human stories. >> if you have an agenda with people, you sometimes don't see the truth. >> "talk to al jazeera". saturday, 6:00 eastern. only on al jazeera america. >> captivating the capitol. tragedy in saudi arabia on a day meant for religious celebration. hundreds die in a stampede in mecca, on the muslim holiday of eid. and a social media campaign to promote abortion rights. why women concerned about access are taking their fight online.

♪ this is al jazeera america live from new york city. i'm randall pinkston. it was a mow moment us to day on capitol hill. pope francis addressing giant meeting of congress, the first ever by a pope. in a nearly hour-long speech the pontiff spoke bluntly about several hot button issues, including immigration, the death penalty, modern day slavery, and traditional marriage. we'll have more in just a moment, but we want to update you on a developing story out of saudi arabia, more than 700 people have dead and several hundred more injured during a stampede in mecca. the accident happened in a large valley outside of the holy city. the government said the stampede erupted while pilgrims were

performing the final rights ceremony. it our correspondent is in mecca and filed this report a short time ago. >> saudi authorities, especially the civil defense authorities are sending more ambulances to my right. i just saw about five ambulances arriving to the area behind me. and also i heard the two helicopters and saw two helicopters hovering. i don't know if you can see the building behind me, it's actually the [ inaudible ] of the complex, it's a four-story building. there is a statement from the saudi civil defense saying the incident around 9:00 am this morning, an unexpected sudden rise of a number of pilgrims heading towards the complex, and that lead to a massive crowd, and pushing started and people

fell. we still have no details of what the saudi authorities say they will investigate how it happened, but i have to say the process has been continuing with no incidence after that tragic death of that big number of people that happened in the morning. i have to explain what it is. it is east of mecca, it's about 15 to 18 kilometers to the east of mecca. it's a big massive tent city. more than 160,000 tents are located there, and it's full of pilgrims. it's a headache for the saudi authorities to try to control the flow of such a big number of pilgrims. >> the hajj pill grimmage continues. let's turn back to pope francis's visit to the u.s. he is getting ready to leave for new york city right now, where

he will hold a mass this evening. a short time ago he asked thousands to pray for him and addressed members of congress. mike what was it like being there? >> reporter: it was special, i have to tell you, regardless of your creed and what you believe in a spiritual sense, it was an historic occasion. it was completely different from many of the leaders that we have witnessed over the years. a reverence from both democrats and republicans, a packed gallery of clergy and invited guests. something in there for everyone to love or hate. the pope talked about many of the hot button issues that he has not been shy about discussing some of the

controversial issues like climate change, and immigration. exsorting the chamber to take strengthe strengthers -- strangers in. but it was climate change that is a theme that this pope has come back to time and time again over the course of the last two days. let's listen to a little bit of what he had to say. >> i call for a courageous and responsible effort to redirect our steps and to eliminate the most serious effects of the environmental deterioration caused by human activity. i'm convinced that we can make a difference. i'm sure. [ applause ] >> reporter: environmental deterioration caused by human

activity. now you might imagine that republicans might scoff or boo or make some expression of their displeasure. but there was none of that. there was respect from both sides of the aisle, and it was the same when the pope spoke out against abortion and some issues that democrats might have trouble with. but look, the pope is a religious leader, randall, obviously, and everything was couched in a pastoral religious message. you got the feeling that the pope didn't care if he offended one side or the other, he was speaking as the pastor to 1.2 billion catholics around the world, and he talked about the need to come together in a spirit of cooperation, and he also talked about the hatreds between religions around the

world, and the need to bring people together. let's listen. >> a delicate balance is required to combat violence, perpetrated in the name of a religion, an ideology, or an economic system, while also safe parting religion, intellectual, and individual froo-- freedoms. [ applause ] >> >> reporter: as you noted waiting for him on the west front, among them, several hundred out there, some of the ones who weren't lucky enough to be in the chamber, each member of congress were allotted just one ticket for someone else to come in. he was greeted by vice president, and john boehner.

