al jazeera, brazil. you can find out much more about that story on our website, aljazeera.com. there you'll find the day's other stories, all the top stories we're covering, aljazeera.com. market worries worldwide, fortune stocks tumble as oil prices slide, all eyes on wall street. sentencing day, a former oklahoma city police officer to finder out his fate after convicted of numerous sexual souths. bracing for a blizzard, millions of americans are in the path of a major storm, bad weather already causing problems in the midwest and the south.

this is al jazeera america live from new york city, i'm stephanie sy. >> investors in the u.s. are in a buying mood this morning, wall street just opened and stocks right now are pointing up after the worst loss since 2014. earlier this morning, the european central bank left interest rates unchanged, pushing european markets higher. it was another bad day for stocks in asia. modest gains were wiped out over fierce of falling oil prices and troubles in the chinese economy. pot sob joining us now. how much of a factor is this decision and why does it matter? >> what matters is really that you saw a positive reaction, because the e.c.b. was expected to leave rates unchanged but call this the super mario effect, saying that the e.c.b. could possibly reconsider its

policy stance. europe has been in the grips of very, very low inflation and even deflation and the e.c.b. does have stimulus measures going, buying government bonds to try to boost the economy, so it's already engaged in stimulants right now but the probability there could be more stimulus ahead. obviously when the markets got that positive news, it show the it can turn the market up. the question is can they hold it. >> i wouldn't expect thought volatility would necessarily end with this decision, right? how much are declining oil prices contributing to the global market that we continue to see? is that the main driving factor? >> it's three main driving factors. you've got a slowing global economy, severe worries about china and very serious questions over whether beijing authorities can arrest the slide. then of course there's that very, very low oil prices.

here in the u.s., we got news yesterday that u.s. stockpiles again climbed last week and we're going to get more information on u.s. stockpiles today at 10:30 a.m. eastern and of course iran now is going to start purposing even more oil into this market. it is so over saturated and there's just no sign out there. there's really nothing that shows that prices are going to be pushed higher anytime soon. >> because where's the demand. >> right. >> especially if we're seeing the chinese economy growing more slowly. >> you have to see a boost in demand or get opec and non-opec members agree to cut production. that's a lot of competing agendas to get to agree on something. >> ok, again, the dow trading just slightly up right now. patricia sobga, thank you for joining us. >> a former oklahoma city police officer will be in court. daniel hotsclaw is due to be sentenced for sexually assaulting women while on duty.

his lawyers filed a last minute request for new trial. heidi zhou castro is live in oklahoma city. what are the chance that he will be granted a new trial? >> this motion for a new trial rests on a facebook posting made by a detective following holtz claw being found guilty. police interviewed potential victims they determined to be liars. the defense said this information was never shared, and thus he should qualify for a new trial. meanwhile, his sentencing this morning will continue. the jury in this case has recommended 263 years of prison for him and the community he was founded guilty of terrorizing is still reeling. >> in the community he found his victims, there's a sense of anticipation and fear.

>> >> he makes me feel uncomfortable. >> don't know who to trust. >> he patrolled in search of vulnerable african-american women with history of drugs or prostitution to sexually assault. >> i think he's sick. i think he's a sociopath, a serial rapist. >> 13 accusers came forward, including a grandmother who he pulled over at this intersection, then attacked in his squad car. a another victim, 17-year-old girl was raped on her mother's front porch. he was convicted of 18 sexual offenses. >> these attacks happened over the course of at least six months while this officer was on duty. how could that have happened under this department's nose?

