you. >> hello and welcome to al jazeera america, i'm richelle carey. john siegenthaler has the night off. talking to the many that still want to find work. a cease fire to evacuate an embattled city. it is not nearly enough. opening ceremony, fireworks, home town pride and a few unexpected moments, at the official start of the winter

games in sochi. the true heroes behind the dangerous war time work to rescue art stolen by the nazis. some people blame it on the stormy winter weather. others say it's proof that economic recovery has a ways to go. either way, underperformance. we'll begin our coverage with "real money"'s ali velshi. what happened last month? >> we were waiting for recovery in january. for the second half of 2013, job growth on a monthly basis had been very, very strong. in fact we averaged 194,000 jobs a month, if you averaged over all of 2013. then december came, and we grew by 75,000 jobs. something went wrong, who knows

what happened? we were hoping for a better result in january and we came out with 113,000. what do you make of that? better than 75, but nowhere near the 200,000 plus that we needed. that's what shocked everybody. the unemployment rate actually dropped from 6.6% from 6.7 but that's really not important at this point in the economic cycle. one thing, there was one bright spot, i'm an optimist, richelle. >> okay. >> there wasn't a lot of good information but a lot of people joined the workforce. a lot of people of working age either got jobs or started looking for jobs. 5200525,000 people in fact. -- 63% of working aged americans, who can be working, were either working or looking for a job. but generally speaking this isn't enough. what it did do is tell us we're not in terrible shape but it

didn't tell us that we are back to where we were towards the end of last year. >> let's drill down a little bit ali, which employers are doing the hiring? people want to know that because they need jobs and which industries are letting people go? >> here is the interesting thing that goes coun counter to the weather. when i say net jobs, a lot of jobs were lost, a lot of jobs were gained, but that's pretty strong because the construction industry is sensitive to the weather. again, richelle we're in the society where we don't make things much anymore. we service. retailed fell, typically happening in january and the federal government shed 12,000 in january, 9 of them were the u.s. postal service. i spoke earlier to the u.s. labor secretary tom perez, we have seen a reduction of about

650,000 government jobs. listen to what he told me. >> people ask why isn't the pace of growth faster. i mean there's a number of explanations. we haven't passed immigration reform yet. we haven't enacted the president's infrastructure bill. but if we had just kept government jobs flat during that period, in other words, zero growth our unemployment rate would be probably something like 6.2% right now. >> so richelle the point he's trying to make is we've been cutting the budgets -- we haven't been cutting budgets but as a result we are losing government jobs and that's why we still have higher unemployment rate. people may argue with him but that's the point he was trying to make. >> ali, thank you very much. here is reminder, rick manning ric"real moneywith ali velshi."

every day at 7:00. mike viqueria picking it up in there. good evening, mike. >> good evening, richelle. you would never know from the reaction of the president some of his top economic aids and it's pretty interesting in all respects. the first friday of the month it is a ritualistic tint to this. the president and his aides accentuate the positive, up to 50 consecutive months of private sector growth. there's always a caveat, always a exclaime exclaim -- dislaikerr of something else to be done. he spoke a little bit about the economic numbers and you really get a sense richelle that this white house, this president

thinks the economy has finally turned the corner. listen. >> our unemployment rate is now the lowest rate it's been since i was first elected. companies across the country are saying they intend to hire even more folks in the months ahead. and that's why i believe this can be a break through year for america. >> now, there is more work to do richelle, that is clear as far as the white house is concerned. the president's top economic advisor was on ajam talking to ray suarez, on inside story. he says the debt ceiling is going to have to be lifted the end of this month. the economic shutdown is a drag on the economy. and the unemployment benefits that expired the end of last year and raised the minimum wage. here is what furma furman had t. >> we had a great opportunity. we got a budget deal. if we handle the budget deal

properly, if congress handles it properly, we have a great platform for certainty and driving the economy properly. >> you can count on the republicans to look at the black cloud inside that silver lining. today speaker of the house john boehner put out a statement, called on the president to approve that keystone pipeline, says that will mean thousands of jobs, pushing plunt democrats to a trade measure that's advancing through congress. bad news that many experts saw in the jobless report this morning, richelle. >> mike viqueria, thank you very much. brian days has been searching for a job nearly six months now. he lost his unemployment benefits when the federal program expired. he's with us from atlanta. okay brian all these numbers that we keep hearing about, all these politicians going back and

