go behind the scenes at aljazeera.com/techknow. follow our contributors on ♪ ♪ ♪ [hi everybody and happy new year. this is al jazeera america, john siegen that willer is off. a new trial for three al jazeera journalists wrongfully imprisoned. >> and we are still fighting and it is 12 months down the train. >> delicate transition, a fate toe led combat mission is over, and security is now in the hands of combat. pay hikes the minimum wage is about to go up in

20 states. could a federally mandated pay raise be next? and remembering 2014. the stories that matter the most last year. and the issues that will certainly make headlines through the next. >> we begin tonight with bittersweet news they have been in an egyptian prison for over a year. it is raising hopes that convictions can be overturned. roxanne that has the latest jonathon the state department says it will keep urging egypt to release the journalists. obviously we welcome the court's recognition that the original decision was flawed even as we remain concerned. we believe that all journalists have a right

to do their jobs, free from intimidation or fear of retribution. many supporters say they never should have been arrested in the first place. >> after a full year in prison, the three al jazeera journalists start the new year behind bars. on thursday, the top court ordered a retrial for australian peter greste, and canadian egyptian mohamed fahmy. >> it's hard to see your loved one in prison. behind pars for just doing his job. i hope that -- i believe there is a misunderstanding and it feeds to be corrected. >>ives expecting yes a retrial, but i was expecting with that a release today. >> the free peter greste facebook page posted this message. wile we hope that today would have brought the dropping of all charges and peter to be release add positive outcome at

least is a recognition that the first trial was flawed. >> from 2011. >> greste is a veteran correspondent owned oil was in cairo only two weeks when he was arrested. >> the first trial buzz most unfair, and unjust. and there is nothing that can be guaranteed etch for a retrial. >> the three journalists were sentenced from seven to ten years in prison. they are accused of supporting the now banned muslim brotherhood, but an attorney said there's no connection. >> they assume if you work for al jazeera automatically you are a member in the muslim brotherhood. it is got true. >> the journalists has sparked an internationalout cry, by other journalists, and on social pead yeah, where the #free a.j. staff has gone viral. on thursday, the united kingdom foreign office said we hope that the retrial is conducted swiftly and according to due process, the u.k. has

had serious concerns about these arrests from the outset. and groups are reiterating the journalists never should have been jailed in the first place. >> today we are disappointed because you would have liked to see the three courageous journalists completely freed. but at the same time, we see the retrial as an a opportunity for the court, for the egyptian judicial system, to recognize that they are innocent. >> egypt's president has said he is considering using his power to release the journalists but he has also said the legal process has to run it's course. >> we are here with that part of the story. >> they were talking from the family close to the family home, and of course, this is not the outcome that everyone was hoping for we would all like to see them released but something roxanne that said could be key. because there will be a

retrial has been ordered the other journalists are essentially once again innocent prisoners awaiting trial, and that gives the president a chance to step in, and here is what his brothers had to say about that prospect. >> it is a step in the right direction but upon reflection, it is certainly the next best result for us. it's been recognized that the first trial was flawed, and in our views is completely innocent so now the court recognizes that he is now an innocent man, and it really opened up the option that the president has acknowledged that if he was in power that he would have supported the guys. and now that peter is essentially an independent man, he is not a convict any more,

it does lay out some move and steps be taken. he needs to step in and enact his presidential powers. >> what you arer haing there, is kind of a very cautious optimism, they are trying not to get their hopes up. there has been so many twists and turns and they said we are in the system now we just have to see. if there is a retrial we know it could take up to the year, we still know it could be a very long road ahead. >> thank you, paul. the upon profit group committee to protect journalists has been watching the case from the beginning. and i talked to sha leaf, and asked what he thought about today's developments. >> i was expecting more to be honest, based on the indication that was circulated in the media and the statement that was made by the president, that they are keep on receiving this. however, i am still very happy to see that the

