>> and welcome to the these are the top stories. efforts to break the cycle of violence. russia and the u.s. promise to unlock the deadlock talks in gene have. >> i hope that the united states will now begin to respect afghan. >> swipe at the u.s. as tension grows over the release of afghan prisoners. >> including prime

minister says he will resign after losing key support from within his own party. >> so, high level russian and american diplomates promise to help unblock the deadlock serious peace talks in geneva. as he spoke to reporters in past hour. inside syria itself, there is no end to the violence. government helicopters reportedly dropped several barrel bombs on thursday. near the lebanese border is a ghost town, according to activists. that's after heavy fighting on wednesday. the violence forced more people to flee from their homes. many of them going to the lebanese town on the border with syria. we will be reporting from there, shortly.

the first two al jazeera diplomatic editor whose is at those talks in geneva, i know you were at that press conference earlier, james, your assessment of where we are at now and what he had to say? >> well, as you say, the u.s. and russia are going to do everything this their power to unblock this process. he didn't tell us exactly what they were going to do. we don't even know whether the negotiations will again take place here on friday. one person i spoke to has known him for a very long time, said to me one of the traits of this man, this veteran negotiator, is that he is not very good at hiding his feelings, his emotions, and it seemed i think to many people in that prez conference room, that he was frustrated, and deflated. let's listen to what he had to say. >> as far as the united

nations is concerned, we will certainly not leave one stone unturned if there is a possibility. if there isn't we will say so. >> we with think there will be in the coming hours some other meetings takes place. of course, the u.s. has influence over the opposition. we understand that wendy sherman will meet the opposition in the coming hours. request these two powers the u.s. and russia that started this process, force those two sides in the conflict, who have been sitting around the same table to start negotiating, because 24 has been going on for some time, we in the second round of these talks and yet they haven't enganged each other yet. >> absolutely. >> one of the few break

throughs was a cease fire. allowing people to leave the city. that operation is on going, be uh the 5ing elsewhere continues. mo hamed reports. >> the city and government forces have resumed the bombardment of the group town, the last rebel strong hold in the mountains near the boarder with lebanon. war prints have been cutting out air strikes as city and ground portions pounded the ground. there's been a surge in fighting across syria, with both sides apparently frying to gain territory, to strengthen their hunt and peace talks. this is the institute. >> video posted on the internet by activistses claim to show the moment of one of several bombs fell on the city. >> the opposition says packed with explosives have kid hundreds of people in aleppo alone, during the past week.

this is the latest group of people. more than 4,000 people have been brought out since the u.n. began. the effort was planned to last for two days. aid workers describe a heldish situation. >> situations people living in the cities absolutely dire. i met a 13-year-old boy who is the size of an eight-year-old. he hasn't eaten meat for two years or more. i met old people, disabled people, people who in some cases want to leave, but also some cases want to stay, because they don't want to leave their homes. >> the u.n. broker add cease fire between government forces that surround homes and arm rebelled bunkered down inside thele radios. but despite the trues, aid workers have been effected. at least ten people have been killed and many others injuries. in this brutal conflict, even humanitarian nations

cannot escape the war. al jazeera. >> well, many refugees have been fleeing the fighting by crossing the lebanese boarder and heading to the town. stephanie has the latest from there. >> it's marred to hold on to dignity here, he has been forced to move three times inside syria. now she has had to leave her country all together. we have been displaced for over a year. god help us. >> people are still arriving here, they have packed what little they have left in their coming across the boarder. now, lebanon is not only dealing with refugees, there's also security issue being felt here. >> the lebanese army patrols the camps surroundings. asaad is a boarder down, it's residents are staunch supporters. it is a lifeline for the rebel whose are holding on to the tune, the

syrian army together with hezbollah are now trying to take it back, and the result desperate exhausted families, forced to rely on handouts. aid agencies are here. the refugees are given mat trezs, furnaces and food kits which should last them one month. aid workers say they have seen an increase in the number coming across. >> a coup until the last two days. it is specific to get real exact numbers because people are entering from different entry points. but families are continuously coming. so they are coming day after day. >> back in the camp, fuel is glymph out to heat them. just hundreds of people with one wish to be able to go back home. stephanie decker, al

jazeera, on the lebanon syrian border. united states to stop interfering in afghanistan it comes after he released 65 prisoners. it has evidence that all 65 have committed crimes. report says 25 of them have been linked to production of use of explosive devices. 30% were reportedly associated with those direct attacks. the afghan authorities insist there's not enough evidence to hold the detainees any longer. rosalyn jordan reports. >> the afghan government did put washington what it asked not to do, and released 65 prisoners.

