been covering on our website. you can see it there on your screens, aljazeera.com. we have a lot of coverage as well on the climate change conference taking place in paris. nick clark has more on that on aljazeera.com. ♪ the family of laquan mcdonald speaks publicly for the first time since the release of dash cam video, showing the teen being shot and killed by a chicago police officer. a trail of clues. investigators calling the bottom of a lake for evidence connected to the san bernardino shootings. >> tonight they step off the plane as refugees, but they walk out of this terminal as permanent residents of canada. and a warm overnight welcome

for syrian refugees, beginning their new lives in canada. ♪ this is al jazeera america live from new york city. i'm randall pinkston. the family of laquan mcdonald, shot to death by chicago police last year, will be making a statement shortly. they are expected to thank the public for demanding justice and call for the resignation of the state's attorney. earlier ministers called for a special prosecutor in the case, and a petition for a vote of no confidence against the city's mayor. andy the mayor has already said he is not going anywhere, what has happened so far, and what do we expect? >> right now it's just the great uncle who is just now starting to speak. no other family members, we are told are going to speak.

no other family members at all have talked through all of this. we understand he is talking about fundamental changes at city hall and in the chicago police department. now in the meantime, a group of bishops did protest at city hall today. as you mentioned, calling for the resignation of rom emmanuel, and the state's attorney, and their basic argument in all of to arva rez and emmanuel is this, hey, you guys saw this tape long ago, you paid off the family with $5 million, but seemingly did nothing else. why? until all of this happened now since the tape has been released to the public? >> we have emails that suggest that the mayor's office was aware of this tape, and the question arises what are we going to do about it? what we're trying to do is appeal to reason, appeal to

results, and bring change at least -- at least to justice. >> reporter: the bishops say they are going to flood barbara shops and churches anywhere they can find with petition drives to make this happen, randall. >> so what do we know about laquan mcdonald's background. >> reporter: very, very troubled. he was bounced around between foster care and his mom's care very early on, a few times even before the age of five. at one point they said he was taken aware of the care of his mother because her boyfriend was abusing him. wound up at an alternative high school, and i talked to the principal, and he said by all accounts he was doing well. he was coming to school every day. his grades were okay. he was only there for two months before he was shot. he said the students there, obviously distraught when he was shot, but now they are taking a

serious look at what they call flawed system. randall. thank you. a former oklahoma city police officer is now facing life in prison after being convicted of sexual assault, including rape. he cried as the jury read the guilty verdict on thursday. he was convicted of raping women while on duty. john henry smith reports. >> reporter: on his 29th birthday, daniel found out he would likely spend the rest of his birthdays behind bars. a jury found the exoklahoma city police officer guilty on four counts of first degree rape as well as 14 other counts he had been facing 36 criminal counts in total. >> defendant is dill if i of the crime of forcible oral sodomy and punishment set at 20 years. >> reporter: the jurors concluded he used his position of authority to sexually abuse

african american women while on duty. all of his occurers were african american women from the low-income neighborhoods he patrols. he is white and asian. it was an all white, mostly male jury that returned the guilty verdicts, and mrenged penalties of up to 260 years in prison. >> to the african american community, i'll say this, i appreciate you trusting us, and stanninging down, and making sure nothing foolish happened during the investigation and trying of this case. you trusted us, and we appreciate that. the oklahoma city police department did the right thing, and so did we. family and friends are remembering two more victims of the san bernardino attacks today. a memorial service is planned for damion means. and their there also be a wake for this woman, who was a county

food inspector. on thursday 27-year-old yvette va lasso was remembered at her funeral. >> reporter: a week later, and a new lead in the deadliest mass shooting since new town. police divers searching a lake. >> we're searching this lake today because we did have a lead that indicated that the subjects came into this area. we're seeking evidence -- of anything that had to do with this particular crime. >> reporter: officials also urged patience for the people and the community. >> this investigation as i have mentioned many, many times is massive, and that's going to take time, so i know it's a little bit of a disruption to the area. it would not be uncommon for us to do neighborhood canvases. >> reporter: as this unfolds the focus intensifies on the couple

behind the massacre. who the fbi says appear to have been radicalized before they met. earlier in the day, fbi director, james comey briefed lawmakers on the status of the investigation. >> as safe as the fbi can keep this, but no, it's a dangerous world. i think director comey made it clear that the fbi is conducting a thorough investigation. it's far from over, and we're uncertain where it is going to lead. >> reporter: investigatorsn't have found any direct links between the couple and violent groups. according to reuters in the months before the murder, the couple tried and failed to contact terrorist groups. meanwhile investigators are continuing to monitor the role if any of enrique marquez, a former neighbor. the atf says marquez has

