>> cut off - long-term unemployment benefits come to a screeching halt for more than a million americans struggling to make ends meet. >> conflicting conclusions - a judge rules the n.s.a. phone-tapping program is legal, after another judge says it wasn't. >> who did it and why? the ascertain is on for the culprit behind the beirut bombing that killed six, including a government official with ties to the u.s. >> let there be light. how russia is managing the winter blues by brightening the nation's colours. [ ♪ music ]

>> good morning, welcome to al jazeera america. i'm morgan radford live from new york city. it's a tough weekend for those still struggling to find jobs. emergency jobless benefits, a life line for many of america's unemployed, expire today. about 1.3 million people who have been out of work for months are finding themselves cut off. the government check they depend on, a little more than $1,000, will not show up in the mail. the benefits program was introduced in 2008 at the height of the recession. the payouts cost the federal government $225 billion. extending them for another year at $19 billion, but congress has not done that yet. tony harris reports. >> months ago they lost their jobs. now they are losing the money they get from the government to get by. since 2008 congress extented the

compensation program a dozen times. this time lawmakers let it lapse. this means people who lost their jobs will no lodger have a cushion once state benefits run out. usually after 26 weeks. with the extension they had up to 26 weeks of help. the change will be give -- difficult for people in michigan especially. >> $161 a week, after taxes. >> 56-year-old norbert franzak is one of them. >> i'm not going to be able to pay for utilities, in fact, after this check i get this week from unemployment i have to pay the mortgage on 1 january. i'll have less than $200 in the bank. >> michigan's unemployment rate is the third-highest in the

country at 8.8". the national rate is 7%, the lowest in years, leaving many in congress to say there's no need for emergency unemployment benefits. most democrats say the benefits should continue. before heading to hawaii for the holidays president obama scolded congress for failing to extend the program. >> because congress did not act a million constituents lose a life line. >> people relying on federal unemployment checks will have to wait and see. keep looking to work and hope the new year brings good tidings and cheer, not to mention more jobs. >> president obama appears to be on a working vacation and hawaii. the president called two senators to rally support for extending jobless benefits. an economic advisor says the senate will hold a vote as soon as it reconvenience in the new year. >> the n.s.a. spying program,

which connects millions of american phone records is legal. it dismisses a lawsuit claiming that what the agency did and how they did it is unconstitution call. another federal judge placed an injunction against the program, calling it almost orwellian. >> in his ruling federal judge pauley of new york says the n.s.a.'s mass collection of phone records recognises a counter-punch. he said the 9/11 attacks night have been prevented if the phone data collection system existed then to help investigators connect the dots. they have adapted to confront a new network. the data collection program was part of the adjustment and he dismissed the lawsuit brought by

the american civil liberties union after analyst edward snowden leaked details of top-secret programs on american networks every day. the aclu's lawyers argued the government's interpretation was so broad that it could justify the mass connection, financial health and library records of innocent americans without their knowledge. the acu will appeal judge william pauley's rulings: >> now the department of justice says they were pleased with judge william pauley's decision. the federal judge richard leon sitting in washington d.c. ruled the opposite way in a suit against verizon, writing:

>> last week the white house issued a report commissioned in the wake of the edward snowden leaks in which it was suggested changes may be in the offing to the way data is collected and stored. with two federal judges coming up with different decisions on essentially the same subject, many think the issue of n.s.a. spying is heading towards the supreme court in washington. >> at least three more lawsuits against the n.s.a. are pending in federal court. >> four u.s. military personnel in libya have been released. the men were detained at a checkpoint after scouting out routes for a diplomat. reports of gunfire could not be confirmed. government officials are not saying why the men were taken into custody. >> funeral preparations are now

under way for a prom nept lebanese -- prominent lebanese minister killed. mohamad chatah and five others died in a powerful blast. china was an outspoken critic and served as ambassador to the united states in the late "90s. we have more on the investigation from beirut. >> it's 24 hours since the explosion took place and lebanon is picking un the pieces -- up the pieces. a white tent has been put on top of the site where the car bomb exploded. that's where it was parked. the car bomb shot the car in the air, and it landed in that spot where you see it's covered with a green tent. the investigators want to make sure nobody touches the two major evidence. they want to check who was in the cars, how were they

detonated. and they are trying to decide who was behind the attack. the politicians have their mind-set and accuse iran, the syrian president and hezbollah, and want international communities to do something about it. >> the report from rula amin in beirut. >> syria's chemical weapons are staying where they are now. the international disarmament team will not be able to remove the tox yins by december 31st. the diplomat was speaking after an international meeting on the disposal process, saying it was unclear when the work might begin. >> the egyptian government is ramping up a crackdown on supporters. five people were killed in protests across the country on friday. this is the latest unrest. that's the designation that allows courts to hand out prison

sentences. peter greste reports. >> friday was always going to be a day of confrontation, a test of will before egypt's anti-government protesters and police. it came two days after the government declared the muslim brotherhood to be a terrorist group. the superior ministry warned anyone joining protests supporting the brotherhood will be in gaol for five years on charges of promoting ideology. here in nasr city and towns and cities across the country, thousands turned out after friday prayers. >> they want to rule us with guns and because of that, we are going to protect very safely, peacefully to save our lives. >> they are finished.

the killer will not be in egypt. >> women joined the march that seemed headed for a confrontation. above them supporters waved from the balconies. the 4-finger salute is a symbol of anti-coup alliance. the protesters are making it clear how determined they are to continue. we need to see what the government is prepared to carry out. minutes later the police moved in, firing tear gas and bird shot into the crowd. the protesters scattered into the side streets before a core regrouped to fight back. the police tried to arrest anyone involved in the protest. we have injured in nasr city. we have six in prison. >> a photographer perched on a balcony caught this woman.

the government's crackdown on the brotherhood was aimed at dealing with what officials believed to be a threat to national security. if the confrontations continue, it may well have had the opposite effect. peter greste, cairo. >> an egyptian government spokesman said anti-government protest leaders can be sentenced to death under the anti-terrorism law. >> an anti-government demonstrator is dead after being shot at a protest camp in thailand. four others were bound r -- were wounded. >> the attack came hours after the army chief said he didn't want the military dragged into the conflict, but did not rule out intervention. >> turkish police clashed with protesters. they flung rocks and firecrackers at police as they

chanted for the arrest of the prime minister. 25 have been arrested in a corruption investigation targetting members of the turkish governmentment the first peace-keeping forces arrived in the central african republic capital, caming to bolster security in south sudan, where 60,000 displaced people took shelter. a coup set off a wave of ethnic violence. >> an investigation is underway into a train fire in india which killed 23 people on saturday. the train was travelling through the southern part of the country when a carriage caught fire. many victims suffocated from the black smoke that filled the passenger coaches. >> rescue operations were hampered by thick fog. the number of missing and injured is uncertain. >> the south pole's harsh rescue

was stimied by a chinese ice breaker trying to reach a vessel trapped for four days. the stranded ship is 100 miles east of the base, and may have to wait days for another crew to free them. gerald tan has more. >> stranded in the southern ocean. passengers aboard the scientific research ship catch a glimpse of hell. they have been trapped in dense ice off ant -- antarctica. off the right shoulder is the chinese ice breaker "snow dragons." it turned up an hour ago. it should be alongside in two to three hours. there's a lot of relief among the team, and happy faces. but it would be short lived. the chinese rescue vessel had to cut through more than 20km of sea ice.

halfway through it was unable to advance and finally turned back. it's one of three ice breakers dispatched to freed academic ship, carrying 74 people, including scientists, tourists and journalists. they were tracing the route that australian explorer douglas mauson took 100 years ago, studying the environmental changes in the area. their best hope lies in a powerful australian resupply ship "aurora australis" expect to arrive on sunday. the ship has weeks of food and supply, it's just frozen in place. >> the researchers could be rescued by helicopter if the weather conditions improve. >> frustration mount a week after an ice storm shut down power in half a million homes. officials say tens of thousands

may remain in the dark after the weekend is over. fights are breaking out over generators and death threats directed at power crews. 50,000 customers are without power as icy conditions frustrate line workers. tree limbs snap and fall on to power lines. >> i'm meteorologist eboni deon, we'll continue to keep the mild temperatures around for another day, before temperatures start to drop off. here is a look at chicago, where we'll see temperatures into the mid 40s. notice through the overnight hours temperatures drastically drop. they dropped below zero, and rise to 28 on sunday. that's when we are expecting to see a little snow in the area.

temperatures fall off. we are talking teens and 20s. here is the set up. we have a strong cold front making its way southward out of canada. that's what will drop the temperatures from above average to well below. as we get through the weekend, the arctic front will be on the move. it will spread the cold air deeper south and further east. by the end of the weekend much of the great lakes stopping from 10 upwards. what we are finding is not a lot of snow flakes trying to generate. it's this storm system in the deep south that we'll watch. not only is it impacting parts of the south, it may cause soggy condition. with the grounds saturated. we are specting two inches.

that will cause more concern for flooding. it was expectative for north and centr central. we'll see the rain across the south-east. as we time it out, it will head up the east coast bringing rain on sunday. we'll look at the temperatures coming up. >> a state of emergency declared in tabasco following flooding, forcing many families to remain inside, unable to leave their homes. the rain began monday. some of the worst-hit areas were unable to celebrate christmas. >> an intense heatwave left thousands dealing with blackouts and struggling to find relief. >> buenos aires hit the 100 degree mark. with a high humid air mass it felt like 115. the government is distributing power and water.

others are finding relief from the heat any way they can. >> riding on the wrong side of the law. the city where violent crimes are committed by bandits on motorbikes. >> i'm in one of many cities in china with everything you could want - except for people. >> and protecting endangered species. the legislation that saves hundreds of plants and animals from becoming extinction four days after it was put in place.

