>> this is al jazeera america live from new york city. i'm stephanie sy with a look at the top stories. a deadly car bomb, in beirut. a renewed crackdown on protesters in egypt. three people are dead and 250 under arrest. a federal judge rules the nsa phone surveillance program is legal just days after another judge said the opposite. now the supreme court will have to decide. and more on target data

security breach, the retailer says not to worry. an assassination today in beirut. a car bomb killed former finance minutes mohammed shata and five hours. shata was once lebanon' ambassador to the united states. the explosion happened in the upscale business district. dozens were injured. the united states and the u.s. security counsel condem councile attack. >> reporter: in the heart of beirut's posh downtown area. the car bomb killed former finance ambassador shata. his car was tossed in the air and landed here. avenues close aid and top adviser and leader in the

anti-syria coalition. the explosion took place just a short distance where shata had his office. security has been very tight here lately but that was not enough to prevent this attack. >> we were inside and felt glass breaking and coming in. then we heard the sound. that's what happened. an explosion happened, an explosion continue to break. we waited until it was all broken and then went out and saw this. >> as you can see all the shops here are damaged. i consider all this terrorism. all this is terrorism. damage in the country and to the people. what more can i say? god help us. god help this country. >> reporter: as investigators looked for clues politicians said they already know who was behind this attack, and they pointed the figure to iran and hezbollah. he has not set foot in lebanon for a year said the killers of

shata are the same of those of his father. the explosions marc march 14th leaders met near the explosion site. >> the killer is the same. him and his lebanese allies. from aleppo to damascus, the same people are targeting the heroes of lebanon. >> reporter: it's not the first car bomb to hit lebanon this year. in november the iranian embassy was attacked and then attacked in the beirut southern suburbs. dozens were killed then, and in tripoli car bombs went off near mosques. when it comes to the deteriora deteriorating situation in the countries they share the same

view, that the civil war in syria is the cause of it. saudi arabia's allies are now accusing iran of today's bombing. for the people who live in lebanon their country is turning into a battleground. >> this war is transforming the whole political landscape. it's transforming even the borders that are prevailing before this syrian revolution. so it could be as apart of the big advance to redraw the whole map. >> he was a key figure in lobb lobbying the international banking company to bring the killers to justice. he always stressed it was important to deter the perpetrators were further killings. eight years later an international tribunal is set to

start, but that has not stopped the assassination. al jazeera, downtown beirut. >> joining me now from washington, d.c. to discuss the events in lebanon, james jatrez former foreign policy adviser. thank you for joining us this afternoon. how concerned does the u.s. need to be about the sectarian violence which seems to be a clear spill over from the war in syria. >> i think there clearly should be concern. this is a spillover from the syrian civil war, and there is an under lying element of shiite and sunni confrontation and saudi arabia and iran. in condemning this it's important to understand that

terrorism from the other side, for instance, the bombing outside of the iranian embassy and hezbollah neighborhoods also needs to be condemned. >> mohammed sh ata was a senior adviser. was he a controversial figure in lebanon? >> by all reports he was not. he was a well-respected figure, a former ambassador to the united states, someone seen as a relatively moderate figure. he had recently criticized strongly both hezbollah and the assad government in syria, that obviously is not a reason to justify killing someone. this shows the danger that unless something is done to bring a negotiated solution to the syrian war it could spill further out of control in lebanon, why weather there is abundant combustible merle. >> you say he was not a controversial figure yet he was een route to an alliance meetin.

explain what that alliance is and whether this bombing may have been connected to shata's death. >> i think the alliance meeting was one element, and the upcoming trial in the netherlands about the murder of rafik kariri. there are alignments in lebanon. there is the march for alliance. the march 8th alliance that falls down along the sectarian and regional lines that i mention: there has got to be some way to bridge this gap before lebanon ascend into the sectarian killing that we've seen in iraq. >> there has been finger pointing where al hariri has