>> it's a very difficult case. it's not something that you see all the time. in 20 years of law enforcement i've never seen that. >> it was clueless to halt the crimes until the allegations surfaced. then the department stripped him of his badge, put him on leave and seven months later fired him. >> does this department accept any responsibility for what he was able to do while on duty? >> we're absolutely appalled and sorry that it occurred. once again, if we could go back and change the past, we would. this individual had nothing, no flags in his file, no history that this had occurred. >> oklahoma city police say no new policies have resulted from the case, however the department has fast tracked a body camera program that was already in progress. those cameras hit the street friday, though they are not required to run at all times and officers will still patrol alone. >> more has to be done. tighter monitoring, a no tolerance sexual assault police procedure has to be in effect. >> investigators say he may have

had more victims who even today are too afraid to come forward. here on the streets, where the officer hunted his prey, the sight of a police car still causes unease. >> the oklahoma city police department has supervisors who oversee four to seven officers at a time. that has not changed since holtzclaw. teachers in detroit say the district should be more focused on unsafe conditions. we have the story. >> the doors were locked at roberto clemente learning academy in detroit wednesday.

teachers from that school and 87 others called in sick so they could march outside the international auto show where president obama was visiting. this was the teachers' latest effort to draw attention to what they say are impossible working conditions in their debt-ridden school district. >> we have overcrowded classes, we don't have enough teachers that offer all the classes students need. >> they knew the conditions of the school. they knew they were wretched, they just didn't know we were going to tell on them. >> we're seeing damage from the roof. >> the american federation of teachers posted this video on you tube showing how rain water damaged a ceiling and caused a floor in one school gymnasium to warp. teachers in the video complained about classrooms with too many kids and not enough supplies. >> i teach first grade, and i don't have reading bookings. >> the detroit federation of teachers say money problems and a revolving door of emergency managers are why so many members

are so frustrated. >> the school district is struggling under a $500 million deficit caused by a drop in property tax revenue and cuts in state and federal aid. that's why the district has struggled to maintain schools and keep teachers, but the interim president of the detroit federation of teachers say the district is turning a blind eye to the problems in its schools. >> they need to make education in the city of detroit priority one. >> they haven't done that? >> no, it has to be a priority. this is not happening to any other school district in the state of michigan. >> the michigan legislature is considering a plan to create a second school district that would take control of the schools and pay down debt. in his state of the state speech tuesday night, governor rick snyder said the legislature needs to act soon. >> detroit schools are in a crisis. the detroit schools are in need of a transformational change. >> the emergency manager of

detroit public schools said if help doesn't come by april, the district will be insolvent. >> we are talking about the lives of 47,000 students and families and communities. these things are very critical to the long term survivability of any city or any community, so let's just say that we're at a point now where we believe it can be fixed, but we need the legislature to do that. >> darnell early couldn't say what might happen if the state fails to act. the teachers fear it could mean even fewer teachers and even tougher learning environment for detroit's children. we're getting a better sense of the confusion at the start of the water crisis in flint. rick snyder released emails, some showing his top staff unsure who was responsible for cleaning up the mess, including this email that understands the real responsibility rests with the county, city and k.w.a., the

local water authority. flint's new mayor has a warning for other cities around the country, don't let this happen to you. >> there are increasing calls from michigan's republican governor rick snyder to resign. >> democratic karen weaver is no fan of the governor but doesn't say he should resign. >> trust was broken over a period of time and you don't regain trust within a matter of second because a statement was may have had. this is something he's going to have to work on for a long, long time. >> weaver was asked about what a lot of people in flint suspect, race and class played a role in the state's initial response to the crisis, which even the governor called a failure. >> it's a minority community, a poor community and our voices were not heard and that's part of this problem. the governor said tuesday during his state of the state address that his administration will make things right. >> there can be no excuse, when

people turn on the tap, they expect and deserve clean, safe water. >> president obama, who met with weaver at the white house this week traveled to michigan wednesday and talked about the crisis. >> it is a reminder of why you can't short change basic services that we provide to our people and that we together provide as a government to make sure the public health and safety is preserved. >> mayor weaver was at a conference in washington, d.c. wednesday, warning other mayors about the dangers of contaminated water. >> start monitoring what's going on with your water, the infrastructure, and don't let this happen where you live. >> mayor weaver was just elected in november, but a city manager appointed by governor snyder still has far more broad powers over the city than she does. it was a previous city manager, also appointed by the governor

