>> our american story is written everyday. it's not always pretty, but it's real... and we show you like no-one else can. this is our american story. this is america tonight. >> welcome to al jazeera america live from new york city. i'i'm the city of ramadi has been bloody and chaotic. in chicago protesters protesting disrupted last-minute holiday shopping. and how people around the world are celebrating the arrival of christmas.

>> we begin this hour. ramadi, iraq, where isil fighters and iraqi forces are engaged in bloody street battles isil has controlled the area for most of the last year. but in recent days iraqi forces with u.s. air support have begun to gain ground. it was made even more dangerous by the hundreds of bombed bridges, roadways. gerald tan has the latest. >> as the days wear off, iraqi forces try to retake ramadi has made a sobering admission. it will take time. the military is trying to over power isil fighters, who have been in control of the city. the airstrikes and troops are edging forward street by street.

>> god willing we'll keep advance to go retake the whole of ramadi city. we're now in the district, and god willing we'll liberate the remaining parts of ramadi. >> iraqi intelligence say that they're just a few hundred isil fighters left within the city perimeters. >> following the liberation of the area, things from the 16th division started to work and remove the bombs from the houses. >> there was well knit plan by the counter terrorism forces. the plan was to circle the areas

and launch the attack from the center. it doesn't know which direction is being attacked by iraqi forces. >> ramadi has lit it with rubble and shrapnel. up to 10,000 civilians are thought to be trapped inside the city. the hope is that victory are come swiftly and with no further loss of life but both seem unlikely. gerald tan, al jazeera. >> there is a deal in the works that would allow injured isil fighters to leave an overcrowded syrian refugee camps. the camp conditions are deplorable and it's difficult to get humanitarian aid inside. gabriel elizondo has the details of the deal. >> the u.n. official confirming that al jazeera that the united nations is involved in this deal in syria, but backing away from reports that it is an u.n.-brokered deal.

officials stockholder al jazeera, quote, the u.n. is an observer to the agreement concerning yarmouk but not part of it. that's all we're hearing from the u.n. now this deal, the details of which are still very vague, particularly involved isil fighters safe passage of the yarmouk refugee camp and into the isil stronghold of raqqa. yarmouk. now manow ban ki-moon has called it the deepest circle the hell. there are not just isil fighters but there are al-qaeda-linke al-qaeda-linkeddal nusra front fighters as well as militias all fighting for territory within this sprawling community on the outskirts of damascus. the u.n. said there are 18,000

refugees, innocent civilians there that the u.n. is not able to get any sort of aid into, so the thinking is if this deal can be brokered, and some of these armed fighters, especially the isil fighters are able to leave, that will allow the u.n. to get in there and deliver aid to the people that need it the most. now it is important that it is not a deal yet, but we're told if it does get done, it could happen as early as saturday. >> gabriel elizondo reporting from the united nations. now off to afghanistan where the u.s.-led airstrikes are intensifying the block of an offensive bombing. taliban forces took control of the area earlier this week, but the afghan army has dispatched more forces to the region, and afghan officials are expressing confidence on the counterattack on the taliban.

and in southwestern saudi arabia, there are investigation noose a deadly fire. at least five people were killed and more than a hundred were injured in the flames. saudi health ministry said that all babies in incubators were asked. declaring states of emergency after torontos in those areas were tossed around tractor trailers. at least 24 twisters and 14 people were killed. forecasters say that the threat is mostly over, but heavy rain and flash flooding continue to cause problems. in chicago newly released audio recordings are shedding new light on la kwan mcdonald. the conversations between

chicago police and dispatchers on the night that officers shot mcdonald 16 times. >> let me know when he's in custody. >> get the ambulance over here. the recording shows that the officers were looking for a taser to use on mcdonald after the 17-year-old was spotted breaking into cars. the officer is now facing first-degree murder charges. to remind everyone of anger over this shooting, protes protesters have been interrupting last minute holiday shopping. >> the protest today was quieter than on black friday. a hundred protesters, a couple of arrests disrupting the businesses down here as well. but it has really packed a punch. >> they called it the blockers

protest. marchers once again on the move on michigan avenue on this last day of christmas shopping. they called again for the resignation of mayor ram emmanuel, and they blocked the traffic by laying down, playing dead in remembrance of la q uan mcdonald. but the protesters got a big assist from the hispanic group. >> is there is difference between how the hispanic community sees this from the black community? >> we've seen justice. so no matter what happens when your community--just is a simple community. >> police stayed hands off as protest leader helped to block the entrances to a few stores like the apple stores. >> look, you're hurting many