>> good morning, welcome back to al jazeera america. i'm morgan radford. biker backlash. why venezuela's president wants to keep moses -- motorcycles off the road. >> first to the weather. >> it will feel different. much of the country enjoyed milder temperatures. look at where we are standing

right now. >> it's more indicate v of the afternoon. changes are on the way. we are in for a cool down. enjoy the milder air. it's 44 in birmingham. 20s and thursdays widespread across the midwest. it's 33 degrees in dv. sitting above the freezing point for 39 and pittsburg. we have a cold front making its way east and south. it will drop the temperatures significantly. we'll have the rain and 40s colder next week. >> it's been so warm. how long can we expect this to last. it's too good to be true. >> as the front moves in, it's out of here, the cold air returns. >> i'll get ready. >> police have released a trove of documents and other materials relating to mass shooting at

sandy hook elementary school in new turn connecticut. it includes a video tour of adam lanza's home. it shows firearms and targets. newly release documents fill in more details about how the shooting unfolded. a report released lansa as obsessed with mass murders. his motive may never be known. 20 children and six teachers were killed. >> a credit problem for target has turned into a headache for target customers. pin numbers have been taken. this as lawsuits trickle in from customers. target insists pin number data is safe and secure. in a statement target says:

some call them a plague in venezuela, for many motorcycles are a cheap and easy way to get around. they are the getaway vehicle of choice for crooks. >> driving between traffic lanes. >> blowing red lights and ambushing drivers. motorcycles ambush caracas. this woman was assaulted while stuck in bumper to bumper traffic >> translation: i saw two guys in a motorcycle. the passenger put a bunch of cell phones in his pocket. i understood they were coming for me next. they knocked on the window. i gave them everything i had. >> this woman is not alone. nine out of 10 violence crimes

in the city involved the two wheels. motorcycles are robbers and hit men. >> this driver is one of them working as a taxi driver, and says he mugs people when in need. >> translation: there are times that you have to. it's like damn, i have no money, there is little work. or it rained all week and i couldn't work. you need the money, so you are encouraged to steal. i call a friend, you look for victims. >> the 2-wheeled invasion began a decade ago. they were a problem, but a life line in the gridlock. >> transportation infrastructure has been neglected for decades leading to congestion. things were so bad, there was a 30 minute commute on a motorcycle, taking more than two hours in a car.

socialiologist raphael says people know the city would not be viable without them, but wish the government could crack down on the lawlessness. >> right now we live in a situation of anarchy, a lack of solidarity. this government implanted the idea. rules have not been enforced. so even if they try people defied them. >> the government started meeting with associations. bikers, many of which the party, to agree to rules, may be difficult. >> in september the headquarters of the national security agency hosted the first of a series of meetings and workshops to discuss the way forward.

>> calls in china can legally have a second child. the decision to repeal a one-child policy following the announce the allows couples to have two children. it was first imposed in 1980 to control the booming population. officials fear an ageing demographic. it has abolished re-education through labour camps. >> a new city in china has everything you could want. shopping malls and brand new apartments. this is a coast town. andrew thomas tells us what is being done to change that. >> six years ago all this was farmland. now there are tens of thousands of apartments and plans. this woman lives in one. in her building of 44 flats,

four are occupied. >> it's too quiet on weekends or weekdays. it's the same. you don't see anyone on the streets except cleaners. >> do others feel the same way? there was no one around to ask. if there was tumble weed, this is where it would blow. there's something spooky about walking around here. it's the weekend, the middle of the day, it's not raining, there are hundreds of apartments and the streets are deserted. the only sounds are the rustle of the wind and the birds. as if a terrible accident cleared all the people out. most front doors are wrapped in sello feign. the city hopes 2 million people will live here. in established cities housing is expensive and millions in poor conditions. 15 families have two rooms each.

bathrooming and cooking areas are communal. the governments expect more rural chinese will move. that's why they are creating new cities. the theory is places like this offer good quality, affordable housing. most apartments are sold to speculators. prices for the first apartment built have doubled. >> it's an investment. here it is cheaper, speculation for the long term. >> real people may move in. universities and government officers are moved to bring in students and jobs. now speculators drove the price of a 2-bedroom flat, they are out of reach. >> the result is an expensive ghost town with few people and without much traffic. >> in china's planned economy

building the right city in the right place is tricky. >> it is one of the largest ghost towns in asia. >> dozens of deductions slashed. ringing in the new year is the end of tax rates putting money in the pockets of teachers, parties and home openers. coming out of the - dash a move to brighten the days of millions of people in russia. >> i'm mark morgan, it's win or go home for several teams in the n.f.l. we'll talk about how changes in the center will affect the futures of everywhere involved.

>> welcome back. i'm morgan radford, and these are the top stories.

emergency benefits expire today. 1.3 million who have been out of work for a month will be cut off. a new york judge rules that spying activities are legal. that decision days after another federal judge said the program was unconstitutional. police released a trove of documents and other materials relating to the mass shooting at sandy hook elementary school and newtown connecticut. including a video tour of the shooter adam lanza's home. >> not everyone will celebrate the start of the new year. there are dozens of tax deductions and credits set to expire. >> while 2013 came in with a bang, its end may mean a higher tax bill for many. tax bills expiring affect a range of americans.

teachers in the u.s. spend 1.3 million out of pocket et for school supplies for the students. that's right. $1.3 billion. >> more than 3.5 million spend money out of their pockets to make sure students have supplies and resources they need. since 2003 they deduct up to $250 for out-of-pocket expenses. that disappears at the end of the year. >> i hope that the counsellors and teachers and aids spend the funds on behalf of the children. it will cost them more in 2014. >> it may cost parents with children in college more to send their kids to school. the tuition and fees allows families earning less than $60,000 and single persons to exclude $4,000 from the income, giving them a lower tax bill. >> we are hoping congress does something to make the incentives

permanent. when you try to decide whether or not you can afford to go to school, you need to know the aftertax expense. tax experts say parents should try to pay 2014 expenses by the end of this year. >> struggling home owners will face what experts call a financial disaster with the expiration of the mortgage consider that more than 640,000 americans received relief from the national mortgage settlement. the size was reduced by an average 108,000 so monthly payments were affordable. if congress doesn't act, mortgage reductions made in 2014 will be taxed as income. it will hit these people who are the most vulnerable. people who are struggling with mortgage payments, people hurt by a declining home price

market. and that just hurts the housing market and hurts the economy. small businesses in the united states create 60% of private sector jobs. many economists say their ability to grow had let them write-off a deduction. 2014, 25,000 can be spent on equipment. >> just because they are set to expire does not mean the taxpayers will not get relief. it's possible congress can reinstate provisions. it doesn't mean they'll come back in the same size or form. it's a waiting game. millions of taxpayers or businesses need to brace themselves for a higher bill from uncle sam. another expiring tax break, a credit of up to $7500 for people who buy electric plug-in

vehicles. >> he's the most talked about leader in india. tens of thousands crowded a park to witness the new chief minister be sworn in. the political star comes from humble beginnings and pledges to get rid of corruption. al jazeera's correspondent joins us live from new delhi. why is this election gotten so much attention? >> absolutely, i mean you would imagine why would anyone outside of delhi or internationally paying sustainings. it's simple. the party has founded what has gone into the election. it was borp of a national anticorruption union. thousands of people protested in the streets. they demonstrated they wanted indian politics cleaned up. it is a big deal. >> they promised to do it, have they done it? >> is this changing on a large

scale. the face of indian politics statewide. >> that's an interesting question. we are yet to find out more about that. india goes into a national election. it's a big time, billed as one of the most important elections in recent years. we'll see what impact that party has had not just on the state, but across the country come the next few months, bhep the major political parties go into campaigns and vote across the country. the contents is 1.2 billion going to the polls, a lot of people that the parties have to capture the attention of. perhaps they may look to follow the lead of the party. >> do we think it will have an impact globally. is it likely it will affect other demack rahsies as well? >> it's an interesting point. certainly putting into context

india has a corruption problem like other merging nations - take indonesia for example. it's battled similar problems. for this party, it's tackling india first. it knows its first obligation is for the people that voted it in in the state of delhi and the wider context. if you take india, it's a tall order, you are talking about years of corruption and red tape that other parties haven't been able to deal with. spraps a blue print for other economies and countries. first and foremost the trial will take place in india. >> back to kederall, why is he so special? why has he captured the heart of the nation? >> what makes him special, and we heard this where people had gathers. tens of thousands. some say hundreds of thousands,

that he's one of a regular indian. he represents the viewpoints and ideals of the modern aspiring indian, that made him attractive to voters across the country. he's extremely popular among the middle class and among the poor and the elite for the wealthy so he's appealed to the center or desires of a whole lot of people. that is a unique factor. he has not gone in for a slither of the constituency. he has an all-round appeal and an envious one given the political parties and impact he has had. >> thanks so much for joining us. >> a new study finds a third of all adults had high blood pressure. in the south-eastern part of the nation it's well over half.

researchers dubbing this part of the country the stroke belt. cardio vascular disease kills many. despite the well-known risks rates have not changed. researchers say this is because the number of people who do not know they have high blood pressure is the same. >> moscow nights and the winter can mean depression. the government is trying something to brighten up the dark days of russia. >> waky waky, it's nearly 10 o'clock in the morning and it could be midnight. since the kremlin scrapped daylight saving time the people here face 18 hours of darkness a day during the winter, some going without seeing a trace of blue sky for months. >> for the people of moscow, a walk to work can be a depressing experience, carried out in total

darkness, crossing icy streets and needs to be done again eight hours later, again in total darkness. >> translation: it influences people. they can get depression. 10% suffer from it in winter. every person feels a lack of energy. 10% needs medical treatment. >> for the first time city authorities declared let there be light. lo and behold there was light. they don't celebrate christmas in december. new year is the big deal. that did not stop officials splashing out there 10 million to turn moscow into a winter wonder land. >> we are not talking about london's regent street. this is a big improvement. they lit up 7,000 trees and

plastered lights across moscow. decorations that will remain in place through the winter olympics. >> it's lovely. walking here after a long day at work, this cheers us up. i hate the dark days. we wake up at 11 in the morning. what about the children. they have to spend their mornings and evenings in darkness. >> if you live outside moscow. tough luck. no lights in the suburbs. four months of bumping into things. >> moscow authorities say the new lights use low wattage led rights, neither harmful for the trees nor dangerous for the kids that may touch them. >> many play-off spots in the n.f.l. are still to be decided. mark morgan is here to explain it all. >> hey, a lot of anxiety in dallas, wondering what the

dallas cowboys would do. tony romeo underwent back surgery. kyle ortman will start quarterback in the eagles game. sher een williams of the fort worth star telegram weighs in. >> that lees this game in the hands of kyle orten, he made 69 starts. he's 35 and 34. but has not thrown a pass as a starter and only thrown 15 passes over the last two years. it takes the pressure off the cowboys. no doubt about that. they can go in, play loose and play defense. it will be a tough road. >> while the cowboys lost romo, the green bay packers will have their player back under center. just like eagles cowboys, this is a win and lose and out game. rogers has not played since

breaking his collarbone. josh was off the chart during an absence due to injury. cutler is 1 in 8 lifetime and a loss by the bears could affect the future of cutler and mc-cowan in chicago. the bears will be without both of the quarterbacks for the next season. both are free agents. a lot will depend on what happens in this game, as jay cutler returns to the bears. if they don't win, they'll move on with josh mc-cowan resigning him or draft a quarterback to come in. i think jake cutler moves on if he can't win the game. >> in the afc, four teams are scrambling for a final wildcard slot. the dolphins are in sixth, if they beat the jets, they make the playoffs. the ravens, chargers and

steelers need to win and get help. >> i like miami. they need the least amount of help. kansas city will arrest some starters, if not most. if the chargers win the game. the dolphins - all they need to do is beat the jets. all they had to do was beat the buffalo bills, and they weren't able to do that. they have the jets at home. they dominated them the last time they played. the jets don't have anything to play for. they'll win. they have signs up saying 1 and 0. win the game, get help. it looks like they'll get, hope to get, and they go to the play-offs. it will be the first time in five years. if not, it's the most disappointing finish since 2008. >> the washington redskins end a miserable season. the skins are 3 and 12.

