and go behind the scenes at aljazeera.com/"techknow". follow our expert contributors or twitter, facebook, google plus and more. sylla >> hello. welcome to al jazeera america. i'm jonathan betz in new york. >> the syrian government agrees to ease the suffering in one of cities that that's been bombing. there's little other progress at the peace talks. >> demonstrators in the ukraine take over another government building as protests spread across the country. >> investigators say the gunman in the maryland mall shooting has no criminal record and so

far to link to his victims. >> he led the recovery in new orleans, but now former mayor ray nagin goes on trial for corruption. >> we begin with progress made during the second day of talks to end syria's war. a victory for rebels allowing women and children out of a key city. meanwhile, the fighting continues between the rebels and the government. more from nick schifrin. >> the violence in syria is continuing on unabated. we shouldn't diminish the fact that this is the first agreement in three years of war. it's not clear how it will work on the ground or if it will alleviate the suffering. there's nowhere where it needs to be alleviated more than homs,

the third largest city. most of the homs simply no longer exists. for two years it's been pounded by bombs, mortars, artillery. the bashar al-assad regime tried to crush the city. from the ground and from the air. almost every day the terrifying sound of jets and the horrifying inevitable plume of smoke rising above a neighbourhood. the city's population was a million. more than half the houses have been destroyed. residents forced to eat greens picked up the side of the road. those greens are the only sustenance for the 22-year-old resident. he spoke to us before the homs

countryside. this is what we eat, she says. it's been 11 month, a year. he says he has no fresh food, no electricity, no water. 20 minutes into a conversation the first distant rumble of war. and then less than a mile away on the hill above him we stay with him as we show the rocket strikes on a neighbourhood. these strikes, he says, happen so often he barely sleeps. in geneva, 200,000 miles away, saving homs was the main subject of the peace talks. >> homs suffered a lot from a long siege. >> the syrian opposition pressured the government to stop its homs blockade. the government responded by blaming the rebels. >> they are the ones kidnapping, who are shooting at the

humanitarian assistant. >> after shuttle diplomacy the u.n. convinced the regime to relieve some suffering. >> we have been told by the government that women and chin in the besieged area, in the old city welcome to leave immediately. >> but men, like this, for now, are stuck. we asked him after everything we have seen, whether he still loves syria. >> sorry. >> "i love everything about syria, but the war and the tools of injustice from the army and the leadership destroyed syria." he wants to stay in homs, even though 20 minutes after the first attack the bombings started again. the u.n. hopes to send in food, water and medicine to homs as early as tomorrow. the government has not agreed to

lift its blockade around the city. it's not clear when the aid is actually going to reach the people of homs. >> nick schifrin in geneva. >> protesters in ukraine are standing their ground, rejecting a deal to join the government. demonstrations spread. today they took over another government building. jennifer glasse with that story. >> anti-government demonstrators in kiev have taken over the justice ministerry, the third they've occupied in recent days. as protests continued in kiev and spread across ukraine, it's been a weak of change here in the ukraine. >> there wasn't enough space in kiev's st. michael's cathedral for the funeral of a man they call a hero. >> this man was killed in clashes on wednesday, one of the first in a growing rebellion. anti-government protesters clean up a government building they seized in kiev. it was a museum to communist

leader vladimir lenin, and now is a headquarters for those defending democracy. the game has changed. the president is listening. the opposition rejected an offer to share power. they think they can get more. >> they have made a lot of progress. for two weeks they were ignored. after protests spread around the country, he was ready to come to the bargaining table. they have the people on their side. >> including ukrainian mothers, who came to the capital to show a support for change. >> we want him to resign to peacefully move towards europe and have decent salaries and live happily like the rest of the world. >> across ukraine the opposition headed opposition calls to come out. >> normally a presidential strong hold.

