Im Melissa Chan thank you for joining us South Koreas 2 biggest cities and seoul have held their mayoral elections and the results show a conservative sweep this could mean trouble for president progressive democratic party particularly with president ial elections taking place in just under a year Frank Smith reports the election of new mirrors for their Capital City saw all here in the Port City of busan might not seem that important because after all theyre just by elections and the numers only hold office for a vote 14 months but they are indicative of a broader Sea Change in so korean politics if we go back just a year the democratic party 180. 00 out of 300 seats at the countrys national assembly and then of Course Yesterday they took a trouncing the question is who. How influential will this result be in terms of next Years President ial elections to take place in a boat 11 months are we going to see the conservatives hold on to a favorable public sentiment if we do then were going to see some very different policies out of South Korea even in terms of international affairs with a much harsher hardline policy likely toward North Korea and perhaps closer alliance with the united states. Joining us is do young kim in seoul with the center for a new american security do tell us a little bit more about what it means for security in the region whether a conservative or progressive party is in power in South Korea thanks for so much for having me you know it will be a delicate dance for the u. S. And South Korea in the remainder of this year because the current president the current progressive South Korean president has about a year left because there are already yet odds on exactly how to achieve the Shit Shared Objectives on North Korea now we can expect he will try to work together but i would not be surprised if they experience some tension along the way you know its too early to predict what happens next year in South Koreas president ial election but its a conservative candidate is elected we can expect the eye of the allies to be closely aligned in dealing with china North Korea but if a progressive wins again then we can expect some discord and and some tension in the alliance when theyre trying to deal with North Korea and china. And our North Korea the associated press just quoted kim Jong Un of knowledge being the country is facing its quote worst ever situation and we know North Korea also withdrew from the tokyo games and its closed its borders ever since the start of covert a year ago whats going on. You know i think their withdrawal from the tokyo olympics i think its another indicator that ive snorts korea sees the virus as the biggest threat to its survival more than what they call a u. S. A hostile u. S. Policy now they have isolated themselves basically by closing their border with china by ending nearly all trade with china which is North Koreas biggest benefactor so you know weve seen reports that its overseas North Koreans like diplomats are not allowed to return home so i suspect North Korea might continue to refuse direct talks with washington out of fear of possibly contract again importing the virus now the pandemic has also caused North Korea to basically double down on Self Reliance and centralization to try to revive their struggling economy rather than continuing with economic reforms that have allowed cos i market activities until now to remain a source of economic growth now they might go back to even the old Barter System but North Korea has proven to be very resilient even in the harshest of economic times so you know i do not think we should be quick to think of any doomsday scenarios of potential collapse or what now or what not now you know condone their leader hes also apparently trying to mask his Countrys Weakness with exaggerated displays of military strength by holding military parades we saw that earlier this year by advertising nuclear weapons capabilities you know in statements and verbal e. You know he seemingly does not possess and even testing missiles that weve recently seen. Do we have a sense of that by the Administrations Approach to North Korea and to the 2 koreas. You know we are still hearing that there they are wrapping up their Policy Review but you know so well have to wait but according to what weve heard publicly from President Biden and secretary of state blinken you know i think the contours or the main principles are already out there and they really are that the Biden Ministration is definitely open to diplomacy but theyre also interested in types of pressure tools to to try to you know to to elicit north certain behaviors that the international community wants to see to perhaps even the right to impose some costs on some penalties and some by aleisha as that North Korea might have conducted everyones always wondering this but should we expect to see more missiles fired by pyongyang any time soon. You know i think so because North Korea always has a military imperative to continue testing they need to test as much as they can to try to perfect their technology now theres also a political element to this too you know some of their political calculations come when it when it you know in regards to timing of when to test these types of weapons and thats where i think you know sometimes they factor in things like you know big american holidays or big big american events but you know we have seen them just very recently Edge Test their short range missiles and these are