fate mars. >> when earth is losing atmosphere, the rate of loss would be low. we don't have anything to worry about in terms of the earth as atmospheredisappearing on us the news continues now thanks. this is al jazeera america in yorke with a look at today's top stories. understand arrest, officers charged with murder after a shooting wounds a suspect and kills his six-year-old son. critical clue. annie gypped official reveals how the cockpit voice recordi s recordings. casting votes, myanmar holding its first democratic election in nearly 30 years. it's a hard breaking situation. should a child suffering from a terminal illness have the choice to end their own life? we will take a deeper look at dying with dignity

it is a most disturbing thing i've ever seen. that's how one official is describing key footage that led to the shooting death of a six year old boy with autism. >> reporter: state police moved quickly to arrest two police officers for killing a little boy and wounding his father. investigators say six-year-old was strapped in the front seat. his father was at the wheel of his suv in a police chase this past tuesday night. police say he was killed, his father wounded when the police officers opened fire on a dead-end street. >> both of those individuals

will both be booked on one count of second degree murder and one count of attempted second degree murder. >> reporter: initially they were placed on leave while investigators poured over 911 calls, conducted eyewitness interviews and review the crime scene. >> we took some of the footage. i'm not going to talk about it, but i will tell you this. it is the most disturbing thing i've seen. >> reporter: police have not explained why greenhouse and stafford were chasing him. initial reports that they were trying to serve a warrant turned out to be false. they say he had no outstanding warrants. this lady was his fiancee. >> i don't know what he was thinking. i don't know why he wouldn't just stop. he didn't do nothing wrong. >> nothing is more important than this badge that we wear on this uniform. >> reporter: state police say few was unarmed for more on this case, let's bring in vincent hill from

atlanta. thank you for joining us. so, mr hill, the chase happened tuesday. the arrest came just three days later. what is your reaction on the speed of this initial investigation? >> well, you know, i had to wonder what the head of state police said. the body cam video was very troubling to come to a conclusion of two accounts of second degree murder. there's something in that video that the public is not yet privy to that is going to tell this entire story because usually you don't see a case move this fast directly to an arrest. there's a grand jury proceedings, there's a shooting board, so many other steps before you have that arrest. so there's something in that video we're just not seeing yet now, i would tsunami every police department has different standards of procedures, but can you tell us in your anecdotal knowledge of national police standards, is there a general rule that officers follow when a

child is in a vehicle that is being pursued? >> well, yes. absolutely. each department has its own pursuit policies. for instance, where i was in nashville there were certain policies where we could and couldn't chase. i don't know the policies of this department, but regardless of what it is, there is such thing as officer discretion. i can't tell you how many pursuits i have been in, but i have terminated ones myself, not only for our safety and others, but we have to take into consideration that those officers - did they know the child was in the car. that's still speculation at this point. they could have used their discretion at any time to stop the pursuit let's tsunami that the officers did not know a child was in the vehicle. does that make a difference? >> it would depend on what the actual reason for the pursuit is, but what is troubling is the fact that now they're saying that mr few had no warrants. so if he had no warrants, you no

e, i would question what was the actual wren for the pursuit. again, you have to look at is it really worth chasing this person at a high rate of speed in a residential neighbourhood for something as simple as a traffic violation or for whatever reason. you know, even in it was a warrant, they're going to know where this person is and can get them at a later date i question what the actual pursuit was for you compared this case to the officer who shot and skilled walleter scott where video provided evidence. do you see a new trend here where police authorities are responding quickly when there is a video involved? >> yeah. i think so. especially if there's something that's questionable, obviously, in the wealther scott case there was and in this case. any time you're talking about a six-year-old, of course, that's very troubling and i think the head of the state police there said it best. you know, as a forwards it's hard to swallow that pill of why this little boy died. so i think there's something

wrong on that video in the society we're in now. i think we're going see quicker arrests as these come out let us be the first to take public notice of this. the officers appear to me to be racially mixed, if not african-americans. the victim was a white kid. what are your thoughts about-- >> correct how that dynamic may have played a role in the decision made by the police superintendent. >> well, i don't know that the actual race versus the age of the victim there was more of a factor in that. again, to lose the life of a six-year-old who was just innocently riding with his father late at night. that's a hard pill to swallow. so i'm sure people will play the race card in this, but, again, it's too questionable as to why they were chasing him.