they are facing resistance. in independence square there's a shrine. ukrainians stop to reflect on the cost the country has paid and pay for a peaceful outcome. >> all eyes are on what will happen next. the opposition says it will negotiate with the government, but no talks have been set. an emergency session of parliament is set for tuesday, when they are expected to address some issues, including a repeal of laws that criminalize elements of freedom of speech and expression. viktor yanukovych gave no indication that he intends to step down. that's what he'd like to see, or at least see earlier elections. it will be an eventful week. >> the unrest in the ukraine is spreading beyond the capital. government buildings in at least nine other cities have been

stormed. >> this is the regional administration building in a city in the west of ukraine. on thursday a large crowd of anti-government protesters arrived and went inside and got the regional governor, appointed by president viktor yanukovych to resign. he said later that he did so under duress and took it back. nonetheless the protesters were in control of this building, and are maintaining a virtual 24 hour presence, singing songs and keeping their spirits up. they say they will not move, like the people in the square, independence square in kiev until the demands are met. they have erected large barricades filled with snow to stop the security forces getting anywhere near here. it's one of many sites in the city that have been taken over by anti-government protesters, and is part of a movement that spread across much of the west of the country, and they've been

heartened by what is happening in kiev. in fact, many people from this city have gone to independence square to further the protests. there's a lot of solidarity between these people and the capital. >> the pentagon says the u.s. carried out an air strike against a leader in somalia. they are not giving details. >> leaders from al-shabab said a senior commander was killed when his car was hit by a missile and they suspect is came from a u.s. drone. >> french peacekeepers are struggling to control violence in the central african republic. the muslims are under attack. we follow this report. >> in a muslim neighbourhood on the outskirts of bangui, people are hostile to french peacekeepers. we don't want to you. don't come any closer.

sna many people are armed. they are frightened. they tell me the french killed some of their people, whilst making no effort to disarm the christian anti-balaka militia who hide in the hills. they have had enough of the french standing by. all of the muslims say they want to the escape the capital and head north. as soon as they arrange transport and feel it's safe to head out on the roads. some of them say the central african republic should be divided and that muslims should take over the north. it seems that these peacekeepers are struggling to hold the country together. >> a stone's throw away a criton neighbourhood. i walked there to ask them what they think of the french. "we like them, they are doing a good job." the french patrol bangui tirelessly.

but they move through what is now a city of stark contrasts. many christian areas are busy and the french well received. muslim areas tend to be quieter, and people don't seem so happy. but the french say they don't take sides. >>. translation: we disarm the anti-balaka as we do the ex-seleka. there are self-defense groups who are trying to protect themselves, we treat them in the same way. >> in the central mosque the mood is tense and the imams say the french are complicit in attacks. >> how can the french disarm someone carrying a knife and leave them at the mercy of a hostile crowd. that crowd will steal his belongings and kill him. we have seen this happen many

times. >> we have seen the french take weapons by force from both sides. here they disarm a christian youth. the french try to win hearts and mind. in this christian area they succeed. if they are not careful, the perception that they are more comfortable with one side than the other could become a reality. they can't let things drift in the dangerous waters. >> egypt's interim president says the country will hold presidential elections before voting for parliament. it comes after a violent week and 49 people were killed in clashes between supporters of the government and those loyal to the ousted president. general abdul fatah al-sisi is expected to run for president. earlier i spoke to harvard professor who says egypt's next president will likely shape the rest of the government. >> once you have a president. that president becomes the tent

poll for the new egyptian political system. you can imagine the parliamentary elections that follow, that the allies will be the people that win the election. quickly you get to a situation where you have a president and a ruling party like you had prior to january 25th, 2011. >> the old power structure is coming into form. something that resembles the power structure. i argue that too much has changed. there's too many people who have gotten used to making their voices heard. some of those revolutionaries may be silent for now. it's, look, we have seen the supreme council. it was the subject of the protests, mohamed morsi in charge, he fell to protests. whoever is in charge in the next few months will have a short

honeymoon. >> in the states police found the journal, the gunman from the maryland ma'am. darion marcus aguilar was unhappy but does not reveal why the 19-year-old was killed. >> police say 19-year-old darion marcus aguilar took a cab to this shopping mall, was dropped off at 10:15. he was heavily armed with a shotgun, ammunition and backpack. an hour later he entered a skateboard shop on the second floor and opened fire on two people, killing both before turning the gun on himself. police are trying to understand why darion marcus aguilar took the lives of 21-year-old brianna benlolo, and 25-year-old taylor

