>> this is al jazeera america live from new york city. i'm tony harris with a look at today's top stories. business is brisk at marijuana retailers across the state of colorado. insurance coverage begins for americans who enrolled under the american care act. and 2013 was a big year for wall street. we look at 2014, and we look at our crystal ball to see what 2014 holds for technology. ♪ >> so welcome to 2014. change is in the air. new leaders are being sworn in. there are hopes for the growing

economy, and controversial new laws are going into affect. one of those is legalized marijuana. the controversial marijuana law went into affect today. anyone over 21 can smoke and buy pot over the counter from licensed stores. paul, you're in one of those shops now. take a moment and describe the scene. >> reporter: well, happy new year to you, tony. if you're a pot smoker in colorado, it is a very happy new year. a few folks didn't want to show their faces, and that's understandable. there are some still gray areas although not in colorado. if you're over the age 21 and from colorado you can buy an ounce of colorado, and if you're a tourist you can buy a quarter ounce, and you have to keep it here. in an hour they're going to

close down the line because they got to get everyone through here by 8:00. they've been lining up before since the sun came up. they went through a snowstorm and so business legal weed in colorado is booming. >> paul, what will be the effect of this new law on the state? >> reporter: well, the biggest effect is going to be money. the estimates run anywhere between $400 to $60 $600 million revenue. they're expecting 500,000 people really starting today to start buying pot recreationally in colorado. there is a little more than a dozen stores open in denver. by the end of the year there will be 130, many opening in the next few weeks as they get their licenses and there is a long

list of legal requirements you need to meet. we saw some marijuana state regulators here checking on a few things, but things seem to be in order. a lot of happy people and business owners as the cash rolls in. >> as we talk to you again at 6:00 i would love to hear from some of those people in that store, if they're willing to talk about their experience. paul beban in colorado, thank you. the president's new healthcare law has encountered a legal hurdle from the woman he placed on supreme court. justice sonya sotomayor acting on behalf a group of nuns who say that the mandate violates their beliefs and it applies to other non-profit groups that have the same health plan. the white house has until friday to respond. but that change won't stop

coverage from kicking in for millions of americans who signed up. from hawai'i, healthcare for the majority of people is nothing new. jennifer london is in honolulu for us. jennifer, good to see you. >> tony, happy new year to you, and you know when most people think of hawai'i images like the one behind me comes to mind. you think of the beach, the surf the sand the sun. but take a closer look and perhaps people should start thinking of hawai'i as the health state. inside eden and love, a small boutique in honolulu customers are looking for deals. but those who work here might actually have the best deal of all. >> we have clothing lines, we have jewelry. >> reporter: shop owner offers healthcare benefits to his employees, all of his 12 employees including five who

only work part time. >> for us it's our business model where we've been table supply part time workers who work 21 hours for medical. >> reporter: he isn't a saint. he's simply a small business owner following hawai'i's healthcare law that has been on the book's since 1974. the aloha state was the first in the nation to set minimum standards for healthcare benefits for workers. benefits hawai'i residents valerie has been benefiting from for a long time. she's always had health insurance. >> hawai'i's healthcare requirements is one of the reasons our quality of life is so high here. you don't have bankruptcies because of medical bills. >> reporter: even so, she decided to enroll in obamacare through hawai'i's state exchange because she's hoping to save money. >> so i am going right down here to one of the most expensive

plans. >> reporter: and that would be a platinum plan. >> it is really--it's a really good plan. my co-pay goes from $20 per visit down to $10. and i'm covered head to toe. >> reporter: so far only a little more than 2,000 people have enrolled through hawai'i's health connectors. one reason, textcal glitches on the website. the other, according to hawai'i's governor, neil abercrombie, most don't need it. they're alreadiment covered under the state's healthcare law. >> the entire thing is 15 pages, and a lot of that is describing what we intend to do. it's easy. you provide healthcare for people. we cover 90%-plus of everybody. if you're working, you're covered. >> reporter: dean with the university of hawai'i at manoa said another reason why hawai'i's healthcare law has