robert griffin the third is shut down. shanahan is finishing with his job in jeopardy. >> at my count seven coaches who have to worry about being fired. not including out in the west. lovey smith has been talked to. he said he'll be back in the n.f.l. coaching and will probably have a pick of jobs among the seven teams that end up firing their coach. the most intriguing is where mike shanahan wants out of his post but will cost $13 million. >> i talked to shanahan and asked if he thought about his future. he said he has and will sit with dan schneider and figure out where to go. >> that's it for sports for now. >> the endangered species act

turns 40. richard nixon signs it in to law to protect animals and plant in the u.s. they were on the brink of extinction. has it worked. >> we look at what has been done in chicago. >> last december wildlife rescuers found a see oter pup stranded on the beach. now grown, he is thriving at an aquarium in chicago. the otters are one of many threatened species that are being studied to protect them. >> it wasn't until the enactment of the endangered species act that the public became aware of challenges faced and laws were put in place. the endangered species act is credited with saving 227 plants and animals from extinction. it protects more than 2,000 species like the beluga whale, by preventing capturing and

killing and imposing penalties if you do. it paved the way for conservation efforts, including buying land. in total the aquarium with the brookfield and lincoln park zoos are working to improve survival of 24 threatened or endangered species. >> there's four female and a male at the brooklyn zoo. the goal is to pair them up and rerelease them into the wild. the mexican roof is the biggest predator. if that has taken out of the equation, all the numbers - you get too many rabbits and deer and other things. the whole eco system is ruined. conservation efforts say these have saved large mammals, and famously the american bald eagle. as we look at the 40-year history, we have learnt a great

deal, how delicate the balance of nature is, how difficult it can be to rescue an animal on the brink of extinction but we learnt it was possible. so do impart to loss and human disruptions, conservation hopes displaying these will inspire others to protect them. >> so far 31 species have recovered, including the bald eagle, the stellar sea lion and the american alligator. >> changing time to look at how public opinion changed in 2013, creating an america. and paying it forward - the cabby's good deed landed him a good deal of money.

>> good morning and welcome back to al jazeera america. right now we are taking a look at changing public opinion, and how it shaped some of the country's biggest issues in 2013. first, let's get a look at where

the snow and rain may fall across the country with meteorologist eboni deon. >> we are looking at a developing storm system, throwing up the moisture across the lower mississippi valley. the same storm system will impact the eastern seaboard. there's not a lot of snow falling, but i'll show you where it is in a moment. here is a look at the rain. we are seeing pockets of heavy rain fall as we zone into louisiana. give yourself plenty of time. >> nearly 2 million people a week listen to "this american life" on public radio. the host, ira glass, sat with an interview with david schuster, talking about the role that religion played in glass's childhood. >> i grew up in the suburbs. it was typical of a lot of people. i grew up in a jewish suburb,

and i don't think i realised as a child how eccentric that was. the county has a huge jewish population. it was more of an ethnic conclave than i realised. almost nobody celebrated christmas at my elementary school. it was unusual. no one celebrated christmas, like, so - yes. >> and - but now you're an atheist. >> yes. >> the jewish upbringing is more a cultural identity. >> like many jews, you don't have to believe in god to be a jew. you are whether you choose to be or not. no, as i went to hebrew school to the 10th or 11th grade. >> you had a barr mitts va, the whole thing. >> yes, and at some point i found i didn't believe in god. i talked about this publicly on

the radio and else are. i don't know, i have seen stories on evan gellical christians. i get along with them. like at some point they'll be, "don't you think there's a reason you were drawn to do this story, a reason why we were meeting each other. and they'll try to sell me. i wish i could go there. >> you can see more of david shuster's interview with ira glass 7:00 pm eastern on al jazeera. >> doing the right thing and then getting paid for it. a couple of days ago we told you about a las vegas cab driver who found $300,000 in his cab. on friday he got a nice reward. the peaker player who left the cash in the back seat gave the cabbie $10,000.

the cab company made him employee of the year and gave him $1,000 on top of that. they were the stories that generated buzz and garnered head line, from spying to gay marriage - 2013 gave us a lot to think about. >> we look back at the year that was. >> in the court of public opinion, 2013 was a big year for americans - passing milestones on a range of issues. findings from the pew research center suggested this year for the first time most americans support same-sex marriage. 51%, according to the perform ew survey. rising over the 50% threshold for the first time, support for legalizing marijuana use. 52% on that question. support for congress hit a 20 year low, polling suggesting that 38% of americans questioned don't want their representative re-elected. revelations about domestic

spying may have put americans on edge. 53% surveyed considered the government a threat to personal rights and freedom. a majority for the first time, and a number that may not be surprising, given the state of the economy. 36% of millennials say they are living at home with their parents. while you happen to watch the news on tv, the pew poll suggests that 50% of americans are using the internet as a main source of news. >> workers in new york city put the final touches on the crystal ball that will drop in times scar on christmas eve. installing the last of the 2,688 glass triangles that give the ball a trademark shimmer. a panel extreme already significant a rose dreamt up by a cancer patient.

>> at the end of the first hour, here is what we are following. >> unemployment benefits expire for 1.3 million americans. congress failed to extend the program when it passed a budget deal. a federal judge ruled that it is legal for the national security agency to collect phone data on millions of americans. it comms -- comms days. ambassador to the united states khairat el-shat mohamad chatah killed. i'm morgan radford, we look forward to seeing you in 2.5 minutes.

>> a former lebanese government official with ties to the united states is killed in a massive explosion in beirut. now the search is on to find out who is responsible. >> and expanding family - some parents in china can have more kids after the controversial change to the one-child policy. >> benefits over, long-term assistance comes to a halt for 1.3 million americans struggling to make ends meet. >> hello, welcome to al jazeera

america. i'm morgan radford live from new york city. lebanese are mourning the death of a prominent politician killed in a car bomb in central beirut. former finance minister mohamad chatah and five others died in the blast and injured seven others. he served as ambassador to the united states in the late "90s. >> it's about 24 hours since the explosion took place. lebanon is picking up the pieces. if we show you, the investigators built this on top of the site where the car bomb exploded. that is where it was parked next to the building upped construction. the car bomb shot mohamad chatah's car in the air and it landed in the spot where it's covered with a green tent. the investigators want to make sure nobody touches the two

major evidence. they want to check who was in the car, how were they detonated and they are trying to decide who was behind the attack. the politicians have their mind-set, accusing iran, the syrian president and hezbollah. and want the international community to do something about it. >> that report from rula amin. >> syria's chemical weapons are staying where they are, at least for now. a russian diplomat says the international disarmament team will not finish removing the toxins. heavy fighting blocked access to many areas. they were speaking after on international meeting on the disposal process. >> four u.s. military personnel held in libya have been released. the state department says the men were detained at a check point after scoping out evacuation routes for diplomats. reports of gunfire could not be

confirmed. the men were held at the ministry of the interior. and government officials are not saying why the men were taken into custody. >> the egyptian government is ramping up its crackdown on supporters of ousted president mohamed morsi. five were killed in protests. it's the latest wave of unrest following a decision by the government to classify the muslim brotherhood as a terrorist organization, allowing courts to hand out harsher prison sentences for protesters. anti-government protest leaders can be sentenced to death under new anti-terrorism laws. >> an anti-government demonstrator is dead after being shot at a protest camp in thailand on saturday. four others were wounded. according to local reports, one or more armed men opened fire. the attack came hours after the army chief said he didn't want the military dragged into the

conflict, and didn't rule out intervention. >> an investigation is under way into a train fire in india which killed 23 people on saturday. the train was travelling through the southern part of the country when a carriage caught fire. many of the victims sufo kated from the smoke, filling the passenger coaches. rescue operations were hampered by the fog and the exact number of missing remains uncertain. >> couples in china can have a second child. the decision to repeal the one-child policy is in effect. following the announcement of a reform. >> dominic kane talks to parents about the change. >> it's official. from now on millions of chinese families can grow. that is music to the ears of this couple, in their mid 30s. they already have one son.

chen feels it's his duty to have another child. >> translation: i think it's our obligation as parents to make sure he has a sibling. an only child is lonely. an only child will never feel what i feel. it's great to have a sister. >> third generation, the one-child policy is thought to have prevented 4 million births, introduced when china's policy was weaker, with a population it couldn't support, with a country richer now than in 1979, the likelihood of a baby boom is remote. developed countries tend to have smaller families regardless of government policy. this couple is grateful the system is changing. >> translation: if the rules had not been loosened we wouldn't have been able to apply for the birth permit and pay a fine, and

might have affected our second child going to kindergarten and school. we are relieved the policy has changed. it will take a lot of the financial burden off us. that is something the government is keen to encourage. an academic says without the relaxation of the rules, the economy will suffer. >> a labour shortage and rapidly ageing population will undermine growth. it's not good that the birth rate stays low. it will match the level of social and economic development and changes in population. >> one thing is certain. the children playing in this kindergarten enjoy freedoms older couples were deny. >> china is the world's most populous country with more than a billion people. >> heavily rain and flooding is

of concern. let's bring in meteorologist eboni deon. >> we are watching the coast. this front is throwing up moisture, rain coming into areas that don't need to see additional rainfall. it means the flood warnings will continue in the areas in the brighter shades of green. across northern and central georgia it could go down as the top 10, as far as the wettest year on record. today we are expecting anywhere from one, upwards to 3 inches in localized areas. a flood watch has been issued, including the city of atlanta. it will track its way along the golf coast and eventually lifting to the north, spreading the moisture to the mid atlantic states and the north-east. now we are seeing all the rain concentrated here into parts of south-eastern texas and

mississippi. it will be a sloppy ride along the i-10. further north mild temperatures, big changes on the way thanks to a cold front bringing rain along the northern tier. it will bring colder air through northern plains. with that in mind, the colder air we are expecting to see a few inches of snow. it will be across northern areas of wisconsin, where the snow piles up, that's where we can see eight inches of snowfall when it's said and done. across the deep south. heavy rain fall at times moving across the valley, spreading to the carolinas. then eventually the mid-atlantic state as we get into the day on sunday. into the upper midwest we'll watch out for the winds.

