this is al jazeera america, live from new york city. i'm del walters. tony harris has the night off. saudi arabia and the state department insisting the saudi king's decision to skip camp david talks is not a pointed message about iran. on the brink, paying back $800 million to international lenders by tomorrow's deadline. and drilling in the arctic a

defeat for environmentalists. the white house saying drilling could begin this summer. ♪ president obama hosting leaders from six gulf countries this week at camp david and the white house. those discussions are expected to discover iran syria, isil and other issues affecting the region. but the rulers of a number of gulf countries can't going to be there, most notably saudi arabia. he says he is going to miss the summit because it coincides with the peace talks in yemen. mike viqueira joins us. what does this say about the no-go? >> reporter: they are denying the fact that it was a snub. other observers believe it ekes aboutly that, a message the saudis are sending.

disappointed at the president's negotiations leading to an interim deal with iran. the fact that they sat down at the table through secret negotiations with iran to begin with. the situation in yemen, the saudi-lead air campaign there, backed by the united states with intelligence and logistics, but the united states becoming very uneasy about the mounting humanitarian crisis there, the many casualties on the ground a ceasefire brokered and pushed by the united states just went into effect a matter of hours ago. john kerry was in paris he met with the saudi prime minister. he white house announced later on friday that not only was kingdom not coming but there was different on wednesday at the white house and on to camp david for a day-long session on thursday. the white house meanwhile trying

to down play any rift insisting that the substance is not going to be changed and the summit will be a success. >> the goal was not a symbolic picture with the leaders of five other countries, what we're looking for is a more direct substantive conversation about how to deepen and modernize our security relationship with those countries. >> we have just been handed a note. president obama and king salman spoke on the phone today. they spoke at the king's regret at not being able to travel to washington this week and they are sending the deputy crown prince and the count prince to be attending the camp david summit in the stead of king salman del.

but mike who else won't be at camp david? >> reporter: again, a lot of people are looking at this and seeing it as a reflection about the u.s. commit to security in the gulf. there are six leaders all told del, some will not be attending because of long-standing health problems. the leader of the uae, as well as the sultan after aman. the two leaders who will attend will be coming from qatar and kuwait, del. >> mike did you get a sense that the white house is now trying to lessen any expectations that might come out of the summit? >> reporter: there are a lot of talking about security agreements, some are talking about a mutual defense pack between the united states and the gulf countries. others are talking about something that is more self contained to be encouraged by

the united states or perhaps facilitated by the united states. there's also talks of advanced weapons systems to the countries, including anti-ballistic missiles. others are down playing any concrete deliverables that would be coming out of this summit del, and others are speculating because there aren't going to be any confirm commitments that's one of the factors by the announcement by saudi arabia today. >> if this winds up being the summit that fizzles how big of a setback will this be for the white house and the obama administration? >> there are suspicions among many gulf countries that they are not fully committed to their defense. there is suspicion that the obama administration wants to pivot to asia. but there's a feeling -- you talk to experts and others from around the region that the united states the obama

administration does not fully understand the threat not just on the nuclear threat but the destabilizing effects of iran. they see arab capitols in syria, lebanon, and elsewhere, and iraq not least notably, being controlled by those, or nominal allies to iran at the very lease. and there is also concern that the united states does not fully understand or appreciate the fix they are in del. >> mike thank you very much. we're joined by the former u.s. ambassador to the united arab imrates. she joins us now from washington. madam ambassador thanks for being with us. experts are saying that members of the gcc are worried about a deal that was cut with iran.

