>> this is al jazeera america live in new york city. i'll dale walters with a look at today's top stories. while debate rages within, the republican party over. >> and airline passengers phoning home, or wherever else they want to, call the fcc weighing now whether to change its rules. >> that compromise budget plan about to get it's first real test.

we want to show you live images from the floor of the house, where lawmakers plan to vote this evening on that plan. it would prevent another government shut down and ease some of those across the board budget cuts that came about as a result of sequester. libby casey joins us live now on capitol hill, and when can we expect the house to vote? >> lit be this evening, dale, and in about an hour, hour and a half, although it is subject to a little bit of wiggle room, and it is looking quite likely to pass. because enough democrats and republicans will join together. and house speaker baner is bringing into the floor. this deal hammered out representing the republicans oh in the senator, representing the democrats is inching forward. hire is what jake carney had to say this afternoon. we strongly support the budget. and heard what josh and others have said about

it. we think it is a small but important step. and what we hope is a return to regular order, where the economy isn't threatened by the obstacles thrown up in its way. >> now what this bill does, of course, is set spending levels for two years which would allow them to go ahead and pass those bills, that ease what will prevent a government shut down, come january, also next fall as well. so congress can move on and work on other issues of governing. >> and libby, earlier today. taking a swipe of those opposed for the bill, and that may be the understatement, what did he have to say? >> it was something to watch. house speaker pushed against outside conservative groups that have been hammering both him and speaker and also congressman ryan, and the speaker said he is defending his own conservative principles as well as the work that congressman did on behalf of republicans.

he accused these groups, like club for growth, and heritage action, for really speaking when they are not following their own conservative principles. he said that they started criticizing the bill before they even saw it, diminishing their credibility. and the fall and the government shut down, it is groups like those that push them to tie defunding obama-care to funding the federal government. speaker boehner has something to say about that now. my members now, that wasn't exactly the strategy that i had in mind. but as you recall, the day before the government reopened, one of the people -- one of these groups stood up and said we never really thought it would work. are you kidding me? >> speaker boehner saying he doesn't really think

what those outside groups have to say. now they have hit over republicans they are going after mitch mcconnell. >> top republican over in the senate for a spell. speaker boehner says no more. >> what else does congress hope to do before they leave town tomorrow? >> well, this afternoon they are debating a farm bill extense, this would be a short term extension, so that in january they can come back and work on a larger media bill. they are also working on a defense bill, so expect to see a slew of votes. so the house can wrap up the business and head home for the holidays. ukraine may be changing course in the face of those mass protests there, ukrainian officials are in brussells now discussing a trade deal with the european union. last month, the president rejecting any agreement in favor with one with russia. but a trade deal with the e.u. may not change much. robin walker reports from key ya. >> the city hall is in

revolutionary hands. organizers catering in a place to sleep. that's good p.r. but bog down who provides security says it is not about the politics. >> i think this is not an issue to be discussed in here. all work for one goal. >> first, the removal of the president, and the european future. but who can lead a new ukraine? three parties are competing for influence, and a nonparty civil union wants them to put their differences aside, and agree on basic reyou remember toes. >> competitors -- for the sector.

all in revolutionary movement holds and people remain united by the same objective, a new political system, regardless of their political persuasions, they are still singing with one voice. >> this harmony can be their undoing. robin walker, al jazeera, kiav. >> a senior council, he judges us live from washington, good to see you this afternoon. >> happy to join you. >> it looks like the protestors are getting what they want, but is it too little too late? i don't think it is probably we are at a point where we can say they are getting what they want, in the sense they are still in the streets. there's a conversation that is taking place. we don't know what decision the ukrainian government is going to make. they are still caught between a rock and a hard place.

i would say right now ukraine is still stuck in no man's land. >> when the protestors started those taking to the street, said they wanted to change policy, now it appears they want more than that. perhaps the president himself, is that true? that is true. originally what happened we are going to join the customs union with russia, and a lot of ukrainians took the the street and said hey, listen, tried that done that, we want to do something new, now they are saying they must go, we need reform, we need to clean up the judicial system, and stop corruption, and in many ways he has on his plate much more than he thought he would get. >> does the u.s. have skin in this game, and if so what is it. >> the u.s. does, in the sense that really since the end of the soviet era, early 1990's. the u.s. has been interested in trying to move the southern tier of

