we will begin at ukraine's capitol where protests reached a new level. the movement saw its biggest crowds yet. ukraine is bitterly divided over whether it should grow closer with europe or russia. it triggered deep anger now directed at soviet symbols. al jazeera tim friend has the latest from kiev. >> reporter: the protest went on into the night. ukrainian nationalists celebrated the top elling of kiev's statue of lenin shouting yanokovich, you are next. some ahave been camped out for two weeks. they have no intention of giving up now. >> here outside the cabinet office, protesters have been placing flowers on the barrier between themselves and the police. this relatively peaceful stand-off has turned ugly before earlier, they were building up the barricades. >> the fear is that the police will move in before an official deadline on tuesday to end the street protests and occupation of government buildings. people gathered in their thousands in index square to call for the resignation of the yanokovich. >> you are taking a stand for your future, not for me or any other representatives of the opposition. the future depends on each of you. we must group together and do everything to win. >> all day, riot police stood by facing the pro-european demonstrators who are furious about yanokovich's refusal to sign a trade deal with the eu and turned toward moscow to save ukraine's ailing economy. >> translator: i want a new government that listens to the people and doesn't treat us like animals. >> translator: we are here to fight for our rights so that our kids are brought up in a good country without corruption where everything is fair. >> reporter: the crisis is reaching a crucial moment. the president believes he can survive with moscow's help. the protesters say they are ready for a long fight to the achieve their aims. tim friend, al jazeera, kiev. moving to asia, a move that has increased the political crisis in thailand. members of that current tree's main opposition party resigned from parliament today. they called the current government illegitimate and are refusing to work with the prime minister. five people have been killed since massive protests began last month. demonstrators want the prime minister to step down. in egypt, police used tear glass to clear a crowd of protesters at as islamic university in cairo. they say students threw rocks at officers and were trying to block traffic at a major thoroughfare. they were supporters of morsi, four senior mineral weluslim br will stand trial tomorrow. >> hformer allies have been engaged in heavy fighting over the past three days. it killed nearly 400 people. france has sent soldiers that for now seem to be stopping the violence. our nazinine has more from the capitol >> reporter: people find refuge in a church in bongee even if it has no protection for french , t is better to sleep here it is sunday but the church bells are silent. they only ring to warn of danger. police had no such warning when celica killed most of his family. his wife asked him to leave. she thought celica wouldn't target women and children. >> i left, but i hesitated and i came back. when i got to the house, i found the two children in and my wife dead. they put the two month old baby on the bed and covered him with lots of clothes. >> this is exactly what the french soldiers here want to prevent. this is one of the first times we have seen french soldiers out on foot in search large numbers. these are french para troopers. they are here to reassure people and protect them. and soon, they will be disarming the various armed groups in this city. >> that isn't happening yet as rules of engagement mean the french can only shoot when they come under attack. >> there are lots of people calling us directly on the phone telling us sell can a forces are talking and when we arrive, there is no one there so we have to play a game of cat and mouse. >> muslims are being coaled killed, too. these men are warning the death of a community leader. they want the french to stay but not to interfere in nair their political process. michelle has to stay and france has to help us hold elections so we can choose a president deserving of that name and leave the country. jadadea has to stay for thetrition >> reporter: there are some people comparing this to rwanda in 1994. the genocide there killed hundreds of thousands of people. there are differences. >> that's with ethnic violene violence. here it is sectarian. religious leaders are preaching peace, not hate. >> there is a growing atmosphere of ven he knew. you can't call it genocide yet. that would be an imprudent. but what's certain is that from now on, in central africa republic, soil will never be same again. >> there are many examples in history of where international forces have intervened too late. for the world, it's finally, taking notice that what is happening herays, bongee. >> praising for new mexico new mexico range from pulpits around the world on this national day of prayer in south africa. members of all faiths honor the former president, a steady flow of mourners stopped by his home in johan he isburg. nigeria called for three days of mourning and called for the world to continue mandela's fight. >> what we can all do is to make sure that we fight for what mandela fought for. he