been mentioned. saudi arabia has been mentioned. what are your thoughts? >> in things like this you never know whether the perpetrator is the obvious one. in this case the obvious one is hezbollah, or whether these things are done i in a provocatn by the side who was a victim of it to provoke outrage. there was bombing outside of the iranian embays is which would clearly point to sunni groups, but accusations was that the iranians and hezbollah staged this themselves to blame the opponents. one never knows understoo undere circumstances. >> what does this say about the security situation in lebanon and the power of beirut and whether it's political situation in bay lieutenant is allowing the attacks to happen? >> i think its unfortunate that lebanon is increasingly becoming

a governmentally dysfunctional country, and this is a great danger the longer the syrian war goes on. i don't see how this gap can be bridged within lebanon as long as we have the kind of blood lighting that we have next door with syria, with the involvement of outside powers. >> james jatras, former foreign policy adviser, thank you for joining us. >> thank you. syrian's chemical weapons are staying where they are for now. speaking on behalf of the international disarmament team said that they will not reach the deadline to remove most toxic weapons. it was unclear when it will happen. violence in syria is delaying that work. three people are dead following fighting in anti-coup protesters and government in egypt. hundreds also marched against

the government in alexandria, and 260 muslim brotherhood members have been detained. we have more from cairo. >> reporter: we're seeing these protests and demonstrations and towns and cities right across egypt, thousands poured in immediately after fry prayers. we were with some of those groups as they marched from nasr city into town. the police responded by firing tear gas. there was running battle between the proes protesters and the po, an,and at the end of the day wee hundreds who were arrested. it was declared anyone who was caught joining these protests were not only arrested but could end newspaper prison on charges of supporting terrorist

ideology. on the other hand protesters showed out in force proving to the government that they will not be intimidated. they'll not only overturn this decree but oust the government all together. the question is how long they can last whether they'll continue to make these mass arrests, and whether the muslim brotherhood supporters will continue to turn out on 9 on the streets. this could lead to increase of instability and conflict in this country which is the polar opposite of what the government hoped to achieve, that is to try to stabilize egypt. >> al jazeera's reporting from cairo. israel has informed the state department that it plans to release more palestinian prisoners next week. it will be the third group freed

since talks retarde restarted i. they plan to move the homes from the west bank and palestinians say that will derail the talks. the national security agency's bulk collection of records was ruled that it likely violates the constitution. today in new york a judge ruled that it was legal. what is judge william pauling saying in his ruling. >> the country can't decide about this, and now the top judiciary can't decide either. these two very federal judges with the same topic, and two completely different rulings. today's ruling comes from new york, and this is judge william pauling, and we hav paue

spying represents the governme government's counter punch. he notes in his ruling that the government has adapted to take on the threat around the world from al-qaeda, and he says that the government in the united states adapted to confront a new enemy, a terror network capable of orchestrating attacks across the world. he dismissed today the loss brought by the american civil liberties aclu. you can imagine that they're not very happy about this, and they say this ruling mis misrepresens and misapplies a narrow and outdated precedent to read away core constitutional protections. and as i say the aclu is going to appeal this decision. it's very interesting to see these two senior judges coming up with two different

statements. >> and the aclu gives an insight to the legal basis to their appeal. but there was a ruling just last week by a different federal judge. >> he sits in washington, d.c. and he is also a federal judge. when he looked at the same issue there was a case against verizon the phone company. he said i have serious doubts about the efficacy as a means of conducting time-sensitive information. >> he also called it orwellian. >> that's right. >> where are we next with these decisions. >> we have the white house next week, it was the initial publication of the review that they set up, and they are hinting that there could be big changes in the way this

information is collected and stored. in the meantime, edward snowden got what he wanted, that this issue has been risen to the level of an national debate, an international debate. he has to be taking a look at the supreme court taking this issue up because everyone has a. >> it's interesting to see these rulings and the white house could be changing everything. hackers stole names and numbers from 40 million debit and credit card unions. target is confident that the pins are secure, and that they are not stored in their systems.