purchased two of the rifles used in the shooting. mar does, a muslim convert checked himself into a mental health facility after the shootings. all of this as officials meet with the families of victims, and those who were injured. >> the motional and physical scars that were suffered by them will take years to get over and many of them will never get over some of the emotional scars. the white house says officials are working on a new proposal to expand background checks for firearms. advisors to the president say the administration is trying to figure out a way around congress to remove the loophole that allows people to purchase firearms online without any checks. >> congress hasn't acted, and they haven't acted, and that's been the source of immense frustration on the part of the president and frankly a lot of people across the counting try. congress earlier this month

blocked an effort tighten gun rules. connecticut is taking steps to control the flow of guns in that state. the governor says he will issue an executive order denying gun permits for people on the federal no-fly lists. malloy calls it a common sense proposal that a person considered too dangerous to fly should not be allowed to buy a gun. >> the executive order would add an additional level of protection and require those who apply for a permit to be screened against government-watch lists. that would prevent anyone on the list of the ability to purchase handguns, shotguns, rifles, and ammunition. assault rifles are already outlined in connecticut. paul ryan is among those opposing the move. he says the government puts people on watch lists without due process, and that means

there is no legal reason to deny them the ability to buy guns. the canadian prime minister is going to meet a plane full of syrian refugees tonight. on thursday he greated the first group to be resettled in this canada as part of a new government plan. robert ray reports on the warm welcome they are getting in toronto. >> reporter: it was late thursday night when 163 syrian refugees arrived in toronto. their long journey from the war-torn country was finally over. unlike some areas of the united states and many other countries, syrian refugees are being warmly welcomed in canada. >> this is a wonderful night where we get to show not just a plane load of new canadians what canada is all about, but we get to show the world how to open our hearts and welcome in people who are fleeing extraordinarily

difficult situations. >> reporter: in a recent poll, nearly 65% canadian citizens support syrian refugees coming here. that compared to just 20% in the united states. this man runs a sponsorship program in toronto. to those that say, you know, these are people that are coming into canada or the u.s. that we really don't know a lot about, we're afraid, what do you say? >> well, it goes right back to that us versus them mentality, right? i think it's important that we don't play into the hands of these terrorist organizations because that's a tactic they use. this fear and divide. >> reporter: more than 5700 miles from home, these syrians now have a chance for a new life

in a country where they now have status as permanent residents. the taliban is claiming responsibility for an attack for the capitol city of afghanistan. officials say there was an explosion followed by gunfire in the central part of kabul close to the spanish embassy, in a wealthy neighborhood where many embassies, ngo's are based. jennifer glasse joining us on the phone from kabul. how far away is the american embassy, and what else can you tell us about what is happening there? >> reporter: the american embassy is just a couple miles from that attack. we're hearing from the spanish president that the target of the attack was not the spanish embassy, but the guest house next door. it's understandable the spanish embassy might think they were under attack. the car bomb was very loud. i could hear it at my home less

than a mile from the attack. we could hear the gunfire as well. the american embassy is a little bit further away. i talked to one of the diplomats right after the first bomb went off, and they were saying i was hoping it was actual loi the construction site next door. their alarm did not go off. we're in [ inaudible ] now [ inaudible ] by the spanish embassy, the spanish president saying that the spanish embassy was not the target and that everybody has been evacuated and is safe. but one spanish policeman was injured. we also know seven afghans were injured in this attack which the taliban has claimed responsibility. it is an essential part of kabul, as you say randall. >> jennifer this is just the most recent of a round of attacks by the taliban. what does it mean about the

group's strength? are they growing stronger in big cities? because they have always been pretty powerful out on the countryside. >> reporter: we have seen a couple of large attacks -- two major attacks in kandahar last week, and now this attack. i think it's about them flexing their muscle and sending a message to the government. this attack coming just hours after the afghan president went on television today saying that he is hoping that peace negotiations with the taliban will start in the next couple of weeks. the taliban divided over whether they want to negotiate with the afghan government. i think these attacks have been carefully timed, this attack today after that press conference in kabul, and the tack in kandahar earlier this week, that lasted more than 24 hours and killed more than 30 civilians, just as the president was in pakistan talking about

peace talks. >> jennifer glasse thank you for that report. a big setback for fantasy sports websites. the legal blow from one judge for the popular site. and breaking his silence, former pow, bo bergdahl explains why he walked away from his army outpost and ended up in enemy hands.