fought against oppression. it was this against people. they have no reason to celebrate mandela. >> more on the national day of prayer on al jazeera nick sheeve written. >> new mexico new mexico talked about a rainbo nation. his struggle wasn't only on behalf of black south sfrinz but all south sfrinzafricans but all south africans? >> new mexico new mexico mandela wanted to build a nation united in diversity. today, citizens young and old, of all races religions say mandela created that unity. at an inter faith service, south africans celebrated opportunities and respect that mandela provided thed them. >> it allows us to be united and proud of. down the road at an indian rally, perussia thanked mandela on behalf of changes. she was a second class citizen. apartheid didn't only segregate blacks? >> we were part of the deprived lot. her husband suffered the same. he remembers being humiliated just for eating dinner. >> we used to go down in the evening to buy something to eat. and we had to say to the guy, sorry. do you serve us? he would say, no. we don't serve nomads but go around the corner and you are more than welcome to buy take-aways? >> their kids have no idea what their parents went through which is just fine for them. >> tell me about these photos. >> perussia shows off what she wasn't allowed to dream. one child is a doctor, the other training to be a teacher? >> it's an awesome feeling to have brought up children in the multi-racial education society and they have proved that they can make it out there? >> did you have that opportunity? >> no. >> the family is raising a black child and their community, while not fully integrated is more diverse. >> it's not only blacks, only whites. eyes are open. >> today was a national day of prayer and reconciliation anna katrada new man dela for years, including two decades in prison. >> with freedom comes responsibility. freedom did not fall from heaven. >> today, they did say good buy and thanked the man who gave their children the diverse future they never had. >> as perussia put it to me today she was thanking mandel a for creating a special currents tree for her children do -- country for her children to grow up in. >> new mexico new mexico visited l.a. in 1990 after his release from prison. it's a visit that still r resonates with many today. brian rooney has more >> reporter: they remembered new mexico new mexico all day here at the first ame church in los angeles. they say they have felt a special connection to him here. they took inspiration from him during the civil rights days here in america, and they prayed for him and gave him their support all those years when he was in prison. and, of course, it was a big event here when only a few months after he got out of prison, he came to visit this church. it does beg the question how you memorialize this man in just one sermon. we spoke earlier to senior pastor j. edgar boyd? >> i he dismantled with the prison cell with the help of those here in america and other parts of the world, the giant, the you know grateful and the wronged giant of apartheid. he disassembled it and brought about hope, and it brought about liberation not only for himself but for peace-loving people throughout south africa. >> new mexico new mexico had been out of the public eye for many years before he died but there are parishioners here who met him and we spoke to one of them? >> what a blissing it meet in gentleman, more than anything in life, the one who told us to forgive. the hardest thing to do in life is to forgive. he told us to forgive. no forgive and move on. yes, et cetera my hero. he is my papa. >> there are many other people here who will remember the day. the memorials will go on. they will reconvene in this church to watch on big screen televisions the day of his state funeral in south africa. brian rooney, los angeles. we will look at the future of south africa without its former leader in the week ahead. freezing temperatures and dangerous roads are affecting a large part of the country this weekend. in philadelphia, heavy snow did not stop today's n.f.l. game from going on as scheduled. and snow in dallas caused this building's roof right there to collapse. bad weather also in wisconsin led this pile-up of 7 tractor-trailers amend more than 30 cars. rebecca is standing by with more on the storm because it's headed to the northeast. >> it's here, we are feeling it. >> what a football game. >> that's how we want to see football played. right i felt bad for the players. snow would fill their helmets. not pretty or for the fans. >> try the people sitting there near the canadian border. wi windchill factors, below zero. it is just miserable. radar is showing. rain farther south, that warm air changed that to rain for places like north only georgia, that warm air riding over the top of intention new cold. >> that's what is bringing in ice to places all of our snow will moved in to main and gradually into canada as well. now, the great lakes. you have snow left, a couple of more inches at least coming in for monday and tuesday. but the radar and clouds, want to show that, warmer air trying to get in. temperatures, it's not cooperating. 