A victim of the Washington State mudslide speaking out. And a juvenile offender taking on the state of florida for what he says is too harsh. It was a day that changed the nation forever. In july of 1964, the Civil Rights Act became law. It banned discrimination based onreas, color, sex, religion or sexual origin, and president obama is marking it in texas. Mike viqueira is there, and theres never a shortage of opinion when two president s get together. President obama will be here, and he and michelle together, they attended fundraisers last night in houston, texas, this was after the ceremony yesterday afternoon. And they boarded a plane to austin. Lets talk about the obvious, del. The Civil Rights Act in june, signed by lbj, and president obama the first african president , and obviously theres more to that. Lbj has been ignored by history, mostly because of his clouded record on vietnam and all of the history on that, but if you look at what he passed. The Civil Rights Act, and medicare, and the albatross has been vietnam, but we have more president s talking about the landmark legislation that he pushed through ar the assassination of jfk. And all of the other things that he accomplished. And we can expect president obama to talk about the Civil Rights Act and laud lbj as well. Some people forget that lbj was a senator from the south and this state, texas, which shows how tough the politics were back then as opposed to how they are meow now. If you remember in the healthcare debate in 2009, everybody is saying, why doesnt president obama get his lbj on, and people use the phrase to kang ol and twist arms, and log rolling and swapping stories, and that was a completely different era, much more prevalent. Lbj had 290 democrats in the house of representatives, and plus a super majority in the senate. And still, you mention that hes from texas, and that was significant in getting that through. But there are several senators, namely Strom Thurmon from a south carolina, launching the strongest filibuster around the Civil Rights Act. Eulogized by president clinton himself. So theres a lot on this very significant milestone. Mike, your history is always on point. Some believe though, as mike mentioned, the nation has taken a step backwards. Several states restricting laws on why, when and how you can vote. Protesters congregate at the rotunda each weekday, blasting the policies of Governor Scott washing. On this venue, more restrictive voting laws. Two weeks ago, he signed legislation banning early voting on weekends and weekdays after 7 00 p. M. This comes on the heels of a voter i. D. Law passed several years ago, and now being challenged in federal courts. Supporters say that it makes the voting hours more uniform and eliminate voter fraud. But david says that they really just make it harder to vote. Its going to take longer to vote and make it more complicated to vote. Its rolling back a right which has been granted to the people of wisconsin. Since 2011, is a states have required early voting. Five states have made it easier by allowing online registration and expanding early voting, and four states have implemented measures that do a combination of both. Historically, wisconsin has been one of the more progressive states when it comes to voter rights. It allows for same day registration and early voting for no reason. These are motivated by a Republicancontrolled Legislature and governor. They claim that requiring identification and reduced voting hours make it difficult for working class minorities who tend to favor democrats, and it makes it tough on senior citizens, like her mother, who counted on weekend voting. If youre in a president ial cycle, it may be a long line, and we didnt want to take the chance on having her have to stand. Senator grossman agreed it an interview with us about the more restrictive voting law he sponsored, but he backed out and wouldnt talk to us when we stopped by his office. The new laws are designed to protect eligible voters and the process. We always said, if you want to vote, you should be able to vote. And thats what the Election Administrators are trying to do in ways that are appropriate to their jurisdiction and the history of that jurisdiction. They steam to want more restrictive voting while twothirds say that they favor early voting hours, and i. D. S to vote. In madison, a liberal city that has long embraced descent, it could be a cry echoing through the capital and the months and years to come. The Justice Department is said to release its findings today for use of force by the Albuquerque Police department. They have been under investigation after a series of Police Involved shootings. There have been 34 shootings and 24 deaths since 2010. The residents say that the police are abusing their power and violating civil rights. A 16yearold accused in a stabbing spree is being charged as an adult. He has been charged with stabbing 21 classmates and a security guard. He faces 21 counts of attempted homicide and 24 counts of aggravated assault. The police are trying to determine a motive. And earlier, one of the victims described what happened. It was almost like kind of a blur. All i remember is messing around with gracie and bumping her out of the way, because usually i goof off in the mornings and be playful. And the kid hits me in the back, and it was chaos. And we also talked earlier to alexs lawyer, who talked about his clients state of mind. Hes confused, scared, depressed. You know, over the next few days, well try to figure out what the heck happened here. Police are searching for a man accused of a hitandrun at a Day Care Center in orlando. A 14yearold girl was killed and four other 14 others were i. They believe that he has since rented another vehicle. Well, for the past few weeks, we have been telling you about the mudslide that destroyed part of washington. They found a mother and their fivemonthold baby alive. And she told