i was talking it mike mike viqueira. are the things that environmentalists got out of the deal outweighed by the losses of having yil exports in it. >> what we got out of the deal is basic commonsense provisions. support for the industries is bipartisan, by the way. we got an extension of solar tax credit and an extension of the win tax credit and support for the land and water conservation fund which protects forests and wetlands and some of the most beautiful places. for each of the measures, provisions, it's bipartisan support. they were leading the charge in favour of the win tax credit. >> it was the senator leading the charge from the solar tax credit. folks across the spectrum. in idaho and others leading the support for the land and water conservation fund. we shouldn't have traded the objectives to get something to allow for oil drilling. >> why are you worried about the export ban being lifted. st been something scuffed for a long time. what is the concern? >> we have to reduce dependence on oil, and you don't

mike viqueira is at the white house. what do we expect him to say, mike?reporter: this is part of a campaign by the president and top administration officials as we head into the holiday season, del, to reassure the american public. we just received a note that the fbi director sent to his own employees on the eve of this holiday season. his basic message is go home, enjoy your families, but when you are asked by your family what is the threat level to the united states? how should we be acting? his advice is to tell people, do not be afraid. there are things that the intelligence community cannot see, there are always threats that will be out there, and he cannot stop at all. but he advises people to be aware of their surroundings. to be aware of your surroundings, to be cautious at all times. and that is part of what the president is doing today. he saw him earlier in the week at the pentagon, and just about two and a half weeks ago at the oval office, trying to reassure the american people, and not incidentally trying to answer the critics who say he is

mike viqueira is live for us in the nation's capitol. mike who are some of the winners? who are some of the losers? >> reporter: well, del, first of all it appears that a new day may have dawned here in washington. is this a change in the political gridlock and partisanship that has characterized the last ten to 20 years in washington, or is this just a one-off. $1.1 trillion, and the remark nlable, del, it passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. 95 voting against, those were mostly fiscal hawks, conservatives, those with tea party roots in the republican party. 166 democrats, which is almost as much of a surprise, because a lot of them were against some of the provisions, notably lifting that 40-year ban on exports of crude oil. many democrats were eager to see aid or debt assistance to the island of puerto rico, of course struggling and teetering on the edge of bankruptcy for so long. but passing overwhelmingly. at this moment being voted on in the senate, where it is expected to pass overwhelmingly, and on to the president's desk. he has a press conference coming

mike viqueira is live in washington. mike, it seems sometimes like in washington they might be running out of words to say. >> reporter: certainly president obama has expressed his visceral frustration, del, over the course of the last year, after a series of horrific shootingings, hope that anything could be done in congress to curve gun violence. hope largely given up in the wake of the failure after perhaps the most horrific shooting of all, no one can dispute that the an -- the new town shootings at sandy hook in connecticut where those young children -- many people thought that would shock the nation, shock construction into finally moving on much of this legislation, much of which had been expired since the last time gun legislation was introduced. that during the clinton as administration. gun legislation advocates will tell you at a local and state level progress is being made, but very little sign of it here in congress. in the wake of he is shootings now, the battle lines firming up, ted cruz, the republican fir

mike viqueira has been watching the talks all day. , isil is just as much a part of that summit has the climate change wound up being. what did the president have to say about russia's role inside of syria. >> reporter: you are absolutely right. he had a press conference, and the press was free to ask anything they wished and isil as well as climate change dominating the line of questions there. it comes after another bilateral meeting between president obama and president putin. that meeting not withstanding, and all of the arm twisting and cajoling that president obama has done to try to get russia to stop targeting the opposition, and focus their fire on defeating isil. the president conceding for the first time publicly that that is not going to happen any time soon. that russia is four square behind assad. he says do not expect a 180 degree turn on russian policy any time in the next several years. he says this is going to continue right now the way russia is going. here is a little bit more on what the president had to say on the

concerns today about the tax and spending bill, she says, quote: well senior washington correspondent mike viqueiras live in washington for us. mike, give us some of the highlights of this bill. >> reporter: you know, it's interesting, this is congress doing the bare minimum that it is supposed to do every year, that is alindicating or appropriating $1.1 trillion in discretionary funding to keep programs running. the brinksmanship happens every year. this is early by most standards, but still no shortage of drama, as there was a government shutdown looming. among the victories for republicans here, something they dearly wanted was a lifting of the 40-year-old ban on expoerlts of american crude oil. this has been in existence since the 1970s. many people both inside government and outside say it had outlived its usefulness, america is now an exporter of refined oil and gasoline products, many people believe it's time for crude oil to be exported. that ban now lifted. it will have an impact on world oil prices, which as you know are already low. things that the g.o.p. didn't get -- and on balance man