50 degrees in atlanta. then you go to d.c. 30 degrees in d.c., where they have been reporting freezing rain around dulles airport. that will put a stop to travel pretty fast. he specially on the roadways. high temperatures are expected to be warmer. so, tonight is the snow for new york. it's been moving in, satellite shows some dryer air working up. so coming up, i will show you the full forecast. how much snow will manhattan get. when does it change to rain? timing. >> thanks, rebecca. defense secretary chuck hagel will be in pakistan tomorrow. he plans to discuss security threats with the prime minister. the visit is part of a six-day trip to the middle east. he met with troops in afghantan and spoke in bahrain about keeping soles in that region. >> it is acknowledged the uncle of kim jung il has been thrown out of. he had been accused of corruption and drug abuse. his removal is the biggest political change since the death of kim jung il. some worry it could cause instability inside the government. >> meanwhile, south korea declared its expanding its air defense zone. it overlaps with boarders claimed by china and japan. more on how beijing and tokyo are vying for territory. >> south korea's maybe over invisible lines in the air. this is what south korea calls yodo, a submerged rocky reef. hold /* home on a scientific research foundation claimed as part of their exclusive economic zones. now south korea has asserted its rights in the air above. >> the new korean air space defense identification zone has been modified to be in line with the country's flight information region which does not overlap with neighboring countries. this zone includes the air suppose over ayoda's waters. >> it is two weeks after china's surprise identification of air defense zone encroach okay south korea and japan. it is leap earn the chinese one and overlaps that of japan. the government in seoul says it won't impose the rules until december 15th, allowing for consultation with neighbors. >> we believe this will will not significantly impact our relationships with china and with japan as we try to work for peace and cooperation in northeast asia. >> south korea's discuss the plans with u.s. vice president joe biden during his visit last week. they have declared itself on the same page as seuol, china has said an expanded south korea ian zone would have nothing to do with maritime jurisdiction. >> south korea has wanted to expand it's zone. china's actions have given it a chance to do that. it leaves one part of the east china sea with three overlapping zones belonging to china, japan and south korea. the coming days could allow for talks on how to manage a complex state of affairs. they could set the stage for what nobody wants, an accidental conflict in infested skies. a team of u.n. weapons inspect orders arrived in iran today. it's the first time they have had access to a nuclear facility in more than two years. president obama has said yesterday the pursuit of a long standing deal with iran is as likely to fail as it is to succeed. iran has agreed to temporarily roll back its enrichment offun rainium which would be used to generate nuclear energy. iran insists it's nuclear program is peaceful. >> we have to not constantly assume that it's not possible for ran, like any country, to change over time. it may not be likely. if you ask me what is the likely that we are able to arrive at the end state that i was just describing earlier, you know, i wouldn't say that it's more than 50/50. but we have to try. >> iran, the united states u.s. and five other world powers will meet this week to discuss a six-month deal to halt iran's nuclear program. the president said the deal which lifts sanctions has helped his country's economy. this week on talk to al jazeera, iran's foreign minister mohammed zarif was asked if his country would attend a peace conference if invited? he is a key backer of assad. here is his response? >> we believe the syrian people have to decide this between themselves. we can only facilitate that there cannot be a military solution in syria, that there needs to be a political solution. and the ultimate political solution is through the ballot box for the syrian people to decide under appropriate circumstances. so what we can do, if invited, is to help. >> even if you are not invited, we have serious interests in having stability in our region. that is why invited or not, we will contribute to finding a peaceful resolution of this unfortunate crisis. >> see the entire interview with the foreign minister coming up next on "talk to al jazeera" at 10 eastern and then again at 1:00 a.m. and next up on al jazeera america, life behind bars, more like camp maybe, but bernie made-o madoff, saying ab federal prison. >> three women out of jail after spending 16 years behind bars accused of raping children in a tequila-filled orgy. every sunday night al jazeera america presents gripping films from the world's top documentary directors. an act of terror then a rush to justice for pan am flight 103. >> the eyes of the world will be on us. >> an investigation under scrutiny. >> it looks nothing like him. somebody's telling lies. >> this was a miscarriage of justice. >> did they get the wrong man? >> there's something else going on. >> a shocking documentary event begins with: the pan am bomber on al jazeera america presents. >> three women in san antonio are enjoying their third week