the president accused of the u.s. of trying to med until the internal affairs. >> afghanistan is a sovereign one. if the afghan judicial authorities decide to release apprizing it is of no concern to the u.s. and should be of no concern to the u.s. and i hope that the united states will stop harrising afghanistans brothers, and judicial authorities, and i hope that the united states will now begin to respect afghan sovereignty. >> for weeks, the u.s. and nato had been campaigning to keep the men locked up. they said afghanistan should put the men on tribal, for dozens of bombings and attack on civilian and military targets. >> these individuals are dangerous. they pose net to safety and security of the afghan people, and the afghan state which is what i would say in terms of the threat they pose,

there is income linking each of them to terror related crimes including the use of improvised explosive devices which again, turning around from the u.s., is the largest killer of afghan civilians. >> but none of the men were tried in court. a review board looked at the cases and said there was not enough evidence to hold them. the men left quietly. >> they have been taken out of prison, they received some cash and instructions. and then they all went home. >> even though the military has run the prison since 2013, he calls it a destabilizing force, turning independent men into fighters opposed to his government. the prisoner release is just the latest spat, who refuses to sign a security packet that would let u.s. troops stay in the country after 2014. and it's raising new concerns in washington about whether cab bull is taking the security seriously.

does the u.s. now believe that it has the tie if these men decide to pick up arms and start fighting again? >> well, felicity, officials have told al jazeera that they believe that under the terms oif memorandum of understanding, with the afghan government, if they encounter any of these men who have in their view returned to the battlefield and pose a security threat, the u.s. military believes it has the legal right to either capture or kill any of these men, should they encounter them. now, if they capture them, and let's say they are injured as soon as these men can be transferred they have to be transferred back to afghan custody. the u.s. is no longer allowed to hold any people who are captured on the battlefield, any longer. so you won't see a situation where someone

can be sent to a secret prison, or sent to guantanamo bay for example, if someone is picked up by the u.s. military, it believes if that person is caught alive, the afghan security forces have too resume custody of that perp. >> in washington, thank you so much for that. >> mac stanny taliban has claimed responsibility for a police bus that kimed at least 12 officers. dozens of people were hurt. it carried out a suicide attack in somalia. it says it was targeting a u.n. convoy in the capitol. the car bomb exploded at the interest of the international air force. at least six people were killed.

his last before elections in may. the main opposition party has been holding process against high unemployment rates. hi says women's rights and racial equality has improved in the past few years. but the country still faces challenges. >> of these attitudes, have made south africa a much better place to live in now. then it was. however our country still faces the challenge of poverty, inequality, and unemployment. which will continue to influence, dealing with these challenges, has become a center forecast of all democratic administrations. >> al jazeera tony page

joins us live now. tonya, the president admitted we are still going through/flu a difficult period, but he is trying to convince the people that south africa is heading in the right direction, isn't he. >> oh, absolutely, and look at the president's speech, he can say what he wants and it is an election year, so it is only natural a good 95% of the speech which is just about ready to wind up, is focused on the positive. he talked a lot about jobs and the economy, he said on average, the economy has grown 3.5%, in the last 20 years, he said the anc has created 3.2 million wronger opportunities, not jobs, but work opportunities in the five years that the course he has been president, he talked about the vast expansion of social services, housing, basic services like water and sanitation, so very much painting a rosy picture.

