Transcripts For ALJAZAM News 20150120

Guantanamo harrowing descriptions written inside the prison. Homeland security, a public divided whether washington is doing enough to keep the country safe. Al Jazeera America First National poll on national security. This is al Jazeera America live in new york city. Im tony harris. In three hours time president obama deliver his sixth state of the Union Address. For the first time hell be laying out his legislative goals before a republicancontrolled congress. Well have a look at what is coming up. First a power grab in yemen cap two days of turmoil in the yemeni region. Houthi rebels storm the president ial building and kill two president ial guards. The president came under cheltenhaming. In a nationally televised statement, they blamed the houthi to enact better reform. Who controls the government now is largely up to debate. The yemenis official residence came under attack making hadi a prisoner in his own home. Witnesses say it was largely between houthi and elite guards. The president s unwillingness to negotiate led to todays crisis. Our country is suffering a domestic level. Many of the internal forces in terms of the Political Party and are not living up to the degree, the level the current challenges. They are not addressing them responsebly. Todays assaults were carried out as negotiations between president hadi and the houthi leadership were supposed to get under way. Now some believe the way forward requires president hadi to step down. The only way for to maintain that is to push a leadership, one that is locally and internationally accepted, which does include the houthi and the president as well. Not everyone believes that hes able to maintain stability while keeping the houthies at bay. I think it is very realistic to keep in mind the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister, hes young. He has more popularity than hadi and sees the middle ground ground. Houthi rebels controlled parts of the government since september 2014, weakening hadis rule. To many tuesdays takeover of the president ial palace is symbolic of who is actually running the nation. Even as president hadi appears to be safe in his home, the Republican Guards protecting him now have no back up. Their headquarters have fallen, and rebels control their weapons supply. Standing behind president hadi after holding an emergency meeting today. James bays is at the United Nations with more. Reporter the Security Council actually meeting as fastmoving developments were playing out on the ground in the yemeni capitol sanaa. In the past the council supported mediation efforts and threatened the use of sanctions. There are very few other options open to the Security Council and thats why when they finally made a statement it had words of condemnation but no new action. The members of the Security Council, and president hadi is the legitimate Authority Based on election is. The members of the Security Council emphasize that all the parties and political actors in yemen must stand with president hadi. In an odd quirk of timing at the same time the new yemeni ambassador was presenting the credentials to u. N. Secretary general ban kimoon. He was appointed by president hadi. Many now are questioning whether president hadi really controls the levers of power in yemen. President hadi has had Broad International support but his government has been forced to fight battles on two fronts. Jonathan betz is here with more on yemens power struggle. Yes tony, a lot changing quickly. Lets look at the rebels who are trying to derail yemen. Houthies are competing for control there. Theyre part of the shia subset and ruled part of yemen for a thousand years until the 1960s. But season years ago the houthies formed an arm group and have been fighting for control ever since. The two groups do not Work Together because theyre from opposing islamic sects. The houthies do have ties with hezbollah in lebanon and many suspect that iran also gives those rebels weapons. So why should Americans Care about all this . Well alqaedas branch in yemen is very active, and very dangerous. It was behind the shooting at Charlie Hebdo paris and was behind the underwear bomber in 2009. Now his former leader also inspired the Boston Marathon bombing suspects and the fort hood gunmen. Since yemen arab spring up rising in 2011 the United States has strongly backed its fledgling democracy but as this crisis unfolds many worry that u. S. Is losing its hold on a crucial ally in the middle east. The Justice Department has charged two yemeni men for conspiring to kill americans living abroad. The two were arrestss in saudi arabia and then handed over to u. S. Custody. Japans Prime Minister said saving the lives of two japanese hostages held by isil is top priority. A video shows the two men kneeling in a desert in orange jumpsuits. Now to washington where president obama is preparing for tonights state of the Union Address. Republicans took control of the house and senate, and the president held a surprise Oval Office Meeting this afternoon with four people who wrote letters to him. Theyll be sitting with the first lady during the speech. Mike viqueira, first of all good to see you. What will we expect to hear from the president tonight. This time of year is very special. Everybody is in the same room. Everybody is listening and there is roadblock coverage across