erase past fears in favor after future, not yet real live. now, you take a trip down to our website that's aljazera.com . fallout from ferguson. the white house is taking new steps to keep military-grade weapons away from local police departments. shutting down the port of seattle. activists are doing everything they can to stop an oil rig from heading north to the arctic. ramadi falls into isil hands. now the u.s.-led coalition steps up air strikes trying to regain control.

this is al jazeera america live from new york city. i'm tony harris. police departments nationwide will no longer be allowed to buy some miller tear equipment from the federal government. president obama is delivering that news in camden new jersey. under an executive order the government won't give police or pay for a lot of different equipment, including armored vehicles and camouflage uniforms. the same kinds of things used by police during the ferguson protest. kristen is live in camden for us. good to see you. why is that happening? this announcement comes as something of a surprise i think. >> reporter: it really does tony. last year the white house suggested that they would keep this policy going despite criticism from activists in ferguson and elsewhere that this military-style equipment was only escalating tensions in places like ferguson because it created this us versus them man

talt and escalating tensions and not decreasing them. after naming a special task force to look at policing issues and appointing an interagency group to look at the issue of military gear the president backed their recommendations and decided to do away with this. the task force found that there was a risk of misusing and overusing this equipment, so now this announcement -- i can tell you that the president arrived here at camden police headquarters a short time ago greeted by cheering crowds. so that announcement seems to be going over well. >> kristen, why did president obama choose camden new jersey to make this announcement? >> reporter: well, you know tony, camden in recent years has been described as one of the most violent cities or top five violent cities in the country. two years ago in 2013 the city decided to dissolve its police force and formed a new

county-wide police force. they put more police officers on the streets. they changed their tactics having more community-based policing. they've seen some results here. this is a shout-out to camden that has seen violent crime drop. homicides and robberies are both down close to 50%. this hasn't been without controversy. those police officers that were hired for the county department were hired at a lower salary than the city police officers once had, so it hasn't been universally applauded. however, when i speak to residents here in camden as i have been today, they do tell me that they feel a difference and they feel safer here. so the president is coming to acknowledge that and also to acknowledge the fact that ferguson is now a promise zone. this is an initiative started by president obama in an effort to increase economic opportunities and decrease crime and violence in some of the nation's poorest

cities. so camden is one of those promise zones, and the white house says it is intensifying its efforts to decrease tensions between communities and police departments, and so that's why he is here to make this announcement. >> okay. so a couple of reasons for the president to be camden, new jersey today. parts of waco texas are on lockdown today hours after rival bike gangs opened fire. nine people were killed and more than 170 arrested. police say the groups had gotten together at a restaurant to work out their differences when things got out of hand. >> it started in the rest room quickly escalated to the outdoor patio/bar area. shots were fired inside the restaurant by rival biker gang members at each other. we have wounded inside. we have people stabbed. we had people shot and we had people beat.

>> my goodness. the twin peaks restaurant and the shopping center where it took place are still shut down. the restaurant's corporate office just pulled the franchise from the owners. police are on alert in waco for possible retaliation today. about 300 protesters have descended on the port of seattle. they're using their bodies to try to shut down the port. the goal? blocking a drilling rig from getting to the arctic. alan is live for us in seattle. alan, what's going on there right now? >> reporter: tony a pretty festive scene actually. this group spinning into two smaller crowds. one down here closer to where the enter terminal 5 in seattle and we'll walk around to the south and show you the other area where there's 100 and 125 people or so gathered dancing, singing going on throughout the morning. what they're trying to do is block workers from getting in and going to work on the enormous shell rig, the polar

pioneer, that is moored at a dock just about a half a mile that way. they say they're in this for the long haul. the protesters now that they're here intend to stay and they intend to stay as long as it takes. do you really think you can shut this port down and stop work here, or is this really a good symbol? >> no, we're going to do it. we have enough people today and all three gates are blocked, and we're going to put our message out to the planet that we need to take care of ourselves. >> reporter: how long rub prepared to stay? >> as long as we have to. >> reporter: whether they can stop work at the port of seattle and specifically work on the polar pioneer is really up for debate. a company spokesperson for the company who is actually doing the marine services work says they have plenty of time to plan for this. i asked them if they had adjusted schedules so that they could avoid the protests. he said, well we're not getting into details, but there's been no impact on their plans for working on the polar pioneer.

