It affects millions of americans nearly 11 million, in fact, do not have a job. 4 million have been unemployed for more than six months. Many are at risk of falling into poverty. As of today 1. 3 million americans lost longterm Unemployment Benefits. On average each person got a little more than 1,000 a month. The benefits began at the height of the recession, costing 225 billion for the federal government. Congress renewed the payouts until this year. Congress said the economy means it needs to be cut. Theres a lot of ideas part of the president s budget, different budgets, but there seems to be a gridlock in congress, and an unwillingness to take it on. In america we dont look at problems like this as too big and we cant forget the unemployed because its a hard problem to sold. We turn to jennifer london, live in honolulu where the president is vacationing. What kind of behind the scenes work is the president doing trying to extend the benefits . Well, long before the president began his Family Vacation in hawaii, he spent months urging members of government to reach an agreement and extend jobless benefits. This is a vacation, but the president has been working behind the scenes to push member of congress to extend the jobless benefits. It hasnt just been tea time and trips to the beach. The president made two calls, one to democratic senator jack reid and the second to republican senator dean haller and the president called the two senators to show support for their proposal to extend jobless benefits for another three months. The president went on to say he is pleased that they are working in a bipartisan fashion to address the manner, which the president said could be damaging to the u. S. Economy. The president said it could hurt the Economic Growth of the United States and hurt job creation, because we are talking about 1. 3 million americans who today are seeing the federal jobless benefits cut. States like california, illinois, new york, could be among those that are hit the hardest. Before the president did come out to hawaii to start his president ial vacation, he held his last president ial press conference of the year, and said ending the jobless benefits is not the right thing to do. I think we are a better country than that. We dont abandon each other when times are tough. Keep in mind Unemployment Insurance only goes folks actively looking for work. A mum who needs to feed kids while sending out resumes, or a dad needing help to may rent while working part time and earning skills for that new job. Jonathan, the president said further that reaching on agreement to extend the jobless benefits should be the law makers first action, priority, when they return to washington d. C. After the recess on january 6th. When they do return, how likely is it that the benefits will get traction. Are republicans showing interest that they might let this happen . House Speaker John Boehner said he is open and willing to perhaps take a potential deal to extend benefits to his caucus to members of his party if the deal is paid for. At this point he said the white house has not put forth an agreement that he thinks is acceptable, and furthermore other republicans have bush era benefits that went into effect in 2008. They were meant to be temporary. Some of those republicans were saying this is the time to cut those benefits. Jennifer london live from honolulu, hawaii. Thank you a federal judge in new orleans dismissed almost all of the lawsuits seeking damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. Nearly half a Million People filed games against the u. S. Government, blaming the army corps of engineers for failing to maintain the levies, causing flooding in 2005. The corp claimed immunity based on a 1928 law. A series of lawsuits in new orleans seeking billions in damage against the federal government and Insurance Companies are over. The damage was caused by katrina in 2005. The u. S. Judge dismissed the case late yesterday, ruling that 500,000 residents, businesses and governments would have to pay their own damages. The class action suit accused the u. S. Army corps of engineers of poor maintenance of the industrial canal. The ruling comes more than a year after the original ruling was overturned that the corp was responsible for billions in damage. The judge dismissed a parallel lawsuit against a contractor. This suit meant the excavation work weakened the flood walls. The judge had presided over the case for the last eight years, and was chosen as he was a judge that did not receive personal damage to property due to flooding. There no evidence that al qaeda played a role in the assault an a consulate in benghazi. U. S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other americans were kill. An investigation concluded the truth is complex. Suggesting an americanmade video did spark anger in the runup to the assault, and al qaeda did not infill freight benghazi prior to the attack, blaming local fighters. The report says the attack was not meticulously planned, and there were warning signs suggesting the focus on fighting al qaeda distracts from protecting broader american interests. Joining us from washington d. C. Is Brigadier General mark kimmit. Thank you for being with us. Im curious about your reaction to the report by the New York Times. First of all, its a wellwritten article. I believe theres logical inconsistencies inside the article allowing people to draw conclusions that i dont think the author meant to have drawn from the article. Like what . For example, theres a notion that al qaeda was completely absent from the scene. In fact, al qaeda inside afghanistan, did not practice, but theres concern of the affiliated movements, the franchises, whom the author himself says could have been involved inside the attacks at night. So al qaeda and al qaeda sympathisers were certainly involved whether they were cardcarrying members of pakistan al qaeda is a moot point. The