United states kills at least 43 people. We will speak with the leading climate scientist about the connection between tornadoes and Climate Change. Then to chicago. It hurts me all over to know the family is going through this tragedy going on, Police Shooting without asking. Why you got to shoot and ask questions later . Amy protests continue in chicago after police shot dead to the africanamericans a , 55yearold africanamerican mother of five and a close student. Could these latest killings force mayor rahm emanuel to resign . We will go to chicago for an update and also speak to a statistician with the Mapping PoliceViolence Project which has documented how police have killed at least 1152 people in the United States so far this year. And we remember the oscarwinning cinematographer Haskell Wexler. What advice would you have for the next generation coming up . Or to sayilent something is debilitating, and i hope they dont fall victim to that. Has died at wexler the age of 93. We will speak to pamela yates director of rebel citizen, a new documentary about the life and work of Haskell Wexler. All that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. A Police Shooting in chicago has killed two unarmed africanamericans, sparking new calls for change at a Police Department already under heavy scrutiny. Early saturday morning, the father of a 19year old College Student, Quintonio Legrier, called police to report his son was behaving oddly and carrying a metal bat. The father also called the downstairs tenant, 55year old bettie jones, to alert her that police would need to enter through her door. When police arrived, Quintonio Legrier allegedly confronted them in the foyer. Both legrier and bettie jones were killed when police opened fire. On sunday, legriers mother, janet cooksey, spoke as family and friends gathered outside the home. No mother should have to bury her child. And especially under these circumstances. You call for help, the police are supposed to serve and protect us and yet they take the life. What is wrong with that picture . It is a badge to kill . I mean, where do we get our help . Amy bettie jones was the mother of five grown children whom she has celebrated christmas just hours before. Police have acknowledged they shot her by accident. The killings of her new goals for chicago mayor rahm emanuel to resign. Evelyn glover, the cousin of bettie jones, spoke out with a message for the mayor. [indiscernible] i want my cousins death avenged. You killed her in cold blood. Emanuel . Step down. Emanuel, callyour boys. The Chicago Police along the you. Vigilante, you havbeen sending the Chicago Police out to kill, to do nothing but kill. [indiscernible] because that is your mission, you lying demon. Mayor emmanuel was already under pressure to resign over the more than oneyearold Police Killing of 17 year old Laquan Mcdonald in a potential police coverup. Mcdonald was shot 16 times by white Police Officer jason van dyke. Dashcam video only recently released by court order clearly contradicts Police Claims about the shooting. We will go to chicago for more on the story later in the broadcast. At least 43 people died over the Christmas Holiday weekend in the series of storms that hit the south, southwest and midwest. Missouri and new mexico have declared a state of emergency. Tornadoes were reported in 10 states including michigan which , recorded its first ever tornado in december. The deadliest storms were in texas where at least 11 people , died when tornadoes hit areas near dallas. Now a historic snowstorm is heading toward dallas after causing blizzardlike conditions in new mexico, oklahoma and , western texas. Mississippi, six more in another 10 people died in tornadoes in mississippi, six more in tennessee. Flash floods also killed at least 13 people in missouri, illinois and arkansas where as , much as nine inches of rain fell on some areas. A birmingham, alabama, resident described the destruction after a tornado touched down. Feel thankful just to be alive. Thankful to be alive. It was so horrible. Roof like flying at the cla at the roof. The rain was sowing thick. It was a nightmare. If i had not moved one inch back into taking cover, the whole blast would have been in my bed where i was laying. It blew out the windows. Amy meanwhile, heat records were broken on Christmas Day across the east coast from maine to florida. On christmas eve, the thermometer topped a record breaking 70 degrees in new york city, philadelphia, and washington, d. C. Extreme weather also continues around the world. More than 100,000 people have had to evacuate their homes in areas of paraguay, uruguay, brazil, and argentina amid severe flooding. And british Prime MinisterDavid Cameron has deployed 500 soldiers to address unprecedented flooding in northern england. Scores of flood warnings have been issued across england, wales, and scotland. Well have more on the link between, recordbreaking heat, tornadoes and Climate Change , after headlines of the leading climate scientist. Two mosques have been attacked in separate incidents over the christmas weekend. On Christmas Day, just after hundreds of people finished friday prayers, a twoalarm fire erupted at the Islamic Society of greater houston in texas. Authorities say it was intentionally set. Meanwhile officials in , californias Central Valley are investigating a molotov cocktail attack on the Tracy Islamic Center as a