i know the fiancee said one of the marshalls had a history with him. so all of that is going to play to the question once this comes out former police officer, thank you for joining us on al jazeera america. >> thank you. always a pleasure police in austin being investigated for a video that appears to show them pumping and kicking jay walkers. >> wow, what the - this incident occurred early yesterday morning. four friends tried to cross the street. they claimed the officers stopped them and tensions escalated quickly. two were taken to jail after they were restrained. the third woman handcuffed but released. the police department has said as is standard protocol the chain of demand will review the response to resistance and see what led up to the events captured in the video and whether the officers' actions were in compliance with austin

police department policy a solemn tribute at the crash site of the russian passenger jet. workers placed flowers and a child's shoe on top of the plane wreckage. at the same time egyptian officials confirmed there was a loud noise heard in the last second of a cockpit voice recorder. al jazeera's paul brennan reports. >> reporter: it has been seven days since metrojet 9266 fell out of the sky taking 224 people to their deaths. flowers were laid on saturday at the crash site in the desert. after a week of leaks and rumors and speculation, finally an official statement from the egyptian crash investigators. >> debris is scattered over a wide area, more than 13 kilometres in length, which is consistent with an inflight break up. some parts of the wreckage are missing and it is hoped to locate them in the incoming

days. >> reporter: the lead investigator confirmed that metrojet flight 9268 was 23 minutes and 14 seconds into its journey. it had reached an altitude of 30,888 feet and was still climbing. it was travelling at 281 knots. the auto pilot had been engaged. everything seemed normal. then catastrophe on the cockpit voice recorder. >> a noise was heard in the last second of the cvr recording. a speck trail analysis will be - shall spectral analysis will be carried out by specialised labs in order to identify the nature of this noise a team of 47 investigators from five countries are working on the various aspects of the inquiry. an additional group of air bus advisers brings the total to 58 people. there was no mention of whether the debris was measured for

trace explode sieves. no time has been given for the analysis. the effort to bring tourists out of egypt will continue. at the airport, the scenes have calmed down considerably. thousands of stranded tourists are being told to wait in the resort and not come to the airport until a plane becomes available for them. not everyone is fleeing. the foreign minister of hungary is ensuring his egyptian counterpart that they will not make egypt off limits. >> these decisions can have very serious consequences and currently what i see is that no one has provided us with any kind of evidence that would have made me to put a travel ban on egypt. until i'm not provided with any kind of such evidence, i will not make that kind of decision, you can be sure about that but there is much we cannot be sure of. questions still to be answered

about what happened to this plane, missing wreckage must be found, complex analysis conducted, and if it was a bomb, those responsible must be identified. paul brennan harsh words for russia today from u.s. defense secretary ash carter in a speech at the ronald regan presidential library. carter accused the former cold war enemy of endangering the world order. >> in europe russia has been violating sosereignfy and actively trying to intimidate the baltic states. proceed longing a civil war that fuels the extremist russia claims to oppose. at sea, in the air, in space and in cyber space, russian actors have engaged in challenging activities. most disturbing moscow's nuclear

say behr rattling mazes questions about russia's leaders' commitment to stability. their respect for norms against the use of nuclear weapons, and whether they respect the profound caution nuclear age leaders showed with regard to the brandishing of nuclear weapons. we do not seek a cold let alone a hot war with russia. we do not seek to make russia an enemy, but make no mistake, the united states will defend our interests and our allies, the principle international order and the positive future it affords us all. we're taking a strong and balancesd approach to deter russia's aggression and to help the vulnerabilities of partners. we're adopting our posture and contingency plans as we on our own and with allies, work to deter russia's rationa

aggression the u.s. is addressing the russian threat in a variety of ways, including modern eyeing american's long range bombers and arsenal. it has been an historic day for china and taiwan as leaders met for the first time in 66 years. the meeting held in sin important lasted less than an hour. it's ahead of january's election in taiwan where opposition is said to knock the party out of its leadership position. reporting from singapore. >> reporter: security was tight in anticipation of the leaders' aa rival. armed personnel at the ready, the government here taking no chances for the leader of china and taiwan. president president xi jinping was the first to arrive and then president ma. just take a look at the press that have arrived. over 500 of them across asia-pacific and the rest of the