johnson. >> we can't establish a relationship between him and any of the victims. >> not much is known about the victims or the shooter. on what appears to be her facebook beige brianna benlolo says she's a mum and an assistant manager at the store. five others were injured at the mall, only one shot. they have been released from an area hospital. while police are searching for answers, a memorial facebook page has been posted for the two victims. >> a court helps a family close a difficult chapter. a texas hospital ordered to allow a pregnant mother to be taken off life support. >> gone are the cameras, gown are the lawyers fight -- gone or the lawyers fighting to keep marlise munoz on life support, after doctors declared her brain dead. john peter smith hospital took marlise munoz off life support and released her body to her husband erick munoz.

he did not wish to speak to the media. his attorneys issued a statement saying: >> op friday a judge ruled jps hospital in fort worth texas had until tomorrow evening to remove marlise munoz from life support, which her husband said she would have wanted. the hospital had countered allowing texas law wouldn't allow her to take the action because she was pregnant. the case generated a great deal of attention from both sides, with some anti-abortion activists arguing that the foetus should have had a chance to be born. demonstrators were outside the hospital. >> we are disheartened that the hospital chose to pull the plug. >> jps issued a statement stating that the hospitals role

was not to make or contest the law. they focused on the new challenges as they raced the couples young son, a lit of over a year old. >> i walk in the door, he's waiting for momma to show up somewhere. that's the hardest. >> people close to the family say they must find the strength to complete an unbearably long and arduous journey. >> tonight on "talk to al jazeera" john seigenthaler asks jill abramson executive editor of the "new york times," how she rates the barack obama relationship with the media. >> i would say it's the most secretive white house that i have ever been involved in covering, and that includes - i spent 22 years of my career in washington and covered presidents from regan up through now, and i was washington bureau

chief at the time during george w. bush's first term, and that was a fairly tight lid on things. i dealt directly with the bush white house. we were about to run, put the national security under threat. but, you know not pursuing criminal leak investigations. the obama administration have had seven criminal leak investigations. that is more than twice the number of any previous administration in our history. it's on a scale never seen before. >> you can see john seigenthaler's entire discussion with jill abe ram son at the top of the hour. >> well, still ahead on al

jazeera america although the super bowl is taking place in new jersey, a lot of people have a new york state of mind.

>> the super bowl is a week away between the seahawks and broncos, but there's confusion over where they play. allen schauffler explains. >> the official logo says nynj. new york, new jersey. ask people where the game is played they'll tell you date day. >> new york. >> new york. >> the big apple. >> new york. >> unfortunately it's being played in new jersey. unfortunately. >> well, that's the problem. isn't it? there is the city over there. gotham, the big apple and the city that never sleeps, it's a hell of a town. the game will be played here, a state line and a couple of rivers away in east rutherford

new jersey. so new jersey-ites within sight of but far from the center of the super bowl universe across the hudson can be forgiven if they are a little miffed. >> everything will be directed at new york, but the game is in new jersey. >> if you look at the ticket its shows manhattan, and jersey city a little circle. it's not fair. >> super bowl advertising is new york centric. look at how the n.f.l. is advertising the game. there's 12 blocks of broadway through times square that is super bowl boulevard. >> not to be sidelined on the issue jersey city's colombus drive will be known as super bowl drive. both teams are staying in jersey city, and the circus that is media day will be held in newark. hundreds of millions of out of

town dollars will be spent here. none comes as a shock to the garden state. >> we appreciate the ako lates and the advertisement and the attention. but the game is being held in new jersey. >> for jersey the whole thing is a bit of a familiar cold shoulder from the first cold weather super bowl in n.f.l. history. >> new york, new jersey, it's all the same to a lot of people. it makes a difference to people living in new jersey. >> new jersey getting a lot of love. and the excitement is building we were talking about the excitement, not the weather. we already have two touchdowns for super bowl 48. the teams have landed in jersey. the seahawks flew in an hour ago at newark. they are having issues because the 12th man flag was stuck on the plane, ripping a whole in the flag.

