>> this is aljazeera america, live from new york city, i'm tony harris. victory lap. president obama celebrates the lower unemployment rate and criticizes republicans. significant victory, julian assange claims victory. but the government disagrees. tackling homelessness. san francisco's $5 billion super bowl city. and entertainer, ben vareen.

>> the release of a january jobs report prompted a victory lap by president obama today. saying that americans are working, and the president said that the 5% unemployment rate is evidence of the economy's strength. u.s. businesses created 151,000 jobs last month, and that pushed the unemployment rate down to 5.9%, the lowest that it has been since the president took office, and it was accompanied by a rise in wages, up half a percentage point. >> we are recovering from the worst economic crisis since the 1930s. the worst in my lifetime and most of the people in this room, and we have done it faster and stronger and more durbibly than just about any

advanced economy. >> mike, hang on, it was a good report, we can all agree, but it wasn't great, was it? >> it was a good report, i think that's the bottom line, tony, relative to what people were expecting. perhaps lower than the 151,000 jobs created last month, lower than the end of the year, with robust growth of 200,000 jobs in each of the last three months of 2015. having hung around the white house pretty much the entire obama administration, the first friday of every month was approached about with apprehension because that's when the figures were released. you recall the president's first term, the unemployment reached up to 10%, and it was a great concern for political and economic matters. but things have been improve something as you put t. the president decided to take that victory lap. ever since the campaign

started, tony, it's clear that the president is annoyed by some of the presidential candidates who want to talk down the economy, and the president obviously feels its good. so when the figures came out, 4.9%, nearing what economists call full employment, the wages going up, and full labor be participation going up, and this despite the headwinds from china and europe, the president decided to take a shot at the critics. >> as i said in my state of the union address, the united states right now has the strongest and most durable economy in the world. i know that's still inconvenient for republican stump speeches as their doom and despair plays in new hampshire. i guess you cannot please everybody. >> doom and despair tour playing out in new hampshire.

and speaking of the campaign, tony, in the bargain, the president obviously hopes to tout the economy and boost the chances of the democratic candidates, whether it's hilliary clinton or bernie sanders. the republicans made it clear that should they succeed president obama in the white house, they're going to undo. of his items, healthcare namely, so the best thing that the president can do to make sure that his legacy survives is to make sure that a democrat succeeds him and to make sure that the economy remains robust. >> just four days before the new hampshire primary, and according to a boston globe poll of republican voters, donald trump is on top with 29%. senator marco rubio is running second, and ohio governor, john kasich is third, and democrats have senator bernie sanders leading with 54%, and hilliary clinton is running second with

41%, and 8% are still undecided. lisa stark is in new hampshire for us, and with four days to go, what's the word here? fluid is this race? >> i would say that it's very fluid, tony. because new hampshire voters really like to meet these candidates and like to meet them multiple times. they will have plenty of opportunity to do that over the next four days, and there's a democratic event with republicans there, and the democratthereare a lot of indeps here that are still making up their minds. as snow blank he wanted the state, the candidates did too. >> yes, we're going to move this country in a very new direction. >> we have a democratic president once again in the white house. thank you all, new hampshire. >> reporter: on the republican side, candidates held rallies in town hall events. >events.

only donald trump, who has been ramping up his campaign schedule, after a second place showing in iowa, was snowed out, stuck in new york on friday. trump continues to lead the republican race in new hampshire. >> a lot of trump voters want two things. one is that they're sick and tired of elites in their own party, as well as barack obama, and trump is really hitting a nerve with those voters. >> reporter: but trump support, around 30%, has plateaued. >> i won't vote for anybody but trump. >> reporter: the fight is ferocious for that number two spot. senators marco rubio and ted cruz have the edge, but cruz cannot count on evangelical voters who put him over the top in iowa. >> new hampshire is the second less religion state, and not far behind vermont >> reporter: marco rubio's good showing in iowa has made

