>> reporter: for indians who continue to be affected by flooding, progress isn't keeping up with changing weather patterns, and there are growing calls for improved government policies and plans to better focus on prevention rather than disaster management. i own it. i take responsibility for what happened. >> chicago in turmoil, the mayor apologizing for his city's troubled police force. also a man believed to be the friend of the san bernardino shooter now under investigation. the british parliament forced to debate donald trump.

some say now it's trump that should be banned. and fighting over refugees, catholic charities ignoring the wishes of two governors. ♪ this is al jazeera america live from new york city. i'm del walters. chicago's embattled mayor, saying he takes full responsibility for the controversy involving his police department. critics saying he faces an uphill battle. there is a new poll out saying his approval rating is just 18%, those sinking numbers following the release of videos that some say show police brutality towards african americans. >> reporter: this was a low slow angry burn of a speech from the mayor. he said i get it. i get the criticism over the police department. i get it that every day that

laquan mcdonald video was not released was just another day of suspicion. he said you as a city demand answers and corrective action, and you deserve both, and you will get both. he said it will take a lot of work, though. and the was criticizing heavily the police officer, jason van dyke. he said that old saying about if you see something, say something, he said that should apply to police as well. and we got emotion when he talked about policing in the black community. he referenced one young black man who said that all he wanted from police when they are in his neighborhood is respect. >> he said do you think the police would ever treat you the way they treat me?

and the answer is no. and that is wrong! and that has to change in this city. that has to come to an end, and end now. no citizen is a second-class citizen in the city of chicago! [ applause ] >> reporter: the mayor also talked about steps the city has already taken. how the aclu is partnering with the police department, he talked about the task force he has formed to look into how police officers are punished, if they deserve it, and whether or not they deserve charges filed or whether they deserve to be fired as well. and he also says he welcomes the department of justice investigating the police department, although he was not so happy about their participation a few days earlier. we'll see how his critics respond in the coming days. this woman says a commander

was fired for doing his job. and she says the mayor is to blame. >> we have always for many years had a broken police accountability system in the city of chicago, but recently it has crossed from broken into corrupt. and i think that his hands are -- this -- this video with laquan mcdonald, its release, and what it reveals about what our leaders, all of them did in this particular situation has revealed a cover up, and actual corruption, and i think, you know, he either deliberately remained ignorant, which shame on him for that, or he actually knew about it. so either way, i think his hands are dirty. i give him credit for what he is trying to do now, but the question is, is it too little too late. >> the mayor arguing that more like you say, has to be done by

the police and the public. take a listen. >> both sides have to look beyond the surface to see the common humanity they share, instead of the differences that divide them. we have to be honest with ourselves about this issue. each time when we confronted it in the past as a city, chicago only went as far as our conscience so we could move on. this time must be different. >> are you comfortable that if rom emmanuel steps down, the city will be better off? >> you know, he had a difficult mayoral election last time, and that obviously -- we all wonder whether this laquan mcdonald video was purposely suppressed and kept secret because of that. -- you know, chicago -- we're a troubled place with respect to police accountability.

and i hope that things change. but i was in court this morning where lawyers were trying to release another video of a young black man being shot who was unarmed by chicago police while he was running away, and the city lawyers this morning, perhaps while the mayor was speaking, the city lawyers went to court and argued that the video should remain secret. >> chicago politics notoriously rough and tumble, are the calls for the mayor to resign, and get rid of the police chief, is that just partisan politics in chicago as usual. >> i guess i'm left to wonder, is this new to the mayor? all of this emotion that he is expressing, why is this the first time that we have seen this? and it makes me wonder is it just because of the media

coverage, and just because of his ratings. this is something that should have been a cause for our mayor long before now, and if he is this appalled as what has been going on, the question is he just learning about what is going on with our police department and ipra, and how corrupt it was, the question is why? in baltimore, an officer charged in the death of freddie gray taking the stand in his own defense. officer william porter facing manslaughter charges. they say he didn't put gray in a seat belt. he is the first of six officers to go on trial. 16 witnesses are being called in five days. the world is reacting to donald trump's calls to stop

muslims from coming into the u.s. some leaders are now saying that trump himself should be banned. this cover says ban him from britton. 200,000 people signing an online petition demanding that trump now not be allowed in this the country. and now parliament has to vote on the issue. joe biden said this: trump is now hinting that he might run as an independent candidate. at the pentagon, officials are saying that donald trump's comments could effect national security. >> i want to in essence take the fight to isil with the help of -- of muslims and others around the world, and anything that -- that somehow challenges that, we think would be counterproductive to our national security. >> reporter: peter cook saying trump's comments also em-bolden isil by pitting the u.s. against