world. they will be looking at every handshake and pipelle and wondering what the impact of this meeting will be on both china and taiwan. neither officially recognises the other as head of state. china sees taiwan as its rogue province off the chinese coast. taiwan regards itself as an independent country. by 1949 and after a bloody civil war, communists declared the people's republic of china in beijing. they created their own republic of china on the imed of what is now taiwan. the talks were a surprise to many on the sidelines of a regional sidelines in beijing, president president xi jinping dismissed any contact with taiwan. taiwan's leaders said talks would only happen if they sought benefit. he has much at stake. >> if president ma is able to successfully carry out this meeting, i think it would

certainly solid phi his legacy, his position historically and also, perhaps, harris scarfe post-presidency political life if he is able to set himself as a broker. >> reporter: his party who are flagging an opinion polls before election is due in the new year. president president xi jinping spoke before the talks started. he was very positive. >> translation: 66 years of development of the cross-strait relations indicates that no matter how much wind and rain, both sides have been through, no matter how long we have been kept away from each other, no force can keep us apart. >> reporter: the meeting lasted less than an hour. this is what ma had to say afterwards. >> translation: both sides should speak to one china policy, but we have to recognise that although there is one china, we agree to disagree on its definition. there are different interpretations. >> reporter: political comment day fors agree-- commentators agree this was a symbolic

meeting. the upcoming presidential and general elections in taiwan could see the anti china opposition taking power. then it will be back to the drawing board for both coming up later this hour what the new relationship between taiwan and china means for the u.s. 70 americans from the carter centre are among the monitors for myanmar's election. this is the first relatively free elections there in 2 ah years. aung san suu kyi is blocked from running, but her party is expected to win the majority parliament after half a century of military rule, myanmar moved towards democracy in 2011 when a partly civilian government took office. francis louis reports. the turn out is expected to be high for this election. >> reporter: yes. it is expected to be high. there's a general sense of

excitement. people are very excited to be able to take part in this election. now, they held - myanmar held a general election five years ago, but this is seen as something completely different. it is considered an all inclusive election because the main opposition party led by aung san suu kyi is taking part in this election. they didn't in the last election pause she was still under house arrest and her party boycotted the polls. she is already an elected parliamentian. she is going to be running this time as well. she is, however, barred from being president, but this is still seen as a more all inclusive poll. people we've spoken to are very excited to bea taking part in this. one person said today is a day for normal civilians because we've been waiting for this for 50 years. he is referring to the period when the country was under military dick day forship. it was five years ago when the

dick day forship handed power over to a semi-civilian government. it is dominated by former general. this is seen as a turning point. there are things to watch out for. whether or not the election process is being carried out credibly, whether or not the election results will be respected, because they weren't in 1990 when the opposition party won the election. of course, what happens after the election because you've still got may constitution that guarantees 25% of seats in parliament which means the military will have a continued role in politics to the best of your knowledge, has the military kept hands off or have there been any signs, perhaps, behind the scenes of some interference in the electoral process? >> reporter: well, the ruling party, and a lot of the institutions in myanmar are still dominated by people who

used to be ex-military. the election commissioner himself is a former military personal, so is the-- personnel, so is the president and many high ranking members of the military-backed party. so the main opposition party has filed several complaints about how they don't think this process has been entirely fair. they have fuelled complaints about irregularities in the voter lists, about how the president has been campaigning on behalf of the ruling party, and they feel that their complaints have not been dealt with properly. however, we have had the precedent as well as the chief of the military saying that they will respect the results of this election thank you very much for joining us. we will be looking to you for the election results. a human rights activists and policy adviser with the u.s. contemporaneous for burm harks

says that while it is historic, it is far from fair >> what about the lives of those who are suffering? millions of them. there are 800,000 to a million population. then what about the refugees at the tie tie lands border. then the displaced who have been displaced since 2011. 20% of the total population of the burmese people, who are not able to vote for many different reasons, and some of them in the states, they are totally pushed out the lives of millions of minoritys will not be improved by the election. the obama administration is expected to lead heavily on a correctional knelt in colorado to close the prison.

officials say seven sites in colorada, south carlin arcs and kansas has been assessed as potential locations. 112 remain p remain teep jail and ah 3 are cleared for release. the debate over right to die is always emotional. no more than when it deals with children. a deeper look at decisions by parents on when their kids are being allowed to die with dignity. another effect of the changing relationship between the u.s. and cuba. cubans are leaving the island in record numbers.