how will that go down with the many people that are unemployed in south after caat the moment? >> we have seen, months, violence, protests on the street. hundreds of communities, thousands of people throwing stones at the police. setting fire to libraries and clinics saying they haven't seen the results of these wonderful things that the president has been talking about. there is a very small portion of the speech, where he address it is protests and he said that he is been very disappointed, very saddened by the violence, especially the premedicated violence. two use of bombs meant to harm people, that has shocked him and made him very sad, but he said look, we are in a country where 95% have water, 5% don't, and those people simply don't seem to be able to wait, so he said

that this is his success that the government, the anc success, is a breeding ground for rising expectations. i don't think that kind of response is really something someone sitting in a dark in a shack will appreciate. so this was an opportunity for the president to be inspiration unanimous, especially because we are 2 1/2 months out from an election and i'm sure the people that are sitting in the dark, using bucket it toes without electricity, that they will really find much in there, to be inspired by. >> okay, tony page, thank you. >> there is plenty more to come, including power shift, egypt military goes to moscow to reduce cairo's reliance on the united states, plus.

a global promise to save some of the world's most endangered wild life. and day six of competition at the winter olympics and big air, equals big schools in the men's slope start. the latest on the medals that's coming up for you in sport. now the last hour, the prime minister has announced that he is to resign with more on that, in london, meriam. >> thank you. that's right, announced that he will be handle in his regular nation on friday, after losing key sup bort from within his own party. italian president is expected to ask remember and i to form a new government. the plan is live for us

in rome, there has been a great deal of uncertainty for the past few months. never the less, who has been the reaction there to his resignation? >> well, this was kind of unexpected resignation, after day oz if power struggle between the italian prime minister and the 39-year-old mayor. since he was elected the leader back in desks he has been pushing the italian prime minister to do more. to reviving the economy, and to pass a law before new elections could be called. when he saw according to him, that not much was being done on those two subjects but on thursday, today, he said he told his party, well, look, we cannot continue like this, we cannot continue with uncertainty, we need the same government with a new leadership, with the leader being himself.

the party backed him, overwhelmingly, with only 16 people against that motion. and 100 uh 36 in favor. so tomorrow, on friday, he will go to the president and hand in his resignation, with expected to take over as the new prime minister. >> how do people there feel about a change in the premiership of the new prime minister without an election? do they feel as though he is more capable of dealing with the country's economic crisi crisis? >> well, many analysts believe here that he is playing a very dangerous game. in the sense that he is very very popular. so by asking to be elected by his own party, and not the italians as prime minister, of course, may not come down so well, with the italians themselves.

if he is of course indeed both asked by the president to become the new prime minister, tomorrow, will be the third leader, the third prime minister to come into power since 2001, without being elected. first, of course, it was 2011, then after the elections in february. the president asked to form a government, and now mateo. so he is a bit tired of this, and they just want to go and elect their own prime minister. so we will see how he comes out of this. whether he will still be popular, or whether he will lose his credibility because of this. >> all right, thank you. >> belgium's parliament has allowed assisteds is for terminally ill children. it's likely to become law around april. dave reported from brussells. >> the belgium parliament

slowed the house of chamber of representatives passed the legislation with a large majority as expected. reflecting the opinion polls in the country. making it the first to pass a law allowing use may sha without any age limits. but there are some families that would never allow it for their own children. he still has pictures on a mobile phone of his son he watched dying. but the cancer took away his eyesight. it took away his ability to walk, and then it took his life. he was just eight years old. he was brought out of hospital to die at home with his family. his father's last words to him, tristan, it's time to go. >> i would never tolerated a doctor coming

to ask if we wanted euthanasia, i would have never accepted. if parents want with to afghanistan do you want to come or die. will it please myn't pas to die. will it be for their good or mine. >> the child's request will have to be approved by a medical team and a child's parents. the child must also understand what it means. mp supporting legislation describe it as the ultimate gesture of humanity, those opposed say it is insanity. the university hospital is one of the world's leading centers for treating childhood cancer. it is here the first case may be carried out, on a child. under the present law, patients have to be 18 before they can ask to die. >> as a doctor, you prefer that nobody will ever ask you this question, because even. it is legal, it is still difficult to carry out.

