At the new black leaders. The Al Jazeera America have at least taken a step towards peace in syria. And its a big step. Urging talks between the assad regime and the opposition. The u. N. Wants them to work out a political transition, and it wants those negotiations to start within two weeks. Al jazeeras courtney keeley is live outside of the plaza hotel in new york city where negotiations are taking place. Courtney . [ music ] hi, tony, there were a lot of negotiations happening behind closed doors today. Before they even got to that meeting 17 world powers you had foreign minister Sergei Lavrov sit down with secretary of state john kerry. It took about an hour. They delayed the talks, they came to a resolution and it went to the u. N. Security council for that unanimous vote. We did hear from lavrov and kerry in front of the cameras, this is what the secretary of state had to. I no one is sitting here today suggesting to anyone that the road ahead is a gilded path. Its complicated. It will remain complicated. But this at least demands that the parties come to the table. So basically not a gilded path but a road map that starts in two weeks. They want a ceasefire in syria nationwide. It will be interesting to see what players come to that ceasefire and what dont. When lavrov spoke, he said not quitehes not quite optimistic but theyre willing to move forward. Okay, much to talk about here courtney. Syrias civil war, as you know, is multi facetted. He have isil, hezbollah, syrian army among others. Who will be a part of the ceasefire negotiations . Thats what is also going on in the background since those two vienna talks coming up. What were looking at is isil, everyone is in agreement in, the ceasefire will not include isil. Isil will not be part of these talks. But there will be opposition leaders. Iran is also been part of these talks, russia, saudi arabia. There will be a very complex battlefield geometry going on. Youve got hezbollah, syrian moderate rebels, syrian not so moderate rebels and alqaeda affiliations. It comes down to block by block militias in certain cities that theyll have to come to a conclusion of who is on board and who is not. Heres another thing we need to talk about, courtney, what does the future begin to look like here as this process is playing out for syrias Bashar Alassad . Well, now, president obama at his Year End Press conference said the party line, assad must go. We heard lavrov say were not on board for any agreement where an outside nationreading ie the u. S. Brings in their own leadership referencing iraq and libya. Still diplomatic dances going on here. Assad will be talking with the russians, hell be getting support from the iranians. But they want to see transition in the next two months and following the humanitarian corridor opening up. 18 months, holding free and fair elections. A long way to go. One last one here. I know weve talked about it, but with all the factions, what could a potential transition to an unity government actually look like, courtney . Its going to be complicated. Because president assad and the regime and the government now are mostly made up of alawite alawites and the majority of the country is sunni muslim. This is not a country that has had any sort of democracy. I was there 15 years ago when Bashar Alassad was voted in with 99 of the vote with everyone putting their fingers up. That was the elections we were attended. These election also look markedly different. A very significant day, well see what happens moving forward. Courtney keeley at the palace hotel there. President obama held his yearend News Conference and said hes heading into the last year in office feel morgue optimistic than ever. He even used a Sports Metaphor to describe his approach to 2016 saying he plans to leave it all on the field. Al jazeeras Mike Viqueira joins us now. Mike, what is the president feeling so optimistic about here . Youre right, tony. He said before hes in the last quarter of his presidency, and it was a bouyant president obama who appeared in the Briefing Room for that traditional yearend press conference. He was touting what he records some of his major achievements in 2015 and insisting despite his lame duck status there are plenty of items on the agenda for next year and at the top of that list, gitmo, guns and trade. With 17 prisoners said to be transferred in the coming days, leaving 90 still detained many are urging president obama to go around congress and use his executive authority to do what he vowed to do. Pose the military prison at guantanamo bay. Weve seen our guantanamo has been used to create this mythology that america is at war with islam. For us to close it is part of our counterterrorism strategy that is supported by our military, our diplomatic and intelligence teams. The move is sure to incense republicans as would another unilateral move the president might make. New restrictions on gun purchases. One area where many republicans are willing to go along, trade, and the major agreement with specific rim countries known as the transpacific partnership. Congress must approve the deal, and democrats like Hillary Clinton are against it. It is consistent with what i promised, which is the most prolabor, pro environment aggressive trade deal in history. Other issues will be inhe is kateible next year. At the top of the list the fight against isil and the conditions in syria that have allowed its rise. Despite the ongoing civil war thats resulted