♪ welcome to aljazeera america. these are the stories that we're following for you. retailers open their doors early for the annual hoard of black friday shoppers. coordinated demonstrations targeting walmart across the country. protesters taking to the streets of cairo defying authorities. today is a day off for millions of americans and many of them spend it online or in stores looking for those great black friday deals, some of them

looking for bargains after the end of thanksgiving dinner and patricia what is is the big gif, the big "it" they are looking for this year. >> reporter: let me tell you right now that the traffic is really out in force here in this mall but when we came here around 5:00 this morning this was not much foot traffic at all, largely because of the fact that gray thursday has stolen a lot of black friday thunder. many of these stores were open last night at 8:00. sears had 500 people online cueing for door buster deals but what is interesting is that while the traffic was heavy for those door buster deals you talk to some sales associates they said that things started to tail off around 2:00 a.m. this morning and they did not pick up again until around 11:00 a.m. and wages are stagnant in the united states which has really cut into the spending power of the american consumer and so

bargains are important. one of the most telling winds are the lack of bags that people are carrying. you are seeing cautious shoppers looking for the best bargains that they can find. >> and for retailers, patricia, this is d-day, this is the day. >> reporter: absolutely. it is a very important day and weekend. many retailers, especially those catering to the cost kconsumer they've warned that earnings will be lower than expected and so they are preparing their shareholders and we're seeing the squeeze that is on the american consumer, that is one thing that we're seeing and consumer reports came out with a poll showing that 56% of americans have no intention of setting foot inside a store on black friday, they would rather just shop online. >> one year it was the xbox or

the iphone, the ipad, is there one gift that everyone is looking for or, today are they just shopping around? >> interesting that you ask about that because a telling can the story is who are the consumers shopping for. many are really just shopping for themselves. they've waited for deals, for bargains to come along to pick up essential goods and so really we're just seeing more people shopping for themselves and not so much picking up those gifts. >> patricia, thank you for this. >> you bet. how it we get here, the day after thanksgiving marking unofficial start of the holiday season since the 19th century but the term black friday was first coined in philadelphia, the army/navy football game played on a saturday right after thanksgiving and the game drew large crowds and frustrated the police and in 1961 one writer said that traffic jams are a problem to the police and in

philadelphia it became customary for the philadelphia officers to refer to it as black friday and saturday and shopowners looked to change the name to big friday but that did not work and enter the marketers who then referred to a shift in profits from red to black when they surged. one group uses the day black friday as a protest day calling for better wages and working conditions and live now from a walmart store in chicago, andy, what is happening there today. >> it is quiet now but at the walmart they marched around with signs, they chanted and they sang songs and many went into the streets blocking traffic and the police said that they had enough of that and then they arrested those ten people and

there was no violence involved and it was a well choreographed event and they are looking to hammer home the point that walmart for a company making making $17 billion a year should be paying its employees more, more than the average of a minimum wage and among those who were arrested today was a man who was arrested and said that he was proud to do it. >> i know that i will be retaliated against but it does not matter. i'm 45. everyone else in the chicago area who has a living wage, we need one too the chicago police, fire departments, when they needed their raises we got them. and now we would love for them to stand with us. hey, this is working. it is not for me. or for my workers, my co-workers and workers across the country. >> a spokesperson for walmart

came right out here after the protest was done and fired back saying that that worker will not be retaliated against, saying that that is now how the company operates and says that walmart employees' wages are comparable to other big box stores and says they are given a generous 401 k, health benefits and tried to emphasize that the company promotes workers, giving them better paying jobs if they stay with the company saying that the cat company promoted 150,000 workers last year and she took aim at the protesters themselves saying that the vast majority of them were not walmart workers, mostly just union sympathizers and there were only three workers there. union workers say that they were there to prevent other companies from following a precedent that walmart has taken in terms of how they deal with employees and the spokesperson said that those protesters are paid people from the unions and the organizer of

this event says, no, no way and denies that and says that none were played. >> walmart has aired a series of commercials around the country touting just how happy their workers are. was anyone speaking of those commercials today? >> they mocked them, saying that those commercials shows a side of walmart that the company wants you to say but they say it is not like that, saying that workers are exposed to odd shifts, not giving them enough pay to even earn them $25,000 a year and the company says that the vast majority of their workers are happy pointing to the fact that most protests going on recently there were 50 arrests in la's recently and more protests in chicago as well, most of those protests are from unions around town and it is a they-said, they-said >> andy, thank you.

