>> start with one issue ad guests on all sides of the debate. and a host willing to ask the tough questions and you'll get... the inside story ray suarez hosts inside story weekdays at 5pm et / 2pm pt only on al jazeera america welcome to al jazeera america, i'm del walters. these are the stories we are following for you. a divided ukraine, bloody battles over the future of the country. president obama heading to mexico for a meeting of north america's leaders. they will talk about new plans for a new international trade agreement. and a hearing back on track for the aledged architect of the

attack on the uss cole. ♪ it has been a bloody and vial lebt 24 hours in ukraine, fighting between police and protesters has killed at least 25 people. protests began late last night after the government rejected a trade deal with the european union. >> participate yanukovych has the opportunity to take a choice, a choice between protecting the people that he serves all of the people, and the choice for compromise and dialogue versus violence and mayhem. we belief the choice is clear, and we are talking about the

possibility of sanctions or other steps with our friends in europe and elsewhere, in order to try to create the environm t environmentment compromise. >> reporter: the morning after the brutal crush, both sides refusing to give up. independence square went from encampment to war zone, an area that was for weeks home to anti-government activists. >> translator: my duty has a guarantor of the constitution is to ensure peace in the country, peace of the citizens and peace for everyone. therefore, i'm again calling for the opposition leaders who claim to also want a peaceful resolution to immediately separate themselves from the

radical forces that provoke bloodshed and clashes. >> reporter: but his words provoked alarm from opposition leaders. >> i'm very unhappy because there was no discussion and we want to listen opposition. they don't want to listen, and just one way. the opposition have and all protests have to stop protests have to stop the demonstration. but right now it's very important to make a break, and no fighting anymore. >> reporter: the bloody crackdown by police continued throughout the night as riot police advanced on independence square, people responded with whatever they could lay their hands on. from the other side, stun grenades and rubber bullets, an

armored vehicle attempted to break through. it didn't stake long before being set on fire. this latest conflict has alarmed many western leaders. >> i'm deeply worried about the escalation of violence in kiev. this violence and bloodshed must stop immediately. i'm also very concerned about the ultimatum to stop this by force. i call upon president yanukovych, the government to find an immediate way out of this deepening crisis. >> reporter: it appears to have strengthened the resolve of the protesters. this is a battle which over time has only seen more blood spilled on the streets. and jennifer glasse is in kiev where the protesters are

getting ready for even more clashes. >> reporter: it's a very tense situation here in ukraine. independence square is a few hundred yards that way. some of those injured are just behind me here in the cathedral where it's a makeshift hospital. they are there because they are frightened to go to regular hospitals because they are afraid they will be returned over to the police. so everyone really right now is wondering what is going to happen next. in independence square we understand that police have started using water cannon again. some of the protesters have receipted into buildings in the area. i think everybody would like to see this all calmed down very

much. president yanukovych has claimed this as a day of mourning, but a real sense of the protesters here are -- still remain determined. we have seen them chase the police aa way, the subways aren't working here at all, as the government tries to slow the movement of people, trying to keep any reinforcements from getting into independence square. the people are going to work, and the roads are operating around the town. it's quiet, but very, very uncertain and tense. i don't think anybody wanted to see this erupt the way it did. the concern among the protesters is what the military will do. as many as a thousand troops may be head kiev in the next day or two. some thugs beat up many of the

protesters here. so there is a sense of tension, a sense of not sure what will happen next, as everybody. wafs and waits to see what the protesters and what the president or politics makes any difference at all. our coverage continues with john tear -- terrett. and what is the reaction? >> well, there is a lot of anger and frustration and heartache about what is happening in ukraine at the moment. we're in lower manhattan, the east village, outside of a very, very well-known ukrainian business. and i want to introduce you to the third-generation owner. what is the direct link with ukraine for you? >> my mother was born in ukraine as well as my grand father who

started this business in the early 50s. so i'm a third generation owner of the current business. >> and this area very well-known as a ukrainian place to live, but it's changing, isn't it? >> it has changed unfortunately. this was a cultural as well as a center for ukrainian immigrants unfortunately due to again -- gentrification and rising rent ukrainians have gone to outer boroughs, but there are still some ukrainians here. >> reporter: and you have been here for 60 years, a good gauge to ask you what is the feeling among ukrainian americans? >> first, sorrow, very

