organs, such as lungs. >> for more information on this, and other techknow stories. visit our website at aljazeera.com/techknow don't miss techknow, sundays 7:30et / 4:30pt on al jazeera america good afternoon, and welcome to am al jazeera america. live from new york city. taking side in ukraine, u.s. secretary of state john kerry meet with the opposition in germany. he says they support their fight for democracy. plus, election day in thailand, but millions are blocks from those polling stations. and a somber sunday for parishioners are the cause of sex abuse settlements has left the diocese completely bankrupt.

>> and deadly eruption, more than a dozen people killed in indonesia after volcanic ash blanket as local village. secretary of state john kerry says the u.s. supports the people in their fight for democracy. despite last week's resinate of their prime minister, and then a port has dropped all charges against an activist who was beaten and hospitalized just over the past few days. al jazeera jennifer glass is live in kiev, and she has been following the story from the very beginning. jennifer, we saw a very personal image of unrest, what is the latest with this activist that we just mentioned and has the government really issue add response? >> he was found a few

days ago, beaten, bruised the police tried to arrest him in his hospital room, there has been a stand off there billionaire and opposition supporter went over to the hospital to try toker chew it up. he said okay, the prosecutor can question him on charges of inciting riot, and a court looked at those and drops them all together. so now he is allowed to leave the country. how they have been abusing them, there have been abductions and beatings. there's been intimidation, in this case, a happy ending but there's still at least 160 people in jail, the opposition qualms prisoners, the government won't release them until glen stray tors leave the streets. that's something they will try to change on tuesday. >> has that happy ending

quelled some of the unrest. how much longer do we expect them to continue? >> well, morgan, the protestors here say they are here for the long haul. they have made a commitment, they want to see the leadership change, they have watched their leaders their opposition leaders, and they came out in the tens of thousands to listen to to what they had to say, in munich, yesterday, also this week, there's going to be a human rights investigation, and that's something the opposition really lucked. >> all right, jennifer glass, live from kiev, thank you so much for being with us this afternoon. jennifer just mentioned secretary of state who met with iran's foreign minister on the sidelines of a security conference. query says both sides need to compromise, in order to resolve fears over the nuclear program. the iranian foreign minister, well he seems to agree saying the time

to negotiate is now. >> it would be foolish for either side to break away from. i think the opportunity is there, i think this is a historic opportunity, i think we need to seize it, i think if we don't, if we work on the basis of illusions we will regret it. >> and the next round of talks begins later this month. more than 100 people have been killed in government raids and the syrian town of aleppo. military helicopters dropped explosives on the rebelling held town, and human rights activists say most of those killed were civilians including at least ten children. over just the past few weeks troops have now fought their way into the tongues and more than 130,000 people have died since the syrian civil war began three years ago. meanwhile, another flair up between israel and the u.s. while in germany, secretary of state john kerr ray warned israel that they face a growing threat if peace talks failed. israeli prime minister

just brushed off then waying saying international pressure on israel would backfire. >> the attempts to oppose a boycott immoral, nor are may justified. beyond with that, first of all they called the palestinians to hunker down, and thus they put off peace. secondly, chief leading security of the seasons of the state of israel. >> israel and the palestinians want peace talks after a long lull, so far there are little signs of progress. polls have closed in thailand's general election, but unable were able to cast their ballot. who announced those elections to appease months of political unrest, is still likely to wayne. but official results aren't expected for months. al jazeera has the latest. >> in her north bangkok

neighborhood, prime minister arrived just as the polls opened. setting an example she hoped millions would follow on sunday. >> as tayes it is our duty to exercise our right to vote. we must support the election process. even though the leaders vowed not to prevent voters from coming in, his follows have stayinged themselves right outside this polling position, now, the organizers here open the polls on time at 8:00 a.m., but they close them at 9:00 a.m., because they are worried about voter safety. >> more than 400 polling centers were closed in bangkok. some were blocked some never got their ballot and some have no workers.