in the estimated 250,000 dead and some 10 million displaced mr. Obama claimed vindication from his 2011 policy calling for Bashar Alassad to go. Five years later i was right. [ protests ] in another reas a result in libya, the president offered a mea culpa. I think the United States has some accountability for not moving swiftly enough and under estimating the need to rebuild government there quick. I but it is the aftermath of the San Bernardino killings and how to stop lone wolves like the husband and wife acaused of carrying out the attack is front and center. President obama made a familiar argument. A balance must be found between right of private and monitoring social media and email. One of the things well be doing is engaging with the High Tech Community to find out how we can in an appropriate way do a better job if we have a lead to be able to track suspected terrorists. And tony, among the things that the president says were big achievements, and the white house has been trumpeting these over the past few days. Historic by many reckons, the agreement with iran, that is still opposed by many in congress, and of course the Climate Change agreement that resulted from the big paris conference just a few weeks ago. Did the president talk about the fact, the reality next year is very much an Election Year . Well, he did, and the president and his aids have said that hes going to be stumping for democratic nominee, before there is a nominee out on the trail. Part of that is part of the l word legacy. The president understands and said many times that he does expect a democrat to succeed him in office, and many of the initiatives and many of the things that he with regards as his accomplishments that he has to have a democratic successor in order to see them survive and flourish. Mike viqueira in washington for us. Thank you. The president is now en route to San Bernardino, california, where he will meet with families of those killed in the decembe december 2nd attack. Al jazeeras melissa chan is there with the preview. Well, tony, hes expected to arrive in three hours around 8 00 p. M. Local time, and there is not going to be a private or rather there is not going to be a public sort of comment to the community. Instead, the president is going to meet with the families privately. The 14 families who have been effected by the shooting. And to explain a little bit about the politics of San Bernardino this is california there is a tendency just to think of the state as all blue, but this is a more conservative part of the state. There are people who feel that president obama is coming too little, too late. If he would have come earlier, they would have said that he was politicizing the matter. But there were people who said that they were very happy that the president was coming, and we expect them to spend time, 90 minutes with the families. Well, melissa, look, i want to come back to the live picture of you here. Im looking behind you only at the memorial that youre standing in front of, is that new . Tony, this has been around ever since the attack really. Its a makeshift memorial that started up a day or two after the attack. This was at one point the farthest that people could go. The police had cordoned off the area. So the actual attack side is a block away, the inland regional center. And i think i want to take it back to the community and just remind everyone, this is a suburb in los angeles. There was the speech that president obama gave a while ago from the oval office where he spent laugh of it fighting isil and syria, and then he spoke about San Bernardino. This little city has been placed on the map for all the wrong reasons, and people feel overwhelmed that theyre in this narrative of geopolitics and terrorism. Gotcha, melissa chan in San Bernardino waiting for the president s visit. The wake of growing reports of the isil loyalists. The taliban has been emboldened by the decreased u. S. Presence there and has stepped up attacks. 14,000 u. S. And Coalition Troops are in the country. President obama used the year end News Conference to defend the small numbers of special ops forces in iraq. Jamie mcintyre joins us live from the pentagon. Those troops in syria are not doing what many people think they are, correct . Thats right. Two months ago when president obama authorized 50 special operation forces, the widespread perception was that they were going there to fight isil and calling in airstrikes and providing tactical advice. It turns out their mission is very different, and in some ways more difficult. At his year end News Conference president obama admitted the weakest part of his antiisil strategy, its reliance on others to do the tough Ground Combat dealing with isil a lasting defeat. Well do this with partnerships with forces on the ground that are sometimes spotty, sometimes need capacity building, need our assistance and need our training. Ash carter regularly explains that the search for reliable partners especially in syria is frustratingly slow. Such forces are hard to find, but they do exist. When the white house announced president obama was ordering a few dozen troops back in october, it provided virtually no details of their mission. The less than 50 number can accurate. I cant be more specific primarily because of security. That leads some to request what question what a small number can accomplish. The official said said the point is to get guys on the ground, adding we need to get