time. >> only on al jazeera america. >> dozens of officials arrested in israel over alleged corruption, including several members of the foreign minister's lieberman's party. >> you're watching al jazeera live from doha. also ahead: >> to the terrorists, let me give you the verdict of our nation. your days are numbered. >> new plans to fight the taliban, pakistan said it's time for fanneds to pay the price. >> the father of the jordanian pilot captured asks his captors to treat his son well.

they are working on securing his release. >> russia's president urges retailers to reign in vodka prices as the crippled economy gets worse. >> we begin in sow mail i can't, al shabab fighters attacked the soldiers in mogadishu. police say fighters might have entered the compound. it's not clear if there were any casualties. >> in israel, dozens of current and former officials have been arrested in an investigation into alleged corruption. israel police say those arrested include several members from the party of foreign minister lieberman. public funds have been transferred to organizations close to his party. lieberman has not commented. >> a seen nor columnist for an

on line publication said the arrests will impact lieberman's career. >> i believe it will make it a bit more difficult for leading parties to invite lieberman to be a senior member in the new coalition, in the new government. it turns out that lieberman is emerging in the elections, if you see what he said just a few days ago, it was headlines that he criticized netanyahu's policy and called for are a political initiative that israel should improve its relationship with its neighbors, as well as with the europeans and americans, so every wanted to put himself in the middle, so he will be available for any coalition and even being a possible king maker, he was mentioned as a

candidate to become the next prime minister, as the black horse, that without him, both from the left and right will not be able to form a coalition. on the other hand, he's posing himself as the underdog, that the police is tarting him and after him because of the elections, because of the timing now that this is not the time to come up with those major arrests with such a high media profile. >> syrian government airstrikes have killed at least 23 in areas held by size pill. they targeted towns in northeastern aleppo province. one child is among the dead. there are more government airstrikes outside damascus.

this video was posted, they say shows the aftermath of the attack. at least 10 people, mostly children have reportedly been injured in the strikes. the attacks follow a series of airstrikes that killed several children and wounded many others on tuesday. >> the father of the captured jordanian pilot appealed to his captors to treat him well. he is the first member of the coalition taken by the group. >> i don't want to describe him as a hostage. i call him a guest. he's a guest of our brothers in syria's islamic state. i ask in the name of god to receive him as a guest in his house and treat him well. >> isil said it shot down his fighter jet in iraq and syria but the u.s. denies this claim. we report. >> this is the jordanian pilot captured by isil fighters. his plane came down outside the syrian city of raqqa. the king of jordan is getting

regular updates on the crisis. officials call the pilot a symbol of heroism and sacrifice. >> the government will take every necessary step needed in order to secure his coming back to his home and his family. >> the jordanian f16's form a part of the u.s. led coalition targeting isil. this is the first coalition jet to crash in isil territory. the u.s. said evidence shows isil did not shoot down the jet. >> the jordanian are highly respected and valid partners and their pilots and crews performed exceptionally well over the course of this campaign. we strongly condemn the actions of isil, taking hostage the downed pilot. >> we will not tolerate isil attempts to misrepresent or exploit this unfortunate crash for their own purposes. >> it is thought that the group possesses anti aircraft weapons.

former officers are capable of using this technology. >> the iraqi officers are well experienced and they handle such weapon nicely and they need some skill to down an airplane in has regard. as jordan's government has also said, it's held the isil responsible for the safety and the life of the pilot. >> this latest incident will have major implications for the air campaign. >> the man's father made an appeal for mercy. his relatives wait for news on the pilot's fate. >> human rights watch has accused the syrian government for targeting civilians in the besieged area of holmes. almost 100,000 people are trapped in the last area in the city still held by rebels. wwe have a report. >> government snipers surround