black and hispanic workers. that's who faces the brunt of this when the stores shut down. >> if people really care about what is going on in society, they'll come out and join us. >> between the out much town protesters and out of town shoppers and tourists who gawked from the side line, there is no doubt that the message is getting out. >> this is happening two weeks ago, something like this. >> it's happening a lot, lately. it's in the news in rome. >> it's no surprise. it's terrible. >> a lot of people think that barack obama was the answer and would solve our problems, well, we have a long way to go. it's not just in cleveland, it's not just in chicago. it's worldwide. >> as always the police kept a quiet watch over the protesters who ripped in to them, but it's a strategy for the most part worked. in four weeks of pro pest there is have only--protests there

have only been a handful of arrests, but there is no cause of how much protests are ahead. >> david. >> andy rosen reporting from chicago. it is already christmas in many parts of the world from bethlehem to the vatican. there have been religious services and large public events. we take a look at how christmas is being celebrated around the globe. >> from the epicenter of the catholic faith the pope leads the faithful through a midnight mass marking the birth of jesus christ. away from the grandeur of the vatican people are celebrating christmas as well. there is a celebration of hope. making it easier for cuban

americans to reconnect with cuba. it's absolutely changed 100% with everything. why? because people want to reunite with their families. to spend christmas with friends, to get back to your roots and everything. so people feel a little bit more together. >> christmas this year follows a day after prophet mohammed's before the. fireworks will illuminate the tigress river. an estimated 200,000 iraqi christians have been displaced by the islamic state in iraq and the levant since last year. many of them live in camps around baghdad. [ music ] in the central african republic businesses are struggling in a climate of instability. fighting between muslims and christians over the last three years has left the country dealing with social and democratic challenges. many government workers have not been paid their salaries, but that has not affected the christmas spirit.

>> in fact, there is a lot of traffic, which means that the celebrations will go well despite the difficulties we're going through. people are determined to celebrate even if there is no money. >> people in france are being asked to remain vigilant as they go about their celebrations. the country is still under a state of emergency after last oh month's multiple attacks that left 130 people dead. security is tight in the chinese capital, too, after the british and u.s. government issued a warning of possible threat to werners on or around the christmas period. but that did not stop hundreds of collects from attending christmas eve mass in this communist country. and in bethlehem, thousands of worshipers traveled to the nativity led by the archbishop of jerusalem in the very spot it is believed that jesus christ was born. the catholic leader called for

unity and mercy. >> up next, presidential politics and migrant deportation controversy has prompted candidates to lash out at the obama white house. and stations with centers and firehouses, how the plan could save lives and money.

>> sunday on "hard earned". losing control. >> 50 and broke. i live with the consequences every day. >> harsh realities. >> i did two tours in iraq, when i came back i couldn't find a job. >> fighting to survive. >> bein' a man and can't put my family in a home that they deserve... that's a problem for me. >> hard earned pride. hard earned respect. hard earned future. a real look at the american dream. "hard earned".

sunday, 10:00 eastern. only on al jazeera america. >> this is an unique holiday season for the american embassy staff who were held hostage in tehran, iran, 36 years ago. do you remember these images? last week president obama signed a bill that will give each of the hostages up to $4.4 million. 53 american citizens were captured back in the protest in 1979 and spend 444 days in captivity. silver americans were subject to physical and psychological torture. the payments from the u.s. treasury will begin next year. and presidential politics, a major policy fight has erupted between president obama and the democratic candidates who hope to follow him in the white house. the department of homeland security is now preparing to carry out a series of raids to

deport hundreds of migrant families. this will be the first large-scale effort to remove people who fled violence in central america last year and came into the. [ illegally. all of the democratic candidates are criticizing president obama for the decision. hillary clinton says, quote: >> persony sanders said, quote: >> in the republican nomination race text center ted cruise is facing a barrage of negative a ads. there are crews leading the field. marco rubio is now hitting cruz with this. >> our leaders must keep america

safe. but when ted crew cruz had a chance to fight barack obama's weak terror policies, he didn't. instead. >> ted cruz wants to carpet bomb the territory innocents be damned, and it under scores the right hard turn among republican activists. two of the republican candidates are suggesting that their campaigns may not survive past iowa caucuses. smoke last night on a conservative show. >> if we can't come close to the victory or win t then it will be hards to take that on to the other mates. >> huckabee is running eighth.