it's not good. the sea hawk franchise is making a second appearance, but none of the counter players have super bowl experience. the broncos arrived earlier at newark, making their seventh appearance, all eyes on peyton manning, looking to capture a second super bowl title. both teams are staying in new jersey. coincidence, a championship is on the line. imagine walking away with a chance to play. that's in john moffat decided to leave the money and the fame and the pain and dangers of playing in football. michael eaves spoke to the former bronco and seattle sea hawk about that decision. >> a big thing was physical health. another was a lost passion for the game. got tired of playing it, and there are a lot of other reasons. things i saw in the n.f.l. that

i was sick of and didn't want to deal with it. i think it was, you know, a total combination of those things that made me walk away in the middle of the season. >> the thing that stuck with me is when they talked about not the big hits to the head, but the constant hits. to me, that's all it is, a continuous hit to the head. i would say that stuck with me as far as where my head was at, you know. i had an incident that - i had floaters in my eye that warned me about the head that said it was from hits. the more i realised about head trauma, i realised the dangers of it >> if huh remained a bronco, you would be getting ready to play for super bowl championship. have you reflected upon that now they made it to the super bowl? >> no, i considered when i left i weighed that. i kind of saw - not foresaw, but

had an idea that it would be seattle and denver. a lot of people had that idea. i lost my passion for the game. super bowl doesn't matter to me. i have no feelings of regret or anything. i was ready to leave the game and i left on my terms. i'm happy about that. >> allow me to top no your analysis, the match-up. who do you think has the upper hand here? >> it's tough to say. honestly, i thought about that. i'm not sure but i think both teams have amazing offense and defenses. two great quarter backs. but the way they approach the game is similar. that was a cool thing i got to see, a young russell wilson, and obviously a veteran peyton manning, and they both approached the game very much the same way, with so much

commitment but obviously a quarterback, one is a drop-back pass scper a running gun. i think if you can get to peyton manning. i think it will be tough for that to operate. >> it's tough to say we have the upper hand. i've been thinking about it. a lot of people asked me. >> candid comments from john moffat, 27 years young and walks away from the game. >> still ahead - the week ahead is up next. we look to president obama's state of union address on tuesday. and he led new orleans after hurricane katrina, now former may junior -- mayor ray nagin is charged with corruption - n. -- next.

>> and welcome back to al

jazeera america. i'm jonathan betz, with the top stories this half hour. despite the ongoing fighting there was progress in day two of the syrian peace talks in geneva. both sides allowed the evacuation of women and children in city hall. demonstrators in ukraine have taken over another government building, clashes escalated after protesters rejected the president's offer to join the government. they want to president to call new elections. >> police found a journal from the gunman of the maryland shooting, showing that darion marcus aguilar was generally unhappy, but does not reveal the link between the 19-year-old and the two people he killed. the shopping mall where the two were killed is scheduled to reopen tomorrow afternoon. >> it is sunday night time for "the week ahead." this week we focus on state of

union. on tuesday president obama will have a last opportunity to frame the conversation in the capitol. the president is expected to focus on income and equalty, including appeals for raising the minimum raise, job creation, extending unemployment benefits, and making college more affordable. should we expect results. the state of union last year called for immigration reform, gun control laws and raising the minimum wage. none of those things happened. >> to talk about it we have maria from human rights watch and james from foreign policy magazine. >> do you agree with the pundits who say this is arguably one of president obama's critical state of the union speeches. >> we'll say that about any state of the union speech. last year, after we were

re-elected and he thought i had the wind in my sales, he gave an ambitious state of the union speech. as you said the ambitious things called for failed. the theme of this year, if you listen to all, the president has some powers of his own for which he does not need congress. he'll propose modern things that he can accomplish. >> he's not going to wait for congress to make a move. >> that's right. the limited powers of the president. what you can accomplish without legislation are modest compared to what you can accomplish with legislation. >> it's true, but at the same time there are things he can accomplish. i would love to see him speak about guantanamo, and his ability to transfer prisoners out of that location to other countries. >> he's insisted he wanted to close that for years. >> it's been a promise for five years.