very dangerous missiles these short range missiles can actually start a war or even be used very early on in a war so i think this is where you know the Biden Ministration you know President Biden has said that he will respond to further tests will have to wait and see how he responds and i think you know i think washington will need to impose some type of penalty because all types of missile tests are violations of the u. N. Security council resolutions and not to mention the threats in South Korea and americans living in South Korea they on can thank you so much for joining us thank you for having me. India is reporting daily records of new covert cases on thursday it topped more than 126000 with my Russia State an epicenter of this neal a 2nd wave of the pandemic i. C. U. Beds are quickly filling up health officials are worried and in some places clinics face facts in shortages. Rolled up and ready for a 2nd shot prime Minister Narendra Modi among a growing number of indians to be fully vaccinated against the Corona Virus that india has now surpassed the us as the worlds fastest vaccinating country with more than 3000000. 00 shots be administered each day and yet the virus is outpacing vaccinations and the country is now well in the midst of a severe 2nd wave the new new variant is spreading fast. Views. Dispiriting bird you just you might in work or that it did this you to send this exam are being served and what they presume is that this service is going doing dont suppose in the coming. Weeks or months even. To try to stem that surge restrictions have been reintroduced in many states the capital delhi just the latest to impose a nighttime curfew. And the country is facing an added challenge a Vaccine Shortage Maharashtra State Home to the financial Hub Mumbai has raised alarm bells announcing it may have to hold facts in nations for up to 10 Days Health officials say they cannot afford to slow pace. I do not have theres a stock of 1400000 vaccines available in maharashtra and if we vaccinate 500000 per day then the stock will last for 3 days i want that immediately this stock should be increased and more vaccine should be kept up. Diminishing stocks at a time of surging cases indias covert deal looks far from over. We have been here cadre from Delhi Bureau with us near india in one of the worlds biggest vaccine manufacturers how can they be running out well indeed i dont use tapes which have been raising concerns or a shortage in that sense of claim colluding my russia which is the worlds 58 now and the country now live with what explicit whiling expressed Stress Production that means theyre not able to manufacture introduce and really that means as acquired now either one out of the Sea Or Student institute of india which is the largest that many that are so that you really need to be stuck back to do need to be increasing demands and that still needs to do it actually needs to get out of the government to be able to do so and other that the manufacturers also need to base up their production to meet the increase in demand now there are people who are saying that the vaccine diplomacy. Is what is going to get us right now which means we are exporting a lot of that scene but the government has denied these claims saying that gave not exporting works and that a lot of that are planted by indians but another thing to note is that the what we saw the give the number of cases soaring india did want its act in export to meet the domestic demand now what impact will this temporary shortage of vaccines have on this new wave of the pandemic well it will definitely of leap Days Id be raising among people would be our value to the 2nd be endemic and the saying that the 2nd be the spreading much faster than the last one and the continuous predominate message by the governments of the beginning has been that the only way to deal with all of it is going to new birth abortions and thats a nation now in such a situation when we are well into the 2nd even begin to see the number of cases beaking and this day if theyre the shortage it will definitely be able to cause a huge concern. Many Air Chadri thank you so much for joining us. Thats it for today you can find more on our Web Site Www Dot Com Ford Slash Asia check out our Facebook And Twitter as well we leave you with pictures of people including the prime minister all across india getting their coded 19 vaccinations thats as the country keeps breaking records for new Corona Virus infections thank you for watching well see tomorrow and goodbye. Writes this is the subject the 7 percent of the buffalo. Issues and charity. Young people did you have the solution to your job. 77 percent. M d w. M d the. Climate change. For you. Youll get smarter for free you know when you go to. An audience of medical workers in New York being treated to a special concert by the new York Philharmonic 13 months after the phils last indoor performance more signs of life from New Yorks cultural scene coming up here on arts and culture and also on the show teenagers living the high life together on camera what is the deal with Take Talk Collab housings and later on rebel Fashion Designer Vivienne westwood turns 80 and the idea is just keep coming. But 1st new York Citys cultural scene is seeing some glimmers of hope the Citys World renowned theaters and Concert Halls probably wont open before september but with millions of residents now vaccinated against the coronavirus some venues are being allowed to reopen and