on the ground, meet them. There is nothing quite like facetoface contact. In other words, the u. S. Commandos are not on a mission to fight isil but rather to find locals to fight isil who can be trusted. During his visit to the base of u. S. Special Operations Forces in erbil, iraq, this week secretary carter said Exploratory Missions were bearing fruit. Their mission was to identify and link up with local forces in this case especially syrianarab forces that were willing to fight isil but needed our help. They were very encouraged to learn that they were able to find them, find some local forces of that kind. Tony, it is not for now, at least, calling in airstrikes orem bedding with syrian forces. What theyre doing is essentially on the ground assessment of which troops are effective fighters. Which ones are worth supplying ammunition and arms and which ones wont switch sides if the tide of battle turns. Tough job. Jamie, what can you tell us about a friendly fire incident that occurred in iraq today . Well, the u. S. Central command issued a statement late today offering condolences to Iraqi Security forces who were fighting around fallujah, and Coalition Airstrike which pentagon forces confirm was an u. S. Aircraft, dropped bombs and hit those Iraqi Security forces instead of the enemy forces, of course, the central commands is launching a full investigation to find out how it happened. Friendly fire incidents are something that happens in war when you accidently bomb your own forces. We dont have a number of how many iraqi forces were killed, but we know some were. Pentagon military spokesman tells me that all of the dead were, in fact, Iraqi Security forces, iraqi troops not that there were no civilians in the area of this bombing accident. All right, Jamie Mcintyre for us at the bent gone. Thank you. Kurdish forces in iraq saying they have foiled multiple major coordinated attacks by isil killing dozens of isil fighters and preventing suicide attacks. But soldiers on the front line say they need even more weapons and International Support to defeat the group. Al jazeeraal jazeeras report from iraq. Its a similar bombing day for peshmerga forces. They regain control from isil fighters a year ago. Many isil commanders were killed during the battles including the brother of isil leader. Heavy weapons were seized from isil. They said most of the captured military equipment was u. S. Made which isil stole from the iraqi army. The hardware is a reminder that the soldiers here can defeat isil also known as daesh. Daesh does not have the strength, morale to attack kurdish areas because it is known that the peshmerga will fight and crush them. Peshmerga fighters are eagle for show the gains theyve made against isil. These are some of the symbols that theyve captured during the fighting. But isil still remains strong in the outskirts of the peshmerga strongholds. Isil has carried out many coordinated attacks cross several fronts to reach peshmerga lines. Forces say theyve repelled isil attacks. Besides suicidebombers theyre using vehicle bombs. The groups main hub is mosul from where theyre attacking peshmerga positions based in northern iraq. For now a push towards mosul remains on hold. The soldiers say theyre ready. This is a place where peshmerga and they have a plan to liberate most of them daesh. Fighters complain about the lack of webs. They dont seem to have enough to win the war against a more sophisticated and better equipped enemy. Daesh are armed to the teeth, and the peshmerga are holding the line, defeating daesh, and theyre holding the line for the west. So now its time that the west starts doing more than air support. They must be crushed here for humanity. Its that simple. But the competing interests of the International Powers involved in this conflict, defeating isil remains far from simple. China wants to know why an u. S. Military plane entered its air space in the south china sea. The pentagon said that the b52 was off course during last weeks flight. The bomber came within two knotcal miles of the reef of the spratley islands in october. An u. S. Navy warship intentio intentionally sailed within two miles of another chinese island. That was enough to challenge the territorial claims in the region. Coming up, accusations of sabotage. Suing the democratic party. We explain why. And hes ceo who is accused of price gouging for lifesaving drugs and security fraud charges. Now hes out of a job. A democratic president ial candidate Bernie Sanders campaign is suing the Democratic National committee. Suing the Democratic National committee. They filed a lawsuit to gain access to the database. After a staffer improperly collected data compiled by the Hillary Clinton campaign. It was called a dangerous and illegal overreaction. Individual leaders of the dnc can support milk in any way they want. But they are not going to sabotage our campaign, one of the strongest Grassroots Campaign in modern history. Says the staffer who accessed the information has been fired but said that they only knew about the data breach to begin with because the Sanders Campaign told them about it. David shuster is here. Help me with contest on this. How big of a problem is this for the campaign, and how important is this database . The database is the lifeblood of the campaign. It includes millions upon millions of Contact Information and emails. Its the way that campaigns sort of figure out who are their targets in iowa and new