he gave a good speech last year saying that he wanted to move forward. congress lifted restrictions on transfers. there are over 50 yemenies that have been in cleared for transfer and waiting. he can do that. >> i have a footnote to maria's point, that is that there's a little double play. the hopes that in afghanistan we might be able to move towards some kind of negotiated solution with the taliban on one things. there are five guys in patrick gannon, convicted of minor stuff. they say releasing those guys is a prerequisite to having a peace talk. i want to see him release people and i'd like him to release those five. >> we don't expect him to bring it up in the speech. one thing we expect them to bring up is immigration reform. i want to remind the viewers

what is at stake. an immigration bill provides a path including those that came to the u.s. as children, and reunites families by clearing a backlog of green card and tightens border security and expansion at the border and inside the u.s. congressional budget office says it will cut the deficit by a trillion over 20 years. house republicans made it clear they are not in favour of that bill. it's supposed to come up in a speech. >> i think the reason he will is the republicans are scared on this. there are a bunch of issues like minimum wage, where i don't know if they are scared enough of the they are afraid of losing the hispanic vote. they are trying to find middle ground. the position is we will not give people a path through legal

status but not to citizenship. barack obama says it has to be a path to citizenship. >> in all the things they talk about how critical is it. >> it's hard to say. it's definitely something he should push on. congress is open in this. there's room, support for the reform and things he can do on hips own. i point out he is dramatically increased the number of prosecutions of immigrants nor the crimes of illegal entry. the most prosecuted crimes. he could stop using his power to deport people that had close family ties. >> let's start. so far he's on pace to deport 2 million undocumented workers. do you think this is something he might face considering the pressure he's been under.

it depends. he may show that he's being tough, that the idea that he's deporting criminals is not true. many of those criminals have the on been convicted of immigration offenses. it's not what we think. >> i assume, i don't know this, i assume he feels like he creates political space by showing he's tough on deportees. he deports the guys and says he has credibility to say he is not just a softy, so trust me when i say we can have a package to solve all these things. >> what about the drug policy issues, especially what he said to "new york" magazine about drugs. 51% of those incarcerated are for drug-related crimes and the attorney encouraged prosecutors to pursue lighter sentences for low-level offenders.

half of the people arrested for drug crimes are arrested for marijuana possession. >> yes, it seems like he's tiptoeing through the waters, do you think he will tiptoe more. >> i don't know if you'd do it at the state of union. >> i think there's definitely room for it. there's a lot of international pressure. and within the u.s. it's true a huge number of people have committed only low-level drug offenses. he's serving incredibly long assistances due to mandatory min hymns. if he threw his weight behind it. that used to be political space. there was an economic logic. the more people institutionalized, the more he's spending on gaols. people who otherwise might not be sympathetic to what they see

is a soft op crime response will be more open to the arguments. >> how is the u.s. viewed across the world. we take pride in the united states and think we are the best at this and that. people view the united states as being bash ourous. probably the biggest one was a death penalty. other westerner well-to-do states don't execute people, we execute a lot of people. the numbers incarcerated. the difficulty getting parole - these are off the scale compared to others that you would compare us to. >> a big year for the president when it comes to iran - syria not so much. the house and senate passed a bill including a trillion in discretionary spending. i don't think they realise how much money goes to foreign

governments. $6.1 trillion to the military. afghanistan gets $85 billion a year. israel $3 billion, egypt $3 billion. global health programs close to $9 billion. when you look at the president's foreign policy record, is this something he'll focus more on in 2014. >> first of all, in terms. state of the union speech he'll say as little as possible. once upon a time that's what it would be all about. >> why is that, by the way? >> i'll give you a good reason. i saw a poll that asked people what is the most important issue in your mind. 7% said foreign policy. you don't have to be a political genius to say "mr president, can you not spend more on foreign policy?" there's a sense of fear about the world, among the european

people, exhaustion with foreign policy adventures. whatever we do will be bad. it's a deep pessimism. when a goal is good stuff i have done and good stuff i will do, it's not easy to find foreign policy issues, except iran. that is an argument the president should dwell on. he can say, he has to be careful and can say we brought them to the negotiation table on the nuclear issue. it's a result of five years of patient engagement combined with sanctions. it may fail. what he needs to say is "american people, you have to trust me. i'm looking out for security. if i engage in diplomacy we'll get this out come", >> but should he focus on it if americans don't care? >> i don't know if he should focus on it through the speech, but it's an area where he has significant authority, where he

