listing post. to die fast range of stories from across the globe from the perspective of the networks journalists on al-jazeera. ready. stay at home or does come into force in the u.k. travel to some european countries is banned as scientists study a new variant of the coronavirus. hello i'm maryam namazie and london you're watching al-jazeera also coming up on the program ready to roll madonna's vaccine is shipped to hospitals across the united states while in washington a vote could happen soon on a massive economic relief package. the story of the kidnapped school boys from katsina state how it's exposing the wider problem of lawlessness and insecurity in

nigeria's north. also coming up a test for democracy thailand holds its 1st local elections after months of protests against the government and the monarchy. hello welcome to the program our top story or fears over a new fast moving strain of the coronavirus and that's led to calls for action from the world health organization it says europe needs to step up measures to prevent the spread of the virus several european countries of eva stopped all restricting travel from the u.k. where the health ministers warned a variant strain of the virus is out of control a stay at home order is now in force in parts of the country the mutated strain is also being monitored in the united states where shipments of the 2nd kovan $1000.00 vaccine have started the medina vaccine will be rolled out for monday but before

that there is hope that a massive bipartisan stimulus deal will be agreed to kick start the economy. and i asked max a mass vaccination program as are also started in israel with the government there aiming to inoculate 60000 people a day though that excludes 2 and a half 1000000 palestinians living in the occupied west bank and gaza more on that story in a moment 1st though and in baba brings us all the latest developments from london. with a week to go until christmas goodwill in some parts is being strained to the limit in much of the u.k. a planned relaxation of indoor mixing rules has been cut from 5 days to one day and in england a 3rd of the population is now a new to hear for restrictions meaning people can't mix at all with other households here in central london there are people out and about for a walk but all the shops are shut these new restrictions are going to be devastating for thousands of businesses as well as for families who had planned to get together a christmas. i think that the new strain of the virus itself like concerning and i

think it is the right decision but i just wish it would have been made a few days earlier yeah i'm pretty upset about it i think the lack of planning and the lack of ability to tell people that this is going to happen in advance of when to do it. because a lot of havoc and there's also a ban on nonessential travel in and out of tier 4 areas that's where the rise in covered 19 cases has been steepest with london's mayor saying the numbers of coronavirus patients in hospital aback at levels last seen in the spring the government's put the surge down to a new variant that's much more easily transmitted the new variant is out of control and we need to bring it under control and this news about the new variant has been a an incredibly difficult and frankly in awful year and it's important for everybody to act. essentially act like they might have the virus. but trains out of london were packed on saturday ahead of the deadline and

on sunday more travelers headed for the station. raising fears about the mutated virus spreading things like wearing them off it's like to me that social distancing they just reduce your chances of getting infected then they don't stop you getting infected and i guess that this increased transmissibility shifts the dial a bit back in favor of the virus those things that mask where exactly this. become the next effect. with many questions unanswered about the new strain the netherlands imposed a ban on flights to and from the u.k. other european nations have followed suit at least temporarily saying they have to protect their citizens and their health services that's also the reason the u.k. government's given for the last minute locked down its hinting the new restrictions may have to stay in place for at least 2 months until a far greater number of people have had the coverage 19 vaccine nadeem barbara

al-jazeera london or in other developments are following us our u.s. congress is one step closer to passing a $900000000000.00 coronavirus relief package this after senior politicians reached an agreement over the federal reserve's emergency landing powers a vote on the stimulus package could take place as early as this evening let's get more on this now from kennedy how his in washington so they're very close to agreeing a deal and can we put it into perspective for us because this would be the 2nd largest relief package in and u.s. history very expensive. extensive and expensive it is a package totaling about $900000000000.00 in terms of relief economic relief for individuals and businesses but tucked in there is another $1.00 trillion dollars to keep the u.s. government running and unless this is not all agreed to by midnight the government will start to shut down partially now this is discouraging news for many americans

who are counting on the government when they need it most and they're also looking for this economic lifeline as the number of covert cases in the united states continues to surge not just with infections but also deaths and hospitalizations particularly when you look at states like california states in the u.s. south and even in the northeast the numbers are going in the wrong direction they continue to climb and that's why so many americans are looking hopeful right now about not only the prospect of economic relief but also of a 2nd vaccine on the horizon well indeed and we know that the shipments of the madonna vaccine have now started after that was approved by u.s. regulators how are they how they prioritizing the way in which it's going to be administered. well this is a little bit complex it has

