hello and welcome to al jazeera america. here are the top stories we are following at this hour. >> we out to be doing the people's business, and that means not turning our backs on millions of american whose are struggling during this difficult economy. >> some lawmakers take issue with the budget deal. is some changes could be on the way for cell phone usage on planes. good to have you with us.

reached earlier this week, the plan would prevent another government shut down in ease across the board cuts. fireworks as he pushed back at conservative group what's the fight right now. >> well, groups like heritage action and club for growth have hammered congressman paul ryan for brokering this budget deal. this time he says no more. because they were critical of the plan even before it was finalized. and he also talked about some dirty laundry from a few months ago, with enthat budget shut down

happened this fall, it was republicans who pushed to shut the government down unless the federal healthcare law was defunded. that is what the fight was initially was about. well, speaker baner today questioned both the strategy and the intention of those conservative groups that pushed for that rout. they have pushed it into the fight to defund obama-care. most of you know, that wasn't exactly the strategy i had in mind. but if you will recall, the day before the government reopened, one of the people -- one of these groups stood up and said well, we never really thought it would work. are you kidding me? >> republicans are often concerned about what these groups say because they come with dollars attached. and they will go car bomb attack f them in their home states. he said today i don't care what they do at this point. >> libby, with all this

back and forth in the republican party, is the budget on track? >> it does look like it will be able to pass the house today. through a coalition of both republican support, and democrat support. nancy pelosi spoke today and says she does believe enough will vote for it. >> i don't think that our members will let this bill go down if it is a close call for some, as they weigh different things. i think why they don't like this, there's not much more that could have been done. it is an okay thing to vote for. >> nancy raises concerns about unemployment benefits. and the fact they are not included those leastly woke get dealt with this year.

you have to point out the senate is in the midst of a talkathon, what are they trying to achieve? >> well, they are pushing back who used that nuclear option, right before the recess, in order to get their nominees. the president's nominees through. so they are pushing back, and they are extending the time lit take to get these voted on. well, the leader of the senate said if we have to say here through the holiday sobeit. because the process will be drawn out despite the slow down though what democrats want to see happen will keep marching on, because of this so called nuclear option, they only need 51 votes to get through these threats not the normal signature. >> to pass a reform bill before the end of the year, but reality is setting in that it is unlikely to happen.

what are the chances of an immigration bill this year, mike? >> we have seen a fast, just a couple of blocks here from fast for families immigration reform supporters. now there is a glimmer of hope they will see something done, it just won't be this year. that deal not with standing that are left undone. you know the state of play, it has that path to citizen ship, opponents call it amnesty, something to do with some 11 million people who are in this country illegally.

ner mad at president obama foo. this issue of deportations. you can see the level, the number of deportations increased steadily. then the entire eight years of the bush administrations and plenty of people are angry about that there are letters on this issue, they want to see something done. you saw the president heckled. surprisingly that man on the stage, heckling president obama in front of a crowd he thought would be supportive, really startling back and forth. yesterday, the vice president, joe biden on social media he had a chat, it was on skype and twister he talked about these issues he expressed hope that it would go

forward. >> we are going to pass this bill. and you won't have to worry about anything. and the parents don't have to worry about being deported. they are going to get in line, they will move the way they call for, that's why you and millions like you, there's a reason why this bill has to be passed. it is a racialal thing to do, it is in the interest of the country to do, and the majority of the american people think we should do it. >> now the white house points out they have stopped enforcing deportations the young people brought here by know choice of their own, part of the reason the individual was being heckled many other want him to do something similar. now, next year the speaker we said he had run into a brick wall, that says he wants to

take a piecemeal approach. they are starting to see change and tag if you are backing comprehensive reform. >> i wonder what the growing latino population -- do they understand they have to embrace the immigration issue? >> i think they recognize that. you saw that back and forth with john boehner that libby was talking about. we are already seeing speculation that a lot of that was him standing up to the base in anticipation of this debate on immigration that we are talking about next year. that the hispanic voter base is growing. actually a chance to stand much more purple conservatives still dug in against it. >> mike, thank you. >> secretary of state is back in the mid east with

palestinian leaders. he is trying to broker a peace deal. and palestinian president. also, we are waiting for a report from a u.n. fact finding team, investigating allegations of syrian chemical weapons use. the report looks at several cases of alleged chemical weapons use, including a march attack that left more than 400 people dead. to file past nelson mandela's casket. but as morgan reports not everybody has been able to get that final visit. >> right now we are

outside of the union building. tomorrow will be the final day and really right now there are crowds outside who have traveled for as much as five hours from across the country, and they still haven't been able to get in. a long time, since 6:00 i have been here. we didn't see madiba, we have to see him today, but now we can see him. you have traveled since 3:00 in the morning in. >> and you haven't been able to see him? >> no, they shut us down. >> what do you think they should do now? >> we are not sure, but we are going to sleep here. >> yes. >> you are going to sleep here as well. >> yes. >> we want to see him.