worked is because consumers have limited insurance choices. >> it's between the two of them they have 80% of the insurance marketplace. that's unique. >> reporter: still despite what has been hailed as a success story governor abercrombie said hawai'i's insurance model was never duplicated because the state is viewed as a vacation land, not a template for policy. >> hawai'i is still in many people's eyes a romantic vision, it's not real. >> reporter: while that may be true, for employees at eden and love, having health insurance is not a romantic vision. it's just a way of life here in hawai'i. >> reporter: hawai'i's healthcare law does apossess penalties to any employer who fails to provide employees who work 20 hours or more with healthcare coverage. and those penalties could result in the business being shut down. since the law was enacted the or

president bill clinton and holding a bible used by franklin roosevelt. >> we are called to put an end to economic and social inequalities that threaten to unravel the city we love. so today we commit to a new progressive direction in new york. that same progressive impulse has written our city's history. it is in our dna. >> deblasio is the first democratic mayor since 1993. and in detroit mike doingen was sworn in as mayor. he hit the ground running holding meeting with staff members he had already put in place. he's working under emergency city manager kenneth orr.

i got to tell you there is a dangerous cold front moving in from canada. eboni, happy new year. >> reporter: happy new year. it's definitely coming in with a bang. this saturday. but by saturday the snow will move out, but take a look at the amounts we'll be left with as the storm system bares itself t. we could see four to eight inches and localized areas could see up to ten inchef oh for long island. most of the snow that i've been watching around the great lakes has been persistent has been chicago where we could see upwards of five inches of snow. and some areas have seen up to eight inches.

>> thank you. few saw it coming five years after the financial crisis, stocks posting all-people highs 2013 was a big year for the bulls. the dow was up, and there is real optimism heading into 2014. >> reporter: the bulls cloud through significant obstacle in 2013 overcoming sluggish economic growth and a government shutdown. >> if your government was in equity stocks you were quite happy in 2013. >> reporter: but will it continue in 2014? >> there is nothing in the wake that would drive the market down. >> reporter: one factor fueling that optimism is the housing recovery. home prices rose 11% across the country. that makes consumers feel richer. and new construction this year is expected to exceed 1 million unites for the first time since the housing bubble

burst. >> every construction job leads to three other jobs. so we can see a million new jobs coming in after a surge for housing. >> reporter: improving jobs market is one reason why the federal reserve decided to reigning in its bond-buying program. now that stimulus tide is residing, economists say investors will have to really focus on fundamentals. >> they're going to have to start innovating, investing in r & d, growing with new products and services. >> reporter: and with corporations issuing profit warnings at a record rate investors may be more discerning in 2014. al jazeera, new york. >> the senate vote on janet yellen's confirmation could happen this month. she's poised to become the next

chair of the federal reserve. we go to jade who has been covering, and reporting on this. let me start with this is the new fed chair's biggest challenge and big assumption is that janet yellen will be confirmed, and she will be, the challenge for janet yellen going to be managing the tapering of the feds' bond-buying program? >> that's one of the major champions. of course ben bernanke gave her a little bit of a gift by starting this so-called tapering process which is the reduction of the stimulus program by startinstarting it this decembe. that leaves her with markets that were afraid. we had a scare back in the middle of the year even the mere

talk of a removal of stimulus sent interest rates sharply higher, and led to another free. so that makes that transition easier her. and another challenge is for her to come into her own, and come to thbecoming one of the key vo. >> what does that mean? you have the meetings and what else is she going to be asked to do? publicly she'll testify before congress, but what what does that mean? rising to the challenge of being the fed chair? >> the fed chairperson is one of the most powerful roles in the world. what the chairman and now chair woman says has potential to make huge influence around the world.

