water, until then, chili's dessert is bursting with life. roth manson, al jazeera. >> you can keep up to date any time, and you can watch us on the watch now icon. only a fully functioning house can truly represent the people. and that there are ever a time for us to step up, this would be that time. >> passing the torch, paul ryan taking over as speaker of the house and already has a lot to take care of. g.o.p. presidential candidates square off in a heated debate, their positions on the economy, now under the microscope. chaos and confusion of greece as a boat with 200 onboard sinks.

good afternoon, this is al jazeera america, hive from knock. congressman paul ryan has been sworn in as speaker of the house. the wisconsin republican took the oath of office just a few hours ago, ryan is now second in line to the presidency, he received the gavel after a majority of members voted for him. libby casey joins us live with more on all of this, tushes out ryan did get the support of most republicans in the end. >> that's right. he got 236 members voting for him, that's well above the necessary 218. a majority in the house of representatives. and there was really a feeling of ceremony, and the history of the house of representatives on display today. it was a role call vote, so every member had to stand up

and say who he or she was voting for. paul ryan's family was on hand, also on hand, mit romney and his wife. of course paul ryan was his site presidential running mate. so this was seen as a forgone conclusion, once he got through the tough hurdle yesterday, of getting the support of most republicans behind chosed doors. >> and you know, i also want to mention, that as paul are h will will. >> as he picked up the gavel, he made a speech, and in it we talks about trying to get back to regular order of congress. and that means letting the committees be powerful. letting members have decisions in those committees, have a sway sway and not just have it be a top down structure. take a listen. >> let's be frank. the house is broken. we are not solving problems.

we are adding to them. and i am not interested in laying we are not settling the scores we are wiping the slate clean. >> now what exactly that means remains to be seen. because ryan certainly has a lot of challenges ahead of him. but so far, both republicans and democrats are liking the way he is starting things off. jonathon. >> all right, so off to a good start, but now the big question is the senate is taking up the budget deal that would get the nation through next week, so is this likely to pass or not? >> we are expected it to pass, because it has the support of both republican and democrat leadership, and that's crucial. now there will be some decent in the republican ranks so we have heard last night during the presidential debate, people like senator rand paul, he said he plans to filibuster it, but you can

expect that to slow down the process, not stop it, and the timing is very significant the senator is under pressure, because the united states is set to hit it's debt ceiling next tuesday. so a lot of focus here of how quickly the senate can get it's work done. >> yeah, that deadline is approaching, thank you so much. republican presidential candidates are out ocampaigning this morning after a clashing in h their third debate last night. the personal rivalries were also on display. >> the night began with the debate featuring just four candidates, all trying to break out of their lower tier status, and maybe make it on to the main stage, and it boiled down to this. who would best be suited to take on hillary clinton. >> i am trying to solve a problem and win an election, i am tiring of losing, let's hoover running again, the number one candidate on the other side thought she was flat broke after her and her

husband were in the white house for eight years. the number two guy when with the soviet union on his honeymoon, and i don't think he came back. >> in this third debate, the focus was economics and finance. but disagreements over the moderators questions dominated the night is this a comic book version of a presidential campaign. >> no, it is not a very nicely asked question. >> when asks about his attendance record, he called out one for bias. >> in 2008, barack obama missed 60 or 70% of the votes this is another example of the double standards that exhibits in this country, between the main stream media. >> and a a discussion over rejecting a comment promise that would raise the debt limit and prevent a government shut down, senator ted cruz went on the attack, hisments echoed. >> this is not a cage match. and if you look at the questions donald trump are you a comic booken villain, ben carson can you do math, john kasich will you insult two people over here, how about talking about the

