welcome to al jazeera america. i'm richelle carey. here are the stories we're following for you. a political shakeup in turkey. three cabinet ministers resign. nsa leaker, edward snowden tapes an alternative christmas message for channel 4 in brintan >> and the muslim brotherhood is declared a terrorist group by the interim government. ♪ three cabinet ministers in turkey have resigned and the latest split of the regional

superpowers go, each has a son who was arrested last week. none of the ministers were implicated and say they sons were innocent. the prime minister is planning a major resufl of his cabinet this week. here is more from istanbul. >> reporter: there is a political earthquake going on since early this morning, three members of the turkish go resigned and the resignation of the third minister was very important and significant, because while he was resigning he openly crucified turki turkish -- prime to resign as well. he said he was putting pressure on him to make a declaration that would help ease him. right after his speech the prime

minister spoke. he didn't give a direct answer and direct response to his minister, but repeated his discord he has given since the eruption of the scandal. he said it is a international plot, and there are some gangs within the state which organized that plot. we can say that what is happening is significant. we're going to see the results soon, but we can say it's the first crack in the go. the military interim government of egypt has announced the muslim brotherhood is being declared a terrorist organization. peter has more from cairo. >> reporter: the government has been under some pressure for sometime from its -- from it supporters to make these steps to declare the muslim brotherhood a terrorist organization.

i think they found the timing was right on back of that explosion. the intent [ inaudible ] because there is still a significant proportion of the population which supports the muslim brotherhood. by declaring them a terrorist organization, anybody in supports them financially or participates in muslim brotherhood demonstrations or is involved in the muslim brotherhood businesses will be deemed as supporting terrorism. >> so in effect is this ramping up tensions in egypt? >> reporter: yeah, it will ramp up tensions in egypt. i think [ inaudible ] drives the muslim brotherhood underground,

and a lot of people won't simply walk away because of this. some people clearly will, but i think a lot of people will decide to continue their support on the ground, and in a way it criminalizes an organization which a year ago was in charge of the government, was running egypt, was the elected at administration here. so i think it is going to further deepen the divisions which have already createded some pretty deep splits. fighting continues in south sudan, clashing resulted after a power struggle wheen south sudan's president and its former vice president. here is a report from bor where the president's army has recaptured the town. some of the individual you are about to see is disturbing. >> reporter: this part of bor is very, very quiet.

there are hardly any people here. there are dead bodies on the streets, some look like they have been here for days, and have started dement composing. the government took back the town of bor on tuesday. they say they are now in control. but some are wondering where have the rebels gone to? there are still bodies on the street. the stench of death is everywhere. people are still scared, that's why thousands are still staying at the un compound. the army says the rebels have been pushed out of town, but civilians are concerned that some of those rebels have taken off their uniforms and blended into the population. the average person wants the fighting to end. they say they want peace. we know the former vice president says he wants to sit down and talk to the president, but he still has conditions, one

of those being he wants those rerested for this coup plot released from prison. pope francis held his first christmas mass at the vatican. >> translator: prince of peace in every place turn hearts aside from violence, and inspire them to lay down arms and undertake the path of dialogue. as christians gathered for the pope's message, christians from articled the world have traveled to bethlehem to celebrate in the place where many believe jesus was born. nick what have the crowds been like there? >> reporter: the crowds have been really massive. they have been massive right behind me in manager square, and you can see in the background, that's the church of the na

nativity, and people are telling me this is the largest turn out in years. and for the last decade or so, palestinian officials have been really worried about tourists coming here. just now in the last few years they are beginning to come back because they feel safe and a lot of people here are trying to seize that opportunity to create peace. of course on this christmas day a lot of prayers for peace and a real hope that israelis and palestinians negotiation for peace can actually lead to a future palestinian state. and a lot of people want this to be the center of that palestinian state. and about 600 years overdue

for a makeover; is that right? >> yeah, a real facelift coming to the church. this thing hasn't been touched since the middle ages, and what we have seen in the last few years is a real deterioration of the quality of the walls and the roof. we had a big storm here about a week ago, and we saw water streaming down the walls on to the floors, so they are finally going to move in there. they are first going to fix the roof. wooden beams that haven't been touched for 500 years, and then the mosaics and frescos. why did it take so long? there are catholic, armenian, and greek orthodox monks that share hah space, and there are actually famous stories of those monks brawling with each other on the floor of the church, finally they have come together for this renovation.