is that too simple of an plan nation? >> i think it's very much too simple of an explanation. i think their main concern as your previous guest pointed out is at the role that iran is playing in the arab countries, whether it's lebanon, syria, iraq, and certainly more recently in yemen. so i think their concerns are about how iran is projecting its power in the region how it works through local proxies and plays a destabilizing role. and they look at the iran agreement not so much about its nuclear aspects, but how it will further empower iran to be even more active in the region unless it is somehow contained or changes its behavior. >> i want to take you back to a speech you gave in 2011 in which you said the whole middle

east seems to be undergoing a prolonged period of turmoil. with that as a backdrop is it too soon for america to be talking about dialogue in the region? >> well, thank you for pointing that out, because i think too often we speak about the gcc countries as though they are one block of you know, home genius similarities, and they are not. they have very different challenges internally, and see their world and the region in different ways. but i believe the region is looking at a prolonged period of turmoil and a lot of these conflicts, regional and also within states or failing states as we're seeing in syria are turning to a sectarian conflict and i think that's the most dangerous threat that we see in the region today is that if we -- it's like playing with

fire. any shia sunni divide is being exacerbated by real differences. and that's the biggest challenge. this is a geostrategic part of the world, and whether we have independence or near independence in oil and otherwise, the u.s. will remain very very interested, and will always remain in that region so i think all of us need to play a role in maintaining the stability in the region. >> and there is another issue on the table according to some export pert -- experts. and i want to talk about israel's nukes. there was this statement:

two departments maintaining israel has around 80 nuclear weapons. >> this topic always comes up in multi-lateral discussions, and comes up in the middle east every time we have discussions about proliferation of weapons, so i know it's a concern. but is it central to this discussion this week? >> well you do have saudi arabia saying that it would like some type of defense shield just in case the iranians manage to get a nuclear weapon as well. >> well of course there are concerns about that i just -- i was referring back to the question of israeli -- you know having nuclear weapons, i think it is a subject that will come up but i'm just not sure it's a central topic for discussion at this week's summit.

all of the gcc countries including saudi arabia are very concerned about nuclear proliferation in the region, and certainly if iran manages to achieve that system. but i think if the united states presents the -- the current negotiations with iran in the full extensive briefing and points out how this agreement will actually limit iran's achievements of a nuclear weapon, this should be good news, but as i said earlier the regional allies are more concerned about the role of the region through proxies, that's their main concern, and that should be addressed at the camp david summit. >> ambassador thank you for being with us this evening. >> thank you. there has been intense

fighting in yemen today. the saudi-lead air campaign hitting targets in sana'a. mohamed vall has the latest. >> reporter: all indications point to escalation and not to deescalation now that the truce is only about 24 hours away from this time when we speak. there are doubts now whether it will happen because on both sides, efforts are being increased to show that you know, if any truce happens it will not be out of weakness on our side it is not be because we're defeated but because we want to have a truce, but still as i said there are doubts. the houthis have managed to strike inside of saudi arabia. they have been shelling one city and killed one person and wounded four, also they renewed that shelling this morning and struck the province to the

southwest, killing one saudi citizen and wounding four others. for saudi arabia this is a dangerous escalation. and we have seen whenever there is such a strike by the houthis inside saudi arabia saudis intensify their attacks particularly towards the province of sa'dah the strong hold of the houthis, destroying many government buildings there, and places they can see the army depots, or targeting houthi commanders there. >> and yemen will likely be one of the topics of discussions during john kerry's trip to russia this week. he'll meet with vladimir putin tomorrow. also on the agenda the ukraine crisis. russia's decision to deliver air missiles to iran and its support of bashar al-assad. it's kerry's first trip to russia since the fighting in ukraine began. the euro zone's top official is reporting progress in its

bailout talks with greece. for its part greece says it will make a huge debt repayment on tuesday. jonah hull has more from brussels. >> reporter: it promises to be a long tense summer in greece. the protests are small now, but they could grow bigger if the new government is forced to compromise on austerity. in brussels talks with the other euro zone countries, the european central bank and the imf are progressing to unlock billions in aid. but there is scepticism still about a new economic plan offered by athens. >> some important issues have now been discussed in depth. but more time is needed to bridge the remaining gaps. >> we have a joint interest with the greek authorities to get that agreement as quickly as possible. there are some time constraints. there are liquidity constraints,