there is certainly a learning curve for all medicin fed leade, including being able to go into congress, testifying, and answer tough questions. now that feds have press conferences she'll have to go before reporters and take questions publicly. i think she can hand it will, but it's a challenge for anyone who rises to that position. >> no doubt. big banks have only gotten bigger since the 2008 meltdown. how tough do you expect janet yellen to go on the big banks? >> that's a good question. there is hope that she'll be tougher than ben bernanke has been. but at the same time she has expressed optimism about reform including the go dodd-frank

legislation. banks that are too big to fail that may pos pose a risk still l be too big. she may not face the possibility in her chairmanship, so at this point she'll see if these cools will work. >> she's keep a close eye on growth and spots, and do you see a strengthening even of the jobs' market? >> a few people. i think the reason the fed has been willing to back off of its stimulus a little bit, it has seen consistent job growth that would be enough to bring the

unemployment rate down, and if that conditions to happen. number one, the fed has been optimistic about the recovery. two, the job market while improving, there are plenty of caveats to that story. we barely made up the grouped that we lost during the recession. we still have done workers falling out of the labor force, and i thinkant yelling to be willing to recover this. she'll recovering buil be build.

>> ford was in deep trouble, chrysler and gm were near bankruptcy. now two bailouts later the big three have rebounded. bisi onile-ere has our report from detroit. >> reporter: the big degree detroit-based automakers are on a roll. experexports it million cars and trucks around the world. >> there are still many more imports than experts but the expert also grow for the next three to five years in. >> reporter: the turn around comes five year after ford was going through a major restructuring. u.s. cars once scorned oversays for poor quality are now in demand totaling $65 million in export sales in 2012.

why? >> automakers have adopted a global strategy where instead of building specific vehicles for specific markets, they build one vehicle that is appealing to those as the word. >> reporter: the two largest experters is canada and mexico. >> you'll see more jobs coming from the transplants. japanese and germans because the u.s. has become much more competitive in the last two years. >> reporter: 2 million experts is a small piece of the. but the big three automakers are rolling into the new year with a tighter clip on the bisi

onile-ere, al jazeera america new york. >> the acquisition will help speed up a merger of the two car companies. coming up on al jazeera america. report out of south sudan on the chaotic situation there, and later a chance handshake and nelson mandela's funeral raises questions about the future of u.s.-cuban relations. >> three years after the nucular disaster, the hidden truth about the ongoing cleanup efforts and how the fallout could effect the safety of americans >> are dangerous amounts of radioactive water, leaking into the pacific eververyday? >> join america tonight's michael okwu for an exclusive four part series, as we return to fukushima

only on al jazeera america

>> three bombs exploded within an hour today in somalia. three people were killed. it happened outside of mogadishu. so far no one has claimed responsibility. the explosions occurred at a hotel used by government officials. islam mists attacked that same hotel last september. there is no lull in the violence. government forces have recaptured territories captureed by rebels tuesday. >> marching to war, as th the conflict in south sudan continue, they get ready. we're coming. we are united.

we will defeat you, they sing. fighting is going on in at least three different fronds, and military commanders say they will continue to fight the rebels until there is an agreement on a cease-fire. the spokesman for south sudan forces. >> rebels will continue to fight, we will fight until they are paralyzed, and not able to attack any more. or a cease-fire is agreed. >> reporter: government forces head towards the town of bor now under rebel control. they said the battle from bor is far from over. >> their only strength is using human shield, which is inhuman. the forces are capability of defeating them. it's a matter of time.