certainly minors are in institutions or hospitals all the time, with other miners that have the same condition. and they have seen several miners with their condition die in a horrifying way. they get scared. and they ask you, doctor, don't let me go this way. >> to be or not to be. is that a question that can ever be asked of a child. it seems lit be in belgium. al jazeera, brussells. >> well, euthanasia is already legal in some countries but underagedly fixed terms. for example, voluntary euthanasia a doctor ended somebody's life with their consent is legal in belgium, and hulkenberg. what is known as assisted suicide, helping somebody to end their own life is legal in switzerland, and assisted dying helping somebody to end their own life, but only if they are terminally ill is legal in three u.s. states, oregon, washington, and vermont.

david joins us live now, david, as you said in your report, this law very much reflecting public preponderance, in the country, but never the less, there has been some opposition. >> >> has indeed. yes, the controversy has not been really inside belgium, it has been in cunning looking in on this decision. something you didn't see in the chamber of representatives when we covering this. they imus in and shouted. murderer, murderer. and was bundled away from the chamber by two burly policeman. so, yes, it is raising doubts. it does raise a lot of passions and somebody who i have with me, a specialist and bio ethnics is also very much opposed to that vote. can you tell me what it means the r this country? that a doctor can use euthanasia on a child.

>> it means that specialists will have to perhaps answer the question of the parents, and the child, & give the euthanasia. it is a real danger for all population of belgium, because there is lack of unction -- we should understand in belgium, and perhaps belgium people don't realize, that we have very good care system, and we have specialists who can take care of the pain of the child. and the suffering of then't pas, so it isn't a matter of news may sha is the answer for suffering, no, we have very good specialists and a lot of pediatricians, to say we don't need your law. and that's something that they don't need. the politicians seems to have lost reason of mind,

because the text they have just voted is uncertainty usable. it is full of weakness and holes. so it is not possible to use the text, so it is a real question what happened today in belgium, we don't unction. it seems that the politicians have lost a little bit of their mind. >> and they say to him, dog tor, don't he me die like that, how would you answer a child like that? >> we have to best care, and the neuroassist that will be at the bedside of the child. that is the answer. the family will be there, we can give them a good quality of life, and that's the answer.

we won't have heard the last of this, now back to you. >> one man has died and more than 100,000 people are without power after high storms battered britain. and caused widespread traffic chaos. simon mcgregor wood has more. >> another day dawns over the river. here, in the down just west of london, the river is swollen to busting point. the speed of the water boosted my months of rainfall, a few hundred meters down river, these businesses mays ruin from flooding. the streets have been underwater for days i think no one could have predicted it would have

been like this. the storms keep coming. one of those things you can't do anything about. it is like being in a disaster movie of your own. >> we just have to ride it out, it request fake weeks. even areas of town further away are flooding. this is caused by ground water budging up. in the center of town, the sheer volume is overwhelming the cranenage subpoena. >> as you can see, so far the houses have escaped the worst of this flooding and on thursday, there is a brief rest spit in the weather but not for long, they say in the next few days another front of stormy weather will come through, bringing with it, a month's worth of rain. >> other parts of england are recovering from another storm. weaponed night, hurricane force winds are reported battering the coast of whales all across the north of the country.

>> they are bracing for the next band of rain, trying to keep everyone as dry as possible. in some places the flood water has brought new visitors to the neighborhood. and then even earlier than forecast, a taste of things to come, yet more rain starts to fall. simon mcgregorwood. >> that's all from london for the moment. back to felicity. >> still ahead, the latest live from our corresponding on a shoot out at a jame in the capital. plus. >> the deadly ice storm crippling parts of the ice. and plenty of rough and tumble at the speed skating, full dedales in sports.

al jazeera america's breakthrough instigative documentary series. over a year after the bengazi attacks, chaos in the streets... unspeakable horrors... >> this is a crime against humanity >> is libya unraveling? >> there's coffin after coffin being carried into the cemetery. >> fault lines libya: state of insecurity

al jazeera america. we understand that every news story begins and ends with people. >> the efforts are focused on rescuing stranded residents. >> we pursue that story beyond the headline, pass the spokesperson, to the streets. >> thousands of riot police deployed across the capital. >> we put all of our global resources behind every story. >> it is a scene of utter devastation.