a lot to do with the system of government in the united states strong states rights mandate that that means that the states can decide to have their own priorities but the federal government is giving recommendations and that's what came down in just the last hour the centers for disease control advisory group put together a list of recommendations on who they believe should get this vaccine next you have to remember that the pfizer vaccine went to the front line health care workers and also the elderly in care homes in terms of the debate that was going on it was for essential workers and who is deemed essential in this next round of vaccines because we know there is a limited supply just some 20000000 people can be vaccinated by the end of january and what we know is that when it comes to essential workers that comprises about 87000000 people across a wide variety of sectors whether it be food processing manufacturing police officers teachers the list goes on and on top of all of this we have businesses

lobbying saying we need our workers vaccinated so we get the economy up and running so this is the tough debate that's been had we'll get a clearer sense on what those recommendations are in the coming hours but again they're just recommendations from the federal government ultimately the states will decide who within their state will get the vaccine 1st and we know already there won't be enough thank you very much from washington can really help. well now we go to israel where as you mentioned earlier a mass vaccination campaign is underway but one excludes millions of palestinians nasser reports on this now from western. idea of hope and celebration in israel this people here received the 1st doses of the pfizer by un take vaccines. government ministers hospital managers and health care workers received the job in the early hours of sunday when

the. prime minister netanyahu was the 1st israeli to be inoculated so. it's a very big day for the state of israel we have been living for almost a year with the most difficult pandemic that humanity has seen for the last 100 years and now is the beginning of the way out millions of vaccines will arrive in our small state it's not trivial millions more have to come and everyone needs to get vaccinated but as the vaccination program rolls out in israel millions of palestinians in the occupied west bank and gaza are waiting to hear when they'll be vaccinated the palestinian authority says it's in talks with the world health organization and vaccine developers analysts and human rights groups say even if enough doses can be bought the palestinian authority will need international help to distribute them and we know that there will not be a bill you are. alone . there and you know assist those.

countries or c their partners if there is the word. and there will be a secure as well. there is a record number of covert 19 cases w.h.o. is warning the health care system there may collapse israel is being asked by human rights organizations to insure all palestinian. answer also vaccinated in response to these really government says it may donate doses left over after all israelis have had their us. so for now there are celebrations in israel but in the west bank and gaza there is no way of knowing when palestinians can feel the same sense of release every nasr al-jazeera western. and just a bit of breaking news some developments on the coronavirus coming to us now from europe the reuters news agency quoting the italian health ministry saying that

a patient has been found in italy infected with a new strain of the corona virus that has also been found in britain now obviously this is the new mutated strain of the virus that is responsible for a surge in corona virus cases here in the u.k. it's led to tough new restrictions in london in the southeast of the country the virus is the new tate and strain of the virus much more contagious 70 percent more transmissible though it's not thought to be more deadly than the original strain of the corona virus and indications are that the vaccine will still be affected but now we get news that the new strain of the corona virus has also been found in italy for you more on that later but i want to move on now to what's been happening in northern nigeria another group of children who were kidnapped in the region of reportedly been rescued by vigilantes in the local community the children have been returning from a religious gathering in mom in katsina state comes just 2 days after hundreds of

boys were reunited with their families and katsina after they were kidnapped. he says recent attacks they're a part of a white a problem. you are having a crisis here in cuts in a state or a state. and. by the way it's just. 200 kilometers from the administrative capital of nigeria and babies hardly a week passes without incident of kidnapping or attempt to kidnap passengers on the highways people now have to resort to. trains and causing problems embarrassment on the part of the government because this is a recurring problem. in the northwest. military. remember 3 years ago the government declared. technically defeated continuously how . the will of the nigerian government and its military in the north east of the

country and we're seeing more activity in the northwest of nigeria some news from iraq. heavily fortified green zone they say the u.s. embassy was the intended target and. defend the u.s. embassy. diverted one of the rockets baghdad's green zone area houses government buildings and foreign missions no casualties have been reported. and watching live from london. on the program macau 21 years since its return to chinese control in. one country 2 systems. and then what's behind a series of attacks try this. story.

hello the weather still looks pretty mild but so wet some when the across western parts of here but to change is on the way because this cold front which is sliding its way for the race with some right on that is a weakening feature right that we do have across the passage and he will gradually fizzle out showers rolling in behind in this because i want for the next couple days this next system well gravity rolling from the atlantic that's something to watch out for later on in the way for the time being more wet weather coming in across the fronts pushing into the low countries there's a wakening front that's making its way across the boat 6 has begun one into monday central east imposture and retry for the time being but this west of weather will continue to push its way through the ace was so warm weather coming in across the northern france by choose stay a little dry there across the u.k. but a little colder 9 celsius in london it will cool off further still as we head towards

christmas drive by the 2 across southern parts of europe well as to the few showers into central parts of the mediterranean those showers maybe just bring you some west weather across the north of algeria and move the merriest to saying some wet weather you see which is pushed a little further south was for much of north africa it is coast dry shabbas will continue or along the guinea coast. the. following 2 fatal crashes and upon to have boeing decided to ground a brand new 7 for 7 max but this wasn't the 1st time that grounded a new crop back in 2013 for 77 dreamliner back into trouble when a batch record. that is out of the u.s. investigative unit discovered believe more to the problem than just smart batteries . rewind broken during the bowling from an $87.00 on al-jazeera.