russia. the central asian countries, mull dove have, outside the russian atmosphere of influence. putin is trying to do exactly the opposite, is reconstitute a formal atmosphere along that southern tier. since everybody is supposed to be playing in the same sand box, does that not appear to be remanent of the old cold war? >> it is in some way as legacy. >> when they saw education level rising, investment rise, business

rise, and even though in the short run, russia offers more loans, cheaper gas, and many respects they are saying hey, we want to try something different, and bet on the european union over the long haul. >> now president putin giving a state of the address today, rejecting any talk that they interfered in this decision, was he being truthful? >> no, he was not being truthful. he played hard ball. he has cut down on trade links with ukraine. in the last few months, trying to put pressure on kiav, he has threatened to increase gas prices and play with the whole question of gas, to ukraine, and they are heavily dependent upon imports from russia, to heat and to fuel its economy. so in many respects he turned the screws on ukraine. he grew up as a russian speaker, very strong ties to russia, and in many respects what he is doing is catering to his

electoral base in the eastern part of the country that favor as tilt toward europe. excuse me, to russia, kiav is in the western part, they tilt to the west towards the e.u., and right now, he is trying to govern over a deeply divided country. >> thank you for being with us this afternoon, he is a senior fellow with the council of foreign relations in washington. >> there shall a number of developments coming out of syria today. investigating allegations of chemical use in syria. we are expecting that to happen sometime this afternoon. looking at several cases of alleged chemical weapons use. including an attack that left more than 400 people dead, including dozens of children. earlier, one of the main groups questioning the suspension of aid by the west, yesterday, the u.s. and britain stopping nonhe that will aid to opposition fighters. take a look at this.

a snowball fight on the same streets are we usually see gun fights, this video which is on youtube shows young children in aleppo being children, on a snowy day. the u.s. is going after companies and people who are evading sanctions against iran, the white house is freezing assets of the u.s. companies doing business. it's also blacklisting companies involved in producing minerals that could be used in weapons of maz destruction. it is the first action since a deal was reached last month to curb iran's nuclear program. in washington, immigration activists are trying to convince the house of representatives to do something to pass a reform bill before the end of the year. but reality is now setting it that it may not happen. there are no chances. the calendar, the house of representatives this is their second to last day, they may not even be tomorrow.

in any event, they are working until the second week in january, at the top of the to do list, immigration reform. they were making the rounds today, knocking on doors, democratic leaders had a rally on the steps of the capitol, there's been a hunger strike that's been going on on the national mall. over the course of the last several weeks and months. the state of play, you know the story, the senate passed something earlier this year, with comprehensive immigration reform that's code word for a path to citizen ship, which opponents consider code word for amnesty for the 11 million people that are in this country illegally, supporters including president obama say everybody has to get in line, there are several hurdles they have to jump through, this is a process would be years in the making before someone could stay in this country on a legal basis. but it is stuck in the house of representatives, conservatives there drawing a hard line.

supporters of reform, however, i have to tell you, are angry with the white house as well, why? because of the spike in deportation. take a look at this. as a matter of fact, more people have been deported during the obama administration, during the first four years. as you recall, a couple of weeks ago the president was giving a speak in san francisco. he was heckled only 24 subject, by someone there on the stage. it was startled this individual of south carolina dissent, talking about his family members. this is an issue that is a raw issue among supporters. members of congress leading members on immigration reform, writing the president a letter just this week. yesterday, on social media, taking questions. answered a lot of questions and defended the administrations

record. let's listen. >> we are going to pass this bill. the senate bill that we are talking about here, it is going to happen. and you are not going to have to worry about anything, and your parents won't have to worry about being deported. they are going to move the way the bill calls for, and they will be able to earn their sip his within a timeframe that is racial. that's why you and millions like you, there's a reason why this bill has to be passed. it is a racial thing to do, it is a fair thing to do, it is a overall interest for the country to do, and the majority of the american people think we should do it. now before you say that's a lot of happy talk, the conservative opposition in the house, noah that is going to happen, think again. because there are glimmers of hope, if you favor that comprehensive reform, the speaker says he wants to take a piecemeal approach, but at least he wants to take