you talk to these folks out here. they say they'll do whatever it takes to try and slow down shell's work here. they want that rig to not get the provisions it needs, not get the maintenance it needs, and not be able to go north above the arctic circle which is planned for later in july. tony. >> alan good on the protesters. we believe in protest and getting your voice heard in this country. i'm wondering, will the protests actually make much of a difference when it comes to keeping shell from drilling off the alaskan coasts? what about the kayakists out in the water? >> reporter: we haven't seen them today but we have this weekend. from back on saturday a couple of hundred small craft who got out on elliott bay into the waterway, which is where this rig is parked and just encircled it a really tremendous show of force. that's really what the folks

helping organize this wanted. they wanted just that image, that picture of the little boats versus big oil. one little boat at a time is what one protester said last wee. they wanted that picture out for the world. will it have an impact on shell, a company that spent $6 billion exploring the possibility of extracting gas and oil from above the arctic circle? probably not. shell has told us that they're glad to have people come out and protest. that's their right. they encourage it. they say it hope it proceeds safely and legally, but having spent 6 billion already and having planned to go back and had the blessing of the obama administration to go drill explorary well i imagine shell will do that. >> absolutely. alan in seattle for us. thank you. thousands of people are fleeing their homes in western iraq now that ramadi has fallen to isis control. officials say upwards of 500 people have been killed in the latest fighting. some 8,000 having forced to

leave. secretary of state john kerry spoke about isil during his trip to south korea. he says the group is growing stronger in the region. >> particularly in anbar where you don't yet have the presence of the iraqi security forces in the full lumbers necessary to take the fight to dash everywhere yet, i underscore yet, there are targets of opportunity like the ramadi or somewhere else where dash has the ability to inflict great damage. >> the head of u.s. central command met with iraq's defense minister in baghdad today and thousands of shia militia arrived in ramadi to kick start the fight. we have more. >> reporter: they were caught in the crossfire, and now they have no place to go. according to the international organization for migration, 8,000 people were forced to leave ramadi when fighters belongs to the islamic state of iraq and the levant advanced

into their city. people headed towards baghdad are questioned before being allowed to enter the iraqi capital. authorities say they want to make sure that no fighters from isil make it into the city. >> translator: why aren't we allowed to go to baghdad? aren't we in the same country? we can't cope. it's better to die than to live this life. >> reporter: anger towards the shia-led government runs deep in the mainly sunni province of anbar. there's a feeling among people they've been betrayed. >> translator: we spent two days on the road. we were humiliated at government checkpoints along the way. what we can't understand is how the security forces just retreated and withdrew from ram ramadi. why did they do that? >> reporter: ramadi belongs to isil at least for now. this video was released. the capital of anbar seems to have been abandoned after a

three-day offensive that pushed government forces out. according to government on federals up to 500 security personnel or civilians were killed in the fighting either in the fighting while others that worked for the government were murdered by isil. now the shia militias are ready to launch a counteroffensive against ramadi. they were responsible for pushing isil from the provinces, but they have been accused of human rights abuses and many people have still not returned to their homes. in ramadi the regular army and local police were no match for isil. many were seen escaping from the city. many sunni leaders blame the government for the fall of the city. >> translator: right now we have very few options on the ground but the best is to train and arm local tribes because the only group operating under the command of the prime minister is the shia militia coalition.