it's that time on saturday night when we take a deeper look. tonight we're talking about death with dignity. typically a difficult discussion on end of life decisions when dealing with terminally ill adults, but this time we're going to discuss children. al jazeera's richelle carey. >> reporter: his 14-year-old son alex is dying of a weak heart, a condition that has worse ntas in recent months. alex was born with heart failure when he was born. >> reporter: it has been a series of hospitalisations and painful medical procedures, include heart catheterizations. because he has autism he cannot speak and his mother says he doesn't understand what is happening for him. even doctors appointments are

terrifying for him. >> there's no point in putting him through his ultimate fear every day for the rest of his life. >> reporter: alex's doctors say his prognosis is grim. even if he were to have open heart surgery, he would need countless more for the rest of his life. >> his entire life would be medications, surgeries. he would have no quality of life as a child. >> as his marcids and guards- - mother and guardian, she decided enough was enough. >> there comes a time when you have to make peace in your heart and do the right thing for him. >> so she signed an advanced health care directive, also known as a living will. it says that if he goes into cardiac arrest again, he should not be resuscitated. she lives in al-alabam a who do not recognise these orders understand the age of 19. if alex goes into cardiac arrest while he is at school, dpin straighters-- administrators

will abide by the laws of the state not the directive >> >> they will put it in their record but they won't follow it. they say there's no policy, there's no law. alex is the first case. with the absence of federal or state policy governing advanced tribadyives or do not resuscitate. school systems have to rely on procedures that are in place of school. >> reporter: until the law changes, she says she has no choice but to remove alex from school because she doesn't want him resuscitated if his heart fails while he is there. >> he misss school, teachers and friends. to him not to be able to go and finish out the last days that he has, it breaks my heart. >> administrative straighters-- administrators are caught in the middle. >> he is a great kid and we love him. we're working hard with lots of different people to come up with good options for him to participate. >> i'm fighting for him to be able to have the comfort and the

dignity and for it to be okay for people to sit and hold his hands when he is gone joining me tonight is a law professor from south-eastern university and a philosophy professor. thank you for being with us. before we talk about whether or not young people or their parents have the right to die, let's define exactly what we mean. you talk about three different forms of end of life decisions. >> yes. the right to die actually considers - includes a number of different forms. as you said, three year primary. one is the kinds that we're talking about with the case regarding alex. that's the right to refuse treatment. people who are very ill have the right to say no, you can't touch my body and at the can refuse even life saving and life

sustaining treatment. the other two times that are generally making headlines these days are physician-assisted suicide, which is also called aid in dying. more correctly called aid in dying. that is the kind of situation in which a terminally ill person requests and receives a prescription that he or she can use to end his or her life when they believe that that's the right thing to do. the final form is a more active form of euthanasia by someone else which is illegal in all of the united states. that is where someone else takes that final act ending the person's life of course, in the u.s., o, regan bashing tonne and vermont is the only places where assisted suicide is correct. no statesa approve of

euthanasia. >> with regard to the right to refuse. no state allows youth youth euthanasia euthanasia as you said. california voted in a form of aid in tying, assisted dying. that will take effect from 2016. the right to refuse, every single state authorizes a person's right to refuse in some way, shape or form, but exactly what you said, it's a case by case situation in terms of when that right to refuse is executed let's move to the ethics of the issue to our philosophier. what is the underlying philosophy foundation for right to die and why do most societies oppose it? >> well, first of all, i think olds like to just change the way in which the question is posed. to talk about a right to die is very, very awkward. rights are typically thought to be some kind of protection

against the state or other parties infringing on liberty, but i didn't say not as if we have a choice about dying. we're mortal. so to talk about a right to die is odd. so i just want to make that note let me just clarify what i probably should have said is a right to determine the matrimonial home hat which one-- moment which one allows one's life to be ended. is that better? >> right. that's much more helpful language. i think that's helpful in the public debate to be clear that that's what we're actually talking about. what philosophiers have said about this is that certain adults are thought to be called autonomous, competent to make decisions about important life events in accordance with their own values. so, for example, the right to marry a person of your choosing, rights to association of various kinds are all premised on this