tomorrow is the self-imposed government deadline to fix a medical website and deadlines have come and gone with the web site and there are so many glitches many are talking about scrapping the affordable care act altogether. just 106,000 people had signed up for coverage in its first month. the policy is kicking off january the 1st and the administration says that 7 million people will sign up. they put their lives on the line to serve their country but more and more men and women are returning to a reality where they cannot afford simple things like food and clothing. a colorado woman is trying to help. >> reporter: sometimes even the strongest need a little help. an army private's salary starting at $18,000 per year does not go far.

and so these two soldiers have come to this warrior's warehouse armed with a shopping list of stuff that they cannot afford. >> they do not have enough money to go around. you've got an e4 or a private with a couple of kids and then things are ebb pensive. >> reporter: it is the only civilian non-profit of its kind in the country operating on an army post. it started in 1991 when she was astonished to see soldiers returning from war and headed straight into poverty. >> this is our schoolroom with backpacks and supplies for the kids. >> reporter: all of it donated from companies throughout colorado and the united states. >> all of this was gone through? >> yes. >> reporter: this redistribution center is wear the warriors warehouse collects their donations. >> we have meat product and that stuff that we pressure and then hand out to our families. and we give a month's worth of food.

>> reporter: volunteers are vietnam vets who know all too well about what it is like to return home with a broken spirit. >> every day we do this, we find more and more guys in need. >> and it will be worse because all are coming back. >> reporter: $2.8 million in doe nays from last year alone still has made it hard to keep up with demand. >> we started out with this much and it has grown. >> reporter: the warrior's warehouse is open to those below the rank of sergeant making less than $30,000 a year but kelly has not forgotten those on the front lines. this place, this room is mobbed with over 1700 gift boxes donated from a local church and all of them will be packed up and shipped out to troops serving overseas to get to them by the december holidays. >> i'm passionate enough to maybe sure that these guys who have given us freedom, that we give it back to them. they are americans. and they are my heros.

>> reporter: and so as americans prepare to show their gratitude this holiday season, these servicemen and women can say thanks to ronya and others who serve in a massive mission at home. >> we really appreciate that. thank you. china dispatched fighter jets to that zone that it says it controls in the east china say, china saying it is a defensive measure and the u.s.a. and south korea disagree as well as japan and we look at the region in the center of dispute. >> it could take just one tiny miscalculation or a tiny misunderstanding and these islands could become the center of a large international conflict. to the japanese they are special islands, and the chinese call them something different and thanks to the chinese unilateral introduction to what it calls an air defense identification zone they are the most talked about

islands in asia and mix at home have a lot to do with that. >> china, japan and south korea all face domestic issues and want to divert the attention of people to security and diplomatic matters and so these countries want to find another issue to quarrel about. >> reporter: the chinese decision to impose its control over this airspace upset japan and south korea, but it is argued that the u.s.a. is the most annoyed. >> the adiz was originally introduced by the united states following the japanese defeat in the second world war to secure safety of japan. it is an u.s. invention and china is looking to introduce a new order which is why the u.s.a. is more sensitive to this than japan. >> reporter: and on the streets of tokyo, there is concern. >> i just cannot understand why

anyone would do this. if you do not know what your neighbor is thinking, that becomes a reason to refrain. >> my feelings of mistrust, anxiety and nervousness have all increased. >> reporter: the islands were never more than a footnote in asian geopolitics until an u.n. survey which suggested that there could be large oil deposits beneath the seabed around them which is what got taiwan and then china originally interested. but now with so many countries involved, a small misstep could have serious consequences for peace in the region. and it is that kind of miscalculation that the american vice president, joe biden, hopes can be avoided when he visits the region next week. with oil deposits yet to be proven the islands hold little real value. there have been renewed clashes in egypt over that

country's new protest law as tear gas and water canons were fired at protesters in alexandra and other locales and the government says that laws are needed to keep the piece. >> reporter: this were several protests in many cities across the country and now mostly they were by the anti-coup alliance, those who still support the former president morsi who still want a return of his legitimacy and want to see him reinstated and today they within the defoyantly through streets protesting against a new law. they should have submitted a notice to local authorities three days ago and that did not happen and the protesters said we do not recognize the new government nor will we recognize any will you that the new government issues and they too were angered about the story of the 21 girls given a harsh

sentence which caused an uproar in this country and late on friday the interim president said that he could pardon these girls when this justice process is over. it does not mean that freedom is coming soon for these girls and defense lawyer has submitted a claim and if the sentences are upheld then he will go to another court and only after that whole process is over which could take a year according to the lawyer that the interim president could issue his pardon and the question is, will he still be the interim president at that stage? >> the mother of one of those who was sentenced speaks out and spoke to aljazeera. >> when we heard the verdict, it was very shocking, tough and unjust. my daughter told me from prison today mom i'm 19 years old and after 11 years old when i feet out i will be 30 and you cannot imagine how much hurt hearing those words caused me.