>> reporter: as the conflict increases thousand have been killed so far. yet the united nations feels it cannot fully fulfill it's mandate of protecting civilians. >> at this point in time we are not in a position to do much more than protect the camps, the thousands and thousands of people, external security, internal security. >> reporter: it all depends on the peace talks. until they are successful the people of south is a dan, the world's newest state, will continue to live through the worse of their fears. al jazeera, south sudan. >> russian president vladimir putin paid an early morning

visit to volgograd. the visit came a day after putin pledged to defeat are terrorism in his new year's' address. syria missed a deadline to get rid of its first batch of chemical weapons. meanwhile the use of conventional weapons have not stopped. >> reporter: this blast was caused by explosive dropped from syrian aircraft. the target is a damascus suburb. forces loyal to president bashar al-assad have been intensifying their attacks on rebel-controlled areas across syria. the regime that may have been stripped of its chemical weapons, but that seems to have had little effect on its campaign against anti-government forces. the ships that was

supposed to have taken those chemical weapons out of syria returned to port empty. the december 31st deadline to take the weapons out of syria has not been met in. >> everything that syria needs to complete the process of removing and transporting out of syria, all equipment has been provided. now it's a matter of time getting the train rolling. we have a number of factors of andic dote. which makes authorities unable to meet by the december 31st deadline. >> reporter: the organization for the prohibition of chemical weapons said it's still on track for the june 30th deadline. it's responsible for moving, transporting the weapons to

latka kiev port. earlier this month linking damascus to the coast, but they could still be vulnerable to rebel attack. but it's the conventional weapons that is causing the death and destruction. this is in surgeo southern syri. more than 46,000 civilians have been killed since the conflict began in 2011. bernard smith, al jazeera. >> a team of al jazeera journalists are under arrest in egypt. producers seen here on the left and middle, continue to be held in prison. fami was removed to th the priss hospital to treat a broken hand. he corresponded. they will be responding on sunday and al jazeera is demanding that the journalists

be released. a new healthcare law going into effect today. we look at how indonesia is approaching the issue. and a look at the legal struggle that led to a culture visit. the purchase of legal marijuana in colorado.

>> welcome back to al jazeera america. here is a look at your top stories. declaring a state of emergency in the two states, now controlled by rebel fighters loyal to the former vice president reik machar. negotiators arrived in ethiopia to begin cease-fire talks. covering americans who purchased insurance. so far more than 2 million people have signed up. marijuana sales are brisk. the state became the first to be

legally sell marijuana at licensed stores. christian, it had good to talk to you. what are your thoughts on this day? >> thanks for having me. happy new year. >> this is something that you've worked on for so long. it's come to fruition. what are your thoughts? >> it's been an amazing day. it's been a positive reception from all the people there. we had state and local regulators there, elected officials, it's been an incredible day. i'm so proud to have have been a part of it and i've had people working on this for years and years around the country. this is their day. >> i understand that the state has set up a pretty practicing system here to keep marijuana off the black market. don't dive too deeply into this,

but give us some of the broad strokes on this. >> it's the marijuana tracking system. all the stores medical an marija thats, and the retail stores, we'll put a lot of data there so the state department can track everything in realtime. there are rfid, radio tags to track marijuana from seed to sale is what we call it. it's tracking it all the way through the system to make sure there are no issues of diversion for anything. >> i have a list of frequently asked questions. you can't smoke in the shop. you can't smoke in your car. you can't smoke in a park. you can't smoke in any public places, correct? >> that's correct. the amendment really sets up the

regulatory system so adults can have safe access through regulated stores so they can consume the marijuana generally in a private place. it will constantly be evolving but that's the law right now. >> now that that is legal i sale of marijuana. >> the goal is defederalization of marijuana so we can really address it like we do alcohol and other substances. really, that is the goal. it will take time, but certainly we're seeing a lot of support from federal legislatures that we've seen on both sides of the aisle, and we're looking at banking and the industry on the federal level. and the goal is to have states

move first and really show everyone that this works, and that regulated system is far superiority. w.we have to change the law. we're doing that. you see businesses that are accountable are selling marijuana. it's a far superior system. >> these are some of the arguments that some experts are having in colorado now. where did the myth come from that smoking marijuana is a gateway to harder drugs because you still hear that as an argument propped up against what's happening in colorado and soon in washington state. i guess in south america, soon. >> right, right, we joke about