but hopefully we'll reach an agreement before time or money runs out. >> reporter: so greece muls wait a little longer, try a little harder to get its hands on an $8 billion slice of aid. but there isn't much time the existing bailout program expires at the end of june and in the meantime with few other sources of revenue available, the government must pay public sector salaries and billions in loan repayments that fall due over the course of the next few months. greece is under immense pressure to reach a deal here. >> deadline by necessity are flexible, but our red lines and their red lines is important now. >> reporter: the government insists it will stick to its red lines, no more cuts and no plan b. that's the promise made in

february. the problem is that keeping that promise could cost the government and greece the ultimate price. bankruptcy and an exit from the euro. and the greek debt crisis one of the topics that ali velshi is going to be talking about tonight on the premier of his new show. mr. vel shi good evening, good look. >> del, thank you so much. i'm just up the road from you, so come by our new studio when you can. i was in athens a few weeks ago. they are making that payment to the imf, but they don't actually have the money. when you are a government one source of income is income tax. this is a big problem in greece. it has had a decade's old tradition of people not paying tax. here is a little of what i learned. >> this is not just now.

this is 30 years old. it is a legacy. left from parents. >> reporter: last year the government announced that greece is owed $76 billion euros, about $82 billion. $82 billion in unpaid taxes. while tax evasion occurs across all income levels. it is most rampant across middle and lower income greeks. the new government has vowed to crack down on some 80 thousand rich tax evaders to bring in more net income. they have also brought on an anti corruption czar if you will. a few years ago, this man was

president of an independent organization formed to identify greeks who were money laundering through swiss banks. >> translator: i want to state that we already know how much money was picked up from greece and was transferred to switzerland or to other places from 2010 and after. we have all of the dates. we have the information. we know how much money was pulled out of greece and went to switzerland, therefore we have no problem with taxing it. >> reporter: this man is an associate at a law firm. he has a large extended family and like many other working greeks he hopes authorities won't bother chasing down the smaller amounts they owe. >> translator: the 400 euros is just enough for me to pay my utilities, rent and expenses like that. the rest of how i supplement my income comes from friends and family. so you do the math.

i don't have enough to pay taxes. >> reporter: but increasingly greeks acknowledge that to truly dig themselves out, the culture of tax evasion must end for everyone at every income level. so del think about this greece is in the hole for about $300 billion, 82 billion of that is in unpaid taxes. they do not hold out a lot of hope of getting those taxes. as you saw the guy who is in charge of fighting corruption thinks he can get 2 or 3 billion back. but they are hoping to change the entire mind set of working greeks to say, please pay your taxes. it will help us get out of the hole. >> with that imf debt paid who does greece owe next? and is the country out of the woods? >> not even close. the wire has been sent and will hit tomorrow. greece doesn't have that kind of

money. they got it from government programs and things like that. over the next three months more than $2 billion without the release of the $8 billion that jonah hull was talking about. greece is going to default within the next month or two, so they are not out of the hole. it is typical of this story, that they come to the 11th and 12th hour and there is no deal and maybe in the 13th or 14th they'll make a deal. >> how do you go about going after tax evaders? >> reporter: working class greeks are saying can you do me a favor and not start with me. start with the big businesses who we know have not been paying taxes. if we see action on that front, i'll tell you almost every working greek said we get. we're going to pay the taxes. go after the fat cats first and then come to us. if the government canproof they are getting taxes from those

evading it at the highest levels, regular greeks might do it. there is also an amnesty where you can make a deal to pay your taxes. >> ali "on target" presneers tonight at 10:30 eastern, 7:30 eastern right here. at least five people are killed in tornados last night. and others are still missing. kevin corriveau joining us now. and all of this part of a weather system that has been with us for days. >> we're looking at finally tomorrow the whole system will finally move to the east. we are dealing with flooding and snow with the same system and from tuesday through last night, we have had 140 tornados. i want to take you towards the southwestern part of dallas and watch what happens with this particular -- i want to put it into motion.