this district in holmes, moving in and out is severely restricted. according to human rights watch, residents are harassed and sometimes arbitrarily detained when trying to do so. it says the area has become a prison for its residents. the government wants fighters inside to lay down arms, but the opposition wants guarantees. >> the government wants defectors to hand the themselve. what guarantees do we have they won't kill us like they did to others who surrendered? >> the state has controlled control over much of the city, but the rebels say they had to surrender because the districts were besieged for months. this is the last one in rebel hands and government attacks ever intensified there since ceasefire talks collapsed in october. many civilians have been killed in the densely populated neighborhoods. some 100,000 people, many who

fled from other conflict zones in the city lived here, and they are growing increasingly desperate. >> even when we were able to bring in supplies, the so-called traders in the district used to take advantage of our situation, and now there's a government siege and we can't bring anything in. people want the fighters to leave. they want this to end. >> the government blockade and attempts at shelling have had devastating consequences on the civilians there. the people and not the fighters are now engaged in u.n. mediated negotiations with the authorities. the government said it wants to make a deal with be but it has to involve restoring state sovereignty. >> some supplies have entered the city since the government imposed a partial blockade last year. since november, it was tightened, preventing aid from entering. the government has been accused of using starvation as a weapon

of war, a tactic that has worked iin the past. >> the taliban is warned by the pakistan prime minister that its days of numbered. we have the details. >> it's been nine days since the worst act of terrorism in pakistan's hint. the government, with the support of all political parties is fighting back. >> due to the weakness of our civilian courts, terrorists kept evading punishment. special trial courts will be set up, made of military officers so perpetrators can be brought to justice. these special coaches will last two years. >> the pakistan taliban claimed responsibility for the deem 16 attack on a schooling. almost 150 people, including 132 children were killed by men who went from classroom to classroom

hunting victims. >> the terrorists struck the future of this country when they murdered those innocent children. the 6-year-old was like my daughter. she went to school to take an exam and didn't come back. the boy was like my heel. he went to school without breakfast and his mother will never see him come back. >> two days later, the government lift add moratorium on the death penalty. all political parties agreed to amend the constitution. officials say they will only use the military courts to try the suspects. they will form a better anti terrorism support and better protection of schools. >> an ordinance never enacted into law should be done, similarly education. that is a pro describe she will

subject. it's unclear if the governments are going to play bomb with the central government. >> pakistan has for years been accused of supporting armed groups in neighboring afghanistan. islamabad launched a military offensive against the pakistani taliban. the military too far increased. it now seems the legal provisions to exiled terrorism harder are also being made. al jazeera. >> coming up: we'll meet chinese christians, part of a growing trend in the world's large effort atheist country. >> the latest on the fights against ebola. we hear from an official in one of the words-hit countries.

>> we were talking to a young lady saying she just wanted her voice to get out there. >> by the thousands, they're sending their government a message. >> ahead of 'em is a humanitarian crisis where tens of thousands of people are without food, water, shelter. >> a special one hour look at global attacks on free press. monday 9:00 eastern. on al jazeera america. ♪

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only with xfinity from comcast. >> dozens of current and former israeli officials were arrested over alleged corruption. those arrested include several members of the party of foreign minister lieberman. >> the father of the jordanian pilot captured by isil asks his captors to treat it well. jordan will try to secure his release. >> al shabab fighters ever attacked the of a union soldiers main boys in mogadishu. explosions and heavy gunfire were heard in the city. some fighters might have entered the base.

>> it's been 10 years since one of the worst natural disasters in modern history, the indian ocean tsunami. 170,000 people died at the time. we return to the city to find a community still rebuilding. >> 10 years later, and it's hard to tell it ever happened. more than 130,000 houses were rebuilt, 1,700 schools, and 3,700 kilometers of roads. >> it is back to life 10 years after the disaster struck, it is now bustling and vibrant than ever bro. while people seem to have picked up their lives, to many, it feels like yesterday, that moment sunday morning, december 26 when the waves hit. >> the last thing my child screamed was mommy and i held