. >> mike viqueira in the nation's capital today. did the president make his case, or was it, as the republicans contend, nothing new? >> well, del, you're right. it was a rare appearance. only the third time that president obama has given the speech in that setting. given the fact that it was primetime, and given the fact that it was sunday, unusual, and raising expectations that the president might have a significant message that he wanted to get across. of course his message was one of reassurance given to what happened in paris, san ,an san bernardino, citing specifically 9/11, but the random, mass shootings of ordinary citizens. the president wanted to reassure the public that, in fact, the law enforcement, the fbi, the administration were on top of it. they're taking all necessary precautions and all necessary investigations to try to head these things off. what he has been doing in a different setting teaching prudence and patience in the fight he said would be a long fight. what put everyone on edge and what provoked the pres

mike viqueira explains why president obama and so many others made the trip. >> reporter: tony it's art trip with an ambitious agenda, and there are doubts that end in the end and despite the best efforts will be enough to halt the rise in global temperatures. president obama's first stop in paris, an unannounced trip to the paris stage that saw the worst of the carnage two weeks ago. where mr. obama silently paid his respects. [ applause ] >> reporter: later addressing an unprecedented gather of some 150 world leaders. >> submerged countries, abandoned cities, fields that no longer grow. political disruptions that trigger new conflict, and even more floods of desperate peoples seeking the sanctuary of nations not their own. >> reporter: the goal is to get nations to set targets. mr. obama has pledged to cut u.s. emissions by 26 to 28% at the top of the list, china, who's leader has promised to halt chai in's rise in emissions by 2030. >> the two largest economies in the world, and the two largest carbon emitters, we have both determined it is our responsibility to take action. >> rep

we have reestablished contact with mike viqueira. mike as we were talking to alan schauffler the question i was going to pose to you, is this one seemed to be different. there did not seem to be much of a gap between the shootings and the rhetoric in washington. is it now the new normal that no matter what happens both sides are going to dig in and stick to the sound bites. >> reporter: that certainly seems to be the case. that part of the message, just that very scene, because as the president noted it's still an active investigation, obviously, and the motives could have been mixed. the president suggesting they don't know yet, but they will get to the bottom of it. he was getting a briefing from loretta lynch, and the fbi director, and others, but when you heard the president say we have to go back as individuals and do some soul searching, and as legislatures, plural, the president referencing that in washington the sides are dug. we have already been seeing people play to form. conservatives from the right side of the political s

as al jazeera's senior washington correspondent mike viqueira tells us, the rewrite gives states more say on education standards. >> the conference report is adopted. >> it's a major makeover that almost everyone loves to hate. democrats joined hands with republicans to make it happen. >> this is the biggest rewrite of our education laws in 25 years. >> championed by president george w. bush, no child left behind was a high watermark in federal oversight in education. >> it's a piece of legislation which believes in setting high standards and using accountability to make sure every single child gets a good education. >> from the start, the law was a magnet for complaints from teachers and parents, and a symbol of federal overreach into policies many believe are best set by the states, but congress struggled for years on a rewrite until now. >> we have an opportunity today to reverse the trend of the last several years toward a national school board. we have an opportunity to make clear that the future, the path to higher standards, better teaching and real accountability will be throu

we are going to go to the white house correspondent mike viqueira, standing by live, waiting for the president's address at the oval office. mike. >> 90 seconds from now we expect the president to appear on camera and deliver what will be about a 15 minute address. he has a tricky task in front of him. he has to reassure the american people and at the same time is not in a position to provide iron clad garnts -- guarantees that further attacks will not happen. in the light of french attacks, they said there's no credible threat to the united states, then in san bernardino, the murder of 14 individuals by people that law enforcement says was radicalized by elements within the middle east. they were under the radar. the administration, law enforcement is investigating what happened, and what kind of kak, if any, were made. whether these were lone wolves. this is part of the problem that the president faces. you'll hear him talk about progress made in the fight against i.s.i.l. you'll hear him emphasised need for a diplomatic solution, and that is the key to defeating i.s.i.l., coming to