this is the thunderstorm activity that was responsible for the tornado. take a look at the damage that came out of this area. first of all we have aerials, and we are looking at casualties in this area. there are people that are still missing, but that doesn't mean that they are -- we're really looking at them as not being accounted for. hopefully we'll be able to get that total down and not have the casualty numbers go back up. yesterday it was always about parts of iowa and south dakota. it was an ef-3 tornado. that means we saw winds of 136, up to 165 miles per hour. the big threat now across parts of texas is going to be the flooding. the storm system is pushing to the south, south of san antonio. the big problem is all of that rain is going to start to move back up to the north. tonight' we are watching what is

happening across the ohio river valley. earlier we did have tornado warnings go through columbus ohio, no tornado was report across that region. tomorrow we're looking at heavy rain across the south. that's where the flooding is going to come across parts of texas. and won't be better through the rest of the week. coming up the white house announcing a plan for drilling off of the coast of alaska. plus the governor of new york creating a task force to investigate harsh conditions at of all places nail sawlons.

in just a few weeks, oil companies could begin drilling in the arctic ocean. shell was awarded conditional approval to drill for oil and gas. jake ward is in berkeley california, and why is shell so

interested in the arctic? >> good evening, del. it's clear in theory at least, why any oil company would want to drill in this place. the arctic sort of as a whole contains an estimated 90 billion darrells of oil and about 85% of that is offshore so it's a logical place to go. you really only have to get down about 150 feet. it's a pretty shallow place. the difficulty is just that this is a very very hostile, very remote environment. it's really like trying to drill on mars. >> and where exactly will the drilling take place? >> well, that is exactly the right question here del. the place is basically the northwestern coast of alaska and it's a very remote inhospitable place. there is a big walrus use area there, a designated habitat for

birds, the wild wife refuge is on the coast there, and shell hasn't had a great record of operating in this region. even in calmer regions, they are managed to ground on to the shores on new years eef of 2012 so it's just a difficult place to operate. and the real problem is the environmental stakes. the deep water horizontal disaster was a bad thing. a spill up here would be incredibly difficult. coast guard crews can't get up to save and push back oil with major equipment, except for place about a thousand miles away. it's full of wildlife. it's full of maritime mammals. and the stakes here environmentally very very high. the potential payday very very high. and that's why this decision

seems to be very charged. >> jake thank you very much. the nfl says it is suspending tom brady without pay for four games next season. investigators say the star quarterback for the patriots was probably aware that the team staff let the air out of the footballs for the playoff game. and they are slapping the patriots with a $1 million fine. refugees are fleeing to asia. more than a thousand on the shores of malaysia today. and why tens of thousands of people living in detroit might soon have their water turned off.

more than one thousand migrants in myanmar and malaysia arriving today. officials are saying most of the

migrants are ethnic rohingyas from myanmar, who have endured decades of discrimination there. >> reporter: this person paid more than $2,000 to save her children's lives. she says she was desperate to escape myanmar after her ethnic relatives were killed by soldiers. she never imagined the traffickers would starve and beat her family holding them for randsome until her mother paid for their release. her 8-year-old son died before they could escape. >> reporter: he drank sea water. there was no drinking water in the boat. >> reporter: she and her surviving children lived in kuala lumpur two weeks ago, joining us fleeing rohingya

muslims. this week about 2,000 more were rescued. hungry exhausted, and frightened after their ordeal. advocates are urging regional governments to take action. >> let us now come together. the country has to be open and transparent. you must start having good governance, and most of all, i think this can only be solved if we cut corruption once and for all. >> reporter: thailand which is a transit point for many traffickers is tightening security to try to stop the trade. the malaysian government says it is strengthening its borders, but is also cracking down on migrants themselves. goes are under pressure to respond to this rising influx of desperate migrants. but without an end to theset

nick tensions experts say more will risk their lives to reach a better life. and that landing in southeast asia was the united nations is talking about the migrant crisis in europe. the top diplomat says more needs to be done. >> we have to increase the level of protection of people we save and for this obviously we have a european responsibility that we are ready to take as commissioned, we are advancing proposals, i hope the member states will support. kristen saloomey has more on the appearance before the u.n. security council. >> she outlined the e.u.'s plan to address the migrant crisis which includes allowing more legal pathways into europe for migrants and dealing with some of the root causes of the problem. but the main issue that she has