the excitement is palpable. New yorkers are finally getting the opportunity again to pursue one of their favorite pastimes standing in line. At the im really excited for the city to become the city again as we always knew it would its pretty pretty exciting that you can feel the feel the energy ok theyre not actually excited about queuing up but rather that after a year of zoo meetings and elbow bumps theyre about to see a live show at one of the citys most iconic entertainment venues the Comedy Cellar in manhattans greenwich village. The Comedy Cellar has hosted nearly all the trades greats over the decades but like most venues its been shuttered for more than a year now its. Open again but at just 33 Percent Capacity in accordance with New Yorks regulations no covert 1000 test is required to enter and neither are masks when seated the Clubs Owner is cautiously optimistic the venue will stay open now for good i dont expect things to turn bad now they vaccinating people very very quickly i think its going to be ok. I hope its ok you know if its not i hope theyll shut us down again you know they should do what they need to do despite rising case numbers the risk of aerosols and virus variants the comedians in the audience breathe a sigh of relief and yeah there will be jokes about the pandemic. For the comedians for me its cathartic to talk about this stuff. To just say what i was going through and then i think for the audience its not just them identifying in a relating that is one level and thats huge too but also just being with other people physically being around people around your peers in some social setting that itself is as important and gradually there are more and more places for New Yorkers to do that restaurants are allowed to host patrons indoors at Half Capacity most of the citys museums have been open for months and now major sports venues are also welcoming fans again. Madison square Garden Home to professional sports teams like the new York Knicks and the new York Rangers is open again at 10 Percent Capacity but to get in you have to have either a recent negative covert test or be fully vaccinated New York has just launched a new app that will help users prove their Health Status and that authorities say will make it easier for New Yorkers and visitors to access venues and activities as the city slowly opens back up as tourists are returning to New York a socalled Vaccination Passport could be an important tool to bring back major attractions like broadway most theaters here is saying they wont reopen until all seats can be filled theyre hoping sometime in the fall or winter. But for now its spring and New Yorkers are enjoying their newfound freedom in the sun after a year in isolation this is our 1st day one year coming back to downtown so we are kind of like 5 things so many people have a station im a Music Teacher i like thats a teaching in person a few days a week. After a year of being on. I dont think im ready to see you know Concert Hall ever i am going to give a concert in one of their Concert Hall so its im looking around here my mind is blown seeing how many people there are i havent seen this many people in one spot where. Scientists are warning people not to that their guard down pandemic they say is far from over if cases keep rising scenes like these quickly again become a thing of the past. Since the pandemic hit more and more people around 700000000 have been using the social Video App Ticktock to show off their dance moves their cats even their politics and for some of them its serious business many of the app stores are even boosting their reach by living together and pooling their resources the trend started with mansions in Los Angeles called collab houses short for collaboration and now the trends caught on here in europe too. Welcome to the 1st Tick Tock shared apartment in italy piece take doctors have lived together since october 2020 this stylish milan apartment is their stage and their mission is to produce content for social media 21 year old Simona Bellini is the oldest resident ready we all want to do something with our lives and make our dreams come true mine is to become an actor. But i mean to everyone here has different dreams and ideas we all want to achieve something in the. Martial arts or acting classes or on the program together they produce short video clips benefiting from each Others Popularity to reach a wider audience. d the 500 square Meter Apartment boasts a trendy come. In modern design every element is a real Eye Catcher put in just the right place. Once a successful influencer himself its just simply decides who gets to move into Death House. I got to see it. But i mean thats influencers who are prepared to work on themselves and we offer them classes to help them develop personal values. And then pass on those values to their audiences. Not as teachers but here i want to commend a what theyve learned to other young people. Who perhaps dont have these opportunities. To joining in. Their private lives may have taken a backseat for the moment but that doesnt matter. They all want to seize their opportunity here and now. Influencers are supposed to talk about crucial topics produce valuable content and teach important lessons so we have a lot of responsibility it makes sense because we have a large audience and were better able to share important topics ideas and value. It with this way we can help our followers going to. The Death House influencers may not be paying