the fact that they have come together for this renovation is being called a second christmas miracle. so finally they have agreed. >> ah, religious. nick thank you so much. nsa leaker edward snowden has made his first televised appearance since taking ally sum in russia. >> service and duty are not just the guiding principles of yesteare year they have an enduring value. >> queen elizabeth looked back on her time since being crowned 60 years ago, and talked with keeping alliances alive. meanwhile snowden's address is stressed the importance of the

government not spying on its citizens. phil tell us what edward snowden had to say. >> well, richelle, obviously the central point of edward snowden's christmas all tern -- alternative christmas address was privacy. he went on and on about it in certain -- in a number of different aspects. he was speaking about government and new technologies and how to balance all of that with personal privacy. at one point he said that a child born today will most likely not know what it is to have personal privacy. it was -- it was a -- relatively brief address. he did wish everybody a merry christmas, but speaking to the british audience -- now keep in mind this is bound to be watched ash the world, not least of which in washington, at up with point he did say that what

is -- in many ways most alarming is that the future envisioned by the great british author, george orewell was nothing compared to the capabilities and surveillance techniques now in the hands of goes. >> phil ittner thank you so much. ahead on al jazeera america, the aloha state and land of lincoln, they are lobbying hard for rights of the future home of the presidential library of barack obama. and educational opportunity that takes afghan girls away from early marriage and poverty. does big pharma impact the doctors in their decision to not offer alternatives to the pill here? >> i think that there is evidence that if you have interactions with pharmaceutical companies, it does impact -- and there's actually pretty good studies based -- that have looked at physician prescribing patterns and

interactions with big pharma. i think one of the luxuries i have is i'm in academic medicine, and we have a policy that we don't interact with pharmaceutical companies. so i hope that gives me a better perspective. and i think a lot of these doctors aren't having these conversations with their patients because i have countless patients who come to me and said they have never heard of iud's. so i think there is some impact of that. we know there's an impact of that. and it makes it challenging, you know, to -- to have a completely unbiased view even though we as doctors like to think we have an unbiased view, there has been evidence that shows that they do impact us in some ways.

so i think it's important for us to go out and educate our providers too. there is no one size fits all birth control, and there are a lot of options that work for women. >> we want to take a closer look, are there unique challenges facing women in minority communities when an intense battle is brewing between hawaii and chicago, both placing making the claim it is the logical place for the site of barack obama's presidential library. let's go to honolulu. jennifer you could have done

this report from chicago, or hawaii, but you are in hawaii. [ laughter ] >> reporter: yes, and i think it's probably not hard to figure out why. [ laughter ] >> actually we are here for the president's vacation, and as the president and first family do celebrate christmas right here in oahu, it would be a holiday wish come true for hawaii if the presidential library were located here. >> reporter: this is oahu's south shore with waikiki on one side and downtown on the other. it's a low-key spot popular with locals but all of the beaten path for tourists. there is an effort to change that, and transform these 7 acres of waterfront into something that is, well, presidential. robert per kinison is an associate professor of american studies at the university of hawaii. he is helping spear head the

statewide effort to help build the 44th official presidential library here. >> obama is the first international president. and hawaii is a cosmopolitan city too. so this is a good place to tell his international story. >> reporter: and while hawaii can often suffer from the stereo type of just sun and sand with little substance, he says the sheer number of visitors make the aloha state a contender. >> they come for the natural features, but often look for something educational and civic as well. >> reporter: hawaii's vision for the library is as vague as the ocean. max see is a professor at uofh.

>> now of days we have a various pallet of things that would enhance the library's museum mission. we have a learning academy that is looking at cultivating the next generation of thinkingers. >> reporter: and while history has shown that presidential libraries are usually located in the commander and chief's home state, which has many looking to illinois, hawaii's governor says the president's ties to the 50th state run deep. >> he took his first breath here in hawaii, so we think we have a unique perspective to offer in that regard. >> reporter: still, the governor is quick to point out, he doesn't view this as a competition with chicago. >> our principle logic is not to compete but to compliment the motivation in putting together a

comprehensive library system, a series of components that will reflect the president's true legacy in history. the question of where that history will be housed won't be decided by committees in chicago or hawaii or even areas inside the beltway, it will ultimately be up to the president himself. the president has not indicated when he will make a decision, meantime competition in chicago is intensifying. the university of illinois at chicago has put in itself official bid going head to head with the university.

37 people were killed in bagdad today. most at a catholic church right after mass. so far no one has taken credit for the attacks. the deaths bring the number killed this month in iraq to 441. more than 8,000 people have been killed in iraq this year. this was also an attack on the usembassy in afghanistan just before dawn. a series of rockets were fired into the building. no one was hurt, and the taliban immediately claimed responsibility. no one injured, but afghan remains a dangerous place especially for women. and as nato forces prepare to leave the country, many worry if gains made for women will continue in the future. >> reporter: it's a place offering more than these girls

know. a quality education in real tangible skills. a path away from poverty and early marriage, and towards university and a career. since 2002, the kandahar institute of modern studies have been teaching young women subjects. they are skills that speak of ambition, which in the heart of taliban country is remarkable. and says their head teacher, dangerous. >> we are a unique school. our school is preparing women to go to jobs. are preparing -- our school is preparing women to go to universities. our school is preparing women to take part here at the conservatives are opposite to -- to the idea that women come out and play a role in the public. >> reporter: the journey to school is risky for these young women. those coming from villages