>> and follow it no matter where it leads - all the way to you. al jazeera america, take a new look at news. >> al jazeera's investigative unit has tonights exclusive report... >> from coast to coast... >> people selling fresh water for fracking... >> stories that have impact... >> we lost lives... >> that make a difference... >> senator, we were hoping we could ask you some questions about your legal problems... >> that open your world... >> it can be very dangerous... >> i hear gunshots... >> the bullet came right there through the widdow... >> it absolutely is a crisis... >> real reporting... >> this...is what we do... >> america tonight, only on al jazeera america. talks with the u.s. and

russia have been useful. during the geneva 2 conference was an attempt to revive the stalled peace talks. egypt military chief has a highly symbolic visit to russia.

>> for myself personally, and on behalf of russian people, i wish you success. >> russian support offers egypt stability, more than 1400 people have died and thousands have been jailed since last jump. the priority is to restore calm to the ire rabb world most popular country. >> . >> the egyptians say they need security, we need to provide them with the security. the army is truly a -- most people understand this. >> the present shifting has echos from the past, in the 1950's, the if the modernized and rearmed it's military, with the backing of moscows then communist leadership. for 20 years egypt was russia's closest ally. is now, moscow and cairo

see new help in an old friendship. >> the russians in they are welcome in the courts, and there is an alternative to buy arms equipment, if there was to carry on support. this new reset marked a new chapter in a diplomacy of a region. the talk coming into this meeting here, was over $2 billion arms deal being signed. in fact that didn't happen, but the outcome was even more substantial. with allies that now number syria, iran, and now egypt, russian sha's influence in the middle east has been enlanced and is growing. and field marshalsysy has a powerful supporter in his bid. paul brennen, al jazeera, moscow. >> there's been a shoot out at a yemen prison as

police foiled an attempt to storm the jail and release inmates. one police officer was killed and four others injured during a gun bat until the capital. live now in the capital, tell us more about this attempted jailbreak? >> it seems that it was a huge operation at the early hours of the evening when attackers placed an explosive device at the prison. the device rocked the prison, and property down part of the wall of the prison. in the process, it set 21 prisoners escaped. and seven people were killed, this is a update that has just come to us, in a statement giving some detames about this. fingers are pointing to al quaida, because this is the path -- particularly when they have prisoners in that prison.

two pick untrucks showed up during the attack, and the exchange of fire between the attackers and security forces and they are able to -- the prisoners were able to load those and they escaped. we know that last desks more than 20 people died in an attack similar to this on the minister of defense, during a long day of shooting and explosions. and exchange of fire between al quaida operatives and security forces. so it's really been a very huge operation tonight, and a success for the athe attackers. >> this is coming at a time of big change felicity yemen as a whole. >> yes, the government has just announced the turning of yemen into federal state, and not everybody is happy about that. they are saying that this is not fair that the vision of the region was

not fair to many people in those regions. also people in the south have had their separatist have shown this. the march is there and the demonstrations against this happened during the last few days. yemen has just marked the third anniversary of the upriding that has lest to the ousting of the former president. many of his supporters are unhappy. they have seen a huge marchs, actually hundreds of thousands of maaing in the streets here and in other towns. there is a lot of attention because of these things. when it comes to the explosions tonight, fingers are pointed to al quaida. food to get that update, thank you. >> now, several teams have been at work in the south of england to find out why let's goering

mariane in london. >> yes, they have been dealing with suspicious packages can have been sent to several british recruitment offices. he is in the studio with me now, what do we know about the content, the possible origin of these? >> just in the last few minutes, a spokesman for the prime minister has said that seven suspect packages were found at army career centers. all in the south of england. they say that they were small crude but potentially viable devices, bearin bearing the hallmarks of northern ireland related terrorism. according to britain's press association, at least one of these was sent from the republic of ireland, four of them were found at various places on thursday. the other three were discovered earlier in the week, in all of these they sent bomb disposal units to check them out.