it up. it will be well into next year if it happens at all when the house take as look at this. >> those numbers may have people saying trust but verify. joining us live from the white house, thank you. >> all right. where people from aux walks of lye continue to pay their final respects. thousands of people waiting in long lines just to have a few moments to view the icon's casket. in that union buildings he will be layed to rest this weekend, morgan radford has more. >> right now we are outside of the union building where his body is now laying for the second day. tomorrow will be the final day of viewing and really right now there are crowds outside who have traveled for as much as five hours and they still haven't been able to get in. ma'am how long have you been waiting? >> for a long time, since 6:00 i have been here, but i didn't see we have

to see him today. our hart is very soft. >> charles you traveled you doled me you traveled very far. >> we traveled -- so you have traveled since 3:00 in the morning? >> with your daughters. and you haven't been able to see. >> they shut us -- >> so what do you think they should do now? we are not sure, but we are going to sleep here. >> you are going to sleep here? >> yes. yes. >> we want to see him. >> so you are going to stay here until you see him. >> yes. >> still ahead, a full court press on to get your holiday packages to you on time.

i fly around the world, so i am going on a trip starting tomorrow, where i am going to hit every weather system in the world. >> hundreds of pilots taking off every day, we will take you behind the scenes of one of the largest parcel facilities anywhere. in a make or break time of year. one year after sandy hook, and those horrific school shootings. in new york, join me to hear how quite soon you might be able to make cell phone calls on commercial flights. the gap between rich and poor... job creation... climate change... tax policy... the economy... iran... healthcare... ad guests on all sides of the debate. >> this is a right we should all have... >> it's just the way it is... >> there's something seriously wrong... >> there's been acrimony... >> the conservative ideal... >> it's an urgent need... and a host willing to ask the tough questions >> how do you explain it to yourself? and you'll get...

the inside story ray suarez hosts inside story next 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. frying the friendly skies still one of the few places anywhere to escape cell phone use. you having to listen, a recent poll shows most americans want it to stay that away. 59% of those polls say they oppose cell phone use on planes only 30% are in favor, and today,

the chairman of the federal trade commission weighing in as that agency reviews lifting a 22 year long ban on in flight cell phone use. i am the last person in the world that wants to listen to someone talk to me while i fly across the country. but we are the technical agency and we will make technical rules that reflect the way the new technology works. >> john live right now, here in new york at the airport, and john, what exactly is the fcc thinking about doing? >> what are thinking is another way of putting it. you have to go back to 2004, because the h allowing you to use cell phones in the skies back then, but then, they decided it was too close to 9/11, and oles the technology wasn't really in place, well, now wind forward nine years and the technology is very much in place.

it does allow you to make cell phone calls back to earth. we are not talking here about turning your hand set on or off, that is a separate issue. what we are talking about is the ability to make calls on their own cell phones on aircraft flying higher than 10,000 feet. you will have somebody sitting next to you talking to their auntie between michigan and miami. it could be quite bad. >> john, how do americans feel about this? >> well you gave poll numbers just now, 48% oppose it, 19% are in favor, 30% have no real

opinion. that is the flight attendants association, they are hopping mad. they are top people just put out a news release, saying we will fight this all the way, they are very angry about it, they think it will lead to unsolved hassles in their already very difficult job. all that sort of thing. we thought we would ask people who are using it today in the north east, what think think about the idea, and here is some of the responses we got. >> i think it is annoying and you are on a flight, and people are traveling quite a bit, so beam want their privacy, and i can't imagine people having a conversation on a flight, two people on either side of you, it causes distraction for the flight attendants and whatnot, i think it is good to have them on so people can handle their things, but travel is already stressful as is. >> you are used to using your cell phone everywhere, it runs your

life, and you get on an airplane and not be able to use it it is tough. >> i hear your cell phone now. >> i know. >> just to be clear, what the fcc -- what they voted on is to allow public consultation. so you can see headlines lifting the ban, it is not true. it is a public consultation period coming up. >> and john, we should point out, even if they go ahead, this is not a mandate. the arranges would have an option, to do you think anything will change. >> it is not a mandate, if they decide to allow cell phone use, the airline won't have to do it. but, i think it is worth pointing out, that the department of transport has weighed in they are saying look, if we allow this, we will look seriously at banning it.

united jet blue, they said they will see what happens the look to their customers, but i am afraid, obviously, if one airline does it i think you will find they all will in time. i would talk longer but my cell phone is ringing. >> several airline, have already allowed cell phones through the years, some of them you may recognize. cutter airline, saudi arabian airline, and tap portugal. on wall street, the dow sank triple digits for a second straight day over concerns for the fed and it's bond buying program.