idea that we're able to make these important life decisions for ourselves. it seems some ironic to many philosophiers that we don't yet have recognised the exercise of our autonomy at the end of our lives where, perhaps, that's the most important decision we might make. it would be the last decision we make and we want to make it in accordance with the values that we've lived our lives with. now, you asked the second question, which is why people oppose it. the polls are a bit all over the place on this. again, getting back to the issue of language, it depends how you pose the question. should terminally ill adults, for example, have aid in dying. if you pose the question that, actually the majority of americans say yes. if you pose the question in terms of whether or not someone, a third party may kill a terminally ill patient at that person's request, that is active euthanasia, the majority of

americans oppose it the feeling of the country is that autonomy is so important and this is a very important area and we should protect it and the law should respect that with respect to this case, there's a dispute about the school's obligation to recognise the parents' order. is there a general guideline on this, for an institution no accept the dnr14s? >> well, i can understand where the school view is coming from. apparently in alabama it is unclear whether the dnr order would have any applicablity to a patient who is less than 19 years old. in many states it might be possible to have a dnr order for a patient who is 19 or who is less than 19 years old. the only thing would be that, of

course, it's not that patient signing the order or requesting the order. it is the patient's parents. the school district in the case of alex is really in a tough position. they really - you can tell from their spoken word there, that they really would like to do what is best for alex. i believe everybody believes that what is best for alex is to allow him to have peace in his final days and to not be resuscitated only to face more pain and more agony. however, they do have to worry about themselves. they do have to worry about their own liability. in a less than clear case, i can definitely understand why they wouldn't honor that let's now talk about the fact that alex's is not the only case raising eyebrows right now. there's another one in or oregan where the person is even younger. >> reporter: another case that has made national headlines is

that of 5-year-old who is dying of an incurable neuro muscular disease, cnt. she has undergone countless medical procedures since bursts and she has trouble breastsing. there is no light at the end of the tunnel and no hope nor a miracle to-- for a miracle to save her. her parents have a blowing, my daughter wants to choose heaven over the hospital, her mother shared the mother daughter conversations. she concluded that she made it clear that she doesn't want to go to the hospital again. so we had to let go of that plan because it was selfish back now with our guests. let's go to you, please, professor. talk about the difference between emotional adjustment and moral judgment.

her parents see her screaming on treatments. the parents understandably are upset. what does philosophy say about the inter play between one's emotions and one's moral judgment? >> well, that's a very, very big question. let me try and narrow it down in terms of what's going on here, and perhaps the best way to construct that is to talk about whether or not the parents' emotions will in some sense cause them to make improper and morally wrong judgments about their child. there are certainly certain emotions when we experience them in excess. for example, anger, envy, fear, that can cause us to misjudge all sorts of issues, including moral issues. but i think that many of our emotions, our emotions of love, for example, and compassion,

actually can embillish and amplify good judgment making. so i think the parents here clearly want their child not to suffer any more. now, i don't know what they're thinking is on the moral issue here about whether and to what extent they are justified in not theicing their child to the hospital. if they think that-- take the child to hospital. if they think there's a better option and they're convinced of that, so be it. that's the grounds they make their moral judgment. i don't think there needs to be in any way bad judgments because they're experiencing these parentsal emotions which are perfectly understandable. we would worry if they didn't experience those emotions back now to the legal issue at play here. we have been seeing some what we call straps on the bottom of our screen about the law in belgium which apparently gives some

minors the right to choose the moment at which they want to take their own life when they are terminally ill. what do american laws say about the age of decision, if you will, with respect to the decisions that a young person can make. i mean, obviously, there's an age with respect to driving a car, there are ages with respect to voting. what about age with respect to life and death decisions? >> well, in america it is a state by state determination, of course, what age is considered the age of majority for something like medical decision-making, just as it is with your driver's licence or with the age to marry. most of the states will settle right around the age of 18, but that doesn't mean that a child who is younger than 18 is totally precluded from medical decision-making. there is something in the handsful of the states that is called the mature minor doctrine. that says that if there is a

child, meaning someone who is less than the age of majority, who is mature enough, that is, who has the life experience, who has the intelligence, the commonsense, the understanding that is appropriate for making a decision, then that child could go ahead and make his or her own decision with regard to certain medical matters, including things like abortion and ends of life decision-making certainly we want to point out that there have been no-- by no means we're trying to blame anyone for anything. we're trying to explore important discussion. i want to thank you both for joining us and giving us your insight on al jazeera. thank you very much. >> thank you. >> thank you still ahead on al jazeera america, an historic day for both china and taiwan as the leaders met for the first time in 66 years. what this means for relations

between the two countries. and character controversy. why some people want the amorest college lord jeff to be put in the history books for good.