hampshire. What you have an entire thing being blocked off now from the Sanders Campaign because a piece of it i, which was information entered by the Hillary Clinton campaign was accessed by Bernie Sanders campaign. He said wait a minute. This is so over the top to stop our campaign cold to access and identify people from iowa and new hampshire, theyre suggesting this is over the top for what they say was an improper breach by one of their staffers. So the dnc chair, Debby Wasserman Schultz congresswoman Debby Wasserman Schultz. Shes an outspoken congresswoman and outspoken supporter of Hillary Clinton. Thats correct. And thats fueling the theory that this is simply an effort through debby wassermanschultz to shut down Bernie Sanders to make his Campaign Even more difficult, and less likely hell catch up with Hillary Clinton. This is a week that Bernie Sanders announced he has two Million Campaign contributers. He picked up endorsements and all of a sudden on a friday going into a debate there is Debby Wasserman Schultz saying were going to block you from this voter database in response to a more minor breach. The conspiracy troyist theorists are going wild. Has anything like this happened before . No, the Republican Party share their database. The campaign written agreement that says if you want to suspend somebody, you have to give them ten days written notice and then they have to have the ability to work this out. There was no written notice, no tenday notice from the dnc to the Bernie Sanders campaign, which is why they went into federal court and said they have breached the agreement with our campaign for this davi database, were of thefu of thewe are rightfully aggrieved. Stocks drop sharply for the second day in a row. The dow was off 2 finishing down 367 points. The Global Response to the fed raising Interest Rates and a drop in oil prices helped fuel the losses. President obama said the bipartisan budget sent to his desk today is a good compromised. The signed the bill into law that included 680 billion in tax breaks to families and companies, and many funding increases the president fought for years for. It does not include g. O. P. Tempts to block the president obama as environment, Financial Regulation and consumer protection. The changing of the bar. The new wave of black activist, part four of our weeklong series. Five days in chicago. Also growing fear islamophobia is spreading, and not just here in america. And we are back with our final installment of our series five days in chicago looking at the protest movement targeting the Chicago Police department. The demonstrations intensified when video was released last month showing teenager Laquan Mcdonald being shot 16 times. The officer who fired those shots appeared in court for the first time before being indicted on murder charges. Were in chicago now with the latest. Well, the Laquan Mcdonald case is back on the move here in downtown chicago. You can see protesters are blocking streets, causing a lot of trouble here on this busy rush hour night. Theyve been doing this pretty much for the last three weeks now. Earlier today they jostled around Jason Van Dyke as he left court after a very brief court appearance. Hes facing six counts of murder in this grand jury indictment. When it comes to how to reach the new goals there is a definite split between the old guard and the new guard. That young man who has led so many of the daily protests in chicago is jamal green, hes only 20 years old. There is definitely a young peoples movement. Today im just here to support. We organized some of the biggest marchs so far. Jenae strong is a young mild manner third grade teacher. But on the first night of protest she was handcuffed for resisting arrest. To be arrested and charged with some type of offense as if i was doing harm to someone which is an ironic experience. Green and strong are part of the new generation of activists. The millenniums who are willing to shake up the status quo. Inspired by the reaction in ferguson, missouri, and to the Trayvon Martin case, this is supremely. For years they have followed and respected the leadership of longtime chicago pastors like the reverend Jesse Jackson and the reverend t. L. Barrett who represent thousands of parishioners. But when they see black pastors meeting with mayor Rahm Emmanuel and standing behind him at press conferences it makes their blood boil. You have to wonder how close they are to the pulse of the city and the urgency around it. A lot of young people are saying that the urgency is so clear that we had to shake it up. We understand their frustrations but they have not had the experience that we have had. Pastopastor barrett has been meeting with mayors since the late 1970s, and he makes no apologies. To say we dont want to hear, we dont want to meet, we dont want to go that route. We will talk with the mayor. He will live to us, and he will listen to him. Thats how progress is made. Still pastor barrett said that nothing has frustrated him with any mayor like the la Quan Mcdonald case. For these people out of work because you close them down, what is the point . Longtime Community Activists is old enough and young enough to see both sides. And he sides with the younger activists. Chicagoans have had a long history of sellouts and it is really plantation politics. But, pastor barrett said that the city ace leadership will listen far more closely to voters than it will to protesters. I make it almost