>> reporter: that decision will alienate many sunni tribes. some leaders would consider their involvement in iranian occupation of their province. there is concern. >> it's a sunni area. there is an ethnic dispute definitely before about ten years. there will be a clash definitely between the tribes and the shia militia. secondly it's more weakening the central government. why? because, it's not the army who is getting in. >> reporter: ramadi was isil's first major gain after a series of defeats in recent months. the united states that leads the coalition against isil insists it's cold frontnfident ramadi will be reka tured. that may happen but winning the political battle may be harder. in recaptured territories

there's little and no recognition between the countries. there's resumed fighting in bhrundi. they fired shots in the capital. it was days after a coup of the president failed. they're calling on the president to drop his plans to run for a third term. >> it's calm but sense in this part. there are a lot of soldiers on this particular street. there was a protest earlier, and things got nasty. shop owners closed their shops because there were a few skirmishes and a bit of violence. which is what one man said happened to the protesters that participated. >> they fired. they fired at people that were trying to demonstrate, but they're in different quarters now. they're difficult to see. they're shooting real guns yes.

they're shooting people. >> reporter: when tear gas and gunshots are fired, people protesting run up the street and the plan is to get away from the commotion as quickly as possible. they fan out into different alleys here and hide in between houses making it very hard for the soldiers and the police to find them. they say they want to keep protesting, but there is a climate of fear. they say that some of they're leaders have been arrested and some are too scared to come out and protest. people aren't sure how much traction this particular protest will have. as you see, there are a lot more soldiers and police that have been deployed onto the streets. they know that the president seems determined to run for the third term despite some people in the country saying they don't want him to. so right now it's a tense calm. people are uncertain about the future. they do say they want to keep protesting. the question is, is there enough momentum or will in the people to do that or are many of them too scared to do it in huge numbers?

yemen is getting hit with air strikes again today. hours after a five-day humanitarian ceasefire ended the saudi-led coalition decided not to renew the truce because it said houthi rebels broke the agreement. from riyadh today they're talking about a lasting peace plan. the houthis refuse to attend the peace conference saying any agreement in their absence will be irrelevant. iran wished the u.s. and saudis claim back the houthis. they say it's disappointed the ceasefire has not been extended. >> so all in all we need a very serious, concerted international effort to deal with yemen and to deal with this humanitarian crisis. of course, the political solution is the only solution and that is why we believe that yemen -- inter-yemeni dialogue should take place. >> they showed boats heading

there for aid. we have the latest from riyadh. >> reporter: the talks now are behind closed doors, and we xep the major yemeni factions to agree on a road map for yemen's future basically asking the international community for support to ask the houthis, including the use of force, and they say that they recognize the legitimacy of the government of president. they will also discuss issues about reforming the political establishment, reforming the army appointing new top military commanders and giving the movement larger political representation. as far as the houthis are concerned concerned, those who are attending meet here in the saudi arabiian capital of riyadh they say the houthis have two options. go through the political process, otherwise, they will be sidelined. the united nations we know from our sources that they are talking now to the international community, the u.n. envoy is on

his way to new york. they're talking with the saudi-led coalition and with the different different yemeni factions to have a ceasefire. talks will take place and most of the factions are going to attend the meetings. therefore, you have to have a sense of ceasefire implemented that would give the international community some positive message that the yemeni factions are ready to talk in geneva against the backdrop of a truce. otherwise, they're just concerned that there might be more violence in the country. straight ahead on al jazeera america, the european union takes new steps to try and stop a migrant crisis in the mediterranean. a refugee success story, from fleeing violence to running their own business far from home.

the planning will target human traffickers. they hope it will disrupt the migrants. the operation will be fully launched next month. there's also a migrant crisis happening in lebanon right now. more than a million syrians fled there trying to escape the ongoing civil war. omar results on one lebanese camp giving some syrians the opportunity to work and get back to their feet. >> reporter: he is a pastry chef. he normally makes arabic sweets but some fellow syrian refugees want him to make pizza so he's giving it a shot. he got an opportunity that is rare for refugees living in lebanon. >> translator: the aid group offered to give me this job and provide all the equipment for free. i now earn a living for my family and get to employ other workers from the camp as well. >> reporter: a lebanese charity

group from this camp near the border with syria relies on cash donations from gulf and international charity organizations. 450 new cabins have been allocated to refugees with a cost of almost half a million dollars, but it also wants to create a self-sustaining community so those with a skill get a small business. he's a barber. he's now able to feed his family of five. >> translator: it depends. somedays i make $3. soim times it's 8 or more. after this i can afford to buy my family's needs. the situation in this camp is very, very good. we have almost everything. >> reporter: even with the improved conditions, life in this camp is basic. over 1,500 people live here. it is tough, and there are complaints. this refugee camp is considered to be among the best in lebanon. most families live in cabins

