. will be live in vienna and determined to snuff out smoking new zealand unveils a plan to stop the next generation from lighting up. ah. now the army con variant is casting a shadow over the coming holiday period with countries across the globe. now stepping up measures to contain the spread of the new cove at 19 strain. so the africa has now approved the use of the fires of vaccine booster shot following a spike in cases there. the w h o says south african cases have increased by 255 percent just in the past week. denmark has also imposed a series of tough new restrictions, including a night curfew and a band on indoor gatherings. while in the u. k, the health secretary has warned it could see a 1000000 ami con infection by the end of this month. that all comes as prime minister barak johnson's authority as being questioned of the leaked video, showed his stuff, joking about holding a party during last year's lockdown. well, let's bring in joe and a home he is in london for us. joanna, it's not looking like a very merry christmas over there right now. know like many other places on the call is well, truly established here. we're told by the scientist that it has a very fast doubling rate of 2 and a half to 3 days. there may be as many as $10000.00 cases in the country already, and that points to go to the health, to the health minister to the possibility of a 1000000 cases by the end of the month. and so we have these new measures so called plan b, long in the works, apparently hurriedly rushed forward unannounced on wednesday by the prime minister . increased mosque wearing an indoor settings, guidance to work from home. again, the limited use of cobit vaccine passports in mass public venues. and the idea of course, is whether or not to wipe out all micro, and that's not going to happen, but to try and curb those numbers. while the scientists do their work in figuring out what all micron is capable of, it's clearly highly transmissible. the hope is it may yet not be as severe as delta, but what they don't want to find themselves is a position where the numbers have already gone off a cliff when in a couple of weeks time, say the worst happens on the scientists come back and say on the ground is worse in every way than delta. meanwhile, turn me off them off of the video that we've seen, the blowback has been fairly huge fed bars, johnson is going to have ongoing political consequences for either him or his government. i think the story has a long way to go. it's far from over. it's being talked about why the now is the worst day wednesday for the prime minister. yet, not just because of the whole out of that leak video, senior staff is laughing about a party that apparently took place in downing street that was illegal at the time. but the prime minister still denies happened, but also because a real fall out anger. in fact, among his lead, libertarian empties on his own back benches at the potential now useful, probable now of vaccine passports. they're very angry about that. they will show their anger next week when a vote takes place in parliament. and that will only add to already swirling gloomy predictions. put bars jobs in the end is inside some say, a turning point for his premier ship. something that the voters will remember. some say, next time they go to the polls and opinion pulls out this morning, show shop slide in support for the conservative party. one in particular says that 63 percent of britons now believe that for his johnson should reside goodness while trying to haul that with all the latest forest in london. thank you very much, jaron hall for me. the miller is in johannesburg with more for us on the situation . and for africa, if we look at the last 24 hours of 900000 over 900000 cases. and i think what is concerning is the positivity rate and that that's gone up to 26.8 percent, which really is about the number of people going out to get tested. a quarter of them. they're receiving results saying that they're positive. and i think this is what experts are keeping a close eye on. the what has made south africa sort of stand out in the last couple of days is that the number of infections throughout november and at the end of the 3rd wave had really dropped significantly, perhaps 3 or 400 cases in an entire week. and now we've seen that increase financially by 300 percent. and so the is continuing concern around just how the army corps and by variance will impact south africans and an increase in disease. but the government appears to be taking quite a sober approach. not heightening restriction levels in south africa, also firing back at the international community around travel band saying that hospitals are in order. they're ready for anything that might happen during that fort waive. and wanting to be cautious, really being concerned about just how severe the variance might be. but also saying we need scientific data to back up the position that we read and then to better understand what's going on. now moving on and talks aimed at reviving the 2015 iran nuclear agreement, or just about resume in vienna. after last week's negotiations made little headway . the u. s. and european participants of accused are on of not being serious about salvaging the deal. they weren't hereon to come back with realistic proposals. let's bring endorse a jabari. she is in vienna for the talks and joins us now. dos. i see they've arrived back at the negotiating table this morning to we actually expect any more progress this week. why, what