my right is to stand here and make sure there are reform first. >> 90% were able to open in the capitol, and around 90% across the country were accepting voters. but because of the disruptions -- >> the exact number of the voters who wish to exercise their right would not be made known. and that's most unfortunate, but it is also clearly shows that the protestors are in the minority. >> in the district of the capitol, the two sides squared off near a polling center, officials there shut down voting. later the protestors called back, and a group denied their vote, marched to the building. >> i'm disappointed. this is a crisis, but people can show that they support the election. >> they broke through the front gate and demanded that they be allowed to vote. but they will have to

wait for those thais that could not vote on sunday, with no clear results expected there's little chance that the election will soften the divisions between the people. nor will there be progress in mending the political divide that is paralyzed the government. al jazeera, bangkok. >> and presidential elections kicking off in el salvador, security is front and center, since it is one of the highest murder rates in the world. is right now there's a very controversial gang truce that is being orchestrate bid the outgoing president. gang members say this so called truce is nothing more than a staged campaign for the ruling party. crime is a daily occurrence, but it is the rate that is cause for alarm, the forensic labs where it remain as pain stakingly reconstructed haven't been this busy in years. >> in the last month,

forensic scientists have discovered 31 bodies in 21 different sites and that's just in one neighborhood, controlled by one gang. two years ago, a truce was declared here, be uh despite that, the list of missing continues to grow. this is now a sensitive issue, and new investigations have for now been stopped. the attorney general says it is a matter of resources being to the director, but this director says that's not true. >> we feel frustrated because we are scientists that help solve crimes. and for reasons that have nothing to do with science, we have had to stop. we are disgusting that is for statistical reasons. and fewer missing then there actually are. >> the truce between the gang and their rivals has been credited with drastically reducing the murder rate, and social

programs have been successful. there have been accusations that collusion between politics and gang members to keep the real numbers down, and some say the truce is simply propaganda. they talk a lot about us, they say things about a truce. but it's a lie. just listen to the president and you know he is lying. he is making things up. >> there are people here trying to make a difference antonio is a priest that works with the youth, who are in constant danger of being forced to deal drugs. i want ching and young people to have dreamed and in this country, there are no dreams. i wish for the young to want to live, all they want to co can is to die, or to quill. >> he has been told he is now a marked man. his own safety he is

leaving until the election is over, a sign of how powerful and unchecked gangs are here. al jazeera, san salvador. >> after living in the u.s. for years a mexican man returns to his homeland. up next, why he decided to stay and stand his ground. plus, a catholic diocese filed for bankruptcy as it settled hundreds of claims minute and the controversy surrounding chris christie thickens just before tonight's big game.

welcome back to am al jazeera america. he lived in america for almost two decades but his heart remains just south of the boarder. he now finds himself in the fight of his life. dave mercer reports. he raps about life in his

town, battling the knights templar drug cartel, and how their fight will never be in vein. >> after living in the united states, for the past 20 years he returned to rural but soon found himself in the middle of a war. instead of fleeing he and his brother fought back. >> it is our town, it is our place, our home, why would we leave. >> his mother fears that every time the sons are called to go out on patrol, it may be the last time she seems them. i give them my blessing and i say to god, take them, but bring them back home. don't let them be captures, because they won't just kill them, they are cowards and they will torture them, like they did to my brother. >> along with his father and brother, are part of a 20,000 strong vigilante

movement that sprung up to combat the knights templar. for years heavily armed cartel members have controlled hundreds of towns. extorting kid p thatting and killing. but then the cartel came along and started dend maaing up to 10,000 a month, and everything changed. now their saw mill looks like this. after years of building up the business, piece by piece. >> , they were, photoed abandon it. his brother says it is hard for him to look back at how things used to be. >> we had a lot of work, we were doing good, and we had more thank 15 people working. giving jobs to people that need it. >> this past week, vin largety groups agree to a government plan, to incorporate them into a rural defense force.