him the man to beat in new hampshire, and the republican governors are taking aim. chris christie claims marco rubio is not ready to be president. >> i'm ready, as paul said. i've been tried, i've been pushed, i've been shoved and knocked down and gotten back up. >> reporter: while jeb bush, who has added his mom to the campaign trail, took out a full page ad, explaining why he's the better choice. expect them to gang up on rubio in the republican debate on saturday. >> we're doing something right and feel good about it. >> saturday's gop debate could approve pivotal, where voters make up their mind at the last minute. >> tomorrow, we're going to see chris christie, and we'll make up our minds. >> reporter: the democrats

duked it out at their own debate tuesday night, arguing about who is the true progress everybody. sanders is ahead in the polls, winning white men, and younger people, including younger women for hillary. >> i think that she's a great candidate and would do a great job. >> reporter: clinton knows if she gets the nomination, she will need the enthusiasm of younger voters. >> i know that you aren't enter me now, but i am for you, and will work hard for you. >> reporter: they're predicting a record turnout, 52% of registered voters will go to the polls. >> there she is, and i have a question for you. depending on the results, who

might we see drop out of this race after new hampshire? >new hampshire? >> reporter: well, that's a good question. john kasich, the governor of ohio said that if he doesn't do well, he'll go home, but christie and bush say that they will go onto south carolina. that's a good question, do you remember jim gilmore? he's still in the race. he had a couple of events today. so hope springs eternal. >> that's surprising, lisa, thank you. and have a good weekend. the white house today said that it's concerned about the deepening humanitarian situation in aleppo. this comes as secretary of state, john kerry, leveled some harsh charges at russia, and he called on the kremlin to bring an end to the bombing campaign in syria,. >> there's evidence that is clear that russia is using what are called free fall bombs, gun

bombs has they're known, and they're not precision bombs, and there are civilians, including women and children being killed in large numbers as a consequence. hospitals have been hit, civilian quarters have been hit, and in some cases, after the bombing has taken place, when the workers have gone in to pull out the wounded, the bombers come back and kill the people pulling out the wounded. this has to stop. >> kerry called on moscow for a continued push for a ceasefire in syria, that bombing campaign has sent tens of thousands fleeing from the aleppo region. they're trying to get to safety in turkey, but many are stuck at the border. >> reporter: the suffering is growing. tens of thousands of syrians are again on the move. those who have arrived to the turkish border are not being allowed n these people are from the northern countryside of aleppo. many of them arrived on foot.

many of them came with nothing. there's no safe area for these people as the government pushes ahead with a major offensive in the province. >> we left our homes because of the bombings by the russians, the iranians, and we want them to let us in. >> reporter: for now, there's no indication that the gates will be opened. >> officially, turkey has an open door policy for syrian refugees, but over the last months, strict restrictions have been put in place because of security concerns, and also, turkey has been under a lot of pressure, dealing with the 2.5 million sirrians in this country. but those trapped in the battle ground are also under pressure. villages and towns in the aleppo countryside have become waste lands. there have been hundreds of russian airstrikes since the ground assault began this week. and there of been dozens of

civilian casualties. the airstrikes are not just targeting the front lines. neighborhoods have been hit. people have abandoned their homes, and their livelihoods. the ongoing government offensive has cut through the heart of rebel controlled territory in syria, this has severed the opposition fighter's supply lines, but they're still fighting back. a number of factions have created a joint command and they're telling all to attack up arms. in syria, the last remaining stronghold in the north of groups described as the rebels. and this is the one remaining road that supplies the rebel-controlled eastern districts of aleppo city. for now, the costello road is still open. keeping it that way is viewpoint al, keeping 300,000 people supplied with basic necessary itties. it's the only way in and out,

but it's only a matter of time before the troops and the allies reach this junction. that would allow them to close the circle around want city and yes, another opposition controlled area in syria would find itself under siege. >> wikileaks founder, julian assange, is calling on the ecuadorians to let him leave london. as barnaby phillips reports, the british government is unlikely to let that happen. >> the sweet sensation of victory, that's how julian abs sanjulianassange said of this m. saying that he suffered. >> what right does this