verdict overturned. not just because of those specific generas because every other genera because this would have been a very bad precedent, if the conversation would have confirmed those verdicts and those charges as was based on snot evidence and was making a very stupid argument about how legitimate journalist work can be perceived and seen as against national security, and related to terrorism and even justified for a traditional, and nontraditional, to be prosecuted and held in custody, for now a year without any evidence. so for that, i am happy you say you were surprised by this decision, what were you

expecting to happen? were you hoping the journalists may be released. >> yes i think it was clear, that the government has realized that this politically motivated charges would need a political solution and that the egyptian judiciary would not be able to reserve it. and that's why we are seeing in november a new legislation done specifically to allow the president a political tool to release the journalists and those who have be deported back to their home countries. >> so do you expect the president -- >> also the president. >> do you expect the president to use that tool and to possibly deport the journalists instead of sending them to prison again. >> absolutely. i think that's why we have seen this legislation, and that's

why people are still waiting and holding their breath. maybe before we even have a conversation in a few weeks when the trial starts i think even the prosecutor general has the authority now to drop those charges not to continue the case if he and the president would like to use the influence. i think that even if that would not have happened, the president at any point could decide to use his prosecution and power, to pardon the journalists who are indicted for now being charged again on this case one final question for you, just a brief question, how quickly do you think the three imprisoned journalists could be released from prison. >> i think the australian journalists peter greste probably would be the readsiest case to resolve, at least

politically. using the november legislation, would allow the president to hand him over to australian government within a few weeks a month a year. is this something that could wrap up or this this wrap up in the next couple of weeks. >> i think he would be home in a matter of days if got a few weeks. it is going to be more difficult for mohamed fahmy and even more difficult for mohamed because he doesn't have any foreign relation. >> thank you for your time today. >> thank you very having me. >> and coming up at the half cowher, we will talk live to andrew greste, the brother of jailed

journalist. other news, the first victim has been identified. nine bodies so far have been found and searchers are back on the water looking for more wreckage, especially the planes black boxes. john tarot has the latest. jonathon, there are hopes the bad weather that's been getting in the way may ease, but there are reports the high seas may persist for the best part of the next week in the meantime, more than 150 families are still waiting for fuse of their loved ones. >> ink do these januaries is that righted the new year paying for passengers and crew. >> i hope the families left behind, can stay strong, and hopefully the search and rescue can find all of the victims as soon as possible. >> this morning a somber ceremony as the first victim was identified and returns to her grieving family bearing her name is carried out of the

hospital and transported home. no the main staking process begins to try to identify the dead. red cross is going through records. 162 people including 17 children meanwhile the search continues today in the joba sea looking for the plane that took off sunday morning heading for singapore, teams battled bad weather on wednesday, but the skies cleared overnight for a short time. >> we are working hard to trying to recover the black box. that's the latest activity. >> there are new reports that son narrow streets may have detected a part of the plane something the c.e.o. disputes. >> fog has confirmed yet. there are a lot of rue moms going around, and

until we have official confirmation it is all speculation. >> it's unclear whether the slide was deployed or activated on impact. and a reminder, that the crucial black box flight recorders are still not been found. experts say they have about 25 days left on their battery life, none of the tell tail pings from the black box have been heard either. jonathon. >> thank you. in shanghai investigators are trying to find out what caused a stampede at a new year as've celebration. 36 people were killed, in makeshift memorial now lines the historic river front site. 50 were hospitalized, some with serious injuries, officials say the stampede may have started when the crowd rushed a raised platform that offered a better view. people in front of us has already fall ton the ground, people were stepping on them, it

wasn't an urgent occasion, where you need to run to save your life. people just needed to leave the site. it's people's lives at stake. we felt death so close to us last night we were hear fied. >> some witnesses say people may have been scrambled to catch fliers thrown into the crowd that looked like bank notes. others say too little police and inadequate crowd control. north korean leader used his new years speech to strike a conciliatory tone. there is no reason not to hold the highest level summit. we will make every effort to advance. >> south korean president has said she is willing to meet him but wants to see the north take steps towards dissolving it's nuclear program. the last formal talks happened in february.