we expect there to be some decisions made on all sides. the iranian a deputy for mr. who's leading the negotiating team. arrived in vienna on thursday morning i. he's been meeting with the chinese and the russian delegations here and they are all due to meet at a joint commission session in the next few minutes. and we also know that we, we in foreign minister has held a phone conversation with the foreign policy. should joseph morales, i'm saying i'm you're up to like young said that it is very crucial that these talks move forward in a positive way. he said that the comments that have come out from the europeans about these negotiations and not been constructive. and they really could have the damage. in fact, to the talks here, there is a sense that the iranians are not going to give into anything. at this stage. they perform 2 proposals earlier last week for the americans to look over one about the sanction they expect to be relieved. and then the 2nd is about the technical aspects of the nuclear program. the reason is that unless those sanctions are lifted, iran will not go back into for compliance. the americans for their parts are not here today. they're expected to come back on the weekend. but prior to leaving vienna, they had said that the demands made by the iranians were very different than that of the previous negotiating team under our president has several honie at the time . and these demands now are very much on a different path. even the european said that this is not what they were de before the old administration left office. there is a sense that in the coming days things could get very, very serious. and the way news of that, if they don't move forward the way they want, they're not going to stay here very much longer. there's also the international atomic energy agency that is crucial in all of this. the director general ref her grossi who was in her on last month, has said that the renews are not being very cooperative and that they're not getting all the access they wants. be also know that the for raining foreign minister said that there is a delegation from atomic. iran's atomic energy organisation will be traveling to vienna soon to meet with the e course. the americans have been threatening to hold an emergency board session to discuss the lack of cooperation by the arraignment. so we'll have a better idea of where things stand in the next 24 to 48 hours for the time being. all sides are adamant that they're not but a given see how that goes over the coming days and weeks also jibari that with all the latest from those talks in vienna. thank you dorothy. now the bodies of 13 people killed and a helicopter crash, and india are being brought to the capitol, where they'll be laid to rest. the aircraft came down just short of its destination, which was a military training college in the southern state. there of thomas now do the highest ranking, military official was among those killed defense chief general bip, and raoul aunt will be buried with full military honors. meanwhile, and investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident. well, elizabeth bronnan is our correspondent in new delhi. she says, investigations have now recovered the cockpit flight data recorder from that helicopter to defense minister raj not saying address parliament on thursday morning and he went over the timeline of the crash. he said, the military helicopter took off from the salute air base in the southern states of some large at 1148 a. m local time. it was only supposed to go a very short distance and lands less than half an hour later, at $1215.00 at the wellington defense service college where the invalid supposed to be attending an event. but at 12 of 8, the helicopter last contact with the air force base. and shortly afterwards, people who are living near couldn't know. so a very large fire and a forest rushed to the scene. so the record of the helicopter on fire, after which rescue was arrived at the scene and tried to recover as many people as they could and take them to the wellington medical college. but 13 of the 14 people on board died and the one surviving member is on live support. now, the bodies of 13 and now making their way from summer to delhi that arrived on thursday evening. the investigation is very much underway with the inquiry team, actually reaching wellington and i'm and now do on wednesday evening now both involved with death as being felt across the country. and that is because the defense services are held in such high regard in india and he held the highest position and the defense services. now, hong kong pro democracy movement, husband, else another blow immediate. i can jimmy lie and 2 other prominent activists have been convicted for their roles and a band vigil to commemorate the chairman square massacre, florence louis reports. oh, jimmy ly was at last year's tenement square rally in hong kong for just 15 minutes and did not address the crowd. the judge said prosecutors had been able to prove his incited others to attend the vigil. lie used to own apple daily, a vocal pro democracy paper. the tablet was shut down after police raided its officers and arrested staff under a national security law. some journalists in hong kong say they are not surprised by wednesdays verdict. this has been the trend of the last year on the judge and under woodcock. rules are tar jimmy lie. didn't have to say anything to even in fight others very tight, but he timed out just outside the park. was close a deliberate act to rally support for and publicly spotlight the unauthorized assembly. the judge also found barrister chow hung tongue and former reporter gwyneth ho guilty of either taking part or inciting others to join the event. all 3 pleaded not guilty. 