>> welcome to aljazeera america. i'm del walters. these are the numbers we're following for you. new numbers, unemployment dips, but concerns about a slowing economy. >> i'm obviously not going to comment on private diplomatic conversations. >> the four letter flap after a very candid conversation about negotiations in the ukraine, and now she holds her tongue. and sochi opens with heavy security.

>> we begin with another disappointing report concerns jobs. economieding just 113,000 jobs last month, but that number was well sort short of what economists had forecast. the unemployment falling a bit to 4.6%, and the number of americans actively looking for work in what's called the labor participation rate rose slightly, but these are numbers that we haven't seen since the carter administration, and it comes on the heels of that bitter december report. >> this is a weak jobs report. and this is two months in a row when we've had really tepid jobs growth in the united states, and it's an indication that for working families, the economy is not recovering fast enough, and

sadly, it may be even slowing down. >> but wall street doesn't seem to be too disappointed. the dow up 48 points, and so is there a silver lining? kevin kerr joins us from chicago. and kevin, the numbers were worse than expected but wall street doesn't seem phased. why? >> initially, del, we saw the bears come out of hibernation. across the board. and as you said, very disappointing number, only 113,000 jobs created. and expected 180,000 to 190,000. so the market took that hard at first, but as the day has gone on, we are looking at the numbers and finding positive lining in them. >> so kevin, why are the numbers vacillating so much in recent months? at one point, we were celebrating that the economic recovery is in full steam, and now we're saying that it's slowing. >> this is not a smooth and steady increase. we have had real up and down

reports, and wild swings, and i think that's going to continue. we're seeing improvement in some areas, and decline in others. we saw a 28,000 decline in the government, largely due to 9,000 people leaving jobs at the post office. but numbers coming out affecting the unemployment rate. and now dropping slightly, from 6.7 to 6.6, and some manufacturing areas are doing well, and that's how we're seeing the market return to rallying after arn initial drop this morning, so new positives. >> new numbers, and new chief, and so what does janet yellen do. >> we're going to find out now that she's in charge, we're going to see a change. the slow and steady tapering, will they stop that, or a steady pace. we don't know, it's uncertainty for investors right now, and i

think there's downside for the market. and i think that investors will be looking at taking profits off the table and reevaluating them. >> kevin, the white house has been calling for an economic stimulus plan. you heard vice president biden yesterday saying that new york's la guardia airport saying that it comes from a third world country. is washington part of the problem? are they part of the drag on the economy? >> i don't think they're going to be winning any votes in new york innocent soon. by obviously we need jobs in the country, and we need a solid jobs bill to create a new working environment and new jobs, better paying jobs, and longer hours for people. these reports don't factor in a lot of things. how many people have been out of work or stopped looking altogether, and we look at the numbers with a blind eye and wonder if they're accurate or not. >> two numbers being thrown

around, stagnation or downturn, is it both, or none? >> well, i think its both actually, and the bottom line, we are going to continue to see continued growth in manufacturing and construction in these key areas, and wage increases, and the bottom line, more consistent, positive numbers to get out of this quagmire. >> kevin kerr, the president of kerr financial trading. thank you very much. today, president obama is set to sign the farm bill into law. it cuts $8 billion from food stamps, and despite that, the white house said that farms earned 46% more than 2008, the year before the president took office. and a few minutes ago, as you see the president boarding airforce 1, he's headed to michigan where the official signing will take place -- my

correction of course that was marine 1. they're back into florida today, a man accused of killing another man inside of a movie theater last month. and it all started over an argument over text being. natasha, can you give us insight into the case? >> good morning, del. it's another compelling day inside of this courtroom. this is a bailbond hearing, and normally they don't last as long, and we're hearing very compelling testimony. we're hearing the defendant in the case, 51-year-old curseit reeves, describing what happened. this happened in a movie theater, northeast of tampa on january 13th. he became upset when 43-year-old chad olsen was texting the babysitter about his two-year-old daughter. there was an altercation.

reeves said that olsen stood up on his chair and came at him and hit his head, either with a fist or a cellphone. but reeves said that he felt very threatened, and this is why he pulled out a gun. >> if i had it do a over again, it would never happen. but you don't get do overs. >> so what made you do that? >> i guess it scared the hell out of me. i thought the guy was fixing to attack me. i don't know how to say that. >> he never told you that, right? >> he said something that led me to believe -- then when a guy comes at you with the aggravated position, the contorted face and stuff like that, i don't think i've ever had anybody get in my face like that. and it scared the crap out of me.

>> the police officer goes on to ask reeves, if you didn't have a weapon, do you think this would have happened in reeves said if i didn't think i was going to get beaten up, this would not have happened. we're expected to see surveillance video inside of the movie theater at the time of the shooting and the judge said that he's seen it 15 times and it's grainy and blurry, but the goal is to find out whether or not reeves will be released on bail from jail. he has been in jail since the shooting. his family says he's elderly and poses no threat. and the prosecution wants him to remain in jail. >> natasha from dade city, florida, thank you very much. in new orleans, mayor ray nagin is back on the stand today. the prosecutors are set to continue their examination, and he's being tried on corruption charges. ben lemoine is in new orleans.