forth they're actually talking about you. they're talking about people like you. so we need to talk to you. and there's actually a new study out brian that shows that people with who have been looking for work for about six months, people like you, you are losing out these opportunities because employers for whatever the reason, brian, put people, their application in the pile they're not actually going to consider. why do you think that is? and how does that flake you feel? >> well, richelle, it makes me feel a range of things. it is a little disheartening, i know personally how many jobs i've applied to and i've been actively on a daily basis looking for a job. so when i hear that and i see this study that because i've been unemployment for maybe longer than four weeks or thing like that, that maybe they feel like my skills are not there or i'm still not as good as someone who is. but there are a lot of factors that go into that.

>> and actually, the president has asked employers not to do that and they seem to continue to do that. let's talk about that. the last six months of you being out of the job, seems like the job of looking for a job is a job in itself. what's it like for you? >> it's definitely a journey. you try to stay as positive as you can. apply for as many jobs as i can. alerting people that i am in the hiring pool again in case they hear of things, people sending me jobs from time to time. i've used my personal savings to travel for interviews and things of that nature because companies aren't always willing to fly you to their location in order to interview you. >> i understand in some of these situations you have used your own money to travel to cities to pursue jobs. >> that's correct. in january actually i used my own savings to travel to two jobs outside -- for two

interviews outside of atlanta. >> how are your savings holding up at this point? >> well, richelle, they're not as good as they were, you know, back in august but i'm probably alittle more fortunate than some. i've got some savings, i was able to liquidate are 401(k). others may have children which i don't. i'm thankful for what i do have. >> let me ask you this. congress and pete sessions says it's immoral to extend unemployment benefits instead of focusing on job creation. how do you respond to that? >> well, frankly, it pisses me off a little to congress people say it was immoral. the steps i was personally taking along with other americans how do you say that's immoral? whether you feel it's immoral or

not, people have children and they need to eat. we need to pay our bills, we need to travel and go to interviews on a whim and take advantage of opportunities that we probably aren't able to if we're not able to you know hold on a little bit financially with unemployment. >> before i let you go brian, what's your dream job? putting you on the spot. >> certainly no problem. my dream job actually is what i've been doing for the longest. i worked in creative services and media production. to get back to what i'm doing, i love the team i've worked with and love my job on a daily basis. hopefully sooner than later i'm able to get back to it. >> best of luck brian and good luck to you putting a face on this. >> no problem, thank you richelle. >> it's a nearly $1 trillion measure covering almost everything on the table.

president obama signed the new bill on agricultural spending into law today. cutting $8 billion over the next ten years from food stamps but it also means big changes from farmers. robert ray went to plns to talk to -- to louisiana to talk to them about what it means. >> a record birl for -- bill for agriculture in 2013. that's good news, the five year farm bill signed by the president today in michigan will help these farmers grow even more. i'm on a cattle and soybean farm in central louisiana. antonio harris joins me now. how is this going to help you guys, the signing of this farm bill? >> for small farmers like myself we need the technical assistance that was once able from the nrcs, the fsca office and that

enabled us to improve our infrastructure our pastures and our cattle. >> is that going to improve jobs? >> some of these guys lost those jobs in some of those officest, maybe we can get those guys back to give us technical assistance and young guys coming out in agriculture. >> how about the small farmers versus the big box guys? >> exactly. what we're getting in terms of assistance and what they've been getting in terms of assistance, you know they have tweaked this thing for subsidies. that's happened to all of us. >> let's talk to your dad. part of what the farm bill has in it that the president has signed is inclement weather, bad weather, farmers get subsidies because of that. let's talk to antonio's father about that. you guys have had a rough year in louisiana. we can take a look at some of these cattle, you told me they are skinny because of the

weather there. is that accurate? how bad has it been? >> it has been real bad. because when it rains and it's cold, the cows will stand instead of lying down. >> you're losing money if that occurs? >> yes indeed. you got to give them more feed more hay, and you got to put some feed out so they have something to lay on. when it's raining and freezing they usually stand, and they lose weight. >> thank you sir. the bill that was signed in michigan today? they look forward to a brand-new signing season ahead. and brand-new featurin feature . >> bisi onile-ere reporting.