of freedom after a judge ordered their release from a prison. along with a fourths woman who was paroled a year ago. >> butter is good. we didn't have butter in prison like we do here everything was imitation. >> dinner together at the kitchen table, a luxury after 16 years separated behind bars. >> we come as a package. one goes, we all go together. nobody is going to stay behind. >> that's how it was in 1994, when a 20-year-old elizabeth ramirez, 21-year-old christie may hugh and cas an draw rivera and anna vazquez, 19 were accused of a horrific crick. ramir ramirez's two nieces claimed the women had raped them in a tequila-filled orgy. the women said they were lies masterminded by the girl's father, revenge for ramireramir romantic add veeps? >> we knew a crime was not committed and we stood by that. to clear our name and not be told, you know they are what we think we are or these monsters that they portrayed us to be, that's not what we were. >> the women were separated after their arrests and could have stayed out of prison by accepting plea deals to testify against each other. they refused. they say the state targeted them for being lesbian s and capitalized on that with the jury. >> we had a preacher and a preachir's wife. yes stand a chance. >> despite inconsistencies in the stories, they found the women guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child. by 1998, the san antonio 4 were locked away? >> we have always been responsible women, you know. we were mothers. we had jobs. we were in school. things were happening for us. our lives were taken away. >> in 2012, as the women spent their 15th year, one witness recontacted. earlier this year, a doctor withdrew her testimony saying she had been wrong when diagnosing scars on a victim's h hymen as signs of abuse. now, science says a normal hymen may appear scarred. >> this year, a new texas law went into effect that allows state courts to overturn convictions that were based on science that's later debunked. so, on november 18th, the san antonio four reunited as free women lemeeting cas an draw's granddaughter for the first time and ready to make up for lost time. >> there was, you know, deaths in our family, and there was births. marriages and, you know just so many things over the years that we have -- that we have missed. >> the road ahead won't be easy. the women have been released but not exonerated of the there is that led battle to fight, jobs to find and lives to rebuild. the four say as long as they stick together, they will do all of that and more. heidi joe castro, al jazeera, san antonio. hearing from the man behind the largest ponzi scheme in u.s. history bernie madoff, a man responsiblefo from stealing 50. says prison is like summer camp. he spoke out about how he beliefs investors should have known better. he says people asked me all the time, how did i do it? and i refused to tell them and they still invested. things have to make sense to you. you should ask good questions. if they, meaning the sec, had checked me, i would have been found out. madoff pled guilty to fraud charges and is serving a 150 year prison term. all righty, michael is back with sports headlines. a nasty injury? >> could be a care career-threatening, jonathan t new england patriots rob bronkowski was carted off of the field. the media fears he suffered a tear in his acl on his right knee. the two-time pro bowler suffered it in the third quarter, after a direct hit to his knee. he firsted the first six games recovering from off season back and forearm surgeries. > a riot police had to be brought in to break up a fight in brazil that started 10 minutes into the soccer game. three fans were taken to the hospital and one died from his injuries. in skiing, american ted legeti won a slam om event taking first place honors in beaver colorado. he him a combined time of 2.37 seconds beading bode miller. it's the first time the united states has placed two skiers on a slolam podium since 2005. more sports news in 20 minutes. >> thanks, michael. remembering new mexico new mexico well and what the future holds for the national african con congress in the week ahead is next. power of the people until we restore our freetñ welcome back toays america. i am jonathan betz with the top stories this half hour. severe weather is gripping a large part of the nation. several deaths have been linked to the freezing temperatures, including the driver of this s.u.v. who lost control after sliding off of a bridge in texas. a storm now hitting parts of the east coast, messy conditions and airport delays expected from virginia to new england. pro protesters knocked over a at that time sue of vladimir. let enin after a push for closer ties with russia. over 100,000 attended that provide test. >> a national day of prayer. services of all faiths honor the former president. mourners laid flowers and lit candles at his home. tonight, we look to south africa's future on our regular sunday evening segment, the week ahead. the frern national congress has ruled that country since mandel a took. it is now facing serious problems. following an de la. corruption played his administration. he faced serious criticism for not doing enough to fight hiv. in 2009, jacob zuma became president. he has been charged with rape, racketeering and