mike viqueira live at this hour in washington, d.c. mike this is the 15th time now that president obama has had to make such a speech addressing a mass shooting in the u.s. clearly frustration from the white house. >> reporter: and president obama has said in the past particularly after some of the more high profile shootings this year, and there have been so many, that this is the most frustrating thing of his entire presidency. many thought that the moment was here after the tragedy, the unspeakable horror of the sandy hook slayings of the elementary school children so young dying at the hands of the individual. the president pushing something through congress and yet that effort crashed and burned as have so many other efforts. really since president clinton's first term. the issue is partly political. many democrats felt that the effort way back in 1993 lead to the defeat of democrats in congress, losing control of congress in the next election. ever since then it has been bad news for any advocates of gun control. even as the shoot

. >> mike viqueira in the white house, we'll be back with you >>> the threat of terrorism mentioned by mike was a major topic of conversation on this morning's political talk shows. david shuster is here with more on that. the president has been taking a beating, especially from the republican candidates. >> keep in mind there's less than eight weeks when the presidential caucus begins in iowa, as a result they are getting a lot of platforms, and made their voices heard. >> reporter: in the wake of the californian shooting, presidential hopefuls had the talk shows fighting a battle of sem onlyics. we have a problem with radical terrorism. you can say it or don't have to say it. we have a president not issuing the term. >> donald trump was leading g.o.p. polls, slammed with the culture of political sworn 27 march. >> if you have people coming out of mosques with hatred and death in their eyes >>> he came out in support of tighter gun lawses. >> in paris, they had no guns. they were like sitting ducks. >> weak language translates to a week response. >> call it what it is. a fight for wes

al jazeera's mike viqueira joins us now. mike, what is the president feeling so optimistic about here? >> you're right, tony. he said before he's in the last quarter of his presidency, and it was a bouyant president obama who appeared in the briefing room for that traditional year-end press conference. he was touting what he records some of his major achievements in 2015 and insisting despite his lame duck status there are plenty of items on the agenda for next year and at the top of that list, gitmo, guns and trade. >> with 17 prisoners said to be transferred in the coming days, leaving 90 still detained many are urging president obama to go around congress and use his executive authority to do what he vowed to do. pose the military prison at guantanamo bay. >> we've seen our guantanamo has been used to create this mythology that america is at war with islam. for us to close it is part of our counterterrorism strategy that is supported by our military, our diplomatic and intelligence teams. >> the move is sure to incense rep

mike viqueira is in washington. , he'll talk to reporters within the hour, what do we expect him to say? >> we don't expect any major announcements this largely mirrors what he did earlier in the week at the pentagon. the venue in this case is the message much as it was then, and much as it was a -- couple of weeks ago. he is speaking to a general unease, anxiety, and yes, the critics of president obama and his policy towards in his anti-terror efforts, his counter terror efforts. . those who feel he is not doing enough, those who feel he simply lashed out at critics without reassuring the public, and rest assured he is in fact giving all of the public appearances he has made over the course of the last couple of weeks, and the background briefings reporters have gotten, that is the effort here, the president trying to reassure the public to say he is on top of the situation. visiting the national counter terrorism center. it was formed after 9/11, del. 16 intelligence and law enforce agencies are gathered in this on

aljazeera's mike viqueira is in the white house, and this is not the first time that you heard this from the president. it was the oval office address, and i might forget one here, a pentagon briefing and then today. >> i think that you got it right, tony, president obama plans to go with his family on vacation to hawaii. but not before he eases fears and be responds to critics. heading into the heart of the holiday season, president obama again sought to reassure aning anxious be public. >> at this point, our terrorism officials don't have any specific and credible information about an attack on the homeland. >> reporter: at the same time, he warned of plots by lone attackers. >> because they're smaller, often self initiating and self misk, they're harder to detect. and that makes it harder to prevent. >> reporter: with security now topping the list of public concerns, the president has taken heat from republicans both on the campaign trail -- >> he leads from behind >> reporter: and from congress. >> with the lack of strategy and policy, there will be other attacks on the united states