the board. A lot of pageant try and a lot of ceremony. You look beyond that, and these two sides the republicans and president obama are on a collision course. Just today we saw the president issue the sixth and seventh veto threat. Congress has only been in session for two weeks. The republicans want to demonstrate to their base that theyre in control. Theyre passing legislation to roll back the fordable care act and ease legislation on pipeline construction outside of keystone. That was the subject of one of the veto threats today. Meanwhile, the president is touring the country and the with an unconventional roll out giving a glimpse to his speech before hands raising taxes on the rich, and really appealing to the democratic base. It is going to be an economic stage tonight. Its going to be the real substance, whats announced and rolled out right . Absolutely. And the white house and the president are eagle for tap whats in the economy. As a resurgence in the economy. All throughout the president s term over the last six years hes always sought the bright spots and otherwise been a dark economic picture. Now he has legitimate good news to point to in terms of economic growth. Youre going to see the president talk about the hot political topic the lack of income the lack of job growth continuing tight labor markets around the country. Were talking about a republicancontrolled congress. Were talking about the final two years of the presidency. What is it that you think that he can maybe the conversation he can start tonight with his speech. He said hes going off on offense. Hes not shying away. You see the president butting heads not just in recent weeks but over the course of last year. You can look at this several ways. One way to look at it is that the president is putting down a marker for negotiations to come on issues where they may be able to agree like taxes. Mike viqueira for us. Thank you. Many of the tomorrow topics in the president s speech may lead to part of the debates in 2016. Libby casey the president will be proposing several initiatives, but clearly hell be facing plenty of opposition from the majority. Absolutely. And because the president has issued veto threats and rolling out elements of his state of the union speech republicans say hes being obstructionist. Hes creating gridlock, talking about issues that theyre not interested in. Theyre trying to paint him as the one who is being difficult. Heres the tone that Senate Majority leader Mitch Mcconnell took today. I think any president in this situation has across. He can sort of act like hes run forgive office, or he can focus on the things that we have a chance to reach an agreement on. Now some of the areas that the republicans dont like, the path the president is going down include that middleclass tax break proposal, and also Free Community college. They dont like the way it would be paid for. Democrats, on the other hand, say look, the republicans have had a chance to work with the president. They have not done so over the past number of years and so its time for the president to forge ahead. So libby what are some of the issues here where the congress and this president actually can find agreement . Agreement it sounds a little doom and gloom but there are places they can find that agreement. One is trade. And if the president talks about trade tonight lets watch to see who in the chamber is interested, who is applauding, and who might get up and give him a standing ovation because a number of republicans are on board with what the White House House when it comes to fast tracking trade deals deals with europe and the asiapacific region. Democrats are concerned that they have issues with some of the labor aspects of it as well as environmental aspects. Thats a place that they may be able to work with republicans. There is cyber security. A lot of concern in washington after the hack of sony and the concern of consumer data after the hacks on home depot and target. Now corporate taxes that that is an area that everybody in washington says there could be agreement, but because there is a roll out of tax proposals the republicans may be less inclined to come to the table and negotiate. Libby casey. Thank you. Domestic issues are expected to dominate the president s state of the union but mr. Obama is likely to talk Foreign Policy. Al Jazeera America and Monmouth University wanted to see where the u. S. Stands when it comes to security. Reporter after the paris attacks a few weeks ago the al Jazeera America Monmouth University poll asked americans if they believe a terrorist attack is likely to happen in the United States in the next few months. 73 of americans believe it is likely. A terrorist attack like paris will happen in the future. Breaking it down. 28 saying an attack is very likely. And 45 of americans believing it is somewhat likely. When asked if the government is doing enough to prepares the u. S. Against attacks on u. S. Soil, 44 believe that the u. S. Is doing enough. And 49 believe government is not doing enough. When asked about the top concerns facing families, job security and healthcare cost every day bills and terrorism they were all related to finances. Terrorism came in 16th, 1 said it was their biggest concern. The implication is that the president is wise to focus on domestic issues as were expecting him to do tonight. A lot of numbers there. More to come. Thank you. Much more ahead on tonights state of the Union Address. Our Political Panel will join us. Were expecting the first excerpts from the president s speech coming here. Up next, on this program guantanamo diary the first book published by a a detainee being held at the facility, and well reveal who will be sitting with the first lady at tonights state of the union and why people in washington called them skutniks. Two and a half years after the massacre at the movie theater. Dressed in regular clothes accused killer james holmes rocks back and forth in his chair. Holmes is on trial for the july 20, 2012, rampage when he stormed into an aurora, colorado movie theater. 