issues people care about. in a a question examining whether fantasy sports should be considered gambling. >> we have $19 trillion in debt, we have people out of work, we have isis attacking us and we are talking about fantasy football. >> aside from very heated moments between a moderators and candidates the g. o.p. main stage also zeroed in on their top democratic rival hillary clinton. >> it is the height of hypocrisy, for mrs. clinton, to talk about being the fist woman president whenever single policy she esspouses and every single policy of president obama has been demonstrably bad for women. >> on climb change, kristi positions himself as the best person to face off against clinton. >> what we don't doe is do what with hillary clinton and john kerry, and barack obama want us to do, which is their solution for everything, put

more taxes on it, give more money to washington, d.c., and then they will fix it. one of the more interesting exchanges. the discussion over how trump would solve the budget crisis and ben carson's tax plan. >> you can't can do it with empty promises. you know these plans would put uhl trillions and trillions of dollars in debt. folks we have to wake up. we can cannot elect somebody that doesn't know how to do the job. you have to spick ml1 c^ somebodien who has experience, somebody that has the know how, the discipline. >> both trump and carson have repeatedly been challenged about their lack of experience. >> he was such a nice guy, and he said oh i will never attack, but then his poll numbers tanks that's why he is on the end, and he got nasty. >> the next debate will be in a few weeks another chance for the candidates to contrast themselves t and prove why they should be the

nominee. >> in response to the criticism and the host, cnbc say people that want to be president should be able to answer tough questions. secretary of state john kerry and oh world leaders are meeting today over the war in syria. they are trying to find a diplomatic solution to that crisis going on now for more than four years. rye ran is taking part in the talks for the first time, their government is at odds over removing bashar al asaad from power. most of the participants still aren't here, john kerry arrive add few hours ago, and it appears as though part of the delegation has arrived we saw several cars diplomatic vehicles with turkish flaggings on them as they were driving past, but as far as we can tell, and we have no information to contradict this, the russians have not yet arrived, in fact i was told by a saudi foreign

minister, that they were expected rater this evening, really what will happen today is a lot of by lateral meetings and setting the stage for the big meeting tomorrow that's the meeting with iran will be there for the fist time, that's a very big deal, because iran of course a major power player, much more so after the nuclear accord was signed just a few months back, but also a big deal because you will have the two primary backers along with the primary backers of the syrian opposition, that's the u.s., the turks and saudi arabia, perhaps iraq the u.a.e., so once more we are seeing a reinvigorated diplomatic process. a solution for the crisis for the war in syria, but at the same time, even as this is going on, in this setting here in i have yen that, the

sitwithuation is spiraling more out of control not lessening at all and in fact, we are hearing reports that just today in places close to damascus can and in the south of the country, are being bombed. much more impetus to try to come up with a solution, but every time this has been attempted, it really hasn't yielded results on the groun ground. >> . >> well, the pentagon has sent another detainee home from guantanamo bay. >> he has been in frizz more than 13 years despite never being charged with a crime. he was approved for transfer in 2009, his release has been repeatedly delayed. there are still 113 detainees at guantanamo bay. china is ending it's one child policy. chinese state media saying the ruling communist party will now allow parties to have two children's miracle network. the move is designed to manage the slowing economy.

>> the announcement came at the end of the communist party four day gathering of it's leadership, mapping out the next five year plan. the strategy sets broad economic goals for the development, but it is the china the country's one child policy, that has been the most eagerly anticipated by many families. >> allowing families at least one parent is from a one child family themselveses to have two children now that is being extended towards couples. >> the importance of this measure is not so much demographic, in terms of encouraging vast new numbers of children to been born, but the lifting offing a highly restrictive and times extremely coercive policy. >> the one child policy. its cancellation will be popular, but a number of

couples like sam chow haven't decided to have another child. for them, careers and living costs are the priority. >> my wife and i don't have any drastic plan to -- for the second child. >> their seven-year-old son, henry, is in no doubt, he wants a sibling. >> i want a sister as well as the social and relationship problems associated with the generation of one child families, is the longer term demographic imbalance. there's a growing number of elderly people that need to be supported by a shrinking working population. to avoided one population crisis, has to be abandoned to avoided another in the future. rob mcbride, al jazeera, beijing. >> germany is criticizing austria's latest plan to try to control the flow of migrants with a fence. austrian officials say they intend to build the structure