before the u.n. security council is winning support for a million tear component to the e.u.'s plan and that is being able to search stop and destroy boats that are coming from libya, and this could include working in libya east territorial waters and also on the east line of libya, something that libya says it is not on board with. the foreign policy chief made her case knowing she had to have a comprehensive plan. russia has said destroying vessels in libya may be a step too far, but there are many issues that still need to be worked out. but the consensus is that something needs to be done to address this crisis and they are working on a resolution that they hope to circulate in the coming days. they are talking about nails in new york. the governor orders an

investigation into practices at nail salons. he is trying to protect manicurists from harmful chemicals. salons that don't comply are going to be shut down that move following a "new york times" investigation into the exploitation of salon workers. katherine porter joins us from san francisco this evening. ms. porter thanks for being with us. why and how has this gone under the radar for so long? >> well, about ten years ago my organization the california healthy nail salon collaborative was founded because asia health services and our organization, where we're seeing many nail salon workers and owners who often work every day in the nail

salon also seeing them with a whole range of negative health impacts. some acute impacts such as watery eyes rashes difficulty breathing, but also hearing stories of more chronic adverse impacts such as miscarriages and cancer. our organization has been focused on this community and working with this community to help make their workplaces and their businesses safer. we have been advocating for better laws and regulations and have been working on a volunteer program that supports nail salons that use safer products and safer practices. >> and if the workers there are getting sick is there also a concern that those of the american public who frequent nail salons could be getting sick as well? >> well certainly these

products have chemicals that as i said are linked to a range of regulartive health outcomes. however, due to the amount that workers are exposed to these chemicals, every day, sometimes seven days a week. sometimes as long as ten hours a day, certainly workers are going to be more impacted. but consumers ought to be concerned. especially women and mothers and fathers who are bringing their small girls into nail salons. we see girls as young as three or four years old in nail salons getting manicures and pedicures, and certainly young children are more vulnerable to chemicals, and so there is -- there is some concern for consumers as well but certainly even greater concern for workers due to the level of exposure. >> let me ask you this. is it a money thing. are consumers being charged to

little for a manicure and would money solve this problem? >> certainly if consumers communicated an interest and even an eagerness to pay more for services, that would certainly help the nail salon industry become more sustainable as far as wages and also as far as product. safer products are often comparably priced to more toxic products, but sometimes they tend to run a little bit more expensive, so certainly if consumers came into nail salons requesting safer products making suggestions that their local nail salon ought to start charging more for their services, we think that they would be a great thing for consumers to do. >> but that's easy for us to say, and i want to ask the question this way, diplomatically. how much of a voice do these people really have? what happens when the workers

complain even when they complain about the conditions that could cost them their lives? >> well our organization focuses predominantly on safety and health. we focus on the chemical exposures and work with both workers and owners and we all work together to make nail salons safer here in california. i can't speak to specific situations where there may be retaliation. there is certainly a problem within all job situations. there's always a problem when -- or potential for a problem when a worker complains about working conditions so that certainly is not unique to a nail salon. >> at least now their voices are being heard. >> yes. >> katherine porter thanks for being with us this evening.

closing arguments in the death penalty phase of the boston marathon bombing trial. today the defense rested, but not before it called death penalty opponent sister to the stand. opponents argue that he should be put to life in prison without parole rather than facing execution. three people were killed more than 260 wounded in that april 2013 attack. detroit getting ready to turn off the taps as many as 20,000 residents could see their water turned off because they can't pay their bills. bisi onile-ere joining us live from detroit. what is this about? >> reporter: if you recall last year-round the same time detroit's water department issued similar notices to thousands of residents across the city who were behind on their payments. this time the city of detroit has a number of payment plans in place to help those in need those who don't have any money