muslims. and there were tough questions on capitol hill on the u.s.'s attempt to fight isil. the centers saying the current strategy is not enough. >> we are going to have to know what you are going to do, how you are going to do, and how you are going to be successful. that is not clear. >> jamie mcintyre with us in the studio right now. the committee making it clear they want answers and they want it fast. >> and ash carter making it clear that this is going to be a very long process. you can hear the frustration in that bite from senator sessions. he wants to see a strategy that is clearer and has more of a time line. and there is increasing frustration that the administration is stubbornly refusing to commit u.s. ground forces. you can hear that frustration in

this comment from senator john mccain. >> does anybody really believe that if the united states struck back against the people that just slaughters some americans in san bernardino, that somehow that would encourage them? what encourages them, mr. secretary, is success. and they have a pretty serious record here of success just in the last couple of months since you were here. >> this back and forth was played out recently. it is sort of the same sort of arguments, the administration continues to dig? saying that a safe zone would not be effective, that combat troops on the ground from the u.s. would not get the job done, they have to work with local forces and increasing frustration from congress that the u.s. seems to be unable to assembly a ground force that can defeat isil. >> there also seems to be that ongoing debate on whether or not gulf allies are doing enough.

>> yeah, he said he was in connect with 40 different countries asking them to do more. including special operations forces on the ground to do the kinds of things that a small number of u.s. troops were doing. but, again, frustration that that doesn't seem to be producing results. here is another exchange between ash carter and john mccain. >> i too wish that particularly the sunni arab nations of the gulf would do more, and going way back -- >> they are willing to do so if there is united states commitment -- >> i have been lengthy conversations with representatives there -- >> and so have i. >> well, i have to say that i have consistently emphasized to them that they have a unique role here. >> so, again, john mccain insisting if i were in charge we could get some of these

countries to chip in. and ash carter saying it is not that easy. >> jamie mcintyre thajs for being with us. thank you. >> we're learning more about the couple that carried out the mass shoolting? sba, california. the fbi saying they were radicalized at least two years ago. investigators are looking to the online loan that was worth $28,000. they say that money could have helped the couple fund their arsenal. they believe it was received weeks before the attacks. authorities are also now taking a collieser look at a former friend and next door neighbor, authorities saying that he told them that he bought two of the guns used in the attacks. investigators haven't named the 24-year-old has a suspect, but they are keeping a close eye on him. >> he said something along the lines of like there are a lot of muslims in our own backyard just ready to go high ware and attack, and we didn't think

nothing of it. >> reporter: and syed farook's mother is now on the fbi's watch list. investigators found shooting range targets and empty go pro boxes in her car. farook's father was added to the list a couple of days ago. up next, security versus sympathy, the struggle between charities who are try to resettle syrian refugees, and the governors saying not in their state.

>> we are scared. >>...have an organized right-wing movement trying to kill others.

the senate committee is meeting to talk about new restrictions on foreigners trying to come to the u.s. the house overwhelming passing changes to the visa waiver program on tuesday. 38 countries take part in the program. it allows citizens to come to the u.s. without a visa. there is a new bill that would force people who have been through iran, iraq, or sudan in the last five years to go through the normal process. >> we can't give them special access to our country if we don't have all of the information we need to ensure that they are not a threat to our national security. >> the bill also requires pa pass -- passports to have

bimettic data. there is a fight playing out between charities and governors. there is a cher think that has resettled syrian refugees in both states anyway. >> reporter: the governors of texas and indiana were among dozens of state lersd who vowed their states would not receive any syrian refugees after the paris attackses. >> i have no higher priority than the safety and security of the people of the state of indiana, and i'll continue to use the authority that we have to take that stand. >> reporter: but catholic charities has taken its own standing. tuesday they helped settle a family of six in houston, another family of six in the dallas area, and a family of four in indiana. the indiana archbishop said in a statement, quote:

>> i'm disappointed with the decision by catholic cherrities. >> reporter: the governor asked catholic charities not to resettle syrian refugees in his state. >> this is not about a family. this is not about catholic charities. this is about an administration and a congress that should take decisive action to pause this program, and review it to ensure that we can go forward. >> reporter: in texas a lawsuit challenging the resettlement is taking its way through the courts. but that state dropped its demand for an immediate inject

junction. investigators in france say they have now id-ed a third suspect in the paris attacks. they say he was a french citizen who game from germany. jacky rowland has more from paris. >> reporter: the french prime minister has confirmed that investigators have been able to identify the body of the third man who took part in the attack on the concert hall. if you recall there were three attackers. they were armed with automatic weapons and they were also wearing explosive vests. at the time when anti-terror police stormed the concert hall, two of the men blew themselves up, and a thir was killed by police. the -- the prime minister has said that the man in question was originally from germany, but had traveled to syria two years ago with a brother and two friends, and had then returned in order to take part in the attacks. now french media are reporting

that the information via text message sent to the man's mother who is still here in france. according to these rourts the message said simply, your son has died as a, quote, martyr, in paris. the mother contacted the police. she gave them a dna sample, and k according to the reports it was via this dna sample that police were able to identify if i the body parts of the third attacker. president obama speaking a short while ago. it was 150 years ago today the 13th amendment was signed ending slavery in america. >> we would do a disservice to those warriors of justice, tubman and douglas, and lincoln, and king, were we to deny that the scars of our nation's original sin are still with us today. [ applause ]