how the true gateway drug is milk. really, this idea that marijuana some how leads to using other drugs and other things has been thoroughly discredited. if you think about it from stepping back and looking at what colorado is doing, people who sold marijuana before in an illicit market could certainly offer other drugs and that access point becomes available to people, and these people don't generally card, they're not limited in their sales of other drugs. there are components to the gateway theory but the component is that it's the system that we have under prohibition that allows access to other drugs. putting it behind the counter, state regulated close ove overst

and robust system is what it will take to change that successfully. >> chrichristian, good to see y, at happy new year. >> thank you so much. >> today the affordable care act or obamacare officially takes evacuation. the law allows previously uninsured americans to purchase health insurance. but there are many more who still don't have health insurance. here is our report. >> reporter: it's a scene seen across the country in a run up to today. the phones and the webs, trying to get people signed opaquer health insurance. >> i was expecting health

insurance. >> too much to qualify for government subsidies, he found out that insurance will cost him $800 a month, and he'll still have to pay the first $12,000 of medical expenses each year. >> sometimes i can afford it, but what happens when i don't have something to do. >> reporter: his is a story that has been repeated across the country coupled with a website that didn't work the president's healthcare plan is not going as planned. but in his final press conference for the year president obama tried to point out the positive. >> i now have a couple million people, maybe more, who are going to have healthcare on january 1st. that is a big deal. >> reporter: that's far from where the administration said it would be by now. >> i think success looks like 7 million people having signed up by the end of march 2014.

>> the low number could be a big problem. who is signing up could be another. >> if all of a sudden there is only a million, and the disproportionate are sick and older, then it's going to cause all kinds of problems with respect to the balance. and in future years insurance companies are going to be forced to raise premiums. >> premiums that are already too high for those like reyes. he left without signing up four health insurance facing the choice paying 1% of his income in a fine or paying for health insurance. >> the u.s. is not the only country rolling out a new healthcare system. starting today indonesia is going to start providing coverage that will impact 240 million people. the plan will roll out over the next five years.

but as al jazeera reports many are worried that they won't be comfort. >> reporter: patients who never could afford to go to the hospital are now being treat: the free healthcare plan is now up and running in jakarta. the whole country will follow in 2014 with an 80 million poor people will get medical insurance for free. >> it's a major break through for all indonesias. before medical care was a guaranteed basic right but they're concerned that many will be left out. >> reporter: workers organizations have protests. they say 35 million people who live just above the poverty line will not be covered. >> if 86 million people will be covered by insurance, that this means that not much will be changed. the government already covers them with anti-poverty program.

this means that so many will be rejected by hospitals. >> reporter: in the new scheme they will have to pay $2.50 a month. this is too much for many people. >> my only business is selling noodles. i get around $15 every day. but then i still have to eat and pay all the bills. so you can count yours, how can i pray for the premium every month? >> reporter: but the government insists that small entrepreneurs will be able to pay. in august more poor indonesias spent more on cigarettes than on

insurance premiums. >> you have the right to achieve the highest possible status of health, okay, but there is no right without responsibility. >> reporter: the healthcare scheme will not be fully implemented until 2019 due to lack of doctors, nurses, midwives, especially in remote areas. the government says it has started a nationwide program to increase medical capacity and quality. everyone should be able to enjoy professional healthcare five years from now. al jazeera, jakarta. >> back in the united states the former first lady barbara bush has been hospitalized. she's reportedly sufferin suffem a mild case of pneumonia. but the 88-year-old wife of one president and mother of another is in stable condition. she was admitted to methodist hospital in houston, texas, medical center on a respiratory-related issue.