the leaders of china and taiwan met for the first time today in over six decades. the talks were held in neutral territory, singapore, and lasted less than an hour. president ma called for a reduction in whos tillity and

a-- hostility and a res illegal use with president president xi jinping. it comes ahead of the january elections in taiwan where the opposition party appears to be leading in the polls. jennifer harris is joining us now. she served as a member of the policy planning staff at the u.s. department of state and as a staffer at the u.s. national intelligence council. thank you for joining us. everyone is saying it was just a symbolic meeting. so if it's just a symbolic meeting, why even bother? >> right. normally, i think it's fair game no criticise-- to criticise process by the number of meetings had, but this case is really different. this is a situation where we have not seen these two leaders come together for, as you said, 66 years, and it's symbolic, though it is, it is a true first and many people hope that it is the first forray into a new

chapter what motivated president xi to make the visit? i mean, what do you think is behind the public rationale? >> so with these upcoming elections in taiwan, there's a real sense in main land that what is coming next is not going to be more friendly than the dance party they have now across the strait. so there's a pit of an hour glass policy to his urgency and something of a hail mary. anything to see if they can shore up the base of the kmt, that president ma's party which is traditionally more friendly to china do you think that president xi's visit will have any impact on the decision that will be made by the voters of taiwan? >> certainly this is capturing headlines and imaginations on boasts sites of the strait, but by and large taiwanese voters are linked to xi's play

so let's take it from the other side. is the upper house an unspoken threat that if you don't reelect ma, my buddy, that things many get more tougher in terms of the way we deal with you going forward? >> absolutely. you've seen china attempt exactly that threat in various ways. some subtle and some not. you might recall back in 1996 on the eve of taiwan's elections, you had china actually firing missiles into the strait a symbolic message. >> yeah. exactly. exactly. so the fact of this being a much more of a carrot and a more positive gesture is, perhaps, progress, but president president xi jinping has been much more impressive than his predecessor in wanting to see a resolution of this frozen issue that really goes back six decades the issue of one china.

>> that's raiment. i think china and by extension u.s., are we comfortable playing for a draw. that may be the best to hope for here when you see china building these artificial islands and placing military facilities on them in the south sea, how does that factor into president xi's relationship with taiwan and taiwan's relationship with the u.s., which i think we still have this mutual defense pact with them >> that's exactly right. you've seen china prosecuted two-fold strategy. certainly there's the direct over tours to taiwan, whether it's miss aisles or friendlier gestures of the sort you're seeing today. that's one problem, but they also compliment that with a strategy. you've seen them method clew go around and predicate aid to

africa or latin america to dissa vow ties with taiwan. they have been very successful in isolating taiwan dip cloy mattically with the rest of the world. it is really about the u.s. and a handsful of other small countries at this point who recognise taiwan. so continuing to do so and standing as a partner is really one of the major life lines that taiwan has left do you think it means that the u. s will have to step up the military presence in the south china sea if, in fact, it's going to be a rational bullwork against china's expansion? >> i think the u.s. will have to step up for many reasons. you really see in china over play its hand in that region and you're starting to see push back everywhere from japan to taiwan - to indonesia and certainly

last week's deployment of a u.s. naval destroyer was washington's latest signal that it intends to step up a little bit thank you for being with us. jennifer harris on the council on foreign relations sharing insights on the historic meeting between the leaders of china and taiwan. coming up on al jazeera america the latest on a freight train derailed that closed highways and forced evacuations.