the story of how their entire house collapsed on top of them. I thought i wasnt going to make it. She was one of the lucky ones. The deadly mudslide in oso, washington last month. It sounded like a truck, and it continued and i thought maybe its an earthquake. Amanda has endured six surgeries and excruciating pain, but its a tale of survival that will always haunt her. The lights started to blink, and i looked out the front door and it was like a movie, houses were exploding, and the next thing i see is our neighbors chimney coming into our front door and i turned and i held duke, and i did not let him go. Not letting go of her fivemonthold son, duke, as their home shifted 600 feet. As the shaking stopped, amanda and her baby were trapped. Here i am trapped with my child in this debris. And i cant move. And i cant scream loud enough for help because we live in oso. Unable to move with a fractured arm and two broken legs,ama could only wait for help as her child began turning blue. I said stay with me, bud. They rescued her baby, who had a fractured skull. He had half a mountain fall on him, and hes doing better, and every day, tomorrow will be doing better than today. Doctors say that amanda might be able to go home this week. But for amanda, theres one place that shell never go back to. Oso is home, but i will never go back, ill never visit, i cant. Stephanie sy, aljazeera. We wish them well. The search for the missing airliner, flight 370, is growing smaller and more precise. They are hearing pins in the same location as those found yesterday. And the search zone is now ten times smaller than what it was before. And the searchers are optimistic. In east ukraine, the tables are turning against authorities that were once protesters themselves. They want to join russia like crimea did. For days, they have been occupying government buildings, and they are prepared to use force if necessary one of the standoffs. Here in donetsk just a short time ago, they will be taking up an offer of amnesty. He made the offer after speaking to pro russian protesters in the eastern city inia phonecall, he offered to give rights to people in the east so they can have more say in ukraine and he set up a special commission in the east. The pro russians say they want to realize that they ask the legitimate government in the republic of donetsk, and they want to give legi legitimacy toe republic. The question is, all along, united and wants ukraine to stay whole. And will not let them follow in ukraines footsteps. The trial of our colleagues, three aljazeera journalists in cairo has been adjourned. They have been denied bail. And they have been behind bars for 103 days, and theyre accused of providing a platform for the muslim brotherhood. The Egyptian Government showing videos, and some of that has been missed by the judge as one of them, his health is getting worse, and aljazeera continues to demand their Immediate Release city. Coming up on aljazeera america. He was just 14 years old and sentenced to 70 years in jail. Florida Justice System that sends young kids to prison for the rest of their life. When is a prison sentence too harsh . In 2010, the Supreme Court banned life sentences without parole for juveniles. But that may not be the case in florida. Their judges could still be sending kids to prison for life. He was not old enough to drive when he went to prison, and now at 19, hes an adult, looking at living in a cell until hes an old man. Do you feel hopeful . Yes, maam. At 14, his family says that he was the kind of kid who got bs in school and was trying to help his mom after she lost both her job and home. In 2009, he and a friend attempted to hold up a jacksonville man, dana battles. When he turned away, he fired a shotgun at him. He suffered buck shot wound. He carried a secret of what he had done for three days before he final confessed to his family and turned himself in. That was my son. He pled guilty to attempted firstdegree murder, aggravated battery. Minimum sentence in florida is 25 years in prison. The judge sentenced him to 70 years. By sentencing him for 70 years, he threw shamek on the garage heap and said you aint worth nothing. How do you feel about what happened . I feel bad. I was young back then, trying to be cool. Trying to help my mother out. Advocates say that the susceptibility to peer pressure added to a brain thats still developing, is why he shouldnt be sentenced as an adult. In orlando, she says judges in florida are circumventing a Supreme Court ruling, banning life sentences for juveniles who commit crimes other than homicides, she stresses that they are sentencing them to long prison terms that are long sentences. These people will die in prison. Thomas has prosecuted more than 50 juvenile defendants being tried as adults. He refuses to believe that teens dont have the capacity to differentiate been right and wrong. My Number One Mission is to protect the public from future violence, then im going to seek the greatest sentence i can to protect the public. Thats what you pay me for. Now the florida Supreme Court will weig weigh in. You can also define a life sentence as a sentence, based on rehabilitation. What he and his family are asking for is an opportunity for him to make a positive mark in the world, instead of being remembered only for his crime. For a kid to turn his life around and make good. As things stand right now, he may not have the chance until hes 77 years old. Aljazeera, miami, florida. On wall street, the two day winning streak is in trouble as invaries earn corporate earnings, the dow down, textiles are pressuring the markets. A major milestone for greece today, the government selling bonds for the first time in four years. Raising 4 billion, much more than expected. The country has been locked out of the bond market since 2010. Walmart is teaming up with wildoats to sell a line of organic foods. Theyre trying to drive down the price of