>> a year ago as you know, ray nagin was indicted on 29 corruption charges, accused of taking bribes and favors from businessmen in exchange for city contracts. this was a time after hurricane katrina, when billions of dollars why flowing into the city for these types of contracts, and right now, prosecutors are presenting evidence that the jury has already seen. the reason enter that, six people in connection with ray nagin's case, have already pled guilty or been convicted on charges related to it. those people have already testified. and so the jury has already seen what the prosecutors are saying right now. mostly contracts that ray nagin signed. and there are nuances to it. it has to do with a company that he owns with his son. a granite company. contracts that he gave to a businessman, more than $60,000 that the nagin family got, in

exchange, apparently allegedly by prosecutors for those city contracts. so we're going to see cross-examination could go on for the rest of the day. >> and ben, as you know, nagin is the money witness, so how is he handling the questioning? >> you know, it's very interesting, because it's a bold move for him to go to trial in the first place, not taking a deal with the prosecutors being that the evidence is so strong and six people are in jail because of this. but he walks into court confident. and stands up there qualm and confident. and he's joking with the prosecutors, looking at the jury every once in a while with when he directly answers a question from the defense. and he's smiling yesterday. when one of the prosecutors was standing clob to the witness stand, his defense attorney said make the prosecutor walk away. and nagin said its cool, i like this guy. and you don't? he's appealing to their senses

and it only takes one juror to say he's not guilty and then it's a hung jury. and that's what he's going for. >> the hurricane katrina situation, he said he was trying to speed up a process that was taking too long, and is that his defense some. >> he's basically saying, we had this no bid contract thing in place so we could expedite the contracts. so much money was coming into the city, and 80% of the city had been flooded and they needed so much work. what they're talking about now, for example, is a sidewalk contract. all of the streets and the ground in new orleans was essentially decimated by the storm. and he said i was trying to make this happen as quickly as possible. it had nothing to do with kickback schemes or money or favors for my family business, and that's exactly what his defense is. >> ben le moin in new orleans, thank you very much. well, she was caught up in a four letter flat. she was on the phone talking

about the crisis in ukraine and then said choice words about the european union. and now victoria is trying to downplay it. >> it's press impressive trade craft. and the audio is clear. what i would say to the russian an relations. they're very broad and deep and very deep and complex. >> the protesters said that the government was not behind that leak. in syria, baby steps to end the fighting there. the government agreeing to a ceasefire in homes. it started yesterday. and the humanitarian aid is expected to be let in. but thousands are trapped without food and medical aid for two years. >> we have the latest.

>> these rebels have been trapped in the city without regular assess to food or medicine, and have come under daily shelling. it's part of the surprise deal brokered by the government and the opposition around the united nations. around 200 people, mostly women, children and the elderly are expected to leave. according to the state tv, they have been used by human shield by what it called terrorists. but it's estimated around 2,500 residents remain under siege in the shattered city, hungry and malnourished. homs has been a key point in the uprising as many of the residents fell under rebel control. but in the past years, the government has captured most of

them, in the city's historic center. they have used similar siege tactics to surround and bring out rebel fighters in other parts of the country, but in homs, it was thought to be so bad that it was part of the peace talks last week in switzerland. without agreement for access on supplies, the move in damascus to cause some residents to evacuate, the government conferred that it will join new peace talks next week. >> in south korea, getting ready for their joint annual military exercises. they are threatening to cancel reunions for families separated by the korean war. harry fawcett has hour report. >> the u.s. has more boots on

the ground in syria, 400 pieces of military equipment are joining the 850 strong battalion and the calvary, just arriving from texas. >> in total numbers, it's small, but it's a front line combat unit. so increasing a unit like mine, with transporters would not add the same capability. but adding this unit adds a lot of firepower and maneuverability. >> south korea is getting value from the $850 million a year that it pays the u.s. military. and adds help. >> this comes days ahead of the schedule with combined military exercises between south korea and the united states, and complex negotiations. with families separated by the

korean war. earlier today, they checked on the resort where the talks are to be held in two weeks of time. the purpose of the visit is for preparations so that south and north korea elderly people will not face discomfort. >> reporter: already north korea has put in doubt. it warned that the south korean exercises must be canceled, adding that dialogue and acts of war cannot go hand-in-hand. last week, the worst break down in many years, with north korea making repeated threats of nuclear war. washington has come up with strategy for scenarios. and they plan to continue that in the next weeks. >> still ahead on aljazeera america, the winter games are not now underway.

>> i'm paul brennan at the olympic park.