spiritually mandatory that if youre a member of this church you must have a Voter Registration card. The pastors he has talked with are on board with the protest strategy and he insist it is is having a positive affect. Because weve been doing these protests down here collectively violence is down in our neighborhood 40 to 50 . But wont the young guard eventually become the old guard . If they get their way and get a seat at the table in deciding what happens moving forward, could they be seen as sell outs . One thing about these young people that i do like, i dont think theyre going to sell out. These guys are determined to bring about change just like in ferguson. If there is one thing the young and the old do agree on, it is none violence. In three weeks of protests there have been only a handful of minor arrests. But as pastor barrett puts it there are two things that will never go together in chicago, youth and experience. Al jazeera. Chicago. Douglas a Community Activist in chicago and son of legendary civil rights activities james bevell and diane nash. Good to have you on the program. You hear the frustration in that piece from andy. Youre living it there in chicago. I hear it from this desk, and the frustration is with the socalled oldguard leadership. And the look of the president of the naacp, reverend Jesse Jackson, it extends beyond chicago to the reverend al sharpton. We heard from reverend t. L. Barrett. Theyre just too cosy to power. Do you share that frustration . Yeah, there is a lot of frustration. A lot of the divisions are not necessarily old and young, though. Its more people who are committed to justice, and it seems that there are more people committed to their job or contract that they get from the mayor. I tell you one thing, we as the young people out in the streets, we dont want anything from the mayor except for him to resign. We want a new police force that reflects the community. We want a safe community. And thats what we want. Why do you want the mayor to resign . I hear that a lot as well. Okay, let me go down the list. Okay. You know, if you take him as a manager over the last few years, we have spent 500 million to pay for Police Brutality cases. This is taxpayers money. Thats half a billion dollars and we have 500 cases still not settled. So you know, were paying for awere also paying these police salaries. Were paying to be brutalized. Also the cops that were inthat were seen in the scenario, and they wrote false reports have not been fired. They have not been disciplined at all. We also have cops with numerous use of force complaints that are still on the streets, just like this cop that shot la Quan Mcdonald. And he was left undisciplined. There is another take that the city is blocking from being seen. There is another tape . This kids name was chatham, he was supposedly stole a cell phone, and was shot in the back. And this tape wont get released. Right, right, right. So the mayor let me ask you this, what are the tactics going to be . We saw a couple of weeks ago the shutting down of the miracle mile the day after thanksgiving in chicago. We see what is happening on the streets this evening with rush hour traffic being disrupted. Do you see more protests like that coming, more challenges to the economics in chicago coming . Mmhmm, were going to get really creative. Were just getting started. This tape hit chicago like a bombshell. Just like the city hall are scrambling and the Police Department, we werent prepared for this either. But im going to tell you one thing, were not going to give up on this. This has to change. And we can never forget at the center of all of this is such a brutal murder. Right, right. When it all boils down to it, this kid took 16 shots. You know, and thats what is at the bottom of this, and we cant ever forget that. Right, and the officer involved is now charged in the case. Let me challenge you, youre one of the new leaders here along with jamal green and jenae strong, who were featured in andis piece. Ambassador andy young, a hire of the Civil Rights Movement said if black lives matter, he said that we black folks have to stop killing ourselves. What are our next jen leaders saying about blacks killing blacks . Well, this kind of violence is really linked to poverty. That is one of the underlying messages that this whole situation reveals. We dont have access to resources. You know, thats one of the things. This mayor does not include the south and west side of the city when they are spending the resources and investing in their community. So thats all that is. Peopleyou know, whenever you have poverty, underground community will spring up. It doesnt matter if its lack people or asian people or anything. Or any other kind of people. Thats just the fact of human behavior. Yes, they call it black on black violence, thats kind of ridiculous term because black people arent doing crime against each other because of their color. Theyre doing it because theyre poor, and theyre scrambling for the resources that they need. Hmm, douglas bevell, Community Activist and entrepreneur in chicago. Can i say one more yes, yes, yes, you can, of course. Listen, you know, the policeone of their jobsand im going to be very truthful to the people out here. One of their jobs is to protect the community and solve crimes. But the other one, and this old police force is used to maintain a racial hire hierarchy, were just understanding that. What does that mean . So the police