which is routine, but it has cause add lot of disruption. a p showing center was shot down, also we saw a shopping center close, roads closed, while the experts actually checked what the devices were, they closed the area down, they sent the devices for analysis, and according to the southeast counter terrorism unit, even if the devices are viable, they pose a very low level threat, and wouldn't cause widespread damage. it isen canning, david karen himself shared that cone bra emergency committee meeting in the last few hours to discuss this. the police are saying that everybody at careers army careers offices and the post office should be extra vigilant, but that's all we know at the moment. >> all right, thank you. keeping an eye on this story for us, now, a big heating is underway in london to discuss ways of eradicating the illegal wild life trade. the u.k. government is honesting a conference to end the multibillion dollars industry.

illegal wild life trade sees thousands of endangers animals killed every year, for ivory, horns and fur. jona hall reports. >> with some of the world's most iconic species threatened by rampant poaching, 46 countries joined royalty and international organizations in london, to agree on a global response. >> today the government leaders have signed -- committing to several new steps forward, including new pledges to address what is the most significant problem in my view, that of demand and consumption of special products from critically endangered wild life. >> in parts of africa, elephant poaching has doubled, so that animals die in their tens of nows each year, for their tusks, carved into onments or horded as a safe investment, sometimed described as white gold.

rhinos are dying too, for horn worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. where it's believed to have miracle medical properties, but in truth, it has none. tigers, gorillas, turtles and leopards are also under threat. >> the illegal trade is a vast criminal enterprise that ranks alongside the trafficking of drugs, weapons and huen mas. here is nations effected and involved would agree among other things to step up law enforcement so that poaching and the illegal trade is treated as serious organized crimes so that the criminals involved can can no longer act within impunity. but as the head of the program, former prime minister explained there is no one size fits all solution. it is very very tough, because you have to deal with the supply and the demand end.

the demand end is the hardest to deal with. >> campaigners have long waited opinion concerted action targeting the trade, the london conference is only a start. >> it just a reminder there are ordinary people who really do care. and to remind them why they are here. >> no less, than the survival of a number of species. will not be able to share the currency the pound. a scottish national party says that amounts to bullying. just over six months before referendum. lawrence lee reports from london. so it seepings it might have come down to this. the pound or more

specifically, what currency might or might not be able to rely on. three major political parties put up their key spokes men to sky that an independent scottman would with not be able to join acornsy union with the rest of the u.k. the evidence shows it would work, if scotland walked away from the u.k., it walked away from the pound. >> the argument runs like this. and can therefore set interest rates that suit them all. the argument in london is that the euro -- if scotland goes down next, the rest of the u.k. shouldn't have to prop it up.

on the scottish question, not so much an appeal to stay within the union, but a direct threat as to who might happen to them if they decided to break away. bear in mind, the very large number of undecided voters this in an attempt too it appears to make people's minds up for them. >> the scottish nationalists are well, unimpressed with the idea that they like greece and the u.k. is like germany. >> the reason greece -- has nothing to do with the fact that they shared the currency, and everything to do -- scotland's productivity is near identical. this has been described as an optimal currency area. the line from the nationalists remains that even if you discount north see oil, the economy is big enough to stand up by itself, and would be no impediments to the rest of the u.k.

but as a fear, questioning exactly what they would do, has to be a powerful woman. that's more, now back to felizsy in doha. hundreds of uh thousands of homes have been left without power, and traffic has come to a standstill. cap turner returns from new york. >> it is winter, everyone says what do you expect. but this garage is testing even the most hardy. it is crazy, i haven't seen a winter like this in a long time. or maybe never. >> even the professional weather watchers didn't warn back. the biggest to datums several inches. and the capital washington, d.c. federal government offices schools courts and transport systems have

been shut down for the day. and it is well prepared for it too. officials are experienced in sending out snowplows, and using salt to melt the ice, and other effective ways to keep their cities and states safe. for many areas snow is something of a novelty. >> this photo was posted on twitter. drivers stranded on icy roads simply abandons their cars and walking. highways france formed into car parks. >> you know, we are not really accustomed to this in charlotte. >> officials urged people to stay off the road, and avoided going outside, unless it was necessary. >> don't put your stupid hat on. protect yourself, your

family, your neighborhoods. >> but staying at home isn't a bonus for everyone. hungs of thousands of homes and businesses in georgia, and north and south carolina, have lost electricity, mainly due to trees falling on father lines. this is the fifth already of 2014. the fatigue is taking its toll. >> i am sick of this weather. i am so ready for spring. >> am al jazeera, new york. >> stimto come, on the news hour, what issue a hot topic at this year's berlin film festival. reports from there in a couple of minutes, do stay with us.