corruption but he has been acquitted of those crimes. he has been in charge as the party seemed to crack from within. intentions were clear last year when the government cracked down on striking mine workers, killing dozens. it was a single most brutal police operation since apardth d apartheid. it raised questions about the country's leadership and power of the anc which was once unquestionably a party of the peel. with more, mike hanna in johan he johanesbur g. >> prayers for a man who touched the lives of all. an awarenets of challenges to come. the growing death between rich and poor is the most brutal reminder that mandela's promise of a better life is still to be realized. >> i think the challenge we have doesn't necessarily need man dela. it needs us in south africa to face the reality if we don't do something very logical, the why unpeople are going to revolt because if they remain poor, and a few become richer, the young people will revolt. if the fault lines within south african society have been too clear in recent times, a labor dispute that resulted in the killing of more than 30 americana last year. many argue the root cause of such violence is an africans national congress government that has lost touch with those who put it in power. >> if you look at what has been happening over the last few years in terms of public violence, you can see that we have many, many people who don't feel represented by those in government. and they res on the to violence because they don't feel they are heard. >> there is mounting criticism even from those who spent a lifetime in its ranks. >> a particular point of anger. what is scene seen as the government's inability to deal with the problems of the present? >> we are accountable. while we are saying there are issues left of apartheid, we cannot, in a sense, bring out the ghost of apartheid as the reason why we have problems today. today's problems are our doing. and requires a political solution and a new way of thinking of solutions. >> the death of nelson mandela signals the end of an era, one dominated by a group of political tie tatans bound by friendship and wanting to create a life for all. >> on nelson mandela's burial, there is a question to be answered, whether a new generation of leaders is able to complete the work begun by those who are now gone. mike hannah, al jazeera, johannesburg. >> joining us for more is shonina moquina who group up in a south africa divided by apartheid. >> thank you. >> when you think about south africa and its future and the future of the anc, what do you think? what are you most concerned about? >> well, you know, the ac has basically two options. they can could not doing more of the same which is continue being the political party it is right now, or it can try to make itself into a party of the 21st century. and so it has to think about the young voters, the people who were born after apartheid, who were born even in the 1990s, who are now the youngest voters in south africa. those are the people it has created strategy for and has to convince to go to the poles and to vote. >> right now, it's at a crossroads. isn't it? >> yes. this is a crossroads because it can no longer claim to be only the part that's liberated south africa. it has to start accumulating more positive and better claims. >> has to do more than what it has done. it can't rely on nelson man dealt a and history? >> but it's about the history of liberating the majority from white minority rule. it's a very powerful and strong history. but it's also a history that doesn't build houses a a small history that the makes schools run. they have to try to put in place the kind of civil service that delivers. >> south africa obviously has a lot of problems it's dealing with, poverty, unemployment, crime. how much of that should be blamed on the anc, the ruling party? >> it's a bet of a balancing story because you cannot just say that apartheid is gone and is still not having its repercussions on the population and on the country. but at the same time, the anc is in charge of south africa and they have the power to change a lot of things and they have made promises. i think that's a part of the deal which angers most south sfravrnz. it's not as if people are imagining the african national congress has promised them a bett better life for all. >> that's the as long as. if they have promised a lbetter life for all, they better deliver a better life for all. >> why has it not been delivered? what is the problem? >> i think it's partly to do with leapership. more often than not, the anc is divided about what it should be doing. so it is a party of democracy consensus within itself and so, you can never really have a one person show. because of that, some of the great leaders or people who have potential of great leaders are sidelined because they cannot be seen to be running ahead of the rest of the party. >> it's not just within the party. it's corruption, too? >> part of the reason i think the corruption gets ahead of the anc is because they do not want to be seen to be targeting one person within the their own party and say you are corrupt. the rest of us aren't. >> that's one of the difficult effects in some way of the end of apartheid on the anc as a movement. >> let's talk about that, that crackdown