america's longest war has officially ended. with the hand over to afghanistan security over to it's own country face as complicated future senior government firs his predecessor, and members of the coalition in kabul's presidential palace. gahni told the honor now lies in their hands and instructed them to follow the rule of law. >> afghan security forces have to implement law. should not do anything against sharee yeah, your acts should be the pride of the nation. >> he promised promotions, education, and accommodation for the forces. and he has a warning for the country's neighbors. that if there's not peace in afghanistan there won't be peace in the region. >> no one can drown afghanistan, anyone who dreams of destroying

afghanistan they will be detroyed. >> it's people are often caught in the middle. >> importance forces have gone home, but afghanistan is still not safe. afghanistan is sacrificing it's children. >> heavy fighting between the taliban and government forces killed 26 and wounded 45. all women and children. a rocket landed on the house while they were celebrating a wedding a brutal beginning to the new year. >> civilian casualties hit an all time high in 2014, with more than 10,000 killed or wounded. >> the presidential medal, to afghans and members of the international coalition. and he praised afghan women, saying no one has suffered more. >> he says he is making progress on a peace process with the taliban. that he and his chief executive still do not have a cabinet he promised afghan politician they will name one within a week. but it is now the first

time he has promised that and failed to meet the deadline. so first let's talk about the u.s. forces on the ground what does this mean for them. >> well, it's a changing mission, but it's a change's been coming for a while, but i think our forces are prepared for it. the mission will shift from what had been more of a counter insurgency, to being with a bifurcated mission. it is one part of this being to continue our counter terrorism efforts. and it's affiliates and the other part being to focus really on training advising and equipping. >> there's still about 10,000 forces that will remain there, at least for now. >> right. >> and they still face risk. >> oh, very much so, yeah.

when they are caught in engangments, and very much zillion in harm's way. >> especially for the afghan forces so what kind of fight do they face fow that the americans are necessarily there. >> well, they face a taliban enemy that is capable of massing in sufficient numbers to proximate almost a more conventional threat that's been an increasing problem for the afghan forces. >> that is a huge concern, as america pulls out, the taliban may see something of a come back. >> yes i think right now they are they have military strength, but they are not in a position where they will be overrunning huge cities. but they are a political force to be reckoned with, they are the a position where they must

be dealt with, not just militarily, but politically. and i think that's the key advantage. >> the taliban has a lot of support and in the villages. >> they have support they have influence even in areas are they don't have support, they have a lot ofnute structures all over the country, and so they have to be dealt with now so avenue ten plus years of war, how would you gauge the strength at this hour now? >> i gauge it as being quite strong, probably not the strongest they have ever been but they are certainly a force to be reckoned with, the forces will be out there they have been taking heavy losses tries to beat them back. >> let's talk about the new afghan president how prepared is he to break up the taliban. >> he has a track record, he is extremely experiences not only politician, but his previous experiences in the world bank and so forth.

he is as well qualified as we could wish for right now. but the primary challenge they are facing is not just the taliban, it is really trying to effectively govern this nation. and that's a tremendous challenge that east of indonesian wouldn't want to be in his shoes. >> it is a difficult road ahead. thank you for your time today. >> thank you. >> some breaking news, former new york governor mario cuomo has died. he served three years after senator. he made national headlines back in 1984 when he delivered the keynote speech at the democratic national convention. in it he challenged then president ragan's vision of america as a shining city on a hill. cuomo said america is more of a tail of two cities, mario cuomo is 82 years old he died just hours after his son was sworn in to a second term as governor of new york. still ahead the long

road to america and the texas county where many immigrants meet a grip end. and one man's fight to get the extremely expensive medicine he needs to live. all that's ahead.