rent but what might look like a never ending party is actually a pretty tough job. To talk as a profession so whats the real story did open reporter Mike Mccurry goes here to tell us shes been following this trend micros 1st of all it would seem you. Are not renting these houses on their own correct me if im wrong. We all know that teenagers on. A lot of money but i think this is a little bit too much theres always a Monster Mind behind it most of the time and. He has always a story or a concept is it going to be about Beauty And Fashion or is it about gaining. The ticktock as have usually also big agencies behind. We dont have just one successful ticktock a we have a whole group and they of also the deals with the big companies so i think theres really enough money and even rianna found that a Content House to promotes and do a little bit at the thais ing for her make up products wow ok without really clears things up because you know ive been on the out for a while and i keep seeing these videos of young kids in these briley expensive kitchens in these houses in southern california and ive been wondering are they all rich i mean but apparently its part of a bigger scheme i dont think that them this is their only rich when they are moving about they going to be rich this is the idea and so maybe we take a look back in the history there was the 1st one the 1st Content House was the hypos in Los Angeles and very soon we saw copies all around the Globe Everything that they are wearing eating drinking playing with its all made advertising brings in money a fair fame is maybe as short as a Tick Tock of the to you because these these teenagers are now the modern version of boy groups speaking of music weve been hearing so much about how to talk influences the music we listen to is that also because with these houses absolutely right because the music theyre chosen for the videos for the Lip Sync of for every situation these songs go viral and this makes the Music Industry of course very very happy well i would be happy to if i were the Music Industry thanks so much mike a group thank you. There are some people who manage to stay young at any age like british Designer Vivienne Westwood from her early days selling pornographic t. Shirts to becoming one of the top names in high fashion westward has always done things her way now the doyenne of Punk Chic is celebrating her 80th birthday still as edgy as ever. Played out in. A life time of rebellion Vivienne Westwood makes fashion about much more than just clothes its. For more than 5 decades the british designer has used her creations as a platform for political activism shes championed causes from wiki leaks to what west would herself has described as a war for the very existence of the human race the battle to save the planet. So traumatized by the stock of understanding what was going on how. Long and a couple of generations billions would be but well dolmens we do something now. In 1974 along with Coconspirator Malcolm Mclaren who also managed on Campus Sex Pistols Quest would open the iconic Sex Clothing Store on londons kings road crime here westwood showcased her designs helping set the style for punk and new wave. In the early 1980 s. Westwood went from punk provocateurs to being britains best loved Fashion Designer she famously plundered history for inspiration. Many of her ideas were immediately picked up by the mainstream unconventional and outspoken westwood twice earned british designer of the year and was awarded the order of the british empire. By the queen her designs and activism combined to spark cultural change. And i just use my fashion as an excuse to say what i think about politically and culturally but i do think that fashion does do something i think my fashion gives you an incredible choice in and they have conformity and it makes you look great and it helps you to express your Individuality Today at 80 years of age the icon of british fashion shows no signs of slowing down as a fellow designer once said video does and others follow. More power to work well for me and the whole arts and Culture Crew here in berlin thanks for watching for more stories go find us on Facebook And Twitter at the W Culture by for now. Comes. The fun. Can the they were not hard and in the end this is a me youre not allowed to stay here anymore we will send you back. Are you familiar with this. With the smugglers were lions of. Whats your story ready ready. I mean what numbers of women especially in victims of violence. Take part and send us your story your train always understand this neW Culture. Not of a little another yes you want to become a citizen. In for migrants your platform for reliable information. On the all set to go beyond the obvious coming. As we take on the world. Were all about the story that matter to. Whatever. To see some fun. To be on fire makes. Time for the. Warming. Well yes. The industry is controlling your thoughts the great books of the 20th century. Present day hoaxes. Created memory. Storage space 30 w. This is news live from but Joe Biden and im says new Gun Control measures. Violence in this country just look at this damage to. The u. S. President moves to tighten some regulations but full short of his campaign promises to be enough to stop the bloodshed well bring you the latest from washington also on the program Brazils President says will remain open despite a Breaking Surge in Corona Virus infections and deaths hospitals are on the brink of collapse. And