12 people were killed. Another 70 injured. Two and a half years later the question is did james holmes know right from wrong when he armed himself like an assassin and open fired inside the theater. The defense claims did he not know the difference saying holmes was in the throats of a psychotic episode during the shooting, which is where he pleaded not guilty during one of the deadliest gun violence in u. S. History. While he will stand front and center thats not the only question for jurors. If you dont believe in the Death Penalty you wont end up on this jury. Theyll have plenty to shoes from. An unprecedented 9,000 people have been summoned. The selection could take four months. The trial could a last until october. I trust jurors to make the right decision. If jurors have concluded that the prosecution did not do its job the way it was told it had to do its job then thats the system at work. However the system works out in this muchanticipated trial for people like brian beard, who lost his friends Alex Sullivan that deadly night justice can only come in one form. The only way that alex will receive justice is death. You fight fire with fighter. It someone takes an eye it cant an slap on the wrist. You cant. It is an groundbreaking memoir by a guantanamo prisoner. In it he describes two long years of for torture. Tony, mohammed has been at guantanamo longer than nearly any other prisoner. His lawyers worked for seven years to get it declassified. They say hes innocent and should be set free. From behind guantanamos inif a miss walls hisinif a miss walls come this diary. Still visit accounts of abuse remain. Interrogation 24 hours a day. I was living in terror. He said his captors took him out on a boat and made him drink saltwater. I believe it was directly from the ocean. It was so nasty i threw up. Later he said the abuse continued onshore. They stuffed the air wean my clothes and me with ice us cubes from my neck to my ankles whenever the ice melted they replaceed it. He went to afghanistan to join fight necessary what had been an u. S. Backed battle against the u. S. Sovieted regime. That group became alqaeda. He cut his ties with them in 1992. Ten years later he was locked up in guantanamo. He was accused of taking part in a failed blot to bomb a los angeles airport but he was never charged with the crime. He said that the evidence is thin and tainted by torture. They should let him go home. They have no evidence. He is innocent, and they should not be holding an innocent person. The aclu is also calling for his release. Weve long sought for his freedom. We hope with the publication of his book those effort also come to fruition this year. He has been unlawfully detained, torture, and suspected to really terrible abuses for over a decade, and now is the time to set him free. The Justice Department has appealed his release and the Defense Department spokesman today said that he can appear before a review board. His attorneys say that the recent releases for several guantanamo prisoners give them hope that he might be freed soon too. His book is published in 20 countries. I spoke with his editor, and he said that he did a lot of fact checking, and he feels quite sure that this is an accurate account. Lawyers want a reduced fine for bps role in the spill of 3 Million Barrels of oil in the gulf of mexico. We have more now from new orleans. In the final and most critical chapter bp is facing the largest penalty for causing the worst offshore spill in american history. I think that the fine as its set up, 13 billion is still a huge amount of money. I think that there will be discretion on the judges part to hit him for the maximum amount. A judge already found bp grossly negligence for the disaster. Im not speaking for bp, but i would think that they would say we have done more than our share already and that the fines should be somewhat lower than the absolute max and it should be focused on particular issues that we think are still outstanding. Not necessarily on building new resorts in florida. Bp has spent more on 40 million on clean up and settlements. But under the clean water act it still faces fines on the oil spilled. While its unknown how much oil leaked it was estimated a 3 Million Barrels. During tuesdays hearing the government showed dramatic images of birds covered in oil as part of their opening argument. Its important that they pay the maximum penalty. Not because bp defense it, but risky behavior and cutting corners is unacceptable. For more than 20 years the nonprofit has monitored the activities of the oil and cass industries. He expect bfs attorneys will argue because the price of oil is down they should pay less. What about the high