>> 28-year-old casha kolek works part time in this diner in lancing michigan. she says that's not enough to pay all the bills and sometimes, not enough to buy food. >> something like food, it's just -- it asdz a -- its a different level of stress to not know how you're feeding yourself. >> she's among 40 million americans who depend on food stamps. right now $200 from the program buys her groceries and a peace of mind. but the passing of the farm bills, old worries are setting in again. >> it's going to be really hard. >> here's why: the law will take away $800 million a year of food stamps. that will cut her food stamps nearly in half. she is among 850,000 that will

see their food stamps reduced by as much as $90 a month. people in washington, d.c. and 15 states including michigan will be hit hard. the bill eliminates a loophole to allow increase in benefits. >> any difference is going to be a tolling on ourselves because we are serving more than we possibly can serve. >> corinna says the food stamp supplements will hurt the elderly, ways to serve even more people, casha kolek is weighing what few option she has. >> i can't imagine not only myself but my friends who have

families to feed too, trying to stretch the budget, you know. >> a future millions of americans will share. bisi onile-ere, lancing, michigan. >> surviving a chemical attack, one woman's harrowing story what she suffered in syria. plus. >> i'm alan schauffler, in oregon's willamette valley. >> it may seem like yesterday but beatle plain ya was 50 years ago. now it's making a come back.

>> look at this: something you don't see every day. rain in participants of california right now. that's really good news for a state suffering one of the worst droughts on record.

but there could be some problems as well. kevin cor corriveau is keeping n eye on what's happening. kevin. >> we're talking about if it rains too hard, the ground is so dry, we could see mu mudslides, landslides. we are so far behind, some locations are 18 to 30 inches behind for the year to get them out of the drought. you can see how much we've received over the last 24 hours. let's go closer in. we feel it's going to be lasting at least through sunday. some locations at least north of the bay area will be seeing five to eight inches of rain. the drought will be dropped by 15 to 25%. rain all the way down here just north of l.a. but also some very

heavy snow for not only california but parts of oregon as well as into washington and as you can see that is going to continue. if you're traveling in this area be very careful in this area, mudslides, landslides and avalanche threat is up in that area. back to you richelle. >> thank you kevin. there is a battle being waged in northern california, the grand round thrive, who's in, who's out? -- allen schauffler is live from seattle. this is a fascinating story allen. the people being targeted they say there is something else behind this move. tell us about this. >> they certainly do, richelle. they believe that money is behind this. this is something the grand round tribe flatly denies. as many as a thousand tribal members could be in this

position before it's over. the tribe denies this as well. it's l called dizzy enrollment. it's highly divisive, among tribes, the latest battle playing out in rural oregon. where highway 18 rises out of the willamette valley, you'll find the 11,000 acre grand round reservation. home of a family feud. gary and 7500 reflt relatives ga letter from their tribe. >> there was an error in my enrollment and now i have to prove that i was in grand rond. he is very few that is living on the reservation. he is in a battle for staying in the tribe. >> i'm angry and hurt and stand up to what's right.

>> they are card carrying members of the confed rated tribes of the grand rond. , handing by the army, before the tribe was official formed. why is this happening? the leader' leader's great great granddaughter last a theory. >> money. >> money. >> uh-huh. >> for direct per capita payments to tribal members, three to $5,000 a year. >> this is really a national issue. we've seen them on the east coast, we've seen them in california and certainly in the west. >> native american law expert ron whitener tracks increasing tribe addition enrollment to

lack of money. he can't say it is happening here. >> it's just the push from the gaming revenue has provided the reason for tribes to look a little more closel closely somes for who's eligible to be enrolled and who is not. >> a long range plan to strengthen the tribe and to make sure those who receive tribal and formal benefits deserve them. our repeated requests for on-camera interview was repeatedly turned down. >> get rid of us, bigger incomes, what good would it do? pretty soon, there will be no tribe at all. >> and so the fight goes on. one saying prayers for the outcome, the other saying very little publicly about what's behind it all. now, yoin indian law, is he it'a

way to are disenroll, richelle. >> thank you so much. it was 50 years ago today that the beatles first touched down in america, and it was the start of one of the most successful and celebrated bands in history. kristin saloomi has more. >> okay, so these guys are clearly not the beatles. but these are true beatles fans. some traveled across the country to see this cover band perform at new york's jfk airport and marked the time and the place the actual beatles first set foot on american soil 50 years ago. they may be a bit older now. but they still remember that electrically charged day. >> then it was just like a lightning bolt. it was just like getting struck. the music, the perntle. -- personalities. it's an obsession i've had for 50 years.