maybe within the next week, when they meet. even with today's losses the dow is up 20% over the year, and the market boom is boosting pension plans. will be ail to cover 96% of their future obligations. now that a a huge jump public pension funs are also seeing solid gains. those early holiday door busters may have worked. retail sales jumping a healthy .7 of a%, cars, furniture, and electronics were among the big gainers. he joins us now live, first let's take a look at retail sales. how good is this? >> pretty good. steer peach 7% isn't bad. that's demand. also, driven by as you

mentioned more durable things. furniture and cars. that's been -- what we don't know is how much that late thanksgiving dragged a lot of the holiday shopping into november. simply because people are running early sales. are we seeing a market that is going out to buy a new truck, or are they buying a new truck because my old one finally just broke down? the average age of a car on the road reached a record coming into this year, so yes, there were a lot. running as far as as they wanted to, pickup has been a strong segment that's pretty well corelated to a better market. so a lot of those things are going on. you can't overlook the fact that auto loans are cheap and plentiful. in fact, sub prime has

come back, if you want add car, if you could barely make the payment, you could have a new one. >> let's face it, they hear all these numbers they have been listening to them, the one thing they want to know, is the economy getting strong enough that i will get a job? and not just a job waiting at a boost food restaurant, a real job? >> the jobs have come, but slowly and not the ones you necessarily want. when you had unemployment at 10% at the worst, it's worked its way down very slowly, and the 7% now is still not great. that's after 3 million have been added. as you say, they have not necessarily been pushing wages higher. so it's a mixed picture for sure. >> thank you very much. >> thank you. when we come back, egyptian cotton, this year's stiff competition, putting an entire industry in jeopardy. and we have new information concerning that deadly train derailment, the ntsb now

stepping up their investigation. lap

when that train derailed in the bronx. lisa, we are now haring that fatigue may have been a factor. >> it may indeed. the engineer reportedly had told investigators that he may have dozed off, been in a stoop forat the controls and one of the things that will be looked at in this extensive review is fatigue. which is really a 24 hour a day business. >> it is too soon to know what caused the wreck if it turns out that he did nod off, nearly fall asleep, this accident would be another in a long list. >> fatigue is an insidious understand gator of accidents in all moteds of transportation. >> a national transportation safety board found the driver

had hardly slept in three days, 15 people died. a tired trucker who had been on the road, killed ten in oklahoma. in 2004, investigators say an exhausted cruise freight train slammed into another train,ry leasing he that will clear roin. in missouri that year, pilot whose had been on duty 14 hours crashed short of the runway, 13 died. the ntsb has made more than 200 safety recommendations. former managing director called it a challenging problem. it still may not be taken seriously, by either the operators or management. there tends to be a macho philosophy of we'll power through, if i am feeling tired i will power through it. >> this is what can happen if you doze off. watch this trucker as he careened across the

highway. in some cases those at the controls of a truck, plane, even car may not realize just how tired they are. just how we talk about people are a bad judge of whether they have had too much to drink, we may be a very bad judge of whether we are too sleepy to drive. estimatesernor estimates that drowse driving causes 100,000 crash as year. injurying 40,000. >> it is hard to police individual drivers there's no breathalyzer test. but the department of transportation has put in new rules. for pilots, truck drivers, bus operators and railroad crews. requiring shorter work days, and longer rest periods. safety experts say those rules are long overdue. >> still there's no full proof answer. the train engineer reportedly had a full nights sleep. but he was just too weeks into a new early morning shift.

technology may help, everything from eye and face tracking to sophisticating systems that can automatically stop or slow a train, if the engineer fails to. but sleep rejectedders say what also needs to change is attitudes. >> the first wish i would make is if everybody to start thinking about they sleep seriously. >>ky be a matter of life and death. they are also looking at their fatigue management program. >> from washington, thank you very much. >> victims of gun violence are being remembered during a vigil today, live images right now coming from the national cathedral. including members of the community protestor

attending the vigil. since the shooting roughly 30,000 people have been killed by guns. saturday marking one year now since that massacre. more on efforts to reduce gun violence since then. >> these are the faces of newtown. these are the faces of 20 children who were murdered in their classroom. six and seven-year-olds killed in a constant stream of gunfire at the happens of a mentally ill man with an assault weapon. >> beautiful little kids. >> crimes and its leader to tears he promised their deaths would not be in vain. the country would change its gun laws the vice president would make sure of it. the gun rights group won. >> the legislation to bring a universal background checks for gun owners ban certain assault weapons and clips that hold large amount of ammunition falled. >> so all and all this