price of oil for the last four and a half years since the disaster. We think that theyre fully capable of paying the maximum penalty, and i think the last thing that anybody in the public is sympathetic to is an oil company pleading poverty. Reporter the judge will use a series of factor regarding the fine. Most of the money will be used for Coastal Restoration ending the penalty phase of bp. Jonathan martin, al jazeera, new orleans. A landmark of freedom decision the justices ruled on whether prison systems can restrict the length of beards inmates can grow for religious purposes. It was one of several decisions made today. In an unanimous decision, the justices ruled that a muslim inmate in arkansas, gregory holt can grow a half inch beard, and that the beard does not pose a security threat. The court also declined to hear two cases. One is a win for big banks and a loss for retailers. The issue is socalled swipe fees. The fees that banks charge stores when a customer pays with a debit card. The justices let stand a Lower Court Ruling allowing higher limits on those fees. The justices allow lawsuit to go forward on private contractors kbr and halliburton who worked in iraq and afghanistan. The suit alleged members of the military were injured through companionship negligence including from toxic smoke and burn pits. The companies argued they could not be sued for work in war zones on behalf of the military. The court also heard arguments in a case involving the election of judges and campaign contributions. The issue can judges themselves solicit Campaign Donations . 39 states elect judges and ban judges from personally asking for campaign contributions. Thats done inside by their committees. The purpose is to insure impartiality. This is an interesting case for this court the court in yes, maam has been very aggressive in deregulating campaign it finances. At the same time weve had cases before where theyve been a little more reluctant to allow the free throw of Campaign Cash when it comes to judicial election. Those who oppose any change worry that money talks and allowing judges to stick their hands out will influence their decision from the bench. Lisa stark from al jazeera, washington. The first excerpts from tonights state of the Union Address comes out. Plus a closer look at the president s tax proposals. Also why anger has not turned into political change in ferguson missouri. Were just two and a half hours away from president obamas state of the Union Address, and were starting to learn more about what he plans to Tell Congress and the American People tonight. White house correspondent is back with us. Mike youre starting to get those excerpts. They release some of these excerpt foss evening broadcasts like ours to whet the whistle of the audience, and sure enough, the president is going to talk about Foreign Policy as a means to pivot to the domestic front the economic resurgence the topic of the hour. The president will say 15 years that the terror that touched our shores that unfolded with the a generation fighting two long wars and saw recession spreading across our nation and the world it has been and still is a hard time for many. But tonight we turn the page. And the president will turn the page in a sense segueing from the Foreign Policy challenges and what the president has referred to as a bad economy for the last six years or sluggish growth to talk about the economy and some of the themes that he wants to hit tonight including some of the proposals that are designed to help the lower and middle class income groups get out of the recession and benefit from a growing economy. Something they have not quite seen yet. Also the president is going to be touching on Foreign Policy and particularly his policy towards isil as american airstrikes continue over the skies of iraq and syria. Hell say in part this effort will take time. It will require focus. But well second and hell say tonight i call on. The day after the election the president said he wanting to back to congress to revive that authorization of the use of military force. This, of course, comes under heated criticism of many republicans. John mccain leading that the president isnt doing enough in syria and iraq to turn back i isil. Is the president likely, hes not going to announce any new initiatives to engage further with isil. Hes really at this point talking about airstrikes and Training Mission moving forward. Yes this is not a highlight of the obama agenda. First you look at what the administration has been supporting the free syrian army, the modern opposition, as they call it. Assad army is on the march and al nusra is on the march. They say its going to take three years for the iraqi army to be up and ready to defends itself. Thats a longterm goal that is unpalatable to a lot of americans. I dont expect the president to spend a lot of time talking about that, with american advisers in iraq helping in the offensive against isil. Thank you. Joining me now is correspondent michael shure. Tera and obrien murray. Thank you for being here. First of all obrien, do you think this is going to bethe president will spend much time talking about Foreign Policy and terrorism. We have some numbers but i dont see this as being much of a speech. J. This president has been a failure in Foreign Policy. A failure . When you look at russia and the middle east, he will want