to pay their bills, but as you can imagine there is still a lot of frustration. this is how things stand right now. detroit's residents who are behind on their water bills will have ten days to sign up for a payment assistant plan or their service will be shut off. detroit's water department began this aggressive approach to collecting on overdue payments back in the spring of 2014. and it sparked outrage. the city eventually rolled out a payment plan and offered financial assistance to those in need but today it's estimated that a number of about 20,000 residents are still past due. >> last year the critics saying that turning off that water was a violation of human rights. what is the city doing differently this year? are we seeing a kinder gentler detroit? >> reporter: yeah, del we

talked to a lot of different city leaders who were very active and hearing the complaints of residents. residents who were concerned about how they would live and go without water. and that's why the city came up with a number of payment plans. for example, detroit's water fund, which was set up specifically for this will cover up to 50% of past-due amounts for some households. but it's important to remember that this funding is only available on a first come first serve basis. >> bisi onile-ere thank you very much. baltimore another city in the headlines. the baltimore sun looking at records from the city's detention center dating back three years, they found that corrections officers refused to admit 2600 detainees taken there for health reasons. the documents don't indicate how

the injuries occurred or whether they happened in police custody. chile's president is replacing her entire cabinet today. as daniel reports, a series of corruption scandals and unpopular reforms have her fighting for her political life. >> reporter: the president was more than a day later than she said she would be but that merely added extra drama to her announcement. five ministers out. four changing posts. new bosses in nine departments. the president herself said her government needs a new impulse and greater transparency. >> she came into office knowing that [ inaudible ] politicians was very low. and now the real state scandal that affects her son has affected the trust people have on her, and that is going to be very difficult for her to

recover. >> reporter: the president gave herself 72 hours to reform her cabinet, to reinstill some trust in the team and she herself became tainted by the property scandal. but do the people have faith in her plan? >> no. no. >> translator: no no no way. we have seen it all. the country has to be governed by politicians, but we don't have confidence in them. >> we need a new system in which there are no politicians. >> reporter: there's a whole restaurant dedicated to mocking chile's politicians. that is perhaps no surprise with the latest opinion polls showing only 3% of the population has faith in political parties. and just 29% support the government. politics in chile, however, is a serious business. there have been tense

negotiations going on here at the palace and other government buildings, but with faith in this government in particular, and politicians in general having slumped so low, a simple shifting around the cabinet ministers may not be enough. >> it is going to be like an aspirin. the problem that chile needs to aide dress is the economic growth. there is no new employment creation, and many chileans have expectations. >> reporter: chileans pride themselves on their economic and political stability. they demand high standards of their politicians and expect results. the leadership is now under intense pressure to deliver. north korea could soon be able to fire a ballistic missile from a submarine. as harry fawcett tells us south

korea now warning the north against any further provocation. >> reporter: the technology is about striking invisibly frungd the water, but north korea wanted the world to see this launch. state media called it the equivalent of having a bomb strapped to an agents back. >> translator: we urge north korea to immediately stop developing this technology which hinders the stability of this peninsula and northeast asia. >> reporter: in the past the fleet of small submarines has been used for infiltration of attacks. a nuclear missile -- carrying fleet would prevent a threat of

a different order. it is likely to require a re-think of south korea's strategy of defending itself. still under development it comprises of a so-called kill chain, striking a missile on the pad just before launch. and a field of interception missiles. >> it's underwater. the system cannot detect that threat. so since that the navy will have to, you know, find the sub, and kill the sub before it runs any -- you know ballistic missile. >> reporter: the strategy is still effective, and submarine movements concept with itself u.s. allies. it is still unknown where north korea has managed to miniaturize a nuclear war head for use on a

missile. but this is a declaration of intent, and one that has rattled its neighbor. it has now been two weeks since the devastating earthquake that struck nepal. some residents saying the government is not doing enough to help the worst affected. that quake has affected one third of the country's residents. more than half a million houses were damaged. the u.n. saying at least 3 million people need tents, food water, and medicine in just the next three months. there's also a effort to rescue nepal's prized historic landmarks. >> reporter: there's a different tempo to the relief operation now more than two weeks after the earthquake. instead of attempting to save lives this pain-staking work is about trying to rescue ancient tradition. the temple dates back to the 5th century, and within it lies