>> finally, the winter games are underway, and the opening ceremonies are within the hour. in washington, heightened travel warnings, and the games taking place amid the backdrop amid the protests of russia's gay propaganda laws. let me see if i can catch a sneak peek, but have we seen anything out of the ordinary? >> security wise, no, there has been very tight security here, approximation no problems reported. because of the way the security is led, the people have had a

gradual security tightening when it comes to the stadium. and not a big bottleneck. as far as the opening ceremonies go, there was a big blast over my shoulder just a few minutes ago. the opening ceremony is underway, and the pageantry begins. the sports will be starting tomorrow. and the first medals will be awarded but as you say, there's no escape in the diplomacy over this. and yesterday, there were four gay rights protesters arrested in st. petersburg after an anti-discrimination quote. and though there's no doubt that russia would like all of the pantry on the showmanship, there's no escaping it in the games. >> a lot of controversy over who is going to the games, and who won't be there, such as president obama is about other heads of state. indeed, of course the chinese president is here. and all of the russians, but

very pointedly, president obama will not come himself. he sent a presidential delegation, and those people have been chosen very carefully. billy jean king, openly gay, was supposed to be part of it. and she couldn't come, her mother is ill. and kate howe, a member of the ice hockey team, she's taken her place. and brian boitano, an openly gay figure skater, in the calgary games, he's here as part of the presidential delegation as well. you don't have to read very carefully between the lines to see the message being put out by the u.s. delegation. they want equal rights. >> what the people of sochi are saying, this is their city and this is their country and their games, and are they irritated over all of the attention being

painted on so many negative things versus the fact that they're trying to put on a celebration for the rest of the world? >> there's huge national pride here in russia, and the games are here in sochi. that said, legal people here in the area with the venues, they y have a real upheaval. houses have been knocked down, and compensation is not everything that the people expected it to be. when the torch was going through the streets today and i was there, the word pride was the one word that came out over and over again. so while the games are on, all of the worries about compensation and the upheaval that has taken place will go away, and they will concentrate on the sport. the question mark is after the games, will the worries come back? i'm afraid they will. >> paul brennan, thank you very much, and i'm envious. u.s. olympic athletes going

to the games will have to leave their liquid behind. going to russia, it only applies to carry-on luggage, a day after toothpaste tubes and containers were warned against. anything that could disrupt the olympics in sochi. >> i'm meteorologist, dave warren, and we're looking at much-needed moisture here across the west. the satellite picture shows exactly what's happening there. there is hawaii, and a stream of moisture that will make its way to the west coast is really helping keep a lot of moisture in place there. this is the wider view, and call this the pine alle express. it comes right from hawaii and a extreme of moisture going right

to the pacific northwest. you see the rain coming down around los angeles, and it's coming in the form of rain and snow. these are winter storm warnings in effect in california, idaho and wyoming. all of that moisture coming in, touching heavy rain in the valleys and a lot of snow in the mountains. the radar picture shows that. there's the rain across northern california and the snow in oregon and washington did cause blizzard-like conditions. getting the much-needed moisture here in the mountains of california, so there's the rain and the snow. east of the rockies here, it's not really the rain or snow, but the bitter cold air this is in fargo and bismarck. you factor in the wind. and the it looks like its taking off staying off the east coast for a few days, the temperatures

are cold. but there's the moisture just off of the coast on saturday and sunday. >> still to come on aljazeera america, playing politics with california's drought has farmers lined up and waiting for relief.

>> welcome back to aljazeera america. i'm del walters, and here are your headlines at this hour. the national unemployment rate dipping to 6.6% in january, despite a disappointing jobs report. 113,000 jobs were added to the economy last month f. >> and in a couple of hours, the president expected to sign that farm bill into law. marine one has just touched down. if e. >> california's record-breaking drought not only affecting the state's agriculture but also it's national parks and wildlife. leading to political wrangling

there, >> reporter: california rise on an incident cat web of aqueducts and touching stations to keep has vast agricultural industry and 38 million people supplied with water, while leaving enough for forests, fish and wildlife. but that system is not built to withstand prolonged drought. >> california should be very worried right now. >> reporter: the emergency manager office shows a complex net of water resources. >> the whole complex is really at its breaking point. we can't continue with the status quo today. we'll have economic disasters. >> reporter: the state has already declared a water emergency. farmers won't get their usual supplies, and city folks are being told to conserve! the past six months, 5 centimeters haves fallen in france, and that means that the city is going through its dryest year on record.

and the records go back to 1849. water experts say there's no easy fix. >> reporter: the tough point now, we got to the wine where demand is hardened. that's how we refer to it in the water business. that means ma the easy way of conservation, the low hanging fruit to cut back on water use, those aren't there anymore. >> regulations allocate water for streams and wetlands. in washington, california's republican congressman convinced the house of representatives to pass a bill to divert water from farms for watersheds. california's governor, jerry brown, called that an unwelcome and divisive intrusion. the bill is likely to die in the u.s. senate. in this election year, the political fight over water is heating up in a state where scarcity has become the new normal. rob reynolds, aljazeera,

san francisco. >> thank you for watching aljazeera, aim del walters and "inside story" is next. the constitution specific forbids the use of cruel and unusual prisoners at the hands of governments. but when the state sets out to kill a prisoner, how could it be done in the 21st century death penalty is the inside story. ♪