>> mike viqueira on capitol hill thank you very much. and later you will tell us about his comments on immigration, and the tear that came to senator marco rubio on that topic. pope francis called climate change a problem which can no longer be left to future generations. addressessed those concerns again today. >> i call for a courageous and responsible effort to redirect our steps and to eliminate the most serious effect of the environmental deterioration caused by human activities. i'm convinced that we can make a difference. i'm sure. >> and today several environmental groups are in washington for a rally on the national mall to spread a similar message. ashar qureshi was there -- he was there this morning.

ashar how are organizers responding to the pope's message on climate change? >> reporter: good afternoon, randall. for months now, the environmental activists have been applauding his views and stance on climate change, and they have been pushing for this to be sort of a springboard to talk about the issue, and try to reach across the aisle to try to get legislation passed. and it's something that as we watched today, activists standing here, they basically streamed the pope's address to congress live on two jumbotrons, and you could see the crowd cheering and getting very enthusestic when we talked about climate change. we spoke to one of these organizers earlier. >> this rally is to show our solidarity behind the pope, and to amplify his message to our leaders, because he didn't come

here as a tourist, he came here on a mission to tell our leaders he wants them to take action on climate, and we are the public face of america, and we are asking them to take action too. >> reporter: randall organizes here say this was a very, very significant moment for them with the pope talking to the u.s. congress, bringing up climate change, something they have been fighting for, for years. and they also say that the pope represents somebody who can reach across those boundaries where people are having problems understanding the scientific evidence and reckoning it with scripture when they are voting for things as citizens, and that is something they say that this is one big step forward for them as activists. >> did you hear anyone there

saying that they think the pope's message will change any minds of those in congress who have the responsibility for legislative action? >> reporter: well, they say absolutely that's the hope. they think this is a defining moment as they put it to us. there is a lot of discussion and debate amongst people who essentially they say were very sceptical, and have been climate deniers, and this could really be a springboard for them as activists to try to get across to some of those faith leaders who can bring this message to people who ordinarily would not agree that climate change even exists. ashar qureshi live at the national mall thank you very much. an 6.8 earthquake just struck off of the coast of indonesia. there are not yet reports of

damage. the area was hit with a 7.0 quake just a few months ago. china's president goes to washington. he will meet with president obama today, cyber security, and human rights on the agenda. ♪

>> the homeless...

♪ >> the white house is confirming russia president, vladimir putin, and president obama will meet next week on the sidelines of the united nations general

assembly. top officials from both nations have been talking in recent days about russia's military buildup in syria. this would be the first face-to-face meeting between the two presidents in over a year. in less than an hour, the chinese president will meet with president obama. he started his u.s. visit yesterday in seattle, holding meetings with some of the leading tech executives. allen schauffler reports. >> reporter: at a round table discussion in seattle involving many of both country's best-known ceos, the chinese president spoke of opportunities and challenges. >> translator: china will open up still wider to the outside world. we will be firmly committed to

the strategy of opening up, and continue to draw strength from the world for development, and bring more benefits to the world through our own development. >> reporter: after that morning meeting, a trip north to a boeing manufacturing plant. the visit to the production line comes as china's official news agency and boeing announce a huge deal. 300 planes, worth 10s of billions of dollars another list prices going to chinese companies. with the jet maker committing to build its first completion plant outside of the u.s. in china. >> china is quickly becoming the largest aviation market in the world, and our partnership together is creating jobs both in china and here in the u.s. >> reporter: the president mingled with workers and gave a brief address. >> translator: but the chinese market is going to be a tremendous opportunity for international suppliers and

manufacturers going forward, and all of this, will create enormous business opportunities for american corporations, including boeing. >> reporter: the big zeal a hard sell among some workers. the local machinist union says it has grave concerns, but needs more details. at michael soft headquarters more talk of trade and business opportunities. >> the text industry wants to have continued access to the china market. the tech industry wants assurances that being in the chinese market they are not going to lose their intellectual property. >> reporter: a topic that will no doubt be on the table when the two presidents meet for talks in the other washington. volkswagen has a new ceo in the wake of that emissions

cheating scandal. the head of porsche takes over, succeeding the ceo who resigned after europe's biggest auto maker was caught manipulating emission standards in the u.s. european union leaders agree to give more than $1 billion to assist refugees. hungary is reporting a new record in this refugee and migrant crisis. it says a little over 10,000 asylum seekers entered the country on wednesday. meanwhile in germany, angela merkel says europe is still not close to finding a solution to the refugee crisis. at a german parliament session, merkel called for an expansion to the agreement. she called the agreement a first step. rob reynolds has more. in other news colombia has announced a break through in

peace talks with the group known as the farc. they have agreed to hold a special war crimes tribunal, and provide reparation for victims. seattle school district makes an unprecedented decision to stop suspending elementary students. find out what prompted the move. also regulation at home. why some states are proposing new laws to protect children who are being home schooled.

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to the isil position >> who is in charge, and are they going to be held to accout? >> but know we're following the research team into the fire >> they're learning how to practice democracy... >> ...just seen tear gas being thrown... >> ...glad sombody care about us man... >> several human workers were kidnapped... >> this is what's left of the hospital >> is a crime that's under reported... >> what do you think... >> we're making history right now... >> al jazeera america >> i died and came back to life... but yet still wanted to get high. >> i have prostituted. >> for drugs? >> for drugs, yeah. >> we're dealing with the worst drug epidemic in united states' history. >> she said "dad, please don't leave me here". i said "honey, i don't have any choice".