move. welcome back watching al-jazeera live from london our main story this hour fears over a new fast moving strain of the coronavirus have led to calls for action from the world health organization several european countries of either stopped or are restricting travel from the u.k. where the health ministers warn the variant strain is out of control. and then shipments of the 2nd approved covert 19 vaccine developed by. the national institutes of health vaccine have started in the u.s. rollout will begin on monday this is the congress prepares to vote on a massive bipartisan stimulus package aimed to kick starting the economy. and

israel has launched a massive vaccination campaign varying to inoculating 60000 people a day but the national rollout excludes 2 and a half 1000000 palestinians living in the occupied west bank and gaza. now somalia and kenya have agreed to hold talks to restore diplomatic ties off to east african leaders held an emergency summit in djibouti somalia cut ties with kenya on tuesday kucing it of violating its sovereignty and meddling in the country's internal affairs. of the into governmental authority on developmental egads made the disagreement a priority of its discussions or they're also looking at a humanitarian crisis in northern ethiopia is too great region fighting broke out there last month when prime minister ahmed ordered a military offensive against regional forces so far more than a 1000000 people thought to have been displaced many have fled across the border into sudan jeremy taylor is

a regional advocacy adviser if east africa africa and yemen at the norwegian refugee council and says humanitarian supplies are badly needed in sudan. the needs at the moment are very immediate what we're hearing from from those people who have crossed the border is that they are fleeing with with almost nothing so they arrive with the clothes on their back or with very little in the way of. personal positions so we have to respond with immediate shelter food water. norwegian refugee council we're running emergency schooling and we've set up some schools in the omac who were camps where people who have crossed the border then being moved into a camp some distance away from the border 'd but obviously we need to be thinking about longer term and how long will these people be here and how will these needs grow over time as the numbers grow and so essentially we will not be able to with our current capacity be able to respond and so we will call for more funding and

for greater sort of response from humanitarian agencies all around all negotiations for me i take a dim in the european union a lot in trade talks in the belgian capital with just hours to go until the latest deadline ukase mob crossed in his ear counterpart michel barnier i still have to sort out 2 issues the blocks fishing rights in british waters and fact competition rules for businesses european parliament has warned it won't have time to ratify any deal before the official deadline at the end of the year unless it's a clean by midnight brussels time and no deal breaks it would lead to tower some goods crossing the border and possible shortages of some foods and medicines in the u.k. now thai voters have cost their ballots in a regional election for the 1st time since the 2014 military coup and for the 1st time since last year's disputed general election which inspired a massive student protest movement while turnout in local elections like this can be pretty low this year could be different because at the vote could be

a real test of the strength of anti-government sentiment after all these protests attorney general ports now from the city of somewhat pre-con. once he was seen as the savior of thai politics a charismatic leader whose reform agenda captures a culture of the votes in last year's election since then his party future forward has been dissolved and he's been banned from politics for a decade but tenet on jong un is not giving up his party has reformed under the new bern a move forward bigger asli contesting local elections across time. understand the importance of local. band is that. this has evolved. antigovernment protests in bangkok and around the country the flared up for the past 5 months but giving the folk new impetus younger

voters disenfranchised by the military coup in 2014 could turn to candidates bank by move forward and their agenda political reform. but they face stiff opposition local politics in thailand dominated by well established political families well known to world voters and with money to spend on their campaigns. is running in the affluent province of chonburi his father convicted of corruption of murdering a political rival held the position before him his brother who failed to win a seat as an m.p. is currently a cabinet minister and he vehemently denies he's part of a political dynasty. in fact even though myself and my family have been in politics for a long time and every time that we were given a chance to work in politics our position came from an election. and while the results of the election were unlikely change much it could signify deep shifts in

thai society thailand has been ruled by the rich it. political hierarchy with the monarchy at the center. that whole ruling regime now is being tested and the election this $11.00 small indicator but also one contests that reflects the broader struggle despite a pretty good showing here voter turnout is not expected to be high so close to the long new year holiday the election commission has warned that if voters don't cast their ballots they could well be disqualified in the next general election and even if voters do turn out in large numbers in reality these elections won't bring much change the government's paid little attention to the demands from the protest movement but this is a chance for toys to make their voice heard at the ballot box which in recent years has frequently been denied. some time we go to nepal now