mike viqueira has more. >> reporter: good evening, john, for president obama it's a short trip to paris but with an ambitious agenda. but there are doubts that the efforts will be enough to halt the rise in global temperatures. president obama's first stop in paris an an unannounced trip to the stage that was attacked two weeks ago. later addressing an unprecedented gathering of some 150 world leaders. >> sub merged countries, abandoned cities, fields that noening loer grow, and even more floods of desperate peoples seeking the sanctuary of nations not their own. >> reporter: the goal is to get nations to set targets. mr. obama has pledged to cut u.s. emissions by 26 to 28% over the next ten years. at the top of the emissions emitter, china. who's leader has promised to halt emissions by 2030. >> the two largest economies and carbon emitters in the world. we both determined it is our responsibility to take action. >> reporter: there was an informal meeting with russian president vladimir putin, and a bilateral meeting with the leader of india, who later touched on a chronic point of dis

and president obama told the nation he wants a close look at that programme as well >>> mike viqueira, thank you. the u.s. and cuba have started discussions on a major sticking point that is holding up the removal of the u.s. trade embargo. after the revolution the canadian government seized $11 billion from american citizens and companies. now they want compensation. jonathan betz reports. >> of all the photos and memories... >> that is my daughter. >> among the things they find most precious is far from view. >> reporter: you still have it. >> of course. >> old property titles locked in the vault, proof what was his was taken, and hope that some day he'll get it back. with those documents, i can approve that it was ours. >> when he fled cuba, he left behind a vast estate, home, ranches and a cigar factory. its photo to that day hands on this wall above his ancestors who built it. how much did you lose behind? >> over a million dollars. >> now, all these decades later, he hopes to get some back. as the u.s. talks with cuba. >> through the changes, some see as opportunities. >> such a

. >>> mike viqueira is lye at the white house for us, and mike, how soon before the president signs thiseal? >> reporter: well, the president leaves today for his annual holiday vacation with his family in hawaii. we expect he'll sign it as soon as it gets to him. what is interesting, tony about the way this happened is it came together with the rarest of rarest of words here in washington, a word that has become known as something odd, and that compromise. 95 voted against. that's a little bit more lopsided than people expected. the 95 mostly conservatives who felt this doesn't do anything for debt reluck shun, they wanted to see planned parenthood defund ed, a cap on syrian refugees coming to this country. none of that happened. but they got a lifting on export ban on crude oil. but it was a bipartisan compromise that is very seldom scene. 166 democrats voting for this, even though many on the left side had their doubts as well. the president expected to sign this shortly. tony, this is the minimum that congress does amid all of the hur rays and shock and perhaps surprise about the way

. >> mike viqueira in washington. a suspect is under arrest in connection with the attack in san bernardino. investigators say he purchased weapons used to kill 14. marquez is accused of plotting with san bernardino gunnaun syed farook on two other attacks that never happened. jennifer london is in los angeles with the list of the charges. >> enrique marquez is the first person charged in connection with the mass shooting that killed 13 people. marquez was arrested today and charged with three criminal counts. one of the counts alleges that he and farook conspired to commit an act of terrorism. neither carried out, but the pair planned to attack a freeway during rush hour, and planned to attack the library for cafeteria at riverside community college. a second charge is the unlawful purchase of two assault weapons, long guns, rifles used during the attack. >> the third charge claims that marquez defrauded immigration authorities by engaging in a sham marriage with a member of syed farook's family. four days after the

our senior washington correspondent, mike viqueira has been talking about it all day, and isil is as much of a part as climate change was, and what did the president have to say about russia's role inside of syria. >> reporter: the president is talking about uppity as he has many times. the coalition led by the united states has been conducting airstrikes in syria and iraq over the past year, but it's another country and their own airstrike campaign causing the controversy, and it's a source of disunity in syria right now, not only with its coalition partners but with turkey as well, and that country is russia. president obama holding his second meeting with vladimir putin on the margins of the climate at zone in turkey, and for the first time, president obama is saying that despite all of the arm twisting and cajoling that the war is not going well for russia in syria. do not expect vladimir putin to change course on this main sticking point between the united states and russia, and that's russia's targeting anti-assad forces, the backing of assad to keep him in power at the expense

mike viqueira is live for us in washington, d.c. >> reporter: this is very unusual for the brand newaker of the house. he has been trying to focus over the course of the last month, his speakership still in its infancy on what is going on in the house of representatives. trying to bring some reconciliation particularly in the republican party. this is not going to help. it exposes the rifts in the republican party. the majority of the republican party if truth be known who are very, very skittish about donald trump and have been, and this comment really puts it over the top. he felt compelled today. the question was put to him, and he was ready for it. >> this is not conservatism. what was proposed yesterday is not what this party stands for. and more importantly, it's not what this country standings for. not only are there many muslims serving in our armed forces dying for this country, there are muslims serving right here in the house, working to uphold the constitution. some of our best and biggest allies in this struggle and fight against radical islamic terror are muslims. >> re