up to of a few thousanda people. >> everybody talks about t.j., and look at where they are now. look a what they are doing, the whole community is proud of them, and what they have done. >> hockey is everything here, for decades people have loved the game that's not nearly as popular in their country as baseball. longer winters and a relatively isolated location, all play their part. all there was to do back when i started. >> plenty of excitement at the local arena, high school bans fire up the crowd for a junior tournament. the high school girls are defending a five year winning streak tonight. the coach says it hopes to live in a hockey mad town. >> if you have the back end, do you have the

coaching, do you have the available ice time. do you have the tradition, is it possible, can you believe in it? i think they have the right environment. henry would certainly agree, he won silver in 1972. during that opening ceremony, he got a message from his hometown, half a world away. >> i remember getting a telegram from everybody in the world. there were six feet long, and all the names of the people. talk about having a lump in your throat. >> in an age f emails skype and social media is a lot easier to support player whose are far away, and that's what the people of hockey town will be doing for the next few weeks. >> two towns, two teams naturally enough, divided loyalties at the areno tonight. but not when team u.s.a.

takes to the ice, that's whenever player, men and women is a hometown hero. one of the top figure skaters says he is bowing out of the olympics. it is believed that he injured his back. just four days ago. he is a big figure on the scene. all the beet fit a higher plain. this is the view of in year's winter games from space. you can easily see the stadium where they were held last saturday. nobody has the cameras out right now, because that snow, turning to rain in some spots turning to ice in other spots and it ain't over yet. >> so an impressive view,

a lot going on, but first up, want to show you what is happening here. dry air has been pulled in, and that's moving north, so we are seeing a lull right here, through baltimore, even new york starting to break up a bit. snow returning as cold air returns now we are seeing these storms pop up. maybe even some lightening as we get thunder store. as i moves through north carolina and then right up the coast. bans of very heavy snow, two to three an hour, setting up here, and as they pivot around. some have see them continuing there for the next few hours. we are seeing a lull here, across the mid atlantic states but the snow will wrap around and additional accumulations will come in as we get the dry air coming in

from the south wes, but cold air returns. between five and 9:00 o'clock tonight, more snow expected here. this could accumulate another three to six-inches. significant accumulation between now and tomorrow morning. after that, the snow will stick around for a while. a major deal, comcast buying time warner cable for $45 billion. it will have 30 million subscribers making it the. >> laest in the u.s. many question it will be recklated among regulators.

now say they there is a new source of clean energy on the horizon. nuclear fusion. rotherred in the journal nature, scientists at lawrence liver more lab produce more energy than was contained in the fuel used to create the reaction. by forcing them together rather than splitting them apart. fusion is the power that fuels the sun and stars.

that focus enormous amounts of energy in billion of a second long pulses. researchers say they have a long way to go before they reach that goal. rob remembered nos al jazeera, los angeles. >> and 20 families were forced to evacuate their homes after a gas line explosion. it happened earlier there mourning at adair county, that is about 100 miles south of louisville. at least two people are being treated for burns. that has destroyed three homes and six cars. you are watching al jazeera america, for more news, just stay tuned we will have it at the top of the hour, news updates throughout the day just check us out 24 hour as day, seven day as week, by going to

aljazeera.com, where the news never stops.

welcome to al jazeera america. these are the stories we are following for you. snowed in. major winter storm slamming the east coast, 14 people now said to be dead. jurors in florida continue to weigh the fate of mecham dun, how the community is reacting to this racially charged case. plus, a prison release, further spraining relations between the u.s. and afghanistan.