pressure. but social media is spreading stories of wrongdoing. and another part of this country's rich heritage lies destroyed. there are rumors circulating now that jewelry associated with the dayty is missing. a priceless vest is said to be stolen along with other items. but officials say it will all eventually be recovered. the earthquake struck after the start of one of the most important festivals of the kathmandu city. this chariot shows a legend gives all credit to a rain god. the priest has to stay on board. tragically a nearby building that collapsed as the quake

struck belongs to him. his father and aunt were killed in it. even so he is unphased at having to stay in the chariot. >> translator: you can't call it a bad omen. it's a natural disaster. >> reporter: back at the temple some people aren't reassured. >> translator: we are cursed. >> translator: it has to be a bad omen. maybe the gods are angry. this should haven't happened. >> a lot of people are spooked. a lot of people are very scared. for somebody like us where we have the heritage of this valley, we have to get up and start ruling it again. >> reporter: no sooner has he spoken than the rain comes. despite tradition, it doesn't signal a restart of the festival. no one is sure when that will happen. andrew simmons.

therapy caw sew painting that smashed a new record. this is now the most expensive piece of art every auctioned off. and reports of crash involving self driving cars but apparently it's not the computer's fault.

♪ a picasso painting as just become the most expensive painting ever bought at auction. the painting selling for $160 million. but that's just where it starts. with the commission, the actual selling price is $179.3 million. tonight's auction just one in a series of major events at the big auction house that they are having throughout new york city. the buyers who you might not

expect al jazeera's john terrett. >> yes. >> it was really exciting actually. they were bidding by phone and online. there were very, very rich people in the room. and that's what they wered by-- were bidding on. let's take you straight there, rockefeller plaza. the women of algiers so why are these masters going for such record sums? $160 million i ask? so i asked the art dealer. >> most of these young collectors who have become billionaires are not collectors in the traditional sense. collectors in the traditional

sense would spend a lot of their living hours working, studying looking at art. these collectors tend to be more impulse shopping. >> yeah, he says in the good old days, by which he means the '80s his clients were doctors and lawyers. but now the market is being cornered by buyers who are young billionaires from silicon valley russia china, the middle east, seeing a good return on investment as part of any other part of their portfolio. they caught these people are seminars explaining which works of art to buy. sutherbies has a spring auction tomorrow night in new york. key paintings are expected to sell at other records.

michael macaulay says just because the top buyers are seeking a good investment rather than say buying a missing piece for their collections, doesn't mean that they don't appreciate them love them even. >> i think that the sort of -- idea that some people because are investing in it or seeing it more as an's set class, therefore they don't love it in the same way, i don't necessarily subscribe to that view. i think a lot of art today has tremendous asset potential. >> but caveat 'emmer to because we saw what happened in 2007, 2008, and if there is a meltdown these works of art will go down in value as well. >> john terrett thank you very much. >> thank you. >> john siegenthaler joining us

now with a look at what is coming up at the top of the hour. >> thank you del. drilling for oil in the arctic. the obama administration has approved it. what activists are doing to stop oil rigs from heading north. place a whale, and the debate over whether she will be moved from the miami after 40 years of captivity. also in los angeles more than a million people live in poverty. and now there is a move to give more than half of them a raise. and looking at the world from above, how one man captured pictures of some of the earth's most treasured designations

using a drone. those stories and a lot more coming up in about three minutes, del. >> thank you, john. google says humans were to blame for a string of accidents in its cars that don't have drivers.

hi everyone this is al jazeera america. i'm john siegenthaler. arctic drilling the white house approval, a big win for oil. critics say it's a bad deal for the environment. broken windows, the controversial police tactic under fire. >> it works. it is essential, and it will be continued here in new york city. >> a new debate over race and reform in new york. watershed moment. [ cheers ] >>