>> welcome to al jazeera america. i'm del walters, these are the stories we're doing for you. world leaders are making their way to south africa, honoring nelson mandela. troops on the ground in the central african republic, there to stop the violence that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. the clock is once again ticking for congress for lawmakers it is the final week of the year. both houses in washington at the same time, and both houses facing a laundry list of things

that need to be done. the biggest of course being the budget. and new spending bill would help avoid the government shutdown just like the one we went through in october. our white house correspondent mike viqueria is in washington. what happens if congress doesn't reach that end of the year deadline? >> del, there are a couple of things going on. the budget meeting they set that for december theant and you're -- 13th, you're absolutely right. the house of representatives they are here for hardly six months of the year, if you put it together that way. there are a whole list of things that need to get done if americans, particularly lower income americans aren't going to be suffering going into the new year but we still have that rush. the budget we're talking about it's really a framework del. january 15th is the date which the congress has to meet, it will make it more likely that they met that january 15th deadline, and therefore, avoided yet another government shutdown.

but if you look at the laundry list that needs to be done. another extension of employment benefits for the long term unemployed. that is due to expire at the end of the year. farm bill, a lot of things that drive people crazy, subsidies for farmers that help americans a lot at the supermarket. if they don't get that done we have a doubling of a glan -- gallon of mic for nonorganic milk, there is this budget deal that is on the table right now. notwithstanding that. they have other things to get done. >> the plastic gun ban. >> you remember, in the wake of the sandy hook tragedy in connecticut, that anniversary coming up this week, gun control moving through senate suddenly derailed, the votes were simply

not there for an assault weapons ban for expanded background checks at gun shows, going on for quite some time. never even taken up in the house and now what the senate is trying to do is merely pass a ban on plastic guns. this goes back to the reagan administration del, that's likely to be done by the senate today by voice vote. a lot of senators are missing, they've gone off to the mandela service. butter there is one provision that they want to change, democrats led by chuck schumer, you have to have a piece of metal in a plastic gun. that's essentially what the law reads. but it's detachable, chuck schumer wants to make it undetachable. doesn't go far in the united states congress del. >> mike viqueria our white house correspondent thank you very much. >> all righty. >> president obama is heading to

south africa to head the delegation hong honoring former president nelson mandela. with him are first lady michelle obama and presidents clinton and carter are expected to attend the services. george h.w. bush will be the only living u.s. president who will not be in attendance. the town where the former president grew up, workers are setting up a massive dome ahead of the state funeral which takes place on sunday. nelson mandela will lie in state at pretoria. from wednesday through sun. desmond tutu, the nelson mandela center, hosting a service to celebrate the iconic leader. as allen schauffler, reports: >> this is nelson mandela square

one of the tribute sites set up around this country. it is also the heart of high end retail in johannesburg in one of the richest districts in this country. and as we found out today, many of the people who work in this neighborhood as you might expect live in a very different world. mandela square mall in santon, some of the most expensive retail space in jofg. part of the sidewalk group of vendors, they sell what they make seven days a week. >> on a good day they might make $45. on a bad day they say less than 3 and some days, nothing. they live and create their wire pieces in the bez valley of johannesburg. roirking street trash into instant art. they rent this single room at just under $100 a month. they are keenly aware of where

and how the money flows here. >> people with money, they already have money. people if you don't have, you are liable to trying to make a living. >> is it hard? >> it is hard. >> self employed and at this work for the last ten years they feel they're doing pretty well compared to many in this city. not far away inside of the commercial high rises of santon is alexander township where consistent grinding poverty shapes life. where he lives today bears his prison number from years of imprisonment. working south africans earn $2 a day or less. the unemployment rate is about 25% and most of those unemployed are young. alfie and claudia say they are

not are unhappy with their live but they are disappointed with how the government has treated them. >> the way i live now is very good but i wish to have more. you still want to get another phase and make your future bright. >> things aren't too bad but they wouldn't mind if things were just a little bit better. and claudio summed it up, people with money don't seem to have the need. >> logical support to the international troops in the central african republic. into ban gi. forces are administrator on the the ground. restoring order by any means necessary. nazri mushri has more from the capitol. >> this is evidence of the french taking this disarming

extremely seriously. we understand this group of men had guns and grenades inside their vehicles. they have tied them up and kept them here. the french are telling us these men were the same people responsible for an exchange of fire earlier in the day close to the parent. now, this all comes as news is developing of the arrest of a top sellica commander, nuradim adam very close to president michelle josadir. we understand is he now in french custody. the french are not only disarming, they are also here to protect civilians. you can see these people confidence in us just to come out and watch what is going on. but there are still tens of thousands of people in this city who are preferring to stay at home, or in churches, or under protection of french and african forces at the airport. >> and that is nasaneen mushari

in ban gi. new elections to take place in february but antigovernment protestors say they will continue their demonstrations until she steps down altogether. they also want an unelected council to step in. saying shinawatra uh will be reelected. riot police are standing by to take them out of the square where they have been standing in for weeks. al jazeera robin forestier walker reports. >> troops are at independence square in kiev. protestors face imminent ejection.