. >> as mike viqueira reports from washington. any deal could face opposition at home. >> after two days in paris. president obama came it a sweeping conclusion of climate change. >> i think we'll solve this. >> the reason for the opt miss: recommendations to reduce output. while they agree with scientific consensus, it falls short. the president things there's reason for hope. >> we will have established a global consensus of how we are going to approach it. we can successfully turn up the dials as new sources of energy become available. >> portions of an agreement should be legally binding. at the same time he insists what emerges from paris will not be in the form of a treaty, which will require ratification by republicans in congress. that is a none start rer. speaker of the house frames it as a choice between estricting emissions and distrobs. -- jobs. >> they don't add up. it's clear. people want jobs. >> new york times c.b.s. poll suggests that the public backs the poll. two-thirds of americans support joining a binding agr

mike viqueira, al jazeera, washington. >>> negotiators in paris worked through the night to finalize a claims change deal. the penalty of france's there are as i will many difficulties to work out. the people at the summit describe a cautious sense of optimism that the strongest climate deal will be reached. >> this is the main negotiating chamber. hopefully at some point at the end of the week, there will be universal agreement a as to climate change. the gavel will go down at approximately 6:00 on friday, but these things have a habit of going on. >> this is the new slimmed down draft text, still a long way to go, i have to say. the number of brackets have been reduced from 700 to 300, so we're on the right track but it's going to take a while yet. there is this kind of idea of reducing the target, two-degree target to 1.5-degree. this text has three options, that's the sort of thing that this document is full of and they're going to have to resolve here. also the choice of words, shall or should or other or designed to implement or achieve or carry out. all those individual words

mike viqueira is in the nation's capitol this morning. the president did propose changes during his speech, but was anything new? >> not really, stephanie. what was new was of the setting and the timing of sunday night, the oval office sort of a traditional playing to the camera addressed to the nation, and you're absolutely right, the point was to reassure americans in the wake of the paris attacks and wake of what happened in san bernardino and also to answer critics who say he has been behind the curve and that isil is gaining ground on his watch. the president doing what he has done consistently over the past year or year and a half when it comes to the battle against isil, preaching prudence and patience in the fight, once again saying that to get americans involved sending combat troops into harm's way in this area is the wrong way to go. >> we should not be drawn once more into a long and costly ground war in iraq or syria. that's what groups like isil want. they know they can't defeat us on the battlefield. isil fighters were part

as mike viqueira reports, neither side got everything it wanted. >> after weeks, both sides used what has become a dirty word in washington to describe the deal. >> it's a compromise. i understand some people don't like aspects of this but that is the compromise we have. >> republicans want an end to the 40 year ban on exports of crude oil, an effort to find new markets for a resurgent u.s. oil industry. many experts say the ban was never effective in keeping domestic prices down and supplies strong and with a worldwide oil glut, lifting it won't do much to lower the prices at the pump now either. >> i doubt you see them go down two or 3 cents, so it will be a wash, although not negative for u.s. consumers. >> in return democrats got tax credits for renewable energy technologies in wind and solar. republicans gave up cherished goals, federal funding for planned parenthood, a target of conservatives who accuse the group of selling tissue for aborted fetuses will continue. after pushing for restrictions on syrian refugees entering the u.s., republicans came away with nothing. >> democra

mike viqueira has more. >> reporter: joining the chorus of criticism coming from republican leaders boththe presidential trail and in congress is the brand-new speaker of house paul ryan. relatively rare comments for him veering outside the direct business of the house of representatives. he's loathed do that. but felt compelled to talk about the proposal. proving to be so controversial. put forward by donald trump n his regularly weekly news conference on capitol hill they have it every tuesday when the house is in session. paul try juan was asked the question and he was ready with an answer. >> this is not conservatism. what was proposed yesterday is not what this party stands for. and more importantly, it's not what this country stands for. not only are there many muslims serving in our armed forces dieing for this country there are muslims serving right here in this houseworking every day to defend and uphold the cons tunes. some of our best and biggest allies in this fight defense terror are muslims. >> reporter: in fact, there were some 3500 american plaintiff muslims serving who s