♪ >> at least 29 people are dead in yemen after a bomb went off in a crowded mosque in sana'a. they had gathered there for eid prayers. dozens of worshippers suffered severe injuries. another legal setback for kentucky county clerk kim davis, a federal judge has once again denied her a stay over his order requiring her office to issue marriage licenses. davis's attorney says she has made a good faith effort to comply with court orders. several couples filed a lawsuit saying she interfered by taking her name off of their marriage licenses. a new online program aims to end some of the criticism against planned parenthood. it is using social media to talk

about women's reproductive issues. >>eporter: it's an attention grabbing hashtag gone viral, shout your abortion. o >> i started to feel as though there was a disparity about how i feel about abortion, which it is in no way immoral, and i'm so thankful to have had access to my abortion, and i just new in that moment that i needed to sort of use my own voice to attack the stigma. >> reporter: the hashtag is prompting all sorts of reactions:

she says her experience isn't meant to invalidate some women's feeling after an abortion. >> there is nothing about the hashtag that is saying we above abortions. everyone have more abortions. all we're doing is elevating our own voices. >> reporter: she is not the only one speaking out about women's issues via social media, the cocreator of the daily show recently launched an app. >> i believe that abortion providers should be treated like sex offenders. we thought what if we made an app that looks like the apps that they use and then show them that there's hundreds and hundreds of people that are in some way, shape, or form, judging them, legislating against them, and not wanting

them to live the lifestyle that they deem a lifestyle they want to live. >> reporter: the people behind the campaign say they want women to have the right to have an abortion if they need it. states have enacted 51 new restrictions on the procease dur. the l.a. county sheriff has given federal agents to look into deporting immigrants in county jails. agents will only be allowed to interview inmates who have committed serious crimes. a new policy in effect in seattle. elementary school students can no longer be suspended. the school board approved the change last night. the new legislation calls on the superintendent to create plans for staff training. some states are introducing

new laws to regulate home schooling. 28 states do not require parents to submit tests or assessments to prove they are educating their children. some argue that means kids are not learning the basics. ♪ >> reporter: december is still months away, but this 12 year old is already rehearsing holiday songs with new york university's children's chorus. >> darn thing has gotten me all teary eyed. >> reporter: his mother has been home schooling her son for four years. the family lives in new york, a state that monitors home schoolers. hawkins says the family sort of fell into home schooling. >> we went through the first year, and i fell in love with home schooling. and so did he. >> reporter: some states exert little or no oversight of home

schoolers, and that makes it harder to detect cases of child abuse the executive director of the coalition of home education, her team collected hundreds of documen documents, and with that data she asked the question -- >> what would be the proportional number of fatality we would expect? and it ultimately found that the number of home schooled fatalities is higher. >> reporter: one child abuse case in new jersey made headlines. this 19-year-old was found on the straight weighing just 45 pounds. he was searching for food to feet himself and his three unfed foster brothers. >> did you give them my yes? >> did. >> reporter: new jersey state

senator says she was shocked by the case, so she tried to introduce a few home schooling laws in the state legislature. she said in all of her years in public office, she has never experienced such hostile backlash. >> we were jammed with phone calls. our voicemail couldn't take anymore messages. >> reporter: she eventually gave up on the bill. in contrast new york state has much more regulation, and that's just fine with hawkins. i do find it helpful personally to have some level of structure around what i'm expected to report back. she says the cases of gross abuse are harder to get away with while a child is attending school. >> abusive parents will always try to find a way to abuse. but home schooling offers them a powerful tool. >> reporter: hawkins says the

research is disturbing but too much oversight may not be the answer. >> if there are these one-off situations how can we look at that systemically, that's a good conversation, but the conversation i'm hearing is how with question make sure these home schoolers are doing what they are supposed to be doing. new video out today of an unexpected encountering on a california highway. this shows cars turning the corner, and finding a plane in the middle of the road. the engine failed. no one thankfully was hurt in the landing. that's it for us. i'm randall pinkston. the news continues next live from london. and for the latest headlines go to our website, aljazeera.com. ♪

>> many more worshipers injured at a stampede in saudi arabia. ♪ this is al jazeera live from london. also coming up. a moss income the capitol kill at least 25 people. isil claims responsibility. pope francis maybe as historic speech for the first time ahead of the roman catholic church. addressed a joint meeting of congress. as europe refugee crisis cons tens rise between croatia and se