her as tight as possible. i went down with her for more than one hour. the only sound i could hear in the water were the sounds of banging. i meet her again 10 years later. not only did she lose her baby, her husband and parents died. two days afterward, she showed me the body of her dads and sister. >> i can see the face of my sister lying here. the tsunami feels to me like it has just happened. >> this girl was nine years old when her parents died along with 270 of her school mates. she wrote a poem back then. >> children have lost their

mothers and fathers. weave a new generation at our table, a great province, as a city of peace and welfare. my lovely lovely city. >> now, the 19-year-old says her words have come true. while she remembers her parents at a mass grave with 15,000 bodies, she said she wants to look to the future. >> in these last 10 years, comparing the situation before and now, there are many changes. now it is very beautiful. although we have lost so much, we have resurrected. >> she studies english and wants to become a t.v. presenter. >> this woman has moved from the sea with her husband and daughter. an international aid

organization paid for her study and now she works as a nurse. >> i always wonder why i'm still alive while my baby and sister died next to me. this question haunts me. i think there must be a reason. maybe i have been given a chance to become a better person. >> new lives ever started, but the dark images of the past will stay with them forever, a stark reminder as this boat pushed by the waves, five kilometers inland. by preserving it, it shows the world even the worst disaster can be overcome. >> we'll have more coverage on the tsunami and affairs on friday. we'll have reports from thailand and sri lanka. >> thailand's prime minister says that the martial law in his

country will continue, and general elections will have to wait until there's stability. delivering his end of the year speech, he said conflict threatens thailand from becoming democratic. his military government was supposed to organize governments by late 2015, but now says they will be delayed by a year. >> a technician at the u.s. centers for disease control in atlanta is being monitored for possible ebola exposure. the technician came into contact with a small amount of the virus that had not been properly neutralized. the worker will be monitored for 21 days. >> in sierra leone, the government has declared a five day lockdown in the north of the country to step up efforts to contain the ebola epidemic. the only exception is that people will be allowed to attend religious services christmas day. we report.

>> crowds head to christmas markets in the capitol freetown. all around are reminders that the ebola virus remains a threat. in the north, it seems like these are impossible. the government declared a five day lockdown. even i freetown where restrictions aren't in place, celebrations muted. >> we are just trying to work hard for our children so they will have something to eat for a day. we can't enjoy our receivers when we suffer like this. >> the government announced more travel restrictions and a ban on public parties over christmas and new year. in liberia, more than 3,000 have been killed, while the number of new infections is going down. people struggle to find much to celebrate. >> no, no, not celebrate,

because of ebola. people are afraid, taking precaution. for me, i told my family and kids, i will not go out. i will stay home and watch movies all day. >> unlike liberia, the virus in sierra leone is still spreading. experts say restrictions on movement as well as the in flux of foreign medics and money will soon show results. al jazeera. >> pope francis has delivered his christmas day address in vatican city. tens of thousands gathered on st. peter's square to hear his message and blessing. he condemned the killings of minorities in iraq and syria by isil fighters and appealed for an end to conflict in africa. he urged dialogue between israelis and palestinians and condemned last week's attack by the taliban that killed 130 students in pakistan.

>> 1.2 plan roman catholics of celebrating christmas around the world. it may not be the leading religion in communist china, but that's not to say it is christian holy day isn't cell braided. we report from beijing. >> christmas mass is the most popular service in this thee hundred-year-old church. third and fourth generation catholics make it a point to come back here on this special day. >> we usually you fast on christmas eve and then after midnight all get together. the whole family has a big meal to celebrate the birth of jesus. >> christianity may not be the dominant religion in this country but is the fastest growing. >> it's not just christians who come to church. christmas attacks the non-believers, too, to treat the day as a festival, an

opportunity to have something different. >> attending midnight mass is seen as the trendy thing to do. the service has become so popular, the church that to give out tickets a week in advance. many of the faithful preserve the day's service, a quieter time for celebration. for many, it's also a regular workday. back in the office after attending mass with his mother, he says he wishes religion wasn't so tightly controlled in china. >> sometimes i feel isolated being chinese and catholic, but learned from the prayers and my family that you should just stick to your faith. you believe what you believe. >> freedom of religion is guaranteed under the constitution, but religious organizations have to be approved by the government. this has given rise to underground churches, both catholic and protestant, which