along the border with slovenia about 10,000 people aday have crossed that border. the fence would be the first between two members of europe's passport free zone. more than 700,000 refugees have arrived in europe, this year in the greek islands the essential for more survivors continues after a boat carrying hundreds of people capsized the greek cost guard rest fewed nearly 250 off the coast, but dozens are still believed to be missing. 11 others including two little boys died yesterday. al jazeera has the latest. >> the fishing boats emerged from the darkness, racing into port with no time to lose. on deck, wrapped in blankets and anything else the crew can find, just a few of the survivors have yet another tragic sinking. they looked bewildered unsure whether to smile or weep and then the volunteers and

medics sprang into action. >> here we go. >> a young child was among the first to be passed ashore, apparently unharmed but shocked into silence. >> but many were much much worse. in the darkness it was transformed into an emergency triage center, strewn with blankets. volunteers tend sod the many survivors who look to been suffers severe hypothermia and shock. >> some appear to been slipping away despite the best efforts of specialist medics. a child wrapped in blankets was currently transported to hospital, in the arms of a paramedic. others were able to walk.

>> the small greek island has been received five, six, 7,000 refugees and migrants almost every day this sum. this is not the first sinking tragedy here. the residents are deeply effected by it. baby are drowning i can't hold back my tears. of course, it is a big state that must help. since we are small, and unable to do so, then they must do the job the people drowning are our own blood. yes, we are sorry, but what else can we do? shame. >> more poets arrive with more survivors, these in apparently better condition. like so many this year, that may never be known. en to been. >> still aehead, breaking down the economy, g.d.b. numbers are out, and it

doesn't look good for the your wallet. a teacher strike in one of the city's portion areas has students turning to other option os for their educatio education. >> option options offing offing offing option ooptionses option offing offings wrap wrap

. >> crews are cleaning up after a plane caught fire when a fire started under the left side wing witnesses had

to use slides to escape it isn't clear how many people were onboard or if any were hurt the all important third quarter g.d.p. numbers are out this morning and they show the economy didn't grow very much last quarter. al a al jazeera is here with more on this, what do these numbers mean. >> it was definitely a slow down, the economy lost steam in the fourth quarter as businesseses trend stock piled. third quarter growth clocked in at 1.5%, a sharp slow down, and at the bottom end of many estimates now the major drag on growth last quarter, businesses posted the biggest draw down of inventory stock piles in three years. another drabbing, exports. that was a big slow down from the second quarter as well exports have been hit hard, making u.s. goods more expensive to buy one bright spot in this report, consumer spending, which rose 3.2 pest, and while that was a deceleration from the second quarter, consumers are still

feeling confident enough to reach into their pockets and shell out for the big ticket items like cars and other durable goods designed to last three years or more. on balance, this was not a terrible report, but it was hardly gang busters to keep in mind, this is the fist look we will get two more revisions but certainly looks like the economy is stuck in the slow growth trajectory. >> not bad but not great. >> exactly. >> what is the fed going to do about this. >> exactly, and they held off again yesterday when they con clauses their policy meeting. have key is they dropped their language about the weak -the global economy. they have gone back into monitor mode, now right now, the market is pricing in about a 50% chance, that the fed could raise rates when it meets in december but very key to remember, that the fed kit leave the door open to an interest rate hike, and that will be the fist hike if it

goes through. >> a long time, okay, general motors in and it's largest union are closer to a final deal today signed up on a new contract, it now goes to the rank and file for a vote it calls for wages increasing and improved healthcare. there are 52,000 members at g.m. another strike in illinois means no school for thousands of kids again today. their teachers have been on strike for fearly a month. al a al jazeera reports that it is an area that can ill afford this stand off. >> these teachers walked out of their classrooms october fist. >> four use over a tentative contract that would have doubled the time it takes them to reach the top salary scale from 11 years to 21. >> there's been an atmosphere since this strike began, of the administration telling the etch tooers what to do. we expect you to go back and vote on something you voted