government, all of the u.s. governments, all of swedish government have to deny my children, their father, for five and a half years? [ audio difficulties ] >> but the swedish and the british governments insist that assange is hiding from the foreign ministry. they were scornful of the panel's findings. >> i reject the finds of this

working group. made up of lawyers, and he should not be able to escape justice. this is frankly a ridiculous finding by a working group, and we rejects it. >> he posted thousands of secret united states government documents on the internet, revealing classified and often embarrassing details of u.s.. he fears that if he's sent to sweden, he'll be handed over to the americans. julian assange is in the news. the findings are awkward for the british government, but the police are adamant that if julian assange steps onto the streets of london, he'll be arrested straightaway. perhaps the british and the swedish and the ecuadorian governments will try behind the scenes to reach some sort of

diplomatic compromise. otherwise, it's still hard to see how this stand off will come to an end. barnaby phillips, behind ecuador's embassy in london. >> at least two buildings collapsed after a earthquake hit in southern taiwan. at least 100 people have been rescued. adrien has more on this. >> reporter: well, this earthquake happened just over four hours ago, at 3:57 local time. people were awakened from their beds. and this was a 6.4 on the richter scale. this was a powerful quake, and in 1999 there was another quake in which 2,000 people died. i've seen pictures of rescuers pulling bodies out of the

rubble. and we believe that there are several dead. that's not confirmed but it's being report bid the state media in china. it was felt on the other side of the taiwan straits, and china has not so far offered any assistance to taiwan, but in the past, they have been very quick to do so. oftentimes, despite the tensions between taiwan and china, the two come together. this all happened just a month after taiwan elected it's first female president, but she's president-elect and doesn't actually take office for another four months. the country is being run in a caretaker capacity by the outgoing president, so it's not clear who is in charge of this rescue operation at the moment. the rescue efforts, though, are continuing and they will continue for the rest of the day. because we simply do not know

how many people lie in those crumbled buildings. we know two buildings have collapsed and others are badly damaged. this is supposed to be part of the world where buildings like the one in japan are supposed to be quake proof. but looking at the pictures that i've seen, the buildings are completely destroyed because of the earthquake. >> all right, adrien brown for us in beijing, and thank you. pope francis and the head of the russian orthodox church will hold a historic meeting in cuba next week. this could be a landmark healing of a 1,000--year-old rift. it will be the first time that they meet since they split. the governor of puerto rico

has declared a public health emergency over the zika virus. the island has 22 confirmed case. one is a man with a syndrome. and one of the patients is pregnant. the officials for the centers for disease control are working with researchers in brazil to see if zika is linked to developmental disorders in babies. they allowed access to couldn't septembertives and abortion beings. zika virus has been found in saliva in patients in europe, but they don't know if it can be spread through bodily fluids. the summer games in rero are two months away, and how the city is preparing. >> reporter: with six months to go, here is the good news. unlike the preparations of the world cup, the stadiums are on track for the summer olympics in brazil. but the road to rio has become rocky because of the epidemic

of zika, the virus suspected to cause severe birth defects and neurological problems. although brazil's president has described the ep deckic as a serious threat, organizers have dismissed suggestions that the games be canceled or postponed. >> we have a city that's very well prepared for the olympic games, and very well prepared for public health energies. the olympics will take place in a time of year when the disease carrying mosquitoes are not active, though they deserve care and attention. >> reporter: though these are summer olympics, they will be held in the southern hemisphere's winter, which will be cool to warm. >> we're expecting the number of mosquitoes to decrease, and we have started a series showing us that during

wintertime, [ unintelligible ] >> reporter: but experts caution that less does not mean none. they say that you should always plan for the worst and hope for the best. that's what olympic planners are cupping on with the weather. warmer weather could ruin their forecast for mosquito free games. the other cause for concern, brazil's failure to clean up the bay where the water sports are to be held and it's contaminated with sewage, but they have promised to step up fumigation and other measures to protect mosquito breeding grounds to protect visitors, and 500,000 athletes will be coming to rio. she hopes for a medal, and plenty of insect repellant,

just in case. >> coming up next, incarceration and the mentally ill. it has long been a problem inside of america's prisons, but what happens when they get out? dramatic images caught on tape the moment a crane collapsed. woah, in new york city.