>> at the time the four lads from liverpool was as much famous for their mop top haircuts as their music. they were the first to hit the american shores in the 1960s. the leaders of what became known musically as the british invasion. irene katz was 13 when she waited outside new york's plaza hotel for a glimpse of the fab four. >> we had heard them on the radio, we had seen them on the television, we had fallen in love. misgirlfriend laura and i decided we were going to go to the hotel the first morning with the signs. we figured we would be noticed from the rooms up above and they would pluck us away and make us their girlfriends. >> from beatles memorabilia to tribute concerts a number of events will mark the 50th anniversary of the beatles arrival in the united states. the enduring legacy of john, paul, george and ringo.

of course ttys music not the hairstyles that's kept the band relevant for so many years. former beatle ringo star tells al jazeera they're just as excited to be in new york as the fans were to have them. >> new york was jumpin' and we were jumpin' that we had landed in new york, that we were in america. it was nothing more far out than that. because all the music we loved. >> the beatles would break up just seven years after arriving in the united states. few bands have had such an impact on the world, let alone the united states as the beatles. kristin saloomi, al jazeera, new york. >> the surprise call from alex rodriguez. he's dropping his lawsuit against major league baseball. plus rolling out the welcome mat for mutts.

it's westminster dog show. .

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>> welcome back to al jazeera america. i'm richelle carey. we have a lot to get to this half hour. we'll hear of the terrifying story of a syrian woman who survived a chemical weapon attack in her country. and alex rodriguez. and the real life monuments men who were able to rescue great works of art from the nazis. the latest jobless numbers are raising doubt about the economic recovery. according to the labor department there were only 113,000 jobs created last month. economists were expecting 185,000. the unemployment rate is 6.6%, down just a bit from december. president obama signed the

agriculture bill into law. under the measure, $8.6 billion will be cut from the program over the next decade. the congressional budget office says an estimated 876,000 households will be affected by the cuts. bosnia, the third day of unrest in that country. presidential ransacked set on fire, as thousands of protesters took to the street. the devastated city of homs, about 80 residents were evacuated today as part of a three day cease fire between the government and opposition are is groups. under this agreement women, children and the elderly were allowed to leave. 2500 others are still under siege. residents there have been trapped for more than a year and a half with no access to food or medical care. some of those who have escaped

syria are traveling to washington asking u.s. lawmakers to intervene. one of them is just 23 years old, her name is heva suwan, a survivor of a chemical attack. she talked to us about what she remembers the night this all happened. >> we were hearing all the shelling, about 5:00 a.m., we have been told that there is a check attack also on amasamea. we were not sure but after maybe 15 minutes we realized the smell of the gases and we start feeling dizzy and we started our noses to run and you know, we realized that it was really check attack. so we decide -- chemical attack. so we decided to go to the medical center and there we realized the most horrific and

undescribing view that i've ever seen. we saw thousands of people on the floor and corpses. and we saw also women and children, in a very unconscious way and frightening way. at the beginning i couldn't come closer to them, is was frightened. it's a new way of death we are witnessing, differentiated from the other ways we saw earlier. from the shelling and the sniperring and everything. and it was very difficult situation to be -- to be described, and all of the people were trying to find their families, members and crying and shouting. it was hard. in the u.s. it has been asked about this massacre and i always say that. the chemical attacks killed the fewest number of the syrian people. we were dying before the

chemical attacks and during it and after that. chemical attack and the chemical weapons. it's not that big deal for us. hunger is using as a way to force the people to surrender. as a way, a weapon of war. i own the whole war to know that. we are humans. we are not freezing -- we are freezing numbers, we are not just 1-2-3 four. i want the american people, especially in the whole people around the world to know what's going on there and syria and try ofind the truth. if the whole world wants to do something they can do a lot but i don't know why they are just watching. >> heba suwan recounting what it's like surviving a chemical attack in syria. the obama energies, officials say it must collect records of every phone call but the nsa ceant keep up.