on protesters recently. >> yes. >> about a year ago or sot. >> uh-huh. >> at the america, i think, plutonium mine there. >> yes. >> what's that? >> platinum. >> platinum. i knew it was one of the two. platinum mine killed dozens of people, protest orders by many indications were being peaceful. police opened fire. >> yes. >> killed dozens from a distance some say. how much of a pivot al moment was that for south africa? >> i think it was pivotal because of the emotional and symbolic mean of that. for the first time, people watched as it happened on t.v. hundreds of strikers were gunned down. but it represents a painful trend in south africa which is just a trend of violent strife. >> do you think that was a real turning point, though, for the amc and for its popularity? >> i hear it it was. also, it was in the aftermath of the america incidents that it also clamped down on the youth league leader who is now formed his own political party. the anc has split after americana. >> the big final question: we have elections coming up in south africa next year. do you think this is the end of anc, of new mexico new mexico's party? >> it's not end, but it's certainly a moment of reconsideration, i think, for the anc. they have to strategize wisely but thinking to put forward a much stronger set of policies if they want people to support them. >> you say not the end because? ? >> i think a lot of south africans are going to support the anc. >> with new mexico new mexico on the top of everyone's mind? >> right but also the other parties are not really offering people many alternatives. >> okay. so they are kind of right now stopped with the anc? >> not stuck, but they just keep returning the same political. >> been in power for a long time, 20 years now. it is familiar? >> right but i think it's to do with the strength 69 anc lies in exactly almost it's shapelessness, sort of amorefus because it's a political party that offers nearly everybody what they want, left-wing, a little bit of right-wing and a little bit of the center. so, i think because of that spentb special mic of the national african con congress, they still find something in it that appeals to them. >> especially since it has accomplished great features? >> exactly. >> can't lose site of that? >> other political parties don't have as much of that historical mission, historical achievement? >> we will see what develops there. in the meantime, everyone is remembering their most pivotal leaders, nelson mandel a? >> i think that moment will last for a bit, that moment of rememberance and commemoration and, also, the value orizatiori 6r7b8ing9s thank you for being in tonight. we appreciate it. >> poles are closed and votes are being counted after today's regional elections in venzuela. this is seen as a sort of test for the country's president. nicholas maduro has been dogged by crisis and poles show his approval rating is hovering around 50%. mariana is there with more >> reporter: it's difficult to predict what the outcome of this election will be, there are over 300 candidates for mayoral posts and more than 2004 council member posts. so each case will be different, and it will be hours before the national electoral council will have the results. however, polls before this election were saying that these 25% of venzuelaans were undecided. this is a swing vogt, the vote that the opposition is hoping that will gain ground in light of so many shortcomings happening in venzuela. there is another interesting number, 62% of the venzuelans blame the president for the shortc shortcomings, for the crime, for the inflation and for the food shortages. it will be a challenge for president maduro if he can manage to get all of these votes within his government or with government candidates so i have credibility. credibility not only for venzue venzuelans but within the government party because there are differented fafrningsz within the party, the ones that are in favor of the cuban line, the radicals, the militaryists, mod rats, so for the president, this election is crucial because he needs to have credibility for all of these faxes to back him. that will be the main challenge for this election. >> the merger of u.s. airways and american airlines is set to go forward despite a last-ditch effort to block the move that would create the largest airline in the world. al jazeera juan carlos molina has the story. >> u.s. airways and american airlines will be 1 country flying under one name. spreadsheet court justice ruth bader ginsburg rejected the idea that the merger will bring ticket prices up and make planes more crowded. >> for one, it's going to eliminate overlapping routes that u.s. air and american both shared. ticket prices for those will go up. but it's also going to make a more efficient airli in some wa where planes that were under sold on certain routes will now be at capacity. that will drive ticket prices down. >> american airlines released the following statement after the courtts announcement. the event signifies the merger and the end of restructuring, a statement said we look forward to closing the merger and becoming the new american airlines on december 9th. to win justice department approval, the new mega airline agreed to give uptake-off and landing slots in gates at marriage airports. that