Drinking water. How are people coping with shortages and what is the government doing about it . The im melissa chance, thanks for joining us. The european country of georgia has announced an upgrade in bi lateral ties with china to what both are calling a strategic partnership. It is part of a Foreign Policy shift that has seen it to ballistic, friendlier to authoritarian states, including russia. And it puts georgia which hopes to be part of the European Union, and has been promised eventual nato membership on a collision course with the very european democracies. It is also attempting to join in the deal with china. Georgia commits to chinas belt and wrote initiative the very one italy just signal that plans to draw from badging promises to release the preferential lending from chinese banks for possible projects. Including a new international airport, a deep sea port and several hydro electric power stations. Georgian Prime Minister, rocky garb, i should be lead, sealed. The deal on a visit to china, where he met with leader shooting pain. Goes here. Im very pleased to meet you. Mister Prime Minister from the china has always regarded georgia as a good friend and partner. No matter how the International Situation changes, china is firmly determined to develop its relations with the georgia tech that we would have considerably various friendship and partnership with china. And im grateful to your decision to elevate your relationship to the strategic partners, which i believe will bring complete results, which will could be beneficial for both of us. Joining us as former defense minister of georgia, tina kinda shelly, she is chair of the organization at civic idea. Thank you for coming on the program. You have called these developments quote, alarming. What do you mean by that . Thank you for having me. Its a pleasure. The biggest problem that we face with the strategic agreement or strategic treaty between china and georgia, is so the confusion is the confusion on different political arena on the following, following political priorities of georgia. 2023 marks the year when we are trying to get the European Union and candidate status when were trying to end of the 8th. Our partnership with ball state opinion and the United States in the single tenuously suddenly, unexpectedly georgia analysis to fidget, but not sure who the country that is defined by both European Union and nato as a challenge together with russia. Because of dial told us we, theres lots of concerning to be the same amongst x. Theres community political circles, civil society. That it is kind of a continuation of the most recent tools by the georgia and government. More towards russia rather than uh, its usually normal pro vista and policies. Having china is a strategic partner, obviously blows that picture of joe dress, georgia and government. So i would say and that well discuss, distinguish definitely the government and the public trojan governments. Actual g r, honest aspirations towards to atlantic integration of the country. I wonder though, um, if georgia needs Infrastructure Investment in china is willing to offer the money and the companies to help make it happen, then, isnt it in georgias interest to do so . Especially if the country is not getting enough investment from elsewhere, including europe. Well 1st of all, um, this is not about it, especially Infrastructure Projects or corporation in trade or business. We already have free trade agreement. We changed that to some of the times when i was uh, in the cabinets as well. Uh, in the trade wells develop increasing what we have um you know, quite a progressive calculation in terms so for Business Exchange in terms ofa wanting to trade, as i said, the interest actual development, all major contracts are run by Chinese Companies in georgia. The oh absolutely, every single beach is one by the Chinese Companies that is over 100000000 here. So on that level, we did not have any shot to jo corporation or no joint action together to retain its what has changed up to the signing of this on the agreement. These deals with china is that now be moved into a wider def issues into a wider range of cooperation deals. And it was before just related to the trade in business and you caught me. Now this is about national security. Now this is about all the soft power instruments and tools trying to use this in Different Countries being, getting out of the media and media or your name. Its uh the culture and exchanges that is a close about the and the confusion seems to just as a close establishment of the confusion assistant is teachers that we all the, they have that we have for, from teachers and students in that country. But its obviously about students the for all those activities. But most importantly, the document says the to the end or Prime Minister, most of the statements about each couple of times, well being in beijing both or the governmental level as well as at the chinese children business for the georgia is joining all major documents really used by either as a to jim p, a d i is coming to for these last couple of years being pulled one of them and probably most alarming for us is joining gsr data that hes understood by the entire award is in kind of im favorites. The alternative agenda, searching documents in terms of international relations. International 26, arriving public Electronic Security policies in this globalized world. A very quickly and why is China Building this relationship with this a relatively small country like georgia at this time . Yeah, well there are some of the reasons for that. Obviously the fact that of that the Chinese Government has these uh, a policy decision that there are no smaller be countries. And all countries are staying in portland for tax and now on the street up to 10 says want us to use it for that. But more important to, you know, read all the new you 1st top 10 projects. We dont new tons of