who oversaw the switch in the city's water supply that led to the dangerous drinking water. andy rosen, al jazeera, flint, michigan. it's going to be a bad weather day for millions in the midwest and south as the big storm moves east this morning. washington, d.c. has already gotten light snowfall overnight amounted it's expected to get worse in coming days with more than two feet expected in some places. let's bring in anymore mitch with more of what is happening today. is the stuff we're seeing now the same storm system expected this weekend? >> it's the one in the midwest. that had been on the west coast. this it impact be a lot of people as it moves along. the snow in d.c. was another system. if you think you just got by and missed it, it's this next system. you can see this brewing. we've had snow reports from the dakotas into arkansas. it could go as far south as portions of mississippi. that's pretty well into the deep south to see some snow.

not used to it there. you can see the showers starting to form up. i've seen a couple pops that are starting to look like thunderstorms. we have a couple risks through the day, including the risk for severe weather, including tornadoes, anywhere from louisiana to portions of alabama, we're going to watch for that. that's one risk. as all of this continues on, it's sometime the icy and snowy side on the northern tear. this pulse out toward the mid atlantic. light snow by morning picks up in the afternoon and evening. as this pulse off the coast, continuing to develop into a nor'easter, the winds start kicking up, more of the snow for the northeast into friday night and saturday. here are some impressive snow totals, some places a foot and a half widespread or more of snow. some places could go over two feet. on the northern side, new york city, eight to 12 inches, by the time we hit boston, maybe three or four. it's actually less as you go further to the north but the

winds are going to be very significant, blowing all of this around, wind gusting in the 40-50-mile per hour range not out of the question especially saturday. because of all of that combined, we have a lot of different advisories. these extend back to central portions of the united states today. mississippi could get heavy snow and tornadoes all in the same day but because of the wind and snow for the east coast, we have blizzard watches in effect. thank you. arrivinging america after weeks spent stranded, a group of cubans finally make it to the u.s. the lasting effects of climate change, 2015 was the hottest year on record.

>> our american story is written everyday. it's not always pretty, but it's real... and we show you like no-one else can. this is our american story. this is america tonight. eight weeks to get here, now the first cuban migrants are arriving in the united states. al jazeeraed adam rainy made the journey with them. >> crossing from mexico into the united states, a brief celebration, then back on the road. from the state of texas, the u.s. highway stretches before them. each has their own destination, one here in texas, the others at different points in florida.

soon, a checkpoint, cubans, unlike other migrants are immediately granted political asylum, so no hold up, no worries. they've got 36 more hours to go, a lot of time to take in new sights, especially since they've traveled so little in their lives. >> all of this is really new to me. i'm surprised by everything, the roads, the cold weather, the shops, everything. they might seem like insignificant things, but they're all new to me. >> a cuban who came before them introduces them to all that's on offer, even at u.s. gas stations. their first purchase, lottery tickets, a new land, a new culture, new things to buy. in the country less than a day, they are already dreaming big. >> we are in transition and now we are in a place we want to be, happy and crazy to finally get where we are going. >> a trip they thought would last just a day goes on and on,

texas, louisiana, alabama, finally florida. it seems endless. >> we just pulled into miami and daisy's long trip is about to come to an end. she has traveled two and a half months, crossed more than a half dozen countries and finally after two years is about to be reunited with her husband. >> a long time coming, and a counter all the more emotional because she had to leave her son behind and could only travel after her father recently died. >> i kept asking myself how much longer, how much longer. >> my batteries were almost drained waiting for the moment to come when she is here now. the long wait is finally over for this couple. thousands of other cubans though in central america are still waiting their turn. adam rainy, al jazeera, miami. the global vaccine alliance signed a deal with drug maker merck to manufacture an experimental ebola vaccine,