to bury it. Russias economy seems to be collapsing. Hes too late on isil. He should have been out there a year ago teeth, and at least he does not know how to negotiate. Jobs and the economy are the issue that Americans Care about. Healthcare as well. Theyre not happy with the healthcare situation give this president. Tera, do you want to dive in, then michael well get to go. Is this likely to be a speech about the economy right now . Absolutely. To everyones point the Americans Care mostly about jobs. Thats not new news. Its not breaking news. Despite the fact 2014 was the best job creation this century. We have this stop burn inequality that started in the 1970s and has gotten worse since the great recession. Thats the issue. The president will focus on that and his plan to address it. If we dont tackle that problem were in big trouble. Michael what are your thoughts and the kind of tone the president will set tonight and what is likely to be agenda item number one for the speech. Again im not going to step into the fracas, but the poll has shown us that a lot of people dont feel as if they have been bouy by this surging economy. The president now has the Forum Tonight to do it. I think hell work on domestic policy. Theyre going to talk a little bit about what hes doing. He wasnt in paris. He has a little to make up for saying that were united with what is going on in the world. Foreign policy will have a place tonight. 200,000 americans have left the workforce. Those people have the pain of no income. The xl pipeline and the president threatening to veto that. 35. Thats 42,000 temporary jobs to build. Have you ever seen a permanent construction job. I havent. Those are construction jobs. Thats what matters. Lets go through the points the president is likely to highlight tonight. The president s plan includes tax cuts and tax increases for others. We prepared a graphic. The plan would expand tax credits for parents and low income workers and extend programs to help with college education. But it would do that by increasing the Capital Gains tax rate and new fees on the nations largest banks. Obrien, let me start with you. Its wrong plan, wrong time. This is wrong plan, wrong time. The president has been in office right now, the debt, the National Debt has gone up 70 . 10trilliondollar to 17 trilliondollar. Thats under this president. Thats not a good track record to have. Now he wants to take more money from American People when he already has a spending problem as it is. Is there a problem with what is happening with the middle class in your eyes . Of course. Theyre leaving the workforce. 270,000 people left the workforce. Im not sure about those numbers. But what numbers im sure for there are 5 million jobs open right now. And anybody can fact check that number. Ill tell you this, the Keystone Pipeline will create 35 permanent jobs. We35 permanent jobs. We have border infrastructure in this country where we need pipelines replaced to carry our water that we drink. If were going to invest, we need to invest in things that maybe our country better, and that if were going to do construction jobs, lets do it over things that youre talking infrastructure. You got to have more than the keystone xl pipeline. You would agree on that. The gas prices are low now. You want to keep them low. You want energy independence. You got to have more than the keystone xl pipeline as a job. Sure, i agree. For the people who have left. Thats correct. But thats part of the puzzle that has to come together. Give me another nice chunk of the buzz. Well, obamacare. Right now its an atrocity. The workweek is now been cut to 30 weeks. Now people have to work two jobs. Obamacare. The healthcare. Youre talking about as a job killer. Yes. So youre saying that adding to the jobs in the country you can do that by what . People can make more money when they have a job they can work 40 hours a week now. What happens is its 30 hours then the company has to pay obamacare. Because of that added cost theyre cutting peoples work hours by nearly 25 . Michael shure your thoughts on the discussion here. Ii know you have thoughts and would like to weigh in all this. Certainly the politics of it aside for this conversation, tonight is about politics, tony, and you asked about the president s proposals on taxation on changing the way that the wealthy pay taxes. Thats a centerpiece of what hes talking about tonight because this is in fact, a political speech. Its about putting the opposite party on their heal. Richard shelby, the incoming chair or now chair of the senate binging chicago said that obamas proposal as far as the Financial Institutions is dead on arrival. This is about politics. This is not about policy necessarily but it does start a conversation going on what obrien and terra are talking about, there are going to be different voices at the table that have a more of a platform in the senate because its a republican controlling the senate and the house. Theyll have to speak about these things in different terms. I want to jump in. The president s plan in terms of taxing banks liabilities thats the plan. House and ways chairman david camp proposed taxing banks last year in his tax reform plan. The republicans are clearly playing games. Why wouldnt they support something that was very similar to their very own proposal . Thats point number one. Point number two the earned