are really an active arm of white supremacy, and they patrol our neighborhoods completely different than they do other neighborhoods. They have police involving us in felonies over minor crimes, violent behavior when they say where y did this kid run . Its just because he got his head cracked by another cop in the ail. What does reform look like for you . Police reform. Policing in our minority communities, what does that look like for you . That means we need a police force that reflects our community, and we need to stop having thisthis militaristic mindset from the police force. We have sergeants and lieutenants. Well, who is the enemy . We are. This is no way to run a police force. Thats what reform looks like. Greater transparency, a part of that as well, and because we know at some point there will be some kind of reform package rolled out by the mayor of chicago. Greater transparency it seems to me would have to be at the top of the list in addition to incentivizing the communities that they police . Well, absolutely. Seers heres the thing. This mayor cant do it. And this Police Department cant do it. So they fired the superintendent. They put the guy that is in charge, his name is he i escalante, he oversaw the la quan m mcdonald crime scene so. So for you hes part of the problem. This is how deep the corruption is. Douglas, i appreciate it. Im flat out of time. I extended a little bit much thank you. I appreciate it. Yes, good to have you on the program. Entrepreneur. Power to the people, thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you, douglas. The ceo who created the firestorm over drug pricing is no longer a ceo. He has resigned from touring pharmaceuticals one day after pleading not guilty to fraud charges. He used funds from his new companies to pay off debts from Old Hedge Fund companies. He raised the price of a decades lifesaving drug to 750 a pill. Mr. Obama commuted the sentences of 95 men and women who he said served their debt to society. It is the third time the president has reduced harsh drug sentences that led to mass incarcerations to the United States. Mr. Obama said he still wants to work with congress to reform the criminal justice system. A Virginia School system will continue to offer a class that teaches World Religions including islam. Parents in Augusta County from outraged when one assignment lesson students were asked to write religious arabic text. They were flooded with violent threatening messages forcing them to keep schools closed today. In the future they will use a none religious arabic writing sample. Hundreds in israeli say theyre facing backlash because of their religion, and theyre sharing their person experiences of prejudice and harassment. Andrew thomas has more on the new wave of discrimination down under. It should have been a special day out. After taking her mother to a musical when men started shouting racist abuse and throwing hard boiled eggs. The one narrowly missed me, i ducked. The next one missed my head. The next one hit the car next to ours and the glass shattered. Similar stories are becoming common as muslims in australia say theyre being abused by people who say islam is the problem. Its an uncomfortablethe Controversial Group want the government considered banning held a conference where its leaders claim that a security crackdown was targeting muslims at a government Deradicalization Program was a sham. Deradicalization has come to mean making muslims less islamic. Its nothing more than forced assimilation justified by exaggerated fears of security threat. Speakers lined up to voice their concerns. There are 500 people here sharing stories of harassment and antimuslim prejudice. The message is one of division, that there is an us and there is a them. In speeches and in videos participants were told that cooperating with government intelligence agencies was out right forbidden. Many believe that the confrontational approach is part of the problem. Many are concerned that too many innocent muslims are being caught up in a dragnet. At an airport, a man was stopped from getting on a plane. He said he was going to saudi arabia to attend the ha jj pilgrimage and then on to lebanon to visit his dying grandmother. People he knew and played sport with had travel to fight in syria, they thought he might be heading the same way. This is a harassment of muslims with this new attitude. It is harassment on innocence. In the 12 months of ideal this year, 67 australians had their passports canceled on security grounds. In the wake of attacks like those in paris the overwhelming majority of australians say they want more surveillance in action not less but getting the balance right is not easy. Al jazeera. Sydney. Up next on the program they call it a living hell. Families with homes near an Oil Drilling Site in southern california, and Health Problems they say theyre seeing. A living hell. Thats our some residents living near an Oil Drilling Site said they have suffered a variety of Health Problems and now environmental injustice groups are alleging that local officials have not done enough to protect the people. Jennifer london has more. Drive down almost any street in wilmington, california, and this is where youll see. There are a lot of oildrilling powers, and then you see a lot of pumping. Ashley hernandez grew up here. I live three houses from the baseball field located right next to the Oil Drilling Sites. Her neighborhood in South Los Angeles only