>> so you will stay here until you can see him? >> yes, madiba. >> there you have it, south africans saying they will wait all night, so they can say goodbye to the man they call father. >> once again, we are hearing from the man at the center of a bizarre moment during nelson mandela's memorial service. he stood nec to president obama and other world leaders during the service, he says he is schizophrenic and that he was hallucinating that angels were entering the stadium. >> i was faced with a very very difficult situation, and my medical condition. which my life was in danger. because you know, the security was very tight, and then when they come -- i see myself now i'm sick. but i'm proud of myself, that there was no mistake that happened today. >> we want to get to some breaking news right now, coming out of yemen,

there are reports 15 people have been killed the report says they were on their way to a wedding when they were mistaken for an al quaida convoy. witnesses say it was a drone attack. we will continue to follow any additional details as soon as we get them. some call eight convenience, others say it is a nuisance, on whether to allow the use of cell phones beginning today. we are live with both sides of this debate. cotton was once king of egypt, now they are struggling to break even. exclusive... former president jimmy carter reflects on the life and legacy of nelson mandela. >> that spirit of nelson mandela is embedded deeply in the heart and soul of the south africans... >> they worked side by side for freedom, now president carter talks about mandela's global impact. a revealing interview you won't see anywhere else. >> i've never heard him say, that he was grateful to the united states...

>> talk to al jazeera with jimmy carter only on al jazeera america have been telling you in the san joaquim river, freeze warnings in effect. never seen too much in terms of rain. los angeles, you are going to be seeing some beautiful weather all the way to sunday even into the low 70 did or high 60s, partly cloudy conditions, overnight, about 44 degrees. texas also dry for you as well. we saw rain showers and a mix of precip just a little bit up here towards the north. temperatures for dallas at about 42. san antonio at 55. for houston, well, you are going to be seeing rain by the time we end the week. 59 degrees there. that will will last one day. your weekend should look better with a high of 63. over here towards the southeast, some rain showers pushing through orlando right now. atlanta is going to be about 56. an american auto maker making history. the newer ground general motor is making as it names its latest

ceo. al jazeera america is growing and now more americans are getting the high quality, original, in-depth reporting al jazeera america is known for. >> to find out more about al jazeera america go to aljazeera.com welcome back. one of the only places to escape a cell phone conversation is on a plane. today the federal communications commission is ending the 22 year ban on inflight calls. let's go to our correspondent in new york. what's happening on this?

well, you have to go back to 2004, when the fcc tried this once before, they looked at all the issues but they decided that having cell phones on planes was too close to 9/11, and also the technology simply wasn't there. but now it is in place, and it is perfectly pocket to put a cell tower, and you can make it receive cell telephone calls above 10,000 feet. and so, that's where we are at at the moment. of course it is dividing the nation, some people like the idea, and others hate it. >> most people don't want to be 10,000 people in the air and hear someone's conversation. but this isn't a mandate. it is up to the airline, right. >> they say they really

like the idea to do cell phones in flight, above 10,000 feet. and 30% say that they don't have an opinion one way or the other. now, i tell you one group of people that loathe the idea, and that is the flight attendants here is the president of the afa, the association of flight attendants she is called vino, and she is very angry that they are even thinking about putting cell phones above 10,000 feet. >> having cell phone conversations onboard aircraft is just a terrible idea. you have to keep in mind that we are flying in metal tubes, thousands of feet in the air, in come prezzed air with literally no way out. no way to escape, from really loud conversations.

>> that is the issue, co you want -- all the way from michigan down to miami, with some business person making a haifa lieutenanting deal all the way. do you think this will change anything, because it isn't a mandate, it is up to the airline. >> yeah, that's a great point, it is not a mandate, the which will probably last three months something like that, and then if they move quickly, this could become law in 2014. now the congress is written as a hole.

united jet blue, they have said that they are looking at the idea and they will decide as they go along. you know what happens once one airline does it, they will all do it. >> pack your headphones it can be a long flight. john, thank you. >> we could be looking at a third straight day of losses for the dow. the blue chips down right now, 70-points the decline is coming again on investigative concerns on a pull back and the bond buying stimulus program.