>> thanks so much. a federal judge ruled that the n.s.a. spying program which collects millions of american phone records is legal. the decision dismisses a lawsuit claiming that what the agency did, and how they did it was unconstitutional. another federal judge placed an injunction against the program calling it almost orwellian. >> in his ruling federal judge william pauley said the n.s.a.'s mass collection of america's phone records recommended a counter-punch. the 9/11 attacks, he said, may have been prevented if the phone data collection system existed then if the investigators could have connected the dots. the government learned and: >> he said that the data

collection program was part of the adjustment, and he dismissed the lawsuit brought by the american civil liberty's union after former n.s.a. analyst edward snowden leaked details of the program, picking up millions of telephone and internet records on american networks. the acl's lawyers argued the government's interpretation of its authority was so broad it could justify the mass collection of health and library records of innocent americans without their knowledge. the aclu says it will appeal the ruling because: now, the department of justice, a spokesman was pleased with judge william pauley's decision. federal judge richard leon sitting in washington d.c. ruled the opposite way in a suit

against company verizon and wrote: >> last week the white house commissioned a report in which it suggested changes may be made in relation to the way data is collected and stored. with two judges making completely different decisions many thing that the issue of n.s.a. spying is headed to the supreme court in washington. >> at least three more lawsuits against the n.s.a. are pinning. >> the credit and debit card breach at target has grown into a bigger headic. encrypted pin numbers were stolen, affecting more than

40 million consumers. target insists pin number data is safe and sewer. >> it's a tough weekend for those struggling to find jobs. emergency jobless benefits, a life line for the unemployed expires today. about 1.3 million people who have been out of work for months are being cut off. and the government check that they depend on is more than $1,000 on average and will not be showing up in the mail. the benefits program was introduced in 2008, and since then the payouts cost the federal government $225 billion, extenting them for another year adding $19 million. congress has not done that yet. >> months ago they lost their jobs. now they are losing the money from the government to get buy. >> since 2008 congress extend the the emergency unemployment

program. this time law makers let it lapse. that means they are people who lost their jobs, and no longer have a cushion once state benefits run out. usually after 26 weeks. with the extension they had up to 26 weeks of help. the change is difficult for people in struggling states like michigan. 45,000 will lose access to benefits. 145,000 more next year. >> $161 a week after taxes. >> 56-year-old norbert franzak is one of them. >> i'm not going to be able to pay for utilities. after the unemployment check this week i have to pay the mortgage on 1 january. i'll have less than $200 in the bank. >> michigan's unemployment rate is the third highest in the country at 8.8%. the national rate is 7%. the lowest it's been in

four years, leading republicans in congress saying there's no longer a need for unemployment benefits. most democrats say it will continue. before heading to hawaii president obama scolded congress for failing to extend the program. >> because congress didn't act a million recipients lose a life line. >> until then those rely on it will have to wait and see, look for work and hope the new year brings good tidings and cheer and more jobs. >> president obama appears to be op a worked vacation in hawaii. the president called two senators to rally support for extending jobless benefit. the white house economic advisor says the senate is expected to hold a vote. speaking of employment, as 2013 wind down economists are sounding optimistic.

as ali velshi explains, they like what they see in those numbers. >> there are more signs that america's recovery continues. the economy was stronger than thought. gross domestic product grew at a revised annual rate of 4.1% in the months of july, august and september, compared to the prior three months. driving the games was higher spending. two-thirds of this country's economic output is decided by our spending. to judge whether we turned a corner, we need to see spending pick up in the final three months of 2013 and into 2014. we get a sense of that when the first estimate for gdp for the final quarter of this year comes out. now, more spending fuels demand for goods and services, giving businesses incentives to expand and create jobs, creating

demand. sips the summer we added 200,000 jobs a month. the economy up 100,000 jobs a year, making 2013 the best year for hiring since 2005. we'll look for more signs of that in the december jobs report not coming out until january 10th. and we'll watch to see how monetary policy affects growth in 2014. the federal reserve announced that it intend to taper the moves. it shows that the fed believes the economy can stand on its own two feet without additional stimulus. ben initials meet to discuss their moves. >> getting extra help. security reinforcements arrive in south sudan to keep the piece. >> a dose of prevention.

cancer that doctors hope a single shot may cure.

>> welcome back to al jazeera america. i'm morgan radford, live from new york city. just ahead - the latest on the crisis in south sudan. first, let's get a look at what temperatures will see across the nation with meteorologist eboni deon. >> it is a cool start to the day. not too bad, especially considering what we are used to at this time of year. we typically see temperatures colder. it's 45 degrees, 32 in denver, 38 in memphis and 46 in houston. across the upper mid west, i hope you got a chance to enjoy the mild temperatures in the last few days. things were changing. we are 22 minneapolis. >> thank you so much. the first peacekeeping reinforcements arrived in the south sudan capital. 72 police officers joined thousands of peacekeeping troops on the ground, aiming to bolster

security at the united nations bases where 60,000 displaced people took shelter. a coup nearly two weeks ago set off a wave of ethnic violence. we have more on the efforts to resolve the crisis. >> the east african leaders meeting in nairobi called on both sides in the conflict in south sudan to talk and talk fast. they have given them until the 31st of december to do so. the president has committed himself and his government to unconditional talks. however, he says that there has to be negotiations before the rebels can agree to any truce with the government. for example, he says that he cannot be committed to the government's professed - not be confident with the government's commitment to peace talks until there are mechanisms for

monitoring a ceasefire. he says he has to see them put in place before he can come and talk to the government. there's four days to go, not much time to put the mechanisms in place before negotiations. it means the deadlines given at the moment is untenable. >> and joining us now from washington d.c. is omar ishmael, policy advisor for enough. it aims to end genocide and crimes against humanity. we understand that south sudan government committed to a ceasefire. realistically how long will it last? >> i don't know how long it will last. we see that the fighting will continue up north, around the town of malaka and around the

oil fields in bentiu and other locations. we are not sure if that suggestion of a ceasefire will last. the government of south sudan appeared to have committed themselves to this. but dr riyadh had not. he is setting up conditions that had to be met before he can commit himself to the ceasefire. >> behind the cease fire the conflict took a toll in a couple of weeks. more than 1,000 people have been killed in the last two weeks. over-120,000 have been displaced. given everything that is happening, what do the south sudan need most right now? >> the south sudanese need security. the people in juba and in other towns and villages across south sudan are moving.

and they are displaced. a number of people reported, between 150 to 200,000 have been displaced. we need to cater for those people. they need safe corridors where they can be treated because of the wounds of war. and they need emergencies that should reach them immediately. >> you mentioned safe corridors. you fled sudan because of political views. do you see similarities between what is going on now and what caused them to flee. >> there's a lot of violence, and a lot of fighting in the mountains. these are the symptoms that had been there in the main country, sudan, and the same violence

continues today for different reasons. it's a political issue, and now we see it's getting into a different phase. a lot of people are talking about ethnic tensions. it's not an ethnic conflict, but there's a lot of tension that is happening in south sudan. it is similar to the situation that haed before when the two countries were together -- that happened before when the two countries were together. >> south sudan's president showed he was willing to talk and stop the violence. does he have the power to do that? >> i am not sure if the president salva kiir has control over the troops. remember when the violence happened in juba, many of the officers and soldiers from the spla, the main army of the south left and joined the rebellion led by dr riek machar, and

others are fighting their own little wars. the lack of command and control is evident, making the ceasefire calls difficult. >> advisor for enough project in washington. thank you for joining us this morning. >> thank you for having nee. >> cervical cancer kills more south african women than other types of cancer. early next year the government wants to roll out a nationwide campaign to vaccinate boys and girls at poorest schools. it hopes it will protect them from viruses that causes all kinds of cancer. >> a second of discomfort for a life-time of benefits. these girls work for dance for a cure. it's ahead of the south african government and vaccinating girls from underprivileged schools.

>> i was grateful i was able to get vaccinated. i don't believe if i was where i was that i would have gotten vaccinated. >> hundreds of thousands of girls in february will roll up their sleeves and wince as part of plans to evacuate nine and 10-year-old girls. almost all cases are caused by the human pap ill oma virus. it is affected if it's delivered before girls become sexually active. >> angela founded her organization in honour of her best friend who died because of civical cancer. she is pleased that the government has committed to paying for a mass vaccination campaign. >> we are on tenterhooks waiting to see what the plan is. i'm the biggest advocate for it. with that i hope we can recuse the price of the vaccine.

>> it cost her $160 to vaccinate each girl. the government is negotiating a better deal. it's worth the money to mag dal een, who survived civical cancer. she thinks the biggest challenge in preventing people from dying from h.i.v. or cancer is education. >> it will be great if the council was championed so that the es mig would reach everyone. i wish all the big companies would get involved in the awareness. over 3,000 south africans die of civical cancer every year. it doesn't have to be that way and knowing that makes a few teary moments worthwhile. >> experts say one in 39 women in south africa will be lying novembered with cancer. >> scarred by acid attacks

bangladeshi women have a new division of what it means to be beautiful. what impact does bombings have on u.s. policy. general mark kennett will give us his analysis. >> an n.f.l. player who takes pride in his play and has a legacy off the field as well. that story ahead.