they say they are happy they no longer have to stand alone and this is the beginning of the end of war that has already gone on far too long. al jazeera, mexico. >> today is the first sunday after a ramon catholic diocese filed for bankruptcy. it is all part of a multimillion dollars settlement, in which hundreds of victims say they were abused. two law sites claimed that from the 1930's all the way to the 1970's clergy members abused more than 300 children. a diocese speaksman says a bankruptcy will help resolve those claims. >> the idea that our future is uncertain, is hard. it is hard to talk about. but some of these things that have gone on in the past, and how can we engage them, and help. with what has been done. it's -- this may provide a means for that. so there is a little bit of hope. >> is there a chance this

diocese could go under? >> i couldn't say. other have. now that proposed agreement, must still be approved by a bankruptcy court. and speaking of controversy, the plot thickens for new jersey governor chris christie, just this morning new jersey state assemblyman appeared on cbs's face the nation. now, he is the man leading the investigation into the lane closures on the george washington bridge, and he says the governor may have actually known exactly what was planned. >> i have skepticism, about the governor reese statement, i haven't said that the governor has responsibility for this. i haven't said that the governor knew when this was happening that's something mr. wildstein said, what i said is the government made a statement about when he knew, and i said that i have my doubts about that time line. he could have known at any time, but i have my doubts about what he said. >> now this all followed an email that christie sent to supporters firing back at a former april

ally who accused him of lying. and the email he said david wildstein will do and say anything, to save david wildstein. and with a kick off to the most watched sporting event only hours away, preparations are already underway for next year's super bowl. glendale arizona will host next year's big event, so arizona governor was in new york on saturday, where she was handed off those organizers responsibility r for next year. s super bowl is believed to bring big money and business. it really doesn't always go the full nine yards. >> super bowl xlviii in february of 2014, will be placed in new york, new jersey. [applause] >> the super bowl host committee orangely ladies and gentlemenned it wows continue about $70 million to set up, secure, and clean up after the big game. according to a report in the prez, security in new jersey alone will be on par with presidential

inaugurations. meaning 4,000 people on the ground, that can easily cost millions of dollars. new jersey france sit and expecting to spend at least $17.7 million on the event, though officials say that's just a fraction of their $1.94 billion operating budget. so depending on who you talk to, the big game is either a great thing, or greatly overrated. >> somewhere between five and ten people come to the region for every person who has a ticket to the super bowl. >> there are always overinflated. >> a reporter for the daily beast says promises that the $600 million wind fall are widely exaggerated. and the money that is made doesn't necessarily stay in the community. >> the money is not staying here, and that's called leakage, the money is coming into the marriott hotel, which i believe p and a sponsor, and it is going into corporations. it doesn't go to the desk clerks r or the housekeeping, it doesn't go to the local economy. >> found that super bowls

generally have only about 110th of the financial impact that local boosters initially advertised. a restaurant near the stadium. >> it is a once in a lifetime opportunity, especially for small business like ourselves. we are thrilled about it. >> he is hosting the try football super tale gait, with tickets costing 425-dollar as pop. financially, it's off the charts. we will never do a business like this ever again. unless the super bowl comes back here. >> indianapolis hosted the super bowl in 2012. >> from the economic standpoint, it was a huge win for our city and our state. we had $343 million of outside spending. that occurred here, in terms of everything that was directly tied to the event. in temples of visitor spending the super bowl village in downtown, that direct visitor spend was

$176 million. is about 200 seth $8 million. >> of course, this year is super bowl is being host bade much larger city. that doesn't need the publicity, so what is the value? the answer may be it depends. >> it is hard to estimate how much new yorker whose are staying home to avoided the crowds would be spending this weekend if there were no event, it may be months before we know how big the impact was, in the meantime, the fans are here, the teams are ready, and even the weather seems to be cooperating. al jazeera, new york. in east rutherford new jersey, where we are predicting the results of the super bowl who and going to win? >> the sea hawks. >> and daniel? >> denver.