it records only 30% of phone calls. in 2006, the agency was able to collect nearly all phone calls. in sochi the winter olympics are officially underway, a live look shows the venues lit up, where it is already saturday morning. around the world people have been watching the opening ceremony. some are calling the event a little less than perfect. david shuster reports. >> richelle, it's important to start there, no attacks by protester eshes. are you gone? leer we go. the ceremony began with a few high profile malfunctions. trmpled into the five olympic

rings except one refused to open. oh! the robotting blinking and disturbing bear and here is a real life stray dog. wandered into the stadium, triumphant. run boris run! austria had its own embarrass many this evening. one of its these took a tumble. ugly shoes with no traction? #austria fail. the russian play tribute to the rich culture and music. costumes and special effect. nod to grim reapers, at least being frightened. these games may have cost $50 billion but in sochi here, the fear was free. no popping ceremony would be complete without -- no opening ceremony could be complete

without fireworks. in case you forgot the colors of the russian flag, the colors featured a magnificent light display on them. the u.s. olympic team, the stars were wearing, get it, stars? they had the right to dress them even in tacky quilts. so let the games begin. >> there's not all the rings. all the rings aren't there, ross. >> there's supposed to be five, there's only four. >> let's talk baseball. big news in baseball. new york yan yankee slugger alex rodriguez, has decided to drop his lawsuit. didn't he say he would fight forever? >> during this whole process, he said woe fight the battle to the bitter end. the truth will come out. well apparently he has had a

change of heart, he's dropped his suit against bud selig and the players association. it appears the yankee slugger has made peace with his suspension, including the playoff games. a-rod will not be attending spring training. he will be 40 years young when he is eligible to return in 2015. the league said, great game on the field and the positive attributes and actions of his fellow major league players. the players union also issued a statement saying alex rodriguez has done the right thing by withdrawing his lawsuit. his decision to move forward is in everyone's best interests. now rodriguez is he be suspended

for his link to the biogenesis scandal. major league baseball handed out a 211 game suspension. but after arbitration his suspension was reduced to 166 games including the postseason. rodriguez filed a lawsuit against everyone and tonight dropped all lawsuits. ted coreless, alexalities claimed he didn't do anything wrong. >> as a lawyer my favorite part of the lawsuit is the end, which is what we have now. the problem with a-rod continuing with all of these lawsuits is at some point in time he was going to find himself underoath in a deposition and was going to have to say officially whether or not he had used the substances that triggered the suspension. unfortunately there was a mountain of evidence that if he

had said that he might very well be subject to perjury saying those things under oath. this was an important time for him to make that decision, because he had to answer the questions that had been filed by major league baseball in the injunction hearing. >> if the charges would have gone to trial how would they having played out? >> an effort by a-rod to stop the injunction, the second part was a lawsuit that challenged the underlying substance of the allegation. that the arbitration was unfair to him. the first part which was really the injunction, would have had no option. there was no opportunity to survive. given that what he would have had to demonstrate was that he was going to win ultimately in the lawsuit which he never was and second, is that if the injunction weren't entered that he would have somehow sustained additional damages that the other lawsuit couldn't have

resolved. both of those things were nearly impossible. >> could a-rod's attorneys develop a new strategy to try to get him back on the field? >> no. the mere fact that he files the lawsuit and punts it, that would be evidence against him -- >> ted coreless thank you for your time and your insight. richelle, he would have been comarnlgd $10 million for each of the case -- charged $10 million for each of the cases. >> he could stay in jail for ten, 20 years, a-rod needs the fans to loo like him. a lawsuit is not going to change that. >> and on friday when everyone wants to bury the news but a-rod says he wants to do some broadcasting after his retirement. >> we'll see. ross, thank you so much. jos rushing is in for joie chen

to tell us what's coming up on the top of the hour. >> on america tonight, we'll take you beyond the headlines to investigate the resurgence of the heroin trade. in the wake of philip seymour hoffman's death from an apparent overdose, news of a spike in heroin use, and not in the places you'd expect. as the drug bks particular, it becomes harder to shot the typical user. >> dying over heroin use i don't want to be a statistic. >> but the heart of the problem lies in the city where hoffman died. new york, where it's cheaper than anywhere else in the country. so what's behind this latest heroin spike? "america tonight"america tonighf putzel went to look. that's coming up.