they've been protests there and 7 ministers have stepped down after the president dissolved parliament to pave the way for snap elections prime minister. ali called for an early vote because of a power struggle within the euro ruling communist party some accuse already of sidelining the party in government decisions and mishandling the coronavirus elections will be held in april a year ahead of schedule or polls have closed in the bosnian city of last hour after the 1st local election in over a decade the constitutional court ordered the city to change discriminatory election rules in 2008 but bosniak and parties disagreed on the process europe's human rights court intervene in june saying the stalemate needs to end muslims and christians fiercely fought over the city during the war in the 1900. macau is marking the 21st anniversary of its return to china from portuguese control but unlike hong kong the gambling whomp has embraced beijing's tightening

grip as the vehicle pollen explains. this is a tale of 2 cities macau a former portuguese colony now a casino powerhouse the other hong kong a former british colony and an international financial center both returned to chinese rule in the late 1990 s. . but while hong kong pushed back against beijing's tightening control in the following years there was little opposition in macau macau has a large population with very strong mainland chinese attachment emotion the politically and culturally haven't set that in the reason years there are a minority of young people in macau who tend to support western style democracy and one of those is 29 year old sulu sue an opposition member of my cows legislative assembly who says gaining support for the fight for democracy is an uphill battle.

china. started. while the british in hong kong instilled the idea of democracy in their final years the portuguese largely recognise china's sovereignty over macau. mainland china is crucial for the city's economy bestowing favorable policies boosting tourism and building major infrastructure projects like the $20000000000.00 hong kong macau zhu highbridge perhaps this is the most tangible symbol of the communist party's push to integrate hong kong and macau into mainland china where there was launched 2 years ago it became the 1st physical link between the 2 former colonies and set

them up for the next phase of unification the greater bay area development plan it's part of beijing's efforts to knit hong kong macau and southern chinese cities into a tech. some more. and i'll ask for it to. do this let me went to. china. i'm. our science. china's leaders sheeting ping called macao a shining example of the one country 2 systems policy one that beijing says hong kong outspoken people could learn from difficult poland al-jazeera hong kong south african president sarah ruhl opposer is being urged to intervene in a violent campaign targeting foreign truck drivers around 30 trunks have been set

alight and drivers shot in recent weeks at least 2 people have died how much gas has more from johannesburg and just a warning that a report contains images of burn victims that something as might find disturbing. collins my sukhumi was on a routine delivery when a car with 3 men inside blocked the road and forced him out of his truck he says he's lucky to be alive but he gave out and neither are any of us could do or do and i wonder if he i don't know if they are you annoyed he said they mean if they come down 3rd term our pain may go. when i put the male leg down just someone again just are you oh. oh. unions representing foreigners working in south africa say gasoline bombs have been thrown at trucks driven by non south africans and dozens of drivers have been shot at stoned and even killed south african union leaders who have condemned the

violence insist it is not xenophobia but they say they do want jobs to go to south africans 1st zimbabwe has been vocal what one has been vocal. has been vocal about the end of their own citizens in fact littered over there would drop opportunity dozens been committed in that particular country but it can't. be given to. the citizens of that particular crime over the years competition for jobs in south africa has caused tensions between locals and those from other parts of the continent but africa economy was struggling even before the call of a 19 pandemic the unemployment rate is down more than 30 percent every year the african this gaping poverty and conflict come here looking for work and a better life economists say instability in the transport sector doesn't help matters the damage to the reputation not only of that particular company but is affected by. the country itself is very massive because then we begin not to be

trusted it's not like we're the only people producing anything you know people all over the world they've got options they can go to other countries as well president has been asked by unions and business leaders to intervene in what is seen as a growing crisis in south africa's trucking industry the fine drivers say they have no choice but to carry on working violence or nonviolence they have families to feed. well new york's smithsonian design museum has acquired to him oh geez as part of that digital collection the person with a head scarf and into skin tone couple emote cheese have both been deemed to have historical significance they were designed and approved as a result of campaigns for more on line diversity and inclusion plans to make them the centerpiece of an exhibition of been put on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic the smithsonian is the 3rd museum now to add in to that collection

so there's more everything right here al jazeera dot com all the latest on our top stories you can watch is on life streaming there as well get details of what's been happening here in the u.k. are extra strict to travel as a result of a rise in crime a virus cases. well there are fears over a new fast moving strain of the virus carnivores having led to calls for action from the world health organizations several european countries of either stopped all restricting travel from the u.k. as i was saying where the health ministers woman variant strain is out of control a stay at home order is now in force in parts of the country meanwhile in the united states shipments of start of the 2nd approved covert 19 vaccine which was developed by mcdonough and the national institutes of health the u.s. congress is also prefer.