when congress returns to washington within likely point of contention could be immigration. it is in the middle of the path well worn of undocumented immigrants. the harsh journey through the dessert is full of risks, made clear by what is left behind. heidi joe castro is there with more. >> it's been four months, in that time 20 more bodies have appeared in the dessert. they are the remains of migrants killed by exhaustion and thirst. but fun of the bodies are

the one we seek. his father calls here regularly to see if there has been any progress. >> every friday, he calls and tells me how many fridays it has been since his son has disappeared. >> it was back in august, when we joined the two full time volunteers of the south texas human rights center to look for a 20-year-old man who had disappeared the month before. and other migrant reported julio had fainted from exhaustion after walking more than 20-miles in 100-degree heat. he had traveled in hoping of joining his father in the united states. >> do you think there's any water over here? that maybe attracted him? >> that day the search had been fruitless, like it's been every day since. the volunteers have long given up home on finding him alive but still they essential for his remains. >> if we can put a body, take it home.

to julio's father, so they have someone to bury. >> at the brooks county sheriffs office, benny martinez says 20 bodies in four months is remarkably few compared to the summer when two or three bodies appeared each week. the cooler weather is one factor he says, but also fewer migrants are passing through. >> we are probably down at about 100 a day now or less. >> 100 people going through the dessert here? >> yes. yes. >> verses we are looking at three to 500 a day so that's quite a drop. >> the things they left behind are still here. but the migrants themselveses are far fewer, the sheriffs office says that's because with more national guard more state police, and border patrol here, highn't grays are venturing further west into more dangerous territory. >> since the folks started walking a lot earlier, that's -- so they started walking further in the brush.

earlier than they used to. >> how many piles. >> well, we're zero-miles from there and they are probably walking another 60. >> 60 total on foot. >> roughly. >> that's twice the distance as before. over lose sand, rattlesnakes and with little water. >> i think their drive is pretty much still the same and they know that that's going to be a lot more dangerous for them. martinez says for more people are now dying the vegetation will hide their bodies until summer, he hopes he is wrong, but he is bracing for more. >> more sons and daughters that have lost their lives in the dessert. al jazeera brooks county texas. >> up next, a live conversation with andrew greste, a brother of one of the three journalists wrongly jailed in egypt. plus millions of americans will be getting a bigger paycheck this

week, stay with us.

hi, everyone, this is al jazeera america. an egyptian court has order add new trial for three of our al jazeera colleagues. butn't to, peter greste, mohamed fahmy, and baher mohamed remain behind bars. today the families of greste and fahmy asked them to deport them into their home countries. the new trial could get underway within a month. andrew greste, brother of peter greste joins us now, i first want to get your reaction to the

news, how did the family react obviously we were a little bit surprised at the state of yesterday's desis. but overall, we're -- we think it is a step in the right direction to seek justice. >> it's a move that acknowledges that the first trial was flawed, and we see it as an opportunity now for the president to step in, and will be making application to -- to have peter deported under the president as decree that was announced in november. >> there's been a lot of talk about that presidential decree that the president said he wish they had been deported is that something you are hoping will happen? do you think there is a lot of hope, that the journalists may be released soon? >> well, that's right we think now is an opportunity for that to happen. the president has made numerous comments that he

wished they had been deported. and so we see now that peter is -- he is circumstances have changed from being a convicted person, to someone that's being accused and there is an opportunity for the president to exercise his powers under this decree and have him deport sod we think it's -- we are confident that we might see some action. >> andrew, have you been able to speak to peter? do you know how he is doing? >> no, obviously we know that peter was quite anxious in the lead up to yesterday's court hearing as we all were, mom and dad are over in egypt, so they visit him on christmas day we might be able to see peter and gauge his reaction until sunday, but we are hopeful that he is pleased by today's outcome. >> what has this past year been like for you how difficult has it been