16 other activists are already serving jail sentences for also taking part in the commemoration. hong kong has traditionally held large events on the anniversary of the tenement crackdown in beijing. for the 1st time in 30 years, police in hong kong band last year's rally, citing corona virus restrictions. commemorations will also band this year, with case itself is part i would say perhaps a wider crackdown on the memory of the 1989 massacre. textbooks has been censored, museum exhibits confiscated, visuals. organizers have been put behind balls. and as you can see, this collaboration has been battled oh, last year's band was imposed just as china passed, a sweeping national security law in hong kong activists say the latest convictions . i. another example of hong kong leaders bowing to pressure from beijing to censure pro democracy expression florence louis al jazeera. pascal had here on out there in the u. s. is hosting a summit with global leaders on the decline of democracy. will tell you who is not invited and what they have to say about that. ah, ah, look forward to brighter scully's, the weather sponsored my cattle airways. hello, thank you for tuning in. we're going to begin in se asia in the news is island of lombok. it has been nonstop range here. this is just east of bali, and so it seems a flash flooding and still plentiful storms in the forecast on friday, right across this region. but i want to take you to the philippines. we've got rain come naturally, both from the east and the west as this batch of what weather moves in from borneo . so flash flooding and the risk of land slides here for china and increasing cloud cover for western areas of the yangtze river valley. also the yellow river valleys . so closing in on young joe and wu han also thicker cloud deck toward the northeast of china and over the korean peninsula. so this could generate some showers or snow at higher elevation than wall to wall sunshine across japan or soccer. at 17 degrees that's above average for this of the year, off to the sub continent. right now we've got that rain across the east coast. on fridays seen it for sri lanka is while let me show you saturday, get another wave of it for time. only do and also for that southwest corner of sri lanka also at the southeast corner. and if we look at janai over the next few days, those showers and thunderstorms will never be too far away and your lock, your temperature in to about 30 degrees. that's it. for me see, next time ah, the weather sponsored by katara ways. once upon a time the family fled from and so silent and no eli, the sisters who so scared have been sent back. not they disappeared within fell a little boy 158 mom. shit. make square, how will that story and witness wake up? mom announced sir, ah, the hello again. i'm in mind you about top stories here. the salad, south africa has approved the use of the 5, the vaccine booster shots as a battles, a 4th wave of this. the w h o says african cases have increased by 255 percent just in the past week. in england, meanwhile, is returning to title corona virus restriction. as the article on varying a shadow of christmas period held secretary has warned the you could see a 1000000 on the con infections by the end of this month. 3 pro democracy activists and hong kong have been convicted of taking calls in the band vigil last year. media tycoon jimmy lie is among them. more than a dozen people were charged for involvement and that event commemorating the chinaman square. now the u. s. president has rolled out sending troops to defend ukraine from a potential russian invasion unless there is agreement from nature. now dr. barton is expected to speak with ukraine's president thought amuse lensky about the threats of the border later on thursday. earlier this week, by the already held talks with russian lead a lot of oppression. who said he has no plans to invade ukraine. by them there has threatened moscow with severe economic sanctions. if an attack happens, while charles stratford has the latest now on what's expected from the talks, the deed will be asked to to, to make will also be discuss. and when we talk about concessions, for example, with respect to the minutes to agreement, agreement that bible and sense of purpose. it's just been a non adulterated failure. in the last 7 and a half years since it was signed or 70 years since it was signed in 2015 and an agreement that the russians accused the ukrainians of not implementing their part of the agreement. one of the things that versus the virgin has said in the last couple days is that the gradient muscle starts talking to the russia except which is in the don bus area. and that is something that the ukrainians have so far, always refused to do because of course, they say that that would legitimize what they described as being a terrorist organization. so it's going to be very interesting to see what kind of pressure the us president will put on zalinski to try and avert this crisis deteriorating any further interest. and we also today this reportedly meeting going on between the trying to contact group. now that includes representatives of russia, ukraine, and the organization for security and cooperation in europe that are monitoring things in this region and happy