travel in covered trucks. even buses for city-based girls have been attacked. few here believe they will stop arriving. >> we look forward many other girls to come, and still they are coming. they will come. if they are not coming now, they will come, and if their parents will let them to get education. >> reporter: but after surviving conservative hard liners for so long, it's money problems that will likely end these girl's studies. one of the favorite subjects by far are computer skills. these classes are extremely popular. the girls are learning to use the internet as well as use various spreadsheets and programs like that for future employment. but this used to be the most special classroom of the school. here they had a pioneering project where girls would skype online with volunteer teachers

in the u.s. those running the school now say they can no longer afford net at that high speed and they have had to cancel the project. funding from abroad has dried up. this month the teachers have agreed to forfeit their salaries, but that won't fill the gap. >> unless we get funding, we are going to close. all of these women today cow saw in the classes, that's going to close. >> reporter: he says he now has to charge the girls a dollar a day. self-hundred have dropped out, unable to afford it. the lucky ones still here return to their conservative lives each day unsure if the next one will offer so much promise. jane ferguson, al jazeera, kandahar, afghanistan. ahead on al jazeera america, nature's largest land bird is facing what could be its biggest

challenge. and it's diet.

welcome back to al jazeera america. i'm richelle carey. here are today's headlines. political turmoil in turkey. a lawmaker quits amid a corruption scanned there will. three cabinet ministers have already resigned after their sons were taken into custody in a bribery raid. they are denying any wrongdoing and say their sons are nept. edward snowden has made his first televised appearance since taking asylum in russia. in egypt the military interim government is formally declaring the muslim brotherhood as a terrorist organization. they say there will be punishment with anyone who is involved with the brotherhood. joining me is a member of the brotherhood, and a spokesperson

with the anti-coup alliance and joins us from cairo. i hope that noise does not mean we just lost our guest. are you there? >> yes, i am here. [ beeping ] >> can you hear me okay? >> okay. >> not sure if we're going to be able to do this if we keep hearing that noise, but we'll try. what is your reaction to today's announcement by the interim go? what is your reaction? >> well, actually, it's -- it's very, very normal. there's nothing knew, because they have applied all -- every item that they announced today, it has been applied before, so there is nothing new -- >> stephanie if i could interrupt you for just a moment. we're actually having a difficult time hearing you because of that extra sound, so

we'll have audio work on that, and we'll do a quick check of our forecast and hopefully be able to return to our guest from egypt. in the meantime let's get a look at the forecast. >> today quiet for the most part across much of the country, particularly across michigan on in to wisconsin. it's a very chilly day. a lot of folks are out of power across michigan, especially in detroit, around 49,000 customers are without power right now, and it's going to be a very chilly day. we have snow showers that will push across the east and on in to wisconsin. it is weaken as it pushes east, but it will bring a little bit of snow towards chicago and back towards detroit, a lot of people as i said are suffering from not having power here today. you can see a lot of ice on the trees, and that ice piles up, causing the tree limbs to fall

down, and that's what causes the power outages. that's what we're dealing with from the weekend storm, and you can see crews working really hard to fix that. in detroit temperatures are right at 21 degrees. we'll continue to deal with the chilly air across portions of minneapolis. tomorrow we'll reach a high of 23 and sunshine, and heat up just a bit by friday. we'll see snow make its way into wisconsin, and through central pa. we'll see the storm push towards the east. a lot of folks in maine out of power as well, and it's a very chilly day there also. and 18 currently, and 22 in new york city, it will be a chilly day overall, in southern california very dry and we'll continue to have to deal with an

increased fire threat. winds are gusting between 40 and 50 miles an hour, so be careful if approximate you are outside today with any fires. back to you richelle. >> thank you very much. it is being called a fantasy train and it's running through the botanical gardens. this is the story of this year's magical holiday exhibition. >> these structures are one of a kind. there are no other structures like them because they are made from plant parts. many of these are gathers from the woods things like the acorn caps from oak trees, and the tendrils from gape vines, and lees from the forest floor. all of these are gathered and then used to make these amazing structures. we have been doing this exhibit for over six years and we now have a regular following, and a

every year we change the theme. and this year the theme is world fairs. many people have been to world fairs. for example, we have the globe which was shown at the 1964 world's fair in new york city, and then we have the fountain which actually is a part of the u.s. botanic garden and it was on exhibit in philadelphia in 1876. people are so happily surprised when they see what can be done with plant parts. and it really reaches all ages even though people might say oh, it's for the children. that's not true. i feel that it is a gift to the nation. it gives people a place to come, where we're not selling anything. we're not -- we're not a shopping mall. we're really here for -- for the people, to make them, you know, excited about the holiday season, but also inspired about the importance of plants in our

lives. >> thank you for. watching al jazeera america. "the stream" is next. and check out our website, aljazeera.com. you're in "the stream." is the war on christmas a myth or a reality? >> our digital producer, raj is here, and raj, it's a weird thing to say this, but christmas is a touchy subject in america. do you say merry christmas or happy holidays or nothing at all? >> we just watched elf and love actually, and paying for overpriced eggnogs, but we have a google comment. en