trouble may be on the way. the protestors are concerned that the police may have come early and they have instantly scrambled to the barricades to defend the square from any possible assault. yesterday's mass rally and the felg of a potent -- felling of a potent symbol lenin may have steeled resolve. more special units of president yanukovych's security forces were on monday seen heading for capitol.. >> they are really loyal to the current government and current president. and it's really a huge difference between orange revolution and currently the location. >> talks with former ukrainian leaders and the eu's former policy chief, baroness ashton is

flying in this week. there may be safety in numbers. >> and that is robin forestier walker reporting for us from kiev. security forces are cleaning up, what is called the little india district, crowds attacking police and setting cars on fire, dozens were injured, 27 had to be arrested. al jazeera's charles stratford has more on just what sparked the violence. >> the police car on the streets of singapore, the crowd eventually overturned the vehicle, others they sat on fire. >> oh my god. >> a rare outbreak of rioting in this city state known for its strict laws against public disorder. the incident happened if an area called little india, the heart of singapore's indian and bangladeshi society. the crowd then smashed the bus

windows, at least five police cars were attacked, three of them overturned. >> i saw, use the stone, use the box, all the property. first time in my life, first time in my life have i seen that. >> the police commissioner said he had never seen rioting in singapore streets in his 26 years as a police officer. >> we treat this incident very seriously and we have classified the case as one of rioting with dangerous weapons. we will spare no effort to arrest those responsible. >> when mainly indian and bangladeshi workers gather for their time off. the deputy prime minister appeal for calm. >> this is a series incident, started from a fatal traffic accident involving a private bus and a pedestrian.

the crowd creac reacted to the incident and started a riot. >> punishment for a riot can call for seven years in jail. happened more than 40 years ago. such a sudden outpouring of anger against the authority is likely to fuel debate about the level of dizzy content among low paid foreign workers in this strictly governed city-state. comarls stratford,-- charles stratford, al jazeera. next on al jazeera, we'll talk to a man who witnessed mandela's policies firsthand. the man known only as madiba.

>> welcome back to al jazeera america. i'm del walters. time is ticking for congress. on a laundry list of items. including that new spending bill. the bill would avoid another government shutdown. the house is scheduled to close for christmas on friday. central african republic, african force he will be air lifted by american forces, they will also air lift equipment into that country. sectarian violence has engulfed the central african republic since march.

preparations for nelson mandela's funeral are taking place in kunu, scheduled to stay place on sunday. as the world leaders gather in south africa, many have extraordinary stories to share about nelson mandela. earlier, i talked to the former ambassador to south africa, delano lewis. first of all, your reflections back on the man. >> well the reflections i must tell you, i was honored to be there as united states ambassador. i called on him shortly after i arrived. i gave my credentials to president umbeke but mandela had just stepped down as president. so i called on him and introduced myself and my reflections are not only as a giant of a man. physically he was tall, elegant, carried himself extremely well but he was also very gracious and very humble and my first time with him was just awesome. >> you worked in washington for years. you know what washington is

like. what made nelson mandela such a great leader compared to a lack of leadership these days? >> i've known a lot of great leaders, he is probably at the top of the list, without question. there are a number of reasons, number one, his commitment to antiapartheid activities, the struggle against racial inequality, his compassion to bring others along to make this happen but his selflessness is probably one of the keys to his greatness. not only was he able to communicate with all races of people but he was able to get them to follow him and there is some talk that he talked about being a shepherd. he grew up in a small village in south africa and as a shepherd you lead from behind. and so he was a very quoid leader but a very forceful leader. his compassion his commitment and his belief in one south africa. >> and yet there was a sense when he became president that he would be president for life and yet he chose to step down after one term.

why? >> i don't know. i did not know him personally as to the whys about but it was a good move. he was 75 when he became president and he decided after that first election which was you a forric and exciting for the world to go through that trsktrxtiontransformation but ht one term was the term, and leave it to others. i will take the mantle but i will also leave it to my successors. >> had he run for a second term how differently would south africa have been today? >> he certainly would have been elected, his leadership would have been much more pervasive. we can all say hindsight is 20-20 and there were a lot of issues that were created when president umbeke came on and

other issues today. but such a strategic involvement in not only south africa but central africa, you may have seen things come out differently but who knows. >> delano lewis, the form he ambassador to south africa. today, schools in africa fail to make the grade some say. it seems they say the legacy of apartheid is still hard to overcome. peter gresta has the story from cape town. >> nelson mandela enjoying his favorite date, supporting and encouraging children in school. from his start in his career as an antiapartheid activist, throughout his presidency he argued that the single most important priority was to develop the nation's once depressed youth. in 1976, young black anger