fact is that al qaeda sympathizers, those that agreed with the vision were part of this attack, and part of this the killings of the ambassador that evening. Is this an argument over semantics . Does it matter if it was an alqaeda group, militia or terrorist cell . I think it is an article over semantics. The four people and organizations sympathetic, as the author states. The report makes it clear that the video had a lot of influence over the anger in the leadup to the attack over the consulate. Does that match up with congressional testimony. There seems a question about that. The video came out on the 9th. It wasnt until the 11th when the video created the disturbances in cairo. There are questions whether to, and what extent the video was responsible for the violence in benghazi. Thats a reason why there should be further investigations from benghazi, so the issues can cole out. The American Embassy stated that the videos had no effect on the violence. Theres a lot of focus on the local militia leader. What do we know about him, and if he is really being pointed to as the main suspect of this attack, why is he still at large . Well, its clear that the u. S. Asked for a number of times to have him taken into custody to find the questions out. This is a gentleman that spent most of his adult life in prison for his extremist visions, many, militia groups that saw him as conservative. He, himself, admitted in the article, said he was not al qaeda, but shared their vision. This is a dangerous man that probably had a significant amount of impact on the events that happened that night. He was on site, seen to be directing some of the attack, and does need to be brought into custody and investigated for his complicity in the event. Retired Brigadier General mark kimmit from washington tonight. Thank you for your time. The first item of business for the secretary of state is a trip to the middle east. John kerry has a push for progress in peace talks. As part of that progress israel released the names of two dozen palestine prisoners due to be set free next week. The planned release is sparking protest. Thousands gathered outside Benyamin Netanyahus residence in jerusalem. Many are angry over the plan to build homes in the west bank. The death toll from the friday car bomb in beirut has risen to seven. The target is believed to be the former finance minister and ambassador to the United States, mohamad chatah, a critic of Bashar Alassad and hezbollah. His funeral is tomorrow. No one has claimed responsibility for the bombing. 20 were killed in a syrian air strike in aleppo. The bomb hit a crowded vegetable market. Two children are among the victims. In the past two weeks president Bashar Alassads army zeroed in on forces in aleppo. 400 have been killed. President Bashar Alassad sent a message to pope francis. He is determined to defend syrians of all religions from hardline islamists. The war in syria is taking a cruel turn. The u. N. Reports refugees are starving to death. Five people at one camp in damascus died of malnutrition. Images in the story are dramatic. The siege, bombarded, and starved to death. This happens to the human body when it does not get enough food. Images have been filmed by an activist inside a palestine refugee camp. Al jazeera spoke him, we used his voice, not his face for security reasons translation the humanitarian situation is disastrous. There is a threat of famine. Basics like rice and sugar are hardly available. They sell one kilos of rice between 50 and 70. Medicine has run out. The camp is a stronghold for rebel forces and has been surrounded and cut off by government troops. Its prompted the United NationsRelief Agency for palestine refugees to call for a corridor to access the people trapped inside. These reports are disturbing. They must lead to a lifting of the siege as the commissioner general and other World Leaders asked. There were 20,000 trapped, many children. We are extremely concerned about their plight today. Yam uk is or was home to a yarmouk is home to men thousands. It lies near to damascus. Was set up in 1957 and was built up as an urban quarter with schools and health centres. Overall conditions here were better than the other palestine camps in syria. That is no longer the case. People here are calling for an end to the siege. They are desperate for help. Translation we only have dust and dirt to eat. Have a look at us, if any of you have honour or dignity, we have nothing to do with fighting. The fear here is if aid doesnt come into the camp, that those left will continue to bury their dead. Fighting in cairo between student protesters and police hit a fever pitch. Two students were killed, 100 arrested. Many demonstrations are taking place at universities. Peter greste with the latest. I have been speaking about the protests around the universities here in cairo, and also there was another incident at a university in alexandria where authorities were forced to evacuate buildings. After explosive devices were found. Im refer to my notes. There was a bomb found on board a bus that was diffused. The passengers found the device hidden under seats, and there was a grenade that was also thrown at a checkpoint to the northeast of cairo. That grenade went off. There were no casualties as a result of that, but it did cause damage to cars. The protests are in response to a government decision to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. Since then 400 people have been rounded up by the police, accused of having links to the organization. According to the terrorism law, anyone supporting the group can be gaoled for up to five years, and the punishment for those leading the organization is death. A lot of people are getting worried entried. I know a lot of indeed. I know a lot of people are reconsidering new years eve plans, worried about going into public spaces for fear of an attack. An australian rescue ship is trying to reach a