>> hundreds of emergency workers were -- look at this -- on the scene in new york city

after a massive crane collapse. the toppled 265-foot construction crane stretched for two city blocks, and it came down as the workers were trying to move it during strong winds in a snowstorm. one man was killed and three others were injured. we brought a story about special courts for mentally ill offenders, but more than 350,000 people are still in jails incarcerated. what happens after they leave? >> i have friends that have done less time than me, but they didn't have what i have. >> reporter: nearly two decades after her manslaughter conviction, stacy reentered society. she was set adrift in a world that she no longer knew,

homeless with her mental illness flourishing. >> the reality is that you might have two weeks worth of medication, but that's it. to see if i survived it. >> reporter: hamilton was first diagnosed in prison, with dress and schizophrenia. >> to be locked in and hearing someone two cells over screaming for their life because they're being raped and beat . it's impossible. for you to stay. impossible. >> the most rapid mental deterioration that i witnessed was in solitary confinement. >> reporter: mary ran ape mental health unit that has 4,000 mentally ill men and women, more than the state's four hospitals combined.

>> a lot of schizophrenia, and a lot of bipolar disorder, and inmates were most prone to brutality, and i was worried about getting those men to kick in. >> what little care she could provide was often better than what waited on the outside. >> it was a great sadness to me, because i knew that once they were released from the island, they were put on a bus and absolutely nothing. >> don't worry about transportation, i'll reimburse you. >> it calls for advocacy groups to step in. >> it puts everybody in danger. >> johnny perez works with the

mental health prompt, connecting clients with care. >> when somebody has been away from society for 20, 25 years, and charges them with responsibility on their own, it's nearly impossible. >> policies vary among jurisdictions, the new york department of corrections told aljazeera that they might need services and ensures attendance in programs, but perez says that he rarely sees that happen.

this is our american story. this is america tonight.

football fans countdown to

sunday's kick off. there are new developments in the store about the games. a new report suggests peyton manning over concerns of taking illicit substances. >> reporter: the washington post reports before this documentary aired source in the documentary who is recorded saying he helped give

drugs. >> there is a bunch of baseball players taking them too. >> reporter: apparently the visits rattled his parents and asked the daughter to call 911. >> there is somebody at the door. they said they're from law enforcement. >> are your parents there? >> it sounds like he is a private investigator. >> reporter: two days later sly. >> there is no truth in the statement made. >> reporter: manning did not respond. they told they were looking for more information and did not influence sly. he has not denied the claim that

the drug was shipped to his wife. he denied he used it. >> it's fabricated. >> reporter: the commissioner on friday said there will be a full investigation. >> we will work on law enforcement and we continue the investigations. we will be cooperative with everyone. in taking this seriously, we will find the conclusion and we will find our findings. >> reporter: all the athletes have denied. two baseball stars were named, but it was manning as the main. >> i find it is absolutely rubbish one of the officials for

n.f.l. is investigating san francisco is topping the super bowl. it is the poorest residents who could pay the biggest price, however. >> reporter: over a million people have descended on the city to be part of the festivities. >> reporter: this is actually one of the few areas where people tend to make their bed behind me here. you can see this has business displaced by the people around he. new encampments have sprung up

elsewhere in the city. this man tried to make his usual bed here but police stepped in. >> they pushed me away and said i couldn't be here. >> reporter: for the past two years, 6,000 people are homeless. this man who is 67 says he sticks to the down town area because it is the easiest way to avoid facing anyone. >> i like being here. i don't like going in further. >> reporter: it's not clear where people are supposed to go. this is a shelter here, but it hasn't been opened for the period of time that the super

bowl has been around. it is a journey to get here. it is a question of whether or not the plan will come into effect. >> services and the government have not done a good enough job. >> reporter: fans are here for the big game. but people have nowhere to sleep and the end of the games will see them back in their usually sleeping spot wet weather is causing problems. >> reporter: the last few years have been tough for this farmer. >> since 2011, we have had a few bad years in terms of

irrigation. >> reporter: now for the first time in a long time his fields are green thanks to the el nino weather system that is bringing water to california. scientists from the mountains say it is well above average for this time of year. technicians say there's temperature hikes since the end of last year. >> it is quite unclear and it doesn't look like it is getting normal. it would be very unlikely to get a drought there. >> reporter: no-one knows how strong the el nino will be, so people need to conserving water.