possible hate crime. A study earlier this month found hate crimes against Muslim Americans and u. S. Mosques have tripled since the attacks in paris and san bernardino. The council on American Islamic relations has reported more incidents targeting mosques this year than in any other year on record. The white house is reportedly considering a pentagon plan to maintain at least one base in afghanistan, despite president obamas initial pledge to withdraw most u. S. Troops by the time he leaves office. In october, obama reversed that plan, saying 5500 troops would remain at the country through the end of his term. As the Obama Administration expands its use of special Operations Forces around the world, the new york times, reports the proposal now under consideration would use a base in afghanistan as a hub for special operations troops and intelligence operatives throughout central and south asia. The Iraqi Military says it has liberated the city of ramadi from the selfproclaimed islamic state. Isil seized ramadi in may marking a humiliating defeat for , the iraqi army. For weeks, iraqi forces backed by u. S. Led airstrikes have sought to retake ramadi. In nigeria, the militant Group Boko Haram has attacked the northeastern city of maiduguri , killing at least 15 people and feared the toll may be higher. Its the second assault in days after boko haram invaded a village on christmas, killing at least 14 people. The attack came just after nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari said nigeria has technically won the war against boko haram. Israeli Authorities Say they are investigating newly released video which appears to show jewish extremists celebrating the death of a palestinian toddler in an arson attack last summer. The footage, which aired on channel 10 news in israel, was filmed at a wedding showing two men apparently stabbing pictures of 18monthold ali dawabsheh, who was killed in an arson attack, allegedly by jewish settlers. The fire also killed his parents. Meanwhile, Israeli Government ministers have backed a bill to crack down on human Rights Groups by requiring them to disclose details about funding they receive from governments abroad. Critics say the bill unfairly targets groups critical of the israeli military, like breaking the silence, which receives more than of its funding from half european governments, while shielding rightwing groups that rely on private donors, who are exempt. European officials have reportedly slammed the proposal, calling it remniscent of totalitarian regimes. Japan and south korea have reached a deal aimed at addressing the demands of socalled comfort women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese Military during world war ii. The deal includes an apology from japanese Prime Minister shinzo abe and a more than 8. 3 million fund for survivors. In exchange, south korea has agreed not to publicly criticize japan over the issue. Survivors have said the deal falls short of their call for japan to admit legal responsibility and pay formal reparations. In other news from japan, officials on the island of okinawa have sued the japanese government in the latest bid to Block Construction of a new u. S. Military base. Okinawa Authorities Say the japanese government illegally overrode governor takeshia onagas order halting construction earlier this year. Okinawa is home to more than half of the 50,000 u. S. Troops stationed in japan. For decades, residents have demanded the expulsion of u. S. Troops, citing Environmental Concerns and sexual assaults. On the u. S. Campaign trail democratic president ial , contender vermont senator Bernie Sanders says he thinks he can win over trump supporters. Speaking on cbs face the nation, sanders said trump is misdirecting anger over income inequality and stagnant wages. Many of trumps supporters are working class people, and they are angry. And they are angry because theyre working longer hours for lower wages, angry because our jobs have left this country and gone to china or other lowwage countries. They are angry because they cant afford to send the kids to college or cant retire with dignity. What trump asked him with some success is taken that anger, taken those fears, which are legitimate, and converted them into anger against mexicans, anger against muslims. In my view, that is not the way were going to address the major problems facing our country. Amy a new report finds the United States increased its sale of weapons around the world by about 35 last year, even as the overall arms market rose only stayed relatively flat. The congressional report found u. S. Weapons sales increased to more than 36 billion, nearly 10 billion higher than the previous year. The surge was fueled by massive u. S. Arms deals with qatar, saudi arabia and south korea. And the legendary cinematographer and director Haskell Wexler has died at the age of 93. Perhaps best known for his 1969 film, medium cool, which captures the upheaval surrounding the 1968 Democratic National convention in chicago. Wexler won two Academy Awards for cinematography in, whos afraid of Virginia Woolf . And bound for glory, about folk singer woody guthrie. His documentaries tackled issues such as the southern freedom writers of the 1960s, the u. S. Governments destabilization of nicaraguan and support for the contras, u. S. Atrocities in vietnam and torture under the u. S. Backed junta in brazil. In october, haskell what clerk visited democracy now studios and i asked him about his advisory him fill makers. I rode with people on buses and got to know what was important in their lives. I realize theres a whole world right there in my own city that was going on. Unfortunate, the film was very in theceived, not conventional means, but i cant give any advice to young people early just dont overturn , albert early take the system to realize if you want to be an learn, you have to have to be in touch. Unjustt measure success how much money on just how much money you have or how famous you are. Died sunday wexler at the age of 93. We will have more on his legacy later in the broadcast. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. At least 43 people died over the Christmas Holiday weekend in the series of storms that hit the south, southwest and midwest. Missouri and new mexico declared states of emergency. Tornadoes were reported in 10 states including michigan which , recorded its first ever tornado in december. The deadliest storms were in texas where at least 11 people , died when tornadoes hit areas near dallas. As many as 1000 homes were damaged. Now a major snow storm is heading toward the region. The storm has already resulted in blizzard like conditions in new mexico, oklahoma, and western texas. The snowstorm even disrupted the College Football sun bowl being played on the mexico border in el paso. Another 10 people died in tornadoes in mississippi, six more in tennessee. Flash floods also killed at least 13 people in missouri, illinois and arkansas where as , much as nine inches of rain fell on some areas. Meanwhile heat records were , broken on Christmas Day across the east coast from maine to georgia. On christmas eve, the thermometer topped a record breaking 70 degrees in new york philadelphia, and washington, d. C. This weekend of extreme weather comes as climatologists predict 2015 will be the warmest year ever recorded smashing last , years record. So far in 2015 nine out of the 11 months have set a new monthly temperature record. Meanwhile, in south america, as many as 160,000 people have been evacuated due to heavy storms in paraguay, uruguay, argentina, and brazil. We go now to tallahassee, florida, to james elsner professor at Florida State , university and coauthor of the paper, the increasing efficiency of tornado days in the United States, which was recently published in the journal climate dynamics. Professor, welcome to democracy now can you start off by talking about the weather we have seen him especially the tornadoes . Is there a link to Climate Change . First of all, amy, it is really important to note that the link between Climate Change and tornadoes is still in its infancy. Nothing is conclusive. What we do see, though, is that tornadoes seem to be coming in bigger bunches. So in the past, we might see a day with five or six tornadoes. Now were seeing days with 10 to 15 tornadoes. Amy and so talk about those links, the links to both the numbers and also the intensity . Yes, so there are two things that we see. Not only are we seeing tornadoes come in bigger bunches, we are also seeing them last longer. Once they hit the ground, they seem to be lasting longer. Theyre staying on the ground longer, doing more damage because of that. And they are often reaching stronger intensities because of that. Here, we believe, although it is not conclusive, is due to the amount of water in the air. So as the temperatures go up, as we get more heat in the atmosphere, we have more water also in the atmosphere. This is what makes you feel uncomfortable on a hot, sunny day is this water in the air. Water vapor or humidity. Were seeing the humidity go up as the temperatures go up. This humidity is the fuel to keep these tornadoes going and getting stronger. Deaths justber of over the weekend, 43 deaths. Can you also talked about the flooding that we are seeing . Yes, well, again with the extra water in the atmosphere, the rains seem to come in greater downforce. So as the storm system organizes and the rain starts toall, it comes down heavier and harder, creating flooding situations. Amy you know, there is a lot of coverage of the weather in the United States, but rarely are he two words extreme weather connected to Climate Change or global warming. And you talk about what you think this would be critical in dealing with this issue . I think it is. I think the key here is to understand how the atmosphere theonse to not only increasing temperature, the increasing heat but the increasing water in the atmosphere. It is just water, water vapor that condenses into clouds and produces the rain and the snow and the tornadoes that we are seeing. Days,nd in the last few insight, news, they came out the report that said not only exxonmobil, a story that exposed weeks ago, but they suggest nearly every major u. S. A multinational oil, gas company was aware of fossil fuels impact on Climate Change as early as the late 1970s. Earlier exposes by Insideclimate News and the Los Angeles Times have revealed that exxon scientists knew about Climate Change as early as 1977, and for decades exxon concealed its own findings that the burning of fossil fuels cause global warming, alter the climate and melt the arctic ice. Can you talk about your response to this latest revelation that the entire oil and gas industry knew this. That is really not my area of expertise. It seems consistent with what