Russian Research vessel stuck in the ice off antarctica. The ship is 100 miles east of a French Research station. A chinese ship, snow dragon could not reach them. The auroraaustralis is planned to arrive later today. Theyll assess the situation, and report back to the rescue Coordination Centre in australia here behind me, before the next decision is made. Passenger reports on social media say the 74 people on board are in good continue, despite being stranded since christmas eve. Same sex marriage has been legal in utah for a week. Will a Supreme Court challenge change it. China thousands of empty homes, yet housing prices doubled. Well explain why. Its been a week of celebration for utahs Gay Community. Hundreds of couples from granted marriage licence, after a federal judge overturned a ban on samesex marriage. Now the state is asking the Supreme Court to put a hold on the marriages while the appeals continue. Earlier this week four counties refused to issue licence, jim hooley, are they on board . They are. Its been an incredible week. A lot of people we talked to described the situation as sewer reel. Hundreds of people, samesex couples turning out to get married. Thousands turned out for a rally. We talked to couples that have been together 1518 years, who are happy to go into the new year as newlyweds. They are celebrating but the state says the fight is not over yet. This has been the scope in utah for days. Samesex couples pouring into country clerk offices to get marriage licence, many turning to local officials and ministers it say, i do. To feel the love, joy and elation of people free to marry the person i love. Its beyond explanation. Its a shocking state of events for a state known for conservative ways and family values. We didnt think wed see it here. All made possibly by a lawsuit. Among the plaintiff said, derek kitchen, and moudi sbeity. They run a middle easterb food business in salt lake city. We heard the news on saturday. A federal judge ruled utahs law banning samesex marriage was unconstitutional. Its been you forria in the states Gay Community since. More than 900 samesex couples obtained marriage licences. There are thousands of couples that want what we want. We are fighting for ourselves, but in that process, for everybody as well. I now pronounce you wife and wife. Clifford rosky is a law professor at the university of utah. He became a minister so he could wed gay couples. He said the impact goes beyond utah. We are starting to see in you federal courts recognise the right to marry. Cheryl haws and shelly eyres dream had to wait. The clerk where they lived refused to recognise the ruling. So they threatened to sue. I said, we are going there even if they turn us away and we go to salt lake, well go there because we need to make a point. On thursday, utah county clerk Brian Thompson gave in and called the girls to come to his office and he agreed to issue them a licence. I felt it showed a great level of compassion on his part. Integrity or something. I felt compassion towards him. Moudi sbeity and derek kitchen have not tied the knot. They want to wait until the timing is right. Marriage is more than a peace of paper. We want to celebrate, exchange vows and show to family and friends that we made a commitment to one another to be with each other till death do us part. By waiting moudi sbeity and derek kitchen risk not getting a chance to marry in utah. The state is appealing the ruling. Utahs attorneygeneral is expected to file paperwork monday or tuesday. And the state is hoping to get its next move just right. To do that they hired an outside firm to help with the paperwork and execution. That should be filed early next week. Jim hooley live from salt lake city. Thank you. After 30 years china is easing a one child per couple policy, allowing more married couples to have a second child. Formerly only one child was legal, and two if both parents from single children. Now, only if one child was an only child. Officials fear a Labour Shortage and growing numbers of elders that the country wont be able to support. A city in china has everything you want plenty of stores, schools and new homes. The only thing it doesnt have is people. Andrew thomas explains. Six years ago all this was farm land. Now theres tens of thousands of apartments and plans for more. Shen dehua lives in one. In her building of 44 flats, four are occupied. Translation its too quiet. On weekends or weekdays its the same. You dont see anyone on the streets, except sometimes cleaners. Do others feel the same way . There was no one around to ask. If cheng gong had tumble weed. This is where it would be blowing. Theres something spooky Walking Around here. Its the weekend, middle of the day, there are hundreds of apartments and the streets are deserted. Its almost as if some terrible accident cleared the people out. In fact, they have never arrived. Most front doors are still wrapped in cellophane. The city has been planned by the provincial government, which hopes 2 Million People will live here. In established cities housing is expensive, millions living in pore conditions. 50 families have shared areas, bathrooms and cooking are communal. It is expected that urban chinese will move. Thats why they are creating cities. The theory that places like cheng gong offer affordable housing. Most apartments have been sold to speculators. Prices have already doubled. Its an vestment. Here is creeper. Its speculation for the long term. Real people may move in. Universityies and government offices are being moved to bring in students and jobs. Speculators have driven the price, and they are out of reach for those they are aimed at. The result is an expensive ghost town with few people and without much traffic. In chinas planned economy building the right housing in the right place is proving tricky. There is a lot more ahead on al jazeera, including after days of peace talks, the worlds youngest country is