organics, and make it more affordable for lowincome customers. A proposal that ebay split off the paypal unit. And hes withdrawing from the board city. Ali velshi is going to be talking about the crisis in ukraine and more with christine lagarde. More on aljazeera america. It took nature thousands of years to create the louisiana wetlands, but in the course of 70 years, theyre starting to go away and disappearing. Its part of climate sos. And a zoo gets a makeover. The price tag in just a moment. Welcome back to aljazeera america. Im del walters. These are your headlines at this hour. The president will be in austin, texas today, attending a civil rights summit at the lbj president ial library, marking the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of course the president is delivering the keynote address this afternoon one of the victims of the high school stabbing is speaking out. One of the victims is disappointed with the suspect, alex rhibal. The investigators for the malaysian 370 are narrowing the search. Its now ten times smaller than it was before senate. In our continuing series, climate sos. We look at louisiana and the fragile coast that has been disappearing for decades. Part of the refine is negligence on the part of the oil and gas industry. We have more from louisiana. Reporter for more than 30 years, retired lieutenant general, russell served in the United States army, and now hes fighting a new battle, to save the environment. Because of all of the Oil Companies that came here and basically had their way in the state of louisiana, they have hung their flag over the state capital. Honre has looked for decades as theas the state has turned ad eye to pollution. He said its easy to spot the abandoned wells and uncapped pipelines. It took nature thousands of years to build these wetlands, but in 75 years or a lifetime, much of it has disappeared. Reporter environmentalists say that the State Government has allowed the state to self regulate. And 100 Oil Companies are required to repair the destruction. Every one, including the industry zone has concluded that the industry cussed caused aing is amount of damage. Theres this idea that the oil industry is above the law. Reporter but louisianas governor and oil industry supporters in the States Legislature are pushing back. Legislation has been drafted that would stop such lawsuits. The statement of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association said the green army is just one more Group Seeking to extort money from the oil and gas industry. They are suing the very industry that is providing steady growth and steady jobs in a flailing economy. But they said the profits line the pockets, louisiana is the fourth Largest Oil Producer in the u. S. , and its residents are the second poorest in the United States. Democracy does not work louisiana. This state is controlled by oil and gas, and they write the laws, and we have to fight our own government to protect this place. The coalition is working to draft its own laws and gain a foothold in the state legislature. Despite decades of introduction, they hope that their efforts will help to influence the state politicians to help protect louisianas coast. Aljazeera, new orleans. Well, ill tell you one thing, its shaping up to be a spectacular day across the east coast, from portions of maine to florida. A ridge of High Pressure is in correctly. And were looking at clear skies for the most part, as i said. Maybe a few clouds making their way into the western portions of new york, and well see a couple of showers later on. But today is going to be beautiful overall. Look at these temperatures. Albany, 67, and toronto, 65, and 68 in new york city. Were looking at winds pushing High Pressure in control in the atlantic and a front making its way through the two air matses. We have the winds pushing up out of the south. And it feels really good out there. Well see winds gusting to 20 Miles Per Hour in cleveland today, southeast, very comfortable. And charlotte, 74, and in the 80s in orlando, 83 in key west. And a couple of showers through the heat of the day. Speaking of showers, we have a front pushing through across the plains, and in michigan, that has died down a little bit. It will track across the great lakes and as i said produce a couple of showers over the northeast tonight. Its cooler in minneapolis today. Winds pushing out of the north behind the front. They were at 71 yesterday. And normally at this time much year, above average. A shower this afternoon, and a high of 62. Meanwhile, its cooling down in l. A. And believe it or not, they climbed to a my of 90, and they should be in the low 70s. Comfortable and back to normal almost in los angeles today. Houston, 80. And phoenix, 96. With all of this warmth and sunshine, well be looking across the country today. We have a lot of snow melting here in portions of montana and i15. Were seeing a lot of the snow melting as i said, so they will continue to rise, and you need to be careful for a little bit of flooding. Meanwhile, its cooling down in the southwest. And it feels really good in san francisco. Well see a little bit of fog, but oval, a sunny day. Back to you, del. Paris is known for its cafe culture, and now this, the zoo. Its reopening after a 230 million makeover, and its designed to make visitors feel like part of the animal world, as well as attracting more visit, and it will help to protect endangered species. We want to thank you for watching aljazeera america. Inside story is next, and check us out 24 hours a day by going to aljazeera. Com. The government lifts the veil on how much medicare pays doctor. The deep data dive and what it means for you is the inside story. Hello, im libby casey. Millions of dollars are going to a handful of doctors. Do they deserve it for treating americas elderly, or are they gaming the medal care system
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