government has agreed to a cease-fire with rebels, but the rebels have not agreed to cease fighting. two weeks in south sudan has left 1,000 people dead, and we have reports from juba where government forces have regained a key town. >> a huge boostful, this is independently where people in the town telling us that it was fully under government forces where there was sporadic fighting going on in the outskirts. it's prone to some of the most productive in southern sudan. now the capitol was eight hours taken by government forces, and

in the onslaught of machar. now the heads of state in nairobi has given the government here in south sudan up to four days to begin talks. they welcome the governments' welcome to talk unconditionally, but they're also former vice president machar to comes to the talks. they're talking about the people who are in detention, who are alive who machar say should be released so there would be includesivinclusive talks. >> reporting from south sudan. we're getting our first look at thousands of documents about the

new town school shooting. and how a program is saving money by helping homeless people stay out of the hospital. the latest trim in farming. they call it "vertical farming." these fields grow on floors on at industrial park and farmer john adel and his staff agrees user. >> my shipping proceed did you say 1500, 2,000 miles to

get are. >> the plant of the indoor -- as the indoor formers call it doesn't grow corn or soybeans but mustard, high end micro greens on the plates of white-napkin restaurants. these fish supply the vert liser that number issues the 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

>> connecticut state police have released thousands of documents relating the mass shooting at sandy hook elementary in december of last year. 20 children were killed. this is the culmination of the investigation. we're joined live, thank you, good afternoon. >> reporter: good afternoon. this report is 7,000 pages long, yet the shooters motivation remains a mystery. no photos showing any of the young victims at this scene have been released. we have a close look at what happened both at the sandy hook elementary school as well at the

home of gunman adam lanza where he killed his mother before head together school. it happened just over a year ago. lanza shot 20 children, six adults and his mother before committing suicide. last month connecticut state police released their initial investigation showing lanza acted alone. it shows he had significant mental health issues and his bizarre activities at home. today's report concludes the investigation, stephanie, some victims' families were upset that they did not get to see the report before it was released to the public. >> the feels are still so raw, roxana, thank you. punk rockers pussy riots say they'll continue their protest against vladimir putin.

>> reporter: back in moscow after serving two years in remote parts of russia, they had been charged with hooliganism after an anti-putin protest in a moscow can threa cathedral in 2. both are young mothers and the separations have been hard. both met with world press. both looking surprisingly well after two and a half months in the country's toughest prison camps. >> what we want to attract attention to, first of all, people living abroad is that they should not go to the olympics as if it's some cultural event. think of it as a political event make a political choice. if you decide to come, just remember there are people here

in russia, russia citizen who is do not have this this opportunity because they're behind bars and for no reason. >> reporter: russian president vladimir putin was another target describing him as... >> reserved, not transparent security officer with lots of fears, he is afraid of lots of things. he surrounds himself with walls and doesn't see the reality behind them. he is deceived, and he's ready to believe in that deceit. >> they're formering a new charity called zone of rights which supports the rights of prisoners in russia whose conditions they're all too well aware of. they've been in touch with kordovski. not for financial aid but for mutual support for their work. >> our final goal is sal darety, a civil society and the ability to help each other. we saw all of this when we were

in prison, and it's a real miracle. we're very grateful to all who supported us. >> but unlike my hail kordoskhski, who left russia immediately, the punk rockers have no desire to leave russia. al jazeera, moscow. >> on wall street the holiday rally losing team with stocks flat at 1.5 down. they had a strong week up two percent on positive economic moves. shares in the social media down. the company has a bright future, but it may be over valued.

and next week we could see change in gas prices. it has dipped lowest since 2010. but regionally gas can spike and hit $4 a gallon in california. joining me from oregon is mariah summer. thank you for being with us. dow jones hit its record high and stocks have been rallying all year. what's driving this? >> there are a couple of factors driving this, actually. one of them is we had better than expected jobs numbers that came out. we also have the federal reserve quantitative easing which is putting stimulus in the economy. finally we have the strength of large cat companies doing well across sectors.

the strength we've seen in the market is driving the stock prices of many companies across the board higher and higher. >> we know one of the parts of the economic recovery is that the fed will begin tapering their bond buying program starting in january. how will that effect the market? >> the market will likely continue the momentum. what the fed is essentially saying by doing this is that they have the confidence that the market growth will be supported. what they're really doing is taking the training wheels off and saying we're ready for as an u.s. economy we're ready for the consumer confidence in the economic recovery to drive the stock market and not monetary policy. >> we're obviously seeing big-time investors are reaping the benefits on wall street. what about the small guys? are we seeing good news for