>> america's top dog competition is opening its doors to the american mutt. roxann isberry reports. >> stacy east plawn never thought her mutt would get to compete in the great american dog mix. but mixed breeds like her are being welcomed in the westminster dog show. considered one of the world's snootiest are dog competitions, and mutt-free since 1984. this is what you see, a beagle, a peking, mix. then there's jimmy mrk lien and edward. both mysteries, even to their owners. on saturday they'll compete against pure bred in a new

competition, agility. >> the idea of agility came to mind, we know how popular agility is for the dog world and what a great spectator event it would be as well. >> over 200 dogs competing, only 15 of them will be mixed breeds like her. but she's still banned from competing in the show's main competition. best in show. that's still limited to pure bred, bred to brerve the best of the best. judged on everything from height and weight, to eye color, ears, paws and tails. groups like peta say, that long term emphasis on pure bre purebs an imition on breeders. >> if you choose to find a

responsible owner or breeder you won't encounter those problems. >> for stacy this isn't about the politics since she rescued panda from a shelter eight years ago, there are winners. >> i think it's great. >> if panda wins on saturday she will have won something for mutts everywhere: respect. roxanna many sabeiri, al jazeera. >> just ahead on al jazeera america, the new generation of gun owners in california. a state with some of the strictest laws on the books. plus the real men behind the movie monuments men and the artwork they saved from the nazis.

>> hello again, it is the weekend and already this weekend we have seen two storms along

the eastern seaboard. we are expected to see a little bit more snow before the weekend is over. let's go a little bit closer in through the coast, we are fairly clear, one storm system has pushed out. this is what we are dealing with right now. some very clear skies across much of the metro areas. tomorrow we are going to be seeing temperatures not changing much today. in new york, low 30s, expected to stay about the same tomorrow. plenty of sunshine should be in the forecast, it's going to be warm he down here towards the south. here on sunday, 34° in new york city. and we think there's going to be snow coming in from the ohio river valley and that means across parts of pennsylvania, southern new york as well as in new york, about an inch of snow. some locations could be a little bit higher, maybe two, some just a little bit higher than that. we're going to be watching that carefully. central regions that is where most of the rain will be. eastern seaboard.

for washington though high of 36 on saturday but look at the messing condition, snow on saturday and as we go towards sunday it's going to be a mix of rain and snow. that's a look at your national weather, news after this. >> it's been called the latest hip sister hobby, gun -- hipster hobby. gun culture, that is. melissa chan reports. >> in the middle of san francisco a gun club. the clientele, tech workers from

silicon valley. >> it's kind of like golf but things explode and that's really fun. >> unexpected, considering this ask an area famous for its left-leeing politics. but the pacific rod and gun club said it's seeing more young gun lovers and more women. chris chang went from a job at google to a career at a competitive shooter. >> especially in the tech community, there is a moomentd t to experience more offline events a and have these very more tactile experiences. >> he says there's a common misunderstanding that you have to be republican or conservative to shoot. when in fact the gun community here is incredibly diverse. >> pull. hey, very nice. >> these gun enthusiasts say

they are here for the sport not the politics. though it is the bay area and the prevailing blue state politics mean some gun owners have a very clear position on where they stand. >> here i am. here i am. i have spent all of my adult life engaged in lefty nis sex positive queer activism and i'm a gun owner. >> lien hober says she hates the national rifle association. for many years she felt like a loan democrat who loved guns until last year when she learned about the new national liberal gun club. according to gallup, as many as 40% of democrats own guns. hober says it's time for blue state gun owners to come out in the public. >> step out and say see, gun owners are not who you think gun owners are.