concession will give competing low-cost airlines more access to major cities like network, boston, chicago, miami, los angeles, and washington, d.c. probably the best thing for consumers is competition. some of those smaller airlines, which aren't so small, airlines like jet blue and southwest, have figured out on way to make a profit and to serve routes that are being skipped by the big airlines. so, if this merger drops routes, it could be an opportunity for those smaller communicateties to move in. >> details are expected to be finalized by monday morning. employees of the new american airlines group are scheduled to be on hand at the new york stock exchange to ring the opening bell. juan carlos molina, al jazeera, new york. it's not a video game but it sure looks like one. still ahead on al jazeera america, how 3d imagery is saving lives and helping to learn about new ones. it's a busy n.f.l. sunday, including a record set in denver and an incredible comeback by the patriots. all of the highlights next in sports. scrutiny. >> it looks nothing like him. somebody's telling lies. >> this was a miscarriage of justice. >> did they get the wrong man? >> there's something else going on. >> a shocking documentary event begins with: the pan am bomber on al jazeera america presents. >> start with one issue education... gun control... the gap between rich and poor... job creation... climate change... tax policy... the economy... iran... healthcare... ad guests on all sides of the debate. >> this is a right we should all have... >> it's just the way it is... >> there's something seriously wrong... >> there's been acrimony... >> the conservative ideal... >> it's an urgent need... and a host willing to ask the tough questions >> how do you explain it to yourself? and you'll get... the inside story ray suarez hosts inside story weekdays at 5 eastern only on al jazeera america michael eaves is here with sports. it kind of feels likely the n.f.l. playoffs have started. >> like the free playos. win the games and get into the post-season carrying the n.f.l.'s best record, the seahawks were looking to secure the nfc west division title and the first round bye. all they had to do was defend the san francisco 49ers. they won last two meetings. the seahawks lost four games to the 9ers. russell wilson would give them a 14 to 9 lead with the only touchdown pass of the game. colin kapernick threw one, an 8 yard to give the 9ers a 16-14 lead, led the 9ers on the game-winning drive, with 22 yard field goal with go 6 seconds remaining to give san francisco the win. the eagles hosted lions in blizzard conditions and boast, in conditions, it was a record setting for la shan mccoy who rushed 217 yards posting a 34 to 20 victory. more from philadelphia. >> eagles defeated lions 34 to 20 at lincoln financial field. eagle's coach chip kelly admitted he thought the snow wasn't going to start until after ha. l. we were able to see he knees a nude weather person. it appeared that they they played sluggish in the first half. detroit lions were opportunistic and the quarterback with his first enter sentence of the season which the lions converted into a touchdown. lions led 8-nothing at ha but then the uplinks came out blazing in the second half, scoring state your full namedowns on their five straight possessions than they would have scored on the 6th and final possession had not the big damaged door la russian mccoy ran forshan mccoy ran f for. did it against the defense that hadn hadn't giving up a rushing touchdown in 8 games. that fell today completely overwhelmed by the offensive line and the running game of the philadelphia eagles, 34 to 20, eagles go to 8 and 5 and they take a more commanding position in first place here in the nfc east. detroit lions fall to sandy 6 where once it's seen they had a clear path and a title, now, the chicago bears, the green bay packers would seem to be alive to take that title from the lions. from philadelphia, lincoln financial field, i am john henry smith, al jazeera. >> in new england, patriots-off pulled off a comeback thanks to luck and a questionable call. trailing 26-21, new england comes up with the on-sides kick giving them the ball at the browns' 40 yard line. a controversial pass interference call gave the patriots a first down and goal and with 31 seconds remaining, tom brady was able to get a score for 10 and 7. 2 eight and four division leaders. been els hosted colts and cincinnati took control. andes dalton threw for touchdowns, ran for a 4th. finished 275 yards without a sack or entinterception. been always approved 6 and 0. with a 4228 victory. in denver, matt operator with a new n.f.l. record with a 54-yard field goal, the longest to beat 51 spot. by tennessee, locked up the afc south division title for the colts with the leg game heroics and fantastic finishes, the biggest drama went down on the golf course, final round of the northwestern mutual with tiger woods and zac johnson to the wire, tied at 13 under par. after tiger hit his approach in the bunker, johnson hits his ball in the water. johnson hits it. he makes it. he would go to extra holes, sudden death because woods would get up and down from the bunker. first play-off hole, woods hits his approach shot in the exact same bunker that he found on the last hole of