rand pal is barely ahead of huckabee and he said the not participate in the next republican debate night if polling keeps him from qualifying from the main stage. and a group of republican donors have delivered a lump of coal to hillary clinton. >> twas the morning of christmas at the clinton house. the gifts were all open, a new server and mouse. a new lamp for huma and checks from big banks. a recess from putin. she'll send him a thanks. >> it was in reference to she and assistant huma who may have been more interested in lighting fixtures. there has just been a christmas present for actor

robert downey jr. jerry brown has given the star a full pardon from a 1996 conviction on drug-related charges. he's part of 91 state residents who received a pardon for demonstrating exemplary behavior. it does not expunge the conviction but restores voting rights p. draft king and fan duel are facing a battle. draft king said it will ask a judge if it can offer daily games. fan duel will pursue all legal options. the two sites are facing a similar situation in new york, which considers it to be illegal cammiblin cammible--gambling. a fire department in washington state is testing out a fire department by installing

a nurse. >> firefighter ryan dudley is en route to a medical call in kent, washington. >> he's relaying patient information to his new partner, news sara harden. >> have you seen her before? >> yes, several times, yes. >> when they arrived, harden brings her stethoscope and medical supplies. together they are check on the patient. >> how often do you change that. >> harden is part of a pilot program run by the city which adds nurses to the 911 mix. >> what you need here is action to the emt and the nurse going out together. that's what makes this model different. >> staffing nurses that the fire station 34/7 came when they looked at the types of 911 calls that the department receives. more than 70% of the calls that come in here are medical-related, and more than a third are not medical emergencies. they don't irer care.

>> responders realized many of the 911 calls were coming from the same people. elderly residents who were socially isolated. the mentally ill, homeless, veterans, and people with language barriers. >> here we have a patient. >> they created a special database to see who is calling and how often. >> how do you see when they're calling over a period of time calling 911 multiple times for care. >> we see it all the time. >> dozens of people are calling 911 more than 25 times a year. >> they're just stabilized, released, as opposed to treated and have no continuity of care. >> now a hours helps firefighters assess whether a 911 requires a trip to the er. after 911 calls a team of firefighters, a nurse and social worker discuss frequent callers to determine who warrants a follow-up house call. >> it makes so much sense when i

can talk with the patient, and my partner has a different approach. i come in and i ask about, well, have you been doing these things, how about these medications, are you taking these regularly? >> a non-profit focused on improving healthcare estimates that unnecessary visit care wasted $38 billion in the u.s. connecting people to the right resources means patients get better care and er visits are reserved for two medical emergencies. >> i do think this model has a lot of merit. i think it's gone well beyond usual expectations in terms of taking two disciplines and having them work side by side. >> some cities are interested in looking to adapting similar programs. so this team approach could become common practice in the future. al jazeera, kent, washington. >> up next, a master stone carver in the united states is

breathing new life into an old trade.

>> the ancient art of stone carve something facing a sharp decline in the united states. but as ash har quaraishi reports one master of the trade, an american s trying to keep the art from fading away. >> chipping away in his studio

in the western suburbs of chicago, sculptor walter arnold is breathing life into blown it is not really something that you pick up through book learning. you have to watch, travel around looking at work, and figuring out how it was done. >> arnold was fascinated by gargoyles around the university of chicago campus. he went to work in washington. >> it was all from getting to work from people who had learned from previous generations. >> it's a trade and art officially handed down from master to apprentice, but aspiring carvers may have a difficult road ahead of them.

if you are lucky enough to find an apprenticeship, you still need a blacksmith to create the tools. >> in my late 20s i met a carve who are worked on the tribune tower. that was his apprentice work in 1927. he was in his late 80s at the time. he passed on all of his tools to me. >> in recent decades the art has been on a decline. >> 120 years ago there were 100 stone yards in the area, and each had carvers. each time you put up a building, you put up o ornamenttation. now if a public building has 1% for the arts, that's a huge deal. >> there are fewer than a couple of dozen full-time carvers remaining in the united states. but he said there is hope. >> when it comes to creating

modern day monuments with classic style. >> when we're talking about stone or bronze we're talking about longevity, we're talking about an artist who is creating something. >> it took walter an year and a half to design and carve this monument. he started with a 23,000-pound block of indiana line stolen and whittled it down to this statue. >> you're doing something that lasts, you do the work in a way that it will survive angers it will be decent enough quality. >> while the work for stone carvers may not exist to make a living in the craft, the passion who burns in an artist to create something in stone is something that can never be extinguish. ash har quaraishi, al jazeera,

chicago. >> that is our news for this half hour. i'm david shuster. thank you for joining us. ray suarez is up with "inside story." we leave you with a shot at the empire state building. there it is with the colors of the holiday. merry christmas and happy holidays. ♪ ♪ >> first, megamergers created two beer giants. in bev and sab miller. now the two titans want to become one. and produce one of the two brews people consume, brewnanza, on "inside story." >>co