we also have no brussels, no belgium, but european towns, towns in europe, trying to find one another and to press, to put pressure on mayors and regional ministers to commit themselves to invest in bicycle policies. so those towns can learn from one another. as i told you, brussels, i have found several similarities with the two towns i have been getting to know now yesterday and today. we have about one million inhabitants. brussels is 10 to 10 miles on distance and i agree with what has been told here that that is in favor of promoting cycling because the distances are never too long, although we also have a difference of height. i mean, like amsterdam is plat as a pancake we would say. brussels does have some, well, ups and downs. an important issue politically is that we have -- we are, in fact, giving big gross national product to the country, 20%, although we're only 10% of the population, but yet most workforce is coming from abroad, from flounders, from outs. so they are coming in at 9:00 in the morning and the workers are again leaving to the north or the south of the countr

belgium, and others. some of the delays could extend beyond christmas day. >> there was no winter wonderland in belgium today, only cancellations and frustrations. brussels airport has the snowplows it needs and liquid needed to deice the planes. supplies were stopped. >> this country, like much of northern europe, has slowed and stopped. with problems on the main motorways and traffic problems growing. outside because -- the eurostar offices, the lines are getting longer. >> 8:00 or 9:00 or 10:00. it >> i am not sure. >> it is costing a lot of money. it will pay for them to stay in the hotel tonight if that is needed at eurostar. the costs are only going to escalate. in france, the main airports in paris cancel that least one- third of their flights. more snow is forecast for some of the busiest days of the year. >> our flight keeps saying on time, on time, on time. >> our flight was canceled. we were not told our flight was canceled. before, we were told it was on time. i am standing here wearing what i have been for three days. >> other airports are closed. even in australia, people traveling to europe fo

no planes could depart for heathrow. some of them had to wade in the transit area because they did not have a visa for belgium. >> we are ng to get some sleeping bags. it is not really comfortable, but we have no choice. >> we just wake up on the floor. on the floor. >> they are hiding from us. i do not know why. they should come here. it is called customer service. >> in frankfurt, stranded passengers at least at the comfort of camp beds. in heathrow, people had to do with heat insulating blankets. and the weather is threatening to disrupt some more long-term plans. >> we are supposed to get married on december 27 and we have been stuck here now 24 hours, told we're not leaving until tuesday. no offer a hotel or a taxi, no way home. >> the staff are really friendly, but they could have given a bit more water and food. we have not had any food. it is so expensive in the airport. we're spending money on our wedding, and this is cutting into it. >> amazing, the whole country grind to a hold for a bit of snow. >> not quite the whole country. some people are enjoying the weather. and those who have nowhere to go and just bee

no show during the presentations. russia beat the joint bids of the netherlands and belgium, spain and portugal and england.nother unexpected winner was announced for the 2022 bid. >> the winner to organize the 2022 fifa world cup is -- qatar. >> the small arab country on the northeast coast of the arabian peninsula bait outs the u.s., australia, japan and south korea. soon the persian gulf boarded a saudi arabia and it may be the smallest nation to ever host a world cup. but qatar is rich in oil. south africa just hosted the world's biggest sporting event over the summer and brazil has the honors for 2014. >>> nasa researchers are shaking up the science world today with an announcement about a new form of life found here in california. they examined bacteria from the bottom of mono lake near yosemite national park. traditional rules state that all life is made of six elements, including carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorous and sulfur. but these microbes were able to grove and thrive using the poison arsenic instead of phosphorous. >> we've cracked open the door to what is possible for life else'

no planes could depart for heathrow. some of them had to wade in the transit area because they did not have a visa for belgium. >> we are to get some sleeping bags. it is not really comfortable, but we have no choice. >> we just wake up on the floor. on the floor. >> they are hiding from us. i do not know why. they should come here. it is called customer service. >> in frankfurt, stranded passengers at least at the comfort of camp beds. in heathrow, people had to do with heat insulating blankets. and the weather is threatening to disrupt some more long-term plans. >> we are supposed to get married on december 27 and we have been stuck here now 24 hours, told we're not leaving until tuesday. no offer a hotel or a taxi, no way home. >> the staff are really friendly, but they could have given a bit more water and food. we have not had any food. it is so expensive in the airport. we're spending money on our wedding, and this is cutting into it. >> amazing, the whole country grind to a hold for a bit of snow. >> not quite the whole country. some people are enjoying the weather. and those who have nowhere to go and just been