she's in great spirits. she has received visits from her husband and family and receiving fantastic care. 13 people were injured, six critically in a fire in minneapolis early today. it began in a three-story apartment building. a nearby mosque was also damaged and an explosion led to fire. there were few gains with the problem of homelessness. the number of homeless people skyrocketed 75% in the past 12 years. we have more on those who live in the shadows of success. >> you know, we saw so many people braving the in time square here to ring in the new year. but imagine you didn't have a place to warm up after the balancballdropped. that's the reality for tens of thousands of people living in new york city alone. you can imagine the cold

overnight many shelters working over time and shelters that help young people find a warm bed and get off the cold streets. and for many kids in the new year is new hope for a new life. >> if you knew me then you would know that i'm a daddy's girl. >> reporter: as she proves in her poety, she love her father. he died, and she took it so hard that she had to leave her home in the bronx. >> i would be riding the subway train and sleeping in restaurant. i would wonder where i was going to sleep. >> reporter: she found a place to sleep at the covenant house, a shelter for homeless youth between 18 and 21. >> i can go to work and come home to a bed, to a shower, to

food, so i was excited that i could actually calm down and think about what is my step in life. >> reporter: she hopes that next step comes in the new year. >> to save enough money so i can move on. >> reporter: hector shares the same wish. he came to the covenant house when did he not have a place to sleep either. he credits this program for helping him get back up on his feet. >> i applied for housing. maybe if i go to a shelter they can help me get my own place. >> reporter: qiana and hector are just thousands of who need help. the need is so great in new york city that the covenant house alone has to turn away 300 young people a month. the reason, they simply do not have enough resources to serve them all. >> that is a disgrace in this city. that's 300 that we're turning away every month. in the city there are 3800 youth sleeping on our streets every night.

>> reporter: those conditions can lead to a dangerous lifestyle. >> they will engage in survival sex to find a place to sleep and get food. >> reporter: that's why they hope mayor deblasio is the one to create change. for some 50,000 people throughout the city. for now this is good enough for hector and qiana. >> i got a place where i can sleep. i can dream. i save my pennies in a jar. >> reporter: to help close the book on homelessness. >> my father said even you can have the newest cars. >> reporter: the covenant house is in 21 cities nationwide as well as south america and canada, and many of those shelters say this struggle with decreasing budget and increasing need advocates here in new york

city say there needs to be more education, more affordable housing to truly tackle this problem. >> making history, the first commercial flight from the united states to cuba in 50 years. where is our report. >> reporter: it takes just 15 minutes to fly from key west florida to havana, cuba, but it's taken 50 years for this flight to take place even though president obama gave permission for the presumption of commercial flights in 2011. the rules are strict. just 10 passengers and crew are allowed to make the journey any one time from key west. if u.s. citizens want to disembark they have to be involved with a cultural exchange program or have close relatives on the island. however, others have been flying

since restrictions have been reduced. it was a point made by the u.s. secretary of state in november. >> each year hundreds of thousands of americans visit shah ha vanna, and hundreds of millions of dollars in trade and remittances flow from the united states to cuba. we're committed to this human interchange. >> that statement along with the relaxation of rules for cubans visiting the u.s.-led to speculation that the embargo will soon be lifted. but some say that is unlikely to happen soon. >> in order to lift the embargo the administration would have to go to congress, and it can't even get a budget passed that is serious, the government is shutdown, can you imagine what would happen if the embargo question came up and the right wingers in congress started a

feeding frenzy. >> reporter: the recent handshake between president obama and castro once again say state speculation that things were changing. only concrete action in the coming year will prove that is really so. >> the theirs thing would be getting cuba off terrorist list. there is no basis for them to be on the list. even the state department recognizes that the annual report. there is a possibility that that might happen because cuba has been very important in the negotiations between the cuban government. >> reporter: al jazeera. >> up next on al jazeera america, a look at the year ahead in technology.

>> as we begin the new year we want to look at rapidly developing technology that is changing lives. we start with al jazeera's jacob ward who looks at key developments of 2013. >> reporter: 2013 was a mix of

goofy inventions and transformative discoveries. in personal technology shrinking electronics gave rise to wearable computing, fitness trackers, watches and google glass. while glass seemed to be a good idea it just seemed to freak out our friends and make segei brinn look scary. as for this year you won't have to turn them off on the plane. the faa new rules allow you to keep your phones and tablets on during the flight. 2013 was a dull year for apple. no really new products which means that 2014 will bring the long rumored television set or perhaps the iwatch. why wait for a company to make these for you when you print them out for yourself.