401ks and retirement accounts? >> the good news is if you're in the market you're up because the market is up broadly. the investment vehicles made available like 401ks and mutual funds those are invested broadly across a number of equity opportunities. if you're invested broadly across stocks, stocks are doing broadly. and you're up because you're in the market. >> i see. back to the story about twitter. the stock has tripled since the company went public. is it overvalued as mccleary said? >> reporter: as we've seen with twitter, the stock has gone up, it tripled since hoping in november. what we're seeing is coming dark bown to earth. the company is strong and nothing has changed fundamentally for twitter in the last months but there are questions that remain such as how they're going to find new

sources of advertising revenue and grow their user base. >> it sounds an awful lot like facebook. after years of controversy the u.s. military will pack up and move a marine base on japanese soil, but it's not moving far. butter and more than a million americans are about to have their incomes gutted. unemployment benefits are about to run out and what is being done about it in washington.

>> welcome back to al jazeera america. here's a look at your top stories. secretary of state john kerry is condemning a bomb blast in lebanon that killed a former finance minister. and he said the assassination of mohammed shata is a loss for lebanon and the united states. 300 muslim brotherhood members have been arrested its government denounced it as a terrorist organization. the national security agencies bulk collection of

telephone records is legal. this comes a week after a federal judge in washington said the program likely violates the u.s. constitution. two peace keepers from the africa union were killed overnight in the central african republic. there was an attack by rebels of the presidential palace, but that was repelled. gerald tan reports. >> reporter: running for their lives, residents in central africa republic are in a desperate search for safety as fighting flairs up in the capitol bangui. it's a general panic. we've been trauma advertised all night long, especially with heavy weapons that have been fired yesterday. it spread confusion and hysteria. >> reporter: in the air and on the ground, french troops are out in full force to try to restore order. they, too, have come under

attack by seleka rebels, and now control much of the country. armed gangs linked to seleka are accused of committing atrocities against the population and this reevangelical attacks called anti-baleka. the inter religious violence is forcing many in bangui to seek refuge in camps. >> i cannot go back home. if things become secure, then yes, but i can't go back home. even if it's for a year, it keeps us alive. >> reporter: troops have been deployed along side of the african peacekeeping force. but it has been complicated with forces fighting with the seleka

fighters. >> we're enforcing our patrol in order to have a direct in bangui and affected areas. >> reporter: for generations christians and muslims have live side by side. they say the bloodshed is not over religion but resources. gerald tan, al jazeera. >> three n.a.t.o. service members have been killed in kabul, afghanistan, in an apparent suicide attacks. six afghan troops were also wounded. the taliban has claimed responsibility. >> a long dispute between u.s. and japan over okinawa has now been settled. they'll remove the marine base

to a remote part of the violence. some want it closed because of crimes committed by service members. it could take ten years to build the new base. the pentagon welcomed the decision. they say the base is a way to bolster the u.s. presence in that region. for americans out of work for six months, a program that delivers benefits for un. >> employed expires on saturday. they'll push to renew the program when congress meets next. mr. leventhal, thank you for joining us on al jazeera america. the unemployment benefits extend. congress did not make an extension happen before leaving on a vacation. what was the hold up. >> this will be a political fight when they come back in the new year, but it was a

philosophical dispute. democrats and republicans could not agree on whether this was something that they wanted to extend going forward. this was not meant to go on forever and forever. this was meant to be a temporary benefit coming out of the recession. but it's putting money back in people's pockets who are at greatest risk not having jobs going forward and republicans are drawing a line saying enough is enough. if we keep giving money to people log for work for a year or more, that's something that is going to hurt the country's bottom line going forward. >> are republicans united on that? i understand that these benefits were first promulgated under george w. bush. >> you do have some partisan fracturing. republicans and democrats generally speaking are on opposite sides of the fence. but when we come back in january