>> good morning. welcome back, you're watching al jazeera america. and i'm morgan radford, live from new york city. emergency jobless benefits are a life line for many of america's unemployed. they expire today. 1.3 million people who have been out of works for months will be cut off. reinstating the benefits will be a top priority for president obama in the new year. >> a new york judge ruled that

wide-spread spying activities are legal. that days after a federal judge said the program was unconstitutional, the ruling sparking a national debate over the national security agency's far-reaching collection of phone records. >> funeral preparations are under way for a prominent politician killed in the beirut car bombing. mohamad chatah, and five others died in a blast. >> mohamad chatah was a critic of the regime and hezbollah. joining us from washington for his insight and political and military issues is brigadier general mark kennett. thank you for being with us this morning. >> mohamad chatah was a critic of syria and his colleagues blame hezbollah for this attack.

would you say that the syrian conflict is front and center in lebanon. it spilled over into lebanon. it has resurrected long-term trends starting in "82 with the still war inside of lebanon. primarily a hezbollah movement in the south, a sunni and secular base standing up in the north. beirut in the center is secular cosmopolitan. that's inflamed by tension in syria, carrying over into lebanon. >> speaking of lebanon, the u.s. and syria condemned the attack asking hezbollah to act wisely and rationally. how should de respond? >> as the state department suggests. the country has been through civil war in the past. they are scarred by the years of civil war. and the last thing that most

moderates in the country do not want to see is another civil war in the country. it could happen. >> this comes three weeks before the trial of five hezbollah suspects who were indicted in a 2005 bombing that killed the former prime minister. was this bombing supposed to send a message ahead of the trial. >> it could have. it also could be in response to a lot of problems that are going up in the north, in places such as tripoli where the sunnis have been attacking the alawites. they are all the ingredients, a toxic mix of ingredients, without cool, calm leadership, they could turn out to be ak seller ants in return. >> saad was a critic of iran. will this attack have

implications between progds of iraq and iran. >> it's part of the negotiations. mohamad chatah not only recognised that syria was an ally to iran, but hezbollah, a major significant part of the political landscape as well. the u.s. is trying to pull the question inside the whole negotiations with iran. the outcome is not only an iran without a nuclear weapon, but an iran that is not a nuisance in its attempt, creating problems in lebanon, syria, in iraq. you mentioned lebanon, syria and iraq. one question on egypt. this week egypt's interim government called the muslim brotherhood a terrorist organization. is this a step backwards in an effort to bring democracy to egypt. >> what you see is a second

major trend inside the middle east. the first is iran going against its arab neighbours. the second major influence in the region which we have seen represented by 9/11 is a clash between conservatism and tradition and modern itty. what you see in egypt is a fight between the muslim brotherhood, a traditionalist anti-modern most fighting against secular modernist organizations represented by general abdul fatah al-sisi in the military. i suspect this will make things worse. as the military tries to bring muslim brotherhood to the pre 2003 position it hell. >> in a clash between conservatism and modernity.

who is gaining ground. >> it's the backlash to the muslim forces. they have the tools of power represented by the military, and by preventing the muslim brotherhood probably from participating in the elections, there'll be a democratic election, but it will be berest of a conservative candidate. what can the u.s. do? >> like in lebanon, it can be a fair broker, an honest between both sides. this administration's policy is to pivot out of the middle east towards the far east. and because of that i think you see a lot of good words, but the countries within the region see

if as instrumental. >> moving to japan. their governor gave the green light of a marine base. chuck hagel called this a milestone. what does this mean for the u.s.? >> the airport in okinawa has been a classic nimby, "not in my backyard." okinawaans feel they are carrying too much u.s. presence. mainland japan wanted to do everything they could to stop the troops moving into mainland japan. the okinawaans want to move them out. instead north to northern okinawa. that settles the problem at the tactical political record. as the u.s. wants to pivot to the far east. one of the worst science would have been that the u.s. be kicked out of okinawa.

the united states would like to maintain a rob unfortunate presence in the far east, and by maintaining the forces and increasing the forces in okinawa, gaum and australia - that's the greatest representation to the far east that this administration is pursuing. >> you mentioned increasing the forces, but the u.s. already has a number of other military bases on the island, not to mention 50,000 troops in the region. why is this base significant? >> the u.s. believes the 21st century will be the far east, not the middle east. especially in face of an increasingly robust china. >> former assistant secretary of state for political military affairs. thank you for joining us. >> change could be coming to iran. tehran's days as the country's capital may be numbered.

overpopulation, pollution and traffic congestion spurred the government into action, passing a proposal to move the political and administrative capital. the government is not saying where it wants to relocate, but a number of central and western cities expressed interest. >> and mark morgan joins us with sport. a very interesting story from a familiar face in the n.f.l. >> we are glad to pass this along. what is in a name. for many players the name is a family brand conveying excellence. the same is true for a new york giants player. john henry smith has more. >> he's been a linebacker. >> was if natural for me? no.

>> a defensive tackle >> there's strength differential. >> and this year, a defensive end. >> that's home. >> the thing that has get mathi as in the n.f.l. is versatility. one thing that drives him is a drive to live up to his name, a name haloed in uganda. >> notterb recognises my faith, the question is, "are you related to benedicto." it's been a sense of pride for me and my family. >> benedicto kinauta, the first chief justice. if there were a mt rushmore in uganda, benedicto's face would be on it. >> he inspires me a lot in terms of i'm reminded about how great

he is. it's a reminder for me to know i should have an expectation of me myself. >> the greatest thing benedicto is remembered for is standing for the rule of fair and just law in uganda. even if that meant countering edicts put forth by the man that appointed him, the dictator, idie amin. more than hearing about it. you walk down the street and someone that recognises you, an older person, saying, "i wanteded to say i appreciate what your grandfather da for our country." he gives you a sense of pride. he paid a terrible pride. forces believed to be working at amin's behest. took him into custody, tortured him and murdered him by setting him on fire. he was 50 years owl. 41 years later. mathi as has taken important

lessons from his grandfather's death and life. >> i can do one of two things. it can scare you from politics or foreign affairs or inspire you to find a course that you believe in, that you are willing to give your life. it's not a situation where he didn't know what was coming down. he chose to do what he did. knowing the consequences, and he did it. he is beloved by the nation. maybe politics is not your thing. maybe fillan throughy is not your thing. you have to be 100% brought into it to the point you'll be willing to give your life. >> john henry smith reporting. giants finish against the redskins at home tomorrow. >> victims of acid attacks in bangladesh are often citying mittized by society and left isolated by families. many find it hard to get jobs

because employers are put off by their scars, some found work in an unlikely setting. >> when this woman rejected a man's marriage proposal he took revenge. the acid he threw in her face left her blind and disfigured. she couldn't look in a mirror. working in a beauty parlour changed her thoughts. >> beauty comes from within. some people look good, but are not good people. after i came here i realised people do not mind the way i look, they love me. >> bangladeshi society faces importance on the way a woman looks. the more attractive the greater the chance of getting married. many feel they'll be rejected. all 13 of the women at the salon say working here helped them come to terms with what they

went through. while personal appearance is important, it's not the only thing that defies women. their customers welcome them. >> what happened is not their fault. it's not like they can't do anything. they arable body said. beauticians saying other women looking their best doesn't make them feel bad about their disfigurements. the salon's owner had reservation, but was reassured. >> translation: i feared they wouldn't be able to cope. how would they beautify others after their look were taken away. after we trained them, they were confident mentally, they forgot their scars. >> at the hours selena is helping to break the stigma attached to women. >> it can take years for the victims to overcome the

consequences. often families accept them, but community doesn't. >> they can't attend events because others call them ugly. >> for these women, finding the courage to look society in the face was a challenge. now they'd like people to look back at them and see behind the scars. >> looking for a job with a criminal past. rules are changing about how and when employers can ask about your run-ins with the law.

>> welcome back to al jazeera america. rain and snow are heading for the east coast and our meteorologist eboni deon is here to bring us the latest. >> it's all rain across the south where temperatures were mild this morning. much of the nation endured mild temperatures. it is cold enough to get a little snow. we are seeing it fall. expecting to see rain heading up

the east coastline. it's content traited. travel plans here is going to be sloppy. notice the pockets of yellow and red. east of jackson, it's coming down there, watch out for that. fairly quiet to start the day. we have a strong front. >> when congress returns in january. it's expected to consider changes to a law drastically increasing the premiums for more than a million americans, making the season a nervous time for people, who may have to pay a lot more to stay in their homes. we have more from south louisiana. >> in a quiet coastal down of louisiana lies a close-knit communicatee. >> three years ago kelly martin

and her husband found the perfect home on the bayou. >> it was a beautiful spot on the water. everything we had dreamed of having. >> but last month the landlord broke the bad new, their flood insurance expected to quadruple to $10,000 a year under a federal law called the bitter waters act. >> we were forced out. there's no way that we could have afforded it. >> so the martins moved into the house they had left, a place they had converted into kelly's animal boarding business. for that home they'll face higher insurance payments. >> my generation, my friends had to leave because it's too expensive to live here. >> coastal areas are not the only locations feeling the impact of the law. flood zones have been redrawn. it will affect areas like

colorado where they swept through, and communities are rebuilding after superstorm sandy. some may be forced to cut down on expenses to pay higher premiums, others may be forced to give up homes one way or another. >> i'll be forced to sell my house and move on, to a place i can afford to live. >> errol knows the reality. between home owners and flood insurance, he forks out 13 grand a here. >> if your insurance doubles from this, what does that do to you? >> i ain't about to pay it. >> i don't know what to do. i feel the government don't care about the poor people. >> there's bipartisan legislation to delay the implementation of the waters act for four years. that is little comfort to those looking long term. >> it will affect the whole economy, and happen in a lot of

cases if we don't do something about it. >> what will happen. >> people will move away from their mortages. >> where can we go and bring all this? there's nowhere to go. >> for kelly martin, it's an option she doesn't want to consider. we'll have to pay it. we'll have to figure out a way to make more money to pay it. >> but there's on so much you can pay before you have to pack up and leave. >> good morning, i'm mark morgan. the oklahoma city thunder hitting their stride. they received bad news yesterday. starting point guard russell west brook will be lost in february due to knee surgery.

the procedure was performed yesterday. west brook has been stellar, averaging 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds at the time of the injury. kevin durant leading the way. a second quarter against them. oklahoma city kicks to reggie jackson for three. more durant coming up. posting up, fade away. 20 from the field. he had 34 points. durant will find durant. one final second. >> josh mcroberts for the win. thunder escaped 89-85. the defending champion heat on the road coming in with a 6-day winning streak. over his head to lebron. it's a windmill dunk. >> easy to lebron.