down. >> east st. louis is one of the poorest communities. half the residents live below the poverty line. the state took over four years ago because of poor performance. district spokes woman says the district needs to reign in teacher salaries which currently top out at $76,000 to avoided possibly layoffs and program cuts. >> we are not in a position to raise taxes and we already experience challenges with keeping one taxes that are higher than our surrounding areas we want to make sure, again, we are making a decision that is best fist for our students for the teachers and the district, and we have to consider the entire community. >> the students probably won't miss that much time in the classroom, because the school year will be extended the problem is they may not be as well prepared for standardized tests in the spring. >> to community organizations like the christian activity center are filling the void.

tudoring kids in math, reading and other subject still, high school junior says the strike has taken a toll on her and some of her friends. >> i don't thinkly be as motivated, because the school is like -- a failing system, and it's leak -- i don't think the school is taken seriously. >> but some teachers say students could be the big losers in the long run, if they give in to the district demands. >> my fee is that our district will not be able to retain teachers. because it is going to take them too long to cross to the finish line. >> the teachers thought they were close to resolving the dispute, but talks broke off they will resume again thursday. al jazeera east st. louis. >> what has scientists.

doing

property may be in el nino's path in h southern california. forecasters say this could be the west season on record. los angeles yea is prepaying for more flooding and more mudslides. but as at al jazeera reports, not everybody agrees on what needs to be done. >> this is what i cannot get across to go home. >> i have never seen this before. >> this is southern

california after just one brief storm. a warm up for what climate scientists are calling a godzila el anyone the owe. >> i was thinking about how i was going to go out the sunroof to get on top of the vehicle. >> roads closed, homes swatched with mud, cars swept away, a deadly storm forecasters say should be a warning. >> modus operandi is floods, mudslides, and general may ham. >> nasa predicts this winter'ses el nino, ocean warming that brings wetter stronger storms could break records. >> it is a little bit like godzila traveling across the landscape, and the sea scape from continent to continent. other the summer, los angeles cleaned out these basins to provide essential flood relief to communities that live below them. despite that, four of los angeles counties 14 flood control dams have excessive amounts of dirt and debris

that have built up behind them from past rains. putting cities like passes deena, at risk. >> pasadena is home to the rose bowl, one of the most famous sporting venues in the country, and it sits in the the middle of the dry stream, it was built as a flood control channel. the fee is if el nino brings more rain than the channel can happen, the stadium and 500 homes downstream, will be in the direct path of potential flooding. >> devil gate dam feeds into that flood control channel. the county wanted to remove more than 2 million cubic yards of sediment, enough to fill more than 600 olympic size swimming pools but groups sued saying bringing in heavy equipment, and dump trucks would increase pollution and disturb neighborhoods and wild life. downstream, along the aurora sake coe. >> i think in this case, we should have done something if we can avoided a disaster, we

have 110 horses here and it is going to bees quite a difficult task to get them all situated. >> it is too late to do inning. because el nino is around the corner. >> the irony with this possible godzila el nino, for years californian californiansn wishing for rain, now too much of a good thing could swatch the state in a matter of months. >> jennifer london, al jazeera, los angeles. >> a group of women are taking female empowerment to new heights. six russian volunteers began an experiment on wednesday to see how women would interact on a trip to the moon and back. the experiment involved some living together in close quarters for eight days. the i.s.s. has neff had an all female crew, and russia sees this as bridging the gender gap in space russia sent the fist woman in space back in 1963. well thank you for joining us, we will seal you back here at p.m. eastern, but

stay right here, because the news continues next, live from london this is al jazeera. ♪ ♪ hello i am lauren taylor, this is the news our live from london. coming up. barrel bombs are dropped in syria as key diplomats arrive in vee an for taupe-level talks aimed at ending the civil war. china tries to abolish its one-child law. u.s. house of representatives elects a new speaker. what does that mean for president obama? and we speak t