spans nine square miles but is home to one of the Largest Oil Fields in the country. A symbol of industrial prosperity for some and encroa encroaching eyesore and Health Hazard for others. Youve grown up in the shadow of big oil. Mmhmm. What has that been like for you . Its stressful, but also something that is really scary to me. I ended up getting big particles were going into my window, so my eyes were literally shut for two weeks. Other residents have complained about headaches and breathing problems. A study published in the Environmental Health journal i in 2014 finds there are potentially dangerous compounds in chemical mixtures in the air near Oil Production sites. Greater los angeles and big oil has grown up together. More than 30,000 people live near an oil well. By coalition of environmental and youth groups, the citys lax permitting process disproportionately impacts poor communities of color, communities like wilmington. We see this pattern where the neighborhoods that are majority latino and black have been neglected or disordered or less valued in protecting the health and safety of residents. Gladys is one of the plaintiffs in the law enforcement. The conditions that have been permit ready less stringent. The rigs are operated allowed to be operated with diesel power so there is more particulate matter, more emission, its noisier. On the west side they are far less out in the open. You wont find an oil pump in the middle of a Church Parking lot like in wellingto wilmington. Within the reason the residents have filed grief venezuelas and have asked to shut down facilities or improve conditions, and the city has not listened. She says that the cities are not listening and we know theyre not talking. Polic they have declined our request to an interview as did two city council members. We called a nonprofit trade group for the oil industry, our phone calls were never returned. Do you think its realistic to Just Stop Oil drilling in the city of los angeles . If the city abided by its duty moral and legal and to protect the health and safety of its residents it would deny operations in neighborhoods. Theyre inherently incompatible in neighborhoods. No child should have to grow up to these facilities and be subject to asthma, neurological problems. I feel like being part of a community predominately of color where we are funneled into the life of industry. We are also not given a lot of civil rights. I think this is exactlythis is exactly why were doing this lawsuit. That is exactly what the city has violated. Theyve violated our civil rights. Ultimately that will be up to the courts to decide in what is sure to be a long contentious battle between big oil and a small neighborhood. Al jazeera, wilmington, al jazeera. Beijingbeijing issued its second red alert for smog today just one week since its last warning. The smog is expected to roll in on saturday and not let up until tuesday. The alert means traffic will be reduced with vehicles alternating days on the road based on license plate numbers. Authorities are urging schools to close and calling on certain factories and construction sites to shut down. For a look at what is coming up at the top of the hour, John Seigenthaler is here. Infighting. Its not just for the republicans any more. Democrat Bernie Sanders is suing Party Leadership and why theyre undermining him. Sacred and profane. Angry backlash over a High School Lesson in arabic and the quran, a Virginia School direct shut down debate over fear in the classroom. Drug crisis in new hampshire. Heroin use and overdose is on the rise. Well hear what the candidates are saying about it. Flu season and the new ruling in new york city where y critics say it could put young kids at risk. All those stories and a lot more in five minutes. All right, john, see you then. Up next on the program. Mother teresa is becoming closer to being a saint with a hurdle she cleared with the vatican today. Pope francis has approved the second miracle to make it happen, Mother Teresa has devoted her life to the poor and sick in india. We have the reaction in new delhi. News of Mother Teresas imminent sainthood has been widely welcomed here in india. They have expressed her happiness and passed on her well wishes for the charities Mother Teresa founded. They heard the news and is excited the possibility of september being the month of canonization has been reported widely. It is the actual date is unclear, though. And in terms of wider context of this news here in india there are 24 million christians in india. 20million of them according to government figures are collects. Morcollectsare catholics. Mope francis met in the 1990s, and they followed each others work closely. Pope francis has described her as a woman of great courage and said he would be scared of her if she was his superior. All right, star wars fans are out in force. The franchise opened last night, and the movie is breaking records. The force awakens made 57 million last night. Shattering the previous preview held by harry potter and the deathly hallows part 2. Thank you for watching. Watching. Melissa chan is in San Bernardino with the latest. Melissa. We expect the president to arrive at where three hours time, local 8 00 p. M. He is not expected to speak publicly. He is expected to meet with the families of the 14 that were shot and killed. Private meeting of about 90 minutes. Private memorial has been around ever since the start of the incident about two