads are slick. >> yeah, snow continues to come down. it has been coming down for hours now. there is probably between two and three inches of snow on the ground here. we were talking about people earlier, and they were not plussed by all of in. in 1950 the pittsburgh area saw 2.5 feet of snow. it is predicted this area will get about a foot of snow. it should be over by tomorrow night. at least that's what everybody is hoping. including this woman. >> i have a lot of people coming in from columbus, but they are not driving until thursday, and i think the weather will be fine then. >> reporter: now the

pennsylvania department of transportation has road crews out working 12-hour shifts. so far there haven't been any major accidents. we were looking around to ohio the next door neighborhood to pennsylvania, they were reporting icy conditions and some road closures. >> diane we saw those horrible imagesment coming out of other parts of the country. do we have any idea how bad conditions are elsewhere >> reporter: we're hearing about accidents in atlanta and the nashville area. it is going to get a lot worse over the next 24 hours, however. wind conditionings in many placing like charlotte and norfolk, so that could ground a lot of flights. >> diane thank you very much and get warm. al jazeera robert ray is at the country's busiest airport in

atlanta. how is the storm effecting people down south? >> yeah, good afternoon, dell. it's not called hot atlanta for nothing. today it's about 35 degrees here, rain is falling, and the busiest airport in the world seems to be conducting business as usual. delays are very minimal so far. we talked to one woman who landed from new york moments ago. >> i think peopled expected better weather for thanksgiving, but for my flight i was fine. i hope it doesn't get worse. i hope it's just a bad prediction >> reporter: so dell, basically flights are coming in smoothly, a lot of rain expected today, 100% precipitation, perhaps even a light dusting of know in the

morning and overthis thanksgiving holiday. delta, u.s. air, united and jet blue last night put out their water waver changes. so people who want to change their flights can call in and the airlines will be happy to do that, though that is only in effect for cities in the northeast on the eastern seaboard. in atlanta the weather is not expected to be that bad so the change fees will not occur here. >> can you give us an idea of volume where you are. people choosing today to try to get away because of the reports of bad weather here to come. >> volume here is supposed to be 8.1 million people over the next week.

tomorrow is not the busiest travel day it will actually be sunday. though i think people are just taking this as -- as a rough few days ahead, but overall people seem to be taking it in stride dell. >> robert thank you very much. >> and millions already left are thinking about leaving so what is waiting for them weather wise when they hit the road? here is dave warren. >> what is waiting is the storm that is developing. the time of day and temperature will be key here. right now the last 12 hours radar plus clouds showing a lot of rain falling here. here is the rain/snow mix. and there's a little section here in the western portion of north carolina and virginia. that's because the cold air is trapped in place there, so that's where you might get icing. snow coming down as long as it is light enough should not be a

big problem. there is that rain-snow mix. the storm still off of the coast of the gulf states there. it's bringing in a lot of warm air but the cold air is trapped in place. throughout the next few hours very heavy rain as the storm brings up the warm air, and then overnight tonight snow will really start to accumulate at 9:00 there is all of the rain coming down, and once it clears out, we're talking about wind. dell? >> dave warren thank you very much. there are new revelations about cia activities at guantanamo bay. the agency once operated a program designed to turn al-qaeda detainees into double agents. the cia reported by promising the prisoners freedom, safety for their families and money. it is in area of gitmo called penny lane after the song. lindsay ifs the reports are

true, this was a gutsy and some would say controversial move by the cia. >> absolutely. i think it kind of harkens back to cia says of yore, when they really took high risks for high rewards. you know, the agency has been criticized over the past decade for not being able to infiltrate al-qaeda and other terrorists groups, and my guess, if this is true, that they saw the detainees at guantanamo as their shot at getting someone into these groups. >> and this is not the first time they have tried to turn prisoners do double agents. so what are the risks and rewards. >> the foremost risk is whoever you recruit to be a double agent, could go back home and immediately become a triple agent and be feeding us

misinformation, be reporting on cia activities and cia sources and methods back to the enemy. so it's almost like -- if you think of the show homeland, this is any organization's worst nightmare. but the risk is huge. you know, we could have someone -- we could have someone who then perpetrated or orchestrated an attack against the u.s., using the knowledge they have of the way that we operate. all of that said, the reward is huge too. as i said before it's virtually impossible to infiltrate these networks with your typical cia agent, so this was probably the best chance we had to do that. >> lindsay thank you for being with us this morning. the future of that security deal between the u.s. and afghanistan is now in doubt. afghan tribal elders approving