>> rudy gay ties it up. final seconds. game is tide. lebron for the win, and it won't go, so we go to overtime in the extra period. isaa thomas for three. king now sealing the deal. de-marcus with a tip. cousins 27.17 boards. james banged up a bit. tweet to sprained ankle and groin. the heat at portland later tonight. >> back in july, wideman says, among his first thoughts, "we have to do this again." cue the rematch. wideman defends his title against silver. both men came in at the 185 pound weight limit. with a win in july, wideman snapped the winning streak and surprisingly enters the rematch

as an underdog. 10 and 0. silver to 33 and 5. in the chomane event in vegas. rhonda defend her title against a familiar opponent. roussy won a first-round arm bar. he is 7 and 0. 13 and 4 for her career. those are the headlines. >> i'll need lebron to get the angle fixed. >> good to go. >> all over the country, cities and states began a ban the box movement to forbid people acting about a candidate's criminal history. >> how diddour interview go. >> this 20-year-old nonetheless a candid conversation with co-worker. he is not taken for granted. it's a simple interaction. before being hired by year up taylor had applied for more than 100 jobs. >> i got zero interviews or call

backs. nothing at all. >> taylor thinks he was shut out of the hiring process thaption to a box on job applications that asks, "have you been convicted of a crime?" at 18 taylor served time in prison for robbery. >> when you fill out job applications and hear the same thing, it makes you want to turn back into re-sidivism and recommit crimes, because you have no opportunity. >> the city of seattle is one of 50 cities, making it easier for fellow like taylor to move on with their crimes. >> assail ants can't ask that question until after someone has an interview. >> they have to give someone a chance to explain or correct their record if they find something making them not want to go forward. >> this law does not apply to those committing crimes this conflict with a job they are

applying for. >> a sex offender can apply to work with children. an employer can deny someone a job after finding out they have a record. >> they need to have a legitimate business reason. >> with the provisions in mind. some question the effectiveness of the law. this man rents apartments to convicted felons, and believes educational programs would provide a greater service. >> there needs to be not so much law, but programs so these people can get into jobs. without that we'll have the same problem. >> when searching for work, that's what all the boys do. am i qualified for the position, can i do the best, and the other applicant. the background doesn't say you can't do that. >> taylor says ban the box is not a solution. but a first step in helping felons give back to society.

>> and at the end of our second hour, here is what they are following. extended unemployment benefits expire for 1.3 million americans. >> congress failed to extpd the program. a federal judge ruled that it was legal for a national security agency to protect phone data. another judge said it was not, days lair. >> there's no claim of responsibility for the blast in beirut. it killed u.s. amdas door to the united states, mohamad chatah, and five others. i'm morgan radford, back in 2.5 minutes.

>> cut off - long-term unemployment benefits come to a screeching halt for more than a million americans struggling to make ends meet. >> conflicting conclusions. a judge rules the n.s.a.'s phone tapping program is legal after another judge said it was not. >> and who did it and why? the search is on for the beirut bomber that killed six people with tied to the u.s. >> let there be light. how russia manages the winter blues by brightening the nation's hues.

>> good morning, welcome to al jazeera america. i'm richelle carey. >> it's a tough weekend for those struggling to find jobs. emergency benefits expire today. 1.3 million people who have been out of work for months has been cut off. and the government check, more than $1,000, is not going to show up in the mail. the pay outs cost the federal government $225 billion. extending that for another year would add $19 billion. the congress has not done that. >> tony harris reports. >> months ago they lost their jobs. now they are losing the money they get from the government to get by. >> since 2008 congress extended the emergency unemployment examination program a dozen times. this time lawmakers have let it

lapse. that means that people who lost their jobs will no longer have a cushion once state benefits run out, usually after 26 weeks. with the extension, they had up to 73 weeks of help. the change will be difficult for people in states like michigan. >> 45,000 unemployed people will lose access to benefits right away. >> 145,000 more some time next year. >> $161 a week after taxes. 56-year-old norbert franzak is one of them. >> i'm not going to be able to pay for utilities. in fact, after this check i get this week from unemployment, i have to pay the mortgage payment on 1 january. i'll have less than $200 in the bank. >> michigan's unemployment rate is the third highest in the country at 8.8%. the national rate is 7%. the lowest it's been in four years.

that's led many republicans to say there's no need for emergency unemployment benefits, but most democrats say the benefits should continue. before heading to hawaii for the holidays. president obama scolded congress for failing to extend the program. >> because congress didn't act. 1 million constituents lose a vital economic life line. >> until then people will have to wait and see, look for work and hope the new year brings good tidings and cheer and more jobs. >> president obama appears to be on a working vacation in hawaii. on friday the president called two senators to rally support for extending jobless benefits, and said the senate is expected to hold a vote when it reconvenience in the new year. a federal judge rules that the spying program is legal. the decision dismisses a lawsuit that claims that what the agency

did and how they did it was unconstitutional. another federal judge placed a preliminary injunction against the program calling it orwellian. we have that story. >> in his ruling federal judge said the mass collection of phone records represented a counter-punch it eliminate the terror network. he said the 9/11 attacks might have been prevented if the phone data collection system that existed to help investigators connect the dots. they learnt from their mistakes. he said that the data collection program was part of the adjustment and he dismissed the lawsuit brought by the american civil liberties union after former analyst edward snowden leaked details of top-secret

programs that picked up millions of programs and internet records. acl's lawyers argued the government's interpretation of its authority was to broad under the patriot act that it could justify collection of health and library records of innocent americans without their knowledge. the acl said it will appeal the ruling saying: now, the department of justice, a spokesman said they were pleased with judge william pauley's decision. earlier this month federal judge leon sitting in washington d.c. ruled the opposite way in a suit brought against the phone company verizon for the bulk collection of phone records writing: >> last week the white house issued a report commissioned in

the wake of the edward snowden leaks, in which it was suggested changes may be in the offing to the way data is collected and stored. with two federal judges coming up with different decisions on the same subject many thinks the issue of n.s.a. spying is heading to the supreme court in washington. >> at least three more lawsuits against the n.s.a. are pending in federal court. >> four u.s. military personnel held in libya have been released. the state department says the men were detained at a checkpoint. after scoping out escape routes. there were reports of gunfire, but it could not be confirmed. the men were held at ministry of interior. government officials are not saying why the men were taken into custody. >> the international community is condemning the assassination of a prominent minister killed in a car bomb.

former minister mohamad chatah and five others decide in the blast. he was an outspoken critic of the regime and served as an ambassador to the united states. >> it's 24 hours since the explosion took place and lebanon is picking up the pieces. if we can show you, investigators bit the tent on top of the site where the car bomb exploded, that is where it was parked. the car bomb tossed mohamad chatah's car up in the air, and it landed in that spot, where now you can see it's covered with a clean tent. the investigators want to make sure nobody touches the two major evidence and want to check who was in the cars, how were they det jobated and -- detonated and were trying to decide who was behind the attack. the politicians accused iran,

the syrian president and hezbollah. >> activists in syria say 20 people have been killed by an air strike on a market in a rebel held area of aleppo. syria's biggest city and financial hub has been under aerial bombardment. that and other fighting is making it hard to remove syria's weapons arsenal. the disarmament team will not be able to finish removing the toxin. speaking after an international meeting he said it was unclear when the work might begin. the egyptian government is ramping up its crackdown on supporters of ousted president mohamed morsi. five were killed in protests across the country. the latest wave of unrest following a decision to classify the muslim brotherhood as a terrorist organisation, allowing courts to hand out harsher prison sentences for protesters.

>> friday was always going be a day of confrontation, a test of will between egypt's anti-government protesters and the police. >> it came two days after the government declared the muslim broad to be a terrorist group. the interior ministry warned anyone joining the protests would be imprisoned for five years on charges of ideology. here in the city thousands turned out after friday's prayers. >> now they want to rule us with force, with guns. and because of that, we are going protect very safely, peacefully to save our lives. >>. >> they are killers, they will not be in egypt. >> women also joined the march

that seemed headed for a cop front tags. above -- confrontation. above them supporters waived from the ball conies. >> the four-fingered salute is a symbol of the anti-alliance. they have made it that they are ready to demonstrate. it only remains to see if the police would carry out major arrests. >> moments later the police taped -- attended, firing bird shot. police tried to arrest people involved in the protest. >> there's one person, and six others are in prison. >> a photographer perched on a balcony gave this image of a

woman in custody. this is what officials believe to be a threat to state stability. if confrontations continue, it may have the opposite effect. >> egyptian government spokesperson said anti-government leaders can be sentenced to death under the new anti-terrorism war. >> an anti--government demonstrator is dead after being shot at a protest camp in bangkokment one or more armed men opened fire before escaping, according to reports. that attack came hours after the army chief said he didn't want the military dragged into the conflict. >> turkish police used water canons, tear gas and bullets to stave off protesters. the anti-government protesters flung rocks and fire at

protesters. 24 people have been arrested in a corruption investigation that appears to target members of the turkish government. >> the first peace-keeping reinforcements arrived in the south sudan capital juba. 17 police officers joined thousands of peace-keeping troops on the ground. aims to bolster security were more than 60,000 displaced people took shelter. an alleged presidential coup set off a wave of ethnic violence, and the world's youngest sovereign nation. >> an investigation into a train fire in india, killing 23 people. the train travelling to the southern part of the country. many victims sufo kated from thick, black smoke. rescue operations were hampered by thick fog. the number of missing and injured is not clear. more on this story throughout the morning. >> the south pole harsh weather

stymied a rescue by an ice breaker trying to reach a vessel trapped for four days. a stranded ship, 100 miles east of the french base, may have to wait days for another crew to free them. >> stranded in the southern ocean, passengers aboard the scientific research ship catch a glimpse of hell. they have been trapped in dense ice of antarctica since christmas eve. >> i'm not sure if you can see, over my right shoulder is the chinese ice breaker "snow dragon", it turned up, making steady progress. it should be alongside in the next 2-3 hours. there's a lot of relief among the team and a lot of happy faces. >> but it would be short-lived. the chinese rescue vessel had to cut through 20km of sea ice.

halfway through it was unable to advance, and finally turned back. >> it's one of three ice breakers dispatched to free the academic russianship, which is carrying 74 people, including scientists, tourists and journalists. they are retracing the route that douglas mauson took 100 years ago, studying the environmental changes in the area. their best hope lies in the powerful australian resupply ship "aurora australis." for now the passengers are in no immediate danger. stocked with weeks of food and supplies. it's frozen in place. >> two heavy-duty icebreakers will likely have to work in tandem for the science expedition to continue. how about that?