trying to lead this campaign and get your brother freed? >> well, it's been tough. it's been it's been an arduous experience for all of us, platterly for mom and dad that are elderly people, and it's been a competely life changing experience. we are had to deal with all sorts of new experiences and people, and situations, but we strongly believe that peteser an innocent man, and we won't give up until justice is served. >> i know it's been a very very difficult journey, a long year for you, how hopeful are you today? do you feel like change could be coming or do you worry about getting your hopes up? >> we've. in this long enough now to remain hopeful. it's not over until peter

is out but we are hopeful this is a step in the right direction, and i think this' a strong belief been the egyptian leadership that for this case to end as well, because it isn't a good look for egypt. to have such world attention focused on them, and their judicial system and what has occurred. and i think that's why they ask knowledge the amount of condemn face we have seen around the world from the u.n., to the president obama and countless world leaders. and the convictions they received. >> a lot of outcry against the convictions and now possibly some hope as well, thank you for your time, we appreciate it. >> thank you. >> and starting today millions of americans will earn larger paychecks. while congress has not been able to raise the federal minimum wage, many states have. >> give america a raise. >> a command from the commanderrer in chief, to

help relieve the, owned oiling poor, and as the new year began more than 3 million who earn minimum wage are getting a raise. >> increases have gone into effect in 20 states as well as in the district of columbia, in total 29 states now have minimum wages above the federal rate of $7.25 an hour. washington, d.c. has the highest minute mum wage, at $9.50. analysts estimate the initial increases add as many a few pennys to a paycheck, but not much more than a dollar. >> you have to imagine if you are relying on minimum wage as your earnings, 15-cents is a big deal, 6-dollars is another quarter tank of gas, that may be enough to get you through the week. >> the federal minimum wage has been stuck since 2007. prompting the president to order an executive action last year. and raise the minimum wage of all federal contractors to $10 tent cents an hour. >> because if you cook

our troops meals or wash their dishes you should not will live in poverty. >> where these government contractors are restoring the capitol dome. 5 million americas still live below the poverty line. that's less than $25,000 for a family of four. those include al bean that arden a fast food worker and single mother. >> it is hard. really hard. sometimes you don't have money. and sometimes i try to give them a lot of things. but that's hard. >> many say closing the gap between the rich and the poor, means increasing the federal minimum wage. we'd like to see that happen at a national level. creating more good jobs by investing in infrastructure to rebuild our roads and bridges is another step that would raise wages. >> but critics worry about the cost of business who is are about to feel the effect of having to pay higher

wages. that includes wal-mart, the company employed 1.3 million workers and is fow adjusting the salaries at fearly a third of it's 1400 stores. from an employer standpoint if you 100 employees that's a big increase in pay you have to add to the bottom line, so something has to change. whether it's more profitability, or maybe less man pour. >> and even higher wages are on the way. further increases will happen throughout the year texas men mum wage in washington, d.c., will climb to $10.50 in july. well, 2014 was a tough year for california, it is still suffering from the worst drought in a century. rain last year provided some relief for some, in the hardest hit areas the lack of water still threatens to put them out of business.

little rain meant scant grounds. >> did you survive the drought? >> we survived. it was a tough year. we had to sell, or give a number of our cow herd. but we made it through. we did have some rains after we melt in february. and we are still going. >> he sold one third of his breeding cattle, he says his ranch broke even and then some, but it will take years for him to build the herd back up. >> paul's ranch and many others across the state saw rising costs in 2014. with the drought saw little grass, and the cost of hay skyrocketed.

>> that sent him and overagers to places like this one. the auction yard. he also visited this place, back the february. he had a busy year, with cattle prices high, many ranchers decided to cut their losses and sell early. 2014 is a year of things we have never seen before. in a tough feed year, a limited water limited rain, bow, a market like that in prices lake that for our producers really saveed the day. >> ranchers and you remember familiesers have welcomed december storms. they say the wet weather bout everybody time, one extra year of production. >> so far things are going well, but it will have to keep going very well, very reliably for really through march. for us to be in better shape, and even if we get a normal year, of precipitation this year,