the agreement the president says he won't sign it at least not yet. the u.s. is putting the pressure on karzai, though, to change his mind. libby the white house cannot be happy that karzai has once again moved the goal post. >> that's right, dell. this group of afghan elders and leaders recommended that karzai sign on to the bilateral security agreement, he is balking, and he says more has to happen. he wants an end to raids of private afghan homes. this has been a very contentious issue. the bilateral security agreement says they could only be done in extreme circumstances when lives are on the line in 2015. karzai says that doesn't go far enough. he also wants to see inmates released from guantanamo bay. a lot of this centers around the afghan presidential election. those are happening in april. karzai is expected to step down

at that point, but he wants to hold on to as much leverage and power as he can until that time. >> how much power does he have? what does this mean for the future of u.s. troops in afghanistan? >> susan rice met with karzai personally yesterday and she had this warning. >> if the agreement isn't signed promptly, what i said to the president is we would have no choice. we would be compelled by necessity not by our preference to have to begin to plan for the prospect that we will not be able to keep our troops here because they will not be invited because the bsa will not have been signed. and the investments we have made could be more difficult to sustain. >> this could mean pulls out

u.s. troops by 2014 entirely, and pull back for aid for the military and social programs as well. dell? >> libby thank you very much. if the pack isn't signed charities could find themselves in an abface as well. ferguson has that story. >> reporter: these two boys used to spend all day picking rubbish off of the street to sell for a few dollars. now they go to school, courtesy of a local charity, which help children catch up on their studies and get back into the state educational system. >> translator: i was collecting old paper and the head of the school came to me and asked me if i wanted to go to school and i said yes. >> reporter: but charities funded by international donors are increasingly anxious. a dispute between the americans

and the afghan president threatens to jeopardize foreign donations to the country if he doesn't sign a security pack soon. on monday heated discussions between karzai and susan rice went nowhere. those running social projects here say donor fatigue is already starting to set in. the organization behind this school also used to run this shelter for street children. it shut its doors in march as money from abroad ended. the small shelter used to house children while the organization searched for their families. >> those children because of having no resources for them, most of them will be send back to the street to work. >> reporter: for years in facility gave street kids somewhere safe to sleep until they can have more long-term

arrangements. now it's completely empty. the charity that runs it says it ran out of money. some see carsy's refusal to sign the security pack as a risky move. they believe that the americans want to stay here come hell or high water, so think they think they are in a very strong bargaining position, and that may be completely out of kilter with reality, but that does seem to be from the palace. >> reporter: but it is a very different view from the classroom. but the children continue to enjoy themselves unaware of the political crisis and how it could end what little they have. jane ferguson, al jazeera, kabul, afghanistan. pope francis attacked capitolism. he writes power should move away

from the vatican. the 84-page document says the church needs to focus more on poverty. calls on global leaders to address education and health care. and christians should embrace muslims with affection and respect. dozens of people clinging to the hull of a capsized boat. plus the housing recovery could be slowing. that story in our top business headlines when al jazeera comes right back. the inside story ray suarez hosts inside story weekdays at 5 eastern only on al jazeera america

>> al jazeera america is the only news channel that brings you live news at the top of every hour. >> here are the headlines at this hour. >> only on al jazeera america. welcome back to al jazeera america. i'm del walters. the top military commander of the free syrian army telling al jazeera that its fighters won't part in any peace talks unless a number of their conditions are met first. the opposition plans to meet with officials trying to decide whether they will attend the negotiations in geneva.

>> reporter: syrian rebels under growing pressure to make a decision about whether to attend the geneva peace conference. the syrian coalition, the main opposition group is pushing back, and has set a number of conditions for sending its representatives to those negotiations. one of them is a ceasefire across the country to be followed by humanitarian corridors to areas besieged by government soldiers. they also want the release of prisoners. but that's not all they want. they want a change in government too. >> we will not go to geneva if our conditions are not fulfilled and the first and main important condition that bashar must lee the power and he will not have any role in the future of the country. >> reporter: while the call

maneuvering continues so does the shooting. fighters are seen here launching an attack against government troops. [ gunfire ] >> reporter: on the outskirts of damascus, government jets pound rebel positions. and over in the callmoon area, a major army campaign somebody underway to retake positions now under rebel control. it's been more than two and a half years of fighting and tens of thousands of people have been killed. now the international community faces the delicate task of convincing the rebels and the government that diplomacy is the only chance. ♪ here are some of the business stories make headlines today. on wall street the dow's record

run may continue. the blue chips higher once again. up 30 points at this hour. the nasdaq also back above the 4,000 mark. housing gain showing some signs of slowing. commerce department reporting that permits to build new homes prizing -- rising 6.2% in october, that is the highest level in five years. u.s. consumers are not feeling up debt about the economy headed into the key holiday shopping season. a report on consumer confidence hitting the lowest levels in seven months. they still have concerns about hiring and pay raises. still tough times for barnes & noble. quarterly sales sunk 8%. barnes & noble expects four-year sales to be down as well.