>> we can't say the draught is over yet. we're still in the rainy season. we don't know how much we will end up with, but people have to still try and conserve. >> reporter: form farmers can have water for this. >> we need to fish in the valley. >> reporter: officials say they're following the law. >> the law requires that water be provided for them. >> reporter: more rain to be good news for california, but there is bad news as well. el nino down pours cause flash floods and mud slides and already some areas are seeing some coastal erosion. this is some parts of southern california. there are also high tides and

battering waves close to the edge. authorities have asked residents to leave before el nino tumbles their homes into the sea here twitter is taking a stand against i.s.i.l. this is found to be connected to the armed group. they have been criticized in relation to this site. they have asked their teams to review the accounts. one of the largest dog sled races comes to an end tomorrow. more on the 21st competition. >> reporter: here where the world athletes are competing.

this week the competitors battle for $200,000 prize money. this is the largest sled dog race. here it is over 13 teams from around the world. this sport is more than a hobby. it is a way of life. it is a close-knit group. competition is more camaraderie than cutthroat. all you need is a dozen dogs and the ability to withstand extreme

cold. on saturday a new winner is crowned a tribute for man apparently suicide yesterday. he made 24 medals. he is survived by his wife and two children. >> the conversation is up next.

few entertainers today are as accomplished as ben varine. he was chicken george moore in roots. he was criticized to vaudeville actor. stepping out with ben varine and the ups and downs of >> it's about the journey. we have ups and downs because that's life.

it's how we deal with the downs that makes the up even better that's the essence of your show >> it is. it is a thank you for my audiences for allowing the opportunity to do what i do for them. had they not said they will by the ticket, i wouldn't be here today you're telling stories. >> yes about your career. >> yes the stops along the way. >> yes can we play a name association here and you give me a bit >> okay i start with the chairman of the board. i mention a name frank sinatra. >> yes. frank. he was wonderful, frank. he sort of - the last thing i remember, if anybody hit you, you tell me, that's what he said. he was a sweetman. he was a giver.

he was a mentor. the thing about frank-- that's where i'm going next. >> he made it possible for a lot of us african americans to get through the door because he said, hey, the cat works with me. during that time there was a lot of things going on in the business as well as the country and he said, no, we're not going to do that. so we thank you, frank, for that sammy davis junior. >> yes. my mentor. i first met him when i was doing sweet charity. i met him in l.a. i opened a coffee shot. we were doing sweet charity, the first broadway show. sammy went on the air and he said if there's any young african americans, in those days we were colored, colored people

to look to be in this business. >> i said to him and he said see my secretary. the next time i was on the theater. we went to london together and he took me under his wings. the things that people don't know about sam oo, i love to-- sammy, i love to tell this story. i was out of work. he came to the lot to shoot the mob squad. i was standing in the crowd. he looks and says, what are you doing? >> i started lying. this producer got this for me. he said, you're lying. no, i don't know what he said. he said he was doing a show of the rise and fall of billy baker. he said to come down and i did. they didn't want me in the show, director and producer, and sammy stood up for me.

he paid me out of his pocket. he would do things like that. he died broke. why? because he cared about us bob fossy. that's a huge name. >> yeah your career, for you and your career. >> yeah. i was standing at a news stand reading back stage magazine, which is our trade paper back stage, a newspaper. there was an article for an audition for a show called sweet charity, the same show, i went to l.a. at the palace theater when it was a palace theater. i walked in. it was like the opening of all that jazz. every male dancer in the world was on that stage. down the center aisle came bob, the coolest cat i've ever seen. we hooked up. i auditioned and he looked and me and said, see you in rehorsal

and-- rehearsal and we became good friends pippin. >> yes, bob again. i played judas in jesus christ super star. i was first nominated that year for a to my and i didn't know what that was. they said, oh, who is tony? bob called and said he wanted me to audition for pippin. i went down to the audition. i bought myself a suit and i had gator shoes on, blue tie and did my audition. so i read for him and he said the reading was not that good, but we will let you know. they called me and said they wanted me to do this production of pippin. i went to the agent.