emergency crews are on the scene of a freight train derailment along the river where dozens of cars went off the tracks. bnsff rail way say there were no injuries, but some highways were closed as a precaution. personnel are working to contain ethanol leaks from tankers into the river. the rail way says there is no threat to the public and a voluntary evacuation of nearby residents has been lifted. now to the weather. >> reporter: we were talking about a cyclone last weekend. that was cyclone chap making its way towards yemen. that was dangerous. i want to show the video that has come out of yemen of this particular cyclone. i want to talk about - there we

go. that is the cyclone last week. the flooding over two feet of rain, flash flooding was constant across much of the southern coast as well as eight fatalities because of that storm. now, very unprecedented that we would see another cyclone make its way towards yemen, but that's exactly what we're seeing this particular weekend. it has been since 1891 we have only seen three sigh clones make its way towards yemen. this is cyclone meg making its way almost on a very similar path. now, the storm is not as intense, but right now we're torqueing about an equivalent category 2 storm making its way towards the west and we do think over the next couple of days it is going to be making its way almost towards the exact place on the coastal parts of yemen. a lot of that area is still understand reconstruction and also-- understand reconstruction

and-- under reconstruction and emergency situation. by the time it makes its way across the coast, we could still be looking at an equivalent category 1 storm. this would only make the fourth storm that yemen has ever seen make a lands fall in that area. here across the united states, though, we are looking at the hurricane season ending in november and we're looking at two disturbances bringing a lot of rain to the area the number of cubans emigrating to the u.s. reached the highest level in history this year. more than 32,000 have made the journey. the surge has divided families on the island, many who make it find jobs and homes within weeks, but it has left families behind wondering how long they will get to the u.s. one woman says after seven months her husband started a new relationship. >> translation: i know if he had stayed here we would not have lost our marriage because we got along, we loved each other, we

respected one another. we loved each other. we understood each other. everything was for us together. for better or worse. we were never apart the successful arrivings in the u.s. have motivated people in the same neighbourhood to leave. still ahead a mascot controversy at one new england university. rsity.

two competing schools of thought at one of new england's

diverse colleges. those thoughts are around the unofficial mascot who is owned after a british commander in the 18th century. >> lord jeff re-amherst was, indeed, a reveered british commander in chief. he is the unofficial mascot. he had a dark side which is causing some students to question whether he should remain as the university's symbol. >> reporter: amherst college football team, the lord jeffs on the field at the start of a match. its parents weekends here and everyone is cheering on the lord jeffs, but not everyone keen on the mascot's name. >> i think it's deeply offensive. >> reporter: amherst college is one of the most presti debrox ious of the the mascot is sir

jeffs. the college is trying to stay out of the issue preferring to leave it to students to decide whether lord jeff stays or goes as mascot. >> it matters enormously to alumni who associate their time with the mascot at amherst and their love of the college and it matters to students. there are alumni on both sides of the issue and students on both sides of the issue. the discussion is what is important. >> reporter: the leader of the native american students organisation on campus, she says while the discussion is important, sometimes she thinks that's you will the college does. >> how many times can we have the same forum and discussion that we've had countless times at this point. i can't tell you how many meetings i've been to without any real actions. >> reporter: the controversy is not new. the washington football team has

the same. there's another team called midgets and adidas announced it would offer financial help and design resources to any teams that wanted to go away from a controversial name. this man is tailgating with his friends. his dad was on the football team and he says he is a little conflicted about the mascot issue. >> i do realise that the lord jeff, there's some negative historical connotations. i'm not oblivious to that by any means. i've always seen lord jeff just as a mascot. >> reporter: to be fair the name lord justify accident come up that often. sports teams tend not to have it on their uniform. you can finds it on t shirts and other items that can be bought in amherst. occasionally used in the college newspaper. the council is spear heading a discussion to have those references removed. ail poll has been organised for

december so students can vote on the issue. >> we intend to ask do you or do you not want to keep lord jeff as our unofficial mascot. >> reporter: so then you will know. >> we will have confirmed evidence. >> reporter: a few years ago a moose wandered onto the campus and that is suggested that a moose would replace lord jeff. a moose is at the home coming game. for today everyone is here just to support the team, whatever the name of the mascot that poll is not binding. the editor of the newspaper is prepared to stop using the name lord jeff if it turns out the majority of the students at amherst are against the name. so the moose could be up sooner than he thinks. not everyone is against the name lord jeff. it is a bit of a fight. the university are trying to stay out of it because they think it's really to be decided by the existing students and by the alums who, of course, other than pay a lot of money to help

the university out thanks for that. >> thank you thanks for joining us. i will be back with another hour of news 11 pm. genecide is discussed next. this is a film about neighbors who'd lived alongside each other for generations. it's an investigation into why they starting killing each other - in t