in for years. apparently on the table there for discussion is prisoners swaps the opening of additional checkpoints and trying to maintain some sort of see pharmacies far, of course, that he's repeatedly violated almost every day. well, meanwhile, the united states is hosting a summit with more than a 100 countries discussing the decline of democracy wild wide. but some expense have criticize just who is on the guest list because they have question, what human rights records? our white house correspondent, kennedy. how can reports now from washington, dc. ah, the images are unforgettable. supporters of former president donald trump last january, attempting to overturn the results of the u. s. presidential election. it rattled a nation that prides itself on being a model for democracy. since then, many americans have come to believe democracy is under attack him the u. s. and elsewhere, it's no secret that there is democratic backsliding happening around the world. that's why u. s. president biden is holding a virtual summit this week to bring together more than a 100 countries to promote democratic ideals like voting and human rights. divide in administration points to threats to taiwan from china and ukraine from russia. as just some of the examples of how democratic governments are being tested, it hopes to rally global leadership to stand up even confront those authoritarian forces. but critics say the u. s. lacks the moral authority to hold such as summit . we directly arm and finance some of the most authoritarian and inch democratic governments around the world. the case that comes to mind over and over again is saudi arabia. we continue to sell arms in the millions, billions of dollars to a government that who stated goal. he's not to support that democratic re foundation. the guest list for the summit. housing also raised eyebrows. countries like india and israel have been invited to attend. they've been criticized internationally for their authoritarian responses, kashmir and the palestinian territories. meanwhile, turkey and hungry. both nato allies are excluded. it does not mean that we are invite that every one we're inviting. we're giving a stamp of approval on every democracy is a work in progress. divisions over the 2020 u. s. election. continue led by former president. trump, who has still not accepted the results or his defeat. democrats say that sentiment has motivated republicans to change voting laws in some states to restrict access to the ballot box and potentially manipulate future votes. given the divisions over what democracy looks like in the us and abroad, the democracy summit will be a task for president biden. will he be able to push world leaders some with their own authoritarian tendencies to take meaningful action to change? kimberly health al jazeera, the white house. oh, meanwhile, china is accusing the us of political manipulation for even going ahead with the sun it katrina you has more on what beijing has had to say about the meeting. according to beijing, this summit is about promoting us self interest and making sure that the u. s. stays on top of the world stage. now, china has many reasons to be angry. one of the foremost is that it was not one of the more than 100 countries or regions invited to attend this summit. and they took issue with that. and they were further infuriated by the invitation, extended to taiwan, which china considers a rogue chinese break away province. another participant, they are not happy with is the speaker nathan law. and now he was a former hong kong legislator, a well known activist, and he fled hong kong before the position of the national security law. last year now he's been invited to speak about his experiences. he will talk on human rights and standing up to authoritarianism on friday. now, recent days over the past week, they doing and it's propaganda. state media has been on or va drive talking about all the flaws of us style democracy and saying that china has its own style of democracy, which is more representative of the interest of the people. but of course us many other per democratic groups and countries would take issue without saying that trying to routinely denies its citizens, human rights or basic rights there is nor individual voting. and china has been routinely criticize or it's a treatment of, for example, muslim wiggers as well as people working in the media. and now china is also wanting country is planning a diplomatic boy because of the asian winter olympics that they'll pay for what it calls wrong acts. canada and britain are backing the u. s. and the strategy is decision to protest what they call china, of human rights abuses. athletes more for nations though will still be able to compete in those games starting in february, as a country indeed, as many partners around the world. we are extremely concerned by the repeated human rights violations by the chinese government. that is why we are announcing today that we will not be sending any diplomatic representation to the beijing olympic paralympic games this winter. our athletes have been training for years and are looking forward to compete the highest level against athletes from around the world. and they will continue to have all of our fullest support. now the new zealand governance has announced one of the wild, toughest anti smoking laws. and frances actively ban smoking by progressively raising the legal age for buying tobacco products. the level of nicotine and cigarettes on there will also be reduced not, nor is said to come into effect in 2027. the critics say it could boost the black market for tobacco. smoking is the leading cause of death in new zealand, killing up to $5000.00 people each year. until now, the government focused on increasing taxes on cigarettes to make smoking on affordable last year. for instance, a $25.00 pack cost about $28.00. 