>> good saturday morning to you. i'm tracking big changes, especially across the northern tier. we have an arctic blast moving through, dropping temperatures significantly, in addition to falling temperatures. we'll find winds picking up, and that will blow around any snow that falls. advicibility could be reduced significantly, travelling anywhere from parts of monty python into minnesota, where we have blizzard warning in place. we'll see winds gusting across monty python. winds are gusting upwards, and regina up to 40 miles. we have high wind warnings and winter weather advisories. we'll encounter roadways. we need to introduce the speed and give you time travelling there and into the upper mid west. this is the small area to the

west of minneapolis where there's a blizzard warning. visibility down to a mile or less. snow accumulation not expected to see much. around 1-2 inches. once it gets into the up of michigan, that's where we expect to see more in the way of heavier accumulations, around 5, up to eight inches. with the wind, the snow with the cold temperatures in place, we'll have some dangerous wind chills to deal with it. making its way to the south and east. getting all the way to parts of the deep south early next week. by the time we ring in the new year much of the nation will feel the cool down impacting your area. as far as today is concerned, it will be rainy across the south-east, making its way across the east coastline. >> riding on the wrong side of the law. the city where most violence crimes are committed by bandits

on motorcycles. >> one of many cities that sprung up around china with everything you could want - except any people. >> and protecting our endangered species - the legislation that continues to save hundreds of plants and animals from becoming extinct, four decades after it was put in place.

>> good morning. welcome back to al jazeera america. i'm richelle carey. biker backlash. venezuela's president wants to keep motorcycles off the road. first the weather with eboni deon. >> mild temperatures will drop like a rocket. we are going to go from 37 right now down into the teens by later today. eventually single digits will be felt. it's here across the dakotas, and nebraska where we have 20s and 30s.

more like what we'll see. temperatures will fall behind the front and into the north-east. we'll keep the temperatures nice for another day. it is soggy in pittsburg, on the warmer side. we have 45 in birmingham. getting to the end of the weekend, notice the changes. chicago from 30s to the upper 20s. >> that's cold. >> police released a trove of documents and materials relating to the mass shooting at sandy hook school. the material includes a video tour, which is what you see here. this is a tour of the shooter adam lanza's home. it shows targets. a report released last month showed that lansa was obsessed

with mass murders. 20 children and six teachers were killed on september 14th last year. >> the credit and debit card breach in target has turned into a bigger headache. encrypted pen numbers were stolen which may have affected 40 million customers during the hack. >> it comes as federal lawsuits trickle in across the country. target insists consumers pin number data is safe and secure. >> some call them a plague in venezuela. for many motorcycles are cheap to get around. they are the get away method for crooks. >> riding between traffic lanes. blowing red lights, even ambushing drivers.

motorcycles invaded caracas. this woman was assaulted while stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. >> i saw two guys on a motorcycle. a passenger got off, putting a bunch of cell phones in their pocket. i understand they were coming to me. they knocked on my windows and with the gun, i gave them everything i had, as did everyone else. >> nine out of the 10 violence crimes in the city involved two wheels. motorcycles are favoured by robbers and hit men. games of armed bikers act with impunity. this driver is one of them. he works as a taxi driver, but mugs people when he needs. >> there are times that you have to. it's like damn, i have no money and there was little work. it rained all week and i couldn't work.

you need the money so you are encouraged to steal. >> it 2-wheel invasion began a decade ago. they are a problem, but a life line in the constant gridlock. >> transportation infrastructure has been neglected, leading to levels of congestion. things are so bad that what is a 30 minute commute on a motorcycle takes more than two hours on a car. >> socialiologists raphael ramirez says people know the city would not be viable without them, but wishes the government could crack down on lawlessness. >> now we live in a situation of anarchy, a lack of social solidarity. the government implanted an idea that the poor can do what they want. rules have not been enforced.

>> the government started meeting with associations of bikers, many of which support the socialist ruling party. getting them to agree to basic rules might be as difficult as navigating caracas traffic. >> in september the headquarters of the national intelligence agency hosted the first of a series of meetings and workshops to discuss the way forward with motorcycle users. >> couples in china can legally have a second child. >> china's decision to repeal its one-child policy is in effect following an announcement of reform. the new rule allowance couples to have a second child if either parent was an only child. officials say they fear an ageing demographic. the country has abolished re-education through camps. a new city has all the

amenities, shopping malls, new apartments - and no traffic. >> the town is missing something important - people. shank dong is a deposit town. andrew thomas tells us what is being done. >> six years ago all this was farmland. now there's tens of thousands of apartments and plans. this woman lives in one. in a building of 44 flats, four are occupied. >> translation: it's too quiet. on weekends or weekdays it's the same. you don't see anyone on the streets except cleaners. >> do others feel the same way. there was no one around to ask. if it had tumble weed. this is where it would be blowing. >> there's something spooky about walking around here. it's the weekend, the middle of the day, and it's not raining.

there are hundreds of apartments. it's almost as if a terrible accident cleared all the people out. >> in fact, they have never arrived. most front doors are still wrapped in sello feign. >> the city has been planned by the provincial government, hoping 2 million people will live here. in established cities housing is expensive. millions in poor condition. 15 families have two room each. bath room and cooking areas are communal. it's expected more chinese will move to rural areas, that's why they are creating new cities. the theory is places like this will offer quality housing. most apartments have been sold to speculators. prices for the first departments have doubled. >> it's an investment. here is still cheaper than

down-town. it's speculation for the long term. >> real people may move in. universities and government offices are used to bring in students and jobs. now that speculators drove a price of a two bedroom flat they are out of reach for those they are aimed at. >> the result is expensive ghost town with few people and without much traffic. >> in china's planned economy building the right sort of affordable housing in the right place is proving tricky. >> the town is said to be one of the larmgest ghost towns in asia. the city of denver started issuing marijuana retail licences. a spokesperson says 10 stores are set to open on january is it 1st, making denver one of 26 towns making the change from medical dispensaries to retail outlets.

colorado voters approved the sale of marijuana. >> why ringing in the new rear will mean the end of tax rights for teachers, parents and home owners. >> coming out of the dark to literally brighten the days of millions of people in russia. >> i'm mark morgan. it's win or go home for several teams in the n.f.l. we'll explain how changes under the center will affect everyone

involved. >> >> into welcome back. i'm richelle carey. these are the top stories at this hour. emergency jobless benefits - a live line for many americans that are unemployed - expires today. it means 1.3 million out of work

for a month will be cut off. >> a new york judge rules widespread spying activities are legal. that decision days after another federal judge said the program was unconstitutional. >> police revealed a trove of documents relating to the sandy hook elementary school last year. it includes a video tour of adam lanza's home. >> dozens of tax deductions and credits are scheduled to expire on new year's eve. >> while 2013 came in with a bang, its end may mean the higher tax bill for many. tax bills are expiring, affecting a range of americans from small business owners to educators. teachers in the u.s. spent a million out of pocket et. $1.3 billion. >> more than 3.5 million

teachers spend money out of their own pockets to make sure students have the supplies and resources they need. they deducted $250 for out-of-pocket expenses, disappearing at the end of the year. >> i hope counsellorses and teachers and aides spend those funds. >> it may cost parents with children in college more. tuition and fees allow families earning less than $1,000. and single parents to exclude $4,000 from their income giving a lower tax bill. >> we are hoping that congress does something to make the incentives permanent. to provide certainty. when you are trying to decide whether to go to school, you need to know aftertax expense.

>> in the meantime tax experts say trying to pay 2014 expenses by the end of this year. >> struggling home owners will face what many call a financial disaster with the expiration of the mortgage debt release act of 2007. the law prevents forbidden mortgage debt being put down as income. >> consider the settlement reached in 2012. the size of distressed mortgages was reduced by $1008. >> it will hit the people who are the most vulnerable, people who are struggling with their mortgage payments, people who have been hurt by a declining home price market and that just hurts the housing market for the economy. >> small businesses in the united states creates more that