exist alongside state-sanctioned houses of worship. christians say they hope for the day when they no longer have to extinguish between the two. al jazeera, beijing. >> al jazeera continues to call for the release of our three journalists, now imprisoned in egypt for 362 days. the three were falsely accused and convicted of helping the outlawed muslim brother hoard and are appealing their convictions. >> protestors continue to demand the resignation of the prime minister. demonstrators accuse the government of stealing public money. protests threaten the countries stability. >> two protestors held in berkeley, missouri after a vigil for a black teenager shot and killed by a white police officer. it is five kilometers from ferguson where unarmed teenager

michael brown was killed by a police officer in august. >> cinemas in the united states are reassuring audiences that it is safe to watch a controversial film when it opens on christmas day. ginseng is a satirical movie about a plot to kill north carolina's leader. sony picture canceled the release after a cyber attack and threats from a hacking group. the u.s. blames north korea for that attack. >> saudi arabia announced its budget for the next year will have over $38 billion deficit. the worlds biggest crude producer expects lower revenues in 2015 due to a sharp oil price decline. it is the first deficit since 2011 and the largest ever for the country. >> russia's president said retailers should not increase alcohol prices because the country faces an economic prices. vladimir putin said alcohol

higher price says would encourage boot leg spirits. russia is fourth on the world organization list of heaviest drinking countries. the measure may be extended to other products, as well. >> there's also been talk today in the government that other prices for basic foods may be regulated. of course it's got to do with inflation and the deteriorating economy. vodka is an important product in russia not just economically, but culture ally socially and otherwise. hin russia, the new year tradition is to celebrate big time with a lot of drinking. vodka is important, because when it becomes no longer affordable, as the experience is shown,

people tend to consume alcohol containing liquids not intended for human consumption, and that is very bad for headlight. >> while ginseng is popular in china and asian countries because of medicinal property, now revitalizing a depressed u.s. economy. rereport from kentucky's appalachian region. >> the autumn gold rush has begun. chris mills and his family have been digging up ginseng roots in kentucky for nearly half a century, waiting years and dodging copper head snakes. >> sometimes it stays in the ground a lot longer than most people would ever why would about it. sometimes you sow seeds and they stay in the ground 10 to 12 years before coming up.

>> it is a natural medicine, sometime landed, diabetes treatment, aphrodisiac and cure for sexual dysfunction. this is a market for cheaper ginseng but consumers pay more for the wild north american are a invite. >> most of the market goes to china. they prefer the wild root with deep rings. it's grown slower. they feel that it's gotten more energy, more information from other areas. >> these boxes each hold more than $5,000 of ginseng, but from local pickers from $500 to $700 a pound and sold to consumers for farmar. this plant is too young to pick. you pick it at this stage, it won't reseed. some poachers pick it. a digger could get $40 for this, but it could be worth thousands by the time it reaches markets like korea. prices lured newcomers, coal

miners and poachers on private and government land. several states now limit the season to prevent over harvesting. >> all this is ginseng that was dug prior to season, and sold. >> during two weeks in september in west virginia alone, natural resources officers confiscated more than 190 pounds of illegally dug ginseng, worth $180,000, grown in one of the few you clients on earth that can sustain it. >> kentucky's got the right soul. it might be god planted it, gods gift. the economy around here is poor, you know, but if you just work at it and keep trying, you'll come out. >> here in poor but proud appalachia, many are happy to get by grom gifts on the soil. al jazeera, big creek, kentucky. >> in hong kong, a mad cram bell for cash after an armored van

spilled more than $2 million u.s. dollars on the motor way near the financial district. the driver was oblivious to the fact that the van's back door was open. police have appealed for help in tracing the money. they warrant anyone who fails to return it may be committing a crime.