like this with its own toilets and sewage system but there is lack of water and some people told me they only get six hours of electricity every day. most people here agree they won't find a better place. there are over 1.2 million registered syrian refugees in lebanon. many of them live in tents under harsh conditions. the influx has put strains on lebanon's infrastructure and government has imposed restrictions on syrians that want to come here. some lebanese fear the refugees might feel encouraged to stay. the head of the aid group running this camp says they are overwhelmed. he says all the help provided to the refugees is temporary. >> translator: all refugees want to return. this is a temporary living. no one wants to stay away from their country and homes. if syria returns to normality we will take this entire camp back there until people settle in

their own homes. >> syria is yus behind this mountain but for this refugees it's a long while before the short journey back begins. ifrments come. coming up next on al jazeera america. bullying on the job. the huge problem costs billions and hurting even the hardest working employees.

u.s. airlines expect to carry a record number of passengers this summer. the industry's leading trade group says passenger loads will be up 5% over last year. 222 million passengers are expected to take to the skies. that could drive up demand for seats and drive up prices too. more than a quarter of workers here in the u.s. say they are bullied at their jobs. yet about 40% never speak up. ali velshi reports on the legal battle. >> kim carner graduated from law school in 2007 filled with the promise of a bright future. landing her dream job as a prosecutor in williamson county

texas. >> they seemed excited to have me. i was almost hired on the spot. i thought it was the beginning of something great. >> reporter: while kim was continuing to win cases, she was failing to win over a fellow prosecutor. >> he would do everything in his power to make every day of my life just pure hell. he would, you know yell at me for being one minute late. he would tell me that i did something wrong that i didn't really do wrong. >> more than one in four workers in the u.s. reports being bullied by a co-worker or boss according to a recent survey from the workplace bullying institute. >> workplace bullying may be direct, such as repeated yelling and verbal humiliation. >> reporter: at 6'4" and 260 pounds, craig clayton is a prime example of how the workplace bully can defy stereotypes. >> the woman that was bullying

me was african-american as well about 4'11". it wasn't about physical intimidation at all. there's a certain amount of power that comes along with a boss that's bullying someone that knows they can hold that paycheck over your head. >> reporter: craig says he endured the abuse because he was raising a son on his own. >> every comment from her was personal demeaning. i understand you're a single dad? you know the state can come take your child back from you if i fire you? it was everything you could possibly imagine went to that extreme. >> reporter: the financial cost of bullying to u.s. business is between 6 and 13 billion dollars per year. that includes decreased productivity and increased absenteeism. >> it destroys creativity increases employee turnover. >> reporter: workplace pulleying awareness videos like this one are purchased by companies from walmart to carnival cruise lines. legislators in 29 states have

introduced some form of the healthy workplace bill which holding employers accountable for on-the-job bullying. >> i neat the photocopier now, you get it? >> currently it's not explicitly illegal unless it's specific to behaviors such as sexual or racial harassment. >> pick up the mess! >> i-55 and the measure passes. >> a handful of states have passed related laws. california's ab-2053 mandates that prevention of abusive conduct be included in existing workplace sexual harassment training. san diego assemblyman brian jones voted against it. >> one of the problems with this bill is how do you define what's bullying and how do you define what's banter between two adults? >> this is not a suck it up situation. i want people to know that that's not okay. they need to do something about

it. >>ally velshi al jazeera. al pell ceo is offering inspiration this weekend. koom game the commencement address. he said the sill done valley is a special place because companies there are changing the world. >> i'm a proud son of the south. it's my home, and i'll always love it. for the last 17 years i've built a life in silicon valley. it's a special place. the kind of place where there's no problem that can be solved no matter how difficult or complex. that's part of its essential quality. a very sincere sort of optimism. >> cook also told the new grads they don't have to give up on their values to succeed in their careers. that's all of our time. thanks for joining us. i'm tony harris from new york.

the news continues next live from london. prepare a counterattack as isil fighters rout the army. ministers agree to use force to take on the people smugglers. the press sacks the defense of