income tax credit which the president wants to expand so childless workers can get more money back in their pocket, its a de facto wage grease. Paul ryan proposed something very similar. Again, why are they saying this stuff is dead on arrival when their own senior members have proposed this. This is been gamesmanship. This is about politics, and its not right because people are suffering. This is the part of the divisiveness the president brings to the table. Bringing decisiveness the president . How do you put more money in merges pockets instead of a raising more money for the government. We have a spending problem right now. The deficit has gone down. Thats on record. Thats after the war is over but the debt has gone up. Lets go to michael shure. Good to see you. Democratic strategic and republican strategic obrien murray. Thank you all. Our coverage of the state of the Union Address against at the top of the hour with ali velshi. Thats at 7 00 p. M. Eastern and 4 00 p. M. Pacific right here on al Jazeera America. Last year angry protests in ferguson missouri made angry headlines. Protests after the policeshooting of Michael Brown. Some blamed police for lack of diversity. And months later just a handful of people are pursuing that change through politics. Ash har quaraishi joins us from ferguson missouri. Ash har. Good to see you. What happened to all those who were calling for political change in ferguson . Tony, thats the real question. Were coming up on two months with the most violent clashes we saw and the damaging of businesses like the one behind me. After all this unrest you have a galvanized support of political candidates who want to bring change. But these first municipal elections may not be as hotly contested as many would expect. The fires have been extinguished. The voices have gone quiet but on canfield rode in ferguson, missouri the memorial remains the dont reminder where 18yearold Michael Brown lost his life. Its grown from when it was first up. Browns shooting was one reason why wesley bell is running for fergusons city council. We have an opportunity to do some good and show what change could look like right here at what is considered ground zero. Protest following browns death through thousands to the streets calling for change. Criticism that fergusons mostly White City Council did not reflect the 70 africanamerican population was a common refrain. There are three City Council Seats up for grabs. But one week before the finaling deadline only four people have file their petition to run. One of them is former mayor brian fletcher. He admits many see him as an establishment candidate but said few have stepped up to fill the void. What makes me man and frustrated, mad because a lot of people have spent the last several months complaining about not having access to the system, and yet when the opportunity comes they dont take advantage of it. Only 12 turned out to vote in in the municipal election. In the days following browns death, activists warned apathy and lowvoter turnout would stifle change. A 12 turn out is an insult to your children. People protesting on the streets night after night. None opted to run. Just because theyre not registering for office or running for specific seat doesnt mean that theyre not engaged. Politicians may not be their priority right now because they dont see that as the end game or real victory to transfer imagination. You got to get an early jump on things. Still some have been working for qualified candidates. You should not have to ask someone to run for office. The world knows that the need is there. Diversifying the power structure may be an obvious objective, but achieving that goal may truly be tested in the spring election. And tony, one of the things we heard from activists is that it takes time that political change takes time. And that a lot of 6 these people feel theyve been victims so long. It takes that time to go from victims to protester to politician. Ash har quaraishi for us in ferguson missouri. Thank you. Coming up on the program. A russian spyship docks just as u. S. Open diplomatic talks in havana. And a prosecuteor who accused a president of a cover up is found dead. Ushering a new era in relation to the island nation theyll be discussing ways to rebuild diplomatic ties and ease traffic restrictions. David, good to see you. What are we expecting to come out of these talks . Tony, theyre going to have a lot to talk about. This is a policy that is reversible. What weve seen in the last several decades from travel travel and tourism. This has not been an embassy for the last half century. Its just changing the name on the door, but it carries some real significant implications. Weve been seeing this meeting from wednesday into thursday. Cuban officials. Meeting with Top State Department officials here in havana. Weve seen congressional leaders come down. There seems to be change here. Coming down here in the streets you can see more private business taking place on the streets. People generally see more open to talk. There is a general fear and malaise that took over the population years ago. That seems to be absent or less so than weve seen in years past. We took to the streets and we spoke to the american travelers as well as cubans what they expect out of these talks. And the sense what have we got was a mixture of hope and skepticism. I dont embargo. I tell you