disappointed and saddened to hear about the lives lost. we're angry, and we hope that there will be a peaceful resolution to what is happening, but a lot of sentiment of anger. >> reporter: and how are ukra e ukrainian americans helping their family and friends back home? what are they doing for them? can they do anything? >> that's a difficult question, so we are here so far away. but we're trying to do our best. there are a few agencies that are sending packages of clothing and food, and well as there are a few fund-raising events happening raising money and awareness including one happening here this sunday, but there have been a few that we have assisted in donating food too. >> and your young staff feel very badly about this, don't they? >> it's an unfortunately

situation. i do employ some ukrainian people that have family there, and they are very disenheartened, and they want change as well as to be on the front lines so to speak, but it's a very tricky and dangerous situation. >> thank you very much for joining us this morning. and del from the east village, back to you. john terrett thank you very much. and the white house is calling for calm in this the ukraine. the president is now on his way to mexico where he will meet with the mexican president and the canadian prime minister at the summit and discuss several mayor economic issues and mike viqueira has more. >> reporter: there are big issues and big questions president obama will face from his counterparts from mexico and canada, at the all day north american summit on wednesday.

they call it the three amigo's summit. but president obama will have some explaining to do. domestic american politics have him hamstrung. the keystone pipeline in limbo. the administration won't say when the president will decide on the president. mr. obama must choose between environmentalists, and a close ally. >> this is an enormous benefit to the united states. >> reporter: canadian prime minister steven harper. >> this north american leader summit is happening at an interesting time where progress on a lot of the other things we want to do with canada is building and awaiting the keystone decision. >> reporter: on trade the president is being undercut by

those usually who are supportive. organized labor is also wary. >> what happens is these companies outsource production to low-wage locations, for example, mexico, and that puts downward pressure on wages here in the united states, they are able to threaten workers in the u.s. if they don't cut wages or organize unions they will move production to mexico. >> reporter: roughly half of the undocumented immigrants in the united states are from mexico. >> there is widespread doubt about whether this administration can be trusted to enforce our laws. >> reporter: that's a disappointment for mexico and its leader. >> immigration, i think to the

mexicans is a bit of a litmus test for how serious the united states is about the economic agenda and commitment to the relationship between the two countries. >> reporter: and there are two other issues likely to be near the top of the agenda, climate change and the security situation within mexico. >> reporter: a suspected high-ranking leader of al-qaeda facing trial in guantanamo bay today. >> reporter: the u.s. government calls this 48-year-old one of al-qaeda's most skilled leaders. he allegedly headed a branch of al-qaeda, and answered directly to osama bin laden. he is charged with planning, obtaining supplies and hiring thes bombers involved in the attacks 13 years ago on the uss

cole. in october 2000, a small boat back k -- packed with explosives pulled up alongside the destroyer, and ripped a 40-foot hole in the side. christina is an attorney who teaches a course about guantanamo at the university of miami, and has travelled to the detention camp several times. the government's admission that he was water boarded for years might ultimately safe his life. >> the defense council has asked information about the treatment of him, because they want to introduce circumstances of torture to primarily stave off an execution. >> reporter: his attorney is also arguing to stop admission

of hearsay statements. >> if the judge wants to exclude all of those statements, the evidence will whittle down to very little. >> reporter: he is expected to go to trial before another case. he and four other defendants are accused of planning the 9-11 attacks. >> if i were the defense attorneys, i would being looking at how the prosecution conducts itself, and what themes the prosecution hits. if i were the prosecutor, i would be watching what sorts of evidence are excluded and what sorts of evidence are admitted, because those are open questions, and his trial is probably going to answer some of those questions. >> reporter: she says the hope once this trial starts, the american public will get a far

better understanding of what happened during these attacks. six world powers and iran starting a second day of talks in vienna today. world leaders are aiming to lay out a brood agenda for talks that could in time produce an agreement. senior iranian firms said they were ready for long and complicated negotiations. the talks could last for months >> in paris secretary of state john kerry will meet with the palestinian president to discuss negotiations between the two countries. kerry wants a deal in place by the end of april. the u.s. brokered talks have done little since they began in

july. another staff member of al jazeera has been held since august and endured a hunger strike for nearly a month. phil ittner has more. >> reporter: baher mohamed, mohammed fahmy, and peter greste are now into their second month of incarceration without being charged. the ruling military backed government accuses them of supporting a terrorist organization, thaf interviewed members of the now outlawed muslim brotherhood. they are just a few of the many journalists held in egypt. the committee puts egypt among the worst countries for imprisoning members of the press. >> egypt's interim government has a responsibility to ensure they are protected. we have expressed these concerns directly to the go of egypt. and strongly urged the