>> a connection to a popular and beloved ideology here, the local food movement. the city's stag dining group a supper club hosts a regular wild game tonight. an eight course dinner with the duck and boe boar club. kick started nationwide trends. gun fanciers hope that will truly endure. melissa chan, al jazeera, san francisco. >> hollywood stars friends and family gathered to say good-bye to philip seymour hoffman. cate blancheette, ethan hawk and others were seen. the oscaring actor was found dead on sunday from a suspected

heroin overdose. during world war ii the monuments men were art curators and his torns who volunteer to help rescue europe's artistic treasures from the nazis. but in a museum in new york, paul beban explains. >> it's the one thing we can't allow. >> the monuments men bill itself as the true adventures of a band of brothers on the greatest treasure hunt in history. george clooney's character knew more about michael angelo than politics. at 88 years young he's one of the few living members of the monuments men, born in germany his family fled for america, in 1938, the day after his bar

mitzvah. >> the rabbi recommended we leave that afternoon. and for a rabbi to tell a jewish person to travel on saturday. >> a 19-year-old u.s. army private, he ande ended up with e monuments men by accident. they found out he was fluent in german. >> he said, good, this guy will tell you what to do. and that was my entry into the monuments men. >> thousands of pieces of art, stashed in salt mines deep in the ground. their goal, to return them to the owners. >> this is one of the works rescued by the monuments men. >> yes indeed. this was part of louis rothschild and his entire

collection was looted. >> they had 700 maps like these, drawn up by a teamworking in the fricke art network. >> they were distributed to the air corps so that the bombing pilots would not hit the leaning tower of pisa or not hit the mother church of the franciscan order. >> without these efforts, the leaning tower of pisa might have been reduced to rubble. >> the fact that the leaning tower or the beautiful cathedral is something of a miracle. >> a miracle made possible by a war time decision to safeguard rather than destroy. >> i believe it's the only time that a country at war bent over backwards to preserve the cultural treasures of the country. >> for harry, being a monuments

man was a treasure. >> a country adopted a policy not to take things, but to return it to their rightful owner. i as an american ought to be very proud of doing that. >> reporter: proud of an effort that saved millions of cultural treasures from the most descrublghtive war in -- destructive war in history. >> what was it like to meet harry? >> harry is a treasure. 88 years old, still going strong, still sharp as a tack. in fact, right after we finished our interview, he the headed ofo urine for a two-week tour. he's 88! >> quite a statement. what's happening in today's wars? >> syria, a rich cultural

history razed to the ground. so those kinds of efforts not happening now but thanks to the efforts of the monuments men during world war ii, thousands of years of cultural heritage preserved, saved. it's extraordinary. >> an important story you brought to us. thank you so much, paul. >> glad to do it. still coming up on al jazeera america, violence, bloodshed, the chaos from muslims, inside the central african republic. caught on camera, what surveillance video is revealing in a shooting that left a florida father dead inside a movie theater. these stories and much more tonight at 11:00 p.m. eastern 8:00 pacific right here on al jazeera america. freeze frame. one vision that caught our attention. in england, archaeologists found a footprint from at least an

800,000-year-old family. really. first direct evidence of human life in europe. prints of children probably forging for food. first record ever human footprints outside of africa. we will talk with a pail yoa p paleoanthropologist. keep it here on al jazeera america.

paleo >> welcome to al jazeera america. i'm richelle carey. here are tonight's top stories. the january jobs report is out and according to the labor department there were only 113,000 new jobs created last

month. economists were expecting 185,000 but the nation's unemployment rate is 6.6%, down a bit from december. president obama has signed a new farm bill into law worth nearly $1 trillion. the bill will expand crop insurance plans. and trimming food stamp spending by 1% or $8 billion over the next ten years. economists were calling for much deeper cuts. the national security agency can only collect a fraction.the country's phone data. the nsa collects only 30% of u.s. call records. in 2006 the agency was able to collect nearly all phone records. a surge in cell phone use is blamed. much needed rain in california. the storm is continuing for the weekend, mostly in northern california. much more is needed. friends and family gathered to say good-bye to actor philip

seymour hoffman today. hoffman was found dead in his apartment on sunday from a suspected heroin overdose. those are the headlines. "america tonight" with joie chen is up next. you can check out our website at aljazeera.com. >> on "america tonight." from the city to the suburbs. tracking the deadly drug that killed oscar winner philip seymour hoffman. ahead, an in-depth look to the highway to heroin. >> for the past year and a half to two years, maybe one person a day on long island. >> brutality inside america's biggest jail. tonight, more to it. and the four younguy