>> the car maker says lit be hiring 5,000 more workers to meet growing demand. ford has already added 14,000 jobs the past two years. for thousands of years egyptian cotton has been in high demand. at least until now. they have gone into steep decline. dominic has this report from cairo. >> he has been at work since sun rise. pitting this all day, will earn her less than $5. but as she explains this is all she knows.

represents around 1,000-dollars in value. but the farmer will only get half of that. >> cultivating the cotton requires good irrigation, fertilizers and pest pesticides to keep it healthy. in a good year, these costs can easily be recoups. but not this year, as he explains, the harvest is poor. >> it is bad this year. they are not strong, we don't have enough fertilizer, with all our costs thrown in, we are only just about breaking even. the bails of cotton gathers around egypt this autumn, will end up in factories like this one. but here too, declining demand has had cottoning

experts fell by more than 40%. stocks only 100% egyptian cotton. shes demand for her product is down. >> all the prices go up, selling every day, so a saying every day, if i compare between 24 year and the year before, the year before is better than this year. >> the best cotton is bruised around the world for its quality. but with cheap imports plummeted demand, and on going economic instability, some fear egyptian cotton might one day become a thing of the past. dominic cane, al jazeera, cairo. >> clues from the deep

about arctic melting coming up next on al jazeera, america. what is going on above ground. the championship. they don't get one tonight, i mean, they don't get one in the end, that game seven here in indianapolis could be a problem.

jazeera.me back to al the top stories we are following at this hour. the vote is expected later today. leaders from both parties are confidence it will pass p senate will take up the measure next week. and hold the phone, you may soon be able to talk on your cell phone while flying. the federal communications is expected to revise the rule on inflight calls. should the change be approved it would be up to airline to decide whether or not to allow those inflight calls. thousands of people lined up for a second day to file past nelson mandela's casket for one final viewing. some travel as long distance for just a few minutes to see the antiapartheid icon. >> we know the arctic ice

mass has been melting at an alarming rate. can'ting deep into a distant past, which is being sliced here is the hard echo system. for several years scientists from canada and the u.s. have been diving looking for the pink glow of a living corral line. they weigh up to 70-kilos and once wrestled up to the sup far, and into labs down south, they are laying centuries of the north's changing climate. they are very similar on land. >> the side depends on how much sunlight they absorb.

for more than a century, as things warm up, the growth ring show an arctic ocean increasingly free of ice. >> which coincides with the industrial revolution, but also coincides with the end of a period that was called the middle ice age. >> the longer effect pive we can mutt in, the more accurately they can then predict what will happen. with some predicting an ice free north pole within a decade or two. the patterns add to a growing body of information about the warming polar seas.

all of these have impact, for wild life, but also have impacts all around the world. and they are simply a sign that it has gone too far. no where are on earth is it more acute than in the arctic. first we have lake effect snow now, it is starting to wind down. but in western new york, just east of those great lakes as you get that cold air coming over the warmer area. this has the most snow, and we will continue to see that today. but then things will calm down for a bit. this cold air is now pushing east in north and

south dakota. detroit, nine is the wind chill there. so you can see that cold air the cold air will be in place as another storm developed and brings in more moisture to the mid at lan tick states of the northeast. that means another round of winter weather. quiet on the radar, plus the clouds out west, midwest nothing, but you go to the computer forecast this saturday, here is how the storm will develop, it will bring a period of snow, saturday morning, this will start to accumulate, it will start as snow from boston or baltimore all the way up to boston. and rain, but what is complicating is this is the storm will redevelop off the coast. the area of low pressure moves east, and where that happens really depends on which area you see the most snow, freezing rain or rain. the initial storm will be there, saturday evening, so between saturday evening and early sunday that's when we will see

the peek of this storm, and another low developed off the coast depending on where this occurred we will impact which area you see rain, sleet, snow, or freezing rain. this is an area of sleet and freezing rain, i 95 just to the north can get the significant icing along with this rain and snow, and this will be saturday night, to early sunday, if you do inning this weekend, do it early saturday or wait until this is all done by sunday. >> okay, thank you. thank you for watching al jazeera america, 101 east is coming up next, for news updates throughout the day, head to aljazeera.com.

afghanistan's future grows increasingly uncertain, as years of foreign aid and intervention come to an end. in the jostling for money and power, competing forces are fighting for the wealth buried deep in the hindu kush mountains. that wealth is precious rubies, which fetch a handsome sum, especially when smuggled across the border. i'm steve chow. on this edition of 101 east, we look at the lives of afghan ruby miners who are risking it all chasing crystal dreams.