regulation. so he would need to make this put a second play-off hole but it witness out, the win and a $1 million check to zac johnson. one other note, it's official in college football, florida state and auburn will play for the college football national championship in the bcs title game in pasadena. >> that was stunning. >> absolutely. >> it looks like the ultimate video game a computer scientists at the university of illinois are taking 3d computer imaging to the extreme to help better understand their research. >> ashi car isha has this report >> reporter: data comes to life. numbers transform into a flight skimming the surface of mars. known as the cave 2, this large-scale virtual reality environment was dreamed up by computer scientists at the electronic visualization lab in chicago. >> a project room or a war room where you hang up pieces of paper and photographs and you tape them to the wall so you can see lots of different data at the same time. today, all data is is forred in computers, rather than print them out and tape them to the walls, we wanted electronic walls. >> the cave 2 can transport psychiatrists inside their patients' brains using data from an mri. these visualizations of the neural connections in the brain can provide critical understanding of how depression manifests in the mind. >> you get a very different perspective, kind of like alice and wonderland, where you can be big or you can shrink down the rabbit hole. so you get very different understanding of the data when you look at it in different sizes, different remthsz. >> researchers say the applications are seemingly endlets but inter disciplinary is at the heart, taking zeros and ones an bringing them to life through graphic representations >> reporter: in 2009, nasa funded the endurance research project to study extreme under water environments. the team dropped a $6 million robot into the center of ant articka's lake bonny to collect information we had the robot running sonar, sending out picks through a very thick salt layer which made the math a little bit tricky. what we ended up getting back was over 50 million points. >> university of illinois professor peter doran headed it up. >> we could build up a 3-dimensional map. it's a data set unlike any other data set in a lake environment. >> that data processed inside cave 2 is providing key insooishths into what kind of life can be sustained in icy bodies of water beyond our planet. >> on the moon of jupiter, europa, an icy shell. it's almost certain that it has an ocean underneath. so, we are looking at this as a small-scale analog for what that life might be. on earth, everywhere you find water, you find life. >> cave 2 and it's 3d data visualizations are one small step for computer scientists and one giant leap for explorers and researchers. chicago. >> still ahead, a winter storm is moving up the east coast after leaving the south in a deep freeze. rebecca has more. the national forecast next. while you were asleep news was happening. >> h >> thailand where the prime minister has just dissolved parliament and is now calling for national elections. members of the country's main opposition party said earlier today, they called the current government. at least five people have been killed since massive proceedtests began there last month. demonstrators. we will watch the story and bring you more. . we have had an ice storm warning and we have had a lot of winter weather advisories and winter storm warnings across the northeast. at philadelphia international airport as of 7:00 p.m. tonight, we have measured 8.6 inches of snowfall. philadelphia, detroit, what a football game. a lot of snow out there as it was coming down of herly. other measurements of snow around the philadelphia area ranged from two inches to five inches of snow. well, moving where we are seeing snow and ice now, continuing in virginia and vest virginia, this is a primary focus point. we knew we would be getting ice here and we are going to continue to get the ice because this very cold air that's right at the service, right at the ground, it ground, it's being mixed out. it's just staying very cold at the ground. so when rain falls, it automatically freezes. we will continue an ice storm warning in places in this vicinity overnight into the early morning hours. >> we are getting even some snow that's crossed through manhattan briefly. we will death get some more of that about -- we will get temperatures warm enough to change from sleet, to freezing rain to rain. it will be a tough commute for the northeast in the morning hours. ice accumulations, four-tenths of an inch in tennessee and north carolina. temperatures from 2 degrees in billings 30 to 45 in houston. it will be a slow warm-up, but it will happen slowly but surely through monday. we will expect temperatures to warm and change most of the northeast to rain. clear clear clear >> welcome to aljazeera america. here are tonight's headlines. protesters toppled the statue of lenin on saturday. 100,000 ukrainians protested. honoring nelson mandela other this, the national day of prayer for the former president. laying flowers and lighting candles at his home. a taste of winter in much of the country. from virginia to new england. heavy snow and roof collapses, snow and ice making for dangerou