was a pretty shameful day. >> he promised he would hug the families and keep fighting but since that day, there has not been a renewed push for federal regulation. >> when you have a constituency like moms getting involved which make up a majority of the voters in 24 country, and who care more about the safety of their children than they do about a lunatic fringe that is basically holding the country hostage, i think you will see things change. >> thankfully they have taken their time on this, so we won't get anything tremendously foolish that may come through. so we are always concerned about what may happen. we are doubly concerned about something especially as sensitive as a civil right in this country. and what that may lead to down the road. >> in the meantime, the fight has turned to the states ten states have adopted tougher gun laws but everybody more 14 have voted to ease restrictions on gun ownership. newtown did have one concrete impact, gun

sales skyrocketed. no one keeps track on how many guns are sold in the united states, but so far this year, the government ran almost 19 million background checks that's on course to beat last year, meaning there could be as many as 19 to 20 million new guns on the streets. so in the year that's passed after the tears have been shed, promises made and not kept, politicians and lobbyiest look toward the future the nation will stop for one day, remembering their futures stolen forever. >> that was patty reporting. eagerly awaiting their response, which was meise just yesterday. bowing is now accepting bids from other states. outside the home base of everett washington. tonya has more. >> these boeing machinists are making it clear, they want their team to build boeings

latest 80, a triple seven x. >> i wanted to get something started get some activists out here with me, and try to keep it here. it would have also assured assembly of the triple x. they now want formal negotiations to begin again, 8500 jobs are at stake, and the company has gone shopping. soliciting bids to land the assembly lines for the newest aircraft. >> fund mentally what bowing is asking is for any new location to replicate what is here in washington. >> at least 15 states are believed to be part of the bidding war, as of this week, missouri is offering $1.7 billion in tax rates the washington state, is offering five times as much, $8.7 billion the biggest corporate tax incentive in american history.

it is a pricy, but worthwhile investment in the states future. je, it's been valued over $8 million but we think that will yield $21 billion in new revenue to the state over that same 16 year period. >> tax breaks are not the only requirements for the state that will ultimately build the triple seven x. among the ryements boeing is looking for low cost land, a skilled work force, and a 9,000-foot long runway. all of which the boeing plan has, but they still have yet to come to a contract agreement with machinists, and hamilton believes that it could be a defining factor in which bid boeing chooses. >> right now, both sides are in their respective corners, doing their testosterone battle who is going to be the one to make the first move. >> a devastating blow to washington state. >> it is huge.

without the triple seven x here, i see the whole factually closing up in a matter of years. >> boeing says it expected to make a site decision. here now with many, ennis? >> three men accused of planning the bombings mr. stand trial in new york next year. a judge ordered abuse annas to be tried aloss with two other agents next november. all three are charged with planning the attacks that kills 224 people, they have all pleaded not guilty. there are reports that 15 people have been killed in provings in yemen, the report says they were on their way to a wedding when her mistaken for an al quaida convoy.

also more than 40 people are dead following clashing in northern yemen, sunni muslims and shiite rebels battled each other today. the clashes began when the conservative sunnies took over a mountain yous area near the boarder. the fire chief of staff for senator lamar alexandar was due in federal court today for suspected child pornography. the last decade working for the republican congressman, he was arrested only charges of possession, and distribution of child pornography. similar of the one that crashed into a scottish pub. nine people were killed in the crash including the pilot and two lives onboard. >> a lot happening around the world today. >> thank you very much. >> you are welcome. >> shipping activity is a benchmark of economic strength and early indications show that this year it is way up.