>> and now mother says that the women have been treated unfairly. iran says that they will begin to stop their nub leear program by january at the very latest the iranian ambassador making this announcement today saying it is one of six measures agreed upon in geneva adding that the program is exinclusively peaceful and they will meet again later in december to talk about next steps. the nato commander in afghanistan today apologized a drone strike which had killed two women and a child. the apology coming in the form of a call to afghan president hamid karzai. pro europe protesters fighting with police in kiev marching against a government decision to freeze ties with the west and move closer to relations with russia and the government put off signing an

agreement with the eu as the ukrainian president said that he could not afford to sacrifice trade with russia. anti-government protests now in thailand in their sixth day as over a thousand people are camping out at the national army headquarters in bangkok asking military to support their campaign to topple the prime minister. many believe that the prime minister is a mouthpiece for her exiled proper who was ousted in a coup. we have more on your chill had i weaken forecast. and it is syrian children who are forced to work to survive and missing out on their education. job creation... job creation... climate change... climate change... tax policy... tax policy... the economy... the economy... iran... iran... healthcare... healthcare... ad guests on all sides of the ad guests on all sides of the debate. debate. >> this is a right we >> this is a right we should all have... should all have... >> it's just the way it is... >> it's just the way it is... >> there's something >> there's something seriously wrong... seriously wrong... >> there's been acrimony... >> there's been acrimony... >> the conservative ideal... >> it's an urgent need... >> the conservative ideal... >> it's an urgent need... and a host willing to ask the and a host willing to ask the tough questions tough questions >> how do you explain it >> how do you explain it to yourself?

to yourself? and you'll get... and you'll get... the inside story the inside story ray suarez hosts inside story ray suarez hosts inside story weekdays at 5 eastern weekdays at 5 eastern only on al jazeera america only on al jazeera america

the stream is uniquely the stream is uniquely interactive television. interactive television. in fact, we depend on you, your in fact, we depend on you, your ideas, your concerns. ideas, your concerns. >> all these folks are making a >> all these folks are making a whole lot of money. whole lot of money. >> you are one of the voices of >> you are one of the voices of this show. this show. >> i think you've offended >> i think you've offended everyone with that kathy. everyone with that kathy. >> hold on, there's some room to >> hold on, there's some room to offend people, i'm here. offend people, i'm here. >> we have a right to know >> we have a right to know what's in our food and monsanto what's in our food and monsanto do not have the right to hide it do not have the right to hide it from us. from us. >> so join the conversation and >> so join the conversation and make it your own. make it your own. >> watch the stream. >> watch the stream. >> and join the conversation >> and join the conversation online @ajamstream. online @ajamstream. in syria over 2 million children now are refugees. a grim picture has been painted about their future saying that when they flea their country they cannot go to school and they are often forced to work, just to survive. more now from beirut.

>> reporter: alia is 11 years old, having escaped the war in syria, only to find herself facing a new danger in lebanon. her school is safe but, like her, many of these refugees have to work when classes are over. >> a man in a car with a syrian plate number approached me. he looked scary. he asked to buy some flowers. as i handed him the flowers he grabbed my arm and i ran inside the supermarket. he waited and then followed us and we ran away. >> and because of that alia no longer works on the streets but her nine-year-old brother, muhammad, he has no choice. their mother is a cleaner but her salary is not enough for them to survive and so every afternoon he sells flowers on the streets of beirut and more and more children are being forced to work. >> as family resources become more depleted, children are sent out to work, some of them in

very difficult circumstances and in unsafe conditions. >> you can see the problem in almost every street corner in lebanon as these children live a difficult dangerous life, vulnerable to exploitation, abuse and many of them are worn down emotionally. these children are traumatized from what they saw in syria. they are scared to reveal their identities, even though it has been almost a year since they fled the violence. >> we were in a bus, there was a checkpoint and someone killed all of those in the vehicle in front of us and i saw everything that happened. >> reporter: and many children are not getting the help that they need and here in lebanon they face risks. >> they are traumatized by the vat violence, some of them facing sexual abuse in crowded areas where the refugees stay. >> reporter: and by talking to them you realize how the war has