boileboiled over. , forced to use in afrikans, the language of oppression. linda molefa is one of those young students who rioted. he is now the principal of a very successful school. acutely aware of history's lessons. we are throwing stones, at times, we are not knowing exactly but later because of these little meetings or little conferences that were held at night, they were trying to educate us to begin to understand why the boycott, why the situation, why the uprising. >> he understood as nelson mandela did the urgent need to educate black students to the standards of their white counterparts to give them both purpose and hope. >> the truth is the anc is la

really struggled to fulfill nelson mandela's idealistic vision, school buildings are falling apart and crowding is rife. schools ton bleak cape flat south side cape town is more symbolistic of the system struggling with. activists argued there is a dangerous gap between promise of education and what it actually delivers. schools boast a 70% pass rate. but to graduate students only need 30% on their exams. a third of them won't be literate by the time they leave. >> and the end of the study about 50% of those young people have fallen out of the system. so it also has to do with the curriculum, it has -- also has to do with the kind of training that our teachers had during end

today. >> so schools are still struggling with the legacy of apartheid, its burden stubbornly persistent, the burdens of the system much longer than nelson mandela ever imagined. peter gresta, al jazeera, cape town. >> again as mills around the world gathered to remember the man they knew as the father of south africa, honored more for what he didn't do than what he could have done, in a sense seeking revenge against a white south african government. we'll be right back.

>> on wall street stocks are slightly higher at this hour. taking a look at the big board, the dow up 9 points. investors are playing it safe as they track those budget talks on capitol hill, there is a new airline in the skies today. american airlines and u.s. airways officially completed their merger forming the world's largest air carrier. four airlines now troll the world largest air flights. technology, tighter controls on government snooping. eight companies led by google and microsoft are starting a public campaign urging president obama and congress to curb

online spying. tech giants taking out full page ads detailing their concerns. the afghan currencies is falling. this after the u.s. and afghanistan working on that security agreement keeping the u.s. in afghanistan. causing food prices there to skyrocket. >> for more than 10 years the money market in kabul has done a rousing business. afghans making money honestly or otherwise traded on foreign exchange, now it's bisser than t be ever because of the local currency the afghani. the president of afghanistan has still refused to sign a security pact, keeping american troops in afghanistan through 2014. without that the afghan currency

is expected to collapse. causing fear in the community. >> if it is not signed people will be panicked and it will affect the economy of the country. people are running away, people are disappointed and our business men are not investing. money dealers are worried because they cannot work confidently. >> as afghans panic, the afghani is devalued. prices are going up. it is at ordinary markets like this where regular afghans come to spend their hard earned currency buying food, but food prices have gone up significantly in the past few days. that's because the people who sell the food buy in dollars. and the afghanis don't bias much food and the food anchorag shors

not been so pad. sacks of food has risen. >> the prices have become so high before we could buy one at a cheaper price but now it's expensive and there's less money and people are so poor they can't afford to buy anything. >> as anxiety hangs over the country's diplomatic future with the u.s., it has quickly affected the things they do worry about. simply putting food on the table. jane ferguson, al jazeera, kabul, afghanistan. the pullout of american forces could jeopardize $8 billion a yore, that's how much the americans have pledged to help the army and police. >> i'm meteorologist dave warren. we are getting a little break

between winter storms, watches being posted for the next round. caused problems on the roadways here and this was the pennsylvania turnpike near morgan town. a lot of crashes, a big pileup as the roads got very slippery very quickly with snow, sleet and freezing rain. this is a long line of traffic there that was caused by this along the turnpike near morgantown. expect more of this winter weather to come in because the pattern is the same. waves of weather along the jetstream, getting the cold air approaching from the north, the storms going along the jetstream and the next one will move in overnight tonight and into tomorrow morning. the areas that had all that rain and snow could see another round of it by tomorrow morning and throughout the day tomorrow. winter weather advisories are no longer in effect. you can see that snow clearing out. it's clear for now but that won't last long. this is the computer forecast which shows you exactly what

hour we are expecting more rain and snow to develop. not really tonight for the evening rush hour. looks good along the mid atlantic states but tomorrow at 6:00 it begins so it will be during the tail of the rush hour tomorrow that could start as a period of rain or sleet and then as that cold air comes in changing over to snow. there's d.c., baltimore, philadelphia, new york, pall snow is coming down and could accumulate, about five inches is possible soa slippery day is on tap for tomorrow. del. >> thank you. dave. techknow is up. it is now about 9:30 in south africa and they continue to gather. looking back on the life and legacy of nelson mandela. this on the day that 90 world leaders including royalty and four u.s. presidents are now headed to searveg to pay their dches south africa to pay their

respects. a massive celebration is expected in johannesburg. >> hello and welcome i'm phil torres here to talk about invocations that can change lives. the intersection of hardware and humanity and we're doing it in a unique way. marita davidson is a biologist specializing inning innings innd evolution. kosta grammatis is an engineer who designed a buy ontic eye. i'm phil torres, i'm an entomologist. with