>> a deeper look at the divide in chicago. >> a lot of people here are angry. >> we can do something different. on capitol hill the house of

representatives just passed a short-term bill to stop a government shutdown. under the plan lawmakers will have until wednesday to reach a longer-term deal. paul ryan says congress will include a 9/11 health bill when it votes next week. jon stewart has been leading the fight for the act to be renewed. >> these 9/11 [ inaudible ] are the most [ inaudible ] heros america can produce. if i'm elected -- and i will be elected -- [ laughter ] >> i will build a wall around politics, and i will make politics pay for it. tweet at your congressman with the hashtag, worst responders, tell them donald said pull up your big boy pants and make america great again. pass this act or i will glue

congress together, dip them in gold, and wear them around my neck. >> he was threatening lawmakers in character of the republican front runner. the act helps fund treatment for 9/11 first responders. the money runs out next year. we're hearing for the first time in more than a year from army sergeant bo bergdahl. he speaks about his capture, the taliban, and the controversial prisoner exchange that set him free. john terrett has details. >> reporter: joe bergdahl publicly ring counting his captivity for the first time since being released from the taliban.

he is speaking in interviews on the podcast sirral. he sixties he didn't go awol or flee during a fire fight in afghanistan but planned to go missing to highlight a series of concerns we had regarding leadership problems within his unit. he aimed to alarm his colleagues but then pop up at another base days later, alive and well, likening himself to a fictional action hero.

>> he has the skills -- >> stop right there. >> -- of a dangerous man. >> i need to know what went wrong. >> i think he snapped. >> reporter: he was finally set free in may 2013 as part of a white house prisoner exchange for five taliban members. he is currently an active duty sold we are a clerical job based in san antonio, texas. after a three-day hearing, the army reck mentioned that he not be court-martialed. he is now waiting for a decision. eight cadets at the citadel

have been suspended over an image posted online. it shows cadets at the military college in south carolina dressed in hoods and all-white clothing. they say it was for a christmas skit. and that they were dressed as ghosts of christmas past. >> i think they know what they were doing. it speaks to the mind set of a lot of people that is still out there today. people like to deny that kind of stuff exists, but everything points to the reality. >> the college president says the pictures are not consistent with the school's values, and the school says it is launching an investigation. pricey pills, could new rules protect you from the side effects drugs have on your wallet? sure, tv has evolved over the years.

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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. a judge has ordered the websites fan duel and [ inaudible ] to stop functioning in new york. arguments were heard over the past month over whether the games were illegal based on chance, or legal based on skill. draft king says it plans to appeal. a major merger between two giants in the chemical industry has become official. the new company being valued at $130 billion. the plan is for the companies to

eve event -- eventually split in three parts. a committee is considering new rules to regulate drug prices in response to skyrocketing costs. mary snow says there is more attention to the problem as the public learns about one particular drug executive. >> reporter: at 32, this man quickly became the poster child of corporate greed this summer when he raised the prize of a decade's-old price from $13.50 to $750 a pill. he drew the wrath of the public. donald trump called him a spoiled brat. hillary clinton and bernie sanders accused him of price gouging a life-saving drug. it is used to treat hiv and cancer patients with weak immune systems. in september he backed down, saying he would lower the cost.

last week at a healthcare summit, he talked about second thoughts but not the kind you might thing. >> i probably would have raised the price higher is probably what i would have done. >> why? >> i -- i think healthcare prices are inelastic, i could have made it higher and made more profits for our shareholders, which is my primary duty. >> reporter: we made repeated requests to speak with him, but no response. the drug is still at $375 a pill. this man calls that discount a joke. his organization represents aids drug assistance programs nationwide. last month he met with the executives in washington, d.c. after joining more than 100 other groups, demanding he restore the original price of the drug. >> i think touring and martin

scoreli engaged in speculation. they bought a drug where they knew there wouldn't be competition and held people hostage for it. >> reporter: he says profits will go towards researching a new version of the drug. doctors say it is not needed. the current version is working just fine. and now health professionals are taking matters into their own hands. >> people who do the kind of work that i do are creative, and we're not going to standing by and say we're not going to be able to use this medicine, so people are working on macgyvering work arounds. >> reporter: that work around has come in the form of a $1 alternative offered by express scripts. the drug itself is not fda approved, but its ingredients are. >> if we can't get the drug, then we have to make our own.

>> reporter: screli doesn't seem phased. he has been taunting critics like hillary clinton. tweeting: and to his other crickets. >> try to be a ceo yourself. try to maximize profits and not get kicked out of a company and -- and let me know how that goes for you. >> mary snow, al jazeera. this morning three international space station crew members are back on earth. on american is among the crew that left the space station after 143 days aloft. the spacecraft landed in koz ak stan a little more than three hours after leaving the international space station. that's it for us. the news continues next live from london. and you can keep up throughout

the day and evening on aljazeera.com. ♪ >> announcer: this is al jazeera. ♪ hello there i'm barbara sarah, welcome to the news hour live from london. coming up in the next 60 minutes. libya takes another step down the path of peace as the two governments agree to sign a u.n.-backed agreement. the taliban has taken responsibility for a car bomb attack on a foreign guest house near the spanish embassy in kabul. climate change talks in paris are extended into saturday as delegates say they are on the verge of landmark deal