and congress meets back in session you're going to have some whipping that's going on both with democrats and republicans to try to get people in each party in line behind one bill or another. and so know to answer your question not all republicans are necessarily in lock step on this, but then again democrats you may have some conservative democrats particularly those facing re-election, not many but a few who may not necessarily go on with a hard and fast extension like we've had the past couple of times over the past couple of years. >> i want to talk about the mid terms in a second, but what are some of the other big issues that congress and the president are "l" try to--that will try to tackle in 2014. neither party has set a clear agenda in what is to come in the next year. >> reporter: you're looking at one of the most do-nothing congresses in history. going back into an election year don't expect a whole lot from

these guys in 2014. election years are no notoriousy bad for nothing happening, and legislation going forward i in 2014 are pretty bleak and slim. that being said immigration will be something that will be on the agenda in 2014. it's anyone's guess whether the house is going to be able to act on what the senate passed in 2013, but it is something that is going to be up for debate. republicans are really hurting when it comes to getting latinos and hispanic photoing for republican candidates very cognizant of this. it's a issue not only in the latino community but in general. guns are still in the mix. the even money would be on no, major gun legislation in 2014 is not going to really go anywhere whatsoever, particularly since it didn't happen in 2013 when the issue was a lot more raw particularly after the shootings in new town connecticut. >> all right, dave leventhal,

the do-nothing congress. we've been saying that a lot. we'll see if that changes i in 2014. thank you for joining us. >> my pleasure. >> thousands of people are still out of power after an ice storm struck u.s. and canada. in maine there are 12,000 outages, and in michigan, 60,000 customers, and in canada homes and businesses are looking at another night in the dark. for the homeless when it comes to healthcare treating the homeless comes at a high cost. one state is testing new methods designed to reduce homelessness and healthcare costs at the same time. >> emilio ramirez is living in his own home for the first time in a decade. >> i'm so happy that i got a place secured. >> it's been a long time since he's been able to say that. born in manhattan and raised in

puerto rico, ramirez was studying to be a teacher. >> then my mother got sick. i stopped to take care of her. >> reporter: ramirez worked a series of jobs. finally when a company he work ford moved away he not only lost the job but his home, too. for eight years he lived in a tent under the coney island boardwalk. his health suffered. >> i was drinking touch. >> you're diabetic? >> yes, hypertension and. >> asthma also. >> what we know from past research among people who are frequently users of emergency departments those people are disproportionately homeless. these are people are medical problems and coexisting substance abuse problems. >> reporter: specializing in homelessness, but it was a stint as a field researcher in san francisco that showed her a different approach to healthcare for the homeless. >> when you really break it down there are so many things that

are necessary for health that you can't do when you don't have the stability, and that roof over your head. >> so you do your own shopping? >> yes. >> having a refrigerator and a stove so you can make healthy food and not rely on handouts or fast food or something that is bad for you. >> ramirez has a fresh start because of an innovative plan that uses government funds medicaid to help the homeless. it plans an apartment, medical care and a case worker. 16 studies have backed up the benefits of what is known as supportive housing showing that states can save money by implementing this plan. two years ago new york state began a first in the nation experiment using $150 million in medicaid money for support of housing for the homeless. >> we served over 5,000 individuals right now, and what we're seeing is decreased

utilization in hospital er use, and that's the direction we wanted to take. >> before coming here ramirez went to the emergency room three or four times a month, and now? >> well, i wa i haven't gone toe hospital. >> at all? >> no. >> he now takes his medication and makes regular visits to his nurse and case manager both of who are in the building where he lives. >> i'm proud of how well he has done. >> and a key to good health for ramirez and other homeless people having a home. >> what do you think you would have been if you had not found this place? >> probably dead. >> it's like a new life. >> yes, it is. a whole different world. >> ramirez is an example of how states may be able to reduce rising healthcare costs for the homeless by showing them how to live healthy in their own place.