making 300,000 doses for use in clinical trials starting this may. the drug would also be made available for use in emergencies. sierra leone confirmed a second new case of ebola this week. the nation was deemed ebola free in november, but officials from the c.d.c. expected potential flare-ups. we have more from atlanta. >> over two years after it began, the ebola outbreak that took over 11,000 lives, the deadliest in recorded history appeared to be over in west africa. >> we have to be very clear that although today is an important milestone, it's only a milestone. it is not the end of the ebola response in west africa. >> then last week, tests on a person who died in northern sierra leone proved positive for ebola. >> clearly a sense of disappointment, but also, there was -- i was encouraged that the

case was identified and the response happened according to plan. >> dr. morgan from the c.d.c. arrived back in atlanta from sierra leone, saying health investigators are focusing on the 150 people who came in contact with the woman who died and are working closely with government officials, doctors and border authorities there. the world health organization and c.d.c. warn that more flare-ups are expected. over 4,000 people have died from the ebola virus since the beginning of the outbreak in sierra leone. one of the biggest concerns is the lingering effects that many survivors are experiencing. >> it does appear at this point at least for male survivors, ebola virus can exist in the semen for quite a number of months. >> without a proven vaccine yet, many scientists and c.d.c. say rather than thinking of

beginnings and the ends of outbreak there is a need for continuous surveillance for ebola in west africa. >> i feel relieved and concerned, also. i would be afraid for the future, because the system remains weak. >> the c.d.c. said small clusters of the virus are inevitable and expected but outbreaks are preventable in west africa. >> the stunning new discovery at the far end of our solar system.

government scientists confirmed 2015 was the warmest year on record. at al jazeera's jacob ward tells us, you could see it in bad weather worldwide. >> millions of acres of forest land burned to a crisp, rains so severe bridges and roads were washed away. billions of dollars in damage. these are just a few of the effects of strange and severe weather in the u.s. and around the world last year. >> the 2015 was the warmest year on record, by a sizeable amount. >> 2015 set a terrible new standard for the planet, shattering records, warmer even than 2014, which had been the hottest year on record. >> if you look at the surface temperature record, which goes back to 1880, you notice that 15

of the 16 warmest years have all occurred since 2000. this tells you something's happening. it tells you the climate is warming and this is due to the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. >> the united states was hit especially hard. according to nooa, 2015 was the country's second warmest year and third wettest year since record keeping began in 1865. hotter temperatures are causing havoc around the world. last year, a cyclone was the first hurricane strength storm to make land fall in yemen in recorded history. india lost 2,000 people dead in a heatwave between may and june that saw temperatures above 48 celsius or 118 fortune height. there was no relief in hong kong. it saw its hottest june to august period on record.

>> it's not natural when you go back and study the pale yo climate of the earth using ice core data, you see that at certain times it was colder and other times not as warm, but we are at one of the warmest periods for the past one or 2 million years right now. >> el niño may be partly to blame for balmy temperatures in december. the weather pattern is moving heat from the oceans into the air. >> it definitely affects weather patterns globally through more extreme weather events. as the atmosphere warms, it holds more water vapor. this is why we are seeing a greater frequency of heavier rains and snowfalls. >> the question now is whether 2000 sip will break records again. jacob ward, al jazeera, san francisco. scientists say there might be a 19th planet in our solar system. new models suggest there is a previous unknown planet lurking behind pollute poe at that

scientists can't confirm it exists with you say it or bits the sun every 15,000 years. space reporter explained to us why it hadn't been defected in the past. >> it isn't that large, all 10 times the mass of the earth, it's made out of hydrogen and helium. size wise, it might only be twice the diameter of earth, so actually pretty small, and also the way that we think plan necessary evolve, this probably evolved if it exists much closer into the sun and gently spiraled out over the 4.5 billion year lifetime of the solar system so not surprising that it hasn't been seen so far. >> researchers needed an infrared telescope to detect the planet. it could be years before we know if plan net nine actually

exists. the news continues next live from doha. have a great day. >> announcer: this is al jazeera. ♪ hello and welcome to the news hour. here is what is coming up in the next 60 minutes. a u.k. judge rules the death of a former russian spy was probably approved by the kremlin. turkey blasts russia's role in the syrian war, saying it is not fighting isil but targeting moderate fighters instead. and malaysia looks at