3d printers fell to the $1,000 mark. just don't expect to keep anything private. revelations from the nsa has been monitoring communication of millions of americans. in 2014 companies will be competing to prove to us that their product also put our text and e-mails out of the government's reach. but perhaps the greatest area of achievement of this year and the area we'll see more excitement in 20142041 was in medicine. scientists developmental therapy that uses the body's own immune system to fight cancer. a technique calls crisper created this year allows for genetic micro surgery turning on or off genes that cause afflictions. and scientists have been able to clone stem cells like they once cloned sheep which will provide endless supply of research.

but the biggest was deep brain stimulation that has already eased the symptoms of parkinsons and they they'll be able to treat post traumatic stress. in switzerland they're pouring $1.6 million to complete the first stimulation of the human brain. at last scientists seem to have figured out what sleep is for. it clears toxins out of the brain that build up over the course of the day. in 2014 that discovery could lead to a better night's rest for everyone. jacob ward, al jazeera. >> and now with more on developments expected in 2014, here is terry. >> here are the basics of how to use glass. >> reporter: much hype and development will see google's glass eyewear go on sale to the public. questions remain whether it's

function and stale to remain anything about a fad. the same goes to smart watches that link to your phone. angel google and microsoft will add to their offerings in the months to come. some experts are predicting we'll see the rise of virtual currencies like the bit coin. their value has been highly volatile but some say they have the potential to disrupt payment systems. >> the transaction fees are almost zero. in addition once you have the bit coin it's fungible. so you can put it in any currency you want. a lot of people also are seeing it as a virtual safety deposit box. once you have the money in the bit coin ouches unction.

>> artificial intelligence can monitor who you communicate with, what you say, what do you and your activity online and then you can get a search engine specific to you rather than the general populace. >> reporter: now there is increasing demand for e-mail and mobilencrypted e-maig messages. there is not going to be a tangible record. things like snap chat are a new idea that are taking hold pretty quickly. >> reporter: they're already in use in show business but hollow

graphic or 3d images are being developed for personal video calls. they're expensive, and the technology needed make it inaccessible to most but at least for now. the developers hope in time that their vision of the future will become part of every day life. >> very cold temperatures on the way. eboni is back with the forecast next on al jazeera america.

>> hi, i'm meteorologist eboni deon. we're watching active weather taking shape across the country. it's been all rain here across much of the deep south where tempt artemperatures are milder. but the cold air is on the move and it will head into the northeast dropping our temperatures and bringing with it a little bit in the way of snow. some areas can see over a food of snow. we're not expecting to see that much cold air across the west,

but in chicagoland has even eight inches of snow. we could see three to five inches moving into st. louis this evening. it's right on your door step and all that snow will drift in through the evening. conditions will go down hill across much of the northeast and new england. we can see two to four inches on the southern side of the system where we'll go down from the 40s to the 30s. boston we could end up with a foot or maybe even more of snow. now here's a look at all the watches and advisories that are out we have winter storm warnings. a blizzard warning will be in affect late thursday along long island. because in addition to the snow we're going to have strong gusting winds, winds as high as 45 mph. that will reduce visibility and that will make it difficult for

travel, so keep that in mind. late thursday going into friday. that's when we're going to see that snow moving in. tony, back to you. >> this is al jazeera america. live from new york city. i'm tony harris with a look at today's top stories. marijuana sells are brisk in colorado. it became the first day for businesses to sell pot for recreational use. 24 stores open their doors today. another first, insurance benefits under the affordable care act went into affect. they covered americans who purchased insurance.

more than 2 million people have signed up so far. america's largest city has it's first democratic mayor in 20 years. bill deblasio took oath o