s that holiday season is in full tilt, and millions of packages are being mailed all the way in the run up to christmas. al jazeera has more from world port in louisville kentucky. float up and fly around the world each day, until christmas. >> a fully automated facility, where 155 miles of conveyer belts move along packages sorting, stacking, and loading them. >> it is the crown jewel of u.p.s., in the airline

system. it is our largest hub for parcel handling and it is the largest automated facility in the world. >> now, on the peek day which is december 2, they are expecting to process over four. packages. >> nationwide, u.p.s. has hired over 55,000 seasonal workers, and the company expected volume to be up nearly 10% this year. >> i fly around the world, so i am going on a trip starting tomorrow, where i am going to hit every weather system in the world. hier at world port, there are five full time meteorologist. helping to make sure the packages in the air, and on the ground, will be delivered safely the week before christmas. it comes back here and gets delivered anywhere around the world we can make it happen. we are a part of so many

people's lives. >> according to many of the employees every day until christmas -- and adrenaline. >> robert tells us it is only going to get worse next week. coming up, we will tell you about the emotional debate over raising the minimum wage, but also tell you why other news can be far more helpful to low income families. egyptian cotton, prized around the world, but now it too is in jeopardy. we will tell you why. >>

he wanted to cut the growth in cost of living adjustments and others that felt that was the wrong way to go to start to cut entitlements or at least slow the growth of entitlements. both of them came to a neutral, compromised ground. this is a compromise of the sort that people have been asking for for quite some time. the bottom line here, those conservative objections are getting some traction, but the betting is now this evening that this is going to pass the house of representatives on thursday and go to the senate the next week and end up on the president's desk, joie. >> mike, thanks for being with us. we'll follow up. ahead. the international space station marks 15 years. are we getting enough bang for our buck, or is it just taking up space? get it?

>> this isn't a new channel, this is a watershed moment in media for america. >> this entire region is utterly devastated. >> people our here are struggling. >> the fire jumped the highway we took earlier. >> your average viewer want's to actually understand how the health care law is going to help them or hurt them. >> they know they can get extremist bickering somewhere else. >> people say that we're revolutionary. our revolution is just going back to doing the best in journalism. >> this is the place to go watch high quality journalism, period. industry is in trouble.s

the cash crop once known as white gold has been on a steady decline. only 435,000 bails are projected to be produced over the next year, and that is a drop of about 11% from 2012. dominique cane takestous the fields are farmers are now starting to feel the effects. >> sha rene has been at work since sun rise. picking this cotton all day, will earn her less than $5. but as she explains, this is all she knows. >> i have been doing this since i was a child. we spend all day under the sun picking cotton. >> cotton was once the crash crop, and elsewhere. but now the area of land devoted to it is less than a quarter of what it was just 20 years ago. the product in this field represents around 1,000-dollars in value.

but the farmer will only get half of that. >> cultivating the cotton requires fertilizers and pesticides to keep the soil healthy. in a good year, these can easily be recouped but not this year. because as they explain, the harvest is poor. >> it is bad this year. the seeds are not strong, we don't have enough fertilizers. with all the costs thrown in, we are only just about breaking even. the bails will end up in factories like this one, but here too, declining demand, has had its effects. tens of thousands of text tile workers have lost their jobs, as factories have shut down. in 1-3 month period, cotton exports fell by more than 40%.

retale stores like this one, now attract few customers. stocks only 100% egyptian cotton. she says demand for her product is down. >> all the process goes up, and this is effected badly every day. so the selling every day, if i compare between this year and the year before, the year before is better than this year. >> the best egyptian cotton is prized around the world for its quality. but with cheap imports, plummets demand, and on going economic instability, some fear egyptian cotton might one day become a thing of the past. dominic cain, al jazeera, cairo. >> as we continue to take a look at the global market that will be tomorrow right here on al jazeera america. we are following breaking news, north korea's official news agency reporting that the uncle of leader john ink has

been executed. previously a once powerful man who helped kim to power. he disappeared from all photos about two weeks ago, now we are hearing reports that he has been executed. the federal minimum wage is $7.25, but a lot of states will require employers to pay more than that. stacy has been crunching the numbers she joins us now. >> and in fact, by next year, 21 states will be above the federal level, be uh the big question, is it really helping their economies? >> when you see images like these, it's easy to understand the emotional argument for raising minimum wage. but many rejectedders argue that the length between minimum wage and economic stability is overblown, siting evidence from states that pay more than the federal level of $7.25 an hour. >> very few people are actually payed the minimum wage, only about 3% of the work force.