>> we condemn ourselves to shackles once more if we fail to answer those who wonder if they are truly equals in their communities or in their justice systems or in the job interview. we betray the efforts of the past if we fail to push back against bigotry in all of its forms. >> president obama saying he's no, ma'am commemorating free dorm for slaves but for all of us. the supreme court will hear the case of a white student who says she was denied admission to the university of the texas because of her race. she applied to the university

back in 2008. she says she didn't get in because of the school's pro-diversity policy. others say it's important to have a student body with different life experiences. >> there aren't any quotas or targets, so it's not of firm tiff action, it's a much more holistic approach to admissions to make sure you get class that is reflective of the community you are trying to serve. >> fisher and her supporters say it violates her constitutional rights. they say that tax-payer-funded institutions shouldn't be able to use race as a factor in putting its classes together. and there is the principal of one person, one vote. the state's current system draws up districts based on population. bicycles becoming a .toic of

discussion in paris. ♪ >> we're trying to make it cool in our community it's for every day use. >> up next, how an old form of transportation could improve the environment. sure, tv has evolved over the years.

it's gotten squarer. brighter. bigger. it's gotten thinner. even curvier. but what's next? for all binge watchers. movie geeks.

sports freaks. x1 from xfinity will change the way you experience tv. tand that's what we're doings to chat xfinity.rself, we are challenging ourselves to improve every aspect of your experience. and this includes our commitment to being on time. every time. that's why if we're ever late for an appointment, we'll credit your account $20. it's our promise to you. we're doing everything we can to give you the best experience possible. because we should fit into your life. not the other way around. in paris world leaders are said to be getting closer to a clie nate deal. president obama it seems wants to make sure that that happens. the white house says he has been calling leaders discussing the deal. secretary of state john kerry

said deniers will have to change their minds. >> these people are so out of touch with science, that they believe rising sea levels don't matter, because in their view the extra water is going to spill out over the sides of a flat earth. >> he said the united states will double grants to $800 million a year by 2020. in california, the battle fits two wheels against four. pedal power versus putting the pedal to the metal. jake ward went do the front lines in san francisco. >> reporter: adam smith learned to fix bikes from his father. >> i would just find like abandoned bicycle frames lying around, and i would just collect them and take them in my room, and a tire here, and a spare pedal there, and i would just go in to my room and spending little rally like all day after school just trying to put it together. >> reporter: the bike became his

outlet he says. >> i would get upset, and i would just ride my bike until i couldn't ride anymore. >> reporter: now ho is teaching his children how to fix bikes at this regular gathering in this san francisco. the organization is trying to teach bay area families the skills they need not just to ride a bike, but to maim it their primary mode of transportation. this actually can have a global impact. this organization has a rep senningtive at the paris climate summit right now, and that's because if everyone traded in their car for public transportation, biking or walking, a new study has found we would hold global emissions below 2010 levels all the way to 2050 in major metropolitan areas, and save trillions of dollars in health care, manufacturing, and fuel costs. the trouble is, although bikes have a certain cultural cashe in

the united states right now, other countries are abandoning them. the bike fleet in china has shun ked by 35%. and there are echos of that pattern here in the united states. >> no pressure. >> reporter: organizers say it's not just the difficult of trying to get somebody to learn something new, in low-income communities there is often sigma attached to riding a bike. >> bicycling is considered something that poor people do. it's something that, you know, we strive to get a car, you know, the whole coming of age of can't wait until i drive, i can't wait until i get off of the bus. so we're trying to make it cool in our community. it's for every day use, for weekends, wherever you are at, let's get you on that bike. >> reporter: adam smith says the benefits are obvious. >> this has zero emissions. it is self powered.

i just think it's a better alternative than polluting the world, you know, with gases and fumes. >> reporter: this is a very old form of transportation, but as we look for new ways to control emissions, and improve health, maybe bicycling could be the vehicle of the future. time magazine out with its choice for person of the year, german chancellor angela merkel. time calling merkel the chancellor of the free world, and europe's most powerful leader. thanks for joining us. i'm del walters in new york. the news continues live from london where the cries continue to be heard, saying that donald trump should not be allowed in. those signing a petition now total more than 200,000. and you can check us out 24 hours a day by going to our website, aljazeera.com.

♪ ♪ >> hello, i'm david foster, and it's 6:00 p.m. london, 1800 gmt, wherever you're watching this al jazeera news hour. among our stories, the u.k. hundreds of syrian rebel fighters and their families leave the city of homes in a cease-fire negotiated with the government.