affected their lives. >> people are killing one another and then others take revenge and if one man loses a brother later he will kill the one who was responsible. >> reporter: at the age of 10 this boy has an adult understanding of his country's tragedy. >> i am disturbed and frustrated, he says. >> reporter: he is among those who the united nations calls a generation of innocents who are in danger of becoming lasting casualties of an appalling war. ♪ >> we're looking at a national weather service map, this had a number of colors on it just days ago. a storm was developing across the south. but now? nothing. pretty quiet here. you see an ice jam causing a flood warning up in michigan and then to the south there is flooding from all of rain that we had, and the became colors

showing -- the beige colors showing that not much is happening. we'll take this after the past few days. it is cold out there. it is 57 in denver, billings at 46 but just above the freezing mark in chicago, and very cold air here across northeast and the satellite picture showing nothing, not a lot happening, maybe just a few snowflakes coming down in the northern plains but high pressure controlling the area here and in new england a calm breeze and cold temperatures expected, temperatures dropping to the teens and no real snow to talk about. and the warm air, it will return. each day getting a little bit warmer, you see that on friday. there you see the warmup and then by saturday warmer temperatures from the southern planes going north, temperatures climbing maybe into the 50s, close to 60 degrees.

the warm air coming back from chicago, up to new york but by the weekend we're looking at a storm developing over the pacific bringing rain or even snow to the mountains of idaho and montana which is really next storm to discuss, not much of an impact yet. it slowly moves south and then changes the pattern. temperatures are changing and by the time we wake up tomorrow morning single digits in quebec, montreal, a cold morning as the high is centered directly overhead but then it gets warmer with that sunshine, a chill in the morning but then quickly warming up into the 40s around philadelphia and new york. thank you. a florida in company says that they want to build a floating city, calling it the freedom ship, 25 stories high designed to house over 1,000 people complete with an airport, hospital and school and it would sail around the world and cost $10 billion to build and the company says that they have

investtors who are already lining up. well, all things must come to an end and on wall street that streak is over. the dow jones lost ten points in its holiday shortened session the first time since last wednesday that the blue chips did not set a record, the to you jones and sand p 500 registering their third straight month in the green. we're learning more now about black friday sales as walmart reported 10 million cash register transactions between 6:00 and 10:00 at night on thanksgiving and macy's kicking off their holiday shopping season, the lines forming in new york and target says that onlien traffic set a record as well. in illinois lawmakers are

drawing up a deal that would raise the retirement age for younger workers and limit salaries that payments are based upon and that fund by the way is nearly $100 billion in debt. one individual will not be able to buy the australian grain core as the regulators reject a takeover bid citing national interest, crane corps provides nearly one third of the wheat of australia. a check of headlines is coming up next on aljazeera.

power power of the people until we restore of the people until we restore our freedo

welcome back to aljazeera america. here now are today's headlines. many looking for bargains, shopping online, other stores were open since thursday night. china dispatches fighter jets over a group of islands in

the east china sea as they said they were investigating military flights by the u.s.a. and japan. 70 people were arrested in egypt as the police fired tear gas and water canons at demonstrators, protesters there were angry about a new law restricting public gatherings to ten people or less. the white house christmas tree arrived this morning, the douglas fir loaded aboard a wagon pulled by clydesdales and the tree this year comes from lehigh pennsylvania and it was grown there on a farm. thank you for watching aljazeera america. spirit child is next. as always, for updates throughout the day, all you have to to is to visit www.aljazeera.com. once again on wall street the streak is over the dow jones down today but still up for the month, have a look, ten points

down. that would have been its sixth record day. >> for centuries, some west >> for centuries, some west african communities have branded african communities have branded children born deformed or with children born deformed or with disabilities as evil spirits. disabilities as evil spirits. they are seen as a drain on they are seen as a drain on limited resources and so ... limited resources and so ... medicine men are often asked to medicine men are often asked to perform rituals and prepare perform rituals and prepare poisonous concoctions ...to kill poisonous concoctions ...to kill them. them. thousands of defenseless thousands of defenseless children have been murdered in children have been murdered in this way. this way. my name is anas aremayaw anas. my name is anaar