doesn't need congressional -- >> in is his opportunity, 30 million americans will watch for him to stand and say, "we should care what is happening in iran and syria and other places." >> the country should care much it's his responsibility to bring the country back to basic values. this is an opportunity also to just raise the soorns seriousness of what's happening, for example in syria, where you have mass killings ipp discrim gnatly for years. the president has been supporting his peace negotiations in geneva. but there haven't been too many statements from the president or others about the need to stop the killings. and to ensure humanitarian access. >> what is the big issue that

you hope will be addressed. >> obviously immigration reform. >> i would love to have them take up the whole question of the national security agency, and edward snowden and all the stuff. he needs to say "yes, the hap quitted a criminal act. he forced a debate that the public needs to have, and that's good." >> we'll see what he says tuesday night. >> thank you both for coming in tonight. we appreciate it. >> joining us this tuesday at 9:00 pm eastern for full coverage of president obama's stunion speech. >> on tuesday egypt's former president mohamed morsi goes on trial for a gaol break during the 2007 uprising. ben bernanke will chair hays last meeting of the federal committee. that's a committee. janet yellen will take her spot, the first woman at the helm of the federal reserve. >> still to come, the changing

music industry and how more artists wowed record labels are going for gold.

>> former new orleans mayor ray nagin could gain new notoriety, going on trial for fraud and corruption, accused of taking over $200,000 in bribes and gifts. he turns down a deal from prosecutors, and will take his chance at trial. >> within a few days of hurricane katrina, the entire world new of new orleans world ray nagin. >> he had one moment when he went on radio and said, "mr president, get your arse down here." everyone cheered

him. >> he was criticised for his decisions and lack of follow through. now on trial for corruption, the former mayor opted out of a plea deal and is heavy to put ace fate in the hands of a jury. a lot of people did not feel that the rebuilding was going as expeditiously and as smoothly as they liked. it was a difficult process. with the city in shambles he shifts his approach, making is a speech calling for new orleans to return to a chocolate city. play the race card. the issue was about the right to return. that resonated with african-americans who had been displaced. >> the people said they like the direction we are going in. by 2011. six people with contracts had

pled guilty to being involved in corruption charges involving the mayor. >> it took hold in by bombs, mortars, artillery. the bashar al-assad regime tried to crush the city. from the ground and from the air. almost every day the terrifying sound of jets and the horrifying inevitable plume of smoke rising above a neighbourhood. the city's population was a million. more than half the houses have been destroyed. residents forced to eat greens picked up the side of the road. those greens are the only sustenance for the 22-year-old resident. he spoke to us before the homs countryside. this is what we eat, she says.

it's been 11 month, a year. he says he has no fresh food, no electricity, no water. 20 minutes into a conversation the first distant rumble of war. and then less than a mile away on the hill above him we stay with him as we show the rocket strikes on a neighbourhood. these strikes, he says, happen so often he barely sleeps. in geneva, 200,000 miles away, saving homs was the main subject of the peace talks. >> homs suffered a lot from a long siege. >> the syrian opposition pressured the government to stop its homs blockade. seer >> it is the highest spike in about a decade. the internet cz

>> another deep freeze is sweeping across the midwest, sending temperatures above zero, keeping kids out of schools. kids in chicago are clearing up from the snow, preparing for more of the same. windy city is bracing for temperatures as low as minus 40, when you include the wind chill factor. chicago's public schools cancelled classes for 400,000 student and more snow is headed their way. rebecca, is it spring? >> i know, we are all looking forward to spring. we wouldn't enjoy spring as much if we didn't have this bitter cold. there's a 50 degree temperature difference from atlanta 50, and zero. chicago you are 25. you are at the quarter mark.