mike viqueira you are ground zero on the debate. is there now a concern in washington, d.c. that there is such a proliferation of guns that no matter what is done on capitol hill there would just be a black market where they could buy them off of the black market if they could get them. >> reporter: that has always been the argument of those opposed to gun control. that has been an argument for decades now. i think there's a recognition on the part of the president and policy makers that it's not going to be coming from washington. you look at an event like this, and you might expect one reaction and oftentimes you get another. people have made up their minds largely on this issue. when you see the grim, the grizzly, series of shootings just this year, when you think about everything that has happened from charleston to oregon to san bernardino and to the unspeakable and unthinkable crime that happened in connecticut at the elementary school. if that's not going to change the atmosphere in washington, if that's not going to push the debate in one direction or another, most l

as al jazeera's mike viqueira reports, supporters say security concerns were behind their vote. >> in an often fifed u.s. house, closing a loophole in the law. >> we cannot give people from other countries special access to our country if we don't have all of the information that we absolutely need to ensure that they are not a threat to our national security. >> at issue, the visa waiver program, allowing passport holders from 38 countries entrip to the u.s. for up to 90 days without taking the extra step of getting a visa. it would require people from waiver countries who have been to syria, iran, iraq or sudan in the past five years, since the start of the syrian civil war and the rise of isil, to go through the visa process before coming to the u.s. >> the overwhelming majority of travelers who use the program are not a threat in any way, however, even a small number of individuals can do us grave harm. >> backers of the bill point out that 9/11 plotters and shoe bomber richard reed in came to the u.s. with waivers. it was the attacks in paris and concern over the 5,000 fighters w

but now mike viqueira has the latest on the latest state and is federal education standards. >> well,good evening, tony. 13 years in, and virtually all sides agree that no child left behind, the federal policy over public schools has to go. wednesday, congress handed much of the power over the public schools back to the states. >> the yeas are 95, and the nays 12, and it's adopted. >> reporter: it's an education law that everyone loves to hate democrats joined hands with republicans to make it happen. >> this is the biggest rewrite of our education laws in 25 years. >> reporter: championed by president george w. bush, no child left behind was a federal watermark in education. >> it's ate federal piece of legislation which believes in using high standards, and accountability to make sure that every single child gets a good education. >> reporter: but from the start, the law was a magnent of complaints from both teachers and parents, and federal overreach and policies that many believe are best set by the states. but congress struggled for years on a rewrite until now. >> we have the op

and mike viqueira joins us now, and this seems to have been spurred on by the paris attacks. >> you're absolutely right, tony. it's something that congress very seldom does, act in unit with urgency. 38 countries, most of them friendly countries to the united states, and most of them after fluent degrees from around want world. if you live in those countries and you hold a passport from the nations, you don't have to go through the extra scrutiny of a visa to get into this country. what the house and the senate are expected to vote on, if you have passports from those countries, and yet, you've been to one of four countries over the past five years, since the start of the syrian civil war and the rise of isil. syria, sudan, iraq and iran, you have to go through the scrutiny of getting a visa. the responseerbs from the house, candace miller from michigan, was on the house earlier today talking about her bill. >> we simply can not give people from other countries special access to our country if we don't have all of the information that we absolutely need to ensure that they're not a thr

. >> our senior washington correspondent mike viqueira joining us, the president calling on congress to do more in the battle against isil in stopping future attacks. many republicans say he did little to reassure americans. did he make the case for defeating isil in a way he had not done so before? >> del, i don't think there is any question that the president and white house are sensitive to the criticism every faced in the last two years beginning with the rise of isil itself. he referred to i have the as a j.v. team before isil stormed across syria and iraq taking territory much of which they still hold to this point. the day before the attacks in paris less than a month ago, the president told an interviewer that isil had largely been contained within iraq and syria. there are the perpetual charges against this president that he is a lot of, i think the san bernardino attacks and the allegation that it is connected to terrorism or as the president said, these two individuals, this man and wife were radicalized by the message they're hearing from isil and other groups kicked it u