10 years ago it was 11. smoking rates have fallen in recent years, but about 19 percent of the adult population still smokes and the rates much higher . indigenous mary, at about 28 percent under the government plan, a task force would be created to help reduce smoking among mary. when i spoke to dr . several, she is new zealand. the associate health minister, she says, vapor though, isn't included in this new law because it's considered a safe alternative to cigarettes. there is very strong evidence that tobacco is an extremely harmful and addictive substance, and yet the evidence will have from bytes is fairly bad, definitely a cipher old finished. so we're taking a reduction approach by banning to that price will future generation, but making sure the current market to quit the tension. $4000.00 new zealanders die each year from tobacco and we might take action on it. what made a lot of progress, the cause of that regulation, reseating with allowing right to quit. so we made the biggest decrease we had in history in watching, right? the last year alone. so we think that what freak out is within reach a european population as is seek to make it as i reach that goal. as we need to take bold action to make sure all parts of the community get there. and because we're not prepared to lay past the community behind how the world food program has suspended distribution to, to that, to towns in northern ethiopia, after gunman lucid it's warehouses. they're. the un says rebel to grind, forces, store large amounts of essential food aid in the horror region. it will say said 3 of its trucks received by government military personnel. on monday, the 8th european government said it had recaptured the 2 towns of dessie and culture from the rebels. now since fighting broke out last year, thousands of people have been killed. more than 2000000 displaced. 9000000 others need critical food supplies. the un has previously accused the european government of stopping food aid from getting into tea cry. while children in east africa, i'll bearing the brunt of the climate crisis. there. a group said the children tracked malnutrition across the region. it says this year, more than a quarter of a 1000000 children and 8 countries may have died from hunger. while greg graham is the head of humanitarian response out save the children. he says, governments need to provide more funding to support families at risk. it is a horrible number to have over 250000 children die of severe acute mount attrition . in addition to the climate crisis, which causes drought and flooding, we have the challenges of coven 19 and it an impact it's had on economies and health systems. as well as conflict in parts of the region. all of these make children that much more vulnerable that much harder to have the food they need. and when they are sick from severe a few bound nutrition, fewer than half of them are getting the treatment they need across the stuff. in the very 1st instance, a child who does have severe acute nutrition needs media treatment. and so what we need across the monitoring system is adequate funding for organizations like say the children, local organizations, local governments, you insist. and so that children who are sick, who are at risk of dying from simply not having enough to eat and the disease is it can come with that. that system needs to be funded. and we need to make sure that children who need treatment care treatment. secondly, we need just make sure that there's enough support to families so that they can afford no, there's enough money in assistant cash transfer programs so that families have enough to eat. in the long run, we have to not just worry about the impact of climate crisis in the long run. we need to worry about it today. it's not just temperatures rising over time, but we need to understand today the impact that it is having on families on children who are at risk. well ahead of instagram is cooling on politicians to help regulate social media platforms with new las, specifying what's expected at emissary, testified before us senators, who are scrutinizing the abs impact on children. recently leaked internal documents . had revealed though that instagram discovered the platform does negatively affect teenagers mental health. now i recognize that many in this room have deep reservations about our company. i want to assure you that we do have the same goal . they all want team to be safe on line internet isn't going away. and i believe there's important work that we can do together, industry and policymakers. and we have a specific proposal. we believe there should be an industry body that will determine the best practices when it comes to what i think are the 3 most important questions with regards to safety. how to verify age, how to build age appropriate experiences, and how to build parental controls. ah, hello, that this is al jazeera and these are the headlines. so the africa has approved the use of the 5 vaccine booster shot as it battles. a 4th wave of this pandemic. the w h o says south african cases of increased by 255 percent.

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