there's zero in minneapolis. these temperatures drops fast. it's heavy, thick. it's pushing to the midwest, bringing the wind custodies high. gusting up to 50 minneapolis. it's severe cold, so dangerous to be outside when it's this cold. wind can remove the heat from the skin making frost bite and hypothermia possible. the winds gusting, making it feel like 44 degrees. that's 1078 parts of north-east or south dakota. the emergency declaration was made, please to not travel at all, that's how cold it is. we had blizzard conditions making visibility low and down-right impossible to travel. low temperatures will drop below the zero mark. chicago 7 degrees below zero. rain for the west coast as we

move into the week ahead. while the rain is moving in. that's when the cold is going to move in for a lot of folks in the great lakes and the north-east. tuesday and wednesday looks like the coldest days. we get the rain in southern california, and mountain snow for parts of the west and the great lakes. >> thank you. a big night for some of the biggest names in the music industry. the stars walked the red carpet outside the staiples center in downtown los angeles, where the 56th grammy awards is underway. ryan louis and macklemore won the first award, best new artist. they are up for bestial -- best album. we have more.

♪ we go back >> macklemore and ryan louis's video was filled in new zealand on a beach in new zealand. ♪ like the feeling can't hold up ♪ >> at the end macklemore skydives on to the space needle and seattle, planting a flag that reads "the heist", it's the name of their third album, which sky rocketeded them into the stras os sphere of pop star dom. they began on their own, building their audience through social media the base was independent, using social media and other tools available to artists in the digital age. they built a huge fan base, not to take away their achievement that put them into massive pop success, into lady gaga's world. that's when they needed traditional radio and record

labels. >> many in the industry see their success as something to replicate. like ted mason, former guitarist of modern interest and of a label. >> as a label boss, my acts are diverse, different, speaking in different languages or playing different instruments. it's a hard time selling it to the united states. >> he credits macklemore and ryan louis for their sav ci. >> these guys are great. they are doing a product that sells. they are not bringing sitars in or singing about revolution. >> macklemore and louis hit chords are many for their social consciousness, like promoting gay rights in the song "gay love" ♪ i can't change ♪ even if i industry >> the video which embraces

diversity has been viral. >> good year from macklemore. bill wyman spoke to us earlier. the music industry has been a callsified institution for the past 20, 30, 40 years. it made all its money by having the monopoly. by paying radio stations. and the fact this we see these - the eddy fats cracking. there has been a few recently. mack miller had a number one record. not only did they do it on their own, almost. our terms - they are plying the flag. one of the things in their song is how they are independent. they took a shot at jimmy, the

head of a record label. >> i can't understand how an artist like mag - a lot of people out there put a song on youtube. we make it clear there's two kind of artists. destined for star dom. madonna. the great unwatched and 80% of the rest, which record labels helped. your chances of being a star were better. and what youtube does is gives the top 10% away into the hearts and minds without having to go through the record labels, controlling the action to press, tv, radio. those are the things that broke down. what broke down is the record labels control of the getting music out to the general public.

>> what is it about macklemore. >> he's an amazing guy. his thrift shop song is great. he's a great comedian and performer. he speaks truth the power and is not afraid of looking someone in the eye. >> it worked for him. bill wyman talking about a big night. the airport near the volcano opened again as an eruption dies down. increased seismic activity, and lava flows is rumbling but no longer spewing lava. that's all. the headlines after this break.

is >> welcome to al jazeera america. i'm jonathan betz with tonight's top stories. >> despite the ongoing fighting there was progress in day two of the syrian peace talks in geneva. both sides agreed to allow the

immediate evacuation of wim in and children from the city of homs. it's been under siege for two years. >> demonstrators in the ukraine took over four government building. clashes escalated across the country after protesters rejected an offer to join the government. they want the president to call for new elections. >> the pentagon said the u.s. carried out an air strike against a leader in somalia. leaders of al-shabab said a senior commander was killed when his car was hit by a missile. >> police found a journal of a gunman from the maryland shooting showing that darion marcus aguilar was unhappy, but does not reveal a link between the 19-year-old and the two killed. shopping is scheduled to reopen tomorrow afternoon. >> health officials boarded royal caribbean's "explorer of the sea."

they are investigating after hundreds of passengers got sick, vomiting and diarrhoea. >> "money for nothing: inside the fed reserve" is up next on al jazeera, and you can find us online. go to aljazeera.com. >> >> the dollar is the most remarkable achievement in the history of money. think of it. this piece of paper cost nothing to produce, there's nothing behind it except the goodwill of ben bernanke, and the u