he said it's a terrible role. >> i said but fossy is going to do it. he told me not to do it, it wouldn't make it did the ever make it. >> did the ever. doing it again. thank you steven zchwartz another one i want to mention to you, and i want to start with a quote, from wc fields. >> okay ready? >> okay >> burt williams. he and i have had quite a journey. i got ridiculed and got put down and was a man without a race or country for some time. i was doing the administration. i was trying to say - it is to

our halocaust. this was part of it. it was taken the wrong way. the people said - well, what happened was, frank sinatra is part of this, and he said it would go on, and the networks were in charge they edited your performance. this was abc, yeah >> it is important that the entire piece is shown. i showed it all and the pain of this man, it is important that all this is showed. they cut it in half the sadness that wc fields is referring to in this quote was not seen in that performance >> not at all coming up after the break, we have a responsibility to reflect society and the -- and

god's flowers.

al jazeera america. more now with our ledged. we talked about how he approached the famous role on the screen. chicken george moore >> for me it was about my truth. it was about our truth. i had for me doing the role i had to be authentic. that was a year of the long

ships. i never forget the city watching the long ships coming into the hudson, and tears ran down my face because of the fact that my people didn't come first class, second class. we came as cargo over the atlantic. we came to this country and we built. it is said isn't it the damnedest thing to be treated like a mule and turned into a human being. they took everything. we were stripped and they made us what they call servants in this country and we overcame it. that's because of our spirit within it. it is still with us let me bring you forward to this day right now. what is your view on the call by some african-americans for a boycott of the oscars ceremony

which is coming up in a few weeks, because of the lack of diversity among the nominees? >> i want a job. give us jobs. we need more jobs. the thing about it is this, and i say it often. in the beginning it says god created. it didn't say god manufactured. so, thereof, we are-- - therefore we are all aspects of that which created us. we in the performing arts, especially in those of us who are doing what we do here in the arts, we have a responsibility to reflect society and the bouquet of god's flowers so that all people can see that we belong together, we all are a part of it all. so i'm saying it is the responsibility for those in charge to make sure that they reflect to society the truth of

who we are. that way you won't have people pitting against each other it sounds to me that you're calling for greater diversity in the offices and the studios. >> yes spiritual enforcer. tell me what that means for you? >> we are enforcing love back on the planet through the arts. i have a program called wta wellness through the arts and what we do is we're going into school with the arts that have been cut away you're a product of it some >> yes. the first thing we do is cut the arts from schools and we build bombs. we're saying stop building bombs, give the art back and they will take back the bombs in their life time. when i did was in san diego,

they have an award, where are the kids? i was told the arts have been cut away from the schools. i said why don't we start a program and the have kids living with diabetes, obesity, bullying, two self-esteem to write a video and submit. we will give them $500. they will come to my award show, they will watch the arts and we will put them with a composer and they will put together a five to ten minute show. we did the. it is a big hit. it's in other areas and we're looking to move it across the country. it is a double kill here because of the fact that the kids not only get to experience the arts, but to talk about adversitys that they're dealing with. the child living with die bees should be the hero of the school

because that child has to watch what he eats and exercise. the whole school had this program. bullying, i was bullied too. you will stands up together as a united front thank you. it is a pleasure >> the honor is mine that's our time. i'm tony harris. thanks for watching. have >> thanks tony. we begin with the new hampshire primaries now just four days away. the candidates are crisscrossing the state, ratcheting up the rhetoric. for many, this is a do or die vote. lisa stark is live from manchester, new hampshire. lisa. >> randall, it is a mad dash to the finish line. voters like to see the candidates close up. there is a big democratic event tonight, the rli