we will zillion have quite a bit of deficit we are carrying over. >> one problem california's reservoir levels remain low. with many still below 50% capacity. averagers say they won't rest easy until they are confidence of their long term water supply. >> we are certainly not out of the woods but we are on our way i am optimistic, with the weather we have had so far, i think it is a good start. >> indeed, on paul's average, our survey of this winter's greener pastures suggest as brighter 2015. melissa chen, al jazeera california. >> one year ago today colorado became the first state to legalize recreational marijuana the pot business there as you can imagine is booming. >> carrol mckinley looks a t the highs and lows of the first year of legal

pot. green wound in denver colorado. thousands of people stood for hours to celebrate a moment many compared to the end of prohibition. >> i have been waiting four years the 42 years for this day. >> things look very much different in this same parking lot that's because of basic economics. marijuana supply exceeded the demand. >> in colorado marijuana is now as easy to buy as a beer. places like denver's antique row are being squeezed out to make room for what looks more like the green mile. >> it raised the property values. the people's houses and the neighbors are glad we are here, and we have a good rapport. >> legal weed has created 10,000 jobs here, and brought in 60 million-dollars from taxes licenses and fees. >> and waygood portion is coming from a new kind of tourism.

a recent denver post poll reveals most of the coloradoian whose voted for it are happy about their decision. a public health department poll finds fewer colorado teens thinks it is a risky drug. >> it is hard to argue that the increased available won't trickle down to kids. >> law professor teaches at the unit of denver, which is adding a class called representing the marijuana client. he gives colorado high marks for it's first year. >> i think it is an a. there aren't huge terrible headlines there weren't sort of the real capacities that people warned about. >> but the question of how to regulatedbles so the consumers can tell the difference between what is pot and what is not, is still a challenge. another obstacle what to do with all that money coming in. >> so this is the safe. >> this is the safe where we keep product. do deposits from. >> banks to not want to touch marijuana cash,

because though pot is legal understand state law, to the federal government, which regulates the banks, it is still as illegal as heroin. >> there is plenty of dispenries operating without a banking relationship, and basic her putting that money in their mattresses. >> 2014 ended with a legal challenge. arguing that state legalized marijuana is spelling across their borders. >> it is a step back, it is something i know the folks at the attorney general's office are looking at carefully. and it may be one of the things that gives us some clarity. >> the world is watching the victories and stumbles as the marijuana evolution rolls on. voters in alaska, oregon, and d.c. gave the green light to legal weed, and they will be using colorado's green blueprint moving forward al jazeera denver. >> so by the way colorado is not the top

pot smoking state, it is second behind rhode island, even though it is only legal there for medical purposes. that's according to a study by the national survey of drug use and health. still ahead here, the break through pill that could help millions of people with hepatitis c why some insurance companies won't pay for it.

>> a key part of the affordable healthcare act kicked in today. businesses with 100 full time workers must now offer benefits. what do you do when your insurance company says no to a treatment that could save your life? the story of one seattle man that fought back, taking on his does and his insurance company. >> fred garrett a man carrying his future under his arm a sitbrown box with his life inside. at the hepatitis education foundation, with he has gotten a lot of help, he share add victory. >> thank you, thank you. this is like a new life. >> yeah. >> real serious stuff. >> absolutely. >> so now i have to figure out what to do with the next 25 years. >> now back up a bit when we first met him, he was living with a lingering death sentence. >> there was a time when i came to the conclusion i would probably die of

liver disease. and liver cancer. >> diagnosed with hepatitis c 20 years ago he asked his health insurer under contract by medicare for a new drug called parvoni. because of depression and anxiety he hasn't tried other treatments. with a 95% cure rate eliminates those concerns, but his medical history was a. >> we have denied coverage for the following prescription. >> rejected, fred garrett was furious. >> that someone would tell me, that i don't have the right to do whatever is necessary to save my life. >> our position is everybody deserves access to that cure, no matter what. >> in the u.s., harvoni can cost up to $100,000. different insurers and healthcare said different criteria for who gets it.