randall pinkston, al jazeera, brooklyn, new york. >> all the revelations on spying and online surveillance has changed the world of computer hackers. today we get a better idea of what they think about programs conducted of the nsa. we go to the hackers cock convention in hamburg. >> the old technology seemed some how innocent. when the internet now known as a gateway to the american national security agency, big brother is changing the way people talk to each other online i says this linguist. >> all our nightmares have come true. we were thinking that things were possible, but that they were far too expensive to implement on a technical level. but snowden's revelations showed

us nothing is too expensive for the secret services, and they do whatever is possible. >> reporter: germans were shocked by revelations made by greenwald and snowden. discovery made especially painful. britain spy agencies working with the nsa listened in on conversations of top european union officials as well as those of united nations' directors including that of unself computer club members called that an outrage, so they're suing in the european court of human rights. >> the chief of the agencies should be asked about their spying capabilities, and maybe so we can have that spying could

end. just because the public knows about it does not mean it will be changed really. >> reporter: many now feel that there is more reason than ever to do so. al jazeera, hamburg. >> today denver began issuing recreational marijuana business permits. they're able to grow or sell the drug for explicitly non-medical reasons. licenses dispensaries can begin selling it on january 1st. well, motorcycles are cheap in venezuela, and they make it easy to get around. but they're also used in many of the crimes committed in the country. alessandro has the story from caracas. >> driving between traffic lan lanes, blowing red lights and ambushing drivers, motorcycles have invaded caracas, becom beca

major safety concern. >> i saw two guys on a motorcycle. one car behind me. the passenger got off and put a punch of cells phones in his pockets. i understood that they were coming for me next. they knocked on the windows with guns on each side. i gave them everything i had as everybody else did. >> nine out of every ten violence crimes in the city involve two wheels. gangs of armed bikers act with impunity like these looting a broken down truck. this driver is one of them. he works as a taxi driver but he said he mugs people when he needs. >> there are times that you have to. it's like, i have no money, and there is little work. it rains all week and i couldn't work. you need the money so you're encouraged to steel. i call a friend, and we go look for victims.

>> reporter: the two wheeling invasion began a decade ago when cheap chinese bikes arrived. transportation infrastructure has been neglected for decades leading to these levels of congestion. things have become so bad that what was a 30 minute commute on a motorcycle takes more than two hours in a car. sociologists rafael ramirez said that people know the city would not be viable without them but wish the government could crackdown on the lawlessness. >> right now we live in a situation of anarchy. a total lack of social solidarity. this government has implanted an idea that the poor can do what they want. rules have not been enforced for years. even when they try people defy them. >> reporter: the government started meeting with

associations of bikers, many of which support the socialist ruling party. but getting them to agree to even basic rules might be as difficult as navigating caracas traffic. >> for many being a child bride in kenya means facing mutilation. we'll have a report in season i can't and the practice that is happening in the u.s. 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 many worry that the gains made in education will not stick in the future. aljazeera's jane ferguson takes

us to a school in kandahar city that was long considered a success and is now facing closure. >> it's a place offering more than these girls know, a quality education in real tangible skills, a path away from positivity and early marriage and towards university and a career. since 2002, the modern stud has been teaching women languages, like management and computer skills. that they are skills that speak of ambition which in the heart of tallle ban country is remarkable. >> we are a unique school, preparing women to go to jobs. our school is preparing women to go to universities. the stream is uniquely interactive television. in fact, we depend on you, your

ideas, your concerns. >> all these folks are making a whole lot of money. >> you are one of the voices of this show. >> i think you've offended everyone with that kathy. >> hold on, there's some room to offend people, i'm here. >> we have a right to know what's in our food and monsanto do not have the right to hide it from us. >> so join the conversation and make it your own. >> watch the stream. >> and join the conversation online @ajamstream. >> in kenya the practice of sending young girls off to be married is being challenged. in on rural areas when boys and girls are circumcised. after the procedure many girls

are forced to become brides. >> schools are closed and they should be home with their families for the christmas holidays. but if they go home they risk being married off by their parents. rose and elizabeth, both 16 no, escaped in 2008 and 2009. >> i went back home last year but my father did not want to see me. he was so angry that id shamed our family by not getting married to the man he had chosen for me. >> if i go back home now they'll marry me off. they still have not returned the dowry for me, so i'll stay here until i finish high school. >> so they have to stay i. poverty force thousands of girls into parts of rural kenya into marriages. the problem is particularly persistent within