protesters in thailand are stepping up their campaign to oust that country's prime minister. demonstrators storming more government ministries. protest leaders are urging supporters to mount more blockades of government buildings across the country. five years ago today more than 160 people were killed in mumbi. chris has more. >> reporter: at just 15, david has seen more bloodshed than most people do in a lifetime. she was one of the first and youngest victims of the 2008 mumbi attacks. she was shot in the leg after gunmen attacked a crowded train station. >> translator: on that day, i saw with my own eyes so many

people die and get injured. bombs exploding. i remember those things every day. >> reporter: on november 26th, 2008, ten pakistani men arrived in mumbi by boat. they spread out across the city, attacking various locations, including luxury hotels and a jewish center. the siege continued for 60 hours, and killed more than 160 people. mumbi's busiest train station was the sight of one of 12 coordinated shootings and bombing attacks. at 9:30 two gunmen walked in and opened fire, killing 28 people. this man was convicted and executed last year, but five years since the 2008 siege, some security analysts say india is

still not prepared to prevent such attacked. >> coordination centers have been set up, most of them don't function. nearly half of the boats are dysfunctional because of inadequate main ten nangs and simple aging. >> reporter: despite spending more than $35 billion on defense this year. there is little intelligence coordination in the country. but victims like this one has paid the price. she says she wants to make difference by becoming a police officer. and this just in to al jazeera america. the supreme court now deciding it will hear a case challenging the affordable air act, also known as obamacare. the key issue whether companies

should be required to pay for insurance that covers the pill birth control. an ohio businessman is quickly losing support. trey raidel being asked to resign after pleading guilty last week to misdemeanor cocaine possession. these dramatic images showing 100 people clinging to a boat that capsized. at least -- 40 people drowned. a rescue operation is now underway. american history up for sale. a little book expected to fetch millions when it goes on the auction block. that's next on al jazeera america. we depend on you, >> you are one of the voices of this show. >> so join the conversation and make it your own. >> the stream. next on al jazeera america

and join the conversation online @ajamstream.

welcome back to al jazeera america. i'm del walters. here are today's top stories. holiday travel off to a rocky

start. heavy snan and snow moving towards the east, causing major highways across the country to grind to a halt. the u.s. is pressuring afghan president to sign that security agreement between the two countries. karzai refusing, saying he wants more things added. the u.s. says his waiting to sign could force u.s. troops out of the region too soon. protesters in thailand stepping up their campaign to oust their prime minister. protest leaders are urging supporters to mount more blockades of government buildings across the road. a tiny book of psalms is on the auction block. it is believed to be the first book printed in this the us. now it is expected to set a record price attack shun. >> reporter: access to this

low-lit corner of the boston public library is limited and good reason. among the most valuable items this book. the first book written and printed in the u.s. back in 1640. it is a translation of the book of psalm, and represents a rebelian against england. the original words are sometimes hard to read, but saum -- psalms 23 is still recognizable. >> in the valley of death shall i walk, none ill i'll fear. >> reporter: there are only 11 known copies of the book in in existence. this one is owned by the old south church in boston. its first congregation gathered in in 1669. samuel adams was a church member

here. >> it has been said about old south church in boston that there is no other church so integral to this nation's quest for freedom and justice than this church. >> reporter: the idea of selling the book came about up 20 years ago. the congregation eventually voted in favor of selling. >> it's a part a of our past. but you don't get to be 344 years old without making adjustments in this your history. >> reporter: so how much is the book worth? all will be revealed on tuesday at sutherby's auction house in new york. estimated price, 15 to $30 million. >> the range tells you that it is an extremely valuable book. it will be when it sells, the

most expensive printed book in history. >> reporter: he is certain it stay in american hands. an old book with a new owner someone with deep pockets. kat turner, al jazeera, new york. ♪ i'm meteorologist dave warren. we're looking at a lot of rain and some mixing with snow, but there is a lot of warm air with this storm. very heavy rain as the storm continues to intensify this is by tuesday after and evening this evening. overnight tonight the sun starts to go down, and we'll start to see the snow accumulate. it continues to move north, travel delays expected wednesday morning. travel delays expected wednesday afternoon as the snow begins to clear out, it will be done by thursday. dell? >> dave warren thank you very

much. and thank you for watching al jazeera america. "the stream" is next. food as they are politics. we from innovators on the front lines of the school lunch food fight. >> our digital producer is here. wa j. >> huge feedback