no one to clear the roads. they are still sleeping or they don't know what is going on. i have been waiting for hours. >> western europe has not been scared either. belgium saw traffic jams of up to 500 kilometers mainly around brussels. france has been turned into a winter wonderland. that is short shrift for those who are stuck across the country. there is little choice for rail travelers like here at this paris rail stations. one of the three trains from brussels and the capital were stock -- stuck. delays and cancellations hit airports in paris, munich, and berlin. gatwick airport was closed for the second day in a row. there is no end to the traffic chaos in sight yet with more snow forecast well into the weekend. >> we have seen some very dramatic news on the soccer world cup today, there has also been a very interesting meeting in frankfurt. >> it has been a very busy day. this is a meeting of the european central bank. they are trying to shore up confidence in the european central currency. they kept interest rates on hold at 1%. this news was expected. they resisted pressure to commit to a massive bond program to contain the debt crisis. the pre

now belgium is wobbling and spain where the bond rating is lowered. interest rate shoot up as a result of nodence in them. in the end, euro is threatened. may end up with euro as the only way out because of disparity between strong and weak economies. >> bret: that is it for the pam. stay tuned for a good example of catching yourself. before you say something bad.

no more patch work. they want to see the e.u. officials focused on one core measuru will. but that's easier said that than done, because we we've got a division in the e.u. where belgium and spain are looking to pump more money into the rescue pot and germany and france are saying only about 10% is all that's been dipped into. germany's more in favor of giving extra powe to the european central bank to buy more got to the bonds. then the talk and debate over do they issue single european bonds? one single e. bond as opposed to these individual government bonds? so they've got a lot to talk about. as long as the markets don't focus on the division but the measures announced. >> the -- >> more on that shortly. >> thank you. >> let's take you back to our main story. julian assange, founder of wikileaks back in a london court as he seeks bail. this after prosecutors challenged bail by the judge. well, his lawyer spoke oths the high court just a few moments ago. >> today's hearing is entirely a matter [inaudible] there have been no changes in the circumstances. -- going to be very much -- earlier this week. and it's a matter for his decision and his decision alone. >> that

no-show. he has been dealing with the issues surrounding the wikileaks document. russia boat out the bid of the netherlands belgium, spain and portugal and england and england pulled out all the stops in its presentation. britain's prime minister, david beckham and prince williams came to zurich to win over the committee. qatar -- and even bigger surprise, qatar, the arab country on the northeast coast of the arabian peninsula beat out the u.s., australia, japan and south korea in its bid to host the 2022 world cup. it's bordered by saudi arabia. the smallest nation in fact to ever host the world cup. qatar is rich in oil and often first or second in terms of gdp per capita in the world. it's ruled by a family since the mid 19th century. the next world cup will be in brazil, they are held every four years that brings in a lot of attention and money to the area. the world cup was played in the united states for the fist time in 1994. setting a record with 3 and a half million tickets sold. reporting live in the newsroom, pam cook. >>> it is 8:16. in washington debate is you wereway other extending bush era tax cuts

now belgium is wobbling and spain where the bond rating is lowered. interest rate shoot up as a result of noin them. in the end, euro is threatened. may end up with euro as the only way out because of disparity between strong and weak economies. >> bret: that is it for the pam. stay tuned for a good example of catching yourself. before you say something bad. [ male announcer ] got a cold? [oughs ] [ male announcer ] confused what to get? click on the robitussin relief finder. click on your symptoms. get the right relief. makes the cold aisle easy. th robussin relief finder. it's that simple. oh, my gosh. oh, my gosh. ♪ [ male announcer ] you know her. we know diamonds. together we'll make her holiday. that's why only zales is the diamond store. where you can get up to $1,000 off now through sunday. bret finally tonight, vice president biden caut

no one to clear the roads. they are still sleeping or they don't know what is going on. i have been waiting for hours. >> western europe has not been scared either. belgium saw traffic jams of up to 500 kilometers mainly around brussels. france has been turned into a winter wonderland. that is short shrift for those who are stuck across the country. there is little choice for rail travelers like here at this paris rail stations. one of the three trains from brussels and the capital were stock -- stuck. delays and cancellations hit airports in paris, munich, and berlin. gatwick airport was closed for the second day in a row. there is no end to the traffic chaos in sight yet with more snow forecast well into the weekend. >> we have seen some very dramatic news on the soccer world cup today, there has also been a very interesting meeting in frankfurt. >> it has been a very busy day. this is a meeting of the european central bank. they are trying to shore up confidence in the european central currency. they kept interest rates on hold at 1%. this news was expected. they resisted pressure to commit to a massive bond program to contain the debt crisis. the pre