no more embargo. Everybody is going to be welcome here. I think it will take a while for the city to get ready for american tourists in volume. Now when you look at this you still have to get a cuba be visacuban visa regardless of what happens in the u. S. Fivestar hotels does not really exist in cuba. So it will be a rude awakening for travelers. Dived an interesting twist a russian spyship has docked in shah vanna. We were coming down the street today to set up for the shot and it was essentially pulling in just as we were. This is the surveillanceship that monitors what is happening in the caribbean. It has been here for several years. Its been docked at the havana before. But when you come to the world stage and leaders descending on cuba for a change in policy. The u. S. And cuba have been old cold war foes for a long time. So the optics of having a spy ship dock at havana is significant when you talk about what is taking place in cuba. Thats for sure. Thank you. There is anger on the streets of argentina. Following the shooting death of a prosecutor who accused the president of wrongdoing. The autopsy suggest he killed himself. But the timing of his death races doubts that it was suicide suicide. We have reports now from buenos aires. Reporter demonstrations calling for justice. Protests in the province as well. There was a small stand off with Police Outside of the president ial palace. Crowds started gathering shortly after officials announce that the preliminary results of an occupation on alberto desmonds body. They say there is no indication that anyone else was involved in his death. He was found with a single gunshot wound to the led. It was 4 hours before he was due to testify on allegations that president christina kitchener had obstructed justice. But protesters are not satisfied by the president s denial of wrongdoing and the judges assertion that he had been misguided in the way he had made the allegations. For a demonstration organize on short notice, this demonstration is big. Whatever the circumstances under his death there is at simmering discontent here a frustration with the justice system. I dont want a country stained with blood and corruption for my children and grandsons. Thats why im here. Im demanding justice. Its very grave what is going on. Theyre walking all over us. No one has faced justice for the bombing of a Jewish Community center in 1994 in which 85 people died. Iran denied any involvement. 51yearold nesmond alleged he had evidence including phone taps that showed the president along with foreign minister and other officials were offering to stop moves against iranian suspects in a deal that would involve grain exports to iran in return for oil. Opposition parties insist that nesmond had no reason to commit suicide. What happened next no one is sure but the questions are piling up with few clear answers. Andrew simmons al jazeera. Well find out who gets the best seats in the house the guest spots right next to the first lady. Saturday. Visibility was 3 to 5 nautical miles. Weathering the storm. We want to show people how to replace property against the worst Mother Nature has to offer. Experts forecast how to stay safe. Im standing in a tropical windstorm. In extreme weather. Oh my god. Techknows team of experts show you how the miracles of science. This is my selfie, what can you tell me about my future . Can affect and surprise us. Dont try this at home. Techknow where Technology Meets humanity. Saturday at 7 30 eastern. Only on al Jazeera America. The president steps up to the podium for tonights state of the union hell have some visitors in the gallery above the floor to help him underscore certain themes. 22, 22 of them are going to be in the house galley tonight. And in capitol hill these guests are known as skutniks after Lenny Skutniks. When a plane crashed Lenny Skutnik raced over to help those in the crash president reagan was so impressed that inviteed him to sit next to him during that president ial state of the union. Another guest of honor will be astronaut scott kelly brother of mark kelly. Scott kelly is headed to the International Space station for a year to test how the body can handle extended space travel. President obama will make references to healthcare, education, immigration reform. This evening the president will draw special attention to a guest who happens to be ceo of cvs health, the first pharmacy to stop selling tobacco products. Anto help bolster the president s message the white house will be using social media more aggressively than ever. There will be streaming videos online tweets on twitter and friends for live discussions involving administration officials. Its all part of the white houses plan to reach more young people tonight and citizen who is get their news from social media. One of the things to look for this evening congresswoman gwen moore from wisconsin has asked colleagues to raise pencils in the air for lawmakers to show solidarity to free speech. It should an terrific night. You agree with our guests from earlier it will be largely about the economy. Its largely about the economy and the middle class the part of society who feels theyve been left behind. And thats reflected in the polling, all right david David Shuster will be with us. Im tony harris from new york city. A special edition of real money with an ali velshi. Thats next on al Jazeera America