>> there's a break through that seems to be a cure, how do we finance this? how do we pay for this? >> lou garrison teaches healthcare economics at the university of washington school of pharmacy. he believes drugs like harvon executive abdullah demand our attention. >> when we are talking about 4 million people, and potentially $300 billion or something that's a big number. and i think we are t a a point, where it's time to reexam how we do this. for those kind of products. >> but garrison cautions that pharmaceutical research and development is hit and miss, and extremely expensive gill yard sent us a statement saying the price reflected the value of the medicine, which can reduce hepatitis c costs in the short term, and deliver significant healthcare savings over the long term they are

talking about economics and i am talking about my life. >> he appealed and won. his cost for a new chance just $3.36 while medicare pays the rest. >> i am celebrating my victory. but there's thousands of other people millions of other people out there that haven't enjoy add victory like this before. >> allen shoff her, al jazeera, seattle. >> another dreaded disease is still spreading in west africa, the death toll from ebola has risen to nearly 8,000. since the outbreak began more than 20,000 people have been infected. while the number of new cases is declining guinea, and sierra leone remain the hardest hit countries. the united states was not scared from the ebola scare. two nurses also who treated him were also infected.

robert ray has more. >> described as dreadful and merciless, ebola. >> a deadly disease with no cure, that has infected almost 20,000 people and killed nearly 8,000 this meteorologisting i am declaring the current outbreak of the virus disease a public health emergency of international concern. >> in march of 2014, west africans in sierra leone, guinea, and liberia put on high alert. listen to the workers. this disease is real. go out and carry the message. >> researchers believe the origin of this outbreak came from an infected fruit bat which some people in west africa consume.

according to the world health organization, there is no specific treatment or vaccine. and the fatality rate can be up to 90%. >> it varies from patient to patient, but kit be quite severe the virus itself attacks the cells of the immune system, and disrupts the ability to work, as well as overall creating so much inflammation, that the immune system breaks down. >> the word's response was slow. calling for funding and especially medical staff increased. >> ebola is a difficult disease to catch. >> president obama called the epidemic a potential threat to global security. >> it is challenging the health systems are weak. because the outbreak is increasing so quickly the quicker we surge in a response, the quicker we blunt the number of cases the the risk to other parts of the world including the u.s. decreases. >> in herbally august,

two american aid workers were flown from west africa to atlanta's emery university hospital. one of only four hospitals in america with a specialized quarantine unit. >> we had approximately 72 hours when we were notified that the patient was going to be coming to us. both patients recovering and in the coming months two more aid workers were successfully treated down the road, at the centers for disease control and prevention, the emergency operations center was on it's highest arrest monitoring and advising the situation. >> there is reports over there of citizens not going into hospitals because they think it is unsafe, some feel like they are being lied to, some are leaving bodies in the streets how do you caning that. >> one of the real challenges is the health education component of this. whether it's a religious

leader, somebody that can deliver that message in a way that they will believe it and september it. >> meanwhile, four four-year-old thomas eric duncan arrived in the quite to visit family and friends in dallas. he told officials at the airport that he had not had any close contact with an ebola infected person. that was not true. >> just five days after arriving in the u.s., duncan had a high fiver and went to a dallas emergency room. he was released and given a prescription, but not tested for ebola. two days later, he returned to the hospital, and tested positive becoming the first person to be diagnosed we boal ha in the u.s. days later he passed away, the hospital came under scrutiny, the city of dallas went on high alert, and two nurses that treating the national became infected but the c.d.c. cautioned against overreaction. >> people should realize that the risk of having a outbreak in the united

states is exceedingly unlikely and rare in part because of the infrastructure that we have. >> while the cdc tries to calm the public, the two dallas nurses recovered butn't hows across the country, quickly began training so that no other healthcare workers would become infected. it is very difficult is it. >> you have to have a certain amount of balance, and dexterity. and patience. there's no rushing. >> there's no time or place to screw this up, is there. >> no, we are operating under the new errors mentality. >> with the number of cases going up aid workers were pleases for international support. infrastructure, and continued education to stop the spread in sierra leone, guinea, and liberia. >> i think the greater risk is west africa spiraling out of control. that will pose the greatest risk to the word.