60% of private sector jobs. economists say their ability to grow will be hurt by the expiration of a deduction. 2014 drops to $25,000. just because the exemptions are set to expire does not mean the taxpayers will not get relief. it's possible that congress can reinstate provisions. it doesn't mean they'll come back in the same size or form. for now it's a waiting game. taxpayers and businesses need to brace themselves for a higher bill from uncle sam. >> and another expiring tax break, a tax credit up to $7500 for people who buy electric plug-in cars. >> san francisco's economic growth fuelled by the tech industry may be the envy of u.s. cities. their prosperity is creating

problems. it is the least affordable housing market in the country. the city is small. 49 square miles. housing is not keeping pace with the growing population. rent has gone up 10%. the rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $3,250, pricing out many middle class residents and led to tensions between new tech money and older residents. melissa chan has the story. >> for almost half a century mary phillips had this view of san francisco from her balcony. she stands to lose it next spring. at 97 years old she faces eviction from her rent-controlled apartment. i feel bitter. they'll have to take me out screaming and yelling. >> mary decided to fight the eviction in court. others are not getting kicked

out but they are getting priced out. >> jennifer jamieson says she had no choice, no longer able to afford the rent. her landlord wants three, possibly $4,000. >> i don't think i have done anything wrong, except i'm not rich. >> according to the u.s. sensis bureau, san francisco has the highest median rent, feeding new york. the income gap widened between the rich and poor. as long-term residents leave this one. resentment has grown. >> anti-eviction protests become more fre quent. >> it's getting worse and worse and worse. we have three times the amount of evictions as last year. we had to say, "stop", it's stretching out the sole of san francisco. >> san francisco has become a victim of its own success, a

strong economy fuelled by the economic industry led to a tale of two cities. real estate speculators are using eviction as a tool to make way for new development. >> protest of google and apple buses were stopped. there was a level of anger in what has been a decade-long problem for the city, a housing shortage clear in the boom time. whatever the reason for the crisis, tech is the target. >> al jazeera asked google about the backlash and received this statement: >> the city is trying to speed up construction of affordable

housing. for some that solution will not come in time. >> i don't know what i would do. i don't want to go to an old folks' home. >> if mary loses her court battle, all she'll have left is photographs, memories of decades in this home. >> a new study found a third of all adults, a third has high blood pressure. in the south-east it is over half. experts say cardio vascular disease kills 7.5 million globally. despite the risks rates have not changed. that is because of the number of people who do not know they have high blood pressure. that is the same. >> more than 20 people are dead after a fire broke out op a train, a passenger train in southern india. many became trapped and suffocated when the doors

malfunctioned. we have more details from new delhi. >> the express train was making its way through the countryside at night when fire broke out in an airconditioned passenger coach. at the time most of the passengers were asleep. others sounded the alarm. >> translation: the fire broke out at 3:15am. two, three people got out of the train and saw flames. they alerted everywhere, we got down from the train. >> witnesses say the train car filled with thick black smoke. many passengers were overcome, including a 2-year-old child. because of the remote location, it took time for emergency crews to arrive at the scene. >> translation: we are a total of eight family members. five survived. we don't know what happened to my mother, sister and her brother. >> fog and smoke slowed down

rescue efforts. officials are investigating the cause, and forensic teams are helping to identify the victims. >> india's state-owned railway operates 9,000 trains. incidents hike -- like this are not common. they are old and not maintained properly. >> mus kav items deal with 18 hours of darkness. the government is trying to cheer people up with light. peter sharp has the story in moscow. >> waky, waky, it's nearly 10 o'clock in the morning, and it could be midnight. ever since the kremlin scrapped daylight saving time. the kremlin has to face 18 hours of darkness is a day through the winter, going days without seeing blue skies. the daily walk to work can be a

depressing and dangerous experience. carried out in almost total darkness, crossing treacherous icy streets and it has to be repeated eight hours later on the way home, again in total darkness. >> it really influences people. they can get depression. statistics stay that 10% of people suffer from the disease. almost every person can feel a lack of energiy. 10% had to get medical treatment such as antidepressant. >> for the first time the city authorities declared let there be light. and lo and behold there was light. >> they don't celebrate christmas in december. new year is the big deal. it didn't stop city officials splashing out there 10 million to turn moscow into a winter wonderland. we are not talking about

london's regent street or new york square. this is a big improvement. they lit up 7,000 trees and plastered lights across moscow, decorations that will remain in place through the winter olympics. >> we walk after a long day at work. >> i hate these dark days, we wake at 11 in the morning and have to turn the lights on in our apartment. what about the children? they have to spend their mornings and evens in darkness. >> but if you live outside moss coe - well, tough luck, no lights in the suburb, just four months of bumping into things. >> so much darkness. the moscow authorities say the lights are low voltage so no danger to kids that may touch them. >> one of the n.b.a.'s best teams may have to carry on for a while without one of its stars. >> oklahoma city have to make

adjustments. other players have to pick up the sack. for the oklahoma city thunder kc winning 4 of 11. the thunder lost starting point west brook until the all-star break, after undergoing knee surgery. he is expected to miss 27 games. kevin durant without his running mate. durant with the jumper. he'll have to pick up the offensive slack. and trying to find the open man - it is reggie jackson for three. durant - watch the move, a fade away. 14-28. now, durant on the break finds jackson for a high percentage shot. >> fourth quarter, you liked that. josh mcroberts for the win. thunder escape 89-85. >> heat on the road.

lebron and company. chalmers to lebron, finishing. worth another look. i think he knows he was there - i'll guessing. >> rudy gaye with the jumper. 26 points on the night. final seconds, game tide. lebron looking for the win beyond the ark. it won't go. in the extra period isaa for three. kings sealing the deal. thomas drives, but de-marcus cousin finishing. 108-103. lebron limps off, tweaking a sprained ankle. >> we turn to the u.f.c. in july, wideman says among the thought. >> cue the rematch.

both men came in at the weight limit. with the win in july, wideman snapped a 16-5 winning streak and wideman enters as an an underdog. silver with a 33-5 mark. >> in the chomane event, a bantam match. rousy 7 and 0. both women timed the scale at 135 pound title fight limit. >> shifting gears a bit. the college football ball parade conditions with three games on tap. the pinstripe goal ticking it off. squaring off against noter dame and a match up in the russell athletic bowl, taking on louisville, and michigan takes

on kansas steak in buffalo wild wings bowl - i'm hungry already. >> n.f.l. - the dallas cowboys announced tony rommo underwent back surgery. kyle orten will be the starting quarterback in the winner-ta winner-take-all against their opponents. >> that leaves the game in the hands of kyle orten. he had 69 starts, 35 and 34, but has not thrown a pass as a starter, has only thrown 15 passes. it takes the pressure off the cowboys, no doubt about that. they can go in, play loose and play defence against the eagles. it will be a tough road. >> what a final sunday in the n.f.l. in the afc four teams are scrambling for the wildcard slot. the dolphins currently in the

sixth slot. the dolphins and the ravens, charges and steelers getting help. cher seen with a take on who will emerge from this pack. >> i like miami. they need the least amount of help. we know that kansas city says they'll arrest some starters, if not most. in the game against the chargers. if the chargers win, the dolphins must need to beat the jets. we know last week all they had to do is beat the buffalo bills. they have the jets. they dominated them. the jets don't have anything to play for. the dolphins should win. they have signs saying 1 and 0. that's all they need. win the game, bet a bit of help. they go to the play-offs, the first time in five years. if they don't go, it's a disappointing finish since 2008. >> i'm mark morgan, that's your

morning sports. >> the endangerered species act turns 40. >> president nixon signed it into law to protect animals and plants on the brink of extinction. has it worked? we look at what has been done in chicago. >> last december wildlife rescue ears found this orphaned southern sea oter pup trannstra on a beach. now grown it's here in chicago. they are one of many threatened species researchers are studyingle. >> it wasn't until the enactment of the endangered species act that the public was aware of challenges some animals faced and laws were put in place. >> then dangered species act was credited with saving many species.

like the beluga way - not allowing catching, imprisoning or keeping. >> the law paves the way for initiatives like buying land. >> the zoo us here in chicago are working to improve the chances of survival of 74 endangered or threatened species. there's two male grey wolves, an endangered animal of which 75 are believed to live in the wild. the goal is to pair them up and rerelease them into the wild. >> the mexican wolf is the top predator. if it's taken out of the equation, the numbers get skewed. you get too many rabbits, deer, the eco system is ruined when you take out the apex creditor. >> wildlife experts saved larmg mammals, and the american bald eagle. >> as we look at the 40-year

history, we learnt a great deal, huh delicate the balance of nature is. we have learnt it is possible. >> while wildlife populations continue to suffer declines, conservationists hope displaying these majestic species will inspire others to protect them. >> 31 species recovered including the bald eagle. the sea lion, and the alligator. >> changing times, a look at how times changed creating american in transition. >> paying it forward - a cabbie whose good deed landed him a good deal of money.

>> welcome back to al jazeera america. we are taking a look at changing public opinion and how it shapes some of the country's biggest issues in 2013. before we get to that we'll look at where snow and rain may fall

with meteorologist eboni deon. tell us what you know? >> it will be a soggy weekend across the south-east where the rain is falling. look at the moisture that is conditioning to stream up from the gulf of mexico, providing fuel for the rain showers that we'll see stretching from the lower mississippi valley to the south-east coastline. these are not the only areas getting wet. all the rain heading up the coastline. eventually into the north-east it will move in. >> thank you. nearly 2 million people a week listening to "this american life" on public radio, the host of the quirky show sat with an interview with david shuster, talking about the role that religion played in his childhood. >> i grew up in the suburbs. it was a typical of a lot of people that grew up in the suburbs. i grew up in a jewish suburb. i don't think i realised as a

child how eccentric that was. the county has a huge jewish population. my elementary school - nobody has celebrated christmas. i got to the order and that was unusual. so but now you're an atheist. . >> yes. >> the jewish upbringing is more a cultural identity. >> like many jews, you don't have to believe in god to be a jew. you are whether you choose to be or not. i went to a school, all the way up to 10 to 11th grade. >> had a barr mitts va. >> and at some point i felt that i didn't believe in god. i talked about this publicly on the radio and else are. it's one of the things where i

don't - i don't know. periodically, i hear stories from evan gellical christians, i get along with them. at some point they'll be, like, "don't you think there's a reason you were drawn to do this story or why we are meeting each other", and will try to sell me on believing in god again. i feel like i wish i could go there. >> more of david shuster's interview with ira glass on saturday - pardon me, sunday 7:00 pm eastern on al jazeera. >> doing the right thing and getting paid for it. a couple of days ago we told you about a las vegas cab driver finding $300,000. friday he had a nice reward. the poker player has given the cabby $10,000. and the cab company made him employee of the year, which is nice. they gave him money too, $1,000

on top of all of that. >> they are the stories that generated buzz and garnered headlines from spying to legalizing marijuana, and gay marriage. 2013 gave us a lot to think about. we look back at the year that was. >> in the court of public opinion 2013 was a big year for americans, passing mile stones on a range of issues. findings from the pew research center suggest that this year, for the first time, most americans support same-sex marriage. 51%, according to the pew survey. also rising over the 50% threshold for the first time support for legalizing marijuana use. 52% on that issue. support for congress hit a 20-year low, polling suggesting that 38% of americans questioned don't want their representatives re-elected. revelations about domestic spying may have put americans on edge.

53% of those surveyed considered the government a threat to personal rights and freedoms. that's a majority for the first time. and a number that may not be surprising given the state of the economy. 36% of millennials, young adults said they are living at home with their parents, the most in 40 years. while you are watching the news on tv, the pew poll says 50% of americans are using the internet as a main source of news. >> all right. that will do it for this edition of al jazeera america. thank you for watching. more news after the break. keep it here.