>> all unbiased preponderances, join us back here for the super bowl party, near the stadium, in a couple of minutes. past weeks of violence is that it is not only

you, and welcome back to al jazeera america. and here are today's headlines. voting has begun for a new president in el sal have core. the vice president is among those, but he is not expected to win. sending the election into a second round in march. and secretary of state john kerry says the u.s. supports protestor protestn the ukraine, and their fight for democracy. in the past few months a court dropped all charges against an activist who was beaten and hospitalized. over the past eight days. and the nfl's biggest game of the year kicked off in just a very few short hours. and super bowl xlviii matches the broncos up against the sea hawks and they will battle it out on the turf in east rutherford new jersey this evening. temperatures for the cold

weather game could reach close to 50 degrees by game time. and a volcano has released three big explosions and a stream of ash. the volcano fewed lava but not so much that residents in a nearby tourist town could not stay put. the volcano has been active since 1999. in addition to the devastating volcano, indonesia is facing some of the worst flooding they have had in several years. back on the home front we are looking at a beautiful day. today in new york city, we are reaching a high of 51 degrees. that's about 11 degrees above where they should be at this time of the year. don't worry, lawyer nature will bring the cold air in. but enjoy your day, washington, d.c., all the way down to atlanta, and miami, now we do have a front making its way across the country,

bringing a bit of snow and ice, to portions of pennsylvania. western pennsylvania and that's extending all the way down into north and central portions of texas all the way into south and central portions of oklahoma, so it is a very slow go out there. if you are on the roads really advise you to make your way home soon, continue do have to deal with ice through the course of the day, and it only take as little bit of ice to create treacherous travel conditions. back to the northeast, where we have the rain coming down been but if you are closer to eerie and upstate portions of new york, ice and snow out there today, we could see anywhere from two to four inches of snow, regardless of what punxsutawney phil says, mother nature will approve that on monday. right around normal, and some snow we could see anywhere from two to fourisms. thinking about the super bowl, the snow won't begin until late night,

soy think anyone attending the game will be safe, back to you. >> thank you so much. and other in the garden state, unfortunately for some fans officials aren't allowing tailgates but luckily the city of east rutherford errford came to their rescue. live with more on that, john, i see you have quite the crowd with you. >> oh. i have -- i have friends in low places, i can assure you. here we are in east rutherford, as you say, they are not allowing tailgates up at the met life stadium, but they are having a tale gate here, and i have four people with me, we are going to talk about tailgating and super bowl, and all that stuff. is janey and barry and jack and margin, and this is jane. >> you did very well. >> highly unusual for me to remember names. >> you did it beautifully. >> what do you think about tailgating. >> we tailgate all the time. we are season ticket holders and we tailgate

at the stadium, and we grill. we make billed pizzas, on the grill. we bring all kinds of goody and have a great time. >> so barry, what do you think about coming to a party in east rutherford on the last couple of hours be ever the game? >> i think it is a great idea. the community gets together, we have a giant party, and can all semibrought the super bowl being in our town. >> and the commute has really turned out, hasn't it? we are all jammed in here. >> the turn out is unbelievable, and the weather is fantastic today. which is helping. >> the weather is a joy. i mean really it is very balmy here, we witness expecting this kind of weather. >> i know. >> a couple of weeks ago, it was freezing. it was awful. >> just quickly, who is in your seat up at the stadium? >> i know, i want to know. >> it could be justin beiber. >> i could be. >> let's turn to jack, where are you going to watching the game tonight. >>ly be at the fine burg

house. >> i see. >> are you long time friends? >> yes, we are. >> can i ask you for a prediction, i know the sea hawks are very strong? >> i think i would like to see the sea hawks. i am sick and tiring of hearing about the manning family, soy want to see the sea hawks. >> a lot of people support the manning family. >> i do, i want payton to win. i want him to have a second super bowl win. i want him to win it in his brother's house, definitely. definitely broncos. >> you are in the majority, most people here seem to be support thing broncos. what are you eating tonight? >> janey said she had chipped and salsa, and a whole bunch of other things, poppers. >> yeah. >> wonderful. >> have a wonderful super bowl. >> we really appreciate it and back to you in the studio. >> all right, sounds like we have a lot of payton picks. and speaking of sports japan held it's

14th national hole digging contest today, where 271 teams met to see who could dig the deepest hole. the golden shovel went to last year's winner who dug 140 feet. i'm morgan ratford, history is next. >> hi, you are in the stream. ecigarettes is a billion dollar industry. how safe are they? the producer is here and bringing in all of the live feed ball parks throughout the show. we are getting a live discussion