>> the u.s. military sent 3,000 servicemen to west africa, who are still building ebola wards and facilities in the heavily effects areas in the meantime the panic in the u.s. has subsided and the medical community is learning and reflecting. >> without modern science, and teams like you have, where would this disease be now? how far spread. >> it is difficult to speculate. these outbreaks have happened and they have grown, and they have been stopped by nature over time. we do think that there's something unique about this outbreak, on where it occurred, in that our healthcare systems and our ability to provide care have definitely had an impact already, and hopefully will continue to impact the outbreak and bring it to a close. >> just last week, the c.d.c. again called for an intensified effort on the ground in west

africa. they say more international help and aid is needed and world health organization agrees, president obama and congress are supplying over $5 billion to provide funding worldwide. meanwhile vaccines are being tested and even though it is slowing guinea, and liberia, it is still too early to call it under control. robert ray, al jazeera atlanta. >> tonight at suck eastern,ly talk to a doctor that returns from sierra leone. and also at 11 a look back at the life of a political titan former new york governor died today at the age of 82. but up next, 2014 giant leaps in space exploration

the year 2014 brought several big achievements in space. scientists landed a craft

on a comment, and discovered hundreds of distant planets. nasa also testified a spacecraft that may one day carry people to mars. here is our science and technology correspondent. >> 2014 was a big year for space exploration and that's pause just the sheer variety of ways that we got out of earth's gravity, whether for profit or for science, whether with humans onboard or without, we went to space in ways we have never done before. >> 2014 saw 82 launches and new members joined the space going club, with first satellites launched by lithuania and iraq, that's because the satellites are cheap and tiny at this point, even massa says it doesn't need more than a phone to run one. >> someone goes out to the local store buy as phone, and they bring them back, take them apart if you need to, and repackage them, but that's pretty much it. >> that makes it easier than ever to get a view of one's own country.

tracking everything from soil moisture to carbon dioxide. long planned arrivals to places as well, the probe launched in 1997 flew within 600 miles of the surface of titan. the largest moon of saturn, and courtesy of the kepler mission, we even got a game of a planet that could host life. maybe even our own. but getting to space is still extremely difficult. in a single week in october, a rocket loaded with supplies but not huen mas fortunately exploded just after lift off, and then three days later one test tie lot was killed and another injured when the first ship designed specifically for space tourists exploded in midair. then to everyone's shock and relief, a multinational team managed to set an unmanned lander on the surface of a comment. sure it bounced a couple of times and they weren't sure where it was, be uh the fact that a ten-year-old piece of hardware guided itself on to a rock moving

135,000-kilometers or 84,000 miles per hour, well that's pretty amazing. no less amazing was the first unmanned test flight for orion. in december it performed a flawless or built of earth. perhaps even some day following our robotic missions to the surface of mars. the view from space has always had a lot to teach us the first apollo mission, and the holiday greetings photographing the earth from our closest neighbor was an extraordinary reminder of how unique, and fragile our world is, this year, we got that reminder again. a german born member of the team took this photograph of gaza as it was pounded by rockets. he reported being able to see the explosions from 205 miles up. perhaps that sort of view, the view of ourselves no matter how small we are is what space exploration is truly for.

al jazeera planet earth. >> what a year, that does it for us at this hour, thank you for being with us happy new year, we will see you again right back here at 11:00 p.m. eastern 8:00 pacific have a good fight. >> if we don't have a verdict by one o'clock it's gonna be another day. >> well it's either gonna be before noon, or they get to come back at one thirty. >> the waiting is what will knock you for a loop. if she goes to jail again i think she'll come out in a body bag. >> are they out? we are sitting right there in my office on pins and needles. >> the fact that they have been