. >> al jazeera's senior correspondent mike viqueira i go monitoring the talks. good morning.president obama say about this rising tension between turkey and russia? >> well, good morning, stephanie and good morning, del, president obama striking the same tone he has over the course of the last two weeks, of since that turkish f16 downed the russian war plane over turkish territory, even if it was only 17 seconds, landing inside syria, the pilot beset by turkman backed by the turkish government fighting the assad regime and killed. the president drying to deescalate tensions. no one needs to be reminded that turkey is a nato member. turkey could invoke article five, bringing all of nato to its defense if things escalated in terms of a military confrontation with russia. at this point, it doesn't seem to be the case. r.b.i. is taking economic retaliation, not military and vladimir putin is making a charge against turkey that it essentially sought to bring down that russian plane as a means of covering up turkey's illicit trade in black market oil from isil. isil of course grain

mike viqueira has more from washington >> reporter: after two days in paris, president obama has come to a sweeping conclusion on climate change. >> i actually think that we're going to solve this. >> reporter: the reason for his optimism, pledges from the nearly 200 nations at the summit to reduce output. and while he agrees with the scientific consensus, it would fall short of catastrophic consequences, and the president thinks that there's reason now to hope. >> we would establish a concensus on how to approach the problem, and then we can successively turn up the dials as new sources of energy become available. >> reporter: mr. obama said that portions of the agreement should be legally binding, and at the same time, what emerges from paris will not be in the form of a treaty. which would require ratification. that's a non-it starter. house speaker, paul ryan, said that it's between emissions and american jobs. >> when you weigh it, combine the obligations, they don't add up. it's very clear. >> but a new cbs poll, 2/3 of americans support a binding agreement to curb greenhouse ga

we have our heavy hitters with us, right now, mike viqueira joining us live from the white house to teef for us. mike, i'm taking notes, so there will be tests and quizzes later. [ laughter ] >> what do you expect the president so cover here? >> reporter: tony you are right, this is something of a holiday annual tradition here at the white house the year-end press conference. it usually goes on for an hour or so. it is held in a packed briefing room, because the usual venues are bedecked in holiday decorati decorations, and there isn't the room to do this kind of thing. remember what we're going to hear is response to some of the questions asked by reporters, but what you are going to hear from the president in his opening statement is trumpeting what he sees as his accomplishments no doubt, the iran nuclear deal, the climate change agreement in paris, the diplomatic opening to cuba, the tpp deal that was reached, that still has to be ratified by the senate. and the affordable care act. and looking ahead, tony. of course the president has a relatively early state of the union speech thi

. >> reporter: mike viqueira, al jazeera, washington. >>> defense secretary ash carter admitted today he used a personal e-mail account to send work-related messages. carter insists he did not send classified information, but he says he knows it was a mistake. >> particularly someone in my position and with the sensitivities about this issue should have known better. there were plenty of people during the time that you're taking office and so forth who explain to you what the rules are about e-mails, so this is -- it's not like i didn't have the opportunity to understand what the right thing to do is. i didn't do the right thing. this is entirely on me. >> carter is in iraq to meet with military officials. he stopped using his personal account a few months ago. >>> in moscow today putin held his annual end of the year news conference. the three-hour affair included a defiant pledge about the fate of syrian president bashar al assad. peter sharp has the detailed. >> reporter: this was a relaxed performance from a president who looked like he was enjoying himself at this annual event, a

. >> mike viqueira, al jazeera, washington. >>> house and senate investigators are now looking into defensetary ash carter's use of personal email to send work messages. he quickly admitted his mistake thursday after the news broke. >> particularly someone in my position and with the sensitivities over this issue should have known better. there were plenty of people during the time that you're taking office and so forth who explain to you what the rules are about emails. this is -- it's not like i didn't have the opportunity to understand what the right thing to do is. i didn't do the right thing. this is entirely on me. >> carter is in afghanistan today after visiting turkey and iraq to discuss the fight against isil. he says he stopped using his personal account a few months ago. he insists no classified material was ever sent from that attack. >> it is warm in the east but now all of that is changing. good morning again, nicole mitchell, how are you? >> atlanta a couple of days ago in the 70's, this morning in the 30's. i found one report of snow. snowflakes going by. that wakes you up i