government to drop these charges and release these journalists. >> reporter: today's rally in london, in part in order to present a petition at the egyptian embassy calling for the release of all journalists held. the union head stating this repression of all journalists in the country, undermines press freedom. the push for release is global. whether it's in east africa, where peter greste is based, or his family's pleas to the australian press, or campaigns in canada, with mohammed fahmy is a duel citizen. >> i think it's critical that the journalists in egypt see the journalists outside of egypt all over the world are standing together. because one of the reasons that

countries detain journalists is to basically scare other journalists from trying to do their job. >> reporter: the question is whether or not calls for freedom of the press will fall on deaf ears? that is phil ittner in london. ment copping up next on al jazeera america, some college grads have thousands of dollars in student debt. we'll talk to ament woman who is on a mission to pay hers off.

on wall street a positive day to trading. investors digesting a report that shows that inflation is under control. traders also waiting for the fed to release its minutes from its january meeting. coffee bean prices are up about 30% this year. that means higher prices in the supermarket may not be far behind. gm says it wants to build lighter trucks. the company is now working on an aluminum-body pickup. gshs -- gm facing requirements for better fuel efficiency. more than 40 million

americans are saddled be set from student loans. >> if you want to succeed and get the american dream that i came here for, for you to get, go to college. >> reporter: that's what 30-year-old east father instilled in here since the age of eight when the family fled the chaos of a collapsing soviet union. she went on to earn a bachelor's in journalism and a master's in international relations, only to graduate into a recession-racked a economy, jobless and overwhelmed in $80,000 in student loans. >> i just ignored it >> reporter: only when she landed a dream job was she ready to face the debt realization. she moved back in with her

parents started cocktail waitressing for extra cash, and set an ambitious goal, slash it in half by her 30th birthday. >> it became a game to me. >> reporter: a game she is winning by throwing every penny she has earned at her student debt she has paid off 73,000 in two years and now owes less than $20,000. but it's likely she'll still feel the sting of her student loans well into retirement. >> i have no retirement fund, no savings. >> reporter: like many student debtors in their prime earning years, she is paying off of her education instead of making investments to build wealth overtime. placing her at a huge disadvantage to students who graduate debt free. >> student debt follows you

through the rest of your life. >> reporter: even households with average student debt loads are projected to have $208,000 left in savings. >> one of the really perverse things that you can say about higher ed today in the united states is it is chr crystallizing privilege instead of blowing it up. >> if this is the country of opportunity, if the this is the country where dreams are attainable if you work hard enough, if you -- you know, just pursue it, then this problem needs to be fixed. >> reporter: patricia sabga, al jazeera, new york. lots of you tired of the snow this year, but some of you getting relatively creative to celebrate president's day. ♪ clear

welcome back to al jazeera america.

i'm del walters. here are your headlines at this hour. it has been a bloody 24 hours in cr ukraine. 26 people have been killed. president obama is on his way to mexico for the north american leaders summit. the president leaving the white house a short while ago. he'll met with the mexican president and canadian prime minister. they will be discussing several major economic issues at that summit. a expected high-ranking leader of al-qaeda, facing a court guantanamo bay. if convicted he faces the death penalty. ♪ i'm meteorologist dave warren. another storm coming into the northeast. talking mostly ice with this,

maybe a little storm here. there is a freezing rain advisory, just to west of philadelphia. that's rain falling into cold air. if temperatures drop enough it could be mixing with snow. the road should be fine this aver and evening, maybe just a little bit slippery right now. warms up quickly in pittsburgh and cleveland. now the temperatures will really start to warm up across the northern plains here. a number of advisories to the south, but to the north there is cold air moving in. these are all for tomorrow. tomorrow night and early friday as a storm really develops around chicago. this is cold air comes in behind the storm. so blizzard conditions pt x -- expected ahead of the storm.

and heavy rain with the warm temperatures that could lead to flooding problems. that's the heavy rain. on the western side of this storm it will be very cold. that's where you are getting the winter storm warnings and blizzard warnings. by friday this is across the east coast here with very heavy rain moving in. possibly even thunderstorm storms, but where this warm air moves up into new england, that is more freezing rain or sleet. by this weekend, it's dry. so a big weather story here coming up tomorrow and friday. del. dave thank you very much. with all of the snow some interesting sculptures are popping up, like this one, mount snow more.

a man in minnesota carved it. he said he was inspired by the recent president's day weekend to korea -- create mount snow more. thanks for watching al jazeera america. i'm del walters in new york. "inside story" is next. . decades of miss room, kruping krupingsz, suspended constitution. the central african republic has not been good to citizens. is it unravelling? hello am.