projects. Uh, that drives through georgia particularly have to do what are you trying . Georgia, gaining given most trust. It needs transience, power for the energy being gives you energy, resources, trade roads, or did you name it . And obviously it is an interest of china to have a country even as small as your days under its arm and under its influence. Then uh, the parts of the good western world, but it does have it shows it power the trucks, lots of countries and lots of businesses. So they dont want to kind of shelley, thank you so much for joining us. In afghanistan, years of drought have led to a severe water crisis. More than 70 percent of household in the country, face shortages and experts say the Climate Emergency has exacerbated the crisis. Its yet another challenge for the taliban government and has complicated relations with its neighbor. Iran god is running out of water going up and down his defeated buckets of water has become a reality for hundreds of households. It has force people to stand in line for hours at the distribution centers. There are fewer people and wheelbarrows today than the other days off today. They were long queues of wheelbarrows and the previous days, sometimes the road gets blocked and people have no water about of what the shortage means that privately owned for the tank goes out in high demand. But the, so weve come at the half the cost was, you know, about almost looks like ive been to spend half my salary and rent and the rest on buying water g b, i work at the minister of education and i still have to borrow money at the end of every month by mouth, i mastic it but could cause a lot of loss value on administration. Planes that of getting jobs for the crisis was founded on the ground water level has gone down all the way human based on the water availability. Our supplies are periodical. So in twice a day, in some places more every 2nd day, or one day per week, the buttons, the embassy. The problem extends across. Ive gotten this done junior phase more than 50 walked associates and at least 3, probing 5th drying up in the landlocked country. Pushing down on dollar bonds to initiate projects that could increase the water supply and better indicate a go through land. Here in the province of fido dollar fund offices that constructing the book here about done. The project is still can conflict with neighboring eat on the done already by himself gone this time for blocking what this applies to this site from existing guns. You said the new project might force an excess to what do i need on eastern provinces . I asked the rulers of afghanistan to take my word seriously. Im warning them that they should quickly honor the water rates of iran system and below just done regions, but ive gone need to ship. Its a demand that a new down would help you get thousands of picked effect. He goes to the lot inside our province, which has huge swats of dry land jobs and water shortages are expected to continue due to time, a change. Bidding neighbor again stable over the fight for water from not enough water to too much water. The Climate Emergency is contributing to a summer of extreme weather in asia following type food, duck stories, destruction now comes type food. Canon. In japan, it has already damaged homes and knocked out power on okinawa, beating more than 160000. 00 homes without electricity. And 2 people dead media or ologist say, the storm is moving strangely and what they are describing as a u turn. That means it may spare china, which is still coping with the impact of this weeks deadly floods. Never the less the officials are preparing for the possibility of this coming storm in places such as judge young province. They have called ships back into port and stopped ferry services. In taiwan, the government has shut businesses and schools in the north, including in the capital type pay, where airlines have canceled dozens of flights. This you turn, experts are describing the path. The storm would take would roughly happen here. Changing directions and likely heading the mountain is central part of the island. And thats it for the program. As always, you can head to our website, d, w dot com, forward slash agent for more, or check us out on social media, including on x, formerly known as twitter. Im always a chance, thanks for watching and goodbye the side. It says to move on to the basic goals hitting the country feature, try the guessing push back even from their own families. I can be this month or later so we can use it a lot more. Now i will ask you on the, on the, on the slicing social and seeking your self determined life. Lets go from drudgery and abuse. Stuff focuses on d, w. The heading 1st space with version galactic planning. Its next flights and the coming weeks will meet a record break of his ju, to be on board around between india is government and 8 on the x and 10. Suffice with the social media platform appealing against an indian quote, rolling and hey, how its changing time as hes putting a stop to Call Congress in portugal. As a state of the business on robots in bed and welcome to the program. So it didnt. Galactic is planning. Its next commercial space flight and your about to hear from a lucky competition right now is set to be on board. The trips going to last around 90 minutes with tickets. Usually costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. The passengers getting to expose weightlessness high above the well this time include a mother and daughter and an 18 year old fullness olympian vision galactic says its plans to operate monthly commercial space sliced from august this year on with someone who has secured a spot on village and galactic next flight and is not to be sent to be part of the 1st mother adulthood. You ever have to go into space is keisha shaw hoff who will be going up along with her daughter and a may is thank you so much for being with us on the to we your business and how you