moist who are paid are relatively young. other a quarter are high school or college students. >> the five states with the highest, washington, known for its strong union activity tops the list at $9.19 an hour. number two, oregon at $8.95 for one in five household rely on food stamps, the highest proportion in the country. vermont with the third highest at $8.60 an hour, recalculates the wage every year. at $8.25 an hour, connecticut has the fourth highest minimum wage in the nation, but also has the fourth highest groceries and one of the most expensive to live in. how much of an impact is the higher minimum wage really have? in oregon a plan 15-cent increase in minimum wage

on january 1st, 2014, will put an extra $2,034 a year in the pockets of employees working 30 hour as week. >> i don't see any way in which that very small amount of money for a very small proportion of the work force could spark economic growth, and again those funds are coming from someone else who now no longer has that money to spend. >> while the majority of minimum wage are young, and will move up the income ladder, there are those that are struggling. many minority groups depend on minimum wage, sickle mothers among the earn eggs trying to raise a family on what amounts to $15,000 a year. many experts say there are better options out there than increasing income. >> there are options out there liked the earned income tax credit. that are much more powerful at helping people get out of poverty, they are targeted at low income families rather than like the minimum wage a very blunt instrument, that ends up transferring more

funds to the teenager children of upper middle class families than to the working poor. >> the emotions surrounding raising the minimum wage that debate will likely continue to be the focus of improving the economy at the state and federal level. >> i was fascinated you report that very few people actually make the minimum wage, that's not what you hear coming out of washington. >> some argue that the white house, congress, unions are might sizing this issue because it does get an emotional reaction. a lot of the economists say it takes the focus away from the bigger problem, which is financial assistance from the poor. they are calling for more efforts to educate people. which for a family who makes less than 50,000 people, that can be an extra $6,000 each year, and a lot of people say one in five of the people that qualify, don't claim it because they don't know about it. >> when we talk about these numbers we aren't talking apples and oranges, sometimes say it will put an extra $200,

and a lot of people say that's not a lot of money, but when you are on a fixed income, that is a lot of money. >> and it is true, but that also gets them into a poor mentality, when you are trying to make that $200 a year, and they are missing things like the bigger picture, when they can get $6,000 a year. >> thank you very much. >> the national ease yannick an mid vagues releasing its report card, among the highlights and the migration of species never before seen in the region. the latest environmental invasion coming from the arctic. >> cutting deep into a distance past, what's being sliced here is the hard rocky ex-coe skeleton of a common algae, found all over the world, but especially in the far north. for several years scientists from canada and the u.s. have been diving beneath the ocean, looking for the pink glow of a living algae.

they weigh up to 70-kilos and once wrestled up to the surface, they are laying there centuries of the north's changing climate. >> we can see these ring structures here, that extend across the algae, and they are very similar to rings on land. >> dying algae lay down a new calcium layer, but the size depends on how much sunlight they on serve when the sea surface isn't frozen. as things warm up, the growth rings show an arctic ocean free of ice. >> overall, there is -- starting around 18:50 which coincides with the beginning of the industrial revolution, which also coincides with the end of a period that was called the little ice age. that should till us what

to expect as the earth gets warmer. >> the longer perspective we can present, and put into this climate models the more accurately they can then predict what will happen. with some predicting a north poll within a decade or two. the patterns found in the algae add to a growing body of information about the warming seas. >> all of these changes for wild life but also have impact all around the world, and there is a climb that it has gone too far and we need to take action. >> nowhere on earth is climate change more acute than in the arctic. more research is needs even as the ice melts and the north warms up. say it ain't so, but another storm system

brewing. back with your national forecast, up next. debate. 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 the anger all one sided? i hear rumblings from the people who cover the heat that the heat are not in love with players in the payer side, there is real hate here. >> there better be. they can really mess it up for them. when they dislike there, yeah, i think there is dislike but they've got the bravado. they got their chests out. it's still their game. but that's where the home court advantage is important, this game is important because miami used game seven to advance to 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.

we have been dealing with lake effect snow. western new york, close to the great lakes had about 12 to 18-inches at least. starting to see less here, with the prediction tomorrow, but look at this big area over ohio. indiana, illinois, a storm developing there will bring more wintery weather now here is the outlook, we have to go right into the computer forecast, this has not developed yet, but will continue to develop. this is a large area, that's what you will be dealing with saturday night as the storm intensifies.

the house is debating that budget will that was announced tuesday night. leaders from both parties say they are confidence it will pass, the senate takes up the measure next week. we could be one step closer to passengers talking on cell phones. if approved the department of transportation saying today it would then take up the matter. thousands of people lining up for a second day. for one final viewing some traveling long distances just for a few moments to see what