communities. >> now 20 years old, she was married off at 16 as a second wife. now with two children, no education or even any skills, she feels hopeless. >> when i got married i was so young i did not know how to manage a family. life has been so hard for me. i regret that did i not finish school. >> there are laws that have criminalized underage marriages in kin i can't, but the communities still practice this culture and now do it in secret making it very difficult for this law to b being effective. >> this man one of th believes s must relate to the laws. >> when there are proposals of loss that have direct public interest, there should be equally a public mobilization so that it is widely known that

this law is meant to regulate all kenyan communities. >> so he says they'll do things different at the local level, pass laws and make sure that they understand the law and that the tradition must end. >> in the meantime, many girls like rose and elizabeth must keep hiding in rescue centers. their only you refuge. >> the traditions of child brides and family circumcisions often cross borders as people immigrate they bring their long customs with them. a studied stating female genital mutilation, fgm, is on the rise in the united states. what is behind this? >> well, it's really a product of traditional customs not religious based, actually,

that's one of the myths that it has to do with religion or islam in reality. but it's cultural practices brought to the united states. the center of disease control estimate 200 million girls are as risk of genital mutilation. girls are sent home for, quote, vacation, quote, where they're sent home for mutilations. there have been arrests particularly in the state of georgia. we hear from the women we serve that it's happening in the united states as well. and an important thing, stephanie, this is come to go light because courageous women and girls are stepping forward and talking about what is happening to them and what is

happening in their communities. >> what proper prompted you to s study? >> we serve many women from egypt, guinea and mali where the practice is very prevalent. this emerges from our clients who themselves are survivors of this brutal practice, and who are terrified that their daughters are at glisk what are the long-term affects of this procedure? >> it is permanental damaging. death is very common, death often from hemorrhaging or infections immediately. there are many long-term physical consequences to women in terms of pregnancy, in terms of menstruation.

they're greater risk of hiv, genital herpes, and lifelong. we see a high incident of post traumatic stress disorder and depression among women and girls who have been subjected to fgm. >> what can be done to tem what is happening? >> a lot is being done. around this time last year president obama signed a law that prohibits sending girls to their countries of origin for vacation cutting. >> it's nearly impossible to enforce, i imagine. >> i think not. bottom line we need to reach out to communities, especially community where is this practice is common. we need to do a better jock connecting with religious leaders. imams are increasingly speaking out against this practice, and says this has nothing to do with islam and, in

fact, violates the tenants of islam. we need to get in schools and recognize at-risk girls and intervene. public education is a big part of it, and getting law enforcement to step up. then we need to talk about doctors and people in our healthcare systems. they need to be educated about this real risk to the health of women and girls. not only in other countries, but here in the united states as well. >> well, your report certainly goes a long way to exposing something that i had never known. thank you so much for joining us. >> thank you so much, stephanie. >> all right, we have the check on the weather.

thousand people are still without power and it's going to be a bitterly cold night. we have an arctic blast on the way pushing out of canada. we have portions of michigans and track through the next several days the cold air will come rushing in out of canada and it will get quite chilly

back towards detroit. you can see temperatures of 40 degrees, and it's going to get colder here tonight into tomorrow. bismarck will be up to 15 degrees saturday morning. 22 back into detroit and it's going to finance to be cold as we go through portions of the northeast as well. cleveland, 42. 33 towards albany. temperatures in the 50s and 60s. now it's important to note temperatures because we have an area of temperatures around i i-10, the northeast, and heavy rain expected along i-95. if you're traveling next week particularly tomorrow afternoon, we want to be careful on those roadways. more news and headlines coming up very soon.

>> this is al jazeera america. live from new york city. i'm stephanie sy with a look at today's top stories. in beirut a car bomb has killed lebanon's finance adviser and he had also been lebanon's ambassador to the u.s. he was an outspoken critic of syria and hezbollah. there was heavy fighting across the country. three people were killed and 250 have been arrested. the clashes come days after the interim government declared the muslim brotherhood a terrorist organization. a federal judge in new york city has ruled that the national security agency's bulk collection of telephone records